#8. Consider these mid-priced 8-weights, which get er done in virtually all shallow-water situations. Sure, the best rods are generally in the higher price bracket, and are usually worth spending the extra dough, even if you have to save up to buy the one you really want. Performance at 60 feet: 8.8 points out of 10. The casting scores were only fair to good, and in my notes I say that I am getting very little feel or accuracy in close compared to the best rods. Its medium action is far slower than the Recon or their H3F, and it didnt perform nearly as well, especially at 25 feet. Below are all the 4-weight rods in the order they finished. The final change in our performance categories is putting a lower value of 10 points on the longest distance 60 feet. Much better at our middle distance, and here it is as good as the K2 and Douglas SKY. It does feel very comfortable to me when Im casting it. Power: 7/10 - This is a powerful rod that cuts through the wind, recovers relatively quickly, and allows anglers to present flies at longer distances. The cork handle is a half wells design with a stack of thin corks as on the Helios 3F. This rod was a lot lighter in hand than the $495 IMX Pro, and also performed better at most distances. $35 handling fee. Both the feel and accuracy were outstanding. Developed with new materials, actions, and tapers, the H3 certainly has some . The blank is olive green with matching olive wraps that are trimmed in gold on the two lower sections. The cork handle is a more conventional western style grip than found on their Radian, with a flare on the back to accept the black anodized single uplocking seat that utilizes a brown graphite insert. In the 4, 5, and 6-weights, the DXF is a great casting rod. This rod uses the more conventional slip over ferrule design as on all but one of the other rods in our Shootout. The build of this rod, however, creates one of the most versatile, caster-friendly models in the sub-$500 price-range and the Shadow probably fits the widest range of casting strokes in the mid-priced 5wt category. Better now, with more line in the air, but the G series was still a little better in both feel and accuracy. This was one of the rods that we felt needed the lighter Trout line. $199.95. We've also set up some charts so you can easily compare rods based on the power/action matrix explained above in the entry-level price-point, mid-level price-point, and high price-point. 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. #6. Here youll find our recommendations in three price ranges: The Ultimate Outfit, Mid Priced Outfit and Best Buy Outfit. Orvis 25 year warranty to original owner. Bad Ass Glass Quickshot. In making the deflection chart, we first put up some white butcher paper on the wall. In all, one of the best guide set ups weve seen. Casting Notes: The BVK is designed for double nymph rigs, streamers, and long-distance casting in windy conditions. Performance at 40 feet 20 points available. We have been impressed with the Avantt in the 5-weight, and the 4-weight is another terrific rod. Below the final results charts we give you the exact repair charges for each manufacturer. This isnt a good rod choice for streamers or heavy nymphs. The new rod is a lot more powerful and handles those mid to long distances with ease, tracking well and giving me nice tight loops. The Pure is unquestionably one of the best looking rods in our Shootout, with some of the best craftsmanship. One thing I like is that there is a serial number on each rod section. An oversize tip-top is fitted to match the large guides. Casting Notes: The DXF is Douglas fast action rod series and includes a 5wt thats high-performing, lightweight, and powerful. We like the lower price, and you cant expect the same kind of performance as the $845 Avantt which uses a more expensive, higher modulus graphite. The epoxy coatings are good but too heavy for my liking. We deleted our Perfect 4 performance category, since it seemed redundant, given the fact that we give you our opinions for our favorite 4-weights in the Fun to Fish, got to have category. We decided it was time for another 4-weight Shootout, since a great 4-weight rod is hard to beat for the angler that loves to fish smaller dry flies. The epoxy coatings on the guides are top notch. The Galvan Torque reels have proven to be wonderful reels. Natural finish carbon appearance. A slightly oldie but goodie. If you are looking for that perfect saltwater outfit, then use ourFavorite Saltwater Outfitslink. Thomas and Thomas $55 repair charges for the original owner, includes shipping. With 4-weight rods the emphasis is on the shorter distances, as rarely would an angler be casting a 4-weight at 60 feet or more. The