SHIMANO TURN TALENTS TO FLY REELS

The Shimano story is by now well known - how the Japanese company, a manufacturer of qualty bicycle components, accepted a contract to make parts for a fishing tackle manufacturer, and from that humble beginning became one of the world's most innovative designers of fishing reels.

But shimano never manufactured a fly reel. Which, given the worldwide explosion in fly fishing, was puzzling to many. the reason was simple - Shimano's engineers are not interested in copying existing products, and they felt there was nothing new that could be done with a fly reel.

In short, unless they could figure out a way to reinvent the wheel, they just weren't interested.

Well, now they have engineered a new way to make a fly reel, and the result is the freestone, one of the smallest, lightest and arguably most beautiful fly reels ever manufactured.

Made from aircraft grade aluminium with a gunmetal finish, and available in two sizes weighing just 87 grammes and 112 grammes respectively, these tiny reels were designed purely with trout fishing in mind - the Freestone 5 is deigned for a five-weght rod and the Freestone 7 for a six/seven weight rod.

Four ball bearings guarantee a silky smooth operation, the exposed rim makes for easy palming, and the reels can be adjusted for right or left hand wind.

The smaller model fits very comfortablly in the palm of a child's hand. When you first look at it, there seems to be something missing And then it strikes you - there's no drag control on the rear face of the reel; in fact there's nothing at all on the rear face to break that smooth surface. Surely, Shimano didn't manufacture a fly reel without a frag?

No, they didn't, but in their desire to "do it their way" they've actually put the drag control inside the reel, on the face of the spool. this means that spare spools will be costly, since each must carry its own drag mechanism. It also means that you can't change drag settings in the middle of a fight, which some might consider a disadvantage.

But it does also mean tha the little Freestones are remarkably uncluttered reels, a joy on the eye and, with their extremely light weight, a joy on the wrist during a long day's casting.

Having proved that they could make a fly reel differently to the rest of the world. Shimano's ever restless engineers got to work on a second fly reel, this one designed along more conventioanl lines.

They called it the Ultegra (which is puzzling, as they already have a large spinning reel with the same name), but with this one they've gone to the opposite extreme, featuring a drag system that is not only external but large, situated like a wheel right in the centre of the rear face, and capable of applying a great deal of fish-stopping power.

Also made from high grade aluminium, but this time with a dull metal finish, the Ultegra comes in three sizes, the largest of which is designed for the lighter one weights a mere 112 grammes, and with that "serious" drag system I won't be at all surprised to see ever larger versions coming out in the years ahead. Saltwater fish, be warned!