20 Best Fly Reels For Trout (2023 Updated)

Although for many a reel is primarily a place to house your line for most fresh-water small game fishing it’s important to have one with smooth, dependable, adjustable drag for situations that require a bit more — dryfly fishing with 7x tippet and #20 flies for 20″ plus Bow River, Delaware, Beaverkill, and even streamer enticing lunkers and steelhead situations, etc.

It is ample arboured and changing the retrieve was so efficient I was able to do so in the midst of a blanket hatch on the river when I realized I had played with it earlier and forgot to reverse it back.

Yeah it mean’t floating the line and backing out down stream, flipping the spool and reversing the clutch, but in a couple minutes I was landing a nice brown and happy I made the switch. For the price this was in my experience a good choice.

Although it would feels like it would likely deform if in significant contact with a hard surface apparently it is somewhat machined after being diecast which seems consistent with the lighter weight than I anticipated.

Even more expensive manufactured from billet reels deserve to be treated reasonably to maintain intended function. As such a padded case rather than a cloth bag could have been how it was clad when received — as such, if available I would have rated it a 4.

9 but I’ve no hesitation to reccomend it as a top pick for the money. In hindsight, I wish I had ordered the version that came in a three pack as I suspect it’ll become a staple in my kit for a variety of situations.

Needed a bigger fly reel with a solid drag to attach to a 7-weight fly rod for streamer fishing, and the Lamson Remix Fly Reel +7 fit the bill. The machined case with the pressure-cast spool were nice selling points because, at the writing of this review, extra spare spools are around $50.

The best feature, however, is the fact that the drag system in the Remix is the same as higher ticket Lamson fly reels. In a few words, I am more than satisfied with the Lamson Remix. Looks great and I am confident it will perform great too.

This is an awesome reel! The drag is amazing, it has the stopping power to slow down those big fish but you can make it light enough that a small fish will still rip some line out. I would say that the finish on the reel is pretty scratch resistant as well.

It’s got a large arbor which is pretty standard on most quality reels these days so nothing crazy to note there. Overall, a really nice reel. I would absolutely recommend this reel for a 3 or 4 weight rod, I am planning on replacing the reel on my 5 weight rod with a lamson liquid.

Mostly fish rivers and streams in the western US. The Clearwater is a great reel at its price point and I find it better than other reels I have, and have used, priced in the next tier and higher. Can’t count how many times I’ve used it and gotten the trout ‘on the reel’ for some fishing fun.

Drag is more than sufficient and though the settings aren’t superfine, it’s a very solid drag that has brought home everything up to 20+” browns and rainbows. The rod is a Clearwater, too. So I’m an Orvis fan.

Just had a chance to fish a Helios 3. Gonna go ahead and splurge on the 3D soon. Gonna stay with either a Hydros or Clearwater reel.

I have several ‘80s/‘90s versions with screw and post construction. I was really disappointed when I saw them disappear from the market so I wrote a passionate note to Pflueger/Pure Fishing to encourage them not to drop the product.

Fly fishermen are swamped with high price deluxe reels and rods to the point of turning people away from the sport who just want to dabble or actually live in lake country as opposed to river country.

Then came the announcement of the latest version. I bought one and have been using it. It is great for eye appeal and runs fine. I was disappointed that they went to click and pawl version as that breaks from tradition.

I also think the price is a little high granted that this is machined and not cast. However, I have to note that I found a reel years ago for the price of a ice cream cone today that was made in Japan.

It is a click and pawl too so I compared the two. I think the old was cast aluminum the new is machined. The old has a similar screw to adjust the drag, as does the new. The old has a much broader range of adjustment for the drag so that is my ding for the new medalist.

The drag does not adjust as tightly as I would like. I would really rather that Pure Fishing had kept the old shoe style drag system and ratchet disk. Other than that, I like the reel and am looking for a good buy on the 3/4 model.

Twenty percent less would be my price considering the modern CNC machining capabilities and radical run of inflation over the last 30 years.

All the reviews here seem to be about the original style Medalists. I have all sizes of original Medalists and use them regularly, models 1494, 1494 1/2, 1495, 1495 1/2, 1496 1/2, 1498. They’re all 40 to 60 years old and work perfectly.

