Orvis Clearwater or Rocky Mountain reel?

I posted here three weeks ago for advice on the subject of my old Fenwick #7
rod and taking up fly fishing. I have been doing some reading to get up to
speed in the interim. Now I want to elicit opinions on a reel comparison
and I figured this would be the place to ask :-) Which reel would you
recommend (for trout) out of these two, an Orvis Clearwater and an Orvis
Rocky Mountain?

Also, I'd like to thank all who posted responses to my original thread.

One guy suggested I find a fly shop with "a couple of scruffy characters
drinking coffee" and have them sell me some line and flies and install the
line for me. Well I went, but I won't be going back. I took my 30-year old
rod and walked into a place in Los Angeles that specialises in fly fishing
and the the experience made we wonder whether I really wanted to take up fly
fishing at all. Now I don't know whether it was because I wasn't actually
waving a credit card at him or because it was nearly closing time, but the
guy looked at me like I was something on the underneath of his shoe. I will
not go back there if I have to drive an extra hundred miles to buy flies
and a reel.

Thanks for letting me vent, and for any opinions on my reel choices,

Dan Hugh-Jones

"Dan" wrote in message
...
I will
not go back there if I have to drive an extra hundred miles to buy flies
and a reel.

Thanks for letting me vent, and for any opinions on my reel choices,

Dan Hugh-Jones

You found a flyshop in LA with "a couple of scruffy characters drinking
coffee[?]"

Op --order on-line and save the gas--

"Dan" wrote in message
...
....Which reel would you
recommend (for trout) out of these two, an Orvis Clearwater and an Orvis
Rocky Mountain?

Whichever is cheaper.

Also, I'd like to thank all who posted responses to my original thread.

You're welcome, on their behalf.

One guy suggested I find a fly shop with "a couple of scruffy characters
drinking coffee" and have them sell me some line and flies and install the
line for me. Well I went, but I won't be going back. I took my 30-year old
rod and walked into a place in Los Angeles that specialises in fly fishing
and the the experience made we wonder whether I really wanted to take up
fly
fishing at all. Now I don't know whether it was because I wasn't actually
waving a credit card at him or because it was nearly closing time, but the
guy looked at me like I was something on the underneath of his shoe. I
will
not go back there if I have to drive an extra hundred miles to buy flies
and a reel.

You got bad advice. You SHOULD have gone to a place with a bunch of scruffy
characters drinking something that was unidentifiable yet manifestly NOT
coffee.

Thanks for letting me vent, and for any opinions on my reel choices,

No problem. You will discover soon enough that once you have taken that
fatal first step (and you have) there are no real choices.

Wolfgang

On Wed, 12 Nov 2003 15:24:50 -0800, "Dan" wrote:

I posted here three weeks ago for advice on the subject of my old Fenwick #7
rod and taking up fly fishing. I have been doing some reading to get up to
speed in the interim. Now I want to elicit opinions on a reel comparison
and I figured this would be the place to ask :-) Which reel would you
recommend (for trout) out of these two, an Orvis Clearwater and an Orvis
Rocky Mountain?

Also, I'd like to thank all who posted responses to my original thread.

One guy suggested I find a fly shop with "a couple of scruffy characters
drinking coffee" and have them sell me some line and flies and install the
line for me. Well I went, but I won't be going back. I took my 30-year old
rod and walked into a place in Los Angeles that specialises in fly fishing
and the the experience made we wonder whether I really wanted to take up fly
fishing at all. Now I don't know whether it was because I wasn't actually
waving a credit card at him or because it was nearly closing time, but the
guy looked at me like I was something on the underneath of his shoe. I will
not go back there if I have to drive an extra hundred miles to buy flies
and a reel.

Thanks for letting me vent, and for any opinions on my reel choices,

Dan Hugh-Jones




We've all been there. There's a fly shop about 60 miles north of us, the only
one within about an hours drive. It's in heavy duty tourist country. I've been
in there twice. Both times I was given the once over , followed by the kind of
look I used to get from some of my first wife's rich relatives ( a strange look
combining condescension with antipathy) and then ignored. Phooey on them.

As far as the reels go, the Rocky Mountain is probably a bit heavier than the
Clearwater and may balance your fiberglass Fenwick a bit better. Also it has a
better drag IIRC (the Clearwater still has the plain, unadjustable click and
pawl,right?).

g.c.

Hi Dan,

What ever you do, be sure that they install your backing and fly line in the
direction of your choice. We still get people in that have bought stuff mail
order and it is not put together. There is no charge for this service in
most good fly shops if you purchase it there.

If you get tired of all this, just call us on my USA toll free phone number
seven days a week and we will take good care of you. We have all that stuff
in stock, can put it together right and ship it out that same day.

It is sad that many don't have a "good" fly shop within driving distance of
their home.

1-800-400-0359

--
Bill Kiene

Kiene's Fly Shop
Sacramento, CA
www.kiene.com

"Dan" wrote in message
...

