Finish
The English make fine reels of the large narrow style, noted the world over for their honest workmanship and fine finish, many of them being made of aluminum alloy, finished either all black or with just enough bright metal to furnish a pleasing contrast. Although I do not take much stock in the theory that bright metal scares a fish I prefer those with the dark finish — a preference shared by many of our most expert fly fishers.
Weight
It is regrettable that many of the English reels are too light in weight to balance American-made bass and heavy trout rods, it being axiomatic that to secure proper balance the combined weight of reel and line should be at least 1.5 times the weight of the rod. American reels, especially the newer models, also tend toward excessive lightness.