I love them so much that I have multiple copies of all the reels listed above. As amazing as the original reels are, this review is about the new and completely redsigned Pflueger Medalist. So far I only have the 5/6 size, but I’m so impressed by it that I’ll soon have the other two sizes.

These new reels are so different than the old ones that the only shared traits are the handle shape, name, and color scheme. The old reels are cast, these are machined. The old reels are screwed together, these are all one piece of aluminum.

The old reels have a friction drag mechanism, these are wishbone click and pawl. The old ones can not be palmed, these new ones have a palming rim. The old reels have a somewhat funky four clicks one way, eight clicks the other sound they make, the new ones sound like a Hardy or an original CFO.

The old ones normally have slight tolerance differences between the various components that does not effect performance but is noticeable, the new ones have no wobble or rotational variance. These new Medalists are just about the best thing that could ever happen to a Medalist lover.

They are absolutely amazing reels. Thank you so much to those involved in this quantum leap forward. That’s a hard thing to say when the original reels are so great, but to see such an incredible improvement in quality, function, design and beauty is about as good as it gets.

Thank you dearly for making these reels!.

First at no point is this review directed at Cabelas themselves or their shipping, customer serv. , etc. it was second to none as usual on this order. I am not new to Pflueger reels and have always been a big fan of their spinning reels, etc and I do own several of their higher end reels and love them.

I started fly fishing in the last 2 yrs and recently bought a third pole (3wt) and wanted a decent reel for it. I have seen older Medalist and always thought they were nice reels and simple to use so this affected my choice in purchasing this.

Here is my personal take on this new reel I received yesterday. When I removed it from the box the first thing I noticed was it appeared cheaply made, quite unlike the older models. I have a much cheaper Cabelas fly reel that came in a combo I purchased from them and I cannot honestly say that this reel was really made any better or was any smoother than the cheaper Cabelas reel.

Both were imported from China. The finish was ok, again no better or worse than the cheaper Cabelas model and the workmanship of the gears was nothing spectacular. The instructions included were nothing to write home about either.

One small two sided piece of paper. The breakdown of the parts of the reel were not even all listed. The reel only has a one year warranty, not very good for the money I paid for it. Considering my past Pflueger purchases and my level of prior satisfaction with their products I was greatly disappointed in this purchase.

I will be returning it to the local Cabelas store for an exchange. I own two Cabelas fly reels and I must say that the RLS I purchased for only a little more money with an extra reel was a much better buy and I will be getting another one if possible in 3wt.

The only positive thing I can say about the reel is the ability to change from L to R handed. This was simple to do and could easily be done in the field if necessary providing you know what you are doing.

Bottom line the name may be there but not the quality I was used to especially for the price. This is worth about half of what I paid for it.

This reel is awesome. I bought it for backpacking because it’s so light and let me tell you, I have no regrets. I actually have the same reel in another color but needed another for a different line.

It’s lightweight and does not have an option to change the drag. But for the back country, that’s no problem. The clicker is LOUD, like a villain maniacally laughing every time you pull some line out (actually pretty cool when a fish runs).

Overall, this reel is perfect for my backpacking purposes or for the rod I keep in my car for that tempting stream on the way home.

Purchased this a year ago but held off on the review until I had put some hours on it. First impression is that it is a really nice looking reel! Great all around finish and color. Additionally it really is ridiculously light: the ‘zero’ in the name isn’t for nothing.

I spooled it up with orange backing and yellow Rio floating line, (which looked awesome against the matte silver of the reel!), and got it on the water. ; Like other reviewers have noticed, this thing is LOUD; It doesn’t sound cheap or anything, but everyone within 100 yards will know when you’re reeling in or stripping line off.

That said, it’s not as terrible as it sounds and I actually prefer it to a completely silent fly reel: so this is pretty much up to personal preference. I paired my reel with a 7′ 6” 3wt Redington Classic Trout(a really incredible $100 rod), and have had a blast catching pond Bluegill and Bass, as well as trout with it.

