Recommend a reel to match a 7ft Sharpes cane?

[JohnMD1022]

Try the often overlooked Farlow Sapphire. An LRH clone, and a fine reel.

The Hardy JLH is also great.

[JohnMD1022]

For a 5 wt rod, I would go with a JLH #6.

This should give a good match, as should any other reel which holds a DT5 line, e.g., LRH, CFO IV, Farlow Sapphire, etc.

[JabaliHunter]

For a 7ft rod I wouldn’t go too large - a Featherweight, JLH 2/3/4, CFO 123, or older CFO III should work nicely. I wouldn’t go above 3” personally.

Grip proportions also make a difference to what size reel looks good too.

A LRH Lightweight or CFO IV are a better match for 8ft rods, rather than 7 footers.

JMHO

[Random Casts]

For a 7ft rod I wouldn’t go too large - a Featherweight, JLH 2/3/4, CFO 123, or older CFO III should work nicely. I wouldn’t go above 3” personally.

Grip proportions also make a difference to what size reel looks good too.

A LRH Lightweight or CFO IV are a better match for 8ft rods, rather than 7 footers.

JMHO

+1 on the Featherweight or CFO III

I really don’t get this obsession with “balancing”. When do you balance your outfit, when the line is on the reel, when you have 10ft of fly line out, when you have 30’ of line out and casting? Why would you want to and where does it stop since the point of “balance” is constantly changing.

Putting a 6oz (add an ounce or so for backing and fly line) reel on a 3oz rod would be the equivalent of putting a Finn Nor Tarpon reel on a 9ft 6oz rod trout rod. Be my guest if you want to wave that around .

I think that whatever you hang on your rod, it should carry your fly line and perhaps some backing, be comfortable to cast AND appeal to your own aesthetic.

If you need guidance in choosing an appropriate combination Scientific Anglers made it easy for us plebeians thirty years ago, a System 5 reel for a 5 weight rod etc. with some exceptions noted.

Richard, the Fishn’ Pole