When used for trout fishing, 5-weights are wonderful rods for fishing dry flies but are also great rods for fishing nymphs and small streamers. With locations in the Vail Valley and Denver, we have access to some of the best and most diverse fly fishing in the nation. To achieve boosted performance and feel over the old NRX series, Steve utilized new Mega Modulus+ graphite. Instead of a chart with all the rods, we are breaking this down into multiple charts for easier viewing. These Galvan reels also have a wider range of drag adjustment than other reels, making it easy to fine-tune the drag adjustment, which is important when you are using light tippets like 6X and 7X. The caster still has terrific loop control. Then I started hearing very good things about the Sage X 586 and it started me thinking that I might be able to have the best of both worlds, a 5wt (8'6") with a light swing weight like the 486. Howard is a terrific angler and one of the best Ive fished with. 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. Nice and light in hand but Im not able to get as much feel or accuracy as with the Zephrus. Both are a couple of hundred dollars less than the most expensive rods. 3 Piece F Series We talked to Fred at length about the older Loomis LP and why we liked it so much. 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. Scott Centric rods are fit with Flor grade cork, new titanium stripping guides with super slick zirconia inserts, new low glare Snakebrand Universal snake guides, and a new fully milled reel seat featuring speed threads, easy grip knurling, self-indexing hoods, micarta inserts, a special Delrin lock washer, and type 3 flat black hard coat. This new Platinum G2 is a huge improvement over the old Platinum far lighter and with a faster action that seems just right. We have found that trying to judge the accuracy and the ability of a given rod to form tight loops and track well is almost impossible if you have winds of more than 5-10 mph. 5-weight fly rods have become the single quiver rod for many freshwater anglers. Scott Centric 904 - not at all like Radian 905 (a CO guide favorite for mid size waters employing exactly those techniques you seek). Now, the lack of power and backbone hurts. Loop gives us their new and unusual 7X, a rod built with a seven-sided, heptagonal blank for increased durability and performance. But the Paradigm didnt perform nearly as well, mainly because of its much slower action. 4 pc. This new rod from G. Loomis was delightful to cast at all distances. Great rods dont make great casters, but there is no doubt that they will improve any anglers casting skills and his ability to catch fish. Taylor Lifetime warranty to original owner. We kept the best rod in each category, high priced, medium priced, and inexpensive category, handy for comparison. Often only subtle differences separate one rod from another. Three thin coats of epoxy are applied to the wraps, rather than a thick one-coat like so many other manufacturers use. Weve found that fluctuating temperature and humidity from one day to the next can make a difference of .2-.3 ounces. For broken rods that are not registered to the original owners, some companies are going to charge you $150 or more for repairs. For the slightly stiffer power rods, we stepped up to Scientific Anglers half line size heavier Amplitude MPX. We have learned that we cannot trust manufacturers stated rod weights. This is a very pleasant rod for fishing dries, where you are doing a lot of false casting. Both rods were very similar, especially at distance, but what gave the edge to the Radian in my eyes was the feel. 1. Usually takes 4-6 weeks. The Loomis Asquith places 1st in Performance Only but losses a lot of points in the overall results for its high Price and higher Warranty costs. Usually takes 1-2 weeks. Why test with 12-foot leaders? A 5wt can be used in a variety of freshwater angling scenarios but is most commonly used to target Trout. Rods that are light in overall weight and swing weight, and ones that have softer tips, eliminate a lot of break offs caused by an inadvertent heavy-handed hook set. Ive been in the fly-fishing business now for over fifty years, as a guide, fly shop manager and finally owner. Also,you shouldnt have to double-haul at 45 feet to get the rod to perform. For under $200, the best rods to consider are the Fenwick Aetos and the Orvis Clearwater. In general, youll find the best craftsmanship on rods made here in the US, like rods from Thomas & Thomas, R.L. The Shadow is an attractive rod. The Presentation Rods are going to be used at shorter distances most of the time roughly 25 feet to 45 feet, so the scores at 70 feet are not nearly as important as they are with the Power Rods. New rods must be registered at time of purchase. I loved how well I could cast short distances off the tip of the rod and the superb accuracy it delivered. The same is pretty much true of the power rods, where three rods scored 19.5 or better at 25 feet. We recommend a true-to-weight line for all series and models. Since our Hot Butt leaders use the same basic formula as our Clear Butt leaders I often use the Hot Butt leaders, even for fishing dry flies. I also like the handle design it tapers outward, allowing you to quickly get and maintain a solid grip. Youll see my comments in the main body of the Shootout, but youll want to also read the comments from James and our other staff members- Logan Brown, Francis Clougherty and Chloe Nostrant. We love their Avantt, which youll find in our power rod category. The one-coat epoxy coatings over the guide wraps are a little heavy but not sloppy. Simms Women's Freestone Waders - Size XL - CLOSEOUT Price: $219.95 List Price: $299.95 You Save: $80.00 (27%) More Details Simms Women's Freestone Z Waders - Size S - CLOSEOUT Price: $299.95 List Price: $399.95 You Save: $100.00 (25%) More Details Simms Women's Freestone Z Waders - Size M - CLOSEOUT Price: $299.95 List Price: $399.95 WinstonLifetime warranty to original owner. Just about any rod can turn over a 9-foot leader, but only the best casting rods can turn over a 12-foot leader at short distances like 25 feet. Either stick a BB size split shot right on the head of your streamer and fish it with your floating line, or better yet switch off to a WF-6-F/S 15 foot type 6 sink tip line. Then we read (and note) the weight indicated by the scale. As youll soon read, our #1 rated rods in both the Presentation and Power categories, the Douglas Sky G, and the G. Loomis NRX+, sell for $795.00. 