i am reluctant to go too far afield, but there has been some interest expressed in a fly fishing and fly reel board. just asking for a show of hands. i've worked on them before, usually trying to find a way to incorporate greased carbon fiber. i was successful on some, less so on others. just curious to know how much interest there would be. let me know!!!!! ;D
Not me, but want to learn. I take up fly dishing about every fifteen to twenty years. Never get to first base and never fall in love.
-steve
Never opened a reel like that.
Twice in my life tried fly fishing...... unsuccessfully.
I can understand why some enjoy it.
I was when I was a kid but it's been a real long time. It wouldn't hurt to have a fly reel section.
Quote from: alantani on April 03, 2020, 04:55:24 AM
i am reluctant to go too far afield, but there has been some interest expressed in a fly fishing and fly reel board. just asking for a show of hands. i've worked on them before, usually trying to find a way to incorporate greased carbon fiber. i was successful on some, less so on others. just curious to know how much interest there would be. let me know!!!!! ;D
Well here in Roanoke va,,,,, :) orvis has a factory outlet warehouse and my friend Rickey Wagoner,,,, ;) has good knowledge and I will call him up,,,,,,,,, ;D
My Son and Uncle are into it heavily.
I never took the full plunge.
I can do it, bit I prefer throwing with a spinner.
It's a different sport,,,,, ;) you can catch more fish,,,, :D but it is difficult standing like a statue and if you rig gets messed up,,,,,, >:( 15 to 20mins and knowing what fly to use,,,,,,yes ok,,,I go with a master,,, dewayne,,,, ;) he is the best,,,,,, ;D
Vote yes on that idea boss.
Like Benni alluded to, flyfishing is almost a whole new way to catch fish. To me it's like playing golf at Augusta or Pebble Beach vs miniture golf. Perhaps it's a ego thing, but flyfisherman make it harder to succeed on purpose. That said, there is a "holier than thou" attitude to beware of...
Myself I've been outta touch with new flyfishing technology and methods for a couple of years, YEA, to a new board.
Maybe start with a fly reel board? To me trip reports are trip reports, and it might not be worth diluting that board. Same goes with rod making mostly. As a fly fishing nut, I would be very happy if there was an active fly fishing technique/tying board here, but I am not optimistic about the amount of traffic. How do you feel about starting up a board, and then killing it off if the traffic is too low?
The thing about fly reels is that they mostly pretty simple. So not too much to write about in a tutorial. On the other hand, the reviews and breakdowns of fly reels out there today are almost universally horrible. So there is probably an audience for the type of stuff we do here, but directed to fly reels. On the OTHER other hand, many of the big name, high dollar fly reel makers provide their own warranty and maintenance service, and may not sell parts, so these reels probably don't go to our repair folks as much.
There are experts out there in collectable reels. There are tons of boutique reels. Some really ridiculous fly reels from conventional reel makers. There are also a few small scale reel makers that have superior products at very competitive price points. And Fred probably has a couple dozen crates of old trout reels. I suspect Tommy knows a thing or two as well. So plenty of stuff to write about. There could be a useful discussion on the properties of cork drags and the merits of converting a reel from cork to carbon fiber.
If you start a fly reel board, I will post a tutorial.
-J
Fly fishing has been my goto sport for many years. As Dave alluded to there is not a whole lot to a standard fly reel and high end reels are fairly well supported by the manufacturers. For example many of the high end reels are already equipped with sealed cf drags. When it comes to budget/middle of the road stuff I've modified/improved a few but then again too few to mention :D
Fly fishing is different from any other form of the sport - there is a difficult learning curve but one worth climbing. When you watch a 'good' fly fisherman casting it is an artform. I am not really a collecter more of a buy, try discard kind of guy - looking for that perfect combination of rod,reel and line not to mention the right fly on the day ;)
I don't think a flyfishing board would be overwelmed buy volume but it should attract some interest. I would be in favour and hopefully contribute.
