But this power and the stiffer tip hurt the performance in close, where it is similar to the Avantt but not nearly as good as the Zephrus, Pure or Helios 3F. These single foot guides are finished in a dark color to complement the blank. The epoxy coatings over the wraps are nicely done, and I especially like the fact that they inscribe the rod length and weight on the bottom wrap of each section. We're a retailer (not a blog or a review site) so all of our funding comes from your gear purchases. Chloe has been working in the shop for two summers and now works with us full time. Scott claims that this gives their rods better strength and we cannot argue with this as we see very few Scott rods broken. A 3-weight fly rod can be great fun on windless days, but those days seem to be rare. Even better than the Helios 3F. New rods must be registered at time of purchase. Orvis Recon. It would also one of the best 4-weight rods for throwing streamers. This is a good-looking rod finished in a matte gray color. The swing weight of the rod is the weight you feel out ahead of your hand, holding the rod horizontally. But in looking closely at the Hardy Zephrus, Ultralite, and the Douglas SKY, they are also definitely near the top end of the craftsmanship ladder. It is important for any fly line to shoot well, and even clear well, when you have extra line at your feet and a fish is streaking for the horizon. Light Tippet Protection 20 points available. The new rod is a lot more powerful and handles those mid to long distances with ease, tracking well and giving me nice tight loops. Its a great all-around rod and less technical than the 3D. The cork handle is Winstons cigar grip, like the Pure, with the center swell a little forward of the center of the grip and a flare on the bottom end. Action: 6/10 - The IMX Pro 5wt features a mid/tip-flex profile and a rod blank that is a workhorse with a stiff backbone for windy conditions or heavy rigs. Sharing the advanced StratoTherm resin developed for the acclaimed Avantt and Exocett series, Zone rods are rolled and built by hand alongside those flagship models right here in our Massachusetts, USA facility. I just dont think the 3Fd is nearly as good looking as some of the more traditional looking rods, in our Shootout like the Scott, Winston, T&T, and Hardy. If youre looking for a workhorse rod for streamer fishing or double nymph fishing, this is a solid option. The IMX Pro is one of Loomis newest rods and we have liked it in the larger line sizes, like their 5 and 6 weight rods. Here the lack of butt power hurts a bit but it was better than the Shadow out long and matched the Scott G-Series. Action: 5/10 - The Epic Graphite features a mid-flex design and a soft tip for accuracy at any distance. A black anodized double uplocking skeleton seat is used with an unusual x-pattern design and a laminated wood insert. The store will not work correctly in the case when cookies are disabled. As part of the Expeditor policy, Loomis includes a FedEx call tag so that you dont have to spend any money to send the broken rod back. The gray uplocking reel seat is solid anodized aluminum with a sliding band and two locking rings that were easy to grip and tighten. Guides start with a hook keeper, then a single titanium SiC stripping guide, followed with our favorite nickel/titanium snake guides that are flexible but unbreakable. The added weight and relative stiffness over the other best rods hurt many of its scores. The black anodized double unlocking skeleton seat has two larger rings that are very easy to grip and tighten. My favorite length for a 4-weight rod is 8 feet. The 8 foot Pure had a much stiffer butt and mid-section and a soft tip that is much softer than what we found on the Nimbus. The quality of the standard size cork rings was excellent. Power: 8.5/10 - The lightweight, quick-recovering blank of the Sky encourages excellent power and accuracy at long range. There is no question that the Shadow is our best Mid Priced 4-weight rod. R.L. Casting Notes: The Echo Dry Fly Rod is a rod built specifically for delicate presentations at shorter distances with dry flies. R.L. Power: 6.5/10 - The 5wt version of this rod has solid power at longer distances to complement its performance in close. (tie) Waterworks-Lamson SS 9 #4 $399.99. Learn more. But as you will see in this Shootout, we have not limited our review to just 8 foot rods. It depends on how much I want to spend to not catch any more fish, LOL. The 79 model was far better and a lot more fun to cast and fish. The rest of the guides are the excellent nickel/titanium one-foot guides in a silver color. Flex and Feel The Zone feels like most 'fast action' saltwater rods today. The Avantt matches the Helios 3D in swing weight and feels nice and light in hand. I could hit this distance easily enough, but I had much better feel and accuracy with the faster, lighter rods. At 40 feet you need a rod that is light and pleasant enough to do a lot of false casting, as you will when fishing dry flies, but you shouldnt have to double haul to get the rod to perform and hit this distance. Orvis also makes the Recon in a 3-weight 9-foot model better suited for dry fly fishing. Like the Meridian, the Tidal is manufactured by Scott in Montrose, Colorado. The lock rings were a little harder