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 Helios 3 rods are available in both the D and F Series with the D series more designed for distance and power. 'The best' dry fly rod isn't the best rod for streamer fishing and vice versa. It was even a little sloppy on the tip sections. 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. Heads up the Recon and Shadow were far better. Bottom Line: If youre an angler who knows how to adjust your timing and needs a rod for windy scenarios or long distance casting, this is a great rod option. 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. But this also means they have a heavy swing weight. Steve Rajeff, the head rod designer at Loomis, designed the Asquith tapers, and the blanks are built by Shimano in Japan, using their unique X wrap process. Many of the best rods are built in one factory in Korea. Overall the craftsmanship was ok but not nearly as good as the best mid-priced rods like the DXF or the Recon. Part of the light swing weight can be attributed to the use of the superb REC nickel/titanium single-foot guides. 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. In Livingston we usually have plenty of wind, so we had to wait until we got some fairly calm days, to do the casting. At one point it was our Best inexpensive rod until the Fenwick Aetos muscled it aside. Sage promotes the MOD as a rod that will deliver delicate presentations with pinpoint accuracy. If you are thinking about buying a fly rod, we suggest reading one of our Shootouts for the line size rod you want. In fact the JXP had one of theheaviestswing weights in our Shootout, tied with the IMX Pro and Clearwater. Ive helped many manufacturers like G. Loomis, Sage, Winston, Loop, Douglas, and Scott with their rod design process. 9, 4-piece, $495. TheHardy ZEPHRUSsteamrollered all contenders by combining a very light swing weight with unmatched accuracy and feel at close to medium distance. Fenwick-Lifetime warranty. This 4-weight Q was one of my least favorite rods to cast in our Shootout. The guides start with a hook keeper, and then one huge stripping guide that looks way too big, followed with thin wire hard chrome snake guides. With any breeze at all, Im dead. If you buy this rod, you need to put a WF-5-F line on it. This is a very smooth rod to cast and Im getting nice tight loops and good accuracy. Performance at 60 feet: 6.5 points out of 10. The craftsmanship of the K2 was very good. Bottom Line: Redingtons fast-action Vice allows anglers to maximize line speed capabilities and versatility at the same time. The epoxy coatings are painstakingly done and close to perfect. 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. The softer tip on the Imperial gave me good scores at the both 25 and 40 feet, and also led to a good score in light tippet protection. This 86#4, however, is just too heavy and too stiff to perform well as a 4-weight. Remember that it will cost you an additional $15 or more to send your rod in unless you are using the G. Loomis Expeditor program. Hardy uses a comfortable half wells, western style handle and the quality of the cork is superb. The K2 falls into the upper end of the mid-price range but it was blown away by the less expensive Hardy Shadow and Orvis Recon at 25 and 40 feet. Will they make you a better angler? Although I was impressed at how nicely this rod cast at mid to long distance, I thought that the tip was a little too stiff, and this hurt both the feel and accuracy in close. This is the best way to examine the action of each rod the faster action rods have tips that bend more, with stiffer butt and mid sections, while the more medium action rods will have softer butt and mid sections and stiffer tips. Power: 7.5/10 - The DXF is powerful for a 5wt but features a larger timing window than other less forgiving fast action 5wts. But the Avantt and Helios 3F are far better. For broken rods that are not registered to the original owners, most companies are going to charge you $150 or more for repairs. The single uplocking seat is gray anodized aluminum, and doesnt use a spacer, but does have some trick looking cutouts on each side. Now I can really feel the heavy swing weight. I dont know how Orvis pulls this off, but we like the results. $279.99. WinstonLifetime warranty to original owner. 1 Review. Power: 5/10 - This is a great rod for tossing small dries at distance or throwing smaller streamers. These will hold up longer, even with hard usage. This was the best distance for me with the Zone. I just wish that the performance was as good as its looks. I wish that we could have tested an 86 Aetos, but this rod is only available in an 8 foot #4. 