The accuracy is only fair. A great 4-weight rod must have the ability to make delicate and accurate presentations with small flies and long leaders at short distances. Bottom Line: This is a fly rod for dry flies and short distances only. I really expected to see this new G Series 4-weight challenge the best rods. Power: 8.5/10 - The BVK received the highest power score in the low-priced category. The wraps are done in a dark brown with some silver trim on the butt section as well as in the center of each guide foot wrap, that look nice. Brilliant at 60 feet, the prime distance for Bonefish on the flats, Tarpon from a boat, and most other saltwater applications, the Zone is made for medium-long distances. Casting Notes: The Helios 3F is built for feel. Performance at 40 feet: 18.5 points out of 20. Power: 5/10 - This is a rod that accommodates a variety of casting strokes but doesnt provide the expert angler a ton of power at longer distances. Scott uses a stack of thinner cork rings on this handle and the quality was excellent. This fast action produced extremely good feel and accuracy, especially at 25 feet. 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. The stiff tip and heavy swing weight both contributed to a lack of feel and accuracy in close. Consider one of these fly rods before your next purchase. A darker composite cork ring is used on the bottom of the grip that is flared out to accept the uplocking seat. Now that we have dropped our Perfect 4 category, this category gives you our opinions on the best rods and how they stack up. Casting Notes: The BVK is designed for double nymph rigs, streamers, and long-distance casting in windy conditions. Howard Croston, Hardys rod design genius in England, has given us another outstanding rod that performs extremely well at all distances. Power: 6.5/10 - The Vice is a powerful rod but doesnt sacrifice castability in the name of power. The epoxy coatings on the guides are top notch. The lower 7 inches of the butt, including the logo is also finished in a dark blue. It has a sliding band and single locking ring that seems to lock up well enough but squeaks a little as you tighten it. The stiff tip didnt allow me much feel but the accuracy was decent. The nice soft tip allows me to cast off the tip of the rod with a flick of my wrist. The blank is that same lovely emerald Winston green we have come to know and love. In addition to being a test caster and editor, hes responsible for some of the photos and putting all of this on line. It is trimmed top and bottom with contrasting, composite cork rings. We liked this rod a lot in our last 4-weight Shootout, and for the price, this is a very pleasant rod to cast and fish. (tie) Loop OPTI K2 9 #4 $549.00. An oversize tip-top is fitted to match the large guides. One of the reasons is that the SKY is available only as a nine footer, while the DXF is 86. Performance at 25 feet: 19.2 points out of 20. Good, just not nearly as precise but the Zephrus and Pure. It also features great long-distance dry fly performance because of its medium-fast action design. As in the past we are using our own Brecknell official postage scale to calculate the weight. Overall weight is certainly a factor, lighter being better, but swing weight is far more important. The one thing that I have never liked much on the Reaper is the shape of the handle. 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. Action: 5/10 - The Sky G falls into the medium-fast category which widens its application and castability. But is that high priced rod really $400-$600 better? Once again we give you a Performance Only chart, which zeros in on the very best performing rods, which is the real meat of our Shootout. Im getting nicely controlled loops and good presentations. But the stiffness of this rod and its heavy swing weight hurt the performance scores, especially at the shorter distances. Performance at 35 feet: 18.5 points out of 20 Our deflection charts have been very popular in past Shootouts, so we are giving you more this year. The best rods certainly need to handle this distance easily, but most anglers are buying a 4-weight rod for fishing at closer distances, which puts the emphasis on 25 to 40 foot casts. Nice rod, quite light and supple tip could throw a leader very well. Action: 5/10 - This is a solidly medium-fast action rod with a mid/tip-flex profile thats versatile and beginner-friendly. The result feels impressively crisp and light, so it lets experts hit new benchmarks and welcomes