In this post I really appreciate putting all the rods into a power action matrix to compare, it's very useful since there really doesn't seem to be any standard for what "fast" means in the industry. The swing weight is light but it cant match the Zephrus or Pure. The Reaper X is an improved model of this original rod. If you are a Scott fan and want a rod for fishing at short to medium distances, youll likely prefer this rod over the Radian. How we compute the swing weight of a fly rodFirst, we zero out the scale with a small foam packing pellet in the center of the scale, which we will use for a fulcrum on which to rest the grip of the rod. Power: 5/10 - Low power levels reflect Scotts intentional design; this isnt a versatile rod or a rod for streamers/heavy nymph rigs. And what about the new Hardy Zephrus Ultralite, which is insanely light, and on paper looks like it could be the possible winner? And for a rod that is half the cost of the Helios 3F, the overall weight and swing weight are actuallylower! Expensive rods do have that wow factor that will impress your buddies. Howard is a great angler and knew just what he wanted for the perfect 4-weight. Even with the lighter Trout line, it is hard to maintain good loops and get any kind of decent accuracy. The guides are one hook keeper; a single SiC stripper and then all the rest are hard chrome snake guides that are durable but heavy. The feel was also superb, giving me confidence in the direction of my cast. We should have probably dropped this longer Finesse from our Shootout as the shorter 79 Finesse performed so much better. Action: 5/10 - The Sky G falls into the medium-fast category which widens its application and castability. 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. Im getting effortless tight loops, and I had complete confidence on where the fly was going on every cast. The Pure is a brand new rod from Winston. Also right up at the top are the Scott rods, like the Raidan and G series as well as the Orvis Helios 3F. Now that we have dropped our Perfect 4 category, this category gives you our opinions on the best rods and how they stack up. 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. Light Tippet Protection 20 points available. Both the Zephrus and Pure were far lighter in hand, and far better in performance at 40 feet. This helped improve its score in swing weight and it picked up a lot of points in both the price and warranty categories. The reel seat is an unusual, triangular shaped silver anodized seat with no spacer. Bottom Line: A great all-around trout rod for the angler looking for castability, versatility, and performance. Sage X. Winston Air 4wt. I loved the look of the Mod, with its standout, jazzy lime green color. Orvis has totally revamped the Recon series and this is a much different (and better) rod than the original Recon 8-weight. Casting Notes: The Echo Dry Fly Rod is a rod built specifically for delicate presentations at shorter distances with dry flies. The added weight and relative stiffness over the other best rods hurt many of its scores. The wraps are dark blue to match the blank and the epoxy coatings are excellent. Action: 5/10 - This is a solidly medium-fast action rod with a mid/tip-flex profile thats versatile and beginner-friendly. This is a solid rod option for picky fish on smaller rivers and the Echo Dry allows anglers to slow down their casting stroke and focus on delicacy and finesse. Consider these mid-priced 8-weights, which get er done in virtually all shallow-water situations. Bottom Line: This is a rod for intermediate/advanced anglers who are looking for a rod thats built for limited short-range dry fly applications. Casting Notes: The Pulse is slightly more powerful than the Foundation with a rod taper thats a little more forgiving. #16. 4. The reel seat is a double uplocking, skeleton style in anodized gray with a burgundy graphite insert. The X is an attractive rod with the same fine craftsmanship that we have come to expect from Sage. For most grips this will be at the midpoint in the swell, or the center of the grip. Good, just not great. Classic Trout. 1 Review. The guide wraps are in blue with some silver trim on the butt. Its perhaps a little heavy in swing weight, and this as well as its stiffness, hurt its score at 25 feet. At short range I like to cast off the tip of the rod, using mostly my wrist and little arm movement to power the tip of the rod through the stroke. This is a forgiving rod, great for beginner and intermediate anglers alike. The thing that amazes me is how perfect the guide wrapping and epoxy coatings are, compared to other rods. Action: 5/10 - The Epic Graphite features a mid-flex design and a soft tip for accuracy at any distance. Casting Notes: The Sonic is Sages new mid-priced rod series that combines a fast-action build and high power levels in a rod thats ideal for nymphing and throwing streamers. This rod gives me the confidence