As an experienced fly fisherman, I’ve come to understand the crucial role that the right equipment plays in the success of my fishing expeditions. One piece of gear that holds a special place in my heart is the 5 weight fly reel. This versatile tool is a staple in my fishing gear, and in this comprehensive guide, I’ll share my expert insights on the best 5 weight fly reels on the market today.
Understanding the 5 Weight Fly Reel and Its Applications
A 5 weight fly reel is a medium-sized reel that’s perfect for a wide range of fishing situations. It’s the ideal tool for catching medium-sized fish like trout and small bass. It’s also great for fishing in small to medium-sized rivers and streams. The “5 weight” refers to the weight of the fly line that the reel is designed to handle.
Key Factors to Consider When Choosing a 5 Weight Fly Reel
When choosing a 5 weight fly reel, there are several factors to consider:
Reel Weight
The reel’s weight should balance with your rod for optimal performance. A reel that’s too heavy or too light can make casting difficult and tiring.
Drag System
The drag system is what puts pressure on the fish and allows you to reel it in. There are two main types: click and pawl, and disc drag. Click and pawl is simpler and lighter, while disc drag offers more stopping power. For most freshwater fishing situations, a click and pawl system is sufficient. However, if you’re targeting larger fish or fishing in fast-moving waters, a disc drag system might be a better choice.
Construction Material
Fly reels are typically made from either aluminum or plastic. Aluminum reels are more durable and last longer, but they’re also more expensive. Plastic reels are lighter and cheaper, but they may not hold up as well under heavy use. For a 5 weight fly reel, an aluminum construction is generally recommended due to its durability and performance.
Arbor Size
The arbor is the part of the reel where the line is wound. A larger arbor allows for faster line retrieval, which can be crucial when fighting a big fish. However, larger arbors also tend to make the reel heavier. For a 5 weight fly reel, a medium or large arbor is usually a good choice.
Retrieval System
Some reels retrieve line in one direction, while others retrieve in both. A reel with a two-way retrieval system can be more efficient, especially when you need to reel in line quickly. However, one-way retrieval systems are typically simpler and less prone to mechanical issues.
Expert Reviews of Top 5 Weight Fly Reels
Here are my top picks for 5 weight fly reels:
8 Best 5wt Fly Reels
- Orvis Hydros SL Fly Reel
- Hardy Ultralite CADD Fly Fishing Reel
- Redington RISE Fly Fishing Reel
- Lamson Guru Series II, Grey/Orange
- Piscifun Platte Fully Sealed Drag Large Arbor Fly Fishing Reel
- Redington BEHEMOTH Fly Reel
- Sage Fly Fishing Spectrum C Fly Reel
- Piscifun Sword ‖ Lighter Weight Fly Fishing Reel
These are our top picks because of their ease of use, features, and other facilities. Our experts researched the market pretty well and gave the result. We’ll review them one by one with their features, pros, and cons to make your purchase more specific.
So, if you’re looking for a fly fishing reel for fly comfortably fly fish, you can buy one of these to get your job done quickly.
8 Best 5 weight Fly Reels Review With Pros & Cons:
01. Orvis Hydros SL Fly Reel
The best 5 wt fly fishing reel is the Orvis Hydros SL Fly Reel. This one is made by the brand named Orvis. This brand is pretty popular in this sector and they’re making fly reels for a long time now. This Orvis Fly reel can provide you with a lot in a short budget. Let’s take a look at its features with pros and cons.
It comes up in the market with high-quality aluminum material. This material is tough and lasts longer than other ordinary materials. Besides, it can give you enough strength to fight against your targeted fish. It features a stainless disc drag system. The drag system works with fully sealed carbon material. There’s a clutch bearing sealed inside too. It contains a narrow spool which means less line stacking.
The backing capacity of this fly fishing reel is increased and it’s combined with a faster retrieval rate. The backing capacities of this reel are [V+WF9] 250 yards, [IV+WF7] 225 yards, [III+WF5] 150 yards, and: [II+WF3] 150 yards. Diameter varies from 3.5 in. to 4.5 in.
Pros.
- Aluminum as a building material
- Highly durable fly fishing reel
- Fully sealed drag system
- Increased backing capacity
- Less stacking with a narrow spool
Cons.
- Has some shipping restriction
02. Hardy Ultralite CADD Fly Fishing Reel
The second pick of our list is the Hardy Ultralite CADD Fly Fishing Reel. This one is made by the brand named Hardy. It comes up in the market with a lot of features and facilities. Let’s jump into the inner review section to learn more about this product.
This one is constructed with a high-quality bar stock alloy. This material is too much strong and lasts longer than other typical materials of the market. It contains two-tone anodizing which makes the fly reel more durable and tough. For a quick retrieve rate, this fly fishing reel contains an ultra-large arbor. This can give you the smoothness of fishing while you need it the most.
