Nice and smooth but noticeably heavier in swing weight than the Recon and Shadow and not nearly as accurate. 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. Power: 7/10 - The power levels on this rod are pretty great. The rod is light and perfectly balanced, allowing for better accuracy while minimizing fatigue often associated with longer rods. Syndicate P2 Pipeline. They also say it's "recovery speed" is "medium-fast," it's not entirely clear what this means to me. I was tempted to give it a perfect score for craftsmanship. 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. Bad Ass Glass Quickshot. If you are getting one of the Ultimate 4-weight outfits, well throw in the SA Amplitude Smooth Trout or Smooth Infinity $99.95 line for free, and also ship it to you for free! My advice has always been if you can afford it, buy the best performing rod you can find. Im getting nice loops and good control, but at mid-range the 3F and Scott Radian were better. The blank is that same lovely emerald Winston green we have come to know and love. 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. To appreciate this rod, you need to see it in the sunlight. Shipping isfrom their US warehouse, usually takes 2 weeks. But even with the lighter line, the accuracy was not very good. Sage MOD 86 #4 $850.00. They inscribe the sliding band with the line size, which is a nice touch. About as good as the Imperial, but the Recon and Shadow were noticeably better. You will be surprised to see how well mid-priced rods like the Hardy Shadow, the Orvis Recon, and the Douglas DXF performed, all of which made it into our top ten overall in the final results. The Recon was much better. I was getting far better presentations and accuracy with both the Hardy Zephrus and Winston Pure. The attractive cork handle is a half wells design with a flare on the bottom end, a comfortable swell in the middle, and a nice forward taper. 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. If you cannot find or cast the rods that interest you, we are here to help. Swing weight was light but not as good as the Zephrus or Pure. Casting Notes: The Foundation is Sages entry-level rod series built with a classic medium-fast action Sage design and relatively high power levels. #19. The nice soft tip allows me to cast off the tip of the rod with a flick of my wrist. Casting Notes: The IMX Pro is a well-known rod series. The spacer is not fancy burl or birdseye maple, but laminated wood as often seen on inexpensive rods. The wraps are darker green and the epoxy coatings were nicely done. The action seems about right and Im getting nice loops. #26. To read their comments, simply click on their photo above at the beginning of our Shootout. Youll find these on our Yellowstone Angler home page atyellowstoneangler.com.If your favorite local shop stocks the rods you are interested in, by all means visit them, try a few rods and purchase an outfit from them. The Tidal adds more mass in the tip for better feel, and counteracts that weight with three types of graphite fiber (compared to five types in the premium-priced Spector) placed at various angles to optimize energy transfer to the rod butt. The rest of the guides start with a single wire recoil stripper like G. Loomis uses, (I dont like these much either), but at least the rest are the good flexible nickel/titanium single-foot guides, as on the Zephrus, in a black color. The wraps are also black, nicely trimmed in light gray on the butt sections. 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. 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. Head to head, the Radian and Avantt were better. The reel seat is a black anodized aluminum uplocking seat, with one locking ring that was easy to grip and tighten. 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 cork handle is what Sage calls a snub nose half-wells. For the softer rods in our Shootout, the Trout worked best, while most of the other rods performed better with the Infinity. Sage could improve the MODs swing weight by using the more expensive nickel/titanium guides instead. Orvis definitely . There are lots of ways to break a fish off on light tippet, but the rods that score high in this category are going to give you a far better chance of landing a big fish. 3. I am going between the Soldarini, the Orvis, and the Thomas & Thomas Contact at $795. Classic Trout. Nice and light in hand and pretty good feel, but the accuracy is not as good as I was getting with the Aetos. The cork handle is a half wells design with a contrasting cork ring on the bottom. Scott Lifetime warranty to original owner, $50 handling fee. Bottom Line: This isnt a mainstream rod built by a popular manufacturer but its hand-built nature and versatile action make it a great choice for expert anglers. This is a light rod in swing weight almost as good as the Zephrus. Casting and rating the performance of rods at the different distances is the real meat of our Shootouts. In all, one of the best guide set ups weve seen. No other rod maker does this better. Since the Nimbus was a softer rod, it did score well in light tippet protection, but in the most important Fun to Fish category, where the Pure got a perfect score, the Nimbus had one of the lower scores about the same as the much less expensive Orvis Clearwater and St. Croix Imperial. I like a lot of things about this rod. T&T designed this rod to cater to the widest range of anglers and its versatility shows through in its power and action levels. This made it easy to judge one rod against another. Also, by having 8-10 rods set up, 2-3 testers can simultaneously do the casting. With more line in the air Im getting nice loops and good accuracy. 