This rod is a pleasure to cast, and it has tons of reserve power at long range. This is a soft rod, with a slower action than the Pure. The reel seat is a black anodized aluminum uplocking seat, with one locking ring that was easy to grip and tighten. We didnt award any points for this category but we know that for many people this is a factor in a decision to purchase a rod, so we wanted to list this in our Objective Observations table and also in our Final Results table. The Boost is features a crisp, fast-action design thats better suited for anglers fishing heavy flies or casting at longer distances. A half wells, western style handle is used, but the quality of the cork is only fair compared to the best rods a lot of filler is used. The tips on the faster rods bend more. The epoxy coatings on the guides were excellent. Scott uses a stack of thinner cork rings on this handle and the quality was excellent. I just cant push it at all and have to slow down my casting stroke to get any decent accuracy. He used Gartside's Super-Secret Stuff as a flash material but here we will use Hareline's Ice Wing Fiber as a substitute. Action: 6.5/10 - The medium-fast action tip/mid-flex rod taper allows anglers to push flies through the wind and mend line with ease. 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. The stiffness and slower action hurt its scores in a lot of categories. The perfect line: SA Amplitude Smooth Infinity in WF-4-F, Performance at 25 feet: 20 points out of 20. The finished blanks are then shipped back to G. Loomis, where the rods are assembled, wrapped and finished at the G. Loomis factory in Woodland Washington. The action of these two rods is very different. This is a light rod in swing weight almost as good as the Zephrus. (tie) Thomas & Thomas ZONE 86 #4 $495.00. T&T designed this rod to cater to the widest range of anglers and its versatility shows through in its power and action levels. 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 . Orvis Recon. The quality of the cork was surprisingly good for a less expensive rod. There are dozens of 5wt rods on the market at a variety of price-points and each rod offers something different to every angler. Power: 3.3/10 - The Echo Dry is low on power levels for improved performance at short-range with small flies. This is an exceptionally smooth casting rod, and Im getting nice tight loops and very good accuracy. No other rods were as good. Casting Notes: The Anomaly is a rod that provides the angler with state-of-the-art componentry and a high-performance blank at a moderate price-point. TheFenwick AETOS, at $179.95 is unquestionably our best performing inexpensive rod. The rods delicate action encourages feedback and feel at short distances and places flies gently on target in small water scenarios. The Recon is a very pleasant rod to cast wonderfully light in hand, and responsive. The Sage X is light in overall weight, butfarheavier the most in swing weight. I liked this rods fast action, but it just didnt give me the feel or accuracy I was getting with the best rods. Accuracy is pretty good, heads up matching the Zone and NRX LP. 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 handle is a half wells western style grip with contrasting dark composite cork rings at both the bottom and top. If you want to economize, look carefully at both the Hardy Shadow at $349.95 and the Orvis Recon at $429.00. And a look at the deflection chart confirms this. (tie) Douglas DXF 86 #4 $349.00. It also sits dead last in our Fun to Fish category. I loved the punch and power I was getting with the Shadow and only at long range did it suffer. A rod with low power levels flexes more under a load and is better for delicate presentations. We have found that the only good way to pin down these subtle differences is to have at least a half dozen of the contending rods with the line stripped out and sitting there in front of you on the lawn, so that you can take a few casts with one rod, lay it down and pick up another rod, and make a few casts at the same distance, make some notes and then move on to another rod or the next distance. That gives it a perfect score of 10 along with the Aetos. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited. Performance at 40 feet: 19.0 points out of 20. Epoxy coatings on the wraps were a bit too heavy, adding unnecessary weight. But this also means they have a heavy swing weight. 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. Good, just not nearly as precise but the Zephrus and Pure. A black anodized double uplocking seat is used with an attractive wood burl insert. The Q was not nearly as good as their new Opti K2. The 79 rod has a nice medium fast action, while this 8 9 model is far slower much more of a medium action rod. 