Salmo,

While I don't subscribe to the 'need' side I do prefer a disc over the old ratchet. With my disc drag reels I don't 'need' to set them any heavier than a standard spring/pawl reel. But I can set them much higher for other species. The butter smooth drag with a purring click on the outtake keeps me plenty happy without chancing 'waking the dead' or vibrating any fillings out.

It's getting to the point I can't stand the Hardy racket (Look, look at me, I have a fish on) and moreover I really can't stand the rediculous design. A reel that is built to fail- take a good look at any old Perfect and see what happens to the ratchet gear affixed to the crank plate. The teeth get rounded off. Why do the reels come with an extra spring??? Or the JLH that has crappy aluminum rivets (to hold the pawl spindles to the frame) that eventually crack. I take sides w/Alexander Grant- complete anathema!

The arguement that 'just because nothing more is usually needed' for steelhead does not automatically give them the default position of #1 choice for fly anglers.

William