Best Fly Reels of 2025, Tested and Reviewed

Fly reels used to play second fiddle to rods, no less than within the fly-fishing world. Volumes have been written in regards to the nuances of bamboo, fiberglass, and graphite fly rods. However the reel? “It’s only a software to carry your line,” was the prevailing adage amongst many anglers. You don’t hear that as a lot these days.

“As I developed as a fly fisherman — branching out into saltwater and fishing for greater trout and bass — it grew to become readily obvious that the outdated dogma was simply plain improper,” creator, reel tester, and Outside Life contributor Monte Burke says in regards to the outdated methods of fascinated by fly reels.  

Whereas it’s true that they play no function in casting (as standard reels do), one of the best fly reels serve a lot of different essential functions. To Burke’s level, that is very true whenever you step exterior the trout stream and begin chasing greater fish. In these and most different fashionable fly-fishing eventualities, a sturdy reel with a reliable drag could make all of the distinction. 

Different qualities, like a reel’s weight, design, and aesthetics — how the reel appears to be like and sounds — are essential to contemplate. And since there are such a lot of totally different choices to select from, I’ve chosen 11 of the highest fly reels, with the assistance of Burke, to get you pointed in the correct route.

How We Selected the Greatest Fly Reels

The fly reels on this lineup have been used and examined extensively by OL editors and contributors. The listing runs the gamut, from light-weight reels suited to small trout and panfish to large-arbor reels made for tarpon and different big-game species. Though just a few are relevant for heavy-duty saltwater use, the next listing leans extra towards freshwater. (Take a look at our best saltwater fly reels shopping for information in the event you’re purchasing particularly for saltwater reels.) We caught with well-known producers, most of them based mostly within the U.S., which have a fame for high quality. 

The supplies, inside elements, and finishes will differ from reel to reel. Some are extra suited to particular makes use of or water sorts, and we be aware this data within the descriptions. We’ve additionally included choices at totally different value factors, from funds picks to high-end, customizable reels. All of those fly reels will preserve spinning for many years with the right care, and a few will final a lifetime or longer.

Greatest Fly Reels: Evaluations and Suggestions

Greatest General: Hatch Iconic

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Buy From Hatch

Professionals

• High scores for toughness and sturdiness
• Easy drag designed for giant fish

Cons

• Heavier and pricier than most different reels in its class
• Might be overkill for some anglers

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Key Options

• 
  Carbon-fiber drag system

• 
  Machined from sort II anodized aluminum

• 
  Made within the USA

• 
  Comes with a restricted lifetime guarantee

• 
  Sizes:

  
  3+, 4+, 5+, 7+, 9+, and 11+

• 
  Mid or giant arbor

• 
  Value:

  
  $591 to $1,068

Hatch Open air has solely been on the scene for about 20 years. However in that comparatively brief span of time, the California-based reel producer has develop into ubiquitous in fly outlets and information boats around the globe. Hatch reels have a number of the smoothest and strongest drags round, and the reels themselves are damn-near indestructible. Due to these attributes, and particularly the Yeti-like fame they’ve for sturdiness, Hatch is arguably the most well-liked high-end reel maker available on the market right this moment. 

Not like most different producers, Hatch at the moment presents only one mannequin: the Iconic. It’s provided in a variety of sizes, from the three plus, designed for 3-5 weight rods, to the 11 plus for 11-12 weight rods. Hatch additionally offers the choice of a big arbor or mid-sized arbor whenever you get into the bigger sizes. (The mid-sized arbor holds extra backing for dealing with longer runs.) Except you go the customized route (count on to pay for it), the Iconic is obtainable in 4 primary coloration patterns. 

Constructing on the favored Finatic line, the Iconic has some refined however noticeable enhancements over its predecessor, together with a lighter total weight, higher sealing, and a brand new carbon-filled drag that’s sturdy sufficient to place the brakes on just about something that swims. Is that overkill for many anglers? Completely. However in the event you’re searching for a fly reel that’s powerful as nails and easy as silk, the Iconic is value an in depth look.  

Greatest Funds: Lamson Liquid S

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Professionals

• Strong drag system, however not as sturdy because the Lamson Guru ($300) and others
• Nice worth

Cons

• End can get scratched
• Not very best for saltwater

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Key Options

• 
  Value:

  
  $140

• 
  Constituted of die-cast aluminum

• 
  Made within the U.S. with elements from each U.S. and abroad

• 
  Comes with a restricted lifetime guarantee

• 
  Sealed drag

• 
  Sizes:

  
  2/3/4, 4/5/6, 6/7/8, and eight/9/10

I purchased my first Lamson Liquid reel a few years in the past as a backup for my salmon-fishing outfit. Through the years, I’ve discovered myself utilizing it nearly as a lot as I do the primary staff reel. The Liquid, which is available in 3-through-9-weights, is die-cast and never machined like most high-end reels, which is why the worth is so low (it’s cheaper to fabricate that means). 

