Entry level Chinese FF gear

[franklin]

BTW, our finance people believe the Chinese will simply devalue their currency by 25% to offset the tariffs.

 

[franklin]

Bought a MAXIMCATCH fiberglass 6' rod recently for use on mountain streams. After using it for a week on central PA mountain streams I can say this rod casts as well as any of my other name brand short rods and is quickly turning into my favorite.

 

[jifigz]

franklin wrote:
Bought a MAXIMCATCH fiberglass 6' rod recently for use on mountain streams. After using it for a week on central PA mountain streams I can say this rod casts as well as any of my other name brand short rods and is quickly turning into my favorite.

I noticed that that brand has a fly reel starting around $16 on Amazon. Has anyone tried that? That sure is a cheap fly reel but I might try one just for fun. Otherwise my cheapest reels that I own but don't use much anymore (or ever) are Okuma Sierras.

 

[bigjohn58]

jifigz wrote:

franklin wrote:
Bought a MAXIMCATCH fiberglass 6' rod recently for use on mountain streams. After using it for a week on central PA mountain streams I can say this rod casts as well as any of my other name brand short rods and is quickly turning into my favorite.

I noticed that that brand has a fly reel starting around $16 on Amazon. Has anyone tried that? That sure is a cheap fly reel but I might try one just for fun. Otherwise my cheapest reels that I own but don't use much anymore (or ever) are Okuma Sierras.

The MaxCatch reels around $50 are very nice BUT I did try one of the dirt cheap ones and was disappointed. It isn't very tight with a lot of clinking and clanging and wobbling. You can just tell its dirt cheap. I could be wrong but I think I might have just thrown it out.

 

[moon1284]

You can get an old martin 67SS reel on ebay for like 35 bucks. Not the best looking reel but I'd take a used one over any new 100 dollar or less chinese reel (really I'd take it over any chinese reel).

 

[bigjohn58]

moon1284 wrote:
You can get an old martin 67SS reel on ebay for like 35 bucks. Not the best looking reel but I'd take a used one over any new 100 dollar or less chinese reel (really I'd take it over any chinese reel).

Guess you haven't used a Chinese reel lately...you are really missing out! I wouldn't give you $5 for an old Martin.

 

[allan_s]

I try to support outdoor companies that create a quality product and support conservation efforts. That doesn't necessarily mean made in the USA but it usually means not going for the cheapest product.

 

[jifigz]

Sometimes I like to try cheap to see what manufacturers are capable of these days and sometimes it is very surprising. I'm just fine with my L.L. Bean Double L that I've been using for years and it was probably made in China too.

 

[franklin]

jifigz wrote:

franklin wrote:
Bought a MAXIMCATCH fiberglass 6' rod recently for use on mountain streams. After using it for a week on central PA mountain streams I can say this rod casts as well as any of my other name brand short rods and is quickly turning into my favorite.

I noticed that that brand has a fly reel starting around $16 on Amazon. Has anyone tried that? That sure is a cheap fly reel but I might try one just for fun. Otherwise my cheapest reels that I own but don't use much anymore (or ever) are Okuma Sierras.

I bought a couple of the $25 - $30 machined reels on Amazon and they work great. These are currently on rods for small streams so haven't had a real test of the drag system.

 

[moon1284]

bigjohn58 wrote:

moon1284 wrote:
You can get an old martin 67SS reel on ebay for like 35 bucks. Not the best looking reel but I'd take a used one over any new 100 dollar or less chinese reel (really I'd take it over any chinese reel).

Guess you haven't used a Chinese reel lately...you are really missing out! I wouldn't give you $5 for an old Martin.

I'd guess you have no idea what reel I'm talking about or you've never held one.

I'll leave it at this...

I fish a lot. 90% of the time when I am fishing no matter what I am targeting my gear is being tested i.e. most of the fish are on the reel, and taking out line, lots of times into my backing or sometimes I'm even casting into my backing.

I use old gear but its quality gear. I do not use disk drag reels in freshwater, including fishing for Salmon and Steelhead in a river where the flow is typically 200,000+CFS. This is just a preference, I think its more fun fighting fish on a clicker than a disk drag and to me, a disk drag is one more thing that can break.

I've used 60 dollar Chinese CNC reels with $6 chinese fly line. The reels don't last, the drags get rough, the spools wobble, and you lose fish. The fly line turns sticky, has tons of memory, won't cast good and becomes a hindrance. It's fine for a little bit but if you really use your gear its not up to snuff, it will be replaced in a year or 2.

When I fish i don't have to think about my gear, I know it will work. I don't have that confidence in Chinese gear based on past experience and I never will. Spend money, buy it once. Support those who innovate, not those who knock off.

In conclusion, agree to disagree.

 

[afishinado]

moon1284 wrote:

bigjohn58 wrote:

moon1284 wrote:
You can get an old martin 67SS reel on ebay for like 35 bucks. Not the best looking reel but I'd take a used one over any new 100 dollar or less chinese reel (really I'd take it over any chinese reel).

Guess you haven't used a Chinese reel lately...you are really missing out! I wouldn't give you $5 for an old Martin.

I'd guess you have no idea what reel I'm talking about or you've never held one.

I'll leave it at this...

I fish a lot. 90% of the time when I am fishing no matter what I am targeting my gear is being tested i.e. most of the fish are on the reel, and taking out line, lots of times into my backing or sometimes I'm even casting into my backing.

