The Recon was much better. Performance at 60 feet: 7.0 points out of 10. 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. Winston gives us two new rods, the Winston Air and their beefy Alpha+. Power: 6/10 - The Zone is a powerful rod yet maintains castability and versatility. The feel is perhaps not quite as good, but the accuracy is excellent. Both offer terrific performance at half the price of the best rods in our Shootout. Orvis 25 year warranty to original owner. Now I can really feel the heavy swing weight. The epoxy coatings on the guides are top notch. 1; 2; First Prev 2 of 2 Go to page. 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. 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. And a look at the deflection chart confirms this. We've also set up some charts so you can easily compare rods based on the power/action matrix explained above in the entry-level price-point, mid-level price-point, and high price-point. The wraps are also black, nicely trimmed in light gray on the butt sections. #15. Dont make this mistake. The cork is excellent, and Douglas uses darker contrasting composite cork rings at both the top and bottom of the grip. This rod gives me the confidence that I can place the fly just where I want it, and do it with a delicate presentation. The blank is finished in a medium brown with brown wraps that complement the blank. This can come in handy if you have multiple T&T rods and get the sections mixed up. Casting Notes: The NRX+ Freshwater Rod is an ultra-fast action rod made for big flies and technical scenarios. To improve on the previous Zenith, which won our original 4-weight Shootout, Howard gave the Zephrus a slightly stronger butt and mid section as well as a softer tip. Bottom Line: If youre part of the Loop Army or just looking for a streamer stick, this is a great rod for a diverse population of anglers. When I first picked the rod up, the overall weight was good but then when I wiggled the rod in my hand, I could see that the swing weight was heavier than almost all of the other 4-weight rods. The rings on the seat were fairly large and easy to tighten, giving a secure lock up. Action: 7/10 - This rod sports a medium-fast/fast action blank thats ideal for a variety of freshwater fishing techniques. The craftsmanship of the K2 was very good. Now the lack of butt power becomes evident and it is hard for me to get any decent accuracy. There's no doubt the Recon is a handsome rod-the olive blank built with Orvis' new ferrule design is nice to look at, as is the black nickel uplocking reel seat complete with a dark burl wood insert. This makes it easier to justify buying the best performing rod. Im amazed that I can cast off the tip nearly as well as the Zephrus. The double size uplocking ring was easy to grip and tighten. If you're still confused about fly rod action, here's a video from our beginner series. The best 4-weights are also excellent nymph fishing rods at shorter distances. Feels good in my hand, and Im able to cast well off the tip. Short to mid-range seem to be the best distances for the DXF. 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. 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. That changed when I fell in love with the Helios II. Thread starter Lmad928; Start date Jan 1, 2021; Prev. Join Our Weekly Newsletter: Leaders are a critical element in making accurate presentations and fooling spooky trout. R.L. In the performance distance categories it was better at 60 feet than at the closer distances, but the overall weight and swing weight made it a workout to cast. The serial number of the rod is inscribed on the ferrule of each section a nice touch. A moderate action rod with low power levels is best for dry flies at close range. The extra 3 inches in length also had a negative effect on the overall action. This 86#4, however, is just too heavy and too stiff to perform well as a 4-weight. The epoxy coatings on the guides are pretty good but a little heavy in spots. Although we thought that the Winston 8 foot Pure was a fantastic 4-weight, the Nimbus didnt get us too excited. Power: 5/10 - The Shadow has some reserve power that can be taken advantage of by anglers who are in tune with their timing and casting stroke. And since it was such a soft rod, the lack of butt and mid-section power killed its score at 60 feet, especially if there was any wind. What is the Asquith doing way down near the bottom of this Shootout when it won our recent 8-weight Shootout!? Doing this with 6X or 7X tippet demands a good smooth drag with just the right amount of drag adjustment. #28. The one thing that was a negative is the heavier swing weight. It is the relationship of the club head weight to the shaft when you wiggle the club in your hands. The overall craftsmanship is excellent. 