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Some thoughts on tackle...

3K views 43 replies 26 participants last post by  Kent Lufkin 
#1 ·
Try this again, can't seem to get to post...
 
#5 ·
I was trying to copy and paste something, I tried to post a thread earlier and my computer locked up. It was long, and I didn't want to retype, so I copied it and emailed it to myself, now I cannot seem to get it to paste. Oh well, was just me sermonizing on tackle is all, likely saved you all a few mintues of your life, haha!

Dan
 
#7 ·
Gonna try this a paragraph at a time or so from my iPad, I think my laptop is heading to Belize...

Firstly, and I've said this before. ALL freshwater reels are, for the most part, overbuilt. And you really cannot build a saltwater reel tough or durable enough, particularly reels designed for big, offshore pelagic and bluewater species. Anyone who would tell a neophyte to our sport that, if pursuing freshwater species like trout and bass necessitates a machined, disc drag reel that costs over $300, well, that person is doing the newcomer a great disservice, and are possibly alienating someone who simply doesn't know any better. A trout fly reel is really nothing more than a line holder, and as long as you can prevent spool overrun, you're doing just fine. Especially as today, almost all modern reels have exposed rims, which allow one to "palm" the spool if you're fortunate enough to hook a fish capable of pulling out line; exposed rims are great, and weren't actually all that common years ago...

Now, for me, I like the fact that the majority of my reels have smooth, strong drags, even my trout reels. I like tight machining tolerances, and I like type 3 anodizing. I like having nice gear, but I do NOT feel such gear is necessary, nor do I believe it makes me a better angler. However, while I deplore snobbery of any kind, equally, reverse snobbery can be every bit ad off-putting. Anyone who looks down on owning expensive gear is as much a snob in their own way as the person who insists is is needed. As long as we all can recognize and acknowledge that $400 trout reels are silly and an affectation, well, who am I, or you, or anyone to say what one should or shouldn't buy? Again, as long as one doesn't confuse want and need, then I have no issues with such choices, no more so than the neighbor who buys a new Porsche (the guy across the street from us just parked a 911 S in the driveway last week, and I say kudos to him!)

$.02

Dan
 
#8 ·
Now, someone is bound to say, well, what about a 20lb trout from Jurassic Lake in Argentina? Obviously I am talking about the freshwater fishing that 99% of us partake in, fishing rivers and lakes and streams for small trout and bass and the like. But even in the case of the 20lb behemoth, I'm of a mind to say that any decent angler worth his salt would land as many fish on an old Hardy Princess as they would a new Abel Super 6N. The point is, of course, that much, if not most of modern gear, is aimed at catching anglers and our hard earned dollars, as opposed to strictly in aiding in catching fish. And who can be surprised by that revelation? I recall such marvelous "innovations" such as rods built with anti-vibration dampening material, used in nuclear subs and so secret it couldn't be named (I'm looking at you Orvis...) Or all the way to today, with reels built with carbon fiber/rulon/ceramic stack up drags, with MagnaLock and 4 N40 Magnets (Ross) and numerous other examples of Mad Men-like ad copy, all for gear designed to catch a 2lb trout with hooks and feathers. Huh...

Dan
 
#9 ·
Most I ever paid for a reel was 100 smackers. Most I ever paid for a rod was 210 smackers. The rest of my gear is on the cheap side. But you know the fish don't care what I use to fish for them with. I never wanted to spend a lot on gear. So I always looked for the bargain. I enjoy using what I have and to hell with expensive stuff.
 
#10 ·
As mentioned, I am as guilty of this as anyone, and I am as likely to buy into some new technology nonsense as anyone. I like tackle, I like perusing new catalogs every spring, and I find hanging out in fly shops is better than most other ways of spending an afternoon if not on the water. While gear, and rods in particular are better today than say, from 1980, not all rod development is progressive, every new rod series is necessarily a step forward, and if everynsingle angler out there fished the rod that BEST suited their casting style and ability, there would be a far wider and varied distribution of rods in peoples hands than we currently see. Most anglers I talk to insist on fast rods, and will recite as if written in stone, you need a lightweight rod, Konic technology, nano-titanium unilateral scrim, zero torsion multi axis, blah blah blah... Yet, get anyone of these guys out in a parking lot, blindfold them, have them cast 10 different rods, and I defy them to tell me which rod is lightest, which rod costs more, which rod utilizes which technology, etc... And much like golf, skiing, or any other endeavor in which gear and equipment is a vital part of the sport, only about 5-10% of the users out there can utilize the "best" technology available. Equally, those same 5-10% are likely good enough that they can use just about anything available.

