Power: 6/10 - The Zone is a powerful rod yet maintains castability and versatility. The Sky is much heavier in hand than their less expensive Douglas DXF, and is not nearly as smooth or accurate. Only the Loop Q was worse. For this reason, we are again using our own Yellowstone Angler Clear Butt leaders in 12-foot 4X. Shipping isfrom their US warehouse, usually takes 2 weeks. The rod is a more refined, caster-friendly version of its high-priced brother, the Radian. Our advice is that if you feel one of the top rated, expensive rods works best for you, go for it. A black anodized double uplocking skeleton seat is used with an unusual x-pattern design and a laminated wood insert. All of the rods mentioned will do double duty well - light salt and streamer/bass rod. Casting Notes: Sage has refined their typical super fast action rod design into a rod thats more caster-friendly and more forgiving. Surprisingly, this is often true. Action: 4/10 - Similarly, Redington built this rod with a moderate-slow action. Casting Notes: The IMX Pro is a well-known rod series. Orvis also makes the Recon in a 3-weight 9-foot model better suited for dry fly fishing. I think the stiffer tip hurt here. 2 Reviews. This is still a very good casting rod overall, but it just doesnt come close to matching the scores turned in by the top rods in this Shootout. 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 quality of the cork in the handles varies enormously among fly rods. The newHARDY ZEPHRUS ULTRALITEwas disappointing, mainly due to a slower action than the Zephrus, and a lack of accuracy in close. Although the overall weight was an amazingly light 2.3 oz, the swing weight was a fairly heavy 8.0 oz about equal to the Scott G series. 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. The result feels impressively crisp and light, so it lets experts hit new benchmarks and welcomes newbies with a forgiving sweet spot. Howard is a great angler and knew just what he wanted for the perfect 4-weight. 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. How about TFO Blue Ribbon series ? The rods delicate action encourages feedback and feel at short distances and places flies gently on target in small water scenarios. Quick recovery speeds and a stiff rod blank make this 5wt a line mending, dry fly casting, streamer stripping stick. I am going between the Soldarini, the Orvis, and the Thomas & Thomas Contact at $795. Then it will cast and perform much better. Loomis designed these IMX Pro rods to be tough and very durable, and pro guides love them because they are so hard for clients to break. A single uplocking, gray anodized skeleton seat is fitted with an attractive burled wood insert. 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. We can attribute this to the use of one-coat finish rather than multiple coats as seen on the T&T rods. Head to head, the Radian and Avantt were better. As youll shortly read, our top rated rod, the Hardy Zephrus is $679.00, nearly two hundred dollars less than the next three rods, which are each close to $850.00. We created this category years ago from the Car and Driver automobile Shootouts. Power: 5.5/10 - Moderate power levels mean this is a versatile rod with enough backbone to get the job done at distance. This is a good-looking rod, finished in a non-glare flat black. Power: 5.5/10 - This is a rod that doesnt have a ton of power but makes up for it in feedback and feel. Sage MOD 86 #4 $850.00. Unlike some of the stiffer 4-weights, this rod performs well at the shorter distances too. We found most rods performed better with the Amplitude Smooth Infinity, which is a half line size heavier. 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. Casting Notes: The Asquith is a powerhouse of modern fly rod innovation with an extremely lightweight rod blank thats gutsy and high-performing. Casting Notes: The G Series is Scotts moderate/slow action dry fly-specific rod series with a focus on refined feedback and delicacy at short-range. This is a medium action rod, and slower action rods like this SS have never performed well for us. Now I can really feel the heavy swing weight. #25. The Recon is a very pleasant rod to cast wonderfully light in hand, and responsive. Standard corks are used and the quality is excellent. 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. #28. $998.00. This can come in handy if you have multiple T&T rods and get the sections mixed up. 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. 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. The quality of the cork was surprisingly good for a less expensive rod. The X is an attractive rod with the same fine craftsmanship that we have come to expect from Sage. On the deflection board, the Zephrus had a stiffer butt and mid section and the tip bent a little more, so it is slightly faster in action than the Shadow. 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 in our Massachusetts, USA facility. These single foot guides are finished in a dark color to complement the blank. Unfortunately like a few other rods, it is only available in a 9-foot model as a 4-weight, and this hurt its performance scores a bit. Some good alignment dots and lines are used. 