VS fly reels - Striper Talk Striped Bass Fishing, Surfcasting, Boating

Green Light · 03-01-2010, 10:05 PM

Does anyone here use the VS fly reels? If so, what you you think of them? Do you swim with them from rock to rock?

tynan19 · 03-02-2010, 12:06 AM

Wish I could try one, but would probably just swim with my old redington. Has taken on a lot of water and is still kicking. Would like to try some night swimming out to the rocks though with it. Perhaps at Cutty. Need Victor to tie me up some large black flies.

likwid · 03-02-2010, 08:31 PM

Get a Charlton Mako.
You'll never want another fly reel.

Green Light · 03-03-2010, 10:16 PM

tynan19, the fly on the Cutty rocks sounds interesting.

likwid, the Charlton Mako does not appear to be water proof. I could be wrong.

flyvice11787 · 03-03-2010, 11:41 PM

I love my VS fly reel

. I got it after the drag on my Tibor failed after repeated dunkings at Montauk. Mine gets a lot of use when I fly fish the Montauk surf. It's performed perfectly so far

.

likwid · 03-05-2010, 01:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fish360

tynan19, the fly on the Cutty rocks sounds interesting.

likwid, the Charlton Mako does not appear to be water proof. I could be wrong.

Its waterproof.

And don't worry, flies off Cuttyhunk has been done quite a few times.

Roger · 03-06-2010, 06:21 PM

Yikes, thousand dollar fly reels for striper fishing - this place is getting too rich for my blood.

If it were me - I'd pick up a decent carbon fiber drag reel like a $275 TFO and grease the drag with cals for wet performance.

If swimming with it, I'd soak the spool in fresh water and put a little oil on the bearings. BTW, I don't think the bearings are waterproof in a Charlton either.

likwid · 03-07-2010, 06:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Roger

BTW, I don't think the bearings are waterproof in a Charlton either.

Your thinking would much like the previous person be wrong.

Roger · 03-07-2010, 09:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by likwid

Your thinking would much like the previous person be wrong.

Says who - some anonymous internet poster because they can post a picture?

Regardless, I'm definitely not wrong about it being way overkill for striped bass. The VS that the OP wanted to use is more than adequate. It too has a waterproof drag.

likwid · 03-08-2010, 06:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Roger

Says who - some anonymous internet poster because they can post a picture?

Because some anonymous internet poster owns one, has used it in the surf and submerged it and asked Jack Charlton directly if it was a waterproof reel, to which he replied, "yes".

If you'd like, give Scott at Bear's Den a call and ask him about the reels, he'll gladly tell you all about them, infact he got it for me.

Quote:

Regardless, I'm definitely not wrong about it being way overkill for striped bass. The VS that the OP wanted to use is more than adequate. It too has a waterproof drag.

How precisely is that reel "overkill" for stripers as opposed to the VS?

Plenty of bass have died to bottom of the line Orvis reels without fail.
Pretty much anything over $75 is "overkill".

Roger · 03-08-2010, 06:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by likwid

How precisely is that reel "overkill" for stripers as opposed to the VS?

Thank you for making my point, because it was you, not I, that suggested that the $700 VS was not adequate. This means that your response to the OP that he needed a $1,000 reel instead of the $700 reel he asked about, was erroneous. It seems that we are in agreement - yes?

Quote:

Originally Posted by likwid

Plenty of bass have died to bottom of the line Orvis reels without fail. Pretty much anything over $75 is "overkill".

Without quibbling on the exact dollar amount, again we're mostly in agreement.

That of course was my point all along though maybe I was too subtle at first.