How To Decide Fly Reel Size

Trying to decide on the perfect-sized fly reel for your fly rod? With rods getting ever lighter, many reel manufacturers have become hyper-conscious of reel weight. But as Phil Monahan points on in this week’s installment of “Fine Lines,” lightest is not always best. In fact, the “finger test” still works quite well, thank you very much.
Excerpt: “HOLD THE ROD as if you were going to cast it to see where the ‘pivot’ point is for your particular grip. This point is one inch below the top of the cork handle. Put the reel on the rod and then try to balance the outfit on your finger at that pivot point. If the outfit is properly balanced, it should pretty much balance perfectly, with the weight of the reel offsetting the weight of the rod out to the tip.”