Okuma Makaira Lever Drag Reels

I first saw this new series of reels at the July 2009 ICAST show. I was flat out impressed. Without doubt, this is a game changer for the sportfishing industry. Okuma listened, listened well, and applied what they heard in creating what may very well be some of the best built reels on the market today. The reels are robust, solid, creatively engineered, and made to go the distance. 

All the new reels feature a carbon DFD (dual force drag) system for exceptional drag performance, high drag capacity, long term reliability and maximum alignment and durability. The Makaira reels offer a “Pull Bar Drag System” with the advantage that the drag is being pulled rather than pushed, which places heavy pressure on the left side plate and utilizes the frame for overall stability – that’s the flaw of design in all reels built today, and Okuma feels they’ve beat the system. With the Pull Bar design, there’s no pressure to create frame flex, or reduced drag pressure as a result of tolerance alignment issues. As a result of the design, the open top models in this line have none of the flex issues common with other reels; no need to compensate for the disadvantage of design by increasing mass, for instance. 

The highly efficient drag system was designed and engineered by Tiburon Engineering to increase maximum drag pressure, reduce side load pressure on ball bearings and improve heat dissipation for long term smoothness over extended fights. The Okuma DFD is considered a wet drag system comprised of two carbon fiber drag washers that are sandwiched together and bonded with a fiber glass core. Pure carbon washers are coated with a thin layer of Cal Sheet’s Universal drag grease for virtually zero start up inertia. These washers are compressed by two precision ground 17-4 grade stainless steel drag plates that have been ground flat, then polished for maximum smoothness. The stainless steel friction drag plates have a minimum 32 Rockwell hardness allowing for high-end drag settings and consistently smooth drag performance at all ranges!

Other important points of design:
Silent anti-reverse, 16 point double dog anti-reverse for the most reliable, smoothest and strongest anti-reverse on the market. These reels so not depend on a one way bearing for their anti-reverse, yet they have a similar slick feel to them. Robust!
Helical Cut Gears, offers improved gear meshing, and gear smoothness. They feel like butter being sliced when you change gears. They’re both smoother and stronger as a result of their design.

• 6061-T6 Machined aluminum frame with forged side plates
• Proprietary hybrid corrosion resistant stainless steel gearing
• Helical cut gears for extreme smoothness and gear meshing
• Makaira reels all feature Two-speed gearing systems
• Gold anodized two-speed gear shifter housing
• Cold forged, Type-II anodized, machined aluminum spool
• CRC: Corrosion Resistant Coating process
• Patented spool pin system for use with braided or mono lines
• Carbonite Dual Force drag system featuring Cal’s universal drag grease
• Custom designed thrust bearing: Alleviates side load on heavy drag settings
• 4-pcs ABEC-5 precision Sapporo stainless steel rubber sealed ball bearings
• MA-80WII features 6-pcs of Sapporo ball bearings
• Double dog, proprietary silent anti-reverse system
• Ratcheting drag lever and drag cam for precise drag setting
• Patented T-Bar handle with Easy Roll graphite insert on all models
• Heavy duty stainless steel ratcheting clicker system
• Heavy duty, precision stainless steel drive and spool shafts
• Type-II gold anodized frame, side plates, spool, drag lever and handle
• Open top frame design on MK-5II, 10II, 15II, 20II, 50II
• Lug and plug system on all open top reel models
• Machined thumb rest on rear cross bar for improved ergonomics
• Forged aluminum full hard anodized reel foot and reel clamp
• Machined etched Marlin logo on left side plate
• Precision placement of drain holes maximizes water removal from reel
• Special screw ports around side plate screws reduces water/corrosion buildup
• Makaira lever drag reels are backed by a 5-year warranty