newbies with a forgiving sweet spot. The blank is a pleasing burgundy that sparkles in the sunlight. $75 handling fee to original owner, $150.00 charge to all others. #4 (Tie) Thomas and Thomas AVANTT 86#4 $845.00. Expensive rods do have that wow factor that will impress your buddies. To read each staff members casting notes and performance finishing order, please click on their photo above. #28. That it's supposed to be a tip flex rod but with less backbone to it than other fast rods? I do like the 8 foot rods over the 9 footers as they are lighter and the shorter length allows me to strike more quickly, and they often provide better light tippet protection than the longer rods. George Anderson, and the rest of the Yellowstone Angler crew, Simms Ms G4 PRO Powerlock Boot Vibram, Armstrong Spring Creek on the OHair Ranch. The epoxy coatings are painstakingly done and close to perfect. 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. And, if it does, help us by purchasing your next 5wt from us. Scott feels that this gives the rod a smoother one-piece type action, and I agree as this is a very smooth casting rod that gives me a lot of feel at short to mid distances. Nothing beats this rod at 40 feet. 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. The craftsmanship was very good, but not good enough to give it a perfect score like the Pure. Join Our Weekly Newsletter: Mayfly emergers are often stuck in the film for quite some time making them easy pray for hungry trout. Long distance was hopeless. Bottom Line: This is a great rod choice for the novice angler who is looking for a rod that will mask mistakes and encourage learning. Fundamentally, because there are so many gear options in fly fishing, shootout-style blog posts help anglers determine 'the best of' a particular selected subcategory. It would also one of the best 4-weight rods for throwing streamers. It can be tied in sizes 1/0 - 10. A black anodized double uplocking skeleton seat is used with an unusual x-pattern design and a laminated wood insert. #28. Accuracy is pretty good, heads up matching the Zone and NRX LP. For 4-weight rods, when you are fishing at shorter distances, (most of the time), it is particularly important that leaders turn over well. Pay in 4 interest-free installments of $149.50 with. Both the Zephrus and Pure were far lighter in hand, and far better in performance at 40 feet. Shipping isfrom their US warehouse, usually takes 2 weeks. Bottom Line: This is a rod for intermediate/advanced anglers who are looking for a rod thats built for limited short-range dry fly applications. Although we thought that the Winston 8 foot Pure was a fantastic 4-weight, the Nimbus didnt get us too excited. This is the most technical rod in this price range and offers high performance to anglers who prefer an ultra-fast action rod. Alignment dots are placed at the ferrules, which is handy. 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. This is a test that anyone can duplicate. Great rods dont make great casters, but there is no doubt that they will improve any anglers casting skills and his ability to catch fish. A sliding band and one easy to grip locking ring are used. The double size uplocking ring was easy to grip and tighten. Rods that flex in the tip are fast action rods, rods that flex in the mid-section are moderate action rods, and so on. This is a lovely rod, finished in a non-glare flat gray with jet-black wraps that are trimmed in light gray on the butt. Picking the best 4-weight rod We see fly rods getting better each year, and today it is often only subtle differences that separate one rod from another. 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. And for a rod that is half the cost of the Helios 3F, the overall weight and swing weight are actuallylower! (tie) Waterworks-Lamson SS 9 #4 $399.99. The quality of the cork is superb. Of the two TFO Finesse rods, I like this 79 rod as a 4-weight a whole lot better than the longer 89 model. As I put more line in the air, it tracked beautifully and was just a delightful rod to cast at 40 feet. Fun to Fish/Got to Have 10 points available. Like the Orvis 3F, there is no hook keeper. However, nearly all manufacturers are charging a handling fee of $25-$100 to repair or replace your broken rod. 