Inside Bogdan Fly Reels: Examining the Famous Bogdan Drag System

Bogdan fly reels are among the most celebrated reels in the history of fly fishing. Made by the father-son duo Stan and Steve Bogdan in their Nashua, New Hampshire workshop, these reels developed a tremendous following among angling luminaries on salmon rivers around the world. They remain one of the most coveted reels available anywhere and hold pride of place in most anglers collections.

Today we're going to take a closer look at what makes Bogdan fly reels so famous, including taking the reel apart to have a closer look at the innovative Bogdan drag design, one that remained largely unchanged for the better part of seven decades. As any Bogdan aficionado will tell you, there is a good reason for that, as they were not only capable of stopping large fish, but would do so year after year with a minimum of upkeep.

Specifically we'll take a look at several different Bogdan models, including a model 00, a model 400, and a model 1 and 2. Then we'll take apart the model 2 to break down the Bogdan drag design and better understand the elements which make the drag so powerful and durable.

Note: We filmed this video before Steve Bogdan sadly passed away in August of 2021 and want to express our condolences to Sandy and the rest of the Bogdan family.

For more information about Bogdan reels, you can visit our website at: https://www.spinozarods.com/collectio...

0:38 The Style of a Bogdan Reel
1:28 Bogdan Reel Colors
2:48 Bogdan Reel Click and Drag Sound
3:20 Tips for Taking Apart a Bogdan Reel
5:09 Bogdan "Takeapart" Screws
6:10 Bogdan Multiplying Retrieves
8:25 The Bogdan Drag: The Central Drum
11:26 The Bogdan Drag: The Brakes
14:20 The Bogdan Drag: The Drag Adjuster
16:35 The Bogdan Drag: The Poacher's Knob
18:00 Bogdans as Bench-made Reels
19:45 Recommended Reading - Bogdan by Graydon Hilyard