In Defence of Draw Bar Reels

[camelbrass]

I fished Astove Atoll in the Seychelles last week. It’s a destination known for big fish, particularly GTs, and lived up to its reputation. As usual, I took a full compliment of Abel Supers, a Super 9, 2x9/10Ns and an 11/12N.

The 11/12N took an absolute pounding over 2 days of brutal fishing (multiple GTs, grouper, dogtooth tuna, sailfish, broken fly lines) and when trying to stop a decent GT getting back to the reef started making noises like someone was rattling a bucket of bolts. It still landed the fish but it had me reaching for the spare spool.

Back at base the problem became obvious. The bearing in the top of the spool had disintegrated to metal shavings and was quickly replaced and all was back in service again after a 10 minute repair and a dab of smelly grease. A more sophisticated set up would have had to be retired.

There’s plenty of life left in the old dogs yet, even with some of the very nice sealed drag gear around.

Regards,


Trevor

 

[k_e_v]

That is just a whole big world that I know nothing of. I sure like reading your guys stories and seeing the trip reports though.

Kevin

 

[mcnerney]

Trevor
Those Abel reels have an superb reputation for a reason, they just flat out perform under some incredibly tough fishing conditions, glad you were able to replace that bearing.

 

[sweetandsalt]

camelbrass is the reel tester on our Forum. I've but scratched the surface but the flats and other fly fishing offered by the Indian Ocean is over the top. He knowingly packs spare parts for his Abels and you see in this tale how that paid off. I'm on record of liking sealed, stacked drag reels bonefishng...I don't take spare parts, I take spare reels. If a bearing fries in a sealed drag there is little you can do in the field (you can take spare drag modules with you if available).

We all appreciate that there is a scale differential between brook trout and tarpon, still when I read remarks like a reel is simply a line holder... You can make a big game fly reel smaller but you may not successfully make an acceptable trout reel bigger.

 

[steveid]

Because of some of your stories I have decided that any remote trip of mine will include an Abel Super for my 10 or 12 or both. CXI is likely, and hopefully the Seychelles can be a part of my future as well.

 

[udiablo]

When I read this it made me want to stand up and cheer.

Yeah, kick ass Abel!

You others try that with your cheap "throw-away" reels you got at a clearance sale.

 

[steveid]

C-Brass, what backing were you using on your reels? Could you also elaborate I. Your backing to fly line connections, as well as fly line choices for specific species?

Perhaps better for a different thread. If you did a trip report already, I must have missed it somewhere. Lots of questions for you.

 

[camelbrass]

Steve,

I still haven't downloaded all the photos. I'll get that done over the next few days and put together a trip report on its own thread.

For backing I use 50/60lb Gel spun (braid) on my 9 and 10wt and 80/90lb on the 12wt, I aim to get as close to 300 metres on each reel as I can. Connections are pretty simple as well, on the 9 and 10 wt I'll use the factory loops connected via a single bimini and catspaw on the 9wt and on the 10wt a double bimini and a double catspaw. On the 12wt I cut the factory loops off and use braided loops secured to the fly line with 3 nail knots, one of which will be over the double portion of the braided loop. We had one of these fail on the trip so now looking at Kevlar loops instead but need to experiment a bit. I think some of the modern heavy core lines probably have suitable loops but old habits die hard.

This trip I used SA Amplitude Bonefish taper on the 9wt (for bonefish), Amplitude Grand Slam on my Exocett 10wt (milkfish) and Amplitude Tarpon taper on my 10wt bamboo (trigger fish and permit). I liked them all, particularly the Bonefish and Tarpon tapers and although the line is textured it wasn't too noisy despite the recoil guides on the Exocetts and moved freely. My fishing buddy used the Mastery series and they worked just as well. I had my Rio Permit lines with me just in case. I blew up my first choice 12wt, SA Wavelength Grand Slam, on the first day (think it was only a 50lb core) and used a Cortland GT/Tuna line for the rest of the trip which did what it says on the tin and performed well. I also took an Amplitude BWT with the 100lb core but would have had to take half the backing off my reel so left it in the tackle bag.

Regards,


Trevor

 

[sweetandsalt]

I don't like the braided loops and believe (without a testing machine) that the doubled fly line, whether the factory loop reinforced with multi-turn Nail Knot or self made similarly strengthened doubled back line loop are stronger. While I have and do use 30# Dacron successfully bonefishing, I am using 50# Gel Spun on my new riggings...and when I unsuccessfully strove to hook a GT, I used 80# Braid.

 

[bonefish41]

My salt flats POV and venues are Bahamas, Biscayne Bay, and Key West and my fish are exclusively Permit, Tarpon, and Bonefish, my first Abel was a 4N solid back and solid spool in old time Carib Camo in 1982/3. The cork is original and maintained with neatsfoot. The reel is thick and heavy. It's the only Abel I buttoned down to 9-10 lbs (30 lb tippet)drag for a channel Tarpon it did not fail but the reel seat came unglued...that was the last time long ago that I used the common recommended masking tape filler...I have yet to lose the drag knob nut when changing spools...but I seem to misplace my spares...in me dotage memory fails me sometimes

 

[camelbrass]

A great shot of the rod rack from that trip courtesy of Lew Craven. Cork drag reels dominated

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[osseous]

I'm a long-time Tibor fan- and see no need to switch to a sealed drag. I've got Abels too, and they've all been great to me for decades. Having said that, an awful lot of highly respected big game fly folks seem to be gravitating toward the Nautilus.....

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[adealarcon]

Any thoughts on the recent abel ss redesign?


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[camelbrass]

I've not been able (!) to get my hands on one yet but I'm hoping the new system is as simple as the old one and as secure. They would be the two things I'd have to assure myself of before being comfortable with it. I never liked the QC, for instance, because it was too complicated.

Regards.


Trevor

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[Bcuzzocrea]

Is hatch 68 lb backing not suitable for gts? Is the 80 lb crucial?

 

[osseous]

Rio's GT line has a stated breaking strength of 70 lbs. If the weakest link in your rig is 68-70 lbs, you'd better budget for a lot of broken fly rods. There are better backing choices out there, but strength isn't the reason to choose something else.

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[burk48237]

I think the biggest reason that draw bar reels aren't as popular as synthetic sealed drag reels is they aren't as versitile. A vast majority of the purchasers aren't chasing GT's at some exotic location, and if they do they can afford to own a draw bar for that purpose. But for the average bloke who lives in the N Country and SW fishes maybe 10 days a year in places like Yucatan, Keys, etc. but who also uses the reels in AK or for GL steelheading draw bar reels just aren't practical. I have a good friend who in fact was one of the first Sage reps in the country, guided Steelhead in MI for years. And he told me one day that he had seen every draw bar cork drag reel on the market fail in his boat in the cold of GL Steelhead fishing, I suspect someone chasing giant Rainbows in April or Sept in AK would have the same experience. Draw bar reels may be superior for giant SW species in big game situations. I can't attest to that, because frankly I can't afford to fish those locations, and lack the experience. But I have seen an Abel free-spool on Steelie in the Manistee river on a 28 degree morning.

 

[bonefish41]

B: It's maintainence...mine never have 3N ...perhaps it's cost are there any cheap Asian draw bar reels or just Abel Tibor and ???

 

[osseous]

Islander draw bar reels are pretty popular for B.C. (actual) Steelhead...


For this myth to be so, an oil impregnated cork disc would have to freeze. Even then, it wouldn't freespool-
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[original cormorant]

A great shot of the rod rack from that trip courtesy of Lew Craven. Cork drag reels dominated

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And 7 of 11 right hand wind........