905/3In great shape, doesn't show any signs of wear. New technologies have allowed Scott to make fly rods that are thinner, lighter in hand, and yet more durable than any other rod. So, often the cheap outfit is mothballed, sold on e-bay or handed down to one of the kids. Beulah has built an extremely light but strong fly rod with all of the sweet casting characteristics for which Beulah is known. This year we increased to 20 the points available at 70 feet, for both the Presentation and Power 5-weight rods. Ones with a heavy swing weight feel clunky in your hand and are not going to be pleasant to cast and fish all day. This is another rod that is smooth and very well dampened. The 3F performed extremely well, especially at the two longer distances. The Amplitude Trout uses a longer head length of 69 feet and also a longer front taper of 10 feet, and handles more like a double taper line, being very easy to mend. The Scott G Series is a new rod to our 5-weight Shootout, unlike its brother the Radian, which has placed consistently in the top three in our last several 5-weight Shootouts. Fenwick came up with a new and very light rod, their Fenlite Streamflex, to complement their outstanding, inexpensive Aetos. By setting all the rods in an identical manner, it is easy to take a few casts with one rod, at say 45 feet, then pick up another rod and cast the same distance with that outfit. Im not getting quite as much feel as with the SKY G though. Rather than use a fly, we use a fluorescent orange yarn indicator, trimmed so that it gives us about the same wind resistance as a medium sized dry fly. This is a rod that could have gone into the Presentation Rods category, but it is a lot more powerful than the G Series, so we moved it to the Power Rods. This made it easy to judge one rod against another. The rods that scored above 19.3 or better here are the ones to consider. The Radian, nevertheless, lacks the explosive power of the Hardy Zenith, and those casts beyond 60 feet with big cicadas and heavy nymphs on 15 foot leaders, were not as easy - notwithstanding my casting ability. They also need to have enough backbone to launch small streamers, often using a sink tip line. We debated on whether to use the newer Winston Pure or the Air in our presentation rod category, but in casting the two rods, we felt that the Air gave us slightly better performance. $75 handling fee. Rods with heavier swing weights and those with stiffer tips dont fare nearly as well. To get a 10, repair charges had to be $35 or less with a quick turn around time of less than two weeks. The Zephrus and Helios 3F carried tighter loops though, and gave me far better accuracy. At a price of $699.00, you are getting a ton of performance in a rod that is $100-$250 less than the most expensive Presentation Rods. We stand by our methodology since most anglers that take the time to give us their feedback have agreed with our opinions. The Super 10 has a softer tip and is a bit heavier than the Radian. At short range I like to cast off the tip of the rod, using mostly my wrist and very little arm movement to power the tip of the rod through the stroke. Yes, the craftsmanship is not quite as good as the other presentation rods, but what can you expect for under two hundred bucks? This would not be a pleasant rod to do a lot of false casting with, if you are fishing dry flies. Attractive wood insert spacers that are finished well add to the aesthetic value of any rod. Fun to cast at mid-distance. Here is a recap of each manufacturers current policy, their latest fees and what we have experienced for repair time required. When I first cast the new SKY G, I was amazed at how light and responsive the new Sky G was compared to the older version. Loomis has built some of the toughest rods weve ever fished and it takes a lot to break one. The reel seat is pretty drab for a rod in this price range, utilizing an anodized black aluminum up-lock seat with a synthetic gray insert no fancy wood here. Scott put the feel in fast action rods. A slightly softer tip would help in close. Tippet materials are getting stronger every year, and today we end up fishing 6x, 6.5X, and 7x fluorocarbon much of the time, trying to get that perfect drift to entice a big fish to sip in a fly. Better than the Scott G and Winston Air. But these methods and calculations felt disconnected from what we were actually experiencing in our hand so, for our last several Shootouts, we returned to our original method of calculation, as explained above. I love how easily I can cast off the tip of the rod with a flick of my wrist. The only gripe I have is with the epoxy coatings over the wraps, which are a little heavy. As part of the Expeditor policy, Loomis includes a FedEx call tag with your new rod so that you dont have to spend any money to send the broken rod back. Price is always a major factor when buying a rod, but, and as you will see in this Shootout; the best rod in both categories was not the most expensive. But will they make you a better angler? Non-original owner $150 per section. Couple of hundred dollars less than the Radian in my eyes was the feel Piece F series we to. Radian in my eyes was the feel in your hand and are not going to be scott radian 5wt for sale! 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