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A fishing reel is a very important piece of the puzzle when assembling your fly fishing gear. Good fly reels make catching fish smoother, more enjoyable, and a lot more efficient. As you know, their job is to hold the line, release it when you cast, and reel it in when the fish takes the bait. If you hook a large, fast-swimming fish, the quality of your reel is what determines the outcome.
In this article, we’ll discuss the construction and features of fly fishing reels so you can easily find the right one to pair with your rod. In addition, we have also selected and reviewed the best fly fishing reels currently on the market which will help you tackle your catch every time.
Waterworks-Lamson Liquid Fly Fishing Reel
- What Makes This Fly Fishing Reel Stand Out
- Polyurethane finish provides additional protection to the reel
- Large arbor design allows the reel to hold more backing
- Sealed conical drag system makes it the best saltwater fly reel
- Available in four sizes and two great-looking color options
Sizes: 2-4 wt (3+), 4-6 wt (5+), 6-8 wt (7+), 8-10 wt (9+)
Construction: Die-Cast
Material: Aluminum with PU Coating
Weight: 0.8 pounds
Retrieve: Ambidextrous
Redington Behemoth Fly Fishing Reel
- What Makes This Fly Fishing Reel Stand Out
- Large reel drag knob makes line adjustments easier
- Carbon drag mechanism combines strength and low weight
- Large arbor makes retrieving the line much faster
- Ambidextrous design with easy left-to-right conversion
Sizes: 4-5, 5-6, 7-8, 9-10, 11-12 wt
Construction: Die-Cast
Material: Carbon Fiber
Weight: 0.5 pounds
Retrieve: Ambidextrous
Piscifun Sword Fly Fishing Reel
- What Makes This Fly Fishing Reel Stand Out
- Anodized aluminum casing works great for saltwater fishing
- No deviation in the reel (only 0.04 inches of interspace)
- Stainless steel bearing improves the reel strength
- CNC-machined construction provides impressive smoothness
Sizes: 3-4, 5-6, 7-8, 9-10 wt
Construction: CNC-Machined
Material: Anodized 6061-T6 Aluminum
Weight: 4 ounces
Retrieve: Ambidextrous (Left Hand Default)
Angler Dream Large Arbor Fly Fishing Reel
- What Makes This Fly Fishing Reel Stand Out
- Durable 6061-T6 aluminum casing resists corrosion
- One-way bearing design makes reeling more secure
- Hollowed-out frame reduces weight but remains strong
- 9 feet of high-quality nylon line included in the package
Sizes: 1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 7-8 wt
Construction: Die-Cast
Material: Aluminum
Weight: 0.44 pounds
Retrieve: Ambidextrous
Sougayilang Fly Fishing Reel
- What Makes This Fly Fishing Reel Stand Out
- Immediate and smooth drag even with large fish
- CNC-machined construction for top-level precision
- Anodized surface provides additional water protection
- Fiber-composite drag system improves the performance
Sizes: 5-6, 7-8 wt
Construction: CNC-Machined
Material: 6061-T6 Aluminum
Weight: 0.33 pounds
Retrieve: Ambidextrous
Orvis Clearwater Fly Fishing Reel
- What Makes This Fly Fishing Reel Stand Out
- Powder-coated finish improves the reel durability
- Die-cast aluminum reel with impressive strength
- Available in two sizes to fit most standard line weights
- Positive click drag knob for a higher level of precision
Sizes: 4-6, 7-9 wt
Construction: Die-Cast
Material: Aluminum
Weight: 8.32 ounces
Retrieve: Ambidextrous
Okuma SLV Diecast Fly Fishing Reel
- What Makes This Fly Fishing Reel Stand Out
- Non-slip rubberized knob stays firmly in the hand
- Roller bearing allows drag in one direction only
- Left hand retrieve can easily be switched to the right
- Stainless steel drag washers improve the strength
Sizes: 8-9 wt
Construction: Die-Cast
Material: Aluminum
Weight: 0.49 pounds
Retrieve: Ambidextrous (Left Hand Default)
M Maximumcatch ECO Fly Fishing Reel
- What Makes This Fly Fishing Reel Stand Out
- Pre-loaded with a high-quality fishing line
- Polished die-cast 6061-T6 aluminum casing
- Strong disc allows you to reel in large fish
- One-year warranty with a full satisfaction guarantee
Sizes: 3-4, 5-6, 7-8 wt
Construction: Die-Cast
Material: 6061-T6 Aluminum
Reel Weight: 1 pound
Retrieve: Ambidextrous
- What Makes This Fly Fishing Reel Stand Out
- High-quality CNC-machined aluminum body
- 1:1 gear ratio makes reeling in very easy
- One of the lightest reels available (5.1 ounces)
- Drawstring bag included for safer transportation
Sizes: 5-6, 7-8 wt
Construction: CNC-Machined
Material: Aluminum
Reel Weight: 5.1 ounces
Retrieve: Ambidextrous
Sage Spectrum C Fly Fishing Reel
- What Makes This Fly Fishing Reel Stand Out
- Vented concave arbor picks the line up very fast
- High-performance Spectrum sealed drag mechanism
- Machined drag knob and handle for extra strength
- Four available sizes fit almost any line (3 to 10 weight)
Sizes: 3-4, 5-6, 7-8, 9-10 wt
Reel Construction: Die-Cast
Material: Aluminum
Fly Reel Weight: 10.1 ounces
Retrieve: Ambidextrous
How To Choose The Best Fly Fishing Reel – Buying Guide
When searching for your personal best fly fishing reel, you need to consider various factors like size, construction quality, and drag system design among other things. Good fly reels need to be lightweight and user-friendly on one hand while simultaneously packing the punch to tackle big fish.
