Product Review Abel Spey Reel

I've got most of a Fall season chasing chrome on my Abel Spey reel, so I thought a review was warranted.

This reel was added to my quiver out of a desire to go a little retro with a classic click-and-pawl reel. While I've had some great reels with traditional drag, I just like the direct connection to the fish you're fighting with a clicker. Plus, there's just a look and feel of these old school line winders that's unique and super-cool.

What I like best about the Abel offering is how they've managed to elegantly update the classic reel with modern materials and machining methods. Anywhere you look this thing is built like a tank - from the burly reel foot to the industrial-strength clickers. They've clearly advanced the state of the click-pawl art to the level of Abel's traditional reels. This thing's a brute.

My two-handed swinging rods are a classic Scott ARC1287/3 spey and a Scott L2h 1168/4 switch. Both have a very traditional look that melds very well with the Abel Spey, in particular the unsanded blank of the L2h. Naturally my reel is classsic black and unported. I suppose if I had one of the "spaceship" sticks like a Sage TCX "death star" or  an ECHO TR I might feel the need to explore Abel's myriad of custom colors and finishes. But on my sticks, I think they'd just look completely ridiculous.

Even the mechanics of the drag (such as it may be) system have evolved. The Abel feature two clickers that can be configured for left- or right-hand retrieve, as well as a "maximum drag" setting. Switching is as simple as rotating one or both of the burly clickers. I've been running mine on maximum drag with no complaints.

Abel offers spey reels in three sizes - Spey, Switch, and the new smaller Classic configuration. One of these should easily balance almost any two-handed rod less than 14'. If you're in the market for a well-built, stylish click-pawl spey reel, I strongly recommend giving Abel a look!

-Sean-

First Time + Lesson Learned

Latest addition to the fishing arsenal is a 6 weight swing rig. I've learned more lately about swinging for smallmouth bass from Mike Schultz - and this coincided with finding a great deal on a TFO Deer Creek 11' switch rod in 6 weight. I really enjoy swinging, so learning that I could extend my swing season on smallies was a very pleasant surprise! And, right in my backyard!

Added a Ross Evolution LT 4 (the Evo is quickly becoming my go-to reel) and lined it up with Scientific Anglers Skagit Extreme Intermediate head and a Floating Shooting Line with Dragon Tail. The guys at Schultz are big on the new Intermediate Skagit Extreme's. Although they only start at 400 grain weight, Mike threw one of the shop's on my Deer Creek, cast it briefly and proclaimed it a rocket ship.

Friday evening I had some time on my hands and beautiful weather, so it was off to the river. Sorry, can't divulge my spot. It's nearly in walking distance to my home and not very heavily fished just now. I'd like to keep it that way. Rumor was its been holding a lot of smallies this time of year.

After a few warm-up casts downstream to get my timing back and get a feel for the new rig, its time to move up into the prime slot. The 400 grain head is a little heavy, but this gives me a huge advantage as it's less impacted by wind, and forces me to slow down my timing. When you hit it even halfway right, KABOOM -- huge distance, little effort. A simple egg-sucking leech is the perfect fly option, I think.

Shortly, my line stops and thumps at the hang down. Hey -- the fish are where they're supposed to be! But something's not right. Smallmouth thump and headshake like my dog when you're playing tug-o-war. This is just THERE and big. It's peeling off line like crazy. I up the drag, get my wits about me and start to put the boots to this fish. Got a NICE bend in the rod and starting gaining inches, and then fee. As the fish comes into sight I realize -- that's no smallie, it's a CARP! And a big one at that. Just as I realize this, WOOSH! Off he goes across the river. I've lost 40 feet in the blink of an eye. Eventually, he tires and I start to gain some advantage.Shortly I have him back in close, when once again he finds another gear and races away from me.

By now, I'm thinking "Dude, you can't have much left, I got you...". Suddenly, Icarus plummeted back to earth - as trumpeted by the sound of "ping"and a suddenly slack line hurtling toward my head. Twenty minutes in and I've already hooked, fought, and lost my first even carp on the fly. On the swing no less!

But, before I tell you the rest of the story, let's digress for a moment...

Back when I first started fly fishing, I wasn't tying. Anything I fished, I bought. And with an affinity for trees, I lost alot of flies. That starts getting expensive. So online I find ReelFlies out of Canada. Cheap flies and they look nicely tied. It's only later that I learn about the importance of quality hooks. Every guide I know has said, "buy good hooks; a few pennies extra is worth it when you have that awesome fish on...".

Turns out they were right. Guess what came flying back my way? Yup, the eye and shank of the hook, with tied fly still intact, and the hook bend and barb GONE. I'll be chucking these leeches and buggers and re-tying my own on Daiichi hooks.

From Hero to Zero; in one quick ping.

Ah well, on the upside, Mike tells me I'm only the second guy he knows who's gotten a carp on the swung presentation this year. Pretty cool!

-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-