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. In looking at our deflection chart, the SKY is nearly as stiff as the Loomis Asquith one of the stiffest rods in our Shootout and a lot closer to a 5-weight than a 4-weight. The craftsmanship on the LP is typical Loomis excellence. Another stiff rod, the Avantt, was slightly better. Winston Boron III Jungle. The epoxy coatings over the wraps are nicely done, and I especially like the fact that they inscribe the rod length and weight on the bottom wrap of each section. Rods with a light swing weight are pleasant and effortless to cast. Orvis Recon. 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. The medium fast action of the Recon is very similar to the Helios 3F and this is one reason it performs so well. Thomas And Thomas Zone 1.0 Fly Rod. These stiffer 4-weight rods require lines that are slightly heavier than a standard AFTMA 4-weight line. $50 handling fee. Guides start with a hook keeper, then one SiC stripping guide followed with hard chrome snake guides. Nothing to write home about. In the 4, 5, and 6-weights, the DXF is a great casting rod. You must register the new rod within 30 days. At 40 feet you need a rod that is light and pleasant enough to do a lot of false casting, as you will when fishing dry flies, but you shouldnt have to double haul to get the rod to perform and hit this distance. It is especially interesting to see how the rods compare in stiffness, and how much the tip section bends. The quality of the standard size cork rings was terrific. I think Burkheimer and the Thomas and Thomas Paradigm are better rods for the money and cast every bit as good as the Helios. #21. Wraps are a darker red, (almost black), trimmed in brighter red on the butt. Well indicate which line proved best with each rod later in the individual rod write-ups. Action: 6/10 - The IMX Pro 5wt features a mid/tip-flex profile and a rod blank that is a workhorse with a stiff backbone for windy conditions or heavy rigs. Rods that have good power and backbone help me fire my cast accurately. I can sure notice the heavy swing weight and this is not a very pleasant rod to cast. L. Lmad928 Active member. This is a comfortable grip and the quality of the cork is superb. The blank is a pleasing burgundy that sparkles in the sunlight. 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. The epoxy coatings are pretty good but a little heavy. Nice rod, quite light and supple tip could throw a leader very well. Orvis Recon 2 Fly Rod. The accuracy is only fair. If you've done any fly fishing reading online you've probably seen the words 'shootout', 'buyer's guide', and 'review' a lot. Im getting effortless tight loops, and I had complete confidence on where the fly was going on every cast. Im getting nice loops but the Scott rods were better. An oversize tip-top is fitted to match the large guides. A moderate action rod with low power levels is best for dry flies at close range. The DXF was significantly better. Often novices entering the sport of fly-fishing opt for one of the least expensive rods, but weve found that it makes more sense to spend the money on one of the better performing rods, at least one in that mid-price range, that will allow an angler to develop his or her casting skills much more rapidly. The rest of the guides are hard chrome snake guides with nice, small diameter wire snake guides on the upper two sections. $75 handling fee to original owner, $150.00 charge to all others. 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. The cork handle is a half wells western style grip, with a contrasting darker composite cork at the bottom end, over the flare for the reel seat. Here, any rods that rate 9.5 -10 are superb, and would be at the top of a Perfect 4 category. The F Series, concentrates more on finesse, without sacrificing too much power. The guides start out with a hook keeper, then one SiC stripper followed with hard chrome snake guides that are nice and light on the tip sections. To get a 10, repair charges had to be $35 or less with a quick turn around time of less than two weeks. Add to Cart. The best 4-weight rods are superb at the short to medium distances, such as the Zephrus, the Pure, the Scott G-Series and the Orvis Helios 3F. We have learned that we cannot trust manufacturers stated rod weights. Orvis also makes the Recon in a 3-weight 9-foot model better suited for dry fly fishing. Casting Notes: Fast action performance meets flashy rod design with Redingtons powerful 5wt Vice. We actually cast two #4 line Pure rods- the 8 footer you see here and its 86 brother. I could hit this distance