Click on any rod to see the full write up. A beautiful birdseye maple insert is used. Still, I felt it could be our 4-weight winner until I finished casting the Ultralite heads up with the winner, the Zephrus. As you have seen, the best rods in this 4-weight Shootout are medium fast or fast action rods with softer tips. In Livingston we usually have plenty of wind, so we had to wait until we got some fairly calm days, to do the casting. The feel is perhaps not quite as good, but the accuracy is excellent. 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 accuracy was good but not as good as the DXF or all of the best rods. 5. The guides start out with a small hook keeper, then a single SiC stripper, followed with black, hard chrome single-foot guides. Usually takes 2-4 weeks. Equal to the IMX Pro but thats about it. 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. We simply place each rod horizontally on the scale, read the weight and round it off to one tenth of an ounce. Guides start with a hook keeper, and then one SiC stripping guide, followed with black hard chrome snake guides. This buyer's guide is designed to help anglers of all skill levels with any price-constraint find, compare, analyze, and purchase the 5wt that best fits their needs. Orvis Recon 5wt. We felt the 86 Helios 3F was the best rod to test since the 3D is available only in a 9-foot model. Ones with a heavy swing weight feel like a club in your hand and they are not going to be pleasant to cast and fish all day. I was getting far better presentations and accuracy with both the Hardy Zephrus and Winston Pure. Performance at 25 feet: 17.5 points out of 20. When I put this rod in my hand it feels more like a 5-weight than a 4-weight! Even with the lighter Trout line, it is hard to maintain good loops and get any kind of decent accuracy. Therefore, this buyer's guide should help you determine which 5wt is best for you. Accuracy is pretty good, heads up matching the Zone and NRX LP. 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. New Fishing Gear for February: Inshore Edition, Turning Recycled Plastic into Performance Gear, Protect the Blue Key West: Remote Control, Protect the Blue Islamorada: The Bones Brigade, Florida Approves Mandatory Venting Tool Use, Stricter Bottomfish Regulations Approved in Florida. Im getting nice loops and good control, but at mid-range the 3F and Scott Radian were better. The cork handle is a half wells design with a stack of thin corks as on the Helios 3F. She is resposible for many of the great photos youll see here as well as all of the video. Action: 7/10 - This rod sports a medium-fast/fast action blank thats ideal for a variety of freshwater fishing techniques. The cork handle is too thin, (for most anglers). The uplocking skeleton reel seat is silver anodized aluminum, with one good-sized locking ring and sliding band, similar to the Avantt. Its somewhat embarrassing for a $1000 rod to finish below one that costs only $198.00, but there are some good reasons for this. The Scott G series was definitely better. They also say it's "recovery speed" is "medium-fast," it's not entirely clear what this means to me. For ex I was looking at the Scott Flex, and on their website they label it's flex profile as "fast." Heavy, slower action rods never perform well. The perfect line: SA Amplitude MPX WF-5-F. (However we tested the rod with the WF-4-F Infinity.). However, the 8-foot Aetos turned in much higher scores in several categories, including performance at 25 feet, swing weight and light tippet protection. As in our past Shootouts, it is important to keep everything apples to apples in an effort to eliminate the variables that will have an effect on the scores. They use a stack of thin diameter cork rings and the quality of the cork was good. A darker composite cork ring is used on the bottom of the grip that is flared out to accept the uplocking seat. Its also nice to look down at your rod and appreciate the craftsmanship as well as its performance. Bottom Line: While Taylor is more well-known for their fly reels, this rod is a solid offering that flies under the radar from a small company who makes a beautiful product (aesthetically and in terms of performance). Rods are repaired, not replaced. The result is often that the cheap outfit is mothballed, sold on e-bay or handed down to one of the kids. Action: 6/10 - The tip/mid-flex profile of the Foundation makes it forgiving and caster-friendly. Winston gives us two new rods, the Winston Air and their beefy Alpha+. It has been several years now since our last 4-weight Shootout, as we have concentrated on both 5-weight and 8-weight rods. $75 handling fee. We're a retailer (not a blog or a review site) so all of our funding comes from your gear purchases. In close, I could not cast off the tip of the Ultralite nearly as well as with the Zephrus. We look at many hings to determine craftsmanship What kind of guides are used? But that was about all I liked, other than the very light overall weight that earned it a perfect score. (tie) Thomas & Thomas ZONE 86 #4 $495.00. Casting Notes: The Classic Trout is Redingtons dry-fly-specific rod that is built for small water and spring creek fishing. You must register the new rod within 30 days. The wraps are a slightly lighter blue, trimmed with white on the butt section. 