Several of these were the same basic 9 foot six weights, but with a fighting butt. WebImage: Scott Fly Rods Cast the do-it-all 9 foot 5 weight Centric (which will feel like a 4 weight in your hand) and youll be surprised how deeply the rod loads into the blank, how quickly it recovers, and how effortlessly such a lightweight package generates line speed. Steve Rajeff, G.Loomis head rod designer and 14 time all-around world fly casting champion, has done a terrific job in the re-design of the original NRX rods. Made of durable and lightweight carbon fiber. #3. I also like the handle design it tapers outward, allowing you to quickly get and maintain a solid grip. Impressive tight loops that gave me very good accuracy. The rod size is marked just above the cork handle. With the best rods, a good caster can place a dry fly (in our case an indicator) within a foot or two of the exact target (for our Shootout, a paper plate) on most casts, unless there is a lot of wind. G. Loomis NRX+ 9 #6 $ 795.00. In overall power it performed best at mid-distances, lacking a little power at long range. With a fly rod, the swing weight is the weight you feel out ahead of your hand, when the rod is held horizontally. The Sky G was in a class by itself here. The perfect line: S.A. Amplitude MPX in WF-6-F. The G. Loomis Asquith placed second, with a terrific all-around action that is a happy medium between the incredible feel of the Sky G and amazing power of NRX+. Better than what I expected, since the 3D is a more powerful rod. I like everything Hardy has done with this rod and was impressed with it when Howard Croston, Hardys head rod designer, brought it by our shop last fall so that we could to try it out. I really liked the way the Shadow performed here for a mid-priced rod. For me, the middle distance of 50 feet was where the Centric felt the best. A stack of narrow, very high-quality cork rings are used. When Im casting the rod it doesnt feel all that light but its not objectionably heavy either. They are best suited with their real power #2/3. It symbolises the link between the brand and this series of rods in particular, to the competitive practice of fly fishing. Even though only one locking ring is used, it is very easy to grip and tighten. We have found that this is the key to getting good accuracy in close. This is one of the most accurate rods I've ever fished with. Some people dont like that it is fairly stiff. But to do this, the rod needs to have enough butt and mid-section power to drive a couple of nymphs, maybe a split shot or two, and also a big, wind resistant indicator, and then put the cast where you need it at 25-50 feet. Most manufacturers are now using one-coat epoxy coatings over the guide wraps, but if they are not very carefully applied, they can be sloppy and this adds unnecessary weight. Hardy Ultralite 9 #6 $ 795.00. Note that if your rod has been discontinued for more than 5 years G.Loomis will not be able to replace the tip. On the other hand the 3F was better at short distances and you can see this in the scores at 30 and 50 feet. Close behind at long distance were the Hardy Ultralite and the Orvis 3D. Swing weight is such an important category, we now give it 20 points and consider it a part of our performance evaluation. Broken sections are replaced. The Sonic is a new rod from Sage, and put in an impressive performance at a far less expensive price point than their Sage X, which is $950. Thomas and Thomas$65 repair charges for the original owner, includes shipping. When you pick up and cast one of their rods, it is apparent that they know exactly how each line size rod should perform. $25 handling fee on current rods. They are a bit hard to control and dont always produce the best results. The single locking ring has a nylon ring that helps give the reel seat a nice positive lock up. Until Douglas produced their new SKY G, the Asquith would have been the lightest 6-weight rod, even lighter than the new Loomis NRX+. Then we take the average of these measurements and this becomes the swing weight. In case you are not a big fan of our top pick, here are 4 other rods which we felt was also worth a mention. Thomas and Thomas Avantt 9 #6 $855.00. If more than one section is broken, the fee is $35 extra per section. These are wonderfully light reels, and have a very smooth drag that is easily adjustable through a wide range. Must be registered within 30 days. They are particularly multipurpose and very popular amongst anglers who like fishing in small to medium sized streams. The smaller and thinner the line is, the smaller the prey you can go for. A great 6-weight can do it all. If the strippingguidebeing close enough to the handle does not put you off for dry fishing, remember that these rods will easily cast a #3 line if the need arises. In many instances the companies repair your rod and dont give you a brand new replacement. It does not particularly excel at any of those aspects, but is a good all-around option to keep in mind. For non-original owners on 2-pc models the fee is $275 per section (butt or tip). In looking back at the old NRX specs, these new NRX+ rods are slightly lighter in overall weightbut substantially lighter