Questions on Redington CT (click and pawl) reel

In my quest to join the ranks of gearwhores, I decided to get a 3-wt
outfit to add to my 5, 6 and 8. After reading favorable reviews I
opted for the Temple Forks 7'6" 3-wt and a Redington CT. I got both
in yesterday, and rigged up to do some lawn-fishing.

It appears the CT isn't right or left "handed". It has what looks
to be a matching pair of spring and pawls, so I'm guessing it doesn't
really matter which way I set it up. Also, I saw no sign of any
adjustment mechanism, so I'm guessing that the factory "drag" setting
is adequate as is. Is all of this correct?

So how do youse guys go about setting up leaders for fishing a
light rig like that? Most of the factory-made taper butts seems to be
about .021, but that seems a bit too big for matching up to the line
(.019 looks more like it). Does anyone make a knotless tapered leader
that matches well with a 3-wt, or should I just roll my own?


Anyhow, I *really* enjoyed casting with this outfit. It seemed
effortless to cast, but I had to pay a little extra attention to the
backcast to get the feel for when it was loading. I rigged up with a
braided leader just for kicks, and the yarn "fly" I was throwing
seemed to just hover above the lawn.

Finally, if anyone is interested in owning a NIB 2/3 wt. CT,
contact me offgroup. I ordered one before realizing that the 3/4 is
better-suited for this rig, so I have one that hasn't even been used.
And as of last week, there is at least one place that still has the CT
in stock. They aren't reduced, but they are available at Creekside
Fly Fishing: http://www.creeksideflyfishing.com/M...tore_Code=CSFF


Chuck Vance

"Conan the Librarian" wrote in message
om...
"So how do youse guys go about setting up leaders for fishing a
light rig like that? Most of the factory-made taper butts seems to be
about .021, but that seems a bit too big for matching up to the line
(.019 looks more like it). Does anyone make a knotless tapered leader
that matches well with a 3-wt, or should I just roll my own?"

After a fair amount of experimentation this summer I have come to rely on a
furled leader for my 2 and 3 weight rods, going to hand-tied with SS or
Maxima for my 4 weight and above rods. I love the way the 3wt rod I have
casts with a furled leader - very nice, delicate delivery. So far, one
leader lasted all season and will work well into the next. A fair return on
the rather spendy investment these leaders demand (I paid about $10 for a 9
foot, 3 weight design made by an Olympia WA manufacturer stocked by my local
shop).

A couple things I found. First, use a surgeons loop to add about 12" of 5X
tippet to the looped end of the furled leader. I then blood knot 3 feet or
so of 5X or 6X tippet to that. The end loop in a furled leader seems
delicate to me (though I have had no problems despite a few 16" smallies,
numerous panfish and a couple browns in the 14" range). Once it tightens up
on the tippet connection it is a pain in the a** to open it back up,
requiring an awl or bodkin (or 2). With the "sacrifice" 5X as a
semi-permanent connecting piece I only had to work the loop twice all
season.

I found the furled leader didn't present too much "spray" on a forward cast
and what spray there was shook off on a single false cast - fine for dries.
The leader is FAR more supple than any mono construction I have tried and
works superbly for soft-hackle and wet fly presentations "down and across" a
la Nymes. I don't think a furled leader is a very good choice into a wind,
but then neither is a 3wt! For my apps (small streams and ponds, flies to
size 12 wet or 14 dry) this combo is tough to beat.

YMMV

Joe C.

Joe C. wrote:snip I love the way the 3wt rod I have
casts with a furled leader - very nice, delicate delivery. So far, one
leader lasted all season and will work well into the next

I am going to have to give these a try. I have a friend that makes the furled
leaders and I will ask him to make me a few light ones suitable for use on 3
weight rods.

Big Dale

Chuck wrote: It appears the CT isn't right or left "handed". It has what
looks
to be a matching pair of spring and pawls, so I'm guessing it doesn't
really matter which way I set it up.

You got that right. I find that the way it is set up out of the box works fine
for me. I only use drag to keep the reel from overspooling and it does fine for
that.

On the leaders, I just buy a 12 foot leader and shorten the butt by three or
four geet before glueing it to the tip of the fly line. I like to avoid as many
knots as possible due mto all the vegetation in most of the waters that I fish.

Sounds like a cool outfit to me. I got a call from my rod builder yesterday and
he said that he had finished putting the new cool little Leo Eck reel seat on
my Temple Fork 8.5 foot 3 weight 4 piece rod. We will have a good time playing
with it at Rendezvous this weekend. I think I am planning on only taking 4
three weights rods there this weekend.

Toys are cool

Big Dale.

"Cornmuse" wrote in message ...

After a fair amount of experimentation this summer I have come to rely on a
furled leader for my 2 and 3 weight rods, going to hand-tied with SS or
Maxima for my 4 weight and above rods. I love the way the 3wt rod I have
casts with a furled leader - very nice, delicate delivery. So far, one
leader lasted all season and will work well into the next. A fair return on
the rather spendy investment these leaders demand (I paid about $10 for a 9
foot, 3 weight design made by an Olympia WA manufacturer stocked by my local
shop).

