Choosing a New Fly Fishing Reel
When polled most fly fishermen will answer their reels are the most important piece of equipment in their gear. Just like there are different rods for different fishing situations, so are there different reels for different situations. Now there is no need for you to rush out and spend a fortune on a new reel although you can if you would like to. In most situations a basic fly reel will work in most situations. And if you do your research and get a good reel you will probably not have to replace it for years and years.
You will see many trout fishermen striping their line manually instead of using the handle. When asked why, the majority reply that it is quicker doing it by hand rather than using the handle. Also stated that you get a better feel and control by holding the line in your hand.
Using the handle to reel your line in is preferable in certain situations, while using your hand is better in other situations. If you are following a big fish most people will use the handle giving them better control. Also if you have trees hanging over your fishing spot it is a good idea to use the handle to keep your chances down of getting snagged. Moving around in the water a lot will also require you to use your handle.
Salmon fishermen spend a lot of time in the water fishing and most of the time prefer reeling their line in. Salmon reels are usually more efficient than trout reels when it comes to reeling the line in, due to the fish being targeted are larger.
With companies like Sage pressing research and development, fishing technology is growing by huge jumps. Using material such as graphite is also making fly fishing equipment lighter. Many fly fishing purists prefer to use the heavier older reels because it gave their rods a balance.
If you have your eye on a new fly fishing reel, consider purchasing two so that you will have a backup. You will not want to have only one reel when it goes bad in the field. A trick to help you in your decision is to mark your line weight so there will be no guesswork involved. You will save yourself a lot of time when preparing for your fishing trip.
Storing your fly reels in a storage bag is a smart decision to protect your investment. Extra reels find themselves in the bottom of tackle boxes for long periods of time. Reels in tackle boxes can get damaged without you knowing, and not finding out until critical situations.
To keep from having to change out reels and line you might consider getting two different rods. a lot of salmon fishermen will have two different rod and reel setups, one for when you want to float rod fish and one for sunk line fishing.
It is important to identify your requirements and how you will use your equipment to help you in your purchasing decision. You might also want to check online for great deals such as Yahoo Auctions or Sites like Ebay for used fly fishing equipment.