Fly Fishing Reels

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Fly fishing reels don’t get enough respect. And a good fly fishing line can mean the difference between catching a big fish and losing one.

Many fly fishermen will use their hands on the line to play the fish. Once the slack line is removed, they will switch to using the reel itself. This is also the same technique that I use personally. However, a cheap fly reel may in fact break apart from the vibration stresses or gum up the line because they aren’t able to handle high speed line feeds.

I have to be honest I own quite a few cheap fly fishing reels. But for the serious fishing trips and bigger fish, quality fly fishing reels are the only way to get the job done. I’ve mentioned in other articles that going expensive is not always the best policy but in the case of fly fishing it really is. Cheap reels corrode faster, break apart, and even break your line. Most of the cheaper reels don’t even have an efficient drag feature.

One thing you should look out for is a fly reel that can handle an extra spool. I like having extra spools on hand so that I can change my presentations in a flash. One of the most preferred things to do is have one with floating line and another with a sinking line. This will allow you to spend more money on a single reel than buying 2 or 3 expensive reels.

You should be able to hold the reel on a fishing rod before you buy it. If you have ever been out fly fishing for a few hours, you know how the weight of the reel can feel. It gets harder and harder to cast with a ton of bricks at the reel.

Some fishing reels have an automatic retrieval function. This is great for smaller fish and a necessity for big salt water game fish. Salt water fly fishing is another game all together and you need every bit of help you can get.

There are hundreds of brands and styles to choose from and it can be a bit of a task to choose the right fly fishing reels. Take your time and you shouldn’t have any problems on your next fishing trip.

- Happy Fishin'