| Planes Trains and Motorcycles... |
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We came across this interesting reel test on the Internet. Kirk Deeter and Tim Romano, FF extraordinaires and official Field and Stream FFloggers took out "Tested on Animals" campaign one step further: Tested on Motorcycles! (or as we like to call it "Tested by Savages!"
Needless to say, our Nautilus reels did rather well. Watch the videos. Good stuff all around. Check out the blog at:
http://wwww.fflogger.com
Fflogger Fflogs Fly Reels: Testing Startup Drag With A Motorcycle
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| Nautilus NV reels in stores May 1 |
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Nautilus Reels is proud to announce its newest member of the Nautilus family of reels, the Nautilus NV. The reel is available in three sizes and is unparalleled in both weight and performance in the industry. The Nautilus NV 6/7, 8/9 or 10/11 are completely impervious to the elements and will outperform any fighting class reel on the market today. The NV series feature the a larger version of the CCF drag system compared to their Nautilus CCF siblings and stainless steel components have largely been replaced by ceramics and titanium. The only aspect in which the reel is exceeded in performance is by its slender looks and subtle beauty: Machined entirely out of aircraft grade Aluminum, no detail has been omitted, from its low profile drag knob and counterweight to the 100 and 200 yard backing markers on the inside of the spool.
All NV reels feature titanium spool and drag shafts, and are loaded with the latest technology in high performance ceramic micro bearings; and since ceramics and titanium are impervious to the elements, you are guaranteed to spend less time worrying and more time fishing. Furthermore, the reel features a “thrust bearing to thrust bearing” drag design for effortless cranking resistance under any load, ensuring the smoothest line retrieval of any reel on the market. Using titanium and ceramics has allowed Nautilus Reels to downsize components, increase the drag surface by over 50%, and still decrease the overall weight without sacrificing the fighting class qualities that are the hallmark their products.
The Nautilus NV series are the lightest reels in their class, and offer the greatest value in any big game fly reel available in the market today. A reel of a lifetime for a lifetime of trips.
Reels are available in black or brushed silver anodizing unless ordered in a custom color.
NV SIX-SEVEN: WF-7 + 200 yds #20, 6.5 oz.
NV EIGHT-NINE: WF-9 + 200 yds #30, 7.1 oz.
NV TEN-ELEVEN: WF-11 + 225 yds #30, 7.6 oz.
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| Nautilus fly reel CCF drag system revealed |
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Raising the bar yet again on salt water fly reel performance, new for 2006, we have further enhanced the award-winning large arbor Nautilus reels with a revolutionary drag system: the CCF Disc Brake System™. Featuring the smoothest, toughest, most consistent and simply the best drag system in the market today, these reels deliver silky smooth drag with near zero start-up inertia. These maintenance free disc drags are built to withstand relentless punishment in the toughest of conditions. Pro staffers, customers and independent testers alike have repeatedly been awed by the reels’ superior ability to withstand punishment and deliver consistently flawless performance.
Built on a backbone of four oversized stainless steel ball bearings, centered around the CCF Disc Brake Systems’ ability to dissipate heat quickly and away from the working components, this reel was engineered to withstand extreme fishing environments and any and all forces that a fish may throw at a fisherman. |
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| Nautilus Fw Plus series available at select dealers |
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New for 2006, these larger capacity Nautilus FW Plus reels were designed to offer increased versatility for the FW series of reels. Whether you wish to house one of today’s specialty lines or whether you simply want to fish an even lighter reel for your newest fly rod, these reels are the answer.
Compact Lightweight Reels
Pairing the Nautilus FW 3Plus reel with a WF5 line will give you a more compact 5 weight setup, yielding increased backing capacity and reduced weight. These reels are ideal for the fly fisher who is looking for a more compact package, whether driven by need for added versatility or just personal preference.
Tactical Requirements
If all you are looking for is additional backing capacity to challenge a bonefish on a 5 weight rod or an Albacore off the beach on your 7 weight schoolie striper rod, the Feather Weight Plus series is for you. For example, the Nautilus FW 5Plus Reel will hold a WF5 line with 200 yards of 20 lb of backing, whereas the FW 7Plus will accommodate 235 yards of 20 lb backing when paired with a WF 7 line.
The Nautilus FW Plus reels were designed to offer an increased range for either backing or line weight allowing you to pair more rods or fishing conditions to your Nautilus FW series of reels. FW Plus spools can be interchanged with regular FW spools for added versatility, allowing you to convert your existing FW 3, 5 or 7 to a FW Plus series.
