Small Arbor Fly Reeds Verses Large Arbor Fly Reels

 I have always been detail-oriented regarding the design of fishing reels and rods. Once I started fly fishing, attention to detail and design became even more critical than with baitcasting equipment. Fly fishing transformed into a finesse style for me, capturing my interest years ago. Now, I focus more on the fly rod and reel than any other component of fly fishing. 

I've discussed the characteristics I appreciate in a fly rod in a previous post, so in this post, I would like to explore the advantages of large arbor and small arbor fly reels. Many fly fishermen will say that the reel is secondary to the fly rod; however, others argue that the reel should be comparable in price to the rod being used. For instance, if you're using a fly rod priced at $500 or more, then the reel could be in that same price range. In reality, a $100 reel could perform just as well. Often, reel choices are made when you purchase your fly rod. The following text is my assessment of the small and large arbor fly reels.

A small arbor reel is lighter and more compact, which can better balance lighter fly rods, providing a more comfortable feel during casting and retrieving. There are no strict rules for pairing a small arbor reel with a light fly rod, or a large arbor reel with a 5/6 weight fly rod. Small reel combinations, such as with a 2/3 weight and 7 to 7.5-foot fly rod, are ideal for small streams and confined areas in small and larger lakes. You'll experience a slower line retrieval rate with a smaller reel, which can give you better control when playing a fish. Additionally, a small arbor reel doesn't require long casts. The most line I have on all my fly reels is 90 feet without any backing, as I'm targeting species that don't require long runs. 

I have five of these Glooomis Fly Reels that are small arbor with a 3 1/4 " diameter. They are light and balance well on all the fly rods I fish. I like the free-spool action on these reels, which enables me to take up a tremendous amount of line while fighting a fish. Notice the backing on this reel, which I have never used. I bought the reel on eBay.

In some situations, a larger arbor reel is necessary, especially when fishing larger rivers or for faster fish that require a more significant amount of line. A large arbor reel provides faster line retrieval and less line memory. While both reels have advantages, I prefer small arbor reels for the reasons I mentioned in this post. 

I suspect that most fly fishermen never utilize the backing or all the fly line on their large arbor reels when fishing for trout, bass, or even striped bass. This statement is likely true for those of us who also use small arbor reels. Ultimately, all that line is there just to fill the spool on the fly reels! So, which fly reel do you choose when fishing your favorite river, stream, or lake?

My 2008 Summer Fly Fishing Classes

 

I remember when I truly connected with fly fishing. It was the summer of 2008, right after I retired in August. Let me explain what I mean by "connected," which takes me back to my childhood when I learned to use the fly rod my dad used to catch bass and bluegill in the pond on our property. This is where I learned how to cast, fight, and land a fish; fast forward to 2008, when I found myself reconnecting with fly fishing, which became my favorite way to fish from that point on.

My first setup was a Walmart Eagle Claw large arbor reel and rod combo, a 5/6 weight 8 feet long. I was new to understanding factors like rod weight, fly line, leader, tippet, medium-action versus fast-action rods, different sizes of arbor reels, and a host of other factors. Honestly, I just wanted a fly rod to catch some bluegill.

It wasn't until I started fishing with a gentleman older than me that summer that I began to learn about the mechanics of fly fishing. I attended classes all summer on Smith Lake and into the fall with Ivan, soaking up everything I could learn about the sport. I had spent the last 20 years on Smith Lake catching spotted bass using baitcasting and spinning reels with a couple of bass fishing buddies I had connected with after moving to Jasper from Tupelo. Unfortunately, coaches tend to move around a lot, and one of my friends relocated during the summer, leaving me with only one buddy to fish with on weekends. Fortunately, Ivan, my retired fly fishing companion, fished with me for a couple of days during the week, which was much better fishing conditions than on a weekend.

