Starting drag info please

I am lookinginto buying an 8 wt reel in the up to $200 range.
Mostly for steelhead/salmon and stripers with some light sal****er
usage once in a while.
Tioga Reels seem to be very popular and I was ready to buy a LA one
but than a friend pointed out a Lamson Velocity 3.5 in a local shop.
Most people here seem to like the Velocity reels.
Last night a browswed through a book - Lefty Kreh "Presenting the
fly"- and in the section about reels he says:
"A low starting drag is vital to prevent fish from breaking off"
I could not remember hearing or reading about this but than again I am
pretty new to fly fishing.
I figured that is just something the reel manufacturers are not happy
to talk about. I was sure I would find a lot of info in ROFF.
Not so. I did a search on "startup drag" and "starting drag" and
"startup inertia" and pretty much the only useful info I found was a
post from May 2002 talking about a Fly Fish America magazine test.

The Lamson Velocity 3.5 with a startup velocity of 14.3% was the 2nd
WORST. The LA Tioga was not listed in the post.

How come there are no discussions on this in ROFF ? I mean if Lefty
talks about it there has to be SOMETHING to it.

Any opinions ?

Thanks

ZL

"zoranlee" wrote in message
om...
How come there are no discussions on this in ROFF ? I mean if Lefty
talks about it there has to be SOMETHING to it.

Any opinions ?

Thanks

ZL

I seem to remember quite a discussion on the subject here on ROFF, with all
the attendant theories relating the diameter of standard spools vs. large
arbor spools, and the effects of ziton rays on the meniscus, etc. I feel
sure that someone will be happy to rehash this.

BTW, some of us put more credence in Pancho than Lefty.

Danl

On 8 Feb 2004 14:19:36 -0800, (zoranlee) wrote:

Last night a browswed through a book - Lefty Kreh "Presenting the
fly"- and in the section about reels he says:
"A low starting drag is vital to prevent fish from breaking off"

Read a little further and he says to set the drag for no more than 1#
of straight pull and apply additional pressure as needed with your
fingers. This will pretty much take any additional start up resistance
of the reel out of play - assuming your tippet strength is greater
than 1#.
--
Charlie...

Don't buy anything until you play with an Sth LA3.
http://www.sthreels.com/turbinedisc.html


"zoranlee" wrote in message
om...
I am lookinginto buying an 8 wt reel in the up to $200 range.
Mostly for steelhead/salmon and stripers with some light sal****er
usage once in a while.
Tioga Reels seem to be very popular and I was ready to buy a LA one
but than a friend pointed out a Lamson Velocity 3.5 in a local shop.
Most people here seem to like the Velocity reels.
Last night a browswed through a book - Lefty Kreh "Presenting the
fly"- and in the section about reels he says:
"A low starting drag is vital to prevent fish from breaking off"
I could not remember hearing or reading about this but than again I am
pretty new to fly fishing.
I figured that is just something the reel manufacturers are not happy
to talk about. I was sure I would find a lot of info in ROFF.
Not so. I did a search on "startup drag" and "starting drag" and
"startup inertia" and pretty much the only useful info I found was a
post from May 2002 talking about a Fly Fish America magazine test.

The Lamson Velocity 3.5 with a startup velocity of 14.3% was the 2nd
WORST. The LA Tioga was not listed in the post.

How come there are no discussions on this in ROFF ? I mean if Lefty
talks about it there has to be SOMETHING to it.

Any opinions ?

Thanks

ZL

Charlie Choc wrote:

On 8 Feb 2004 14:19:36 -0800, (zoranlee) wrote:


Last night a browswed through a book - Lefty Kreh "Presenting the
fly"- and in the section about reels he says:
"A low starting drag is vital to prevent fish from breaking off"


Read a little further and he says to set the drag for no more than 1#
of straight pull and apply additional pressure as needed with your
fingers. This will pretty much take any additional start up resistance
of the reel out of play - assuming your tippet strength is greater
than 1#.

If you set a drag so low, what is the advantage of a reel with a drag
over a click and pawl?

Willi

On 8 Feb 2004 14:19:36 -0800, (zoranlee) wrote:

I am lookinginto buying an 8 wt reel in the up to $200 range.
Mostly for steelhead/salmon and stripers with some light sal****er
usage once in a while.
Tioga Reels seem to be very popular and I was ready to buy a LA one
but than a friend pointed out a Lamson Velocity 3.5 in a local shop.
Most people here seem to like the Velocity reels.
Last night a browswed through a book - Lefty Kreh "Presenting the
fly"- and in the section about reels he says:
"A low starting drag is vital to prevent fish from breaking off"
I could not remember hearing or reading about this but than again I am
pretty new to fly fishing.
I figured that is just something the reel manufacturers are not happy
to talk about. I was sure I would find a lot of info in ROFF.
Not so. I did a search on "startup drag" and "starting drag" and
"startup inertia" and pretty much the only useful info I found was a
post from May 2002 talking about a Fly Fish America magazine test.