accuracy was good but not as good as the DXF or all of the best rods. The Scott G series was definitely better. The overall craftsmanship is excellent. If you find yourself fishing more hoppers and larger dries, you will like this rod as it will really fire them in there with authority. Craftsmanship is second to none, and is what we have now come to expect from T&T. It would be so much better with a WF-5-F. And a look at the deflection chart confirms this. $998.00. $60 handling fee. Epoxy coatings on the wraps were a bit too heavy, adding unnecessary weight. The uplocking skeleton reel seat is silver anodized aluminum, with one good-sized locking ring and sliding band, similar to the Avantt. The updated Recon ( aka the 'Recon 2') is incredibly light - Orvis claims it's the lightest rod in its class, with the 9' 5wt model clocking in at 3oz on the dot. Orvis HELIOS 3F 86 #4 $849.00. He used Gartside's Super-Secret Stuff as a flash material but here we will use Hareline's Ice Wing Fiber as a substitute. Action: 5/10 - The Sky G falls into the medium-fast category which widens its application and castability. Very little feel or accuracy. Bottom Line: If youre an angler who knows how to adjust your timing and needs a rod for windy scenarios or long distance casting, this is a great rod option. Heavy, slower action rods never perform well. Chloe has been working in the shop for two summers and now works with us full time. Dont fret about the price youll find some ingenious way to sneak it into your collection of rods without the mrs. (or mr.) finding out. 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. Then we progressed to the mid-priced rods and finally the least expensive rods. We set out three sets of paper plates as targets, with plenty of distance between each casting line so that no one was getting tangled up. The blank is finished in natural graphite gray in the Scott tradition, with the blank sanded only lightly so that the tape marks remain. I found the locking rings easy to grip and tighten. I was getting far better presentations and accuracy with both the Hardy Zephrus and Winston Pure. Power: 4/10 - While this is a dry fly rod, it has a little reserve power to allow anglers to present dries accuracy at medium-long distances, too. I wish there was a hook keeper, which I find very useful on light rods, but there is none. For this Shootout, we again checked the warranty policies in detail, as some have changed slightly. The AETOS is powerful enough for double nymph rigs and small streamers or dry flies at longer distances. For most of my fishing with a 4-weight rod in critical conditions Im using one of our 12-foot leaders down to a 5X or 6X tippet, but in the Shootout we stick with 4X Rio Powerflex as a tippet in order to minimize breaking off the yarn indicator. 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. Bottom Line: This is a fly rod for dry flies and short distances only. One of the big factors here is that this rod is only available in a 9-foot length as a 4-weight. Casting Notes: The Echo Dry Fly Rod is a rod built specifically for delicate presentations at shorter distances with dry flies. We're a retailer (not a blog or a review site) so all of our funding comes from your gear purchases. More manufacturers should use light guides like this to minimize swing weight if they arent using the more expensive nickel-titanium guides. I had the chance to fish both the 9' 5wt and 8'4" 3wt Recons, side-by-side with the older models, and there is a noticeable weight difference in the updated rods. This one is simple The least expensive rods get the highest points. Douglas uses a dark green anodized double ring uplocking seat, with an attractive brown wood burl insert. The blank is finished in a dark olive green with dark green wraps, that include a little light green trim on the butt. The craftsmanship was very good, but not good enough to give it a perfect score like the Pure. Power: 7.5/10 - This was the second-highest power score awarded in the low-priced category. That might be the answer, but then it would likely be more of a 3-weight rod than a 4-weight. The Trace casts well at short/middle distances and provides the angler with enough feedback/feel for accuracy and finesse. One of the things I like the most is that they have a large drag knob and a very wide range of drag adjustment. 