Hi Boss, i see were your coming from, I recently post a question of schematics for a fly reel, I received 40 odd comments with a lot of in depth resurch, from some very help full members, plus 550 views, this indicates there is a bit of interest out there, I must admit I have learnt plenty, this week, there is very little on this forum of fly fishing, fly reels, setting up lines under lay or leeders.
there is a lot of fly fishing, on the east coast & Tasmania, in Australia, & ever more in new Zealand.
your call boss, cheers Don.
Alan,
I took a stab at them last couple of years during salmon run,
the insides of an OKUMA
not sure why they have different drags in them as you can see in the pic
I would like to see one too. Where I will be moving to when my new house is done there are 5 class 1 trout streams within a few miles of my new location. I found my 1970 fenwick fly rod, got a new WF5F line and plan on doing some fly fishing tis year. - Jimmer
You could do a fly reel, mooching reel and float fishing reel combo board as they are are basically alike and many manufacturers make all three reel types. They are usually straight forward and simple to work on although some of the English stuff has some funky threaded screws.
I do tons of mooching reels a year of several brands and a handful of high end fly reels (cheap ones not worth fixing or they are so simple they last for ever) and a handful of centerpin float fishing reels (usually bearings). A guy I used to work with is the Hardy warranty guy for Canada so I can get parts to work on those reels when need be.
Cheers:
Todd
"though some of the English stuff has some funky threaded screws."
The thread is Metric - it's what most of the world use ;D
I know metric I'm from one of the modern colonies ;D !!! I was referring to some non standard thread sizes and left handed threads. My buudy has 8 or nine old English motor cycles and he has to order lots of screws or bolts or make his own.
Bottom's Up:
Todd
I still have a Pflueger Progress 1774 fly reel given to me by an old man during the 1960s. It, teamed with a cheap 8' Zebco fly rod with L7F line caught quite a few redbreast sunfish, bluegill, rock bass and few largemouth when I was a teenager. My bait of choice 75% of the time was a white popping bug with a #8 hook after chumming an area with stale white bread. Occasionally a big carp would grab the popper and the fight was on. But I don't recall using a fly rod after the mid-1980s.
So my only experience would be with the Pflueger 1774, which doesn't have any drag washers to my knowledge. I wasn't even aware that any fly reels had drag washers, figured they were designed similar to the Pflueger--clicker drag only. But out of curiosity, if any fly reel tutorials were posted, I'd be game to view.
Let's do it, Alan --
Don't know a lot about fly fishing details -- but have a few reels, rods, and do appreciate and respect the passion of those who do live the sport.
And, there are crates and crates of fly-making materials out in the storage that should go to folks who will use it.
Plus, thousands and thousands of 100 packs of fly hooks from around the world.
When you get it set up -- I have my first post ready -- a DAM Quick bronze fly reel, New in the Box! High quality.
Best,
Fred
Alan,
With or without a fly fishing forum...
I'm a wild trout, small stream fly fisherman at heart!!!
(https://alantani.com/gallery/32/7588_03_04_20_6_24_54_324531784.jpeg)
Lifelong buddy, Jerry, showed me fly fishing at age 14 on the south fork of the Rubicon river.
The Pflueger Medalist fly reel I purchased at age 14 by mowing lawns for $2 Each. $2 for the Front, back, side and around the rose bushes - Yeah that lawn for $2!!!!
(https://alantani.com/gallery/32/7588_03_04_20_6_25_44_3245523.jpeg)
The Perrine automatic fly reel was given to me by Jerry's Dad. He grew up fishing the Madison river in Montana. Mecca today for fly fishing folks.
Catching the evening appetizers is always guaranteed where we fish. Wild, natural producing Western flowing streams in the Sierra Nevada Mountains.
(https://alantani.com/gallery/32/7588_03_04_20_9_30_49_324601417.jpeg)
Seeing this stretch of steam will take me all day to check out, both up and downstream.
(https://alantani.com/gallery/32/7588_03_04_20_6_24_57_32454166.jpeg)
You want to talk about fly tying, let's do.
(https://alantani.com/gallery/32/7588_03_04_20_6_24_11_324512427.jpeg)
Here is last summer around the Downieville, CA area - the Pauley Creek to be exact.
