flyreel

Abu Record Standard

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Following my series of classic fly reel pictures i like. After the famous ABU Delta, here is another great ABU fly fishing reel:

The ABU Record Standard

The Record Standard was manufactured by ABU under the brand of ABU and Pebco (Model 5). They were similiar in design and specifications and were build in Sweden from 1942 to 1965. They had a capacity of 100 yards of backing under the flyline.

abu-record-standard-front abu-record-standard-back
ABU Record Standard FrontABU Record Standard Back
abu-record-standard-side
ABU Record Standard Side 

On the backside it is labeled with “RECORD Standard”, “MADE IN SWEDEN” and “A.B. URFABRIKEN SVÄNSTA”, that means something like “A.B. Clock Manufacturer Sweden”.
It is not in mint condition, but hey it is pretty old.

If you are looking to purchase a ABU fly reel, have a look at our ABU fly reel page.

Abu Delta 3

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With this post i’m starting a series of reel pictures from fly reels that i love because i think they were milestones in reel development or design, or maybe simply because i like them.
The reels are mine or from friends or family collectors and fly fishers.
I want to start with a reel manufacturer from sweden (in former times from sweden i think) that is better known for his multireels – ABU.
The first reel in my little series is a ABU Delta 3, it’ a really great design for a fishing reel and the only one i know that is triangular.

Here are some pictures of the ABU Delta 3:

abu-delta-3-front abu-delta-3-back
ABU Delta 3 FrontAbu Delta 3 Back

It is not in mint condition, but hey it was pretty cheap at a flyfair meeting in Holland for about 25$.
If i remember right, there is one bigger model of this reel, that is called “ABU Delta 5”.

If you are looking to purchase a ABU fly reel, have a look at our ABU fly reel page.

Finding the right amount of backing for your fly reel

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Determinig the amount of backing for an unfamiliar reel is always a problem.
You must have enough reserve when you catch a big one, but must not overfill the spool to avoid balling you line.

The best way for finding out how much backing fits to your reel i know of is the following:

  • stick your fly-line to the spool of the fly reel with tape.
    when it is a WF (weight forward) line, make sure you tape the shooting head (the end with the larger diameter).
  • wind it on the reel.
  • when finished tie your backing to the fly line and reel as much backing to your spool till you think the capacity is ok.
  • cut the backing with a scissor or knive
  • after that strip the whole off the reel.
  • tie the cut end of the backing to the reel with an appropriate knot.
  • reel the line back in and you will have the proper amount of fly line and backing on your fly reel.

How much must one spend to get a quality saltwater fly fishing reel?

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If you need a resonably priced fly fishing reel for chasing Tarpon, Snook, and Bonefish, you should concentrate on a few manufacturers and brands.

Have a look at our saltwater fly fishing reels auctions page for a first overview.

Always remember that you get what you pay for, just don`t go wild untill you know it`s the reel that you want to buy.
You also can go and visit a couple of fishing shops and see which reel feels good in your hands because not all of them will feel the same.
Okuma makes some decent reels for saltwater fishing as well.
I would get an 9wt or a 10wt for the beginning.
I would not try to target tarpon with anything less than a 10wt rod and reel with a good line and lots of backing.
Based on your budget you can get a decent reel for 9 wt or 10wt from 100.00$ upwards.

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