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I have seen a few references to a "new trend" of using Fly reels for ice fishing. Was wondering if anyone has ever tried it or uses it currently and what the pros/cons are? What kind of fly reel is best for ice fishing use? The references piqued my interest, as I have been having troubles with line twist lately and have noticed on camera that some fish will not bite a jig that is spinning in circles until it stops.
A quality 2/3 weight fly reel is a great toolfor eliminating line twist. You'll need to do some alterations if you want a quiet reel though. The "clicker" needs to be removed so everyone on the ice isn't instantly aware of a hit or that you have a fish on. Some may require the anti-reverse be changed or removed. If the reel has an adjustable drag you'll need to be certain it is capable of very smooth light settings....back-reeling is the preferred method of giving fish line. You have to build the spool arbor up. Some people use backing or the fly line to do this. Others use masking tape reeled onto the spool. Some use cork tape to do this. Once the arbor is filled you just add the line of choice.
Being direct drive without any rotation of the spool, line twist is non existant. While I have an Okuma set up this way for ice fishing, my preferred reel is still a spinning reel. I hand close the bail every time to help eliminate the line twist and I do this all year long, not just during the winter.