I need to get a reel for my 3wt 7’6" What size and brand reel should I get for this rod. I will be using the rod for small streams (very small). Were would you recommend buying the reel that you will be recommending.
I like the Orvis Battenkill Barstock Size II on my 7’6" 3 wt. I’ve got some extra spools and have 5 wt line on it as well and use this reel frame for the several 5 wt rods I use. It’s a nice light reel, priced just under a hundred bucks. If you want to go cheeper you have other options but you won’t be dissappointed with the BBS II.
This is the reel that i use with my 7’ 6" 3wt http://www.dorber.com/flyreels.html
The company is a sponsor here at FAOL.
Steve
mine is a Ross Rhythm size 1. not cheap, but very durable. i drop stuff a lot and in a small stream that means onto rocks and into sand and guck. the Ross makes it very easy to remove the spool, rinse out the schtuff, put it back together, and keep fishing.
I have Abel, Ross, Tica, Tioga, Orvis and Lamson, all for my “shorty light weights”.
They all, work great on the rods they’re on so I can’t recommend to anyone “which one to buy”, really
So, basically, it doesn’t make much difference, except to purchase a reel that “feels right” on the rod, (take the rod, with you, if possible when shopping and put the reel on it), takes whatever backing and fly line capacity you may want and of course…fits into your budget for what you wish to spend.
It’s hard to beat a Tioga, for the price, made here in the USA (IF that matters to you), and they’re built like tanks. Abel’s are expensive, as reels go. Ross is an excellent product. Orvis backs their brand very well and Tica is a very under rated reel, for the money, but I’ve never had any hassles with mine. The Lamson “Radius” is a very good, small rod reel.
It just depends more or less, what’s in your budget!?!
I have a BBS II on my 7’6" TFO 3 wt. Great combination . . .
-wayne
RAMBO -
Flybinder pretty much nailed it. It is a matter of price point, more than anything else for most of us. My favorite reel for my 7’6" 3 wt is an Abel TR1 and my next favorite is an Orvis BBSII. The Abel costs about 3X what a BBSII costs, both for the reel and extra spools.
John
P.S. I do have an Orvis BBSII that I would consider selling to someone who will fish it on small streams and really appreciate the experience and the fish. If you qualify and are interested, send me a PM.
Rambo,
I’ve been fishing an H&H 3 wt that I built over the winter and have an Orvis Clearwater II on it and it fishes just fine…the reel set me back a grand total of $39.00 and performs great on the small streams. I also use a Lamson Radius 1.5
Ken
I use a Crystal River cr0001a. Small reel (2.5"), holds a dt3 and about 20yds of backing weighs 2.7oz …cost $13.
rambo, if you haven’t already, you should absolutely take john scott up on his offer for the bbs II. i have one i use on a 7’6" 4wt. and love it. orvis has outstanding customer service as well.
hardy marksman would be nice! 
same here, love it.
Good evening.
Have you considered a LOOP CLWC 2-6, the little clear plastic reel.
http://www.loopnorthamerica.com/fly-reels.htm
I reviewed one and then bought it for my 2w rod fishing, here in Australia.
Kind regards,
UB
Thats a slick little reel. How much? The link didn’t give a price.
Good morning.
Price, I don’t know what you would pay, as I live on the other side of this place called Earth, Australia.
The clear little reel, to me, its by far the best, the lightest small fly reel ever made.
My review that was placed in a magazine,(we do not sell LOOP reels).
Mods, trust its ok to place here ?
Loop Evotec CLWC Fly Reels, review by Uncle Barry
What a great idea!
Have someone who supplies another brands of fly reels review your brand of fly reel.
LOOP?s Australian agent did just that, which indicated to me they had extreme confidence in the little clear Evotec CLWC 2 Six fly reel.
Whilst waiting for the reel to arrive, I told a number of people that I had just ordered one of LOOP?s clear baby reels for my 6w rod. This was an attempt to gauge the general fly fishing consumer?s ideas about a clear plastic fly reel. The reaction and comments were unbelievably different from ?its only a plastic reel, why would you pay so much for a plastic reel?, (from people who hadn?t even seen the reel), to a chap who had a friend with the same reel on his 2w rod who considered the CLWC ?the state of the art in small fly reels?. This fellow had 2 clear reels on order, one for his 6w and the other for his 2w rod, which he uses with a Shooting Head in the saltwater with light tippets.