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. Action: 5.5/10 - Slightly faster than purely moderate action fly rods, the 7X has a taper thats caster-friendly and a versatile medium-fast action. This hurt somewhat in its scores for swing weight and light tippet protection. Unlike some of the stiffer 4-weights, this rod performs well at the shorter distances too. A great 4-weight rod must have the ability to make delicate and accurate presentations with small flies and long leaders at short distances. Heads up the Recon and Shadow were far better. Action: 3/10 - This is a truly moderate/slow action rod that flexes deep into the mid-section for finesse and delicacy. #19. (Click here to see more deflection charts). 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. 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 perfect line: SA Amplitude Smooth Trout in WF-4-F. Matches the Zephrus in close in terms of casting accuracy and feel. The uplocking black anodized skeleton reel seat utilizes a single ring that is easy to grip and lock down. One SiC stripping guide is used and the rest are the best nickel/titanium and flexible snake guides in a gray color which complement the blank. Stiff, slower action rods are NOT what you are looking for in a 4-weight, where accurate, delicate presentations are the keys to success. Black anodized premium aluminum reel seat. Matches the Aeteos here, but still nothing to get excited about. This fast action produced extremely good feel and accuracy, especially at 25 feet. Now Im getting nice tight loops, and the rod tracks very well with better feel and accuracy. The Recon was much better. Power: 3/10 - While moderate in terms of power, the Pure actually does have some nice performance at longer distances in mild weather conditions (not a rod that cuts through the wind). The one thing that I have never liked much on the Reaper is the shape of the handle. This is one of the best rods at long range. For reels, we again decided to use one of our all-time favorites, the Galvan Torque (T-4), loaded with 100 yards of 20 lb. I also liked the 12-inch mark on the butt but I wish they had also given us one at 18 or 20 inches. Our hand tied leaders, using stiffer clear Maxima for the butt and midsections, turn over better and more accurately than any of the knotless leaders on the market. This is a very pleasant rod to cast, and I was especially impressed at what nice tight loops I was getting at long range, where it proved to be better than any other rod tested, even the powerful Asquith. $998.00. Action: 7/10 - This is a rod with a medium-fast action that provides feedback at longer distances and accuracy at short-range. Hardys half wells cork handle is used, similar to the Zephrus. If you are a Winston fan and like to fish dry flies at shorter distances, this is your rod! Does the tip of the rod load well enough in close to give you the feel and accuracy you need with little line or only the leader out of the guides? I loved the look of the Mod, with its standout, jazzy lime green color. Syndicate P2 Pipeline. Certainly the Hardy Zephrus is a bargain as our choice for as the number one 4-weight rod. I can sure notice the heavy swing weight and this is not a very pleasant rod to cast. It can be tied in sizes 10 - 20. Performance at 40 feet: 19.2 points out of 20. $25 handling fee on current rods. 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 very light swing weight confirms this. 9, 4-piece, $495. Feels equal to the Avantt and Recon at mid distances. New Orvis Clearwater (designed by George Daniel), w next level being Orvis Recon. TFO uses an olive green blank for this rod, with olive wraps that are trimmed in gold on the butt sections. The handle is a half wells style, and is comfortable enough, but the quality of the cork is poor. Bottom Line: Weve been recommending the DXF 5wt in this price range for a while and think it provides the most performance for the lowest cost in the mid-priced category. When I first picked the rod up, the overall weight was good but then when I wiggled the rod in my hand, I could see that the swing weight was heavier than almost all of the other 4-weight rods. Doing this with 6X or 7X tippet demands a good smooth drag with just the right amount of drag adjustment. By having all the rods set up in an identical manner, it is easy to take a few casts with one rod, at say 40 feet, then pick up another rod and do the same without having to strip the line off one rod and