[captbob]

Would like to hear some thoughts on adding weight to Spey reels or Spey rod butts to attain the proper balance.

 

[spfd jason]

I've used the adhesive-backed lead tape designed for golf clubs. Worked well but ate into the backing capacity of the very large arbor reel. Balanced the rod very nicely.

 

[coastrider]

Lead core line would work fine and lay nice and flat

Sent from my SGH-I547C using Tapatalk

 

[CFC]

Weighting reels

Capt Bob If your reel has room in the cage around the center hub(think Lamson) then you can use Tungstun putty. The kind sold in fly shops as an alternative to splitshot, I form it into a string and then mold it around the center hub of the frame. This adds as much weight as you want without sacraficeing capacity or adding to spool weight. I find that the harder putties work the best.

 

[montanafos]

Lead core line would work fine and lay nice and flat

Sent from my SGH-I547C using Tapatalk

This. Exactly what I have used and works fine. I have a few reels with darn near a full spool of lead core then my backing and line. You can add an ounce or 10 ounces...just find out how much weight you need, spool the lead core, weigh the reel and cut, push / pull 6" of the lead out of the sheath and pinch it off, loop the sheath and attach your backing.

 

[estuaryboy]

weighting reels

I agree with coastrider, lead core line works well, 30' of Cortland LC13 will add 0.90 oz.

I have also used parachute cord and filled a +/- 18" piece with split shot, leave room on the ends to tie a square knot. I have a grain scale so it easy to figure out the weight, once I have the weight and length I need I seal the ends with a hot knife. You can wrap the finished cord behind the reel seat and tie it off tucking the ends in or tape it with silicone tape for long outings. Works well for reels that don't have the room for lead core, I made three, 1 each @ .50, .75, & 1.25 oz.

I have not had a problem with the running line getting caught as the parachute cord is smooth and I would rather have the extra weight than the tip constantly feeling heavy.

 

[Speyducer]

As most of the 'modern' manufacturers insist on removing most of the metal in a reel to make the reels as light as possible ("because, we as fly fisherman, demand it to be so"), then choose your favourite reel manufacturer, and choose a reel of the right size & unladen weight to 'balance' the rod you want to use it on.


Mike

 

[speyhurricane]

use to think lead core was great to balance my set up, until i removed it. The drag spins up faster and stops faster on a strong take I can also fish with my reel drag barely set, before it was cracked up past half. The new lighter weight rods allow me to use my same reels without the added weight but i do miss using the old 41/4" Perfect.

 

[captbob]

Good replies. Personally, because I make Spey reels, I have built them to strict weight specifications that customers have ordered. The most popular weight is 13 oz. Through the years, we have custom weighted many fly reels and also developed weighting systems that are installed in the butts of Spey rods. I agree with the observation that most modern fly reels have too much metal removed, thus compromising their strength and making them too light to balance a Spey rod. With shorter switch rods this is less critical.

 

[speycaster]

In my opinion, the worst place to weight a two-hand outfit is the reel spool. It just adds startup inertia and then momentum once the spool starts spinning. It may be common wisdom, handy and also invisible, but weight on the one moving part of the outfit is not the place to add weight for balancing the rod. Much better to put the weight farther down the rod - on or in the lower grip - where the same amount of weight exerts more leverage to balance the tip and has no effect on the operation of the reel.

 

[Guest]

In my opinion, the worst place to weight a two-hand outfit is the reel spool. It just adds startup inertia and then momentum once the spool starts spinning. It may be common wisdom, handy and also invisible, but weight on the one moving part of the outfit is not the place to add weight for balancing the rod. Much better to put the weight farther down the rod - on or in the lower grip - where the same amount of weight exerts more leverage to balance the tip and has no effect on the operation of the reel.

I think I'd pay attention to this guy. He seems to have thought the whole thing out.

 

[fish0n4evr]

Good replies. Personally, because I make Spey reels, I have built them to strict weight specifications that customers have ordered. The most popular weight is 13 oz. Through the years, we have custom weighted many fly reels and also developed weighting systems that are installed in the butts of Spey rods. I agree with the observation that most modern fly reels have too much metal removed, thus compromising their strength and making them too light to balance a Spey rod. With shorter switch rods this is less critical.

Seems to me that a reel at 13 ounces would be heavy enough for the average two-handed rod in the 13 to 15 foot range. Consider the 1.5 to 2 ounces backing and line will add to the over-all weight.

 

[VTMatt]

I'm surprised that Spey sizes reels aren't able to be modified with a weight system somehow. I have a mouse with a slide-out compartment where it can accommodate up to 3 weights and it came with 9 different weights, all with different weights. The other obvious option is the weight system some rods have in the butt-end. Wonder why more spey rods don't have that option...unscrew the butt and add desired amount of weight.