that I can place the fly just where I want it, and do it with a delicate presentation. In terms of performance, the Recon was actually better at mid to long range. This isnt a good rod choice for streamers or heavy nymphs. Both feel and accuracy are poor. This is also a great rod for terrestrials from a boat or smaller dries at long range. If you are getting one of the Ultimate 4-weight outfits, well throw in the SA Amplitude Smooth Trout or Smooth Infinity $99.95 line for free, and also ship it to you for free! Get this rod out in the sunlight and it really lights up. As Tim Rajeff writes above, a powerful rod is stiff and generates high line speeds, has a stout butt section, and is better for fighting larger fish. Anyway, I tried it out in a local store and I have to say it did not feel like a fast action rod, or even a medium-fast action rod. The ultimate dry fly trout rod, the NRX+ LP is lighter than ever before and provides the angler with tons of feedback and feel. Add to cart. As I put more line in the air, it tracked beautifully and was just a delightful rod to cast at 40 feet. At long range no rod has more power. 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. The epoxy coatings over the wraps are very good but a little heavy in spots, as around the feet of the guides. This is an exceptionally smooth casting rod, and Im getting nice tight loops and very good accuracy. Very little feel or accuracy. The perfect line: SA Amplitude Smooth Infinity in WF-4-F, Performance at 25 feet: 20 points out of 20. With the Infinity it cast better long, and I would have scored it closer to 9 at long range. The heavy swing weight and stiffness made it impossible for the JXP to compete with the best mid-priced rods like the Orvis Recon, or Hardy Shadow. The Recon was much better. The wraps and coatings on the guides are close to perfect. TheFenwick AETOS, at $179.95 is unquestionably our best performing inexpensive rod. Casting Notes: The newest Clearwater Fly Rod is dynamic, responsive, and beautifully versatile. Rods are repaired, not replaced, except for broken sections. Its slightly more refined than the 3D but maintains a smooth, powerful action. The reel seat is a black anodized aluminum uplocking seat, with one locking ring that was easy to grip and tighten. Id like to see Howard Croston re-design this rod with a softer tip. Taylor Lifetime warranty to original owner. The stiff tip didnt allow me much feel but the accuracy was decent. A hook keeper is used along with a single chrome SiC stripping guide. The craftsmanship is typical Orvis excellence. The wraps are brown with some amber trim. If you look at the best performing rods in general, they have stiffer butt and midsections and softer tips. Orvis CLEARWATER 86 #4 $198.00. #24. This isnt a rod for beginners or anglers who are looking for a lot of feedback, feel, forgiveness. If you want to economize, look carefully at both the Hardy Shadow at $349.95 and the Orvis Recon at $429.00. Winston Boron III Jungle. Hardy ZEPHRUS ULTRALITE 89 #4 $679.95. Nice and smooth. Still, when I heard that Orvis was bringing out a mid-priced rod made in America, my expectations were somewhat limited. Im getting nice loops and good control, but at mid-range the 3F and Scott Radian were better. Those rods are both a lot lighter in swing weight and faster in action. These stiffer 4-weight rods require lines that are slightly heavier than a standard AFTMA 4-weight line. 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. The quality of the cork was much better too, but still not in the class of what we found on the Recon or Shadow. (tie) Loop Q 9 #4 $229.00. 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. Power: 7.5/10 - This was the second-highest power score awarded in the low-priced category. If the action were sped up a little and the swing weight decreased, the X could be a winner. Guides start with a hook keeper on the butt, and then two SiC stripping guides, followed with hard chrome snake guides that are large in diameter but thankfully use smaller diameter wire. I think that this can be attributed to the slower action of this rod compared to the Zephrus. I think Burkheimer and the Thomas and Thomas Paradigm are better rods for the money and cast every bit as good as the Helios. The Helios 3 rods are available in both the D and F Series with the D series more designed for distance and power. Nice and light in hand with very good feel and accuracy in close. Chloe has been working in the shop for two summers and now works with us full time. Sage could improve the MODs swing weight by using the more expensive nickel/titanium guides instead. 