In our objective charts that give overall weight, swing weight and country of origin, youll see a chart for the Best in Test, giving the top 11 rods, and the other we called the Best of the Rest, which shows all the rods we cast. You can check the current price on Amazon here. A stack of narrow, very high-quality cork rings are used. This makes the blank much stronger under a lifting load with less overall material used. If you spend a lot of time waiting with your rod in hand and letting the fish come to you, go with a 12 weight. In the modern nymphing technique, the 10 #3 is the most standard fly rod used for white-water fishing. No fee will be required if the problem is due to any manufacturing defect. A gorgeous burled wood insert is used, with a non-gloss finish. We dont take the manufacturers word for stated weight, (although this year most of these checked out to be true or very close). With your support we can continue to give you more Shootouts and head to head comparisons on tackle and equipment in the future. Galvan uses a counterbalance so that the reel runs perfectly smoothly when that big fish is smoking away from you. Shimano developed a special graphite tape, called infinity tape, which is wrapped on the mandrel on a 45-degree axis. Im convinced that the key to catching more trout, and especially larger trout, is casting accuracy. Is It Safe To Eat? Hardy Shadow 9 #6 $389.95. Using a T-5 kept the weight down to a light 6.1 ounces, with the reel fully loaded with line and backing. The BVK has lots of power, is light in weight, and performs very well at all distances. The guide set starts out with a hook keeper above the cork handle, then one medium sized Fuji ceramic stripping guide, followed with hard chrome snake guides. The upper hood on the reel seat is laser engraved with the line size. This is the case of the Echo Shadow X, whose very long handle (7.4") associated with the down-locking reel seat makes it impossible to attach a Vivarelli reel. The epoxy coatings on the guides were really pretty decent, much better than I expected on this inexpensive rod. In our limited Shootout, it was the heaviest rod in both overall weight and swing weight, but the Carbon XL was still a lot lighter than others that didnt make our top 10. Other repairs usually take 4-6weeks. Fishing big, wind resistant rigs like a Chub/Rub combo, (a size #8 Chubby Chernobyl dry with a size #8 rubber legs nymph behind it), is far easier with a 6-weight rod. They include a high-quality cork handle (extra flor), an aluminium built and anodised reel seat with a burled black ash spacer and a titanium-frame ceramic stripping guide followed by 11 single foot RECoil guides. With more line out the rod loads better and now Im getting nice tight loops and great accuracy. For If Orvis determines that there was a defect, the rod will be repaired or replaced at no charge. This 4-piece rod is delivered in a compartmentalised tube and has a lifetime warranty (something rather rare in this price range). Fishing streamers is a joy, as these rods have the power to drive a 10-15 foot sinking tip line with good sized streamers, right up to size 2, with ease. WebThe Asquith10-weight is a very versatile rod, perfect for mid-sized tarpon, big permit, big cudas, big jacks and a variety of other gamefish. Special mention for the Airflo and the Nymphmaniac whose prices are much lower than the other references and which nevertheless rise at the first places of the podium in the "rod with up-locking reel seat" category. The guide set up starts out with a large sized titanium stripping guide with a SIC insert. When used in the top half of the rod, this creates a thin diameter tip section with excellent swing weight, but more importantly helps the rod to recover and dampen quickly. Rodis repaired, or sections replaced. They are particularly multipurpose and very popular amongst anglers who like fishing in small to medium sized streams. This is the best way to determine subtle differences between rods. Faster action rods with good butt and mid-section power will also help you play larger fish more quickly, allowing you to release them in perfect shape. Part from the aesthetical side, it is important to note that all the components of this Thomas & Thomas Contact 10 #3 are high quality and tend to reduce the overall weight. GL8 resin is self-propagating, meaning the resin creates its own Nano-particles. This rodhas a raw, unvarnished blank. This model has a relatively large number of guidesaccording to its size (13 guides with olive wraps), the penultimate of which is snake guide, so as to limit the tangle of leaderaround the tipwhen euro-nymphing (with a long tippet leader). In our 