in swing weight. A good 6-weight should also be able to cast 75-80 feet with a small damsel nymph or mini leech, and have the guts to keep that big angry lake brown out of the weeds. I liked the fighting butt, a better reel seat lock up that will handle a heavier reel better, and the larger full wells handle shape. Very unusual, but great looking as well as functional. Youll find alignment dots on each rod section, which is handy. As we have found in past Shootouts, there are some outstanding rods that score higher than rods that are two to three times as expensive. The longer International warranty claims may require an additional shipping fee. Really, the only real drawbacks are the price at $1100 it is the most expensive rod in our Shootout, $150 more than the Orvis Helios rods, and $300 more than the Sky G, and the replacement cost if you break it. Then a foam-packing pellet is placed on the center of the scale. If you have never seen one before Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Rather than have this many rods in the total write up, we decided to hone in on the ten best 6-weight rods, along with what we felt was the best mid-priced rod, and the best inexpensive rod. Usually takes 2-4 weeks. For the other rods in the test, which all have up locking reel seats, here is the ranking: The most comfortable classic reel seat rods in this test are the Airflo Euro-Nymph, the Vision Nymphmaniac and the Soldarini Hydropsyche Elite Competition (all 3 at 7.3 / 10). Certainly the Hardy Zephrus is a bargain as our choice for as the number one 4-weight rod. For The Echo Carbon XL at $169.00 got the perfect score of 10, while the highest priced rods like the Asquith and the Orvis 3F and 3D got 7.5 and 7.8. No need to send in the entire rod. Guides start out with a hook keeper ahead of the cork handle, followed with one of the new titanium frame guides that has a very thin SIC ring. Rods are either replaced with a new rod or the broken section is replaced. The perfect lines: SA Amplitude MPX (best all around) or the SA Anadro/Nymph (nymph and streamer fishing), both in WF-6-F. First of all, this rod comes in 4 pieces. I felt that the relatively stiffer tip on the Centric hurt its ability to load well in close at the shortest distances. You know about swing weight, if you play golf. To obtain this kind of finish, multiple coatings are the key, and no manufacturer does this better than T&T. They can be light or heavy too, they are popular as they are usually lighter than most other rods, they have accurate and far casting abilities, and they are very sensitive too. Eliminating the biggest variable the Livingston wind! Terrific power on tap, when you need it. Therefore you can go with one that works best for you, especially in terms of line weight and fish size. This is a single uplocking seat with a large double-wide locking ring and nylon insert giving a very secure lock up. They include a high-quality cork handle (extra flor), an aluminium built and anodised reel seat with a burled black ash spacer and a titanium-frame ceramic stripping guide followed by 11 single foot RECoil guides. It almost has as much butt power as the Asquith, which was fantastic at long range. It makes it the rod that will be able to fish the lighest as possible. If you would prefer the Amplitude MPX, which are normally $129.95, well upgrade you for an additional $50.00. Unlike the Shadow II series, the new Shadow X are sober with a dark set: a slate grey blank and black wraps, as the down-locking reel seat and the carbon insert. For rods over $250, a replacement tip is $40 plus shipping. Although the Avantt is not a new rod, we felt it was a better 6-weight rod than their new Paradigm, which is much softer and slower in action. This was ideal, with a much larger casting area covered with synthetic turf, that is used primarily for indoor soccer, football, and lacrosse. The epoxy coatings were all excellent. Doing the casting outside was difficult if not impossible with the cold and gusting Livingston wind! Youll see this in our deflection charts. Here is one rod that really combines impressive power with smooth, tight loops. Then in our 2020 5-Weight Shootout, the re-designed Douglas SKY G was the winner in our presentation rod category. We rated it one of the best in our Indicator Nymphing category, just behind the NRX+ and Centric. This years 8-Weight Shoot Out focused on most of the new, higher-end rods that entered the market in the last year. The balance of this model is impressive and due to the large gap between the reel and the hand that holds the grip (down locking reel seat + very long grip). For this 6-weight Shootout we used our Clear Butt 9 foot 4X leaders. You call in and they charge your credit card $125 but you get a brand new rod in 3-4 days. #6. Dont let the price slow you down. He has fished for Golden Dorado as well as for big Rainbows at Jurassic lake. These cutting edge Centric rods are the most efficient rods that Jim Bartschi has ever created. If you are using your 6-weight for a lot of dry fly fishing, then stick to the Amplitude MPX, but if your 6-weight is going to be a nymph fishing workhorse for you, consider the Anadro line instead. To