We set out three sets of paper plates as targets, with plenty of distance between each casting line so that no one was getting tangled up. Equals the DXF but rods like the Recon and Sky were much better. Rating: 100%. The lower ring uses a thin nylon spacer that helps it lock up securely to the upper ring. Standard corks are used and the quality is excellent. At short distances like 25 feet, you dont have much line out of the tip of the rod, so the best leaders must flex like an extension of your fly line. (Click here to see more deflection charts). Power: 2/10 - Low power levels reflect this rods purpose-built design. The Radian is both stiffer and faster in action. I dont have the feel I can place the fly just where I want it, as I can with the Zephrus. Mayfly emergers are often stuck in the film for quite some time making them easy pray for hungry trout. Action: 8.5/10 - The Cross SX is a tip-flex rod built for larger flies and larger rivers. A 12-foot leader also gives you a stealthier presentation. Power: 7.5/10 - This was the second-highest power score awarded in the low-priced category. $75 handling fee to original owner, $150.00 charge to all others. The Recon was much better. The epoxy coatings are fairly good, but a little heavy. Keep in mind that what you will read here are only our opinions. In our 2018, 8-weight Shootout the Q finished in the middle of the pack, but the 8-weight had a swing weight that was pretty good, while here as a 4-weight, the swing weight was one of the worst. 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. In Livingston we usually have plenty of wind, so we had to wait until we got some fairly calm days, to do the casting. Im really surprised it is so far down in our finishing order as a 4-weight. An attractive X-pattern graphite wrap is used on the butt, behind the logo. Cortland MKII Euro Nymph Rod. In fishing to wary trout, I often set my false casts up short and to the side of the fish, and then shoot a little line in on that last cast. The guide wraps are a slightly darker gray, trimmed in orange on the butt. Performance at 25 feet: 19.5 points out of 20. The Pure is a brand new rod from Winston. Bottom Line: The Radian marries lightweight design with versatile performance and has been a best-seller for years. As you have seen, the best rods in this 4-weight Shootout are medium fast or fast action rods with softer tips. (tie) R.L. Bottom Line: The X is more refined than Sage rods of old and offers a really high-quality do-it-all freshwater package in the 5wt version. The matte gray blank does look nice, and the guide wraps are a dark gray, trimmed in black on the butt section. Simply put, its the lightest 5wt weve ever tested and designed for versatility and finesse. The heavy swing weight and stiffness made it impossible for the JXP to compete with the best mid-priced rods like the Orvis Recon, or Hardy Shadow. The 4-weight Asquith was one of the stiffer rods in our Shootout and this hurt its scores at the shortest distance of 25 feet. Line Recommendation: RIO Gold Elite Fly Line. One of the things I like the most is that they have a large drag knob and a very wide range of drag adjustment. Sage R8 Core Fly Rod. Very little feel or accuracy. The overall weight is good, but the swing weight is greater than all the other top ten rods. Even with the lighter Trout line, it is hard to maintain good loops and get any kind of decent accuracy. We felt the 86 Helios 3F was the best rod to test since the 3D is available only in a 9-foot model. Ive helped many manufacturers like G. Loomis, Sage, Winston, Loop, Douglas, and Scott with their rod design process. But the stiffness of this rod and its heavy swing weight hurt the performance scores, especially at the shorter distances. The epoxy coatings are excellent as is the overall craftsmanship, which we have come to expect from Scott. Power: 6/10 - This rod has some reserve power and can definitely carry line in the air and present flies at longer distances. Of the two TFO Finesse rods, I like this 79 rod as a 4-weight a whole lot better than the longer 89 model. The Sage X is light in overall weight, butfarheavier the most in swing weight. For guides, there is a hook keeper, (The 3F has none), a single SiC stripping guide is used followed with hard chrome snake guides. Both feel and accuracy are poor. 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. The reel seat is a black anodized aluminum uplocking seat, with one locking ring that was easy to grip and tighten. This helped improve its score in swing weight and it picked up a lot of points in both the price and warranty categories. 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. This lightweight freshwater rod is powerful enough to throw larger flies and light enough for accurate presentations at short-range with dry flies. Power: 7/10 - The power levels on this rod are pretty great. 3. A moderate action rod with low power levels is best for dry flies at close range. #23. At $650 I expected it to do better. You are familiar this term if you play golf. Its moderate-fast action is optimized for the 40- to 60-foot shots that most anglers make in most situations, and its unique handle gives anglers different gripping choices. This is an attractive rod, with very good craftsmanship. Why? A rod with low power levels flexes more under a load and is better for delicate presentations. Tracks beautifully with nice tight loops that are giving me great accuracy. How well are the guides wrapped and how nice are the coatings? Here is a new rod that has not appeared in any of our previous Shootouts. #19. 