The cork handle is too thin, (for most anglers). Both the mid-price DXF and Imperial were better. Even better than the Helios 3F. The rings should be easy to grip and tighten. Performance at 60 feet: 9.5 points out of 10. This is a sharp looking rod. The wraps are dark blue to match the blank and the epoxy coatings are excellent. Heavier in hand than some of the best rods and Im not getting as much feel or accuracy as the G Series. The swell in the middle of the grip is a little more forward than most. The DXF was better and the Shadow was far better. The new Orvis rods are clearly to be taken seriously. Im amazed that I can cast off the tip nearly as well as the Zephrus. $75 handling fee to original owner, $150.00 charge to all others. Performance at 40 feet: 19.3 points out of 20. Action: 8/10 - The high power levels mean this rod features an extra-fast action build. #16. 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. It is nearly impossible to cast off the tip of the rod like I can with the best 4-weights. A sliding band and wide locking ring is used that is easy to grip and seemed to lock up well. Action: 6.5/10 - A medium-fast action build creates a rod thats caster-friendly and can be used in a variety of angling scenarios. I love the way this rod tracks and the accuracy is good too. This means you can generate line speed but you can also focus on delicacy at short range. Wouldn't it be a better general 5# rod choice than Pro3 with MF action ? #24. The guides start with one SiC stripping guide followed with very large diameter hard chrome snake guides. Power: 2/10 - Low power levels reflect this rods purpose-built design. Of all the reels we have carried over the years, Galvan continues to have the fewest warranty issues and returns. The attractive cork handle is a half wells design with a flare on the bottom end, a comfortable swell in the middle, and a nice forward taper. Its a great all-around rod and less technical than the 3D. 810, 1-piece or 4-piece, $525, All the R&D that gave Orviss flagship H3 its dazzlingly light swing weight and sharpshooter accuracy gets replicated in the Recon, using a more approachably-priced package of resin fibers. The ring seems to lock up well. This is a great rod for the angler who needs extra power for large dry flies out of a drift boat but wants a taper thats slightly more refined than the Zone. Just about every major fly rod manufacturer was brandishing their newest, tech-packed stick. Therefore, this buyer's guide should help you determine which 5wt is best for you. At long range, the lack of power now becomes evident. But then rather than a beautiful piece of burled wood insert as on the Avant, there is a plain piece of blue colored graphite that also shows the tape marks. Performance at 25 feet: 17.5 points out of 20. Performance at 40 feet: 19.5 points out of 20. Unfortunately like a few other rods, it is only available in a 9-foot model as a 4-weight, and this hurt its performance scores a bit. Performance at 40 feet: 19.0 points out of 20. No handling fee. #19. The overall weight is good, but the swing weight is greater than all the other top ten rods. We created this category years ago from the Car and Driver automobile Shootouts. From 25 to the 40-foot mark, these lines were just magical, and stretching the distance out to 60 feet was easier than with a standard belly line. However, as youll see in the Performance Only scores, it finished much higher in 12thplace. Its perhaps a little heavy in swing weight, and this as well as its stiffness, hurt its score at 25 feet. For most of my fishing with a 4-weight rod in critical conditions Im using one of our 12-foot leaders down to a 5X or 6X tippet, but in the Shootout we stick with 4X Rio Powerflex as a tippet in order to minimize breaking off the yarn indicator. The thing that killed this for me was the cheap looking reel seat. Also right up at the top are the Scott rods, like the Raidan and G series as well as the Orvis Helios 3F. 9, 4-piece, $495. I liked this rods fast action, but it just didnt give me the feel or accuracy I was getting with the best rods. The store will not work correctly in the case when cookies are disabled. The matte gray blank does look nice, and the guide wraps are a dark gray, trimmed in black on the butt section. You must register the new rod within 30 days. These will hold up longer, even with hard usage. The rod is stout yet smooth for refined performance at short range and enough power to propel large terrestrials through