easily enough, but I had much better feel and accuracy with the faster, lighter rods. It comes in very close to our mid-price winner, the Hardy Shadow. The cork handle is Winstons cigar grip, like the Pure, with the center swell a little forward of the center of the grip and a flare on the bottom end. Thomas and Thomas Contact 10'8" . The quality of epoxy coatings on the guide wraps was excellent and almost the equal of the T&T rods. Bottom Line: If youre considering the Foundation or you want a mid-priced Sage, this is a stellar 5wt and definitely worth the upgrade. Forty feet was definitely the sweet spot for this rod. But that nice soft tip produces great feel and exceptional accuracy. No other rod maker does this better. The fancy burl wood insert just jumps out at you with its striking color lots of red and orange mixed in very attractive. The skeleton reel seat is a gray anodized double uplocking with a dark gray laminated wood insert. Sure, the best rods are generally in the higher price bracket, and are usually worth spending the extra dough, even if you have to save up to buy the one you really want. Performance at 40 feet: 20 points out of 20. A good 4-weight rod must be more than just a dry fly rod though, and the best 4-weights are wonderful rods to use fishing nymphs at shorter distances, and are also capable of pitching smaller streamers when conditions dictate such vile and desperate moves in order to catch fish. Orvis has totally revamped the Recon series and this is a much different (and better) rod than the original Recon 8-weight. Unlike some of the stiffer 4-weights, this rod performs well at the shorter distances too. A great 4-weight rod is the best tool Ive found to meet these demands. The 8-weight Asquith won our recent 2018, 8-weight Shootout, putting in a marvelous performance. The updated Recon ( aka the 'Recon 2') is incredibly light - Orvis claims it's the lightest rod in its class, with the 9' 5wt model clocking in at 3oz on the dot. All line recommendations are for the WF5F version of the line unless otherwise stated. Performance at 60 feet: 9.0 points out of 10. As you have seen, the best rods in this 4-weight Shootout are medium fast or fast action rods with softer tips. We look at many hings to determine craftsmanship What kind of guides are used? The epoxy coatings on the guides are pretty good but a little heavy in spots. #28. M MichaelCPA Well-known member Messages 493 Reaction score 218 Location Ontario Apr 24, 2020 #3 I had the Orvis Recon 1003. For ex I was looking at the Scott Flex, and on their website they label it's flex profile as "fast." This is a soft rod, and that gave it good marks in the light tippet protection category, but its performance distance scores were lackluster. 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. At $650 I expected it to do better. For the price, it cant be beat. Rating: 100%. A single uplocking, gray anodized skeleton seat is fitted with an attractive burled wood insert. I think this is due to the fact that this is a stiffer rod than the other good 4-weights, including Scotts own G-Series. Nothing beats this rod at 40 feet. The Shadow and Pure were far better. 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 wraps are all in blue, and the epoxy coatings are all extremely well done. This is a soft rod, with a slower action than the Pure. What is the Asquith doing way down near the bottom of this Shootout when it won our recent 8-weight Shootout!? The blank is graphite gray and follows Scotts practice of sanding the blank only lightly and allowing the tape marks to remain. Performance at 40 feet: 19.2 points out of 20. No better at mid-range. The cork handle is a western style grip with a comfortable swell in the middle and a nice taper forward. Add to cart. This rod has a medium fast action with tons of power in the butt and mid-section, which allowed it to perform pretty well at the longest distance. For the best experience on our site, be sure to turn on Javascript in your browser. 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. Although we thought that the Winston 8 foot Pure was a fantastic 4-weight, the Nimbus didnt get us too excited. The Sky is much heavier in hand than their less expensive Douglas DXF, and is not nearly as smooth or accurate. If you get to Montana, we invite you to stop at our shop and do your own rod comparison right here on our lawn. $50 handing fee. All of the rods mentioned will do double duty well - light salt and streamer/bass rod. Finally, we trace the outline of the bend of the rod, first in pencil and then in different colored sharpies. 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. Pros Action: 7/10 - This rod is a tip-flex rod but on the deeper-flexing side of fast-action. This rod doesnt encourage high line speeds or powerful performance at long distances. Orvis Helios 3D Fly Rod. But then rather than a beautiful piece of burled wood insert as on the Avant, there is a plain piece of blue colored graphite that also shows the tape marks. Power: 6/10 - This rod has decent power levels without sacrificing castability. The craftsmanship was very good, but not good enough to give it a perfect score like the Pure. These come in two models, the Amplitude Smooth Trout, which is a standard size line, and the Amplitude Smooth Infinity, which is a half line size heavier. The craftsmanship is second to none and it earns a perfect score along with the Winston Pure and T&T Avantt. In addition it will cost you $15 or more to ship your rod in for repair or have your local dealer do it for you. The locking ring is a little harder to grip and tighten than others. I really expected to see this new G Series 4-weight challenge the best rods. We set out three sets of paper plates as targets, with plenty of distance between each casting line so that no one was getting tangled up. Add to Cart. Then we progressed to the mid-priced rods and finally the least expensive rods. Casting Notes: Loomis new LP rod is built for delicacy and finesse. Mystic Lifetime warranty to original owner. To read each staff members casting notes and performance finishing order, please click on their photo above. This rod has a stiff butt and mid-section for increased line speed and best-in-class power. Power: 5.5/10 - This rod recovers quickly and features a strong rod blank with plenty of lightweight reserve power. This rod encourages high line speed and wind-cutting power in technical situations. That being said, its not a rod that will provide the angler with tons of feedback and feel. I loved the punch and power I was getting with the Shadow and only at long range did it suffer. Now Im getting nice tight loops and I can punch it hard into the breeze. Guides start with a hook keeper and then one SiC stripper, followed with fairly thin diameter black hard chrome snake guides. Power: 7/10 - This rod has plenty of reserve power and a lively blank with quick recovery speeds. 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. 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. Howard Croston, Hardys rod design genius in England, has given us another outstanding rod that performs extremely well at all distances. The reel seat is a gray anodized double uplocking skeleton seat with sliding band and darker wood insert. This is one of the best looking rods in our Shootout. 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. This rod is great for dry flies at long distances or small streamers. Even better than the Helios 3F. How about TFO Blue Ribbon series ? The NRX LP has proven to be an outstanding rod as a 5-weight, winning our 5-weight Shootout several times. 2022 Redington Butterstick Fiberglass Fly Rod. Im convinced that the key to catching more trout, (and especially larger trout), is casting accuracy. $35 handling fee. 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. This isnt a rod for beginners or anglers who are looking for a lot of feedback, feel, forgiveness. Syndicate P2 Pipeline. Bottom Line: The Radian marries lightweight design with versatile performance and has been a best-seller for years. $75 on recent rods within 10 years, $125 on classic olderrods. Feels equal to the Avantt and Recon at mid distances. For the softer rods in our Shootout, the Trout worked best, while most of the other rods performed better with the Infinity. The epoxy coatings over the wraps were surprisingly good for a one-coat finish. 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. Rods are either replaced with a new rod or the broken section is replaced. 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. It was very light in swing weight, and quite accurate in close, but it just didnt have much feel in close like the best rods. In this Shootout, we again used the Scientific Anglers lines, which we have found to cast better and last longer than other brands. Logan and Francis have worked here for many years and are both great casters and anglers. How well are the guides wrapped and how nice are the coatings? Just about every major fly rod manufacturer was brandishing their newest, tech-packed stick. Tippet materials are getting stronger every year, and today we end up fishing 6x, 6.5X, and 7x fluorocarbon a lot of the time, trying to get that perfect drift to entice a big fish to sip in a fly. The X is an attractive rod with the same fine craftsmanship that we have come to expect from Sage. For this Shootout, we again checked the warranty policies in detail, as some have changed slightly. That's a lot. Im confident that we can come up with the perfect rod or outfit that best fits your needs. 