Hey Phil--

I own several in 3600, 5600, and 6600 sizes. They are a joy to cast, seem extremely well balanced and hold up well from my experience. The drag is excellent. Having said that, I will say that I haven't used them much in river situations (mostly for bass and saltwater) and I haven't caught a ton of fish on any of them. I do know that ABU really put a lot of engineering thought into the reel, and the folks at the factory are justifiably proud of their product.

I did hear from one guy who said the reels didn't hold up to Alaskan charter experience, but he had an axe to grind, so I tend to discount his word on it.

If I wanted a top-notch baitcaster, I would look real hard at the Morrum.

Good luck'

Keith