(https://alantani.com/gallery/32/7588_03_04_20_6_27_12_32457413.jpeg)
Yes, I'm a Wild Trout Small Stream fly fisherman... No Cal's drag grease on carbon fiber washers needed here.
(https://alantani.com/gallery/32/7588_03_04_20_6_22_39_324501371.jpeg)
Wayne
Quote from: Hardy Boy on April 03, 2020, 03:44:02 PM
I know metric I'm from one of the modern colonies ;D !!! I was referring to some non standard thread sizes and left handed threads. My buudy has 8 or nine old English motor cycles and he has to order lots of screws or bolts or make his own.
Bottom's Up:
Todd
Gotcha ;) Our old motor industry used countless different threads - BSC, BSF, and the original standardised Whitworh. And then you've got the various pipe threads - all available (at leat at the time) in left hand and truncated threads. Not counting 'special' threads made for a specific job/project. A while back I re-built an old 1920's lathe - finding the right size nuts and bolts was a challenge ;D
I'm a fly guy at heart too!
I started saltwater fly fishing in Florida back in 2007. I used an 8wt rod and reel cf drags to catch evening from seatrout to tarpon and sharks! I was really into sight fishing big snook in inches of water by walking the beaches in the early am. It was such a rush to see a big 20# snook lazly coming down the waterline and trying to get in front of her to get a cast off from up high on the beach!
Since moving to CA I've gotten into trout fly fishing. It took a big of adjusting to get excited about catching a trout smaller than some of the flies I used to use to catch tarpon ;D but fishing is fishing and I love it all!
Here's a Kings River trout I caught on a double bead stone fly
still have my first fly reel purchased in 1973, a Canadian Olympic reel. Fished trout, steelhead and salmon when I lived in the PNW for 10 years. I also carry a 12wt with an Orvis onboard my boat and ready to cast, I have been waiting for the opportunity to cast into a school of surface feeding Albacore. Also have a couple 3/4 wt and 5/6. used to build my own flyrods and tie my own flies. haven't made a cast in a few years but its like bicycle riding. haven't fished fresh water in 10years either.
A fly fisherman section could not hurt. If fly fishermen want to hang out in the cold water with the mosquitoes let them have at it. ::) Dominick
I was a fly-fishing only, non-purist, from about mid 70's till mid 90's; trout, steelhead, sea-run cutthroat, and king salmon.
In the mid 60's, I caught a blue gill on a self-tied "fly", in a nearby creek. I used feathers from a pet budgie, a small bait holder hook, my mom's sewing thread, and my sister's red nail polish. The finished product looked like a bloodied house fly. I cast my fly, with one small split shot, on a spinning rig. I saw the bluegill shoot out from the undercut bank and inhale my fly. I thought that this was a cool way to fish. I bought my first fly set up (South Bend 7 Wt HCH) in about 1970.
A lot of fly-fishers on the west coast are a little different breed from the east coast, since a lot of our rivers are pretty wide. I encouraged novice fly fishers to learn how to double haul with a shooting head on at least a 7 wt. rod, and preferred to be wading at least waist deep. Once you can cast with the double haul, everything else will come easy.
Most fly reels are basically "line holders". So drag is unimportant, since when a substantial fish is on the hook, drag is applied to the spool with the other hand. I would think that the drag on the spool was more to prevent over-runs when stripping line off in preparation for the casting motion.
I still have a half dozen fly rods in the garage, from split cane to graphite, and reels from assorted Pflueger Medalists (one of them a 'collectible') to a big Hardy Perfect. I decided on a 5-day trip on the Shogun in 2005 to Isla Guadalupe, that I probably wouldn't be fishing for trout any more. We used 2-4 pound live Pacific mackerel (bigger than any trout I had caught) as bait for yellowtail during a WFO night bite.
And I haven't fished for trout since.
Quote from: Dominick on April 03, 2020, 08:22:06 PM
A fly fisherman section could not hurt. If fly fishermen want to hang out in the cold water with the mosquitoes let them have at it. ::) Dominick
Fly fishermen are still smarter than ice fishermen !! ::) I've done both but not at the same time !
