Good Times at Low Prices
Anglers tend to pay more attention to fly rods and less to the reels. Best fly reels under 100 may seem to be an arbitrary piece of equipment in fly fishing, they are indeed important. Fly reels serve to hold your line, reel in fish, and also offer resistance to the fish you’ve hooked so it can be brought in.
Imagine handling all the extra lines you carry without the help of a reel. A good fly reel helps you effectively manage the extra length you may require in emergency scenarios. And truly, it is not really practical to reel in fish with bare hands or offer it just enough pull so it doesn’t break away.
Fly reels come in a number of varieties to confuse you. We’ll make sure you find the best fly reel for your requirement at an affordable price.
The Best Fly Reels Under 100 Dollars
Piscifun Sword Fly Fishing Reel

Weighing at 6.7 ounces, this reel has been duly constructed out of aluminium alloy. This material imparts its adequate strength and durability while also ensuring light-weightedness. Along with the base material, the hard-anodized surface works effectively in increasing resistance to corrosion and damage. This reel is also tough enough to sustain rough handling and will not get broken on being simply dropped.
This absolute toughness is coupled with the very attractive design of this reel. Available in four different colors, this reel is certainly a showstopper in the fly fishing arena. It is one of the few fly reels that are affordable and made of excellent materials at the same time.
Lines of different weights can be coupled with this reel. The maximum line weight it can effectively handle is 9/10. This means that Piscifun Sword can be effectively used in the hunt for large fish that often offer a fight before getting caught. You must know that large-sized fish require larger line weights to be rightfully handled. Like smaller fish do well with small line weights.
The size of this reel is appropriate to be handled by anglers with hands of all sizes. Moreover, the reel is versatile in function and can be used for a large variety of fish. The most attractive feature of this reel is the drag system. It is solid, durable, and very unlike the drag systems generally seen in reels of this price. This is because the material of construction for the drag is stainless steel and cork.
Stainless steel has amazing strength and it is very resistant to damage at the same time. This material is known for its strength and resilience and its use in the drag imparts longevity to the reel overall.
Pros
- This reel is light in weight, durable, and strong
- Made of aluminium alloy, this reel is sufficiently strong and well protected from damage
- The surface of this reel is hard and anodized to impart additional strength and corrosion-resistance such that it can well sustain rough handling and damage ensued from passionate fishing
- The attractive design of this reel coupled with the groundbreaking resilience makes it the best choice
- This reel is available in a variety of models that can all handle different line weights
- At maximum, a line weight of 9/10 can be very well handled by this reel
- The strength of this reel is further enhanced by the sturdy stainless steel drag system
- The overall working of the reel is smooth and well suited to hunting big fish
Redington Zero Fly Reel

Weighing at 5.6 ounces, this reel is superbly lightweight and well suited to its purpose of fishing small fish with vigor. The material of construction for this reel is die-cast metal. It imparts enough strength as required by the hunt down small fish. Along with strength, this material also gives resilience to this reel so that it doesn’t get damaged on rough use as is obvious in fly fishing.
The attractive design of this reel is an additional boon along with the sturdiness and the lightweight. A low line weight of ⅔ is available for more effective performance in catching small fish. Plus, the drag system for this reel is spring-loaded to provide more comfort in operation. The efficient drag system is built to be used with ease and absolves any difficulty which may arise in the path of hunting small fish.
This reel also has an ergonomic handle which can get well adapted to your fingers and can be effectively used to drive more force into your act. In addition, this reel has a quick spool changing feature that lets you choose on the top of the water and get working in a matter of seconds.
You’ll see that all features of this reel are made to offer adequate comfort and ease of operation. For a reel as cheap as this, the strength and durability offered is a boon.
Pros
- This reel is effectively lightweight and well suited for hunting small size fish
- The construction of the reel is sturdy and durable for its size and die-cast metal is sufficiently resilient
- This reel can sustain roughness while being handled and does not get damaged easily
- The ⅔ line weight capacity works really well for small-sized fish
- This reel is available in a variety of attractive designs
- The drag system for this reel is spring-loaded for effective balance and ease of handling
- A cushioned layer in the drag system provides additional comfort
- The reel comes with an ergonomic handle that further reduces your effort and imparts more ease of operation
- The quick spool changing feature allows you to accomplish the otherwise tough task in a few seconds
- For a very low price, this reel brings you everything you could need in a fly reel for beginners
Fiblink Fly Fishing Reel

