Many sounds accompany us as fly anglers in pursuit of our beloved targets. The sound the water makes burbling past as it trips and falls over the cobbled bottom. The calls of squabbling terns and gulls, the line cutting through the air on that first cast of the day.
No matter where you are or how minute it is, every sound we pick up on triggers an emotion or reaction with in us, building the audible feel and memories we retain throughout the day.
Of all the sounds we encounter during our time on the water, none gets the blood going as much as the sound of the drag singing on your fly reel.
It doesn’t matter if it’s the clicking of your grandpa’s old Pflueger Medalist on an over hung brook trout stream, or the cry of a Super 12 being unraveled at the stern of a blue water cruiser. As anglers, this can mark the moment of truth and the pinnacle of excitement.
Just about every reel manufactur has a little different drag sound. Some are loud and boisterous with a clicker, letting everyone within 100 yards know you’re hooked up. Others can be subtle and smooth, allowing the angler to be as discreet about his catch as wanted. No matter what the species, we all have our favorites reels and the sound that triggers the memories of that epic catch.
To paraphrase Clint Eastwood, “Every reel makes its own tune.”! I recently put most of my fresh water reels away in favor of an old Pflueger 1492 and 1494. They still work beautifully and I love the song they sing.
Very cool John! You just can’t beat that ‘old school sound!’ Thanks for weighing in!