A lot of the high end mooching reels are built by high end fly reel companies and some are really nice reels with nice drags and beautiful finishes. A good large 11/12 weight fly reel can make a great mooching reel; I'm trying to get a new in the box International fly reel off of a buddy !
Cheers:
Todd
Todd
A fly fishing section would be good to see on this site, I do a little salt water fly fishing but I am just learning.
Kim
I think it would a nice addition. It doesn't have to be extravagant & over done in the beginning, maybe just three or four basic sections and see how it goes.
I fly fish occasionally. I do it at farm ponds in open grass pasture areas because I've never taken it seriously enough to learn how to cast efficiently. I still have my original rod & reel from 1964, a Heddon Pal tobacco fiberglass rod & Shakespeare Automatic 1824 OK reel.
I've been into a few fly reels but am in no way a connoisseur or knowledgeable about the different designs. Most of the older examples are pretty basic & simple. I have a couple of cheapie single actions, one higher end original MI Harris made (Gapen Wild River III) 7/8 Wt and 25 or 30 various Shakespeare Automatics. Delving into autos will keep your attention or you may have a 5' spring slapping you in the face or wrapped around neck. ;)
Any holiers will get indoctrinated pretty quickly, I'm thinkin'. This place is too friendly for that type of attitude.
One of the most informative forums about vintage rods (uhhh, circa 1950-60) is the Fiberglass Flyrodders, https://fiberglassflyrodders.com/forum/ (https://fiberglassflyrodders.com/forum/). If you are interested in vintage rods of any type you will find things of interest.
-steve
Hi Wayne, your picture of fishing @ Pauley creek, is the flowing speed of that creek, about right, or would you prefer it faster or slower, cheers Don.
Another "yes" vote here.
I should go fly fishing more often; not really sure why I don't; too easy, I guess, to fall into a rut and just pull out the old favorites and go from there.
Fly anglers don't have to have their noses in the air, with thousands of dollars in gear, trips to wherever, etc. I'm not a purist when I go. Crappies and bluegills on a fly rod are plenty of fun. I can tie my own leaders and use non-traditional materials & tools to tie flies.
Lots of interesting reels we could all talk about.
Frank
I'm in for a fly reel board.
Caught my first fish on a fly rod.
Quote from: Donnyboat on April 04, 2020, 01:44:35 AM
Hi Wayne, your picture of fishing @ Pauley creek, is the flowing speed of that creek, about right, or would you prefer it faster or slower, cheers Don.
Donnyboat!!! Don!!
To answer your question, the water flow that weekend in early August 2019 was just slightly lower than PERFECT!!!!
BUTT perfect in all other aspects. Water temp was 62 degrees, weather was sunny and warm.
And since 1994 when we first fished this area, we have NEVER SEEN ANOTHER FISHERMAN EVER. EVER.
This canyon is special to us, we catch or have a strike on every third or fifth cast. I say strike since we are both 63 years old, and the eye to hand coordination is slowing down.
Biggest fish I've caught here is 13", and for this stream, it is a monster.
(https://alantani.com/gallery/32/7588_04_04_20_5_41_42_324631259.jpeg)
Issue here is access. We hike down a mountain bike trail called the Downieville Downhill trail, and when we see a good fishing hole to fish, we have to drop down a steep hillside to the Pauley.
BUTT once down there, it is fishing heaven for us.
Never seen another fisherman, and NEVER SEEN a piece of trash while in the canyon.
Do pick up the trash left on the trail by the bike riders, ie, GOOP containers, PowerBar wrappers, and left-behind shredded tires and tubes.
Thanks for asking.
Wayne
Thanks Wayne, after I turnt my computer off, I thought maybe there is coralations to it such as, size fly your using, WT line, possibly making some difference & so on, look like a nice area alright, cheers Don.
Yep. Long time... nearly 40 years. For many years that was my primary type of fishing. I probably caught more stripers on a fly rod than on any other kind of tackle. Started off ffing in saltwater, now mostly freshwater, but liked targeting stripers, trout, smallmouth, snook, redfish, panfish and most anything else that might take a fly. I work on my own reels whenever possible, but recently had to send a Cimarron C3 back to Ross Reels to get a bent rim fixed (under lifetime warranty) and ordered some spare parts for one of my pre-98 Gunnison G5's while I was at it.