see more in-depth coverage of more 8 A cornerstone of their new technology is using a multi-taper design, a process that removes material from areas where a rod is least likely to break, and adds material to prevent breakage where its more likely to do so. With the same WF-6-F Amplitude MPX and 20 lb. Again I notice how much stiffer the tips of the NRX+, Ultralite and Asquith are, and this is why they performed better at long distances than other rods. Having a womans perspective as a good angler and caster has proven to be a big asset for us. Ive never broken my #11 Asquith on big tarpon, but have landed dozens of 50-160lb. It also comes with oversized guides to allow for very thick line and line intended for saltwater fishing. When Im nymph fishing Ill switch over to one of our Hot Butt leaders that utilize a butt section of fluorescent red Amnesia that is easy to see. The tips on the faster action rods bend more, and if you look at the top rods, you will see that they tend to be faster action rods. The reel seat on the 3D is much better suited to holding a heavier reel, or one you might use for salt water. Most modern fly rodsincluding the majority of the rods in our testare designed with a medium-fast or fast action. Whether your tip was broken, or if you would just like to buy an extra for a backup, G. Loomis will send you a tip in 3-4 business days for a fee, depending on the model. Overall, it finished higher than the Orvis Helios 3D that sells for $949.00. No fee will be required if the problem is due to any manufacturing defect. Now, it is also a little heavy, which doesnt help in terms of maneuverability, but at least you know that it has some heft and durability to it. In the modern nymphing technique, the 10 #3 is the most standard fly rod used for white-water fishing. Rods are repaired or sections replaced. Line Capacity Line capacity is another pertinent consideration when choosing the right reel for Salmon. For this 6-weight shootout, we had ten identical Galvan Torque reels set up with our favorite 6-weight line, the Scientific Anglers Amplitude MPX. Hardy Lifetime warranty to original owner. My accuracy was as good as the NRX+ but not as good as the Centric or Helios 3F. Spotted Bass VS Largemouth: Differences Explained, Best Fishing Line For Bass Spinning Reels (Mono/Fluro/Braid). With the Scott rods the fulcrum was slightly farther up the grip. For those of you that need more backing capacity, then by all means, go up to the T-6. Rods outside of warranty, needing full replacement, have varying costs depending on series. This year we gave out perfect scores for craftsmanship to only the Loomis Asquith and Thomas and Thomas Avantt. Of all the guys at the shop, he spends the most time on the Yellowstone and has the brown trout photos to prove it. The MPX is especially good with larger, more wind resistant flies like hoppers and stonefly dries. There is certainly a wow factor too with an expensive rod, when you pull that rod out of its case in front of your fishing buddies. Check this out on our deflection chart, and youll see that the Ultralite has about as much power in the mid-section as the Asquith and NRX+. Nylon washers on each ring ensure a very secure lock up that wont come loose. Every manufacturer now has some kind of Lifetime warranty. I also love the large drag knob that is easy to grip and adjust. This produces believable and meaningful results, and gives us a good way to rate one rod against another. Measuring swing weight on a fly rod is not quite as easy as with golf clubs. *Echo Carbon XL 9 #6 $169.00, *Almost Top Ten and Best Inexpensive Rod Overall. Douglas was able to achieve this incredibly lightweight by using their proprietary G-Tec blank. This line is a half-size heavier than a normal Trout taper. I can cast very easily off the tip with just a flick of the wrist. You can add a kit of 4 weights (2 of 5g and 2 of 10g), in order to balance the rod, whatever the reel you use. The rod sacrifices feel for Sometimes the whole rod is replaced. A slow action rod is very flexible and is good for beginners who are learning to fly fish. Im confident that we can come up with the perfect rod or outfit that best fits your needs. $75 on recent rods within 10 years, $125 on classic olderrods. They are also better rods for fishing a variety of nymph rigs, especially when you are using multiple flies, some weight like split-shot, and indicators. All these rods in our top ten make very capable nymph fishing rods, but the more powerful rods with stiffer butt and mid-sections really shine when you are throwing nymph rigs with multiple flies, indicators and even split shot. The Shadow uses a lower modulus (and heavier) Sintrix 220. The 9/10 model is ideal for all but the biggest fish species. This is why both performed exceptionally well at 30 feet. When I hold both rods in my hand and flex them, their medium fast action is nearly identical. Once you add a big, wind resistant strike indicator and some split shot, throwing the whole rig is far easier with a 6-weight rod than with a 4-weight or 5-weight. Even better than the Ultralite at mid-distance. Click here to jump to the rest of the charts. The Avantt is another classy rod