Fly Fishing Reels

Choosing a fly fishing reel is just as important and personal task as choosing your rod. The good news is that there are fewer things to consider however. The basic features to be aware of are the drag system, the gear ratio, and the line capacity. Be sure to check the reel’s resistance to corrosion as a rusted reel is useless. The retrieval system is not nearly as crucial, but should be considered. Also think about the spool as the ability to switch spools in and out is a useful feature. Plan to buy extra spools at the time of purchase for this reason.

But the most important consideration when choosing a fly fishing reel is quality. Fly fishing is an art form and a reel is more than simply a device to hold your line. It is the key to keeping your fish. A truly high quality reel will be expensive, but will last you a lifetime while a good reel will be respectable in price and performance. A poor quality reel will be useless when fishing for anything larger than a small trout.

Some brands to keep in mind are Hardy, whose reels are some of the most sought after by collectors. Their original designs have been so innovative that their descendents are still in production today, with few alterations. Others include Abel, Tibor, Orvis, Ross, Fin-Nor, Lamson, Loop, Redington, and Sage.