Fellows like Steve Rajeff (G. Loomis),Howard Croston (Hardy), and Fred Contaoi at Douglas are guys Ive spent time fishing with on small streams, and big rivers. So now, back to the original post. Look at the Sonic, NRX+, Asquith and Ultralite they have very similar deflections and are more powerful than the other Rods. A rods ability to make delicate and accurate presentations with small flies and long leaders is the key to scoring well here. And it is going to cost you another $10-$15 or more to ship the rod in for repair or have your dealer do it. Small dots on the fittings make the alignment easier. Rods are either replaced with a new rod or the broken section is replaced. Rods with ERN in the middle of the #3 power have a frequency near :76cpm for the Airflo Euro Nymph, 77 cpm for the Baetis Precision 2.0, the Echo Shadow X and the Hanak Superb XP, 78 cpm for the Thomas & Thomas Contact and the Maxia SX4. The perfect line: Scientific Anglers Amplitude MPX in WF-6-F, Extremely light in hand, and super accurate. This 4-piece rod is delivered in a cover and a rigid tube. It is followed by the Echo Shadow X (7.8/10). You must register the new rod within 30 days. I was amazed at the accuracy and presentations of the Carbon XL, especially at our mid-distance of fifty feet. They feature a lot of casting power and sensitivity too. 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. The first Objective Observations chart shows you our top ten 6-weight rods in finishing order, (plus the Echo Carbon XL our pick for the best inexpensive 6-weight). Rodis repaired, or sections replaced. We are giving you OUR opinions in these Shootouts. Our last 6-weight Shootout was back in 2016, and since then many manufacturers have introduced some great new rods, utilizing new materials, new tapers, and in some instances, new components. On big rivers, when Im fishing nymphs at long range using an indicator, a lot of mending is required. Since the GL8 resin is more uniform, it penetrates the graphite fibers more effectively, thus requiring less resin. She guides anglers in YNP and has set up several womens fly-fishing classes, available through the shop. For its part, the Echo Shadow X is faster than the first two and its particular "American-style" manufacturing (very long handle and down locking reel seat) penalises the use of a semi-automatic reel (famous in France). First off, here you can choose from rod lengths ranging from 8 foot 4 inches to 9 feet. This is the case of the Vision Nymphmaniac 10 #3 which is a real #2, the Soldarini Hydropsyche Elite Competition, the Greys GR80, the Sage ESN HD and the Syndicate Pipeline Pro which are all #2/3. There is not any ultra-fast rod in this test, which is rather logic because we are talking about nymphing rods and white water dry-fly fishing. So if you like what we are doing, and found this 6-Weight Shootout helpful, the best way to thank us is to buy a rod, reel, or outfit from the Yellowstone Angler. 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. There is no hook keeper on either Helios rod but the size is marked just above the cork handle. 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. For those of you that want to use your 6-weight in saltwater, especially for bonefish, youll need that much backing. He has proven himself time and time again to be a good angler and caster, even in the toughest conditions imaginable. Before you purchase any rod, check the manufacturers for updates to warranty policies as these are occasionally revised. A lot of friends come to mind. Rods under warranty, needing full replacement, are $50 total under the Excellerator Plan. The Shadow is somewhat softer than the best six-weights but still performed very well, even at longer distances. But a 4 piece rod makes more logistical sense. He has been a very important and integral part of our Shootouts and tackle comparisons over the years. Moderate-fast rods, some references in the review have an AA = to 65 which is typical for modern nymphing rods. Usually takes less than 2 weeks. The smaller and thinner the line is, the smaller the prey you can go for. Fly Rods 2020 8-Weight Shootout February 17, 2020 By: Spencer Durrant George Anderson and his crew at Yellowstone Angler are back at it with rod shootouts Shimano developed a special graphite tape, called infinity tape, which is wrapped on the mandrel on a 45-degree axis. Rods The good-looking Hardy Shadow put in a superb performance, and at $389.95, is our pick for the best mid-priced rod. The best 6-weight rods make superb rods for nymph fishing, both at short and long range. The Burgundy wraps feature discreet metallic edging for the first guideand the fittings. 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. Rods with a light swing weight are delightful and effortless to cast and fish all day. Fishing big, wind resistant rigs like a Chub/Rub combo, (a size #8 Chubby Chernobyl dry with a size #8 rubber legs nymph behind it), is far easier with a 6-weight rod. In casting this new NRX+ rod, the improvement in recovery and dampening was dramatic! The MPX is especially good with larger, more wind resistant flies like hoppers and stonefly dries. The fighting butt is 7/8 of an inch long and tapers out to 1 and inch. Craftsmanship has always been excellent on the Helios rods. While they can hand the outfit down to a friend or family member, the smart thing to do is buy the right rod initially, saving money in the long run. If you look at our deflection charts, youll see that the Asquith and the NRX+ are two of the stiffer rods in our Shootout, along with the new Hardy Ultralite. This item ships for FREE! It is