02-19-2013, 11:21 PM
Stacy,
You are absolutely right. Balance was more an issue 20 years ago when fly rods were a lot heavier. This past summer I was able to meet with the rod designers from Sage, Orvis, and TFO and I asked them whether they take into account the weights of reels when designing their latest generation fly rods. Their answer was a unanimous 'No'. They design their rods to be as light as possible and let the reel manufacturers try to catch up. Hence you now have reels made of titantium!
Everyone who has taken my challenge of taking off the reel and putting it in their pocket and casting for 10 minutes has been amazed. In fact on another forum, a competition distance caster tells me they require that the reel be attached to the rod in distance casting competitions because otherwise everyone would take it off to get more distance!
In regards to questions about big fish and re-attaching the reel, I have tested this on big steelhead, redfish, bass and black drum. You are actually better off with the Rexfly. Have you ever had a big fish take our all of your slack line only to have the line whip up and wrap around your reel or even hook keeper? This is such a problem that TFO has taken the hook keeper off their top saltwater rods.
By letting the fish take its first fun with the reel on your chest, you virtually eliminate line tangles. Its simple to palm the reel with it on your chest, then you can quickly and easily re-attach your reel. Its a piece of cake. Also remember that it is the slack line hanging from your reel as you cast that gets flung all over getting tangled around your vest, forceps, boat cleats, etc. With the reel on your chest, the line just hangs down and doesn't move.
Finally, check out this news segment from yesterday. Rexfly will also be shown on this Saturday's KSL Outdoors with Adam Eakle if you happen to get that station in your area.
http://www.ksl.com/?sid=24122726&nid=1194
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You are absolutely right. Balance was more an issue 20 years ago when fly rods were a lot heavier. This past summer I was able to meet with the rod designers from Sage, Orvis, and TFO and I asked them whether they take into account the weights of reels when designing their latest generation fly rods. Their answer was a unanimous 'No'. They design their rods to be as light as possible and let the reel manufacturers try to catch up. Hence you now have reels made of titantium!
Everyone who has taken my challenge of taking off the reel and putting it in their pocket and casting for 10 minutes has been amazed. In fact on another forum, a competition distance caster tells me they require that the reel be attached to the rod in distance casting competitions because otherwise everyone would take it off to get more distance!
In regards to questions about big fish and re-attaching the reel, I have tested this on big steelhead, redfish, bass and black drum. You are actually better off with the Rexfly. Have you ever had a big fish take our all of your slack line only to have the line whip up and wrap around your reel or even hook keeper? This is such a problem that TFO has taken the hook keeper off their top saltwater rods.
By letting the fish take its first fun with the reel on your chest, you virtually eliminate line tangles. Its simple to palm the reel with it on your chest, then you can quickly and easily re-attach your reel. Its a piece of cake. Also remember that it is the slack line hanging from your reel as you cast that gets flung all over getting tangled around your vest, forceps, boat cleats, etc. With the reel on your chest, the line just hangs down and doesn't move.
Finally, check out this news segment from yesterday. Rexfly will also be shown on this Saturday's KSL Outdoors with Adam Eakle if you happen to get that station in your area.
http://www.ksl.com/?sid=24122726&nid=1194
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