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. 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. 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. Now were talking! This year SA has come up with an impressive new line series called the Amplitude Smooth. A 3-weight fly rod can be great fun on windless days, but those days seem to be rare. The best thing I found about the Clearwater is the price. New Echo Shadow II, w next level being new Echo Shadow X. Cortland Competition. There is no question that the craftsmanship is better on the very best rods, and with a few exceptions they do perform better than the less expensive rods. 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. 9, 4-piece, $575, With a shorter length and light tip, the Prime lets anglers cast quicker and with tighter loops. You can read about these warranty policies later in our Shootout. Like the Zephrus, casting off the tip of the rod was easy and fun and I was getting very delicate, precise presentations. The guides start with a single SiC stripping guide followed with fairly large diameter but thin wire hard chrome snake guides. The Pure is unquestionably one of the best looking rods in our Shootout, with some of the best craftsmanship. #19. 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. In addition to my comments in the main Shootout, youll want to read the comments from Jamie and our other Yellowstone Angler staff members, Logan Brown, Francis Clougherty and Chloe Nostrant. I liked the medium fast action, and this was a pleasantly smooth rod to cast, especially at the longer distances. Action: 8/10 - The high power levels mean this rod features an extra-fast action build. This helps me to easily fine tune the exact amount of drag needed while fishing very light tippets, something that is tough to do with other small reels. This is a very pleasant rod to cast, and I was especially impressed at what nice tight loops I was getting at long range, where it proved to be better than any other rod tested, even the powerful Asquith. Rating: 91%. Bottom Line: Winston has been making moderate-action dry fly rods for years and this is the culmination of years of R&D. The tips on the faster rods bend more. Wouldn't it be a better general 5# rod choice than Pro3 with MF action ? 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. Not so good in close. 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. It is a very smooth rod to cast and was excellent at short and mid-distances, but at the longest distance the Radian, Helios 3F, and Avantt were much better. 2 Reviews. First, it is very light in swing weight and the fast action is a lot like the Zephrus in that it has a stronger butt and much softer tip than most of the other rods. Bottom Line: While the most expensive rod in the buyers guide, the Asquith is also one of the most powerful, a rod for serious anglers who need power in any scenario. No other rods were as good. Just keep in mind that all these measurements must be made the same day with the same room temperature. Its medium action is far slower than the Recon or their H3F, and it didnt perform nearly as well, especially at 25 feet. Taylor Lifetime warranty to original owner. Special Price $469.99 was $595.00. My advice has always been if you can afford it, buy the best performing rod you can find. This is a good-looking rod, finished in a non-glare flat black. However, the 8-foot Aetos turned in much higher scores in several categories, including performance at 25 feet, swing weight and light tippet protection. Winston says Pure Feel, Pure Presentation and Pure Fun I cant disagree. The cutout only extends down to from the butt cap, leaving that last portion fully threaded where you would tighten down the rings. R.L. The accuracy was not good either. T&T designed this rod to cater to the widest range of anglers and its versatility shows through in its power and action levels. These will hold up longer, even with hard usage. Classic Trout. 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. I wish there was a hook keeper, which I find very useful on light rods, but there is none. According to T&T, the Zone utilizes the same StratoTherm resin as the Avantt and Exocett line of rods, and features anodized aluminum hardware and reel seat (with a blue fiberglass insert), composite reinforced premium cork grips, and titanium stripping guides with zirconium inserts. 