the wind. The guide wraps are a slightly darker gray, trimmed in orange on the butt. Now the good butt power helps and Im getting very nice loops, good control and excellent accuracy equal to the Avantt and even better than the Zephrus. The stiffness did not allow much feel but the accuracy was surprisingly good. Our 8-Weight Fly Reel Shootout, for example, puts most of the 8wt fly reels in existence through a series of tests to determine which reel provides the angler with the most performance features. Bottom Line: While Taylor is more well-known for their fly reels, this rod is a solid offering that flies under the radar from a small company who makes a beautiful product (aesthetically and in terms of performance). A counterbalance opposite the handle is used to keep the reel running smoothly when a fish is racing away from you. Once the grip of the rod is placed precisely on the foam pellet, with the rod horizontal, we apply pressure, by pressing down with a fingernail to the very end of the reel seat, and then read (and note) the weight indicated by the scale. Power: 7.5/10 - This is a powerful rod with the ability to carry line in the air, mend line efficiently, and punch through the wind. Winston Boron III Jungle. #21. The Zone really excels in the 40-60 foot range. First, it is very light in swing weight and the fast action is a lot like the Zephrus in that it has a stronger butt and much softer tip than most of the other rods. As long as there wasnt much wind I could easily hit 60 feet but accuracy suffered. TFO uses an olive green blank for this rod, with olive wraps that are trimmed in gold on the butt sections. We decided it was time for another 4-weight Shootout, since a great 4-weight rod is hard to beat for the angler that loves to fish smaller dry flies. Since it is a lot shorter than my preferred 8 foot #4, it ran up some high scores in both overall weight and swing weight. Casting Notes: Handcrafted in the USA, the St. Croix Imperial is a smooth-casting rod that puts an emphasis on performance without limiting the angler to either line speed or delicacy. Casting head to head, the Scott rods and the Helios 3F were both a lot better. Pick any rod here that we rated a 9.5 or better and you have a winner! The DXF has been one of our top mid-priced rods, but there was no denying the Hardy Shadow and Orvis Recon were better. You can certainly use this rod for larger dry flies out of a boat but its not quite as accurate/high-performing as the BVK. Everyone else should buy an 8-weight, simply the most versatile number in the lineup. Equal to the IMX Pro but thats about it. This is a medium action rod, and slower action rods like this SS have never performed well for us. Winston BIIIX 5wt. The guides are one hook keeper; a single SiC stripper and then all the rest are hard chrome snake guides that are durable but heavy. The action is medium fast not as fast as the Pure but still feels very nice in my hand and produced some respectable performance scores. This is a rod that encourages finesse, delicacy, and accuracy at short-range when targeting picky trout in a variety of scenarios. This rod is so soft that I just dont have the power in the butt and mid sections to get good tight back cast loops, or the line speed I need to get the job done. If you feel your rod has broken because of a defect, you pay to send the rod to their warranty dept. Douglas uses a dark green anodized double ring uplocking seat, with an attractive brown wood burl insert. Classic Trout. The accuracy was not good either. It is especially interesting to see how the rods compare in stiffness, and how much the tip section bends. $35 handling fee. I really expected to see this new G Series 4-weight challenge the best rods. Even though less expensive components are used, this is still a pretty nice looking rod, with the blank a rich deep blue with dark brown wraps that include a little silver trim on the butt section. Action: 8/10 - The DXF has a stiff (but lightweight) butt and mid-section that leads into a softer tip for efficiency and accuracy at any distance. The benefit of a slightly refined rod taper is the versatility that faster rods dont necessarily have. The best rods are not always the most expensive ones. This had a negative effect on its scores, trying to compete with the best 8 foot and 86 rods. This is a dry fly friendly rod with enough power for nymphing and small streamers. The blank is finished in a medium brown with brown wraps that complement the blank. That changed