Of course it is six inches shorter too. As you have seen, the best rods in this 4-weight Shootout are medium fast or fast action rods with softer tips. If Fenwick determines that there was a defect, the rod will be repaired or replaced at no charge. Casting Notes: The IMX Pro is a well-known rod series. Good, just not great. Bottom Line: If youre looking for a rod design thats optimized for distance casting, versatility, and chucking double nymph rigs, the Crux is one of the best in its price range. 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. The shorter rod is nice and light, and faster in action than its longer brother. The blank color at first glance looks black, but is a very dark green called Black Spruce. The thread wraps are dark green, trimmed with metallic gray on the butt section. Rods with heavier swing weights or ones with stiffer tips dont fare nearly as well.Ive often had a fish grab a halfway submerged fly in the surface film, when I havent been watching closely enough, and bolt off before I could react, snapping my 6x tippet. To read each staff members casting notes and performance finishing order, please click on their photo above. The double size uplocking ring was easy to grip and tighten. 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. Well come out with you and give you some help to fine tune your casting stroke, or just help you with the basics. If Im fishing a more wind-resistant fly like a hopper, then Ill cut the length down to 9 feet and go with a heavier 3X or 4X tippet. Pretty good loop control but the feel and accuracy were not as good as what I was getting with the DXF or the St. Croix Imperial. Cortland MKII Euro Nymph Rod. Casting Notes: The Echo Dry Fly Rod is a rod built specifically for delicate presentations at shorter distances with dry flies. The guide wraps are in blue with some silver trim on the butt. The 8-weight rods versatility makes packing easier for traveling fly anglers. Nearly all manufacturers now have some kind of limited Lifetime warranty. Well, the Orvis unconditional guarantee is only 25 years. In past Shootouts we tried measuring swing weight in other ways, including calculations for the Moment of Inertia, taking the weight of all 4 sections individually and then plugging these figures into an equation. #16. That's a lot. Performance at 40 feet: 18.0 points out of 20. 9, 4-piece, $495. This is a soft rod, and that gave it good marks in the light tippet protection category, but its performance distance scores were lackluster. This is a fast action rod. Action: 7/10 - A fast action rod design means the Pulse does everything a high-performance 5wt should with efficiency and ease. Sport Fishing Magazine may receive financial compensation for products purchased through this site. Many of the best rods are built in one factory in Korea. For guides, they use one SiC stripping guide followed with hard chrome snake guides that are thin and light on the tip sections. In making the deflection chart, we first put up some white butcher paper on the wall. Stiff, slower action rods are NOT what you are looking for in a 4-weight, where accurate, delicate presentations are the keys to success. The heavy swing weight and stiffer tip gave me very little feel. The length and model on each rod section is inscribed as on the K2. But if you look at just the three distance performance scores, it would have finished below the top dozen rods! The single uplocking reel seat is plain anodized gray aluminum with no insert. This rod provides the angler with a ton of feedback and feel at short range and features a classic aesthetic that harkens back to trout rods of old. Rodis repaired, or sections replaced. This had a negative effect on its scores, trying to compete with the best 8 foot and 86 rods. Orvis HELIOS 3F 86 #4 $849.00. The reel seat is an unusual, triangular shaped silver anodized seat with no spacer. Both feel and accuracy are poor. The skeleton reel seat is a gray anodized double uplocking with a dark gray laminated wood insert. 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. The black anodized double unlocking skeleton seat has two larger rings that are very easy to grip and tighten. When we first saw this new rod from Hardy, we all had two impressions: 1. A contrasting dark composite cork ring is used at the top of the grip. We have learned that we cannot trust manufacturers stated rod weights. Overall the craftsmanship was ok but not nearly as good as the best mid-priced rods like the DXF or the Recon. Swing weight was light but not as good as the Zephrus or Pure. Bottom Line: This is a great all-around rod option for everything from nymphs to dry flies, Bass to Trout. If you've done any fly fishing reading online you've probably seen the words 'shootout', 'buyer's guide', and 'review' a lot. Their choices sometimes differ from mine, but we are almost always in general agreement on the top 4-6 rods in the Shootout. Rating: 100%. Out long the overall softness of the rod is a handicap. There is no hook keeper on this rod. I think that the vague feel I was getting hurt here. There is a lot to like about the SKY though, and foremost is its appearance. The very light swing weight confirms this. The quality of the standard size cork rings was excellent. For guides, there is a hook keeper, then a single SiC stripping guide, followed with hard chrome snake guides that are nice and thin on the tip sections. 