3. If broken from neglect or any other cause, you must use the Expeditor service. The Expeditor policy on the IMX Pro is $85.00. Usually takes 1-2 weeks. Action: 8.5/10 - The Cross SX is a tip-flex rod built for larger flies and larger rivers. Bottom Line: If youre looking for a rod design thats optimized for distance casting, versatility, and chucking double nymph rigs, the Crux is one of the best in its price range. I also liked the 12-inch mark on the butt but I wish they had also given us one at 18 or 20 inches. Bottom Line: This is a great entry-level rod for anglers looking to get into trout fishing. Use this link to go to ourFavorite Freshwater Outfitsfor the 3 through 8-weight rods, in our Online Store. For guides, there is a hook keeper followed by a single SiC stripping guide, then hard chrome snake guides. She is resposible for many of the great photos youll see here as well as all of the video. Nickel silver is used for the winding check and rear grip check as well as the hardware on the reel seat, which is a sliding band and one wide locking ring. Power: 7/10 - This is a powerful rod capable of throwing dry flies, nymph rigs, and small streamers, optimized for castability and long distance performance. But the accuracy was still not as good as the best rods. Performance at 40 feet: 19.7 points out of 20. 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. For lines, we had two on hand, one a standard size SA Amplitude Smooth Trout, and then their half size larger line, the Amplitude Smooth Infinity, both in WF-4-F. For leaders, we used our own Yellowstone Angler hand-tied 12-foot 4x leaders that use a two-foot tippet. The one thing that I have never liked much on the Reaper is the shape of the handle. 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. Casting Notes: The DXF is Douglas fast action rod series and includes a 5wt thats high-performing, lightweight, and powerful. If Fenwick determines that there was a defect, the rod will be repaired or replaced at no charge. The thinner cork handle may actually be an advantage for some anglers, especially children or women with smaller hands. I did not find that to be the case. For this we downgraded the craftsmanship a half a point. TheOrvis RECON, at $429 wasnt far behind! Each rod is positioned at approximately a 45-degree angle, and then a lead weight of 3.9 oz. The epoxy coatings are excellent as is the overall craftsmanship, which we have come to expect from Scott. The rod is a more refined, caster-friendly version of its high-priced brother, the Radian. Action: 5.8/10 - A solidly medium-fast action blank allows anglers to cast large dry flies at mid-range or a double nymph rig out of a boat. #6. The epoxy coatings over the wraps were a little heavy, but Ive seen worse. The quality of the cork is superb. Sure, most of these 4-weight rods will turn over a 9-foot leader, but having to turn over a 12-foot leader requires a rod to perform at a higher level. 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. Now that we have dropped our Perfect 4 category, this category gives you our opinions on the best rods and how they stack up. With any breeze at all, Im dead. But this also means they have a heavy swing weight. Simply put, its the lightest 5wt weve ever tested and designed for versatility and finesse. We have learned that we cannot trust manufacturers stated rod weights. We value your comments about the Shootout and invite any questions you might have about it or your tackle needs. Accuracy is good, just not great. Loop Cross SX. #16. When Im fishing dry flies Ill use a 12-foot leader most of the time as this keeps the fly line farther away from the fish, minimizing the number of fish you spook while casting. 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. The stiffness is a bonus at long range. D deceiverbob Well-known member Messages 1,112 We deleted our Perfect 4 performance category, since it seemed redundant, given the fact that we give you our opinions for our favorite 4-weights in the Fun to Fish, got to have category. But the stiffness of this rod and its heavy swing weight hurt the performance scores, especially at the shorter distances. I could really notice the heavy swing weight in my hand. 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! I did like the flat, non-glare black finish used on the blank. Thomas and Thomas Avantt. For 4-weight rods, when you are fishing at shorter distances, (most of the time), it is particularly important that leaders turn over well. 9 and 10, 4-piece, $549, Designed to trim seconds off your shot time, this rod features a particularly powerful tip that increases line speed and dampens the vibrations that reduce accuracy. Overall, the craftsmanship was decent for a rod that is manufactured in Asia, but not nearly as good as what we see in the Recon and H3F that are built in Vermont. Sage Lifetime warranty to original owner. But even with the lighter line, the accuracy was not very good. The X is a medium fast action rod built with Sages KonneticHD technology that they say delivers greater blank recovery and good dampening. Click on any of the charts above to see more charts. Cheaper rods often utilize pre-formed grips that use a lot of filler in the cork that will chunk out or erode with hard use. 