Fly Fishing Reel

A fly fishing reel is not just a place to hold the fly line. The fly rod helps you cast the fly line and hook the fish, but the fly reel can help land the fish.

The fly reel is different from a normal reel, in that when you cast, the reel has little involvement.

A lot of fly fisherman may not use the reel initially to play a hooked fish, especially for smaller fish. The hand can hold the tension on the excess fly line if the fish is running. Once the line is on the reel, a good quality fly fishing reel can mean the difference between landing the trophy trout or losing it.

A high quality reel can cost a lot of money; however, a good reel will last a life time. A cheap fly reel may cost 30 dollars or so and is okay for beginners fighting very small fish, but, generally you get what you pay for. If you are serious about fly fishing then a good quality reel is worth considering. On the other end of the price scale, some saltwater fly fishing reels can be expensive; they can even cost a thousand dollars or more.

A reel that is resistant to corrosion is a good place to start, especially for saltwater. Even though a lot of new reels are built with non metal parts on the outside, the inside mechanisms can seize up if corroded. A quality reel will be more resistant than a cheap one.

A good feature to look at, when buying a fly reel is an extra spool. You might have the reel on your rod loaded with a floating line and a spare spool might carry a sinking line for deeper waters.

Another important feature to look at the reel is the weight and balance of it. If you are a keen fly fisher person, you may be casting for several hours. A too heavier reel can feel like concrete when casting for hours. If it is not balanced right it can make fly casting uncomfortably.

Fly fishing reels have different retrieving methods. Generally the retrieval system of the fly reel is not as important for freshwater fishing, unless you’re after big salmon. For fast and big game saltwater fish the retrieval system is vital.

The single action is the first type; with this reel you turn the handle one full rotation which will turn the spool as well one turn.

The multiplying reel combines a group of gears so one turn of the fly reel turns the spool itself more than on turn. The line will be reeled in much quicker and is used for bigger fish.

The automatic fly reel is the third retrieval system, which at the push of a button it automaticly winds in the line.

The drag system is very important on a fly fishing reel, as a lower quality mechanism can lose you fish. Some anglers use their hands to feel the tension on the line or use their palm to slow down the rim of the reel. A good quality smooth drag system is the heart of the reel.

There are thousands of designs and sizes of reels available today. A good fly fishing reel can help you land the fish of your dreams, a bad reel will always let you down at the wrong time, so choose wisely.