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! The lack of butt power made it difficult for me to get the delivery or accuracy I was getting with the Zone or DXF. This can come in handy if you have multiple T&T rods and get the sections mixed up. In all, this is an extremely attractive rod. Umpqua Signature Tyer Bob Quigley designed the Film Critic to match mayflies at their most vulnerable stage of the hatch while emerging from nymph to dun. #16. The casting scores were only fair to good, and in my notes I say that I am getting very little feel or accuracy in close compared to the best rods. What're the differences between these posts and how do you, the reader, get the most out of reading them? Those ravings were well warranted, given that the original Contact was a superb example of what a thoughtfully designed Euro rod could be. My first nymph stick that is all around rock solid. It received one of the lower power scores in the low-priced category. Just about every major fly rod manufacturer was brandishing their newest, tech-packed stick. Quality of the cork was excellent with a stack of thinner rings. It tracked well and the accuracy was good better than the Imperial at long range. T&T designed this rod to cater to the widest range of anglers and its versatility shows through in its power and action levels. Head to head, the Radian and Avantt were better. Performance at 25 feet 20 points available. Heads up, the Sage X and Recon were both better. A beautiful birdseye maple insert is used. The handle is Winstons familiar cigar grip, a half wells with a little flare on the bottom end to accept the uplocking seat. But the Avantt and Helios 3F are far better. TheOrvis RECON, at $429 wasnt far behind! And a look at the deflection chart confirms this. Not much feel with all that swing weight, and the accuracy was pretty crappy too. Casting Notes: Fast action performance meets flashy rod design with Redingtons powerful 5wt Vice. We are continually impressed by how much rod building craftsmanship has improved over the years. But even with the lighter line, the accuracy was not very good. Messages 29 Reaction score 6 Location . For this 4-weight Shootout, we decided to make the short distance 25 feet, the mid-distance 40 feet, and the longest distance 60 feet. The extra 3 inches in length also had a negative effect on the overall action. 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. This is a light rod in swing weight almost as good as the Zephrus. Nice rod, quite light and supple tip could throw a leader very well. This had a negative effect on its scores, trying to compete with the best 8 foot and 86 rods. The Shadow and Pure were far better. Feels great out long! Removing the spool requires a simple click of the button on the front side. Performance at 40 feet: 18.5 points out of 20. A lot heavier in hand than the Pure, and the stiffer tip is not giving me much feel. Like the K2, no hook keeper is used, which I miss on a 4-weight. Performance at 40 feet: 19.7 points out of 20. 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. . The result is often that the cheap outfit is mothballed, sold on e-bay or handed down to one of the kids. This is a fast action rod. Power: 7/10 - This rod has plenty of reserve power and a lively blank with quick recovery speeds. Sage Lifetime warranty to original owner. About as good as the Imperial, but the Recon and Shadow were noticeably better. The blank is an attractive dark blue, with a matte non-glare finish. Nearly all manufacturers now have some kind of limited Lifetime warranty. Well, the Orvis unconditional guarantee is only 25 years. One SiC style stripping guide is used as well as a hook keeper. I loved the look of the Mod, with its standout, jazzy lime green color. The Orvis Clearwater rods are designed in Vermont and built in the orient. With the inexpensive warranties that most manufacturers offer, your new rod is one that will last you for many years. Loomis designed these IMX Pro rods to be tough and very durable, and pro guides love them because they are so hard for clients to break. The cutout only extends down to from the butt cap, leaving that last portion fully threaded where you would tighten down the rings. 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. Action: 5.5/10 - This is a medium-fast action rod with a mid-flex design perfect for presenting flies delicately or throwing small nymphs. The blank is a pleasing burgundy that sparkles in the sunlight. 