# Are Billy Pate Reels Passé?



## TheAdamsProject (Oct 29, 2007)

I love mine. The new reels are lighter and fancy CnC and sealed drags. When I guided and traveled international for a living the billy pates were what I fished and still do. There is not even a bearing to fail. Simple and effective on the baddest game fish. People complain they are 1.5oz heavier and maybe they dont seem "cool" anymore.Fine with me, Im happy to fish something that wont fail even at the edge of the earth. Also, since the Pates are only A/R now its narrowed the market evenmore but thankfully you can still find the DD ones.


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## jmrodandgun (Sep 20, 2013)

Fritz said:


> Are Billy Pate reels passé?


Only if you're square.


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## lemaymiami (Feb 9, 2007)

Yes, their design is a bit out of date - but a Pate is nearly indestructible... If I were headed for the Amazon - I'd want both of mine with me... I have a Bonefish and a Tarpon - that I'll never part with.

By the way the Pate line doesn't have the ability to easily change from right to left hand wind without some expensive parts from Tibor (and I'm not sure those parts are available any more for the Direct Drive reels I prefer...) so get the one you want the first time.... I see used DD reels on E-Bay regularly for around $300 to $350. Hope this helps


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## Bonecracker (Mar 29, 2007)

Those fly reels are tanks and will out live both of us! Only draw back I see is there weight compared to today's fly reels!


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## crboggs (Mar 30, 2015)

I have a Gulfstream, Everglade, and Freestone...but I want a Pate reel badly. Classics never go out of style...


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## flytyn (Aug 21, 2012)

Every serious fly angler has a Pate in his quiver.


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## exit (Aug 22, 2017)

This is an old thread but this weekend I caught 2 large jacks and a high tide sporty sheepshead on an old 8wt Scott Heli-ply (still a favorite) with a Billy Pate Bonefish and I remain just all smiles about the performance of this reel. 20+ years old and if push came to shove I would take it over all of my newer shiny reels of the moment. Ted J. hit it long with his first design. Get one used if you must as even beat up and ugly they are bullet proof.


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## mro (Jan 24, 2018)

Fritz said:


> Someone talk me off the ledge...


Back in the seventies I wanted one for Tarpon.
There was a waiting list for the waiting list.
My first "big game" reel was a modified medalist


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## exit (Aug 22, 2017)

The Salmon and the Bonefish Billy Pates are favorites of mine. The Bonefish are very slightly heavier than the Riptide but for some reason the Pate reels seem to balance better on most of my 7,8, and 9 wt rods. For Tarpon I have a Gulfstream.


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## lemaymiami (Feb 9, 2007)

I remember a very skilled fly angler that many, many years ago commented that the Pate reels were just “done right”… That was back almost forty year ago - nothing has changed in my opinion…. These days the parts to change one from right to left hand wind are no longer available- and that’s the only caution you’ll hear from this corner… They came in two styles, the direct drive (DD) and the slip clutch. I prefer the direct drive… and still have a Bonefish and a Tarpon…

Here's a piece of trivia - from years ago.... Back then some called slip clutch reels (the spool spins against the drag while the handle remains stationary - while on the direct drive reels the handle and spool turn together when a fish is running...) "doctor's reels" since folks who really needed their fingers intact after a big fish (surgeons, musicians, etc.) were much happier with that slip clutch reel... Back then there were really only three choices for high end fly reels -Fin Nor, the Billy Pate, or the Seamaster... All of this was before the Catino, the Emory, then the more modern reels starting with the Abel and all that came after it... 

Me? All of my modern reels are by Nautilus and in hard service I've only had one part break since they first started making them...


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## acesover (Aug 21, 2015)

I have the same set up, Heli Ply with a direct drive bonefish reel. Great outfit.....


exit said:


> This is an old thread but this weekend I caught 2 large jacks and a high tide sporty sheepshead on an old 8wt Scott Heli-ply (still a favorite) with a Billy Pate Bonefish and I remain just all smiles about the performance of this reel. 20+ years old and if push came to shove I would take it over all of my newer shiny reels of the moment. Ted J. hit it long with his first design. Get one used if you must as even beat up and ugly they are bullet proof.


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## Flyboy (Aug 26, 2019)

I mean I have a bonefish that Tibor confirmed is older than me. Functions perfectly and doesn't have a single scratch on it. It deserves to be fished more than I use it but its a sweet reel on a 8


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## trekker (Sep 19, 2015)

What the fuck does passe mean ?


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## Capt.Ron (Mar 5, 2014)

trekker said:


> What the fuck does passe mean ?


Is it a French pasta meal?


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## Jason M (Aug 13, 2017)

If your worried you might not want your Pate reels anymore let me know and maybe I'll take the burden off your hands.


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## spc7669 (Apr 15, 2015)

I’ll help as well. Can’t stand to see somebody bearing a burden like this alone.


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## silverg hog (Nov 17, 2018)

DD Trout and salmon are on eBay now. Unfortunately left hand retrieve.


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## MRichardson (May 27, 2010)

Please don't worry about whether equipment is "passe." It only furthers the stereotype about us flyfishers.


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