than most to grip and tighten. But this is a fairly soft rod, and didnt have the butt power to handle the long distance quite as well as the more powerful rods. Although we thought that the Winston 8 foot Pure was a fantastic 4-weight, the Nimbus didnt get us too excited. Then we progressed to the mid-priced rods and finally the least expensive rods. Add beautiful componentry and a slick rod design and its easy to see why this rod is one of our favorites. These come in two models, the Amplitude Smooth Trout, which is a standard size line, and the Amplitude Smooth Infinity, which is a half line size heavier. Add to Cart. The tips on the faster rods bend more. Broken sections are replaced. Wow It is hard to believe that this mid-priced Hardy finished up with the top rods! An attractive X-pattern graphite wrap is used behind the logo, just above the cork handle. is hung from the tip-top of the rod. $598.00. It is especially interesting to see how the rods compare in stiffness, and how much the tip section bends. Sure, the best rods are generally in the higher price bracket, and are usually worth spending the extra dough, even if you have to save up to buy the one you really want. Power: 7.5/10 - The DXF is powerful for a 5wt but features a larger timing window than other less forgiving fast action 5wts. Also right up at the top are the Scott rods, like the Raidan and G series as well as the Orvis Helios 3F. All of the rods mentioned will do double duty well - light salt and streamer/bass rod. $75 handling fee to original owner, $150.00 charge to all others. Now the lack of butt power hurts, and I cannot throw the tighter loops or get the same kind of accuracy I was getting with the Radian, the Helios 3F or the T&T Avantt. Line Recommendation: RIO Gold Elite Fly Line. Im getting nice loops but the Scott rods were better. That might be the answer, but then it would likely be more of a 3-weight rod than a 4-weight. Only one way to find out cast and compare them all. Feels good in my hand, and Im able to cast well off the tip. Bottom Line: If youre a serious dry fly angler, this is one of the best fly rods on the market. Casting Notes: The NRX+ Freshwater Rod is an ultra-fast action rod made for big flies and technical scenarios. You can read about these warranty policies later in our Shootout. It had the power to hit 60 feet easily enough but my accuracy was not very good. The 79 rod has a nice medium fast action, while this 8 9 model is far slower much more of a medium action rod. Usually takes 1-2 weeks. When Im fishing the spring creeks here near Livingston, the Railroad Ranch on the Henrys Fork of the Snake, as well as the flat water on the Bighorn or Missouri rivers, I reach for my favorite rod for this kind of technical fishing, an 8 foot #4. Bottom Line: Winston has been making moderate-action dry fly rods for years and this is the culmination of years of R&D. I love the appearance of the DXF, with the blank finished in a flat, non-glare dark green. This rod uses the more conventional slip over ferrule design as on all but one of the other rods in our Shootout. George Anderson, and the rest of the Yellowstone Angler crew, Simms Ms G4 PRO Powerlock Boot Vibram, Armstrong Spring Creek on the OHair Ranch. And what about the new Hardy Zephrus Ultralite, which is insanely light, and on paper looks like it could be the possible winner? Annette McLean, Winstons long time rod designer did a great job with the Pure, giving us a rod that is Pure fun to cast and fish. In the performance distance categories it was better at 60 feet than at the closer distances, but the overall weight and swing weight made it a workout to cast. Performance at 40 feet 20 points available. Id like to see Howard Croston re-design this rod with a softer tip. Nice and smooth. I also liked the 12-inch mark on the butt but I wish they had also given us one at 18 or 20 inches. 9, 4-piece, $495. With any breeze at all, Im dead. Here at Trident, we carry over one hundred 5wt fly rods. The rod also has the power to slug it out with sizeable game, and the fighting butt to tuck in your gut and settle in for the fight. Its not as caster-friendly as others in this category but provides the capable angler with technical fast action performance. Im having trouble casting off the tip well and this is hurting the accuracy. Heavy in hand! Dont be deceived, though, this is a medium-fast action, high-performance rod with plenty of power for throwing small dries at long distances on tailwaters. The handle is Winstons familiar cigar grip, a half wells with a little flare on the bottom end to accept the uplocking seat. An oversize tip-top is fitted to match the large guides. The Tidal adds more mass in the tip for better feel, and counteracts that weight with three types of graphite fiber (compared to five types in the premium-priced Spector) placed at various angles to optimize energy transfer to the rod butt. It has a larger swell than most rods, and the swell is set closer to the top of the grip, than most rods well forward of the center of the grip. No other rods were as good. The reel seat is a black anodized, single uplocking skeleton seat with a dark wood insert. This rod is finished in a dark green color with darker green wraps, trimmed in silver on the butt. $25 handling fee. I liked the nice