Lamson Hyperspeed M8 Review | Chris Schrueder
Bonefish can reach speeds of up to 65 kph on the flats. That's a seriously fast fish, especially on a fly rod! As a trout guide I don't often see my backing, but when chasing bonefish it's the norm, not the exception. When you've got all that line out of the rod tip, and the fish is 100 meters away, you need to get it all back in and the bigger the arbor, the faster and easier the job.
I got to take the Lamson Hyperspeed M8 out to the flats of Christmas Island (Kiribati) and test it on the resident fish, and boy did it perform. The Lamson Hyperspeed has a huge outer diameter, but it's incediblt light! It's around the size of a Litespeed M12 reel but it's made to suit an 8 weight fly rod.
It's a great looking reel. It takes a bit to get used to how big it looks on your 8wt, but once you start using it you realise that extra size means incredible retrieve rates, arount 14" per revolution. Even though the Hyperspeed is massive, it's amazingly light, balancing perfectly with my Scott Sector 908/4.
Over the past few years Lamson have become a legit option in the saltwater fly scene, bringing their ultra lightweight but still incredibly strong designs to the saltwater market. And most importantly they have definitely got their drags right.
The first bone I hooked, took off like a rocket and the drag was incredible. Super smooth, low start up inertia and easy to use drag controls. The guy I was standing next to had also hooked up at the same time, but I had my bonefish back in way faster than he did on a more traditionally sized reel.
The Lamson Hyperspeed M8 is built for saltwater fly fishing. It's the same drag system as the Litespeed M series, all IPX8 rated waterproof so perfect for flats fishing. I would occasionally see a GT tearing along the flat and when fishing by myself, I'd have to drop the 8 weight into the water so I could get the 12wt out as fast as possible. Even after getting submerged multiple times and touching coral and sand, the Hyperspeed didn't miss a beat for the whole trip, landing countless bonefish.
I can't recommend the Lamson Hyperseed M8 highly enough. 5 out of 5 stars in my book. Get one for your next tropical flats trip, you won't regret it!
News Flash: There is a Hyperspeed 10 on the way, which will be perfect for chasing Tuna and other high speed pelagics. I can't wait for that one :)
Written by Chris Schrueder | Photos by Jakub Kanok
About the Author
Chris Schrueder is a full time guide for Wilderness Fly Fishing and Millbrook Lakes. Contact him via Instagram @tubbsflyfish