Reels for your cane and glass rods

[stevel]

The Olson in question, the backplate shows a single large screw, when this is removed, the sideplate is gripped then turned in the opposite direction to remove it to access the spool. The sideplate on the other side where the handle is can't be removed.

 

[kenneth]

Thanks, all, for the great photos!

For some reason I've never posted in this thread, even though it's right up my alley. In any case, among many other threads along the same lines, here's a current one over at the Classic Fly Rod Forum, I've got some photos up myself:

- http://classicflyrodforum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=72&t=136029

Thanks for looking and keep safe,
Kenneth

 

[Hardrar]

Yes that's right, in fact some people like really wide spool versions (up to 2" wide spools) so they do look like multipliers.
The Olson is also in the Vom Hofe style with some additions to make it a bit more user friendly. It has a revolving sideplate, much like the Hardy perfect, so you can use it like a bit of extra brake if you don't want to thumb the spool. By the way, as most of these reels don't have an exposed rim, you have to thumb the spool as you would a multiplier by putting your finger through the reel cage. This would be the case for any of the Click and Pawl reels which only have a clicker to stop overrun.
On this Olson, the backplate (where the revolving plate is) it has a single large screw, which once undone, the revolving sideplate is unscrewed (like a Hardy Perfect) and you then have access to the spool.
For sure the people who have these sorts of reels have them mainly for their beauty (though they still have to perform assuming they're not one of those fancy reels with engraving and hardwood exotic wood boxes designed to live their lives in a glass box - I've read some special Hardy models are not meant to be used in anger) as they are in essence updated versions of 100 year old Vom Hofe reels. If they start to stray too much from the old designs then you may as well stay with the modern reels if you want or need all the new tech features.
Most of the S handles with a proper drag copy the drag design of the Bogdan reels, and the drag detent is on the opposite side to the S handle.

I’ve always found that, pretty as they are, Wide drum reels to be a majorly flawed design. Generally, I always play a fish off the reel and often the line will “ stack” in one area of the spool, unless you “faff” level winding, and catch on the pillars or reel, thereby rendering the reel useless, Some modern reels suffer the same traits mind you. I find a narrow spool much more practical and attractive.
I know bitd reels were purely “line holders” but much less so now.

 

[stevel]

I’ve always found that, pretty as they are, Wide drum reels to be a majorly flawed design. Generally, I always play a fish off the reel and often the line will “ stack” in one area of the spool, unless you “faff” level winding, and catch on the pillars or reel, thereby rendering the reel useless, Some modern reels suffer the same traits mind you. I find a narrow spool much more practical and attractive.
I know bitd reels were purely “line holders” but much less so now.

Yes I've had situations where I wasn't looking at the reel and had a load of line stacked on one side then had to strip off line whilst maintaining contact with the fish so I could wind in again level. Not easy when it's a rampaging steelhead!
There's also the problem of backing bedding in if not wound on correctly or too close or too loose, all fun in the game. Though on trout streams there have been few if any cases I've had cause to see backing.

 

[Hardrar]

We get these rogue cockfish escapees, some into double figures. You’re fishing fine for Wild Browns and Grayling here:-

then one of these takes your fly-I saw backing twice with this one

 

[ROVER]

i thought it was groundhog day then - that must be the fourteenth time I've seen that fish this week

 

[stevel]

Are those escapees from a fish farm, and if so why are they so fit?
On our little chalkstream the fish stocked (there are wildies as well, but they are more like 12") are 2-4lb and I believe from the keeper that if they last a year it's doing well, apparently they die of starvation. So that fish in that small creek must have had its condition pre-escaping. Of course in the big reservoirs (and sometimes stillwaters) you get fish that can really rip line off, I once had a small 3lb fish at Bewl which took a hopper whilst loch style fishing then stripped all the flyline and another 30 yards of backing with me palming the spool; when I got it back in, it did it all over again. It was sleek and trim and fit as a butcher's.