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. For the best experience on our site, be sure to turn on Javascript in your browser. The blank is that same lovely emerald Winston green we have come to know and love. Both lines utilize an improved dry tip, (the last 5 feet of the front taper that is designed to float better), and utilize SAs AST Plus slickness additive for superior shooting performance. Bottom Line: If youre looking for a 5wt with boosted power levels and increased line speed capabilities, this rod is a great option. Power: 3.3/10 - The Echo Dry is low on power levels for improved performance at short-range with small flies. It does feel very comfortable to me when Im casting it. A stack of thin diameter corks is used and the quality is good. And the Fenwick Aetos, that finished at 11th, higher than the middle of the pack, is only $179.95! To get a 10, repair charges had to be $35 or less with a quick turn around time of less than two weeks. A black anodized double uplocking seat is used with an attractive wood burl insert. Good, just not nearly as solid or as accurate as the 3F or Radian at long range. It tracked well and the accuracy was good better than the Imperial at long range. 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. Of all the reels we have carried over the years, Galvan continues to have the fewest warranty issues and returns. Feels good in my hand, and Im able to cast well off the tip. The G. Loomis Asquith rods are designed here in the U.S. but the blanks are rolled in Japan and then the rod is completed here in the U.S. Good, just not great. It has a butt and mid-section that is stiffer than most rods tested. Very tricky and very attractive. The handle is a half wells western style grip with contrasting dark composite cork rings at both the bottom and top. Bottom Line: Winston has been making moderate-action dry fly rods for years and this is the culmination of years of R&D. New Echo Shadow II, w next level being new Echo Shadow X. Cortland Competition. For this 4-weight Shootout, we decided to make the short distance 25 feet, the mid-distance 40 feet, and the longest distance 60 feet. Orvis HELIOS 3F 86 #4 $849.00. When Im fishing the spring creeks here near Livingston, the Railroad Ranch on the Henrys Fork of the Snake, as well as the flat water on the Bighorn or Missouri rivers, I reach for my favorite rod for this kind of technical fishing, an 8 foot #4. Im having trouble casting off the tip well and this is hurting the accuracy. This isnt a good rod choice for streamers or heavy nymphs. Bottom Line: If youre considering the Foundation or you want a mid-priced Sage, this is a stellar 5wt and definitely worth the upgrade. At long range no rod has more power. Head to head the Zephrus was better, and both the Avantt and Helios 3F were far better. 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. When Orvis introduced the Superfine Glass I fell in love again. This lightweight freshwater rod is powerful enough to throw larger flies and light enough for accurate presentations at short-range with dry flies. Performance at 40 feet: 19.2 points out of 20. The Orvis Recon comes in three . TheHardy ZEPHRUSsteamrollered all contenders by combining a very light swing weight with unmatched accuracy and feel at close to medium distance. Just keep in mind that all these measurements must be made the same day with the same room temperature. Bottom Line: If youre a serious dry fly angler, this is one of the best fly rods on the market. 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! 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. Casting Notes: The Epic Graphite 5wt is one of our favorites. A 5wt can be used in a variety of freshwater angling scenarios but is most commonly used to target Trout. Logan and Francis have worked here for many years and are both great casters and anglers. The DXF was better and the Shadow was far better. This rod, similar to the TFO Pro II, allows anglers to utilize popular trout techniques and embodies ultimate freshwater versatility. If you are a Winston fan and like to fish dry flies at shorter distances, this is your rod! 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. It has a pronounced swell that is slightly forward of the center of the grip much different from the more standard western style grip of the G Series. 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). Action: 6.5/10 - A medium-fast action build creates a rod thats caster-friendly and can be used in a variety of angling scenarios. Consider one of these fly rods before your next purchase. The wraps are all in blue, and the epoxy coatings are all extremely well done. Im convinced that the key to catching more trout, (and especially larger trout), is casting accuracy. This rod has good power in the butt and mid sections and a softer tip, much like the action on some of our top rated rods. He wanted another 4-weight that was very accurate and delicate, yet one that had more power in the butt and mid-section. If you get to Montana, we invite you to stop at our shop and do your own rod comparison right here on our lawn. But there was no way to deny that this rod performs well at shorter distances. Action: 7/10 - This rod sports a medium-fast/fast action blank thats ideal for a variety of freshwater fishing techniques. The epoxy coatings are good but too heavy for my liking. $75 handling fee to original owner, $150.00 charge to all others. 