Description Features drag pawls attached to a reinforced internal plate, with no rivets through the frame back. This exclusive suspended pawl system creates a spring-and-pawl drag that is smoother than anything y...
Review Abstract “Beautiful” yet “pricey,” this "fragile" reel is nevertheless “compact and lightweight.” Built of “weather resistant aluminum,” it is “reliable” and “durable.” It boasts simple maintenance, a “solid” drag system and easy-to-change spools. One reviewer says this is “the best reel on the market,” because you get “power” and a “flawless performance.”
Reviewed by: JerZe(Unregistered User)
,
40 days a year
, from Washington, NJ
Price Paid:
$200.00
at Orvis
Body of Water: Flatbrook
Favorite State: NJ
Favorite Country: USA
Summary: I bought my CFOIII sping and paw (S&P) over 15 years ago. I've fished it hard on everything from small tiger trout to 35 pound salmon without a flaw. One of the nicest classic reels on the market. I'll probably be passing it down to one of my boys if I don't request being buried with it, just so as not to create hard feelings in one of them.
Strengths: Simple, lightweight and can take a beating.
Weaknesses: On BIG fish you really have to palm the spool to create sufficient drag...Thanks God for the exposed spool!
Customer Service: Don't know. Never had a problem with my reel or my Battenkill bamboo rod !
Similar Products Used: Hardy, Able
Review Date May 2, 2001
Overall Rating 2 of 5
Value Rating 2 of 5
Visitors rate this review 3.33 of 5,
3 votes
Reviewed by: Anonymous User(Unregistered User)
,
40 days a year
, from Palo Alto, CA, USA
Price Paid:
$250.00
Favorite City: Dillon
Favorite State: MT
Favorite Country: USA
Summary: CFO III too delicate for my style of fishing. Might be a nice reel for non-mission critical trips chasing smaller trout - not good for hawg-hunting. There's much better value for money available.
Strengths: CFO III is lightweight and pretty; smooth action. Hardly know it's there.
Weaknesses: Delicate construction, feeble drag system, poor design; drag adjustment has screw on *outside* of body - screw on mine came loose and fell into water without warning - rendering spool totally useless. Cannot recommend this gear due to possibility of fatal breakdown. Drag system only good for keeping line on spool - not a serious trout-stopper. Keep your palm at the ready.
Customer Service: Uncharacteristically POOR. Orvis sent wrong part 3 times before losing my reel altogether - finally sent me brand new reel...spooled backwards with retrieve on wrong side and with different color and taper than original. Took months to get everything sorted, was unable to use rod/reel outfit while on trip to NZ. On positive side, Perk Perkins personally responded top my flaming email when I finally got fed up with it all.
Similar Products Used: Ross, Galvan, SA, Sage
Review Date April 1, 2001
Overall Rating 5 of 5
Value Rating 4 of 5
Visitors rate this review 1.00 of 5,
1 votes
Reviewed by: Anonymous User(Unregistered User)
,
50+ days a year
, from Harrisburg, PA
Price Paid:
$200.00
at Orvis
Body of Water: Susquehanna River
Favorite State: PA
Favorite Country: USA
Summary: Can't go wrong with this reel, especially at the $200 to $220 price. Abel 0 is a better reel, with a better finish and better machining, and a better drag system, but it's also a lot more expensive. I'd hate to bash up an Abel while scrambling around rocky NE trout streams, but my CFO 123 has taken quite a few drops and bangs along the way quite well. If it broke from this sort of use, I wouldn't feel too badly about it.
Strengths: CFO 123 is well-made, has solid performance, good value for a classic trout reel.
Weaknesses: The drag is a bit too heavy on my reel and not as fine as I'd like. The plastic drag control on the back is not very ergonomic, and I have never set it any heavier than its lightest setting. I use this reel for my 2-wt and 3-wt rods, and most of the trout I catch on it are in the 8" to 20" range, and rarely are they able to strip much line off, even in long runs in long pools.
Customer Service: No problems with his reel ever, but my experience with Orvis customer service has always been very good.
Similar Products Used: None
Review Date July 4, 2000
Overall Rating 5 of 5
Value Rating 5 of 5
Reviewed by: Anonymous User(Unregistered User)
,
50+ days a year
, from Fort Collins,Colorado
Body of Water: water
Summary: The CFO series click & Pawl reels are great fly reels - period! Even with the new large arbor rage and really expensive reels on the market, the CFO will always be considered as a great fly reel.
Strengths: The Orvis CFO is the CLASSIC trout reel!!! It may be an Orvis reel but we can thank Lee Wulff for the design which came from lee's "Ultimate" fly reel made by Farlow of Great Britain. If your looking for a high quality trout reel in the $200 range, this is the one!
Weaknesses: Would be nice if they made another CFO commemorative reel.
Customer Service: Excellent!
Similar Products Used: Hardy, Loop, Robichaud, Abel, Charlton.
Review Date May 23, 2000
Overall Rating 5 of 5
Value Rating 5 of 5
Reviewed by: Richard Thornton(Unregistered User)
,
30 days a year
, from Bethpage, New York
Body of Water: Connetquot
Favorite City: Islip
Favorite State: New York
Favorite Country: USA
Summary: I have had my CFO 123 reel for nearly 10 years. The reel has preformed flawlessly, I even bought extra spools for my 1,2,3,4 wt lines. I have landed many trout OVER 20". For my lightline flyfishing, this is the only reel I will ever use..
Strengths: Light weight and easy to maintain, with extra spools this is the only reel you will need for lightline flyfishing
Weaknesses: May need to tweek the spring a bit to achieve a tighter drag
Customer Service: Very responsive when I have had to call them, which was not very often
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