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. The uplocking skeleton seat is anodized in a dark gray to complement the blank with a beautiful piece of black ash burl for the insert. This is a fast action rod, a tiny bit stiffer and a tad slower in action than the Helios 3F, but still a very good casting rod. Dont fret about the price youll find some ingenious way to sneak it into your collection of rods without the mrs. (or mr.) finding out. The 79 model was far better and a lot more fun to cast and fish. It can be tied in sizes 10 - 20. The thing that amazes me is how perfect the guide wrapping and epoxy coatings are, compared to other rods. There are matching burgundy wraps on the guides, and the epoxy coatings were very well done. Mayfly emergers are often stuck in the film for quite some time making them easy pray for hungry trout. It is a very smooth rod to cast and was excellent at short and mid-distances, but at the longest distance the Radian, Helios 3F, and Avantt were much better. But even with the lighter line, the accuracy was not very good. Orvis also makes the Recon in a 3-weight 9-foot model better suited for dry fly fishing. It was one of the worst rods in the important swing weight category, and it was near the bottom in light tippet protection too. 2022 Redington Butterstick Fiberglass Fly Rod. I am going between the Soldarini, the Orvis, and the Thomas & Thomas Contact at $795. So if you like what we are doing, the best way to thank us is to buy a rod, reel, or outfit from the Yellowstone Angler. 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. Below the final results charts we give you the exact repair charges for each manufacturer. One SiC style stripping guide is used as well as a hook keeper. It was even a little sloppy on the tip sections. Much of the time Im able to play smaller trout by just stripping line in, but when I hook a big fish that runs hard I want to play it off the reel. I also like the alignment dots. The cork handle is a Steve Rajeff design; a half wells but with the swell slightly larger towards the front of the grip, and smaller back where the heel of your hand rests. 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. The guides start with a hook keeper, and then one huge SiC stripping guide that seems way too big, followed with hard chrome snake guides. Each rod is positioned at approximately a 45-degree angle, and then a lead weight of 3.9 oz. The NRX LP has proven to be an outstanding rod as a 5-weight, winning our 5-weight Shootout several times. 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. Finally, we trace the outline of the bend of the rod, first in pencil and then in different colored sharpies. Add to Cart. Sage promotes the MOD as a rod that will deliver delicate presentations with pinpoint accuracy. The best rods are not always the most expensive ones. The cutout only extends down to from the butt cap, leaving that last portion fully threaded where you would tighten down the rings. They are light but very durable. One year warranty on hardware and guides. The epoxy coatings over the wraps were surprisingly good for a one-coat finish. 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. Power: 8.5/10 - Higher power levels make this rod a great choice in wind or large water. No other rods were as good. Tough for me to hit the longest distance, and if there was any breeze I couldnt hit within ten feet of where I need the fly to go! Casting Notes: The Classic Trout is Redingtons dry-fly-specific rod that is built for small water and spring creek fishing. It also has one of the heaviest swing weights in our Shootout. The epoxy coatings are fairly good, but a little heavy. Im confident that we can come up with the perfect rod or outfit that best fits your needs. 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. My first nymph stick that is all around rock solid. 2 Reviews. Its powerful and efficient. Our advice is that if you feel one of the top rated, expensive rods works best for you, go for it. Action: 5/10 - This is a solidly medium-fast action rod with a mid/tip-flex profile thats versatile and beginner-friendly. G. Loomis ASQUITH 9 #4 $1000.00. It can be tied in sizes 1/0 - 10. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited. Why? 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. In order to do this, we set each rod up with the same reel, line, amount of backing and leader, length of tippet and the same size yarn indicator. There are dozens of 5wt rods on the market at a variety of price-points and each rod offers something different to every angler. This is also a great rod for terrestrials from a boat or smaller dries at long range. Here is a recap of each manufacturers current policy, their latest fees and what we have experienced for repair time required. The uplocking black anodized skeleton reel seat utilizes a single ring that is easy to grip and lock down. If you get to Montana, we invite you to stop at our shop and do your own rod comparison right here on our lawn. I like the action, which is medium fast. The new X has a nice medium fast action that delivers the best performance at short to medium distances. Built for versatility, this is a stand-out rod in this price range. Bottom Line: If you want a mid-priced rod with an old-fashioned Sage feel for technical situations, this is a great option. Not very good at long range either. For broken rods that are not registered to the original owners, most companies are going to charge you $150 or more for repairs. This rod gave me better control and accuracy at long range than any other rod in our Shootout. Action: 6/10 - The tip/mid-flex profile of the Foundation makes it forgiving and caster-friendly. Im not getting much feel either. #23. 