Correct way to rig a reel with a line roller for bamboo rod?

Tom Butler

Tom Butler

Grandpa, Small Stream Fanatic
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So, I have tried my Cortland 444 multiplier with the line run over the roller bar and then through the stripping guide many times. The rollers are silky smooth, and the line spools nicely, but for the life of me I can't get used to the line control with it coming off the back of the spool.

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I much prefer to run it off the spool to the guide, but the frame has no line guard. I guess it really doesn't matter, as I really like the line pickup rate before netting a fish, but I was curious, What is the proper intended rigging? I guess from the front the roller would protect the line from being pulled less than carefully from the reel as mentioned in other threads, but other than that.... I guess it's supposed to go over the roller?
Fishing the 8' 6wt Cortland parabolic action rod is fun, and it always seems eager to cast more line than you need for the spot:)
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Pescaphile said:
The second photo is correct. The roller comes into play when you strip line. Think of Krusty's post in the recent fly line life thread regarding line wear from stripping.
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Thank you, and I did while I was out today.
 
Tom, I never noticed that roller on my Cortland 444….but I’ve never fished mine yet. Seems like it should have two and not on the direct bottom of the reel. I also have a maroon Gladding/Southbend multiplier that looks the same but narrower. They sure sound sweet!
 
Bambooflyguy said:
Tom, I never noticed that roller on my Cortland 444….but I’ve never fished mine yet. Seems like it should have two and not on the direct bottom of the reel. I also have a maroon Gladding/Southbend multiplier that looks the same but narrower. They sure sound sweet!
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It does have a really pleasurable sound and is just silky smooth. It was in great condition when I got it, though now it has a bunch of knicks in the enamel, but I got it to fish. I keep it clean and away from any sandy/grity areas so the internals don't get buggered up.
 
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Got some different search results and came up with this add from 1969. Under or over the roller, I can't really tell.
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Mine doesn't have the pink instruction book, or any legible printing on the bag, but I didn't pay as much as this one is listed at.
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I think the firm that did the reel advert was the same outfit that did the ad for my MG.
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Tom, it looks like you have it set up for Left Hand Retrieve, is that right? If so, could it be because the reel was designed for Right Hand Retrieve, has been reversed, and that's why the line doesn't come off the spool and approach the "roller bar" at the correct angle?
 
Matt B said:
Tom, it looks like you have it set up for Left Hand Retrieve, is that right? If so, could it be because the reel was designed for Right Hand Retrieve, has been reversed, and that's why the line doesn't come off the spool and approach the "roller bar" at the correct angle?
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Yes left hand, but reversable. The roller is directly opposite the reel foot, and no line wear protection on the frame for wind from either side.
 
Tom Butler said:
Yes left hand, but reversable. The roller is directly opposite the reel foot, and no line wear protection on the frame for wind from either side.
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Oh yeah, I see. If the foot is 12 o'clock. the roller's at 6. Huh. Yeah I dunno. 🤷‍♂️
 
Matt B said:
Oh yeah, I see. If the foot is 12 o'clock. the roller's at 6. Huh. Yeah I dunno. 🤷‍♂️
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It's British so odd, quirky, I don't either. I posted on the Classic Fly Rod forum. Maybe someone there will know.
 
Hi Tom,

I have a similar multiplier reel, mine maroon in color (see pics below) and labeled as "Gladding South Bend Gear Fly" (Made in England), apparently also marketed by Cortland, Orvis, Leeda, maybe others? When I got it a few years back I was wondering about the line roller as well and I found this part of a manual for that reel from a 2016 post in https://fiberglassflyrodders.com/ (see link to actual post below). I have not fished this reel much, I used it with the line rigged over the roller, it has a nice clicker, feels smooth and looks pretty nice.
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Intrepid Gear Fly King Size | Classic Fly Reels | Fiberglass Flyrodders

I've landed a Gear Fly reel. I think I'm going to like it. It came RHW, but was easy to switch to LHW, just disengage one pawl and engage the other. T
fiberglassflyrodders.com fiberglassflyrodders.com
 
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VMP said:
Hi Tom,

I have a similar multiplier reel, mine maroon in color (see pics below) and labeled as "Gladding South Bend Gear Fly" (Made in England), apparently also marketed by Cortland, Orvis, Leeda, maybe others? When I got it a few years back I was wondering about the line roller as well and I found this part of a manual for that reel from a 2016 post in https://fiberglassflyrodders.com/ (see link to actual post below). I have not fished this reel much, I used it with the line rigged over the roller, it has a nice clicker, feels smooth and looks pretty nice.
View attachment 85545
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View attachment 85544

Intrepid Gear Fly King Size | Classic Fly Reels | Fiberglass Flyrodders

I've landed a Gear Fly reel. I think I'm going to like it. It came RHW, but was easy to switch to LHW, just disengage one pawl and engage the other. T
fiberglassflyrodders.com fiberglassflyrodders.com
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Thanks for posting that up. So the way I read it, directly off the spool the way I prefer it, in picture #2, and the roller is to protect the line when stripping it off (pulling it off) the reel, as was mentioned by @krusty and others. I don't like it off the back, and it didn't make sense to me to reel in over the roller if there was much tension on the line. Now I know.
 
I was able, with some difficulty, to read the copy from that ad. They tout that "It plays out your line without scraping, grabbing, or shredding." Which confirms the notion that it's meant to reduce line wear as you're stripping line and that the line should come off the front of the reel as per normal.
 
Phil K said:
I was able, with some difficulty, to read the copy from that ad. They tout that "It plays out your line without scraping, grabbing, or shredding." Which confirms the notion that it's meant to reduce line wear as you're stripping line and that the line should come off the front of the reel as per normal.
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I snipped this out. It reads like the line is to go out over the roller for smooth operation on a running fish and when retrieving. Heck, I'm confused, I'll just keep using it how I like.
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They are all products manufactured by the British fly reels factory in the south of England. Once the world’s biggest fly reel company, bought by Orvis, moved to China, closed down. They were also sold under the brand name “intrepid” and later under the BFR name.

As for the line roller, the non geared “rim fly” version that I had did not have one, built if it had I would have still never have run the line over it!
 
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