The Orvis Mirage III Fly Reel is ideal for targeting big trout and bass but doesn't shy away from bigger freshwater and light saltwater species. Orvis Mirage III is an ultra-durable reel with a powerful fish stopping drag system for fresh and saltwater. A technologically superior reel conceived and designed from the ground up and built in New England by American craftsmen to battle angry fish and laugh in the face of corrosive saltwater environments. The new Mirage features a sealed and maintenance-free carbon and stainless steel disc drag system with an aggressive knurled drag knob that goes from zero to full drag in a single drag knob rotation. Patent-pending ball and ramp drag mechanism provides a smooth turning drag that follows a non-linear curve as the drag knob is turned to give smoother adjustments in the fishing and fish-fighting range.
The Orvis Mirage III reel is a super large arbor for increased retrieve rates and reduction in line coil. Machined in the USA from strong, yet lightweight 6061 T6 aluminum barstock. Ergonomically designed machined aluminum handle. Quick release spool easily converts from left to right-hand retrieve. Military-spec type III hard coat anodizing. Titanium shaft adds strength without additional weight. Fully radiused reel foot prevents kinked leaders. Low-profile counterweight won't catch fingers or fly lines.
FEATURES:
- 3 7/8" in diameter
- Sealed, Maintenance-Free Disc Drag
- 6061 T6 Aluminum Barstock
- Quick Release Spool
- Type III anodizing for scratch resistance
- Full Radius reel foot prevent kinked leaders
- Proudly made in the USA
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★★★★★
5.00/5 Stars out of 1 Reviews
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Chris (CA) | October 20th, 2020
I just ordered this fly reel and I absolutely love it. The main reasons I ordered it are that it's one of the best looking reels on the market, and it's one of only a handful of reels out there that have type III anodizing finish. Type III anodizing is significantly harder than type II which is the standard on nearly all other reels. It makes the reel more durable, in resistance to bending when dropped and especially in resistance to scratching/chipping. I think darker colors like the midnight black version of this reel with orange backing are the best looking reels, but I'm hesitant to buy them because when they get scratched or chipped they look particularly bad as the splotches of silver aluminum color really stand out. Type III anodizing solves this problem.
A few other things to note about the reel:
-It is not the lightest reel. The Mirage III weighs 6.2oz, compare with the waterworks-lamson litespeed G5 at 4.19oz or new litespeed F at 3.6oz which I consider to be sort of the gold standard if your aim is maximizing arbor/minimizing weight on a quality 5 weight reel. Personally this is a non-factor for me; The waterworks reels actually felt too light in hand. Also, when you make reels that light you have to cut weight in too many places; for ex porting out the reel seat makes the reel seat bend fairly easily when dropped. Minimizing weight also leaves you with a less robust drag seal; if you pull apart those waterworks reels, you can directly see some of the bearings. With the mirage, there are many seals between you and the bearings even when the reel is pulled apart.
-The reel is very large arbor for fast retrieval rate, approximately the same as those waterworks reels.
-I like the one revolution drag knob. It's nice to be able to fine tune your drag without having to turn a knob several times. There is moderate resistance to turning the drag knob; I have a Sage spectrum C and that drag knob takes much less force to turn.
Overall this is my favorite fly reel on the market, only the Nautilus NV-G compares for me. If you're looking for a really light reel though, this isn't a good choice. If you want a durable reel, this is one of the most durable reels out there.