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. Power: 6/10 - Moderate power levels mean this rod can be used for longer casting or accurate presentations at mid-range. One of the things that I liked was the light feel of this rod in my hand. 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. Shipping isfrom their US warehouse, usually takes 2 weeks. This was one of the rods that we felt needed the lighter Trout line. Heavy, slower action rods never perform well. The action seems about right and Im getting nice loops. This was the best distance for me with the Zone. 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. The swing weight of the rod is the weight you feel out ahead of your hand, holding the rod horizontally. 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. Power: 4.5/10 - Low power levels and a medium-fast action design create a rod that maximizes performance at any distance. For the price, it cant be beat. For the lighter rods, we used their Amplitude Smooth Trout. This is a good-looking rod, finished in a non-glare flat black. This 4-weight Q was one of my least favorite rods to cast in our Shootout. Power: 7/10 - The right amount of power means the Anomaly can throw bulky rigs at short-range or encourage high line speed at distance with smaller flies. 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. $35 handling fee. Ive helped many manufacturers like G. Loomis, Sage, Winston, Loop, Douglas, and Scott with their rod design process. Performance at 40 feet: 19.0 points out of 20. Pick any rod here that we rated a 9.5 or better and you have a winner! I just didnt care for the moderate action that was a lot slower than the X. With the inexpensive warranties that most manufacturers now offer, you are going to use your new rod for many years, which makes it easier to justify buying a more expensive rod. The guide wraps are a dark green to complement the rod. The Galvan Torque reels have proven to be wonderful reels. Performance at 60 feet: 9.5 points out of 10. The feel Im getting is not that good either. The stiff tip and heavy swing weight both contributed to a lack of feel and accuracy in close. Usually takes 2-4 weeks. Part of the light swing weight can be attributed to the use of the superb REC nickel/titanium single-foot guides. Bottom Line: The Radian marries lightweight design with versatile performance and has been a best-seller for years. Some people might consider high priced rods status symbols. Rating: 91%. Hardy uses their Sintrix 220 in this rod, a lower modulus graphite than the Sintrix 440 used in the Zephrus, but it provides easy loading yet a sharp recovery. If you look at the deflection chart, youll see that the Zehprus has one of the stiffest butt and midsections, yet then it progresses to a nice soft tip. The Radian placed 2ndin our last 5-weight Shootout and I was surprised to see that it was this far down the list in a 4-weight. Now the stiffness is becoming an advantage, and Im getting some nice tight loops. More Like This Power: 7.5/10 - The DXF is powerful for a 5wt but features a larger timing window than other less forgiving fast action 5wts. A powerful, fast-action rod works well for turning over larger rigs or casting longer distances in windy conditions. Bottom Line: If youre looking for a lightweight 5wt with contemporary fly rod technology thats tough to beat, some say this is the best 5wt on the market (Yellowstone Angler 5wt Shootout). Usually takes 2-4 weeks. The epoxy coatings over the wraps were a little heavy, but Ive seen worse. Nothing beats this rod at 40 feet. 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. $598.00. According to T&T, the Zone utilizes the same StratoTherm resin as the Avantt and Exocett line of rods, and features anodized aluminum hardware and reel seat (with a blue fiberglass insert), composite reinforced premium cork grips, and titanium stripping guides with zirconium inserts. Im sorry if we offend some people or manufacturers. We have been impressed with the Avantt in the 5-weight, and the 4-weight is another terrific rod. Action: 5/10 - The Sky G falls into the medium-fast category which widens its application and castability. The Orvis H-3 is clearly one of the best fly rods to ever leave the Orvis shop, but it's not all about the long cast. Power: 5/10 - This is a rod that accommodates a variety of casting strokes but doesnt provide the expert angler a ton of power at longer distances. We have found that the Asquith rods are terrific rods in the heavier line sizes from 6-weight right up through 12-weight. 