$1,199-$1,299 | mayflyoutdoors.com (Mayfly Outdoors photo)
January 28, 2026
By Ross Purnell
See the entire list of Fly Fisherman's 2026 Gear Guide Award Winners!
Big dreams, big adventures, and big fish—that’s what the new Abel SDX is intended for. This high-capacity large-arbor reel has the fastest line pickup of any Abel reel in history, with 15.5" of line pickup per rotation in the SDX 9/11 model (5" diameter) and 17.5" per rotation in the SDX 12/14 (5.5" diameter). Both have spools 1.165" wide. With the SDX you can pick up line faster than ever before when a big fish is running at you, and you can exert maximum pressure and maximum control when you’re in the throes of battle.
The 12/14 ($1,299) weighs 11.05 ounces and is built for tuna, marlin, makos, and sailfish in open water. The 9/11 ($1,199) is just 10.5 ounces and can handle tarpon, arapaima, and roosterfish, and it’s a perfect size to handle Skagit lines for steelhead and salmon. Both can handle 400 yards of 50-pound-test gel-spun backing plus a fly line. We’ve got the new 9/11 spooled up and ready to tackle GTs at St. Brandon’s Atoll.
The sealed drag system is based on the famed Abel Sealed Drag Saltwater (SDS), with alternating stacked carbon and stainless-steel disks for smooth, powerful drag tension. The fully caged frame is rigid and lightweight for intense saltwater combat and is available either ported or solid. Available colors include Gloss Black, Deep Blue, Deep Green, or Platinum, or any of Abel’s custom hand-painted finishes at an upcharge.
Advertisement
It's arriving in fly shops this week!
$1,199-$1,299 | mayflyoutdoors.com
Ross Purnell is the editor and publisher of Fly Fisherman.
Advertisement
