# "HOOKED" On fly fishing!



## Hotrodjrod (Apr 21, 2009)

I recently went fly fishing on the colorado river and had an absolute ball. When I got back, a good friend of mine gave me a older "custom built" fly rod, with a self retracting reel on it. 

I dont like the reel very much. Its an old Martin. I dont know anything about it or the rod either, but I'm wondering what would be a good very inexpensive fly reel i could put on the rod to fish for smaller species (small mouth, crappie, blue gill ect)

I just bought some good Scientific Anglers 7w line, and some backing, and a leader.

I dont know if i should even bother putting it on this reel or not.

Suggestions?


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## ohiotuber (Apr 15, 2004)

Fly fishing is absolutely addictive!
Where are you located & what's your budget? We can better tell you where to shop for a reel once we know where you are. If you are within easy driving distance of a Cabelas (Dundee, MI or Wheeling, WV), they have a great sale on their Prestige Plus fly reels for $39.99...It will be very hard to beat that buy.
www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/template...arentType=index&parentId=cat602040&id=0029958
Mike


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## Hotrodjrod (Apr 21, 2009)

No, im in kettering Ohio.

I went to Dicks Sporting goods tonight, and bought some scientific anglers line and backing, thinking I would put it on this auto reel.

But, after checking out, and it being 37 bucks for it, I kinda have buyers remorse. There was a Martin, "Mountain Brook" Reel there at dicks, with line and backing already installed (dunno what brand though) for 39.99. Martin seems to have been around for a long while, would that be a good reel to start with?

Thanks!


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## ohiotuber (Apr 15, 2004)

If there is ONE thing in fly fishing to spend more on, it is quality line! Believe me, you did NOT overspend & Scientific Anglers lines are quality. I did a search & the Martin Mountain Brook reel can be had for a great price on Ebay...check this out (with the priority shipping, you'll have it in 2 days!). The price will be hard (probably impossible) to beat.
http://cgi.ebay.com/Martin-Mountain...emZ380106669659QQcategoryZ23818QQcmdZViewItem
I have inexpensive gear & I have pretty expensive gear. I enjoy it all, & it need not be expensive. The key to fly fishing, or ANY fishing, is to relax & have fun. Seems to me that you're on the right track.
Mike


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## Clayton (Oct 7, 2008)

haha, true story tuber. I've got my TFO rods with sage reels on em and I love em to pieces... but I'm also getting a st croix legend ultra and I have EVERY intention of putting the 15 dollar cabelas reel on it  Unless you're gunning for bigger fish that will get you onto your reel, who even cares about the drag system? Seriously, it becomes incidental if you never use it, and that's about 85% of a reel's cost. Put it on the rod and swing it to see how it balances (though line will change that)

And about line: Don't even hesitate to spend the cash. My original line with my redington clearwater wouldn't shoot worth a crap, I got like 6' out of it. Bought some orvis clearwater and it rocked or so I thought. For 30 bucks I was now shooting 15-20'.

I now have Rio Grande on my rods, and while it's 70 dollars a spool, I feel like it was worth every last penny. It mends like a dream, is soo supple, and shoots like a cannon  you get what you pay for, and crap line will hold a great rod back every time.


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## TheCream (Mar 19, 2009)

Clayton said:


> haha, true story tuber. I've got my TFO rods with sage reels on em and I love em to pieces... but I'm also getting a st croix legend ultra and I have EVERY intention of putting the 15 dollar cabelas reel on it  Unless you're gunning for bigger fish that will get you onto your reel, who even cares about the drag system? Seriously, it becomes incidental if you never use it, and that's about 85% of a reel's cost. Put it on the rod and swing it to see how it balances (though line will change that)
> 
> And about line: Don't even hesitate to spend the cash. My original line with my redington clearwater wouldn't shoot worth a crap, I got like 6' out of it. Bought some orvis clearwater and it rocked or so I thought. For 30 bucks I was now shooting 15-20'.
> 
> I now have Rio Grande on my rods, and while it's 70 dollars a spool, I feel like it was worth every last penny. It mends like a dream, is soo supple, and shoots like a cannon  you get what you pay for, and crap line will hold a great rod back every time.



I completely agree about a reel's drag system being over-hyped, at least for my type of fishing. I have been flyfishing for several years now, and I can tell you exactly 1 fish took me into my backing. That was a 5-6lb channel cat that I somehow got to strike in a pond by accident while I was bluegill fishing. That fish took me on a lap of the pond, a BIG pond, before I landed it. It is rare for me to even get a fish on the reel, I strip most of my fish in.

Line does make a difference, and I think the only way you get convinced of that is by using cheaper line, then using good line. I used to use some cheap $15 line on my 5wt, a buddy convinced me to buy some SA Mastery Trout line, and the difference was immediately seen and huge. 

