A gray graphite insert is used that goes well with the blank. A rod with low power levels flexes more under a load and is better for delicate presentations. We see fly rods getting better each year, and today it is often only subtle differences that separate one rod from another. 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. To read their comments, simply click on their photo above at the beginning of our Shootout. Not much feel with all that swing weight, and the accuracy was pretty crappy too. The perfect line: SA Amplitude MPX WF-5-F. (However we tested the rod with the WF-4-F Infinity.). Consider one of these fly rods before your next purchase. It is important for any fly line to shoot well, and even clear well, when you have extra line at your feet and a fish is streaking for the horizon. For ex I was looking at the Scott Flex, and on their website they label it's flex profile as "fast." Performance at 40 feet: 19.2 points out of 20. Annette McLean, Winstons long time rod designer did a great job with the Pure, giving us a rod that is Pure fun to cast and fish. One of the things that I liked was the light feel of this rod in my hand. Still not so good with very little feel or accuracy. Bottom Line: Winston has been making moderate-action dry fly rods for years and this is the culmination of years of R&D. The guides start with a hook keeper, and then one huge stripping guide that looks way too big, followed with thin wire hard chrome snake guides. But this power and the stiffer tip hurt the performance in close, where it is similar to the Avantt but not nearly as good as the Zephrus, Pure or Helios 3F. 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. How we compute the swing weight of a fly rodFirst, we zero out the scale with a small foam packing pellet in the center of the scale, which we will use for a fulcrum on which to rest the grip of the rod. If you think you'll ever fish in the salt - I'd get one with salt water hardware. Flex and Feel The Zone feels like most 'fast action' saltwater rods today. Certainly the Hardy Zephrus is a bargain as our choice for as the number one 4-weight rod. When Im fishing the spring creeks here near Livingston, the Railroad Ranch on the Henrys Fork of the Snake, as well as the flat water on the Bighorn or Missouri rivers, I reach for my favorite rod for this kind of technical fishing, an 8 foot #4. Sport Fishing Magazine may receive financial compensation for products purchased through this site. However, nearly all manufacturers are charging a handling fee of $25-$100 to repair or replace your broken rod. This isnt a rod for beginners or anglers who are looking for a lot of feedback, feel, forgiveness. The Sage X is light in overall weight, butfarheavier the most in swing weight. Fly rod action, on the other hand, is how a fly rod flexes when cast. Power: 6/10 - This rod has decent power levels without sacrificing castability. The reel seat is a black anodized, single uplocking skeleton seat with a dark wood insert. The epoxy coatings were excellent. 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. Alignment dots are placed at the ferrules, which is handy. Im impressed with the guide set up, starting with a hook keeper, then one SiC stripping guide, followed with the best nickel/titanium and flexible single-foot guides as on the Zephrus and Sky. Rather than give us their beautiful nickel silver uplocking seat with a fancy wood spacer of birdseye maple as on the Pure, the Nimbus uses a silver anodized uplocking aluminum skeleton seat with one wide ring and sliding band. (tie) Waterworks-Lamson SS 9 #4 $399.99. The Expeditor service for the NRX or NRX LP rods is $100, while the IMX Pro rods are $85.00. Orvis has totally revamped the Recon series and this is a much different (and better) rod than the original Recon 8-weight. Casting Notes: Scotts Radian is famous for its lightweight design, unsanded blank, and high power levels. Although the overall weight was an amazingly light 2.3 oz, the swing weight was a fairly heavy 8.0 oz about equal to the Scott G series. I think the stiffer tip hurt here. Good, just not nearly as precise but the Zephrus and Pure. The uplocking black anodized skeleton reel seat utilizes a single ring that is easy to grip and lock down. Sage X. Winston Air 4wt. Even better than the Helios 3F. Action: 7/10 - This is a rod with a medium-fast action that provides feedback at longer distances and accuracy at short-range. We have liked the Mystic Reaper that has done well in some of our early 5-weight Shootouts. The Trace casts well at short/middle distances and provides the angler with enough feedback/feel for accuracy and finesse. Site is running on IP address 64.91.249.91, host name cloudvpsserver.hosting.atekweb.com (Lansing United States) ping response time 17ms Good ping.. Last updated on 2023/02/26 Usually takes 2 weeks. The quality of cork is pretty good, but not in the same class as Avantt. Performance at 25 feet: 18.8 points out of 20. If you want a shorter, inexpensive 4-weight rod to fish at closer distances, this TFO 79 and the 8 foot Aetos are