Our previous post on the waterproof drag feature of modern fly reels has stimulated some discussion and we’ve decided to share some more insight.

In the case of fly reels it is easy to focus on one particular feature that is good or not so good. In this blog, we’re concerned about the waterproofing or sealing of the drag system. Handle size, weight, anodising, warranty, start up inertia, drag range etc are all equally important attributes worth considering when buying your next fly reel.

Hatch reels are an impressive piece of engineering and we’ve found they offer one of the best drags and build quality available. Where we feel they lose a few points is when considering the sealed nature of their drag system. There are reels out there that claim to be sealed but have far worse sealing than the Hatch and it should be noted that in selling hundreds of Hatch reels, the return rate has been small by comparison to some other brands.

Since our first blog on the subject, one respected reel builder has brought to light that it is apparently impossible to make a waterproof drag system. During normal function a drag system warms up and when it becomes warmer than the surrounding water, a vacuum is created which will suck water past the seals. For this particular reel manufacturer, he works on the idea that a field-serviceable reel where you can maintain the sealed drag is the best you can do.

So is a waterproof drag possible? Or more importantly, why aren’t reel companies clarifying the term “sealed”. To the average consumer, sealed means sealed? A door is either open or it’s closed right? You wouldn’t expect there would be varying degrees of sealing but it appears there are.

And so what are the reel companies out their actually claiming? Well most of them are throwing around the term sealed a lot. Some even get radical and use the term “fully sealed”. This got us thinking that a sealed drag is somehow different to a waterproof drag and a waterproof drag may in fact be impossible to make.

In further research we stumbled across Mako reels in America. Designed by Jack Charlton, these reels are regarded as being the very best in saltwater and at near $2K to buy one direct from the manufacturer – they’d want to be good! Here’s a clipping from their website on the subject “Considering the applications of the modern fly reel, specifically saltwater fly-fishing, it was imperative the reel be absolutely sealed from the elements. To meet these requirements I drew from my experience in flight control hydraulics to create a reel sealed like the pumps on jet aircraft. No water, sand, salt or other contamination was allowed to ruin the performance of the product. With a reel having its sophisticated mechanisms sealed, the angler does not have to lube or clean drag materials during an expensive fishing excursion.” All this begs the question, is it possible to make a drag impervious to saltwater and have Mako Reels cracked the supposed un-crackable code? We think they have and it’s just a matter of time before reasonably priced options begin hitting the market. Maybe they already have. The Nautilus CCF-X2 reels feature a technology called ActivSeal and here’s what they have to say about it. The Nautilus ActivSealTM is a precision machined proprietary seal that’s featured in all our CCF-X2 and NV series reels. The ActivSeal actively repels water, sand, salt and any other contaminant to keep the braking system intact and consistent. Whether Great Lakes steelheading in 20-degree weather or on a Seychelles flat in 100-degree tropical torture, ActivSeal technology keeps your reel functioning at the highest level, despite the elements. Dunk it and batter it with sand, then go back to fishing. Only Nautilus Reels!

We’ve learnt something here since Part 1 – clearly there’s a whole lot more to sealing a reels drag than we first thought. If there are reels available with solid waterproof drags at reasonable prices then why would you choose one that doesn’t have a waterproof drag? Like the advent of the large arbor, we’re tipping the waterproof drag will be the next big thing… Awesome!