The drag regulator of this fly fishing reel is 360-degree color-coded. This one is a great feature for interested people. It also features a captive spool release system. This feature allows you to fish smoothly when you’re having a tough battle. Let’s take a look at its pros and cons.
Pros.
- Bar stock alloy as a building material
- Contains two-tone anodizing
- Ultra-large arbor with quick retrieval feature
- 360 color coding
- Captive spool release
Cons.
- The drag knob is a bit tricky
03. Redington RISE Fly Fishing Reel
The 3rd product of our best 5 wt fly fishing reels is the Redington Fly Fishing Reel. This one is made by the famous brand REDINGTON. Just like the previous reels, this one also features a lot of advantages that every angler needs while fishing. By the by, the price range of this fishing reel is pretty affordable too! Let’s check out its features.
This one also features aluminum as a building material. Besides, it has the most common CNC machined gear system. The quick-release spool of this fly fishing reel gives you convenience while you’re fishing. Left-hand retrieves or right-hand retrieve is not a problematic matter if you grab this reel. It also features an ultra-large arbor design that can do quick line retrieve.
The twin molded ergonomic handles of this reel are soft and comfortable to fish with. For easy adjustment, it contains an oversized drag knob. The compact carbon fiber drag system of this reel is great for fly fishing. The interesting feature of this reel is, it contains a nylon reel case it. The reel is backed up with a lifetime warranty. You don’t have to worry about the maintenance.
Pros.
- CNC machined aluminum material
- Carbon fiber drag system
- Large arbor design
- Quick-release spool
- Nylon reel case with the package
Cons.
- Line capacity is a bit low
04. Lamson Guru Series II, Grey/Orange
The 4th pick is the Lamson Guru fly fishing reel. This one is made by the brand named Waterworks Lamson. It features a lot of things in a short tiny budget. Let’s jump into the features section to learn more about this product.
Just like the previous three fishing reels this one also comes up in the market with aluminum as a building material. It also has a secondary material too and that is stainless steel. The drag system of this fishing reel is the conical disc drag system. It comes up with a great variation in the backing capacity and diameter size.
It also features a large arbor design. By the by, it has a quick line retrieve rate. With its conical disc drag system, it can provide you with a smooth experience of fishing. The building method of this fishing reel is typically innovative and it makes the fly reel lighter than other traditional reels on the market. The strong aluminum spool is durable and works faster. Here are its pros and cons.
Pros.
- Aluminum as a building material
- The conical disc drag system
- Lightweight fly fishing reel
- Quick line retrieve rate
- Large arbor design
Cons.
- Doesn’t ship in some country
05. Piscifun Platte Fully Sealed Drag Large Arbor Fly Fishing Reel
The 5th product of our list is made by the mighty brand Piscifun. If you’re not a newbie in this fishing sector and you’ve tried a lot of gears for fishing, you know the brand very well. They’re making all kinds of reels and rods for a long time now and they’re cutting the market really well. This one of the brand pitiful is awesome and you can get enough out of it.
It features a CNC machined aluminum alloy body. This material is highly durable and highly recommended for a fly fishing reel. Besides, it comes up with various sizes and models. This Piscifun fly fishing reel is backed up with a Piscifun lifetime warranty. It’s made for left-hand retrieve. If you want to convert it, you need to contact the seller or manufacturer. It features a fully sealed drag system and requires no maintenance.
This reel is great for both saltwater and freshwater fishing. It also features a positive click drag knob and clicks retrieve. The CNC machined aluminum body makes this reel the best lightweight fly reel. The T6 aluminum gives it the strength to fight. It also features a large arbor design which means a high retrieve rate and less line stacking.
Pros.
- The fully sealed carbon drag system
- Click retrieve feature
- Lifetime warranty feature
- CNC machined aluminum body
- Large arbor design
Cons.
- The price is a bit high
06. Redington BEHEMOTH Fly Reel
Here’s another fly fishing reel of the brand REDINGTON. In this shortlist of 8 reels, we already have two Redington reels. It means this brand is making some really good things nowadays. Just like the previous fishing reels, this can provide you a lot it a short budget. Let’s jump into the features section to learn more about this fly reel.
It features a carbon fiber drag system. This drag system is the most powerful drag in this sector. Besides, the drag system is easily adjustable. It comes up in the market with unimaginable die-cast construction. This construction is durable and lasts longer than other traditional construction. It has a soft touch twin molded handle for your fishing comfort. These ergonomic handles work smoothly and better.