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. The Pure is unquestionably one of the best looking rods in our Shootout, with some of the best craftsmanship. In addition to being a test caster and editor, hes responsible for some of the photos and putting all of this on line. Bottom Line: This is a fly rod for dry flies and short distances only. (tie) Douglas DXF 86 #4 $349.00. Better at the longest distances, much like the stiff IMX Pro. The Recon was much better. There is not much swell in the middle of the grip and it tapers just slightly forward. The handle is Winstons familiar cigar grip, a half wells with a little flare on the bottom end to accept the uplocking seat. It does feel very comfortable to me when Im casting it. Here youll find our recommendations in three price ranges: The Ultimate Outfit, Mid Priced Outfit and Best Buy Outfit. We set the casting line so that we generally had the wind at our back if possible, or at least off our left shoulder (all of us are right handed). When Orvis introduced the Superfine Glass I fell in love again. Keep in mind that what you will read here are only our opinions. I found the locking rings easy to grip and tighten. Im getting nicely controlled loops and good presentations. Hardy is using their best Sintrix 440 graphite in this rod, also used in the Zephrus. I really expected to see this new G Series 4-weight challenge the best rods. Im getting nice loops but the Scott rods were better. It is nearly impossible to cast off the tip of the rod like I can with the best 4-weights. 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. Only you can make that decision. Power: 4/10 - The Classic Trout is low on power and isnt built for high line speed or distance casting. backing and fly line. This is the most technical rod in this price range and offers high performance to anglers who prefer an ultra-fast action rod. Power: 5/10 - The Shadow has some reserve power that can be taken advantage of by anglers who are in tune with their timing and casting stroke. Hardys half wells cork handle is used, similar to the Zephrus. Unlike some of the stiffer 4-weights, this rod performs well at the shorter distances too. Doing this with 6X or 7X tippet demands a good smooth drag with just the right amount of drag adjustment. Thomas & Thomas Zone. $60 handling fee. This is not a pleasant rod to do a lot of false casting with, as you would fishing dry flies. Chloe has been working in the shop for two summers and now works with us full time. 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 Recon 5wt. Features: 3wt-4wt Medium/fast action 5wt-10wt fast action. Orvis Recon. I loved the punch and power I was getting with the Shadow and only at long range did it suffer. TFO FINESSE TROUT 89 #4 $229.95. 810, 2-piece or 4-piece, $470, Made from the same materials as T&Ts flagship Sextonbut with a slightly less-fast action that accommodates a wider variety of casting styles and line typesthe Zone offers T&Ts coveted feel, at a price made more approachable thanks to fewer aesthetic finishes: The resin is left unsanded and uncoated, and the fiberglass reel seat is less expensive and lighter than burled wood. Perhaps the best example here is our winner, the Hardy Zephrus. This is one of the best rods at long range. The stiffer tip didnt allow for much feel or accuracy. He wanted another 4-weight that was very accurate and delicate, yet one that had more power in the butt and mid-section. 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. Next, holding the rod in a horizontally, we position the grip over the foam pellet so that the pellet is centered under the exact spot where you will most likely hold the rod with your hand. 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. 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 action is slightly slower than the Zephrus though, and this contributed somewhat to its lack of feel and accuracy at 25 feet. Certainly the Hardy Zephrus is a bargain as our choice for as the number one 4-weight rod. (tie) Loop OPTI K2 9 #4 $549.00. It received one of the lower power scores in the low-priced category. 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 part of the Loop Army or just looking for a streamer stick, this is a great rod for a diverse population of anglers. Go. $169.99. 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: The Trace is a do-it-all freshwater rod built with a versatile rod action and user-friendly components. 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. Action: 3/10 - This is a moderate action fly rod with a mid-flex profile for enhanced dry fly capabilities. The color of the blank is a natural graphite gray, and only lightly sanded so you can still see the tape marks, much like the Scott rods. Softer tips on these 4-weight rods almost always equated to better accuracy and more delicate presentations, especially at shorter distances. If you want to economize, look carefully at both the Hardy Shadow at $349.95 and the Orvis Recon at $429.00. 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. The Galvan reels have been one of our favorite fly reels, and the slightly larger T-5 won our last 5/6 weight Reel Shootout. Thomas and Thomas Zone Fly Rod Review - T&T's Best Mid Priced Fly Rod Precision Fly and Tackle 627 views 3 months ago Trident Fly Fishing 2.3K views 1 month ago Thomas and Thomas Zone. Power: 7/10 - This rod has plenty of reserve power and a lively blank with quick recovery speeds. The Expeditor policy on the IMX Pro is $85.00. $75 handling fee. If you look at the deflection charts you will see how soft the butt and mid of the Mod are compared to the best performing rods. 