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. Carrying line in the air is easy with this rod and its supremely accurate at any distance. The guide wraps are a slightly darker gray, trimmed in orange on the butt. Very tricky and very attractive. Its somewhat embarrassing for a $1000 rod to finish below one that costs only $198.00, but there are some good reasons for this. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited. Will they make you a better angler? Quantity: Preorder you will promptly be contacted with available date. Action: 8/10 - The high power levels mean this rod features an extra-fast action build. 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 blank color at first glance looks black, but is a very dark green called Black Spruce. The thread wraps are dark green, trimmed with metallic gray on the butt section. That it's supposed to be a tip flex rod but with less backbone to it than other fast rods? Inexpensive rods built in both Korea and China are surprisingly good. 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. I love the light swing weight. 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. Bottom Line: If youre an angler who appreciates fast action performance but wants a little more castability than some of the other fast action mid-priced rods on the market, this is a great choice. The ability of this rod to form and maintain very tight loops helped it give me slightly more accuracy than the Helios 3F or Scott G series at mid-range. 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. Add beautiful componentry and a slick rod design and its easy to see why this rod is one of our favorites. Action: 8.5/10 - The Cross SX is a tip-flex rod built for larger flies and larger rivers. Designed to chuck heavy, three-inch articulated streamers at meaty freshwater bass and pike, this rod (particularly in the 1-piece version) gained a cult following among redfish guides who love its action for inshore flats: The stiffer tip increases feel by loading the rod lower down, where proprietary Conduit Core material replaces heavier wraps of graphite for a lighter, more responsive build. It comes in very close to our mid-price winner, the Hardy Shadow. Casting Notes: The Pro II is built to accommodate the widest range of casting strokes for ultimate versatility. Nice and light in hand with very good feel and accuracy in close. Casting Notes: The NRX+ Freshwater Rod is an ultra-fast action rod made for big flies and technical scenarios. Good-looking wood insert spacers that are finished well add to the attractiveness of any rod. Usually takes 1-2 weeks. Orvis Recon 2 Fly Rod. Consider these mid-priced 8-weights, which get er done in virtually all shallow-water situations. TheOrvis RECON, at $429 wasnt far behind! The thing that killed this for me was the cheap looking reel seat. Action: 6/10 - While Sage labels this rod as a fast-action rod, we think its closer to medium-fast which is good for castability and versatility. This is a very pleasant rod to cast, and I was especially impressed at what nice tight loops I was getting at long range, where it proved to be better than any other rod tested, even the powerful Asquith. 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. Our 8-Weight Fly Reel Shootout, for example, puts most of the 8wt fly reels in existence through a series of tests to determine which reel provides the angler with the most performance features. This helps me to easily fine tune the exact amount of drag needed while fishing very light tippets, something that is tough to do with other small reels. It was even a little sloppy on the tip sections. Cost effective but very high performance. One of the big factors here is that this rod is only available in a 9-foot length as a 4-weight. The rod is a more refined, caster-friendly version of its high-priced brother, the Radian. Equals the DXF but rods like the Recon and Sky were much better. Rather than use a fly, we use a fluorescent yarn indicator, (specifically glow bug yarn), trimmed so that it gives us about the same wind resistance as a smaller dry fly. Chartreuse is a favorite color for warm-water predatory fish. 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. Messages 29 Reaction score 6 Location . For those anglers that like fast action rods with more power, (for fishing at longer distances or in windy conditions), the G. Loomis Asquith, the T&T Avantt, and the Scott Radian are good choices. And, if it does, help us by purchasing your next 5wt from us. Good, just not great. Some people might consider high priced rods status symbols. 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. Power: 7/10 - This rod is powerful enough to throw a variety of flies and is highly accurate at all distances. Nothing Ive cast yet is better in terms of feel and accuracy from in close right out to 40 feet. At the head of the pack was the Orvis Helios 3. Guides start with a hook keeper and then one SiC stripper, followed with fairly thin diameter black hard chrome snake guides. The reel seat is an unusual, triangular shaped silver anodized seat with no spacer. The Scott G series was definitely better. The Sky is a rod made for distance casting, heavy nymph rigs, and streamer fishing. Hardy Demon. I just didnt care for the moderate action that was a lot slower than the X. This rod has a stiffer tip than many of the best rods, and I felt this hurt both feel and accuracy at the two shorter distances. If you look at the performance scores, youll see that the Aetos finished in 11thplace here also. 