Have a decent selection of both disc drag and click & pawl reels ranging, collectively, from 3wt to 9wt. I have a particular fondness for classic click-pawl reels.
Also tie most of my own flies.
And I still love to use my old Spinfishers, baitcasters, and conventional reels... and try to avoid ffing purist snobs.
I've fly fished once with disastrous results, but some how managed to acquire these three reels, a silver no name, a Pfluger 1494, and a Japanese no name. Bill
Hi wFjord, you have a nice range of gear, what colour fly do you find is the most productive for you, they have a hatchery over here & rear a lot of fingerlings, they feed the fingerlings on corn, so most fishers in our area use corn instead of fly`s, Tommy, the black reel in the centre, looks very much like the young reel that I started this post with, is there any ID on the inside of it, I bet you have had it apart, cheers Don.
Bill,
Your silver no name is an Edwards Crown 60 (Chicago, IL) Salt Water Fly Reel. (https://www.google.com/search?q=Edwards+Crown+fly+reel&tbm=isch&ved=2ahUKEwitm9bn_dLoAhXSE6wKHa16ArMQ2-cCegQIABAA&oq=Edwards+Crown+fly+reel&gs_lcp=CgNpbWcQAzoECAAQGDoECAAQQzoCCAA6BggAEAcQHjoICAAQBxAFEB5QqL4TWI3AFGCXyRRoAXAAeACAAWyIAeAOkgEEMjcuMZgBAKABAaoBC2d3cy13aXotaW1n&sclient=img&ei=rrKKXq2MGNKnsAWt9YmYCw&bih=578&biw=1229&rlz=1C1CHFX_enUS583US583)
Don,
If you are talking about Bill's 3 reels the one in the center is a Pfluger 1494.
Apologize Bill, Tommy, not that good looking ay, thanks Tommy, cheers Don.
Wow Tommy....can't believe you could ID that reel...thank you for the link.....Bill
Here's a link to E W Edwards in Wikipedia
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/E.W._Edwards
Quote from: Donnyboat on April 06, 2020, 12:57:36 AM
Hi wFjord, you have a nice range of gear, what colour fly do you find is the most productive for you,
It can vary greatly, but for trout in the local tailwater and other regional trout streams, if I had to pick a single color it would be variations of tan, sometimes with green, yellow, or orange like these caddis patterns I found on google images. A little bit of flash tied in is helpful, too.
(https://news.orvis.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/caribou.jpg)(https://i.pinimg.com/originals/12/d7/46/12d746266c7c81a4650bf7cf48f55a0d.jpg)
(https://frostyfly.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/Tungsten-Peacock-Quill-Caddis-Nymph-Green-4441-2.jpg)(https://i.pinimg.com/originals/bf/21/65/bf21653b6598b9a0a8098c1f12f9a3ae.jpg)
(https://tailwaterjunkie.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Mercers-Swing-Nymph.jpg)(https://tailwaterjunkie.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/Fox-Squirrel-Nymph-500x333.jpg)
Hi wFjord, thanks for your preferd fly & colours, very interesting, cheers Don.
If, (hopefully) there's a good chance a fly fishing board section will become a reality, here are some ideas for possible board format scenarios. Some topics in the 2nd & 3rd categories could be rearranged or make for additional board(s) if necessary.
--Fly Reel Information, Maintenance, & Repair
--Fly Lines, Backing, Leaders, Knots & Flies
--Fly Rods, Fly Casting, Fishing Techniques
thanks for the reminder!!!!!
My pleasure. :)
Hey, you've already done it. That looks great. Thanks.
Quote from: oc1 on April 03, 2020, 05:03:31 AM
Not me, but want to learn. I take up fly dishing about every fifteen to twenty years. Never get to first base and never fall in love.
-steve
My feelings also... Jeff
if this board becomes active enough, it's very easy to expand. for starters, i did a keyword search on "fly." i got surprisingly few hits. maybe now that will change.
