What Makes A Good Trout Fly Reel?

[13Fisher1]

If anyone is looking for a cheap Vosseler DC3

http://www.tacklebargains.co.uk/acatalog/Vosseler_DC-3___Mark_1___Large_Arbour_Fly_Reel.html

£104

Looks like a great deal........can feel the urge rising to buy yet more gear,  but I MUST resist, even the therapist says I can't possibly use all these fishing trinkets and that I must "imagine a happy time when I enjoyed the ones I have" Hmmmm  :
How much do they normally sell for?

[Wildfisher]

Colin,  I think that DC3 is  now an old model - not that that really matters (it's what I have). The new range equivalent seems to be the "DC2" in various capacities they hover around the £200 mark.


Angus Angling in Forfar is a  stockist and a bona fide tackle shop as opposed  to some guy working out of his shed.


http://wellbanklochans.co.uk/cgi-bin/sh000001.pl?REFPAGE=http%3a%2f%2fwww.wellbanklochans.co.uk%2f&WD=vosseler&SHOP=%20&PN=VOSSELER_S-SERIES.html%23aF_2dVOS_2dS1_2e5_2dREEL#aF_2dVOS_2dS1_2e5_2dREEL

The shop is great (a few miles from me) but the website is pretty dreadful to be honest.

[13Fisher1]

Thanks Fred! Another delivery to my office or friends address maybe!

[Hill loch gold]

I've had a hardy demon 5000 for the last 3yrs. Very smooth, great drag and cheap spools that are very easily changed. It's quite a good looking reel as well.

[Wildfisher]

Only thing to watch with the older Vosseler models might be getting spare spools if you need them.

[Highlander]

can feel the urge rising to buy yet more gear,  but I MUST resist

Try & resist this range, you will not get much change from £1500 though for top models.
cheaper ones at around £500

http://www.saracione.com/deluxeiitrout.html

First saw them in House of Bruar, fell in love at first sight, sad person that I am.

Tight Lines

[haresear]

My fly reels get a lot of use.

When you need a good reel you need it badly. For my fishing, I would ideally like disc drag, good capacity, lightness and good build.  The DC3 gives me 2 out of 4 (drag and build). It is average weight for its size.

Don't underestimate the line wear issue I have pointed out. I'm sure Alex would  back me up on that. I'd never buy an expensive  fly reel that had a support post fixed  at the bottom. IMO it's a serious design flaw.

Absolutely.

I fish rivers mainly. On rivers you are constantly stripping and winding which means a lot of wear on the bearing point which on all fly reels except the Vosseller (as far as I know) is the post/bar at the bottom of the reel. The Vosseller has this moved upwards slightly and gets around the bearing/wearing point issue. Annoyingly I thought of this years ago, but where are reel manufacturers when you need them?  :lol:

Anyway. the DC3 is a good buy, but the line capacities are a bit low for my liking and I cut 10 metres off a premium line last season so as to fit more backing on. I like to have 50 metres of backing at least.
To maximise the backing, you might want to look at gelspun braid as backing for the DC3. I have yet to find a spare spool for this reel, so I bought two reels :

On the other hand if I just fished the local burns, a line holder would do.

Alex

[bushy palmer]

My last two reels have been drag-less as it's all about weight for me when selecting reels these days. I did buy a Lamson last year which had a drag system, but the build quality just wasn't there and so ended up with a Danielsson. Despite being told the complete opposite by numerous people, I don't miss drag systems at all (have played plenty of whumbers and Salmon in the last four years without it and hasn't even crossed my mind)- having said that, I do have asbestos hands.

[Wildfisher]

this is mine...hard to beat.

With that reel I'd be concerned about grit getting into the exposed gears. To my engineering mind that design is nuts with the emphasis on cool looks rather than practicality and is bound to fail sooner or later.

[Wildfisher]

A good thing about the Sage reel is the large diameter of the drum. Quick rewind and helps reduce line memory. Like Andy I think it looks fragile and would not stand up to the kind of heavy use it would get with me.

I prefer bush / ranger hats to baseball caps.   :lol: