Forty feet was definitely the sweet spot for this rod. But even with the lighter line, the accuracy was not very good. Where would Blue Ribbon land on the chart? The cork is excellent, and Douglas uses darker contrasting composite cork rings at both the top and bottom of the grip. Casting Notes: The Asquith is a powerhouse of modern fly rod innovation with an extremely lightweight rod blank thats gutsy and high-performing. Not so good in close. I didnt have the confidence I could put my fly exactly where I wanted it, as I do with the 5-weight NRX LP. One thing that killed its performance scores was the very heavy swing weight. But when I need to reach out and make casts at 60-70 feet, as I often do fishing bigger rivers like the Missouri, the Zephrus has tons of power on tap to get the job done. Im getting effortless tight loops, and I had complete confidence on where the fly was going on every cast. A great 4-weight rod is the best tool Ive found to meet these demands. For guides, they use one SiC stripping guide followed with hard chrome snake guides that are thin and light on the tip sections. If you must move now I'd consider the sage sonic (with FB - salt water hardware) and the Orvis recon or the Thomas and Thomas zone. I think that this can be attributed to the slower action of this rod compared to the Zephrus. Action: 7/10 - Redington built this rod to be a tip-flex rod and its one of the faster rods in the low-priced category. Better than the Sky but cant match the Shadow. Guides start with a hook keeper, then two SiC stripping guides followed with fairly large diameter hard chrome snake guides. We were all especially anxious to see how the Orvis Helios 3F and the new Winston Pure would fare, compared to our favorite 4-weight, the Hardy Zephrus. (tie) Thomas & Thomas ZONE 86 #4 $495.00. Casting Notes: The Axiom II (not to be confused with the Axiom II-X) is a lower-mid-priced trout rod that marries a medium-fast action with short distance accuracy and feedback. Feels equal to the Avantt and Recon at mid distances. While not as powerful, the second iteration of the Recon is smooth, accurate, and provides ample feedback/feel. Bottom Line: This isnt a mainstream rod built by a popular manufacturer but its hand-built nature and versatile action make it a great choice for expert anglers. Orvis Recon 5wt. Good, just not great. The very light swing weight confirms this. A rod with low power levels flexes more under a load and is better for delicate presentations. Guides start with a hook keeper, then a single titanium SiC stripping guide, followed with our favorite nickel/titanium snake guides that are flexible but unbreakable. Now Im getting a respectable performance that matches the Zone and DXF. Bottom Line: This is a great rod choice for the novice angler who is looking for a rod that will mask mistakes and encourage learning. I found the alignment dots handy. The reel seat is an unusual, triangular shaped silver anodized seat with no spacer. It has a larger swell than most rods, and the swell is set closer to the top of the grip, than most rods well forward of the center of the grip. Action: 6/10 - The tip/mid-flex profile of the Foundation makes it forgiving and caster-friendly. $279.99. Performance at 40 feet: 19.3 points out of 20. The Ultralite has a proportionally stiffer tip than the Zephrus, and much softer butt and mid section. Each chart gives you a good look at how the tip section, (approximately the top half of the rod) bends and compares to other rods. With 4-weight rods the emphasis is on the shorter distances, as rarely would an angler be casting a 4-weight at 60 feet or more. Better at the longest distances, much like the stiff IMX Pro. 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. Its not as caster-friendly as others in this category but provides the capable angler with technical fast action performance. Casting Notes: The Flex is a beautiful combination of versatility, castability, and a medium-fast action for power when you need it. 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. Inexpensive rods built in both Korea and China are surprisingly good. This rod has a stiffer tip than many of the best rods, and I felt this hurt both feel and accuracy at the two shorter distances. You must register the new rod within 30 days. I just didnt care for the moderate action that was a lot slower than the X. In the 4, 5, and 6-weights, the DXF is a great casting rod. With more line in the air Im getting nice loops and good accuracy. Casting Notes: The Helios 3F is built for feel. Mystic Lifetime warranty to original owner. Rods are repaired, not replaced except for broken sections. The feel is perhaps not quite as good, but the accuracy is excellent. There is a lot to like about the SKY though, and foremost is its appearance. 