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jreinke10
Posts: 6 Greenhorn
Fly Fishing Reel Improvements
jreinke10
Posts: 6 Greenhorn
Hey all,
Doing some research on fly fishing reels and wanted some opinions. If you could answer one or all the questions and state your primary targeted species it would be very helpful on my journey to develop a superior fly reel.
1. What features on fly fishing reels do you have the most problems with or need the most improvements?
2. Are there any features or systems you want to see added to fly fishing reels?
3. What parts fail first in your fly reel?
4. Is there anything that makes the experience of owning or purchasing a fly reel that you find unenjoyable?
5. Would you be interested in a reel which has the drag knob placed more conveniently so you do not have to reach across the reel or switch hands to adjust the drag?
Thank you all,
Jack
Doing some research on fly fishing reels and wanted some opinions. If you could answer one or all the questions and state your primary targeted species it would be very helpful on my journey to develop a superior fly reel.
1. What features on fly fishing reels do you have the most problems with or need the most improvements?
2. Are there any features or systems you want to see added to fly fishing reels?
3. What parts fail first in your fly reel?
4. Is there anything that makes the experience of owning or purchasing a fly reel that you find unenjoyable?
5. Would you be interested in a reel which has the drag knob placed more conveniently so you do not have to reach across the reel or switch hands to adjust the drag?
Thank you all,
Jack
Replies
Thought at first it sounded like a solution in search of a problem, but now seems more like you're after the problem first with no solution in mind yet. Fly reels are a tough market. There are plenty of quality reels out there with efficient manufacturing, advertising, and distribution solutions in place. You'll spend a fortune trying to break in with a new product. Maybe if you do develop patent-able concepts, approaching an established manufacturer with licensing is a better path.
I've never had many problems with quality reels. If anything, I'd say drag adjustments/failures are the one thing that does crop up occasionally. But not often enough to justify buying new reels to solve it.
My pet peeve is the line building up on one side, making it necessary to use my rod-hand little finger to guide it on. But I'm so used to that I doubt if I'd change even if the reel didn't need it. Ross Reels, BTW, has a design solution to that in their new Evolution R, but I haven't seen one.
#5 might interest me if it didn't involve sticking my fingers inside the spinning handle on a spool. I think that's why the drag knob is on the other side now. I'd rather just use the rim to add drag if necessary, as I rarely change the drag once I'm fishing.
I fish freshwater trout 75% and the FL salt bays 25%, BTW. In the FW I'm 80% lakes and 20% streams.
Tiny vane pump, needle valves, one or two pressure release valves.
Just one of the many things I never got around to.
Mike
Personally I don’t have a problem with guiding the line (backing or fly).
Sometimes I get a little excited when a fish turns and runs back toward the boat and reel like crazy to catch it up, and the line gets uneven on the spool but its never gotten to the point that I didn't notice in time to guide the line still out with a finger to get even.
Mike
I assume if it were to get to a point you didn't notice it would likely result in slack in the line and potentially cause issues while reeling in the fish?
Mike
Reels come in all levels and the more you pay the better they perform, however poor care will always win out in the end when it comes to a failure in performance.
I agree.
Even though my Ross Canyon big game reels are generations old and have seen a lot of use I doubt that I'll ever replace one.
Mike
The only things that I ever needed replaced were drag components because these wear out. Maybe the newer carbon fiber drags will not wear out. I fish almost exclusively with Tibor reels now and I am 100% confident in these reels handling anything I hook.
Honestly if you want a challenge figure out how to design a good spinning reel.