The Clearwater is the reel we hand people when they want a sealed drag without a premium price. Carbon-to-stainless sealed disc drag, die-cast frame under a tough powder-coat finish, large arbor, and a radiused reel foot that stops your leader kinking. Sealed matters more than most buyers realize at this price: grit, sand, and river water stay out, and the drag behaves the same in year five as it did on day one.
We stock all three sizes in all three finishes — twenty reels on the shelf.
Full lineup
| Size | Line | Weight | Diameter |
|---|---|---|---|
| II | 3–5 wt | 5.6 oz | 3.4" |
| III | 5–7 wt | 5.4 oz | 3.5" |
| IV | 7–9 wt | 6.1 oz | 3.75" |
Finishes: Black, Charcoal, Dark Pine. Current pricing is on the selector above.
Backing capacity runs roughly 100 yards of 20 lb behind a 4 weight line on the II, about 125 behind a 5 weight on the III, and about 200 behind an 8 weight on the IV. Bring your line to the shop and we will spool it while you wait — then you will know exactly, instead of approximately.
Picking one
- Trout: the II on a 4 or 5 weight.
- The versatile pick: the III — covers a 5 weight trout rod and a 7 weight streamer rod.
- Bass, pike, light salt: the IV.
Details that matter
- Carbon-to-stainless sealed disc drag with a positive-click drag knob — the setting you dial is the setting you get back
- Die-cast construction with durable powder-coat finish
- Large arbor for fast pickup and less line memory
- Converts easily between left- and right-hand retrieve
- Radiused reel foot
Spare spools are stocked here, including a three-pack — the cheapest way to run three line systems off one reel.
Moving up within Orvis: the Hydros is the next step — a fully machined frame instead of die-cast, with a stronger sealed drag and a genuinely large arbor. If you want the classic look with a stout drag instead, the Battenkill Disc runs the six-surface Hydros SL system. Both stocked here.
Warranty: covered by Orvis's guarantee — bring it to the shop and we will start the claim for you.
Ed's Fly Shop, 432 E Main St, downtown Montrose, Colorado.
