Fly Reels
Best Fly Reels for Beginners
Ranked on drag sealing rather than drag power, because on a trout rod the grit matters and the pounds do not.
Before the picks, the thing nobody selling reels will tell you: for most trout fishing a fly reel is a place to keep line. You strip line off by hand, cast, retrieve by hand, and wind it back when you walk to the next pool. The drag only engages when a fish takes line directly off the spool, and on a 5-weight with 5X tippet the tippet breaks long before any drag setting matters.
So the enormous drag numbers on reel packaging are, for a trout beginner, close to irrelevant. What matters is sealing (grit, not power), size (fit, not capability) and weight (balance). We have ranked accordingly.
The short list
| # | Pick | Best for | Score | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Orvis Clearwater Large Arbor Reel II3.4" · 3-5 wt · 5.6 ozBest Overall | A sealed drag on a 3-5 weight, at a trout-reel price | 8.6 | Check price on Amazon |
| 2 | Piscifun Sword Fly ReelCNC aluminum · mid arborBest Under $150 | A CNC-machined aluminum body at a die-cast price | 7.9 | Check price on Amazon |
| 3 | Redington Behemoth Fly Reel4/5 · 5/6 · 7/8 · 9/10 · 11/12Best Upgrade Pick | If you expect to fish an 8-weight one day | 8.4 | Check price on Amazon |
| 4 | Orvis Battenkill Disc Fly ReelSize II (3-5 wt)Best for Small Streams | Light and simple on a short rod | 7.4 | Check price on Amazon |
1. Best Overall
Orvis Clearwater Large Arbor Reel II
A sealed-drag large-arbor reel rated for the exact weights a trout beginner fishes, at a price that makes the budget alternatives hard to argue for.
| Spec | Value |
|---|---|
| Diameter | 3.4" |
| Line weights | 3-5 wt |
| Weight | 5.6 oz |
| Drag | Sealed carbon-to-stainless disc |
| Construction | Die-cast with powder-coat finish |
| Retrieve | Converts to left- or right-hand |
A trout reel has one job most of the time — hold line — and one job occasionally, which is to apply smooth pressure to a fish that will not stop. The Clearwater II does both: 3.4 inches across, rated 3-5 weight, 5.6 oz, with a sealed carbon-to-stainless disc drag.
Sealed is the word that matters. An unsealed drag lets in the fine grit that comes with wading gravel, and gritty drags become jerky drags, which is how light tippet breaks. Sealing it is normally something you pay a lot more for.
It is die-cast rather than machined from bar stock, so it is a reel that dents rather than scratches. For a first reel that is the right compromise to accept.
What we like
- A sealed drag at this price is the headline — grit and water stay out
- Large arbor picks line up faster, which matters when a fish runs at you
- Converts hands without tools or a trip to a shop
What you give up
- Die-cast rather than machined, so it will dent where a machined reel would scratch
- No spare spool in the box
| Criterion | Score / 10 |
|---|---|
| Drag | 9 |
| Build | 8 |
| Line capacity | 8 |
| Weight | 8 |
| Value | 9 |
| Overall | 8.6 |
2. Best Under $150
Piscifun Sword Fly Reel
A machined aluminum body for roughly what a die-cast reel costs, with a mid arbor as the compromise.
| Spec | Value |
|---|---|
| Construction | CNC-machined aluminum alloy body |
| Arbor | Mid arbor |
| Sizes | 3/4 through 9/10 wt |
| Finishes | Multiple, including black, gunmetal and space gray |
Piscifun's Sword is the reel that makes the budget tier interesting: a CNC-machined aluminum alloy body rather than the die-cast construction almost everything else at this price uses. Machined bodies hold tolerances better and scratch where die-cast dents, and the Sword comes in sizes from 3/4 up to 9/10.
The compromise is the arbor. A mid-arbor spool has a smaller center, so you retrieve less line per turn and the line sits in tighter coils. In warm weather that is barely noticeable. In cold weather, when fly line is stiff anyway, tight coils are the difference between line lying flat and line tangling round your boots.
Published drag specification is limited, so we will say only what we can stand behind: it is a disc drag, it is adequate for trout, and we have no basis for claiming more than that.
