5/6 Weight Reel - California Fishing

Local Rookie · 11-27-2005, 11:47 PM

Anyone have a recommendation for a 5/6 Weight reel?

Eric · 11-28-2005, 10:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Local Rookie

Anyone have a recommendation for a 5/6 Weight reel?

can't go wrong with a orvis battenkill reel. listed for 98.00 in the bob marriott catolog. i have two plus two spare spools.
Eric

PlatinumHooks · 11-28-2005, 06:58 PM

Listen to Eric.....he knows fly reels

Eric · 11-28-2005, 08:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tony"PltnmHooks"Z.

Listen to Eric.....he knows fly reels

I wish!!!!!!

Eric

cst · 11-28-2005, 09:34 PM

dont be modest

mamoo · 11-29-2005, 12:31 AM

I fly fish and think the gloomis adventure reels are decent but the one Eric recommended is probably a better reel for the money.

PlatinumHooks · 11-29-2005, 02:19 PM

The Abel stuff is really good too.

Eric · 11-29-2005, 05:55 PM

The price range for reels is amazing, just check out a bob marriots cat. from the $40 range up to the 600 +. to have that kind of money.
Eric

Local Rookie · 11-29-2005, 09:33 PM

Thanks guys. Believe me, I am not doubting Eric at all. I always enjoy reading his post. But I actually want to know what I should look for. For example, when it comes to trout spinning reels, I like something thats smooth (the drag must be solid), good castability, no back play and it has to be light.

So, what should I look for a fly reels? I am clueless when it comes to it. I am also a lefty, is this going to be an issue?

Thanks again.

PlatinumHooks · 11-30-2005, 09:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Local Rookie

Thanks guys. Believe me, I am not doubting Eric at all. I always enjoy reading his post. But I actually want to know what I should look for. For example, when it comes to trout spinning reels, I like something thats smooth (the drag must be solid), good castability, no back play and it has to be light.

So, what should I look for a fly reels? I am clueless when it comes to it. I am also a lefty, is this going to be an issue?

Thanks again.

Harold,

I would continue to talk with Eric and also PM "MATT" and Cuban_Fish, they should be able to help too.

Eric · 11-30-2005, 10:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Local Rookie

Thanks guys. Believe me, I am not doubting Eric at all. I always enjoy reading his post. But I actually want to know what I should look for. For example, when it comes to trout spinning reels, I like something thats smooth (the drag must be solid), good castability, no back play and it has to be light.

So, what should I look for a fly reels? I am clueless when it comes to it. I am also a lefty, is this going to be an issue?

Thanks again.

The best advice i can give u is to figure out how much u can spend and then stop by and speak to the experts at bob Marriots. its better to support one of the local shops then to buy online. For $100 range u can't beat a orvis reel.. then u need to match it up with a new rod. What wt. rod r u looking at and what type of fishing?( lake , small streams or rivers like the kern or the owen's. Good luck
Eric

Local Rookie · 11-30-2005, 07:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Eric

The best advice i can give u is to figure out how much u can spend and then stop by and speak to the experts at bob Marriots. its better to support one of the local shops then to buy online. For $100 range u can't beat a orvis reel.. then u need to match it up with a new rod. What wt. rod r u looking at and what type of fishing?( lake , small streams or rivers like the kern or the owen's. Good luck
Eric

Thanks for the tip Eric. I've had a fly rod for awhile now, its a St. Croix Legend Elite 9' 5 weight. Model E905.5. I like to use it for lake fishing and float tubing. Do you think that this rod is good for it or should I buy a different one?

Thanks.

Eric · 11-30-2005, 09:43 PM

Local Rookie that sure is a nice rod. they say that a 5wt 9' is the best all arround rod u can buy. so i would say if u want another rod think first of the type of fishing u want to do. i wish i would have done that before i bought my last fly rod. Right now i am looking at a orivs streamline 9' 5wt. tip flex rod for fishing streamers and heavy nymphs. my other 5wt just doesn't seem to do the trick.
Eric

PlatinumHooks · 11-30-2005, 10:51 PM

HEy Harold. The guys that fly rod in the exclusive fishing club I belong to (Fishcore World Wide) really like J.P. Ross rods; infact they swear by them. Try checking out the website.

