Lamson Guru & Ross CLA large arbor reels

[saflyfish]

Hey guys
I have collected over the years many reels but all are std arbor.I have been contemplating getting onto the large arbor train and splashing out by getting some LA reels.
Ive always been a huge tackle junkie so i have a lot of knowledge with all rods,reels etc etc

Im know this topic has been covered hundreds of times on ff forums everywhere for years but im going to go large arbor for stillwater trout/yellows
The Ross CLA & the Lamson Guru is what ive decided on.The Ross for my 4 wts and the Lamson for my 5 & 6 wts.

I do own some std arbor Ross reels and the quality and reliability still amazes me.
So who has the Ross CLA and/or the lamson Guru and used these reels?
Any comments or suggestions welcome

thanks

[core fly]

I am a huge ross fan.Also have the entry level flystart and it has done itself proud over many years.
One thing that non Ross fans dont get used to is the drag sound the ross makes ..I think for smaller,clearer quieter tyoe fishing they are not the best,but for the rest they are all you could want and more.
My pick would obviously be the ross evolution lt if I had money for one now

[saflyfish]

i have the ross cimarrons which ran from 1994(i think) to 2003.
My only complaint is the noise of the "clicker".Its just way too loud as you have said already.Otherwise they are flawless performers.

[GGY]

Hey guys
I have collected over the years many reels but all are std arbor.I have been contemplating getting onto the large arbor train and splashing out by getting some LA reels.
Ive always been a huge tackle junkie so i have a lot of knowledge with all rods,reels etc etc

Im know this topic has been covered hundreds of times on ff forums everywhere for years but im going to go large arbor for stillwater trout/yellows
The Ross CLA & the Lamson Guru is what ive decided on.The Ross for my 4 wts and the Lamson for my 5 & 6 wts.

I do own some std arbor Ross reels and the quality and reliability still amazes me.
So who has the Ross CLA and/or the lamson Guru and used these reels?
Any comments or suggestions welcome

thanks

Ross CLA - yuck. Sorry, but true.
http://www.rossreels.com/cla.html

Personally, I would buy a locally supported reel, but if you are not going to buy a reel that is not sold in SA, why would you buy a CLA (I assume a CLA #1 or #1.5 for your 4wt) which is an old design "mid" arbour?
Since you want a Lamson Guru for the 5 & 6 wt, why would you not buy a Guru 1 or 1.5 instead of the CLA for the 4wt? I would pick a Guru 1.5 over the others, if you really wanted a "4wt" reel.
http://waterworks-lamson.com/products/lamson-guru/

SIZE	WIDTH	DIA	Wt	LINE Wt	CAPACITY	SUGG RETAIL
CLA Reel Black #1	.90”	3.00”	4.3oz	2-4wt.	WF3+75	$175.00
GURU 1	0.93"	2.90"	4.0 oz	WF3	35 yds 20#	$199
CLA Reel Black #1.5	.90”	3.125”	4.5oz	3-5wt.	WF4+100	$185.00
GURU 1.5	1.10"	3.15"	4.70 oz	WF4	100 yds 20#	$199

What are the lengths of your 4, 5 & 6wts? This has an effect on what reel will balance these rods appropriately and you *may* be able to use the same reels on the different rods (ie a reel that balances a 9ft 5/6wt will very well balance a longer 10ft 4wt ,and thus the same reel, with spare spools for the different rod weights [or duplicated reels], would be a practical choice)

If you are fishing shorter 8 1/2 or 9ft rods across all of them, then a Guru 2 or 3 would be a better choice.

SIZE WIDTH DIA Wt LINE Wt CAPACITY SUGG RETAIL GURU 2 1.10" 3.30" 4.90 oz WF6 100 yds 20# $209 GURU 3 1.25" 3.63" 5.50 oz WF7 150 yds 20# $229

[saflyfish]

Hey Gary thanks for the detailed reply.All my 4 wts are either 8.5 or 9ft.
I do get your logic regarding getting the Guru for both 4,5's and you probably right
However variety is the spice of life and i would like a different make of reel for my 4's and my 5's.
Im a huge ross fan,always used then in the salt,so thats why i looked at the CLA.To get the next step up the ross evo would just be too costly with extra spools etc.
I did look at the shilton LA's but they over 2500,so out of the budget again.

