Uplocks and downlocks

[Jackster]

How many of you have ever fished a rod that had a downlocking reel and what did (do) you think of them.

Personally, Ilike them on smaller rods just for the balance. For some reason they feel better in the hand too than an uplocker though I think the grips may be a bit longer.

What say ye?

[Flyandtie1]

I have a fiberglass rod that has a downlocking(screw) type reel seat.

Personally, I don't care for it as much as an uplocker, The downlocker puts the reel to far away from the grip for me. I dont like that distance of reel seat until it gets to the reel.

[billknepp]

Don't like the downlocker's much...But I have and use several rods that have them...It's mostly the way I like to grip my rod, Tend to allow my hand to slip down on the reel seat when useing the downlockers...Not a prob with my up locking seats.

[Deezel]

FWIW, I prefer DOWN-locking reel seats. Why? Because for me, the result is fewer times the line gets caught around the butt. Some will say that a reel placed on an UP-locking seat is less likely to get dirt in it. While that may be true, I just take care where and how I rest the rod.

Deezel

[DG]

Every time I lose a fish because I get a half-hitch of line over the butt of the rod as the fish screams away, I wish I had a downlocker on that rod...

[jeffnles1]

Every time I lose a fish because I get a half-hitch of line over the butt of the rod as the fish screams away, I wish I had a downlocker on that rod...

I'm so glad to hear that happens to other people.

I have one rod with a down locker, it's an old 1970's vintage fibreglass Eagle Claw 7wt. It's not much of a rod but I bought it new back in the late 70's and still fish with it.

I can't say I have a strong preference for up lockers or down lockers.

Jeff

[RS1]

How many of you have ever fished a rod that had a downlocking reel and what did (do) you think of them.

Personally, Ilike them on smaller rods just for the balance. For some reason they feel better in the hand too than an uplocker though I think the grips may be a bit longer.

What say ye?

All my glass rods are DL's. Maybe because I built them. Somehow the uplocks found their way on my plastic rods. I didn't build them.

I guess I like the DL's better. On the smaller weights I lke the sliding bands so I can move it up or down depending on my drunken stupor at the time.

[Bamboozle]

For a lot of reasons and many of those stated; ALL but two rods in my arsenal are down-locking. I HATE up-lockers so much that I had one of my rods that I had to buy as an up-locker; converted to down-locking. The bad thing is that most of my rods are warrantied by the manufacturer but the manufacturer no longer offers down-locking reel seats so I bought a few spare down-locking reel seats when they were available...just in case.

I like having the ability to slide my hand down to effectively gain some length when needed instead of wasting that 1" of length behind the reel where it does nothing but grab the loops of my fly line and generally annoy the heck out of me. Besides; fly rods just look better with a down-locking seat IMHO. I also NEVER set my rod down in any spot where either the reel or rod could get dirty or scratched. That reason for preferring up-locking I just don't get.

One good thing about up-locking reel seats is; it keeps me from buying rods that aren't available any other way.

[flybinder]

I have to join the "Down Lockers For President" club, here!! I've also, only built my rods, (glass and plastic) with only the DL reel seats. Someone else, mentioned it first, but I just like THE LOOK of a rod/reel combo with the reel where it should be!

On anything under 8' 6", that I build, I use slider rings, my all time favorite for reel mounting. Of course, then there's the old "Ernie St.Clair method of reel mounting.............. "3, firm, wraps of black frictionl tape, on each side of the reel post!" Now, THAT'S classy!

[Jackster]

Someone else, mentioned it first, but I just like THE LOOK of a rod/reel combo with the reel where it should be!
Now, THAT'S classy!

You said it!