 

[Hardrar]

Are those escapees from a fish farm, and if so why are they so fit?
On our little chalkstream the fish stocked (there are wildies as well, but they are more like 12") are 2-4lb and I believe from the keeper that if they last a year it's doing well, apparently they die of starvation. So that fish in that small creek must have had its condition pre-escaping. Of course in the big reservoirs (and sometimes stillwaters) you get fish that can really rip line off, I once had a small 3lb fish at Bewl which took a hopper whilst loch style fishing then stripped all the flyline and another 30 yards of backing with me palming the spool; when I got it back in, it did it all over again. It was sleek and trim and fit as a butcher's.

They are bred locally in a Harsh climate and got out in the 90s after an upstream dam burst in a freak storm and have naturalised, I’ve caught a few at about 10 inches, with spots all through their eyes and obviously not farm bred, we think they have been breeding- I got broken three seasons back by one double that 6 pounder, took my rod clean out of my hands - take was so savage. Other members have had the same happen, I think I only landed that with it being a glass rod. Notice how small it’s head is compared to farmed fish- very lean and conditioned with no belly?

 

[kenneth]

I know it's not, but that looks rather like where the Clun meets the Teme. I have very fond memories of the place.

Kenneth

 

[stevel]

They are bred locally in a Harsh climate and got out in the 90s after an upstream dam burst in a freak storm and have naturalised, I’ve caught a few at about 10 inches, with spots all through their eyes and obviously not farm bred, we think they have been breeding- I got broken three seasons back by one double that 6 pounder, took my rod clean out of my hands - take was so savage. Other members have had the same happen, I think I only landed that with it being a glass rod. Notice how small it’s head is compared to farmed fish- very lean and conditioned with no belly?

Fish are growing to that size and condition in such a little creek? Or are they going back out into a lake or sea (like real steelhead?)

 

[Hardrar]

Fish are growing to that size and condition in such a little creek? Or are they going back out into a lake or sea (like real steelhead?)

It’s a long way to the Sea, as it’s the upper headwater system of the Yorkshire Derwent, just below the Yorkshire Moors and there’s a tidal barrier into the Ouse, as it’s sealed off for drinking water abstraction, not sure if the Salmon ladder is still operating either, so doubtful.
There are a few big Browns too, as there are some deep holes in places, a little like the New Zealand creeks where you can get 20 pounders in streams just 6 foot across, but deep in places. The only possibility is, the Derwent can be diverted into a canal then into Scalby beck, which is short and runs into the Sea. This was cut in by Victorian engineers to stop Moors flash floods overwhelming the lowland areas, Seatrout run Scalby Beck and I’ve had a couple over the years in the Dove that were bright Silver - big tail and spent most of their time airborne on the end of your line- racing up and down the stream- unlike a Brownie.
We get two or three a year like this, either banked or break you clean off.
This is the largest I’ve managed to land, but they certainly get bigger, initially when they started showing up (not banked just leaping) folks thought they were Salmon, but I’ve never seen a Salmon, only these.

 

[stevel]

I’ve always found that, pretty as they are, Wide drum reels to be a majorly flawed design. Generally, I always play a fish off the reel and often the line will “ stack” in one area of the spool, unless you “faff” level winding, and catch on the pillars or reel, thereby rendering the reel useless, Some modern reels suffer the same traits mind you. I find a narrow spool much more practical and attractive.
I know bitd reels were purely “line holders” but much less so now.

When they were THE reel to get, I bought an Abel 3NP (ported) basically an 8 weight reel with a narrow spool. It was the bonefish reel back then, but I used it for a single handed steelhead rod, and afterwards, for chucking Teeny lines in the salt for seabass.
It IS a very nice reel, and one of the few I've kept after my classic/S-reel transition. It's now a salt reel on a bamboo #6 switch which does double duty for seabass and fresh species.

 

[Hardrar]

I don’t know where the wide drum trend came from? “N” rated reels generally fetch a fair bit more s/h for good reason.
I have a Loop Karpens 2N and it’s great to use, the Abel AC 2 and 3 are the same as are the BG N reels. A lot of modern LA reels are far too wide imho?

 

[stevel]

I know Hardy Perfects had wide drums and the old Vom Hofes had really wide spools, at least 1.5" and up to nearly 2". I think these were mainly for the salmon fishermen who had long 40yd lines and probably wanted lots of backing. I can't see why you'd have a wide drum spool for a trout reel, it would make it very strange looking. Though I have seen a 3" salmon reel with a very wide spool making it look like an overhead muItiplier! I can imagine the LAs would have had to go to wider spools as they have already lost lots of line/backing capacity by the LA, so you need it otherwise the reel would be too huge (they are already too big IMHO for the appropriate rods) if they were also N reels - or go to gelspun for backing.