[Barbus13]

You could also look at the 3-Tand TF (freshwater series). Light for it's weight class, winner of flyreel of the year at ICAST 2014, Americans have been putting it through it's paces this last year and full of praise. TF50 for 4/5 wt line and TF70 for 6/7 wt line. Backed up by David Levene who started Stealth.

Just a though. :smile:
P.s. Been fishing my TF50 for 2 months and have ordered a TF70 now.

[GGY]

You could also look at the 3-Tand TF (freshwater series). Light for it's weight class, winner of flyreel of the year at ICAST 2014, Americans have been putting it through it's paces this last year and full of praise. TF50 for 4/5 wt line and TF70 for 6/7 wt line. Backed up by David Levene who started Stealth.

Just a though. :smile:
P.s. Been fishing my TF50 for 2 months and have ordered a TF70 now.

IMO - Many brands really seem to undersize their reels.
A friend has a TF70 (Rated 6-8 lines), but fishes it on a 10ft 3wt, since it balances the rod (200m backing required to fill out the spool).
The TF50 would be ok on the smallest rods (1-3wt in shorter lengths), but I would not dream of getting a TF20/TF40.
http://3-tand.com/fly_reels.html

I looked at a Hardy CC1000 this past weekend - so small I would never even consider using it on anything. Rather get a CC3000 or CC4000, which is only slightly heavier, but has a far larger arbour.
http://fly.hardyfishing.com/en-gb/pr...e-click-check/

I have been through this before, but since most reel models from the smallest to the largest in the range have the same reel seat, drag system & spool release, which all weight the same amount, the mass increase you get when going to a larger arbour is minor compared to the line pickup.

[saflyfish]

Those 3-Tand reels look awesome,but i hate the silver...wish they came in black.
Gary,what is your opinion on the Hardy DD reels?

[KevinC]

Hey guys
I have collected over the years many reels but all are std arbor.I have been contemplating getting onto the large arbor train and splashing out by getting some LA reels.
Ive always been a huge tackle junkie so i have a lot of knowledge with all rods,reels etc etc

Im know this topic has been covered hundreds of times on ff forums everywhere for years but im going to go large arbor for stillwater trout/yellows
The Ross CLA & the Lamson Guru is what ive decided on.The Ross for my 4 wts and the Lamson for my 5 & 6 wts.

I do own some std arbor Ross reels and the quality and reliability still amazes me.
So who has the Ross CLA and/or the lamson Guru and used these reels?
Any comments or suggestions welcome

thanks

Howzit, only saw this thread now.

As mentioned in the other thread I have a Guru. Nice reel for freshwater use but a bit too light and pretty for true saltwater applications. I am using a guru 3.5 on my 6wt G. Loomis and while it is big it still balances nicely on the rod (bought for the salt but seems more at home on the 6wt, prob a bit big to be honest but I like it). The arbor size doesnt seem to get much bigger, its the width of the spool which is wider. Long and short I am very happy with it and the drag is nice and smooth. Based on the 3.5 I would probably go for the 3 over the 2 for a 6wt.

[GGY]

Those 3-Tand reels look awesome,but i hate the silver...wish they came in black.
Gary,what is your opinion on the Hardy DD reels?

I like the Hardy DD reels.
http://fly.hardyfishing.com/en-gb/pr...ite-disc-drag/
The DD BLACK is even better looking.
http://fly.hardyfishing.com/en-gb/pr...edition-reels/

I almost got one, but then decided on the GX700 reels for the benefit of the additional (cheap) cassette spools for all my fishing. I now use the same reel (GX700 6/7/8 wt) on my 10ft 3wt & 10ft 6wt rods. Balances them nicely. (The Hardy CLS is based on the DD, but are too heavy for my applications)

If I did get one, I would have gone for possibly the 6000DD model or more likely the 7000DD model, since the 4gram mass increase is nothing for a 5mm increase in spool dia (note - TYPO on the BLACK DD page - 109mm = 4.29in, not 4.92 in. This is correct on the normal page).
I would have happily used this on a 3wt or a 6wt rod. (my GX700's actually weigh more, but have a smaller diameter).