Reel is not important. You just want one that is the same line wt as the rod. A pflueger medalist is hard to beat for very, very little $$$.
A fly rod acts similar to a bow and arrow. The power comes from the rod (or bow) flexing. Take a look at this pic of me casting. See how much the rod is flexing?
That flexing is due to the momentum of the fly line (going backwards, over my right shoulder). You have to allow the line to straighten out behind you and flex the rod. If you try to shoot a bow at half draw, you lose a lot of power and accuracy. Same applies to casting a fly rod that isn't flexing (loading) correctly. You have to make sure you are giving the line time to load the rod before you can start the forward stroke. Keep this in mind when looking for a rod. It takes a lot of practice to get your timing down perfect. A longer rod keeps the line higher in the air. This means you can afford to be just a tad tardy on the forward stroke. BG are a lot more fun on a shorter, lighter rod. Only you can make the call on which rod to buy.
