Clickety Clack

I love click-pawl reels. There's some primal connection of man to fish about them. I love the sound as you strip off line or a fish runs. They just have this immediate and tactile quality that's hard to truly describe. From talking to other fly anglers, clickers seem to be a love or don't proposition. The Hatch guys mostly look at me like I've lost my low-tech mind.

Currently, I own a bunch of clickers for a variety of sizes and applications. From larger models on full spey rods, down to a small reel for my 4-weight trout rod. Each has unique and distinctive features that set it apart from the others. The common thread? I love them all. I think I picked up this mantra from my guns - I don't own any guns I don't love. I've had a couple, and when I sold them, I felt better. Same goes for my clicker reels.

I own clickers from Abel, Bozeman Reel, Kingpin, and The Spey Company (Speyco, to most). Speyco occupies a special place for me. But it's hard to put my finger on exactly what it is that I love about Tim Pantzlaff's reels. If I was pressed, I suppose it would be simply Soul. Tim's reels have soul that is unlike anything else on the market. It's in the feel in your had. The purr of the clicker. The wide range of customization options he offers to make it "your" reel. Some of my other reels have smoother machining/polishing (I'd have to give that to Kingpin, with Abel a close second). Or are more "classic" - the Bozeman SC probably gets that honor. Speyco combines soul with bombproof construction. These things are just built. You talk to Tim for just a few minutes and it's clear that this guy knows how machinery is supposed to work. And his reels reflect that knowledge in every aspect. Top-notch bearings. Everything fits together exactly as it should - rather like a finely crafted firearm.

If this sound like a commercial for Speyco, well, I suppose it is. Recently I received my second Speyco - a 3-3/4" Switch model in all black with the Snake Roll handle. This one's for my smallmouth swing set-up on a 6-weight TFO Deer Creek 11' switch rod. As soon as I got it in the reel seat, I knew this was the right call. Swinging for smallies on the previous Ross Evolution LT (a great reel -- my go-to for stripping streamers or fishing topwater smallies) just didn't seem right. Can't wait to hear it howl!

-Sean-

Addiction?

It may finally be time to consider myself a "collector" of reels, rather than an angler who buys reels to meet specific needs or rods to one who buys them for their inherent beauty, functionality or some other aspect that interests me.

With this rationalization, I can now live with the fact that I have more reels than rods to use them on. Funny part is that I know where it all started. I was Winter steelheading on a centerpin for the first time. Don't be a hater. Below the bobber, my pin rig is not very different from an indy fly set-up. I hooked a very large fish. And now I get to find one of the greatest challenges of the pin - no drag. It's just your palm and your brain trying to figure out how hard you can push 8# tippet. In the end, I landed a VERY nice brown trout. And without a triple-sealed, carbon unobtanium, Space Shuttle grade drag system. Since then, though I don't fish my pin a ton (I really mostly use it as a tool for certain situations), I love doing so. Every fish I hook is a direct connection from man to fish.

When I began exploring swinging for steelhead on a two-handed rod, the traditional click-pawl style reels immediately caught my eye. They also caught my ear - I love the sound of a good clicker. It all started with an Abel Spey series reel. I figured my classic Scott ARC 1287-3 was a classic soulful rod, that needed a reel with equal levels of class. Then an opportunity to pick up the new Abel Classic smaller reel. This (of course...) was paired with the addition of a Scott G2 905-4 rod. The penultimate classic dry fly set-up. A second Abel Spey might have slipped in there for my Scott L2h switch rod.


Kingpin Spey "Great Lakes" atop a Sage TCX 7126

Oh, and perhaps the most amazing of them all, a Great Lakes Edition of the Kingpin Spey reel. This bright green beauty is one of only 25 made and looks oh-so-sweet atop a Sage TCX 7126.

This Summer, the sickness added a new dimension - trout reels. I mean, if you think about it a drag on a trout reel is nearly useless. I stripped in a 23" brown this Spring and never touched the reel. In rapid succession, I stumbled upon two "used but new Abel Creek series reels  - an both AC2's in large arbor for my 4-weight and standard for my 6-weight.

 Now, I'm eyeing the newly introduced Bozeman Reels SC Series. Uber retro cool. I'm hoping it will just replace the Abel Classic which is a touch too heavy on the Scott G Series. Or, maybe they'll just go on my bookcase.

I need help.

-Sean-

Random Intriguing Outdoor Gear

As the Summer begins its wrap-up, and Fall steelhead and Winter skiing and fishing make there way onto the horizon, lots of assorted (and largely random) gear is on my mind.

Speyco Reels
I've developed a passion for click-pawl reels. I think it grew out of fishing a centerpin in Winter. I love that almost mythical connection from me to that surging fish. No fancy-ass sealed, carbon-ceramic-nanotube drag system. Man vs. Fish, with a little clicker help. I've already got both the Abel Spey and the Kingpin Spey. Tim Pantzlaff's beautifully machined brutish reels really have my attention. No, I don't have a stick that needs one, though maybe the Scott L2H might benefit from a smaller reel. Yeah, that's it...

Scott Radian Fly Rod
Damn you, Scott. I was done buying rods! But I have a deep lust for a super fast 7 weight for all-around streamer fishing.