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. I liked the medium fast action, and this was a pleasantly smooth rod to cast, especially at the longer distances. The epoxy coatings over the wraps were a little heavy, but Ive seen worse. Power: 7.2/10 - More refined than other high-powered 5wts, the Radian has enough power for larger rivers but is a little more versatile than technical rods like the 3D. The X is a medium fast action rod built with Sages KonneticHD technology that they say delivers greater blank recovery and good dampening. But these methods and calculations were disconnected from what we were actually experiencing in our hand so, for our last 4 Shootouts, we have gone back to our original method of calculation, explained above. The 8 foot rod had a much slower action and a stiffer tip than the 8 footer, and didnt cast nearly as well. 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. I think this is due to the fact that this is a stiffer rod than the other good 4-weights, including Scotts own G-Series. In the past we have used the Scientific Anglers lines since they shoot better and hold up longer than any other line we have found. 810, 1-piece or 4-piece, $525, All the R&D that gave Orviss flagship H3 its dazzlingly light swing weight and sharpshooter accuracy gets replicated in the Recon, using a more approachably-priced package of resin fibers. Of these rods built in Korea, the Hardy rods are designed in England, the Douglas rods are designed here in the U.S., the Loop rods are designed in Sweden. Now Im getting nice tight loops, and the rod tracks very well with better feel and accuracy. Rating: 100%. Ive helped many manufacturers like G. Loomis, Sage, Winston, Loop, Douglas, and Scott with their rod design process. Here is a brand new rod from Loop that we liked better than their stiffer, more expensive Cross rods. The single uplocking seat is gray anodized aluminum, and doesnt use a spacer, but does have some trick looking cutouts on each side. Action: 6.5/10 - The medium-fast action of the Axiom II contributes to the rods versatility and forgiving design. Add to Cart. The components are not in the same class as the Helios 3F, but that is to be expected considering the price. For guides, they use one SiC stripping guide followed with hard chrome snake guides that are thin and light on the tip sections. It was one of the worst rods in the important swing weight category, and it was near the bottom in light tippet protection too. Casting Notes: The Finesse Trout is a small water rod built specifically for delicacy and finesse with dry flies for Trout. Bottom Line: This is a great all-around rod option for everything from nymphs to dry flies, Bass to Trout. To read their comments, simply click on their photo above at the beginning of our Shootout. Power: 5.5/10 - This rod recovers quickly and features a strong rod blank with plenty of lightweight reserve power. The action of these two rods is very different. Power: 7/10 - This rod is powerful enough to throw a variety of flies and is highly accurate at all distances. The 8-weight Asquith won our recent 2018, 8-weight Shootout, putting in a marvelous performance. 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. The guides start out with a hook keeper, then one SiC stripper followed with hard chrome snake guides that are nice and light on the tip sections. The accuracy suffers too. Hardy uses their Sintrix 220 in this rod, a lower modulus graphite than the Sintrix 440 used in the Zephrus, but it provides easy loading yet a sharp recovery. 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. A black anodized double uplocking seat is used with an attractive wood burl insert. #2. Action: 6/10 - A medium-fast action rod design makes turning over heavy nymph rigs a breeze with this 5wt. Each rod is positioned at approximately a 45-degree angle, and then a lead weight of 3.9 oz. Performance at 60 feet: 7.0 points out of 10. Loop has built some important features into this rod to make it lightweight and snappy. Power: 8/10 - The stiff blank of the Sonic creates a powerful rod blank that casts well at long distances. #21. 1; 2; First Prev 2 of 2 Go to page. Hardy is using their best Sintrix 440 graphite in this rod, also used in the Zephrus. The Pure is a brand new rod from Winston. Performance at 40 feet: 19.2 points out of 20. 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. 7 Reviews. The TFO rods, the Taylor rods, the Mystic rod, and the Waterworks rods are all designed here in the U.S. and built in Asia. Long distance was hopeless. Sharing the advanced StratoTherm resin developed for the acclaimed Avantt and Exocett series, Zone rods are rolled and built by hand alongside those flagship models right here . It received one of the lower power scores in the low-priced category. For guides, there is a hook keeper just above the handle, and then one SiC stripping guide followed by hard chrome snake guides. The JXP is also very stiff. The moderate action of the Classic Trout caters to anglers with a slower casting stroke who prioritize delicacy inside 40-feet. The stiffness is a bonus at long range. The accuracy was not good either. The amount of power seems to be about right, and it performed best at the longer distances where I could punch it hard without throwing tailing loops. 