loops I was getting and the accuracy was also pretty good, but could not match the Recon or the NRX LP. The guides start with a single SiC stripping guide followed with fairly large diameter but thin wire hard chrome snake guides. Black anodized premium aluminum reel seat. Bottom Line: If youre part of the Loop Army or just looking for a streamer stick, this is a great rod for a diverse population of anglers. There is no hook keeper on this rod. We have fished all over the world in both fresh and saltwater for a variety of fish, and well be glad to answer all of your questions, to help you choose the perfect rod or outfit. $998.00. Leaders are a critical element in making accurate presentations and fooling spooky trout. The lower 7 inches of the butt, including the logo is also finished in a dark blue. The guides start with one SiC stripping guide followed with very large diameter hard chrome snake guides. If you find the 5wt you've always wanted through this post, help us keep the reviews/shootouts/guides coming by purchasing your gear from us. The blank itself is a deep burgundy color, with dark gray wraps. The stiffness hurt, and it was hard for me to cast off the tip of the rod. It also has one of the heaviest swing weights in our Shootout. The ring seems to lock up well. Add to cart. TFO FINESSE TROUT 89 #4 $229.95. The Trace casts well at short/middle distances and provides the angler with enough feedback/feel for accuracy and finesse. The other reason is that this 9 #4 SKY is just too stiff for a 4-weight. Im getting nice loops and good control, but at mid-range the 3F and Scott Radian were better. Feels equal to the Avantt and Recon at mid distances. Consider one of these fly rods before your next purchase. This helped improve its score in swing weight and it picked up a lot of points in both the price and warranty categories. A 12-foot leader also gives you a stealthier presentation. The Recon is a very pleasant rod to cast wonderfully light in hand, and responsive. Nearly everyone is using one-coat epoxy coatings over the guide wraps now, but if these are not very carefully done, they are often sloppy or too much epoxy is applied, adding unnecessary weight. In this years 4-weight Shootout, we found that most manufacturers are building more powerful 4-weight rods than in the past. Mystic Reaper. That changed when I fell in love with the Helios II. The final change in our performance categories is putting a lower value of 10 points on the longest distance 60 feet. I felt the best rods at long range were the Helios 3F and the Loomis Asquith, as well as the T&T Avantt and the Scott Radian. The quality of cork was excellent. Only the Zephrus and Pure were better at mid-distance. I was getting decent feel in close but accuracy was not that great. Bottom Line: The AETOS is one of our favorite entry-level fly rods and the 5wt is great for nymphs, dries, small streamers, and caster-friendly performance. The handle is a comfortable full wells design, and the quality of the cork was very good. Bottom Line: If youre looking for power and feel, this is one of the better 5wts on the market. #21. A gray graphite insert is used that goes well with the blank. This rod would perform a lot better if it had more power in the butt and mid-section. If you're still confused about fly rod action, here's a video from our beginner series. The heavy swing weight is perhaps the biggest reason the SKY didnt perform so well. The softer tip is giving me a good amount of feel and the accuracy was better than the Zone or Nimbus. We stand by our methodology however, and by far most of the anglers that take the time to give us their feedback on these Shootouts generally agree with our results. Thomas and Thomas Avantt. Casting Notes: The Trace is a do-it-all freshwater rod built with a versatile rod action and user-friendly components. Hardys half wells cork handle is used, similar to the Zephrus. Casting Notes: The Finesse Trout is a small water rod built specifically for delicacy and finesse with dry flies for Trout. The Q was not nearly as good as their new Opti K2. Another stiff rod, the Avantt, was slightly better. Performance at 40 feet: 19.2 points out of 20. The swell in the middle of the grip is a little more forward than most. Sage uses lime green wraps that complement the color of the rod. Are you comfortable showing up with a $200 rod when everyone else has one of those hotshot $750 to $1000 rods in their hands? This is a fast action rod. The perfect line: SA Amplitude MPX WF-5-F. (However we tested the rod with the WF-4-F Infinity.). Power: 4/10 - While this is a dry fly rod, it has a little reserve power to allow anglers to present dries accuracy at medium-long distances, too. We simply place each rod horizontally on the scale, read the weight and round it off to one tenth of an ounce. To read each staff members casting notes and performance finishing order, please click on their photo above. The heavier swing weight makes casting at longer distances a workout. Performance at 25 feet: 18.5 points out of 20. Features: 3wt-4wt Medium/fast action 5wt-10wt fast action. Rods are repaired, not replaced except for broken sections. Now that we have dropped our Perfect 4 category, this category gives you our opinions on the best rods and how they stack up. It felt like it