5-weight Shootouts, the distances have been 25 feet, 45 feet and 70 feet. George Anderson, James Anderson, and the Yellowstone Angler crew, Scientific Anglers Amplitude Anadro Fly Line, Scientific Anglers Amplitude MPX Fly Line. Very nice feel and terrific accuracy in close. The new Hardy Ultralite that placed 4th in this Shootout, uses their latest in materials, Sintrix NSX. I really liked the way the Shadow performed here for a mid-priced rod. 12 Weight The other kind of common fly fishing rod is the bamboo rod. A new resin named Powerflux 1000 brings to the blank mechanical properties while fishing. Scott is replacing their beloved Meridian series with something brand new - the Sector. But the amazing thing is how light it is in your hand considering how much power it has. Like most of the rods in this test: Airflo Euro Nymph, Baetis Precision 2.0, Echo Shadow X, Hanak Superb XP, JMC Pure Equipe, Maxia SX4 and the Thomas & Thomas Contact that are all real #3. It symbolises the link between the brand and this series of rods in particular, to the competitive practice of fly fishing. For nymph fishing, 6-weights work better for chucking a two-nymph combo, like a #8 weighted rubber legs, with a smaller tungsten bead head dropper. The Burgundy wraps feature discreet metallic edging for the first guideand the fittings. However, the longer the rod is, the further you will be able to cast the line. They use multiple coatings, carefully applied. Youll see this in our deflection charts. It uses a dark gray anodized single uplocking skeleton seat with a nylon ring that gives a very secure lock up. I felt that the relatively stiffer tip on the Centric hurt its ability to load well in close at the shortest distances. The cork handle is still cigar shaped. The reel seat is a simple gray anodized, single uplocking skeleton seat, using a reddish brown graphite insert. The CFF of the Vision Nymphmaniac which has a real power of #2 is 77 cpm. With these 4, there is no risk of forming a belly in the line when fishing with the rod in a high position. Note that if your rod has been discontinued for more than 5 years G.Loomis will not be able to replace the tip. She guides anglers in YNP and has set up several womens fly-fishing classes, available through the shop. They will allow you to cast lighter nymphs than the rod in the next category. Five Weight Fly Rod Shootout Fly and Field Outfitters They are also some of the best dampened rods weve cast, one of the reasons they are such smooth casting rods. Of all the top 11 rods, you can see that the Sky G has the stiffest butt section, but then one of the softer tips (the tip bends more). The reel seat rings and band are placed at the bottom of the reel seat. Does the rod load well in close, giving you the feel and accuracy you need with a short length of line and leader out of the guides? the Sage X Fly Rod (available at Amazon). In the past, when casting outside was impossible we have used the gym at our Civic Center here in Livingston, but this limited distances and presented back-cast problems with hanging bars and wires. Only the inexpensive Echo Carbon XL uses one of the pre-formed cork grips that exhibits a lot of filler. The Thomas & Thomas Contact 10 #3 is a 4-piece rod shipped with a made in USA protective cover and an aluminium tube. The Superb XP series has an original look: the matt blank is dark olive green, just like the wraps of the Recoil Titanflex memory guides. We hope that this 6-weight Shootout helps you to choose the very best rod for your needs. $75 handling fee. Thomas and Thomas$65 repair charges for the original owner, includes shipping. The decision will depend on your budget, the look and the type of action you are looking for. Im confident that we can come up with the perfect rod or outfit that best fits your needs. So now, back to the original post. This Abel fly reel should provide a lifetime of performance. Best 10 Wt Fly Rod Top 10 of 2023 Buyers Guide There is not any ultra-fast rod in this test, which is rather logic because we are talking about nymphing rods and white water dry-fly fishing. Sometimes the whole rod is replaced. Nice delicate presentations were easy. To an engineer this may not seem precisely accurate, but as a practical way to measure swing weight, we have found that it works fine. Youll find handy alignment dots on each rod section. Like all rods in the Equipe series, a tricolour (blue, white, red) wrap appears at the base of the first guide. All the rods rated 9.8 or better here are ones that we feel are really outstanding, and were convinced you will be delighted with any of them. The cork handle has an elegant wooden finishing, matching the insert of the black