does any one know of a supplier who sells reel seats
similar to those on the ORVIS T3 ? The reel seat but screws upward
to become the bottom hood.

ah HAH! i thought i had seen that design somewhere before. jenkins is a company which builds bamboo fly rods. they @#$%& off a few of their reels seats which i think might be what you're looking for. do a google search for jenkins fly rods. send an email, ask if he has some still available.

eric
fresno, ca.

Struble makes the U-22, an all metal reel seat that is intended for heavier rods. It would be similar to the T-3 seat in function. I've used the U-22 in both black and gray and like the way they look and work. I don't know who makes the seats on the Orvis T-3's, but they look like something REC would produce.