Fly Reels : A Buyers Guide to Fly Reels
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Other
Fly Reel Considerations
In addition to the most
important factors in shopping for a fly reel (selecting the drag
system and what type of fly reel to get), several other factors
need to be considered. So, let's go over some of them as these considerations
are often forgot about in the rush to get a fly reel. Explored in
this article are:
Fly
Reel Line Weight
Just like a fly rod,
when shopping around for a fly reel, it is necessary to make sure
you get the right fly reel weight. And by weight, we're not talking
about how heavy it is (although a light fly reel is nice). Instead,
you want the fly reel to match the fly rod weight and the fly line
weight. Thus, if you have a 5-weight rod and will be using a 5-weight
fly line, then you want a fly reel that also has a weight of 5.
Using too light a fly reel weight will not allow you to put the
entire fly line and backing on the fly reel. Using too heavy a weight
of fly reel will leave lots of extra space on the fly reel - potentially
leading to tangles - and will also throw off the feel of the fly
rod when casting.
In short, just remember
this: fly rod weight = fly line weight = fly reel weight. Follow
this guideline and you'll be all set.
Changing
Retrieves
Most fly reels, at least
single action fly reels, allow for quick and easy changes of retrieves.
What this means is that these fly reels make it easy to switch the
fly reel from a right hand retrieve to left hand retrieve. Most
casters retrieve with their left hand (as they are right handed).
However, if other people will be using your reel or if you like
to switch hands, a fly reel that is quick and easy to switch retrieve
is something to look for.
Adding
Extra Spools
The ability to easily
add spools to a fly reel is also very important. A spool is what
holds the line on the fly reel. If you will only ever use floating
fly line, this is not a consideration. However, most fishermen sooner
or later end up with several types of fly lines, such as sink-tip
and full sinking line. The ability to easily switch spools from
the fly reel is a big factor to consider for fisherman who will
be using several types of fly lines.
Crucial
Shopping Hint : Make sure you buy extra spools
at the time you buy a fly reel. If you wait till two years later
to chase down extra spools, you'll probably not be able to find
them as new models of fly reels come out seemingly every year
now.
Weight
of the Fly Reel
How much a fly reel actually
weighs is not, repeat not, a reflection on the quality of the fly
reel. A heavy fly reel is not necessarily better than a lighter
weight one. Indeed, today, many of the lightest fly reels are the
most expensive and highest quality reels on the market due to the
specialized manufacturing that goes into making them light.
Generally speaking, if
two fly reels are identical in every respect, go with the lighter
fly reel. Having a lighter fly reel on your fly rod will, over the
course of a long day of casting, reduce casting fatigue.
Backing
for Fly Reels
All fly reels, unless
you plan on only fishing for real small pan fish, should always
have backing on it. Backing is nothing more than monofilament line
that attached to the spool on one end and the fly line on the other
end. In short, backing extends how much line you actually have on
the fly reel (fly lines are generally only 90 feet in length, which
can easily be stripped out of the fly reel by a big fish).
If you buy a good quality
fly reel, you won't have to worry about whether the fly reel can
handle the backing, as it surely will. However, the real cheap fly
reels may not have enough room in them for this backing. So beware!
Special
Saltwater Fly Reel Concerns
Saltwater fly fishing,
due to the large size of the fish caught, have special fly reel
concerns that any angler needs to remember. First, needless to say,
it is crucial that the fly reel be extremely corrosion resistant.
A poor quality fly reel will quickly rust away in saltwater fishing
conditions. Second, the fly reel needs to be quite large to hold
all the backing that is required for chasing large saltwater species.
Generally, it is a good idea to have at least 200 yards or more
of 25 pound-test line for backing on fly reels, depending, of course,
on what you are going after. Third, the fly reel needs to be exactly
made, with all pieces fitting extremely snugly together to prevent
sand and salt from getting inside the fly reel. And lastly, the
drag on a saltwater fly reel needs to be excellent, bar none. A
poor quality drag system will quickly fall apart under the torrent
pace a large saltwater fish species can strip out line.
Next
Page : Avoid
Cheap Fly Reels : Quality Concerns
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