I bought an Alvey 45C1 reel at a yard sale new in the box. I would like to use it for Flat head & blue cats, big ones. What length blank, handle, reelseat, and guides work best with this type of reel? Do I need to build a surf rod style, long rod? The open guide(?) came in the box with the reel. Do I follow the instructions on the card it is pinned to? I'm out of my depth here and need some direction. Also what line works best on this type of reel?

If at first you don't succeed, go fishing, then try, try again.

Google Alvey Reels and they have a usa site that answers a lot of your questions. I have built a couple of surf rods in the distant past but all that I remember is that the butt section is very short and a long foregrip is needed for the casting technique of the alvey reels. That open quide is only used when retrieving line. The internet is full of information on the Alvey and you shoulb be able to find answers to all your questions.

traditionally a rod built for an alvey look like a giant fly rod !



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/28/2008 09:13AM by Perrie Thomas.

low mount winch and a fairly long fore grip 10-14'
all guides are standard spin apart from the stripper which is an oversized wire guide 50-60mm (2.5') to allow the large coils to flow of the reel unrestricted and the 2nd guide becomes the choker...
length and taper, usually 10-12' and meduim to meduim fast is the norm...
Cheers Perrie

HOTRODS - Perrie Thomas Custom Rods
[www.perrieshotrods.com]



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/28/2008 09:14AM by Perrie Thomas.

Ralph, email me (christophergarrity - at - hotmail.com) if you have any questions. I'm an Alvey aficiniando, and in building a bunch of customs for use with Alvey reels, I've found that a lot of the stuff that Alvey says that you have to do (like using very long rods, and using a giant stripping guide) isn't necessarily so.

The only really important thing is where you position the reel seat. On the Alvey rods I've built, I like the reel when mounted to be about 8-10 inches from the butt. My Alvey rigs are all for the surf, though, and with a 45C1, you may be able to get away with putting the reel closer to the butt than that.

Once you have the reel seat and grips positioned, it's really not any different than configuring a spinning rod. Use test casting to see what guide array (size, number and placement) works best, and one you have the optimum layout, wrap and finish it. Good luck.

Ralph,

You said that you picked that reel up at a yard sale??? Man, some body didn't know what they had. I was parusing @#$%& this evening and saw some of those reels at a buy it now price of $350 or better. Just goes to show you, you can get some really great stuff at extremely cheap prices at yard sales. Of course you also see junk too. You just have to have researched and know the particulars about what you're looking at.

Bill in WV

Mel, I did just that before I posted here. Thanks Perrie. Chris, I'll email you later today, thanks. Bill, $15.oo, I talked him down from $25. He told me he hoped I enjoyed this, 'quote' "useless piece of ----", unquote.

If at first you don't succeed, go fishing, then try, try again.