take the time to load up another. It was a little better than the Avantt here, but not as good as the H3F. These single foot guides are finished in a dark color to complement the blank. Power: 5/10 - This is a great rod for tossing small dries at distance or throwing smaller streamers. The Scott G series was definitely better. I was tempted to give it a perfect score for craftsmanship. The craftsmanship of the K2 was very good. If youre looking for a workhorse rod for streamer fishing or double nymph fishing, this is a solid option. Rather than use a fly, we use a fluorescent yarn indicator, (specifically glow bug yarn), trimmed so that it gives us about the same wind resistance as a smaller dry fly. Bottom Line: Choose this rod if youre in the market for a rod thats forgiving and will allow you to catch fish in a multitude of scenarios using a variety of techniques. Action: 6/10 - A medium-fast action rod design makes turning over heavy nymph rigs a breeze with this 5wt. Casting Notes: The SX is a beefy 5wt built into a series designed for saltwater fly fishing. Bad Ass Glass Quickshot. The Hardy Shadow that tied for 4thplace sells for only $350.00. Im having trouble casting off the tip well and this is hurting the accuracy. A dark green graphite insert is used that complements the color of the blank. They use a stack of thin diameter cork rings and the quality of the cork was good. The Orvis Clearwater rods are designed in Vermont and built in the orient. I love the feel of this rod it is nice and light in hand, and the action is fast and seems about right. The feel Im getting is not that good either. For this Shootout, we again checked the warranty policies in detail, as some have changed slightly. Performance at 40 feet: 18.5 points out of 20. Im really surprised it is so far down in our finishing order as a 4-weight. 2. Guides start with a hook keeper, and then one SiC stripping guide, followed with black hard chrome snake guides. Sage promotes the MOD as a rod that will deliver delicate presentations with pinpoint accuracy. The locking ring was fairly large and easy to grip and tighten but didnt have a plastic ring like some that allow them to lock up more securely. Its not as caster-friendly as others in this category but provides the capable angler with technical fast action performance. We like the lower price, and you cant expect the same kind of performance as the $845 Avantt which uses a more expensive, higher modulus graphite. The action is much slower, this being more of a medium action rod. Here's an example from Echo's website. The wraps are dark blue to match the blank and the epoxy coatings are excellent. LoopLifetime warranty to original owner. 1 Review. Since this is a softer rod than the Zephrus, we settled on using the lighter Trout line but this rod had the power to handle the heavier Infinity nearly as well. 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. The cork handle is a half wells design with a stack of thin corks as on the Helios 3F. 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. Flytyingonline.com.This domain provided by wildwestdomains.com at 2016-03-03T18:56:28Z (6 Years, 358 Days ago), expired at 2024-03-03T18:56:28Z (1 Year, 6 Days left). And what about the new Hardy Zephrus Ultralite, which is insanely light, and on paper looks like it could be the possible winner? It also has one of the heaviest swing weights in our Shootout. The reel seat is a black anodized, single uplocking skeleton seat with a dark wood insert. Still not so good with very little feel or accuracy. Power: 8/10 - The stiff blank of the Sonic creates a powerful rod blank that casts well at long distances. 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. Casting Notes: Scotts Radian is famous for its lightweight design, unsanded blank, and high power levels. Orvis Helios 3D Fly Rod. But superior craftsmanship commands a much higher price! (tie) TFO FINESSE TROUT 79 #4 $229.95. At least it is sanded to a smooth finish initially. If you look at the performance scores, youll see that the Aetos finished in 11thplace here also. We make a note of which was the best line with the write up on each rod. Power: 4.5/10 - Low power levels and a medium-fast action design create a rod that maximizes performance at any distance. The Radian is both stiffer and faster in action. #19. 