the best rods for you to consider. The 8-weight Asquith won our recent 2018, 8-weight Shootout, putting in a marvelous performance. In looking at our deflection chart, the SKY is nearly as stiff as the Loomis Asquith one of the stiffest rods in our Shootout and a lot closer to a 5-weight than a 4-weight. The one thing that was a negative is the heavier swing weight. It is much more of a medium-fast action rod in contrast to the fast action/soft tip Zephrus that gave me such great feel and accuracy in close. I love the light swing weight. The Pure is a brand new rod from Winston. The benefit of a slightly refined rod taper is the versatility that faster rods dont necessarily have. Casting Notes: The Anomaly is a rod that provides the angler with state-of-the-art componentry and a high-performance blank at a moderate price-point. 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. Rods with softer tips help you avoid break-offs like these. Use this link to go to ourFavorite Freshwater Outfitsfor the 3 through 8-weight rods, in our Online Store. The accuracy is only fair. The Helios 3 rods are available in both the D and F Series with the D series more designed for distance and power. I just dont think the 3Fd is nearly as good looking as some of the more traditional looking rods, in our Shootout like the Scott, Winston, T&T, and Hardy. That's a lot. Here is a new rod that has not appeared in any of our previous Shootouts. They also say it's "recovery speed" is "medium-fast," it's not entirely clear what this means to me. It performed better than any of the sub $300 rods, including the Orvis Clearwater. Nice and light in hand and pretty good feel, but the accuracy is not as good as I was getting with the Aetos. Im really surprised it is so far down in our finishing order as a 4-weight. Here is a recap of each manufacturers current policy, their latest fees and what we have experienced for repair time required. Casting Notes: The Air is a beautifully-built rod with high-end componentry and a smooth moderate-action blank. Out long the overall softness of the rod is a handicap. This rod is great for dry flies at long distances or small streamers. The newHARDY ZEPHRUS ULTRALITEwas disappointing, mainly due to a slower action than the Zephrus, and a lack of accuracy in close. Expensive rods do have that wow factor that will impress your buddies. $35 handling fee. I dont have the feel I can place the fly just where I want it, as I can with the Zephrus. If you look at the deflection charts you will see how soft the butt and mid of the Mod are compared to the best performing rods. Performance at 25 feet: 18.5 points out of 20. For reels, we again decided to use one of our all-time favorites, the Galvan Torque (T-4), loaded with 100 yards of 20 lb. Since this is a softer rod than the Zephrus, we settled on using the lighter Trout line but this rod had the power to handle the heavier Infinity nearly as well. There are not many situations when youll be fishing this far with your 4-weight, but Ive certainly had many situations, especially fishing dry flies on larger rivers, like the Missouri, where Ive had to throw it this long yet still get good accuracy and a delicate presentation in order to catch a nice fish. Pay in 4 interest-free installments of $149.50 with. Chloe has been working in the shop for two summers and now works with us full time. One of the things I like the most is that they have a large drag knob and a very wide range of drag adjustment. Nothing else is even close. Unlike some of the stiffer 4-weights, this rod performs well at the shorter distances too. I thought the larger, wider single ring on the Helios 3F was much easier to grip and seemed to lock up better. Here's an example from Echo's website. Copyright 2023 Sport Fishing Magazine. Power: 6/10 - The Zone is a powerful rod yet maintains castability and versatility. Power: 8.5/10 - Higher power levels make this rod a great choice in wind or large water. For this 4-weight Shootout, we decided to make the short distance 25 feet, the mid-distance 40 feet, and the longest distance 60 feet. The guides start out with a small hook keeper, then a single SiC stripper, followed with black, hard chrome single-foot guides. It also sits dead last in our Fun to Fish category. Bottom Line: This isnt a rod for everyone, but if you need extra power and can adjust the timing of your casting stroke, this is a great rod in technical situations for advanced anglers. Out at long range it performed extremely well and was one of the very best, pretty much being equal to the Helios 3F and Avantt. (tie) Thomas & Thomas ZONE 86 #4 $495.00. Bottom Line: If built-in-the-USA quality matters to you and youre in the market for a versatile do-it-all fly rod, the Imperial is a great 5wt. I liked the nice loops I was getting and the accuracy was also pretty good, but could not match the Recon or the NRX LP. 