The Traditional Fisherman's Forum

What is a good start up weight to get a Speedia revolving?

I have a Deluxe Narrow Drum that I acquired a couple of years ago. Up until recently I hadn't used it much but then gave it a good clean removing a ridiculous amount of grease that the previous owner had suffocated the backplate in and offered a little sewing machine oil to the pin.

I know spin times are fairly irrelevant to a performance of a reel but it can go sixty seconds with a good rap of the handles. I tackled up 13' float rod yesterday and managed to get the drum gently revolving with a number one shot attached to the line holding the rod parallel to the ground with the reel facing up. Then I removed the shot and put on a five number four stick float with no additional weight. This made the reel turn with more gusto.

There is a slight wobble when I try and give it the biggun' to try and see how long the reel spins but on a gentle turn there is little to no effect. From what I've read on here most Speedia's seem to be afflicted with a little wobble but that seems to add to the imperfect charm of them.

Are there any improvements I could make on cleaning or the type of spindle oil to make the reel start up even more easily or is it good enough?

Many thanks!

Sounds great already.. Only inprovement I can think of is to use it!

I would suggest that it's good enough already, you will learn its ways and adapt to them. The idea is to cast without overrun and a slightly braked reel means fewer tangles - theoretically, some of us break that mould. Stop fettling and start catching

Well said Santiago and Dave That spin time etc sounds fine to me though I don't own a Speedia. If anything I've found my modern super free running 'pins and bearing reels to be slightly added trouble both for Wallis casting and actual trotting. Perhaps that's down to me and the fact I generally only get chance to trot in the winter months for pike, chub and grayling so don't get the more regular practice that some might with finer tackle and less flow. An educated rod hand thumb is the key in my book as is the habit of engaging the ratchet at all times necessary. I've slightly slowed some lively reels by altering the oil viscosity and on the other hand have sped up some old dogs by 'spinning them in' with repeated cycles of cleaning, oiling and batting. Just don't over polish as at the end of the day it's an abrasive no matter how mild and you can't put back what you remove.

Gave it a run out this evening with stick float, hemp and caster. Stack of small Dace, Roach and Perch, best chub 4lb15oz. I could live with the painfully slow retrieve given the pleasure in the runs down the swim.

Rod and Annette wrote: ↑Thu Sep 02, 2021 8:35 pm I could live with the painfully slow retrieve given the pleasure in the runs down the swim.

You have perfectly summed up long-trotting with a pin Well done, I bet playing that chub was pure heaven.

Pure heaven, just about! I hooked it 30 yards down the swim and it swam like a torpedo towards me, very un-Chub like ignoring the snags on the way up to me. Had to wind like a mad thing to keep in touch then a short to and fro in the streamer weed under my feet.

Rod and Annette wrote: ↑Thu Sep 02, 2021 8:35 pm Gave it a run out this evening with stick float, hemp and caster. Stack of small Dace, Roach and Perch, best chub 4lb15oz. I could live with the painfully slow retrieve given the pleasure in the runs down the swim.

To increase retrieve speed, have you tried batting the drum when you don’t have a fish on?

Phil

More batting than Boycott, still takes forever

Rod and Annette wrote: ↑Fri Sep 03, 2021 12:07 pm More batting than Boycott, still takes forever