Automatic Fly Reels

What an automatic fly reel is

On most fly reels you turn a handle to bring line in. On an automatic you pull on a lever, and a spring does the turning. You strip line out by hand, and that winds the spring. When you press the lever or trigger, the spring unwinds, spins the spool, and the slack disappears. The whole job takes one hand, which is the point.

Cast and Spear describes the same sequence: a coiled spring sits inside the frame, line pulled off by hand charges it, and a lever releases it. The Pflueger product page describes a spring-driven reel with a trigger that winds in line with a quick pull, and says the reel is meant for boats, where a free hand is useful for paddling or poling. That is a fair summary of the whole category. An automatic reel is a slack-line tool.

This page lists the automatic and semi-automatic reels we track on Amazon US. The count is small, three reels, because most fly anglers buy standard reels and the Amazon automatic shelf is thin. That also makes the page short on choices and long on explanation, so I'll spend the words on what you need to know before you buy one.

How to read the table

The three reels are sorted from the lightest line weight up. Each value in the table carries a small mark underneath:

• Maker means the value comes from the manufacturer's own product page.
• Claimed marks a maker's own claim with no independent standard named.
• Listing means the value comes only from the Amazon listing. Treat it as the seller's statement.
• — means we could not confirm it. We do not guess.

Here is what each column tells you for an automatic:

• Line weight. The range the reel is rated for. The Aventik and the Maxcatch both cover 2 to 4 weight (the Maxcatch value is from its listing), and the Pflueger covers 5 to 6 weight per its maker.
• Arbor. Large for the Aventik, and the Maxcatch listing also says large, though only the listing does. The Pflueger shows a dash.
• Drag. Automatic, for all three, which tells you the drag is not the main event. More below.
• Reel weight. 4.52 ounces for the Aventik (the maker page lists 128 g), 5.15 ounces for the Maxcatch (listing) and 11.2 ounces for the Pflueger (listing). That last number is the one that stands out, and I'll come back to it.
• Water. Aventik says freshwater. The others are not confirmed.
• Warranty. None of the three shows a warranty in our data. The Aventik page links to a separate warranty policy, so read that page before you buy.

Under each model name the "More specs" toggle shows the other values we hold: material (composite for the Aventik, aluminum for the Maxcatch listing and the Pflueger), backing capacity and diameter where known.

The three reels in the table

Aventik Automatic Fly Reel Black II. The maker's product title calls it a semi-automatic reel, and the description calls it an automatic fly reel with a "Rapid Automatic Trigger System" for one-handed operation. It is rated for 2 to 4 weight line, lists 25 meters of 20 lb backing, and weighs 4.52 ounces (128 g) with a 76 mm outer diameter, per the maker. It is a composite reel, so it is the lightest of the three on paper. It is the only one of the three that has a stated water type, freshwater.

Maxcatch Semi-Automatic Reel. Maxcatch has no maker page in our data for this model, so every value comes from the Amazon listing: 2 to 4 weight, large arbor, machined aluminum, 5.15 ounces. The listing's drag type is automatic. Because the name says semi-automatic, see the FAQ on terminology. (Semi-automatic is the reel world's way of saying it depends who you ask.) Listing-only data is the weakest kind we hold, so if you are considering it, read the full product page.

Pflueger Automatic Fly Reel 44385. Pflueger's page describes a one-handed reel for boats, with an aluminum alloy frame and spool, a stainless steel main spring, a fold-down trigger for storage, spring drag and a right-hand handle. It is rated for 5 and 6 weight line, which makes it the only one of the three that fits a standard all-round trout rod. The weight in our data is 11.2 ounces from the Amazon listing, which is far heavier than the other two. That is what a spring and a metal body add up to.

Why you might want one

I'd think of an automatic as a fix for three situations.

You fish from a kayak or small boat. Line piles up around your feet, and a stray loop snags on a seat or a rod holder. Cast and Spear lists kayak anglers first among the people who use automatics, because a quick lever takes in slack in tight spaces. Pflueger describes the same idea. If you fish from a kayak, a life jacket matters more than any reel on this page.

You have limited hand mobility or want fewer steps. Cast and Spear says anglers with mobility issues use automatics because they need less bending and fewer hands. Pressing a trigger can be easier than winding a handle.

You fish small water for small fish. Panfish, small streams and short casts are where Cast and Spear says the Martin automatic is at home. If your fishing is a farm pond and a 3 weight, the drag limits matter less.

Why you might not

The list of drawbacks is longer, and the sources agree on most of it.

• Weight. The spring and mechanism make the reel heavy for its size. Cast and Spear says that can unbalance a light graphite rod and tire your wrist. The 11.2 ounces in the Pflueger listing is more than four times a light click-and-pawl reel (the Lamson Purist II lists 2.7 ounces, per the maker).
• Drag. Minimal and not adjustable, per the same source. You fight a fish by stripping line in by hand. If a fish makes a long run, there is no brake to set.
• Backing. Less backing than a standard large arbor reel of similar size.
• Failure points. A spring can break and dirt or sand can jam the mechanism. Cast and Spear also says repairs can be difficult. That is a reason to read a maker's warranty and service page, not just the listing.
• One-way fit. An automatic is not a general-purpose reel. If you have one rod and one reel, a standard disc drag reel covers more situations.

"Automatic" is a generous word for a reel where you still do the fighting by hand. None of this makes it a bad reel. It makes it a specialist. A specialist is fine, as long as you know what it is for.

How to choose between the three

Start with the rod. The Aventik and the Maxcatch are for 2 to 4 weight rods, small-stream and panfish territory. The Pflueger is for 5 to 6 weight, the common trout and bass range. Match the reel's weight range to the line you will use, and Orvis says to stay within a weight or two of the ideal.

Then look at what is confirmed. The Aventik has a maker page with a weight, a backing figure and a stated water type. The Pflueger has a maker page that describes materials and mechanism, but our data only has its weight from the listing. The Maxcatch is all listing. If I were comparing them on how much I can verify, the Aventik comes first and the Maxcatch last. That is not a quality ranking. It is a comment on the data.

Finally, think about the rod you are putting it on. A 4.5 ounce reel on a 6-foot 2 weight rod is a very different balance from an 11 ounce reel on a 9-foot 6 weight, and the second may feel front-heavy. Mad River Fly Company's advice to match the reel to the rod so the outfit balances applies even more when a spring is in the frame.

When a standard reel is the better call

If you are choosing between an automatic and a regular reel, ask whether your fishing involves any fish that can run. If it does, a regular reel with a disc drag is the answer. The click and pawl page covers the simple, light end of the standard reels, and the trout fly reel page covers the 3 to 6 weight reels with every drag type. For the full list, see all fly reels, or buy a fly rod combo that already comes with a standard reel on it. If you are new to the words on a reel, parts of a fly reel names them.

I'll say one more plain thing. Fish do not know what kind of reel you are using, and a spring does not change a fish's mind about going under a log. It changes how fast you pick up slack before the fish does that.

Care in brief

Keep the mechanism clean. Rinse the reel with a light spray of fresh water after sand or silt, let it dry before it goes into a pouch, and store it with the trigger in the position the maker recommends. For anything inside the frame, the maker's manual is the authority, because spring reels vary and a wrong guess can leave you with a reel that will not wind. Pflueger's page notes a fold-down trigger for storage, which is a hint about how that model likes to be kept.

Brands in the table

Three brands, one reel each: Aventik, Maxcatch and Pflueger. Browse the full brand catalog for makers with standard reels.