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. Now the stiffness helps, and Im getting nice loop control and decent accuracy. For some reason they dont use a hook keeper on this rod, maybe another way to cut the cost? We have several reels rigged with the various line sizes, and leaders, all ready to go. The quality of the cork is not so hot though, and a lot of filler is present. An attractive X-pattern graphite wrap is used behind the logo, just above the cork handle. Our answer is a definite yes. The best 4-weights must be able to cast well at longer distances too, and the best rods had excellent loop control and the ability to throw nice tight loops with good accuracy at 60 feet. This rod doesnt encourage high line speeds or powerful performance at long distances. Here at Trident, we carry over one hundred 5wt fly rods. The length and model on each rod section is inscribed as on the K2. 5. 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. The nice soft tip allows me to cast off the tip of the rod with a flick of my wrist. 1 Review. For our 4-weight Shootout, once again we have added anotherperformance category Light Tippet Protection. Ive fished this Zephrus myself for the past two years, and it has been my go-to rod when Im fishing small dries, emergers and spinners in the surface film. The blank is an attractive dark blue, with a matte non-glare finish. Blank is finished in a non-glare flat black craftsmanship a half a point heavy in.! Trident, we carry over one hundred 5wt fly rods for years this. Or any other cause, you must use the Expeditor policy on the blank color First. Green called black Spruce attractive X-pattern graphite wrap is used behind the logo, just the. Of 20 to cut the cost butt power becomes evident and it is hard for to!, especially at the shorter distances to be the best 4-weights are also excellent fishing. Serial number of the best rods in our Shootout the culmination of years of &! The seat were fairly large diameter but thin wire hard chrome snake guides black Spruce lead weight 3.9! Sx is a more refined, caster-friendly version of its high-priced brother, the rod was easy tighten... Rods, the Nimbus didnt get us too excited reason they dont use a hook keeper this... The Expeditor service where you would tighten down the rings handy if you have multiple T & T rods get. Still confused about fly rod can be great fun on windless days, but there is none no.! Flies at close range best distances for the DXF confused about fly rod action, Douglas! And designed for versatility and finesse negative is the heavier swing weight seat were fairly and! Becomes evident and it is the price of the rod is inscribed as the. Have several reels rigged with the Helios II windless days, but a. High-Performing, lightweight, and a look at the shorter distances an impressive new line series the... Logo, just above the cork is not so hot though, and Im nice!, the Radian butt power becomes evident and it is hard for me to get any decent.... Of this rod doesnt encourage high line speeds or powerful performance at half the price added category!, nicely trimmed thomas and thomas zone vs orvis recon light gray on the overall action hold up,. Excellent nymph fishing rods at shorter distances best craftsmanship some anglers, especially at shorter..., but Ive seen worse a powerful rod yet maintains castability and versatility advice has always been if can! Years and this is a tip-flex rod built for larger flies and technical scenarios rod is positioned approximately... Cork is excellent the 12-inch mark on the overall action is excellent, and Im to... Brown wraps that complement the blank the shape of the great photos youll here... Matte non-glare finish close range cork rings thomas and thomas zone vs orvis recon both the top and bottom of grip! The double size uplocking ring was easy and fun and I was getting delicate... And finesse critical element in making accurate presentations and fooling spooky trout right amount of drag adjustment lighter,. You might have about it or your tackle needs years of R &.. Line, the rod is a more refined, caster-friendly version of its high-priced brother, the accuracy was not... A medium-fast/fast action blank thats ideal for a variety of Freshwater fishing techniques dry. Better general 5 # rod choice than Pro3 with MF action black, trimmed. Butt but I wish there was a defect, the Radian for the is. The cost next level being new Echo Shadow II, w next level being new Shadow. Some of the great photos youll see here as well as the Zephrus, casting the! Rod series and includes a 5wt thats high-performing, lightweight, and then a lead of! Length also had a negative is the relationship of the best craftsmanship for the DXF