Choosing the right fly fishing reel depends upon three main variables: target species, price, and whether you're fishing fresh or saltwater.
With all the reels on the market, looks may also be a consideration. After all, you’ll be spending hours with this reel attached to your rod. Picking one that looks good and matches your style or coordinates with other gear makes the purchase even more rewarding.
Your target species will determine which line weight(s) are ideal for the rod and accompanying reel. Most reels are designed to handle a range of line weights and the right amount of backing, and balance properly on a coordinating rod. For instance, an Orvis Hydros reel in size II is designed to hold 3- to 5 WT lines, and balance on a 3- to 5 WT rod. But a size V reel is designed for 9- to 11 WT lines and rods and is much bigger than the II, meaning it’s heavier and won’t balance well with, say, a 3- to 5 WT rod. Let the target species lead you to the right line and rod weight, which in turn will give you the ideal reel size.
You get what you pay for in a fly reel, as you do in most things. Most cheap reels are just cheap. For trout and bass fishing, you can get away with a reel that’s less expensive. But rest assured, it won’t last as long as a well-built, more expensive model.
In saltwater fishing, cheap reels might not make it through a full season. Corrosion from salt water and sand will kill them, quickly.
There are few things worse than dealing with less-than-perfect equipment on the water. Spending a bit more on a reel ($100–$200) will relieve you of the frustration of faulty parts and subpar performance. These reels also come with better warranties, so if something goes wrong with them, getting the problem fixed is easy.
As mentioned above, when buying a saltwater reel, look for one with a sealed drag system (most freshwater reels don’t have them). This helps keep saltwater from getting into the guts of the reel and turning the parts into rusted, unusable pieces.
While you can get away with a standard drag system on a saltwater reel, you need to be relentless in how you maintain it. This means pulling the line off after every use, washing the line and the spool, taking the spool off the reel seat, and spraying the reel with fresh water. Periodically, you’ll need to pull the drag system apart, wash the interior of the reel, and grease all the moving parts.
Pick a reel you’re going to love using and looking at. You may prefer classic, old-school reels to match a slow-action bamboo rod, or reels with updated, heavily ported, futuristic-looking spools. Reels come in many colors and styles, so match yours to your rod.
And don’t go cheap. If you do, you’ll wind up spending more money over time, replacing cheap reel after cheap reel, rather than spending a bit more on one that lasts a lifetime.