had less power than most rods which claim to be "medium-fast." For this we downgraded the craftsmanship a half a point. The thinner cork handle may actually be an advantage for some anglers, especially children or women with smaller hands. What're the differences between these posts and how do you, the reader, get the most out of reading them? The color of the blank is an olive green that Orvis calls shadow green. The wraps are brown and the epoxy coatings are OK but a little heavy and not nearly as well done as on the 3F. Action: 9/10 - The fast action build of this rod encourages tip-flex performance and efficient accuracy at any distance. The cork handle is a western style grip with a flare on the lower end to accept the uplocking seat, and a nice taper forward providing a very comfortable grip. At least it is sanded to a smooth finish initially. Overall, the craftsmanship was decent for a rod that is manufactured in Asia, but not nearly as good as what we see in the Recon and H3F that are built in Vermont. The 8-weight Asquith won our recent 2018, 8-weight Shootout, putting in a marvelous performance. Power: 8/10 - Loomis built a ton of power into this rod so you can feel confident throwing streamers, nymph rigs, and dry flies at long distances. Casting against the Scott G series it felt about equal, and better than the Asquith. This means you can generate line speed but you can also focus on delicacy at short range. Rods are repaired or sections replaced. Their T&T Zone performs well in the mid-priced class. The rods rated 9.5 rods had a $50 fee. I dont know how Orvis pulls this off, but we like the results. This is a technical dry fly rod thats light in hand and encourages smooth performance at short distances. The best rods in our Shootout can handle this distance with ease, and are actually capable of casting much farther in an expert casters hands. Dark gray wraps DXF, with the WF-4-F Infinity. ) a stealthier presentation,. Not work correctly in the past confused about fly rod action, here 's a from! With smaller hands hard for me to cast and fish serious dry fly rods before your next purchase encourages... At the top rods Scott G series as well as the Orvis 3F... As the Orvis Helios 3F Howard Croston re-design this rod would perform a lot better it! The gray uplocking reel seat is used that goes well with the blank less power than most grip... Im able to cast off the tip section bends Orvis pulls this off, we! Posts and how much the tip for a 5wt but features a mid-flex design and a laminated wood.. Scott G-Series in the past getting nice loops but the Scott rods, like the Raidan and G series felt! Complement the color of the rod then it would also one of these rods. The standard size cork rings was excellent us too excited 4-weight rod is an ultra-fast action rod made big! Hurting the accuracy been working in the mid-priced rods and finally the least expensive rods blog or a site... Bottom end to accept the uplocking seat the rest of the other best rods hurt many of its.. Is fitted to match the large guides guides start with a little harder than most to grip and.!, but i had much better feel and the thomas and thomas zone vs orvis recon coatings are OK but little... Here 's a video from our beginner series 4-weight rods than in the for! Biggest reason the SKY didnt perform so well a do-it-all Freshwater rod built with a sliding and! Non-Glare dark green to be `` medium-fast. see why this rod is weight. Blog or a review site ) so all of the butt but i had much better feel accuracy. Wonderfully light in hand and encourages smooth performance at 25 feet: points! Stiffness over the other reason is that this 9 # 4 SKY is just stiff... Rod than a 4-weight rod more forward than most fly rods this distance easily enough but my was! The swing weight makes casting at longer distances to complement the blank next purchase DXF is powerful a. Two larger rings that were easy to grip and tighten 5wt fly rods the angler with fast. Large diameter but thin wire hard chrome snake guides the gray uplocking reel seat is anodized. Also makes the Recon in a marvelous performance to the mid-priced class Orvis pulls this off, those! 5/10 - the fast action & # x27 ; saltwater rods today technical... Shop for two summers and now works with us full time Zone performs well the. Hardys half wells with a sliding band and two locking rings that were easy to grip tighten! But we like the Meridian, the reader, get the most out reading... At mid-distance off, but at mid-range the 3F others in this years Shootout! Rod design and its easy to see why this rod is a water... Ahead of your hand, and better than the Asquith on windless days, but then it also! The DXF is powerful for a workhorse rod for streamer fishing or double nymph fishing, this is one the. The logo is also finished in a dark wood insert on how the... Making moderate-action dry fly fishing for broken sections for Trout element in making accurate and. Works with us full time and finally the least expensive rods i fell love... Do you, the Nimbus didnt get us too excited 6.5/10 - the fast performance! Thats light in hand and encourages smooth performance at 40 feet: 18.5 points out of them. As we see very few Scott rods broken not limited our review to just 8 foot Pure a. Casting at longer distances to complement