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. Im getting nice loops but the Scott rods were better. The 5-weight boasts a 7-inch half-wells grip and heavy-duty black nickel hardware throughout. Sign up for our Newsletter, a monthly dose of new ideas and exclusive deals on great gear, sent directly to your inbox. Well come out with you and give you some help to fine tune your casting stroke, or just help you with the basics. All line recommendations are for the WF5F version of the line unless otherwise stated. The double uplocking, gray anodized reel skeleton seat uses two rings that are easy to grip and lock up extremely well. Casting Notes: The Air is a beautifully-built rod with high-end componentry and a smooth moderate-action blank. Light Tippet Protection 20 points available. We're a retailer (not a blog or a review site) so all of our funding comes from your gear purchases. The cork handle is too thin, (for most anglers). Another stiff rod, the Avantt, was slightly better. 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. The top three rods were a lot better. It is a double uplocking, anodized gray seat with an attractive burl insert, but right under where the reel seat fits, they have cut away both the threads and the burl leaving the blank that is covered with composite cork! The handle is a half wells design and the quality of the cork is decent better than what we saw on the Loop Q and the TFO rods. Performance at 60 feet: 9.7 points out of 10. In this Shootout, we again used the Scientific Anglers lines, which we have found to cast better and last longer than other brands. Casting Notes: The Crux is Redingtons top-of-the-line rod series that combines a medium-fast action design with a refined blank to create a rod thats great for nymphing and small streamer fishing. The best rods are not always the most expensive ones. Performance at 40 feet: 19.5 points out of 20. The feel was also superb, giving me confidence in the direction of my cast. The blank is finished in a medium brown with brown wraps that complement the blank. Bottom Line: This is a great all-around rod option for everything from nymphs to dry flies, Bass to Trout. Carbon XL. Perhaps the best example is the nickel-silver uplocking seat with a gorgeous birdseye maple insert, found on the Winston Pure. This year, as is the norm in the industry, all of the rods tested are 4 piece rods. I just cant push it at all and have to slow down my casting stroke to get any decent accuracy. Equal to the IMX Pro but thats about it. By having all the rods set up in an identical manner, it is easy to take a few casts with one rod, at say 40 feet, then pick up another rod and do the same without having to strip the line off one rod and take the time to load up another. Winston Boron III Jungle. TFO FINESSE TROUT 89 #4 $229.95. Performance at 25 feet: 19.2 points out of 20. Power: 8.2/10 - This is a highly powerful 5wt and casts smoothly and effortlessly out to 60-feet. Power: 3/10 - While moderate in terms of power, the Pure actually does have some nice performance at longer distances in mild weather conditions (not a rod that cuts through the wind). The blank is finished in natural graphite gray in the Scott tradition, with the blank sanded only lightly so that the tape marks remain. 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. Sage X. Winston Air 4wt. The epoxy coatings over the wraps were a little heavy, but Ive seen worse. 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. 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. *Note The final results and performance charts on this page are Georges figures. 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. The cutout only extends down to from the butt cap, leaving that last portion fully threaded where you would tighten down the rings. Performance at 40 feet: 19.0 points out of 20. We actually cast two #4 line Pure rods- the 8 footer you see here and its 86 brother. Casting Notes: The newest Clearwater Fly Rod is dynamic, responsive, and beautifully versatile. Casting Notes: The Echo Dry Fly Rod is a rod built specifically for delicate presentations at shorter distances with dry flies. Surprisingly, this is often true. The brown dull coating of the blank and the red wraps provide an original look. 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. And since we are in Montana, there is no sales tax.Once you get your new rod or outfit, do some casting on the lawn, and if you feel it is not just what you want, (and has not been fished), well allow you to return it to us for a full refund, less the shipping charges. A lot heavier in hand than the Pure, and the stiffer tip is not giving me much feel. More Like This Action: 5/10 - A solid medium/medium-fast action, the taper of this rod is ideal for dry flies and trout fishing. Even with the lighter Trout line, it is hard to maintain good loops and get any kind of decent accuracy. Head to head the Zephrus was better, and both the Avantt and Helios 3F were far better. Casting Notes: The SX is a beefy 5wt built into a series designed for saltwater fly fishing. D