You need a reel too?

Fishing Tips and Info, ,

You need a reel too? Brandon Ho FFI CCI Now you have got yourself a fly rod, there are only 3 other things that you will need before you are ready to go catch that fish. Time to get a reel. Many will tell you that a reel’s main purpose is just to store line. There is no purpose for it during the cast and doesn’t help you land fish. The rod does all that. One might be better off just buying the cheapest reel in the market. Before you bolt out the door to get that reel, just spend a few minutes to read this. Think for a moment about the fish that you are going to catch. Is it a small fish in a clear mountain stream or a feisty giant snakehead in the sweltering heat of a tropical lake or even the acrobatic sailfish in the blue ocean? There is a different reel to cater to every occasion. You will need to consider the conditions of fishing, whether in fresh water or salt water, how much backing can the reel accommodate, does the reel need strong stopping power… The considerations are endless and mind boggling. Here we are just going to focus on the essentials to get you started. Reel manufacturing process Die cast This method of production involves pouring molten alloy or injected into moulds. This process was first used by Hardy in the early 20th century. This is the technology that pushes the price of the reel down. Good news for the fly fishers. It also allows manufacturers to be creative in designing reels that is impossible to be accomplished with a machining process. However, there is a setback. Die casting is not as precise as machining, causing some reels to feel flimsy and may not be as durable as machined reels. CNC machining CNC stands for Computer Numerical Control, a manufacturing process which uses computers to control machine tools, including lathes, routers and grinders. The material used to create the reels are usually aerospace grade aluminum. The parts are then anodized to prevent corrosion, making them suitable for saltwater use. The reels are made to precise tolerances and are lightweight, strong and if used properly, will last a long time. Having considered all the technologies and space age materials that are put into the construction of this reel, the price will definitely be higher that a die cast reel. Reel design There are basically 3 main designs of fly reels. The arbor is the one that one have to take a closer look at when choosing a reel. The arbor refers to the distance from the center spindle to the base of the spool. Standard Arbor This is the traditional reel design, used mostly for trout fishing. It has a smaller arbor and the frame is narrow. This design can hold a lot of line but the it has a lower retrieval rate as with each rotation of the handle, the spool only rotate once and the retrieve is very much depended on the diameter of the spool. With the small diameter of the spool, the line is coiled into a smaller diameter, creating more memory into the fly line, causing the  line to coil and suffer from memory coil. However, this is not a big problem as the solution to this is just to pull the line to straighten it. Mid Arbor As the name suggest, this design is between the standard and large. The reel is wider giving it the capacity to hold more line and also increasing the retrieval rate. The larger diameter also reduces the occurrences of memory coil. Large Arbor This is the latest design in reel manufacturing. They are much larger than the other two designs for the same line rating. This larger arbor gives a faster retrieval rate and reduces memory coil. One downside of this is that the line capacity might be reduced. However, the modern designs are larger, increasing the line capacity. The use of modern designs are highly machine to reduce as much weight as possible without weakening the structure of the reel. Drag System When a strong fish pulls line out of your reel, you will want a drag system that will allow you to apply pressure to the fish to tire it out. The amount of drag you need will very much depend on the of fish you are targeting. If you are targeting small mountain fish, there is really no need for a powerful drag as most of the time, you will not get a chance to fight the fish off the reel. The story will be different if you are targeting the fast running fish such as the bone fish or Giant Trevally where they will pull the line out to the backing with a single run. You will need a good strong yet smooth drag. Spring and Pawl This is the traditional drag system. You might know it better by its other name, clicker drag. This system employs a cog mechanism that applies pressure to the spindle. It looks like a loaded spring pawl which engages a small gear. As the line is pulled out of the spool, it causes the pawl to ratchet against the tooth of the gear, giving it the unmistakable clicking sound. As you can imagine, it doesn’t give a lot of stopping power. This system is useful when the fish doesn’t have much running power. The advantage of this drag is that it is light and will be a good fit for lighter rods. Pros – lightweight Cons – light drag that doesn’t offer strong stopping power Disc Drag This drag works on the concept of compressing washers to create friction so as to apply tension on the spool as line is being pulled out. The washers are usually made from a variety of material. Cork washer are very widely used in disc drag as it compresses and rebounds gradually, giving it a very smooth startup.…

Read More

What is Fly Fishing?

