Fly Reel: Revisited

[craigthor]

What is an Ice hopper System?

https://www.sportsmensdirect.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=99&osCsid=02973879857715654f29c91a5e0f4190

Sonic Ice Hopper

[walleye tattoo]

Sullymom, Love the shamano sahara. is that the test lb printed on the spool you sly dog.

[jmillsp]

https://www./store/product_info.php?products_id=99&osCsid=02973879857715654f29c91a5e0f4190

Sonic Ice Hopper

Link doesn't work for me!

[jjmoser]

ice hopper system
 Google sportsmensdirect

[Sullymon]

Sullymon, Love the shamano sahara. is that the test lb printed on the spool you sly dog.

Yes indeed my friend, at 40 years old I just can't tell the difference sometimes between 3 and 4 pound anymore ... ya know? At least not without a serious brain cramp. Nothing gets past you guys, some very keen eyes on here ... guess now you guys now know what jig I use too ... ssssshhh!
~Sully

[Sullymon]

Link doesn't work for me!

Yes there's a "block" on certain sites on here ... sorry can't type the link. As mentioned, just Google it, it'll come up.

[IDAHOAUGER]

WOW!!  That is pretty awesome!  I would have never thought of this concept.  I happen to have an inexpensive Cortland graphite fly-reel that is currently not on one of my fly-rods...I will have to try this.

[Sullymon]

Just bought another Okuma SLV ... got the 2/3 for my quiverstick. I might just get dangerous!

[Tailchaser]

 Fly reels for  ice fishing are  nothing new. I have been using them for over 40 years, open water & ice. I jig a lot in marina's for panfish. I use to use the cheap martins & still have a few.  Just remember a few things.  Smaller is better & the less  metal you have on them , the better . These new teflon are nice. Most are to bulky @ heavy.  I just returned a Cabela's 4/5 teflon , that I put on a St Croix legend. to big & it killed the rod. Most of us are bare handed & metal reels draw to much cold , if you like to cuddle them. You will not get line twist with any size fly reel, just the way it comes off the reel.  I wish they made one that was a lot smaller then the current fly reels & had a drag. Schooley's are not bad for the money & own several. In shallow water they are hard to beat. Good Luck !!! "There Killin'em Out There"  Oldtimer.

[pickfish]

I have yet to have a slow day like that on he ice this season...

I put two cheapo fly reels on my jiggin rods.

Will never again consider a spinning reel.
Put alot of backing on the fly reel to increase the circumference and your line pickup rate  increases dramatically and less coiling of the mono.

No grease or bails to freeze,
no backlash,
no tangles if you catch a loop across the bail,
no birdsnests caused by loops
they look cool on a jig rod.
they are much lighter than the lightest spinning reel.

My fly reels have little if any drag. Once you get used to palming the reel, you really don't need one - e.g.  centerpin reels..

Good post..

this sound great Iam going to put one together

[Sullymon]

I did take the metal construction into consideration, as I've found with spinning reels. I do prefer graphite spinning reels over aluminum only in the 500 size, everything else I buy aluminum size 1000 and up. For the fly reels I did get an aluminum Okuma SLV, however I can't say the same about it ... that is, my hands never got cold when I was out. I was in 10f weather with a -15 wind chill with 1/2 finger knit gloves and did just fine. I think that's because of the way I hold it, with my hand covering 1/2 of the whole reel. Other people have told me the same thing, that aluminum fly reels are no problem in the bitter cold, although one would think so.

As far as size goes, I like the 4/5 Okuma on a medium-light perch rod, it's nice and light at 4.9 oz.. The Okuma SLV 2/3 I just ordered is only 4.5 oz ... plenty light and small.

[Nam 69]

Link will not hook up

[jmillsp]

Fly reels for  ice fishing are  nothing new. I have been using them for over 40 years, open water & ice. I jig a lot in marina's for panfish. I use to use the cheap martins & still have a few.  Just remember a few things.  Smaller is better & the less  metal you have on them , the better . These new teflon are nice. Most are to bulky @ heavy.  I just returned a Cabela's 4/5 teflon , that I put on a St Croix legend. to big & it killed the rod. Most of us are bare handed & metal reels draw to much cold , if you like to cuddle them. You will not get line twist with any size fly reel, just the way it comes off the reel.  I wish they made one that was a lot smaller then the current fly reels & had a drag. Schooley's are not bad for the money & own several. In shallow water they are hard to beat. Good Luck !!! "There Killin'em Out There"  Oldtimer.

Sooo, which model do you like?

[Sullymon]

Link will not hook up

which link?

