The Abel SDF Ported in Basic Black, 4/5 weight, is a clean, purpose-built trout reel with just enough warmth to keep it from looking clinical. The porting trims weight for a lively feel on light 4- and 5-weight rods, while a hand-shaped rosewood handle offsets the matte-black frame with a bit of natural grain.
Simple looks, serious hardware. This SDF was named best new freshwater reel of 2018 by Fly Fisherman Magazine and runs the sealed drag Abel adapted from their saltwater reels. Start-up inertia is essentially nonexistent, so light tippet survives a hard take, and there's far more stopping power on tap than a 4/5 setup will ever ask for.
Key features
- Ported Basic Black frame with rosewood handle
- Sealed stainless steel and carbon fluoropolymer drag, up to about 10 lbs
- 4/5 weight, ideal for dry-fly and small-water setups
- Large-arbor spool for quick retrieve and reduced line memory
- Adjustment range nearly three times wider than the original SD
- Virtually zero start-up inertia
- User-convertible left- or right-hand retrieve, quick-change spool
- Designed and machined in Colorado, made in the USA
Not sure on line pairing? We fish these ourselves, so stop by 432 E Main St in Montrose and we'll help.