Frabill’s Re-imagined 101 Straightline Reel Augments the Category it Defined
OutdoorHub 12.04.12
In Hollywood, facelifts are for the sake of vanity. Most often realized as the contorted, sometime gruesome fabrication of a face that was likely aging with beauty and grace – now forever twisted. In fishing, facelifts, or cosmetic changes are often mere marketing ploys; reworking the looks for freshening and hopes of increased sales.
In the case of Frabill’s 101 Straightline Reel, however, the alterations not only made it sexier, but also improved on-the-ice performance.
Now born of composite materials, the 101 Straightline Reel offers improved strength while amazingly getting lighter at the same time. Moreover, the composite reel actually feels warmer in your paws than a conventional metal reel.
A 1-plus-1 ball-bearing system manages out a smooth 1:1 ratio retrieve. Line flows off the balanced spool like a milky waterfall in Willy Wonka’s Chocolate Factory. And oversized reel handle is easily clutched with gloved hands. That same handle is also ambidextrous for both left and right handed anglers. Finally, the 101 Straightline features Frabill’s exclusive Sub-Zero lube to ensure flawless operation in the coldest temperatures.
“It’s a classic system [think vintage fly reel] restructured to perfection,” says maharishi of guides on ice Brian “Bro” Brosdahl, who was instrumental in the redesign. “The line flows off the spool without as much as a twirl and rolls back on in the same manner, which is the reason this style reel was a go-to years ago.”
Although spinning reels will never fade away, line twist they create often causes jigs to spin with unnatural aquatic bug behavior, which deters weary fish from nipping. The new 101 Straightline reel makes jigs dance, dart and flutter—all without suffering from the spins.”
Unlike other reels and the Hollywood scene, the reconstructive surgery on Frabill’s 101 Straightline reel was not in vain. Instead, it lightened the weight and enhanced feel—all while naturalizing the angler’s below-the-ice presentation.
