Help me pick a reel

I purchased a 4wt 8.ft Allen Alluvion rod, I have not received it yet but I now need a reel. The rod weighs 3.2 oz. I plan on getting the SA Mastery MPX line but I am lost which reel to get, there are too many choices and the price ranges are all over the place but I would like to keep it under $250 for reel and line.
I know most people say the reel is just a line holder but I would like to catch something that is big enough to make me have to reel it in

I'd hop on down to Cabela's or Bass Pro, pick up something cheap and start fishing. Then work on what high dollar reel you want.
Truth is, there are a lot more decent and high quality reels out there than there are bad ones. So literally, it will be hard to go wrong.

Cabelas has some of their reels under $100.00 but doesn't come with line . Cabelas RLS+ reel is an excellent reel but no line . Orvis has a nice BattenKill a little higher but no line . As most will mention you can get a cheaper reel and use it until you decide if you want a better reel or you can just avoid that wait and see era and buy a nice reel now and not worry about it later . The BattenKill is one of those type reels , The Cabelas RLS+ is one and for a little higher price Orvis has their Hydros SL for $198.99 but again no line but a very nice reel . Basically there is a lot of choices , but your better ones are going to be Bar-Stock aluminum and not the cast type even tho some cast ones are nice . Main question is do you want a large arbor or mid-arbor reel . Large arbor helps when using a lot of line for casting , quicker retrieve . I have one of both and I like them both . What would be more convient would be buy a Large Arbor reel and buy a mid-arbor spool with different line and just switch spools when you want to .

look at Sage

3-Tand TF Series Fly Reel, lightest reel on the market. Awesome reel IMO!

Ron,

I think the large arbor would be great. I use a very cheap white river reel now, I don't like it at all.

There are Sage reels in my price range but I did not understand the different models so I just moved on from them.

Allen has some great reels at excellent prices. You might still be able to get a package deal if you hurry.

Hydros SL. Orvis will probably load it with backing for you while you wait.

I would also suggest looking at Piscifun reels. Great reel and a great price.

I suggest you buy the inexpensive Cahill reel ($13) just to have something to use right now. Keep an eye on ebay for somme sweet reel closeouts or Orvis sales, and then get a really trick reel which you can enjoy for the rest of your life.

The Cabelas RLS+ is a great reel for the money. I've got one on my 3 WT and 5 WT setups and love them. Get them when they go on sale for around $80.

There are also some options on Amazon for significantly cheaper. I've heard good things, but have not tried them.

Spend your money on the rod and the line. Then find a large arbor reel with a disc drag that makes everything fit in your budget. Orvis will spool it for you with free backing, but at least buy some flies or something from them for the trouble!

Agreed. I have both the Kraken (on an 8 weight) and a Trout II (on a 6 weight). Both of them have solid drags and are very well made.

What do you not like about your current setup?

IMO, don't spend a bunch of money on the reel for a light line rod. There's plenty of perfectly good reels for not a lot out there. Take the savings and get a good fly line and you'll be much happier.

On my rods 6wt down I do not own a reel that cost more than the line. My most expensive rod, a Sage ESN, has a Cabellas Prestige reel that I bought for 29.99 on sale. Different strokes for different folks but most all fish I catch are not taking any line and the few that do don't take much.

I bought the Orvis Access reel when it was discontinued and I bought their Orvis Trout line all in 5 wt . Believe me , they are very happy to give you free backing when you buy a reel and line . Don't need to feel guilty and needing to buy extras unless you just want to . But $200.00 for reel and line verses less than $5.00 for their backing is really no big deal . Besides most all vendors will give free backing with purchase of reel and line .

I totally agree with that . I have their 5 wt combo and I was really surprised how well built and ease of use the RLS+ reel was to use !

When I bought my SAGE VXP rod 5 wt 9' I needed a reel to go with it and at first I felt guilty that I needed their SAGE reel also to go with it but the style look and color did not catch my attention unless you bought into the high range cost of reels over $400.00 . For my use and no more than I get to use it I couldn't justify that price . SO I ended up with a Orvis Access that was discontinued and selling out for $99.00 and it was a mid-arbor reel . I really like it well . The only thing I wish I had done is instead of buying the 5wt Trout line Orvis had I wish I had bought the 6 wt Trout line cause the VXP is a med fast/fast rod and 6 wt would load a lot easier than the 5wt and also SAGE support suggested using 6 wt line instead of 5 wt . If I buy line again for the VXP I will buy 6 wt line .

However I have the Cabelas RLS+ combo in 5 wt and the reel is a large arbor and I really like that reel a lot ! I wish my Access reel had been Lg Arbor but at the time the Mid-Arbor was all that was available .

