Product Review - Abel Creek Series Fly Reel

In the past year or so, I've become a huge fan of Abel reels. Their machining and tolerances are so incredibly tight, I'm just amazed. I've always had a soft spot for beautifully machined (and finished) metal. And, in my mind, Abel Automatics is one of the best. Founded by a machinist who thought he could do better, this is the sort of company I have huge respect for.

I've also developed a passion for traditional click-pawl reels. Mechanically simple, readily serviced (if you ever need it), and utterly retro-cool. And, oh that sound. Whether reeling in, or with a fish peeling off line. Well, it's just cool. It started with an Abel Spey, then a Classic, and then a Kingpin Spey.

So when the opportunity to pick up a "not new, but never fished" Abel Creek Series AC2 Large Arbor I snapped it up. Perfect for me Scott A3 854-4. Now I have a great little classic rig for smaller trout. Like the Spey series, the AC2 is beautifully machined and finished. Everything fits together with an almost airtight precision. Mine's finished in the Pewter, which is aesthetically perfect on my A4.

Now the clicker bug has me firmly in its grasp. My Scott A4 906-4 has been sporting a just-fine Orvis Mirage III. Very nice reel. Great drag system. Waterproof, consistent. But it lacks soul. And about this time an Abel Creek Series AC2 Standard Arbor shows up pre-owned, but never fished on a forum. Bang. Mine. With the standard arbor, the line and backing from the Mirage fit perfectly. Had the chance to fish it on the Manistee river last week for trout. Perfect. Exactly what I wanted.

There's a soul to fly fishing. And, for me, that's especially true of reels. There's a beauty in precise machining, super-tight tolerances, and spectacular finishes. I once had a discussion with the founder of Kingpin Reels about outsourcing machining - a common practice on this side of the pond. Stuart quickly (and politely) said, "No way - I won't give up the precision I can only achieve myself." I want that reel on my stick.

The clicker adds a special uniqueness to a reel. And thus far, my Creek Series reels are extra-special in this regard. They have a great tone and cadence that I love. Plus they're infinitely adjustable with a reliable, yet mechanically simple system.

So, if you're all about sealed drags and precise start-up - sorry I wasted your time. But if you want soul in your trout reel, give the Abel Creek series a look. I love mine.

-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-

First Impressions - Abel Spey Fly Reel

I've been lucky enough to add a sweet reel to the collection for the upcoming Fall steelhead season. For a while I'd been thinking about a traditional click-and-pawl reel. I love the old school look and feel, plus the idea of a screaming reel with a bit of hot chrome on the other end of the line is pretty appealing!

I was first looking at reels from the Spey Company, in Wisconsin. Fully machined, made in the USA, and readily customized to be cool and unique. But, I hadn't found $450 lying around to dedicate to a "nice to have" reel that I didn't truly NEED (but seriously, is any of this about need anyway?).

Out of nowhere, along comes a deal on an Abel Spey reel. If you're unfamiliar with Abel, these folks make top-notch products. But they're not cheap. My Abel nippers are about the sweetest fly fishing accessory you'll ever find.

Though I have done little other than practice cast with it on my Scott ARC 1287-3, I've been mighty impressed. One area that really stands out is the fit of the spool to the frame. This is an area where exceptional workmanship really shines. My mass-produced Ross and Orvis reels are just fine, but the can't hold a candle to the tight-as-a-drum Abel. It sounds like closing the door on a really high-end European performance car.

My reel is the retro non-ported design, in classic black. I'm not really sure I could even own any color combination other than this. The finish on this reel is perfect - not too matte, not too shiny.

Once inside you realize the simplicity of this sort of reel. All you find is a spring and two clickers. By simply rotating them you can select from right-hand or left-hand retrieve. Simple as that! By engaging both clickers, you get the maximum drag setting (which is where I've set mine). One cool feature is the externally adjustable drag. A nice surprise on this sort of reel. At minimum, this will be a nice way to take the tension off the spring when I'm not fishing.

Can't wait to get this one on the swing this Fall! Only a few weeks away!