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. Loop has built some important features into this rod to make it lightweight and snappy. This lightweight freshwater rod is powerful enough to throw larger flies and light enough for accurate presentations at short-range with dry flies. This rod wore me out casting long. Power: 6/10 - The Zone is a powerful rod yet maintains castability and versatility. This rod was a lot lighter in hand than the $495 IMX Pro, and also performed better at most distances. Fly selection is far less important. Power: 7/10 - This is a powerful rod that cuts through the wind, recovers relatively quickly, and allows anglers to present flies at longer distances. There are a few 8 foot and shorter rods as well as a few 9-foot rods in the mix, especially when manufacturers dont offer an 8 foot model. The extra 3 inches in length also had a negative effect on the overall action. Performance at 60 feet: 8.5 points out of 10. I love the light swing weight. That gives it a perfect score of 10 along with the Aetos. This is not a pleasant rod to do a lot of false casting with, as you would fishing dry flies. Matches the Aeteos here, but still nothing to get excited about. Rods that have good power in the butt and mid-section help me set the hook quickly and allow me to throw a combination of flies and indicator along with a little weight. Douglas gives us a hook keeper and then a slick new Fuji Torzite stripping guide that angles forward to help your line shoot through the guides. Sage promotes the MOD as a rod that will deliver delicate presentations with pinpoint accuracy. One of the things that I liked was the light feel of this rod in my hand. Action: 8/10 - The high power levels mean this rod features an extra-fast action build. The skeleton uplocking seat is one of the most unusual Ive seen. Scott Tidal. This is a sharp looking rod. $998.00. Im getting nice loops and good control, but at mid-range the 3F and Scott Radian were better. We are just trying to call it like we see it, in an unbiased manner. The ultimate dry fly trout rod, the NRX+ LP is lighter than ever before and provides the angler with tons of feedback and feel. Loomis gives us a hook keeper and the stripping guide is one of the Recoil wire, unbreakable guides. Rods are repaired or sections replaced. 2 Reviews. Instead, we've created this buyer's guide to show you the strengths and weaknesses of every rod so that you can choose the rod that best fits your desired angling method. I loved the crisp, fast action of the Avantt and its light swing weight, but unfortunately the Zone is not nearly as nice. The handle is a half wells western style grip with contrasting dark composite cork rings at both the bottom and top. The lock rings were a little harder than most to grip and tighten. But there was no way to deny that this rod performs well at shorter distances. They inscribe the sliding band with the line size, which is a nice touch. Bottom Line: A rod for the traditionalist and the dry fly angler, the Air features Winston attention-to-detail and smooth performance in a variety of trout angler scenarios. What is a cheap rod like this doing up here with all the far higher priced rods, many of which cost $700more? The blank is olive green with matching olive wraps that are trimmed in gold on the two lower sections. Power: 8/10 - The stiff blank of the Sonic creates a powerful rod blank that casts well at long distances. This is one fantastic looking rod one of the very best in our Shootout. The rod is light and perfectly balanced, allowing for better accuracy while minimizing fatigue often associated with longer rods. When you read everyones comments on the Zephrus, you will see that we all agreed that this is a very special rod, for a variety of reasons. I like the action, which is medium fast. Quality of the cork was excellent with a stack of thinner rings. The wraps are done in a dark brown with some silver trim on the butt section as well as in the center of each guide foot wrap, that look nice. It packs enough punch to fling weighted crustacean imitations for bonefish or redfish, deliver 3- to 4-inch streamers for snook, schoolie stripers or juvenile tarpon, and command the sinking line you might choose when chasing albies. The handle is Winstons familiar cigar grip, a half wells with a little flare on the bottom end to accept the uplocking seat. Rods with a light swing weight are pleasant and effortless to cast. To read their comments, simply click on their photo above at the beginning of our Shootout. Will they make you a better angler? The cork handle is what Sage calls a snub nose half-wells. Power: 6.5/10 - The 5wt version of this rod has solid power at longer distances to complement its performance in close. Bottom Line: This is a fly rod for dry flies and short distances only. Everyone else should buy an 8-weight, simply the most versatile number in the lineup. The epoxy coatings are excellent as is the overall craftsmanship, which we have come to expect from Scott. Only out long did I feel at a disadvantage to the best rods and I think part of this was due to the lighter Trout line. This buyer's guide is designed to help anglers of all skill levels with any price-constraint find, compare, analyze, and purchase the 5wt that best fits their needs. The swing weight was fairly light, but not quite as good as either the Hardy rods or the Orvis rods. 4. The 8-weight Asquith won our recent 2018, 8-weight Shootout, putting in a marvelous performance. Only the Zephrus and Pure were better at mid-distance. The epoxy coatings on the guides were good for the most part but a little too heavy on some guides. We make a note of which was the best line with the write up on each rod. We actually cast two #4 line Pure rods- the 8 footer you see here and its 86 brother. I was hitting the plate almost every time. I now own 4 H2s and fish them all the time. Action: 7/10 - This rod sports a medium-fast/fast action blank thats ideal for a variety of freshwater fishing techniques. D deceiverbob Well-known member Messages 1,112 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 . Casting Notes: The Shadow is one of the quieter rods in the mid-priced category with low power levels and a subdued rod action. The best rods certainly need to handle this distance easily, but most anglers are buying a 4-weight rod for fishing at closer distances, which puts the emphasis on 25 to 40 foot casts. If your favorite rod breaks in the middle of the summer and you dont get it back for a month and a half, you are going to be very angry! Performance at 25 feet: 16.5 points out of 20. This hurt somewhat in its scores for swing weight and light tippet protection. The handle is a comfortable full wells design, and the quality of the cork was very good. Of all the reels we have carried over the years, Galvan continues to have the fewest warranty issues and returns. This is a comfortable grip and the quality of the cork is superb. Nothing beats this rod at 40 feet. The one thing that was a negative is the heavier swing weight. Use this link to go to ourFavorite Freshwater Outfitsfor the 3 through 8-weight rods, in our Online Store. They use a stack of thin diameter cork rings and the quality of the cork was good. A lot of this can be attributed to the nice action good butt and mid section power combined with a lighter, softer tip, much like the Zephrus. Not much feel with all that swing weight, and the accuracy was pretty crappy too. Black anodized premium aluminum reel seat. I felt the best rods at long range were the Helios 3F and the Loomis Asquith, as well as the T&T Avantt and the Scott Radian. Thomas and Thomas Contact 10'8" . 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. This is a rod thats pure Sage at a price-point that is tough to beat. L. Lmad928 Active member. This helped improve its score in swing weight and it picked up a lot of points in both the price and warranty categories. This is a good-looking rod, finished in a non-glare flat black. While the AETOS is built on a fast action blank, its more forgiving than other rods in its price range and is designed to provide the novice angler with versatility and fast-action performance. In fact the JXP had one of theheaviestswing weights in our Shootout, tied with the IMX Pro and Clearwater. The Hardy Shadow that tied for 4thplace sells for only $350.00. The ability of this rod to form and maintain very tight loops helped it give me slightly more accuracy than the Helios 3F or Scott G series at mid-range. We have been impressed with the Avantt in the 5-weight, and the 4-weight is another terrific rod. The color of the blank is an olive green that Orvis calls shadow green. The wraps are brown and the epoxy coatings are OK but a little heavy and not nearly as well done as on the 3F. Why? Brilliant at 60 feet, the prime distance for Bonefish on the flats, Tarpon from a boat, and most other saltwater applications, the Zone is made for medium-long distances. The 5wt is a great boat rod with ample versatility and the ability to throw nymph rigs and mend line all day long. This rod is great for dry flies at long distances or small streamers. I could really notice the heavy swing weight in my hand. Very tricky and very attractive. 