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Anyone use or have used automatic reels?

I have NO Use for them

But seriously, none of the Fly Fisherman I no use them. They were pretty popular in the 60's & 70's, I guess. If you go in any of the Serious Fly Shops, I doubt that you would even see one in their inventory. I only see them at Bass Pro Shop, which too me, is more like the Redneck Fishing Store. JMHO, though. I only fish with Ross Fly Reels, but there are lots of other options that cost less money.

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IIRC, they had a bad reputation for breaking the tips on bamboo rods. The last time I saw one being used was in Sharon, MA, in 1986 by a disabled WW2 ETO tanker whose tank and left arm had been severely damaged by a hit from a Panther's 75.

I have only fished for trout in stream a small amount. I can see where a single action would better in a stream or river.

95% or my fishing is for bass and bluegill with poppers, from a small boat.

When using one arm and hand to scull the boat, I find the auto very handy for one handed fishing. I have learned to play the larger fish by holding the line tight between my thumb and forefinger and using this method as a drag. If necessary, with a large fish, I can also pull line off the reel, against the spring, if I need to let the fish run. Sort of a finger operated drag, but it works.

And, the trigger is a quick way of pulling the slack from the bottom of the boat before it gets tangled.

Just thought I would ask about the auto reels, because I have very little experience with trout in flowing water.

I used an automatic reel back in the 60's when I was a kid. They work OK for small fish that don't make long runs or rip drag but they've long been outdated.

Like you say, you can use your fingers as a drag but with light tippets, flowing water, and a fish that can peel line ... no. Any single action reel with an exposed rim and drag is far better.

Not having an exposed rim is a big downside to older fly reels. With an exposed rim you can quickly pick up loose line by fanning the rim vs winding the handle. Palming the rim for added drag, when needed, is also a plus. One transition I made long ago was learning to fight a fish "on the reel" vs stripping, using finger drag and winding the slack.

As mentioned they were popular in the 60's and 70's with the bass and bream guys. Besides fly fishing becoming somewhat of a boutique sport with some where brand names took on too much significance the reason I think they fell out of favor is they tend to be heavy and with the rise in popularity of the lighter weight graphite rods they made for a unbalanced rig. Back in my youth when most everyone tended to buy fiberglass true temper or heddon rods you saw a lot of them.

I started fly fishing with one back in the 60's. Pretty handy for small creeks for not having to wind up a lot of line every time you moved.

I still have 2 of them but they haven't been on a rod in many years.

Hate to date myself, but I bought my 1st one probably around 1951.
And yeah, they were hard on Bamboo fly rod tips. When things got boring (like catching no trout), us kids would have a contest which automatic was the fastest. If you din't let up on the trigger soon enough the results weren't nice. Broken rod tip. They didn't treat fiberglass any better either.

Heavy, ugly and cantankerous. They saw use when guides would combine their take with the "sports" at the end of a trip. As the guide was running the boat, he could fill in the bag of the sport, especially if the sport was inept.

I have a Martin auto somewhere. Haven't seen it in years but caught a ton of fish on it...

The only reels I've used since the 40's.. Love em and I have quite a collection..