Fishing Tips and Info, , ,

What is fly fishing? By Brandon Ho, FFI CCI Fly fishing is a sport rather than a commercial activity where one would catch a huge number of fish and sell the fish for a profit while depleting the natural resources and destroying nature in the process. As a fly angler, the aim of this activity is to pit one’s skills against the intelligence of the finned creatures in the beauty of nature. The joy comes not from bringing home the carcass of a dead fish but releasing the beautiful fish back to its home, knowing that you have enjoyed nature in a responsible and sustainable way. So, how do we go about fly fishing? To start, we will need to get the gear ready. Contrary to popular believe, fly fishing is not a hobby for the super-rich, but an affordable pastime anyone can participate regardless of background and age. Let’s get started. __________________________________ The Gear All you need to get started are: 1)    A fly rod 2)    A fly reel 3)    A fly line and backing 4)    A fly leader 5)    Flies __________________________________ The Fly Rod A fly rod can range from 6 feet to 15 feet with the 9 feet rod being the most popular for its practicability and easy of casting. The rod comes in different weights from 0 weight to 14 weight used for tackling big tunas, marlins are other strong fighting pelagic. A 5 or 6 weight would be a good place to start. __________________________________ The Reel A fly reel’s basic function is to hold line as most of the time are fish fighting is limited to handlining the fish in. However, it you are hooked up onto a fast running fish with lasting stamina, a smooth drag is essential to prevent being broken by the run. Fly reels also come in different sizes. Choose a reel that matches the rod. __________________________________ The Fly Line and Backing The fly line is the main things that allows the fly to be cast out to the fish. This is usually a braided line or a mono line covered with a layer of polymer. It is this layer of polymer that determines the characteristic of the fly line; floating, intermediate or sinking lines. Also not forgetting the sink tip where the tip of the fly line sinks while the rest of the line floats. The fly line comes in different weights with different characteristics. Choose the line that matches the type of fish you are targeting. __________________________________ The Leader The leader is a length of nylon that connects the fly to the fly line. The length of the leader is usually the same length of the fly rod but then again it depends on the type of fishing you are doing. The leader can either be monofilament or fluorocarbon, where both has its own pros and cons. __________________________________ Flies This is the component that attracts the fish. A fly is usually an imitation of the prey that the target fish usually feed on or it can be attractive fly that plays on the fish predatory instinct. The fish will strike the fly because it just happens to swim across its path. Flies are usually made from either natural materials such a fur or feather bound together with thread. Now there are more and more synthetic material that can be used to make flies. The fly is where the term fly fishing comes from. Are you now ready to start your fly fishing adventure? Contact us to begin a new fishing adventure. __________________________________ Looking for more fly tying materials? Click the link below for our online store. Chasing the Belum Sebarau on fly Blog / By flytiecast Chasing the Belum Sebarau on fly Hampala macrolepidota or better know locally as sebarau, is a much sought after fresh water gamefish in Malaysia. These freshwater wolves can be found in clear rivers and streams, which flow through pristine rainforest hunting small fish and freshwater prawns. They can also be found in large water reservoirs. The focus of this article here is on the sebarau in Royal Belum, in the state of Perak. Being a predatory fish, you can imagine the speed and strength of these fish. They are good fighters if you are able to hook them. Hooking them is another big challenge. They like to hide among deep sunken trees and snags. You must be prepared to lose some flies when targeting them. These fish are mostly active during the morning and evening hours. During these time, popper flies are effective. You will be able to see them rise neat the trees and also vegetation. Cast your popper in the direction of the rise and let the ripple smoothen out then move your popper with short moderate retrieve, creating loud splashes. The sebarau take on the surface popper is heart stopping. Out of a sudden you see a splash and the popper disappears into the water and at almost the same time, you fly line tightens and you are on to a challenging fight. At this moment, the fight is in the fish’s advantage. It will head down to the nearest snags while trying to shake off the annoying hook. Going barbless increases the odds of the fish winning. When the sun is high up in the sky and the temperature increases, these fish will hide deep in the snags, avoiding the heat. This is the time to break out your sinking line. Casting accuracy is key to winning this game. Look out for sunken trees and cast out as close as you can to the branches underwater. Allow the fly to sink almost to the bottom before starting a quick retrieve. The fish are attracted to fast moving flies as their natural prey are fast swimming baitfish. Small sebarau will take light taps at your fly but a huge one will engulf your fly and head to the snags. Quick reflexes are essential to successfully landing these fresh water wolves. The sebarau in Royal Belum can…

Read More