The Dutch Four go for gold (or at least loads of pike...): Vosseler Pro-Flyfishing

The moment we decided to participate in the competition, we realised that we would need fishing gear that won't let us down at the moments that count. During the competition there's no time for anything but chasing pike. Failure is not an option as far as equipment is concerned. So we set out to find really reliable rods, reels en lines. In our case reliable means: strong, able to take a beating and above all, saltwaterproof. But still sensitive and lightweight, as we will be fishing for nine hours a day and fatigue may be the nastiest opponent we will be facing (apart from possibly coffeine-deficiency).

The four of us have enough gear between us to start a small business as outfitters. But it's not a lot of gear that we need, it's the right gear. As we started searching for rods and reels we can have faith in, we figured this match may also be a great opportunity for rod- and reelmanufacturers to show the world what they're capable of. We acted upon that thought and found ourselves a couple of sponsors. A sponsorship is a very special kind of relationship. On the one hand we, The Dutch Four, are in need of fishing gear and sponsors we can trust and rely on, while on the other hand it's safe to assume that no manufacturer or dealer will supply anything if the feeling of trust is not mutual. Trust and reliability is what it is all about. There's a Dutch saying that fits very well: "Trust comes on foot but goes on horseback ". Even if you have never heard it before, its meaning will be no mistery.

One of our major sponsors is Vosseler Pro-Flyfishing. This firm, situated in southern Germany not far from the wellknown Black Forest in a small town called Talheim, produces high quality flyreels. We discussed our plans with Ralf Vosseler, the owner. As a result we're proud to announce that we will be using Vosseler S3 flyreels during the tournament. These are the largest reels within the Vosseler S-series, capable of carrying flylines in the range from #10 to #12 and of course a generous amount of backing (http://www.pro-flyfishing.com/fliegenrollen/vosseler-s-rollen.html). We have a great deal of confidence in these reels. That's not just because they look good pretty darn good or because someone tells us they're good, but it's also because Erik recently visited the firm and Ralf Vosseler went to great lenghts to show him every single step of the production process. And that was quite impressive. Needless to say that a cook who shows you his kitchen is more confident than the one who won't.

For starters, and maybe contrary to what readers might expect, the reels are not the main issue here; the firm's philosophy is about the experience of a good day's fishing. Get out there and have fun! If in the process you happen to forget that there's a Vosseler flyreel attached to your rod, that will be taken as a compliment. It only means that the reel did exactly what was expected of it. You just never noticed and that's fine. It's just a piece of equipment after all. It doesn't need attention. It's not your wife.

A fly reel's design in 3D. Modern computer technology makes it possible to change perspective in no time; watch it at any angle you wish.

Reel frames being machined from first grade solid bar stock aluminium. The spools were put in just for clarity's sake. Normally they wouldn't be there of course.

Four reel frames are made in one go. Efficiency counts.

Ralf Vosseler just can't stop talking, Erik just can't stop listening. Passion meets passion.

Vosseler Pro-Flyfishing is an all-German firm; every single component of every single reel is made in the factory in Talheim. Even if it is sometimes cheaper to buy certain components on the international market, they simply refuse to. There is a very good reason for this: the firm can only guarantee the quality of its products when it is in a position where it can monitor the production process and the quality of the raw materials used. It's only by keeping a close eye and making the necessary adjustments in time that one can raise the quality to a high level and keep it there. Put in a nutshell: do it yourself and do it well.

Ralf Vosseler checking things. As you can see this can be done from without. For safety reasons as you may have guessed already.

It's not a huge factory by any standard. But it is completely stuffed with high-tech machines. As times demand these machines get their commands from a central computer, which holds detailed information about every flyreel's design. And detailed it should be, as the permitted margin of error for some components is as small as 2 thousandth of a millimeter. That's small, very small. To keep up the good work, one out of every 10 or 15 parts is measured independently and all measurements are registered for statistical purposes. This is necessary because the drills and cutting edges of all machines are subject to wear and tear. After so and so much cutting and drilling they do no longer meet the quality standards and have to be replaced. Statistical information will help determine when replacements are due. As interruptions of production are unwelcome, Vosseler Pro-Flyfishing uses drills with synthetic diamond heads. Expensive, but very tough, which guarantees a relatively long lifespan.

Drawers full of small parts. Production should not be jeopardized by replacements being out of stock. Not a single detail is overlooked.

"Even if your margin of error looks totally insignificant right here, you might still end up with an intolerable tolerance for the reel as a whole. Which of course cannot be tolerated."

As you can see, nothing is left to chance. It's only quality that matters. This is why we think that we should be glad to have Ralf Vosseler as a sponsor. It's an honour.