Orvis Mirage Fly Reel Features and Specifications
Introducing the Mirage Big Game-Large Arbor reel.
"A couple of years ago, I remember talking with Steve Hemkins (the chief rocket scientist at Orvis.) It was during a dealer meeting and they had just introduced the Helios which was stunningly lightweight and strong. Steve was concerned that there were no reels that were light enough to balance with it. The new Mirage reel balances perfectly. With stunning good looks and a powerful smooth drag, this is what Steve came up with, and it is impressive to the angler and to his friends." (TAW) The major inovation comes from the sealed drag system inside the hub. It has tremendous surface area for the smoothest drag made. And the reels are incredibly light due to the innovative use of solid aircraft aluminum. The swirling vortex shape on the main housing and the the spool is very cool looking, but it is also very strong! In fact every cool looking feature is also functional.
Inside the sealed hub are 16 carbon/stainless steel drag surfaces on sizes III-VII. There are 8 surfaces on size I and II. They are stacked as shown and sealed similar to breaking systems in modern jet fighters.
A positive click drag knob gives accurate and repeatable drag settings. The cool swirl shape was originally more of a cross shape according to Phil Monahan, OrvisNews.com. However, the line kept getting caught on the knob. The slight variation to the three swirl design gives a positive position feel, and the fly line doesn't get caught when shooting line.
The handle for winding the reel was tested in several prototypes, with the final result being the least likely to catch fly line.
Quick-release spool comes off in seconds, for spool changes and rinsing. The spool also quickly changes for left or right hand retrieve. The interior drag mechanism is neatly tucked away-sealed and ready for action.
Why the Vortex pattern? It is lighter than the traditional hole pattern, and just as strong.
Tom Rosenbauer with Orvis shows the features of the Mirage Reel.