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The Best Fly Reels

By Alex Clayton · Updated 23 October 2026

On most UK trout and grayling water, the fly reel is the least important part of your outfit. It stores line, balances the rod, and most fish are played by hand. So the best fly reel is easy to pin down: match it to the line weight on the rod blank, keep it light, choose a plain click or disc drag, and buy a spare spool.

Water Typical line weight Reel type Spend level
Small streams and grayling rivers 2 to 4 weight Light reel, click or light disc drag Budget to mid
Rivers and small stillwaters 5 to 6 weight Large arbor disc drag Mid
Reservoirs and big stillwaters 6 to 8 weight Wider large arbor with spare spools Mid to upper

We have not quoted prices because we could not confirm current UK prices or stock at a maker or retailer when this guide was written. Check the maker or a UK retailer before you buy.

That does not mean any reel will do. The wrong size unbalances the rod, and a spool you cannot replace later is a false economy. Unsure of your rating? See how to read the line weight on your rod, or choose your trout rod first.

Below is the best trout fly reel type for each water, then four buying factors. Fishing Session may earn a commission from some tackle links, which does not change what we recommend.

1. Best for Small Streams and Grayling Rivers: A Light 2 to 4 Weight Reel

Fit a 5/6 reel to a 7ft 3 weight brook rod “to be safe” and you will feel the mistake on the first cast. The reel hangs like a lump below the cork, the rod turns butt-heavy, and every flick under the alders feels clumsy.

What to look for:

  • Line weight: 2 to 4, matched to the rod.
  • Weight: roughly 130 to 140g for a 3/4 reel. One retailer test weighed a budget 3/4 model at 134g.
  • Drag: click-and-pawl or a light disc drag.
  • Arbor: standard or mid arbor is fine.
  • Backing: a light load, because capacity rarely matters here.
  • Spend level: budget to mid.

Small-stream trout and most river grayling rarely take line off the reel, so the drag is seldom tested. What matters is weight against a short rod, a check that stops the spool overrunning, and a frame that survives knocks on rocks. This is where a cheap reel makes complete sense.

Grayling anglers need one extra check. Trotting and nymphing on bigger rivers often means a longer rod, and on a 10ft 3 or 4 weight a featherweight reel can leave the outfit tip-heavy. A slightly heavier reel may balance it better; use the shop test in item 7 to find out.

Kitting out for becks and brooks? Look at waders for small streams at the same time.

Best for: brooks, becks and grayling rivers on rods of 2 to 4 weight. Skip if: you want the same reel for 6 weight stillwater work as well.

2. Best All-Rounder for Rivers and Stillwaters: A 5/6 Large Arbor Disc Drag Reel

If you buy one trout fly reel, make it this one. A 5/6 weight large arbor reel with a disc drag and a spare spool covers most UK trout fishing, from rivers to small stillwaters.

What to look for:

  • Line weight: 5/6, which matches one of the most popular trout rod ratings.
  • Weight: around 155 to 165g. A retailer test weighed a machined 5/6 at 156g, and one budget die-cast large arbor 5/6 is listed at 160.8g.
  • Drag: disc drag.
  • Arbor: large arbor.
  • Spool change: quick, tool-free spool swaps are a real plus.
  • Spend level: mid-range, with budget die-cast large arbor options below that.

One reel and two spools, a floating line on one and an intermediate or sink-tip on the other, covers dry fly, nymph and small stillwater work. The disc drag matters more here than on a brook, because smooth, adjustable resistance protects a fine tippet when a bigger stocked fish runs.

Premium machined aluminium reels are smoother, lighter for their size and better finished than die-cast budget reels. For trout, the extra money buys refinement, not fish. A die-cast reel is heavier and less precise but perfectly fishable, and YPC’s UK buyer guide advises settling the rod, line weight and usual conditions before you compare reels at all.

This reel pairs naturally with a 9ft 5 weight trout rod, a common first outfit for UK trout.

Recommendation: for a first trout outfit, buy a mid-priced 5/6 large arbor reel and spend what you save on a good floating line.

3. Best for Reservoirs and Big Stillwaters: A 6 to 8 Weight Reel With Spare Spools

The fish are holding at a depth your floating line cannot reach. Your fast-sinking line is at home, on a spool that no longer fits anything the maker sells. On big stillwaters, that is how the reel lets you down.

What to look for:

  • Line weight: 6 to 8, matched to your reservoir rod.
  • Spool: a wider large arbor spool to hold fly line plus backing.
  • Drag: disc drag, ideally sealed for wet days and boat work.
  • Spools: cassette or quick-change spools.
  • Spend level: mid to upper.

Big stillwaters are where a trout reel does real work. You fish several line densities in a day, cast a long way and strip back fast. When a fish runs towards you, a large arbor spool picks up the loose line faster, keeping coils away from your feet and the boat.

Bigger stocked rainbows take line properly, so a smooth drag stops being a luxury, and a sealed one copes better with spray, rain and boat grit.

Cassette reels suit anglers who carry three or four lines. Interchangeable spools clip into one frame, and they generally cost less than full spare spools for a conventional reel, so moving from a floater to an intermediate to a fast sinker is cheaper to set up.

Quick comparison: against the 5/6 all-rounder in item 2, this reel is bigger and heavier, and on a lighter river rod it will feel like overkill. If most of your fishing is from the boats and banks of big stillwaters, it is the better buy.

4. Large Arbor or Standard Arbor: What It Actually Changes

A large arbor spool can roughly double the line you pick up per turn. One published comparison gives a standard spool, nearly empty, a little over 3 inches (about 8cm) per turn against nearly 6.5 inches (about 16.5cm) for a 2-inch arbor, according to Salt Water Sportsman. It is a saltwater article, so treat the numbers as illustrative; the direction is what counts.