Eric, what do you think about those rods?

NulodPBall · 12-01-2005, 08:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Local Rookie

Thanks guys. Believe me, I am not doubting Eric at all. I always enjoy reading his post. But I actually want to know what I should look for. For example, when it comes to trout spinning reels, I like something thats smooth (the drag must be solid), good castability, no back play and it has to be light.

So, what should I look for a fly reels? I am clueless when it comes to it. I am also a lefty, is this going to be an issue?

Thanks again.

===
If you budget is not very high, I'd recommend just getting a cheap fly reel. Honestly, a fly reel is mostly to keep your fly line somewhere, and the drag is mostly to keep the spool from overspinning and causing a rats nest when you cast. You can get a useable reel in the 5 wt range for $40.00. I recommend that you buy at least one spare spool. I know people that are good fly fishermen that only have one line - floating, and others that have only a floating and a sink tip that do really well, but I figure that you can turn a floating into a sink tip with a splitshot, so I have a full float, and a uniform sink line for my 5 and 3 wt.
If you can afford it, the Venture series is pretty, and only about $100.00. Pretty much any reel in that range is going to be nice.
I have a friend with an Abel, another with a Torque, and yet another with really nice Loomis reels. They are very nice, and super smooth reels but then again, they spent 3 or 4 hundred dollars for them, and I very rarely get on the spool, even with my biggest trout (a nice fat one in Montana) I was palming the reel 'cause I have my drag set very light, just so that I don't get loose loops when I cast. Also, I like a loose drag, just in case I do get on the spool, I don't want to snap my tippet with a sudden jerk as the drag engages, I use my rod as the shock absorber for any runs...that's why I like long rods.
If I were to pick up a nice reel, I'd pick up a Torque. I actually had one, but I sat and looked at it for a week, and I couldn't justify the cost, so I sold it.
When you go in the shop, just make sure the reel that you like goes backwards, for leftys. Usually there's a little piece you just flip around, and you have a left handed reel. Easiest is the click-drag reels, you won't even need a tool to flip the clicker around, usually. If I have a disc drag, I prefer to turn the clicker off, if I can.
A few right handers fish with the reel handle on the right side, but most people that I know fish with the reel handle on the left, even my one friend that's left handed. We trade rods or reels every so often and he decided to set his gear up like we do. It's usually not a big deal. Just bring your old line into the shop and have them put your old line on your new reel, or do the same if you buy line at the shop.
Now that I've suggested that you pick the cheapest reel that you can stand, I'm suggesting that you buy the BEST (not most expensive) fly line that you can afford. It makes a big difference in your casting. I usually spend about $60.00 on good fly line, and I spent about $90.00 once on a special run of a very special fly line...but I could probably duplicate it's performance by building my own shooting head setup. Fly line also needs to be cleaned every so often...even if they say they don't. It makes a difference in casting.
As far as rods go, you have a good rod for the price. One of my friends bought a fairly nice rod before our Montana trip, then he made the mistake of trying one of our guide's rods, and right after we got back, he got a new $600.00 rod (Winston Boron, 9 ft), the same model as the guide's. I can cast twice as far with his setup, (he has a Torque on this rod) as I can with mine...my justification for not spending $1,000.00 on one setup is that I do more, varied types of fly fishing than he does, and I'm a gear nerd so I tend to try alot of different things. The friend with the Winston, once swore that he'd never spend more than $100.00 on a fly rod...that was just last year

In fly fishing, you get what you pay for...but my advice is that if you're happy with what you've got, NEVER try anyone else's gear if it's better

Good luck on your search.

Ray