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PostPosted: Wed Apr 15, 2020 4:12 pm • # 1 
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I need to understand balance requirements for this class of fly gear better than I currently do. Consider my current 8' 3 wt graphite rod that weighs 2-3/8 ounce. In searching for adequate fly reels I chose to limit myself to reels featuring disc drag systems. Admittedly, it is difficult not to like the Galvan Brookie but in this realm of fly reel you suspect you might be buying something that is too delicate. I then decided to consider this forum as a reference and to my surprise I read of owners placing reels in excess of 5 oz on their rods. I have to seek comfort in the fact that I do not know the weight/length or composition of their rods. I should add that I realize that this class of reel may best be regarded as a line holder and palm drag is sufficient.

The reels I am currently considering are the 3-TAND TF-40 (3.5 oz.), the Hatch 2 Plus Gen2 (3.2 oz.) and a few other manufacturers I have not received responses from.

It is important for you to know I am considering a pure dry fly line. This is the Rio LightLine or Wulff Triangle Taper in true 3 wt.

Are you able to convey to me an upper bound in reel weight for this rod? For example, the Sage Spectrum LT (3.88 oz), the Lamson Litespeed (3.9 oz) and the Redington Rise (4 oz) may also be suitable but I doubt this...from my genuine lack of explicit experience (i.e., nice way to state speculative opinion). It is difficult for me to envision the idea that I can install a reel with weight in excess of 4 oz on this rod but the fact is I do not know.

Cost is certainly an issue. For example, someone also suggested the Bauer RS1. Nice reel but, not the $500 price tag. I cannot go there. I will adjust my expectation for purchase price of the reel to obtain a sound result that I do not have to correct with an additional purchase of the correct reel. You have to do something right the first time.


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PostPosted: Wed Apr 15, 2020 4:45 pm • # 2 
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you've made some good point with regard to weight, but what is your budget? sometimes you can get by with a Bas Pro clicker or a Redington zero. IMO with out knowing what you're ready to spend I would look at new and vintage reels. in the 1950 - 1960 vintage category you can find good serviceable reels for under $60.

Another factor is that some folks here want a heavier tip swing weight which would require a very light under 3.3 ounce reel for a longer ( 7'10" rod or longer). others like me don't mind a heavier reel which puts more weight focused on the butt end of the rod.

Les


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PostPosted: Wed Apr 15, 2020 5:45 pm • # 3 
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Les,

I thought the references I made to specific reels would have generalized cost sufficiently. The TF-40 is a $220 reel. However, I would extend myself (as I referenced) to the Hatch ($430) if I could substantiate this to myself (i.e., not rationalize). Other unknown options may exist.

I also realize I forgot to mention the rod action is medium. This may make a difference with regard to how a given caster might like to configure a rod/reel to feel. By this I mean does a butt heavier configuration make sense for this type/action of fly rod. For example, my search for fall Steelhead last year was complicated by the half-weight heavy SA lines on a medium action rod featuring the additional weight of sink tips. I still do not understand why I had difficulty getting the line to leave the rod guides/reel with this much weight at the far end. This made me question the use of fly line that is not true to weight for the medium action rods. I was using a new Lamson Guru II HD on this rod so it made no negative impact on my casting results. Unfortunately, I lost the ability to investigate this observation further with too much work. I have to revisit this to solve the problem.

I have already looked for some of the older fly reels. Specifically, those made from Magnesium but I have not found much. I am also trying to stay with as large an arbor as is feasible.


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PostPosted: Wed Apr 15, 2020 11:09 pm • # 4 
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Rick,
A similar question recently came up on another forum. One suggestion there was that a reel should weigh about 50% more than the rod, a little more for a longer rod (8.5 - 9 ft.) and a little less for a shorter rod. So for your rod a reel weight of about 3.6 oz.to 4 oz. might be right. OF course adding backing and line will add more weight, but I think the basic premise was for reel weight alone. I fish glass all the time now, but I have an 8' 3 weight Loomis rod that I used to use with a reel of about that weight and I thought it balanced pretty well. Is your son still fishing with you?

Larry


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PostPosted: Thu Apr 16, 2020 9:22 am • # 5 
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Location: Central Ohio
What rod are you using, specifically? Perhaps if you state the rod you have (or would like to have), others could chime in with what they have used on said rod, and you could research the weight of each reel.

Will this be your first fly rod / reel? have you ever fly fished before? Reading your posts, it sounds like you are very new to this sport, and you've done a little research on some of the hardware. Knowing some of this can help us help you.


