FFNCurrentsEddies

FFN Currents & Eddies

Direct Drive/Anti-Reverse/Multiplying

Grey Fox

There seems to be some uproar about anti-reverse reels lately with the introduction of afew new models. Some of the advertising copy could lead you to believe a reel that has a handle stationary when the line is going out is the greatest thing since the fly was developed.

Anti-reverse reels have been around for along time. Their popularity actually peaked about 10 years ago. About then when big game fly fishing was just starting it's appeal to the general fly fishing public, many fly shops sold direct drive to anti-reverse models almost in equal proportions. By the last few years some dealers report anti-reverse models being less than 5% of their overall big game reel sales.

Anti-reverse models do exactly as promoted, allow the playing of large fish, without the handle knobs spinning when the fish is running. The advantage seems great so why would it not be more popular. This fact of the matter is by being so effecient, the angler has less feel of the fish with the anti-reverse design. When a fish is running it is more difficult to judge it's speed audibly without a click. Most anti-reverse reels do not come with an outgoing click. Since the reel design is doing most of the work, manual drag assist such as palming or exposed rims are usually not incorporated into anti-reverse models. Even on a direct drive reels with excellent drags some anglers like to palm an exposed rim to get the feel of a run, exerting no pressure on the rim.

Experienced anglers want to come as close to the fish on the end of their line as possible. To feel every head shake, surge, and movements can help anticipate their next moves. Think of drag in terms of control. All reels exert some control. Some with only a click, or line overrun feature, where the angler can apply additional pressure to an anti-reverse style which the angler only has to set the drag and keep winding.

Landing your first big fish is not simple. When it makes the first run, you've never had line peel off so fast, so if you have a direct drive reel, you've got to let go of the line, clear the loose line and get your fingers out of the plane of the spinning knob. This is about three things too many for an excited angler to handle. The anti-reverse can eliminate one of the three, which for a novice, is a great advantage. Some guides have anti-reverse models in their loaner arsenal just for novices. After two or three large fish, the novice calms down and/or becomes aware of what has to be done so the spinning knobs of a direct drive reel aren't a great hazard.

Then there's the story of a novice angler who hooked a Tarpon with an anti-reverse reel. The guide told 'em to keep reeling. The fish took a hour to land, and for the whole time, the angler kept winding.

The moment of truth, when you have to bring the fish in close enough to net or beach, additional drag should be exerted. Whatever type of reel you are using, there must be a simple way to bring this about. This can be by holding a finger up against the line, pressure on an exposed rim, tightening the drag knob a notch or two.

Single action versus mulitplier. A single action reel, or direct drive has the spool turning once for every full turn of the handle. A mulitplier has a mechanical advantage for every full turn of the handle. This advantage is determined by the gearing. For big game fly fishing, it would be somewhere in the neighborhood of 1.5 to 3 with 2 times being the most common. This gearing advantage is listed 1.5:1, 3:1, 2:1 and so on.

Multiplying reels take precision work and gearing to produce so they are limited to the upper echelon in cost. Though there are some listed in lower areas, they will normally fail at the most inopportune time and will not hold up with heavy use. Serious fly fisherman have not given any notice to multipliers. They cannot be used for fly fishing world class records. Beginners may find an advantage with them. With long running fish the quick take up of line is an advantage but no such that experienced anglers find worth while to switch.