What is your favorite Fly Reel?

[Capt Mel Simpson 0]

A 60's 1495 1/2 Pflueger/Voss/Pfoot Medalist. I caught many steelhead on this reel before having the spool converted in the 80's by Herman Voss and then a couple years ago by Pfoot. Even though I have a bunch of Pates and Tibors and old Hardy's, this is my favorite.

[2bonthewater 0]

Fly Logic for me

 

I have been fishing Fly Logic since about 1999 or 2000..........I have tried many other reels, even the big named guys.....and I always seem to go back to Fly Logic..............I just wished they made an ultra-light reel to match a shorter stick.........

 

I also like the LOOP CLW, CLWC reels--now they are called Xact......lightweight and neat looking

 

The okuma cascade or air frame reel also gets a nod...........

 

Normally, when I am chasing wild trout on smaller streams.......I love using a bamboo rod (my dad recently broke my 6 foot 2/3 wt) but I had it paired with a Vernley Trout Reel -- 1930's-1940's love this reel

[MarcMartyn 0]

I fished with the Medalist for many years until I went to a Sage rod. I had the Sage reel on it for several years and didn't like it. When I got a 8wt rod, I bought a Okuma Helios and loved it. So much so, I decided to convert my 5wt rod to the same reel. In my research, I discovered that the Cabela's RLS is made by Okuma, same reel as the Helio but a different finish. In my change over I went with the large arbor reel which is great. What I really like about the reels is that they are so smooth. The drag is easily accessible and adjusts easily while fighting a fish. They are truly a pleasure to fish with.

 

BTW, Cabela's has a good sale on them right now.

 

http://www.cabelas.com/product/Cabelas-RLS-Fly-Reels/732358.uts?Ntk=AllProducts&searchPath=%2Fcatalog%2Fsearch.cmd%3Fform_state%3DsearchForm%26N%3D0%26fsch%3Dtrue%26Ntk%3DAllProducts%26Ntt%3DRLS%26x%3D0%26y%3D0%26WTz_l%3DHeader%253BSearch-All%2BProducts&Ntt=RLS&WTz_l=Header%3BSearch-All+Products

[Lotech Joe 0]

I bought an Orvis Battenkill Disc standard arbor about 10 years ago and I still have it and like it better than any other reels I've owned. I liked it so much, that I bought another. The first reel is from England and the second from the Pacific Rim, but I can't tell the difference in them and the parts are totally interchangeable. Both are for a 5 weight rod, but one with a WF5F and the other a WF5S. I have so much confidence in those reels, that I bought a Battenkill Bar Stock for my 4 weight, and that too is extremely dependable.

[jhammer 0]

I've used a Trion and loved it. However, my trusty old Cabela's Prestige reel has served me well for many, many years.

[troutguy 0]

The Pflueger must be made in USA. They went down hill after that.

[Angrypinfish 0]

Hello... Firt time posting, few months fly fishin and loving it... I dont have any experience with with the rest of the reels except the lamson.

[ditz2 0]

Troutguy

The Pflueger must be made in USA. They went down hill after that.

 

the old USA models are the best but the new China ( I hate to admit ) is a close second and quite useable. I have 2 of the new ones that I use along side my old original models and I find little difference. If they would put 5 rivets in the spool they might even be better because of modern plastics and paint.

[FishDragon 0]

I picked up a new Nautilus FWX 5wt reel. Great reel with a very quiet click when retrieving line and line goes out nice and smooth. Lifetime warranty and not made in China. One of my best flyfishing purchases I have made to date. Fought 17(only landed a few as I had bad fluro from Orvis) Atlantic salmon and landed 100's steelhead and salt water brookies on it this past year and it has performed well. I recommend it to anyone that wants a great reel at a great price.

 

I have used Superfly, Reddington, Okuma, and Cabela's reels and I am a firm believer you get what you pay for as all those reels were fairly cheap and didn't work too well besides the Reddington.

[Steeldrifter 0]

I have used Superfly, Reddington, Okuma, and Cabela's reels and I am a firm believer you get what you pay for as all those reels were fairly cheap and didn't work too well besides the Reddington.

 

I'd have to disagree with you there. Although I too enjoy a good high end reel like my Galvan or other high end high dollar reels...I also have and still do own about 7 different Okuma reels from the SLV to the Sierra series and they have all been excellent working/smooth reels that work very well.

[2bonthewater 0]

the okuma air frame or cascade reels are superb reels and only cost 30 dollars..........they are graphite with sealed drags.......not my daily users........but the 789 is my friends main reel for salmon fishing and that thing has held up nicely.........on one trip, I used the 30 dollar reel to land many 20-30 pound salmon without incident..........I'll take my Fly Logic anyday over any other reel.......but the Okuma graphite Air Frame reel is a nice reel, especially for 30 dollars.........Large Arbor too......

[Will K 0]

Colton is very high on my list and I'd have voted for them. Very nice reel for very decent investment. Love my CRGII from Colton.

 

I've had great luck with Lamson too, still have a Lamson from, I think, the mid 80's - it was a birthday gift from my parents when I was a kid who was sickly in love with fly fishing. I have great parents. Best part, is that the reel works still, and I used it to teach my wife to fly fish - she caught her first trout with it - and I hope to teach my 70 year old dad to fly fish next year (they supported me, but did not fish themselves - awesome parents) using that reel. I recently picked up a cabela's reel made by Lamson and it's great, I'm spacing on the name though... and I have a very large arbor reel from cabelas from a few years back that continues to serve me very well.

[mamacast 0]

Ross old school Evolution 3. Still adding spools whenever I can find them.

[Woodinfliezz 0]

if i could buy any reel right now it would be a cheeky 6wt reel for my bass rod but as of right now my favorite reel is my Cabelas WLX 6wt series i love this thing the knob drag is so easy to use it holds plenty of line and the drag is smooooooth ive landed some large carp on it and it holds up so well. got to send thanks to my wifey for that one

[vicrider 0]

I went with Hardy. I have several from Olde England and the new Asian. I DO NOT think quality has slid on the Asian reels from Hardy, anymore than the quality has slid on the Medalists from Asia (2 different countries). Asian quality control and tolerances are far better today than back when they were putting out products that gave them the reputation some still think is valid.

 

I fell in love with the click pawl reels and love the sound. Nothing I hate more than a truly silent reel. You are missing some high quality reels on there but they are also limited in sales. These are reels built from the ground up by craftsmen from their own bench. Examples I have are Speyco Trout Spey reel, North Branch raised pillar trout reel, Greenwell Hardy St. George Titanium from England on order, Peerless, and an Alaskan custom made reel I can't remember name right now. These are speciality reels and if price was a major concern definitely not for the faint of heart.