# Fin Nor anti-reverse



## lemaymiami (Feb 9, 2007)

Which model Fin Nor - the first would be wedding cake, the second the Classic, the third the Ahab? If it's one of the first two you're pretty much out of luck since you'll need parts (that haven't been made in many, many years...). The last of their fly reels would get a "maybe" from me as far as the parts being available. If they are Ahabs you'll have to get an owner's brochure if possible since it will tell you if the reel can be converted without addtional parts... 

Good luck, I used to be one of their dealers in a small way (I was building a few fly rods and equipped them with Fin Nor reels way back when Fin Nor was still a Miami based company).


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## Blue Zone (Oct 22, 2011)

Many thanks, Cap. 

They are classic anti-reverse, guess I'll have to live with leaving them in an as is state.


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## jmrodandgun (Sep 20, 2013)

Check the classic fly rod forums. Sometimes guys have parts laying around. I recently converted a direct drive billy pate bonefish to right hand retrieve thanks to someone who had the parts. Of course, they know these parts are no longer available so it's not cheap.


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## lemaymiami (Feb 9, 2007)

There's a second "E-Bay option".... Watch the site (I used to simply enter Fin Nor fly...) for the model you're wanting... If it shows up and is within budget, buy it then sell the one with the other drive. Sometimes you'll actually gain a buck or two other times you'll be spending - but not as much as the parts to convert one might cost , if you can find them.... Good luck -they're great reels, but a bit dated. The only one I have left is a #2 with a rim control spool (not many of those ever produced, only came out towards the end of the company in Miami). Of course like many older anglers mine are all right hand drive....


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## Blue Zone (Oct 22, 2011)

Thanks, the Bay is source from where I replenished my stock. I went more on condition rather than whether or not the reels were right or left. 

There's a guy in NC who I bought a bunch of parts from for my offshore reels. I heard he used to work at the factory when it was there. I'll give him a try if I can find his details.


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## Backwater (Dec 14, 2014)

Blue Zone, don't you guide over there?  If so, most clients that are proficient saltwater fly anglers "in the know" will reel with their right hand.  That's because most people are right hand and that means you can wind faster and longer with your right hand, which comes in handy for those loooong bonefish runs.  

Typically, the newer guys into fly fishing reel with their left hand because they relate it to a normal spinning reel setup that has a 5:1 pickup ratio.  Remember, fly reels have only a 1:1 line pickup ratio, so you will wind a lot more than a spinning reel.  But you fish for bonefish, so you know that already!   One other note, if you are rightt handed, you have more dexterity to let got of the handle quicker and palm the reel gently that you would with your hand that you use less often.    So I would consider keeping them rt hand retrieve for those clients, if that's what you do.

Btw, do you know the guy in Lucaya that does some work with the Bonefish & Tarpon Trust?  He's Bahamian.  Or, is that you?   :-?

Capt LeMay, I've only seen 2 Wedding Cakes up close in person in my entire life (excluding the wedding cakes at both of my weddings!  Thank Geeeod I only have 1 of those wives!  ;D ).  So I would rule out that since it would be considered an antique!   

Blue, we got to get you hooked up with some newer, lighter reels with larger arbors to use as your everyday reels so you can pickup backing faster and keep those vintage Classics on the table or shelves for conversation pieces and only use them for special occasions.   Hummm....   ~thinks~  I guess ANY day you fish for bones is a special occasion!   ;D  

Hook me up, I'm taking the ferry over!


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## ifsteve (Jul 1, 2010)

I never have understood the whole reel right vs left argument. Years ago when I got into saltwater fly fishing the approach was to fight big fish with your dominant arm so I always reeled left handed.

Somewhere in the last 40 years the more common approach seems to have switched over to reeling being more important than fighting the fish, which for most fish is probably fine. 

Among my fishing buddies I would guess its about 50-50 for reeling left vs right. 

Lastly there is one definite negative to casting with the right arm and reeling with the right hand. And that is that very short period of time it takes to switch the rod to your left hand after you cast. I have seen numerous times that a fish hit a fly as soon as it hit the water and doesn't get hooked as the guy was changing rod hands.

With a good cast and line management this won't happen if you don't change hands after casting.