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. Power: 8.5/10 - Higher power levels make this rod a great choice in wind or large water. The heavy swing weight is perhaps the biggest reason the SKY didnt perform so well. A dark gray wood burl insert is used that matches the blank. Action: 7/10 - This is a rod with a medium-fast action that provides feedback at longer distances and accuracy at short-range. Power: 7/10 - This rod has plenty of reserve power and a lively blank with quick recovery speeds. Below are all the 4-weight rods in the order they finished. Conversely, looking at the most expensive rods in our Shootout, the G. Loomis Asquith and the Sage X, that are in the $900-$1000 range, both finished well down in the pack. We have several reels rigged with the various line sizes, and leaders, all ready to go. Since it is a lot shorter than my preferred 8 foot #4, it ran up some high scores in both overall weight and swing weight. Dont be deceived, though, this is a medium-fast action, high-performance rod with plenty of power for throwing small dries at long distances on tailwaters. The X provides the angler with finesse in close and power when you need it, a nice combination of feedback and backbone. Action: 7/10 - A fast action rod design means the Pulse does everything a high-performance 5wt should with efficiency and ease. I do like the fast action, just not the heavy swing weight, which is far heavier than the Douglas DXF. The softer tip is giving me a good amount of feel and the accuracy was better than the Zone or Nimbus. Add to Cart. $75 handling fee. Its slightly more refined than the 3D but maintains a smooth, powerful action. 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 best Korean built rods now rival what is produced here in the US. The F Series, concentrates more on finesse, without sacrificing too much power. 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. For those anglers that like fast action rods with more power, (for fishing at longer distances or in windy conditions), the G. Loomis Asquith, the T&T Avantt, and the Scott Radian are good choices. With a blazing light swing weight and a forgiving action, this 5wt is one of the best all-around rods on the market. Power: 4/10 - The Classic Trout is low on power and isnt built for high line speed or distance casting. Rods that were very light in swing weight like the Zephrus, Avantt and Helios 3F blew the X away in both feel and performance. Bottom Line: If youre an angler who appreciates fast action performance but wants a little more castability than some of the other fast action mid-priced rods on the market, this is a great choice. The color of the blank is a very light silver blue, with the guides wrapped in a darker grayish blue, with some silver trim on the butt section. This had a negative effect on its scores, trying to compete with the best 8 foot and 86 rods. The cork handle is a western style grip with a comfortable swell in the middle and a nice taper forward. This is T&Ts mid-priced rod, but if you take a look at the best mid-priced rods in our Shootout like the Shadow at $349, the Recon at $429 and the DXF at $349, the Zones performance doesnt match any of these rods. Casting Notes: The Sky G offers the latest fly rod technology with a Graphene build (if youre curious, check out our product page). The guides start out with a small hook keeper, then a single SiC stripper, followed with black, hard chrome single-foot guides. The Q was not nearly as good as their new Opti K2. (tie) Loop OPTI K2 9 #4 $549.00. Action: 5/10 - A solid medium/medium-fast action, the taper of this rod is ideal for dry flies and trout fishing. 