from Thomas and Thomas with craftsmanship that is second to none. Using a T-5 kept the weight down to a light 6.1 ounces, with the reel fully loaded with line and backing. the Sage X Fly Rod (available at Amazon). One thing that all of us here in the shop have noticed is how much fly rod craftsmanship has improved over the past several years. They will allow you to cast lighter nymphs than the rod in the next category. Here it equals the perfect score of the Asquith. These allow everyone to see exactly how each rod bends compared to the others. These are tied with Clear Maxima butts and mid-sections and Rio tippets. Tied with the NRX+ as the best long-range rod. We do like the cork butt, as it provides for good grip, casting, and leverage too. BeulahOriginal owner lifetime warranty for defects. The cork handle is now a full wells, using a stack of very high quality cork rings with one rubber/cork ring at the base of the grip. fish on that rod. This gives an angler more feel combined with an enormous amount of reserve power. This 4-piece rod is delivered in a cover and a rigid tube. For most of the fishing we do with a 6-weight rod a 9 foot leader is the best choice, often with a 3X or 4X tippet. When you cast an NRX+, youll immediately notice how smooth they are and how well dampened they are compared to other rods. If you are getting one of the Ultimate 6-weight outfits, well throw in a SA Mastery MPX line for free (a $79.95 value). The rod itself is made out of lightweight graphite, thus making it fairly easy to maneuver and cast with, all without getting fatigued. Guides on the 3D start out with two large sized titanium stripping guides with SIC inserts (the 3F has only one), followed by the best nickel/titanium snake guides that are flexible but will never break. Accuracy was pretty good for a stiff rod, and matched the NRX+. On the butt section, just above the handle is a gray crosshatched section with the Hardy insignia. Learn more. They are dealt a wide variety of environments to accommodate, have to manage larger fish on average than freshwater endeavors, get punished with corroding/damaging salt, and still need to find the balance between powerful, accurate, and responsive. Rods with a heavy swing weight feel like a brick in your hand, and will wear you out casting them all day. Orvis uses a stack of narrow and very high quality cork rings as on the 3F. Replacement time varies based on availability. The price of 1 single element (in case youd break it) is 42, not including delivery fees. The finished blanks are then shipped to the G. Loomis factory in Woodland Washington, where the rods are completed. The T10s is only slightly heavier than the T10, casts just as sweet and is probably still the 2nd lightest 10 weight rod on the market. In terms of the cosmetics, Ill admit that Im not a fan of the 5 inches of white ahead of the cork grip, containing the Orvis logo, but this has become a trademark now, and these rods really jump out at you (for better or worse) on the rod rack or stream. As in our past Shootouts, we know how important it is to make an effort to eliminate any variables. This is a 9 foot long rod, which makes it great for long distance casting and for fairly deep streams. In our casting, well identify the best performing rods first, which are typically in the highest price category. The quality of the cork in handles varies enormously in fly rods. At 30 feet it matched the Loomis rods, but the Sky G was markedly better. There are also fiberglass fly rods, which tend to be fairly durable and inexpensive, although a little heavier and harder to cast than graphite rods. He and Chloe Nostrant are also responsible for many of the great photographs youll find in our Shootouts. Usually takes less than 2 weeks. At mid range I felt it was slightly better than the Helios 3F, but couldnt match the SKY G. At long range this rod is a cannon! The dull black anodised aluminium down lock reel seat tops a premium Half Wells cork handle (flor grade) typical of the brand. I think you will find everyones comments interesting and worth reading. This item ships for FREE! I especially liked the amount of feel I was getting at short distances with the 3F, which led to superb accuracy. This is a great looking rod, with the blank finished in an attractive golden olive color with medium olive wraps. We recommend the Sage X Fly Rod (available at Amazon). Youll find these on our Yellowstone Angler home page at yellowstoneangler.com. If you need a well-balanced fly rod, this is a good option to keep in mind. For one, this is another 4 piece fishing rod, which means that you can easily break it down to size for easy transportation. For the models with #2/3 power, two frequencies are measured. Top of the line REC nickel-titanium, flexible one foot guides are used the rest of the way. The rods with an announced power similar to the measured power. Only the Sky G and the two Loomis rods were better at mid distance. The grey aluminium reel seat has a bottle green insert, the shape of the handle stays the same as the MX. For guides, Hardy uses one hook keeper above the handle and then one of the new CERECOIL stripping guides that use a titanium frame and a