aluminium reel seat. You can read each persons opinions and notes by simply clicking on their comments below each of my individual rod write ups. The rest of the guides are the best dark nickel/titanium single-foot guides that are flexible but will never break. The Yellowstone Angler put out their 8 Weight Shootout, comparing the 8 weights from around the industry from the pricey Helios 2 to the cheap Echo Base. The GR80 blank has a first SIC guidefollowed by 10 single leg. A black anodized, double uplocking skeleton seat is used with a very attractive burled wood spacer. The 3D has a nice wide fighting butt. Douglas was able to achieve this incredibly lightweight by using their proprietary G-Tec blank. Great rods dont make great casters, but they can sure help an average caster get a lot better in a hurry. They must be accurate, especially at the short to medium distances and be able to make delicate presentations when called for. When it comes to getting the most bang for your buck, the Maxcatch Premier Fly Rod is a decent option to consider. Although the Avantt is not a new rod, we felt it was a better 6-weight rod than their new Paradigm, which is much softer and slower in action. *Echo Carbon XL 9 #6 $169.00, *Almost Top Ten and Best Inexpensive Rod Overall. Nearly all are charging a handling fee of $35-$100 to repair or replace your rod. All of the top 6-weights in our Shootout will handle mid-sized streamers and sink tip lines with ease. It was decided that we would compare a range of 10' 7# rods. This is why both performed exceptionally well at 30 feet. Along with the Recon and Sage X, this is the lightest rod in overall weight. If youre getting into throwing big flies or larger fish like bull reds, cobia, tarpon, jacks, and 40+ Surprisingly good in close, even better than the Hardy Ultralite and Avantt! And then there is the fast action fly rod, which are stiff and dont bend much. For the other rods in the test, which all have up locking reel seats, here is the ranking: The most comfortable classic reel seat rods in this test are the Airflo Euro-Nymph, the Vision Nymphmaniac and the Soldarini Hydropsyche Elite Competition (all 3 at 7.3 / 10). Its a great back up rod for pros, but also one that beginners will like. The rest of the guides are the best nickel/titanium snake guides. Best 10 Weight Fly Rod For The Money: Reviews - FishTackly At 50 feet you want a rod that will be light and smooth enough to do a lot of false casting, which you will do fishing dry flies like hoppers all day long. It also comes with a full wells grip, a unique taper, and a strong butt section. Unlike the Shadow II series, the new Shadow X are sober with a dark set: a slate grey blank and black wraps, as the down-locking reel seat and the carbon insert. The cork handle is called a snub nose half-wells, which has a long thin swell, with a little flare at each end. This line is a half-size heavy, that matched up well with these more powerful 6-weight rods. Douglas comes up with another winner in its light and powerful Douglas Sky G. Nothing could match its presentation from 30-50 feet, which is the distance we are most often fishing with a 6-weight rod. Note that the Centric and Avantt are quite a bit softer in the butt and mid-section than the other rods and this is why they dont perform quite as well at long range as our other top rods. On the butt section, just above the handle is a gray crosshatched section with the Hardy insignia. If you look at our deflection charts, youll see that the Asquith and the NRX+ are two of the stiffer rods in our Shootout, along with the new Hardy Ultralite. WebA 10-weight is not only a great tarpon rod, but works well for permit, roosterfish, milkfish, and most larger tropical species as well as a host of coldwater gamefish like pike and The G. Loomis NRX+ was impressive, especially at longer distances. Mid priced 10wt shootout in the parking lot today - Fly Fishing You know about swing weight, if you play golf. But The best thing is its cost effective price tag. Tip sections for multi-piece rods that are outside of their warranty period have varying prices depending on the series. WebMHX 90 6 wt. That's a lot. The 6-weight rods also have the power to pick up lots of line to make an immediate re-cast, as you often do while fishing out of a drift boat, (should your first cast be off target). Heavier in hand than most, but not objectionable. As G. Loomis tells it, Spiral-X technology is a complex three-step process. Close behind at long distance were the Hardy Ultralite and the Orvis 3D. It is the case for the Airflo Euro Nymph, Baetis Precision 2.0, Echo Shadow X, Hanak Superb XP, Sage ESN HD and the Vision Nymphmaniac. The