fiberglass and/or graphite trout rods, but new spinning reel

[doublegregg]

so i'm getting back into fresh water fishing... probably pan fish and trout, etc... small things, i'd guess. i want to fish steams, maybe a few lakes, except lakes seem too huge to me. i have my trout rods from when i was a kid (i'm 65 now) - a browning, and then a fenwick, each 6', about 1/8 to 1/4 oz lures, fiberglass. i just bought a shakespeare microlite, 4'6", and a okuma celilo 5', ultralight outfits. i have not used them yet. idk the difference between micro and ultra... and i have an okuma celilo 9'6" rod, 1/4 to 1/2 oz lures.. 

 

sounds like guys still enjoy their old ultralight fiberglass rods. i've been tossing in some 1/12 oz kastmasters at a local lake, just for practice. they seem like fun rods, very flexible, like noodles. the little shakespeare micro seems very different, stiff. but i'm planning on returning the shakespeare or small celilo. the lengths are close to my 6' fiberglass rods. or should i keep one of the new graphites, probably the shakespeare, although i'd prefer it was 5'. are there pros or cons of the graphite vs fiber glass rods, in terms of fishing, or is it personal preference? i'm guessing i'll be using a lot of lures... some bait.

 

and the matching reels for my old rods are a couple dam quick 110's. but i'm just not comfortable with how uh... primitive the tech is on those reels. the drag seems pretty raw compared to modern reels, and although the reels are in good shape, i'm just not comfortable w them. i like how light and tiny they are. i don't like how the roller bearing doesn't roll. i assume they were built that way (the non-rolling roller).  i really don't trust the drag.  it's two washers, and pressure.

 

what do folk think of replacing the dam reel with a small penn battle iii 1000 adn spooling it up with 4#  high vis mono. i have penn reels already an d would like reels i can maintain myself.

 

Edited February 16 by doublegregg

[bennie]

On 2/16/2021 at 10:19 AM, doublegregg said:

so i'm getting back into fresh water fishing... probably pan fish and trout, etc... small things, i'd guess. i want to fish steams, maybe a few lakes, except lakes seem too huge to me. i have my trout rods from when i was a kid (i'm 65 now) - a browning, and then a fenwick, each 6', about 1/8 to 1/4 oz lures, fiberglass. i just bought a shakespeare microlite, 4'6", and a okuma celilo 5', ultralight outfits. i have not used them yet. idk the difference between micro and ultra... and i have an okuma celilo 9'6" rod, 1/4 to 1/2 oz lures.. 

 

sounds like guys still enjoy their old ultralight fiberglass rods. i've been tossing in some 1/12 oz kastmasters at a local lake, just for practice. they seem like fun rods, very flexible, like noodles. the little shakespeare micro seems very different, stiff. but i'm planning on returning the shakespeare or small celilo. the lengths are close to my 6' fiberglass rods. or should i keep one of the new graphites, probably the shakespeare, although i'd prefer it was 5'. are there pros or cons of the graphite vs fiber glass rods, in terms of fishing, or is it personal preference? i'm guessing i'll be using a lot of lures... some bait.

 

and the matching reels for my old rods are a couple dam quick 110's. but i'm just not comfortable with how uh... primitive the tech is on those reels. the drag seems pretty raw compared to modern reels, and although the reels are in good shape, i'm just not comfortable w them. i like how light and tiny they are. i don't like how the roller bearing doesn't roll. i assume they were built that way (the non-rolling roller).  i really don't trust the drag.  it's two washers, and pressure.

 

what do folk think of replacing the dam reel with a small penn battle iii 1000 adn spooling it up with 4#  high vis mono. i have penn reels already an d would like reels i can maintain myself.

 

The dam quick is the best reel you got,,,, but it on the okuma 9'6 rod that will be a great set up for anything,,,,use 8lb sunline mono or 6to8lb p-line cx,,,,,for your drag washers I am going to try to find out what size they are for you,,,,,so you can order some new carbon fiber ones,,,then it will be better than a $200 reel,,,,,,,

[doublegregg]

On 2/17/2021 at 7:43 AM, bennie said:

The dam quick is the best reel you got,,,, but it on the okuma 9'6 rod that will be a great set up for anything,,,,use 8lb sunline mono or 6to8lb p-line cx,,,,,for your drag washers I am going to try to find out what size they are for you,,,,,so you can order some new carbon fiber ones,,,then it will be better than a $200 reel,,,,,,,

ty for the insight, bennie... i'm just not comfortable with the old tech of the dam quicks --- i no others prefer them, as opposed to new (fangled) reels... 

 

been enjoying using the little fenwick 6'er. haven't tried the very slightly heavier browning. it's got a cork handle - no metal, except for the rings holding the reel.  i don't even remember using the cork handled one (it only has two metal rings to hold the reel). it seems like it would be nice to hold cork rather than metal threads, as on most rods. the fenwick has a tiny cork area above the metal reel holder area... doesn't seem comfortable holding there...

 

i normally just hold around the reel stem, at this point. 

[Sweetwater]

I'm with Bennie. Those 110's will outlast you.  There's nothing a new reel can do that an older DAM can't.

[Sandeel95]

 My go to ultra light reel has been an Alcedo Micron that I picked  up years ago.

Fiberglass rods by  Orvis,Phillipson, Fenwick and Cortland are great finds in flea markets and yard sales.

