Hatch Fly Reels

Who Hatch is

Hatch's story page says Hatch Outdoors began in 2003 with the goal of making a fly reel that would set the industry standard, and calls the company family-owned and operated. It does not name founders. The company's repair page gives a Vista, California address, and the Iconic 5 Plus product page says that reel is proudly made in Southern California, USA. That is all I can source, and I will not add to it.

What Hatch sells on Amazon US now

At our last check (October 2026) we track 9 Hatch fly reels on Amazon US, all from the Iconic Plus family. There are no Hatch rods, lines or apparel in our data, so this is a reels-only page. Five are large arbor and four are mid arbor:

Reel	Arbor	Line weights	Maker weight	Diameter
Iconic 3 Plus	large	3 to 5	4.94 oz	3.25 in
Iconic 4 Plus	large	4 to 6	5.25 oz	3.425 in
Iconic 5 Plus	large	5 to 7	5.94 oz	3.75 in
Iconic 7 Plus	large	7 to 9	8.89 oz	4.125 in
Iconic 9 Plus	large	9 to 11	10.2 oz	4.375 in
Iconic 5 Plus	mid	5 to 7	not in data	3.75 in
Iconic 7 Plus	mid	7 to 9	not in data	4.125 in
Iconic 9 Plus	mid	9 to 11	not in data	4.375 in
Iconic 11 Plus	mid	11 to 12	not in data	4.75 in

In the table above, a small mark sits under each value. "Maker" means Hatch's own page states it, "listing" means only the Amazon listing does, and "—" means we could not confirm it. Every reel here has a maker page linked, but the arbor type in our data comes from the Amazon listing, so it shows a "listing" mark. Read the arbor on the listing before you order.

What the maker says about the Iconic

The 5 Plus page, the only Hatch reel page I could read in full, lists a Type II anodize finish and warns that the color may vary. It lists line weights 5 to 7, large and mid arbor spools, and says the reel is not compatible with previous model spools. Species named are trout, corbina and smallmouth bass. It cites use in Southern California surf and says the reel was used for steelhead and streamer fishing. It gives no drag specification and does not state a saltwater rating. The box holds a reel pouch and an Iconic cap wrench.

Our data lists a disc carbon drag for every Hatch reel here. That is the type, not the strength: the maker's page I read gave no maximum drag figure, so I cannot tell you how hard it pulls.

(The "Plus" is on every size in our data, so nothing in the range is merely the basic one.)

Large arbor or mid arbor

The arbor is the core of the spool. A large arbor is a wider core, which means the line comes off in looser coils and each turn of the handle retrieves more line. A mid arbor is a smaller core, which leaves more room on the spool for backing. The maker's backing capacities show the trade:

Size	Large arbor capacity	Mid arbor capacity
5 Plus	WF5F + 120 yd	WF5F + 130 yd
7 Plus	WF7F + 260 yd	WF7F + 340 yd
9 Plus	WF9F + 300 yd	WF9F + 400 yd

The same pattern holds across each pair. For a trout rod, the difference of ten yards is small. For a larger fish and a bigger reel, it can matter. In my view the coils matter most with thin, stiff lines, which hold the shape of a small core. Our fly reel size guide and the guide to how much backing goes on a fly reel explain how to use the numbers.

Choosing a size

Start with the rod's printed line weight and pick the reel whose range includes it.

• 3-weight rod. The 3 Plus (3 to 5).
• 4-weight rod. The 3 Plus or 4 Plus.
• 5-weight rod. The 3 Plus, 4 Plus or 5 Plus. Which you choose depends on how much weight you want at the butt.
• 6-weight rod. The 4 Plus or 5 Plus.
• 7-weight rod. The 5 Plus or 7 Plus.
• 8-weight rod. The 7 Plus.
• 9 or 10-weight rod. The 9 Plus, large or mid arbor.
• 11 or 12-weight rod. The 11 Plus.

That is a ladder of ranges from the maker's own spec, not a recommendation. A reel is part of the rod's balance, and the table shows the weights where the maker gives them, so use them. Our trout reel and saltwater reel pages cover the same choice across brands.

Reading the backing capacity

Hatch writes capacity as a fly line plus a length of its own backing, such as WF5F-120Y. That means the spool holds a WF5F line and 120 yards of backing. If your line is a different weight, the capacity changes, and the maker lists several lines per reel: the 5 Plus large arbor shows WF5F-120Y, WF6F-100Y and WF7F-80Y, so each step up in line weight costs you backing. Match your actual line to the row, not the first number you see.

Backing is the line under the fly line. It fills the spool so the fly line does not coil tightly, and it is your reserve if a fish runs. For a trout reel, 80 to 120 yards is plenty. For the bigger reels in this range, the maker lists 240 to 500 yards, which only makes sense if you chase fish that can run that far. Our backing page lists backing by brand, and the guides on spooling a reel and the backing knot show how to load one.

What "disc carbon" tells you, and what it does not

A disc drag is a stack of plates that squeezes to resist a running fish, and you set the pressure with the knob. Carbon is a common plate material, chosen because it stays smooth. That is what our data says for all nine reels. It does not say how much drag each reel can deliver, how sealed it is, or whether it has been rated for salt. If any of those matter, ask the maker before you buy. Our parts of a fly reel guide explains the other words in the table.

Matching reel weight to the rod

A reel is part of the balance of the outfit. The large arbor 3 Plus is 4.94 oz and the 5 Plus is 5.94 oz, so the 5 Plus is a full ounce heavier than the 3 Plus, which you can feel by the end of a day on a light rod. The table gives the weights where the maker states them so you can compare.

A short care note

An anodized aluminum reel that gets wet should be rinsed and dried after a day on the water, and the drag knob backed off for storage so the plates are not left under pressure. That is general practice rather than a Hatch instruction, so follow any care guidance that came with your reel.

Warranty and repairs

The Hatch repair page says that current repairs may take up to 7 to 9 weeks to process and complete once a reel arrives at its offices. Sending a reel in means accepting the page's terms, and the page directs you to a warranty policy page. I could not read that page, so I will not state the warranty terms. If they matter to you, read the policy on Hatch's site before you buy, and keep your receipt. Hatch also has a warranty registration page.

Spare spools and compatibility

The 5 Plus page warns that the reel is not compatible with previous model spools. That is worth reading twice if you already own a Hatch and plan to buy another or a spare. Match the spool to the model generation and the arbor you have. The listings in our data are reels, so check whether a spare spool is in the box.

Common mistakes

• Mixing up large and mid arbor. The same size name covers both, and the capacity differs.
• Assuming a saltwater rating. The maker page we read does not state one.
• Ignoring the weight. An 8.89 oz 7 Plus on a light 7-weight can feel butt-heavy.
• Buying for the rod weight and skipping the capacity. If a fish can run, check the backing figure.

How to read the table

The line weight bar runs 1 to 12, and Hatch reels cluster at 3 to 12. The "Arbor" column shows the listing's word. The "Drag" column shows disc carbon, and "Reel weight" shows the maker's weight where the data has it. A dash means we could not confirm the value.

For other brands, the fly reels section and the best fly reels page apply plain rules to the whole field, and the parts of a fly reel guide explains the words.

Before you order

Open the listing and confirm three things: the arbor (large or mid), the line weight range against your rod, and the model generation if you plan to share spools with a reel you already own. If the listing shows a dash for a value in our table, treat it as unconfirmed rather than missing by accident.