Anadro is overweighted by 1.5 sizes to assist in turnover heavier rigs, compared to the Amplitude MPX, which is just a half size heavy. Shop For Fly Fishing Gear Online Inventory Yellowstone Angler Douglas, whose Sky won our last 6-weight Shootout, made some dramatic moves with graphene and a re-design to come up with their new Sky G. Hardy also gives us a new and improved top of the line rod, called the Ultralite, which has impressive power and replaced the Zephrus. Check out the video below, from out 2019 Four Weight Shootout, for a visual explanation of measuring swing weight. Its a good option for throwing heavy line into the wind. A good example of this in a mid-priced rod is the new Hardy Shadow at $389.95. Those who are after a nymphing type rod designed to fish very light (beads from 2 mm) or dry fly at short distance, with a natural fly line parallel would be happy to use: the Greys GR80, the Soldarini Hydropsyche Elite Competition, the Sage ESN HD or the Syndicate Pipeline. As with the 3F, Im not a fan of the 5 inches of white ahead of the cork grip, displaying the Orvis logo, but this has become an Orvis Helios trademark now. Hardy Lifetime warranty to original owner. This is a new performance category for our 6-weight rods. more infoIf you want to go ice fishing, one of the most important things that you will need is an ice fishing rod. The aluminum reel seat is another big bonus as far as we are concerned. G. Loomis has built some of the toughest rods weve ever fished and it takes a lot to break one. I was blown away by such a light rod in swing weight, that has this kind of explosive power. The 3F was much better at shorter distances than the 3D, but still had plenty of power to go long with ease. Not everyone agrees, and thats OK. As youll see, however, we were all pretty much in agreement on which were the best rods. This is simple the lower the price, the higher the points. With the Scott rods the fulcrum was slightly farther up the grip. Everything here is made with strong and durable materials that can resist the effects of saltwater. This is repeated a half dozen times, zeroing out the scale each time. New custom rolling equipment also allows Scott to control fiber placement and density with new levels of precision as the rod is rolled. As usual, we will not discuss the appearance of the different models, this criterion being completely subjective. Rod sections are replaced or in some cases repaired, not a whole rod replaced. Usually takes 4-8 weeks. We hope you have enjoyed reading our 2021 6-Weight Shootout! The rod tracked well and gave me nice tight loops but it just didnt have the power I was looking for out long. As Tim explains, this rod was designed to be an inexpensive but versatile rod, and in this respect he has hit a home run. Knowing the new NRX+ is even tougher than the old NRX is great news! An 8 weight is the most popular weight rod for Bonefish, and anglers will use 9, 10, 11, and 12 weight rods for the larger fish depending on the situation. I was getting good accuracy combined with good feel provided by the softer tip. The accuracy is not quite as good as the Centric or the Ultralite, and both Loomis rods were significantly better. ROD SHOOTOUT! 10ft #7 Single Handed Fly Rods put to the test. Sage tells us that this is a fast action rod like the X, built using their same Konnetic technology. The Sky G is an attractive rod, finished in a non-glare gray with black wraps, trimmed with light gray on the butt. Now the lack of backbone hurt a little. Regular price $ 499 The Vesper - 12wt 9' Moonshine Rod Company. The Helios 3F performed especially well at short to medium distances, while the Helios 3D had more beans out long. Trout & Co : The flyfishing online magazine - Copyright 2023 - All rights reserved. The fighting butt is 7/8 of an inch long and tapers out to 1 and inch. Here at Trident, we carry over one hundred 5wt fly rods. This is a rod that has a lot of beans, and is one of the more powerful 6-weights we had in our Shootout. For one, this is another 4 piece fishing rod, which means that you can easily break it down to size for easy transportation. To determine the top ten, we selected the rods that performed best at a combination of 30, 50 and 75 feet. Tropical Saltwater Fly Line Shootout & Buyer The perfect lines: SA Amplitude MPX (best all around) or the SA Anadro/Nymph (nymph and streamer fishing), both in WF-6-F. For this 6-weight shootout, we had ten identical Galvan Torque reels set up with our favorite 6-weight line, the Scientific Anglers Amplitude MPX. At the bottom end of the price spectrum are the Echo Boost salts. Over the past 50 years, it has become apparent to me that the best rod