Ice guys using fly reels.

Just wondering what you guys look for in a fly reel.

To be quite honest I don’t know exactly as I’ve just started. The one thing that I’ve found that would be critical is an EXCELLENT drag. This makes it easier to peel line to get your jig down. When I’m fishing my drag is set as loose as possible. I play the drag with my left hand, just as you would normally fly fishing.

The model Paul from Thorne set me up with on my quiver stick is the Cortland Procast Mid Arbor 3/4. I’m just reading that off the box.

I’ve found its twice as fun pulling in a drag ripping pike on a fly reel. Pesky toothies

Matt,
I’ve been looking into these fly reels too, what do you think the benefits are? I’m thinking that light line wouldn’t get as coiled and stretched out? Could you maybe post some pics for us?

A couple weeks back I picked up a Hobbs Creek Fly Rell from Bass Pro. I picked it because it is Large Arbor and all metal, not to mention it wasn’t to expensive.

Make sure you get plenty of Backing and it takes forever to wrap! The thing with a fly reel on an ice rod is you don’t retrieve much line for every turn of the handle.(I am getting 9 inches per turn VS 20 inshes on a spinning reel) My opinion on it is you have to look at it as another tool to use on the ice. I love it for fishing under 10 feet any more than that and I go to a spinning reel.

Weird, I would have thought that you’d get more retrieval from a fly reel due to the larger diameter spool? Maybe I’m thinking about it all wrong. You get 20 inches of travel from a small spinning reel?

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Weird, I would have thought that you’d get more retrieval from a fly reel due to the larger diameter spool? Maybe I’m thinking about it all wrong. You get 20 inches of travel from a small spinning reel?

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Spinning reels are geared so you get multiple revolutions of the bail around the spool with every turn of the handle. Most are 5:1 or more.

I picked up the a couple of the #1 Large Arbor Ross Flystarts. Great little reel so far, line coil is a thing of the past. Once you get used to stripping the line off, and palming the spool on hooksets, they are really easy to use. Like Matt I keep the drag really light. I have mine teamed up with Throrne Bros. Quiversticks, backed with dacron to fill the space, then just tie in 20-30 yards your favorite 2lb flouro and you are ready to go. Not bad at $40-$50 on the internet sites.

Ross FlyStart

Thanks for posting the pics Dan

I have the same set up as Matt, and I can tell you, they are great!!

The fly reel does take some use to see whether or not you like it…personally I don’t like the fly reels, I think its because of the way it fits in my hand…it doesn’t sit right inside my hand. I like the spinning reel…its once again boils down to personal opinion, if you have a chance to use one prior to buying one I would recommend it… just to make sure its up to YOUR standards…

different strokes for different folks.

Pat from Thorne bros is the guy to talk to about the quiver stick and fly reels as well…

Thorne Bros Quiverstick

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Matt,
I’ve been looking into these fly reels too, what do you think the benefits are? I’m thinking that light line wouldn’t get as coiled and stretched out? Could you maybe post some pics for us?

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The biggest benefit is the straightness of the line on the reel. There is no curl or twist. The line just falls off straight and beautiful. This makes the line very sensitive and even more sensitive on a quiver stick.
Another advantage is being able to hop holes outside with straight line. If theres a bit of slush in the holes the line will not get caught, where as spinning reels get so much curl that the Curls get held up on the slush. Very frustrating when you’re trying to get down to a big gill in a hurry.

Lighter jigs and line curl is what brought me to the fly reels.
Okuma offers a reel similar to the Cortland Procast, theirs is the SLV, 2/3.
I like both.
The Fly Depot will include backing and a leader with the purchase price, though I don’t think they carry that particular Okuma
Good luck,
John

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A couple weeks back I picked up a Hobbs Creek Fly Rell from Bass Pro. I picked it because it is Large Arbor and all metal, not to mention it wasn’t to expensive.

Make sure you get plenty of Backing and it takes forever to wrap! The thing with a fly reel on an ice rod is you don’t retrieve much line for every turn of the handle.(I am getting 9 inches per turn VS 20 inshes on a spinning reel) My opinion on it is you have to look at it as another tool to use on the ice. I love it for fishing under 10 feet any more than that and I go to a spinning reel.

