There can have been few newer products in Orlando two weeks ago than the Waterworks Lamson Center Axis fly reel system. The integrated rod and reel concept was introduced at IFTD’s ‘On The Water’ event the day before the fly fishing trade show officially opened its doors.

“The launch is literally minutes old,” said Waterworks Lamson President Ryan Harrison at the Ritz–Carlton Grande Lakes location. “This is it. We are bringing the Center Axis to market as of now.” Despite the immediacy of the launch, the germ of the idea was planted some 20 years ago when Lamson was part of Sage Manufacturing. Back then, execution of the project failed to meet expectations.

The idea has now been revived and significantly improved by the Idaho company. “The strength of the initiative can be attributed solely to the orientation of the reel in relation to the centre axis of the rod,” explained Harrison. “In the past a rod designer’s vision has excluded the reel, but the fact is the reel is around twice as heavy as the rod and creates significant leverage. “There are two key elements to Center Axis. One is that we have made the reel as light as possible. The other is that instead of having the reel stand off the rod in the conventional way, we have positioned it in close alignment with the centre axis of the rod. “The result is a radically different combo that eliminates much of the reel’s leverage and provides a more precise sense of what is happening with the rod.”

The new reel is securely attached using an O-ring lock and stiletto pins that fit into holes in the rod’s grip. The system is currently available in 5-weight, with 4, 6 and 8 weights to follow later this year.

Source: www.angling-international.com.