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## Blue Zone (Oct 22, 2011)

Backwater,

Lot of questions there. No, I don't guide. I have nothing to do with Bonefish and Tarpon Trust; they annoyed me about being on the wrong side of an issue a few years back.

I surf "goofy foot' as well and never paid too much attention to convention. L/H and R/H are personal preferences and both have their pros and cons.

I'll keep using my Fin Nor "doorstops" til the end; they haven't worn me out yet and they are tacked onto some very decent sticks. Maybe it's just me, but I maintain that the weight makes for good leverage both for casting (particularly on windy days) and fighting fish.

I am in FL at the moment. If you want, send me a pm and I'll put you on some interesting spots if you are DYIing it on GBI. 

Idaho,

I spend a fair amount of time out your way with my _left-hand_ retrieve _Fin Nor_ no.1 . Maybe you know my favorite spot, Wild Horse Creek?


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## ifsteve (Jul 1, 2010)

BZ

I know of Wild Horse Creek but have never fished up there even though its not far from my Idaho home. Gorgeous country up that way!


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## Brett (Jul 16, 2008)

Sold my Fin Nor AR3 a few years back.
Shoulder couldn't handle the motion anymore.
Still have the scans of the parts list and instructions on a hard drive.


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## Blue Zone (Oct 22, 2011)

Brett,

Wow, many thanks! I'll try to get up the nerve to give it a try. I'm pretty good at taking things apart; putting them back together is another story. The one thing that worries me is the word "spring" and getting the right torsion back.

If you had 8 on your #3 as most people do, you should have traded for a #2 and put the 8 on that.

Thanks again


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## Brett (Jul 16, 2008)

Had it on a 10wt for offshore use and beach busting snook.

old ad and pics with the reel opened

http://www.microskiff.com/cgi-bin/yabb2/YaBB.pl?num=1296849142


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## DuckNut (Apr 3, 2009)

Pm sent


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## Backwater (Dec 14, 2014)

SkiffinIdaho, if anyone is waiting to set the hook until you switch hands or even touch the reel, then they'll never catch a fish on fly.  Think for a moment....  whatever hand you are using, when the fish takes the fly, you need to strip set the fly using your stripping hand, then keep the line tight and keeping the tension on the fly line until you get the fish on the reel (IF it makes it to the reel).   THEN, with drag pressure on, as the fish is making a run, you swap hands.  Otherwise, you play it with your stripping hand if the fish never makes it to the reel.  I also hate to see these guys STOP fighting the fish with their stripping hand to wind up a bunch of slack line to get the fish on the reel (I call that artificially getting the fish on the reel).  That's where you can loose the fish since it can turn and cause slack in the line and drop the fly (especially if you forget to strip set the fly).

And on that note, straight stick strip setting the fly is the most effective way to getting the fly driven home.  It puts way more pressure on the point than lifting the rod or strip setting while lifting the rod.

Blue, you are right about using the weight of the reel to balancing out the rod and flyline, especially the larger heavier rods.  I made a comment/comparison on another thread where you can take a light weight fast rod with light flyline and make it feel broomsticky with an ultralight fly reel and light weight floating line.  On the flip side, you can light fast rod with too heavy of a reel with a heavier sink line or over lining it and cause it to feel like a buggy whip.  Or put a light reel and line on a slower progressive rod and cause it to feel faster.  Etc..etc...

Also, I do respect those guys who like and use the older nostalgic equipment. I'm just saying not beating it up as your daily driver and keeping as that nice piece you keep for the special trips with your buds. But then again, I understand your theory on the subject. 

Brett, drop your elbow to your side when casting and don't raise your casting hand above your chin and you will never have a problem with your shoulder.  That way, you can use a bowling ball for a reel and not get shoulder problems.  Just sayin....  If you feel the need to raise your arm to get distance, then you may want to look at a different techniques for distance.  If you ever get a chance to come over to the lower Tampa Bay area to as far south as Sarasota, then PM me and you can stop by and I can help you out with some of those techniques.  Otherwise, watch some Lefty Krey vids and see what he does.  That works also!    Now, if someone could tell me how to keep from wearing out my shoulder while painting my house over the last few days. then I'm all ears!!! ;D

Hey Blue, I would be interested in hearing about what the T&B Trust did over there that didn't sit well with you.  Also, I will take you up on that offer to pm you about diy wading around Lucaya and the southeast end of the island.

