Reel seat/reel foot fitment issues.

[Smalls]

I have a rod that has always been a little uncomfortable. Something felt just a hair off, and I couldn’t figure out why. Finally nailed down the culprit. My reel sits further up, and away from the trigger and grip than any of my other rods. I can’t palm my reel the same way I do any other rod. 3 different reels, same annoyance. 

 

Did a a little bit of research and it looks like people are grinding down their reel feet to fix the issue. But if I swap my reel to another rod, it won’t fit. It seems like the rod is the problem, and I’d rather alter it, than my reel. 

 

If I file the reel seat where the back of the reel foot goes in, is it gonna cause any structural issues? 

[.ghoti.]

Can't answer that. Not enough info. Post a pic. And rod details. Maybe somebody here will have an idea for you.

[Delaware Valley Tackle]

if I understand your post, there's no modification that will address the issue short of replacing the seat with another design. Not likely cost effective but possible. 

[Smalls]

16 minutes ago, Delaware Valley Tackle said:

if I understand your post, there's no modification that will address the issue short of replacing the seat with another design. Not likely cost effective but possible. 

There’s no way to get the reel to sit further down the seat? I can’t open that hole in the seat at all?

[MickD]

Can you post a photo so we can be sure we are understanding the problem correctly?

 

Right now I think you are not liking the distance from the axis of the rod to the reel caused by the seat locating the reel too high, away from the axis of the rod?

 

If in fact the geometry of the seat is the problem, then I agree that the only reasonable fix is to change the seat which involves cutting/tearing the current one off and installing another.  Lots of labor $$ if a pro builder does it.  Not a good job for one inexperienced with doing that.  I'd really like to see a photo.

[grub_man]

The way I read it, the reel seat is designed so that the reel sits closer to the tip and further away from the trigger than most other designs.  I too would like to see a pic or two, or at least the rod model to look into to wrap my head around it.

 

If this is the case, you may be able to remove a bit of material from the front of the reel foot pocket and possibly use a dremel to remove some material at the back of the pocket to get the reel foot in deeper.  However, if you take too much, you are back to cutting off the seat and replacing it.

[Smalls]

1 hour ago, grub_man said:

The way I read it, the reel seat is designed so that the reel sits closer to the tip and further away from the trigger than most other designs.  I too would like to see a pic or two, or at least the rod model to look into to wrap my head around it.

 

 

This is correct. It wasn’t much. Maybe 1/8 -1/4 inch, but just enough to feel awkward in my hand. I ended up filing the pocket just a little, and giving my reel a good smack with the palm of my hand to get it to sit in there a bit better.   

[Delaware Valley Tackle]

The rear hood is fixed as is the diameter of the seat. I'm afraid you're looking at swap or rebuild. 

[spoonplugger1]

A lot of low end commercially built salmon rods have this problem when you try to install a reel such as a Shimano Tekota that has the full sized saltwater reel foot, not the smaller compact reel foot. The Abu C3 reels still have the small foot as the bass reels so people get confused when going from one to the other. I always take my reel shopping so I know, and the good shops will put their demo reel on to check for you before you buy the rod.

I've used a dremel with a small burr to open up these reel seats some to fit the longer/wider saltwater foot over the years. 1/8 inch you'll probably get away with, but no more, only take the absolute minium.

The info I'm passing on was given to me by Todd Vivian, former rod designer for Lamiglas Rods, he now works at Mudhole.

Another way, measure your blank diameter at the foregrip, measure the OD of the reel seat at your point of work, do the math, how much room do you have? Remember it's a centered hole so you have half the thickness left after sutracting reel seat diameter from the blank diameter.

 

[Smalls]

It ended up being the width, mostly. I didn’t have the balls to even do it with a dremel. I took a small file and checked fitment until I was happy.