[burk]

I have an opportunity to purchase a loomis syncrotech
11/12/13 with spool new at a very advantages price, for
a sage 9141-4 rod, I will be using the rio windcutter multi
tip. this is my first forray into the world of spey fishing and I
want to do it right. The other reels i'm considering are the
Ross Canyon 6 or the lamson litespeed 4 . Any feed back on
these reels would be helpfull ecsp. the loomis as there don't
appear to be many in circulation. I am mostly concerned about
drag performance in cold wet conditions.

 

[juro]

I have no knowledge of the Loomis reel but the Ross and Lamson have excellent sealed drag systems and you can't go wrong w/ these drag setups.

But if you plan on using 200 yds of straight 30# dacron I believe these reel sizes are not going to fit that line. You'd have to consider gelspun or a combination (see Dana's and Per's other recommendations) to use these reels, or else go to the Canyon #7.

Maybe someone else is able to chime in about the Loomis reel, I have seen it on the shelf and that's about it. Good looking reel, that I know.

 

[Bob Pauli]

reel

For a WindCutter 8.9.10 spey line and 200-220 yards of 30 pound standard backing you need a reel with the rating "WF 12 Float + 300 yards of 30 pound standard [Micron] backing."

Aside from capacity, balance is important. The rod, reel and line should balance at the upper grip hold point, when the fly line's 54 foot head [for a WindCutter] is hanging outside the tip top on the ground or still water.

It is possible for a reel to be too light, causing the balance point to be above the upper cork. This condition will tire a caster prematurely.

 

[Per Stadigh]

Hello Bob,

Sorry to sound mean, but do you really buy that ol' nonsense? I think it was something to it when we still used tip heavy cane rods, or even the first heavy fibreglass and carbon rods.

But today with our generally light wands I can't see the point. I know from so many desperatly long hours on cold rivers that what tires you is the overall weight you haul around. A light reel and a light rod makes a tremendous difference, and has changed my fishing for the better.

An large Evotech hardly balances my T&T 16' in the sense you describe it, but still makes a wonderful combo. Put a large Bogdan or a 4 1/4" Perfect on it and it feels like being in a gym.....

These things are highly personal - but knowing how many rookies that read here I think it is good not to get too dogmatic. (A hole I easily slip into, myself...:hehe:

"Tight lines"
Per

 

[JR SPEY]

Per, nothing fatigues me faster than a tip heavy rod with a light reel. When my Winston Derek Brown Favorite 15' 10 weight finally arrived I slapped a line on my Evotec 8eleven and went to the river sans flies. My intent was to simply cast with the rod. I was exhausted after about 45 minutes. The rod weighed 14.4oz on my postal scale and the 6.5oz reel just didn't cut it. What's worse is that the db rods are so tip heavy. It's not only the casting that's a problem, it's the tendency for the rod tip to want to drag in the water during the drift. The amount of effort required of your wrist and forearm to prevent that is enormous. I agree that a heavy rod and heavy reel is also no fun, which is why I sold the rod before I ever actually fishied it. But a heavy rod with a too light reel is no better, just different. A relatively light rod and reel combo is, by far, the best in my opinion. I think that is one reason Loop rods are making a mark for themselves over here. They are significantly lighter than almost any other rod of the same length and line weight AND that allows a lighter reel while still maintaining good balance. The Loop 15' 10/11 weights are almost 50% lighter than the Derek Brown Favorite 15' 10 weight and it is not nearly as tip heavy.

 

[Per Stadigh]

One should never post here before being fully awake. I did that this morning and can in hindsight see that I went too far and too hard in defending my view. (Sorry for that, Bob.)

It was such along time ago since I fished really heavy rods so I have forgotten the feel.

Per

 

[NrthFrk16]

Avoid that POC Synchrotech like the plague...I have a couple good freinds who picked them up and they just do not compare to most other reels out there...especially for the price!

 

[Rick J]

I'd second Juro's comment on the Ross BG Canyons - I just got the 7 and the 8. I fit the SA XLT 7/8 with about 150 yds of 30# micron on the BG 7 - would prefer more capacity and may go to micronite but it should easily handle the Windcutter (not sure about the BG 6). Plan to put the XLT 9/10 on the BG 8

Talked to a guy on the Chetco this weekend who has had the BG for about 2 years and he says it has taken heavy abuse with no hitches!!

 

[burk]

The Conclusion

Well guys, #1, I've been fly fishing all over the mid-west for
about 10 years and I know how to balence a combo, #2 Thanks
to those of you who replied ON SUBJECT,#3 I ended up with the
Ross, Decided to take no chances, #4 150 to 175 yards of
backing is more then adaquit in most great lakes fishing
situations, I've had plenty of fish into my backing, but never
had a fish in the back of my backing. My biggest fish to date
was a male chinnok that went 43 lbs on a certified scale.

 

[Hans Drost]

To backup the discussion on balance: a few years ago in a momentary lapse of reason I bought myself an old Hardy Palakona, built in 1962. It was a two-handed salmonrod, and extremely heavy. Of course I wanted to cast with this rod, so I mounted my Loop Evotec with a line that seemed right.
At the beginning casting went reasonably well, but after half an hour the balance seemed to be gone, I was getting tired, and casting started to be a real mess.
Than I remembered posessing an old Hardy Salmon 2 reel, much heavier than the Loop.
I discovered that this heavier reel gave a much better balance, and casting was easier, and less tiring, although the whole combination was heavier...
Hans.

 

[nevada caster]

Billy Pate Tarpon Reel

If anyone is interested in a large capacity reel that is not too light, I am selling a Billy Pate Tarpon Reel on the VFS auction. It comes with a spare spool and holds a ton of backing. Should easily balance 10 wt.s and heavier. You may need this reel if you are going to use the new Grande Spey lines

 

[Rick J]

Ross BG 8 capacity - ouch!!!

Just got the 9/10 XLT and it takes up most of the Ross BG 8!! Not much room for backing especially if you stick to 30# Micron- not sure you can even get 150 yards on there! Looking to Micronite as an option

 

[Rick J]

Ross BG update

An update on the capacities of the Ross BG series. I managed to get 150 yds of 30# micron on a BG 7 with the 7/8 XLT - it is full!!

I had to go to spectron on the BG 8 with the XLT 9/10 - I got just under 200 yards. I expect that I could have fit maybe 150 yds or a bit less of 30# micronite (about same diameter as 50# spectron) but was way limited with regular 30# micron. The 9/10 XLT takes up much of the BG 8 - if you see backing above the first perforations on the reel spool, you have too much backing for the line to fit.

I expect that the Rio Grand Spey will take up even more room as some indicate it does not have the long front taper that the XLT has.

 

[fredaevans]

Rick, your right about the GrandSpey requiring an even

larger reel. For the 'field testing' I loaded the 8/9 on a Mastery Series 10/11 with only 125 yards of 20# backing and couldn't fit the line onto the reel. For testing I had to leave the rod set up and transport on top of the car (no big deal, unless you wanted to stop and had to leave the car). Line around the reel and hook/leader half way to the top guide on a 14' rod.

The GS is a very thick line from top to bottom and will require an even larger reel than the xlt.
fae

 

[Poul]

I just gave my new lamson velocity a good workout with several large steelhead. Drag is great, BUT: when winding in line under pressure (ie with fish on), the spool rubs against the frame, forcing you to "pump" your fish. It looks like the frame is buckling a bit. In my view it needs a full cage, as opposed to the partial cage it has. If you take the spool off, apply pressure to the top of the cage with your finger and the bottom of the cage with your thumb, you can bend it quite easily (bend probably not the right technical term because the cage springs back into shape).

Poul