I posted here three weeks ago for advice on the subject of my old Fenwick
#7
rod and taking up fly fishing. I have been doing some reading to get up to
speed in the interim. Now I want to elicit opinions on a reel comparison
and I figured this would be the place to ask :-) Which reel would you
recommend (for trout) out of these two, an Orvis Clearwater and an Orvis
Rocky Mountain?

Also, I'd like to thank all who posted responses to my original thread.

One guy suggested I find a fly shop with "a couple of scruffy characters
drinking coffee" and have them sell me some line and flies and install the
line for me. Well I went, but I won't be going back. I took my 30-year old
rod and walked into a place in Los Angeles that specialises in fly fishing
and the the experience made we wonder whether I really wanted to take up
fly
fishing at all. Now I don't know whether it was because I wasn't actually
waving a credit card at him or because it was nearly closing time, but the
guy looked at me like I was something on the underneath of his shoe. I
will
not go back there if I have to drive an extra hundred miles to buy flies
and a reel.

Thanks for letting me vent, and for any opinions on my reel choices,

Dan Hugh-Jones

I bought a clearwater reel about a year ago, and haven't been doing any
heavy fishing, but I did do a little salt water fishing with it. I would
vote for the clearwater. Even after fishing in the "big blue" it is still
holding up very nicley. The reel that I have has two click and pawl thingies
on it, and there is one drag adjustment to adjust both. I have the 3/4
model, and I would have to say it is nicest little reel I've ever owned.(out
of all 3 of them!) It balences the three forks rod I have VERY well. I would
think that the clearwater would be just fine on your #7, plus, it's much
cheaper than the other one.

Alex
"Dan" wrote in message
...
I posted here three weeks ago for advice on the subject of my old Fenwick
#7
rod and taking up fly fishing. I have been doing some reading to get up to
speed in the interim. Now I want to elicit opinions on a reel comparison
and I figured this would be the place to ask :-) Which reel would you
recommend (for trout) out of these two, an Orvis Clearwater and an Orvis
Rocky Mountain?

Also, I'd like to thank all who posted responses to my original thread.

One guy suggested I find a fly shop with "a couple of scruffy characters
drinking coffee" and have them sell me some line and flies and install the
line for me. Well I went, but I won't be going back. I took my 30-year old
rod and walked into a place in Los Angeles that specialises in fly fishing
and the the experience made we wonder whether I really wanted to take up
fly
fishing at all. Now I don't know whether it was because I wasn't actually
waving a credit card at him or because it was nearly closing time, but the
guy looked at me like I was something on the underneath of his shoe. I
will
not go back there if I have to drive an extra hundred miles to buy flies
and a reel.

Thanks for letting me vent, and for any opinions on my reel choices,

Dan Hugh-Jones

"Guyz-N-Flyz" wrote in message
.. .

"Dan" wrote in message
...
I will
not go back there if I have to drive an extra hundred miles to buy
flies
and a reel.

Thanks for letting me vent, and for any opinions on my reel choices,

Dan Hugh-Jones

You found a flyshop in LA with "a couple of scruffy characters drinking
coffee[?]"



We forgot to mention that there needed to be a river within 10 miles of the
shop, too. I can't imagine a fly shop of any quality at all being in LA,
since anyone who places a high priority on the flyfishing life sure wouldn't
want to put down roots in LA.

--riverman
(hoping to hell Bill's shop isn't in LA...)

"riverman" wrote in message
...

We forgot to mention that there needed to be a river within 10 miles of
the
shop, too. I can't imagine a fly shop of any quality at all being in LA,
since anyone who places a high priority on the flyfishing life sure
wouldn't
want to put down roots in LA.


Serious about flyfishing or not, I can't imagine putting down roots in LA,
but to each his---or her---own. You might be surprised, though, at the
number of wild trout streams within a very short drive of the Hollywood
sign. Browns and 'bows, some of respectable size. Stretch that drive to an
hour-and-a-half, and you're looking at native trout in a very remote
location. Sorry, but if I was any more specific in a public forum I'd get a
midnight visit from an LA flyfishing club's death squad :-(

Cheers,
Bill

Hell Bill,
The way they drive in LA they could be almost anywhere in the state in an
hour and a half..
Ernie

"Bill Mason" wrote
Stretch that drive to an hour-and-a-half, and you're looking at native
trout in a very remote
location. Sorry, but if I was any more specific in a public forum I'd get
a
midnight visit from an LA flyfishing club's death squad :-(
Cheers,
Bill

Again, my thanks to all who posted. This is a nice group. I didn't get too
many opinions on which would make the better reel for me (a beginner) - the
Orvis "Rocky Mountain" or the "Clearwater"? Can I get some more? The price
difference is only about $12, but I have read and heard that the reel makes
little difference for trout fishing.

Also, the good news is that I have found a friend of a friend who is a a
keen fly fisherman and who lives and fishes locally. I am going to have a
drink with him next week, so I will be able to stop bugging you people for
advice. Woohoo!

Dan