Fishing Fly Reels

These days you get to choose between light graphite, magnesium and cast alloy reels, some even comes with a disc brake for handling large fish.

Note: Fly reels are manufactured for left and right handed fly fishers. Left-handed casters reel with their right hand and vice versa.

Some fly fishers cast and reel with the same hand. You must decide beforehand which hand you prefer and then make sure the reel you want has a drag system set up for your own usage. Most reels come with the drag system set up for the right-handed fisher. If you reel in with your left hand, you just change the drag system to suit your style.

There are however, some very important things to out for, when buying a new fly reel,

Spool Gap

This the clearance between the spool edge and the frame of the reel. In poor built reels you will immediately notice that there is obvious gap - if this clearance is to great, the fly line will get trapped and even jam when casting the line.

Rim

Make sure that you buy a reel with an exposed rim, which can be used to control the reel when fighting the fish. Palming the reel to act as a brake is an essential requirement - caged reels are of now use to the fly fisherman and is fast disappearing from the market.

Capacity

Buy the correct size reel, the reel is of no use if the line does not fit on it ! Reels are coded to take certain sizes of fly line, with most having spare space for about 45-50 meters of *backing - much more are required for saltwater fly fishing.

You should always look for the smallest reel to hold your line and back, a too large reel will just add more weight to your fly rod.

Dacron

This line is made of non-stretch braided line, and are used to fill the space on smaller reels whereas it are utilized more effectively when fighting large fish.(*Backing is the first piece of line that goes onto the reel and then connects to the fly line)

Spool Balance

Most modern reels comes with a counterweight opposite the reel handle, especially from 6 Weight and over. The purpose of this counterweight is to balance the reel in a high-speed run, thus preventing vibration and the overheating of the centre bearing pin.

By now you should have enough information on the basic requirements to start you off to the nearest fly fishing shop.

Fly Fishing Reels Resources

Okuma Fishing Tackle Integrity Large Arbor Fly Reel for #7,8 line 70yd 20lb backing Okuma's large arbor design gives faster line retrieval for a single action reel.

Traditionally known as a "Specialty Reel" fished by Guides and more serious fly fisherman, the the Intregity, by Okuma, opens the world of large arbor fishing to everyone.

The Integrity series features a unique patented, oversized stainless steel-based disc drag which has little to no initial resistance with incredible high-end drag pressure.

The drag is controlled by an oversized roller bearing allowing for high speed, drag free retrieval.Manufacturer: Okuma Fishing Tackle. Manufacturer#: I-7/8.