With rods, if you cannot accurately cast 50', well, what difference can it possibly make if you're using a $100 overseas Bass Pro Shops rod, or the latest and greatest $800 stick from Sage? Again, this is not meant as a demonization of quality gear. However, it is important to have a good sense or ones true ability prior to making a big purchase. I read a lot of posts asking about specific rod makers, series and models. Truthfully, you really need to cast a specific rod yourself in order to make any sort of opinion on it's worth to you. Even then, it's often only after fishing a rod for a period of time before a true opinion can be formed- what I, or any stranger may think of a rod is almost entirely immaterial to your own thoughts on it. I think it is important to recognize that, by and large, there are no really bad rods being made today, assuming we are looking at rods made by any reputable company, and that includes imports like Redington, TFO, Albright and others, all the way to Sage and Loomis and Winston. If you've spent, say, $100 on a rod from a company we've all heard of, well, you're likely doing just fine. And rod making isn't exactly Nuclear fission. Rod design I believe is where there's more differentiation, but the actual making is, to a large degree, a commoditized endeavor. While QC here in the states is where you may really help yourself when purchasing, I will admit to owning several Korean made rods I really enjoy. Then again, I'd gladly trade in my Charger for a Japanese-made Lexus LFA as well, so it is what it is. I generally buy US built whenever possible, for a multitude of reasons, but I think there's room for a wide variety of quality and price points.
 
#12 ·
I'm with you on this Formerguide.

I do not need disk drag reels for the trout I catch locally, but I don't want to fish with click pawl reels. I hate them. I don't like the sound they make, I don't like the resistance both directions, I don't like the standard arbors, and I don't like "embracing tradition". I don't like bamboo or fiberglass rods either. Yes, 90% of the trout I catch locally could have been caught on a willow switch with my extra line coiled up in my coat pocket, but where's the fun in that? I like modern graphite rods, and reels with sexy machining and buttery smooth drags. I don't need any of that to catch fish, but that is what I enjoy using. I like to think I'm in the 5-10% that can tell the difference, but it really doesn't matter. You make a good point about snobbery and reverse snobbery. People should fish the gear that makes them happy and not place judgement on those who make different choices.
 
#21 ·
I'm with you Formerguide on the noise from click pawls. I like fishing smaller rivers alone and enjoy the peace and solitude. The sound of a click pawl reel is too loud and irritating for me. Really like my Orvis Battenkill for the quieter sound, light weight, as well as smooth operation and it didn't break the bank.

I do not need disk drag reels for the trout I catch locally, but I don't want to fish with click pawl reels. I hate them. I don't like the sound they make, I don't like the resistance both directions, I don't like the standard arbors, and I don't like "embracing tradition". I don't like bamboo or fiberglass rods either. Yes, 90% of the trout I catch locally could have been caught on a willow switch with my extra line coiled up in my coat pocket, but where's the fun in that? I like modern graphite rods, and reels with sexy machining and buttery smooth drags. I don't need any of that to catch fish, but that is what I enjoy using. I like to think I'm in the 5-10% that can tell the difference, but it really doesn't matter. You make a good point about snobbery and reverse snobbery. People should fish the gear that makes them happy and not place judgement on those who make different choices.
 
#13 ·
Just thought I'd post a pic of MY new Porsche. Notice that it has disk-drag brakes on all four corners. They're incredibly powerful and will slow the car down from its top speed of over 160mph in an amazingly short distance. Of course I don't really need them since almost all of my driving is at 35-45 mph, but it's reassuring to know they're there in case I ever find myself going 160 . . .

K

 
#14 ·
Dan,
While you’ll find a lot of tackle items at other shops are really just glorified toys, all of the equipment we sell at Puget Sound Fly Co. is actually completely necessary and designed strictly for functionality without any attention to appearance or flair. A prime example: The hot pink nippers on our counter have a smooth cutting action and a spring loaded return, that prevents repetitive stress injuries. The hot pink anodization acts both as a corrosion protection and makes the device easier to find if dropped. Again, hot pink Abel nippers: strictly functional.
If anyone needs me to, I can sign a note (for your significant others) attesting to this.
Anil
 
#16 ·
Glad you like it. I made it using Photoshop CS4. I found pictures of the reels first and then looked for days for an exotic car image whose wheels were at the same angles as the reels. I wish it'd been a Ferrari or McLaren, but the Porsche will have to do. The rest was easy.

K
 
#22 ·
Other than the obvious downside of high cost for high end gear (like rods and reels) is the fact that I am forever banging around or dropping stuff...inevitably on lakeside rocks and launching ramps. I'd shit my pants dropping a $400 reel on an $800 flyrod. While I certainly don't enjoy scratching my $200 TFO, or $100 Battenkill (or $60 Okuma) reel....it is not a trip ruining event. It's also cheap enough that I can have two decent rods rigged and ready to go in my kayak, one with a floating line and the other rigged subsurface (changing spools and stringing line through guides is awkward on a kayak...it's just much easier to switch rods).

As for drags, since I fish for trout, I seldom get much into the backing (and as was mentioned above) today's spools let you palm drag anyway. If the drag is smooth, durable, easily adjustable, and prevents free-spooling, it's good enough for my purposes.

I do tend to splurge a bit on some of my floating and sinking tip fly lines. It's hard to beat a good line for casting, and (relative to other FF gear) the price spread between a crappy line and a superb one is just not that great.....and today's flyline materials make them very durable.
 
