Fly Fishing for Smallies: Reels
by Tracy Gosselin

The reels used for smallmouth flyfishing needn't be top of the line, expensive ones. Choose a reel that has the capacity to hold a line of the weight that you have chosen, plus 50 to 100 yards of backing line. The backing line is most usually a braided Dacron material; twenty-pound test is sufficient. It helps to be able to try the reel on the rod you intend to fish it with. Make sure that the combination has a good balance. By balance, I do not mean that the rod and reel has to perfectly balance at a precise point on its handle. I am referring to the "feel" of the combination…it shouldn't feel top- or bottom-heavy in the hand.

Almost all modern fly reels are right-and left-hand switchable. If you are a right-handed person, you would be casting with the right. Chances are, you would prefer to crank the reel with your left hand. The reel should be set up for left-hand retrieve. Some may prefer to switch the rod to the left hand to fight the fish, and crank with the right. There is really no right or wrong…. it's whatever you are most comfortable with.

Choose a reel that has spare spools available. One spool can be filled with a floating line, another with a sinking line. Reels are generally rated for a range of line sizes. If you have a 6 weight and a 7 weight rod, for example, chances are you can use the same reel for each of them, just by popping in a spool with the appropriate line on it.

Most fly reels are "direct-drive"; that is, the spool goes around one revolution for each revolution the reel handle is turned. There are "multiplier" reels that are geared so that the retrieve rate is faster. These reels are heavier and more expensive. Another type is the "anti-reverse" reel that has a clutch, which prevents the reel's handle from turning (and rapping the angler's knuckles) when the line is outgoing. Some brands require major dis-assembly to change a spool. I would not recommend them to someone just starting to flyfish.

Fly reels today are most commonly made of aluminum or aluminum alloy that has either an enamel or an anodized finish. Anodizing is a more expensive finish, but it is more durable, and would be my choice for a reel that might serve double-duty as a light salt-water rig. Reels that are cast in a mold are less expensive. The better reels are machined out of a solid hunk of metal. I have an inherent mistrust of reels made of plastic, but the newer graphite resins will probably hold up just fine. I simply have no experience with them.

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"Some may prefer to switch the rod to the left hand to fight the fish, and crank with the right. There is really no right or wrong…. it's whatever you are most comfortable with."

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Less expensive reels have a "click/pawl" drag. This is a triangular piece of metal that rides in a gear on the spool, making a clicking sound. They have a spring arrangement that provides the drag resistance, and on some, the spring's tension is adjustable. The old standby Pflueger Medalist reels has a drag that works similarly to the drum brakes on a vehicle. Scientific Anglers' System 2 reels are designed with a drag that is similar to disc brakes! Others have Rulon or Teflon or cork disc drags…. what to choose? Realistically speaking, the drag simply needs to prevent the spool from over-running when the line is yanked, either by the angler or the fish. Remember, I'm speaking of smallmouth fishing here. If you are planning to do some salmon or steelhead or stripers or bonefish with the same rig, then the drag would have a lot more importance. Most modern reels have an exposed rim that may be "palmed" for more drag if needed. That is, the angler would add pressure to the rim of the reel by cupping the palm of his or her hand around it. The angler can also adjust pressure on the fish by how the line is handled as well. These "manual adjustments" are why a smallie fly-angler can use the more economical basic reels without handicapping themselves.

I don't mean to imply that everyone should only use $30 reels for smallmouth fishing. I do want people reading this to feel that fly fishing is accessible to them, that it is not a sport for only those with an unlimited cash flow. If your budget will accommodate a $300 reel, then by all means, buy it. They are smoother, the parts mesh together better, it has a better overall "feel". I do have an appreciation for a finely machined piece of equipment. It just isn't really necessary.