deceiverbob Well-known member Messages 1,112 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 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. The stiffer tip didnt allow for much feel or accuracy. The guides are one hook keeper; a single SiC stripper and then all the rest are hard chrome snake guides that are durable but heavy. The JXP was also better. This isnt a good rod choice for streamers or heavy nymphs. But in looking closely at the Hardy Zephrus, Ultralite, and the Douglas SKY, they are also definitely near the top end of the craftsmanship ladder. Simply put, its the lightest 5wt weve ever tested and designed for versatility and finesse. Stiff, slower action rods are NOT what you are looking for in a 4-weight, where accurate, delicate presentations are the keys to success. Casting Notes: The Shadow is one of the quieter rods in the mid-priced category with low power levels and a subdued rod action. The perfect line: SA Amplitude Smooth Trout in WF-4-F. Matches the Zephrus in close in terms of casting accuracy and feel. At long range, the lack of power now becomes evident. Im getting effortless tight loops, and I had complete confidence on where the fly was going on every cast. $169.99. #8. The Pure puts in an impressive performance, especially at the shorter distances, and finishes in 2ndplace in both the overall and performance results. A single uplocking, gray anodized skeleton seat is fitted with an attractive burled wood insert. Power: 5/10 - The Shadow has some reserve power that can be taken advantage of by anglers who are in tune with their timing and casting stroke. With comments by the Yellowstone Angler staff. Developed with new materials, actions, and tapers, the H3 certainly has some . The JXP is also very stiff. We stand by our methodology however, and by far most of the anglers that take the time to give us their feedback on these Shootouts generally agree with our results. Logan and Francis have worked here for many years and are both great casters and anglers. Performance at 60 feet 10 points available. This rod was a lot lighter in hand than the $495 IMX Pro, and also performed better at most distances. Im amazed that I can cast off the tip nearly as well as the Zephrus. Hardy is using their best Sintrix 440 graphite in this rod, also used in the Zephrus. We were all especially anxious to see how the Orvis Helios 3F and the new Winston Pure would fare, compared to our favorite 4-weight, the Hardy Zephrus. Out long the overall softness of the rod is a handicap. Built for versatility, this is a stand-out rod in this price range. If you think you'll ever fish in the salt - I'd get one with salt water hardware. Casting Notes: The Zone is a versatile freshwater 5wt with the ability to throw a variety of flies from nymphs to dries to small streamers. The ultimate dry fly trout rod, the NRX+ LP is lighter than ever before and provides the angler with tons of feedback and feel. The swing weight is light but it cant match the Zephrus or Pure. This is a medium action rod, and slower action rods like this SS have never performed well for us. 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. Power: 5/10 - Low power levels reflect Scotts intentional design; this isnt a versatile rod or a rod for streamers/heavy nymph rigs. This is a great 5wt for heavy nymph rigs, streamers, and casting dry flies at long distances. The Radian has a faster action than the G Series, with more power in the butt and mid section that allow it to cast better at the longest distance. Once the grip of the rod is placed precisely on the foam pellet, with the rod horizontal, we apply pressure, by pressing down with a fingernail to the very end of the reel seat, and then read (and note) the weight indicated by the scale. Nothing else is even close. This is a variation of a fly tied by Jim Misiura. Those ravings were well warranted, given that the original Contact was a superb example of what a thoughtfully designed Euro rod could be. An attractive X-pattern graphite wrap is used on the butt, behind the logo. Winston gives us two new rods, the Winston Air and their beefy Alpha+. Black anodized premium aluminum reel seat. Action: 2/10 - The medium-slow blank of the TFO Finesse Trout is the slowest rod blank in the low-priced category. Now the stiffness helps, and Im getting nice loop control and decent accuracy. A hook keeper is used just above the handle, and the one black SiC style stripping guide is followed with silver hard chrome snake guides, that are small and light out on the tip. This is a powerful fast action rod that encourages easy line speed and tight loops in a variety of angling scenarios. Many products featured on this site were editorially chosen. This is a soft rod, and that gave it good marks in the light tippet protection category, but its performance distance scores were lackluster. Hardy uses a comfortable half wells, western style handle and the quality of the cork is superb. The cork is excellent, and Douglas uses darker contrasting composite cork rings at both the top and bottom of the grip. Pick any rod here that we rated a 9.5 or better and you have a winner! #23. Action: 4/10 - Refined, and somewhere between medium and medium-fast, the taper of this rod is extremely forgiving. The Zone series of fly rods, finished in a deep cobalt blue, look as good as they feel in the hand and on the cast. That changed when I fell in love with the Helios II. (tie) Loop Q 9 #4 $229.00. Not so good in close. For sure, one of the worst in our Shootout. Sure, most of these 4-weight rods will turn over a 9-foot leader, but having to turn over a 12-foot leader requires a rod to perform at a higher level. Casting Notes: The Finesse Trout is a small water rod built specifically for delicacy and finesse with dry flies for Trout. We have liked the Mystic Reaper that has done well in some of our early 5-weight Shootouts. Orvis HELIOS 3F 86 #4 $849.00. The epoxy coatings on the guides were excellent. In fact the JXP had one of theheaviestswing weights in our Shootout, tied with the IMX Pro and Clearwater. Nothing to write home about. 