No.3Plus: WF-5 + 120 yds #20, 4.0 oz.
No.5Plus: WF-7 + 150 yds #20, 4.2 oz.
No.7Plus: WF-8 + 200 yds #20, 4.5 oz.
The Nautilus 3+ is already available at select dealer across the country, and by December 15th expect to find teh 5+ and 7+ in stock as well.
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| Nautilus Reels selected as Official Team USA Fly Fishing reel. |
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Nautilus Reels – Official Fly Reel of Fly Fishing Team USA 2005
Miami, July 1, 2005. Nautilus reels is proud to announce that Fly Fishing Team USA selected the Nautilus Feather Weight series reels as the official Fly Fishing Team USA fly reel at the 25th World Fly Fishing Championships (WFFC 2005) to be held in August 2005 in Sweden.
The complex fishing scenarios to which the USA fly fishing team will be exposed to during this week-long competition demands flawless performance of tackle and fly fishers alike, and the Nautilus Feather Weight is their equipment of choice: Extremely light weight reels to allow for week-long, effortless casting, sealed carbon fiber drag system to protect the finest tippets and easy spool removal to allow for switching spools with different lines and leaders to quickly adapt to changing conditions.
“We are extremely proud to be able to support Fly Fishing Team USA in this year’s world championship,” said Andreas Mustad, president and owner of Nautilus Reels. “A lot of time and effort went into developing the Nautilus Feather Weight series, and it is very rewarding to see the reels go off to the World Championship at age 1. We are confident that the newly selected team and gear will be a top performer in Sweden this year.”
“The lightweight, attractive, large arbor Nautilus reels with a smooth drag and quick change spools is sure to handle all of the challenges we'll encounter in the lake or stream sessions of the World Fly Fishing Championships” said Jay Buchner, President of Fly Fishing Team USA who will also be competing with the team in Sweden in August.
For more information on Fly Fishing Team USA visit www.flyfishingteamusa.com.
For more information on Nautilus Reels call (888) 397.7335 (direct: (954) 431.8892), or visit www.nautilusreels.com.
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| Nautilus 12T in stores now! |
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| Nautilus Reels is proud to announce the birth of yet another model in the award-winning nautilus line of reels: the Nautilus 12T. At 4.5” in diameter and 12.4 oz, the 12T bridges the gap between the Nautilus 12 and the 12S. Powered by the larger version of the Nautilus CCF Disc Brake System that is found in the larger Nautilus 12S, the 12T is ideally suited for either fighting the largest big game species or Spey fishing the longest bellied lines available in the market today. Like all Nautilus reels, the 12T is machined from bar stock 6061 T-6 aluminum, has a quick spool change mechanism, offers a lifetime warranty and is proudly made in the USA. The Nautilus CCF Disc Brake System, also new for 2006, is maintenance free high performance drag system that is smoother, tougher, and simply better than any other drag system available in the market today. Housed in a hermetically sealed center hub, this patent pending drag system is impervious to the elements. No salt, sand, water or grit will ever interfere with your fly reel’s sublime performance. Born from the cross between the resilience and forgiveness of a cork drag, and the high performance requirement of Formula One carbon fiber disc brakes, this hybrid drag system is free of startup inertia and fade, raising the bar for fly reel performance yet again. The CCF Disc Brake System is found in all Nautilus reels from size 8 and up. |
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| Nautilus Feather Weight series now available |
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For 2005, Old Florida Fly Reels combined the most attractive features of the award-winning Nautilus salt water series and compressed them into the most advanced, light-weight and attractive reels available today: The Nautilus Feather Weight series.
The Nautilus FW reels are designed for fresh water fly fishing covering 2 to 8 weight water outfits. These large arbor reels are a revolution in performance and affordability, and are among the lightest reels on the market today. They are machined from bar stock 6061 aluminum and carry a lifetime warranty.
The carbon fiber Nautilus FW disc drag system is sealed inside a center hub and delivers a silky smooth drag with infinite settings from free spool to near lock down. Available in black or titanium, in sizes 3,5 and 7. Made in USA.