Thanks!


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## Brett (Jul 16, 2008)

drop your elbow to your side and don't raise your casting hand above your chin

Wishful thinking....damaged rotator cuff, impact shoulder injury 20 years ago.
Surgery "might" fix it, might not. I hate hospitals, so I gave up the whippy stick. :-[


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## ifsteve (Jul 1, 2010)

> drop your elbow to your side and don't raise your casting hand above your chin
> 
> Wishful thinking....damaged rotator cuff, impact shoulder injury 20 years ago.
> Surgery "might" fix it, might not. I hate hospitals, so I gave up the whippy stick.  :-[


Bummer. Whipppy sticks have been my fishing tool of choice for over 40 years. I don't think I could give them up even if it meant a hospital visit. Nothing wrong with commie tackle and I use it a fair bit. But life without my fly rod .....well......hope I don't have to go there.... :'(


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## lemaymiami (Feb 9, 2007)

Brett, thanks much for the schematic and instructions.  The older I get the more it's easy to transpose one piece of gear for another.... I know that my Pate reels can't be re-configured and thought that the Fin Nors were the same -my mistake.  The only one I still have sits along with lots of other reels that are a lot more about memories than practical usage... I long ago sold the only wedding cake Fin Nor that I had....

For those considering the best side for that handle.... like many I learned it that way after reading books by Kreh and Waterman on the subject.   These days more than half of my anglers wind with their weak hand  (so I do keep a second 9wt reel aboard that's left handed... and if I get lucky maybe I'll add a 12 or a 10wt left handed as well...).

Whenever the topic of which hand to reel with comes around, my usual response was that if you were given a brand new high end reel, a big spool of backing, etc.... which hand would you like to use for all that winding?


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## Blue Zone (Oct 22, 2011)

> Had it on a 10wt for offshore use and beach busting snook.
> 
> old ad and pics with the reel opened
> 
> http://www.microskiff.com/cgi-bin/yabb2/YaBB.pl?num=1296849142


Thanks. That was the newer model you had; the older models have a closed face on the handle side. Looks a whole lot simpler than the diagram you sent. 

I need the Tommy John procedure as well from a motorcycle accident. I'm waiting for them to figure out how to fix it without having to get near a hospital. Yet another reason I want L/H retrieve.


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## Blue Zone (Oct 22, 2011)

Sent you a pm on some spots. Can't even remember the BT trust details; It seems it was a conflict with or lack of support on an issue the Bahamas National Trust was working on. Maybe Bakers Bay, Bimini or a local development???


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## Backwater (Dec 14, 2014)

Brett, I work with disabled vets on the side, teaching them how to fly cast with permanent injuries. I can put your arm in a cast and strap it to your side and show you how to fly cast efficiently. In other words, you don't have to move your shoulder at all and keep your elbow down to your side. Heck you don't even have to move your elbow if you don't want to. That way, you can allow the "whippy stick" to do the work and not you! 

Here's a basic example of Lefty Krey's techniques.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xak_usK0i6E

With injuries, you can take that further and even strap your elbow to your side and only use your forearm, your wrist and a side to side body motion to cast the rod and can still manage 75ft if you get the entire process perfected.

Btw, my knee was completely blow out due to several injuries to the point that I couldn't even walk. Someone told me about the "Florida Orthopedic Institute" up in Tampa. They are a teaching orthopedic hospital where students fly there from all over the world to learn about the latest techniques in orthoscopic and orthopedic techniques and surgeries. They specifically specialize in sports injuries and take care of all the surgeries for the Tampa BAy Lightning, the Bucs, the Rays and the USF Bulls. Anyways, they repaired my need (not replaced it) and I have a full range of motion in my knee with no pain. Give them a shot!

http://www.floridaortho.com/

Btw Capt Bob LeMay, I agree with you and I stated the same thing about dominate hand reeling/retreiving on Rediculas' thread about AR reels ("Just wondering" I believe).


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