New Anyone Tried The New MR2LA Islander Reel
- Thread starter Tinboat
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scott craven
Well-Known Member
I'm with you Seafever 
sly_karma
Crew Member
Guide boat we were on at Winter Harbour had this setup... for Shimano GT3000 reels. He just liked not having to set the drag higher for deep trolls. I do agree I'd be annoyed with an uber expensive reel that had significant line creep. For $600 it should be perfect in every way. I've been on an annual WCVI charter for many years and we've used Islanders, Shimanos, Daiwas. Can't say any of them were particularly outstanding or horrible, they all did the job. I went with Shimano for my own setup.
Finished Business
Well-Known Member
Headaches? Everyone seems to forget Islanders are mooching reels we choose to use as downrigger reels. Put a big fish on a $75 reel and a $500 reel and you will see the difference in no time.
The butter smooth drag of an Islander was not designed for the torque of downrigger fishing. To say that they "haven't fixed the problem" is like saying a hammer that doesn't cut wood needs to be re-designed.
A hammer was not intended for cutting wood and an Islander wasn't intended for downrigger fishing. If you use the tool properly, you can pound nails and big salmon all day long.
But for the numbers guys....$75 reels will do just fine
Who is the designer at islander, he needs to give his head a shake.....seriously they just built a LA spool for the mr2? why? All this accomplishes is less line capacity and it actually weighs 1/2 OZ more than the mr2. So let me get this straight you now have less line and a heavier reel, but wait it has a large arbor so it looks cool, they will fly off the shelf because of that. If you are going to put a free spool on a reel, which in my opinion is mandatory do it to the MR3. I would have dropped all of my reels for 4 MR3 sized reels with free spool. I use it all the time especially if I am dropping to 200+ feet all day.
Enough is enough I am going to build my own with a great drag that isn't cork, a reversible free spool from right to left and bearings that can handle the load.....stay tuned it is possible but it will cost some bucks...
That is my rant for the day....
Enough is enough I am going to build my own with a great drag that isn't cork, a reversible free spool from right to left and bearings that can handle the load.....stay tuned it is possible but it will cost some bucks...
That is my rant for the day....
Fish Assassin
Crew Member
Make it happen.......
SpringVelocity
Crew Member
Good luck Mike I couldn't do it and I am in the product development business, but wish you luck hopefully you come up with something. To make money you have to go offshore unfortunately and you need to take a risk and order in volume if you assemble here within vancouver island. You also have to compete against Amundsen, trophy and coast reels and now some guys are even buying Able reels. All of which have come out with new reels/improvements this year. The reason thy cost $500-600 is that they are designed and made here. The majority when I researched guys want a great reel but want to pay $75.00-$300 for it. Not 500.00 and up. That's when I realized I could never make any money offering anything and I wanted it made in canada not china or korea, U.S. etc. Let islander have it they have a proven they have all the CNC machining and expertise here. No one on this island can do that made locally and make money doing it. If you can create a company that can go against islander I say go for it but they have a pretty established machining center/market share. I do agree with you on your comment though... I think design wise it was not best choice.... Maybe enough voice there opinion they will change MR3.
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I know its expensive to manufacture in Canada, fortunately I have access to 3D modeling software and use it every day for work so all of the expensive cad work will be on me. When in university my capstone project was to design and manufacture a reel which I did, this was a proof of concept which will be expanded on now. I also have some contacts in the CNC machining business here in Vancouver that I could lean on for this. At the end of the day I would like 8 custom reels for myself regardless of the cost. If I could make them viable for the marketplace then I may do so otherwise they may just be for personal use. We will see......At the end of the day I would not be interested in meeting the 75-300$ market this will be in the 600$+ range easily.
Fishin'Zinn
Active Member
I have looked at the RST and it is pretty close to what I want but not quite, I am not a fan of the freespool location on it and the arbor is too small. it would be nice to have the drag on the front of the reel like a traditional mooching reel. Overall it is one heck of a nice product.