The large arbor design makes it one of the best 5wt fly reels and for this design, the retrieve rate is pretty high. It also reduces line memory. You can easily convert left hand to right hand retrieve. The reel has increased backing capacity for its deep v spool. By the by, it’s backed up with a lifetime warranty too. Let’s take a look at its pros and cons.
Pros.
- Carbon fiber drag system
- Die-cast aluminum construction
- Large arbor design
- Deep v spool
- Lifetime warranty backup
Cons.
- The V spool is a bit tricky
07. Sage Fly Fishing Spectrum C Fly Reel
The 7th reel of this list is made by the brand SAGE. This brand is pretty new in this sector but being new doesn’t mean inept. They make some really good things. Here are its features.
It comes up with one revolution drag knob. With this drag knob, you can easily adjust your drag system. Besides, the detented settings are going to help you a lot. This reel is also convertible and you can easily convert from left hand to right hand retrieve. It has a vented concave arbor. This gives you greater strength and backing capacity.
The large arbor design of this fishing reel is helpful for picking up the line faster. Your retrieve rate is pretty high too. The S. C. S. drag system of this reel is tough and it can give you enough strength you need for fishing. Here are its pros and cons.
Pros.
- Adjustable drag knob and settings
- Easy conversion feature
- Large arbor design
- Great strength and backing capacity
- Powerful SCS drag system
Cons.
- The drag knob requires awareness
08. Piscifun Sword ‖ Lighter Weight Fly Fishing Reel
If you just came through all those 5wt fly reels described above and didn’t find any of those interesting, hold on. Give yourself a break. We’ve got one more product designed for you. You can rely on us and give this one a try undoubtedly. This one is made by the brand Piscifun. It also can give you the features to work on a short budget.
It comes up with CNC machined aluminum alloy body. This one is considered to be the lightest fly fishing reel on the market right now. It comes up with two color variations. One is black and the other one is green. It’s backed up with three years limited warranty. The T6 aluminum gives you a solid experience of fishing.
It also has a corrosion resistance feature. It means you don’t have to worry about rust and you can use this freely in the water. The silky-smooth drag of this reel is tough and durable. It can give you the strength you need for fishing. To reduce the line memory effectively, it uses a mid-arbor design. It also helps at picking up the line quickly. The retrieve rate is pretty high with this fly fishing reel. Let’s take a look at its pros and cons.
Pros.
- CNC machined aluminum body
- Lighter fishing reel
- Three years limited warranty
- Mid arbor design for reducing line memory
- Corrosion resistance feature
Cons.
- Has some shipping restriction
Fly Fishing Tips that’ll Help you fly Fishing
Here are a few tips that you can abide by to make your fly fishing skill improve. These will help you a lot if you’re a newbie in this fly fishing sector.
- Always walk slowly and smoothly. Fishes are a bit tricky and they can hear you easily. Besides, they can feel the vibration. Always try to remember that fishes are wild animals and you’re making them fool.
- Try to identify the insects in the water. It’s a better idea because if you do this, you’ll get to know what the fish is eating. You can use it.
- Try casting nearby first. The common mistake every angler do is casting long. But fishes are caught with short casts most often.
- Play softly and avoid being broken. Fishes are stubborn and if you hook up a giant one, you need to handle it smoothly. Or else, you’ll be broken.
- Fish from behind any object if possible. Fishes can see you when you’re far away. So, it’s a smart choice if you fish from behind anything.
- Stay safe and take all kinds of safety precautions before you start fishing.
FAQs about 5 Weight Fly Reels
Here are some common questions about 5 weight fly reels:
What is a 5 weight fly reel good for?
It’s ideal for medium-sized fish like trout and smallbass and works well in small to medium-sized rivers and streams.
How to choose the best 5 weight fly reel?
Consider factors like reel weight, drag system, construction material, arbor size, and retrieval system.
Which brands make the best 5 weight fly reels?
Some top brands include Orvis, Redington, Piscifun, and Lamson.
Conclusion
Choosing the right 5 weight fly reel can significantly enhance your fly fishing experience. The Orvis Clearwater II, Redington Behemoth, Piscifun Sword, Lamson Liquid, and Orvis Battenkill Disc are all excellent choices, each with their unique strengths. Remember to consider the reel’s weight, drag system, construction material, arbor size, and retrieval system when making your decision. With the right reel, you’ll be well on your way to many successful fishing trips.
Personal Recommendations
As an experienced fly fisher, my personal favorite is the Orvis Clearwater II for its balance of affordability and performance. However, if budget is not a concern, the Lamson Liquid offers top-notch quality and features. For those on a tight budget, the Piscifun Sword is a fantastic choice that doesn’t compromise on essential features.
Remember, the best 5 weight fly reel is the one that suits your specific needs and preferences. Happy fishing!
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