-Sean-

Roll with Soul

For a while now I've wanted to get a retro-cool click-and-pawl reel for my Scott ARC 1287-3 spey rod. I'm starting to develop an appreciation for matching the character of rods and reels. And as this sense developed, this classic olde schoole stick seemed to be dying for a click-pawl reel.

It started with a Ross CLA-6 because it was the right size and didn't cost much. But it had no soul and isn't the most sophisticated drag for bad weather steelhead with a bad attitude. Then I stumbled on a gently used Orvis Mirage 6. This thing is a beautifully engineered and machined reel with a first-rate sealed drag system. In short, it's the shizznit. But it seems better suited to a Helios or a Sage TCX. So my quest for some soul continued.

The Circle Spey from Speyco seemed like an excellent option. These semi-custom traditional style reels are hand-machined in Wisconsin. Some dialogue with owner Tim Pantzlaff and I'd settled on the Circle Spey model. Now I was just waiting for some spare cash to fall into my grimy paws.

In the meantime...

Along comes an opportunity to pick up an Abel Spey reel. Abel reels have an amazing reputation as some of the most durable, well-made reels for salt or freshwater applications. And the Spey model (without ports, of course -- points for style) looks and feels just like an updated classic Hardy. The machining and finish are top-notch. The design is simple and classic. And the sound of that clicker --- mmmmm, music! Can't wait to have an angry Fall steelhead make a run for Lake Michigan and make that reel sing!

I'm also taking this opportunity to re-configure my lines for greater diversity. I've been using a full Rio Skagit line, but I'm going to switch over to a running line/shooting head combo. This will enable me to enjoy some of the experimentation of using different style heads with more convenience (and much less expense). I'm planning to start off with a 500 grain Skagit Extreme Intermediate head from Scientific Anglers and a Scandi head of some sort. I've been running the Skagit Extreme Intermediate on my 6 weight switch rig for smallies and it's been great.

Can't wait for the Fall run! Fish on!!!

-Sean-

Rig Wranglin' - Part 2

OK, so we've talked a bit about the changes to the chuck-n-duck rig; now more about my primary indicator/swing rig...

This set-up is centered around a Scott A3 11' 8-weight switch rod. As per usual with Scott rods I have only one word -- "sweet!" Great stick. Balances well, has some nice backbone for casting and fighting fish. All good. I briefly toyed with swapping out for one of the new L2H rods. I talked to a couple of knowledgeable Scott folks and both said the A3 was a pretty sweet stick, and the L2H wouldn't be worth the effort to change. Good! One less stick to swap out!

I fish this rod both as an indicator set-up, as well as for swinging streamers on small to mid-sized rivers.

The swing set-up is unchanged; older Ross Momentum V reel (tankasaurus) with Rio Skagit Short in 500 grain with a 5-foot cheater. This one's MONEY; throws big flies with great accuracy and accomodates my mediocre spey casting skills. I may explore switching to a shooting line and head system, perhaps based on the new Scientific Anglers Skagit Extreme next Fall. Would be fun to try tweaking weight, and even playing with Scandi lines.

Previous Ross Momentum V LT

The bigger change is on the float set-up. Previously I had a Ross Momentum V LT with a few guide miles on it. I like the Momentum series well enough (though I think I preferred the older one) I do have a few concerns. First the drag isn't sealed. Since this one's my go-to Winter rig, that's of some concern. All I need is a frozen-up free spooling reel to blow a day. Second there are a couple of weak-link plastic parts in the drag system. Nothing major, but when the chance to score a lightly used Orvis Mirage V came along, I jumped at it. Bulletproof drag system, fully sealed, and getting great reviews throughout the industry this is a hot new reel. As of now, the vintage Rio Atlantic Salmon/Steelhead line remains on it. But I noticed that it's underperforming when turning over the rig, so I suspect a new line will be in order next Fall. Line technology has improved so much in the past 12 months.

Couple more steelhead trips and the season will be at a close. Up next it's STREAMER TIME for the big trout. Can't wait!

-Sean-