You need a reel too?
Brandon Ho FFI CCI
Now you have got yourself a fly rod, there are only 3 other things that you will need before you are ready to go catch that fish. Time to get a reel. Many will tell you that a reel’s main purpose is just to store line. There is no purpose for it during the cast and doesn’t help you land fish. The rod does all that. One might be better off just buying the cheapest reel in the market. Before you bolt out the door to get that reel, just spend a few minutes to read this.
Think for a moment about the fish that you are going to catch. Is it a small fish in a clear mountain stream or a feisty giant snakehead in the sweltering heat of a tropical lake or even the acrobatic sailfish in the blue ocean? There is a different reel to cater to every occasion. You will need to consider the conditions of fishing, whether in fresh water or salt water, how much backing can the reel accommodate, does the reel need strong stopping power… The considerations are endless and mind boggling. Here we are just going to focus on the essentials to get you started.
Reel manufacturing process
Die cast
This method of production involves pouring molten alloy or injected into moulds. This process was first used by Hardy in the early 20th century. This is the technology that pushes the price of the reel down. Good news for the fly fishers. It also allows manufacturers to be creative in designing reels that is impossible to be accomplished with a machining process. However, there is a setback. Die casting is not as precise as machining, causing some reels to feel flimsy and may not be as durable as machined reels.
CNC machining
CNC stands for Computer Numerical Control, a manufacturing process which uses computers to control machine tools, including lathes, routers and grinders. The material used to create the reels are usually aerospace grade aluminum. The parts are then anodized to prevent corrosion, making them suitable for saltwater use. The reels are made to precise tolerances and are lightweight, strong and if used properly, will last a long time. Having considered all the technologies and space age materials that are put into the construction of this reel, the price will definitely be higher that a die cast reel.
Reel design
There are basically 3 main designs of fly reels. The arbor is the one that one have to take a closer look at when choosing a reel. The arbor refers to the distance from the center spindle to the base of the spool.
Standard Arbor
This is the traditional reel design, used mostly for trout fishing. It has a smaller arbor and the frame is narrow. This design can hold a lot of line but the it has a lower retrieval rate as with each rotation of the handle, the spool only rotate once and the retrieve is very much depended on the diameter of the spool. With the small diameter of the spool, the line is coiled into a smaller diameter, creating more memory into the fly line, causing the line to coil and suffer from memory coil. However, this is not a big problem as the solution to this is just to pull the line to straighten it.
Mid Arbor
As the name suggest, this design is between the standard and large. The reel is wider giving it the capacity to hold more line and also increasing the retrieval rate. The larger diameter also reduces the occurrences of memory coil.
Large Arbor
This is the latest design in reel manufacturing. They are much larger than the other two designs for the same line rating. This larger arbor gives a faster retrieval rate and reduces memory coil. One downside of this is that the line capacity might be reduced. However, the modern designs are larger, increasing the line capacity. The use of modern designs are highly machine to reduce as much weight as possible without weakening the structure of the reel.
Drag System
When a strong fish pulls line out of your reel, you will want a drag system that will allow you to apply pressure to the fish to tire it out. The amount of drag you need will very much depend on the of fish you are targeting. If you are targeting small mountain fish, there is really no need for a powerful drag as most of the time, you will not get a chance to fight the fish off the reel. The story will be different if you are targeting the fast running fish such as the bone fish or Giant Trevally where they will pull the line out to the backing with a single run. You will need a good strong yet smooth drag.
Spring and Pawl
This is the traditional drag system. You might know it better by its other name, clicker drag. This system employs a cog mechanism that applies pressure to the spindle. It looks like a loaded spring pawl which engages a small gear. As the line is pulled out of the spool, it causes the pawl to ratchet against the tooth of the gear, giving it the unmistakable clicking sound. As you can imagine, it doesn’t give a lot of stopping power. This system is useful when the fish doesn’t have much running power. The advantage of this drag is that it is light and will be a good fit for lighter rods.
Pros – lightweight
Cons – light drag that doesn’t offer strong stopping power
Disc Drag
This drag works on the concept of compressing washers to create friction so as to apply tension on the spool as line is being pulled out. The washers are usually made from a variety of material. Cork washer are very widely used in disc drag as it compresses and rebounds gradually, giving it a very smooth startup. It is also extremely good at dissipating heat. This will give you the confident that the drag system will not fail you when you are fighting your dream fish. The only drawback to using cork washers is that they need to be lubricated. In order to lubricated them, you will need to gain access to them, thus eliminating cork washers to be used in a sealed drag system. The other alternative washers to be used is a sealed drag system will be synthetic material such as nylon, Teflon or other plastics or polymers.
Pros – smooth startup, stronger stopping power
Cons – can be big and bulky
Reel size
The reel size will depend on the rod that you will be pairing it with. Let’s say that you have a weight 5 rod, then a weight 4/5 reel would work. Reels usually are designed to take several different weights of line. If you have a weight 5 and a weight 6 rod, the a 5/6 reel is a good match. Choose the reel that can fit in the amount of backing and line that you will need. These information is usually stated in the reel description.
It will be worthwhile to consider getting a spare spool if you use different types of line, for instance, floating, intermediate, sink tip or full sink. The spare spool usually costs half the price of the reel but if your fishing requires it, a spare spool is cheaper than buying another reel. You can easily swap it when you are fishing.
Another important factor when choosing a reel is whether the reel balances the rod. The loaded reel should be balanced at the point where you grip the handle. A balanced rod and reel will feel light and comfortable to cast with. Try out several reels to see which one suits your casting style. Everyone has their own preference.
Left hand or right hand
Modern reels come in either left hand or right hand retrieve. It is very easy to change it to either a left hand retrieve or a right. The instructions are very easy to follow and it usually involves just a few simple steps. If all fails, then a quick browse on the Youtube will solve all your problems.
There you have it, the basic consideration for choosing a suitable reel for your rod. If you do require more information, just drop us a line. We are more than happy to talk to you.