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. $60 handling fee. For this reason, we are again using our own Yellowstone Angler Clear Butt leaders in 12-foot 4X. Therefore, this buyer's guide should help you determine which 5wt is best for you. This is one of the best looking rods in our Shootout. TFO uses an olive green blank for this rod, with olive wraps that are trimmed in gold on the butt sections. This isnt a rod that will give you feedback and feel at short range. The new Orvis rods are clearly to be taken seriously. Performance at 25 feet: 19.2 points out of 20. LoopLifetime warranty to original owner. 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. Orvis Recon 5wt. Casting Notes: The Pulse is slightly more powerful than the Foundation with a rod taper thats a little more forgiving. For others, seeing how a rod performs in an expert casters hands, convinces them it would make them great anglers as well, or at least take them to the next level. The DXF and both Scott rods were better, while the Zephrus and Pure were in a totally different league. A great 4-weight rod is the best tool Ive found to meet these demands. Below, we provide power levels, action levels, casting notes, and a line recommendation for the majority of the 5wt rods we carry. 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. Copy of Sage Z-Axis (example) G. Loomis Asquith 8wt. With comments by the Yellowstone Angler staff. Casting Notes: The Shadow is one of the quieter rods in the mid-priced category with low power levels and a subdued rod action. Wouldn't it be a better general 5# rod choice than Pro3 with MF action ? Only out long did I feel at a disadvantage to the best rods and I think part of this was due to the lighter Trout line. Those rods are both a lot lighter in swing weight and faster in action. 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. It has a sliding band and single locking ring that seems to lock up well enough but squeaks a little as you tighten it. 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. Action: 5/10 - This is a mid-flex, moderate-action dry fly rod thats ideal for short-distance delicacy and encourages the angler to slow down his/her casting stroke. The 5wt is a great boat rod with ample versatility and the ability to throw nymph rigs and mend line all day long. Nothing beats this rod at 40 feet. 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. The cork handle is a half wells with a long taper at the front, that I found to be comfortable to grip. Ive always liked the smooth lines, as they dont make so much noise running through the guides. Logan and Francis have worked here for many years and are both great casters and anglers. We felt the 86 Helios 3F was the best rod to test since the 3D is available only in a 9-foot model. 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 handle is a western style grip, without much of a swell in the middle but a flare on the lower end to accommodate the uplocking reel seat. These single foot guides are finished in a dark color to complement the blank. I love the handle design it tapers outward allowing you to quickly get and maintain a good grip on the handle. TheHardy SHADOWat $349.95 takes the crown as our best mid-priced rod with an exceptional performance that put it into a tie for 4thplace overall with theT&T AVANTT. It had the power to hit 60 feet easily enough but my accuracy was not very good. 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. This rod doesnt encourage high line speeds or powerful performance at long distances. It also sits dead last in our Fun to Fish category. This rod has a medium fast action with tons of power in the butt and mid-section, which allowed it to perform pretty well at the longest distance. 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. R.L. Power: 3.3/10 - The Echo Dry is low on power levels for improved performance at short-range with small flies. The cutout only extends down to from the butt cap, leaving that last portion fully threaded where you would tighten down the rings. For most grips this will be at the midpoint in the swell, or the center of the grip. The cork handle is that same snub nose, half wells found on the X and feels very comfortable to me. In terms of performance, the Recon was actually better at mid to long range. The benefit of a slightly refined rod taper is the versatility that faster rods dont necessarily have. Good butt power also helps me land fish in a minimal amount of time. This is the best way to examine the action of each rod the faster action rods have tips that bend more, with stiffer butt and mid sections, while the more medium action rods will have softer butt and mid sections and stiffer tips. It often takes a little time for the rod to settle down from all this movement so we do this procedure 4-6 times and then take the average weight we are getting from the scale. We like the looks of this new Mystic rod and the craftsmanship is better than we found on the Reaper X, but the price is a lot higher also. If you are a Scott fan and want a rod for fishing at short to medium distances, youll likely prefer this rod over the Radian. 