It didn't take long for me to realize that Ivan had much better equipment than my Walmart combo. He used two setups: a Redington Trout Special 4 wt. medium action and an 8 1/2 ft. Temple Fork fast action 5/6 wt. His 4 wt. was for topwater action, while he used the Temple Fork for streamers and wooly buggers. Occasionally, he would fish with a 3 wt during the bluegill spawn, but most of our trips involved him using the 4 and 5 wt. fly rods.

I remember my first outing with him at dawn on Smith Lake, fishing in nooks that had a lot of overhanging foliage close to the water's surface. I was fishing from the front of the boat while he fished from the back. He landed twice as many fish as I did that morning by placing his popper just a foot away from the bank under the foliage. He was a master at low-side casting from both his left and right shoulder. The low left shoulder cast was the one he used all the time when we fished together. He was also skilled at the roll cast, which he employed when casting from his right shoulder. Meanwhile, I frequently got snagged in the foliage, trying to get my fly underneath the tree limbs with a right shoulder low cast. Thus, my initial learning sessions focused on placing flies under the overhanging branches, mastering the roll cast, and executing low-side shoulder casts. While I was proficient with the traditional overhead cast for distance, these other casting techniques helped me land more fish that first season with Ivan.

By the end of the season, I had sold my Walmart combo and purchased a Redington 4 wt. medium action rod, a 5 wt. Redington fast action 9 ft. rod, and as a bonus, I used my retirement savings to purchase a 3 wt. 9 ft. Greys Streamflex, fly rod. Of all the things I learned that summer, the casting tips are ones I still use to this day. During that time, I also spent many hours watching fly fishing videos to absorb as much knowledge as possible. I am still learning on every trip I make now, and I'm grateful for that summer of 2008 spent fishing with my best fly-fishing buddy ever, Ivan. 

Fly Fishing Bargains

 

Hi Guys

Do you prefer to find fly fishing bargains at a local fly shop or online? Personally, I haven't seen many great deals at fly shops. I dislike being overcharged for anything, and in today's world, you can often find products at lower prices online. Thanks to the internet, numerous bargains are available if you want to spend a little time searching for them. 

Let’s start with the two most essential accessories for fly fishing: the fly rod and reel. You can find a good deal on a fly rod that looks, feels, and casts like the expensive Sage or Orvis Helios fly rods, which cost thousands of dollars. The two fly rods I have used for years are the Streamflex and the Redington models. These rods are reasonably priced at around $200 to $300. While that might seem pricey to some, you're still getting a rod that emulates the characteristics of high-end fly rods available today.

When it comes to fly reels, I am a strong believer in small arbor fly reels versus large arbor fly reels. I'll explain the reasoning behind this statement in another post. Two of the best bargains for small arbor fly reels is the Piscifun Sword and the Gloomis Free Spool retreive fly reel. This reel had been discontinued by Gloomis why I don't know but the quailty is outstanding. I own four of this reels in the 3/4 wt. and use all of them on my four through six weight fly rods. That should tell you how impressed I am with this one fly reel. The only place you can buy the reel in on Ebay usaully at 150 bucks or less. New this fly reel once sold for over 300 bucks. The last Gloomis fly reel I bought on Ebay was a couple of years ago. My son uses all Gloomis reels and the Piscifun on his fly rods. I’m impressed with the lightweight design, smooth drag, and overall construction, of the Piscifun fly reel not to mention its attractive color scheme. At an affordable price of $50, this reel is a fantastic bargain. I know the Gloomis is pricey but the free spool retreive and the lightness and the small arbor is what sold me. 

Overall, the fly rod and reel are typically the most expensive components of fly fishing. This is why it's essential to research the best rods and reels that fit your budget, ensuring you’re not overpaying or undervaluing your purchase.

