Help W/Flyrise Drag

[Bruce Edward Litton]

No directions w/our new Flyrise 3 reels on how the drag works, nor could I find any instructions online. Have never needed a drag fly fishing, besides once w/a guide. There's a knob on the right when the reel is positioned to reel from the left, loosens & tightens, but the spool does not give when I hold on to the finger-wind.

Can someone point out what very simple something I'm missing? Thanks.

 

[FIN-ITE 34]

I'm not following. It should work like any other fly reel drag. Put some line on the reel and load it onto a rod. Run the line up the guides. If you are reeling left hand, the drag knob is on the opposite side (right). Looking at the right side drag knob, turn the knob CCW a few turns. Grab the fly line that has been run through the guides with your left hand while holding the rod in your right hand. Pull the line and it should come of the reel easily. Now turn the drag knob CW a turn and repeat the line pulling and you should feel resistance in the way the line comes off the spool. Note that the reel handle with spin with the spool so when fighting a fish that takes drag you will have to keep your hand clear of the reel handle as it spins with the spool.

 

[Pete]

......., but the spool does not give when I hold on to the finger-wind......

Unlike spinning and conventional reels, nearly all reasonably priced, (and most high priced) fly reels are "direct drive". There are only a handful of high end salmon/saltwater reels with an "anti-reverse" feature.
eg: Billy Pate Reels Maintenance & Features

Like FIN-ITE 34 posted, you have to let go of the handle of a direct drive reel for the drag to function.

 

[Bruce Edward Litton]

I'm not following. It should work like any other fly reel drag. Put some line on the reel and load it onto a rod. Run the line up the guides. If you are reeling left hand, the drag knob is on the opposite side (right). Looking at the right side drag knob, turn the knob CCW a few turns. Grab the fly line that has been run through the guides with your left hand while holding the rod in your right hand. Pull the line and it should come of the reel easily. Now turn the drag knob CW a turn and repeat the line pulling and you should feel resistance in the way the line comes off the spool. Note that the reel handle with spin with the spool so when fighting a fish that takes drag you will have to keep your hand clear of the reel handle as it spins with the spool.

I'm completely dumbfounded. I have two brand new Ross Flyrise 3's w/drags that don't seem to work. The way you describe is what I expected: tighten the knob, and the reel will resist when the line is pulled. (And yes, the handle will turn with it.) But even when I tighten it all the way down, either reel, it's so loose that if I were to stip line off as I cast--as I did at KLG other night--the reel spins a little and line backlashes somewhat.

 

[Bruce Edward Litton]

Now I find that when I tighten the knob, it makes the reeling stiffer, but the spool still spins light as ever when I pull line. So I thought maybe I got right handed reels by mistake, tried that side & it's the same problem. Reeling IN is stiff--but pulling out remains loose. Both reels have the same problem--or no problem at all. Surely I'm missing something really simple.

Thank you guys! I just figured it out! I loaded the reels so that line rolls on nearest the cork, instead of further from it. Just as I thought from the beginning, something "too simple for me to get," as I told my son once. Thanks to the forum, my thinking fell in place all of a sudden. This novice fly fisherman may catch one after all.

 

[Bruce Edward Litton]

And lol! It sticks out about as awkwardly as it was for my to submit my full name, but I can't help being me...