Direct-drive reels stand the test of time

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wgbassgirl
Posts: 524
Joined: Tue Sep 04, 2007 3:11 am

Direct-drive reels stand the test of time

Post by wgbassgirl »

Here's an interesting article about Direct-drive reels.

Direct-drive reels stand the test of time
Article Source
By DOUG PIKE

Recreational anglers looking to experience something new this summer should consider something old. Direct-drive reels will test your skills and change your opinion of every fish on the line.

Thanks in great part to Internet auction sites such as e-Bay, thousands of direct-drive reels built after WWII (but prior to Abu Garcia's launch of the free-wheeling Amabassaduer 5000) are available today in excellent condition and at reasonable cost.

Former Chronicle outdoors writer Joe Doggett and I visited at length Wednesday about old reels, of which he is a huge fan and with which he is quite handy.

According to Doggett, Shakespeare's President was the standard by which all other reels of the era were measured. It sold originally for $25 or so, and a super-clean President today can be bought for less than $100.

You can spend half as much, often less, and still get a clean, serviceable reel. Collectors look for blemish-free examples from makers such as Shakespeare, Heddon, Pfleuger and South Bend, and they pay premiums for the handful of those reels that survived the era without visible wear. Fishermen who can live with a scratch or ding can pick up fully functional pieces of fishing history for less than $50.

One caution about buying online: Your opinion of "top condition" and that of a seller may differ. Enlarge photos and, if possible, call the seller before making your bid.

On the flip side, some reels described as balky and hopeless can be made whole simply by dissecting them and thoroughly removing old, hardened grease. If not, you hang on to them for parts.

Once gears and handle are turning freely, spool up with Dacron backing used by fly fishermen or one of the new braided fishing lines. Either mimicks the basic characteristics of lines used half a century ago but technologically is far superior.

For inshore or bass fishing, go with 10- to 15-pound test Dacron or braid in equivalent diameter.

You can stack more braid onto the reel in fine-diameter, 12-pound test, but doing so risks a trip-ending tangle. The looser mechanical tolerances of old reels encourage an over-revved cast to sling line into the gap between spool and frame. If that happens while the spool is turning under load, only disassembly will solve the problem.

Silky smooth
My generation was the first not to be raised on direct drive. For us, serious fishing started shortly after the fabled "red reel" debuted, and I saw no reason to invest in old technology.

The first time I handled a direct-drive reel, however, its efficiency and ability to transmit the power of a fish amazed me. There's a moderate learning curve associated with launching smooth casts — more on that in a minute — but once mastered, a suitable lure can be slung plenty far.

Old reels are great fun. Old rods are a hindrance to that fun. Instead, unless you're nuts for nostalgia, go with an inexpensive graphite rod, 6-6.5 feet, with a whippy action.

The deep, easy flex of a light-action rod serves two purposes. Since direct-drive reels don't react as quickly to a cast as free-spool models, the rods must be swept more than flicked to sling a lure.

Forget delicate payloads, too. It takes a package with "heft" — one-half ounce was standard when those reels lined the shelves of America's hardware stores — to turn those spools. Experienced hands and thumbs can fly a quarter-ounce lure far enough to be effective, but big topwaters really jet off a rod tip.

Also, a soft rod absorbs the shock of a violent strike; Dacron and braided lines don't stretch like monofilament. When it eats, a freight-training redfish in shallow water can break a line or even bloody a few knuckles if there's no "give" anywhere in the system.

Good fit
Big topwaters and suspending plugs match well to a direct-drive reel's slow retrieve ratio, usually around 3:1. The same, slow pickup can be frustrating when a hot fish races toward you; a grown man's fingers can turn that tiny handle only so fast.

Fish hooked on direct-drive reels get chances to show strength most anglers don't know is there. The broad surfaces of contemporary drag systems take the starch out of great fish without much effort on the angler's part beyond maintaining a bend in the rod.

When a red or trout or bass races away from an old reel, its power is transmitted into and through your thumb, up to your head and down to your toes. You see the handle spin wildly in reverse (and don't dare try to stop it), and you hear the gears strain to keep pace without throwing teeth.

No wonder our fathers and grandfathers so loved to fish.

Doug Pike covers the outdoors for the Chronicle and hosts The Doug Pike Show from 7-10 a.m. Saturdays on 790 AM. [email protected].
wgbassgirl
Posts: 524
Joined: Tue Sep 04, 2007 3:11 am

Direct-drive reels stand the test of time

Post by wgbassgirl »

Continued from the article about Direct-drive reels.
Tips
FOLLOW THE LEADER

To get more strikes, tip your Dacron or braided fishing line with several feet of 20-pound test fluorocarbon leader material, which is nearly invisible in the water. The Albright knot passes smoothly through line guides. A blood knot works as well, provided you trim its tag ends extra close.
LUBE JOB

Direct-drive reels generate lots of friction and heat. To counter those forces, keep a light oil handy and apply sparingly before any noticeable change in performance. To avoid gumminess, clean excess oil carefully and thoroughly after each use, especially in saltwater.
brendanc
Posts: 2720
Joined: Thu May 03, 2001 4:00 pm

Direct-drive reels stand the test of time

Post by brendanc »

Nice find WGbassgirl...

Very interesting read, thing have changed a lot over the years and perhaps we have lost something in the process...
Brendan C.
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