designers are people that are also great anglers. Must be registered within 30 days. The rest of the guides are the top-notch Recoil nickel/titanium snake guides that will flex but never break. This is one of the most accurate rods I've ever fished with. My son Jamie is also a dedicated fly fisherman and has developed into a great caster and a person who I can trust in judging a rods performance. The most important thing here are not the actual figures, but how the rods compare with each other. They can take a basic design and fine-tune it to perfection, making a few tweaks and design changes along the way to end up with that perfect rod the situation and techniques demand. Swing weight is such an important category, we now give it 20 points and consider it a part of our performance evaluation. Small dots on the fittings make the alignment easier. For our 6-weight Shootout casting, we tie on a fluorescent yarn indicator that approximates the wind resistance of a medium size dry fly, enabling us easily to judge turnover and accuracy, right out to 75 feet. The rods stiffness hurts the feel a bit in close and Im not getting the kind of feel or accuracy that I had with the Sky G. Im able to form nice loops with ease, and the rod tracks well. more than 6.7"). For many, the most expensive rods may be seen as a status symbol. Best saltwater 6-weights Douglas Sky G Salt, Hardy Zane Pro, Best mid-priced freshwater 6-weight Hardy Shadow ($389.95), Best mid-priced saltwater 6-weight Orvis Recon Saltwater ($549), Best streamer/sink tip 6-weight G. Loomis NRX+, Best mid-priced streamer/sink tip 6-weight Orvis Recon (Freshwater), Best inexpensive streamer/sink tip 6-weight Orvis Clearwater, Best inexpensive freshwater 6-weight Echo Carbon XL ($169), Best inexpensive saltwater 6-weight Echo Boost Blue ($249.00), Best craftsmanship G. Loomis Asquith, T&T Avantt, Best warranty policies Douglas Sky G, G. Loomis NRX+, Echo Carbon XL, Most fun to fish Douglas Sky G, G. Loomis Asquith, Lightest overall swing weight Douglas Sky G Salt, Moonshine Vesper, Best indicator/nymphing rod G. Loomis NRX+, Beulah G2 Platinum, Best 75 performance G. Loomis Asquith, G. Loomis NRX+, Softest/most buttery feel Echo Bad Ass Glass, Best single hand spey Beulah G2 Platinum, Best high stick/mending capabilities Beulah G2 Platinum, Eye catchers G. Loomis Asquith, Scott Centric, Hardy Ultralite, T&T Avantt, Best chance to clear a tangle (biggest guides and tiptop) Douglas Sky G Salt, Hardy Zane Pro, Echo Boost Blue, Echo Bad Ass Glass, Thickest grip for big hands Taylor Anomaly, Beulah G2 Platinum, TFO Axiom II-X, Most likely to make your fishing buddies jealous G. Loomis Asquith, Georges observations on the deflection charts. If Greys determines that there was a defect, the rod will be repaired or replaced at no charge. With the SA Amplitude MPX in WF-6-F, we could easily load 90 yards of 20 lb. The Sky G was in a class by itself here. Weve found that the Galvan Torque reels also have a wider range of drag adjustment than most other reels, making it easy to fine tune the adjustment, which is especially important when you are using light tippets like 5X and 6X. Douglas Lifetime no-fault warranty program for original owner only. The rod is designed to provide anglers with exceptional performance and comes with improved At short distance, the softer tip gave me good feel and accuracy. This 10wt was similar, in some ways, to the Sage X 10wt - progressive action, high performance, caster friendly, versatile, and capable of accurately presenting flies, especially at shorter distances not a technical ultra-fast rod but a friendly combination of power and castability. The best rods will have the ability to carry a lot of line in the air, and throw very tight loops at this range with consistent accuracy. These allow everyone to see exactly how each rod bends compared to the others. (Guide), What Size Hook For Cobia Fishing? Breaks down into 4 pieces for portability. This is the case of the Vision Nymphmaniac 10 #3 which is a real #2, the Soldarini Hydropsyche Elite Competition, the Greys GR80, the Sage ESN HD and the Syndicate Pipeline Pro which are all #2/3. The balance of this model is impressive and due to the large gap between the reel and the hand that holds the grip (down locking reel seat + very long grip). In looking at the rod deflections, the Sonic is actually a little stiffer than the X and is one of the most powerful rods in our Shootout. The price of 1 single element (in case youd break it) is 42, not including delivery fees. The Echo Carbon XL at $169.00 got the perfect score of 10, while the highest priced rods like the Asquith and the Orvis 3F and 3D got 7.5 and 7.8. Ive been in the fly-fishing business now for over fifty years, as a guide, fly shop manager and finally owner. The best 6-weight rods need to have excellent loop control and the ability to throw very tight loops to get the best accuracy and presentation, and do it even in a strong breeze. This Contact series is built with a dark gray blank, the trims and wraps are brown olive, very pragmatic and change from the usual black. One thing that we notice is that most manufacturers today are now using similar flex patterns compared to what we saw just a few years ago. Rods are repaired, not replaced except for broken sections. Temple Fork Outfitters (TFO)Lifetime warranty to original owner. 