Retrieve: On that note, Lew's Super Duty LFS is available in three different gear ratios, making it a viable casting reel platform to suit just about any application. Hence its candidate as a Search for One casting reel, but apparently, this only applies if you use right hand retrieve reels. Turns out, for those of us who prefer left hand reels, there is only one gear option in the SuperDuty LFS, the 8.3:1 variant. I did not realize this when I reached out to Lew's and only discovered the limitation when I sat down to write this review. While I found this variant suitable for swim and vibrating jigs, and vertical bait presentations, it's not the best choice when fishing lures with a lot of resistance in the water (more on that later).

Knobs are supported by two bearings each contributing to the reel's overall smooth feel during retrieve

Otherwise, the Super Duty LFS is actually relatively smooth during the retrieve thanks to its brass alloy gear connected to a long, 95mm swept handle. The flat, paddle shaped knobs each have two bearings of support, all contributing to that smooth feel. I have zero complaints with how the Super Duty LFS feels while cranking the handle.

A brass gear ensures enduring performance

Power: Similar to other reel platforms with multiple options in gear ratio, if power is what you want, the lowest gear is usually your best bet. The Super Duty LFS is available in a 6.8:1 retrieve and while that is not a traditional ratio for deep diving cranks, thanks to advancements in gear design, many anglers now use reels in the 6s and 7s for their cranking needs.

If you, like I, use left hand reels, there is only one gear option in the Super Duty LFS - 8.3:1. Otherwise, there are three

Unfortunately, for those of us who use left hand reels, that option is off the table with the Super Duty LFS. To check, I sampled my 8.3:1 reel with my deep diving crankbait of choice for testing a reel's power - Strike King's 10XD. What I found was that although it was a bit of a struggle pulling that bait through the water, it was possible. My fear, however, was that if I were to hook a good sized bass with that lure, the reel felt as though it might lock up. It's just not a reel (in the 8.3:1 retrieve ratio) I'd choose for this application, but then again, given the choice, I wouldn't choose any reel with a gear ratio greater than 7.5:1 for the 10XD.

When needed, there's nothing like that endangered flipping switch when probing open holes in emerging weeds

Performance with other, less demanding baits like any variety of jig (vertical, swimming, vibrating) was perfectly fine and I actually appreciate how solid the reel feels. It's just disappointing the lack of choice in left hand retrieve really limits what this platform can do for those of us who prefer that configuration in their casting reels.

The Super Duty LFS's drag stack is a familiar composition

Drag: Equipped with a full array of carbon matrix washers, the Super Duty LFS's drag is rated at twenty pounds (20lbs) of maximum pressure. I didn't really get a chance to test performance in this area as my catches were not quite feisty enough to test the limits of the reel's drag. However, given the drag's composition, I've little doubt performance is smooth and reliable. My 50lb braid to leader line setup allowed me to tighten the drag to the point it'd take a very large catch to provide a challenge, and that opportunity simply did not materialize.

The levelwind worm gear is supported by a bearing on each side

Design & Ergonomics: So Lew's Super Duty LFS is a nice, compact reel that's easy to palm, serviceable in weight, has a nice long handle with comfortable knobs providing good leverage, and has a deep spool for heavier gauged fishing line. Really pretty standard fare across the board when it comes to design and ergonomics. What I want to talk about here is that fleeting feature of a flipping switch. Once the rage with even specialty reels offered by some manufacturers, flipping has really been marginalized as a technique but especially as a feature on a casting reel.

An endangered feature, the ability to engage flipping mode (top left of reel) on any fishing reel is something anglers who often fish in close quarters appreciate

Understandably so with the bite, more often than not, now occurring further into the weeds than on the edge, punching has been far more predominant, and you achieve that presentation with a standard reel. But when you need to flip, doing so with a reel not equipped with that instant disengage and engage feature on the thumb bar is flat out awkward and inefficient. There simply is no substitute for a flipping enabled reel when you need it.

Flipping and pitching on the CA Delta takes me back to my bass fishing roots

Yes, the switch is a pain when it comes to maintenance and often just flat out fails over time, but with the California Delta as one of our go to spots, I always appreciate having a reel with this capability and honestly, sought out the Super Duty LFS because of this feature. Though a little difficult to "flip" into the on position, it works like a charm on the Super Duty LFS and even remained intact when I reassembled the reel after taking it apart to examine and take photos of the reel's guts.

Lew's Super Duty LFS casting reel comes with a somewhat reasonable price tag of $199.99

Price & Applications: Lew's Super Duty LFS casting reel comes with a somewhat reasonable price tag of $199.99. My point of criticism here is not so much about the price of this reel but the fact that, upon perusal of the Lew's casting reel page at TackleWarehouse, there are nine other platforms within their lineup that are either priced the same, or within $20 of the Super Duty LFS. Of those nine, four can be considered somewhat specialty reels offered in only a single retrieve ratio and one, the Super Duty Speed Spool LFS, only in right hand retrieve. But as someone who likes a clear distinction in hierarchy within a single manufacturer's lineup, four or five general purpose casting reel options at the same or similar price point from the same manufacturer just makes the already difficult task of deciding that much more challenging.

Conclusion: On the whole, Lew's Super Duty LFS is a nice little reel that's comfortable to grasp, performs well, and has the endangered feature of the old school flipping switch. My complaint, as you might have guessed, is that there is only one variant available in left hand retrieve, and if I'm looking for an 8.3:1 reel, I don't really need it to have a deep spool. I just don't need the capacity for thicker lines with a super fast retrieve ratio unless it has the power to pull a deep diving crank.

The inclusion of a flipping switch on Lew's Super Duty LFS just makes me smile

For those who use right hand retrieve reels, the Super Duty LFS is a legitimate contender as a casting reel platform to handle a wide range of applications. For those of us on the other side, that Search for One continues. For me, personally, now that the reel's tests are complete, the Super Duty LFS is going to see extended assignment on one of my flipping rods, because really, as much as I criticize the platform's limited availability in left hand retrieve, the inclusion of that flipping switch makes me smile.

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