Large arbor pros Large arbor cons
Faster pick-up of slack line when a fish runs towards you Line and backing capacity falls if only the arbor is enlarged
Larger coils of line on the spool Keeping capacity means a bigger, heavier reel
A bigger reel still has to balance the rod

The memory benefit is real but minor. With a properly matched modern fly line, one good stretch usually removes the coils from a standard reel anyway.

Capacity is the cost. A bigger core takes up space, so unless the whole spool is larger, it holds less backing. A bigger reel also weighs more, so do not oversize the reel for the rod just to get a large arbor.

On small streams, standard or mid arbor is fine; on stillwaters, large arbor is a genuine help. For how fly reels differ from fixed-spool and other designs, see the main types of fishing reels.

The verdict: a large arbor fly reel is a nice-to-have on rivers and a real advantage on stillwaters, but it should never be the reason you spend more than you planned.

5. Drag: Click-and-Pawl, Disc, Sealed or Open

Plenty of trout reels advertise drag figures fit for a salmon. A 1lb (0.45kg) grayling will never test them.

The main divide is between two designs:

  • Click-and-pawl (spring-and-pawl): simple, light and audible. It gives a fixed check that stops the spool overrunning, and you add pressure by palming the spool rim. It suits small streams.
  • Disc drag: adjustable and smoother under load. It helps with bigger stillwater fish and with very fine tippets, where a jerky start-up can snap the leader.

Then there is sealed versus open:

  • Sealed drags keep water and grit out, which makes them easier to live with in rain, spray and boats.
  • Open drags are easier to clean but need more care after wet or gritty sessions.

For most UK trout and grayling, the drag barely matters because you play the fish by hand. It matters more for salmon, sea trout and big stillwater fish. A headline drag figure with no explanation of how it was measured is not worth paying extra for, least of all on a reel that will spend its life on a 4 or 5 weight rod.

Best for: a disc drag if you fish stillwaters or might add a sea trout rod later. Skip if: you fish only small rivers, where a click check and your palm are enough.

6. Backing, Spare Spools and Which Hand to Wind With

Two seasons in, you want a second line for the reel you love. Then you discover the maker stopped selling your spool last year. Three decisions made at the counter prevent that.

Backing. As a rough guide, fill the reel so that fly line plus backing sits at about 80 to 90 percent of the spool’s capacity, but the maker’s capacity chart always wins. Too little backing leaves a small effective diameter, which slows your retrieve and tightens the line coils. Too much makes the line rub against the frame.

For trout on shallower, slower water, about 20 to 30lb backing is the usual rough range quoted. Many tackle shops will load backing and line for you.

Spare spools. Buy at least one with the reel, because that exact spool may stop being sold later. One reel with two spools covers a floating line plus an intermediate or sinking line, which handles most trout fishing.

Retrieve hand. Most fly reels can be switched between left-hand and right-hand wind; the maker’s instructions show how. Some anglers wind with their non-casting hand so they never swap the rod over. Others wind with their stronger hand. Pick one and stick with it.

One reel can also serve two rods if their line weight ratings overlap, with a spool for each line.

Recommendation: if the reel you like has no spare spool in stock today, look at another model.

7. Balance, Care and Buying Second-Hand

Here is a ten-second test you can do in the shop. Fit the reel to the rod, leave the line off, and balance the rod on one finger at the front of the cork handle. If the tip dives hard or the butt drops sharply, that reel is the wrong weight for that rod. It is a rule of thumb rather than a fixed standard, but it catches the worst mismatches.

Balance matters more than the spec sheet. Line and backing add weight, so a slightly tip-heavy empty rod is normal.

Care. Follow the maker’s care instructions first. As general practice:

  • Rinse the reel in fresh water after muddy, gritty or brackish days.
  • Dry it fully before storing it.
  • Back the drag off for storage only if the maker recommends it.
  • Do not open or oil a sealed drag unless the maker says to.

Buying second-hand. A used reel can be excellent value, but check it properly:

  • Spin the spool and listen for grinding or feel for wobble.
  • Test the check or drag for smooth, even resistance.
  • Look for frame cracks and deep dents on the rim.
  • Confirm spare spools are still sold for that model.
  • Check the line weight rating suits your rod.

The verdict: a well-kept mid-priced reel bought second-hand can be the best value in fly fishing, provided its spools are still available.

Frequently asked questions

What size fly reel do I need for trout?

Match the reel to the AFTM line weight printed on your rod: 2 to 4 for small streams, 5/6 for most rivers and small stillwaters, 6 to 8 for reservoirs. See how fly line ratings work for the full explanation.

Do I need a large arbor fly reel?

No, but it helps on stillwaters. A large arbor reel picks up slack line faster and stores line in slightly bigger coils. The trade-off is less backing capacity unless the whole spool is larger, which adds weight.

Does drag matter on a trout fly reel?

Less than the marketing suggests. Most UK trout and grayling are played by hand, so a simple click or light disc drag is enough on rivers. A smooth disc drag earns its place on big stillwaters, with fine tippets and for sea trout.

How much should I spend on a fly reel?

Less than you might think. A budget reel is fine on small streams, and a mid-range 5/6 large arbor reel covers most trout fishing. Spend on the rod and line first, and check current prices with the maker or a UK retailer. Browse our tackle buying guides for the rest of the outfit.

Can I use one fly reel on two rods?

Yes, if the two rods' line weight ratings overlap. Use a separate spare spool for each line, so a 5/6 reel can serve both a 5 weight and a 6 weight rod.

Sources

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