Automatic fly reels

recently i watched a few youtube videos on automatic fly reels and since i've been wanting to get into fly fishing and a fishing reel and rod junkie i searched ebay and amazon for one, ended up buying a couple one a older one and one a new Pflueger Automatic. the reviews on the new reel were so so but i find that with most reels i look at yeah can't please everyone , the Automatic reel is somewhat heavy i guess but seems well balanced on a 9 foot fly rod i have . Curious if anyone else likes - uses them as they have been around forever but not much instruction on loading line on or using them.

When I fished out of a canoe or kayak I used an automatic reel, so I could have a hand free for my short paddle. It is significantly heavier than my other reels.

That’s what I grew up using, and still do on occasion.


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Got 2 of them handed down to me from my Grandpa. Not sure he ever "fly fished" with them, but they were both loaded with fly line, so :dono.
All I know is he used them to do what he called "still fishing" (tied up to trees) with minnows (sinker/hook on 8# mono leader). I haven't/don't use them, they're just keepsakes (along with the rods they came on).

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Originally Posted by Bobberbob

Curious if anyone else likes - uses them as they have been around forever but not much instruction on loading line on or using them.

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Almost nobody uses them anymore. I've never even seen one for sale in a fly shop. (The Vivarelli is one exception, but they're not cheap.)


More FF info here:

https://www.crappie.com/crappie/fly-fishing/

I have some...I like the Martin reels the best. I use them to roll cast crickets fishing for bream.

I have a Martin l have used for years bream fishing.

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as far as new automatic reels the only thing i saw available was the Pflueger they did show the Martin but out of stock , i like mecanical gizmo's so the reel intrigues me on how it will work . the you tube video's i watched no doubt the guy was a fly fishing pro as many i watch as you sure don't just push a button on a reel , there is no doubt a art to fly fishing.

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Originally Posted by Bobberbob

as far as new automatic reels the only thing i saw available was the Pflueger ...

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... yet there are hundreds of single-action reels on the market. What does that tell you?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Bobberbob

recently i watched a few youtube videos on automatic fly reels and since i've been wanting to get into fly fishing and a fishing reel and rod junkie i searched ebay and amazon for one, ended up buying a couple one a older one and one a new Pflueger Automatic. the reviews on the new reel were so so but i find that with most reels i look at yeah can't please everyone , the Automatic reel is somewhat heavy i guess but seems well balanced on a 9 foot fly rod i have . Curious if anyone else likes - uses them as they have been around forever but not much instruction on loading line on or using them.

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I had one, but took it off... it was too heavy.

Thanks for the link learned a lot watching it. :ThumbsUp l

Too heavy


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Attachment 394751 Used this one till it came apart . Was told it was bought with top value stamps in the 1950's .

that's a cool picture i'd love to catch a mess of Bluegill with it, i did find a order a few older ones just becaause they are cool looking to me and they seem to work as time will tell.

My father, brother, uncles, and cousins all used them, for years, primarily for largemouths. Today I own both types but when I fly fish the automatic is the one the sees the most use, by far. The weight of the reel has never been an issue for me.