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PostPosted: Thu Apr 16, 2020 9:19 pm • # 6 
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Larry,

Yes, my son still fishes with me. This is his fly rod. However, it remains dad's job to get the job done correctly...teenagers...need I say more? Your response is the type of information I was searching for. That is, I had to believe someone has examined this relationship but I was unable to identify anything myself and in the absence of reading this directly it may only be an approximation. Then I recalled this specialty forum and the experience it carries. As time has passed I never would have thought I would buy a 3 wt rod. Fishing for Steelhead and Coho has surpassed my interest in trout despite the colder temperatures for productive fishing conditions. I suspect I will remain a 4/6/8 weight rod owner until I begin to consider hopes of fishing for Arctic Char during spawning runs and need to decide between 9 or 10 wt rods to land them!

I think knowledge of the rod makes it an entirely different question. I was after information that would help me understand a balance issue...this requires only weight or mass. Meaning, I do not want this knowledge for this rod/reel alone. I want to understand these relationships better for myself so I can apply them to current gear and future purchases. All of this remains subjective but my feel is returning...I learned on fiberglass many years ago but prefer graphite with a suitable feel. This is also true of the reel weight issue I am inquiring about. I am not implying the heavier handle end is wrong, I just know how I have my existing rods set up in this regard and thought this would be a more critical issue with lighter weight gear. This is not my first fly rod. I have obtained (7) in 2 years after resuming this wonderful activity. All of them are medium action except two medium-fast action TFO rods I also purchased for my son. This 3 wt is a Winston WT.

I was also trying to help some friends at a fly shop I like to visit. The situation with this virus will hurt every one of these small business. The list of reels I did not mention are the brands they carry (Bauer, Galvan, Hatch, Hardy & others). While I was (and still am genuinely interested in the 3-TAND, I never heard back from the owner) so I chose to help my friends at Gates Lodge - truly excellent staff and I ended up buying the Hardy Ultralight FW DD 2000 for 2/3/4 lines. This is a bit light at 3.1 oz but I suspect I will like this result. The cost of this fly gear is becoming difficult to digest and this forces the requirement to look into products extensively before purchasing. I do this for work so why not do the same to benefit me?

Happy fly fishing,

Rick


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PostPosted: Thu Apr 16, 2020 11:19 pm • # 7 
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Glad to be of help, and you certainly got your son a great rod. I see I may have instilled a liking for Winstons in you. Do you still have that 8' 6" WT 6 weight? I suspect you will like that Hardy Ultralite on that rod as well.

Larry


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PostPosted: Sat Apr 18, 2020 7:17 pm • # 8 
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Larry,

Yes I still have the 8' 6" 6 wt. I could never sell this. I continually search for opportunities to buy more when they are reasonably priced. I am uncertain where all of this will go next but I can tell you I have a strong desire for a Tom Morgan Favorite. I still have the original fiberglass rod I purchased many years ago. It is Fenwick FF857. I nearly attempted to sell it in view of lack of use but too many - as yourself - encouraged me to never sell it even if it only plays the role of a back up rod.

Good luck with your Hardy Perfect. I was sorry to read of your circumstances with it.


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PostPosted: Tue Apr 21, 2020 1:52 am • # 9 
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The Ryobi "MG" reels are magnesium, very light and well made, and while quite functional don't seem to have great vintage collector appeal so they aren't too spendy. I've picked up a few on everybody's favorite auction site in the $20-$25 range over the last couple years. Worth a look.


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PostPosted: Wed May 20, 2020 11:33 am • # 10 
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Regardless of weight of the rod 1-10wt this is what I do. I will use my 3wt TFO BVK. I generally start with the reel I think will work out. Install the line and backing. Mount it on the rod, string about 10 feet of fly line out thru the guides. Grip the cork as you would cast. Remove all the fingers except you index finger, and balance the rod on it. My personal preference is to have the rod level with 10 feet of line out. For my BVK I went with a Lamson Liquid 1.5 reel. With the above mentioned method it balances level on the 8’ 3wt. Wanting to use the same reel and line on the 10’ conversion that I have, I removed the cork fighting but and turned a Brass one on the drill press. I just kept removing material until it balanced the way I wanted it to. Then epoxied it in place.

Now the down side to this method, you can go thru several reels to figure it out. Another option is to play with the removal of some of the running line of the back end to make small adjustments to the balance point.

This is just my method, and as long as you know what your balance point preference is you can figure it out.


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