Hey all! looking for a cheap fiberglass set up (eagle claw featherlight) to target trout and smaller fish in creeks. I'm quite interested in the idea of a click and pawl reel, and was wondering what some good vintage reels are to look for on Ebay. In addition, does anyone have experience with the cheaper new click and pawl reels like the martin caddis creek ? thank you all for the input!

I guess the standard retro fly reel is Pflueger Medalist. I'd research their numbering system to find one light enough for the rod. Another semi-retro but new choice is an Okuma Sierra. If you wanted to go retro collectable, I highly recommend a Lamson LP series. May be hard to find.

I would go with a center drag instead of a click and pawl. Even if you are fishing small streams you can run across a big fish and a center drag is much better for the same price on EBay. Just search fly reels and filter to less than $40. Pflueger , cabelas Prestige II and III, Okuma Integrity and even White River are all good reels. You can also run across some high dollar reels for the same price if you are lucky. Most of the no name or odd brands will be better than a click and pawl. Of course this is just my personal opinion after destroying several click and pawl reel on big fish. For small fish you shouldn’t have a problem if you want to go click and pawl.

Yes click pawl reels are awful. In fact, just send them to me so you do not have to worry about losing that monster fish. Especially those crappy hardy reels. They melt when hooking huge trout.

At Troutfest yesterday, one of the booths was selling some "vintage" look click and pawl reels. Solid sides, bronze-ish finish. Definitely, looked like old school reels. I didn't look real close at them, but I don't remember the price being very high. They were unique enough to get a couple of casting instructors to stop pick they up and examine them. I think the reel were labeled "Moonlit". But I don't know if it was the brand of the reel or the name of shop that owned the booth. Most of the products in the booth were labeled Moonlit. If you are looking for a new, low cost click and pawl reel that looks vintage, it might be worth Googling " Moonlit".

Found it. They're more expensive than I remembered, but they were interesting reels.

https://moonlitflyfishing.com/colle...e-click-pawl-reel?variant=43576262131935