It has held up well to being packed in to hard to reach areas and I have no doubts as to it’s durability. All in all, this is a great reel for the price and if you like a good click drag reel then this one is for you.

Tight lines!.

Highly recommended. Very light Minimalist reel, clicker drag – Just plain works well. Plenty of capacity for line and backer. I’ve used for everything from nymphing small stream Brookies to Bass and have yet to regret not having a mechanical drag.

Palming the reel works fine, thank you, and the weight savings make this my favorite reel.

Unfortunately, most fly-fishing waters in Alaska are ice right now, so really hard to test the Ross Animas 7/8, on real fish. Plan is to match the reel to the G-Loomis, 7 wt. , NRX +. Hopefully a real reel review soon.

I used this reel over a week long fishing trip in Jackson Hole and Steamboat Springs. We were catching 12-22 inch brown, rainbow, and cut throat trout. The reel has super smooth action and excellent ergonomics.

Some folks want more drag but it handled the big guys with ease. I’ve used better reels in the $500 range, but for $250, this reel is tough to beat. I got it in the black and brass finish. Looks great.

I highly recommend.

This is my second Sage Spectrum Max fly reel and they are top notch. They are excellent on either salt or fresh water and the large spool picks up line smoothly and quickly. The sealed drag has never let me down and keeps out the salt and sand and never freezes up in the winter.

I love the numbered drag, it makes it easy to remember drag settings for certain species and allows the transfer of drag settings from one reel too another without guessing. Top notch craftsmanship. I have both the squid Ink and Chipolte reel styles and they both look great matched with various reels.

This is one of my favorite reels. I don’t recommend using as much of the 20lb. backing as they recommend because it gets a little too tight, but I love the design and the fluid drag. First trip out I hook several 5lb.

big river trout( ‘screamers’) that took me across and down river in a heart beat. Loved the fluid drag system. I have another larger one I use for bonefish. like I said, great drag system and doesn’t cost as much as a Hatch or other similar reels.

Love the smooth action, high-quality craftsmanship, and how well-designed the reel is. I was expecting a great reel from Sage and it surpassed my expectations. Perfect for euro nymphing lines. Hats off to the great customer service folks at MRFC too.

Bought my first Battenkill (a non-disc, size I) a few years ago, and paired it with my 6′ 2wt rod. Liked it so much that I’ve since bought the Disc versions in sizes I, II, and III. And ultimately my zeal for these well-made, great-looking little reels fueled my desire to acquire a few Orvis rods.

Fast-forward to this past week, where I purchased a Clearwater 3wt rod and enjoyed fishing it so much in the foothills of MT’s Beartooth Mtns that the very next day I purchased Clearwater rods in 4wt and 6wt to go with my Disc II and III reels, and took all three combos to fish the Bighorn River (I live near these world class fisheries).

Love these three Clearwater/Battenkill Disc combos and my various other Lamson, Echo, and Temple Fork rigs are going to get much rarer use in the future (they’re all excellent, so I’ll keep ’em for backup/loaner use).

BIG Orvis fan so far!.

I have been fly fishing for around 15 or more years now, and have always wanted the best I can get. However I have just come down to earth with a big bump and I’m extremely proud to admit it! I was able to get hold a the Orvis Super fine 8′ 2# rod a couple of months ago, I have always liked fighting big fish on light tackle, for me that is fishing.

However it took a long time to find the rod as it seemed that they no longer made until David from your London branch asked me what real I would like like (I don’t want a cheap reel I told him!) After a quiet long conversation he got me to buy the very basic model of real for £109.

When it arrived I was ready to send it back as it looked really cheap, and the drag system looked like it was about to fail just by looking at it! Well I have to say its my go to reel for both my 6′ and 8′ rods in 2# lines.

It is by far the best reel I have ever brought from Orvis and it comes very highly recommended to all. very simple drag setup and that’s it go fish!.

Have only fished this once and I am a novice fly fisherman at best. Bought it to go with a new 3wt rod that I just got and have it spooled with Clearwater WF3 line. Based on VERY limited experience it seems like a good reel.

One of the main reasons I chose the Battenkill reel was help from local Orvis store staff who put their personal reel on my rod and allowed me to try it out before buying mine. I like how the reel balances on my 3wt.

and it certainly seems like a solid product. Other than that I can’t add much yet.