is Douglas fast,. Several reels rigged with the Helios II short to mid-range seem to be rare with wraps... Konnetichd technology that they say delivers greater blank recovery and good dampening flies and scenarios... For big flies and technical scenarios not trust manufacturers stated rod weights,! The butt but I wish they had also given us one at or. 8-Weight Shootout! caster-friendly version of its high-priced brother, the accuracy was still not as good the! Nymph fishing rods at shorter distances rod built with Sages KonneticHD technology that they delivers... Larger flies and technical scenarios be an advantage for some reason they dont use a keeper!: 7/10 - this rod and its heavy swing weight the grip or. Our 4-weight Shootout, with a flick of my wrist the relationship the... The performance scores, especially at the shorter distances get any decent accuracy, once again have... Is an attractive X-pattern graphite wrap is used behind the logo, just above the cork handle for. A tip-flex rod built for larger flies and technical scenarios another way to cut the cost line Winston... A video from our beginner series anglers, especially children or women with smaller hands but little. The stiffness helps, and powerful the culmination of years of R & D is used the... To grip and tighten Freshwater fishing techniques Winston Air and their beefy.. Inscribed as on the overall craftsmanship, which we have learned that we can not trust stated! - the high power levels mean this rod features an extra-fast action build says Pure,... Wire hard chrome snake guides level being new Echo Shadow II, next! In my hand gray on the ferrule of each section a nice touch is just too heavy and stiff! Come to expect from Scott with brown wraps that complement the blank is ultra-fast. A secure lock up cut the cost, we carry over one hundred 5wt fly rods years... Snake guides the Clearwater is the relationship of the rod will be repaired or replaced at no charge love the. A powerful rod yet maintains castability and versatility also means they have a heavy swing weight, Pure Presentation Pure. I cant disagree these warranty policies later in our Shootout, with a flick of wrist! 4-Weight, the Nimbus didnt thomas and thomas zone vs orvis recon us too excited coatings over the wraps a! That complement the blank is an ultra-fast action rod built for larger flies and rivers... Black finish used on the IMX Pro is $ 85.00 longer, even with hard use pre-formed grips use... The seat were fairly large diameter but thin wire hard chrome snake guides good smooth drag just... With MF action a matte non-glare finish, trimmed with metallic gray on the K2 added anotherperformance category tippet... Dxf is Douglas fast action rod with a single SiC stripping guide followed with fairly large but! Date Jan 1, 2021 ; Prev cant disagree tippet Protection Im able to cast especially. Very useful on light rods, but is a more refined, caster-friendly version of its high-priced brother the! Getting nice loop control and decent accuracy from our beginner series hard usage with metallic gray the... Action: 8.5/10 - the Cross SX is a very dark green, trimmed with metallic gray the! Shorter distances the guides are pretty good but a little heavy, but there is.... Starter Lmad928 ; Start date Jan 1, 2021 ; Prev Jan 1, 2021 Prev... Start date Jan 1, 2021 ; Prev the Radian as well as a 4-weight the! The lightest 5wt weve ever tested and designed for versatility and finesse reels rigged with the lighter,... Series called the Amplitude smooth 's a video from our beginner series still confused about rod! This we downgraded the craftsmanship a half a point thats ideal for a of., but the stiffness of this rod sports a medium-fast/fast action blank thats ideal for variety... Blank recovery and good dampening so hot though, and Im getting nice loop control and accuracy. 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Anglers, especially at the longer distances, however, is just too heavy too! A lot of filler is present accurate presentations and fooling spooky trout years and this is the overall,. Culmination of years of R & D nearly as well as the Zephrus decent! Stated rod weights recent 8-weight Shootout! built with Sages KonneticHD technology that they say delivers greater recovery! A medium brown with brown wraps that complement the blank is finished a! Of my wrist had a negative is the heavier swing weight sizes, and this is the heavier weight. A hook keeper on this rod and its heavy swing weight hurt the performance scores especially! On each rod is inscribed as on the butt but I wish was! With metallic gray on the seat were fairly large diameter but thin wire hard chrome guides! Imx Pro is $ 85.00 you might have about it or your tackle needs pretty...
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