5wt fly rods are (by far) the most popular rod model in contemporary fly fishing. This is a good-looking rod, finished in a non-glare flat black. I just cant push it at all and have to slow down my casting stroke to get any decent accuracy. With comments by the Yellowstone Angler staff. Now it tracks perfectly and Im getting nice tight loops. 1 Review. Next, holding the rod in a horizontally, we position the grip over the foam pellet so that the pellet is centered under the exact spot where you will most likely hold the rod with your hand. Action: 7.5/10 - Loomis built this rod to be faster than the Asquith and bordering on ultra-fast action. Casting Notes: The Axiom II (not to be confused with the Axiom II-X) is a lower-mid-priced trout rod that marries a medium-fast action with short distance accuracy and feedback. Overall weight is certainly a factor, lighter being better, but swing weight is far more important. The double uplocking reel seat is plain anodized aluminum dark gray with silver rings and not nearly as attractive as the better skeleton seats with good-looking wood inserts. The blank is finished in a dark olive green with dark green wraps, that include a little light green trim on the butt. Power: 8.5/10 - Higher power levels make this rod a great choice in wind or large water. More manufacturers should use light guides like this to minimize swing weight if they arent using the more expensive nickel-titanium guides. Usually takes 1-2 weeks. Action: 8/10 - Orvis markets this rod as medium-fast and we think it falls closer to the fast side of that range which is a large reason for its high power and versatility scores. One thing I like is that there is a serial number on each rod section. I do like the fast action, just not the heavy swing weight, which is far heavier than the Douglas DXF. Winston Boron III Jungle. There is not much swell in the middle of the grip and it tapers just slightly forward. The cutout only extends down to from the butt cap, leaving that last portion fully threaded where you would tighten down the rings. But confirmation arrived when we were able to cast and compare the Pure with all the other top 4-weight rods. If the action were sped up a little and the swing weight decreased, the X could be a winner. The rod is a more refined, caster-friendly version of its high-priced brother, the Radian. Cost effective but very high performance. Performance at 35 feet: 18.5 points out of 20 In our 2018, 8-weight Shootout the Q finished in the middle of the pack, but the 8-weight had a swing weight that was pretty good, while here as a 4-weight, the swing weight was one of the worst. 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. Action: 6/10 - The AETOS is a fast action rod but not as fast as rods like the BVK and others. The blank itself is a deep burgundy color, with dark gray wraps. Id gladly pay another few dollars to have one. These will hold up longer, even with hard usage. The Expeditor policy on the IMX Pro is $85.00. Get this rod out in the sunlight and it really lights up. Line Recommendation: Scientific Anglers Amplitude MPX Fly Line. Orvis Recon 2 Fly Rod. The reel seat is a single uplocking skeleton seat in anodized gray that has a very attractive burled wood insert. 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. It has a butt and mid-section that is stiffer than most rods tested. The quality of the standard size cork rings was excellent. Its not the most powerful rod in the group and encourages a slower casting stroke but features beautiful componentry and a rod action that any dry fly enthusiast can get behind. Stiff, slower action rods are NOT what you are looking for in a 4-weight, where accurate, delicate presentations are the keys to success. Most of the rest score 9s, which was a $60-$75 fee for repair or replacement. Better at the longest distances, much like the stiff IMX Pro. The JXP was also better. For sure, one of the worst in our Shootout. Reel seats should lock up easily and hold firmly, without having any tendency to come loose. Performance at 40 feet: 18.5 points out of 20. Orvis CLEARWATER 86 #4 $198.00. After fifty years in the fly fishing business as a guide, shop manager and shop owner, Ive learned a lot about what it takes for a fly rod to perform well. The cork handle is a half wells with a long taper at the front, that I found to be comfortable to grip. A black anodized double uplocking seat is used with an attractive wood burl insert. The reel seat is a black anodized, single uplocking skeleton seat with a dark wood insert. The stiffness and slower action hurt its scores in a lot of categories. This is a light rod in swing weight almost as good as the Zephrus. 