Fly Reel drag question: why Cork?

[8seconds]

This is something I have been curious about for awhile, but always seem to forget to ask about whenever I am near a fly shop. It seems like all the mid to high end reels use cork for drag material.

Why is this?

How does this stuff hold up to drag burnning fish like redfish, mackeral (Spanish and King), etc..?

Being that most good quality conventional and spinning reels employ a carbon drag why don't fly reels do the same?

[ellisredfish]

Good question. I have often wondered about that myself. The old Garcias 5000's used to have cork drag washers. Maybe they grip better, just don't get oil on them.

[Cope]

Most newer fly reels have gotten away from all cork. I don't know the plusses and minusses of any of the materials; it all comes down to the advertising hype in many cases.

[Pocketfisherman]

Nope, Hype has nothing do do with it. And Cork is still used in many high end reels. Cork is one of the few friction materials that has the same properties wet or dry. That means, if it gets wet, it does not hardly change the drag pressure. The construction of Fly reels does not lend itself to keeping the innards dry, and the drag is part of those innards. BillS

[8seconds]

Cork is one of the few friction materials that has the same properties wet or dry.BillSSo that is why.

But how well does it handle heat?

[Cope]

So that is why.

But how well does it handle heat?
My Orvis Vortex has a cork surface on one side and Rulon (or something) on the other. The cork was impregnated with grease. I suspect dry cork to cork would crumble, but the reels I have seen with cork have only had it on one surface.

[hooter]

Cork dissipates heat like crazy. That is the beauty of the stuff. No heat builds up in the material and therefore no distortion of the surface occurs. It provides a smooth drag from the beginning of the fight to the end of the fight with no "stickiness" due the expansion of heated materials.

[8seconds]

Thanks for the info guys. I should have mentioned this before, I am planning on purchasing an outfit for use from jetties and while wading bays and the surf. I don't think my 6wt with a click drag reel would be adaquate for this.:smile:

[Empty_Stringer]

This was a dang informative thread.

[Bird]

Actually 8, I think that a 6wt would be a lot of fun. The rod has the power and your reel probably has plenty of backing too. The only real problem would be trying to cast bigger flies or trying to punch into our usual seabreeze.

I fish a 6 wt in the bay all the time with no problem. I use my 8wt to catch small kings and sharks (20 lbs). The long rod can put a lot of pressure on a fish if you do it smoothly.

[Cope]

Thanks for the info guys. I should have mentioned this before, I am planning on purchasing an outfit for use from jetties and while wading bays and the surf. I don't think my 6wt with a click drag reel would be adaquate for this.:smile:
More and more 6 wt rods are being made for saltwater fishing, but you are correct that your click drag would not get the job done. A friend of mine caught a large trout on the Bighorn River a few year ago with a 6 wt and click drag reel, and had to run after the fish because his drag wasn't heavy enough. He now fishes a disc drag.