What we like
- CNC-machined from aluminum rather than die-cast — unusual at this price, and it means dings scratch instead of deforming
- Covers 3/4 up to 9/10, so a second reel for a heavier rod is the same purchase
- Light enough not to unbalance an entry 5-weight
What you give up
- Mid arbor rather than large arbor, so line pick-up is slower and the line takes a tighter coil memory
- Published drag detail is thin — treat it as adequate for trout and no more
| Criterion | Score / 10 |
|---|---|
| Drag | 7 |
| Build | 8 |
| Line capacity | 7 |
| Weight | 8 |
| Value | 10 |
| Overall | 7.9 |
3. Best Upgrade Pick
Redington Behemoth Fly Reel
An enormous amount of drag and a lifetime warranty for the money — genuinely the pick if you expect to fish an 8-weight one day, and overkill if you do not.
| Spec | Value |
|---|---|
| Sizes | 4/5, 5/6, 7/8, 9/10, 11/12 wt |
| Drag | Carbon fiber with specialized carbon braking discs, capped (not sealed) |
| Construction | Die-cast, interlocking large-arbor spool |
| Colors | Black, gunmetal, O.D. green |
| Supplied with | Nylon reel case |
| Warranty | Lifetime |
The Behemoth's reputation is built on one number nobody publishes for trout reels: maximum drag. It uses a carbon-fiber drag with specialized carbon braking discs and a die-cast, interlocking large-arbor spool, and it stops fish that have no business being stopped by a reel at this price.
For a beginner fishing trout, that is mostly beside the point. A 5-weight with 5X tippet breaks long before any drag setting matters. What is relevant is the lifetime warranty, the stiff spool, and the fact that the 7/8 size is the obvious reel to buy later if you ever go after bass, pike or saltwater — so buying into the family can make sense.
The honest caveats are weight and sealing. It is heavier than the Clearwater II, and the drag is capped rather than sealed, so a gravel-bar dunking is not a non-event.
What we like
- The strongest drag in its price class by a wide margin — it is the reel people reuse on an 8-weight later
- Lifetime warranty
- Interlocking large-arbor spool design is noticeably stiff for a die-cast reel
What you give up
- Capped, not sealed — grit can still reach the drag stack
- Heavier than the Clearwater II, which you feel on a 5-weight all day
- Drag power is irrelevant for trout, so you are paying for capability you will not use
| Criterion | Score / 10 |
|---|---|
| Drag | 10 |
| Build | 8 |
| Line capacity | 9 |
| Weight | 6 |
| Value | 9 |
| Overall | 8.4 |
4. Best for Small Streams
Orvis Battenkill Disc Fly Reel
The small-stream reel: light, simple, good-looking, and deliberately not trying to be a big-fish reel.
| Spec | Value |
|---|---|
| Sizes | II (3-5 wt), III (5-7 wt), IV (7-9 wt) |
| Colors | Black, copper, matte olive |
| Design | Updated classic with tightened tolerances |
The Battenkill is Orvis's long-running classic trout reel, recently updated with tighter tolerances and a restrained set of finishes. Size II covers 3-5 weight, III covers 5-7, IV covers 7-9.
It belongs on a short rod on small water, where the reel genuinely is just line storage and the thing you notice is weight and balance. If you are buying a 7'6" 4-weight for a brushy creek, this is the reel for it. If you are buying a 9-foot 5-weight as your only rod, the Clearwater II is the more useful choice.
What we like
- Light and simple, which is exactly right on a short rod for small fish
- A classic look that holds its appeal longer than a performance reel's styling
- Size II maps precisely to a 3-5 weight rod, no guessing
What you give up
- Less drag capability than the Clearwater II or Behemoth
- Smaller arbor than a dedicated large-arbor reel, so slower line pick-up
| Criterion | Score / 10 |
|---|---|
| Drag | 6 |
| Build | 8 |
| Line capacity | 6 |
| Weight | 9 |
| Value | 7 |
| Overall | 7.4 |
How we chose
We weighted drag sealing heavily and drag power barely at all, because wading gravel puts fine sand into an open drag and a gritty drag is a jerky drag — which is what actually breaks light tippet. Then size range (does it map cleanly to a 3-5 weight rod), weight, arbor, and construction. Specs from manufacturer and retailer listings, availability re-verified 6 October 2026, no first-hand testing claims. How We Choose.