Absolutely!
I learned to tie flies when I was about 14, my brother had taken a class then showed me what he knew. I fished flies with a spinning rod and knocked'em dead. About a year later I bought a cheap fly combo because, hey flies knock'em dead! Well, it was about a year of self teaching before I ever caught a fish........
I really got into the entomology side and refined my tying technique. I found fly fishing to be my favorite and most satisfying.
I just pick out something I like and throw it. ;D
When I finally get moved and can start to fish again, I'm going to whip out my fly rods and hopefully get proficient.
Hi guys, I've been around flyreels for a long time.
None of them are complicated but many are expensive.
Anyone who can shift gears in a two speed conventional real probably can take apart and fix any fly reel.
So maybe a section about fly reels is warranted, because it would then include even idiots like me who could never work on a real reel.
On another note, I was scheduled to go to Cedros right before your trip, but it was canceled because of Covid.
Did you guys go? We took a friends boat out of San Diego instead, part of the results will show in this picture.
jmbnv
we went and it was fine. which lodge were you going to stay at?
Cedros sport fishing
Some of their staff came down with Covid and our trip canceled the day before it was going to leave.
Glad you guys had a good trip. We are hoping to go back next year at the same time. It's nice to hear from you Alan, I hope all is well with you.
Joe
Check out the drag stack from my cheapo Okuma fly reel.
Okuma has:
1. Felt
2. Carbon fiber
3. Cork
why?
Quote from: Gobi King on September 09, 2021, 04:50:40 PM
Check out the drag stack from my cheapo Okuma fly reel.
Okuma has:
1. Felt
2. Carbon fiber
3. Cork
why?
Jeez,,
Probably because most reel comapanies that make fly reels as a minor side business don't have a clue when it comes to fly reels.
Which is kind of sad, as fly reels are as simple as it gets. No casting, no gears, and not much drag needed. They just need to get the dimensions and weight right, keep the mechanics simple/reliable, the drag, smooth, and the spool release from accidenty disengaging. Most modern freshwater fly reels from the big reel companies fail on at least two of the the above. The fly reel specific companies usually have (marginally) better product, but $$$
In terms of drag materials on this particular reel:
1. Felt is cheaper than carbon fiber, and you don't need a 4 stack carbon fiber disk system for a freshwater fly reel. The felt washer can also handle a crooked stack.
2. Cork is good for absorbing vibration and is more forgiving of misalignment. But it has to be frequently lubricated, or it will stick and fry. Cork will also supply some springiness, helping with drag setting.
Realistically, all that is needed from a design standpoint is a single greased carbon fiber washer and something metal to rub against on at least one side of the fiber washer, plus maybe a Belleville or two.
No point in speculating what percentages of poor engineering, raiding existing parts from other models, and goofball marketing ("carbon fiber AND cork ") were cooked together to come up that Okuma stack.
Since the demands are low, I would just grease the carbon fiber and cork with Superlube. If I though that I needed it to perform a bit better, I would switch the stack to a couple bellevilles, a and a couple metal and lubed carbon fiber washers. And jettison the rest.
Most reels in this design style have a semi-exposed roller clutch (AKA one way bearing). It is worth keeping an eye on it, and expect it to corrode pretty quickly if it gets near the salt.
-J
Quote from: Gobi King on September 09, 2021, 04:50:40 PM
Check out the drag stack from my cheapo Okuma fly reel.
Okuma has:
1. Felt
2. Carbon fiber
3. Cork
why?
so you stay involved: follow 3 different protocols for drag-washer maintenance
then, give up & buy 2 more reels to shuffle washers around & fix the silliness
Jure,
lol, I see okuma is trying to impress the drag queens/kings ;-)
I read here (phil was it ya?) that felt washers are good for really low drags like 0.01388 oz for the purist
Phil, I am not sure if I can find cardon drags with ears like the one okuma has in the aftermarket ...
I will give okuma in rancho a jingle.
Danke!
