10 Best Large Arbor Fly Reels 2025 in the United States

The LAMSON Guru S-Series -5+ Fly Fishing Reel is a robust and reliable choice for anglers, whether you are a seasoned professional or a hobbyist. With its large arbor design, it allows for quick line retrieval and minimizes line memory, keeping your lines neat and ready for action. The reel's fully CNC machined and anodized construction ensures durability and protection against damage and abrasion, making it suitable for all types of water, from freshwater to saltwater environments.

Weighing just 8.78 ounces, its lightweight design adds to its ease of use without compromising on strength or reliability. The standout feature is its sealed conical drag system, which provides a smooth, broad range of drag and keeps the mechanism safe from water and debris. The drag system is powerful enough to handle a wide range of fish sizes and conditions.

However, for some users, the weight might slightly be on the heavier side compared to other high-end options. Additionally, the reel is designed for left-hand orientation, which may not be suitable for everyone. With its sleek Blaze color and excellent balance of functionality and aesthetics, the Guru S-Series is a worthy investment for your fly fishing gear.

The Lamson Speedster S-Series 7+ reel stands out with its super large arbor, designed to help you quickly reel in line while reducing line memory and coiling issues. It’s built for speed, with a tall, narrow shape that neatly stacks your fly line and allows for rapid line pickup, which can be a big advantage when fighting fast or strong fish. The reel’s drag system uses a sealed conical design that provides smooth and powerful resistance, protecting it from water and debris, which means it should perform reliably in both freshwater and saltwater conditions.

Made with fully CNC-machined stainless steel and aluminum, it is both strong and durable while maintaining a good strength-to-weight ratio, so it won't feel heavy on your rod. The reel handles 6 to 8 weight lines and offers ample backing capacity, fitting a wide range of fishing scenarios from panfish up to bigger saltwater targets. One consideration is that the reel is left-hand oriented, which may not suit everyone.

At 0.27 kilograms, it’s fairly lightweight but might feel a bit bulkier compared to some other models if you prefer ultra-light setups. If you want a high-quality, fast-retrieving reel that excels in diverse environments and values durability and smooth drag, the Speedster S-Series 7+ is an excellent option.

The Lamson Liquid -3+ S-Series Fly Fishing Reel is a solid choice for anglers looking for a large-arbor reel suitable for a variety of water types, ranging from freshwater to saltwater. It features a large arbor that allows for quick line pickup and reduces line memory, helping to keep lines and leaders from becoming twisted or coiled. The reel’s drag system includes a sealed conical drag that is smooth and powerful, offering a wide range of resistance while protecting the drag from water and debris, which enhances durability in tough environments.

Constructed from pressure-cast aluminum, the reel weighs just 7.65 ounces yet remains durable enough to handle different fishing situations. It offers a decent line capacity of around 100 yards of 20-pound backing, which suits most fly fishing needs in the weight classes it supports (2wt, 3wt, 4wt). Additionally, its ambidextrous design allows comfortable use for both right- and left-handed anglers.

This reel is versatile and well-built for its price range, providing a dependable, all-around fly fishing option without the premium cost associated with higher-end CNC machined reels.