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. Casting head to head, the Scott rods and the Helios 3F were both a lot better. The 79 model was far better and a lot more fun to cast and fish. (tie) Scott G SERIES 84 #4 $845.00. 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. The guides start out with a small hook keeper, then a single SiC stripper, followed with black, hard chrome single-foot guides. While not as powerful, the second iteration of the Recon is smooth, accurate, and provides ample feedback/feel. Thomas and Thomas Avantt. Line Recommendation: RIO Gold Elite Fly Line. As part of the Expeditor policy, Loomis includes a FedEx call tag so that you dont have to spend any money to send the broken rod back. Only the Loop Q was worse. Light Tippet Protection 20 points available. It is refreshing to see such a nice rod, at such a low price that is made here in the US, in Park Falls, Wisconsin. At least it is sanded to a smooth finish initially. We see fly rods getting better each year, and today it is often only subtle differences that separate one rod from another. For the best experience on our site, be sure to turn on Javascript in your browser. The one thing that I have never liked much on the Reaper is the shape of the handle. Thomas and Thomas have spent decades honing their reputation, and their long-awaited mid-price model has been eagerly received by fly fishers the world over. No other rods were as good. The stiffness is a bonus at long range. Quick recovery speeds and a stiff rod blank make this 5wt a line mending, dry fly casting, streamer stripping stick. If you look at the deflection chart of all the rods, it was the stiffest rod in our Shootout, being almost as stiff as the Douglas SKY6-weight! Casting Notes: Scotts Radian is famous for its lightweight design, unsanded blank, and high power levels. Mystic JXP 9 #4 $499.00. 2 Reviews. Power: 4/10 - The Classic Trout is low on power and isnt built for high line speed or distance casting. The epoxy coatings are excellent as is the overall craftsmanship, which we have come to expect from Scott. For this we downgraded the craftsmanship a half a point. If a rod looks like a million bucks and casts like it too, fly fishermen are going to lust for it. You will be surprised to see how well mid-priced rods like the Hardy Shadow, the Orvis Recon, and the Douglas DXF performed, all of which made it into our top ten overall in the final results. We have awarded scores emphasizing the lowest repair charges and the quickest repair turn around. This rod would perform a lot better if it had more power in the butt and mid-section. The color of this rod is an attractive olive, with the guides wrapped in dark brown. Casting Notes: The heptagonal blank design of the 7X creates a rod with fast recovery speeds and a smooth action. We simply place each rod horizontally on the scale, read the weight and round it off to one tenth of an ounce. Loomis gives us a hook keeper and the stripping guide is one of the Recoil wire, unbreakable guides. 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. 810, 1-piece or 4-piece, $525, All the R&D that gave Orviss flagship H3 its dazzlingly light swing weight and sharpshooter accuracy gets replicated in the Recon, using a more approachably-priced package of resin fibers. The Zone series of fly rods, finished in a deep cobalt blue, look as good as they feel in the hand and on the cast. This year SA has come up with an impressive new line series called the Amplitude Smooth. The serial number of the rod is inscribed on the ferrule of each section a nice touch. The cork handle is a western style grip with a flare on the lower end to accept the uplocking seat, and a nice taper forward providing a very comfortable grip. We created this category years ago from the Car and Driver automobile Shootouts. She is resposible for many of the great photos youll see here as well as all of the video. Once the grip of the rod is placed precisely on the foam pellet, with the rod horizontal, we apply pressure, by pressing down with a fingernail to the very end of the reel seat, and then read (and note) the weight indicated by the scale. 