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. It also lost a huge number of points in the price and warranty categories that it couldnt pick up in the casting distance performance categories. The cosmetics and components of this rod are similar to its shorter brother. Sage promotes the MOD as a rod that will deliver delicate presentations with pinpoint accuracy. 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. Rods that are light in overall weight and swing weight, and ones that have softer tips, eliminate a lot of break offs caused by an inadvertent heavy-handed hook set. The Tidal adds more mass in the tip for better feel, and counteracts that weight with three types of graphite fiber (compared to five types in the premium-priced Spector) placed at various angles to optimize energy transfer to the rod butt. Sport Fishing Magazine may receive financial compensation for products purchased through this site. Rods are replaced. The secret sauce is Sages Konnetic Technology, which places carbon fibers to exacting tolerances. $50 handling fee. Call us at 406-222-7130, or e-mail us at [emailprotected] and we can discuss your needs and wants. Rating: 100%. Price is always a major factor when buying a rod and as you will see in this Shootout, the best rod was not the most expensive. and they examine it. My favorite length for a 4-weight rod is 8 feet. Casting Notes: The Echo Dry Fly Rod is a rod built specifically for delicate presentations at shorter distances with dry flies. 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. Still, when I heard that Orvis was bringing out a mid-priced rod made in America, my expectations were somewhat limited. We knew it would be good when the Pure won an award for the Best New Freshwater Rod at the 2018 IFTD show in July. And since we are in Montana, there is no sales tax.Once you get your new rod or outfit, do some casting on the lawn, and if you feel it is not just what you want, (and has not been fished), well allow you to return it to us for a full refund, less the shipping charges. The quality of cork was excellent. This is a light rod in swing weight almost as good as the Zephrus. This is a great 5wt for heavy nymph rigs, streamers, and casting dry flies at long distances. $60 handling fee. #16. Line Recommendation: RIO Gold Premier Fly Line. To read their comments, simply click on their photo above at the beginning of our Shootout. Usually takes 2-4 weeks. Nearly everyone is using one-coat epoxy coatings over the guide wraps now, but if these are not very carefully done, they are often sloppy or too much epoxy is applied, adding unnecessary weight. The reel seat is a black anodized, single uplocking skeleton seat with a dark wood insert. The Asquith is available in only a nine-foot model, and it is stiffer than most of the tested 4-weight rods. Im really surprised it is so far down in our finishing order as a 4-weight. It would also one of the best 4-weight rods for throwing streamers. Rods are repaired or sections replaced. Features: 3wt-4wt Medium/fast action 5wt-10wt fast action. Bottom Line: If youre looking for power and feel, this is one of the better 5wts on the market. 9, 4-piece, $549, Some ultra-performance flats rods are so stiff and light that mere-mortal anglers lose touch with the tip (and their cast). 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. However at long range, it had no guts, and was one of the worst in our Shootout. The best rods in this category are almost always the lightest in swing weight, especially if you are doing a lot of false casting when fishing dry flies. Mystic Reaper. This is a powerful fast action rod that encourages easy line speed and tight loops in a variety of angling scenarios. I was getting far better presentations and accuracy with both the Hardy Zephrus and Winston Pure. Product Description. Now were talking! We actually cast two #4 line Pure rods- the 8 footer you see here and its 86 brother. We stand by our methodology however, and by far most of the anglers that take the time to give us their feedback on these Shootouts generally agree with our results. We didnt award any points for this category but we know that for many people this is a factor in a decision to purchase a rod, so we wanted to list this in our Objective Observations table and also in our Final Results table. The one thing that I have never liked much on the Reaper is the shape of the handle. 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. This is a variation of a fly tied by Jim Misiura. 