Interesting comments, Phil. An acquaintance gets all worked up about whether a reel weighs 5.2 ounces vs. 4.8 ounces, etc. Heck, I don't want some of those lighter ones, because there is a certain point at which durability is sacrificed for weight. And, a 200# guy shouldn't be worrying about an additional 1/2 ounce between reels. Note that I said "shouldn't" . . .
Uplocking vs. downlocking, metal seats vs. graphite seats, light reel vs. heavy reel, large arbor vs. standard arbor, DT vs. WF, 8'6" rod vs. 9'0" rod, 2 piece vs. 3 piece vs. 4 piece vs. 5 piece, WW Grigg vs. Sage vs. Orvis vs. Heritage, blah blah . . . it all makes for discussion and more products to sell and own. <grin> Richard ----- Original Message ----- From: "Karen Crandall & Phil Marie-Rose" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Thursday, May 16, 2002 9:05 AM Subject: Re: Reel seats? Uplocking vs. downlocking. > I don't think I've said anything to upset anyone in awhile, so it's about > time I do! "Balancing" a reel and a rod has been one of my pet peeves for > almost as long as I can remember. I can't tell you how many well meaning > folks have come into the shop and tried all kinds of reels on a rod they > were interested in. some going as far as taping coins to the reel until it > all balanced perfectly right at their grip point, and then they would ask to > use the shop scale to find the "perfect reel weight". > > If they were cool about things I would talk to them before they got that > far, if they were know it all jerks (and you know who you are out there > folks!) I would wait until they asked for the scale and then ask them: "how > much line you expect to be out of the guides on your average cast?" Most of > them would understand the question and buy whatever reel they wanted and not > worry about the weight. Others wouldn't even come close to grasping it and > would peel 45 feet of line off the reel and want to weigh it again and add > that to the equation, which if funny on many levels. > > That's one reason two of my most used reels are an Orvis Vortex, and Pate > Tarpon (aka the "coffee grinder") . They can always double as Anchors in a > strong wind. Worrying about weight and its placement on the rod makes about > as much sense to me as worrying if you're using a 95% knot or a 97% knot... > Grab what you got and fish with it. If you're building one, grab what looks > good to you and fish with it. Just fish... Rant concluded. I've enjoyed > it, and I hope you have to. > > Phil, who is feeling particularly cranky today because he didn't get to wet > a line last night. > > P.S. If he gets to wet a line tonight, he will most likely apologize > tomorrow. > > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: rderedfield <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Sent: Thursday, May 16, 2002 10:11 AM > Subject: Re: Reel seats? Uplocking vs. downlocking. > > > > Hmmm, interesting comment, Rob . . . I don't know that many folks who cast > > with that much momentum or acceleration to cause that degree of intertia. > > I'll work on it . . . my casting stroke must be too wimpy. > > > > Here are two other perspetives, both that I've heard before from industry > > folks. The first perspective is balance. If you are familiar with the > item > > Abel sells calls the Abel Arm, it's an angled reel foot extension that > moves > > the weight of the reel forward and more under the grip. This places the > > weight of the reel more towards the grip. An uplocking reel seat is > similar > > in concept, but in a less extreme sense. In an uplocking reel seat, the > > weight of the reel is moved more towards the grip and your hand, for > better > > balance; a downlocking reel seat moves the weight of the reel away from > the > > grip. Balance, for most rods, would be better if the weight were moved > > closer to the grip (that which supports the rod/reel/line assembly). > > > > The second perspective is the "teeter totter" perspective. The further > the > > weight is from the grip, the larger the 'moment arm', which during a long > > day of casting, requires that you use more force to cast. Think of a > teeter > > totter and how it moves relative to if the weight(s) are moved closer or > > further from the pivot point. The further weight moves from the pivot > point > > (which would be your grip/hand on a fly rod), the larger the counter > weight > > (force) on the other side needs to be. So, the further you move the reel > > (as in downlocking reel seats) from the grip, the more force you need to > > exert at the opposite end (rod tip end). > > > > Another item not discussed; the uplocking reel seats protect my reel. > > Walking along rivers I've fallen a few times where my hand hold the rod > > jammed on the shore. If I had a downlocking reel seat, the reel would > have > > smacked the rocks. Instead, my reel seat sacrifices itself for the reel. > > So, instead of a beat-up reel, I have a beat-up reel seat end. Although > > reel seats can be expensive, they are a whole lot cheaper than a reel, and > a > > scratched up reel seat end won't end my fishing day, where a dented reel > > could end my fishing for the day. > > > > Richard Embry > > > > ----- Original Message ----- > > From: "Rob Blomquist" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > Sent: Wednesday, May 15, 2002 8:35 PM > > Subject: Re: Reel seats? > > > > > > On Tuesday 14 May 2002 09:26 am, Kent Lufkin wrote: > > > A discussion a week or so ago about switching out reel seats has had > > > me wondering about the difference between uplocking and downlocking > > > seats. > > > > Nobody got into the physics of it: > > > > Basically, when you cast, there is an upward force that runs through the > > rod, > > and can cause a downlocking reel seat to loosen. Uplocking reel seats will > > tighten with this force. > > > > I have had many a reel drop off a rod while fishing with downlocking > seats, > > but nary a one with uplocking. > > > > Rob > > > > -- > > Rob Blomquist > > Kirkland, WA > > > > On the side of the software box, in the 'System Requirements' section, it > > said > > 'Requires Windows 95 or better'. So I installed Linux and lived happily > ever > > after. > > > > > > > >