#31 ·
Other than the obvious downside of high cost for high end gear (like rods and reels) is the fact that I am forever banging around or dropping stuff...inevitably on lakeside rocks and launching ramps. I'd shit my pants dropping a $400 reel on an $800 flyrod. While I certainly don't enjoy scratching my $200 TFO, or $100 Battenkill (or $60 Okuma) reel....it is not a trip ruining event. It's also cheap enough that I can have two decent rods rigged and ready to go in my kayak, one with a floating line and the other rigged subsurface (changing spools and stringing line through guides is awkward on a kayak...it's just much easier to switch rods)....
Lots of truth to that for me personally and I treat certain gear of mine differently because of the value (or what I paid for it). I hate nickin my better reels up and almost always use the protective pouch on them during transport, it definitely makes me look like an ass when some of my friends just throw their gear in and let them bang around on the sidewalls of the boat or better yet the back of the pickup and going over hell's road potholes at 35mph...I'm the only one breaking it down and putting it in the tube or protective carrier...I don't mind as much if I scratch and nick on the water fighting a fish or wading a tough stretch of water, but please not the back of a truck!
 
#23 ·
I'm kind of an equal opportunity gear whore. I do have a penchant for pricier stuff, but inexpensive gear also has a place in my closet. Not to mention that place in my wallet that used to be full more often than it is these days. I tend to hold onto stuff and use it for a long time, so I value my more expensive stuff as something that I'll enjoy for a long time to come. As for cheaper gear, I've found the rods to work every bit as well as the pricey stuff (but I still maintain the Helios is the finest casting rod money can buy :cool: ). Reels are a bit different. There's a little more of "you get what you pay for" in reels. But like 'Guide says, most of the time an inexpensive line holder is all you need. If that's not what you want, well, I like that too. I like that I feel perfectly comfortable fishing with anyone with any gear. Matter of fact, I regularly get out-fished by folks using gear more expensive -and cheaper- than whatever I'm using that day.

John Gierach wrote that snobbery, at its best, is an attempt to do something in the finest manner that it can be done. I think a lot of folks here subscribe to this, using their gear to make their own experience the best they can. It can be a fine line between enjoying your pricey toys and talking excessively about your pricey toys. That's something I tend to do, and I can see where it looks like snobbery in the right situation.
 
#28 ·
Agree with the OP, most of my rods are better casting tools than I am a caster. That said, I do like nice rods and reels but until I bought my Meiser last year to celebrate my retirement, I'd not bought a new rod since my 1st, a Fenwick FF857. I have some nice Scott, Loomis, Winstons and Powells as well as Bauer and Lamson reels and have paid 50% of MSRP or less for all. BTW, I've never broken a fly rod, so the warranty is basically meaningless to me.
 
#32 ·
Formerguide,

As a former guide, are you supposed to be pimping the industry? But I'm checking to see if I can sue you for plagerizing my dogma. Well made gear is expensive, and expensive gear is generally cool. But it's a far cry from what a cash strapped fishing enthusiast needs to fulfill his fishing itch. I own a host of lower than low end gear that fore the most part fishes perfectly well. The flip side is that fly fishing is my life time passion, and I have a weakness for rods made of bamboo. I hardly blink at writing a check when I see one I want, but cannot bring myself to pay $800 for a Sage that does the same job as a $100 import. It's not that I don't appreciate how well a Sage ONE casts, but in point of fact, it just doesn't cast $700 better, or even $100 better than my handy import fly rod. The bamboo rods don't cast any better either, but they do have soul, for those who can feel it, and I've convinced my wife than my cane rods are investments in art.

I hear ya' on salt water fly reels. I don't have much experience there, but it looks like the problem is building in the amount of durability needed for bluewater species into a package small enough to balance on a single hand fly rod. Nano technology should solve that problem in the near future of course. And the price tag will no doubt show it.

Sg
 
#33 ·
I'm not sure where this is all going. Everybody has their own idea of what is necessary for a good fly fishing experience but in a former part of my life I was a construction worker . One of the things I learned was to buy the best tools I could afford at the time so I could make a living withiut having to go to the hardware store all the time to replace an inferior tool. I have sort of adopted that philosophy with my fly fishing equipment. Sure, I have owned lesser quality equipment. Hell, my first rod, reel, line and backing cost less than $100 and I still have them. Don't use them anymore but I have them. Somewhere along the way I started buying stuff; good stuff like Sage rods and Tibor reels. They don't make me a better fisherman but after 65 years, I decided that I deserved the stuff considering the hard work I did when I was younger. I like the feel of the rods and the smoothness of the reels. I don't hold it against anyone and don't expect them to think of me as a snob because I can drag out a $2000 combination to fish for Dorado. I'm glad I have it because I wouldn't want to tackle a big fish with a $100 imprort reel. I subscribe to the "John Hazel School of Landing Fish"; Hook 'em, get in, get 'em back before they know it so they can live another day and someone else can enjoy them. I always overgun and under tippet. I'd rather break them off then tire them out. The hook-up is the sensation. You get my drift? And if that means I am a snob for using a quality Disc Drag reel on my spey rod or on my 4 wt. LL, then I guess I'm a snob.
 
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