As for fly fishing being addictive...YES. The bug has really hit me in the last year or so. I made the decision that every time I go to WV for trout, I am only taking fly gear. The only way to get good with something is to remove the crutches and go for it, I believe. I have been fishing here in OH with fly gear the past month or so, too. The last time I used spinning gear was a month ago below the Belleville Dam, sauger fishing in 24' of water.


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## Flyfish Dog (Nov 6, 2007)

A Ross reel with its lifetime warranty and good reputation can be had for less than 50 bucks. These work just as well as my top of the line Evo reel.
But other than that Ohiotuber said it right. Having a better line makes thing click more smoother and have fun!!


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## ohiotuber (Apr 15, 2004)

Line recommendations:
These are the three lines I use.....
RIO, Scientific Anglers, & Wulff Triangle Taper (made by SA, I believe).

Rio & Scientific Anglers are line manufacturers...I mention this because, even though I use their "top end" lines, if someone is on a strict budget, their less expensive lines are not bad. These 2 companies do NOT make junk. Keep in mind that a well cared for fly line will last for years, so the total line cost for the usage you get is NOT expensive...even for the $60.00 to $70.00 (or even higher priced) lines.
Mike


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## Patricio (Feb 2, 2007)

the reel is irrelevant. go with what you want. the line well, there are only 3 line makers in the world. having said that, thee is a difference between the bottom lines and the mid priced lines. I like cortland lines. the 444 is a classic and always a decent line.


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## brhoff (Sep 28, 2006)

The Martin Brook reel is a bargin in my eyes...used one for 4 seasons and still do..no hitches. 

Carp, Smallies, LM's and "gills...the reel works, it's quite and smooth as needed.

The line loaded on the reel is level line...probably junk.


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## Hotrodjrod (Apr 21, 2009)

Well I got great news and bad news went back and returned the line and backing today at a different dicks. But low and behold they had a scientific anglers reel on sale at that store for 29 bucks. It's really nice IMO. Came prw spooled with line backing and leader. 6wF. But here's the bad part. I can't cast it for crap. I think my rod might be for like a 4wt line and I have 6 wt on it. But either way it was still fun and I can't wait to actually get good at it! IF any one would care to take a newbie out and help me I would love it. Thanks and MAN do I love this site!!!!!


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## Clayton (Oct 7, 2008)

I'll help ya if you're in the columbus area 

Also: If the reel came spooled with line, it was 6 wt? Okay.

Your rod oughta be labeled, what's it say the weight on it should be? 6 wt on a 4 wt rod... wow, that's overloading to the max, even on a super-stiff rod like a helios or an axiom, and it's pretty crippling on a normal rod. Each rod wt is designed to throw a certain weight line, and it's imperative that you match em!


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## Fishaholic69 (Apr 6, 2007)

no need to worry about a great reel on small fish like gills and bass. get a cabelas three forks combo. its 79 bux and comes with the rod,reel,leader,backing etc. get one in a 5 or 6 wt and you are good all day on bass, gills and anything else likg catfish etc. if ya wanna fish steelies get a 7wt. they are pretty heavy for small fishing tho. I myself have a 5wt tfo pro and a 3wt bitch creek fly rods for bass and gills.


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## Clayton (Oct 7, 2008)

Hey fishaholic, you never said what kinda line and reel you put on that TFO pro of yours  spill the beans!


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## Fishaholic69 (Apr 6, 2007)

I got it awhile back as a combo at www.flyshopcloseouts.com came with a orvis rocky mountain turbine reel and some tan colored weight forward line which I was told was rio brand. the line was already put on for me also. all for $150 free ship!


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## TheCream (Mar 19, 2009)

If your reel came pre-spooled, I bet you're going to want a leader straightener as a cheap, often-used little tool. Even if my reel has not been used in a few days, my leader coils like a 9' cobra ready to attack Rickytickytobby. A straightener is basically just a pair of rubber pads, mine has a leather backing, and you just pinch the leader between the pads and pull it through. It will turn your leader from a coiled cobra to a straight-lying length of mono/fluoro in just a few seconds. A leader straightener should only cost a few bucks if you can find one, and I use mine every time out.


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## Flyfish Dog (Nov 6, 2007)

You can make your own leader straightener next to nothing. A piece of thick stiff leather approx. 1 1/2" by 4" folded over and v notch one end and push thru an key ring. I made a couple of them that way. I give you one if you were close.


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## Clayton (Oct 7, 2008)

Or you can be a tough guy like me and use your fingers and just pinch the mono between em a few times 

I wore the fingerprints off my index finger the other day b/c I was using it as my stripping finger. Is that too much fishing in a day? 

and fishaholic, that's a hell of a deal! I got the rod itself for 150, my sage 1650 reel for 100, and a spool of rio grande put on for another 70. 60 bucks off it being an outfit tho  I don't mind spending more to support mad river outfitters, they always treat me well  Where would we be without fly shops?


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