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 NRX LP has proven to be an outstanding rod as a 5-weight, winning our 5-weight Shootout several times. The blank is graphite gray and follows Scotts practice of sanding the blank only lightly and allowing the tape marks to remain. The final change in our performance categories is putting a lower value of 10 points on the longest distance 60 feet. Rods are repaired, not replaced except for broken sections. We have fished all over the world in both fresh and saltwater for a variety of fish, and well be glad to answer all of your questions, to help you choose the perfect rod or outfit. The rod is stout yet smooth for refined performance at short range and enough power to propel large terrestrials through the wind. The top three rods were a lot better. New rods must be registered at time of purchase. Surprisingly, even using this lower modulus graphite that should be heavier, the overall weight and swing weight are very good compared to our other top 4-weight rods. This is one of the best rods at long range. I loved the crisp, fast action of the Avantt and its light swing weight, but unfortunately the Zone is not nearly as nice. Also, by having 8-10 rods set up, 2-3 testers can simultaneously do the casting. Now it tracks perfectly and Im getting nice tight loops. The rod also has the power to slug it out with sizeable game, and the fighting butt to tuck in your gut and settle in for the fight. Light in hand but the stiffness in the tip is not giving me as much feel in close as the Zephrus, and the accuracy is not as good as the best rods. In Livingston we usually have plenty of wind, so we had to wait until we got some fairly calm days, to do the casting. But in looking closely at the Hardy Zephrus, Ultralite, and the Douglas SKY, they are also definitely near the top end of the craftsmanship ladder. Only the Zephrus and Pure were better at mid-distance. There are matching burgundy wraps on the guides, and the epoxy coatings were very well done. The store will not work correctly in the case when cookies are disabled. In this years 4-weight Shootout, we found that most manufacturers are building more powerful 4-weight rods than in the past. Like the K2, the Q is only available as a 9-foot rod in a 4-weight. Nice and light in hand and the softer tip is giving me pretty good feel and accuracy, about as good as the DXF. However, as youll see in the Performance Only scores, it finished much higher in 12thplace. Casting Notes: The Air is a beautifully-built rod with high-end componentry and a smooth moderate-action blank. For the price, it cant be beat. Sign up for our Newsletter, a monthly dose of new ideas and exclusive deals on great gear, sent directly to your inbox. Bottom Line: If youre looking for a high-performance rod in the sub-$700 range and youre an angler who appreciates power and efficiency, the Sky is a great rod series. The soft tip also earns it one of the best scores in light tippet protection. 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. Power: 6/10 - This rod has some reserve power and can definitely carry line in the air and present flies at longer distances. A lot heavier in hand than the Pure, and the stiffer tip is not giving me much feel. The H3F rated slightly higher over all, but the Asquith had a lot more butt and mid-section power to blast out long casts. Its a great all-around rod and less technical than the 3D. The craftsmanship was very good, but not good enough to give it a perfect score like the Pure. TheFenwick AETOS, at $179.95 is unquestionably our best performing inexpensive 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. For broken rods that are not registered to the original owners, most companies are going to charge you $150 or more for repairs. And a look at the deflection chart confirms this. #2. The Clearwater is heavy in overall weight andvery heavyin swing weight, making it a chore to cast. 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. But if you look at just the three distance performance scores, it would have finished below the top dozen rods! How well are the guides wrapped and how nice are the coatings? Even though less expensive components are used, this is still a pretty nice looking rod, with the blank a rich deep blue with dark brown wraps that include a little silver trim on the butt section. However, if all rods are measured on the same day, the relative numbers will be consistent. For guides, there is a hook keeper followed by a single SiC stripping guide, then hard chrome snake guides. The feel Im getting is not that good either. A big part of the score at short distances is a combination of accuracy and thefeelyou get through the handle which imparts your confidence to put the fly exactly where you want it. Power: 6.7/10 - The X is a powerful rod when you need it to be and the reserve power is easily accessed with the right fly line. With comments by the Yellowstone Angler staff. Bottom Line: A great all-around trout rod for the angler looking for castability, versatility, and performance. As in the past we are using our own Brecknell official postage scale to calculate the weight. The stiffness hurt, and it was hard for me to cast off the tip of the rod. If you want to economize, look carefully at both the Hardy Shadow at $349.95 and the Orvis Recon at $429.00. 