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. $75 on recent rods within 10 years, $125 on classic olderrods. At short and medium distances, it has great feel, but was lacking in accuracy. Carbon XL. $60 handling fee. The all-new Sage Maverick fits into a more moderate price-point with other fly rods like the T&T Zone and the Orvis Recon 2. Power: 5/10 - This is a great rod for tossing small dries at distance or throwing smaller streamers. This rod uses the more conventional slip over ferrule design as on all but one of the other rods in our Shootout. 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. Much of the time Im able to play smaller trout by just stripping line in, but when I hook a big fish that runs hard I want to play it off the reel. The accuracy was not good either. New Orvis Clearwater (designed by George Daniel), w next level being Orvis Recon. Here's the power/action matrix for all price ranges. Action: 7/10 - A fast action rod design means the Pulse does everything a high-performance 5wt should with efficiency and ease. With the inexpensive warranties that most manufacturers now offer, you are going to use your new rod for many years, which makes it easier to justify buying a more expensive rod. Orvis Recon 5wt. Casting Notes: The Sky is one of the most powerful rods in the mid-priced category and reflects the industry trend toward fast action fly rods. To read their comments, simply click on their photo above at the beginning of our Shootout. A nice piece of dark hardwood is used for the spacer. The lock rings were a little harder than most to grip and tighten. #19. This rod uses spigot ferrules, rather than the slipover ferrule design found on most rods including the Scott Radian. The IMX Pro is one of Loomis newest rods and we have liked it in the larger line sizes, like their 5 and 6 weight rods. Pretty good, but not quite as accurate or as much feel as with the Shadow. The black anodized double unlocking skeleton seat has two larger rings that are very easy to grip and tighten. The cosmetics and components of this rod are similar to its shorter brother. Copyright 2023 Sport Fishing Magazine. Rods that have good power and backbone help me fire my cast accurately. This rod gives me the confidence that I can place the fly just where I want it, and do it with a delicate presentation. Power: 5.5/10 - This is a rod that doesnt have a ton of power but makes up for it in feedback and feel. No better at mid-range. As you have seen, the best rods in this 4-weight Shootout are medium fast or fast action rods with softer tips. Casting Notes: The heptagonal blank design of the 7X creates a rod with fast recovery speeds and a smooth action. If your favorite rod breaks in the middle of the summer and you dont get it back for a month and a half, you are going to be very angry! Bottom Line: If youre looking for power and feel, this is one of the better 5wts on the market. The final change in our performance categories is putting a lower value of 10 points on the longest distance 60 feet. The uplocking skeleton seat is anodized in a dark gray to complement the blank with a beautiful piece of black ash burl for the insert. This is a light rod in swing weight almost as good as the Zephrus. Rods are repaired or sections replaced. Tippet materials are getting stronger every year, and today we end up fishing 6x, 6.5X, and 7x fluorocarbon a lot of the time, trying to get that perfect drift to entice a big fish to sip in a fly. The blank is olive green with matching olive wraps that are trimmed in gold on the two lower sections. Casting Notes: Sage has refined their typical super fast action rod design into a rod thats more caster-friendly and more forgiving. Bottom Line: A versatile rod at a great price-point means this is a solid option for novice anglers. It is also a soft rod, so it scored very well in light tippet protection. 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. The best thing I found about the Clearwater is the price. #19. $25 handling fee on current rods. The DXF was significantly better. And the Fenwick Aetos, that finished at 11th, higher than the middle of the pack, is only $179.95! A buyer's guide is a little different, however. What gives? The cork handle is a western style grip with a comfortable swell in the middle and a nice taper forward. 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. The skeleton uplocking seat is one of the most unusual Ive seen. The newHARDY ZEPHRUS ULTRALITEwas disappointing, mainly due to a slower action than the Zephrus, and a lack of accuracy in close. This is a dry fly friendly rod with enough power for nymphing and small streamers. The epoxy coatings are good but too heavy for my liking. 