02-01-2013, 04:38 AM
I'm going to try and keep this response short. I think it's awesome first off, that you have came up with something new. I pound my brain every second of the day looking for the million dollar idea/invention. Obviously I come up empty because I still live in Utah 
Starting off, I think you and I have different casting techniques. My strokes are short, basically all in the wrist, until you start getting to that 60-80' cast (which happens about 1% of the time on a river, that number drops to .02% in the winter nymphing or using size 22-26 midges). So... If that said, I don't need to be casting my whole entire line. If I wanted to do that (on a boat in the middle of the lake) I'll be busting out the spey rod with shooting heads. Or, cast what I can, count down and kick backwards on a tube.
Line getting wrapped around the reel (or any other item hanging off my chest). I can honestly say, I don't really have this problem. Might be the casting tenchique/line control. Not to say I'm a pro either as I haven't been fly fishing that long at all compared to some others on this forum. I might have the line wrap around the reel once in a 4 hour session. So I'm going to cross that out to.
Lets talk about winter time fishing... It's 12 degrees out there recently (last week, this week is much warmer) Had on, 2 pairs of socks, thermals, sweat pants, waders, boots, underarmor, t shirt, two hoodies, simms jacket over that. Most fly fishing wadding jackets have the pockets almost EXACTLY where your chest mount lands. That thing would cover up everything I use constantly when fishing. Point I'm getting at, I already spend WAY to much time putting all this crap on..... This is just one more thing to add to that list. That being said, this unit being by itself, I don't like it... If it was integrated into a jacket, waders, maybe a full chest pack/backpack, I'd be a little more interested in it. But having to cover up everything else I've already got on, don't like it.
Why the chest? Why not your waist? Why not a leg? I enjoy my personal space, I don't want to be looking at my reel the whole time fishing. You're basically having to work around this clunky thing on your chest. I notice in the video, you're having to reach over your rod unhooking a fish. Rather then setting the reel/rod in the water or on the land and it's completely out of the way. The mount itself is to high! I'm sitting here, with an imaginary Rexfly on my chest, rod in my hand, reel on the mount, I just hooked a fish, now I need to connect the reel back to the rod. I just feel awkward/unnatural. Having it lower might help that???
It just seems like way to much work, more then it's worth personally. As mentioned before. You're adding in another step, another variable, another part that could fail. I'm curious how often you have to tighten the screw at the front of the reel seat on the Rexfly. How does this thing work when it is 12 degrees. Possibly dip the reel in the water, whole contraption freezes up, renders it useless.
I'm going to leave it at that. I'm an honest person. You're looking for feedback on a product, I'm giving it. Not meaning to complete tear if apart. Like I said, I keep searching my brain for that one thing. I'll surely let ya know when I find it!
By the way, I'm still "OUT".
[signature]
Starting off, I think you and I have different casting techniques. My strokes are short, basically all in the wrist, until you start getting to that 60-80' cast (which happens about 1% of the time on a river, that number drops to .02% in the winter nymphing or using size 22-26 midges). So... If that said, I don't need to be casting my whole entire line. If I wanted to do that (on a boat in the middle of the lake) I'll be busting out the spey rod with shooting heads. Or, cast what I can, count down and kick backwards on a tube.
Line getting wrapped around the reel (or any other item hanging off my chest). I can honestly say, I don't really have this problem. Might be the casting tenchique/line control. Not to say I'm a pro either as I haven't been fly fishing that long at all compared to some others on this forum. I might have the line wrap around the reel once in a 4 hour session. So I'm going to cross that out to.
Lets talk about winter time fishing... It's 12 degrees out there recently (last week, this week is much warmer) Had on, 2 pairs of socks, thermals, sweat pants, waders, boots, underarmor, t shirt, two hoodies, simms jacket over that. Most fly fishing wadding jackets have the pockets almost EXACTLY where your chest mount lands. That thing would cover up everything I use constantly when fishing. Point I'm getting at, I already spend WAY to much time putting all this crap on..... This is just one more thing to add to that list. That being said, this unit being by itself, I don't like it... If it was integrated into a jacket, waders, maybe a full chest pack/backpack, I'd be a little more interested in it. But having to cover up everything else I've already got on, don't like it.
Why the chest? Why not your waist? Why not a leg? I enjoy my personal space, I don't want to be looking at my reel the whole time fishing. You're basically having to work around this clunky thing on your chest. I notice in the video, you're having to reach over your rod unhooking a fish. Rather then setting the reel/rod in the water or on the land and it's completely out of the way. The mount itself is to high! I'm sitting here, with an imaginary Rexfly on my chest, rod in my hand, reel on the mount, I just hooked a fish, now I need to connect the reel back to the rod. I just feel awkward/unnatural. Having it lower might help that???
It just seems like way to much work, more then it's worth personally. As mentioned before. You're adding in another step, another variable, another part that could fail. I'm curious how often you have to tighten the screw at the front of the reel seat on the Rexfly. How does this thing work when it is 12 degrees. Possibly dip the reel in the water, whole contraption freezes up, renders it useless.
I'm going to leave it at that. I'm an honest person. You're looking for feedback on a product, I'm giving it. Not meaning to complete tear if apart. Like I said, I keep searching my brain for that one thing. I'll surely let ya know when I find it!
By the way, I'm still "OUT".
[signature]