 

[bender]

I like my setup as light as possible so to me the balance is a rod handle issue! I use as light reel as possible because I don't mind balance when casting. Balance changes a lot immediately when I take hold the bottom handle with my 18 lbs arm and this makes few ounces heavier reel use insignificant. One of my watch weights almost 4oz and I don't change it to right wrist when I begin casting left side. Then when I begin moving rod the rod moment of inertia and line weight "moves" balance point higher again.

However it is nicer to hold warm cork handle instead of cold feeling blank and have balance during swing. Cork is expensive and there is no need to have cork just above reel seat so I did not put cork there on my latest TH but used those cork rings to extend handle up. Works great and I like the looks too.

Esa

 

[jabster]

Seems to me that a reel at 13 ounces would be heavy enough for the average two-handed rod in the 13 to 15 foot range. Consider the 1.5 to 2 ounces backing and line will add to the over-all weight.

13 ounces should be heavy enough for just about anything... Especially with the backing and line.

In my experience modern rods from 13' to 15' balance out with reels from 8 to 12 ounces.

 

[jabster]

I think I'd pay attention to this guy. He seems to have thought the whole thing out.

In my opinion, the worst place to weight a two-hand outfit is the reel spool. It just adds startup inertia and then momentum once the spool starts spinning. It may be common wisdom, handy and also invisible, but weight on the one moving part of the outfit is not the place to add weight for balancing the rod. Much better to put the weight farther down the rod - on or in the lower grip - where the same amount of weight exerts more leverage to balance the tip and has no effect on the operation of the reel.

+1

I totally agree with this.

 

[captbob]

Weighting Spey Reels

I'm surprised that Spey sizes reels aren't able to be modified with a weight system somehow. I have a mouse with a slide-out compartment where it can accommodate up to 3 weights and it came with 9 different weights, all with different weights. The other obvious option is the weight system some rods have in the butt-end. Wonder why more spey rods don't have that option...unscrew the butt and add desired amount of weight.

In custom weighting Spey reels, we achieved this by the use of different materials, varying sideplate wall thicknesses or porting more or less. To weight an already built Spey reel we use different size internal weights placed as high as possible in the reel, sometimes on the reel foot if there's no room internally. Weighting the lower butt of a Spey rod usually requires modifying the lower butt to accept the weight fixture. Cabelas or Bass Pro used to offer a butt cap with multiple weight inserts. This usually required modifying the lower butt also. We once made a series of custom serpentined-handled Spey reels for a European customer from solid brass, 6"dia., 5"dia and 4"dia, the largest weighing 19 oz.

 

[fish0n4evr]

In custom weighting Spey reels, we achieved this by the use of different materials, varying sideplate wall thicknesses or porting more or less. To weight an already built Spey reel we use different size internal weights placed as high as possible in the reel, sometimes on the reel foot if there's no room internally. Weighting the lower butt of a Spey rod usually requires modifying the lower butt to accept the weight fixture. Cabelas or Bass Pro used to offer a butt cap with multiple weight inserts. This usually required modifying the lower butt also. We once made a series of custom serpentined-handled Spey reels for a European customer from solid brass, 6"dia., 5"dia and 4"dia, the largest weighing 19 oz.

I wonder if this was for a Greenhart rod? Those are solid dense wood rod and heavy!

13 ounces should be heavy enough for just about anything... Especially with the backing and line.

In my experience modern rods from 13' to 15' balance out with reels from 8 to 12 ounces.

essentially what I was getting at. Unless the rod in question is unusually heavy or with a longer lower handle than normal - a 13 oz reel (~15 oz full) shouldn't need added weight to balance on the average rod. Balance is strictly a personal thing - so there is that.

Myself, Ive gone to down-locking seats and 5" lower handles compared to the standard 6" on most 12-15 foot rods. This means I get the balance I look for with reels 9 and 12oz for rods 13 and 15 feet.

 

[captbob]

Weighting Spey Reels

I wonder if this was for a Greenhart rod? Those are solid dense wood rod and heavy!


essentially what I was getting at. Unless the rod in question is unusually heavy or with a longer lower handle than normal - a 13 oz reel (~15 oz full) shouldn't need added weight to balance on the average rod. Balance is strictly a personal thing - so there is that.

Myself, Ive gone to down-locking seats and 5" lower handles compared to the standard 6" on most 12-15 foot rods. This means I get the balance I look for with reels 9 and 12oz for rods 13 and 15 feet.

As I recall, one of the rods he was fishing was an 18 footer and he was experimenting with a 21 footer.

 

[fredaevans]

So hear you Mike.

As most of the 'modern' manufacturers insist on removing most of the metal in a reel to make the reels as light as possible ("because, we as fly fisherman, demand it to be so"), then choose your favourite reel manufacturer, and choose a reel of the right size & unladen weight to 'balance' the rod you want to use it on.


Mike

That is something I've never figured out other than light reel for a small trout rod. One of the main reason's I favor SpeyCo reels is they've got some real 'heft.' Tim, if I read another post correctly today, (As does CaptBob above) can actually vary the materials he uses to 'adjust' the end weight of the reel.