Mooching reel on "Nice Fish" yesterday?

Pippen

Well-Known Member
Hey Guys,

Not sure if anyone happened to watch the episode where Gary's grandson is fishing with a guide in the Charlotte's?

He was using Hardy's and also another reel which was a stainless steel bright silver reel rigged up for use on the downrigger. It was not an Islander, Rapala or Trophy....I wasn't sure if you could use a large arbour saltwater fly reel on the rigger or not but it sure did have a similar look to the Loop fly reels. I had heard a rumour last fall that Loop was going to be coming out with a mooching reel but there is still nothing on their website.

Anyone happen to see the episode and able to identify the reel? Could you use a bigger saltwater fly reel on a rigger?

Cheers.
 
?longstone maybe?
 
Maybe a Billy Pate Reel... http://www.tiborreel.com/pate.html

I watched all three episodes this morning. There were 3 this weekend that I could find. 1 in Nooka, 1 in Browns Bay and 1 Fresh Water trip.

SS could be right, There was one last week with W.Mitchell and B.Morrisson at QCL and they were using a Hardy Longstone.
 
?longstone maybe?

No...the guide had a couple of Hardy's he was using as well. This was a very new looking bright and flashy silver reel that reminded me of the Loop reels I have seen; with the more "modern" look to it. It had sort of a "recessed" drag knob kind of like the MR3's do but it was more round like an MR2 but the reel itself looked pretty darn modern and new.
 
Hey!! Found this on Gary's site.

Look at this link of his video blog.....the June 15th one and starting at about 3:23 you will see the reel. It shows it way better than it did in the episode yesterday.....I am thinking it may be heavier weight fly reel?

http://www.nicefish.tv/video/?currentPage=2

Anybody able to identify it?

Does anyone use heavier weight fly reels for downrigging if this is in fact what it is?
 
I think that could be it. At only $8,000 I think I'll order a couple (not!!!!) But then again, it comes with a leather case.
 
There are 2 models.....1 built from aluminum and the real costly one built out of titanium. Don't think I will be buying the titanium one. But hey that aluminum one sure looks hot....
 
The reel in the first clip of the guy fighting a fish is a Hardy Longstone. They are wonderful as mooching or downrigger reels, but they do not hold up very well to saltwater use. I own several of them and found that after a few years use, the handles corrode and break off the face plates if you're not careful to thoroughly wash and lubricate them after every use.

I also use it's older (and larger) brother--the Hardy Eddystone (also named after a lighthouse in England). This is a fantastic downrigger reel but it is HEAVY.
Here's a picture of what they look like:

The other reel looks like the Hardy Zane Salt that Fish Assassin mentioned. Don't know much about it but sad to relate, the word is that the Hardy newer issues are not very well made-- cheaper materials, handles splitting etc. Maybe they got the message and improved the materials---I stick with the older Hardy reels and baby them....
 

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I was going to say it looks like a hardy product. I have used my islander large arbor reels for mooching when I was in the charlottes a few years back, but its not the same. First off it costs alot more than the MR3's, so it isnt worth risking someone dropping it overboard on you! And secondly its alot more work to reel in as the handles and spool are smaller than the MR2 even. Works great on a 8 weight fly rod with a 10 to 20lb coho screaming along the surface in tofino though!
 
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