Weighing at 5.9 ounces, this reel is made out of aluminium alloy which avails its sufficient strength and resistance to damage. In addition, the unique design of this reel ensures that it can tolerate mishandling without getting damaged. Moreover, the many attractive colors impart a stylish look to using this reel.
The reel is very light in weight and this is mainly owed to the aluminium construction. And unlike most other fly reels, this one can be very well used in saltwater environments. This has been possible because of the protective coating on the surface of this reel which prevents any damage from corrosive or rusting factors.
This reel is appropriate for medium and large-sized fish and so its line weight is set around 7/8 for the purpose. A comfortable amount of resistance is allowed by the reel while you fish with your best efforts in place.
The super-efficient drag system for this reel has made it possible to effectively control the movements of the biggest fish once you’ve had it hooked. The effective lightweight and compact design of this reel further ensures that you wouldn’t be wasting any effort in just holding the reel for a long time. All your force can be directed towards fighting the big fish now. One additional feature of this reel is its ability to be easily disassembled and repaired.
Pros
- This reel is supremely lightweight and is fit for catching medium and large fish
- The most appropriate line weight on this reel for medium and large fish is ⅞
- The smooth and effective drag imparts adequate comfort and greatly reduces the effort involved in reeling large-sized fish
- The protective surface coating on this reel enables it to be used in saltwater as well
- This reel is very portable and will not add more luggage to your hefty fishing equipment
Know-How to Choose the Best Fly Fishing Reel
It is not easy to figure out which reel is best from amongst the numerous choices and designs. The quality of fly reels are influenced by their material of construction, their line weight, their arbor diameter, and drag capacity. Maybe you weren’t aware of the importance of these features. This is the thin line between a good reel and a good quality reel that serves you a lifetime. And for a low price, a reel like that would be an asset.
The Material of Your Fly Reel Will Influence Its Strength
So many materials are used in making fly reels and most of them are unnoticeable under the variety of colors and designs. While composite plastic, aluminium, and die-cast metals are fairly used in their construction, aluminium is considered the best and the most reliable choice.
If you intend to use your fly fishing equipment in saltwater as well, there is no choice but aluminium. It is effectively resistant to corrosion and damage by rough use and dirty water. Aluminium is also comparatively cheap.
The next choice in line in die-cast metal. These reels will not be as strong as aluminium reels and will certainly cost way less. But they will be durable and resistant to corrosion to an extent. However, aluminium will be a better choice.
Composite plastics are also very popular in the realm of fly reels. For one thing, they are very light in weight and extremely comfortable to use. But their low durability doesn’t render them good quality as fly reels. However, if you are not a serious fly fisherman or you are just considering starting the sport, this reel may be a good option. You can always go for better reels once you have fallen in love with fly fishing.
Make Sure Your Fly Reel Is the Right Size
Fly reels come in a range of sizes and you have to choose the one that best fits your hand. Go for a big size if it easily fits your big hands. This is a matter of personal preference. Also, pay attention to the right and left-handed varieties of fly reels. You ought to choose the one that best goes with your good hand.
Your Line Weight Is Determined by the Size of Your Target
You can catch bigger fish with a heavier line. Keep in mind that the size of your target fish will determine the weight of your fishing line. For small fish, you require lines that weigh much less, like ⅔ wt.
Most anglers choose a line weight up to 5 for fly reels because it works well enough for both small and large-sized fish.
Choose the Right Size of Arbor
Arbor is the cylinder situated at the reel’s center around which your line is wound. The size of the arbor will vary with the type of fish you are going at. Typically, smaller arbors are used for hunting small fish as lesser line capacities are required in making the catch. While large fish could take you on a chase and require large arbors with more line capacity.
Chose the Reel That Offers the Right Amount of Drag
Good drag power is essential to stop your target. A drag system provides the requisite braking power when you have to stop your catch from running away.
In the absence of a drag system, your target fish may just take you on a chase and you may end up using a lot more line than you can imagine. A good and effective drag system will put a halt at the right moment and aid you in getting the catch.
Conclusion
For their price, Piscifun Sword, Redington Zero, and Fiblink are very amazing fly reel options for any passionate angler who wants to invest less money in reels. While Piscifun Sword avails you the unbelievable quality of performance, Redington Zero offers the same for an even lower price if your target fish are small in size. Fiblink is unmatchable in quality as it can be used even in saltwater environments for catching medium and large-sized fish through fly fishing.
While we have brought you the best possible fly reels, you ought to buckle up and head out. Try these out and they won’t disappoint you.