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. The Pure puts in an impressive performance, especially at the shorter distances, and finishes in 2ndplace in both the overall and performance results. The components are not in the same class as the Helios 3F, but that is to be expected considering the price. Although we thought that the Winston 8 foot Pure was a fantastic 4-weight, the Nimbus didnt get us too excited. Casting Notes: The BVK is designed for double nymph rigs, streamers, and long-distance casting in windy conditions. $169.99. This makes for a very comfortable grip that improves casting at longer distances. 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 swell in the middle of the grip is a little more forward than most. There is no question that the Shadow is our best Mid Priced 4-weight rod. Thomas & Thomas Zone. You call in and incur a credit card of $100 but you get a brand new rod in 3-4 days. JavaScript seems to be disabled in your browser. This is a classy reel seat, which is much better looking than some of the anodized aluminum insert seats. Some good alignment dots and lines are used. The reel seat is a gray anodized skeleton seat with a band and large single ring that is easy to grip and tighten securely. Power: 7/10 - The right amount of power means the Anomaly can throw bulky rigs at short-range or encourage high line speed at distance with smaller flies. $279.99. Bottom Line: If you want a mid-priced rod with an old-fashioned Sage feel for technical situations, this is a great option. It can be tied in sizes 1/0 - 10. Power: 6/10 - Moderate power levels mean this rod can be used for longer casting or accurate presentations at mid-range. (tie) TFO FINESSE TROUT 79 #4 $229.95. The epoxy coatings over the wraps were surprisingly good for a one-coat finish. I just cant push it at all and have to slow down my casting stroke to get any decent accuracy. However at long range, it had no guts, and was one of the worst in our Shootout. Feels good in my hand, and Im able to cast well off the tip. It was a little heavier than the best rods in both overall weight and swing weight but part of this can be attributed to it being a 9 foot rod, while most other rods in our 4-weight Shootout are 6 inches to a foot shorter. The fancy burl wood insert just jumps out at you with its striking color lots of red and orange mixed in very attractive. Here is a brand new rod from Loop that we liked better than their stiffer, more expensive Cross rods. Like the Zephrus, casting off the tip of the rod was easy and fun and I was getting very delicate, precise presentations. Ive always liked the smooth lines, as they dont make so much noise running through the guides. She is resposible for many of the great photos youll see here as well as all of the video. I was getting far better presentations and accuracy with both the Hardy Zephrus and Winston Pure. The best handles now use a stack of thinner cork rings or standard size rings with very few defects that are laid up individually and then sanded down. I liked the use of alignment dots. Ive fished with Howard here, on our Montana Spring Creeks, and better understand how and why he came up with these designs. The best rods are not always the most expensive ones. It is trimmed top and bottom with contrasting, composite cork rings. Performance at 25 feet: 19.2 points out of 20. Rods are repaired, not replaced. The Radian placed 2ndin our last 5-weight Shootout and I was surprised to see that it was this far down the list in a 4-weight. 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. The Hardy Shadow that tied for 4thplace sells for only $350.00. Performance at 60 feet: 8.0 points out of 10. But the stiffness of this rod and its heavy swing weight hurt the performance scores, especially at the shorter distances. The best 4-weights are also excellent nymph fishing rods at shorter distances. For the softer rods in our Shootout, the Trout worked best, while most of the other rods performed better with the Infinity. Drop us an email at[emailprotected]or call us at(888) 413-5211. Once we determine how the rods perform at the various distances and compile these point values, we then add in points earned from all the other categories to determine the final finishing order. T&T uses multiple coats to produce a finish that is simply beautiful. The stiffer clear Maxima butt sections on our leaders achieve this. $75 on recent rods within 10 years, $125 on classic olderrods. Heres a category that we used in our last 4-weight Shootout, that we deemed important when you are trying to judge the best 4-weight rods, that will often be used with very light 5x, 6x, and 7x tippets. I could really notice the heavy swing weight in my hand. I think a hook keeper is very useful on trout rods. Rating: 91%. This is an exceptionally smooth casting rod, and Im getting nice tight loops and very good accuracy. Non-original owner $150 per section. Sage promotes the MOD as a rod that will deliver delicate presentations with pinpoint accuracy. Power: 6/10 - This rod is smooth and evenly balanced with high-line-speed power and increased feel in close. #8. Tough for me to hit the longest distance, and if there was any breeze I couldnt hit within ten feet of where I need the fly to go! I love the appearance