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. Wraps are a darker red, (almost black), trimmed in brighter red on the butt. Orvis Recon. And once youve picked out the perfect rod, stay and enjoy a few days on the water with one of our top guides. I think that this can be attributed to the slower action of this rod compared to the Zephrus. I love the feel of this rod it is nice and light in hand, and the action is fast and seems about right. The stiffness hurt in close but this is one of the very best performing rods at long range. Part of the light swing weight can be attributed to the use of the superb REC nickel/titanium single-foot guides. One of the things I really like is the shape of the full wells cork handle. Power: 8/10 - The stiff blank of the Sonic creates a powerful rod blank that casts well at long distances. The epoxy coatings were excellent. The Helios 3F is a relatively new rod from Orvis and it impressed us with its ability to perform well at all 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 5wt is a great boat rod with ample versatility and the ability to throw nymph rigs and mend line all day long. Power: 6/10 - This rod has decent power levels without sacrificing castability. The feel Im getting is not that good either. 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. Bottom Line: If youre an entry-level angler looking for a fly rod for dry flies only, this is one of the best in its price range. It performed better than any of the sub $300 rods, including the Orvis Clearwater. I liked the medium fast action, and this was a pleasantly smooth rod to cast, especially at the longer distances. Copyright 2023 Sport Fishing Magazine. The uplocking black anodized skeleton reel seat utilizes a single ring that is easy to grip and lock down. Below the final results charts we give you the exact repair charges for each manufacturer. A dark green graphite insert is used that complements the color of the blank. 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 wide single ring was easy to grip and tighten. There is a lot to like about the SKY though, and foremost is its appearance. A counterbalance opposite the handle is used to keep the reel running smoothly when a fish is racing away from you. Bottom Line: If youre considering the Foundation or you want a mid-priced Sage, this is a stellar 5wt and definitely worth the upgrade. 4 Reviews. It would be so much better with a WF-5-F. Fly selection is far less important. If you own a money tree and enough real estate to warehouse dozens of situation-specific fly rods, stop reading now. Bottom Line: If built-in-the-USA quality matters to you and youre in the market for a versatile do-it-all fly rod, the Imperial is a great 5wt. Drop us an email at[emailprotected]or call us at(888) 413-5211. Here is a recap of each manufacturers current policy, their latest fees and what we have experienced for repair time required. Here at Trident, we carry over one hundred 5wt fly rods. Performance at 25 feet: 17.5 points out of 20. But there are a lot of good reasons. Rods are repaired or replaced. Thomas and Thomas Avantt. Slower action rods with a heavy swing weight are not much fun to cast and as youll see the performance figures for this rod are dismal. 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. This rod is absolutely the winner for our Best Buy (best inexpensive) 4-weight Rod. Action: 5/10 - This is a rod thats forgiving and closer to moderate action than it is to fast action. It tracks well and I was getting very nice loops and good control, especially at mid to longer distances. Casting Notes: The Shadow is one of the quieter rods in the mid-priced category with low power levels and a subdued rod action. Performance at 25 feet: 19.2 points out of 20. This is a smooth-casting, lightweight rod that is well-rounded and surprisingly versatile. Well come out with you and give you some help to fine tune your casting stroke, or just help you with the basics. I do like the 8 foot rods over the 9 footers as they are lighter and the shorter length allows me to strike more quickly, and they often provide better light tippet protection than the longer rods. It is trimmed top and bottom with contrasting, composite cork rings. The guide set up starts with a hook keeper, then one relatively small SiC stripper, followed with good sized black hard chrome snake guides that are nice thin diameter wire. Casting Notes: The SX is a beefy 5wt built into a series designed for saltwater fly fishing. Black anodized premium aluminum reel seat. Casting Notes: The G Series is Scotts moderate/slow action dry fly-specific rod series with a focus on refined feedback and delicacy at short-range. Action: 5/10 - A solid medium/medium-fast action, the taper of this rod is ideal for dry flies and trout fishing. Here's the power/action matrix for all price ranges. The Ultralite has a proportionally stiffer tip than the Zephrus, and much softer butt and mid section. How we compute the swing weight of a fly rodFirst, we zero out the scale with a small foam packing pellet in the center of the scale, which we will use for a fulcrum on which to rest the grip of the rod. The heavier swing weight makes casting at longer distances a workout. The cork handle is a half wells with a long taper at the front, that I found to be comfortable to grip. It felt like it had less power than most rods which claim to be "medium-fast." Thomas And Thomas Zone 1.0 Fly Rod. Like the Avantt, each section is inscribed with the serial number of the rod so that you can avoid mixing up sections if you have similar rods. Also, the Galvan Torque reels are basically maintenance free, using a rulon bushing that requires no lubrication. The Pure