Alvey 425B reel.

[rayza]

G`day all,
anyone had any experience with Alvey fly reels?
They seem to have a good reputation with their sidecast gear & the price looks right.
Will be surf fishing the Gold Coast with some wading in the Broadwater, using a 11' 4'' 8/9 wt "switch" rod.
Any advice much appreciated.


regards, ray.

[Zeeke]

the alvey fly reels are great reels.. but.. heavy as all buggery and you get a really sore arm after 2hrs of casting.. but they really do have the grunt when uve got that fish...

Tim

[rayza]

Thanks Zeeke,
point taken - don`t see a weight in the product info. but it looks pretty substantial from the photos.
Will be using a two handed rod which should help with the weight issue.

[Zeeke]

that might make a diff, i was using a 425b on a 10 weight rod and after a few hours it really gave me a sore arm and normally i could flick a fly for days and not be in grief.. but they are a good solid reel and you shouldnt have any troubles with it, the winding system is tough as ducks nuts and will dispatch most fish with ease.. and you wont bust your knuckles if u get a fish that decides to take a good solid run

Tim

[Jack_Lives_Here]

Quinny didn't have a good run with his. I've got and they are pretty much bullet proof but there is much lighter available. I've relegated mine to the 12wt outfit.

[Quinny69]

Dave, I got the 425BE, Direct Driver. Yours is the 1(anti rev) these guys r talkin bout.The DD a bit lighter than the AR, compared to a Penn4 the Alveys are fether weights.Ive decided that my Alvey will do me, on the #12 it dont weigh much. JUST WATCH THE WINDING SIDE, It will grab ya line just as a fish is hitting the burners,Ive lost a few this way, MQ

[rayza]

Thanks fellas,
nothing like first hand input.
Doesn`t seem as too many have been sold?

[Maxg]

Well if the reel is for a long "switch" rod which you will use double handed I think that the Alvey 4" is maybe OK but you might be better looking at some of their boat reels up to 5' The reel weight isn't going to be a bother with the DH system and it really doesn't have to be a fly reel, although it should have a line guide. The Alvey fly reels are simply glorified boat reels anyway.
What lines are you using, Max

[Maxg]

PS On second thoughts since that is a 11'4" 8/9 weight thingy that Alvey fly reel is probably the berries. If you are into heads, try AirFlo 45' heads, they have one in 12# which is probably just right for that thing. You might need to chop it a bit for length but have a look anyway. I have a 12' Loop Blackline 9/10 and it doesn't like 9 weight 45' 9 weight heads. You need to up the weight a bit, even with full lines, at 9/10, you probably need 500 plus grains to get it going.
Double handers are different from 9 footers, vastly different. Max

[uncle_barry]

Good evening Ray.
I also cast with a Double Hander, a 15 footer in the saltwater and live on the Gold Coast, How about we get together, my email is :- unclebarry@##############.au

[rayza]

In reply to the line question I plan on using the "Windcutter multi-tip interchangeables" from http://www.rioproducts.com/pages/speylines.html
The extra weight line does sound like a good idea.
Will check out the AirFlo lines.

[uncle_barry]

Hi All.
Is there anyone out there who would like to know more about Double Handed/Long Rod fly fishing out there ?

Kind regards.
Uncle Barry.

[Toddy]

Hi All.
Is there anyone out there who would like to know more about Double Handed/Long Rod fly fishing out there ?

Kind regards.
Uncle Barry.

We asked you about them once and whether we could have a go(or you could show us) at the Tackle and Tinnie show around 1 or 2 years ago and you never replied.

Toddy

[uncle_barry]

Good evening Toddy.
Sorry,if I saw the message and didn't reply, or maybe I didn't see the message.
Tackle and Tinnie show, I was never there, in fact I've never been.
Are you sure you are asking the question to the right person?

However, if your down the Coast way sometime, and your free, I would gladly show you.
My email address is:- unclebarry@##############.au. to arrange a suitable time.

I am now useing one of Rio's new Scandinavian Shooting Heads in 11/12w, and is one of their line-up of exciting new products, this series of lines have not been released here in Australia/New Zealand, and maybe its just been released in the United States or will be very shortly.
And will be available in sizes from 7/8 to 11/12w,500 to 845g.
They are design to be cut back to match your rods loading. Isn't it time someone designed a line like that, wonderful.
Distance reached with a rod designed for Overhead Casting, I use a 15 footer, is in the range of 120feet plus and with a 100mm Gurgler.
PS, I am not a rep or sell RIO Fly Lines, however I am a tester of the SSH lines.
Kind regards.
Uncle Barry.

