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Orvis has released their latest iteration of the Battenkill fly reel - a click-and-pawl reel that’s been offered in various forms since the 1960s. This new generation features some improved aesthetics but similar performance specs to the previous edition. Importantly, Orvis fans will be happy to learn that it still maintains its heritage and soul as a fun, affordably-priced clicker. Keep reading to find out what makes the new Battenkill different from the previous iteration, and decide whether it’s worth upgrading your click-and-pawl arsenal this summer.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• Lightweight! It’s still a great pairing for ultra-lightweight creek rods.
• The new silver and bronze colors look fantastic.
• One of the best-sounding clickers on the market!

Cons

• Made overseas. If you want a USA-built clicker from Orvis, check out the Orvis CFO
• Slow line retrieval. Consider a different reel if you need quick line pickup and lots of drag.

Who It’s For

The Battenkill Click is designed for anglers who want an affordable, lightweight click-and-pawl reel for any type of fly fishing where an adjustable drag is not required. Most commonly associated with small-stream trout fishing, click-and-pawls can actually be used for a wide variety of species ranging from Bass and Bluegill to Carp and even Bonefish. As long as you’re comfortable with palming your spool to apply pressure when a fish runs, you’ll find a clicker reel like the Battenkill Click to add excitement to your fishing. For anglers who want a simple reel that's easy to maintain and adds a challenge for bigger fish, the Battenkill Click offers this opportunity.

Weight

The size III Battenkill Click weighs in at 4 ounces, which is pretty light for a reel at this price point. Sure, there are lighter click-and-pawl options out there, like the Sage Click (2.95 ounces), but it will cost you nearly twice as much as the Battenkill. Put another way, most disc drag 5wt reels weigh in the 5-6 ounce range, so with the Battenkill, you’re still getting the lightweight benefit of a clicker, even though it's not the lightest clicker available.

Drag

As its name suggests, the Battenkill Click is a click-and-pawl reel, so its drag is limited to the factory-set click which offers roughly 1 pound of drag pressure. This is a non-adjustable clicker that will prevent the reel from free-spooling, but won’t offer much stopping power for anything larger than small Brookies. That being said, this is the appeal of a click-and-pawl reel, adding a fun and unique challenge when you encounter bigger fish. Many anglers have gone back to clicker reels for their simplicity and traditional charm.

Sound

One of the most important elements of a clicker reel is the sound, and the Battenkill Click delivers one of the best sounds on the market. We’d put this pleasing click in the top 3 of all modern clickers, right up there with reels like the legendary Hardy Perfect ($895), which is remarkable for a sub-$200 value reel. The Battenkill’s incoming and outgoing sounds are slightly differentiated, and both produce a very audible click that will get your heart racing when a plump Brookie makes it sing.

Spool & Cage Design

The new Battenkill Click spool dimensions are nearly identical to the previous generation. We measured a 3-inch maximum spool diameter, a 0.6-inch width, and an arbor diameter of 0.7 inches. This is a traditional-arbor spool that will yield about 4.5 inches of line pickup per turn, in the size III (5-7wt) model. While this isn’t a high-performance beast by any means, that’s not Orvis’ intention with the Battenkill series. This is a nod to traditional designs and their unique charm, so its specs make sense.

The frame of the new Battenkill is also largely unchanged. Its open-cage design doesn’t feature an adjustment knob or any complex mechanisms - just a simple frame that contributes to the reel's low weight.

Looks & Ergonomics

We weren’t huge fans of the old charcoal color, so one major improvement to the new Battenkill series is the addition of two new colors: silver and bronze. Both of these colors look fantastic and give the reel a much more elegant appearance. Aside from the color, the new Battenkill Click is aesthetically identical to the previous generation, paying homage to the long heritage of Battenkills before it. If you like the simple, circular-ported looks of the older generations, you’ll be happy to learn that not much has changed.

Ergonomically, the Battenkill Click features a medium-sized reel handle that will get the job done for a majority of fishing situations. If you’re planning on fighting larger fish on the reel, you might prefer something with a bigger handle, but for a value reel this feels totally adequate. The same goes for the spool release tab, which is certainly on the small side, but it works fine for the occasional spool change.

Warranty

Orvis Fly Reel Warranty

Value

Price: $159.00

We see significant value in the new Battenkill Click. For well under $200, you’ll get a handsome, traditional-looking reel with a stellar click sound and Orvis’ excellent warranty. While reels like the Redington Zero ($109.00) certainly offer better line retrieval at a lower price, the Battenkill offers a superior quality fully-machined aluminum and anodization. On the other hand, reels like the Ross Colorado ($375) offer exceptional USA-made quality, but the price is much higher. It’s also worth noting that both of these competitor reels are offered in fewer sizes than the Battenkill Click, which is great if you want to fish anything heavier than a 5wt. Overall, we think the new Battenkill Click is a very solid product for the price, especially for fans of elegant clickers who don’t want to dish out big bucks for a Hardy or a Ross.

Conclusion

For longtime fans of the Battenkill fly reel series, the new generation of Battenkill Click reels maintains the heritage and budget-friendly ethos of this legendary line. With handsome new color options and a fantastic audible click, this $160 reel competes with others that are twice or three times the price. Although the Battenkill won’t offer a fast line pickup or an adjustable drag, it’s very lightweight and perfect for a wide variety of freshwater fishing applications. If you’re looking for a traditional arbor click reel that combines heritage aesthetics, solid craftsmanship, and an attainable price, look no further than the Orvis Battenkill Click.

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