How to Choose the Best Fly Reel for Salmon
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As our species-centered fly rod blog series comes to an end, we figured it’d be a good time to transition to fly reels. Similar to choosing the right fly rod, choosing the right fly reel can certainly enhance your chances of angling success. Intuitively, different fly reels are made for different situations.
Choosing a fly reel for Salmon is a broad category because of the diversity of Salmon species that populate the US, Canada, Eurasia, and beyond. King Salmon require a much different fly reel than Pink Salmon, Sockeye Salmon, Atlantic Salmon, etc. Commonalities exist across all Salmon species, however: they’re powerful, strong, and loads of fun to catch on a fly rod.
Let's start with the basics. It's necessary to match the size of the reel to the size of the rod you're using. This may seem intuitive but it's worth mentioning: if you're fishing a 9wt fly rod, choose an 8/9 or 9/10 sized fly reel. Here are some very basic recommendations for Pacific Salmon species:
For larger fish like Salmon, any reel you choose should also have a strong drag system. Salmon are known for reel-screaming runs and enthusiastic acrobatics, so a reel with enough drag to turn them and bring them to hand is paramount. It’s also important to consider retrieval rates, line capacity, and durability when looking for a fly reel for Salmon. Here are a few recommendations to point you in the right direction.
Retrieval Rates
Higher retrieval rates are generally better. A reel that picks up a lot of line quickly will maximize an angler’s chance of landing a salmon, regardless of species. Reels with large arbor designs are optimal (particularly if you don’t need increased backing capacity). For Sockeye Salmon, Pink Salmon, and Silver Salmon, the 8/10 version of the Nautilus CCF-X2 picks up over 10” of line per turn of the reel. That’s a lot. These high retrieval rates will help anglers play and land Salmon quickly and efficiently.
For King Salmon, upgrading to a heavier reel is worthwhile. A 10wt single-handed fly rod is the best tool to wrangle these larger fish. A heavy-duty 10wt reel with solid retrieval rates like the Hatch Iconic will give you the best chance of landing a hooked fish.
Backing Capacity
Backing capacity is another pertinent consideration when choosing a salmon reel. It’s not uncommon to see a King Salmon run an angler downstream deep into his/her backing - so a reel that accommodates a healthy amount of backing is a must. If you’re interested in which backing is the best, read our backing shootout here.
Most reel manufacturers list the reel’s backing/ line capacity on their website. A Lamson Liquid Max, for example, has a large arbor and holds plenty of backing to take on large, hard-running salmon. What's more, with a large arbor comes increased retrieval rates, making it easier to take up line in a hurry.
Durability
Choosing a reel that will stand up to scrapes and dings is worthwhile, too. Salmon are often targeted in remote places like Alaska, Canada, and South America. Remote fisheries often come with rugged landscapes and the potential for a fly reel to incur some damage. If you’re looking for a fly reel for Salmon, stay away from reels with a cast design; these reels are less durable than machined reels and will warp when dropped or dinged.
Anodized reels are often the most durable. Anodizing coats the reel in a finish that is resistant to scratches, scrapes, and other wear. Anodizing also enhances the reel’s resistance to corrosion in saltwater environments, an important consideration when fishing for Salmon in brackish/tidal rivers. Most big game reels are aluminum with either a Type II or Type III anodized finish. The higher the Type, the thicker the anodized coating is on the reel.
Reels with a durable anodized finish and machined design include the Orvis Mirage, Ross Evolution R Salt, Lamson Guru S, and many others. If you have questions about finish or anodizing, drop a comment below or call us at the shop anytime.
Balance
It's also important to balance a rod and reel setup. Not every 8wt fly reel properly balances an 8wt fly rod. If you're fishing a lightweight fly rod and decide to put a heavy fly reel on it the rod becomes butt heavy. A butt heavy rod makes initiating a cast difficult and often causes the angler to overshoot his/her target.
On the other hand, if you're fishing a rod that has a stout butt section and is a bit heavier than other rods (think Sage Payload) and you partner it with an ultra lightweight fly reel, the rod will be tip heavy. This will make it more difficult to lift line off the water and present a fly accurately.
It's also worth mentioning that balancing a Spey rod and reel setup is a bit different. If you're fishing a 6wt Spey rod, upgrade a full reel size to a 7wt - 8wt reel to properly balance the rod.
Other Resources
Another resource worth checking out is our 2018 8-Weight Fly Reel Shootout and Review. This review rates, ranks, and describes the best saltwater fly reels in a multitude of categories. If you’re fishing for smaller Salmon species like Sockeyes, Pinks, and Silvers, an 8wt fly reel/fly rod is likely the best choice.
We’ve also published a post about How to Choose the Best Fly Rod for Pacific Salmon. If you’re in the market for a fly rod and reel, check out this post to get an idea of which rod is best for which species.
Ok, I know what I'm looking for. Now, which reel should I go with?
Some of the best fly reels for Salmon include the Nautilus CCF-X2, Hatch Iconic, Ross Evolution R Salt, Orvis Hydros, Sage Enforcer, and the Galvan Grip.
Still Can't Decide?
We're here to help. Drop us an email at [email protected] or call us at (888) 413-5211.
Greg
I presume your Browning is a fiberglass rod? That will be fine for the steelhead there but not for the King Salmon. Large Brown Trout also start their spawn in the fall, so you can be fishing for steelhead and catch a Brown. I once caught a juvenile Atlantic Salmon (called "Jacks") there one November, which surprised me. You'll need at least a 9-wt. rod for the King Salmon. If you're going after steelhead, your 8 wt. will work OK, but you'll need a much different reel. Those automatic reels leave almost no room for backing and you need 200-yards of backing behind your fly line. If you're just going after steelhead, then get an 8/9 reel and load it with an 8wt. line, 200-yds of backing, and go fish. You can probably get by with 150-yds of backing but I've been spooled with that much backing before, so I always go with 200-yds for salmon, steelhead, and saltwater fish. Trident can get you set up with that pretty easily.
If you're going to go after the King Salmon, then you're going to need a 9-wt. outfit. I'd really suggest you go to a shop and cast a few rods because the rods now days are both stiffer (typically mid-flex and tip-flex rods) and faster than those full-flex fiberglass rods. You'll want to make sure you can get one that you are comfortable casting. If you use much wrist in your cast, don't even bother trying the tip-flex, fast action rods...they'll frustrate you badly. Look to the mid-flex, medium action rods and see how they feel to you. Orvis used to make a lot of full-flex rods, which would be closest to your Browning rod in feel and casting, but they really only offer that in their fiberglass rods now. Not sure who else has full-flex rods if the mid-flex are too uncomfortable for you to cast. But try to demo the rods before you buy if that Browning is a fiberglass rod. If it's a graphite rod, then you'll probably be OK with the mid-flex, medium action rods.
If you really want to go after the King Salmon, you might be better off just buying a 9-wt rod & reel outfit and using it for both Salmon and Steelhead. It's overkill for the Steelhead in the Salmon River by Pulaski, but is exactly what you really need for King Salmon. You could just get one rod and one reel set up for the King salmon and use it also for the steelhead. Be aware that the Salmon and steelhead run into the river at different times. There is sometimes some overlap, but not much. A lot of the steelhead fishing around the Great Lakes can be done with a 7-wt. rod because a lot of streams are not that big. Although much smaller than West Coast steelhead streams, the Salmon River is bigger than most Great Lake tributaries and they have plenty of room to run. You should not get spooled with 200-yards of backing there although you might with 150-yds. of backing.
Hope you have a great trip!
Dan