The beefiness and the strength of the vice is outstanding. However, there were a couple of issues with the quality of the vice. They had the wrong screw on the adjustment head and the shaft closest to the head of the vice was bent. I contacted the PEAK warranty department which had me send the vice back to be reviewed and fixed. Kim was very helpful and the owner followed up and corrected the problem. I love the new idea of the style of the vice, especially with the hook holding ability of the head. I am proud that it was designed, manufactured and made in the USA.
It's a sharp looking reel. It is very lightweight and has a good feel in the hand. I will have no problem fishing this reel all day long. I spooled it up with 65lb Momoi Diamond solid core braid to really take advantage of the strong drag. I'm not sure where they had the drag set from the factory but when I pushed the lever to strike I did notice some "binding" (side-load pressure) when turning the handle. When I went full I noticed more. It's not a complete deal breaker but to be honest I was a little bummed. My freespool was only ten seconds with the line on the reel.
Fantastic rod. Can’t beat the price. I like the slower action of this model. We have landed everything from 19” brook trout to American shad, and striped bass on this rod.
If you pass on the purchase of this fly rod, you are truly missing out. I have been a trout fisherman for 50 years, a fly fisherman for 40 years and I am a master fly tier. I have handled a LOT of fly rods in my day, trust me. This fly rod is well constructed. It uses quality parts. It is very inexpensive compared to other brand names. It has a medium action which I prefer. This fly rod comes in a burnt orange color which looks quite awesome. The guides and wraps are good. The cork handle is a half wells configuration but is shaped very well through the grip area. Rod has two stripper eyes. Hook keeper. The pieces of the rod are marked for easy alignment when putting together. Reel seat is double up locking aluminum with a wood insert. This rod comes in a very unique triangle shaped case with rod piece bag. Rest assured, you are getting a high quality fly rod without breaking your banking account. Highly recommended. 5 stars for Risen Fly ITB fly rods.
Excellent reel with a great drag and I also bought an extra spool for a 4 wt.
