MidCurrent Tested and Trusted: Redington Behemoth Fly Reel 

One of the things that has always troubled me about fly reels is a lack of versatility. It just seems that you need a different reel for every type of water and every species you’re fishing for. Even when you have multiple spools rigged with different lines, using the same reel to go from trout fishing, to bass fishing, to saltwater, to Spey casting is practically unheard of . . . unless you own a Redington Behemoth Fly Reel.

Big Yet Flexible

The Redington Behemoth is not your everyday reel. As the name suggests, it’s a big, bulky reel even in its smaller 4-weight and 5-weight sizes. Some anglers may not like to have such a beefy set-up, but the Redington Behemoth’s size and overall design have a purpose, as it’s the most adaptable reel on the market.

An orange version of the reel seems to be out of stock, but you may be able to find one in a retail store.

I first bought my Behemoth to use as a backup saltwater reel for striper fishing. I planned on just keeping the inexpensive reel in my bag so I’d have another option in case I lost or broke my main reel. Sure enough, the drag on my other reel burned out on the first striper I hooked. I switched to the Behemoth, figuring that I was probably screwed using such an inexpensive reel for such big fish, yet I ended up being pleasantly surprised. Not only did the Behemoth hold up just fine with my next striper, but it also stopped a hard-running false albacore and several scrappy bluefish. In fact, the reel completely outperformed the much more expensive fly reel I was originally using, and after that day I was hooked on the Behemoth’s big-fish capabilities.

The Behemoth’s large arbor design speeds up your line retrieve, making it a great reel for battling those fish that take you into your backing. I bought several spools for my 7/8 Behemoth and was soon using it for saltwater fishing, streamer fishing for trout, and even for catching pike and muskie. The Deep V-Spool design of the Behemoth also allows for increased backing and line capacity, so on a whim, I filled my Behemoth with a thick Spey line and used it to swing for winter steelhead. Once again the reel absolutely performed.

The author found that his Behemoth worked great on his Spey rod, as well. Photo: Kubie Brown

Putting The Brakes On

There’s no doubt in my mind that the Behemoth is the most versatile reel on the market with the best and most powerful drag in its class. The carbon-fiber drag system, with an oversized knob on the side of the reel, is easy to adjust with cold fingers. You can put more or less pressure on a fish during a fight, and you can even completely lock the drag down to stop a hard-running fish.

The Behemoth also comes with twin molded, soft-touch ergonomic handles, making it a comfortable reel for fighting big fish. The reel’s die-cast construction is light and easy to cast despite its bulky appearance, and it’s just flat-out a joy to use.

The Behemoth is available in black, bronze, gunmetal, and olive drab green.

Not a Behemoth Cost

The final and perhaps best thing about the Redington Behemoth Fly Reel is that it’s affordable, retailing at just $129 to $149 in freshwater and saltwater versions—half the cost of some other reels of the same quality. What’s more, Redington Behemoth reels come with a lifetime warranty that guarantees a repair or replacement on the off chance your Behemoth reel does break, making the reel more than worthy investment for all your big game needs.

Click here to learn more about the Redington Behemoth Fly Reels