Gonna be buying a couple of reels real soon, but can’t decide on color. I’ve been using gold. Was going to go with black to be less spooky (debatable importance) and just cool appearance. But I’m wondering about it looking terrible with scratches and perhaps more difficult to see/clean debris from the workings. Those with experience shed some, uh, light?
I own two Abel reels in the coral black color along with 6 spools. None of them look any worst for the wear. Except for a decent size nick on one of the spools, the black seems to hide nicks a scratches very well.
I have Ross Gunnison (black) reels that are pushing 15+ years old and have a few character scratches on them. I take some care with them and dont go thrashing them on rocks etc.
I think darker colored reels are probably best, although I don’t know if there is any scientific proof of that. I favor gunmetal myself, such as on an older Orvis CFO or Pflueger Medalist.
As for looking terrible with scratches - why would there be any scratches? If you’re a wading stream fisherman, there’s no reason for the rod & reel to leave your hand. No opportunity for scratches unless you take a spill. But then they’re called battle scars, LOL.
I’m perfectly capable of wearing the finish off of any reel (so far). The color is irrelevent to the fishing, so go with what you think looks best. Style is important, ya know. Which is why I try to be as unstylish as possible.
DG
This thread reminds me of when the local newspaper ran a front page feature story of “What color the next M&M would be”. I cancelled the paper.
BTW - It was purple…now that would be a nice color for a reel…
Hmm, well, chalk up some of it to being a beginner, some to being tall, thin, arthritic, poor of balance, and unsteady of foot, some to environment: streams with slimed rocks of all sizes & shapes and heavily wooded, sometimes difficult or impossible to hike the banks. In practice, some wet & dry rock scrambling needing 1 hand on the staff, one on the rocks, sometimes at the same time, and sometimes growth overhead disallowing holstering the rod in the vest loops.
Maybe getting a black reel would be a good thing to encourage me to keep it from touching anything, but hopefully not so much as to keep from catching slips and falls - I’d rather break the reel than an elbow.
You might want to give some thought to the fact that bright finishes are more apt to reflect sun light. It depends on what kind of fishing you do but I would be concerned about those reflections spooking trout in some situations.
No evidence exists in the fly fishing lexicon that shows that one reel ‘color’ matters in any significant way over another.
All the ‘flash’ or ‘shiny’ worries are basically unfounded ‘fly fishing legend’ type stuff. No basis in fact.
However, if it’s really that important to you, buy the reel that YOU feel is most ‘stealthy’.
Or the one that YOU thinks looks the ‘best’.
Or, the one that has the prettiest girl in the add.
Or, get the one that as those cute little ‘oblong’ holes in it, rather than the plain old ‘round’ holes. Everyone knows that the oblong holes are ‘way cool’.
Or, that REALLY FAR OUT wood handle knob is REALLY the best way to go. It isn’t a real ‘quality’ reel unless it has that wooden knob on it.
Oh, and you wouldn’t want a reel that didn’t have the ‘curved taper’ to the reel foot. Some have a staight taper, and we all know that you really NEED the curved reel foot to have a reel that will let you catch more fish.
Of course, it’s MOST important that the reel have those little tooling marks on the inside of the frame, don’t you think? THAT is clearly the ONLY way to make sure that you get a ‘good’ reel, since it was ‘machined’.
Then again, wouldn’t a ‘good’ reel be finished completely and have those marks polished out? Don’t buy that one…
Or, get the reel that that last guide you used/met recommends.
Or your best friend, his wife? You could maybe ask the dog?
Good Luck!
Buddy
Now if you’re going to go with the black reels, especially in the matte, you won’t need this, but if you’re going with ‘spooky, presumably shiney’ reels, you might want to consider one of the new ‘flyreel bras’ that just came out for just that purpose.
Cheers,
MontanaMoose
I am so grateful I do not face such a decision. One can only imagine the angst. I wish you good luck.
Vic
With a dark tweed jacket, one tends to sport a dark tone fly fishing acessory reminiscent of days of yore. Should the jacket be a lighter shade, one may utilize accessories in lighter shades and may be with color to be acceptable. But be sure to not offend others angling near by with a reel shade that is too gaudy.
Next we will discuss “Ladies Evening Wear.” :lol:
Bravo Wednesday Caster, Bravo.
Of course, one might fish with a light reel for bright days and a dark reel for dark days.
I don’t even want to think about what sort of reel one would use during Mardi Gras…
Wow, can have a different color for every day of the week and each type of line with the dormisch reels. Really purty, but kinda weird looking.
My bad, I forgot to mention that ALL of my reels are black and I don’t catch many fish, hmmm?
Maybe I should get some gaudy reels to offend nearby anglers and attract more fish :idea: .
Call me crazy but I think stealth makes a difference. Especially on small creeks. All my reels are black and most of the rods I fish have a matt finish. Waving a stick in the air with a shiny reel just seems to be an invitation to trouble.
Next: Cloaking devices for fly fisherpersons and their gear !
Cheers,
MontanaMoose
Dark or light…
dont make a differance to me…
I fish at night…
Color may not matter…but finish does.
A matte finish reflects less light than a gloss finish. Same goes for rods, actually. This makes a difference in close quaters if you fish facing the sun.
BTW a reel whose finish goes “all the way through” will hide scratches better than one which is “painted on”.
I crawl and fall a lot when I fish…I fish a lot of small waters…catch more fish if I go low and slow.
The finish on my reels reflect this. 
Best,
Black Gnat