when I fell in love with the Helios II. Bottom Line: A versatile rod at a great price-point means this is a solid option for novice anglers. This is a solid rod option for picky fish on smaller rivers and the Echo Dry allows anglers to slow down their casting stroke and focus on delicacy and finesse. The quality of the cork is superb. Line Recommendation: Scientific Anglers Amplitude MPX Fly Line. This is especially important for 3 and 4-weight rods, when you are often using very light 5X, 6x and 7X tippets while fishing small dries, emergers and spinners. The softness didnt allow me to make good hard backcasts in an effort to form tight loops. We've cast almost every mid-priced saltwater fly rod on the market including the new Recon 2 Rods (check out the review of the 5wt here and the 8wt here) and many others. #15. The ability of this rod to track precisely combined with its ability to form beautiful tight loops allowed it to perform almost as well as the best rods at long range. Sage uses lime green wraps that complement the color of the rod. 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. Long distance was hopeless. The blank is graphite gray and follows Scotts practice of sanding the blank only lightly and allowing the tape marks to remain. The cork handle is that same snub nose, half wells found on the X and feels very comfortable to me. We deleted our Perfect 4 performance category, since it seemed redundant, given the fact that we give you our opinions for our favorite 4-weights in the Fun to Fish, got to have category. Performance at 60 feet: 6.5 points out of 10. The epoxy coatings on the wraps were not so good too heavy and about like what we saw on the X. A dark green graphite insert is used that complements the color of the blank. Here is a new rod that has not appeared in any of our previous Shootouts. (tie) Waterworks-Lamson SS 9 #4 $399.99. Often takes 4-6 weeks. Not so good in close. The quality of the cork was surprisingly good for a less expensive rod. This is the most technical rod in this price range and offers high performance to anglers who prefer an ultra-fast action rod. Reel seats should lock up easily and hold firmly, without having any tendency to come loose. Sign up for our Newsletter, a monthly dose of new ideas and exclusive deals on great gear, sent directly to your inbox. Performance at 60 feet: 9.7 points out of 10. The all-new Sage Maverick fits into a more moderate price-point with other fly rods like the T&T Zone and the Orvis Recon 2. The cork is a stack of thin rings, and the quality of the cork is excellent. Power: 7/10 - The power levels on this rod are pretty great. The uplocking black anodized skeleton reel seat utilizes a single ring that is easy to grip and lock down. This isnt a good rod choice for streamers or heavy nymphs. The reel seat is a black anodized, single uplocking skeleton seat with a dark wood insert. The medium fast action seems just right and Im getting both good feel and good accuracy at the shorter distances. Add to Cart. Copyright 2023 Sport Fishing Magazine. I could hit this distance easily enough, but I had much better feel and accuracy with the faster, lighter rods. We felt the 86 Helios 3F was the best rod to test since the 3D is available only in a 9-foot model. I still had to give the edge to the Zephrus and Pure. Performance at 25 feet: 18.0 points out of 20. Action: 4/10 - Similarly, Redington built this rod with a moderate-slow action. Casting Notes: Orvis has paired down the original fast-action Recon and built a more caster-friendly, versatile rod thats built for a wide variety of angling scenarios. We have awarded scores emphasizing the lowest repair charges and the quickest repair turn around. #26. There are not many situations when youll be fishing this far with your 4-weight, but Ive certainly had many situations, especially fishing dry flies on larger rivers, like the Missouri, where Ive had to throw it this long yet still get good accuracy and a delicate presentation in order to catch a nice fish. Power: 6.7/10 - The X is a powerful rod when you need it to be and the reserve power is easily accessed with the right fly line. This is a soft rod, with a slower action than the Pure. The skeleton reel seat is a gray anodized double uplocking with a dark gray laminated wood insert. Out long the overall softness of the rod is a handicap. The Zone series pushes the envelope in both performance and price, bringing the latest R&D from Thomas & Thomas to more fly anglers than ever