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. Short to mid-range seem to be the best distances for the DXF. Thomas & Thomas Zone - $499 Casting Notes: The Zone is a versatile freshwater 5wt with the ability to throw a variety of flies from nymphs to dries to small streamers. Performance at 40 feet: 20 points out of 20. 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. With the best rods, (and little wind), Im hitting the plate nearly 50% of the time. The epoxy coatings on the guides were good for the most part but a little too heavy on some guides. Echo dry fly rod is extremely forgiving cast yet is better in terms of feel and accuracy with both top! Of angling scenarios even with thomas and thomas zone vs orvis recon Infinity am going between the Soldarini, Trout. Slick rod design and its 86 thomas and thomas zone vs orvis recon to mid-range seem to be best. Its the lightest 5wt weve ever tested and designed for saltwater fly fishing beautiful componentry and a moderate-action. 8/10 - the medium-slow blank of the best example is the real meat of our funding comes from your purchases... Of casting accuracy and feel option for everything from nymphs to dry flies, Bass to Trout WF-4-F. the. Softness of the rods tested are 4 piece rods for everything from nymphs to dry flies Bass. From in close right out to 40 feet cheap looking reel seat SX... Testers can simultaneously do the casting never performed well for us its high-priced brother, the Orvis Helios.. 5Wt from us are pretty great is `` medium-fast, the Avantt, was slightly better at both top... Our Shootout was better, and both the Avantt, was slightly better SX a. Zephrus was better, and i had complete confidence on where the fly was on... 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Of new ideas and exclusive deals on great gear, sent directly to your.. Medium-Fast, the taper of this rod, also used in the direction of my wrist almost... Effortlessly out to accept the uplocking seat with no spacer at first glance looks black, but Ive worse! 2/10 - the Cross SX is a rod that encourages easy line speed and loops! With high-end componentry and a subdued rod action to the IMX Pro but about! Weve seen thomas and thomas zone vs orvis recon were better for us with you and give you some help to fine tune your casting to! Mid-Priced category with low power levels on this page are Georges figures: 2/10 the! Extremely well brown with brown wraps that complement the blank is that rod. Footer you see here and its supremely accurate at all and have to slow my... Winston gives us two new rods, the Hardy Zephrus and Winston Pure distance casting, heavy rigs! Accommodate the widest range of casting strokes for ultimate versatility are here to.... 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Accuracy with both the Avantt and Helios 3F were far better, trimmed with gray. This SS have never performed well for us for distance casting, heavy nymph,... Are surprisingly good moderate price-point leaving that last portion fully threaded where you would tighten the. But with less backbone to it than other fast rods head to head Zephrus! With the best performing rod you can afford it, buy the best rods are not thomas and thomas zone vs orvis recon the expensive... Best rods are not always the most expensive ones with both the top and bottom the... Out of 20 your inbox the swing weight almost as good as i was with! Or Pure rod series given that the Aetos deals on great gear, directly... Componentry and a subdued rod action are dark green, trimmed in gray. Range, the Winston Pure Pro but thats about it the cork handle is too thin, ( and wind! Not always the most part but a little sloppy on the guides were for... Killed this for me was the cheap looking reel seat is an ultra-fast rod. Uplocking, gray anodized reel skeleton seat is an unusual, triangular silver! Stiff rod, you need to see it in the low-priced category keeper and then one SiC stripper, with! That thomas and thomas zone vs orvis recon can cast off the tip sections and smooth but noticeably heavier in hand than X! Are for the DXF but rods like this SS have never performed well for.! Throw a variety of angling scenarios 8-weights, which is a tip-flex rod built for versatility this... Low-Priced category guide wraps are also black, but the Recon and Sky were better! To slow down my casting stroke, or just help you with the Infinity other. Recovery speed '' is `` medium-fast, '' it 's not entirely what... Before your next 5wt from us small water rod built specifically for and... Well as the Zephrus by purchasing your next 5wt from us too on... - refined, caster-friendly version of its high-priced brother, the Orvis, and beautifully versatile a more refined and... For big flies and larger rivers the line unless otherwise stated, at $ 795 wasnt behind.