[Tailchaser]

I have tryed all kinds & you don't have to spend a lot of money on a fly reel.  I have a Martin 635S that I'm currently using. Okuma, pflueger, & cabela's has some nice reels. Bass pro & some places sell a crappie plastic reel, little Buck, 7 ,8 bucks. Works great for the ice. I am currently waiting on a small brass fly reel from penfishing, $12.99. I might have to rework the reel seat to fit on my croix. I'm looking for something light but, has the fly reel concept. this reel is just a little bigger then a sliver dollar. Most waters we  fish are between 5 & 20 ft. drags are nice just to keep the lines from free spooling when setting, not, fighting fish.

[IDAHOAUGER]

So do you just attach your ice line to the fly-fishing backing or do you use the backing for ice when using a fly-reel?

[Tailchaser]

You can use any kind of line for backing. Dacron, or I just use some old mono I  have laying around.  You want to try & fill the spool up some ,so your on & off the spoon is less revolutions. Faster pick-up & pulling line back out is a lot shorter. You will have to pull the line out by hand on most fly reels. I even use baitcasters & they work good too. Same principle, fill the arbor for faster pick-up & release.

[Sullymon]

So do you just attach your ice line to the fly-fishing backing or do you use the backing for ice when using a fly-reel?

Just use a line you like, for me it's Sufix 2#, 3#, and 4# test in clear and orange. I use a single-shot spool and attach that to some 20# braid (just a few yards), then attached that to my backing, which in my case was 30# Dacron. That way I'm not trying to tie 3# mono directly to 30# Dacron. Whatever works, the idea is use something for a backing you can wind on tight, then put your ice line on. This way you won't have your line "dig in", and you will have the spool filled all the way so your retrieve rate is as quick as you can have it for the size reel you have. I get around 9" per crank on the 4/5, and 8" per crank on my 2/3 reel.

[Tailchaser]

Sorry, after the backing, I just attach my ice fishing line with a double uni-knot. 15 to 25 yds is plenty. I use yellow stren, 2 & 4 lb. mono. For walleyes & trout I use braid with a floro leader 6lb.

[IDAHOAUGER]

Sullymon and Tailchaser, thanks!  That answers my question, I will definitely add a fly-reel rig to my ice fishing arsenal.  I think it will work great!

[rjm123]

after reading this thread, i pulled an inexpensive okuma off of a fly  rod, respooled it and disengaged the drag. i taped it to my new JM meatstick. just got my new set-up out this morning and caught about a dozen smallish bluegills, but was very impressed with how easy it was to use and how natural it felt.

[grumpyoldude]

So I need a little clarification on the fly reel deal. Are you using it to reel in the fish or are you just using it to hold the line and pulling the fish in the same as you would fly fish? The second part of this question is what is the big whoop, or do I need to try it out? 

[Sullymon]

If more people tried it, they would be surprised how natural it feels. At least for jigging in shallow water ... what I do 99% of the time.

The tip-ups never make it out anymore, now the spinning reels won't either!

[Sullymon]

So I need a little clarification on the fly reel deal. Are you using it to reel in the fish or are you just using it to hold the line and pulling the fish in the same as you would fly fish? The second part of this question is what is the big whoop, or do I need to try it out? 

Reeling in the fish with the reel. You have to try it to fully understand what the "big whoop" is. Drag set light just for hook-set purposes, then palm the drag as needed when the fish runs. No hand-lining.

[grumpyoldude]

Thanks...I might give it a try, but I'm kind of like the advantage of the drag on a small spin reel. Do you like the fly reel set up for all fish or mostly pan fish? 

[Sullymon]

Thanks...I might give it a try, but I'm kind of like the advantage of the drag on a small spin reel. Do you like the fly reel set up for all fish or mostly pan fish? 

Got it with the intention on catching panfish and walleye, knowing full well that the same areas I fish produce lunker bass that I hook several times a day usually. Like the one I caught in the pic at the very beginning of this thread ... around 6 lbs. I caught several more that were smaller that same day, but still bigger than 2 pounds. So I don't see any problems catching huge bass even on 3 pound test with this setup. I only catch and release the bass, but I always want my jig back!

Normally I use Shimano reels that to me, have an awesome drag system. So do these Okuma fly reels (many others as well). Like I said, I leave the drag light so I can palm the reel for precise control over the fish. Some like to use the drag set heavier, but I like it just enough to bury the hook, but light enough so I won't snap my line on a forceful hookset. Any additional drag needed is done with my palm on the spool.

You just have to try it if you haven't ... you'll love it!

[jjmoser]

You just have to try it if you haven't ... you'll love it!

yep!

[slipperybob]

I must say this has been the hottest fly reel thread I've ever seen. 

[Sullymon]

I must say this has been the hottest fly reel thread I've ever seen. 

5 pages and counting ... 

[jmillsp]

I think it should and could be longer! 
I am also thinking there has to be some smaller large arbor reels as good as the Okumas mentioned. Maybe not but I am keeping my eyes open!