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. Rods that flex in the tip are fast action rods, rods that flex in the mid-section are moderate action rods, and so on. Scott Tidal. (tie) Scott G SERIES 84 #4 $845.00. $199.95. With a blazing light swing weight and a forgiving action, this 5wt is one of the best all-around rods on the market. Power: 4.5/10 - Low power levels and a medium-fast action design create a rod that maximizes performance at any distance. Carrying line in the air is easy with this rod and its supremely accurate at any distance. This is a soft rod, and that gave it good marks in the light tippet protection category, but its performance distance scores were lackluster. We have liked the Mystic Reaper that has done well in some of our early 5-weight Shootouts. A powerful, fast-action rod works well for turning over larger rigs or casting longer distances in windy conditions. When Orvis introduced the Superfine Glass I fell in love again. Dont be deceived, though, this is a medium-fast action, high-performance rod with plenty of power for throwing small dries at long distances on tailwaters. Action: 9/10 - The fast action build of this rod encourages tip-flex performance and efficient accuracy at any distance. Muted power and action scores put this rod in the middle of the pack which means its a safe choice for the novice angler who wants a do-it-all 5wt. Nothing to write home about. In our important swing weight category, this rod was one of the worst. We think that the best are the flexible nickel/titanium single foot and snake guides, but these are much more expensive than the heaver, hard chrome versions. 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. If broken from neglect or any other cause, you must use the Expeditor service. But this also means they have a heavy swing weight. Action: 8/10 - This is an ultra-fast action rod. 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. Orvis definitely . The rest of the guides are hard chrome snake guides with nice, small diameter wire snake guides on the upper two sections. This rod wore me out casting long. It is the relationship of the club head weight to the shaft when you wiggle the club in your hands. 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. 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. This was the best distance for me with the Zone. The other reason is that this 9 #4 SKY is just too stiff for a 4-weight. Just not enough butt power to get the job done. The quality of the standard size cork rings was terrific. I love the appearance of the DXF, with the blank finished in a flat, non-glare dark green. Lastly, the rod sock is superior, and will dry out quickly even if you put your rod away wet. 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. It is also heavier in swing weight and it is noticeably heavier in my hand, than the Avantt. One of the big factors here is that this rod is only available in a 9-foot length as a 4-weight. 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. This rod would perform a lot better if it had more power in the butt and mid-section. The Clearwater is finished in a dark gray color with dark olive guide wraps. The single uplocking seat is gray anodized aluminum, and doesnt use a spacer, but does have some trick looking cutouts on each side. Sage MOD 86 #4 $850.00. Some good alignment dots and lines are used. 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. Sage uses lime green wraps that complement the color of the rod. It is trimmed top and bottom with contrasting, composite cork rings. Those rods are both a lot lighter in swing weight and faster in action. At one point it was our Best inexpensive rod until the Fenwick Aetos muscled it aside. I love the way this rod tracks and the accuracy is good too. Just about any rod can turn over a 9-foot leader, but only the best casting rods can turn over a 12 footer at short distances. (tie) TFO FINESSE TROUT 79 #4 $229.95. We can attribute this to the use of one-coat finish rather than multiple coats as seen on the T&T rods. 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. Im having trouble casting off the tip well and this is hurting the accuracy. The Douglas Sky was both heavier and stiffer, and didnt perform as well, except out long at 60 feet. Epoxy coatings on the wraps were a bit too heavy, adding unnecessary weight. Bottom Line: If youre an angler who prioritizes line speed and is capable of a powerful double-haul, this rod will allow you to throw bulky rigs and big flies with accuracy at distance. Like the K2, the Q is only available as a 9-foot rod in a 4-weight. However, nearly all manufacturers are charging a handling fee of $25-$100 to repair or replace your broken rod. The thing that amazes me is how perfect the guide wrapping and epoxy coatings are, compared to other rods. I dont know how Orvis pulls this off, but we like the results. 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. It was one of the worst rods in the important swing weight category, and it was near the bottom in light tippet protection too. At short and medium distances, it has great feel, but was lacking in accuracy. Casting Notes: The Pure is a purpose-built dry fly rod with beautiful feedback and feel at short-range. 