the Tailout May 2020 tailout_may2020finalx | Page 20

It goes without saying a good drag system on
a spinning reel makes a big difference when it
comes to landing steelhead. Here, Mike Zvadlov,
left, and Bruce Holt with a hard-fought Olympic
Peninsula steelhead.
of the gears are responsible for a reels
“gear ratio.” Expressed by ratings
such as 5.1:1 or 6.3:1, these ratios
represent the speed at which line is
retrieved with each turn of the reel
handle. For a reel with a 5.1:1 ratio,
the rotor will make 5.1 revolutions
around the spool with each full turn
of the handle. Similar to the gear-
ing in your car, smaller gear ratios
produce higher torque. Higher ratios
equate to more speed, less torque.
Solid middle ground options are
those with ratios in the 5:1 range.
7. Bail & Rotor Both bail and rotors
work as a team towards the same
common goal: line control.
The rotor assembly should rotate
smoothly and quietly around the
around the oscillating spool, as it
distributes line uniformly across the
entire spool area. Inspect the rotor
for slop, play and overall strength. A
weak rotor under a heavy load will
fail to rotate uniformly and could
contact the inside of the spool, af-
fecting reeling performance and line
distribution.
Line contacts the bail roller at the
junction of the bail and the rotor
assembly. Commonly, a guide sits
over a roller bearing, which spins
under the tension of the line. This
helps reduce both friction and twist
on the line. Some reels rely simply on
a stationary guide, or use poor quality
roller bearings that fail and produce
18
38
SALMON
& STEELHEAD JOURNAL
THE TAILOUT
a stationary guide, which can quickly
be damaged by line wear, especially
when using braided lines. Avoid these
reels.
Beefed up bail wires built out of
super lightweight materials are much
less prone to damage, strain and de-
formation. The bail should trip crisp
and clean with minimal pressure
when engaged by the reel handle. A
common failure point within the bail
mechanism is the tiny bail spring that
helps flip the bail back into the en-
gaged/retrieve position. If this spring
breaks, you must manually open and
close the bail with each cast. Many
models now feature stronger bail
springs, and I strongly urge you seek
them out.
8. Spool Design The spool acts to not
only hold line, but affects castability
as well as line twist. Friction robs a
cast of distance, and the design of a
spool (depth, length, width, and the
skirt, or leading edge of the spool) all
play into how much friction in inflict-
ed on line leaving the spool. Shallow
cupped larger diameter spools and
shallow, long spools produce less
friction and offer the greatest casting
distance. Spools with super smooth
anodized finishes or specially treated
skirts will also reduce friction, and
add casting distance.
The bane of spinning reels is line
twist. Created by numerous factors,
one way to help combat it is by
choosing reels with larger diameter
spools, which reduce the number
of loops placed into the line. Larger
diameter spools also generate greater
line retrieval rates than smaller spools
match to the same gear ratio.
The use of braided line is another
factor incorporated into many spool
designs. Only recently have manufac-
turers acknowledged consumer inter-
est in braided lines by creating spools
that don’t require anti-slip measures
to be taken prior to spooling. Even
when tightly spooled, the super slick
nature of super braids would cause
all the line to slide around standard
spools when under tension. Pre-
venting this first required spooling a
short section of monofilament line
backing or placing a piece of tape on
the spool prior to winding on the line,
to provide ‘bite’ for the braid. Now,
many spools feature spiraled grooves
or ridges that prevent slip, allowing
the straight spooling of braided line.
9. Handle The reel handle should
be of sufficient length to provide
plenty of clearance for your hand
away from the spinning bail and the
rod itself. Some have multi-pieced
handles, which always seem to work
loose at inopportune times. Look
for a solid, single arm design that
doesn’t flex. The grip knob should be
large enough that it can be quickly
and easily located without looking,
and constructed from a material that
won’t get slick from mud or slime.
10. Anti-Reverse It is imperative a
spinning reel possess an instant anti
reverse mechanism. This prevents
any backward rotation of the spool
during a hook set. If the anti-reverse
feature allows any backwards play of
the spool or handle, avoid that reel!
Some anglers prefer a ‘direct drive’
or backward reeling option to extend
long drifts or to be used instead of
drag. Most manufacturers address
this by adding a switch on the reel
that disengages the anti-reverse.