[Luke]

Hi Barry,
So does this mean that you do like the Alveys or could you tell us more about the SSH lines? Are they the only ones you are testing or are there others you could share info with us about?
Cheers Luke

[uncle_barry]

Good evening Luke.
You wrote:- 'So does this mean that you do like the Alveys..'
On rods shorter than 10feet, no, because of the weight/balance/damping of the rod's harmonics.

On rods longer than 10, in the Double Handed class, yes, there could be a great untapped market, internationally for these reels, because the added weight now works in reverse, the weight is a advantage to balance.

My reel, it contains, leader and tippet of 15 feet plus, the head, 44.5 feet, running/hauling line and 325 mts of 16kg braid, so a very large fly reel is required. Around 5inch diameter and W/A type

'could you tell us more about the SSH lines'
Yes.I would love to as they are capable of reaching amazing distances with almost no effort, on the correct rod.
There is or will 5 line sizes, 7/8w, 8/9w, 9/10,10/11 and 11/12, the weights are, at the full uncut length of 44.5feet, from the smallest upwards, 500g, 580g, 660g,730g, 845g.
Rio are also supplying a table showing the loads if the line is cut back to 38 and 31 feet.
There is also a table available to show suggested lengths/loads for a number of D/H rods

The heads are classed as floating with the tips, floating, intermediate, sinking and I think there is another one, you can also buy the line with a kit that contains all the tips, the tips are changed via a loop to loop method.

If you were to buy a SSH intermediate, this would be, floating head section with the 15 foot tip clear intermediate section all molded togeter as one line.
This is the line I am testing/useing.
They also are packed with loop connectors, that you have to attach yourself.

And because Double Hander type rods are all different, and the caster requiring a different load, therefore the casting load will be different, Rio designed the lines to be trimmed to match the load.

These lines, the SSH type can also be used for Spey casting, however their prime application is Overhead Casting and Overhead Casting type rods.

Overhead Casting has been used in Scandinavia for something like 100years plus, in the United States for many years with a growing following.

They, D/H, Spey or O/H Casting was designed for fish in the 25/35 pound range, in very fast flowing river systems, The American are now useing this combination of rod and line set-up for saltwater including the surf.

And to the existing fly caster out there, please don't think you can just pick up a D/H and cast 120feet, its like starting all over again.

'Are they the only ones you are testing or are there others you could share info with us about?'
Rio SSH's are the only ones.

I was also the tester for our range of fly lines, including the clear intermediates and shooting heads.
I also matched our Advanced Running line, floating with the SSH, the result being 120feet plus down the waterway .

Kind regards.
Uncle Barry.

[Luke]

Thanks Uncle Barry. Being I am poor on fly!! Are there any other lines you would reccomend. Could you give me info on cheaper alternatives please? I'm not really overly fussed on the SSH because of price I can't afford it.

[uncle_barry]

Good evening Luke.
Your asked,
"Are there any other lines you would reccomend"
Now that question is like, how long is a piece of string.
The answer depends on what rod and line class you have or are thinking of buying. Also the type of fishing you hope to use the D/H'er for, overhead or spry, floating , intermediate, sinking or with a floating line and changable tips.

What rod do you have, and the line class?

"Could you give me info on cheaper alternatives", the same answer to the above.

"I'm not really overly fussed on the SSH because of price I can't afford it".
If I may, what price have you been told, here in Australia ?. Because I feel sure you and others will be surprised with the price. Or you could make a suitable head from a D/T line, this all depends on the factors above.

Kind regards.
Uncle Barry.

[Maxg]

Well there are Loop lines, and particularly the Adaptive heads, which are about 70$ Aus, around 400 swedish K.
Look at www.looptackle.com. I have a Loop 15metre, 45 gram 10/11/12 Intermediate head, which I'm playing with. I have a 15'Talon, same as Barry, and the 12'4" Loop Blackline.
At present I use Old Florida reels, and a Steelfin XFR 4.6" La type. The OF reels are 4.5 inches. I think a 5" OF might arrive in December some time.
There is a lot more to these DH rods than meets the eye, and they are very easy to cast, if you talk about effort. Casting distance is pretty long, and if you are fishing estuaries roll casting a long head, or a Spey line,, like 50 feet is a piece of cake.
Very interesting things Max