Construction
The best fly fishing reels are either CNC-machined or made using the die-casting process. Generally speaking, CNC-machined reels offer significantly higher quality, strength, and durability but, unfortunately, they also cost more. They are precisely made from a single block of aircraft-grade aluminum through a computerized process. The surface is often anodized for abrasion and corrosion resistance.Â
On the other hand, the manufacturing of the more affordable die-cast aluminum reels involves pouring molten metal into a pre-formed cast. While this results in decent quality, these reels are not as light, strong, or shatter-resistant as machined models.
Size and Weight
Size is a very important consideration when shopping for a fly fishing reel. First of all, you will want to ensure that the line weight capacity of your reel matches your fly fishing line and your rod. The reel size should match your target species and type of fishing. A small reel is sufficient for small fish while large, saltwater game fish demand a large reel. Last but not least, you want a reel size and weight that feels good in your hand (a lighter reel causes less fatigue).
Arbor Design
Even though all fly reels feature the same round shape, there are small differences in the details. The most important aspect to pay attention to is the arbor design. If you don’t know what this is, the arbor is the cylinder that spans from the center spindle to the base of the spool and holds the fishing line.
Standard arbor design holds plenty of backing capacity but has narrow frames so the tightly coiled line has high memory and develops coils. A mid-size arbor design has a widened reel to offer a good line capacity, reduced line coiling, and faster retrievals. Most modern models are designed as a large arbor reel that holds a lot of line and backing, offers extremely fast retrieval rate, and reduces line memory.
Drag System
The disc drag system on a fly fishing reel offers resistance to prevent fast-swimming fish from pulling all the line off the reel. If you cast flies to entice larger fish or often find yourself using your reel to fight fish, you need to ensure that you choose a reel with a powerful and smooth disc drag system. A disc drag will serve you best in this case. Keep in mind that the best saltwater fly reels need to have sealed disc drag systems to prevent corrosion and abrasion.
Left or Right-Handed Operation
Since most people are right-handed (handle the fly rod with their right hand and retrieve with their left), most fly fishing reels feature knobs on the left side. However, there’s no need to worry even if you’re left-handed – all the best fly fishing reels offer easily reversible retrieve.
Line Weight And Size
Every fly reel that you’ll come across will specify the recommended weight of its fly line and backing. It’s essential to choose a model whose line weight and size rating match your rod weight. For example, if you use a 7/8 weight line, you need a 7/8 weight rod and reel should also have a 7/8 weight rating too.Â
Quality
Since this isn’t something you buy every day, you need to pay attention to the reel’s manufacturing quality as this ensures that it performs smoothly and lasts a long time. As we’ve pointed out, CNC-machined trout reels offer the highest level of quality but die-cast models can be very good too. In addition, quality drags and bearings are fully sealed for additional corrosion protection.
FAQs
Q: What Makes a Great Saltwater Fly Reel?
The best saltwater fly reels need to have a sturdy machined aluminum construction and features such as a strong and smooth drag system, a large line capacity for handling faster and stronger saltwater fish, and a large arbor design for high-speed line retrievals. In addition, the bearings and drag system need to be fully sealed to prevent saltwater and sand from getting in.
Q: What is a Cassette Fly Reel?
A cassette fly reel is a reel with a spool frame that works with plastic spools and allows easy spool swapping. This makes it particularly convenient for various types of fly lines such as floating and sinking lines. Plastic spools are cheap and lightweight, which is why a cassette fly reel is a great choice for fly anglers on a budget and those on the go.
Q: Why Do I Need A Special Fly Fishing Reel?
You need a special fly fishing reel because of the dynamic nature of fly fishing. The best fly reel is lightweight but highly responsive and greatly increases your chances of making a catch. Besides the reel, you’ll also need a special fly fishing rod, line, and flies.
Related Reviews: Spinning Reel Under 50 & Baitcasting Reel Under 100
Q: How Do I Know What Size Fly Reel To Get?
The reel you pick should match your rod in size and be able to hold the line weight that you need. For example, reels and lines that have 3-4 weight will be great for small fish, while larger saltwater species require heavier and larger options.
Globo Surf Overview
Equipping your rod with the best fly fishing reel can make a big difference in the outcome of a fishing situation. Now that you know what you need to look for, we’re certain that you’ll make the right choice. We hope that our guide and reviews helped you in this decision so you can be ready for every fish that takes the bait.
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Do you think that having a great fly reel is important? What kind of fly reel works best for you? Have you used any one of the reels on our list? Let us know in the comment section below.