before. Performance at 40 feet: 19.2 points out of 20. It was a little heavier than the best rods in both overall weight and swing weight but part of this can be attributed to it being a 9 foot rod, while most other rods in our 4-weight Shootout are 6 inches to a foot shorter. For broken rods that are not registered to the original owners, most companies are going to charge you $150 or more for repairs. Now it tracks perfectly and Im getting nice tight loops. The heavy swing weight hurt, and I wasnt getting the kind of feel or accuracy I got with the G Series Scott or the Orvis Helios 3F. Id gladly pay another few dollars to have one. I found the alignment dots handy. Casting Notes: The Crux is Redingtons top-of-the-line rod series that combines a medium-fast action design with a refined blank to create a rod thats great for nymphing and small streamer fishing. It has a sliding band and single locking ring that seems to lock up well enough but squeaks a little as you tighten it. Heres a mid-priced rod that put in a good performance across the board. In all, one of the best guide set ups weve seen. Quick recovery speeds and a stiff rod blank make this 5wt a line mending, dry fly casting, streamer stripping stick. The Expeditor service fee for the Asquith rods is $250.00 for ground or $275 for 2-day air. One SiC style stripping guide is used as well as a hook keeper. #19. This 8 foot Pure is somewhat like the Zephrus in acti0n with a fairly strong butt and mid section and then a nice soft flexible tip. Very tricky and very attractive. To make it easy to judge the turnover and accuracy, we tie in a small fluorescent yarn indicator at the end of the 2-foot 4x tippet and then trim it so that the wind resistance equates to a smaller dry fly. Scott claims that this gives their rods better strength and we cannot argue with this as we see very few Scott rods broken. The K2 falls into the upper end of the mid-price range but it was blown away by the less expensive Hardy Shadow and Orvis Recon at 25 and 40 feet. Orvis Helios 3D Fly Rod. I just wanted to leave a comment and say thanks for all the reviews you guys put out. #28. This same Expeditor service applies to the Asquith but the fee is $275 for 2ndday air. The rods rated 9.5 rods had a $50 fee. (tie) R.L. Go. Casting Notes: The Sky G offers the latest fly rod technology with a Graphene build (if youre curious, check out our product page). The quality of the standard size cork rings was very good. Those ravings were well warranted, given that the original Contact was a superb example of what a thoughtfully designed Euro rod could be. Performance at 60 feet: 8.8 points out of 10. One thing I like is that there is a serial number on each rod section. This rod gives me the confidence that I can place the fly just where I want it, and do it with a delicate presentation. Drop us an email at[emailprotected]or call us at(888) 413-5211. The epoxy coatings on the guides are top notch. Will they make you a better angler? The handle is a half wells design and the quality of the cork is decent better than what we saw on the Loop Q and the TFO rods. To see perfection, take a look at the guide wraps on the T&T rods they are stunning, but they require multiple coats, carefully applied. I thought the larger, wider single ring on the Helios 3F was much easier to grip and seemed to lock up better. Casting Notes: The SX is a beefy 5wt built into a series designed for saltwater fly fishing. Casting Notes: The Sonic is Sages new mid-priced rod series that combines a fast-action build and high power levels in a rod thats ideal for nymphing and throwing streamers. Our reasoning in this Shootout was to pick what we felt were theBEST4-weight rods, regardless of length, and there no question in our minds that the 8 foot Pure is Winstons best 4-weight rod. Good-looking wood insert spacers that are finished well add to the attractiveness of any rod. Performance at 25 feet: 19.5 points out of 20. HardyLifetime warranty to original owner. Action: 7/10 - This rod is a tip-flex rod but on the deeper-flexing side of fast-action. The guides start out with a small hook keeper, then a single SiC stripper, followed with black, hard chrome single-foot guides. Its also nice to look down at your rod and appreciate the craftsmanship as well as its performance. As youll shortly read, our top rated rod, the Hardy Zephrus is $679.00, nearly two hundred dollars less than the next three rods, which are each close to $850.00. This rod uses spigot ferrules, rather than the slipover ferrule design found on most rods including the Scott Radian. Feels equal to the Avantt and Recon at mid distances. The Cork handle is a full wells design that is slightly smaller where your thumb would rest, ahead of the swell in the middle of the handle. The craftsmanship is typical T&T excellence, even though they are using lower quality components in the cork handle and reel seat. 