{Tidal Potomac Fly Rodders} Re: Fly rod combo

I'm with you, Kevin. I bought a $20 reel off ebay - which I thought I'd just use to hold line, not fish - for my 2-weight. But I frequently take anything of even modest size straight to the reel, especially now (in the warmer months) that any trout fishing I do is with 6x or 7x. Luckily, I somehow got a pretty good reel with a good drag system for $20 (and a great 2-wt for $38 delivered with a case, from China); I know you're all skeptical - I know I was. But this one guy's ebay store has unreal deals. Email me if you want the name.

On Friday, June 26, 2015 at 11:53:56 AM UTC-4, Andy Thomas wrote:

I won't deny that putting a bigger trout on a reel can be helpful.  However, you don't need a $300 drag system for a trout, even if it is 20 inches.  The drag systems on many lesser priced reels, for instances the Allen Fly Fishing trout reel or ATS will work just fine, even for bigger trout.  That's all I'm saying.  If you've got the money and want to splurge for some beautiful, expensive trout reel, go for it.  There's nothing wrong with it, it's just not necessary.  Now, when it comes to salt or really big freshwater fish like salmon, peacock bass, etc, I recommend a more expensive reel with a better drag system.

 

Also, I will add, out west I've had guides that told me that "putting the fish on the reel" is just an eastern U.S. fly fishing thing.  They've told me that most folks out west don't worry about reeling in line to get the fish on the reel.  If the fish is big enough to use drag, he'll take your slack line anyway and put himself on the reel.

 

On Friday, June 26, 2015 at 11:26:19 AM UTC-4, Kevin Huntington wrote:

Apologies for a slight tangent here but I always wondered why people tend to spend more on a rod/ fly line than on a reel.  I'd certainly agree to a certain extent that a 1 or 2 weight reel for brookies or pan fish doesn't need a mondo drag system or silly pickup ratio, but I'd have to disagree that a 5 weight setup doesn't deserve a nice reel to go along with it.  I'm primarily a trout guy so I fish 3-6 weights almost exclusively and I would argue that having a good solid reel with a reliable drag system is huge.  If you fish any tippet smaller than 4x and hook an 18+ inch fish in any kind of decent flow, good luck trying to strip that fish in with your hands without snapping the tippet faster than you can say sh*t.  The rod, reel, drag system, and fly line all work together to protect the tippet and ultimately that trophy on the end of your line.  This is just my humble opinion, but when I hook up on a halfway decent fish I'm putting that bad boy on the reel as fast as humanly possible (extremely easy if you have a free-spooling reel).  It's nearly impossible to regulate tension appropriately and fast enough with your fingers.  If the fish runs at you and then away making the line lose slight tension then become taught too fast to react, the rod and reel work together to saddle the blow and protect the tippet.  If you have your finger clamped down on the fly line and there is no give like the reel provides, kiss that bitch goodbye.  I've broken off one too many piggies trying to regulate line and fight fish with my fingers.  

If you ever go fish big water for big trout, most guys who do it frequently will watch you break off fish after fish and finally feel bad enough to ask "hey why'd you buy that reel if you don't plan on using it?" Needless to say hearing that enough times put my "a reel is a just a line holder" notion to bed.

Again this is just my humble opinion on an otherwise widely debated topic, but enough quasi-jedi mind trick trout magicians have beat me upside the head about it so figured I'd do them a solid and pass it on.

Anyone else of the same philosophy?  Feel like this could be a cool discussion.

On Friday, June 26, 2015 at 8:34:02 AM UTC-4, Roman Gulakowski wrote:

I was looking to get a new Fly rod combo. I have my grandfather's old 8 wt Fenwick and wanted a nice 5wt. I was looking to spend around $350 and was hoping to get some ideas as to good quality combos.

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