Rockered Powder Skis
After only a single day on my Volkl RTM 84's, I quickly realized the impact of rocker on ski design and performance. Now my traditionally cambered Line Prophet 100's look sadly outmoded. All the great reviews of the Line Prophet 98 rockered ski are NOT helping.

Next Generation Helmet
It is quickly coming to light that current SNELL/ANSI helmet standards do little to protect your melon from much other than blunt force trauma. Reality is that concussions and rotational damage are being recognized - from the NFL to snow sports - as more serious threats to your health. I haven't done a ton of research on who has them out, etc. but look for more on this blog on the topic soon. I'm thinking it start with my ski helmet, but may later move to the cycling brain bucket.

Bozeman Reels
My name is Sean and I'm a Reel Junkie. There I said it. And as regular readers will know, I'm in love with well-made click-pawl style reels. Over the Summer I ran across this relatively new company. While all of the products look sweet (and 100% made in the U.S.A.), I'm really captivated by the SC Series. Do I need it? Nope. I may just need to admit that I collect reels and call that a hobby.

-Sean-

Product Review: Lezyne Steel Drive Floor Pump

Regular readers will know - I'm a sucker for beautifully manufactured gear. My Abel fly reels are machined masterpieces. My Giant Defy road bike frame is a thing of beauty. And I find the unsanded blanks of my Scott A4 series fly rods unique in a sea of sameness. I lust for the Kingpin centerpin because my Kingpin Spey is such a perfect reel.

A couple of years back, I discovered the bike tools and components of Lezyne. Wow. Impressive. The kind of stunning machining, just-right heft, and rugged but elegant style that I go for. Thus far, I'd never run across a need for their gear. Until recently when I decided I needed a new tire pump. My Serfas pump has become increasingly inconsistent, so I hopped in the Interwebs to check out Lezyne. Sure enough, they have one. Wood handle. Steel body. machined solid brass chuck. Now you're talking!

So, I've added a Lezyne Steel Drive Floor Pump to my quiver. Of course the aesthetics are marvelous. The machine brass chuck feels hefty in-hand and turns butter smooth. The wooden handle makes plastic-handled pumps seem so -- well -- wrong. But how does it work?

Much like the classic Silca pumps of old, the Lezyne has a thread-on chuck. No more of this "depress the chuck, flip the lever, hope it seals..." as with so-called "modern" pumps. The Lezyne is precise and powerful. But best of all, this chuck design makes you slow down. It makes you appreciate the experience and live in the moment. Kind of cool in today's wired-24/7 world. If you don't go slow, it doesn't work.

The pump stroke is absolute genius. Smooth, consistent, and controlled. The first stroke pressurizes the gauge system and then each adds 2-3 psi per stroke. Like everything else on this fine piece of gear, it just works. In a way that suggests that this was exactly like a pump was intended to feel.

 So, if you appreciate fine craftsmanship over the latest whiz-bang features, check this one out. You'll likely dig it as much as I do!

-Sean-

Kickin' it Retro

I've had a fascination with retro reels just lately. It started when I picked up an Abel Spey. As soon as I had my hands on it, I knew I had something super-cool. The first thing I noticed was the machining tolerances. I've seen it when working with clients in the tooling industry - big chunks of metal that fit together so tight there's nearly a vacuum seal. When I released the spool to have a look at the reel's innards, I could almost feel the air being pulled in. This one made my Ross Momentum V and my Orvis Mirage's feel sloppy by comparison - and neither of those is any quality slouch (for the record, I think the Mirage is maybe the best disc drag steelhead reel bargain out there). The reel foot is like some monstrous bridge girder.

But inside it really gets interesting - by being, well, less...

A center shaft accepts the spool. A gear at the base of the spool connects to two pawls. Above the pawls, two springs provide tension. There's a simple external knob to change the spring setting, but it's really mostly superfluous. Rotating the pawls sets the retrieve hand. Yep, seriously, that's it. Want more drag? Palm it. It's about that complicated. I learned the pure joy of the human drag while running a centerpin (shut it -- from the mainline down, it's identical to my float fishing fly rig, no spawn bags here). The connection to the fish when YOU are the drag is surreal.

When the opportunity to score an Abel Classic reel came along, I jumped at it. It's like a little version of the Spey. And, it's SWEET on my Scott G2 5-weight. And how often are you going to need a drag system on a dry fly trout?

So, at this point, I think I'm done, right? Not so fast...

A few months back, I meet the guy behind Kingpin reels from the UK. Though they originally made their name in centerpins, they've gotten solid props for their spey reels. And they're doing some very cool limited-edition specials. Naturally, they're doing a Great Lakes edition. D*mn. Now I'm going to end up with another stick to perch it on, too. It arrived last week and holy crap is it sweet. Very different from the massive bulk of the Abel. Don't get me wrong, it's stout. But the real attention-grabber on this one is the clicker. Like a chainsaw on a steel fence. Bold. Distinctive. And the details on this one are amazing. Brass inserts cover the line guards, eliminating the potential for line wear. The fit of frame to spool is outstanding. And so much more. Can't wait to hang this one on a big stick. Funny thing is that I think it will land on the Sage TCX 7126 "Death Star" - about as modern a rod as you can find!

Thus far, I've had a half-dozen days out with the Abel's. Nothing landed yet (one on briefly). Can't wait to hear one of these fabulous beasts scream when a big chrome grabs my fly!

-Sean-