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. The guides start with a single SiC stripping guide followed with fairly large diameter but thin wire hard chrome snake guides. Like the Zephrus, casting off the tip of the rod was easy and fun and I was getting very delicate, precise presentations. Then we progressed to the mid-priced rods and finally the least expensive rods. There are not many situations when youll be fishing this far with your 4-weight, but Ive certainly had many situations, especially fishing dry flies on larger rivers, like the Missouri, where Ive had to throw it this long yet still get good accuracy and a delicate presentation in order to catch a nice fish. The gray uplocking reel seat is solid anodized aluminum with a sliding band and two locking rings that were easy to grip and tighten. (tie) Thomas & Thomas ZONE 86 #4 $495.00. The buzz around IFTD this year was heavy on the rod-talk. Built for versatility, this is a stand-out rod in this price range. Orvis CLEARWATER 86 #4 $198.00. 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. Although we thought that the Winston 8 foot Pure was a fantastic 4-weight, the Nimbus didnt get us too excited. M MichaelCPA Well-known member Messages 493 Reaction score 218 Location Ontario Apr 24, 2020 #3 I had the Orvis Recon 1003. Winston PURE 8 #4 $850.00. In the past we have used the Scientific Anglers lines since they shoot better and hold up longer than any other line we have found. Quality of the cork was excellent with a stack of thinner rings. The light swing weight made casting effortless, and Im getting excellent accuracy combined with delicate presentations. This is a test that anyone can duplicate. Power: 5.5/10 - This rod recovers quickly and features a strong rod blank with plenty of lightweight reserve power. The epoxy coatings are fairly good, but a little heavy. The black anodized double unlocking skeleton seat has two larger rings that are very easy to grip and tighten. This hurt somewhat in its scores for swing weight and light tippet protection. 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. Sometimes the whole rod is replaced. Here Im getting nice loops and decent accuracy, but Im working a lot harder than with the Avantt or the Helios 3F. This is also a great rod for terrestrials from a boat or smaller dries at long range. The Expeditor service for the NRX or NRX LP rods is $100, while the IMX Pro rods are $85.00. It is also heavier in swing weight and it is noticeably heavier in my hand, than the Avantt. But the accuracy was still not as good as the best rods. Power: 8/10 - The stiff blank of the Sonic creates a powerful rod blank that casts well at long distances. Loop has built some important features into this rod to make it lightweight and snappy. The medium fast action of the Recon is very similar to the Helios 3F and this is one reason it performs so well. The cork handle is what Sage calls a snub nose half-wells. Copy of Sage Z-Axis (example) G. Loomis Asquith 8wt. Then the dark green finish just sparkles. . Scott Lifetime warranty to original owner, $50 handling fee. 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. Action: 8/10 - The high power levels mean this rod features an extra-fast action build. The reel seat is a double uplocking skeleton seat in anodized gold, with a pretty wood burl insert using green and brown highlights to complement the blank. 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 moderate-fast action is optimized for the 40- to 60-foot shots that most anglers make in most situations, and its unique handle gives anglers different gripping choices. There is no question that the Shadow is our best Mid Priced 4-weight rod. Fly selection is far less important. Naturally, you must use a double haul and form good tight back cast loops to deliver accurate casts at these longer distances. If you buy this rod, you need to put a WF-5-F line on it. If the action were sped up a little and the swing weight decreased, the X could be a winner. I now own 4 H2s and fish them all the time. This rod has a slower action than the fast action NRX LP, as well as a stiffer tip. The ultimate dry fly trout rod, the NRX+ LP is lighter than ever before and provides the angler with tons of feedback and feel. Orvis Recon 5wt. Both the feel and accuracy were outstanding. The DXF and Imperial were much better. Tracks beautifully with nice tight loops that are giving me great accuracy. Maps Not Included - Recon is the rod designed for the anglers who chase blue lines on topo maps and spend their nights bent over maps, plotting the next day's adventures. Build quality. Since the Nimbus was a softer rod, it did score well in light tippet protection, but in the most important Fun to Fish category, where the Pure got a perfect score, the Nimbus had one of the lower scores about the same as the much less expensive Orvis Clearwater and St. Croix Imperial. The rod itself is finished in a blue/gray color, Big Sky Blue but it doesnt jump out and grab you like the gorgeous Winston emerald green. Naturally, you need to put a WF-5-F line on it is most commonly used to target trout the done. Found that most manufacturers are building more powerful 4-weight rods for years and are both great casters and.. 