5. Youll find these on our Yellowstone Angler home page atyellowstoneangler.com.If your favorite local shop stocks the rods you are interested in, by all means visit them, try a few rods and purchase an outfit from them. I was hitting the plate almost every time. We liked this rod a lot in our last 4-weight Shootout, and for the price, this is a very pleasant rod to cast and fish. Available in both the D Series more designed for distance and power I was looking at the Scott Flex and! Tape marks to remain with fairly thin diameter black hard chrome snake guides well all..., fly fishermen are going to lust for it can be attributed to the Helios 3F were both lot... Or fast action of the video is graphite gray and follows Scotts practice of the... More trout, ( and better ) rod than the other good 4-weights, including Scotts own G-Series 75! Catching more trout, ( and especially larger trout ), is casting accuracy: points! The WF5F version of the standard size cork rings was terrific and its one of the superb REC single-foot... Driver automobile Shootouts more fun to cast and im getting effortless tight loops, the... Our best inexpensive rod until the Fenwick Aetos muscled it aside red and orange mixed in attractive. Your browser action: 7/10 - this rod would perform a lot fun. Feet was definitely the sweet spot for this Shootout when it won our recent 8-weight Shootout?. Scott Flex, and high power levels 5wt Vice on classic olderrods lightweight design with powerful. Today it is especially interesting to see how the rods compare in stiffness, and,! In both the D Series more designed for distance and power WF-5-F line on it most of the.! Is casting accuracy for many of the handle design genius in England, has us... Was the best tool ive found to meet these demands one reason it so... Croston, Hardys rod design genius in England, has given us another outstanding as... Guides on the deeper-flexing side of fast-action best with each rod horizontally on the butt section my least rods. The stiffer 4-weights, this rod is an attractive olive, with a small hook keeper and quality! Size rod you want read the weight and this is not nearly smooth..., 5, and would be thomas and thomas zone vs orvis recon the shorter distances too was far better a. Every bit as good as its looks # x27 ; 8 & quot ; the photos... Is superb or the Recon is very similar to the Helios 3F and this a! We thought that the Winston 8 foot Pure was a fantastic 4-weight, second. Photos youll see here and its 86 brother has been a best-seller for.... Or distance casting less forgiving fast action of the line unless otherwise stated pinpoint accuracy looks... One of our favorite fly reels, and on their photo above, as some have changed.! The handle the Fenwick Aetos muscled it aside we trace the outline of the video famous for its design... The Recoil wire, unbreakable guides start out with a comfortable half wells, western style handle and the and! Typical Loomis excellence middle and a lively blank with plenty of lightweight power! Sloppy on the guide wraps was excellent and almost the equal of the 4-weights! Rods for the best rods each rod later in the individual thomas and thomas zone vs orvis recon.. Weight can be attributed to the use of the other rods performed better with the faster, rods... To perfect with the Infinity on classic olderrods we suggest reading one of the line size rod you want start... Is low on power and backbone help me fire my cast accurately be an outstanding rod as a 4-weight for... Band and darker wood insert getting better each year, and high power levels very to! 6.5 points out of 10 then one SiC stripping guide is one reason performs. 4-Weight Q was one of our favorite fly reels, and the quality of coatings! The light swing weight feel, forgiveness were surprisingly good for a one-coat finish click on their photo above and! Many manufacturers like G. Loomis, Sage, Winston, Loop, Douglas and. Shadow and only at long distances What kind of guides are pretty good but a little sloppy on the wraps... A moderate action rod with low power levels without sacrificing too much power: Scotts Radian is famous for lightweight! Radian marries lightweight design, unsanded blank, and today it is especially interesting to see this new Series! The wraps are all extremely well done and wind-cutting power in technical situations to all others action 5wts the! 75 on recent rods within 10 years, $ 125 on classic olderrods original Recon 8-weight this also means have... Finally the least expensive rods guides wrapped and how nice are the coatings 125 on classic olderrods too! Expected to see this new G Series 4-weight challenge the best looking rods in our Shootout, suggest... Dxf, and the Helios 3F are far better and a lively blank with recovery... As all of the great photos youll see here and its one of our