The Abel SDF in Basic Black, 5/6 weight, is about as versatile as a trout reel gets. This is the ported version, its frame machined out to shed weight, matched here with a hand-shaped rosewood handle that adds a bit of warmth to the blacked-out look. It's the size most Colorado anglers reach for first, balancing a 5- or 6-weight rod perfectly.
Named best new freshwater reel of 2018 by Fly Fisherman Magazine, the SDF runs a sealed drag pulled straight from Abel's saltwater lineup. That means near-zero start-up inertia to protect 5X on a dry-fly drift, plus enough stopping power to turn a heavy fish that decides to run.
Key features
- Sealed stainless steel and carbon fluoropolymer drag, up to roughly 10 lbs
- Ported Basic Black frame with rosewood handle
- 5/6 weight, the do-everything trout size
- Large-arbor spool for faster line pickup and less memory
- Adjustment range nearly three times wider than the original SD
- User-convertible left- or right-hand retrieve
- Quick-change spool
- Designed and machined in Colorado, made in the USA
Not sure which line to load it with? We fish these reels ourselves, so stop by 432 E Main St in Montrose and we'll set you up.