Question for users of Straight Line or Fly Reels

[iceman_phil]

Seriously, why would you spend the $$$ on a fly reel or something like that when you get the same benefits from a $5 Schooley reel?  I have 8 "straight line" setups for my son and I and all 8 reels cost the same as 1 fly reel....The drag on the Schooley's is just as smooth or smoother than any of my higher priced spinning reels.

Phil

[Rebelss]

For a straight line set up, I guess I wouldn't. There are shallow water crappie reels that are still under 10 bucks, just a notch or two above the Schooley's. They've worked for me in the past...

[slipperybob]

Seriously, I have no idea.  I have no reason behind not using a cheap plastic spool.  I think I just wanted a machined aluminum spool.  Not a die cast molded spool either from some cheaper fly reels either.  Maybe it's the same thing about spinning reels.  Why use an expensive spinning reel when a cheap plastic frame one will do the job?  Maybe...Just that fly reels just seems to be ridiculously expensive.

[RIVERRAT2]

Seriously, why would you spend the $$$ on a fly reel or something like that when you get the same benefits from a $5 Schooley reel?  I have 8 "straight line" setups for my son and I and all 8 reels cost the same as 1 fly reel....The drag on the Schooley's is just as smooth or smoother than any of my higher priced spinning reels.

Phil

i use the  h.t.reel [ultralight ice reel with drag]cost about $2.67 i find it helps with line twist,in under 8ft of water.
all i do now is jig fish,but when i fish deep water over 15ft i use a spinning reel and try and deal with the spinning jig
 
RAT 

[Tailchaser]

The craze for fly reel ice fishing is back on. You don't have to spend a lot of $$$ on fly reels for ice fishing. I have a few martins in the drawer that I used  over 40 years ago. I also used a  bait caster.  Level winds will do the same thing . No line curl. Schooley's for 10.00 are also great for kids & shallow water fishing.  My buddy just bought a Frabel  fly reel combo for 60.00,  for pan fish. I guess it's what you can afford, & enjoy. You can go on E-Bay & find great little teflon fly reels for 10.00 & free shipping. I bought a half a dozen of these reels  last year. Hook them up with some cheaper ultra lites & your good to go. Plus  the teflon (plastic ) reels don't  conduct as much cold as metal reels. They also have large knob drags to turn with gloves.  Most of the time you only fish no more then 10 to 15 ft. of water for pan fish. If you go deep have a spinning reel or baitcaster on hand. real simple enjoyable fishing. I can carry 3 or 4 fly reel combo's for what some guys pay for  1 high end fly reel. Were talking pan fish  here guys.

[hnd]

cheapo plastic vs milled aluminum?  yeah why would anyone want to do that.

[perchnut]

i found some good fly reels on clearance at cabelas last year for about 10 bucks each.  I bought two....I should have bought more...I love using them for jigging, even in deep water.....

[DasRottweiler]

Put this rod together-broken softwater tip-hardwood handle-St Croix tip-Cortland flyreel- for $23   , roughly the price of a cheap spinning combo off the shelf. Ya , more costly than a schooley reel/combo ,depending on rod choice of course, but it comes down to what level of spending vs. performance we are each comfortable with. This is my first flyreel combo, so I can say I would not have been comfortable spending , say, $60 on a Frabill combo ,but again , that`s just me.

[slipperybob]

What about this?

http://icetechfishing.com/products_reels.html

[fisherman_chuck]

No one can afford those ice tech reels. look great but for me $90 for one reel is out of the question. I have walmart cheap o for a fly reel that has no drag that works just fine just gotta learn to use your finger as a drag! but cost $5!

[Tailchaser]

Those Hi tec reels would make a nice boat wench.

[surflizard]

To each his own I suppose, some guys spend alot of money on gear and some guys are so cheap they squeak when they walk ! If it works for ya and makes you happy, then it doesn't really matter what others think right ?

[Tailchaser]

oops sorry boat trailer winch

[OldSailor]

No one can afford those ice tech reels. look great but for me $90 for one reel is out of the question. I have walmart cheap o for a fly reel that has no drag that works just fine just gotta learn to use your finger as a drag! but cost $5!

Actually, some people can afford those reels. They were out of stock on some!!  But yes, you and I could be just as happy putting 3-4 cheaper outfits together. And catch just as many fish and be just as happy doing it!!

[rgfixit]

Most serious fly fishers have a collection of reels.


I've been collecting some various models of South Bend reels with ice fishing in mind. Not ridiculously expensive and perfectly serviceable. (There's a couple more added since then)
RG

[surflizard]

Hey RG
 That large arbor reel in the bottom right hand corner, is that a South Bend ??

[rgfixit]

That's an Albright. Very nice reel

RG

[rgfixit]

By the way...it's my opinion that 1 really well balanced outfit is worth  a dozen cheap junkers.

RG

[bee]

This is a throw away I reworked.