First, do you actually need one?
If you bought a combo, probably not. The components on a beginner combo rank for replacement in this order: line first by a wide margin, then leaders and tippet, then the rod, then the reel. Upgrading the reel first is the most common mis-step in this sport.
Sealed, capped and open drags
| Type | What it means | In practice |
|---|---|---|
| Sealed | The drag stack is enclosed against water and grit | The feature worth paying for. Survives gravel-bar dunkings |
| Capped | Covered but not sealed; grit can still reach it | Fine in clean water; rinse it after a sandy day |
| Open | Exposed drag surfaces | Common at the bottom of the market. Becomes jerky over time |
Of our picks, the Orvis Clearwater II publishes a sealed carbon-to-stainless disc drag, which at this price is unusual. The Redington Behemoth's drag is described as capped rather than sealed, despite having far more power. That inversion is the whole argument of this page.
How to choose a fly reel
1. Match the size to your rod, not to the fish
Find the reel's stated line-weight range and make sure your rod's weight sits inside it. A 5-weight rod wants a 3-5 wt or 5/6 class reel, usually labeled size II. Brands number sizes inconsistently, so trust the stated range rather than the number. Fly reel size chart.
2. Prefer a sealed drag
Not for power. For grit. See the table above.
3. Prefer a large arbor at the same price
A wider spool center picks up more line per turn and lets the line sit in looser coils, which matters most in cold weather when stiff line in tight coils tangles round your boots. Worth having, not worth a big premium. Large arbor versus mid arbor.
4. Mind the weight
A heavy reel on a light rod unbalances the cast and makes a long day feel longer. The Clearwater II is 5.6 oz; the Behemoth is heavier, and you feel it every cast on a 5-weight.
5. Check it converts hands
Most modern reels switch between left- and right-hand retrieve without tools. Confirm it, because a reel you cannot reverse is a reel you will resent.
What to put on it
Backing first — roughly 75 to 100 yards of 20 lb Dacron on a size II — then the fly line, then a leader. The right amount of backing is whatever fills the spool so the fully wound fly line sits just below the rim. Fly reel backing guide covers how to judge that, and how to set up a fly rod is the full rigging sequence.
Questions people actually ask
What is the best fly reel for a beginner?
The Orvis Clearwater Large Arbor Reel II. It is 3.4 inches across, rated 3-5 weight, weighs 5.6 oz, and has a sealed carbon-to-stainless disc drag that converts to left- or right-hand retrieve. Sealed is the feature worth paying for — it keeps wading grit out, and a gritty drag is what actually breaks light tippet.
How much should a beginner spend on a fly reel?
Less than you would spend on a line, and only after you have upgraded the line. On a trout rod the reel is mostly line storage, so it is the last component worth replacing on a beginner combo. If you are buying one standalone, the useful spend is whatever gets you a sealed drag in the right size range.
Does drag power matter on a trout reel?
Barely. On a 5-weight with 5X tippet, the tippet breaks long before any drag setting is the limiting factor. Drag power starts to matter for steelhead, salmon, carp, pike and saltwater, and in still water where a fish can run a long way unobstructed. For river trout, drag smoothness and sealing matter far more than maximum pressure.
Should I replace the reel that came with my combo?
Usually not. The replacement order on a beginner combo is line first by a wide margin, then leaders and tippet, then the rod, then the reel. The exception is a reel whose drag has become gritty or jerky — if you can feel steps as you turn the spool against the drag, replace it, because an uneven drag breaks tippet on good fish.
What size fly reel do I need for a 5 weight rod?
One rated for 3-5 weight or 5/6 weight, which most brands label as a size II. That holds a 5-weight line over roughly 75 to 100 yards of 20 lb backing without overfilling the spool. Check the reel's own stated line-weight range rather than the size number, because brands label sizes differently.
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