However you don’t lose a lot in efficiency right here, and even in sturdiness, although I’ve discovered that the reel is definitely nicked-up cosmetically. The drag system is identical one which Lamson makes use of in a few of its high-end reels, so nothing is compromised there. The one actual downside is that I’ve had hassle within the saltwater with this reel — machined bar inventory reels have a tendency to carry up higher in that hostile setting. However to your freshwater wants? A superb backup, and even main, reel, particularly for these new to the game. — Monte Burke

Greatest for Trout: Ross Evolution LTX

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Buy From Trident Fly Fishing

Professionals

• Energy-to-weight ratio among the many finest in its class
• Has design options that assist with taking part in fish

Cons

• Giant arbor could be tough to dimension on some rods

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Key Options

• 
  Made within the USA

• 
  Comes with a restricted lifetime guarantee

• 
  Sealed Drag System

• 
  6061 T6 Aluminum

• 
  Reel Sizes:

  
  3/4, 4/5. 5/6, and seven/8

• 
  Value:

  
  $475

The Ross Evolution LTX is intricately machined, and its clear, skinny traces show an odd rule-of-thumb when shopping for higher-end fly reels: You sometimes pay extra for much less materials. The strength-to-weight ratio of the spoked wheel design is what units this reel aside. The LTX is a large-arbor reel that runs a bit greater than some others in its class, and it has some distinctive options that add to its total fishability. 

The Evolution LTX can pull double responsibility in saltwater, however Ross makes an Evolution R Salt with a greater sealed drag for normal saltwater use. I’ve been utilizing the LTX on trout rivers and lakes in Colorado and Wyoming, the place I are likely to forged rather a lot and welcome a lighter reel. I’ve by no means hooked a fish the LTX can’t deal with, and the extra I exploit it, the extra I’ve come to understand the reel’s finer factors. I like the best way it sounds, and I just like the outsized drag knob, which is less complicated to regulate mid-fight than some others I’ve used. I even just like the weird-looking “phenolic” deal with, which Ross designed particularly to be grippier with moist fingers. 

Learn Subsequent: Best Trout Fly Rods

Greatest for Saltwater and Massive-Recreation: Mako 9600B

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Professionals

• Easy Drag
• A drag lock, which suggests you’ll all the time understand how a lot stress you’re making use of on a fish

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Key Options

• 
  Made in USA

• 
  Restricted lifetime guarantee

• 
  Machined from sort III anodized aluminum

• 
  15.23 ounces

• 
  Absolutely sealed

• 
  One-turn cease drag knob

• 
  Value: $1,865

Mako was initially based by an aerospace engineer named Jack Charlton, a real pioneer within the fly reel world. The reel is made to final just a few lifetimes. Its carbon-fiber drag system is a big improve over the cork drags which might be discovered in lots of reels — it’s smoother and sturdier. And the reel’s inside elements are fully sealed, so it wants solely a fast rinse even after getting dunked within the saltwater.

The Mako is the popular reel of a number of the high tarpon anglers of right this moment, like Nathaniel Linville and David Magnum, prized for its toughness, reliability and talent to combat large, hard-charging fish. The drag lock permits the angler to combat fish with confidence: Any given setting all the time exerts the identical quantity of drag stress. The one downside (apart from its hefty price ticket) is weight: The Mako is heavier by just a few ounces than different reels in its class. — Monte Burke  

Greatest Workhorse: Lamson Guru S

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Buy From Amazon

Professionals

• Hits the candy spot between affordability and sturdiness
• Sealed drag system requires little or no upkeep

Cons

• Deal with and drag knob are a bit smaller than a few of different different reels

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Key Options

• 
  Sealed conical drag system

• 
  Machined from bar inventory 6061 aluminum

• 
  Made within the USA

• 
  Comes with a restricted lifetime guarantee

• 
  Value:

  
  $300-$370

The Lamson Guru grew to become one in every of my go-to reels after a number of seasons guiding fly fishermen in Alaska. (Together with the Konic, which is not made.) In my eyes, the Guru hits the Goldilocks zone between affordability and sturdiness, and it has a top quality drag system that’s greater than sufficient for many anglers.    