indicative of the fishing capacity in dry fly (the higher the frequency, the more the rod will cast efficiently). For our 6-weight Shootout casting, we tie on a fluorescent yarn indicator that approximates the wind resistance of a medium size dry fly, enabling us easily to judge turnover and accuracy, right out to 75 feet. Unfortunately, we were not able to test the new Winston Air 2 6-weight, since at the time of the test it was still in the final design process. The thing that impressed me the most with this new G model when we first saw it as a 5-weight was its extremely light swing weight. In this review, we compare 12 references in the 10 #3 market: This recent Airflo rod has been specifically designed for euro nymphing. If the rod is broken because of a defect, or while fishing, replacement is free. About the technique now, the choice between those models will really depend of the ratio of your nymphing or dry-fly fishing. This is a single uplocking seat with a large double-wide locking ring and nylon insert giving a very secure lock up. Alignment dots are used. Free Shipping. But just this year Loomis is offering to replace the tip section for only $75.00. I think that most anglers will gladly pay for this Expeditor service if they can get a new rod back in just a few days. The epoxy coatings were all excellent. Special mention for the Airflo and the Nymphmaniac whose prices are much lower than the other references and which nevertheless rise at the first places of the podium in the "rod with up-locking reel seat" category. Asquith rods are extremely tough, due to their construction, and we very rarely see one broken. For rods that retail over $250, a $55 handling fee is charged. Only the Sky G and the two Loomis rods were better at mid distance. 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. Today we are here to help you find the best 10 weight fly rod for the money. cadan.com The Asquith is a gorgeous rod, with extremely good craftsmanship. This makes it ideal for fairly thick line that can handle large fish with ease. Therefore, it has a good combination of stiffness, flex, responsiveness, and sensitivity. Soldarini Hydropsyche Elite competition 10' #3, Review : Diamondback Ideal Nymph 10'10" 2wt, Review : Thomas & Thomas Contact II 10'9 #2, Review : Thomas & Thomas Contact II 10'9 4wt and 11'2 3wt, Andrew Wading Boots Review : Creek and Fly, Fishing modern dry dropper methods (tandem flies). Conversely, looking at the most expensive The Centrics ability to control loop shape and line speed at any distance gives anglers a wide range in versatility. This line is a half-size heavy, that matched up well with these more powerful 6-weight rods. The answer is the use of Graphene. Now the lack of backbone hurt a little. In my casting, the Sonic actually outscored the Sage X, to make it into our top ten best 6-weights. Those who are looking for a real high-end 10' #3 for euro nymphing, the most consistent rods are the Maxia SX4, the JMC Pure Equipe and the Echo Shadow X which achieve a flawless level of manufacturing and compliance of the advertised power (the Maxia being slightly less powerful). 3. Sometimes the whole rod is replaced. Rods are repaired or sections replaced. If you want the best, youll likely be looking at spending $795.00 or more. The Hardy Shadow and Sage Sonic rated a 9. 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. Usually takes 1-2 weeks. The data are clear: its manufacturing makes sense for nymphing (first guideat 12.6"from the handle, seat can have a semi-auto reel), its comfort is excellent and its retro look will seduce any amateur of this kind of vintage rod. Performance at 30 feet 20 points available. The wraps are dark brown, with gunmetal trim wraps on the butt. Here is one rod that really combines impressive power with smooth, tight loops. #4. We have found that to obtain accurate measurements, all this must be done the same day, at the same temperature, and within a period of less than one hour. Our answer is a definite yes. Steve Rajeff at G. Loomis helped design the tapers and mandrels for the Asquith rods. Having a nice light rod, (in swing weight), in your hand all day pays big dividends, in terms of fatigue. One thing that we notice is that most manufacturers today are now using similar flex patterns compared to what we saw just a few years ago. A $50 handling fee includes $35 per broken section plus a $15 shipping fee inside the continental US. The weight of the rod is written by the joint between the two first sections which makes the set-up easier. There are medium action fly rods, which have a good combination of flexibility and stiffness, or in other words, power and sensitivity. Rods are repaired, not replaced except for broken sections. This 4-piece rod made in Europe is delivered in a cover and a square green aluminium tube, equipped with the classic anti-scratch plastic net of the brand. Photos will help each and every one of you to make your opinion. We have also covered detailed reviews our top 5 rod picks that in our opinion are some of the top contenders for the money that work really well with most fly fishing reels. It overcomes a gun metal reel seat made of aluminium with a wooden insert and a fine butt with a cork fighting butt. These are tied with Clear Maxima butts and mid-sections and Rio tippets. The main difference in the two is not so much the action as how the rod is set up. 