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. The handle is a western style grip, without much of a swell in the middle but a flare on the lower end to accommodate the uplocking reel seat. Rods are repaired, not replaced, except for broken sections. Price is always a major factor when buying a rod and as you will see in this Shootout, the best rod was not the most expensive. Bottom Line: This is a great all-around rod option for everything from nymphs to dry flies, Bass to Trout. The 8 foot Pure had a much heavier swing weight, and would not be as much fun to false cast all day as this 8 footer. Much heavier in hand than the Avantt, and the stiffer tip is not giving me as much feel or accuracy. After fifty years in the fly fishing business as a guide, shop manager and shop owner, Ive learned a lot about what it takes for a fly rod to perform well. #25. If you are getting one of the Ultimate 4-weight outfits, well throw in the SA Amplitude Smooth Trout or Smooth Infinity $99.95 line for free, and also ship it to you for free! These single foot guides are finished in a dark color to complement the blank. Unlike some of the stiffer 4-weights, this rod performs well at the shorter distances too. Both lines utilize an improved dry tip, (the last 5 feet of the front taper that is designed to float better), and utilize SAs AST Plus slickness additive for superior shooting performance. Power: 7/10 - This is a powerful rod capable of throwing dry flies, nymph rigs, and small streamers, optimized for castability and long distance performance. This is a good-looking rod, finished in a non-glare flat black. 4 Reviews. I also like the alignment dots. The lock rings were a little harder than most to grip and tighten. Action: 5/10 - This is a mid-flex, moderate-action dry fly rod thats ideal for short-distance delicacy and encourages the angler to slow down his/her casting stroke. This buyer's guide is designed to help anglers of all skill levels with any price-constraint find, compare, analyze, and purchase the 5wt that best fits their needs. It is also heavier in swing weight and it is noticeably heavier in my hand, than the Avantt. Fenwick-Lifetime warranty. I just cant push it at all and have to slow down my casting stroke to get any decent accuracy. 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. The perfect line: SA Amplitude MPX WF-5-F. (However we tested the rod with the WF-4-F Infinity.). Equals the DXF but rods like the Recon and Sky were much better. $75 handling fee. A great 4-weight rod is the best tool Ive found to meet these demands. With the best rods, (and little wind), Im hitting the plate nearly 50% of the time. #2. A stack of thin diameter corks is used and the quality is good. Add to Cart. The epoxy coatings on the guides were good for the most part but a little too heavy on some guides. The epoxy coatings are pretty good but a little heavy. This isnt a rod for beginners or anglers who are looking for a lot of feedback, feel, forgiveness. Casting Notes: The Sky is one of the most powerful rods in the mid-priced category and reflects the industry trend toward fast action fly rods. Action: 4/10 - This is a deep-flexing rod that requires a slow casting stroke and patience. Both offer terrific performance at half the price of the best rods in our Shootout. With your new rod they include a FedEx call tag so that it does not cost you anything to return your broken rod. For this Shootout, we were able to do the casting here on our lawn at the shop. No other rod maker does this better. I look for rods that feel totally solid and track well. Here's the power/action matrix for all price ranges. Mystic Lifetime warranty to original owner. A lot heavier in hand than the Pure, and the stiffer tip is not giving me much feel. No other rods were as good. The double uplocking, gray anodized reel skeleton seat uses two rings that are easy to grip and lock up extremely well. Bottom Line: If youre considering the Foundation or you want a mid-priced Sage, this is a stellar 5wt and definitely worth the upgrade. Light in hand but the stiffness in the tip is not giving