DEMYSTIFLY

Click pawl reels. Simple, lightweight, dependable, and only good for smaller fish like trout and panfish...or are they? At ICAST this year, I discovered there is one company out to change that way of thinking. Although the majority of my work at the show was covering the latest in conventional tackle for TackleTour.com, I stumbled upon a new company called Cubalaya Outfitters which makes click fly reels geared towards saltwater fishing. Yep, you read that right! Much like the

Intro/Specs/Craftsmanship Along with fiberglass rods, click-pawl reels seem to have really grown in popularity the last several years. Out of the various offerings on the market, the Colorado LT undoubtedly was and still is a favorite among trout chasers everywhere...and for good reason. Those reels are lightweight, high-quality, and offer a ton of visual appeal. While the Colorado LT has enjoyed a highly-successful run, production of those reels has ceased and the brand-new

Hardy MTX-S Reels A bold step forward in reel design, the new Hardy® Ultralite MTX-S is our first fly reel to feature a hybrid carbon fiber / alloy main frame construction with a sealed disc drag system. Strong, light, and with a stunning industrial design, the MTX-S features a carbon fiber drag system, 340 degree color-coded regulator, captive spool release, and high line capacity. These reels are available now. Sizes include a 3/4/5, 5/6/7, and 7/8/9 with a retail price of

Most fly reels available today will come equipped with a disc drag system. Typically, this drag setup will consist of either an exposed ring of cork mounted on the inside of the reel frame, or, more commonly, a synthetic/carbon fiber drag stack inside of a protective housing which will also be mounted on the inside frame. Both of these setups are so prevalent because they work well and allow you to adjust the drag tension through a range of settings. I wouldn't call the above

Intro/Specs/Craftsmanship There's nothing finer than fishing with a fly rod that feels super lightweight. A rod like this simply amplifies the experience and is a pure joy to fish with. When you do find one of those magical lightweight sticks, pairing it up with a quality featherweight reel is a great way to compliment it. In terms of saving weight, one of the best reel types you can buy is one with a click-pawl drag system. There are no cork or carbon fiber materials here; n

Intro/Specs/Craftsmanship I can still recall handling an original Abel TR many years back at my local fly shop in California. I couldn't afford one at the time, but I remember drooling over its smooth lines, flawless finish, and elegant wood accents. It was a thing of beauty then, and would still be a stunner even today. Classic is an understatement—every old school Abel was a straight up legend in my book. Now over 20 years later, guess what? The TR series is back. Abel has

Intro/Specs/Craftsmanship Click pawl reels are the ultimate in lightweight simplicity. These old-school systems use a small piece of metal (aka a "pawl") that clicks against a small gear on the inside of the spool to produce the necessary drag resistance. While a system like this lacks much if any adjustability like a more typical disc-drag fly reel, they save weight and produce a very audible sound that some anglers prefer. The ZERO reels from Redington have been out for som

Lightweight. Simple. Classy. Those are three adjectives I'd use to sum up the Colorado LT fly reel from Ross Reels. It's difficult not to stare at this beautiful reel as it looks not only extremely unique, but very elegant as well. Apparently I'm not the only one who thinks this way either, as the Colorado LT earned the award for "Best of Show Freshwater Fly Reel" at IFTD 2016. I recently got to spend a bit of time with the 3/4 model to get a feel for how this intriguing reel