The Lamson Velocity 3.5 with a startup velocity of 14.3% was the 2nd
WORST. The LA Tioga was not listed in the post.

How come there are no discussions on this in ROFF ? I mean if Lefty
talks about it there has to be SOMETHING to it.

Any opinions ?

Thanks

ZL


Just pulled out my V3.5 and gave the drag a few tugs -- smooth as
silk, no noticeable startup stickiness at all. (Mind you, it's well
broken in. G) Anyway, your drag should only be tight enough to
prevent overspooling on a hot fish.

Startup stickiness can cause an ugly pulsing as the drag alternately
grabs and releases but, other than when using light tippets, it's not
really a big deal unles it's excessive.

Peter

turn mailhot into hotmail to reply

Visit The Streamer Page at http://www.mountaincable.net/~pcharl...ers/index.html

On Sun, 08 Feb 2004 18:07:40 -0700, Willi wrote:



Charlie Choc wrote:

On 8 Feb 2004 14:19:36 -0800, (zoranlee) wrote:


Last night a browswed through a book - Lefty Kreh "Presenting the
fly"- and in the section about reels he says:
"A low starting drag is vital to prevent fish from breaking off"


Read a little further and he says to set the drag for no more than 1#
of straight pull and apply additional pressure as needed with your
fingers. This will pretty much take any additional start up resistance
of the reel out of play - assuming your tippet strength is greater
than 1#.

If you set a drag so low, what is the advantage of a reel with a drag
over a click and pawl?

Willi



Except for runners like salmon, steelies, and bones etc. -- not much.

Peter

turn mailhot into hotmail to reply

Visit The Streamer Page at http://www.mountaincable.net/~pcharl...ers/index.html

On Sun, 08 Feb 2004 20:26:15 -0500, Peter Charles
wrote:

On Sun, 08 Feb 2004 18:07:40 -0700, Willi wrote:



Charlie Choc wrote:

On 8 Feb 2004 14:19:36 -0800, (zoranlee) wrote:


Last night a browswed through a book - Lefty Kreh "Presenting the
fly"- and in the section about reels he says:
"A low starting drag is vital to prevent fish from breaking off"


Read a little further and he says to set the drag for no more than 1#
of straight pull and apply additional pressure as needed with your
fingers. This will pretty much take any additional start up resistance
of the reel out of play - assuming your tippet strength is greater
than 1#.

If you set a drag so low, what is the advantage of a reel with a drag
over a click and pawl?

Willi



Except for runners like salmon, steelies, and bones etc. -- not much.

Which has often been stated here...and many would agree...

In article ,
(zoranlee) wrote:

I am lookinginto buying an 8 wt reel in the up to $200 range.
Mostly for steelhead/salmon and stripers with some light sal****er
usage once in a while.
Tioga Reels seem to be very popular and I was ready to buy a LA one
but than a friend pointed out a Lamson Velocity 3.5 in a local shop.
Most people here seem to like the Velocity reels.
Last night a browswed through a book - Lefty Kreh "Presenting the
fly"- and in the section about reels he says:
"A low starting drag is vital to prevent fish from breaking off"
I could not remember hearing or reading about this but than again I am
pretty new to fly fishing.
I figured that is just something the reel manufacturers are not happy
to talk about. I was sure I would find a lot of info in ROFF.
Not so. I did a search on "startup drag" and "starting drag" and
"startup inertia" and pretty much the only useful info I found was a
post from May 2002 talking about a Fly Fish America magazine test.

The Lamson Velocity 3.5 with a startup velocity of 14.3% was the 2nd
WORST. The LA Tioga was not listed in the post.

How come there are no discussions on this in ROFF ? I mean if Lefty
talks about it there has to be SOMETHING to it.

Any opinions ?

Thanks

ZL

Hi, flyfishamerica discusses this. Go to http://www.flyfishamerica.com/Buyers...ersGuides.html
and click on large arbor reels.

--
"He that would exchange liberty for temporary safety
deserves neither liberty nor safety. Ben Franklin
"Those who are ready to sacrifice freedom for security
ultimately will lose both" - Abraham Lincoln

Stick to basic black and don't wear open-toe heels in the Winter. :-)

-----------------------------------------------------
Cut "to the chase" for my email address.