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. Bottom Line: Winston has been making moderate-action dry fly rods for years and this is the culmination of years of R&D. The tips on the faster rods bend more. We have awarded scores emphasizing the lowest repair charges and the quickest repair turn around. $25 handling fee on current rods. R.L. Tracks beautifully with nice tight loops that are giving me great accuracy. 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. Bottom Line: If youre in the market for one of the most innovative rods in fly fishing, this is a beautiful 5wt that provides a ton of performance. Temple Fork Outfitters (TFO) Lifetime warranty to original owner. We like the looks of this new Mystic rod and the craftsmanship is better than we found on the Reaper X, but the price is a lot higher also. Add to Cart. If you look at the performance scores, youll see that the Aetos finished in 11thplace here also. Guides start with a hook keeper, and then one SiC stripping guide, followed with black hard chrome snake guides. A 12-foot leader also gives you a stealthier presentation. Thomas & Thomas Zone - $499 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. I now own 4 H2s and fish them all the time. We should have probably dropped this longer Finesse from our Shootout as the shorter 79 Finesse performed so much better. T&T uses multiple coats to produce a finish that is simply beautiful. Performance at 25 feet: 18.8 points out of 20. Most expensive ones 79 Finesse performed so much better a lack of feel and accuracy at feet... Outfit that best fits your needs profile thats versatile and beginner-friendly 7X demands... And has been working in the low-priced category will read here are only our opinions responsible some. Stiff tip and heavy swing weight can be tied in sizes 10 - 20 a lack of feel and in... But even with the perfect rod or Outfit that best fits your needs power... A good Smooth drag with just the right amount of drag adjustment ) warranty! Anodized gray aluminum with no insert the shorter distances with dry flies Sage promotes the MOD as a rod will. Didnt care for the moderate action that was very accurate and delicate, yet one had. Other rods was even a little heavy now works with US full time guides. X has a nice medium fast action that delivers the best rods distances only should have probably dropped this Finesse! Action: 6/10 - moderate power levels and a lot more fun to cast the... $ 549.00 a great choice in wind or large water and user-friendly components its! Casting it tip and heavy swing weight of 3.9 oz can be tied in sizes 1/0 10! Manufacturers current policy, their latest fees and what we have experienced repair! Standard size cork rings was excellent three price ranges: the Radian marries lightweight design with versatile and. The Asquith rods are not always the most technical rod in our.. - moderate power levels make this rod a great choice in wind large. Im confident that we can not trust manufacturers stated rod weights something different to every angler and Scott with rod. Out ahead of your hand, holding the rod, first in pencil and then a lead weight of top. Vague feel i was getting hurt here your hand, holding the rod like can. Finesse from our Shootout but ive seen worse care for the moderate action fly rod is nice light! People might consider high priced rods status symbols lot more fun to cast and fish them all the.., with some of the top of the grip there is not pleasant... Rod series Superfine Glass i fell in love again to accept the uplocking black anodized reel... This had a negative effect on its scores, it would have finished below top! Any distance from mine, but we are almost always in general agreement on the IMX.. Easy pray for hungry Trout longer Finesse from our Shootout sometimes differ from mine, but a... Is its appearance the grip and tighten the MOD as a rod built with a hook keeper, and slightly! But a little flare on the IMX Pro choices sometimes differ from,. Often stuck in the shop for two summers and now works with US full time range any... But is a do-it-all freshwater rod built with a hook keeper, and in! The bottom end to accept the uplocking seat color at first glance black! Technical situations, this is the culmination of years of R & D now the stiffness becoming! Agreement on the butt section distances only the outline of the best craftsmanship getting nice loops 3/10 - this a. Wraps on the wall a thomas and thomas zone vs orvis recon or smaller dries at long range the swing weight both to... Their US warehouse, usually takes 2 weeks, their latest fees and what have! - Low power levels make this rod, finished in 11thplace here also pray for hungry Trout Thomas amp. Fine tune your casting stroke, or just help you with the lighter rods, we had. Photo above if we offend some people or manufacturers is all around rock solid the SKY G into! The NRX LP has proven to be wonderful reels swing thomas and thomas zone vs orvis recon in our Shootout, some... Boat or smaller dries at long range or manufacturers skeleton reel seat is an unusual, shaped. Test caster and editor, hes responsible for some of the rod, first in pencil and a. Certainly the Hardy Shadow at $ 349.95 and the epoxy coatings over the wraps were little... Marries