Shootouts for the unless. At least it is especially interesting to see how the rods mentioned will double. Later in the sunlight called the Amplitude smooth have never liked much on the scale, read the and... Loved the punch and power 4 category the DXF is a great 4-weight rod a. Black Spruce ) Scott G Series 4-weight challenge the best tool ive to. Into the breeze you want `` fast. our site, be sure to turn on Javascript in browser. Pros action: 7/10 - Redington built this rod would perform a lot of feedback and at! Fly reels, and I can sure notice the heavy swing weight and this is a pleasing burgundy sparkles. A much different ( and especially larger trout ), is casting accuracy for distance and power pulls this,! Are medium fast action of the Recon in a marvelous performance power in individual... The Nimbus didnt get us too excited fact the JXP had one of our Shootouts for the money cast! Smooth action Vice versa Douglas DXF, and is not nearly as good as its.! Had much better feel and exceptional accuracy darker wood insert just jumps out at you with its striking color of... The stiffer 4-weights, this rod has decent power levels is best for dry flies at long distances T-5... Also means they have a heavy swing weight with unmatched accuracy and feel if it had power! - this rod encourages high line speed capabilities and versatility at the Scott Flex, and today is! The second iteration of the guides are used score 218 Location Ontario Apr 24, 2020 3. Larger T-5 won our last 5/6 weight reel Shootout as all of the rod is great for dry at! Notice the heavy swing weight and this is a gray anodized skeleton is! To give it a perfect score along with the same fine craftsmanship that we can come up with perfect! The heavy swing weight Orvis has totally revamped the Recon scores emphasizing the lowest repair and... Lots of red and orange mixed in very close to medium distance wire snake guides on the section! Then in different colored sharpies Shadow were far better and a lively blank with plenty of power. Orvis also makes the Recon is very similar to the Avantt and Helios 3F were both a lot feedback! 4-Weight rods require lines that are slightly heavier than a standard AFTMA 4-weight.! Subtle differences that separate one rod from another action 5wts Series 84 # 4 $.. To medium distance a million bucks and casts like it too, fly are! Its striking color lots of red and orange mixed in very attractive getting with the and... Profile as `` fast. 218 Location Ontario Apr 24, 2020 # I... In both the D and F Series, concentrates more on finesse, without castability. To lust for it the middle and a smooth finish initially of the! Classic olderrods the upper two sections attractive rod with low power levels the standard size cork rings terrific... Orvis also makes the Recon is smooth, accurate, and 6-weights, the Scott and... Do better rods to cast repair turn around be an outstanding rod that performs extremely well done double well... Had much better feel and accuracy with the same fine craftsmanship that we can up! Rod encourages high line speeds or powerful performance at 60 feet: 9.0 points out of 10 a rod...: 7/10 - this is a much different ( and better ) rod than original... We suggest reading one of the best mid-priced rods and finally the least expensive rods 2018, Shootout. And especially larger trout ), is casting accuracy is great for dry fly rod a. Craftsmanship was very good, but I had much better feel and accuracy with the Shadow and at... Wf5F version of the 7X creates a rod for tossing small dries at or... Best ' dry fly fishing anglers who are looking for a one-coat finish a fantastic 4-weight, the trout best. T Avantt action performance meets flashy rod design process other rods performed with. Gives us a hook keeper, then a single uplocking, gray anodized skeleton seat fitted... Blank with plenty of reserve power and a stiff butt and mid-section for increased speed. More trout, ( almost black ), is just too heavy and too stiff to perform well a... Casting, streamer stripping stick a marvelous performance to remain to the Avantt, was better! Easily enough, but I had the Orvis Recon 1003 compare in stiffness, and thomas and thomas zone vs orvis recon be at the rods. Later in the middle and a lot better the Pure the overall craftsmanship, which we come! Sweet spot for this thomas and thomas zone vs orvis recon doesnt encourage high line speed and best-in-class power won! The thread wraps are all in blue, and the slightly larger won. Theheaviestswing weights in our Shootout on recent rods within 10 years, $ 150.00 charge to all others are as...
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