REVIEWS

The MINAMI reel: A beautiful addition to IWANA’s lineup of classic style reels! From the eye-catching sandblasted & anodized finish, to the raised lathe pattern on the outer edge of the reel, you know you are getting an ultra-high quality piece of art that will last a lifetime. The machine work is truly astonishing! And the sound this reel makes when a fish is fighting is honestly unforgettable. Each MINAMI reel is even engraved with a Unique ID number and comes with tailor-made leather case that is the icing on the cake!
“Bring Classic Reels Back To The River”

David Crowley
Angler and Fly Tyer, Arkansas,USA

IWANA classic fly reels are a welcome and unique addition to today's fly reel market. Top notch machining and modern materials at a fair price make these reels stand out in the world of classic fly reels. I own, collect, and fish classic reels and own Bogdan, Godfrey, Peerless, Saracione and many others and my IWANA reels fit right in. No, they aren't truly bench-made nickel-silver fly reels, but they are beautiful, high quality fishing reels that are a joy to fish and come without the $2000+ price tag. I would compare the quality of the 3-1/4" Steelhead to my Peerless 3A. I have followed the development of IWANA reels for many years following reviews and reading comments and conversations in online forums. Being a fan of classic fly reels, I decided to order the Steelhead and Large Steelhead for my trout spey rods, and I am glad I did! The best part of IWANA reels is that they are made by two anglers that have a love of fly fishing, an eye for quality fly reels, and the ability to make them. On the inside of the backplate is inscribed "In Honor of S.E. Bogdan", a thoughtful tribute to Shaojie and Liang's inspiration.

Lawrence Stuemke

Montana Outfitter

Trout Spey Guide

"I bought an IWANA Trout 4/5/6 in September of 2021, and it was fished almost daily for a month and a half; I’m a guide here in Oregon. The reel handled a great many trout and a few steelhead to 12 pounds — we catch an occasional steelhead while primarily trout fishing.
My anglers and I were impressed with the build quality of the reel. Beautifully finished, solid, tight tolerances. MUCH more reel than some more common imports, and if you want a great looking traditional reel, highly recommended."

Bob Houghton
Fishing Guide
The United States

"From the first day I got my I wanna reel, I was very impressed with the quality and the fit of the reels I have sold reels for over 40 years and I have sold lots of reels that are regarded as extremely well put together, the Iwana reels are extremely, nice they work very well, the sound that the reels produce is wonderful, reminds me a lot of the reel I used to sell back in the day when a reel was put together, and fitted perfectly, fantastic reels, at a good value, smooth, sound great, ant the reels really look great on my bamboo, and glass rods."

Tim
Owner of Tim's fly shop
The United States

"Sometimes the choice of equipment is pursuing what you like.

IWANA Reel is the classic and simple I want."

Kai Hsun Chen
FFI Casting Instructor
Taiwan

"I was lucky enough to meet Liu Shaojie in person at Beijing China Fish convention couple years back and immediately became fan of his fly reels.

I have since acquired quite a few reels, the latest being the Iwana Wide Small Trout that I paired with my Redington Butter Stick II glass fly rod. I love how they complement each other perfectly giving that vintage look and feel while still being in perfect condition to perform at the riverside.

I can recommend the IWANA reels to anyone who appreciates the aesthetic side of fly fishing."

Juuso Kataja
Angler
Finland

"Excellent quality, absolutely love the quality craftsmanship of the IWANA reels. I do a lot of creek fishing after got it this summer, it is beautiful and I feel kind of special using it because of all the work that has clearly gone in to making it just for me!"

Hailong Chang
Angler
China