I am fishing a #4 on my 12 weight and a #3.5 on my 10 weight. The craziest thing about this reel is that it is so light that it actually balances out my 12: and that is with a line and enough backing to stop a tarpon headed from Key West to Cuba! The diameter of the spool is flippin' huge. This is great advantage in the salt for bringing your line back to the boat... fast.
The ported arbor is nice for airing out your fresh water soaked line backing at the end of each day.
The outer lip of the spool is machined beefier than the rest of the spool. This is good because the spool itself is exposed and vulnerable if you drop it. The reinforced outer lip helps defend the reel in the case of an accidental "parking lot fumble."
Let's not forget that all Waterworks Lamson drag systems are impervious to sand, grit, salt or anything else for that matter. There is no start up inertia on this drag. That means that once you are hooked up and clearing your line - there is no "slap" when your slack line comes tight to the spool. If you are a light tippet guy... this is a great piece of mind as well. I feel it necessary to give a fair caution that while the ULA Force drag system preforms wonderfully at lighter tension settings; the higher tension settings are not nearly as smooth. That stated - there is no other big game reel that is this light in hand, that performs as well as it does, for the price it is offered at.
This is the premier lightweight heavyweight reel on the market. Get 'chu some! (Posted on 11/6/08)