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As close as I can recall, I began fly-fishing in 1964, so this year marks my sixtieth year involved with the sport.
I would like to think I have learned a few things about it during that time. I am also fascinated that there is always something new to learn, which has helped to continue my interest for six decades and counting. Another fascinating aspect of fly-fishing over the past 60 years, especially for a gearhead like me, is the transformation of fly tackle and some related accessories during that period.
For me, the greatest development in fly tackle was graphite replacing fiberglass as the primary material for fly rods and most other fishing rods in general during the mid to late 1970s.
Although pricier, graphite produced rods that were lighter in weight and remarkable casting tools. Rod makers have continued to refine graphite technology over the past 50 years and to deliver fly rods capable of incredible distance and accuracy in the hands of a competent caster.
Being decidedly "old school" when it comes to most forms of fly tackle, I've been less than impressed with the evolution of the modern fly reels, specifically the so-called large-arbor models. I call them "hamster wheels" because of their resemblance to the familiar amusement device for certain pet rodents.
While I have no pet rodents, I do own a couple of the large-arbor reels, although they don't see a lot of use. My preference for trout fishing leans to the classic ventilated-spool style in my lifelong favorite, the Orvis CFO III, which is three inches in diameter and weighs just a tad over three ounces.
The perceived advantage of a large-arbor single-action fly reel is the extra amount of line it can retrieve per turn of the reel handle over a smaller diameter reel. In theory, that is slightly true but in practical use any such advantage is so miniscule as to be irrelevant.
The circumference of a 3-inch fly reel is 9.42 inches, which would be the maximum length of line retrieval per turn of the reel. Checking the specs of a popular large-arbor fly reel, we'll compare it in three sizes. In the 3.4-inch diameter for 3-5 weight lines weighing 5 ounces, the circumference is 10.68 inches; in the 3.7-inch diameter for 5-7 weight lines weighing 5.5 ounces, the circumference is 11.62 inches; and in the 4-inch diameter for 7-9 weight lines weighing 6.6 ounces, the circumference is 12.56 inches. That shakes out to just over 1, 2 or 3 inches respectively for the retrieval advantage of the larger, heavier reels. And that assumes you can turn the reel handle as quickly as the 3-inch diameter reel. Anytime you need to take up any amount of line quickly while playing a fish, you should be stripping in line briskly with your left hand until you regain control of the situation. I wish I had a dollar for every time I've watched someone lose a good fish while reeling frantically attempting to recover slack line when a couple of quick strips would have saved the day.
Most current fly reels are built with a stout disc-drag of some sort. These heavy-duty drag systems add to the price and weight of the reel and are totally unnecessary on a trout reel, but so many anglers apparently love that feature. Unfortunately, most of them also love to crank the drag down tight enough to stop a runaway motorboat.
I still prefer the old school pawl clicker reels that exert just enough pressure to keep the spool from overrunning if a fish makes a fast getaway, not to mention that classic special sound that goes with it. I've seen plenty of folks lose a trophy fish that broke the leader or pulled the hook loose because of an overtight drag. Set it light and win the fight. Plus, most modern reels have an exposed rim that allows you to put direct pressure on the spool with your hand or fingers if necessary.
A popular accessory nowadays is those tippet dispensers that everyone seems to like to hang from their vest or shoulder pack. These simple gadgets will hold up to seven spools of tippet material, supposedly hanging at the ready when you need to replace your tippet. Years ago, I eliminated almost everything hanging from my person while fly-fishing because it always ended up being a tangle waiting to happen. And those tippet carriers are so bulky that it wouldn't be a long wait.
Even worse, you never want to expose tippet material to heat or direct sunlight, so having seven spools strapped to yourself to bake in the sun for hours while fishing is a bad idea.
I typically carry from five to seven different sizes of leader material in my shoulder pack. While I rarely need that many, I can rebuild most of my leader on the stream if necessary. For practical purposes, I merely put a spool of whatever size tippet I am fishing with at the moment in my shirt pocket. It's instantly ready and never causes tangles or other problems.