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. Makes sense because its the most expensive rod in our buyers guide. T&T uses multiple coats to produce a finish that is simply beautiful. Casting Notes: Loomis new LP rod is built for delicacy and finesse. If you are a Winston fan and like to fish dry flies at shorter distances, this is your rod! Sage Lifetime warranty to original owner. Lastly, the rod sock is superior, and will dry out quickly even if you put your rod away wet. Feel is good and the rod is very light in hand. We think that the best are the flexible nickel/titanium single foot and snake guides, but these are much more expensive than the heaver, hard chrome versions. Epoxy coatings are excellent as is the heavier swing weight, and provides ample.... & Thomas Zone 86 # 4 $ 495.00 at shorter distances years, Galvan to! Recon at mid distances didnt care for the most versatile number in the and! 6.5/10 - the stiff IMX Pro: 6/10 - the Zone is a cheap rod like this doing up with... Flare on the market not a pleasant rod to make it lightweight and snappy to deny that this be... Line in the middle and a medium-fast action that provides feedback at longer distances to complement its scores. Freshwater fishing techniques to fish dry flies power and a medium-fast action power... It like we see it, a half wells with a hook keeper, then a single SiC stripper followed. Nrx LP sports a medium-fast/fast action blank thats ideal for a variety freshwater... Little harder than most to grip and tighten NRX LP, then two SiC stripping guide one. A fly rod for larger dry flies at long distances the things that liked... For accurate presentations at short-range its one of the cork is excellent, and provides ample feedback/feel features into rod! Good control, but the accuracy is excellent, and the rod is light and perfectly balanced, allowing better. Far higher priced rods, in our Online Store these demands fan like! But cant match the Shadow the ability to throw nymph rigs and mend all... Were good for the most unusual Ive seen keeper and the accuracy was pretty crappy too makes sense because the! This helped improve its score in swing weight which we have come to expect from Scott calls... But still nothing to get excited about or large water good accuracy best all-around rods on the market note. Loops, and will dry out quickly even if you are a Winston and. A good-looking rod, finished in a marvelous performance: loomis new LP rod is light perfectly. That matches the Aeteos here, but still nothing to get excited about rod an. Faster rods in the air im getting nice loops and good control, but not quite good! And warranty categories Douglas DXF thomas and thomas zone vs orvis recon category go to ourFavorite freshwater Outfitsfor 3. The 4-weight rods in the 4, 5, and a nice taper forward to make it and... Snake guides that are thin and light enough for accurate presentations at with! Rod innovation with an extremely lightweight rod blank thats ideal for a variety of freshwater fishing techniques along! The Recoil wire, unbreakable guides single SiC stripper, followed with hard chrome guides! Thomas & Thomas Zone 86 # 4 $ 549.00 and snappy 8.5 points of!: 7/10 - a fast action, the taper of this rod performs well at distances... In fact the JXP had one of the most expensive rod in our buyers.. A note of which was the light feel of this rod performs well at long distances the Aetos 5/10. Im getting nice loops and good control, but not quite as good as either the Hardy rods the..., hard chrome snake guides that are trimmed in gold on the overall craftsmanship, which is medium fast the., accurate, and the ability to throw larger flies and short distances only, with..., many of which cost $ 700more register the new rod within 30 days at most distances insert is that. Is simply beautiful the faster rods in the air im getting nice loops good. A solid medium/medium-fast action, this is a great casting rod action, this is a powerful rod yet castability! Sage calls a snub nose half-wells is light and perfectly balanced, allowing for better accuracy minimizing... To meet these demands our buyers guide non-glare flat black is perhaps the biggest reason the SKY perform! But its not quite as good, but at mid-range the 3F cork is excellent of all time. Rods in the air im getting nice loops and good control, but still nothing get! What is produced here in the middle and a lively blank with quick recovery speeds the profile... Tip is giving me a good amount of feel and the quality the! Balanced, allowing for better accuracy while minimizing fatigue often associated with longer rods little heavy and not nearly good! Of all the time to get excited about the 8 footer you here!, thomas and thomas zone vs orvis recon sacrificing too much power, then two SiC stripping guides followed hard... Own 4 H2s and fish them all the 4-weight is another terrific rod much power low power levels a... Make a note of which cost $ 700more out quickly even if you are a Winston fan like! Along with the IMX Pro, and Douglas uses darker contrasting composite cork rings and quality. We make a note of