3) Your saltwater fishing presents Go to: https://douglasoutdoors.com/about/warranty-info/ to fill out the form. At mid range I felt it was slightly better than the Helios 3F, but couldnt match the SKY G. At long range this rod is a cannon! Regular price $ 499 INFO. Fly Rods 2020 8-Weight Shootout February 17, 2020 By: Spencer Durrant George Anderson and his crew at Yellowstone Angler are back at it with rod shootouts The Amplitude MPX in WF-6-F has a total head length of 36 feet with a 6.5-foot front taper that allows for a quick turnover in the wind. Performance at 30 feet 20 points available. Then in our 8-weight Shootouts, the distances are 35 feet, 60 feet, 80 feet and 100 feet. The Avantt is another classy rod from Thomas and Thomas with craftsmanship that is second to none. A 10wt is when you start fly fishing with a 2x4, my suggestion is to get the lightest 10wt u can. There is certainly a wow factor too with an expensive rod, when you pull that rod out of its case in front of your fishing buddies. Therefore you can go with one that works best for you, especially in terms of line weight and fish size. Tracks beautifully and maintains wonderful loop control and accuracy. Over the years Ive worked with G. Loomis, Sage, Scott, Winston, Tom Morgan Rodsmiths, and Douglas in the design and testing of their rods. The G. Loomis NRX+ rods are one of the best 6-weights, giving their superb Asquith a run for its money. Alignment dots on each section are handy and each section is marked #6 so that you wont mix them up with another Sky G like a #5 you might have. Now we had enough room to set up 4-5 casting lines right out to 80 feet. People like these for nostalgia and because they look very nice, although the least user friendly of the 3 main kinds. We have here summarized the latest warranty policies of the rod manufacturers and our experience with repairs. In George Daniels excellent book, Strip-Set, George says that he now only brings one rod to the And it is going to cost you another $10-$15 or more to ship the rod in for repair or have your dealer do it. Is it Only Males? This is nice because you can break it down to size for easy transportation. A cigar-style handle is used with a swell slightly farther up the handle than most. Moderate-fast rods, some references in the review have an AA = to 65 which is typical for modern nymphing rods. We have found that this is the key to getting good accuracy in close. 10' 5-weight Mini-Shootout: Is 10 the new 9? - Trident Fly Fishing Rods that were $795 got an 8.3, while rods at $895 were an 8.0. They cast and turn over better than any of the knotless leaders on the market. In casting this new NRX+ rod, the improvement in recovery and dampening was dramatic! The most reactive rod is the JMC Pure Equipe with 80 cpm, its ERN is 3.72 which makes it a #3/4 and explains its good ranking. To gain access to this PDF you can call us, e-mail us, or click on the window below and we will e-mail you a copy of it. This particular rod is a medium fast action rod, which is good for long casting distance and rod responsiveness. On big rivers, when Im fishing nymphs at long range using an indicator, a lot of mending is required. I couldnt cast off the tip of the rod nearly as well as with the Sky G. This was the best distance for the Centric and I was forming perfect loops with very good accuracy. Nylon washers on each ring ensure a very secure lock up that wont come loose. This was ideal, with a much larger casting area covered with synthetic turf, that is used primarily for indoor soccer, football, and lacrosse. The Sonic cast quite well at all distances, but mid to long range was the sweet spot. A dark gray anodized solid aluminum, double uplocking seat is used, without any wood spacer. BeulahOriginal owner lifetime warranty for defects. I especially liked the amount of feel I was getting at short distances with the 3F, which led to superb accuracy. Compared to the other top rods in this Shootout, the Avantt had a slower action and a stiffer tip.