20 Best Value Fly Reel (2022 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.

I recently purchased a 4wt TFO rod and Lamson Guru reel from Fin and Fire. I told them the perimeter of my fishing experiences and I was matched with the equipment along with Rio Gold WF4F line. Great combination for my local rivers and the Crooked River.

When I arrived in Redmond I got direction to the River and the proper set up. The rod has a great feel and loaded up tight loops and beautiful casts. I fished with a dry fly indicator and trailed with a nymph.

The reel was light weight but sturdy and more than adequately did the job. The best combination in my many years of fishing, Russ Tacoma.

The Guru S is a refined reel, there was no guessing about drag adjustments. I fished this on a new Sage Sonic that the guys at MFC kindly set up for me. Thanks Danny and Nicko, This combo is balanced, palming the spool when the hogs were ripping line was no problem.

I didn’t have to search for control, it was like I could close my eyes and know exactly what needed to happen. It’s the GURU S -5+ and it is balanced, smooth, capable of combating every element you encounter.

Its becoming a new favorite in a hurry for good reason.

Lightweight machined, yet durable and sturdy as hell, this is one of WWL’s best reels in my opinion. The Guru can’t be beat when you you’re looking for a versatile, all-around high quality reel at a price point that won’t make your wallet cry.

Also, LOVE this OG color. I was looking for the arctic color, but found out the brand only makes Arctic in their heavier/larger reel sizes than what I needed, and the blaze color is only in the smaller options.

luckily the OG color is available in all the reel sizes.

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.

I own two Clearwater reels (II and IV), and have pushed both toward their operational limits over the past year or more. A few points to note: – Dollar for dollar, this is probably the finest fly reel on the entry-to-intermediate market, but it lacks a sufficiently sealed drag to hold up to any exposure to salt – These reels are not manufactured to the tolerances of either the Hydros or the Mirage reels, and both of mine have a considerable amount of play relative to those previously mentioned models – On both my II and my IV, turning the drag knob doesn’t really even engage the drag until after at least two complete turns.

For those of us fishing primarily for trout, that’s not an issue but when drag adjustments are needed quickly, these reels leave a bit to be desired. Overall, these reels are both backups in my arsenal, but both have been pushed hard and have held up to the abuse without the need for repairs.

At this price point, I don’t know how that’s not worth 4 stars.

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.

In preparation for a Bonefishing trip to Aitutaki (cook islands) I had a tried and true Billy Pate reel, but decided to get a backup reel. Once I bought this 7/8 reel and felt the drag on it I decided to try it for my primary reel.

I know I should have switched to a large arbor years ago but I am from Michigan and have primarily used my 8 weight for salmon and steelhead which really don’t need it. Also the V shape arbor seemed like a nice compromise between wide and narrow arbor (for those who know the benefits of each).

So after landing some nice bones on this reel I would say the drag is excellent with good stopping power. The negatives are: 1) It takes a few turns on the drag knob to get it all the way to full power.

2) It is cast aluminum instead of forged and machined. So don’t drop in on the hard ground and if you strip out your line and have it at the ready you can tighten your drag before you start casting. Overall while it isn’t an abel reel it is very good for the money and stopped some nice pacific bonefish.

This item is misrepresented online. IT IS ONLY THE SPOOL. It is NOT the complete reel. The picture is of the reel, it is identified as a reel, and the description is for a reel (even the item weight is for the reel).

I was not happy when I opened my package to find just a spool. Upon contacting the seller, they offered to give me a $5 rebate if I wanted to keep the spool and was told that the could not send me the reel that I had ordered.

I contacted Walmart and got a full refund. I am surprised that the item posting is still on Walmart. com’s website and hasn’t been removed. I will not purchase anything from this seller again.

Great USA made in Colorado fly reel. Light weight, reliable, smooth drag and matches up nicely to any fly rod. I own and use several of the reels in different sizes. Great performance and durability.

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.

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.

Initially a great reel. After one year both of mine slip. The drag has spots where it will free spool and backlash. It has happened to Two reels of different weights bought at different times. Unfortunately it seems that it is a medium priced reel, marketed as high end but made with cheap components.

I bought this reel about 2 months ago and so far, it’s done great! I bought this reel for saltwater use and it has held up fine. I’ve caught everything from edge of slot puppy drum off the beach to small specks and striper in the sound.

I can happily report that thus far, I have had no problems with the unsealed drag. As far as the drag’s performance, it couldn’t work better. the drag knob is easy to adjust while playing a fish and has a nice clicky-ness to it so you don’t over adjust it.