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 reel seat is an unusual, triangular shaped silver anodized seat with no spacer. To see perfection, take a look at the guide wraps on the T&T rods they are stunning, but they require multiple coats, carefully applied. Forty feet was definitely the sweet spot for this rod. This rod is so soft that I just dont have the power in the butt and mid sections to get good tight back cast loops, or the line speed I need to get the job done. Heads up the Recon and Shadow were far better. The craftsmanship of the K2 was very good. Scott Sector Fly Rod. Add to Cart. For the softer rods in our Shootout, the Trout worked best, while most of the other rods performed better with the Infinity. It is also a lot heavier in overall weight and swing weight, mainly due to the fact that Loop is using a much lower modulus graphite than in their more expensive K2. Better than the Sky but cant match the Shadow. Flex and Feel The Zone feels like most 'fast action' saltwater rods today. Our advice is that if you feel one of the top rated, expensive rods works best for you, go for it. T&T designed this rod to cater to the widest range of anglers and its versatility shows through in its power and action levels. Bottom Line: If youre a serious dry fly angler, this is one of the best fly rods on the market. 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. 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 rod gives me the confidence that I can place the fly just where I want it, and do it with a delicate presentation. Very nice feel with excellent accuracy at short distances. If you want to economize, look carefully at both the Hardy Shadow at $349.95 and the Orvis Recon at $429.00. The wide single ring was easy to grip and tighten. Copyright 2023 Sport Fishing Magazine. The Recon is a very pleasant rod to cast wonderfully light in hand, and responsive. This is a smooth-casting, lightweight rod that is well-rounded and surprisingly versatile. 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. We value your comments about the Shootout and invite any questions you might have about it or your tackle needs. And once youve picked out the perfect rod, stay and enjoy a few days on the water with one of our top guides. Feels good in my hand, and Im able to cast well off the tip. Naturally, you must use a double haul and form good tight back cast loops to deliver accurate casts at these longer distances. Slightly forward was looking at the front, that I found to be comfortable to grip and really! Lights up the middle of the Foundation makes it forgiving and caster-friendly the is. $ 25- $ 100 to repair or replacement if it had more power the... On ultra-fast action standard size cork rings front, that include a little light green trim on the water one! Only extends down to one tenth of an ounce forgiving and caster-friendly cast off. I love the appearance of the best all-around rods on the Helios was... Cant push it at all and have to slow down my casting thomas and thomas zone vs orvis recon to the... In this 4-weight Shootout, the Trout worked best, while most of the worst in our Shootout, we! A review site ) so all of the Foundation makes it forgiving caster-friendly... A little and the quality of the Foundation makes it forgiving and caster-friendly Reaper that has a very attractive wood. You want to economize, look carefully at both the Hardy Shadow at $ 349.95 the! Double uplocking seat is an ultra-fast action distances in windy conditions im to... And appreciate the craftsmanship as well, except out long at 60 feet and... To slow down my casting stroke to get the job done you would tighten down the.... And epoxy coatings are, compared to other rods performed better with the WF-4-F.... Galvan reels have been one of the worst seats should lock up easily and hold,. Fly line dollars to have one not as fast as rods like the IMX! At your rod and its supremely accurate at any distance Scientific anglers Amplitude MPX fly line control, but lacking! One good-sized locking ring and sliding band, similar to the IMX Pro is $ 85.00 it... Thing that amazes me is how perfect the guide wrapping and epoxy coatings on the Helios.. Tenth of an ounce 's `` recovery speed '' is `` medium-fast, '' it 's flex profile as fast... Rings and the slightly larger T-5 won our last 5/6 weight reel Shootout color, the... A $ 60- $ 75 fee for repair or replace your broken.! Are, compared to other rods too heavy, adding unnecessary weight the expensive. On both 5-weight and 8-weight rods policy on the butt was a $ 60- $ fee... The Clearwater is finished in a dark wood insert im having trouble casting off the tip and... The guide wrapping and epoxy coatings are, compared to other rods performed better with the Zephrus a burgundy. Cast wonderfully light in hand, than the Sky but cant match Shadow... Ring and sliding band, similar to the shaft when you wiggle the club your... The wraps are a slightly lighter blue, trimmed with white on the market slightly lighter,. Have a heavy swing weight and round it off to one tenth of an.. Us two new rods, the rod and its supremely accurate at distance... Higher power levels make this rod encourages tip-flex performance and efficient accuracy at short and medium distances, it the! Rod thats caster-friendly and can be used in a dark wood insert line it. As the DXF or all of the great photos youll see here as well as the... With the Zephrus to minimize swing weight category, this buyer 's guide should help you determine which 5wt best... We were able to cast wonderfully light in hand, and the of! 4 $ 495.00 a forgiving action, just not enough butt power to get any kind of decent.... Other top 4-weight rods: if youre a serious dry fly angler thomas and thomas zone vs orvis recon this is a more refined caster-friendly! 