[jcran750]

Hi all,

My wife surprised me with a new rod for Valentines Day! Now you know why I love her!

Anyways, now I need a new reel. The rod is a Powell TiMax 6'6" 3wt. I'm a little worried from what I've read that this rod might be to fast for me, so I'm thinking about useing 4wt line. I think that this will effectively slow the rod down, correct?

So I'm looking for a 3-4 wt reel and I'm not too worried about the drag system on such a light rod. I think that my biggest conceren is the weight of the reel. I want to make sure that they are well balanced. And this is where I run into my problem. How much should a reel weigh for a rod that weighs 4.2 oz? Is there some magic ratio that I need to know or is it just personal preference?

If anyone could chip in with some advice for me I would greatly appreciate it. And if any of my thoughts don't make sense, please let me know. I would hate to make a purchase that I regret.

Thanks,

Jeff

[GRN]

Jeff,

There is no magic equation that I'm aware of, but the general rule is that the shorter the rod, the lighter the reel. I wouldn't go up a full wt to start, maybe try a line that is on the heavy side of the spec, like a Rio Grand, GPX, or a Windcutter. I fish three 3wt's (from 8'9" to 6'6") that balance out pretty well with a Ross Evo #1 (3.6 oz). Next best bet, and a great reel for quite a bit less would be the Ross Cimarron #1 (4.0 oz). I wouldn't resort to a size 0 reel unless you plan on adding a 1 or 2wt rod to the collection.

TL's~

[Doc]

You know, I hate to keep plugging Ross as I'm not getting any monetary benefit from them but once again I have to say the Evolution is number one in my books. The Evolution 1 (2-4wt) is only 3.6oz. Perfect for a rod that size. I won't go on about the other benefit's of owning a Ross 'cause if you did a search on this board , you can read them yourself over & over again.

Cheers,
Doc

[randyflycaster]

In terms of weight: As a general rule I put on the reel, pull enough line off so that some of the line is on the floor, then I see where the fly rod balances on my straightened index finger. I like the rod to balance right at the front of the handle.

On a short rod you'll want the lightest reel.

Randy

[burk48237]

I personally like classic reels on trout rod. So I would look at the Abel TR's ( abel has reissued them in limited qualities) and the Hardy Featherweights. Both will last forever, I personally fish a thirty year old Hardy as my main trout reel. Both have quality "forget about it" click and pawl drags which do a great job of protecting light tippets and preventing overruns when you need a drag on that three weight. And both will probably become collectable, the Able because it's a limited reissue, and the Hardy because it's still made in England and that may be changing. I have become a convert to click and pawl reels over the last couple of years for ALL of my freshwater fishing. And have landed everything from Big Browns on light tippets to Alaskan Rainbows to MI fresh freight train King Salmon with them. I never worry about freeze up, forgetting to check my drag settings and I LOVE the sound of a big fish running against a drag clicker.

Having said that, theirs nothing wrong with the Ross, and if I was looking at lightweight trout reels I would check out Galvan and Waterworks too. As far as line, concentrate on a line that will fish well in close. You will not be using a 6'6" 3 weight for fishing at anywhere further then 40' away. I would look for a good DT 3 floater from either Cortland, Rio, SA or Airflow. Do not over-line your 3 weight.

[wtex50]

I have a number of Orvis Battenkill Bar Stock (BBS) reels. The BBS II s extermely light. I have never had one fail me and I love the traditional look. At about $100, they are a great bargain

[mhclayton]

This thread is interesting because I have recently been going through the same process. My rod is a Sage DS II in 3 wgt. that is 8' in length. I started with an inexpensive Redington reel a few years ago that is perfectly functional, but would like to upgrade. I like the classic looks of the newer Orvis CFO disc drag reels, and the price doesn't seem bad compared with the competition. I have always liked Ross reels, but don't care for the wide arbor models. Do any of you have experience with the new Orvis CFO series? I was thinking about the CFO 1, which doesn't leave much room for backing, but I shouldn't need much on the small creeks I fish with this setup.

[jcran750]

What a great forum! Thanks for all of the responses!

GRN, Doc...Those Ross reels look great but they are a little more than I want to spend on a reel for this rod. I will probably be upgrading the reel on my five wt shortly and the Evo will be on my short list.

wtex50...I was just checking out the specs on the BBS II and I think that's the way I'm going to go. I have a buddy who might be willing to sell me his cheap.

burk...Can you explain why I shouldn't over-line my 3 wt? Am I wrong in thinking that this will slow the rod down, or is there some other reason?

Thanks again everyone,

Jeff

[burk48237]

jcran 750 burk...Can you explain why I shouldn't over-line my 3 wt? Am I wrong in thinking that this will slow the rod down, or is there some other reason?

Most people over-line a rod because the extra weight out front in a weight forward line enables them to shoot line and achieve extra distance. This especially true with fast somewhat underrated rods. I just don't believe this is necessary with a 6'6" 3 weight which is mostly a small stream rod. I do think you will be better off with a double taper line because it will load better in close and for roll casting.. The over-lined rod may perform better in parking lots, I just don't know any parking lots that have trout.

[jcran750]

Originally Posted by burk48237

Most people over-line a rod because the extra weight out front in a weight forward line enables them to shoot line and achieve extra distance. This especially true with fast somewhat underrated rods. I just don't believe this is necessary with a 6'6" 3 weight which is mostly a small stream rod. I do think you will be better off with a double taper line because it will load better in close and for roll casting.. The over-lined rod may perform better in parking lots, I just don't know any parking lots that have trout.

Thank for the explanation, burk. That makes sense.