Just recieved a Cabelas CLA LA 9/10...on sale online at the Cabela's Bargain Cave for $69 (reg 140). Ordered it for my neighbor who is just taking up fly fishing for steelies. It looks every bit the reel as my Teton Tioga...the drag is substantially beefier. Check the auctions on virtual flyshop, and flyfish.com for good used stuff.

Just keep it simple as possible. Multi tip lines (I have RIO) are great except the loops tend to hang up in the tip in short range situations. Ross, Cimmaron, Tioga, Redington AL or AS, and Fly LOGIC FLO (a bit pricier) are all servicable reels. I've always wanted an Islander or Pate but then I start thinking "Why", I've got all I need for everything I fish...no use to spend big bucks on big name fly gear.

I've had horrible luck with the STH Cassete series. Jake Jordan gave me one in the early nineties. I would have asked for my money back if I had paid for it. It's been back to the factory a half dozen times before I said hell with it and bought a good old used Hardy Marquis for trout...damn simple reels and very realiable.