Truckee resident Jeff Sasaki, an avid fly-fisherman and inventor, designed an innovative new reel last year called the MAVRK Stinger (see page 128). In doing so, he created what is perhaps the lightest reel in the world, earning favor with the European-style nymphing community as well as the ultralight backcountry community. The reel-less, feather-light Stinger allows greater arm extension and is guaranteed to improve dead-drift distance and casting while making your rod more sensitive to bumps and strikes. By reducing the counterbalance mass and rotational inertia of larger traditional reels, time on the water is more productive.
