A couple weeks ago we talked a bit about the best bang for your buck in fly fishing and fly tying, meaning items that you feel are the “best all around value” in the sport or hobby. On the other side of that coin, we can ask ourselves about some of the worst value items or the biggest “waste of money” items in fly tying and fishing. This is again, quite subjective, as what I use Musky fishing may not be all that valuable to you in fishing for brook trout in a stream in the hills. So, we can approach this from a general perspective and then also by looking at individual items. The other area that really influences this question is that of budgets and cost, as something that I think is grossly overpriced may not seem like that extravagant of a purchase to others, but we can (pun intended) nip away at that issue later.
So, I the other night at a local tying get together I presented this question to a group of some of the most experienced tyers and fishers I’ve ever known. Some of the responses where pretty interesting. One of the most surprising answers was electronics, and specifically newfangled electronics. This person, who knows fishig proposed that the thousands of dollars people pay to use electronics he felt the bare minimal depth finder he’d used for years gave him everything he needed. And he’s right, to him that works and I’d have to say his perception of the new stuff being overrated was valid, it’s not needed, but its nice to have. Where the line of value is I’m not sure but I know darn sure its on the quite a ways away from the forward-facing debacle.
Another entry in the discussion was the shiny new fly vests with more drawers and drop-down storage compartments than a submarine galley. He’d used the same vest for 40 years. It’s a valid point, Myself I rarely use a vest but when I do the old trusty dusty vest is there for me, can’t see spending good money on a new one, but if I had to…. I could be tempted to some value in more ergonomical storage pouches… hmmmm.
Knick knacks and gadgets are what make fly fishing great for those of us with maybe just a touch of the ‘tism as they say. It’s fun to get caught up in various tools that surely are necessary to enhance our experiences. Some of these can get downright silly, my nomination in this category is expensive line nippers. $100 dollars for a little tool to cut line flush? That’s just ridiculous, well, $300 dollars will surely cut that 40% betterer right?!!!?
$3 That’s basically the most a person ever needs to spend on a nipper, grab’em out of the plastic fishbowl by the cash register. Maybe, $10 for the one with the bulti in nail knot tool, hook file and eye cleaner. High end nippers are overrated, Sorry, but I’m not sorry.
Fly tying vices, that’s an area that one can spend a whole lot of money on. But I know a lot of really great fly tyers who can do things I can only dream of on simple old Herters knockoff Thompson vice. Don’t get me wrong I appreciate and enjoy the valuable features of a quality rotary vice, especially for big predator flys, but some of those costs can end up to being attributed to a name brand alone and can be seen as greatly overrated by many tyers throughout time. My conclusion, well I’ve tied on cheap India made regal knock off and I’ve tied on some vices I don’t have the bank account to rightly look at let alone touch, and for me I found the value in a mid-range Renzetti Traveler as my personal and commercial workhorse. So it’s tough for me to say spending money on a vice is overrated but I’d sure respect anyone’s argument to the contrary.
Probably time now to address the big elephant in the room, fly rods. With a literal range of $30 to $1300 dollars right now it’s such a wide ocean of possibilities and options that there is always going to be people who say right away that an expensive fly rod is overrated. There will always be someone who says I can do the same thing with this Temu noodle as the that guy with a Thousand dollar BIG name rod. To a certain extent, and in respect to their perception, that may be true. In some other respects and perceptions, it most certainly is not. I am a big proponent and preacher of finding quality products that can perform the function intended without having to spend exorbitantly more money than may be needed. Having had the privilege to fish different models, I still stay settled right down in the mid-tier rod environment. I demand therods work properly, as in the flex is smooth and not “janky” and that the rod tracks and recovers properly, as well as being able to handle the fish.
That’s something a lot of rod snobs overlook…. It casts great, but how is it at ethically playing and landing fish? What happens when there’s issue? How is the warranty handled? Can I get replacement parts? This is where I’ve had some of my largest frustrations with fly gear. The more “high end” the rod, the more expensive and hassling its been to get service. Note: I’m squarely looking at specifically behemoth manufacturer that was swallowed up by a private equity group and has been a nightmare to deal with. Those high-end rods I absolutely say those rods are over rated,……….. or should I say overR8ed?
But the most overrated?... No, I can say that as there’s some awful nice stuff out there that is fun to cast, and there are those that will die on the hills of those storied companies and its tough to knock the value of an American made product.
Now we come to the meat and potatoes of the conversation and I won’t mix words about in any way, it’s not a unique opinion, and it’s not 100% defendable, but it’s mine and it’s a strong one. The fly fishing REEL is they singular most overrated aspect of fly fishing on the planet today and I do not apologize for saying it. The number of people I see spending to excess simply for a name or a lifestyle rather than a function is amazing to me. The fly reel, to me serves a purpose as a tool, end of story. That purpose can necessitate certain features that can cost a bit more for quality in those specific instances. However, by and large the most common item in this sport that is overrated and overpriced is the fly reel.
The areas I see the reel serving as a function are specific and we know them well : Holding Line: we need a fly reel to hold the line in a manner that makes it convenient to get line off and bring line in. Here a large arbor usually helps do that in the most efficient way possible, so that is something I look for in a reel.
Backing: Provide a safe way to allow for a fish to run without having to have more than 100 feet of line on a reel. Most of the time most reels, especially older ones hold way too much backing that only increases the weight and is never used. I’ve fished for over twenty years, I’ve caught some big, strong, resilient fish… many different species of big fish, few and I mean very few have every put me “into my backing”. And I’ll even be willing to admit back when I was starting a couple of those very few, I maybe let take enough line out just so I can say they “got into my backing!” … I know this is true of others as well. Granted, backing is essential and to have some on the reel is important, but more than 100 yards? If you let a fish, get out 100 yards plus the fly line from the rod, guess what, you’re not landing that fish.
Drag system: A drag that helps slam the breaks on a running fish and making it easier in landing fish is something that many people focus on when looking for a reel and to an extent that is a purpose that is useful. But just as the number of fish that have ever “taken me into my backing” the number of fish I’ve needed to get “on the reel” is only slightly larger, in fact attempting to reel up fly line to get it “on the reel” has resulted in an exponential higher number of fish that have gotten off. In reality the most important aspect of the drag system is to not allow the reel to free spool when line is coming off, either stripping off to cast more line or if a fish does make a run.
Balance: Yes, a properly balanced reel/rod/line combinations is essential to casting comfortably, but the reality is there’s a ton of wiggle room on all sides of the, impossible to achieve “perfect balance”. Every inch of line, in or out effectively changes the balance point of the rod in reality.
Of course, we’re overlooking the aspect of the fly reel in relation to fishing in saltwater for big game fish. That’s kind of the kryptonite to my claim against the fly reel… But we’re in North Dakota amongst the amber waves of grain and cattle laden prairie lakes… So we’ll just gloss over that and in the scope of our world, dismiss that factor completely so that we don’t challenge the argument. But yeah, saltwater fly reels are another ballgame when it comes to value and costs.
So when we look at everything involved in fly fishing and fly tying today, It’s my assertion that the Fly Reel has been given the title of MOST OVERTRATED piece of equipment one can go out and spend way too much money on. Personally I find the value in reels I can affordably add more spools into the bag so that I can be more prepared for more lines to fish more situations. After all, when we venture out the last thing we want is an expensive reel keeping us from being able to have the lines to fish, to where the fish are. So what’s your most overrated piece of fly fish or tying gear that comes to mind? Leave a comment or send us a note. Nad get out there and enjoy the opportunities we have to use all this gear, cause that is the real value in it all…… out here in Fishkota Country.