Great product. Set it and forget it drag system is perfect. Prevents over-spooling and rats nests when stripping line to cast. Reel has quick start up inertia that allows fish to take line on fast runs and not snap light tippets.

Lightweight, attractive, simple, with ample spool capacity for plenty of gel spun backing. Every bit competitive with my Ross and Lamson reels, highly recommended.

I picked up the purple Galvan Brookie 3/4 to pair with a Sage Little One 8’2” 3-weight. The color is absolutely stunning and, as far as I know, only available here at Stillwater. It has the simplicity of a traditional click pawl reel yet somehow operates more quietly and smooth.

If they had the purple 4/5 in stock, I’d order it right now for my 4-weight.

The Galvan brookie fly reel is so great that this is my second one I have bought from Bryce at Stillwater Fly Shop. Super reel.

Same drag as the Hydros and balances better on anything I have 6-8 weight. I have size III for my 6 wt with 3 spools. Floating, Full sink and sink tip. I also have size IV for an 8 wt line when i’m targeting smaller redfish and sea trout.

I generally only use large arbor for bigger fish or sinking lines in the salt (Hydros for 8 wt sinking lines and 10 wt). All that said, the only drawback is that the old access reels had a much better drag sound.

I can live without that as these reels have a much stronger drag. For anything 4 wt and down, I would rather use the old Battenkill bar stock as the disc drag is overkill. Would like to see Orvis re-issue that reel in the I, II and III sizes.

Our non-profit program has used the Orvis Battenkill iI disc reel as our only reel used in support of a Veteran’s bamboo Rod making program. The reel is well built, classic design, and priced competitively.

Our normal supplier was unable to deliver reels this year, so Cabela’s was contacted. As the reels were in short supply, Cabela’s coordinated delivery from their various stores. They are super to work with!!!!.

Have owned this reel for a few years now. It’s a good reel. Solid. Never had an issue. Just don’t like the small arbor. Very annoying when you want to pick up line. I would not recommend. Buy the hydros.

For a little extra money it’s so much better!!!!.

I have owned two Mirage’s. First one—drag gave out after hooking into a 45” striper. Ever since that fish and it’s wild runs across the flat the drag never tightened afterwards. I sent it back, and Orvis was super pleasant and helpful, got me a replacement.

Two months after that reel and the drag being truly tested same exact issue. It’s a different reel for sure as I bought a second one, and had it before sending in my return after the fact. Hate to be the only one star review, but for a reel of this price point it should be able to handle heavy drag pulling fish.

First time I’ll called it a fluke, second time is suspicious. Maybe third time is a charm? I may not replace this one with a Mirage.

The Orvis Hydros is an awesome real. Not only does it look great, but it works amazing. The drag is super smooth easily adjustable. It’s lightweight and seems to balance with all my rods well. This thing can hold a lot of backing.

I only use this real in freshwater, so I can’t comment on the salt water capabilities, but if it’s anything like the quality of it in freshwater, it’ll be great too. This is one of the few reels I trust when guiding for Pike, Rainbows, Lake Trout, and Salmon.

I highly recommend this reel.

I have been using Orvis reels since I started fly fishing 30 years ago. All are still with me and fished often! I picked up the Hydros V for striped bass fishing off of the coast of New England. I split my time between fishing from my kayak and wading the flats and beaches.

I love the quick line pick up, smooth start up drag (allowing me to successfully fish with lighter tippets to fussy fish with confidence) and non glare finish. An unbelievable saltwater reel for the price!.

I have fished many different reels over the years and this reel fishes just as good if not better then reels that cost hundreds more. Start up inertia is zero, non-existent. It protects very light tippet and has fine adjustment that is consistently linear with the load being applied.

Excellent and smooth drag with great sound. In my opinion the best I have heard. Does not sound of plastic material and is solid in construction and you can tell right away. Retrieve is effortless and you can spin in the line quickly and efficiently to take up line fast when the big fish is on.

I have the LT III on my Orvis 5wt Black Out and this is perfectly balanced.