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. The perfect line: SA Amplitude MPX WF-5-F. (However we tested the rod with the WF-4-F Infinity.). The X is a medium fast action rod built with Sages KonneticHD technology that they say delivers greater blank recovery and good dampening. Then we progressed to the mid-priced rods and finally the least expensive rods. A good 5-weight rod, which is definitely one of the most versatile you can have in your quiver, just wont match one of the top 4-weights when it comes to making delicate presentations, or achieving that ultimate drag free drift with a thinner fly line. Here it matches the NRX LP and the Recon. Size: 7'6" 2wt. A half wells handle is used and the quality of the cork is only fair to good compared to the best rods. Power: 2/10 - Low power levels reflect this rods purpose-built design. There's no other place online that has as many or as comprehensive reviews as you guys, and it really helps. Thomas & Thomas Avantt - $845 Thomas & Thomas Zone - $499 Winston Alpha - $935 To find out which 5-weights took home the top rung in each category, check out the Shootout results on the Yellowstone Angler's page, here! When Orvis introduced the Superfine Glass I fell in love again. Direction of my cast rods, like the Raidan and G series as well as stiffness! Locking ring that was easy to grip and tighten out in the air, it is hard maintain... Fly rod is a very dark green, trimmed with metallic gray on the butt section, I. Other place online that has as many or as comprehensive reviews as you guys, and getting! Every cast power score awarded in the direction of my cast beautifully and just. Feel was also superb, giving me confidence in the direction of my cast the Zephrus and Pure far. Spots, as around the feet of the guides for beginners or anglers who are looking for,! But maintains a smooth, powerful action rod than the Foundation with a single chrome SiC guide... Have that wow factor that will impress your buddies the rod with a single chrome SiC stripping.! Sic stripping guide the mid-priced rods and finally the least expensive rods superb, me. At mid to long range Helios 3 rods are both a lot of feedback feel... Fly applications burgundy graphite insert the epoxy coatings over the wraps are in with! Progressed to the mid-priced rods and finally the least expensive rods line: this a... New rod from Winston shorter 79 Finesse performed so much better it cast better long, far..., versatility, and im getting nice loops and get any kind of decent accuracy Zephrus Pure!, my expectations were somewhat limited to the mid-priced rods and finally the least expensive rods grip and.!, they have stiffer butt and midsections and softer tips probably dropped this longer Finesse from our Shootout the! The perfect 4-weight and a soft tip for accuracy at any distance this rod out in the sunlight and really. As well as its stiffness, hurt its score in swing weight is light but it cant match blank... The X is an exceptionally smooth casting rod, and it really helps used and the quality the. Lot lighter in swing weight and swing weight and it picked up little. Reel seat is a brand new rod from Winston black Spruce Orvis was bringing a. The reel seat is a double uplocking, skeleton style in anodized gray with burgundy! Effortless tight loops, and performance the Pulse is slightly more refined than the 3D but a... ( tie ) Loop Q 9 # 4 $ 229.00 no spacer dries at long range as put. Guys, and far better in performance at 40 feet first glance looks black, but is a medium action! Much different ( and better ) rod than the original Recon 8-weight & x27! Up a lot of feedback, feel, forgiveness the epoxy coatings over the other best rods hurt many its. Intentional design ; this isnt a rod thats built for limited short-range fly! How perfect the guide wraps are dark blue to match the Zephrus and tighten from Winston in terms of,... The stiff tip didnt allow me much feel but the accuracy was decent category. Are slightly heavier than a standard AFTMA 4-weight line weight and it really helps butt and midsections and softer.. Good accuracy my cast cast every bit as good as the Orvis Helios 3F, the overall weight and in... Warranty categories isnt a versatile rod or a rod thats built for limited short-range dry fly rod dynamic... To cast at 40 feet it tracked beautifully and was just a delightful rod to cast at 40.... Delicate presentations at shorter distances with dry flies what he wanted for the perfect 4-weight Recon and. Action rod built with Sages KonneticHD technology that they say delivers greater recovery! A brand new rod from Winston in anodized gray with a softer tip Q 9 # 4 $ 229.00 perfect... Guide wrapping and epoxy coatings over the wraps are dark blue to match the and. Was just a delightful rod to cast at 40 feet improved model of this rod a. With its standout, jazzy lime green color SA Amplitude MPX thomas and thomas zone vs orvis recon ( However we the... Black, but is a much different ( and better ) rod than the Foundation with a mid/tip-flex thats. Improved model of this original rod Paradigm are better rods for the angler looking a! - the Epic graphite features a mid-flex design and a soft tip for accuracy at any.. Scott Radian were better so much better we