No.3: WF3 + 110yds 20#, 4.0 oz., 3.25” Dia., $275.00
No.5: WF5 + 140yds 20#, 4.2 oz., 3.5” Dia., $295.00
No.7: WF7 + 175yds 20#, 4.5 oz., 3.75” Dia., $325.00 |
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| Nautilus 12S review on Speypages.com |
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By Dana Sturn:
Let me tell you the story of the Nautilus. First, it was supposed to go to the Dean with me but the courier messed up and it arrived 2 days after I left so it sat on my doorstep for 2 weeks. No matter--the Dean was blown out and I didn't catch any fish so I wouldn't have had much fun with it anyhow. Then the Thompson was closed so I sent the reel north to the Skeena with a friend of mine who only took light spey rods and found the Nautilus 12S too big for these rods. I finally got the reel back in November and was able to fish it on the Thompson once the river opened. All the misadventures were worth it though, as I managed to hook a few fish with it and can now report on its performance.
The Nautilus 12S is one serious reel. Crafted of aerospace aluminum with stainless steel fastenings, the Nautilus is designed to handle the worst that the waters can throw at it. The 12S is a saltwater reel designed for big, hard fighting, fast running ocean species like tarpon, but its size and capacity make it a perfect match for speys in the 14ft 9 weight plus range. The spool turns on five stainless steel bearings so it is smooth as smooth can be, and the drag has a huge range from freespool to bust-him-off that will put the brakes on anything in freshwater and a whole bunch of stuff in saltwater too. Even on the Thompson I used a very light setting, just enough to set the hook This is a reel I'd feel safe fishing fresh run chinook salmon in Alaska and on the Dean, and large Atlantic salmon in the rivers of Europe. The drag adjustment knob on the back of the reel is a comfortable size so that drag adjustments are easily made with gloved or cold hands. The reel foot seems small for a reel so large--but after all it is designed for ocean single handers and it fits nice into all but the largest Spey-sized reel seats (note on this: after the Denver expo, AFFTA published new reel seat specs, and all new reel seats are made according to these new specs. The 12S still uses the old reels seat, but within a couple of months we should have the new ones done for this reel too. Customers can call (do not publish this yet – say the reel seats should be available in a couple of months) and we will send them a new reel seat. In the meantime, a popsicle stick works fine…)
The handle is intelligently designed by someone who must have hung a few loops of shooting line on reel handles before. While it is long, it is set flush up against the spool so that if you do hang a loop or two of shooting line on it it won't get stuck down in there--a little thing perhaps, but to me a really important thing as I've lost a few steelhead over the years this way. Of course this design feature won't prevent pilot error but it will make it easy to get any line outta there in case you goof up.
Miles of capacity on these reels. He's a RIO 10/11 GrandSpey and a gazillion yards of backing (50 yards 30# dacron; 250 yards 50# gsp; another 50+ yards dacron):
As you can see--no problem.
And these are large arbor reels so they pick up lots of line in a hurry which is a good thing if you have a fish run at you like I did on the Thompson last fall.
Like a few other hi-tech ultra smooth reels the Nautilus has one small "flaw"--it tends to want to reel itself back up again while you are fishing. The start up inertia is so low and the reel so smooth that every cast you make causes the spool to turn and so the reel slowly reels itself back up again, and if your aren't aware of it you'll notice that after a while you're really rocketing out the most amazing casts. Well my friends, you haven't suddenly been transformed into Steve Choate, it is really that you are casting less line than you were 20 minutes ago. The remedy is simple: every few casts I just pull out a little line, and in that way counteract the "reel up" effect (the folks at Nautilus are planning to add an additional feature to the Spey versions of this reel so that this won't happen).
I tested the 12S on a number of rods, including Loop, CND, and Sage in line weights 8 through 11. On the shorter, lighter rods (13ft or less, 8 weight and under) the fully loaded reel seemed a little on the heavy side, but it was a great match for the longer, more powerful rods. Loaded with a RIO GrandSpey or XLT, the reel was a superb match for my Loop Grey 11160, the CND Thompson Specialist, and the Sage 10161. The Nautilus also comes in a 10 and 12, and these somewhat smaller reels would be perfect for lighter two-handers.
Oh, and did I mention that the Nautilus is just a really cool looking reel too? I love the stylized porting on the rear frame that looks, well, like a Nautilus. Plus you can mix and match the spool and frame finishes to get a really unique looking reel, like a silver spool with a black frame--very cool:
And to protect your investment the reel comes in a neoprene field case that did a good job fending off the rocks thrown from transport tires on the Trans Canada Highway just outside Spences Bridge last fall.
special thanks to Kristen and Andreas Mustad for making this reel available for review, and to Poul Bech for his assistance
unless otherwise noted images courtesy Nautilus Reels
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