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. That's a lot. 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. 2 Reviews. Sign up for our Newsletter, a monthly dose of new ideas and exclusive deals on great gear, sent directly to your inbox. We kept the best rod in each category, high priced, medium priced, and inexpensive category handy for comparison. For 4-weight rods, when you are fishing at shorter distances, (most of the time), it is particularly important that leaders turn over well. Action: 3/10 - This is a moderate action fly rod with a mid-flex profile for enhanced dry fly capabilities. Its perhaps a little heavy in swing weight, and this as well as its stiffness, hurt its score at 25 feet. This hurt somewhat in its scores for swing weight and light tippet protection. Line Recommendation: RIO Gold Premier Fly Line. The rod features a stout butt section and a tip-flex design. Rods that flex in the tip are fast action rods, rods that flex in the mid-section are moderate action rods, and so on. $169.99. The blank is an attractive dark blue, with a matte non-glare finish. The locking ring is a little harder to grip and tighten than others. If the rod is broken because of a defect, or while fishing, replacement is free. Doing this with 6X or 7X tippet demands a good smooth drag with just the right amount of drag adjustment. I did not find that to be the case. Action: 4/10 - Refined, and somewhere between medium and medium-fast, the taper of this rod is extremely forgiving. Wow It is super light in hand, and 2. Fly rod power and fly rod action help answer the question 'what kind of fishing is this fly rod best suited for?'. Good, just not nearly as precise but the Zephrus and Pure. 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. 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 Helios 3 rods are available in both the D and F Series with the D series more designed for distance and power. Sometimes the whole rod is replaced. 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. It tracked well and the accuracy was good better than the Imperial at long range. . We knew it would be good when the Pure won an award for the Best New Freshwater Rod at the 2018 IFTD show in July. 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. Thomas and Thomas just introduced a very light presentation rod called the Paradigm, which complements their outstanding Avantt. Naturally, you must use a double haul and form good tight back cast loops to deliver accurate casts at these longer distances. The guides start with a hook keeper on the butt, then a single SiC stripping guide, followed with hard chrome single foot guides that seem sturdy enough, but are not nearly as good (or as light) as the nickel/titanium single foot guides used on the NRX LP. Casting Notes: The NRX+ Freshwater Rod is an ultra-fast action rod made for big flies and technical scenarios. I just didnt care for the moderate action that was a lot slower than the X. Performance at 40 feet: 20 points out of 20. The other reason is that this 9 #4 SKY is just too stiff for a 4-weight. The relatively heavy swing weight and stiffness are not giving me much feel, and the accuracy in close is not very good. I loved the crisp, fast action of the Avantt and its light swing weight, but unfortunately the Zone is not nearly as nice. Still, I felt it could be our 4-weight winner until I finished casting the Ultralite heads up with the winner, the Zephrus. Tracks beautifully with nice tight loops that are giving me great accuracy. The 4-weight Asquith was one of the stiffer rods in our Shootout and this hurt its scores at the shortest distance of 25 feet. At $650 I expected it to do better. Casting Notes: Distance and power are the name of the game with the Helios 3D. Here is a new rod that has not appeared in any of our previous Shootouts. 2022 Redington Butterstick Fiberglass Fly Rod. But superior craftsmanship commands a much higher price! How well are the guides wrapped and how nice are the coatings? 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