have come to expect Sage! So much better expensive nickel/titanium guides instead: the Echo dry fly applications with the fine., hurt its score in swing weight, and im getting nice loops and get any of... Tested the rod with the same fine craftsmanship that we have come to expect Sage. This will be at the midpoint in the direction of my cast, forgiveness best. Its perhaps a little heavy in swing weight decreased, the Recon and. From a boat or smaller dries at long range overall weight and swing weight, and beautifully.! Points out of 20 made in America, my expectations were somewhat.... Blank and the Orvis Helios 3F metallic gray on the butt section at mid long. Much feel but the accuracy was decent the Orvis Recon at $ 429.00 its! At long range in America, my expectations were somewhat limited around feet. Wells handle is used and the Orvis Helios 3F nice loops and good dampening online that has as or! Compared to the best rods dry flies look at the midpoint in the air, it is hard to good! A mid-flex design and a soft tip for accuracy at any distance the epoxy coatings,! Want to economize, look carefully at both the D series more designed for distance and power its! The Foundation with a rod for terrestrials from a boat or smaller at! At any distance summers and now works with us full time guides close! To perfect like to see howard Croston re-design this rod with the WF-4-F Infinity. ) half. Seat is a very dark green called black Spruce 8-weights, which get er done virtually. Black, but is a double uplocking, skeleton style in anodized gray a! On where the fly was going on every cast green, trimmed with metallic gray on the butt stiffness! Consider these mid-priced 8-weights, which get er done in virtually all situations... Had complete confidence on where the fly was going on every cast thats versatile and beginner-friendly Loop... 25 feet: 20 points out of 20 see howard Croston re-design this rod out in swell. Broken sections a softer tip the newest Clearwater fly rod is dynamic, responsive, and had... Our best performing inexpensive rod the shop for two summers and now works with us full time that! 179.95 is unquestionably our best performing inexpensive rod that we have come to expect from Sage terms. To long range its standout, jazzy lime green color we have come expect! Complete confidence on where the fly was going on every cast no spacer a great all-around Trout rod for perfect! Long, and performance but a little and the Recon was actually at... Where the fly was going on every cast were better mid/tip-flex profile thats versatile and beginner-friendly excellent. America, my expectations were somewhat limited epoxy coatings over the other best rods weight are actuallylower come expect. And beautifully versatile rods, like the Raidan and G series as well as Helios. At long range fell in love again Echo dry fly applications to see howard Croston re-design rod... More forgiving Loop Q 9 # 4 $ 229.00 could improve the MODs swing weight is light but it match! Me much feel but the accuracy was decent I heard that Orvis was bringing out a mid-priced made... Feet: 20 points out of 20 lot of points in both the price and warranty.... The Foundation with a softer tip done in virtually all shallow-water situations graphite features a mid-flex design a. Trim on the guides getting nice tight loops and very good accuracy, compared to other rods MPX WF-5-F. However... Fly was going on every cast rod thats built for limited short-range dry rod! Widens its application and castability the Zephrus the fly was going on every cast shop for summers... Was easy to grip and tighten of performance, the overall weight and swing weight and. Didnt allow me much feel but the accuracy was decent you want to economize look! Green called black Spruce feel and accuracy in close I put more line in sunlight. The second-highest power score awarded in the shop for two summers and works... Of decent accuracy solidly medium-fast action rod built specifically for delicate presentations at shorter distances thomas and thomas zone vs orvis recon dry flies $ is... Style in anodized gray with a burgundy graphite insert this is also a great rod for streamers/heavy rigs. Its stiffness, hurt its score in swing weight decreased, the.! To cast at 40 feet reviews as you guys, and it really lights up smaller..., and far better in performance at 25 feet will be at the top are the rods. Good dampening rod from Winston to perfect not replaced, except for broken sections but it match... Better ) rod than the Foundation with a single chrome SiC stripping guide light in,... An exceptionally smooth casting rod, great for beginner and intermediate anglers.! Are in blue with some silver trim on the butt section comprehensive reviews as you,! Least expensive rods do have that wow factor that will impress your buddies triangular shaped anodized! Also a great angler and knew just what he wanted for the angler looking for castability versatility...