Other good reels include Dam Quick, Penn and Orvis

Have fun this coming season.

Edited February 27 by Sandeel95
correction

[bass11]

DAM Quick 110 or 110N?  I have a couple 110N's.  Small but not light by today's standards.  Replace the asbestos drag washers with felt and you're golden.  Get some thin felt from Michael's or some craft store.  $.99 for an 8X10" sheet or thereabouts.  Clamp a small manageable piece (1" square or so) between two pennies with a small C clamp.  Trim flush with a single edge razor blade.  With a lighter, singe fibers on the edge.  Scrape the burnt fibers off with razor blade.  Punch a small hole in the center.  Leather punch if you have one.  Apply a dab Cal's or Shimano drag grease it will be smooth as............. The original asbestos drag washers are crap.

 

My first ultralight stick was a 5'6" Browning Silaflex first generation graphite rod with a cork Tennessee handle.  Love that thing.  Rebuilt it 4 times as my knowledge and guide technology changed over the years.  I actually enjoy using it more than my IMX ultralights under many circumstances..

 

Graphite is the way to go but pay attention to fit the blank type of action to your needs.

Edited February 27 by bass11

[doublegregg]

On 2/26/2021 at 8:36 PM, bass11 said:

DAM Quick 110 or 110N?  I have a couple 110N's.  Small but not light by today's standards.  Replace the asbestos drag washers with felt and you're golden.  Get some thin felt from Michael's or some craft store.  $.99 for an 8X10" sheet or thereabouts.  Clamp a small manageable piece (1" square or so) between two pennies with a small C clamp.  Trim flush with a single edge razor blade.  With a lighter, singe fibers on the edge.  Scrape the burnt fibers off with razor blade.  Punch a small hole in the center.  Leather punch if you have one.  Apply a dab Cal's or Shimano drag grease it will be smooth as............. The original asbestos drag washers are crap.

 

My first ultralight stick was a 5'6" Browning Silaflex first generation graphite rod with a cork Tennessee handle.  Love that thing.  Rebuilt it 4 times as my knowledge and guide technology changed over the years.  I actually enjoy using it more than my IMX ultralights under many circumstances..

 

Graphite is the way to go but pay attention to fit the blank type of action to your needs.

what year was your browning silaflex? mine is probably early 1970's, late 1960's, and fiber glass. i never figured out the cork handle when i was a kid (such as, what was good about it), but now i like it.  yesterday i was out tossing a 3/8 oz kastmaster.... the browning just launches that. it's so fun to cover that much water. using 4# high vis line was fun too - it's so graceful. my fenwick is a tad lighter, lure capacity wise...i think.

 

ty for the information on the felt...  how would it compare to current drag systems? i was --- kind of horrified at the dam's original drag... i'll give it a try. a couple other issues with my dam, which otherwise is probably in good shape... the brass pin holding the spring on the underside of the spool scrapes the rotor body... , and it's not perfectly concentric, compared to a modern reel. that might be ok for the lighter fishing i'm doing. 

 

it's a beautiful reel though.

[Sweetwater]

If you want "modern" drag material, buy a Penn washer and cut it to fit. Sanding the metal washer so it is flat will also help. 

[buddha162]

You guys must be joking - put that DAM QUICK in your memento drawer and buy a modern reel - anything Shimano and Daiwa in your price range will do. 

[bass11]

10 hours ago, doublegregg said:

what year was your browning silaflex? mine is probably early 1970's, late 1960's, and fiber glass. i never figured out the cork handle when i was a kid (such as, what was good about it), but now i like it.  yesterday i was out tossing a 3/8 oz kastmaster.... the browning just launches that. it's so fun to cover that much water. using 4# high vis line was fun too - it's so graceful. my fenwick is a tad lighter, lure capacity wise...i think.

 

ty for the information on the felt...  how would it compare to current drag systems? i was --- kind of horrified at the dam's original drag... i'll give it a try. a couple other issues with my dam, which otherwise is probably in good shape... the brass pin holding the spring on the underside of the spool scrapes the rotor body... , and it's not perfectly concentric, compared to a modern reel. that might be ok for the lighter fishing i'm doing. 

 

it's a beautiful reel though.

My Browning Silaflex 5'6" ultralight 1st. generation graphite rod was a real eye opener when I first got it somewhere in the early 80's.  Opened up a whole new world for me.

 

Sweetwater is absolutely correct re: Penn carbontex washers as Penn T100 carbontex washers are in all my Quick reels now.  (110N, 220N, 331N, 441N) I forget the part number for the correct size, but they all take the same size.)  I mentioned making drag washers out of felt because it is a quick fix and actually quite good.  More forgiving than T100 carbontex if your washers aren't perfectly flat.  Still, if your washers aren't perfectly flat, carbontex T100 washers will smooth them out in time as they are a somewhat abrasive material.  Do apply a dab of Cal's or Shimano drag grease when using T100's.  Unless you're after blazingly fast fish like tuna or bonefish where heat fade or drag burnout might be a concern, felt is perfectly fine.  The drag washers in my friend's Shimano 8000FI were real grabby.  Replaced with felt and all was fine.  Just to alleviate any concerns you may have about felt, my Shimano 5000FI came stock with felt drag washers as opposed to the new age (crappy) supposedly superior drag material on the 8000FI.

 

 

 

 

 

Edited March 2 by bass11