System 2 Fly Reel

It's a misconception passed on from some of the trout guys that a fly reel is just a line storage facility. Your aim must be to catch repeatable sea fish on your fly gear, and you'll hope that they'll run far and fast and for the reel to function as a reel by giving line from a grudging drag. On this score, cheap fly reels don't come in to the equation. You need to squirrel your money away and buy a good 'un.

Scientific Anglers System 2 fly reels are up there with the best and are getting more and more popular with UK sea fly fishers.

The no 78 is a 7-8 weight line reel that I find perfect for bass, gars, mackerel and pollack being tough, lightweight and with a large line capacity. The frame and spool are made from lightweight alloy with a non-reflective matt black finish. The side-plate of the reel is also drilled for increased ventilation.

It features a drilled for ventilation spool with a line capacity of 240-yards of 20lb line, plus an 8 weight line. You're unlikely to need that much, but I like the safety margin. Bass might not take too much line unless they're big and fighting in a fast estuary channel current, but hit a rock pollack in the 3 to 4lb class and it's a different league. The spool is counter balanced for smooth operation, plus has a high profile palming rim for additional hand drag when a big fish runs far and fast. The spool is easily ambidextrous by depressing the button on spool, lifting it out, removing the centre drag gear from the arbour, replacing it upside down and refitting the spool.

The drag, positioned on the rear side-plate, is an easy-to-grip raised turn button. The drag has a wide setting range and pressure comes on slowly until the drag is two thirds tightened, then it really gets hold. It gives line smoothly with no snatch.

The gears and spool arbour are stainless steel and as tough as you'll need. In fact, the whole reel is superbly engineered to fine tolerances, as you'd expect.

Some regular fly fishers might disagree when I say I'd have preferred a different type of handle grip. It's a typical freshwater cylindrical shape that I find difficult to grip when up to my chest in surf, my hands are cold and wet and you've a good fish on. I'd have gone for a flattened grip like you'd find on a small multiplier myself. Okay, there might be a greater chance of shooting line getting tangled on it from time to time, but I'd live with that in the knowledge that when I need to retrieve quickly my fingers can get a proper grip.

Regards maintenance, I just rinse the whole reel with freshwater, then wipe it over with a cloth soaked in WD40 when the reel is dry. I've fished frequently with this reel and it still looks like new. I would though, recommend taking the whole backing line off after every few trips and clean and wipe over the inside edge of the spool with WD40. Repeat the process for overwintering the reel.

In conclusion, I've found this reel excellent in performance and can't fault it bar the handle grip shape. You may have a problem or two with corrosion if you don't take reasonable care of the reel, but then that can be said for any engineered equipment exposed to the rigours of saltwater.

The System 2 78 reel costs around £90, but if you shop around some of the Mail Order houses you'll get it cheaper. You can also get spare spools for all models mentioned costing about £40.

SA offer three other reels with a larger than normal backing line capacity that will suit some sea anglers. There's the 89 reel designed for 8 to 9 weight lines and 330-yards of 20lb backing at the same price. If you need to target something with real power on foreign shores, then the 1011 taking a 10 to 11 line and 390-yards of 20lb backing costing about £95, or the big 1213 for 12 to 13 weight lines and giving a backing capacity of 300-yards of 30lb line will fill the bill, but you'll hurt your credit card for around £99.99.