SpringVelocity
Crew Member
You will be fine... Like me you use all your CAD work in engineering and design everyday on Solidworks or similar 3D CAD program, so development cost is free. I looked at the RST as well when researching. I just couldn't make it work to make money at it, but good luck with it.. Feel free to PM me anytime.
sly_karma
Crew Member
Headaches? Everyone seems to forget Islanders are mooching reels we choose to use as downrigger reels. Put a big fish on a $75 reel and a $500 reel and you will see the difference in no time.
The butter smooth drag of an Islander was not designed for the torque of downrigger fishing. To say that they "haven't fixed the problem" is like saying a hammer that doesn't cut wood needs to be re-designed.
A hammer was not intended for cutting wood and an Islander wasn't intended for downrigger fishing. If you use the tool properly, you can pound nails and big salmon all day long.
But for the numbers guys....$75 reels will do just fine
I can't believe that Islander still thinks everyone that buys their reels is using them for mooching. The overwhelming majority of rec salmon fishing on the coast - their backyard - is with downrigger. Unless they're doing absolutely zero market research, their new products must have downrigger use in mind.
Seafever
Well-Known Member
It seems to be some kind of a 'given' around here that because a reel is made on the island and because it costs $500 plus:- therefor it must be excellent.
Then there's that one that WiseBuys sells, made locally, that I'm not impressed with as well..
Would I buy a better reel than the ones I have?...sure....if they made one.
After reading all the reports on this site on reels for the last two years, I'm convinced I'd be no further ahead if I bought what's out there in the *cough* high-end department.
My 75 dollar reel will land anything that an Islander can.
So will my Zebco 59 dollar heavy duty saltwater spincaster reel.
Then there's that one that WiseBuys sells, made locally, that I'm not impressed with as well..
Would I buy a better reel than the ones I have?...sure....if they made one.
After reading all the reports on this site on reels for the last two years, I'm convinced I'd be no further ahead if I bought what's out there in the *cough* high-end department.
My 75 dollar reel will land anything that an Islander can.
So will my Zebco 59 dollar heavy duty saltwater spincaster reel.
79 Jimmy
Member
Chuck
Active Member
MR3's are not worth $500-600.00+. Islander has somewhat of a captive market, fishers like them and are willing to pay a premium. You honestly think Islander doesn't realize that! Islander and the re-sale need to make decent margins on their product or their not in business.. Yes, it's a quality product built locally but you need to think about it. Take your engineering/design and manufacturing hat off and put on your business hat. If Islander decided it really needed to sell the MR3 for much less, I am sure they would have no problem. And if and when Islander sees demand decline you can bet that is exactly what will happen. Not only is Islander a good manufacturer but they are also very smart business people that know their market place and that is knowing what people want. That is just really good business practice!! MHO, I would have to say that the MR3 is manufactured for maybe $100-200 ea. based on decent quantity at manufacture.
A slight hijack..
A slight hijack..
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SpringVelocity
Crew Member
Drop your info in my mailbox as well. If you do prototyping and what machines you have.
Seafever
Well-Known Member
Hambone:-
back in the day , reels that you wouldn't even use now caught "quality" fish (if "quality" means big fish).....
In Campbell River, Port Alberni, and other places there were fish in the 40's,50's and 60lb range being caught on lesser reels long before Islander reels (and others today) were even born.
Some were caught on reels that had very questionable drag systems....not the "oneway" must-have drags of today.
Reels affixed to rods that were towing a 6lb weight and a flasher........
Along come the high-priced designer reels of today......and everybody thinks you`ll catch more fish on them....
Wrong.......get the oldtimers to show you all the pics of huge fish they caught on their now-designated pawn shop and thrift shop reels.......
Just having a guy use a highpriced reel doesn`t mean he`ll catch more fish.........some people you could give them a 2000 dollar reel and they`ll still screw it up....
back in the day , reels that you wouldn't even use now caught "quality" fish (if "quality" means big fish).....
