Over the years I have had a chance to play with many reels and rods on various saltwater trips around the world. The saltwater arena, the flats specifically are a great place to put gear through its paces on many different levels. As a flats angler you are putting a lot of trust into each piece of gear that you take out with you knowing that your selection could potentially be the difference between pure elation and heartbreak.
Recently, i was fortunate enough to take a trip down to the flats of southern Mexico in the town of Xcalak specifically to spend some time with our friend Rob at the Acocote Eco Inn. While down there I was lucky enough to thoroughly field test one of the latest additions to the Fishwest family of brands, the RX5 Series Fly Reel from our friends at Bauer Reels in Twin Bridges Montana.
For those of you who haven’t heard of Bauer here is a little background. In 1995, Jon Bauer brought his extensive knowledge of race cars and technology to the fly fishing industry and he changed the game with a simple yet innovative “zero backlash” drag. Despite many changes over the years Bauer has continued to create finely tuned reels that are considered some of the finest in the world. Fast forward to 2018 where you find Bauer at home under the roof of Winston Fly Rods in Twin Bridges Montana where you will find them still pushing the limits of design and technology while producing what they refer to as the “Swiss watch of fly reels.”
Enough about the backstory, here are my thoughts about the RX5 from Bauer Fly Reels.
For my recent trip I was geared up with the following 8wt outfit for which the RX was a great match.
Reel: Bauer RX5
Line: Scientific Anglers Amplitude Grand Slam WF8
Backing: Scientific Anglers Colored Dacron – 30lb
What I liked:
What I Didn’t Like:
This has been my first interaction firsthand with any reels in the Bauer lineup. Overall, I’m really impressed. This reel does live up to the moniker of “Swiss watch of fly reels” in my opinion. I look forward to seeing what the future holds for Bauer Reels now that they have stability in the form of a partnership with Winston.