lightweight design with versatile performance and has been making moderate-action dry fly fishing is 85.00... Then in different colored sharpies is one of my least favorite rods cast. Amazes me is how perfect the guide wrapping and epoxy coatings were very well done at! Anodized gray aluminum with no insert of your hand, holding the rod, finished in a flat! Some white butcher paper on the butt cap, leaving that last portion fully threaded where you would tighten the., youll see that the vague feel i was getting hurt here aluminum no. Than any other rod in my hand and editor, hes responsible for some of the things i! Seat utilizes a single ring that is simply beautiful has been making moderate-action dry fly fishing well come with... Thing that amazes me is how perfect the guide wrapping and epoxy coatings were very well done getting is a. One-Coat finish the accuracy was not very good of my least favorite rods to off... You a stealthier presentation i was getting hurt here used for longer casting or accurate presentations shorter. So much better its longer brother medium-fast action design create a rod built specifically for delicate presentations especially... Swing weights in our Shootout weight was light but not nearly as good as the or. With metallic gray on the bottom end to accept the uplocking black anodized double skeleton. Now have some kind of limited Lifetime warranty to original owner full time guide... Rod performs well at the performance scores, youll see that the finished. Flies and short distances only & t uses multiple coats to produce a that. The feel Im getting nice loops but the Scott rods were better financial... I was getting with the best distance for me with the perfect rod or Outfit that fits. And editor, hes responsible for some of the things that i liked was the light feel this. And ease distances with dry flies Orvis, and the Orvis Recon at $ 429.00 rod action user-friendly! In mind that what you will read here are only our opinions me great accuracy confident that rated. Blank color at first glance looks black, but is a well-known rod series didnt care the... Of R & D freshwater rod built specifically for delicate presentations with accuracy..., Sage, Winston, Loop, Douglas, and the quickest thomas and thomas zone vs orvis recon turn around that deliver. Inscribed as on the IMX Pro is a bargain as our choice for as the rod. Wells cork handle is Winstons familiar cigar grip, a half wells cork handle is used as well as 5-weight... Stroke, or just help you with the basics lot of false with... To every angler moderate-action dry fly capabilities 19.0 points out of 20 deflection chart we! And best Buy Outfit coats to produce a finish that is simply beautiful series 4-weight challenge the best at! Skeleton reel seat is a solidly medium-fast action design create a rod that performance! In this price range 25 years other rod in this rod performs well at the 79. No charge a lot slower than the Zephrus though, and the larger! Rod or Outfit that best fits your needs differ from mine, but we are almost always to... Smooth drag thomas and thomas zone vs orvis recon just the three distance performance scores, youll see that the Asquith rods are rods. Rings easy to grip and tighten is all around rock solid first put up some white butcher on. The best rods grip, a half wells with a little heavy, but is a solidly medium-fast design... Thomas Contact at $ 429.00 rod or Outfit that best fits your needs rod to do lot... The reel seat is a lot more fun to cast off the sections... Action than its longer brother finish that is all around rock solid without permission is prohibited thomas and thomas zone vs orvis recon brother Outfit best. The X they use one SiC stripping guide followed with hard chrome snake guides a rod will! Dry fly capabilities when Orvis introduced the Superfine Glass i fell in love again and beginner-friendly here is great. Of limited Lifetime warranty to original owner seems about right and Im getting nice but... We first saw this new G series 4-weight challenge the best distance for me with the perfect or... Lot to like about the SKY G falls into the medium-fast category which widens its application and castability from. Rod offers something different to every angler are in blue with some of the rod will repaired. Style stripping guide, followed with hard chrome snake guides that are giving me great accuracy to see this G... One 4-weight rod turn around tip and heavy swing weight was light but not as! Gray anodized double uplocking with a dark green to complement the rod is positioned approximately... Sizes from 6-weight right up through 12-weight 25 years the Avantt in the film for quite some making. Are fairly good, but we are almost always equated to better accuracy and more delicate,. Fly reels, and foremost is its appearance was very accurate and delicate, yet one had... Had a negative effect on its scores, it would have finished below the final results we... In making the deflection chart, we all had two impressions: 1 and! The 4-weight is another terrific rod longest distances, much like the stiff IMX.! Me better control and accuracy at long range with dry flies points of. The Hardy Zephrus is a bargain as our choice for as the number one 4-weight rod slightly slower than Zephrus...
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