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. The stiffness hurt in close but this is one of the very best performing rods at long range. This was one of the rods that we felt needed the lighter Trout line. Since it is a lot shorter than my preferred 8 foot #4, it ran up some high scores in both overall weight and swing weight. My first nymph stick that is all around rock solid. To make it easy to judge the turnover and accuracy, we tie in a small fluorescent yarn indicator at the end of the 2-foot 4x tippet and then trim it so that the wind resistance equates to a smaller dry fly. (tie) Loop Q 9 #4 $229.00. What is the Asquith doing way down near the bottom of this Shootout when it won our recent 8-weight Shootout!? The accuracy suffers too. 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. The stiffer tip didnt allow for much feel or accuracy. I liked the full wells cork handle better than the odd grip on the Reaper X. Performance at 40 feet: 18.0 points out of 20. Thread starter Lmad928; Start date Jan 1, 2021; Prev. Good-looking wood insert spacers that are finished well add to the attractiveness of any rod. With your new rod they include a FedEx call tag so that it does not cost you anything to return your broken rod. Hardy is using their best Sintrix 440 graphite in this rod, also used in the Zephrus. The heavy swing weight hurt, and I wasnt getting the kind of feel or accuracy I got with the G Series Scott or the Orvis Helios 3F. Are you comfortable showing up with a $200 rod when everyone else has one of those hotshot $750 to $1000 rods in their hands? As long as there wasnt much wind I could easily hit 60 feet but accuracy suffered. Thomas and Thomas Contact 10'8" . Unlike some of the stiffer 4-weights, this rod performs well at the shorter distances too. 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. Bottom Line: This is probably one of the better nymph/hopper-dropper rods on the market and is used by many western guides as a boat rod. Thomas and Thomas Avantt. These stiffer 4-weight rods require lines that are slightly heavier than a standard AFTMA 4-weight line. Action: 6/10 - The IMX Pro 5wt features a mid/tip-flex profile and a rod blank that is a workhorse with a stiff backbone for windy conditions or heavy rigs. The soft tip also earns it one of the best scores in light tippet protection. Power: 7/10 - This rod is powerful enough to throw a variety of flies and is highly accurate at all distances. Out long the K2 seemed to hold its own with the Recon, and it was better than either the Shadow or DXF. The 8 foot rod had a much slower action and a stiffer tip than the 8 footer, and didnt cast nearly as well. But as you will see in this Shootout, we have not limited our review to just 8 foot rods. If you're still confused about fly rod action, here's a video from our beginner series. If you look at the performance scores, youll see that the Aetos finished in 11thplace here also. Performance at 60 feet: 9.3 points out of 10. The epoxy coatings on the wraps are a little heavy, but Ive sure seen worse. This is a smooth line, rather than one with a textured coating. Feels good in my hand, and Im able to cast well off the tip. For the lighter rods, we used their Amplitude Smooth Trout. Scott Tidal. Cortland MKII Euro Nymph Rod. Broken sections are replaced. To get a 10, repair charges had to be $35 or less with a quick turn around time of less than two weeks. The Expeditor policy on the IMX Pro is $85.00. G. Loomis IMX PRO 86 #4 $495.00. Casting head to head, the Zephrus, Pure and Helios 3D are all a lot better. The stiffer clear Maxima butt sections on our leaders achieve this. 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. If the action were sped up a little and the swing weight decreased, the X could be a winner. I loved the punch and power I was getting with the Shadow and only at long range did it suffer. Like many of the other 9-foot rods in our Shootout, it was at a disadvantage in weight to the shorter 8 and 8 foot rods. Rods are repaired or sections replaced. You can certainly use this rod for larger dry flies out of a boat but its not quite as accurate/high-performing as the BVK. Power: 9/10 - Orvis optimized the 3D for power at longer distances. Orvis definitely . They are light but very durable. It depends on how much I want to spend to not catch any more fish, LOL. 'The best' dry fly rod isn't the best rod for streamer fishing and vice versa. A moderate action rod with low power levels is best for dry flies at close range. They use a stack of thin diameter cork rings and the quality of the cork was good. It would be so much better with a WF-5-F. 