In the world of fly fishing, reels are often overlooked. Yet this is probably one of the most important parts of any fly fishing setup! The rod does the work of fighting a fish, but the reel makes sure everything is balanced. The reel holds your line and backing, but it also enables the angler to benefit from a smooth rolling drag when fishing large specimens on the fly, and it is also a home for your fly line. For large arbor reels in particular, make sure that the line stays on the best way it can, with large hoops so it doesn’t tangle up during a cast, and when it comes to casting, balance is everything!

Beauty in simplicity and quality! The Taylor Fly Fishing Revolt 10-12 is pure ”Gold”
Taylor Fly Fishing from the USA has released something really special with its flagship fly reel, the Revolt. I have been fortunate to use this reel for almost a year now, and I really, really like it! Taylor Fly Fishing says the following about this reel:
The Revolt was designed using the favorite aspects of our other popular reel models combining them into a performance product that reflects the spirit and soul of Taylor Reels! We combined the X-style frame from the T1/TYPE1 with the porting and machining of the Enigma 2.0 to create a reel with a stunning look and feel. We took the powerful drag of the Revolution Z along with the proven ergonomics and dimensions of the Z to make a reel that is 100% performance-driven. The Revolt is designed for applications from big saltwater, to small mountain creeks and everything in between. The Revolt features a powerful carbon-fiber/stacked/sealed drag system that is silky smooth with 3.5 turns of adjustment. The 3.5 rotations of adjustments allow you to dial in the perfect amount of drag power according to your needs. This reel features two different drag chamber sizes; the 4-6wt features the smallest drag chamber, created to be strong yet light with 10 lbs of maximum drag. The 7-9wt and 10-12wt feature a larger-sized drag chamber with up to 15lbs of max drag. While the Revolt isn’t our most expensive reel, it has everything you could dream of in a perfect fly fishing machine!

The Taylor Revolt Fly Reel is truly a work of art!
When it comes to performance on the water the Revolt in 10-12 steps right in! The first thing that you will notice when holding this fly reel is that it’s made from super high-quality components, yet still affordable. The Revolut is available in a wide range of different colors, but I’ve picked Champagne since I’m very fond of this one. The reel feels super smooth in hand and has a large arbor spool that is both wide as it is deep. This enables you to store a lot of backing, and on mine, I have around 100 meters of 30lb backing. For Pike fishing, I will never use backing, as I never ever had a fish go into it, but as far as line storage it is nice to have a reel that can hold a large amount of backing to make sure the used fly-line doesn’t tangle as much after pulling it from the reel. The space of the spool is great and this enables me to fish worry-free, without having the issue of line tangling up every time. Another GREAT benefit and I wrote it there in capslock because it really is, is the fact that the Taylor Fly Fishing Revolt 10-12 is extremely lightweight! This truly makes any day out on the water so much more fun! It is perfectly balanced together with the Truth Z WF11 and for long days on the water that really enables you to go the extra mile!

Greatly balanced
Fishing with any fly reel the drag is used by many, especially by myself to fight big fish when I have to for example in rough water conditions, and one thing I can tell you is that the drag on the Revolt is as smooth as butter. It can be tuned super fine to your own special requirements and that for me is quite important. It doesn’t happen very often but when it does and I need to fight a pike on the reel, minimum changes of the drag can make a whole lot of difference. The Revolt reel is fully sealed and waterproof. This means that it can handle any weather conditions, from heavy rain or cold to submersion in water. The fully sealed design also helps to prevent moisture, sand, and other debris from getting into the reel, which can cause damage to the internal components and affect the performance of the drag system.

Simply made for Big Esox
Another nice feature of the Revolt reel is its interchangeable spool system. This allows you to quickly and easily switch between different lines and backing, making it great for last-minute line-changing decisions on the water. The spool is easily released simply by just turning the big black knob right up front of the reel, and the knob is firmly secured so it won’t come off in rough water. The Revolt reel is also incredibly easy to use. The large, ergonomic handle is easy to grip and allows for perfect winding of the line. The reel also features a large drag knob that is easy to adjust, even when wearing gloves. The overall design of the reel is modern and high quality which makes it a great all-year-round companion for many years ahead!

The Revolt has a large spool for worry-free line release and change of spools
The Taylor Fly Fishing Revolt 10-12 is made for many years to come, and it will do just that. I have specifically chosen this size because I often fish heavy and thick intermediate or sinking fly-lines and the spool is deep enough to store anything from an AFTMA 11 to 12. Again the fully sealed design and high-quality components mean that this reel is built to last, and anyone who decides to get a shot at one is in for a treat. If you have been looking for a fly reel that is both lightweight as it is durable, but also modern in design and one that excels on the water then the Taylor Revolt is certainly worth the look!

Reels & Flies in the BIG One Outdoor 12” Bait Bag
For more info about the Taylor Fly-Fishing Revolt 10-12 please head over to Nordic Fly Fishing Distribution in Sweden. Flies in this article photographed are made by Dominic Petruzzi from US Brand Streamerking Flies!
Christian Drost