I've walked in there with a non-Orvis reel, and non-Orvis line and they gave me the same great treatment. I fully expected to pay for the backing - I just wanted to use their spooling machine. But they said they always load you up with free backing. That's why I suggest buying some stuff from them. I really think those guys genuinely like other fly fishermen and enjoy helping you out.

I king of figured there would be different opinions and I really like reading what everyone is using now. It seems like there is a pattern of buying a reel that is on sale or discontinued.
I will do some more shopping to see if I can find some sales.

Paul

One of the best ways to help support them is watch The New Fly Fisher show they heavily sponser . Spread the news on too . I love it , great show . They use to be on the PBS channel but I guess for now the season they been off or PBS took them off but I think it's the season .

https://www.thenewflyfisher.com/

I'm the opposite. I use my 2wts and my 4wt for panfish and small bass, and like you said any reel will typically work fine there. But I also do a lot of trout fishing with the light rods, and I use 5X tippet mostly (sometimes 6X). In a river or stream with current, those light tippets need all the protection you can give them. A reel with a good, smooth drag sure helps in those situations.

For my 6wt and 8wt, I'm mostly fishing for bass and other medium-sized to large fish and using heavier leaders and tippets. I'm not as concerned about the drag being super smooth when I have a 12# or heavier tippet on the end of my line.

Trout are generally what I am after also. You maybe getting into larger fish or larger waters but the two main places I hit, LMF and Blue, very seldom does one even make a click pawl reel click.

Everyone has different opinions so I am by no means saying mine is right and others are wrong but I do believe what Kelly Galloup says about reels. kelly galloup choosing right reel

It might also be a difference in style. I know some people always put the fish on the reel, while I almost never do.

Gamblingman, there are a lot of good reels available at great prices. Match the reel to the fishing you will do. Will you fish salt water? If so, you will be better off buying a machined and anodized (or composite) reel as opposed to a cast and powdercoated reel. And a sealed drag might be nice too. Will your fish be all (relatively) small, or will you be catching slot reds, gator trout, big carp, etc.? If so, you will want to weigh the advantages of a good drag versus palming the reel, especially a small arbor reel.

Fluff chuckers have been using small arbor reels for a long time, but mid and large arbors provide faster retrieve speeds, less line coiling/memory, and more control on large fish pulling line off the reel.

If you fish around vegetation, rocks, or oysters, or from a cluttered craft, you need to decide if you want to deal with a stripping basket, as opposed to getting and keeping the fish on the reel. Nothing like sticking an overslot red on your five weight while wading in emergent vegetation, and having your line hang up in the grass as that red makes a smoking run. Either you break her off, or that wad of grass your line is wrapped up in ripping up the rod takes two or three (or more) guides with it........

Base your reel choice on what works for the fishing you do, not the fishing that a lot of other (well-meaning) anglers do.

Gamblingman, read this thread. It will give you a little insight into the different opinions floating around out there on fly reels.
http://ultralightflyfishing.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=68&t=11573

Thanks for the suggestions. I just bought a Orvis Hydros SL. I found a pretty good deal, got the reel, backing, SA Mastery MPX line, 3 pack of leaders and a spool of tippet for $239 delivered.

You will be happy with that reel; I have several of the old and the current (SL) Hydros reels, and all are great reels.

You got a heck of a deal for all that and that price ! Congratulations , I think you'll enjoy that reel for sure !

Thanks Jim and Ron

I can't wait to get the new gear out on the water.

Where did you find that deal on the Orvis if you don't mind sharing a link !?

Ron,

I got it here http://stillwaterflyshop.com/orvis-hydros-sl-fly-reels-s16 .I called and talked with them and they said any reel over $200 gets the $75 credit for a line. The Orvis was $198 but they went ahead and gave me the $75 line credit.

Paul

Ok thanks ! That was a place I was going to mention but I had lost my link . Thanks again !

That is a great deal. I will say +1000 on money on rod,line,then reel. This being said lots of guys very smart waiting on those decent low to mid level reels going on sale most have great drag systems. The only problem with the lower end drags systems it's a must to loosen the drag all the way after fishing. It's simple to reset before each time you fish. You will get a much longer life of smooth pull by doing this. I do this on all of my high end conventional bass reels every time. Had one that I fish heavy cover so the drag was almost always locked down. After fishing it like that and not reliving the pressure for some time it's the only way I can fish it now. In the low end fly reels that have cork drag lightning it up when done allows it to get its form back. Caught a very high number of trout 20-29" on six X that went well into the backing with generators running. These were almost all on reels I got on sale for 30 bucks. Just remember a little maintenance on all our gear not just the drag really helps. I think you got a steal you will have a lot of fun with gamblingman look forward to fish pics.

I've never thought about loosening the drag when you stow your gear, Robert. It makes a lot of sense.

That's great advice Robert; like COFF, never really thought about that. Need to go home now and loosen some drag knobs!