Pflueger 1149988 Fly Reel Review
Our verdict
The Pflueger 1149988 Fly Reel costs $37.58 and holds a 4.4 star average across 566 reviews, by far the largest review base of any fly reel in this comparison. At 11.2 ounces and marketed as lightweight, it is a budget reel with more buyer feedback behind it than reels costing several times more.
Check price on AmazonBest for
Anglers who want a budget fly reel backed by a large review base, 566 ratings at 4.4 stars, and are fine with a general one-size blend construction rather than a named arbor or drag system.
Skip if
Skip it if you want a reel with a documented large-arbor or precision drag system, or if you are comparing purely on rating average, since a couple of pricier reels here edge it out on stars even with far fewer reviews.
- Material Blend
- Weight 11.2 ounces
- Technique Fly Fishing
- Size One Size
- Color Multi
- Pieces 1
- Priced 20% below the category median ($46.73 across 20 tracked models)
Our scorecard
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Owner rating4.4/5
4.4 average across 566 owner ratings
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Popularity4.0/5
566 owner reviews, more than most models here
The overall score is owner satisfaction weighted by how many reviews back it, so a high rating from few reviews counts for less. The bars below show where this model stands against the other fishing gear and tackle we track in this category on price, popularity and size. Context, not marks against it, and our read of the data, not a lab test.
Overview
Picture a reel that has been through hundreds of Amazon carts already, with a review count high enough to smooth out the occasional single bad experience. The Pflueger 1149988 Fly Reel, priced at $37.58, fits that description with 566 reviews at a 4.4 star average.
At 11.2 ounces and built from a blend material in a one-size format, it is marketed simply as lightweight rather than around a specific arbor size or drag mechanism. Compared with the Okuma S-8/9 at $39.99 with a 4.5 average across 139 reviews, the Pflueger costs slightly less and carries roughly four times the review volume. The Daiwa 00404230 at $48.46 has a 4.2 average across 239 reviews, a lower rating and fewer reviews at a higher price. The Ross Reels Animas 4/5 stands apart entirely at $449 with a 5.0 average, though that score rests on only 10 reviews, a small sample next to the Pflueger's 566.
For a budget fly reel with a large, established review base to lean on, the Pflueger 1149988 is a straightforward pick at $37.58. Anglers chasing a specific arbor size, drag system, or premium build should look toward pricier options like the Ross Reels Animas instead, keeping in mind its much smaller review sample.
Pros
- 566 reviews at a 4.4 star average is the largest review base of any fly reel in this comparison
- Priced at $37.58, near the bottom of this reel category
- 11.2 ounce weight is listed and marketed as lightweight
- One-size, single-piece design keeps the listing simple with no sizing decisions to make
- Rating edges out the 239-review Daiwa 00404230, which sits at 4.2 stars
Cons
- 4.4 stars is lower than the Okuma S-8/9's 4.5 average and well below the Ross Reels Animas 5.0, though that Ross reel has only 10 reviews
- Blend material is a vaguer spec than the aluminum construction listed for the Okuma and Daiwa reels
- No bought-last-month figure above 0 is listed, so current demand cannot be confirmed
- No arbor size or drag system details are listed beyond weight and material
Specifications
| Material | Blend |
|---|---|
| Weight | 11.2 ounces |
| Technique | Fly Fishing |
| Size | One Size |
| Color | Multi |
| Pieces | 1 |
| Feature | Lightweight |
Performance notes
At 11.2 ounces, the Pflueger 1149988 sits in a moderate weight range for a fly reel, light enough to balance a typical fly rod without adding noticeable heft to the tip. Its blend material construction is a broader category than the aluminum builds listed for the Okuma S-8/9 and Daiwa 00404230, which typically point to a mix of materials rather than a single machined metal body. The one-size, single-piece listing suggests it is built to fit a general range of rod weights rather than a specific line weight class the way the Okuma's 8/9 designation or the Ross Reels Animas's 4/5 designation do. For anglers who want a reel sized precisely to a line weight, the Pflueger's general sizing is worth checking against rod specs before buying, since exact line weight compatibility is not listed here.
What buyers say
A 4.4 star average across 566 reviews is a strong, well-established pattern, the largest review base among the fly reels compared here by a wide margin. The Okuma S-8/9 and Daiwa 00404230 carry 139 and 239 reviews respectively, both meaningfully smaller samples, while the Ross Reels Animas 4/5's 5.0 average comes from just 10 reviews, too few to compare directly against a 566-review history. That volume on the Pflueger suggests consistent buyer satisfaction sustained over a large number of purchases rather than a small or recent sample. The listed bought-last-month figure of 0+ does not add current-month context, but the review history alone is a meaningful signal here.
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Frequently asked questions
How does the Pflueger 1149988's rating compare to other fly reels?
It holds a 4.4 star average across 566 reviews, the largest review sample in this comparison. The Okuma S-8/9 rates slightly higher at 4.5 stars but has only 139 reviews, and the Ross Reels Animas 4/5 shows a 5.0 average from just 10 reviews, far too small a sample to weigh evenly against 566.
What is the Pflueger 1149988 made of and how much does it weigh?
Amazon lists it as a blend material construction weighing 11.2 ounces, marketed as lightweight. That is a broader material description than the aluminum builds listed for some competing reels, such as the Okuma S-8/9 and Daiwa 00404230, both of which name a single machined metal.
Is the Pflueger 1149988 sized for a specific line weight?
The listing shows a one-size format rather than a specific line weight designation like the Okuma's 8/9 or the Ross Reels Animas's 4/5. Buyers should check their rod's recommended reel size against this general sizing before purchasing, since exact compatibility is not spelled out.