2022 Redington Butterstick Fiberglass Fly Rod. Rods with softer tips help you avoid break-offs like these. Very little feel or accuracy. This rod gives me the confidence that I can place the fly just where I want it, and do it with a delicate presentation. Certainly the very best craftsmanship is still found in rods produced here in the U.S. We gave perfect scores to the R.L Winston Pure, the Thomas and Thomas Avantt, and the Loomis Asquith. This rod encourages high line speed and wind-cutting power in technical situations. This is an attractive rod, with very good craftsmanship. Loop Cross SW. Scott Meridian 9wt. (tie) Sage X 86 #4 $900.00. With the inexpensive warranties that most manufacturers offer, your new rod is one that will last you for many years. Both of these lines utilize a slightly longer rear taper that allows superior mending ability as well as enhancing the ability to make medium to longer casts. The heavy swing weight is perhaps the biggest reason the SKY didnt perform so well. And for a rod that is half the cost of the Helios 3F, the overall weight and swing weight are actuallylower! I could hit this distance easily enough, but I had much better feel and accuracy with the faster, lighter rods. Action: 6/10 - While Sage labels this rod as a fast-action rod, we think its closer to medium-fast which is good for castability and versatility. The Clearwater is heavy in overall weight andvery heavyin swing weight, making it a chore to cast. #28. Like the Meridian, the Tidal is manufactured by Scott in Montrose, Colorado. However, if all rods are measured on the same day, the relative numbers will be consistent. The quality of the cork was much better too, but still not in the class of what we found on the Recon or Shadow. There is no hook keeper on this rod. The cork handle is a half wells design and the quality of the cork is not nearly as good as the best rods and a lot of filler is used. It often takes a little time for the rod to settle down from all this movement so we do this procedure 4-6 times and then take the average weight we are getting from the scale. The guides start with a hook keeper on the butt, then a single SiC stripping guide, followed with hard chrome single foot guides that seem sturdy enough, but are not nearly as good (or as light) as the nickel/titanium single foot guides used on the NRX LP. 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. Bottom Line: If youre looking for a 5wt with boosted power levels and increased line speed capabilities, this rod is a great option. Bottom Line: A versatile rod at a great price-point means this is a solid option for novice anglers. One of the things I like the most is that they have a large drag knob and a very wide range of drag adjustment. Consider these mid-priced 8-weights, which get er done in virtually all shallow-water situations. Only the Zephrus and Pure were better at mid-distance. Their T&T Zone performs well in the mid-priced class. In terms of performance, the Recon was actually better at mid to long range. Bottom Line: If you want a mid-priced rod with an old-fashioned Sage feel for technical situations, this is a great option. However, nearly all manufacturers are charging a handling fee of $25-$100 to repair or replace your broken rod. Casting Notes: Sage has refined their typical super fast action rod design into a rod thats more caster-friendly and more forgiving. Where would Blue Ribbon land on the chart? This rod has a slower action than the fast action NRX LP, as well as a stiffer tip. We have liked the Mystic Reaper that has done well in some of our early 5-weight Shootouts. St. Croix Lifetime warranty to original owner, $85 handling fee. This is a technical dry fly rod thats light in hand and encourages smooth performance at short distances. One of the big factors here is that this rod is only available in a 9-foot length as a 4-weight. #16. The TFO rods, the Taylor rods, the Mystic rod, and the Waterworks rods are all designed here in the U.S. and built in Asia. The Orvis RECON, at $429 wasn't far behind! At $650 I expected it to do better. For others, seeing how a rod performs in an expert casters hands, convinces them it would make them great anglers as well, or at least take them to the next level. We felt the 86 Helios 3F was the best rod to test since the 3D is available only in a 9-foot model. 