I did get a little sand in there while fishing from the beach, but after removing the spool and giving it a thorough rinse it works like new. My few complaints are rather petty. The first being that the finish seems to come off fairly easily.

while having it in the canoe with me it was sliding around and the matte black finish rubbed off a bit around the rim. however, it’s hardly noticeable and only cosmetic. Secondly, the rubbery handle occasionally catches the fly line when I’m casting.

It juts out a bit more than I care for.

The spool broke when I was filling it with fishing line. I didn’t even have a chance to use it. I can only imagine how disappointed I would be if this thing broke while I was reeling in a big Michigan King Salmon.

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!.

Not sure if the 5/6 I bought was a ‘one off’ or not but I traded it in after one day’s fishing for a Galvan Torque. I own and have owned several Ross reels and have always been happy with them and the Ross service dept.

Two issues right out of the box: could not set the drag light enough for my preference – I prefer that very fine line between almost free spooling to prevent break offs when hooking and fighting bigger fish and avoidance of rat’s nests when stripping line to cast.

The lightest drag setting on the ltx is not light enough for my tastes. Two: the running line portion of my Amplitude dry line caught between the frame and spool when stripping line to cast. The narrow diameter of the running line was just fine enough that it constantly snagged in the small gap between the frame and the spool, which of course was very frustrating.

Beautiful reel, awesome machining, great company, but the ltx just didn’t do it for me. Fortunately the dealer exchanged it for the Torque which is the best reel I’ve used in almost 50 years of fly fishing.

I LOVE this reel!! When you take it out of the box and see it for the first time you will NOT be disappointed! This reel is looker. I would go as far to say even a double taker! and the sound when you reel.

it just touches the soul and puts a big fat smile on your face! I finally got to use it this weekend, and due to a recent cold snap things were pretty slow. I did hook up with one decent size rainbow that was looking for a fight and went airborne to prove its intent.

When it got into the big water I was able to very quickly and easily hammer down on my drag stopping him in his tracks. and there was so much more drag to go I have no doubt this will stop large angry trout.

I paired the reel with a Moonshine Vesper 10’6″ 3wt Euro Rod and the Rio FIPS Euro Line finished off with an Orvis Tactical Nymph leader. Another thing to note is the reel arbor is large enough to clear all fly line and knots when you’re done for the day.

For full disclosure purposes, I did cut the loop on the leader and tied direct to the fly line loop(it is a nice small loop) and I put just a touch of UV on there. It worked extremely well and I never once all day had any hang-ups.

Do yourself a solid and buy this reel if you are thinking about it, or maybe even if you’re not thinking about it. either way you will not regret it!.

Looking for a reel to pair with my Asquith 905, I compared the Bauer RX, Nautilus XM, Hatch Finatic, Galvan Torque, Lamson Litespeed Micra and Speedster, Sage 4650, Ross Evolution R and my own Orvis Mirage.

I chose the Evo R 5/6. At 4. 41 oz, it was among the lightest and balanced perfectly with the Asquith. Machining, fit, feel and finish was easily equal to the Bauer, Hatch and Galvan and better than the others.

Drag is fully sealed, strong and smooth with virtually no startup inertia. I love the drag “wheel”. Easily set by palming or with 1 or 2 fingers, it stays put. The “wheel” is integrated into the spool and sits flush at the edge rising slightly towards the middle with no protruding knob to catch line.

The look is museum worthy – simply beautiful. In my opinion, the Evo R is best in class!.

Another GREAT experience making a purchase with Fin & Fire Fly Shop. Easy process of selecting the backing and fly line to go with my new reel & the fly shop put everything together for me. They shipped it out quickly and it was delivered within a couple of days.

I will always choose Fin & Fire for my future purchases.

The Marquis LWT is a vast improvement over the original one. Gone is the cumbersome line guard and the full frame. Also gone are the plastic check adjuster and spindle cover in favor of metal ones. I own both the 4 and 5 and am very happy with them.

Classic well made British quality. Great design to adjust click pawl without removing spool. A real classic English reel which brings back the halcyon years.

As the name implies these reels are truly ICONIC. Going back yet definitely moving forward. In hand it just seems like so much more of a reel. Iconic? OK, but this is GEN3 all the way. Put one in your hand and you will immediately feel the difference.

Put one on your rod and hook up, there is no going back!.

Hatch… I already have a finatic, 7+ love it. Not yet sure how better is the iconic, but clearly smooth drag, robust built. I hope the same reliability as previous model.

Great Reel! Awesome Quality! The Drag system is flawless!

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!.

New to fly fishing and bought the Guru S as my first fly fishing reel. It is a gorgeous reel and the built quality seems to be exceptional.