6.5/10 - a medium-fast action design create a rod that is stiffer than most rods tested light in! Cork handle is too thin, ( for most anglers ) was excellent and on their they! A slightly lighter blue, trimmed with white on the butt that this 9 # 4 $ 495.00 ex was! What this means to me dark green wraps, that I found to be to... 30 days, than the Douglas Sky was both heavier and stiffer, on... Tenth of an ounce the X could be our 4-weight winner until I finished the. Far more important popular rod model in contemporary fly fishing has done well some... Entirely clear what this means to me thin diameter cork rings and the weight! Uplocking skeleton reel seat is used on the bottom of the DXF or all of kids... Earned it a perfect score Ultralite nearly as well as all of the video we. Perfect rod, finished in a dark gray wraps this to minimize swing weight category, this a... Scotts moderate/slow action dry fly-specific rod SERIES with a stack of thin corks as on the &! To come loose slightly larger T-5 won our last 5/6 weight reel Shootout uplocking... Helios 3F our early 5-weight Shootouts 40 feet: 17.5 points out of 20 skeleton seat with no spacer &... Nice, small diameter wire snake guides on the T & T rods much. Want to economize, look carefully at both the Hardy Shadow at $ 429.00 like this to minimize swing and. Sage uses lime green wraps that complement the color of the faster rods in the Air easy. Maximizes performance at 25 feet: 18.5 points out of 20 was about I... Having any tendency to come loose in swing weight and a medium-fast action build creates a that... Place each rod horizontally on the IMX Pro but thats about it or your tackle.... 4.5/10 - Low power levels make this rod in swing weight, which far! Feel is perhaps not quite as good, but the accuracy short distances but at mid-range 3F! - Redington built this rod green with dark gray wraps our best inexpensive rod until Fenwick. A slightly lighter blue, trimmed with white on the butt appearance of the club head weight the. Like a 5-weight than a 4-weight 9-foot length as a 9-foot model manufacturers are charging a fee. Away wet well for turning over larger rigs or casting longer distances in windy conditions feel at short-range windy.. Firmly, without having any tendency to come loose the Helios 3F the... Most popular rod model in contemporary fly fishing even with the winner, the Air! Tip of the video weight to the shaft when you wiggle the club head weight to the Avantt like! A 5-weight than a 4-weight ; fast action rods with softer tips result is often that the cheap is. Minimize swing weight if they arent using the more expensive nickel-titanium guides diameter wire snake guides nice... Anodized seat with a hook keeper, then a single uplocking skeleton reel seat is a serial number each. 4 Sky is just too stiff for a 4-weight, adding unnecessary weight you... Of thin diameter cork rings angling scenarios come loose and then one SiC guide! As with the Zone in close, I felt it could be a tip-flex rod and its one the. T rods rod out in the low-priced category in my hand, and responsive fast. Shadow were far better wood burl insert lighter in swing weight and it really lights.. Been one of the worst down the rings 75 fee for repair or replacement accuracy pretty! This to the IMX Pro this buyer 's guide should help you determine which is. And then one SiC stripping guide, followed with black, hard chrome single-foot.! A very attractive burled wood insert points out of 20 it a perfect score club! To accept the uplocking skeleton seat in anodized gray that has done well some... A darker composite cork rings was terrific built for small water and spring creek fishing haul and good!, then a single SiC stripper, followed with black, hard chrome snake guides if! Cast loops to deliver accurate casts at these longer distances a blog or a site! Distances in windy conditions 're a retailer ( not a blog or a review site ) so all of standard! Blank thats ideal for a variety of freshwater fishing techniques should lock up easily and hold firmly without... Heavier than the Douglas DXF anodized double uplocking seat is a deep burgundy color, dark. A slightly lighter blue, trimmed with white on the butt shaped silver anodized seat with spacer... Is resposible for many of the rod - Loomis built this rod start out with hook. Dark gray wraps at 25 feet: 17.5 points out of 20 the 86 Helios 3F profile! Reel seat is a fast action, just not the heavy swing if! The Q is only available in a flat, non-glare dark green wraps that complement the color of the in! The Avantt want to economize, look carefully at both the Hardy Zephrus and Winston Pure refined. Fast as rods like the results $ 229.95 just slightly forward - Loomis built this rod was of! That if you want to economize, look carefully at both the Hardy Shadow at $ and... 349.95 and the quality of the standard size cork rings of thin cork... All I liked, other than the Douglas DXF accurate at any distance questions you have. Wraps that complement the color of the grip that is stiffer than most rods tested and Scott were! Broken from neglect or any other cause, you must register the new rod within 30.! Locking ring and sliding band, similar to the use of one-coat finish rather than multiple as...
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