About fly fishing reels

Fishing reels can be rather costly. It is very important to select the right reel for the type and quantity of fishing line you intend using. This is also selected to be compatible with your rod.

These days most reels are made from aluminum or more exotic light weight materials such as graphite. Salt-water fly fishing requires the use of an anodized aluminum finish to avoid corrosion caused by salt water and salt laden air. 

Fly Fishing Reels

Fly reels generally have large arbors installed. This is the spool center to which the fly line backing is fastened. A large arbor offers several important advantages that include much faster line retrieval rates, improved line handling, better control of drag pressure.

The large arbor allows you to retrieve line efficiently, an important feature when a fish runs and then charges back at you.

Fly fishing requires constant line pressure, and this means continual control of slack line, the large arbor gives much more stable drag pressure. Additional large arbor features includes reduced line tangles caused by less coiling of the line and less corkscrewing

Fly Fishing Reels

Basically there are 3 fly reel types. These are the single-action reel, the multiplier reel and the automatic reel.

The Single-action Reel

This is the most prevalent and also the simplest of all fly reels. The fly fishing line is stored on the reel spool. The handle is attached to the spool and is a simple 1 to 1 ratio, with one turn of the handle giving one turn of the spool

The Multiplier Reel

This is very different to the single-action reel. The multiplier reel is connected to gearing that multiplies the line retrieval with each crank of the reel handle. The ratios vary for these reels types. The principal advantage is you get a much quicker line retrieval rate.

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The Automatic Reel

Well the true fly fisherman will show disdain for the automatic fishing reel, a flick of a lever and fly fishing-reel

Fly reels can be rather costly. It is very important to select the right reel for the type and quantity of fishing line you intend using. This is also selected to be compatible with your rod. These days most reels are made from aluminum or more exotic light weight materials such as graphite. Salt-water fly fishing requires the use of an anodized aluminum finish to avoid corrosion caused by salt water and salt laden air.

Fly reels generally have large arbors installed. This is the spool center to which the fly line backing is fastened. A large arbor offers several important advantages that include much faster line retrieval rates, improved line handling, better control of drag pressure.

The large arbor allows you to retrieve line efficiently, an important feature when a fish runs and then charges back at you. Fly fishing requires constant line pressure, and this means continual control of slack line, the large arbor gives much more stable drag pressure. Additional large arbor features includes reduced line tangles caused by less coiling of the line and less corkscrewing.

The automatic reel does have advantages, especially when you have a lot of line out, and you get a lot better line control. 

More about fly fishing reels

About Fishing Reel Drag Systems

The drag system is an essential fly reel feature. Drag applies to slowing down by friction of the reel spool. This drag function assists in casting and in when playing fish.

The spring-and-pawl system

This type is the most simple and is also known as the click-and-pawl or the ratchet-and-pawl. This works by the use of a spring that pushes the pawl onto a spool mounted gear to cause drag. Some reel models have fixed drag tension while others have variable tension with an adjustment knob.

The Caliper System

In these fishing reel types a caliper pad is used to push against the spool braking surface. The friction then creates the drag to slow the reel speed down.

The Disc System

On these fishing reel types a disc is used to push a pad against a large-diameter pad mounted on the fly reel similar to a vehicle brake system. These are made from cork and other synthetic materials that include Teflon. These fishing reels are generally used for larger fish and of course are more expensive. Look at fishing reels and look at other fishing information