Quote from: Gobi King on September 10, 2021, 05:57:49 PM
Jure,
lol, I see okuma is trying the drag queens/kings ;-)
I read here (phil was it ya?) that felt washers are good for really low drags like 0.01388 oz for the purist
Phil, I am not sure if I can find cardon drags with ears like the one okuma has in the aftermarket ...
I will give okuma in rancho a jingle.
Danke!
Hey Shibs,
I have saltwater fly reels with a single carbon fiber disk sliding surface, so this drag with five friction surfaces is beyond overkill in that regard. Remember that this is not a star drag where the gears give the fish a mechanical advantage. This drag will be 5x stronger than the same stack in a conventional star drag with 5:1 gears.
But what appears to be missing is any sort of spring/belleville. Not that you don't know this, but for the other folks reading this, the point of a spring in a drag stack is to require more turns of the drag knob to get the same amount of clamping pressure. This allows for better fine tuning of the drag setting.
I suspect that the cork disk is providing what little spring compression is available in this stack. OTOH, the ears would tear right off the cork under any significant load. OTOOH, the drag wound never be set that high, and something else is provably going to break before the cork ears shear off. OTOOOH, there are so many drag surfaces on this reel, it probably wouldn't matter if the cork ears came off.
Since that bottom felt is against the cork weave, it is simply acting a compressible spacer. Removing it requires that the mating surface underneath to be level and smooth, neither if which may be the case.
For a freshwater fly reel, you are talking about 3lbs or less of drag required. The fat diameter of the fly line itself generates tons of drag against the fish in a current and/or if the fish is moving fast. Smooth is all that we are really shooting for in this drag.
Unless you have too much time on your hands, I would just get in there with some drag grease on the cork and carbon, and fish the reel for awhile. It could be fine as it is (or something else could be wrong with the reel). And having a performance baseline and knowing what needs to be fixed before fixing anything can help with making progress.
-J
don't really understand your stack -- not in that order... the only way I can see is:
eared steel (for structural support, only -- no friction) AND eared cork (for spring/level action, only -- no friction)
are sandwiched between the 2 eared CF -- that way, no ears get torn off & better longevity for "cork spring"
only 2 out of 4 CF surfaces are functional, but that's plenty for fly & if they glaze you just flip
the above 4-decker goes between 2 keyed steel & sits on top of the felt for low/start-up smoothness
the "oiled thing" is in the bottom of drag-well & the "greased things" sit on top ;D
figure out the right Okuma spinner to upgrade to CF & get free felt for life ;)
I am skeptical of all eared drag washers (except for the metal ones). The ears are a weak link.
ditto... that's why I think you have to stack them all together into an ad hoc assembly w/ eared metal sandwiched in
Quote from: Gobi King on September 09, 2021, 04:50:40 PM
Check out the drag stack from my cheapo Okuma fly reel.
Okuma has:
1. Felt
2. Carbon fiber
3. Cork
why?
I don't see the point of Okuma's thinking, either --sort like, gee lets fit as many types of flat washers on it as we can, somethings bound to work well. Trying to make a fly reel with conventional & spinning thinking controlling their brain.
My vintage pre-98 Ross Gunnison G5, the largest Gunnison model, has a drag stack of 5 conical Belleville washers, with a thrust washer and two spring loaded plungers contacting the drag disc. In it's day it was consider bullet, bomb, & train proof -- BS, of course, no reel is, but it's still one hell of a tough reel with a spindle that is actually a large stainless steel ball bearing unit. I've had no problem living with the standard arbor --all the backing helps resolve that.
The top companies have been trying to get more progressive in their drag systems and skeletonized reel designs -- gorgeous & wonderful reels for sure, but I won't pay the kind of money they sell for. The disc drag system reels I have continue to serve me plenty well, and me being almost 70 years old, they'll have to last me the rest of my life.
The Tibor and sw Abel afficianados sure seem to love their cork drag reels, whatever the pros or cons -- perceived, real, or somewhere in-between.
For almost all trout stream fishing, a drag system is overkill. One just needs enough to prevent spool overrun. My trout reels are all classic spring tension click & pawl reels with plenty enough drag in itself, not to mention drag produced by the fly line & rod flex.