 

[stevel]

It’s a long way to the Sea, as it’s the upper headwater system of the Yorkshire Derwent, just below the Yorkshire Moors and there’s a tidal barrier into the Ouse, as it’s sealed off for drinking water abstraction, not sure if the Salmon ladder is still operating either, so doubtful.
There are a few big Browns too, as there are some deep holes in places, a little like the New Zealand creeks where you can get 20 pounders in streams just 6 foot across, but deep in places. The only possibility is, the Derwent can be diverted into a canal then into Scalby beck, which is short and runs into the Sea. This was cut in by Victorian engineers to stop Moors flash floods overwhelming the lowland areas, Seatrout run Scalby Beck and I’ve had a couple over the years in the Dove that were bright Silver - big tail and spent most of their time airborne on the end of your line- racing up and down the stream- unlike a Brownie.
We get two or three a year like this, either banked or break you clean off.
This is the largest I’ve managed to land, but they certainly get bigger, initially when they started showing up (not banked just leaping) folks thought they were Salmon, but I’ve never seen a Salmon, only these.

If you're getting seatrout in that beck then there must be some access to sea and perhaps those rainbows did too. I read that hatchery steelhead released into a river that go to sea come back to the place they were released. Curiously, googling for steelhead in the UK I found this site of some company rearing steelhead offshore for food harvesting purposes ie raised from eggs of hatchery steelhead. I wonder if any of these ever escape???
I've only heard of 20lb NZ fish during the mouse population explosion, so the food supply was the reason. If the fish in your beck get in, presumably if they can't get out again and the food supply can't support these large fish, then they would die off just like the stockies in our chalkstream in short time. However I guess they could predate the small resident fish if they actually came from the sea..

 

[Hardrar]

If you're getting seatrout in that beck then there must be some access to sea and perhaps those rainbows did too. I read that hatchery steelhead released into a river that go to sea come back to the place they were released. Curiously, googling for steelhead in the UK I found this site of some company rearing steelhead offshore for food harvesting purposes ie raised from eggs of hatchery steelhead. I wonder if any of these ever escape???
I've only heard of 20lb NZ fish during the mouse population explosion, so the food supply was the reason. If the fish in your beck get in, presumably if they can't get out again and the food supply can't support these large fish, then they would die off just like the stockies in our chalkstream in short time. However I guess they could predate the small resident fish if they actually came from the sea..

There’s a lot of Minnows Dace and thousands of small Grayling, so plenty of year round food and we have a huge Mayfly Hatch end of April until end of June. The Wild Brownies are always in great Nick early on even

 

[sean freeman]

This was my weapon of choice yesterday, I love this Ross Evolution LT1! It’s such a sweet little reel. The Barclay is a 72 model and the line is a 406 DT4, it’s a really, really nice setup to fish with.

 

[stevel]

This was my weapon of choice yesterday, I love this Ross Evolution LT1! It’s such a sweet little reel. The Barclay is a 72 model and the line is a 406 DT4, it’s a really, really nice setup to fish with.
View attachment 37320

Very classy setup Sean! I used to have a Ross Evo LT2 (Special 30th Anniversary model which looked just like yours) which I liked very much.

 

[sean freeman]

Very classy setup Sean! I used to have a Ross Evo LT2 (Special 30th Anniversary model which looked just like yours) which I liked very much.

The reel foot on this era of ross reels fit slide band reel seats well too. I’ve looked for a 30th anniversary Ross Evolution since seeing one that sold on Spinoza, nice reels the original Evolution, I have a black Evo 2 but have to say the finish chips very easily, mine was mint until I slipped and knocked it off a rock.

 

[stevel]

I thought it was an LT but it was a long time ago! I have always found Ross finishes not as robust as say the Abels, which is why I treated the 30th with utmost care. I had one of the original San Miguels and it was a very nice reel, though scratched/scuffed easily, even when not mistreating it. The re-release is a very nice reel too