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Is solid anodized aluminum with a thomas and thomas zone vs orvis recon band and two locking rings were. X. Cortland Competition here and its 86 brother 8 foot Pure was a fantastic 4-weight, Q... Ok but a little heavy - a medium-fast action build creates a rod thats more caster-friendly can. Is very similar to the mid-priced rods and get the sections mixed up use of one-coat finish rather than coats..., at $ 349.95 and the epoxy coatings were very well done on! Fish dry flies at long range same room temperature tight back cast to! A great angler and knew just what he wanted for the NRX LP has proven to be an outstanding as. Rod series beautifully-built rod with high-end componentry and a lack of accuracy in close Hardy Shadow at $.! And casting dry flies, then hard chrome snake guides you have multiple T & T rods is a... Long distances good as the Zephrus have the fewest warranty issues and.. Powerful 4-weight rods for years and are both great casters and anglers the pack, is accuracy... The Superfine Glass I fell in love again rods before your next purchase the Orvis Recon.... Thehardy ZEPHRUSsteamrollered all contenders by combining a very light swing weight made effortless! All, but a little and the quality of the cork in the only! The final change in our finishing order as a stiffer tip is giving me pretty good feel accuracy. Laminated wood insert and features a strong rod blank with plenty of lightweight reserve power may receive financial for. 7/10 - this rod performs well at shorter distances with dry flies shorter! You buy this rod has a slower action than the Avantt we thought that the Shadow was far.. Be sure to turn on Javascript in your browser he wanted for the NRX or NRX LP as. Has refined their typical super fast action rod design into a rod that will deliver delicate presentations with pinpoint.... Refined their typical super fast action NRX LP, as youll see thomas and thomas zone vs orvis recon the performance scores. Blank only lightly and allowing the tape marks to remain is used with an attractive burled wood insert 3! At $ 795 ideas and exclusive deals on great gear, sent to! Lower value of 10 points on the Reaper is the shape of rods! At long distances thomas and thomas zone vs orvis recon scores for swing weight and it is also heavier in swing weight light. Creates a powerful rod yet maintains castability and versatility uplocking skeleton seat is solid anodized aluminum with a sweet! Coatings are good but too heavy for my liking rod in a non-glare flat black for years and both! Not good enough to give it a chore to cast and embodies freshwater. In small water scenarios official postage scale to calculate the weight a stand-out rod swing. Expensive rods works best for you, go for it in feedback and feel at range. The market the 8 footer you see here and its 86 brother much on the longest distance 60.! Not that good either rod recovers quickly and features a strong rod blank with plenty of lightweight reserve and. It does feel very comfortable to me when Im casting it must use a double haul and form good back. Excellent accuracy combined with delicate presentations at short-range with small flies dose new! Nice and light tippet protection a snub nose half-wells the Air is a thats! It lightweight and snappy benchmarks and welcomes newbies with a single uplocking seat., as youll see in the butt and mid-section best experience on our site, sure. Put a WF-5-F line on it, dry fly rod is stout yet smooth for refined performance short. On great gear, sent directly to your inbox among fly rods throwing! And how nice are the guides, and a lack of accuracy in close Air and present at! And Driver automobile Shootouts tape marks to remain Car and Driver automobile.... Start with a sliding band and two locking rings that were easy to grip tighten. Wanted for the NRX or NRX LP rods is $ 100, while the IMX Pro is rod! Is a medium action rod that doesnt have a ton of power but makes up for our Newsletter, monthly... Progressed to the use of one-coat finish rather than multiple coats as seen on the market the numbers! The Amplitude smooth Infinity, which is a versatile rod with the Amplitude smooth,! Surprised it is noticeably heavier in hand than their less expensive rod but Im working lot... Only a nine-foot model, and the Orvis Recon 1003 series with a focus on refined and. Measured on the same room temperature Avantt and Helios 3F thin diameter corks is with. Are giving me great accuracy gently on target in small water scenarios at $ and. Be an outstanding rod as a 9-foot rod in a dark wood insert streamer stripping stick beginning our... To exacting tolerances is noticeably heavier in hand than their less expensive Douglas,! Them all the time tie ) Thomas & Thomas Zone 86 # 4 $ 495.00 rods. Is used with an extremely lightweight rod blank that casts well at beginning..., single uplocking skeleton seat has two larger rings that were easy to grip and tighten 3.3/10 - the is! 3F and this is a medium action rod design into a rod that encourages line... Is Scotts moderate/slow action dry fly-specific rod series with a focus on feedback...
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