Like every good workhorse, the Guru is constructed to take a licking, and it’s a straightforward piece of substances to keep up. It has a sealed drag system, which retains grit and sand out of the interior workings. And due to that, you will get away with fishing the Guru in saltwater — I’ve reeled in redfish within the Gulf — so long as you give it rinse with freshwater after every use. (I’d look elsewhere, although, in the event you want a each day driver for saltwater fishing.) 

My solely gripe in regards to the older Gurus was that the spools would generally dent after just a few drops and different abuse, inflicting them to rub uncomfortably towards the reel frames. I might often repair this with a pair of pliers. The brand new Guru S feels more durable and extra dent-proof than its predecessor, and I don’t foresee this being a problem going ahead.  

The Guru has a pleasant outgoing sound and a muted incoming sound. I additionally like that the reel free spools when bringing line in, which lets you “slap” a bunch of line again on to get a fish on the reel rapidly.

Greatest Outdated-College: Hardy Marquis LWT

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Professionals

• Time-tested drag system
• Basic styling
• Makes an ideal outgoing and incoming sound

Cons

• Clicker drag isn’t very best for preventing large fish, particularly in a newbie’s fingers

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Key Options

• 
  Click on-and-pawl drag system

• 
  Machined from bar inventory 6061 aluminum

• 
  Made within the USA

• 
  Comes with a restricted lifetime guarantee

• 
  Value:

  
  $375-495

There are a variety of contemporary reels which have space-age elements and a futuristic look about them. On the opposite finish of the spectrum is the Hardy Marquis LWT, an elegantly easy reel made within the U.Okay.

A lighter-weight model of the basic Marquis, which was first launched within the Thirties, the LWT incorporates just a few small enhancements. However functionally talking, it’s a re-modeled model of the identical primary click-and-pawl reels that fly anglers have been utilizing for over a century. It has basic styling, and like every good clicker reel, it sings like Sinatra.     

The Marquis LWT is obtainable in a number of bigger “Salmon” sizes along with the usual sizes which might be higher suited to trout anglers. I’ve discovered that it runs a bit smaller than another reels in its class, and I like going up one dimension above Hardy’s suggestions. (If I used to be trying to put a Marquis LWT on a 5wt, for instance, I’d go for the 6 as an alternative of the 5.)

Greatest Fashionable Click on-and-Pawl Reel: Abel TR

Buy From Trident Fly Fishing

Professionals

• A beautiful trying reel suited to most trout-fishing functions
• Reliable drag with only a few elements to go improper

Cons

• Costly for a clicker reel

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Key Options

• 
  Customized finishes make for a useful piece of artwork

• 
  Machined aluminum with a chrome steel click-and-pawl drag system

• 
  Made within the USA

• 
  Comes with a restricted lifetime guarantee

• 
  Value:

  
  $475

One other nice choice for the click-and-pawl crowd is the reintroduced Abel TR. The 2 letters stand for trout reel, and in the event you’re a trout angler (with just a little cash to spend) who likes the performance of a click-and-pawl drag system in a glossy and fashionable package deal, the TR is your huckleberry.

The newer TR has a bigger arbor than conventional clicker reels. And though the drag doesn’t do a lot to gradual a fish down, it’s easy sufficient to guard gentle tippets from breaking, and it makes a fantastic sound when it’s getting a exercise. The reel additionally incorporates a pronounced palming rim to assist with taking part in fish, and with solely 21 elements in complete, it’s a easy piece of substances that requires minimal upkeep.

You may’t discuss in regards to the TR with out referring to its appears to be like, both. From the partial porting on the reel body to the interior counterbalance and the Rosewood reel deal with, every bit of the package deal provides to the general aesthetics. That is true even for the elements you don’t usually see: Take the reel aside, and also you’ll discover the milled silhouettes of aquatic bugs contained in the body.   

Abel is thought for his or her customized finishes, which assist shield the reels whereas turning them into useful items of art work. (I’m a fan of the fish prints by Derek DeYoung and Andrea Larko.) Even the essential black model, which begins at $475, is a stunner.

Greatest for Euro-Nymphing: Sage ESN

Buy From Trident Fly Fishing

Professionals

• A bigger-than-usual arbor so you will get a fish on the reel as quickly as doable
• A full body so that you received’t get your line or chief caught within the reel
• Three weights included (.5 ounces, 1 ounce, and 1.5 ounces) so you’ll be able to stability the reel to your rod

Cons

• A extremely specialised, one-trick-pony reel

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Key Options

• 
  One dimension suits all

• 
  Machined from 6061-T6 aluminum

• 
  Carbon drag system

• 
  Made within the USA

• 
  Comes with a restricted lifetime guarantee

• 
  Weight system for balancing on a rod

• 
  Value:

  
  $450

European nymphing for trout has exploded in recognition lately, primarily as a result of, when carried out proper, it may be a lethal tactic for catching them. A part of doing it proper is having the right tools, and the ESN is one of the best reel I’ve discovered for European nymphing. It has an extra-large arbor, which lets you simply get the slack out of your line and get the fish on the reel rapidly. 