Zirconia ring insert. It allows for long casting distances no doubt, but may be too long to maneuver in some cases. Ill usually try to compare 2-4 rods at each distance and once I determine the very best casting rod in each price category, Ill keep that in the mix and compare all the other rods to this one. However, this penalises the use of semi-automatic reels as the ring finger is no longer in direct contact with the trigger (especially if the handle is relatively long, i.e. Look at the Sonic, NRX+, Asquith and Ultralite they have very similar deflections and are more powerful than the other Rods. The G. Loomis NRX+ was impressive, especially at longer distances. Only the SKY G was better at short range. Most of the top rods are now using a stack of thinner cork rings with almost no defects that are laid up and sanded down to perfection. I liked this grip a lot. A powerhouse at long range, and tracks very well, but couldnt match the accuracy of either the NRX+ or the Asquith. Those with overrated power (measured power is inferior to the announced power by the manufacturer). Then, well move on to the medium priced rods and finish off with the inexpensive rods. With these 4, there is no risk of forming a belly in the line when fishing with the rod in a high position. We look at many things to determine craftsmanship the types of guides used, the quality of the stripping guides, the quality of the cork used in the grip and the way the wraps are finished. The Greys GR80 keeps the olive green from the GR70 on the blank and the wraps are dark. This 10wt was similar, in some ways, to the Sage X 10wt - progressive action, high performance, caster friendly, versatile, and capable of accurately presenting flies, especially at shorter distances not a technical ultra-fast rod but a friendly combination of power and castability. We dont take the manufacturers word for stated weight, (although this year most of these checked out to be true or very close). more infoIf you want to go ice fishing, one of the most important things that you will need is an ice fishing rod. The Avantts classy look complements its fine performance. Usually takes 1-2 weeks. The rod tracked well and gave me nice tight loops but it just didnt have the power I was looking for out long. Micron backing, now the capacity jumps up to 180 yards, but the overall (fully loaded) reel weight goes up to 6.9 ounces. Douglas was able to achieve this incredibly lightweight by using their proprietary G-Tec I felt that the 3F makes the better 6-weight unless you want a rod with a short fighting butt, which youll find on the 3D. $35 handling fee. The blank color is what they call Juniper a dark olive. $75 handling fee. On this 6-weight NRX+ Loomis uses a small inch fighting butt with a rubber cork cap. Rods that score high in this category are also better for fishing streamers with sink tip lines, and have the backbone to help you land larger fish more quickly on heavier tippets. The big question I had is how Fred can get this rod so light in swing weight compared to the other rods. The final step is another wrap of the infinity tape, but at an opposing 90-degree angle to the first, so that the infinity tape forms an X pattern. Is that high priced rod really worth the difference in price? The flexible and unbreakable nickel/titanium single foot and snake guides are lighter and better than hard chrome snake guides, but they are a lot more expensive. Ill usually start out at our middle distance, 50 feet, to get the feel of each rod at a distance Im fishing most of the time with a 6-weight. They feature Scotts new generation ARC reinforcement that gives greater stability along multiple axes. Its also nice to look down at your rod and reel and appreciate the craftsmanship and function of one of the very best rods. Farther down in our Shootout, just above the final results charts, well give you the latest details on each manufacturers warranty policies, repair and replacement prices. A lot of friends come to mind. The 3D has just a little more guts and power, which improves its performance at long range. The decision will depend on your budget, the look and the type of action you are looking for. GL8 resin is self-propagating, meaning the resin creates its own Nano-particles. If the rod looks like a million bucks and casts like it too, any normal fly fisher will lust for this rod. The Greys GR80, la JMC Pure Equipe, la Maxia SX, la Soldarini Hydropsyche Competition, la Syndicate Pipeline and the Thomas & Thomas Contact are moderate-fast action rods. Nylon washers on the upper side of the rings help provide a very secure lock up. Like all the rods from the series, this model is equipped with a fighting butt made of cork that is removable. And a big part of accuracy is the feel you get through the handle that gives you the confidence to put the fly where you want it. In terms of action, this is a medium-fast action rod, but more towards the medium side of things. How to Find Bass Without A Fish Finder - Best 10 Weight Fly Rod For As Steve explained, the new Mega Modulus+ graphite fiber is slightly higher in modulus but has a much higher strain rating.
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