I use old gear but its quality gear. I do not use disk drag reels in freshwater, including fishing for Salmon and Steelhead in a river where the flow is typically 200,000+CFS. This is just a preference, I think its more fun fighting fish on a clicker than a disk drag and to me, a disk drag is one more thing that can break.

I've used 60 dollar Chinese CNC reels with $6 chinese fly line. The reels don't last, the drags get rough, the spools wobble, and you lose fish. The fly line turns sticky, has tons of memory, won't cast good and becomes a hindrance. It's fine for a little bit but if you really use your gear its not up to snuff, it will be replaced in a year or 2.

When I fish i don't have to think about my gear, I know it will work. I don't have that confidence in Chinese gear based on past experience and I never will. Spend money, buy it once. Support those who innovate, not those who knock off.

In conclusion, agree to disagree.

Agree 100% ^

If you fish once in a while and/or for smaller fish you can get away with using really cheap tackle. If you fish a lot and/or go after bigger fish or fish saltwater it's best to buy decent tackle, take care of it, and it will perform well for you and last you a long time.

 

[maxima12]

Maxcatch rods are doing very well at about $60.00. Picifun reels doing well also. Since my Winston outfit lays at the bottom of Bitterroot River in Montana 3 years ago. I used my head this time. Bought a 4 piece Cortland Fairplay rod at Walmart. Paid $29.99. Used my head again, did not take off the clear wrap on the handle. Figure I can sell it for $12.00 someday. But not just yet, have a couple thousand fish to land still. Kind of got used to this black beauty. But then again I am used to spam sandwhich.

Is it the gear or the man holding it. I would like to believe it's the man!

Been doing a lot of study on J W Young reels. The one's catching my eye most are the one's made for Shakespeare, when Shakespeare was tryng to break in on the British market. any rate, when ready to start buying reels, i will be buying Young. Couple days ago my package of 20 fly lines arrived.


333 wf 4 f rocket taper , 444 dt 6 s type 2 fast sink, gudebrod greenspot dacron, 333 wf 5 fs type 6 super sink, 444 wf 10 fs type 6 super sink, fenwick twf3f floating, teeny wfmt8 fast sink minitip, air cell wf6f/s, air cell shooting line, wet cell wf9s, wet cell st10s, 333 dt11s, 444 clear intermediate rocket wf5, wet cell st10s, wet cell st8s, sa st10s, sa st8s, sa bonefish wf5f, air cell l9f, and what else but, joan and lees triangle taper tt6/7f.

So the deal, line yes, reels future works. Rods, Cortland fairplay, made out of the same stuff moses walking stick was made of. If it works on a 30 dollar rod, should work on a more expensive rod

Plan, the final chapter, develop the best leader system for fishing these different lines. You know as flyfishers, just one more better
than before! So China? i will be putting better together than China could ever offer. I wont be working on the beauty, i will be working on the system. Beauty is only skin deep.

Son these vintage lines will be obsolete. Not because not wanted,, because too costly to produce. The man made element has left. The push button has arrived.

 

[franklin]

maxima12 wrote:
Maxcatch rods are doing very well at about $60.00. Picifun reels doing well also. Since my Winston outfit lays at the bottom of Bitterroot River in Montana 3 years ago. I used my head this time. Bought a 4 piece Cortland Fairplay rod at Walmart. Paid $29.99. Used my head again, did not take off the clear wrap on the handle. Figure I can sell it for $12.00 someday. But not just yet, have a couple thousand fish to land still. Kind of got used to this black beauty. But then again I am used to spam sandwhich.

Is it the gear or the man holding it. I would like to believe it's the man!

Been doing a lot of study on J W Young reels. The one's catching my eye most are the one's made for Shakespeare, when Shakespeare was tryng to break in on the British market. any rate, when ready to start buying reels, i will be buying Young. Couple days ago my package of 20 fly lines arrived.


333 wf 4 f rocket taper , 444 dt 6 s type 2 fast sink, gudebrod greenspot dacron, 333 wf 5 fs type 6 super sink, 444 wf 10 fs type 6 super sink, fenwick twf3f floating, teeny wfmt8 fast sink minitip, air cell wf6f/s, air cell shooting line, wet cell wf9s, wet cell st10s, 333 dt11s, 444 clear intermediate rocket wf5, wet cell st10s, wet cell st8s, sa st10s, sa st8s, sa bonefish wf5f, air cell l9f, and what else but, joan and lees triangle taper tt6/7f.

So the deal, line yes, reels future works. Rods, Cortland fairplay, made out of the same stuff moses walking stick was made of. If it works on a 30 dollar rod, should work on a more expensive rod

Plan, the final chapter, develop the best leader system for fishing these different lines. You know as flyfishers, just one more better
than before! So China? i will be putting better together than China could ever offer. I wont be working on the beauty, i will be working on the system. Beauty is only skin deep.

Son these vintage lines will be obsolete. Not because not wanted,, because too costly to produce. The man made element has left. The push button has arrived.

I have an entry level Reddington rod from 30 years ago. Feels like a noodle. It hasn't met the man that can cast with it. Many have tried. Also have a Browning from that era that is stiff as an antenna.

The rod does not make the fisherman but the fisherman can't make junk into a rod.