In Campbell River, Port Alberni, and other places there were fish in the 40's,50's and 60lb range being caught on lesser reels long before Islander reels (and others today) were even born.
Some were caught on reels that had very questionable drag systems....not the "oneway" must-have drags of today.
Reels affixed to rods that were towing a 6lb weight and a flasher........
Along come the high-priced designer reels of today......and everybody thinks you`ll catch more fish on them....
Wrong.......get the oldtimers to show you all the pics of huge fish they caught on their now-designated pawn shop and thrift shop reels.......
Just having a guy use a highpriced reel doesn`t mean he`ll catch more fish.........some people you could give them a 2000 dollar reel and they`ll still screw it up....
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Seafever
Well-Known Member
You did say that Islanders have caught more quality fish than any other reel. Personally I doubt that.
If one is into a 50 to 70lb fish......using an Islander doesn`t guarantee anything.
There are quite a few reels that will get that job done. Including level-winds that will handle far bigger fish than a `knuckle-buster`design.
If you are implying that once I use an Islander I`ll never go back.........that`s not going to happen......
If one is into a 50 to 70lb fish......using an Islander doesn`t guarantee anything.
There are quite a few reels that will get that job done. Including level-winds that will handle far bigger fish than a `knuckle-buster`design.
If you are implying that once I use an Islander I`ll never go back.........that`s not going to happen......
An Islander doesn't help get more fish in the boat and absolutely it doesn't produce any additional bites. Any reel that's had enough maintence so the drag works (or a good fishermen on the rod who can palm) will do the job just fine. Here is where the difference lies. The islander is a luxury item and everytime you let line out, adjust the drag knob, tighten your rod to the clip or reel in you'll notice that luxury. Even when you wash your rods down you notice the quality and when you put your reel in it's case (you probably don't with your shimano but you will with an islander) you notice it too.
Lets put it this way
With your $75 shimano your driving around in a base model toyota corolla.
With your $500 islander your driving around in a Lexus with heated leather seats and all the options.
I would never argue that one car is better at getting from A-B then the other. For their intended purpose (driving where you want to go while obeying speed limits) both cars are going to perform the same. The lexus is problably a little more expensive to service and obvisouly the up front cost is a lot more. But what would you rather drive? We'd all rather drive the Lexus.
Can we all justify the cost of the Lexus? No but those who can afford it or want a fun toy certainly enjoy it. Each individual values different things and we are all on different budgets. One thing that shouldn't be debated is that the islander is far superior in quality to the shimano and the other thing that shouldn't be debated is the shimano can get the job done just as good as the islander.
Speaking from personal experience a few years ago I said I won't get an islander too much money and not enough value back. I upgraded my electronics instead because I use that all day but reel in fish only on occasion. Then last year I saw an islander I couldn't refuse (one of a kind) and I do not regret the purchase at all. I won't go back - If you owned one I doubt you would either.
Lets put it this way
With your $75 shimano your driving around in a base model toyota corolla.
With your $500 islander your driving around in a Lexus with heated leather seats and all the options.
I would never argue that one car is better at getting from A-B then the other. For their intended purpose (driving where you want to go while obeying speed limits) both cars are going to perform the same. The lexus is problably a little more expensive to service and obvisouly the up front cost is a lot more. But what would you rather drive? We'd all rather drive the Lexus.
Can we all justify the cost of the Lexus? No but those who can afford it or want a fun toy certainly enjoy it. Each individual values different things and we are all on different budgets. One thing that shouldn't be debated is that the islander is far superior in quality to the shimano and the other thing that shouldn't be debated is the shimano can get the job done just as good as the islander.
Speaking from personal experience a few years ago I said I won't get an islander too much money and not enough value back. I upgraded my electronics instead because I use that all day but reel in fish only on occasion. Then last year I saw an islander I couldn't refuse (one of a kind) and I do not regret the purchase at all. I won't go back - If you owned one I doubt you would either.