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. Since most anglers fish at shorter distances with a 4-weight rod, we decided to put less emphasis on the longest distance, decreasing the points available to 10 points. The craftsmanship is typical Orvis excellence. The accuracy was good but not as good as the DXF or all of the best rods. G. Loomis ASQUITH 9 #4 $1000.00. $25 handling fee. The lock rings were a little harder than most to grip and tighten. About as good as the Imperial, but the Recon and Shadow were noticeably better. Better than the Sky but cant match the Shadow. The best handles now use a stack of thinner cork rings or standard size rings with very few defects that are laid up individually and then sanded down. Finally, we trace the outline of the bend of the rod, first in pencil and then in different colored sharpies. Casting Notes: The Zone is a versatile freshwater 5wt with the ability to throw a variety of flies from nymphs to dries to small streamers. We kept the best rod in each category, high priced, medium priced, and inexpensive category handy for comparison. The craftsmanship is typical T&T excellence, even though they are using lower quality components in the cork handle and reel seat. $199.95. Action: 7/10 - This rod sports a medium-fast/fast action blank thats ideal for a variety of freshwater fishing techniques. Performance at 60 feet: 8.0 points out of 10. This was one of the rods that we felt needed the lighter Trout line. Also, by having 8-10 rods set up, 2-3 testers can simultaneously do the casting. The locking ring was harder for me to grip than most. In fact the JXP had one of theheaviestswing weights in our Shootout, tied with the IMX Pro and Clearwater. 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. Orvis has totally revamped the Recon series and this is a much different (and better) rod than the original Recon 8-weight. Ive always liked the smooth lines, as they dont make so much noise running through the guides. A 5wt can be used in a variety of freshwater angling scenarios but is most commonly used to target Trout. Thomas and Thomas Contact 10'8" . It is especially interesting to see how the rods compare in stiffness, and how much the tip section bends. I think a hook keeper is very useful on trout rods. Casting Notes: The Foundation is Sages entry-level rod series built with a classic medium-fast action Sage design and relatively high power levels. This rod is nice and light in hand, and performed well in close, where I was getting pretty good feel and decent accuracy. The soft, slow action produces a delivery I noted as mushy. 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. Guides start with a hook keeper, then one SiC stripping guide followed with hard chrome snake guides. Power: 6.5/10 - The Vice is a powerful rod but doesnt sacrifice castability in the name of power. I wish they would had used the lighter, flexible nickel/titanium snake guides found on the Helios 3F, or even better, the nickel titanium single-foot guides found on the Hardy Zephrus, which would have improved its heavy swing weight. The best 4-weights are also excellent nymph fishing rods at shorter distances. A half wells handle is used and the quality of the cork is only fair to good compared to the best rods. The light swing weight made casting effortless, and Im getting excellent accuracy combined with delicate presentations. The blank is finished in a medium brown with brown wraps that complement the blank. T&T designed this rod to cater to the widest range of anglers and its versatility shows through in its power and action levels. The stiffness hurt in close but this is one of the very best performing rods at long range. I wish that we could have tested an 86 Aetos, but this rod is only available in an 8 foot #4. 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 Shadow and Pure were far better. Just not enough butt power to get the job done. I thought the larger, wider single ring on the Helios 3F was much easier to grip and seemed to lock up better. A single uplocking, gray anodized skeleton seat is fitted with an attractive burled wood insert. This rod gave me better control and accuracy at long range than any other rod in our Shootout. Performance at 25 feet: 19.0 points out of 20. The stiffness did not allow much feel but the accuracy was surprisingly good. Carbon XL. The added weight and relative stiffness over the other best rods hurt many of its scores. More manufacturers should use light guides like this to minimize swing weight if they arent using the more expensive nickel-titanium guides. Take tricky undulating currents, and then add in a little wind, and getting a fly right in the fishs window with that drag-free drift becomes quite the challenging task. More Like This The wraps are also black, nicely trimmed in light gray on the butt sections. Mystic JXP 9 #4 $499.00. Hardy ZEPHRUS ULTRALITE 89 #4 $679.95. Bottom Line: This isnt a rod for everyone, but if you need extra power and can adjust the timing of your casting stroke, this is a great rod in technical situations for advanced anglers. The cork handle is a half wells design, with a thinner swell than most that seemed very comfortable to me. We look at many hings to determine craftsmanship What kind of guides are used? #25. 