british reels
Fly rods and fly reels are the largest items of tackle we use. Although rods, and the materials from which they are made, may have seen radical changes since fly fishing became popular, reels have also developed from simple artisan made winches to sophisticated precision machined masterpieces. Although sharing some common beginnings, British and American reels have followed different paths. Crankwind reels survived longer in America, first acquiring balanced handles, then branching off into a huge variety of bait casting, multiplying and sea fishing reels. While British reelmakers developed the cast and machined "cage and drum" pattern of reel, some of the biggest American manufacturers, South Bend, Pflueger, Bronson etc, favoured building reels using pressed components. America also adopted the automatic fly reel much more than UK anglers, and it's these differences, and similarities, that I hope to be able to explore in the Reel pages of the Museum.