I bought a couple of the *rv*s braided leaders when the Austin shop
had their store-closing sale, and so far I like the way it casts on
the 3-wt. Is there a company name I should be looking for for the
leader you describe?

I've been thinking about making my own, but just haven't gotten
around to making the jig for braiding.

A couple things I found. First, use a surgeons loop to add about 12" of 5X
tippet to the looped end of the furled leader. I then blood knot 3 feet or
so of 5X or 6X tippet to that. The end loop in a furled leader seems
delicate to me (though I have had no problems despite a few 16" smallies,
numerous panfish and a couple browns in the 14" range). Once it tightens up
on the tippet connection it is a pain in the a** to open it back up,
requiring an awl or bodkin (or 2). With the "sacrifice" 5X as a
semi-permanent connecting piece I only had to work the loop twice all
season.

Sounds like excellent advice, thanks. I was actually thinking that
the loop on the tippet section looked fairly delicate when I was
setting up my rig. Also, I was wondering if I would run into any
problems with the mono and braid junction due to the dissimilarity of
materials.

I found the furled leader didn't present too much "spray" on a forward cast
and what spray there was shook off on a single false cast - fine for dries.
The leader is FAR more supple than any mono construction I have tried and
works superbly for soft-hackle and wet fly presentations "down and across" a
la Nymes. I don't think a furled leader is a very good choice into a wind,
but then neither is a 3wt! For my apps (small streams and ponds, flies to
size 12 wet or 14 dry) this combo is tough to beat.

I bought the 3-wt for stream fishing here and for some trips I
expect to be taking in the future to places like NC. After my
experience casting even a 5-wt into the wind in Montana in September,
I've got no illusions about it working in those sorts of conditions.
:-}

Thanks for your advice. Now if I can just get someone to comment
on my question about the Redington reel.


Chuck Vance

(Brimbum) wrote in message ...

Chuck wrote: It appears the CT isn't right or left "handed". It has what
looks
to be a matching pair of spring and pawls, so I'm guessing it doesn't
really matter which way I set it up.

You got that right. I find that the way it is set up out of the box works fine
for me. I only use drag to keep the reel from overspooling and it does fine for
that.

Thanks for confirming that, BD.

On the leaders, I just buy a 12 foot leader and shorten the butt by three or
four geet before glueing it to the tip of the fly line. I like to avoid as many
knots as possible due mto all the vegetation in most of the waters that I fish.

That makes sense. When you say you glue the leader to the line,
are you talking about the method where you insert the leader into the
line and glue it (the Whitlock method)? I usually use a loop-to-loop
connection with a permanent bit of mono nail-knotted to the line with
a perfection loop in the end. But maybe I need to look at other ways
for this light tackle.

Sounds like a cool outfit to me. I got a call from my rod builder yesterday and
he said that he had finished putting the new cool little Leo Eck reel seat on
my Temple Fork 8.5 foot 3 weight 4 piece rod. We will have a good time playing
with it at Rendezvous this weekend. I think I am planning on only taking 4
three weights rods there this weekend.

Toys are cool

Amen.


Chuck Vance

Conan wrote:snipWhen you say you glue the leader to the line,
are you talking about the method where you insert the leader into the
line and glue it (the Whitlock method)? I usually use a loop-to-loop
connection with a permanent bit of mono nail-knotted to the line with
a perfection loop in the end.

Yeah, I use what is now called "the Whitlock method". I first learned it from
the guys as the Austin Angler. I keep running into "Whitlock methods" that were
in common use before they became "the Whitlock method." I prefer it for my
light line fly lines, but then I have waters that grow a lot more "salad" than
do the ones in the hill country.

Big Dale

Brimbum wrote:


Yeah, I use what is now called "the Whitlock method". I first learned it from
the guys as the Austin Angler. I keep running into "Whitlock methods" that were
in common use before they became "the Whitlock method."

Yeah, I know ... I was taught it by those same guys (Joe and ?) back
in the early 80's. I just tend to call it that because it's a handy
shorthand way to describe it.

I prefer it for my
light line fly lines, but then I have waters that grow a lot more "salad" than
do the ones in the hill country.

Just curious, what do you do to minimize changing leaders (and
shortening your flyline) while at the same time keeping the knots to a
minimum? I've been using the loop-to-loop with an extra length of
tippet surgeon's-knotted to the leader.


Chuck Vance

Conan The Librarian wrote:

Just curious, what do you do to minimize changing leaders (and
shortening your flyline) while at the same time keeping the knots to a
minimum? I've been using the loop-to-loop with an extra length of
tippet surgeon's-knotted to the leader.

Realizing you're not talking to me, I'll chime in anyway.

I tie new leaders onto a mono "butt end" with a blood knot. One butt end
lasts for quite a few leader changes. It's basically the thick end of a
new tapered leader.

I attach the butt end to the flyline with either a needle knot, a nail
knot, or a leader link.

Loop-to-loop connections on light tackle suck, IMO.

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

conan wrote:


really matter which way I set it up. Also, I saw no sign of any
adjustment mechanism, so I'm guessing that the factory "drag" setting
is adequate as is. Is all of this correct?

my still-unused "new" redington CT 5/6 has a small slightly knurled knob on
the back for adjusting drag. perhaps it's different for the smaller
reels????

eric zamora
fresno, ca.