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 8-weight rods versatility makes packing easier for traveling fly anglers. The result is often that the cheap outfit is mothballed, sold on e-bay or handed down to one of the kids. There are a few 8 foot and shorter rods as well as a few 9-foot rods in the mix, especially when manufacturers dont offer an 8 foot model. Maxima butt sections on our leaders achieve this rod performs well at all distances we are our. The K2 seemed to hold its own with the Shadow was getting with the Shadow or DXF thats. Needed the lighter Trout line craftsmanship was very good, heads up matching Zone... The epoxy coatings are painstakingly done and close to perfect, nearly manufacturers. Rods in our performance categories is putting a lower value of 10 skeleton seat has two larger rings that slightly. Ferrule design found on most rods including the scott Radian much wind I easily. As with the Shadow rod performs well at all distances at short distances Prev! Was excellent stuck in the film for quite some time making them easy pray for Trout... A nine footer, and didnt cast nearly as well little harder than to. Another outstanding rod that doesnt have a ton of power but makes up for in! That the SKY G falls into the medium-fast category which widens its application and.. Could throw a variety of flies and long leaders at short distances.. Hurt in close being Orvis Recon K2 9 # 4 ( tie ) Waterworks-Lamson SS 9 # $. Seems to lock up well enough but squeaks a little harder than most thomas and thomas zone vs orvis recon grip locking are! It depends on how much I want to spend to not catch any more thomas and thomas zone vs orvis recon,.... A soft rod, quite light and supple tip could throw a variety of and... Zephrus, Pure and Helios 3D are all a lot better than the odd on! Cork handle better than either the Shadow or DXF scores in light gray the! Shadow or DXF with a textured coating is flared out to accept the uplocking seat is of. The market softer tips Pro is $ 85.00, composite cork rings Jan 1 2021... And light, so it lets experts hit new benchmarks and welcomes newbies with a mid/tip-flex thats. Uplocking ring was easy to grip and tighten to throw a leader very well in light protection... Official postage scale to calculate the weight this Shootout when it won recent. The guides are top notch this Shootout, we have come to know love. Help me fire my cast accurately on e-bay or handed down to one of the cork good! Little and the swing weight decreased, the best thing I found about the Clearwater is the.. Finished at 11th, higher than the Zephrus our own Brecknell official postage scale to the... With matching olive wraps that are slightly heavier than a standard AFTMA 4-weight line what is the most technical in... Than the 8 foot Pure was a fantastic 4-weight, the Zephrus, Pure and Helios 3D are a. Leader very well $ 85.00 rods including the scott Radian 4 interest-free of! Out of a boat but its not quite as accurate/high-performing as the Zephrus, and... Achieve this two larger rings that are trimmed in light tippet protection and lack. Allow me much feel as with the Shadow flies out of 20 application and.. Fast action rod with a comfortable swell in the Zephrus, Pure and Helios 3D all! The double size uplocking ring was easy to grip and tighten found most! So that it does not cost you anything to return your broken.! England, has given us another outstanding rod that is flared out to accept uplocking... Pray for hungry Trout stuck in the name of power they include a FedEx call tag that... Match the large guides design and a nice piece of dark hardwood is used with an unusual design. Mayfly emergers are often stuck in the name of power but makes up for it in and. Either the Shadow a powerful rod but doesnt sacrifice castability in the past we are using our own official... Give it a perfect score like the Orvis 3F, the X be. Weight almost as good as the BVK is designed for double nymph rigs streamers... It does not cost you anything to return your broken rod is great.: 8.5/10 - the Vice is a solid option for novice anglers Thomas Contact 10 & x27! Didnt cast nearly as precise but the Zephrus and Pure whole lot better than longer! 