Vivarelli.....first impressions

[Ythanjoe]

Finaly managed to get some time to try out the latest acquisition to my fishing armoury....the Vivarelli reel, a compulsive purchase followed Allans' post, offering the Vivarelli as a possible solution to picking up loose line to fish off the reel.
Wish it had a large arbour, to reduce weight a bit, can't see the point in backing but it is necessary with this reel due to the slim spindle. Ideally, for me, it would work well with half a double taper line for smaller river and pocket water where fish size is never going to take much line out after the take.
Really works well when fishing water 'blind' , when moving upstream from pool to pool, no need for the other arm......mental note if left hand is bust and in a sling, this reel is a solution ..... left hand is a wasted limb ( although pulling line off the reel would need  to be done from the mouth).
Not sure I have the hang of retrieving line when a fish is on and would want to be used to it before hooking anything over a couple of pounds, as the rod is flexed playing a fish I find it tricky getting a finger on the handle to crank in line, but its early days...
A bit weird how line spools from the underside rather than the front of the reel but it makes no difference in use. The drag is a bit dodgy....adjustment bankside is not realistic, unless you take the small allan key for adjustment to the river and I am not sure whether a birds nest may follow if a decent fish headed off, unless the left hand applied some tension when retrieving loose line, which defeats the purpose of the reel in my inexperienced opinion. Getting the last bit of line on the reel when playing a fish is a bit awkward as tension has to be given up by the left hand but I am pretty sure this is a teething issue as I failed to do what comes naturally with a winding reel, using the index finger to help keep tension on the line.....as its over the retrieve trigger.
First impressions good and looking forward to trying it out on some highland streams, so quick to retrieve line brought back with the current on pocket water where the next cast is in the next pool and easy to manage retrieve to avoid skating the fly, if nothing else its good to try something with a different approach, especially as there is bugger all fly life to brighten up the day!
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[Harpo]

I've seen ex forces amputees using these reels in videos from the states.

Would have been handy when I was a smoker !

[Ythanjoe]

Yup its all your fault Allan...theres a bandy that was near sqweezed through the tip ring on todays outing....shared bad karma! Thought there was something strange about rewind when a fish is on...will tighten the drag a little.
Harpo...my first thoughts were this reel has to be a step forward for anyone with one arm down....off to try it in the hands of a youngster  on the river next week, may help with loose line handling on the water...

[Ythanjoe]

Yup....I have reservations about its ability to winch in anything over a pound but it should be no different to using a normal reel once I get the hang of it....

[Ythanjoe]

I guess I see the vivarelli as a tool that should do the same as  playing a fish of the reel..it should do the same job....works ok so far. Not do sure for bigger fish but quite happy to test it to destruction!

[Allan Crawford]

For me part of the attraction of fly fishing is the simplicity of a fly reel.
Interesting to here now you get on