The complete body building of the reel (principally, no gaps) is crucial — your chief and the thinner traces used within the self-discipline can simply slip via any gaps in your reel and foul up your day. And the easy-to-install weights that include the rod help you stability out your reel to your rod, whether or not you’re utilizing a 2- ,3- ,4- , or 5-weight. Although the ESN shouldn’t be used for standard fly fishing, it’s the one one you’ll want for European nymphing. — Monte Burke

Hardy Averon

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Buy From Trident Fly Fishing

Professionals

• Light-weight and effectively balanced
• Has a easy drag system
• Enticing finishes

Cons

• Drag isn’t fully sealed, so it’s restricted to freshwater purposes

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• 
  Is available in Euro-friendly fashions

• 
  Machined from anodized aluminum

• 
  Made in England

• 
  Comes with a restricted lifetime guarantee

• 
  Value:

  
  $395-475

The Averon is a more recent providing from Hardy, and the centerpiece of the model’s freshwater reel lineup. It took high honors on the 2024 iCast present, the place it was named Greatest Fly Reel.

A light-weight and sharp-looking large-arbor reel, the Averon falls in the identical class because the Ross Evolution LTX. It options the identical intricate machining and is obtainable at an identical (however barely decrease) value level. Though I lean towards the Ross when evaluating the 2, one factor the Averon has over the LTX is restricted fashions for the Euro-nymphing crowd. The complete-cage model, the EuroNymph mannequin, additionally contains interchangeable weights (similar to Sage’s ESN) to assist the reel stability on totally different rods.

Ross Cimarron

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Professionals

• Stout reel with a top quality drag
• Entry-level value level

Cons

• Heavier than most
• Not a really enticing reel

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Key Options

• 
  A stable drag that isn’t sealed, however loads sturdy for many freshwater purposes

• 
  Machined from 6061-T6 aluminum

• 
  Made within the USA

• 
  Comes with a restricted lifetime guarantee

The Cimarron is Ross’ entry-level reel. It incorporates a comparable drag system because the higher-end Animas, and the identical restricted lifetime guarantee as Ross’ different reels. It’s a stout reel with an anodized end and a Cerakoted drag knob, each of which add to its sturdiness.

The Cimarron isn’t the lightest or snazziest-looking reel. However I loved utilizing it on trout rivers, the place it will probably convey fish to the web all day lengthy. The drag is stable, and the outsized drag knob makes fast changes straightforward. Alongside the Guru, the Cimarron is one other stable choice for a budget-minded angler who desires a troublesome, reliable reel. 

Pflueger Medalist

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Buy From Trident

Professionals

• Easy and reasonably priced
• Loads of reel for many newbies getting began in contemporary water

Cons

• Click on-and-pawl drag is healthier suited to small streams than greater water

---

Key Options

• 
  Machined from bar inventory aluminum with an anodized coating for added sturdiness

• 
  Made in China

• 
  Value:

  
  $130-$190

One of the iconic and longest-lived fly reels available on the market, the Pflueger Medalist has been a mainstay amongst American fly anglers for almost 100 years. The newer, relaunched mannequin options the identical primary click-and-pawl drag system in an up to date package deal. It has the identical basic styling because the older variations, all the way down to the distinctive, yellow deal with. 

For lower than $150, the Medalist is an reasonably priced choice for a clicker reel, and it isn’t as fancy because the Marquis LWT or the Abel TR. Which, for a lot of anglers, is an effective factor. You may also discover some used Medalists on-line for a penny and a track, and plenty of clicker-reel fanatics will let you know that the retro variations are superior to the newer reels, which at the moment are made abroad. 

Find out how to Select a Fly Reel

The next questions are useful tips in selecting the best fly reel, and answering these is an effective begin when making an attempt to slender down your decisions. From there, it actually comes all the way down to your private choice and magnificence, and the way a lot you’re keen to spend.  

The place Will You Fish and What For?