When it comes to fly lines and leaders, you can also save money with some research. My choices for affordable fly lines and leaders are the SF fly line and the Piscifun brand, which I have been using for the past four years. I have the Piscifun and SF fly lines spooled on my 2, 3, 4, and 5-weight fly rods. I’m particularly impressed the low memory and how quickly the lines loads, allowing for a smooth presentation without tangles. Both companies, SF and Piscifun, sell their leaders in six-packs in 7.5 ft and 9 ft lengths, ranging from 2X to 7X, at an excellent price of $10!

I save on tippet line by using 2lb, 4 lb, and 6 lb fishing line spools, either fluorocarbon or monofilament, which I purchase at Walmart. I never use the tippet end of any of the leaders I buy. I am a big believer in using tippet rings and small swivels. I use tippet rings when fishing for trout and swivels when fishing for bass and bluegill with surface poppers and dry flies. The swivel is a lifesaver for eliminating twists in the tippet line. My leaders last me two to three seasons because I only replace the tippet end of the leader using the tippet ring. I go through a lot of tippet lines in one season.

There are many places to purchase flies and poppers online and at fly shops. I never pay over 90 cents for a fly, including nymphs, streamers, and dry flies. The FlyShack is my go-to shop for all things flies. I've been dealing with this company for years and even have several of their stickers on my 10-foot Pelican boat. While everything else on this site is priced a bit high for me, their fly deals attract customers, which certainly caught my attention. All of my poppers are purchased from Breambugs, which stocks top-quality products. I have been using their poppers for years. The popper is the one item I’m willing to spend more on if they produce well. For small items like nippers and forceps, I use the Orvis brand. Sure, they cost a little more, but I need both items to withstand the test of time, and they certainly deliver. There’s nothing worse than trying to cut excess line from a clinch knot with cheap nippers or dealing with flimsy forceps when removing a fly from a fish's mouth.

In today's economy, it's crucial to be mindful of the prices we pay for anything, regardless of whether you are retired, married with children, or single. I hope today’s post can help anyone considering taking up fly fishing for the first time, or even those of us who have enjoyed the sport for years. 

I have roughly 50 days left until the start of my season this year. The best days for me to fish are Tuesdays and Thursdays, certainly not on weekends, I can't wait!!

Getting Your Fly Fishing Equipment Ready For Spring

 

I hope everyone had a great Christmas and a Happy New Year. It seems as I get older, the holidays come around faster. As I have said numerous times, winter is my least favorite season, and we have at least two months—January and February—where the weather isn’t suitable for fishing, at least for me here in Alabama. So, I spend some of my time working on projects for my grandchildren, son, and daughter.

I also use the winter months to get my fly fishing gear ready for the upcoming season. Cleaning my fly line and fly reels is one of the first things I do during this time. I like to use a little petroleum jelly to rub inside the reel’s drag and the spool’s inner clogs. I never use oils or grease of any kind on the internal workings of my fly reels. To clean the fly line, I use a few drops of dishwashing detergent mixed in a glass of water and clean the length of the line with a small dish towel to rub off any dirt and stains collected on the line.

I also resupply my fly boxes with extra flies to replace all those flies and poppers that have lost some of their color, hackle, or rubber legs. I always keep extra flies and poppers because you never know when one of those poppers or dries become your star pattern on any given day of fishing. In other words, when I purchase a fly or popper, I usually buy at least four and sometimes six if they are reasonably priced.

I also keep my waders and boots in great shape. This will be my first year wading with cleats screwed into the felt soles of my wading boots. The felt alone doesn’t prevent slipping and falling on those moss-covered rocks on the Sipsey.

I charged the batteries in my Tracker boat and the one I used to power my ten-foot Pelican boat. Batteries will lose power if you don’t charge them at least once a month during winter. I keep all my fly rods in their carrying tubes during winter. You never know when one of those sensitive tips could get broken.

I still remember thieves stealing at least $1,800 worth of fly rod combos hanging on the wall in our garage when we lived in another subdivision years ago. The first mistake I learned was never to leave your garage door open during the day. The second was displaying my fly rods. I never recovered any of them.

