Who makes sportfisher 450ZR reel?

Answer 1

Sportfisher reels have been available for many years (at least 20 years ago, they were offering baitcaster / multiplier-type reels).

Like many / most current reels, they are mass manufactured in the Far East, in the case of Sportfisher, this was most likely Japan, though the actual manufacturer might even vary from year to year!

The Sportfisher range of reels was typically perceived as a 'budget' range, and was often offered in combination with a rod by a 'name' manufacturer, so typically you may see an advert for an'Abu / Shakespeare / Diawa rod with Sportfisher 450ZR reel' etc. This sort of implies that the reel may also be of Abu / Shakespeare / Diawa etc manufacture (which may help sell the rod and reel as a combo), but the fact remains that the reels themselves were a Japanese manufactured, budget reel for the mass-market.

Answer 2

It's hard to say, but this model was also sold (with a different finish and nomenclature) by Lew Childres as a "Lew's Speed Spin" in the early 1990's. The Lew's model differered in that it had a simple plastic spool. I happened to own both when I lived in Alaska. The Sportfisher was bought at Kmart and the Lew's was picked up for $15 from Gander Mountain mail order.Both worked fine (the trigger on the Sportfisher eventually broke, and the Lew's had o trigger to begin with). Both reels had self-centering bails, and were VERY similar to the Zebco Sterling reels produced in the early 1980's ( I happen to own one of those) with the exception of the way the spool attaches, these reels are practically identical. I'm willing to bet that Zebco is the culprit.