Overview

The Redington Behemoth puts a big-fish drag in an affordable reel. Redington calls its heavy-duty carbon fiber drag the most powerful in its class, and it is as comfortable on a 5 wt for trout as it is on a 10 or 12 wt for redfish, stripers or tarpon.

Like the Zero, it is die-cast, with an interlocking large-arbor spool and a deep V-spool that holds extra backing. The oversized drag knob is easy to find and turn with cold or wet hands, it converts to left- or right-hand retrieve, and Redington backs it with a lifetime warranty.

Which size? The 4/5 and 5/6 suit trout rods, the 7/8 is for streamers, bass and bonefish, and the 9/10 and 11/12 handle stripers, redfish, salmon and tarpon.

Compare: For a lighter trout-only reel, see the Redington Zero. For a machined, fully sealed saltwater reel, step up to the Redington Grande.