The reel arrived and upon opening the freight packaging there before me, was a clear thin plastic box and a clear reel. My first thoughts were, ?this is a joke, surely?. Then after opening the box, and taking this ?joke? reel out, I discovered a beautifully smooth fly reel. This was the LOOP CLWC fly reel in my hand. This is a very special reel as I have never seen a fly reel that was made clear material and in fact, I have never seen a fly reel packaged in a clear plastic box before.
My first reactions after removing the reel from the box were that this reel is too impossibly light in weight and in fact it is confusing that the reel weighs so little!
Spool width to depth is an almost perfect ratio allowing the caster to have their line at maximum retrieval rate at anytime.
Once the real testing started it was noticed immediately that the drag was amazingly silky smooth and allowed even 1kg tippets to be used without fear and during another test when coupled to a 6w rod and using 5kg tippets in the saltwater, the drag once more excelled in its wide range of settings.
Just one of the special features of this reel series is the adjustable spool (start-up) inertia settings. This feature also stops wind back when casting which is an annoying characteristic that is present on too many reels today.
The drag is totally sealed and constructed of discs made of metal och Teflon which allows the reel?s drag setting to be extremely stable, no matter the weather conditions. The drag adjustment knob has a range through 330degrees, which gives a wonderfully wide range of settings and additionally, the drag is also enclosed and water proof, no matter the ambient temperature.
Spool changing can be completed at night without worrying about losing a ?bit? because the spool is held by a centre spider that can be released with a couple of turns from the centre spool locking nut, using your fingers.
The clear composite material that the reel has been produced from is very expensive, unbreakable and unaffected by heat or extreme cold, thus resulting in a reel that is almost indestructible!
A bonus for any Trout fisher is the ample spool handle with its soft surface that has raised dimples to stop frozen fingers slipping off. The handle is slightly longer that most small fly reels of this size, which is most welcome when fingers are bright red with the cold.
LOOP Evotec CLWC reels are available in two sizes, for lines, 2 ? 6 w and 5 ? 8w.
To me this reel is flawless, something I have always looked for but have never previously found in any small fly reel. Coupled with a price that most casters can afford is, I believe, a great value for money special reel.
The end result of this review is that I bought this reel and, even though I sell another brand, I intend to use it on my 2w rod. As good as it gets, in small fly reels would best describe this modern fly reel from LOOP!
Next time you visit your tackle shop, ask the staff for a look at this clearly amazing fly reel.
Trade inquires to Pacific Composites Pty. Ltd. Ph 07 3274 1099 or email info@pacomp.com.au
The suggested selling price is about $250.
Kind regards,
UB
Well its on my X-mas wish list. Maybe just in time to test it on some winter steel.
Marryat CMR 34 - beautiful, functional, will last forever and it is beautiful. 
This has been an interesting read…esp. re: the Loop reel.
I’ll just throw this into the mix…a couple of years+ ago after my reels were stolen I, of course, was in the market for new…FAOL to the rescue…concenses was the BBSII considering pricepoint…I had the opportunity to go in a fondle some reels…though ready to buy the BBSII when I held a similar Okuma Helios in hand …to me looks and feel wise there was no comparison.
I’ve been buying Okuma Helios ever since with no problems…but I really haven’t been challenging them…
Incidentally, don’t you think reels up to at least 5 wt are really just storage systems?:roll:
My rec. to you Rambo would be to consider the H3/4 Okuma Helios…I believe this is a reel running under the radar…my understanding is they wanted to put out a reel of superior quality to their others and really paid attention to engineering specs , etc.
They have a suggested retail of $169+ but if you play the ebay auction game you can get them in the $100± range including shipping…I got one for $80 and change once:D
I’d say for the most part you are correct. But I would also say that a 5 wt may be used for some high intesity fish. Especially small steelhead and atlantic salmon. Most people don’t fish for these fish often enough to be worried about a good drag system on their reels. But once you use a reel with a good drag you’ll never go back.
I don’t disagree with that…was speaking , in general, and didn’t include the disclaimers… and in general , I would want to play steelhead off the reel…