Reel seats

Reel Seats The purpose of reel seats is simple enough: hold the reel securely to the rod. And there aren't an overabundance of reel seats commonly available in "over the counter" fly rods to confuse us, so this component is pretty straight forward. All fly reels have a "footing", which is a two-pronged, flanged metal piece, that is either welded to, or is machined from, the reel frame. It is this footing which is inserted ("seated") into the reel seat on the rod to hold the reel in place. What to look for . . . The features of reel seats with which fly fishers concern themselves when selecting a rod include: the locking mechanism: 3 common styles are "cork-and-ring", "uplocking" or "downlocking" the material of which it is constructed: common materials used are anodized aluminum, silver, plastics, and graphite. the material used for the "spacer": (see sidebar) the cylindrical piece that provides the space between the rod grip and the rear seating mechanism for the reel is often decorative wood or plastic
Type of reel seat	Description
	Cork-and-ring reel seats These are designed for use with small, light rods and reels. They are not suitable for heavy-duty use, rather for "fine & light" fishing. They work just fine, but the reel tends to roll on the cork seat.	Reel seat spacers Also known as "inserts", this cylindrical piece is among the more distinctive "appearance" components on fly rods. They range from inexpensive, dull, muted plastic, to expensive, hand made exotic wood such as teak, walnut, zebrawood, maple, redwood, etc. Here again, there is not a lot of choice found in manufactured rods. If you build your own rods, or have one custom made, there is an ample variety available from which to choose. Spacers are essentially a matter of personal preference, as durability and performance are essentially the same, regardless of material used.
	Uplocking reel seat This is the most widely used style. It has a slot in the butt end of the grip into which the forward foot of the reel seats. The back is covered with a sliding footing that is tightened down by a locking ring that comes UP from the bottom of the rod.
	Uplocking variation This style has a footing retainer piece at the butt end of the grip into which the reel fits. (As opposed to being inside the grip.) It, too, has a sliding ring that is tightened by coming up from the bottom of the rod.
	Downlocking reel seat This is the reverse of the uplocking style. It has a permanent slot in the butt end of the rod into which the rearward foot of the reel seats. The front foot is covered with a sliding piece that is tightened down by a locking ring that comes DOWN from the top of the reel seat.
	Saltwater Styles Reel seats made for use with fly rods designed for saltwater fishing often use anodized aluminum to resist corrosion.

Reel Seats