Food for thought if you are hell bent on a lighter reel-
I had a couple long rods that I couldn't get my reals to balance, so I was going to reel on some lead core line then my backing, fly line, and go that route, which likely would have worked...
But one day on the river, I found the ballance point was with my hand on the blank, and my pinky finger snug agianst the back of the cork...
Awkward as hell... At first...
I stayed with it, and started hooking fish that way, the feal of a strike when your are holding directly to the blank, is in a word, Sweet-
Also, I noted no hand fatigue after a long day, as you have no issue with gloves in the winter of over stressing your grip-
I still hold most of my rods this way, some, ballance with 2-3 fingers on the blank w/ the remainder on the cork- When you stick a fish, just slide your hand down on the cork, works slick... You might try it, just find where the ballance is right, and try it for a day or two, you may be surprised as I was at how comfy it ends up being to you...-
Peace on the h20
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