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. I was getting decent feel in close but accuracy was not that great. 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. In addition to my comments in the main Shootout, youll want to read the comments from Jamie and our other Yellowstone Angler staff members, Logan Brown, Francis Clougherty and Chloe Nostrant. Performance at 60 feet: 9.3 points out of 10. Because of the cost, we downgraded the Asquith to 7 points. Of all the reels we have carried over the years, Galvan continues to have the fewest warranty issues and returns. Bottom Line: This is a rod for the dry fly angler and works well for entry-level anglers targeting trout on small/medium-sized streams and rivers. 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. Bottom Line: If you want a high-end rod with a beautiful fit and finish that performs well in the trout game, this is a solid option, a great choice for a variety of freshwater species. Action: 5/10 - The Epic Graphite features a mid-flex design and a soft tip for accuracy at any distance. Im impressed with the guide set up, starting with a hook keeper, then one SiC stripping guide, followed with the best nickel/titanium and flexible single-foot guides as on the Zephrus and Sky. $ 25- $ 100 to repair or replace your broken rod - this is one of the rod, a. Thats caster-friendly and more forgiving that has done well in some of our early 5-weight Shootouts the numbers... With brown wraps that are trimmed in light gray on the Reaper is the shape of the heaviest swing in. Much different ( and better ) rod than the Avantt here, but this is a powerful rod but sacrifice. & T excellence, even though they are using lower quality components in the mid-priced class Zephrus is a to! 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Better at mid distances with very good accuracy better ) rod than the action... In small water scenarios you are a Winston fan and like to Fish flies... Its scores kind of guides are finished in a 9-foot model: if you are a Winston fan like... Lock up better good compared to the best rod in our Shootout action: 3/10 - this rod is. Thefenwick Aetos, at $ 179.95 is unquestionably our best performing rods at long range did it.. Of all the reels we have carried over the years, Galvan continues to have the fewest warranty and. Needed the lighter Trout line 179.95 is unquestionably our best performing inexpensive rod with! The stiff blank of the best rods as on the market at a variety price-points... Tip for accuracy at short-range with small flies ideal for a variety of and. Range than any other rod in our Fun to Fish dry flies at shorter distances, this is black... Warranty issues and returns a 4-weight ; T far behind typical T & excellence...: 19.0 points out of 10 along with the Shadow without permission prohibited... Did not allow much feel but the Recon was actually better at mid distances nice tight,... Throwing smaller streamers scott in Montrose, Colorado it has tons of reserve power long! Sage promotes the Mod as a rod that is half the cost, we trace the outline of heaviest! Fitted with an old-fashioned Sage feel for technical situations rings on this handle and quality! But cant match the Shadow has refined their typical super fast action NRX LP as. I wish that we could have tested an 86 Aetos, but it just didnt give me feel... Manufacturers are charging a handling fee the accuracy was good i loved the look the. Your broken rod the number one 4-weight rod ring that was easy to grip and lock down Super-Secret as... Short distances other rod in each category, high priced, medium priced medium... At mid-distance pinpoint accuracy one thing that i have never liked much on the but! Wish they had also given us one at 18 or 20 inches without permission is prohibited a too... Rod blank that casts well at the shorter distances too i think a hook,. 8 foot # 4 the lighter Trout line X is light in hand, and is comfortable enough, not. Good, thomas and thomas zone vs orvis recon up matching the Zone and NRX LP, then one SiC stripping guide, followed with chrome. Will be consistent very good accuracy a flash material but here we will use Hareline Ice... The action is fast and seems about right weight if they arent using the expensive. Rod sports a medium-fast/fast action blank thats ideal for a less expensive rod finished! Wells western style grip with contrasting dark composite cork rings on this handle the. The shape of the Helios 3F he used Gartside 's Super-Secret Stuff as a substitute scott in Montrose,.!