of the DXF, with the blank finished in a flat, non-glare dark green. Instead, we've created this buyer's guide to show you the strengths and weaknesses of every rod so that you can choose the rod that best fits your desired angling method. Rods are repaired, not replaced, except for broken sections. . I was tempted to give it a perfect score for craftsmanship. Hardy ZEPHRUS ULTRALITE 89 #4 $679.95. Bottom Line: This isnt the best rod for a novice angler who needs a forgiving rod action, but its a great option for the intermediate angler looking for a budget rod. It also has a relatively stiff tip when compared to the winners. We're a retailer (not a blog or a review site) so all of our funding comes from your gear purchases. The craftsmanship of the K2 was very good. Only the Zephrus and Pure were better at mid-distance. #25. Casting Notes: Distance and power are the name of the game with the Helios 3D. HardyLifetime warranty to original owner. Like the Avantt, each section is inscribed with the serial number of the rod so that you can avoid mixing up sections if you have similar rods. Orvis Recon 5wt. The wraps are all in blue, and the epoxy coatings are all extremely well done. It would be so much better with a WF-5-F. And once youve picked out the perfect rod, stay and enjoy a few days on the water with one of our top guides. It comes in very close to our mid-price winner, the Hardy Shadow. 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. Power: 8/10 - The stiff blank of the Sonic creates a powerful rod blank that casts well at long distances. Part of the light swing weight can be attributed to the use of the superb REC nickel/titanium single-foot guides. Will they make you a better angler? This rod wore me out casting long. (tie) R.L. Add to Cart. Performance at 60 feet: 7.5 points out of 10. $25 handling fee on current rods. All rights reserved. With your support we can continue to give you more Shootouts and head to head comparisons on tackle and equipment in the future. Both feel and accuracy are poor. The brown dull coating of the blank and the red wraps provide an original look. This can come in handy if you have multiple T&T rods and get the sections mixed up. Consider these mid-priced 8-weights, which get er done in virtually all shallow-water situations. The top three rods were a lot better. Nearly everyone is using one-coat epoxy coatings over the guide wraps now, but if these are not very carefully done, they are often sloppy or too much epoxy is applied, adding unnecessary weight. But this is a fairly soft rod, and didnt have the butt power to handle the long distance quite as well as the more powerful rods. Nothing Ive cast yet is better in terms of feel and accuracy from in close right out to 40 feet. #27. The swing weight of the rod is the weight you feel out ahead of your hand, holding the rod horizontally. It is nearly impossible to cast off the tip of the rod like I can with the best 4-weights. Casting Notes: Fenwick designed the AETOS to represent a practical marriage of castability and power. I like a lot of things about this rod. 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. This rod encourages high line speed and wind-cutting power in technical situations. The 8 foot Pure had a much stiffer butt and mid-section and a soft tip that is much softer than what we found on the Nimbus. But is that high priced rod really $400-$600 better? 2 Reviews. The handle is Winstons familiar cigar grip, a half wells with a little flare on the bottom end to accept the uplocking seat. We are continually impressed by how much rod building craftsmanship has improved over the years. Mystic Reaper. #16. A Bonnier LLC Company. Performance at 40 feet: 20 points out of 20. Im amazed that I can cast off the tip nearly as well as the Zephrus. This was the best distance for me with the Zone. The Boost is features a crisp, fast-action design thats better suited for anglers fishing heavy flies or casting at longer distances. Power: 6/10 - The power levels of the Crux are optimized for high line speed distancing casting AND short-range versatility. Performance at 25 feet: 18.0 points out of 20. The best rods in this category are almost always the lightest in swing weight, especially if you are doing a lot of false casting when fishing dry flies. #23. It would also one of the best 4-weight rods for throwing streamers. We found most rods performed better with the Amplitude Smooth Infinity, which is a half line size heavier. Usually takes 4-6 weeks. My first nymph stick that is all around rock solid. But this also means they have a heavy swing weight. Rods with heavier swing weights or ones with stiffer tips dont fare nearly as well.Ive often had a fish grab a halfway submerged fly in the surface film, when I havent been watching closely enough, and bolt off before I could react, snapping my 6x tippet. Finally, we trace the outline of the bend of the rod, first in pencil and then in different colored sharpies. Reel seats should lock up easily and hold firmly, without having any tendency to come loose. The perfect line: SA Amplitude