[walleye tattoo]

Let me think plastic scoolys reel wind unravels the line big mess ,line under the nut and line broke fish and jig gone. Last but not least the nut comes off and down the hole it goes or rattels off it the bucket and line all over. I was a kid once and do rembember.

[HVFD14]

That's an Albright. Very nice reel

RG

Cha-Ching!  Albrights are nice, but dang!  Have to say I love all the Pflueger Medalists I have on my fly rods.  Even better that they are ~$30.

[Tailchaser]

This whole fly reel concept is pretty funny. Our actual summer fly reel fishing is all about the rod. Unless your targeting large fish , the reel is used to basically to hold   the line. Yet many guys got to have the best & high end reels  to store line on.  If you tape or ring your fly reels on ice rods, you can adjust them to balance out very well. A 10.00 to 90.00 fly reel can be balanced  accordingly.  You can't tell me you can catch more panfish on a expensive set up versus  a AVERAGE style rod & reel, in shallow water.  Another way to look at it, is, if you can afford top of the line for everything you do, & psychologically it makes you a better ice man, go for it.   There are a lot of guys & girls on this site that are just starting out on the ice , & may not have the money to buy the expensive equipment.  Ice fishing is getting very costly like everything else. Keep it simple & have fun on the ice.

[Dark Cloud]

I never really understood the bad talking of what someone wants to spend???...
A good saying by a shanty member goes something like this...
"I dont have money for a pair of work boots, but sure i'll go to the casino later"

Need, want, would like, would be nice, ect... If I needed to I could catch fish with a willow stick and cat gut...

I have a Ross Evolution fly reel(no I dont use it for icefishing), and I wouldnt trade it for nothing. Do I need it? No! But man I enjoy the heck out of it...

[knotreelly]

To each his own I suppose, some guys spend alot of money on gear and some guys are so cheap they squeak when they walk ! If it works for ya and makes you happy, then it doesn't really matter what others think right ?

[slipperybob]

LOL.  People feeding their ego in different ways.  Sometimes it's about making others feel bad so that they can feel better.  I had that feeling of that kind of closed minded tone in the first post.  Really, it should be about being open minded so that we can share information.

I'm glad we have lot's of choices.  In addition to even custom make things to suit ourselves.

[rgfixit]

Strange turn to this thread.  Feed our egos

I'm a fly fisher!
I use most of the reels in my collection. I started collecting the South Bends when I was looking for a reel to put on a South Bend bamboo that I restored.Lots of people collect stuff they like.

 The Albright is a fine reel and fit very nicely on a 3wt I built for bass in streams. The drag is better than any other reel I've ever owned. Yeah...I like tools that work. Yeah I worked some overtime to buy it. Sorry   It ain't going on the ice either.

Now the Martins or the South Bends are very nice on the ice rod. I may try the Okuma this year as well. As for my rods...I use Yad almost exclusively. The right $7 rod with the right $30 reel makes a well balanced setup.

I like the Pfleuger modification. I have a 1495DA...I wouldn't cannibalize it,...I've had it for 30 years and use it all the time. But  you can pick them up on ebay for peanuts. Can you post a close up of the reel foot mount?

RG

[iceman_phil]

Well, it looks like my thread went South in a hurry here....I guess I should have re-worded the question better.

My intent was to find out what ADVANTAGE(S) one would get from a higher priced fly reel setup vs. a $5 Schooley reel.

But, whatever....Carry on.

Phil

[Tailchaser]

That's what I'm talking about.  Anybody can use what they want, at any cost.  A chevy or a ford ,vs a Lexus will get you from point A to point B. If any of you guys watch the Ice Men tourneys, most guys have custom rods with $5.00 Schooley's, & they fish for thousands of dollars. If you have good fly reels for soft water & want to use them for Ice fishing . Go for it.   I myself, mostly fish  shallow water & jig flies & spoons for panfish. I don't want a high end steel heavy fly reel . To me it's overkill. These China teflon fly reels with a large drag that you can turn with gloves on, are very comfortable when jigging for long hours.  I also believe that  a  nice light ice rod,  is more important then the reel if you have a choice. Just like most open water fly fishing. No matter which way you choose to fish, be safe especially first ice, have fun, & Merry Christmas. Don , just a old timer.

[daboobers]

 

By the way...it's my opinion that 1 really well balanced outfit is worth  a dozen cheap junkers.

RG

[jethro]

Years ago when I used to race mountain bike professionally, your choice of tire was a big topic of discussion amoung racers. Of course a tire has to be lightweight and durable, and have the right amount of tread for the conditions at hand. For me, as long as those basic requirements were met, I only had one other requirement. It had to look good. As long as I liked how it looked, I would have confidence in the tire, and that was the most important factor for it performing well. Sometimes that tire would cost $20, sometimes $80. I think the same applies here. You need to have confidence in your gear at a minimum.