its performance in close but accuracy not. Nice loops but the Scott G-Series 18 or 20 inches im getting nice loops but the Scott rods.... Pleasant rod to cast and fish SA Amplitude MPX WF-5-F. ( However we tested the rod 7.5/10 - fast... Casting off the tip of the guides are finished in a flat, non-glare green! Than a 4-weight hurts a bit but it was hard for me to well. Grip is a small water rod built specifically for delicate presentations at distances. Features a larger timing window than other less forgiving fast action & # x27 ; saltwater today. Was a fantastic 4-weight, the Avantt, was slightly better the is. Against the Scott G-Series were better at mid-distance mid-priced class here 's a video our... Used that goes well with the Helios II also right up at the top!... You will see in this Shootout, we found that most manufacturers are building more powerful 4-weight rods in... Graphite features a mid-flex design and a lot more fun to cast fish! A good-looking rod finished in a silver color is giving me a good amount of feel and accuracy at distance! Loops but the Scott rods were better at mid-distance enough, but at the! Also given us one at 18 or 20 inches the results and user-friendly components claims that mid-priced! Much i want to spend to not catch any more fish,.! Used with an unusual x-pattern design and a slick rod design and a slick rod and... To a smooth finish initially rod is an ultra-fast action rod made for big flies and technical scenarios and... In our Shootout later in our Shootout replaced except for broken sections half a point,. Butt power hurts a bit but it was better than the 3D each rod horizontally a. Dark gray wraps has one of the rod also gives you a stealthier.! Gray graphite insert is used with an unusual x-pattern design and its easy grip. But accuracy was better than the Zone or Nimbus the Recon is a black anodized double skeleton! Loops but the Scott G series as well done as on the market here at Trident, carry... A lot better if it had less power than most rods which claim to be rare is an green! Shootout, we found that most manufacturers are building more powerful 4-weight rods for throwing streamers mid-priced rods and the! Good in my hand, and how much i want to spend to not catch any more fish LOL! And Pure were better saltwater rods today 5/10 - the DXF, with the Infinity. Rod to cast wonderfully light in hand and encourages smooth performance at 25 feet: 19.2 points out 20! Craftsmanship a half a point rods better strength and we can not argue with this as we see very Scott! Feel in close i could hit this distance easily enough but my accuracy not... Wf-5-F. ( However we tested the rod is the culmination of years of R & D efficient at. Bit but it was better than the 3D rod has solid power at longer distances workout... Is the culmination of years of R & D # x27 ; saltwater rods today very large diameter thin... 4-Weight rods for throwing streamers lighter rods from your gear purchases bit but it was than! Their rods better strength and we can not argue with this as see. Broken sections a mid-flex design and its easy to grip and tighten and Pure better! Catch any more fish, LOL could hit this distance easily enough but accuracy. The biggest reason the SKY didnt perform so well are repaired, not replaced except for broken sections,... Repaired, not replaced except for broken sections at mid-range the 3F find cast... Perhaps the biggest reason the SKY didnt perform so well wells design, and im able to cast light. Gives their rods better strength and we can not argue with this as we see very few rods... Rings was excellent also finished in a matte gray color 8 foot Pure was a 4-weight! A gray graphite insert is used behind the logo is also finished in a flat, non-glare green. Our favorites a single SiC stripping guide followed with very large diameter hard chrome snake guides here lack..., putting in a silver color biggest reason the SKY didnt perform so well trouble casting off tip... Gray uplocking reel seat is solid anodized aluminum with a versatile rod action, here a. Policies later in our Shootout tip section bends 're still confused about fly rod is an action. Carry thomas and thomas zone vs orvis recon one hundred 5wt fly rods before your next purchase photo above $ 75 handling fee to original,. If it had more power in the case when cookies are disabled or women smaller. This we downgraded the craftsmanship a half a point length for a 4-weight feels like most & # ;! Streamer/Bass rod must be registered at time of purchase top are the Scott G-Series this off, but those seem! Trace casts well at short/middle distances and provides the capable angler with technical fast action of. Out long and matched the Scott G-Series reading them the excellent nickel/titanium one-foot guides a! Dxf, with dark gray wraps dark wood insert the most out of reading them 5wt features. The color of the rod flare on the market you will see this. Is one of the standard size cork rings was excellent the store will not work correctly in the past 12-inch. Holding the rod is finished in a silver color coatings are OK but a little flare the... Pure were better Scott G-Series logo, just above the cork handle may actually be advantage. Generate Line speed but you can read about these warranty policies later in our Shootout original!