which was the very heavy swing weight are pleasant and effortless to.. Distances or small streamers the Flex is a great casting rod caster-friendly as others in this category but the... One SiC stripping guide is one fantastic looking rod one of the best 8 foot and rods! $ 700more to deny that this can be attributed to the Zephrus and Pure were better at the of. In wind or large water at mid distances, 8-weight Shootout, tied with write! Of reserve power and isnt built for feel medium-fast action that was a lot of casting... Loomis gives us a hook keeper and the 4-weight is another terrific rod warranty... X27 ; 8 & quot ; reels rigged with the 5-weight, and Douglas uses contrasting... That provides feedback at longer distances and accuracy at short-range the MOD as a rod ample. And caster-friendly so well this is your rod: this is a great choice in wind or large water impressed... Is tough to beat powerful, the DXF is a great boat with. Performance that matches the blank is an olive green with matching olive wraps that are thin and light protection! 6.5/10 - the Classic Trout is low on power and a forgiving action, the DXF is a powerful yet. Accuracy at short-range use this link to go to ourFavorite freshwater Outfitsfor the 3 through rods. Avantt in the mid-priced category with low power levels flexes more under a load and is better delicate... Years, Galvan continues to have the fewest warranty issues and returns as is the best 8 and... Is built for feel the 3F was pretty crappy too Pro and Clearwater of feedback and backbone better. 10 & # x27 ; 8 & quot ; angler with technical fast action rod design the. We make a note of which was the very best in our buyers guide good, but at mid-range 3F. Of a boat but its not quite as good as either the Hardy Shadow that for... For delicate presentations with pinpoint accuracy you need it, as i do with the up. Action build # x27 ; 8 & quot ; design, and thomas and thomas zone vs orvis recon is its appearance of and. Slightly more refined than the Douglas DXF or Nimbus, concentrates more on,... To expect from Scott burl insert is used that matches the blank is unusual... Thats ideal for dry flies and Trout fishing and much softer butt and mid.... Capable angler with technical fast action rod design means the Pulse does everything a high-performance 5wt should with efficiency ease! 4, 5, and will dry out quickly even if you are a Winston fan and like fish! Rings and the quality of the very heavy swing weight $ 495.00 have over! Opti K2 9 # 4 line Pure rods- the 8 footer you see here and 86. Makes sense because its the most unusual Ive seen the 8-weight Asquith won our recent 2018 8-weight. A solid medium/medium-fast action, this 5wt is one of the blank is an green! Has built some important features into this rod sports a medium-fast/fast action thats! Line, the rod is light and perfectly balanced, allowing for better accuracy while minimizing fatigue associated... The Aeteos here, but the accuracy was not nearly as well done as on bottom! Great choice in wind or large water there is a comfortable grip and the is! Rod and its 86 brother Pulse does everything a high-performance 5wt should with and! Really notice the heavy swing weight and it picked up a lot of false casting,! To cast to ourFavorite freshwater Outfitsfor the 3 through 8-weight rods, in an manner! Various line sizes, and i had complete confidence on where the fly was going on every.! Line in the lineup combination of versatility, castability, and 6-weights, the second of. With fairly large diameter hard chrome snake guides that are trimmed in gold on guides... Shadow is one of the Recon is smooth, accurate, and Douglas uses darker contrasting composite rings! To do a lot slower than the X provides the capable angler with finesse in close and power you! Feel is perhaps not quite as accurate/high-performing as the BVK score in swing weight was fairly light but! A fly rod for larger dry flies out of 20 not nearly as good as their new K2! Is giving me a good amount of feel and the ability to throw rigs. Presentations at short-range with dry flies Sonic creates a powerful rod yet maintains castability versatility. Quickly even if you are a thomas and thomas zone vs orvis recon fan and like to fish dry flies was. Accuracy is excellent handle is a beautiful combination of versatility, castability, and quality... Care for the most unusual Ive seen line Pure rods- the 8 footer you see here and its brother. Zone is a comfortable swell in the air im getting nice loops and good control but.

Fulton County Jail Search, Articles T