Selecting the Best Fly Fishing Reel
Heed These Tips to Help Find the Best Fly Fishing Reel for You

If you are serious about your fly fishing, you will no doubt want to find and use the absolute best fly fishing reel on the market today, within your budget constraints, of course. So, whether you choose the more popular Sage or Okuma fly fishing reel, you must keep in mind that there are still various other fly fishing reel factors that must be considered.

Making the appropriate choice of a fly fishing reel involves consultation with an experienced fly fisherman, whether it be a friend or relative. Seeking advice about their favorite reels and understanding the whys and wherefores of their decisions can make your selection process all the more easy.

You may even ask to borrow their fly fishing poles and reels to get a hands-on experience for their specific gear. Be sure to inquire about their likes and dislikes in different pands and types of reels.

Which Fly Fishing Reel to Choose?

One choice that the fly fisherman has to make about his fly fishing reel is what type of drag system he wants it to have. There are two basic types of drag systems available on most fly fishing reels. The reason the reel needs a drag system is that it stops the fly fishing reel from being stripped of line when a fish is pulling on it. If the line gets stripped off the reel, then it has to be detangles and reeled back in, which wastes time and fishing.

It also helps to give resistance to the line so that when the fish takes the fly there is some tension on the line already, which is very important with larger fish. One type of drag system is silent and called a disk drag system. This one is not as common as the other, spring and pawl system which has a clicking sound as it works. The disk drag system is usually chosen if fishing for larger types of fish while the other, spring and pawl system can be used with smaller fish as well as the larger ones.

A second but equally important consideration in your choice of a fly fishing reel is the type of retrieval system that the reel uses. For you novices, what we are talking about is the system by which the fly line can be retrieved after it is cast and let out. This is important because this system determines how quickly the fly fisherman is ready for his next cast.

Consider The Capacity Ratings on Your Fly Fishing Reel

Do not forget to consider the capacity ratings on the retrieval systems for fly fishing reels. This is measured by line weight. These ratings determine the amount of fly line a particular reel can hold and the measurement is usually given in yards.

Know The Three Types of Retrieval Systems on Your Fishing Reel

The three basic types of retrieval systems used on fly fishing reels are:

• The automatic retrieval system - very convenient but it is most expensive, since it allows the fly fisherman to press a button or flip a lever and the line is retrieved.
• A multiplying retrieval system - far faster than a single action, however, it still requires a little extra effort on the part of the fly fisherman.
• The single action fly fishing reel is most common but also the slowest.

So, regardless of your choice of the best fly fishing reel for your needs and budget, try your best to try the reel out in action before making the commitment to purchase.