For me, the season will begin in the first week of March. Of course, that depends on the weather, but I can hope for an early winter warm-up. I checked my blog a couple of weeks ago to see when I started fly fishing in March, and I found one post from 2020 showing I was landing some nice gills using a gnat during that time of year.

The closer spring gets, the more excited I am for another great season. I’m really looking forward to this season because my wife, Cathey, will be fishing with me using a fly rod. We've been working on her casting in the yard, and she is progressing. She should be a pro by the end of the summer.

The Wooly Bugger

 If you are a fly fisherman, you have fished the Wooly Bugger at one time or another. It is one of the most effective and versatile flies in fly fishing. It can be tied to imitate various prey, such as baitfish, leeches, and crawfish. One can tie Wooly Buggers in various sizes, colors, and materials to match local conditions or target specific fish. The possibilities are endless. I like sizes 4,6 and 8, and for bluegill, the sizes 10 and 12 are killers. The marabou tail and lots of hackle around the body create a natural motion in the water, which fish find irresistible. 

The black and brown colors have produced more hits than any color I have fished. i use the conehead bugger with no weight and no sink-tip line. The chartreuse with the red tungsten bead head in size 12 is excellent for attracting bluegill. Be prepared to lose a few of these size 12 bluegill buggers because after a few big gills inhale it the tail hackle begins to thin. If the fly produces, I don't mind the thinning of the hackle. 

I remember landing this 3 lb spotted bass in early spring on Smith Lake a couple of years ago fishing the black version of the bugger. That morning, the take and the fight put a bend in my 6wt. that I still remember to this day. My favorite way to fish the bugger is to retrieve it slowly to mimic a leech or struggling prey. I seldom add weight because of hang-ups, and why use a weight when a sink tip leader gets the bug down slower than a weight tied into your line?

This fly is super easy to fish and can put more fish in your net when other flies fail.

This will be my last post for this year, so here's wishing everyone who follows Fishing Through Life a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!!!

The Time Proven Caddis Fly

I am often asked, at times, what is your all-time favorite surface fly to fish on the Sipsey Tailrace and Simth Lake during the Spring and Summer months? My response is the Caddis dry fly. For this post, I will only cover the surface aspects of this fly, not the subsurface stages the fly goes through to become airborne. Why is the fly so effective in fly fishing? It's a staple in the diet of many fish species, particularly trout, and it's so realistic that it can trigger fish to strike it even when other flies don't produce. Caddis flies are widespread in streams and rivers across many regions, making them a familiar and reliable food source for fish. When a hatch occurs, fish actively hunt them, making caddis fly patterns incredibly productive. They have a unique, skittering movement across the water surface when they emerge to the surface film. Skittering can produce an automatic bluegill, bass, or trout strike that might otherwise be a static fly. 

The presentation of the caddis plays an integral part in the angler getting the fish's attention. I strive to get the fly to light on the water's surface as if it fell off an overhanging limb on the bank or if it has just touched the water's surface lightly. Most of the time, no movement of the fly is needed to get attention from bluegill, bass, or trout, but a slight movement of your tippet will guarantee a hit if the fish is near. 

I use Fly Shack patterns when fishing at Smith Lake and the Sipsey Tailrace. For Smith Lake, sizes 8 and 10 work best, while for the Sipsey, I prefer sizes 14 and 16. I only opt for a larger Caddis pattern at the Sipsey when I fish it as an indicator, rigged with a small nymph underneath.

As most of you know, dry flies need help staying afloat, whether in choppy water or on calm days. Over the past couple of years, I have experimented with different types of floatants, and this year, the product that really got my attention was the Fly Shack brand "Stay Dry." I used it this year and found that I could fish the fly for several hours before reapplying the solution; it’s an excellent product!

When other flies fail to attract fish, it often indicates that the fish are either uninterested in what is being offered or are spooked by unnatural presentations. Due to its realistic movement and variety of color patterns, the caddis fly is one that I will continue to use for the rest of my fishing days.