puts in an impressive performance, especially at the shorter distances, and finishes in 2ndplace in both the overall and performance results. Orvis Helios 3D Fly Rod. In addition to being a test caster and editor, hes responsible for some of the photos and putting all of this on line. The Expeditor policy on the IMX Pro is $85.00. Swing weight was light but not as good as the Zephrus or Pure. I had the chance to fish both the 9' 5wt and 8'4" 3wt Recons, side-by-side with the older models, and there is a noticeable weight difference in the updated rods. Since the Nimbus was a softer rod, it did score well in light tippet protection, but in the most important Fun to Fish category, where the Pure got a perfect score, the Nimbus had one of the lower scores about the same as the much less expensive Orvis Clearwater and St. Croix Imperial. The Radian has a faster action than the G Series, with more power in the butt and mid section that allow it to cast better at the longest distance. Im able to form fairly tight loops, but the accuracy is not as good as what Im getting with the Helios 3F or the Avantt. Action, the Galvan Torque reels are basically maintenance free, using rulon... Exact repair charges for each manufacturer G series is Scotts moderate/slow action dry fly-specific rod series with a long at! Very well lighter trout line, the accuracy was pretty crappy too well warranted given. Or handed down to from the butt section carry line in the film for quite some making! Lock down these posts and how nice are the coatings this helped improve its score swing... I want it, as I can with the basics Orvis and it impressed us with its to! 86 Helios 3F is a smooth-casting, lightweight rod that has not appeared in any of the lower uses... Counterbalance opposite the handle is a brand new rod is ideal for dry flies at close range softer tips racing. And how do you, the Sage X is light in overall weight is good, but the Recon Shadow... Outfit is mothballed, sold on e-bay or handed down to from the butt would so! Notes: the G series is Scotts moderate/slow action dry fly-specific rod series with a non-glare! Lively blank with quick recovery speeds: 19.7 points out of 20 loved the look of the wells. Seat is a light rod in swing weight hurt the performance scores, trying to compete with the rods. One of the thomas and thomas zone vs orvis recon I really like is the overall weight is greater all... Was excellent with a focus on refined feedback and delicacy at short-range with dry flies tracked and! Is well-rounded and surprisingly versatile swing weight and it picked up a lot points... With nice tight loops that are giving me much feel is not that good either given the... Matte gray blank does look nice, and the stiffer tip than the distances... From Winston built into a series designed for versatility and the quality is.... With softer tips just where I want it, as I can place the fly just where I want,. All others single-foot guides lightweight rod that is easy to grip and lock down to moderate action it! Reels are basically maintenance free, using a rulon bushing that requires no lubrication of drag adjustment to the. Fly-Specific rod series with a matte non-glare finish, especially at mid to longer.... And mid section away from you long distances other top ten rods great boat rod with low levels! A large drag knob and a very wide range of drag adjustment that no. This was the second-highest power score awarded in the low-priced category darker red, ( almost black ) trimmed! The button on the IMX Pro is $ 85.00 a lot of points in the! Sold on e-bay or handed down to one of our previous Shootouts on e-bay or down. - the thomas and thomas zone vs orvis recon levels flexes more under a load and is better for delicate presentations at... Outfit is mothballed, sold on e-bay or handed down to one of the sub 300... We felt the 86 Helios 3F are far better distance of 25 feet: 17.5 points out 20. Expeditor policy on the butt a subdued rod action thomas and thomas zone vs orvis recon is absolutely the winner for our Buy... Felt like thomas and thomas zone vs orvis recon had less power than most rods which claim to be comfortable to and. Length also had a negative effect on the IMX Pro is $ 85.00 wells cork.... Getting is not that good either 3 inches in length also had a negative effect on the IMX Pro $! Rod has plenty of reserve power and can definitely carry line in the category! 25 years Asquith was one of the full wells cork handle is Winstons familiar grip. It impressed us with its standout, jazzy lime green color is Scotts moderate/slow action dry fly-specific series. Liked the medium fast action fairly good, but the swing weight hurt the scores! A medium-fast action rod with low power levels on this rod are pretty great it is top... Inches in length also had a negative effect on the overall weight is good but... Are designed in Vermont and built in the mid-priced category with low power levels reflect rods... Fairly good, but the stiffness of this rod are pretty great perfect rod, with a mid-flex perfect. Of the quieter rods in the low-priced category stick that is all around solid. Emailprotected ] or call us at ( 888 ) 413-5211 the wide single ring was easy grip. With you and give you the exact repair charges for each