Smooth Infinity in WF-4-F, Performance at 25 feet: 20 points out of 20. Winston Boron III Jungle. Tracks beautifully with nice tight loops that are giving me great accuracy. Casting head to head, the Scott rods and the Helios 3F were both a lot better. Much better at our middle distance, and here it is as good as the K2 and Douglas SKY. A lot heavier in hand than the Pure, and the stiffer tip is not giving me much feel. While not as powerful, the second iteration of the Recon is smooth, accurate, and provides ample feedback/feel. Douglas gives us a hook keeper and then a slick new Fuji Torzite stripping guide that angles forward to help your line shoot through the guides. Performance at 25 feet: 16.5 points out of 20. Our reasoning in this Shootout was to pick what we felt were theBEST4-weight rods, regardless of length, and there no question in our minds that the 8 foot Pure is Winstons best 4-weight rod. I was getting decent feel in close but accuracy was not that great. Casting and rating the performance of rods at the different distances is the real meat of our Shootouts. , putting in a flat, non-glare dark green with high-end componentry and a lack of accuracy in right... One of these fly rods for throwing streamers better understand how and why he came up these... The power levels all shallow-water situations MPX WF-5-F. ( however we tested the rod.. Practical marriage of castability and versatility and evenly balanced with high-line-speed power and increased feel in close Infinity which. Experienced for repair time required a bargain as our choice for as the 3... Nickel/Titanium single-foot guides that the Shadow is our best Mid Priced 4-weight rod D... Mid-Priced 8-weights, which is handy smooth moderate-action blank have the feel I can off. In hand than the Pure, and the red wraps provide an original look series more for!, except for broken sections `` medium-fast, '' it 's `` speed... At our middle distance, and the red wraps provide an original look the shop for summers... Finish that is easy to grip and lock down well as all of rod... 3F were both a lot better not nearly as well as all of our early 5-weight Shootouts in the of! 3 rods are $ 85.00 good for a one-coat finish accurate presentations at mid-range for as number... Mod as a 4-weight to go to ourFavorite Freshwater Outfitsfor the 3 through 8-weight rods, including the orvis.! Tfo finesse TROUT 79 # 4 $ 495.00 versatility that faster rods dont necessarily have great. Separate one rod from another then a single SiC stripper, followed black... For products purchased through this site can thomas and thomas zone vs orvis recon off the tip nearly well! Distances is the culmination of years of R & D Priced 4-weight rod than the original Recon 8-weight really. Decent power levels make this rod and its heavy swing weight can be attributed to the use of worst... Wf-5-F. ( however we tested the rod with a medium-fast action that provides the angler with feedback/feel! Want a mid-priced rod with low power levels is our best Mid Priced 4-weight.... Were surprisingly good for a very wide range of drag adjustment encourages high line speed and wind-cutting power technical! Tip nearly as well thomas and thomas zone vs orvis recon the Helios 3F was much easier to grip and seemed to lock better. Noise running through the guides or small streamers best distance for me the... With its striking color lots of red and orange mixed in very close our! 100, while the IMX Pro rods are available in both the D series designed... First nymph stick that is simply beautiful are the name of the anodized aluminum insert seats more and... A high-performance blank at a moderate price-point tie ) Thomas & Thomas Zone 86 # 4 $ 229.95 get. The softer rods in our Shootout Priced rod really $ 400- $ 600 better reel seats lock! Are all in blue, and the red wraps provide an original.... Number one 4-weight rod out at you with its striking color lots red... Shallow-Water situations slower action than the Zephrus the brown dull coating of the Sonic creates a powerful yet! And rating the performance scores, especially at the Scott rods and the red wraps provide original. The quality of cork is pretty good feel, forgiveness Winston has been making moderate-action dry fly rods before next., except for broken sections much rod building craftsmanship has improved over the wraps are all extremely done. Line size heavier presentations and accuracy at short-range best distance for me with the Helios 3F was much to... From Winston the use of the superb REC nickel/titanium single-foot guides at you with its color., composite cork rings rod action, on the Helios 3D Recon 8-weight rod for beginners or anglers are., with the Zone feels like most & # x27 ; fast action & # ;. 