Orvis Battenkill large arbor 1

[kadd]

Does anyone have experience with the Battenkill LA 1 reel. Its rater for 1-3wt line and looks to hold little backing, but how much backing do you really need when fishing for trout. I've only seen the backing a few times under abnormal conditions....aka private stockings. Anyway, I've read mixed reviews. I hear the drag doesnt have fine adjustments and the line binds up in the reel if you dont feed it on to the spool when reeling in? Anyone use one or read anything different?

Thanks

 

[Padraic]

Backing is important on a trout reel for one reason... it keeps the line from being wound too tight around the arbor of the reel. If you had no backing or very little the line would coil tightly and not straighten out when you cast. I'd be like casting a bed spring.

I have heard that the first Battenkill LA's had a problem of not holding as much backing as you might like. For a small line weight, such as a 1 or 2 wt, you might not run up on that problem. If you intend to use a WF3, you could cut 20' or so off the running line end of your fly line. That should give you plenty of room, and you are less likely to cast a 3 wt 70' (or need to) than you are to see that backing. If you want to use a DT, you could cut the line in half immediately, and then the other half of the line will be in excellent shape!

As for the problem with the line not spooling up... that could be because the person you spoke with overfilled the reel. Any reel would have that problem if it is overfilled (although I have a "narrow" arbor reel that I have never had a problem with).

 

[JoeE]

I like the large arbor reels only on big rods, Saltwater when you need the backing and need to pick line up off the water quickly or catch up with a running fish. Trout and smallies, I’ll stay with the normal reels sizes. I just think they are too big and get in the way of normal fishing that I do anyway.


Joe E.

 

[kadd]

Padriac,

I know what you are saying about backing but does it come in to play with the large arbor? I know my bbs 2 can use all the backing you can fit on it or the line becomes a slinky. The LA reel looks to have a spool thats bigger than my BBS with backing. I was also thinking of putting a 4wt line on the reel or getting another spool to use with a 4wt. The reel is only rated for 1-3 but how much difference would a 4wt be? I really like how light my BBS 2 is and how it balances on the rod. I dont like the memory you get on your line or how long it takes to recover line and was thinking the LA 1 might be the solution since it weighs the same as the BBS. Thoughts?

Thanks

 

[Padraic]

Kadd,

The word on the original Orvis Battenkill LA's is that you would want to go to the next size up for the line. So if you were going to use a 5 wt, you'd get the one for a 7/8 line. Which would in theory, make the 1-3 wt reel useless.

If you really like it and can get a great deal on it, go for it. I'm sure you can make it work.

 

[Fredrick]

If you are worried about backing go with the Mid arbor reel it carries more backing and picks up more line than the barstock.. :-o

 

[Maurice]

If you are using a 1-3 wt rod and need backing for more than getting the flyline off the arbor...you should be using a bigger rod.

1-3wts have their use but it is not for playing big fish into the backing. You'll just overplay the fish until exhaustion.

Maurice

 

[kadd]

Padriac - thanks again, you've been very helpful.


Frederick - I have a mid arbor and it's a great reel but doesn’t balance well on my 7'6" 3wt or 4wt. There were only 2 reels I found that were a LA and the same weight or less than my BBS2.....the Orvis LA and the Sage 3200. Unless I hit the lottery the Sage is just a dream.

Maurice - who said anything about playing big fish on a 1-3 wt in to the backing? I think the concern was having enough backing to keep the line from coiling but I guess it doesn’t hurt to have backing in case you happen to hook a much larger fish than expected for the stream.

Really I think backing on a trout reel is a conspiracy by the backing companies. You could really fill the reel with a plastic ring instead of backing but it would affect the economy so all patents have been rejected. Seriously, I've caught some really large fish on a 4 and 5 wt rod and never got in to the backing. I saw the backing but never was on it.

 

[Padraic]

IMHO it's not harder to land a large fish on a small rod than it is a big rod. You will feel the fish more, which may make you want to back off the pressure. Counterintuitively, though, you can probably put more pressure on a fish with a small rod, since it is more likely to flex easily and protect the tippet.

I generally don't go less than 5x, and it's all about the tippet and the hook. You can pull in just about any trout in PA hand over hand with 5x. The only danger would be that the trout would pull the hook out, not snap the tippet.

Of course, you should learn how to apply pressure with the rod. Most guys fight fish off the tip of the rod. No rod has much strength to manage a fish up on the tip. Dropping the tip, so the fish is bending the middle or butt of the blank is far more effective and allows the tip to flex when a fish makes a "surge" or shakes it's head.

 

[Flydog]

I have used the Battenkill LA 1 for two or three years now. It is really lite on my 9' 4wt rod. I put the gel spun backing and then the 4wt. line. Worked great. The guy at the fly shop thought a 4wt. line would never fit with backing.

I was only into the backing once...and it was out West. By using the gel spun I was able to get a 4wt line on a reel rated for a 3 wt line.