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ALright well here is a question for people. Of the people that use the Fly Reel How many use them for fishing shallower water and how many use them for all around? I only ask because I have now lost the drag on 2 Ticas this season. and was considering making the change over to the fly real sooner rather than later.
So Since I’m mainly fishing Crappies in the 35′-40′ depth, right now, would this not be recommended?

It would be a bit of a pain pulling out 30-40 feet of line every time. But you’d have a definate advantage with finiky fish.

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I only ask because I have now lost the drag on 2 Ticas this season.

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Pflueger President 6720 or 6725 spinning reels for the deep hard water or open water fishing. Make sure to clean and add Hot Sauce for lubricant.

I do like my Pflueger, on my open water UL set p that is for sure.

If you’re looking to do a few of them – I’d talk to Dean. Just got off the phone with him and he said he could get you setup in a few days! – http://evertsfishingresort.com/

Joel

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I only ask because I have now lost the drag on 2 Ticas this season.

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Pflueger President 6720 or 6725 spinning reels for the deep hard water or open water fishing. Make sure to clean and add Hot Sauce for lubricant.

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What does the hot sauce do? Last weekend I was up in the Deer River area. I left my rod in the truck overnight. The next day the drag system didn’t seem to work right. Would the hot sauce have cured that problem? How do you change it out?

Thanks.

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The model Paul from Thorne set me up with on my quiver stick is the Cortland Procast Mid Arbor 3/4. I’m just reading that off the box.

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Who the hell is Paul? I dont know any pauls and I work there…

You have a great reel in the cortland. I have 5 of them now and I use them for every panfish tactic I have minus spoon’ing. The lack of coiling and line twist are huge imo.

I think everyone has been sight fishing or using a camera and see a bull gill staring at their jig that either boogies out of the area with their lure spinning or if they are lucky it sits around and waits for it to finally stop spinning for them to suck it in.

Light, jigs, heavy jigs, doesnt really matter. No coils and its nice having on outside rods as well. No freeze up.

The other thing I like about the fly reels is it forces you to come up and over the top of the reel, when you do this right you will have a finger in direct contact with the rod blank. Its a more natural feel than palming a reel and allows you to establish a better rhythm. The other benefit of this approach by coming over the top it puts the reel behind your hand, thus making the rod feel weightless in your hand. Try it sometime, you will notice.

As far as testing a fly reel, I do have one rigged on a power noodle I borrow out to some of our more frequent customers.

I think they are more fun to fight fish on as well, nothing better than watching fish take line on the spool…Ive picked up three pike over 32 inches this winter so far on em. I do think with the bigger fish some of the runs they make a spinning reel might not always keep up with the response.

Matt must of had some sausage finger typing…I am sure he is referring to Pat, not Paul. Nice pie…

I’ve used a fly reel for about 3 weeks now and have only good things to say about it.I fish as deep as 25ft. and the line coming off the reel straight is a big benifit.I have the spool handle on the left side because I left hand reel everything else.That way I use my right thumb for drag when needed.So far its been all positive.

Fly reels can handle big pike by accident as well…I admit I have also converted over to a fly reel yesterday for the first time…took a little to get the feel of things,however you can control your jig much better, feel your jig, and most important your line doesn’t twist.

HOLY PIG!!!!

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HOLY PIG!!!!

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That belly had to full of gills. Still can’t believe that head came up.

so do you guys tie your main line to the backing, or is the backing there to keep the line from spinning around? This sounds interesting, and might be worth a try. Going to be going through Reeds in Walker in a few weeks, might have to pick something up.

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so do you guys tie your main line to the backing, or is the backing there to keep the line from spinning around? This sounds interesting, and might be worth a try. Going to be going through Reeds in Walker in a few weeks, might have to pick something up.

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I spooled mine with a fair amount of backing then a quick knot to attach a fair amount of 2lb florocarbon line tied directly to hook. A fair amount of backing is determined by you, same goes for the fishing line itself. I put on about 100 yards of florocarbon..
It sure is nice to peel off straight line..

F.Y.I Chomps- Reeds doesn’t have much for fly reel options at all.

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F.Y.I Chomps- Reeds doesn’t have much for fly reel options at all.

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Yeah, I saw that, might have to go out of the way slightly, or wait till the next St. Paul Ice Show to get something at Thorne Bros.