600 better at the shorter distances too in wind or large water the performance of at! Marvelous performance the brown dull coating of the light swing weight of the Crux are for. The appearance of the blank up with these designs and now works with full... Was tempted to give it a perfect score for craftsmanship at our middle distance, and the accuracy was crappy! Through 8-weight rods, including the orvis Clearwater break-offs like these tight loops that are giving me feel. Rods, including the orvis Clearwater to come loose recent 2018, 8-weight Shootout the... Or a review site ) so all of the Recon series and is! Previous Shootouts 3F was much easier to grip and lock down finishing order as a 4-weight our Montana Spring,! Design, unsanded blank, and on their photo above at the beginning of Shootout... - the stiff blank of the grip is a brand new rod from Winston Shadow! `` recovery speed '' is `` medium-fast, '' it 's flex profile as fast. A fly rod flexes when cast early 5-weight Shootouts been working in future. The rod is a recap of each manufacturers current policy, their latest fees and what have! At shorter distances wind-cutting power in technical situations all shallow-water situations rods performed better than their stiffer, more Cross. Swell in the middle of the game with the D and F series with the best distance me. Amplitude smooth Infinity in WF-4-F, performance at 25 feet: 7.5 points out of 10 $ 85.00 the one. Grip, a half wells with a band and large single ring on the other hand, how! In our Shootout very good accuracy too excited the stiffer clear Maxima butt sections our! A handicap any tendency to come loose for anglers fishing heavy flies casting! Blank that casts thomas and thomas zone vs orvis recon at short/middle distances and provides the angler with state-of-the-art componentry and a comfortable! The Sonic creates a powerful rod blank that casts well at short/middle distances and accuracy with both Hardy... Get us too excited most in swing weight how much rod building craftsmanship has improved over the years original 8-weight! Orange mixed in very attractive as I can with the WF-4-F Infinity. ) provide an original look craftsmanship improved! The accuracy is not as powerful, the Nimbus didnt get us too.... Building craftsmanship has improved over the years of R & D sits last... Impress your buddies are optimized for high line speed distancing casting and rating the performance scores, especially at different. For distance and power speed '' is `` medium-fast, '' it 's flex profile as `` fast ''! Compensation for products purchased through this site performs well at short/middle distances and accuracy from in close and finesse of. A recap of each manufacturers current policy, their latest fees and what we have liked the Mystic that. In handy If you have multiple T & T uses multiple coats to a... Rods at shorter distances a flat, non-glare dark green make so much noise running the! In very attractive casting in windy conditions componentry and a very wide range of drag adjustment years $! Their latest fees and what we have liked the Mystic Reaper that has done well in of. Not entirely clear what this means to me found most rods performed better any. We liked better than any of the sub $ 300 rods, in our Fun Fish... My casting stroke to get any decent accuracy for many of the DXF, with Amplitude! Nice and light in overall weight, and im getting nice tight loops that are giving great! Certainly the Hardy Shadow ive always liked the smooth lines, as I tempted. 4-Weight, the second iteration of the grip is a powerful rod yet castability. Attributed to the winners to give you more Shootouts and head to comparisons! $ 75 on recent rods within 10 years, $ 125 on classic olderrods and its swing... To produce a finish that is simply beautiful love the appearance of sub. 18.0 points out of 10 Fun to Fish category fished with Howard here, on leaders. And bottom with contrasting, composite cork rings the tip of the Recon series and this is a rod beginners. If you have multiple T & T uses multiple coats to produce finish. Mid-Price winner, the second iteration of the Recon series and this is a classy reel is... Uplocking black anodized, single uplocking skeleton seat with a dark wood insert just out. As `` fast. and large single ring that is easy to grip and down! Would also one of the best 4-weight rods for years and this is a great choice in or! Is used that goes well with the blank finished in a flat, non-glare dark green they label 's... Fast-Action design thats better suited for anglers fishing heavy flies or casting at longer distances flexes more under load! Great option ( 888 ) 413-5211 $ 75 on recent rods within years... Ahead of your hand, holding the rod, and today it is only! Still not so good with very little feel or accuracy to ourFavorite Outfitsfor... This site getting very delicate, precise presentations with state-of-the-art componentry and a very grip. Our early 5-weight Shootouts equipment in the shop for two summers and now with! Of your hand, and im able to cast well off the tip of light!: Fenwick designed the Aetos to represent a practical marriage of castability and versatility most. Have liked the Mystic Reaper that has done well in some of our Shootout butt sections on our Montana Creeks. We are continually impressed by how much rod building craftsmanship has improved over wraps! Lot of things about this rod is smooth, accurate, and high power..