by Mike Wilson, March 01, 2004
In a previous article we discussed several low cost but high performance fly rods . Now that you have your rod all picked out it is time to talk about fly reels.
Depending on the size and species of fish you are targeting, the reel can play either a minor role in your gear selection or it could one of the most important equipment decisions you make. The key is knowing when to spend the extra money and of course knowing the brands that offer the best performance for the lowest cost.
If you have ever watched an old fly fishing video, odds are the fishermen is stripping in the line while fighting the fish. As the fish turns to make a run, the fly fisherman slowly lets out line by having it pass under a finger which gives it just the right amount of drag. Should the fish do a blistering run and get on the spool, that same fisherman will often use his palm to slow down the fish. Essentially, he is acting like his own drag. This is how I grew up fishing. My Dad never taught us to get the fish on the reel like most fishermen do today. The reason we fished this way is because the old click and pawl drags on many of the reels were not smooth enough to handle the sudden blistering runs of a big fish.
If you were to observe an experienced fly fisherman today, odds are he or she has a reel that cost at least $150-$300 and maybe as much as $400+. It has a drag on it that can stop a semi truck going down I-90 and will be made out of a high grade aircraft aluminum.
This is the dilemma the new fly fisherman faces when choosing a reel. If you don’t spend enough money then you run the risk of losing a fish of a lifetime. Spend too much then you are paying for performance you will never use. The purpose of this article is to help you identify some high quality reels at various price levels so you can make informed choices instead of spending too much or too little.
Qualities to Look For in a Reel. There are a lot of things you can get wrapped up in when looking at a reel but the number one item I always check first is what I call the amount of slap back. With a fly reel, you wind in line by turning a handle on the reel spool which causes the spool to turn. When you quit turning the handle and a fish pulls hard enough to activate the drag, there is a certain amount of backward movement in the reel spool before the drag kicks in. This is slap back.
A decent reel should have minimal movement backwards before the drag activates. If it has too much then the sudden change in tension can cause you to break off a fish. To check for slap back, slowly turn the handle on the reel like you are bringing in line. Stop winding and slowly turn the reel backwards. Observe how much the spool moves before you notice the drag kick in. On a good reel it should be about an 1/8th of an inch or less. A below average reel will be up to a quarter inch. This is too much and can cause the leader to snap should a fish make a sudden run.
Another key element is to check out the drag adjustment. It should be easy to get to, easy to turn and should slowly increase the drag. If the reel doesn’t do these three things well then you may want to keep looking. Also make sure you check out how smooth the drag is. Many cheap reels do okay on the lightest settings but when you need to use the higher drag settings, they have problems which could lead to a sudden change in tension and a loss of a fish.
You should also understand the difference between a click and pawl drag and a disc drag system. A click and pawl tends to use a large sprocket on the back of the spool that engages a metal prong when the reel is assembled. The drag adjustments increases or decreases the tension on this prong so that it becomes more difficult or easier to turn the spool. A disk drag uses a metal disk with a friction pad much like a disk brake on a car. The drag increases or decreases the friction on the disk. The advantage of a disk drag is that it tends to be a smoother drag which means you are less likely to break off the fish when the drag engages.
Recommended Reels:
Sub $60 range.
Okuma Sierra 5/6: If I had to pick one reel to recommend to the beginning trout fly fisherman my vote would go to this reel. It retails in the range of $25-49 and features a great combination of performance and price. The reel isn’t terribly fancy in appearance but it works great and stops good sized fish. I have landed rainbows in the 8 pound range with this reel and it has performed flawlessly. My only criticism of this reel is that the disk drag adjustment doesn’t seem to do much when you first move it and then will suddenly increase the drag rapidly. You pretty much have to spend some time with it to learn how much drag to apply in the heat of battle.
Pflueger Supreme: is another reel that deserves rave reviews. About 5 years ago, Pflueger introduced this reel in a heavy, black design. It was best used as a paper weight and quickly fell out of favor with most fly fisherman. To their credit, Pflueger listened to the fishermen and redesigned the reel. The new Supremes are gold in color and feature a very nice click and pawl drag system. They retail for about $50-$65 are a good reel to examine.
Pflueger 1494 ½: You can’t make a list of good, low cost reels without mentioning the fly fishermen’s sentimental favorite, the 1494 ½. These reels have been around forever and have caught many a big fish. Simple in design, durable as heck and cheap. The 1494 ½ is starting to feel pretty dated but if you have kids, this is the reel for you. Short of running it over with a truck, it is going to keep working. I have several that are my fathers and are over 25 years old. They still handle big fish just fine.
S.A. System 1: I don’t think you could have any discussion about decent reels without mentioning the Scientific Angler System 1. These reels have been around a long time and are a simple click pawl drag but they work really well and are very durable. They can be found for the $30-$50 range.
Crown: Another long time player in the reel market would be Crown reels. They are very similar to the S.A. System 1 reels in price and performance. Again, nothing fancy but they have a decent drag for the price.
Reels $60-$125
Okuma Integrity: This reel features an improved drag over the Sierra series and has a large star shaped drag adjustment that is very easy to use. It also works very well and I have taken several trout over 20 inches without difficulty. I am still not 100% convinced of the drag when fighting smaller fish. It seems to get too loose and back spools the line on the light settings but then gets just a tad too tight if you tighten it up. For big fish though it is perfect. It is a bit heavy but most large arbor reels are. It retails for $50-$65.
Reddington: If you are looking to upgrade your current reels but don’t want to cross into the high dollar amount category I recommend looking at Reddington reels. These reels will take you into the $100 range but are great for larger game like steelhead. Many fishermen use these reels in the salt and also as their day to day reel. I have heard many positive reviews and have this reel on my shopping list for steelhead season.
Orvis Battenkill: is another good reel to consider in the sub $100 range. They have an excellent reputation and a good, quality drag system on them. Orvis also has a tremendous customer service program should you ever have a problem. By today's standards they are a bit heavy and maybe a bit over priced but the upside is they can take a bit of a beating and keep working.
S.A. System 2: The Scientific Angler System 2 reel is a good, solid disc drag reel. This is my reel of choice for bigger prey and the reel has never failed me. Easy and precise drag adjustments and clean lines make this reel easy to use. The only down side to the design is that the fly line can occasionally slip between the spool and reel casing. A minor irritation that may have been fixed in later editions. My reel is about 6 years old. S.A. has also released a new line of reels but I have yet had the opportunity to fish with one.
There are literally hundreds of reels on the market today and there is no way one article can address all of the high quality, low cost reels out there. Maybe you have a favorite that didn’t make the list. Email me at frugalflyguy@aol.com and let me know about it or write just to say hello. I love hearing from everyone.
Tune in next time for a field test report of the W.W. Griggs 2 and 4 pc. Rods. I have had the chance to fish with both of them and they are quite different in feel.
Mike