What's the correct way to solve this problem?

[Tinker]

Last week I wanted to work on single-handed spey casts. I've been reading and it ws time to see if reading equals knowing.

The lawn was all frosty and crispy and The Boss won't let me walk around on it when it's crunchy - she says I'll leave brown spots when the frost melts away - so I popped over to the river to give my new knowledge a try.

It was just beginning to feel smooth to me, instead of all herky-jerky and awkward, when the line froze to the guides and I went from fly-casting to tenkara casting in mid cast. Honestly, in mid cast. Okay, it was a false cast to dry the fly, but it was in the middle of that cast, nonetheless.

When I finally looked at the guides, three of them were frozen solid and the stipping guide had a good-sized ring of ice forming around it.

First I dunked the rod in the river and it came up mostly iceless, but the next cast left me with the mainline stuck to four guides. Not as frosty as the first freeze-up, but icy enough that the main line was acting like your tongue if you stick it against a cold metal post.

I quit before I damaged the line.

Is there any way to minimize the chance that the line will freeze to the guides? And hey! I already know about the never-fail trick of waiting until the weather is warm.

And another question: who makes good mid-range fly reels? I also found that when the line freezes mid-cast, my reel will allow the main line to slide between the spool and the frame. I'm searching for something with better manufacturing tolerances.

 

[markasd]

I lived in Bend for a couple years, fished a few times when it was cold. I had issues with the freezing and just dealt with it - I could get the ice off the guides a few times through out a session, but never had the line freeze to them.
As far as a good mid-range reel, Redington has a few. Picked up a Pursuit 7/8/9 for $35. I haven't fished it yet but am anxious to hook one and put the drag to the test.. feels killer.

 

[everett464]

Try Pam on your guides, and fly line dressing on your line.

Ross CLA - for what I would call a mid-range reel, at approximately $275 for reel and $100 ish for a spool. It is Machined and Made in the USA.

I also understand that Echo's Ion reel (which is first cast, then machined) is a good bargain at under $100, but I have no first hand knowledge.

 

[jimmy]

Is there any way to minimize the chance that the line will freeze to the guides? And hey! I already know about the never-fail trick of waiting until the weather is warm.

And another question: who makes good mid-range fly reels?

first Q: Not really, air temp is gonna flash freeze your line (physics) its just a fact. You have the right idea with the 'dip' but, when it's freezing out, it's freezing out.

second Q: I like Okuma, I've been happy with the four I own.

~Jimmy~

 

[everett464]

On Reels - Both Redington and Okuma have been mentioned - but with both of these brands you need to make sure you are buying one of their machined entries to secure the tighter clearances you want.

For Redington, you are looking at the Drift, Rise, or Delta. Skip the Drift - its a click and Pawl. Between the Rise ($180) and Delta ($200), you are probably getting decent reels, but they are made overseas, if that is important to you.

For Okuma, skip straight to the Helios ($180) - probably a great reel, but, again, it is made overseas. Their other offerings are either salt water specific or cast. The SLV is a great entry-level bargain reel, but its not going to be what you want in this specific situation.

I recommended the Ross CLA earlier, but it is a touch more expensive than the other guys at around $275. Made in the USA, Machined.

Another option that hasn't been mentioned is the LL Bean, double L, Mid Arbor. Its going to beat the rest of these on price. Its a little heavy, but I have used one on my trout rod for several years. Between the price paid and the quality feel (think Apple product design), the weight is a non factor.

Other reels that routinely get mentioned in these discussion are Hardy Ultralight DD, Lamson Guru, and Orvis Battenkill BBS, but I have never handled them.

 

[Tinker]

PAM? Really? Live and learn. I keep the lines conditioned. Half of what I do when it's this cold is fiddle with My Stuff.

The reel I'm canning is a Ross. It's a stamped cheap-o, but it's not at the bottom of the list of their reels, and it was sad to find that the main line can fit through the gap between the spool and the frame - until I started reading customer reviews of the Orvis Hydros. It seem the Hydros has the same problem, and it's a machined, USA-made reel.

I try to buy American made whenever I can, whenever it meets my needs; and Canadian products after that. Reluctantly, I'll look at Asian imports only if I can handle the one I'm going to buy. QC on Asian-made products is hit-or-miss and the one on top may be very well made, but the next one in the pile may be crap. Sorry, China, Vietnam, Malaysia, and Indonesia. That's just been my experience.

I have a pile of reels to go see and a can of vegetable oil spray to read the ingredients list. That should keep me busy through the weekend.

Thanks, and if anyone has more reel suggestions, let me know, please?

(I peeked through quite a list from the search function, but by no means the entire list, and didn't see anyone ask the burning question I wanted answered.)