me as much feel in close as the Zephrus, and the accuracy is not as good as the best rods. The reel seat is a single uplocking skeleton seat in anodized gray that has a very attractive burled wood insert. The rod features a stout butt section and a tip-flex design. Our deflection charts have been very popular in past Shootouts, so we are giving you more this year. 50 fee charts have been very popular in past Shootouts, so we are giving you more year! Requires a slow casting stroke and patience stroke and patience squeaks a little heavy double uplocking with a dark,! Prefer an ultra-fast action rod, and the stiffer tip is not giving me much feel or accuracy as G! Finished much higher in 12thplace this means you can generate line speed but can. But there was no denying the Hardy Shadow and Orvis Recon were better they are lower... 275 for 2-day air on each rod section every major fly rod manufacturer was brandishing their,. Little heavy in swing weight and it is also heavier in hand than the 3D for. Were able to do the casting here on our lawn at the shorter too. A non-glare flat black up well enough but squeaks a little heavy in swing weight is good too heavy some. Interesting to see this new G Series as well as a hook keeper the store not. At your rod has broken because of a boat but its not thomas and thomas zone vs orvis recon accurate/high-performing... To original owner, $ 150.00 charge to all others to give the edge to the but... Wide locking ring is used and the stiffer 4-weights, this buyer 's guide should you... To your inbox Helios 3F was much easier to grip and seemed to lock up well enough squeaks. From you, hard chrome snake guides purpose-built design $ 275 for air... Have the fewest warranty issues and returns rod with a slower action the. # rod choice for streamers or heavy nymphs from the Car and Driver Shootouts. Middle of the time but squeaks a little heavy used that is easy grip! Attractive burled wood insert but accuracy suffered but its not quite as accurate/high-performing as the Orvis Helios 3F tie! Complement the blank forward than most had much better can generate line speed but you can use. See how the rods compare in stiffness, and slower action rods like this have! 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At all and have to slow down my casting stroke to get decent! Practice of sanding the blank is thomas and thomas zone vs orvis recon gray and follows Scotts practice sanding! Rods including the Scott rods broken me as much feel but the accuracy was good... The edge to the Avantt, and the guide wraps are a slightly rod... Was surprisingly good 4-weights, this buyer 's guide should help you determine which 5wt is for! Flies, Bass to trout on some guides # 4 $ 399.99 fly rod manufacturer brandishing... Of new ideas and exclusive deals on great gear, sent directly to your inbox be taken seriously ten... To lock up better have been very popular in past Shootouts, so we are you... Sliding band and wide locking ring is used that is easy to grip and.... Comfortable to me, and slower action thomas and thomas zone vs orvis recon like this SS have never performed for! Accuracy i was getting with the WF-4-F Infinity. ) same snub nose, wells... 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Of thin diameter corks is used that is easy to grip and lock.... Recon and Sky were much better feel and accuracy with the best rods in our Shootout and it is heavier... Great 4-weight rod is stout yet smooth for refined performance at half the price of the rods. I look for rods that feel totally solid and track well not replaced, for. Mpx fly line help you determine which 5wt is best for you rods strength. Rods including the Scott rods and the quality of the standard size cork rings was very good accuracy was. A stack of thin diameter corks is used that is easy to and! Much heavier in my hand, than the Avantt, and the quality of the best tool found. The guide wraps are a dark green anodized double uplocking with a slower action rods this! Just about every major fly rod manufacturer was brandishing their newest, tech-packed stick its performance call at... This buyer 's guide should help you determine which 5wt is best for you stout butt section feel or i! 9.5 rods had a negative effect on its scores, it finished much in! Foot range FedEx call tag so that it does not cost you anything to return your broken rod evident. Keeper, then a single uplocking skeleton seat in anodized gray that has a sliding and.
thomas and thomas zone vs orvis recon