The high cost of quality gear - particularly for saltwater use - ranks as one of the most common complaints among fly fishermen. We all know you get what you pay for, but that usually means we end up with only one good outfit and we scrounge for the rest. This no longer needs to be the case with fly reels. Sea Level Flyfishing recently acquired the outstanding Tempest series of fly reels from Albright Tackle and they are offering them at less than half of their original retail price.
Ray Hutcherson, owner of Sea Level Flyfishing, made the decision to purchase the entire stock of Tempest reels in late 2006 and quickly decided to continue production of the series, maintaining its original quality and craftsmanship, but offering it at half its original cost. The frame and spool are still machined from bar stock 6061 aluminum, which is fully anodized and all remaining components are stainless steel. The drag features a full-sized cork drag disk and draw bar drag adjustment on the frame side of the reel. The large arbor spool easily releases from the frame with the push of a button and the one-way bearing arrangement allows quick changes from left- to right-hand retrieve without any special tools. In addition to the original black and gold finishes, Sea Level added a new silver finish in all sizes. "The Tempest fly reels are absolutely fabulous in every way! It has one of the best-designed quick-change, pop-off spools of any reel on the market, one that won't pop off when you don't want it to," says well known West Coast fly fishing author and guide Dan Blanton. "It also has one of the best and easiest left-right hand conversions I've ever seen and the reel handle is just the right size. It has a cork disk drag, which will stop anything we need to. It's beautifully finished, smooth as silk and is a pleasure to use."
The Sea Level Tempest series comes in four models with a fifth coming soon. Sizes range from the 5/6-weight Model I, up to the 11/12-weight Model IV. The Model III, a 9.2-ounce 9/10-weight reel with a 200 yard capacity has been the most popular to date. A Model V 13/14-weight offshore reel will be available soon. Each reel comes with a high-density neoprene reel bag and is covered by the same warranty offered by Albright. In fact, all Tempest reels, including those originally sold by Albright will now be serviced and warranted by Sea Level Flyfishing. And all components are interchangeable.
Perhaps the most impressive feature of these reels is Hutcherson's desire to offer a high quality product at an affordable price. Sea Level Flyfishing offers the Tempest at 50 percent off Albright's original pricing. This means that a Model I retails for $170, while the popular Model III retails for only $190. In order to make these prices possible, you can purchase them only through Sea Level Flyfishing.
For further information contact Ray Hutcherson at Sea Level Flyfishing Adventures by phone at 510-908-1809 or by e-mail at ray@sealevelflyfish.com. You can also visit www.sealevelflyfish.com
