Lamson Liquid 3+ Capacities..

[RLeep2]

I'm considering retiring my main small stream trout reel, an early 90's vintage Orvis Battenkill 3/4 Disc and replacing it with the smallest Lamson Liquid. The Battenkill goes through line guards about once every 3-4 years. Orvis no longer will replace them and I'm tired of using duct tape to cover the groove.

But this is not meant as a lament that time and Orvis have maliciously passed me by.. It's been a good reel and it's almost 30 years old now.

Anyway, what I want to do is get the smallest version of the Liquid and the 2 extra spools that come with their 3-pack deal. What I'm trying to figure out is if I can spool a DT5F if I use virtually no backing. This is how I got my Battenkill to take the same line. It was tight, but it worked.

Has anybody done this or have a reasonably informed opinion as whether it is possible? Lamson Support said it might, but they were tentative about it at best. I mean, if worse comes to worse, I can cut the fly line in half and use it that way. 45 feet of line is about as much as I'd ever need in most situations where I'd use the DT5 anyway.

Thoughts?

Thanks!

 

[afishinado]

RLeep2 wrote:
I'm considering retiring my main small stream trout reel, an early 90's vintage Orvis Battenkill 3/4 Disc and replacing it with the smallest Lamson Liquid. The Battenkill goes through line guards about once every 3-4 years. Orvis no longer will replace them and I'm tired of using duct tape to cover the groove.

But this is not meant as a lament that time and Orvis have maliciously passed me by.. It's been a good reel and it's almost 30 years old now.

Anyway, what I want to do is get the smallest version of the Liquid and the 2 extra spools that come with their 3-pack deal. What I'm trying to figure out is if I can spool a DT5F if I use virtually no backing. This is how I got my Battenkill to take the same line. It was tight, but it worked.

Has anybody done this or have a reasonably informed opinion as whether it is possible? Lamson Support said it might, but they were tentative about it at best. I mean, if worse comes to worse, I can cut the fly line in half and use it that way. 45 feet of line is about as much as I'd ever need in most situations where I'd use the DT5 anyway.

Thoughts?

Thanks!

You are right. Since you have a DT line, you can cut it in half and add just enough backing to almost fill the spool. You would end up with 45' of fly line which would equate to being able to cast 60'+/- (45' of fly line + the length of your rod and leader). That's way more line than needed with a light rod in a small stream. Plus you now have an extra line (the other half) to spool on when the first section wears out. Go for it. Good luck.

 

[Bamboozle]

RLeep2 wrote:
I'm considering retiring my main small stream trout reel, an early 90's vintage Orvis Battenkill 3/4 Disc and replacing it with the smallest Lamson Liquid. The Battenkill goes through line guards about once every 3-4 years. Orvis no longer will replace them and I'm tired of using duct tape to cover the groove.

Thoughts?

Thanks!

My first thought is if you are burning through a metal line guard in 3-4 years, you must be batting tarpon! ;-)

My second thought is you will be sorely disappointed in how long the Lamson Liquid will hold up with no line guard except the anodized aluminum frame.

My third thought is if you are not batting tarpon, you should consider modifying the way you strip line from a reel.

Most fishermen strip the line to the side of the reel opening with their free hand. When I bought my first reel with no line guard, I modified the way I striped and started pulling line from the reel straight out the front, usually pulling what I needed before beginning to cast.

It took a little time to get used to, but now it is second nature and the reel opening shows no sign of wear or even a rub mark.

Another thing, dirty lines are more abrasive than clean lines...

My final thought is if you weren't just looking for an excuse to buy a new reel (which I totally understand), you could probably find a replacement line guard or substitute that may work.

Try asking for a line guard or a substitute that would work here.

Good luck regardless of which option you choose!

 

[RLeep2]

The input is appreciated. What I'll probably do is go ahead and get the Liquid 3+ and try to put the entire DT5F on it the same way I did on my Battenkill 3/4, with a minimum of backing. if it works, it works. If not, I'll do the cut line thing...

 

[Bamboozle]

If it is within your budget, take a look at 406 Fly Lines. They are great lines, made by SciAnglers for 406 and they have a thinner coating than many lines out there.

Another option is a Cortland Sylk which is WAY thinner and would most likely fit with a lot of backing. The Sylk is also VERY limp so you would be less likely to get memory coils if you ended up with no backing.

Regardless, the bottom line is you can typically expect 50% less backing on a reel using a regular DT versus a regular WF. You can also expect 50% less capacity if you go up a line size on the same reel.

The Lamson Liquid 3+ is rated for 100 yards of 20lb backing and a 4WF line, make that a 5WF line and you get 50 yards of 20lb backing, make that 5DT and you get 25 yards of 20lb backing.

IF the estimates are correct my guess is you will have no problem fitting a DT5 line on that reel...

I think... ;-)

Good luck!

 

[moon1284]

I'd think you'd be better cutting the line in half. Not using much backing means your dt5f will be coiling the end closet to the spool very tightly and when you flip it it may have so much memory its junk. I only use dt line on 6wt and under - I know the above from experience.

Also I know you didnt ask but bamboozle is correct about both stripping to the side and the fact that the lamson will wear quicker than the orvis line guard. I was in a fly shop in maine when a guy came in with an abel that was grooved where a line guard would be. The shop owner told the guy it wasnt the reels fault he was stripping line wrong. The fly shop owner had the guy put the reel on a rod and strip line and showed how the way he stripped was sawing into the reel. The guy said that shouldn't happen to an abel, and the fly shop owner pulled out a bogdan damaged the same way.

 

[Bamboozle]

moon1284 wrote:
I'd think you'd be better cutting the line in half. Not using much backing means your dt5f will be coiling the end closet to the spool very tightly and when you flip it it may have so much memory its junk. I only use dt line on 6wt and under - I know the above from experience.

The Lamson Liquid is a large arbor reel so memory coils shouldn't be that big of an issue or any more of a problem than a standard arbor reel with 200 yards of backing.

 

[moon1284]

Makes sense. Wasn't familiar with the reel.