I bought my Alpha III several years ago and recently added an extra spool so I could quickly change between 7and 8 wt lines. The extra spool fit perfectly. The reel has performed well on bonefish and redfish. It is sealed well and does not pick up sand and grit. The drag is very smooth and adjusts easily. In my opinion, this reel performs as well as reels costing twice the price from other makers.

I use this reel to chase snook and reds around Sanibel Island, Fl. The drag is strong, weight of the reel is good and construction is rock solid. After hours in saltwater I flush it with tap water and let it dry. Looks like the day I bought it. I won’t buy from another reel company, ever.

Haven’t fished it yet because it is a little chilly on the Chesapeake. But looks and feels great and I am an Allen customer for life based on how helpful the staff was. Dude walked a spare spool to the post office for my wife so it all got here on time.

I sold my first Alpha lll in hope of selling the spare spools that I had bought. But I bought an Alluvion 8wt. to replace my Compass 8wt that I sold with the reel. All is right with the world now !

Haven't had a chance to use this one in anger yet but it's a real looker, very smooth, beautifully made and slightly sexy. My third Allen reel so far. It has even managed to convert a Hatch fanatic friend to shortly convert! Can't beat it for value for money.

Flawless. Smooth and great looking. I’ve been hammering some peacocks and am looking forward to a bike fish trip to really test this beauty of a reel out.

Absolutely superb bit of kit super smooth and well made, really looking forward to my bone fishing trip next year and hooking some bones on it

I purchased the alpha III a few months ago. It's been great no problems. I'm very impressed with the quality and the price is unbeatable. Been hammering some fatty steelhead and the alpha III has no problem keeping up. I give it 5 starts for sure. Pulse it looks sexy.

I have bin looking for a good and trustworthy 7/8/9 wt fly reel in tdollarsce range of $150 for almost one year now. I have gone through dozens of fly reel Manufacturers, including Allen Fly Fishing. I have read hundreds of reviews on different reels and almost none of them grabbed my full attention, until I ran into the very perfect fly reel, you can guess which one, its the Allen Alpha III 3. Everything about it was what I was looking for so long, so I went for it. Ones i received it through the mail a few weeks later, I was very happy with the desition that I have made in purchasing this reel, for this price you cant find anything better. The drag on this reel is more than enough, believe it or not the drag managed to brake 20 pound dacron backing. This is a serious piece of equipment, if you are looking for a fly reel in the price range of $150 U.S. dollars and that beats any other fly reel you have found the reel you are looking for its the Allen Alpha III. Tight Lines.

The drag and feel of this reel is amazing! Especially for the price it outperforms any other reel I've tried in this range. Finally got a chance to try it and love it