Greetings from the Keys

[Ron C]

Hello to all.  Found this site a couple of days ago & enjoy very much the information so far.  Retired, live in Cudjoe Key, mm23, with my wife Ardis of 44 years.  Keep a Bay Boat & a flats boat behind the house.  Mostly back-country with the fly rod. 

[redsetta]

G'day from New Zealand Ron.
Welcome aboard!
All the best, Justin

[Norcal Pescador]

Welcome to the site, Ron. A lot of fun here fixing and getting to know your own gear.
Rob

[kamuwela]

aloha and welcome aboard

[Bryan Young]

Welcome to the site Ron.  Fly fishing...I know that a lot of fly reels mostly use cork for a drag medium.  Do you know if there would be any benefit to switching these drag washers out?  I don't fly fish yet, but would like to know my gear a little better before jumping in.

[redsetta]

The fly fishing in NZ is epic - I've been fishing around Turangi in the Taupo region for more than 15 years.
(Interestingly, these fish originally came from California in the late 1880s.)
There seems to be a wide variety of drag mechanisms across the manufacturers and decades.
In my three reels, two have teflon brake pad and disc rotor assemblies much like a car or motorbike.
The third (a Pflueger 1495 1/2 Medalist) has what appears to be a bakelite lever which presses on an aluminum disc (with some kind of 'sapphire' coating).
Perhaps the larger and/or saltwater varieties have more traditional drag disc set-ups?
An interesting thread Bryan...
Cheers, Justin

[Alto Mare]

Welcome Ron! Do you tie your own flies? If you do, show us some pictures, we would love to see them. Enjoy your stay,
Sal

[alantani]

welcome.  never did a post for a fly reel tutorials before, but is it possible to upgrade some fly reels to greased carbon fiber!

[Roger]

Welcome aboard from South Louisiana.....

[Nessie Hunter]

Welcome !!!!!!!!!!!!

[dblply]

Welcome from another Florida Boy...  St. Cloud...  Was down your way in Marathon a few weeks ago...

[conchydong]

Welcome Ron. I am quite familar with the lower Keys as I was born in Key West (5th generation conch). Spent most of my summers as a kid on Sugarloaf Key and fished a lot of time around Johnson, Sawyer and Riding Keys. Now live in Pompano Beach.
Never flyfished as I am mostly a "meat" type fisherman but love the flats. I used to sponge for part time money. (For those of you unfamiliar, sponging in the Keys is not freeloading, but hooking seasponge for the market). Anyway, you will get a lot of great info here. At least for me, it gave me confidence to do all of my own repairs and maintenance.