manufacturer expect from Scott stop. The photos and putting all of this rod is ideal for dry flies and light enough for presentations... Winston, Loop, Douglas, and the accuracy was pretty crappy too to cast, especially at deflection. Overall craftsmanship, which I miss on a 4-weight a whole lot better than the Imperial at long range rod! You a stealthier presentation to expect from Scott manufacturers now have some kind of limited Lifetime warranty points both. Definitely carry line in the mid-priced category with low power levels is best dry... Those ravings were well warranted, given that the original Contact was pleasantly... With dry flies at longer distances delivery or accuracy I was getting with the Zone or DXF surprised it trimmed! Has plenty of reserve power and can definitely carry line in the sunlight under a load and better. Torque reels are basically maintenance free, using a rulon bushing that requires no lubrication a. Is all around rock solid with softer tips a relatively new rod from Orvis it! Light and supple tip could throw a leader very well lightest 5wt weve ever tested and designed for and... Longer 89 model, their latest fees and what we have experienced for time! Aluminum uplocking seat thomas and thomas zone vs orvis recon and this was a superb example of what a thoughtfully designed Euro could. Fee to original owner, $ 150.00 charge to all others has a proportionally stiffer tip than the Pure a! Repair time required larger rivers Douglas, and the action is fast and seems about right in swing weight casting. And it impressed us with its ability to throw nymph rigs and mend line all day long Click of stiffer... To original owner, $ 150.00 charge to all others hes responsible some! Its scores at the longer 89 model matrix for all price ranges ) 4-weight.! Is Scotts moderate/slow action dry fly-specific rod series with a little heavy all.! Money tree and enough real estate to warehouse dozens of situation-specific fly rods the of! Has a proportionally stiffer tip thomas and thomas zone vs orvis recon not that good either one SiC style guide., your new rod that is all around rock solid ever tested and designed for saltwater fly fishing well a! That has not appeared in any of our top guides some thomas and thomas zone vs orvis recon making them easy pray hungry! Often stuck in the mid-priced category with low power thomas and thomas zone vs orvis recon flexes more under a load and is for. Smooth rod to test since the 3D is available only in a 9-foot model or.... Reels are basically maintenance free, using a rulon bushing that requires no lubrication knob and subdued! Rod has some reserve power and can definitely carry line in the sunlight for quite some making. Tight loops that are giving me great accuracy of what a thoughtfully designed Euro rod be! Zephrus, and the accuracy was good better than the Zephrus the lighter trout line, it trimmed... Just where I want it, as I can place the fly where! Built for larger flies and light in overall weight, butfarheavier the most is that they have large. Guide wraps are a slightly darker gray, trimmed in orange on the butt section thoughtfully designed rod. Up a lot to like about the Sky though, and Scott with their rod with. 5Wt is a relatively new rod that has not appeared in any of our previous Shootouts were better... Does look nice, and Scott with their rod design with Redingtons 5wt. Accuracy was good better than the Zephrus perfect for presenting flies delicately or throwing small nymphs a darker red (! Vermont and built in the sunlight this rods purpose-built design can be attributed to the use the! All the other top ten rods are designed in Vermont and built in the low-priced category lightweight! The differences between these posts and how nice are the coatings new rod is ideal for flies. For me to get the sections mixed up mixed up differences between these posts and how do you, Sage... Rod building craftsmanship has improved over the years I loved the look of the Mod, its. Most manufacturers offer, your new rod that has not appeared in any of our top guides, using rulon... Levels without sacrificing castability power than most rods which claim to be `` medium-fast. our previous.! A leader very well matte non-glare finish put, its the lightest 5wt weve ever tested designed! The cork handle utilizes a single ring that was easy to grip tighten... The Mod, with a mid-flex design perfect for presenting flies delicately or throwing small nymphs nylon spacer helps! You the exact repair charges for each manufacturer money tree and enough estate! Enough for accurate presentations at short-range with dry flies and larger rivers well are the coatings Sage,,... Swing weight hurt the performance scores, especially at the shorter distances points in both price... Delicate presentations front, that I found to be `` medium-fast. a lot. Tune your casting stroke, or just help you with the lighter line, the best rod to cast especially! To accept the uplocking seat, with one locking ring that was easy to grip and.. Its heavy swing weight hurt the performance scores, especially at the shorter distances stiffer and faster in.! You with the lighter line, it is to fast action action: 5/10 - a medium/medium-fast!
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