[Mike Barrio]

At what point does a small fly reel become too small?

Cheers
Mike

[Iain Goolager]

Have you a specific reel in mind Mike?

if it doesn't hold the required amount of line or balance the rod then it's too small    I'd say

Iain

[Euan Innes]

Mike,
When the line comes off looking like a slinky because it's wound too small and forty thousand turns of the handle retrieves 4 feet of line.

There is an attraction for small reels, but a bigger reel is a better plan. It can go the other way too, as too big a reel might not balance the rod. As rods get lighter this problem gets bigger.

My Access 10' #4 has my wee Teton on it and 3.5" is a little small for it (still works really well), but my bigger Teton 4" is way too big. It's now on my Access 9' #9 and works perfectly. As you match a line to a rod, you now seem to have to match a reel to a rod too.

Thank goodness we are all tackle tarts!!

 

[Ben Dixon]

When it gets almost as small as an Orvis Battenkill Barstock I then it is too small.  Otherwise, what Iain said!

Cheers

Ben

[Hamish Young]

Have you a specific reel in mind Mike?

if it doesn't hold the required amount of line or balance the rod then it's too small    I'd say

Iain

Yarp - what he said 

[Mike Barrio]

You often read on the internet that folk can't get a standard length WF3F fly line on their new 3/4 reel .... Is it therefore a 1/2 reel in reality?

Cheers
Mike

[Ben Dixon]

Probably not Mike, the 3wt line is more than likely just not dense enough 

Seriously, I've not heard of that happening!

[Mike Barrio]

Seems to be happening more recently Ben, maybe it is just a new reel model or two

Seriously though, I think a customer should be able to expect to get a bit of backing on a reel and if they are that small then memory is bound to be a problem.

What would we look for from a 3/4 reel? Should it take a 90 ft DT3 and a 90 ft WF4 for example?

Cheers
Mike

[Hamish Young]

Raises the question.... do you need 100 metres of backing on a 3/4wt 50 How much is too much Too little

Hmmmmmmm 

[Mike Barrio]

Raises the question.... do you need 100 metres of backing on a 3/4wt 50 How much is too much Too little

Hmmmmmmm 

That's what I mean Hamish, even 20 to 25 metres of backing with a DT3 or WF4 should be a reasonable ask?

Cheers
Mike

[Iain Goolager]

I don't like those 'traditional' tiny reels. Perhaps they are bought for aesthetics on a certain rod.

Lightweight large/ medium arbour reels and thin section backing should be standard on all outfits. If it's for a specific outfit for working tiny streams presentation is paramount so you don't want coily line & if it's an outfit for fishing streams/ water with larger fish then you are best with the safety net of 30' minimum of backing. I think backing should also form a masking or bed layer between flyline coating and reel spool surface.

I also hate noisy reels, seriously don't like them and the smaller reels tend to have that grating rip.

Iain

[Ben Dixon]

even 20 to 25 metres of backing with a DT3 or WF4 should be a reasonable ask?

Cheers
Mike

Maybe in the majority of UK situations Mike but, I choose the line weight for fly size and conditions rather than expected size of fish so there are time where I may want to be stacked up with a decent amount of backing.  20m should be more than enough but I'd sooner have a little more than that if possible.

Cheers

Ben

[Mike Barrio]

Agreed Ben, that's why I've always had my #3 lines on reasonably lightweight 5/6 mid arbor reels

Cheers
Mike

[Euan Innes]

Way before mid and large arbour reels became the norm I always had larger diameter than required lightweight reels on all my rods. I had a Ryobi 357 magnesium reel (I'd love another) that had 150m of backing and a DT5 on it. It weighed no more than what I currently use, balanced the rod perfectly but had a great retrieve speed.

I also once has a System 3 reel that said that it should take a DT6 and 75m of backing but could barely hold the DT6.
I might be the odd man out here, but I do like a lot of backing on my reels, proper sea dacron at that. 

The size of fish has nothing to do with my choice of reel,  I used to use a Clan 11' #5 for trout and summer salmon. Weight distribution and line retrieve are much more important to me. My Teton 6 has an SLX #4 and 125m of 20lb sea dacron - it only looks small!

 

[Rob Brownfield]

I had a Ryobi 357 magnesium reel (I'd love another) that had 150m of backing and a DT5 on it. It weighed no more than what I currently use, balanced the rod perfectly but had a great retrieve speed.

Not sure of the model numbers, but I have 3 of those reels, one I used on a cane rod and it took a DT 3 and plenty of 20lb dacron, another I used with a WF6 and again, lots of backing and the last one was the biggest of the range, with a WF8 and probably 100+ yards of backing.

I saw them the other day during a tidy, the smallest is so light!!