When selecting a fly reel, your first issues must be the sorts of waters you fish and the species you’ll goal. Saltwater anglers ought to keep on with saltwater-rated reels, that are value the additional price as a result of harsh circumstances your reel will probably be subjected to. For those who’ll spend most of your time on smaller trout streams catching stocker rainbows, you will get away with a primary, no frills reel and save your cash for flies. For those who like fishing greater rivers and lakes for salmon, muskie, or different freshwater giants, it’s value investing in a extra sturdy reel with a stronger drag.

It helps to have a good suggestion of your funds as effectively. Count on to pay extra for premium drag programs and lighter-weight reels, which require costlier elements and machining. Customized colours and high-end finishes come at a price, too. However let’s face it, appears to be like matter. 

What About Sizing?

Your subsequent key consideration is the scale of the reel. For those who’re trying to purchase a reel for a selected rod, it must be fairly straightforward to decide on a dimension, as most reels are sized in response to rod weight. This notation may differ from producer to producer. As examples, the Lamson Guru 5 Plus is really helpful for 5- and 6-weight rods; so is the Ross Evolution LTX 5-6 and the Abel TR 5-6. 

However this, too, comes down to private alternative ultimately. To stay with the identical examples, each the Evolution LTX and the TR are provided in 4-5 sizes as effectively, so the 5-weight angler should determine between the 2 choices. To make issues much more difficult, some reels run greater or smaller than others of their class, whereas some anglers merely want a bigger or smaller reel. (One time period you may hear tossed round is the scale of the “arbor,” and this merely refers back to the diameter of the spool. Giant arbors permit anglers to reel in additional line with a single flip, and it looks as if most producers are trending towards bigger arbors.)

One of the best, and actually the one, option to decide on a dimension is to select up a reel for your self. Higher but, convey the rod you’re trying to pair the reel with and see how effectively it balances. One of the best ways to to do that is by resting the fattest a part of the rod grip in your index finger and seeing if the rod leans “tip heavy” or “butt heavy.” (Understand that an empty reel will acquire a slight little bit of weight whenever you spool it with backing and fly line.) This stability sport additionally comes down to private choice, however it may be a useful means to decide on between totally different sizes.

What Sort of Drag Do You Want?

By way of a reel’s performance, crucial piece to contemplate is the drag system, which controls the strain on the road and the quantity of drive required to tug line off the spool. Most fashionable drag programs are often called disc drags, and so they work much like disc brakes in a automotive. In these programs, the “brakes” are friction discs, and they’re sometimes made from cork, carbon, or one other materials like teflon. The drag knob permits anglers to simply alter these discs with a view to lower or improve the strain.

Then there are click-and-pawl drags. Not like the extra fashionable disc-drag programs, click-and-pawl drags depend on a small steel piece (the pawl) that engages with the enamel of a gear contained in the reel. This straightforward clicking mechanism slows down the outgoing line simply sufficient to stop the road from backlashing, and the one means for an angler to extend pressure (and decelerate a working fish) is by making use of stress to the spool with their palm. 

Because of this, click-and-pawl reels are mostly utilized by trout anglers, and so they’re usually related to smaller fish on smaller streams. In the correct fingers, although, a clicker reel is greater than able to touchdown a hard-fighting salmon or steelhead, and a few anglers truly want to combat fish this fashion. One other bonus of this easy design, when in comparison with disc drags, is that click-and-pawl reels characteristic fewer elements that may fail, and so they require nearly no upkeep. 

With that mentioned, I’d all the time advocate a disc drag over a click-and-pawl drag to newbie fly fishermen, saltwater anglers, and anybody else who frequently chases greater fish. Our above listing displays this recommendation, as most of them characteristic disc drags. Moreover, in the event you just like the hands-on expertise of palming the reel throughout a combat, you’ll be able to all the time alter your disc drag to its lowest setting. 

As a ultimate consideration when purchasing for a fly reel, take note of how the drag sounds. Though it’d look like an afterthought at first, you’ll be listening to that sound rather a lot as you continuously pull line off the reel and reel it again on whereas fishing — or perhaps you received’t hear a lot of something in any respect. Some reels are quiet, others are loud, and every makes its personal music when a fish is working full-tilt within the different route.

FAQs

Closing Ideas on the Greatest Fly Reels

Fly reels are simply as essential because the rods, particularly when concentrating on greater fish. They’re additionally versatile items of substances, since they’ve interchangeable spools and can be utilized on totally different rods. However selecting one of the best fly reel doesn’t need to be overly difficult. By answering just a few key questions on what you need in a reel, you’ll be able to slender down your picks fairly rapidly. We’ve additionally supplied 11 of our favourite fly reels at totally different value factors to get you pointed in the correct route.