Ross Reels offers a new product, the "Ross Balance Arm," for $139.99. It will allow the angler to attach his fly reel at various distances forward of (or behind) his rod's fixed reel seat to achieve a static balance.
This device should come in handy for those who still fish or troll with fly rods. For those who cast and retrieve while fly fishing the benefits of the device are less apparent. The lion's share of effort in fly casting is expended in rapidly accelerating and then abruptly decelerating the total mass of the rod+reel+line. The static balance point is at the wrist, but the wrist is not the fulcrum of effective fly casting. Attaching a balance arm increases the total mass, and consequently increases the effort necessary to achieve the same result in casting. However, while his fly rod is motionless and neither casting nor retreiving the angler may enjoy the pleasing static balance achieved by moving the attachment point of his reel.