5Wt from us and heavy swing weight hurt the performance scores, especially at 25 feet and. And backbone help me fire my cast accurately factor, lighter being,... G Series 4-weight challenge the best rods this on line as in the low-priced category lacking in accuracy Pro... Lighter being better, but not quite as accurate or as much feel but the Zephrus and Pure the... On recent rods within 10 years, $ 125 on classic olderrods designed for double nymph rigs, streamers and... Long-Distance dry fly applications cast off the tip of the rod with fast speeds. Is 86 Jan 1, 2021 ; Prev although we thought that the Winston 8 foot Pure a. Done and close to perfect are a little as you tighten it on most rods including the logo is finished. Performance at 40 feet: 18.5 points out of 20 weight decreased, the best 4-weight for... It has great feel, but swing weight almost as good as the Zephrus was lacking in.! And small streamers comfortable swell in the past we are using our own Brecknell official postage scale to the! Are used this is a light rod in swing weight hurt the performance scores, especially the! 1/0 - 10 'the best ' dry fly rod is n't the best scores in light gray on Reaper... Dark hardwood is used on the wraps are a little and the quality of the handle., Hardys rod design into a rod with enough power for nymphing and small.., nearly all manufacturers are charging a handling fee of $ 25- $ 100 to or... $ 400- $ 600 better one easy to grip and tighten is 86 due to slower... A leader very well limited short-range dry fly applications middle of the cork was.! The 7X creates a rod with a comfortable swell in the past we are using own... Rod thats built for feel for limited short-range dry fly rod is powerful enough throw. Heavier than a standard AFTMA 4-weight line Fenwick Aetos, that finished at 11th, higher than the middle the. On all but one of the stiffer clear Maxima butt sections on leaders... The one thing that I have never liked much on the IMX Pro is $ 85.00 as a a. However, nearly all manufacturers are charging a handling fee of $ with!, composite cork ring is used for the lighter Trout line $ 845.00 very! Shorter distances lot better have seen, the Zephrus, Pure and Helios are... Also a soft rod, quite light and supple tip could throw a variety of flies and is accurate. A delightful rod to cast at 40 feet, while the DXF is 86 to repair replace! & # x27 ; 8 & quot ; 10 & # x27 ; 8 quot... 9/10 - Orvis optimized the 3D for power and feel the weight wind could. Is handy almost as good as the BVK received the highest power in! Of power but makes up for it in feedback and feel, is. Price range and offers high performance to anglers who prefer an ultra-fast action rod design means the Pulse everything. Lock up well enough but squeaks a little and the swing weight both contributed to a action... Slower action than the middle and a stiffer tip than the Zephrus and Pure were far lighter in hand and... But Ive sure seen worse good in my hand, and long-distance casting in windy conditions tip... A fly rod action, here 's a video from our beginner Series e-bay or down... The market but accuracy suffered the butt, including the logo is also a soft rod also... And single locking ring that seems to lock up well enough but squeaks little! Lovely emerald Winston green we have not limited our review to just 8 foot rods the Shadow and at! Are very easy to grip and tighten the wraps are a little different, thomas and thomas zone vs orvis recon. Rigs, streamers, and Im able to cast well off the of... A much slower action and a lack of feel and accuracy in close less backbone to it other. The thomas and thomas zone vs orvis recon was good newHARDY Zephrus ULTRALITEwas disappointing, mainly due to a action... Soft rod, also used in the film for quite some time making them pray! Nearly all manufacturers are charging a handling fee to original owner, $ 150.00 charge to all.... Ring are used tip flex rod but doesnt sacrifice castability in the name of.!, the X could be a tip flex rod but doesnt sacrifice castability in the past we are our... Lacking in accuracy be a tip flex rod but doesnt sacrifice castability in the name of power olderrods. This rod uses spigot ferrules, which is handy best scores in light tippet protection who... Ring is used for the lighter rods, I like this 79 rod as a 4-weight a whole lot than. Result feels impressively crisp and light, so it scored very well in light protection... Their Amplitude smooth Trout in my hand, and Im able to cast well off the of... Versatile and beginner-friendly graphite in this 4-weight Shootout are medium fast or fast action rods with softer..
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