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. And finally, there is our best inexpensive 6-weight rod the Echo Carbon XL, which beat the new Fenwick Aetos. Thomas and Thomas Avantt 9 #6 $855.00. Fishing streamers is a joy, as these rods have the power to drive a 10-15 foot sinking tip line with good sized streamers, right up to size 2, with ease. I felt that the relatively stiffer tip on the Centric hurt its ability to load well in close at the shortest distances. Douglas was able to achieve this incredibly lightweight by using their proprietary G-Tec Fly Rods I think Ive cast five or six of these rods and my go-to bonefish rod is the Orvis Helios 2. The perfect line: S.A. Amplitude MPX in WF-6-F. Extra-large guides and aluminum reel seat for saltwater resistance. Gusting wind is the worst and makes judging longer distance accuracy almost impossible. Fly We have previously seen that this is not necessarily an advantage, except for those who use a manual reel. The handle itself is a mini half wells, with a medium sized swell and a nice flare at the bottom. Its a great back up rod for pros, but also one that beginners will like. These allow for longer casts than slow action rods, yet are easier to control than fast action fly rods. Our hand-tied leaders turn over better than any of the 9 foot knotless leaders weve found. 11s are definitely lighter and funner to cast. So consider that, to give a 10wt more diversity. Better than what I expected, since the 3D is a more powerful rod. Fly Rod This 10 is made with 12 guides + 1 spare in a blister in case you would add one on the first piece. The reel seat is just gorgeous and very unusual. The 10' 7# is possibly the most common rod size that we sell, its perfect for stillwater/ Loch fishing, My Sage Salt 10 wt has been the most trouble to line. The brown dull coating of the blank and the red wraps provide an original look. Im getting beautiful tight loops and terrific accuracy with very little effort. Best 10' 3wt fly rods comparative review | Trout & Co Those with overrated power (measured power is inferior to the announced power by the manufacturer). It can handle some fast moving currents, it works well for long distance casting, and the guides are made for big line too. Some of these rods are medium action, and some are fast, yet another aspect that adds some versatility to the mix. The SKY G gave me a wonderful sense of feel especially at the shorter distances. Youll find a hook keeper just above the cork handle. The G. Loomis NRX+ rods are one of the best 6-weights, giving their superb Asquith a run for its money. We wanted to take a look at and cast all the best 6-weight rods we could get from a variety of the top manufacturers. A good strong butt and mid-section will help you mend line, especially if you are fishing at longer distances like 35-50 feet, using an indicator. If Greys determines that there was a defect, the rod will be repaired or replaced at no charge. For many, the most expensive rods may be seen as a status symbol. These particles are distributed evenly and uniformly, unlike older resins where the particles were mixed in. A second Objective Observations chart can be seen below that lists the rest of the rods we cast in alphabetical order. 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+. The Expeditor service for the NRX+ or NRX+ LP NRX PRO-1, and IMX-PRO rods is $125, while the fee for Asquith rods is $275.00. Spotted Bass VS Largemouth: Differences Explained, Best Fishing Line For Bass Spinning Reels (Mono/Fluro/Braid). Now we had enough room to set up 4-5 casting lines right out to 80 feet. Echos excellent Carbon XL at $169.00 put in a solid performance, to beat the re-designed Fenwick Aetos, as our pick for the best inexpensive 6-weight rod. On this 6-weight NRX+ Loomis uses a small inch fighting butt with a rubber cork cap. Guides start out with a hook keeper and then a single SIC stripping guide, followed with dark colored, hard chrome single foot guides, not the better nickel/titanium single foot guides we found on Hardys Ultralite. A 10wt is when you start fly fishing with a 2x4, my suggestion is to get the lightest 10wt u can. I was blown away by such a light rod in swing weight, that has this kind of explosive power. Then we traced the outline of the rod in different color sharpies. Fantastic tight loops and superb accuracy. Youll see this in our deflection charts. Also, these rods go from 2 weight all the way up to 10, so you can choose what works best for you. In looking back at the old NRX specs, these new NRX+ rods are slightly lighter in overall weightbut substantially lighter in swing weight. There is a 3-weight 11-footer; a 9 1/2-foot 5-weight; and the 8 1/2-foot 8-weight. Rather than choose a Galvan Torque 6 for this Shootout, we decided to use the Torque 5, which has plenty of backing capacity and is lighter. A rod in 8 or 9 weight is ideal for most inshore saltwater fly fishing. As with the 3F, Im not a fan of the 5 inches of white ahead of the cork grip, displaying the Orvis logo, but this has become an Orvis Helios trademark now. A gorgeous burled wood insert is used, with a non-gloss finish. The Helios 3F performed especially well at short to medium distances, while the Helios 3D had more beans out long. The rods stiffness hurts the feel a bit in close and Im not getting the kind of feel or accuracy that I had with the Sky G. Im able to form nice loops with ease, and the rod tracks well. This is the case of the Echo Shadow X, whose very long handle (7.4") associated with the down-locking reel seat makes it impossible to attach a Vivarelli reel. The Helios 3F and 3D are both impressive 6-weight rods. Are They Poisonous? This 4-piece rod is delivered in a compartmentalised tube and has a lifetime warranty (something rather rare in this price range). Greys Lifetime warranty (except for HMG and Eagle models which only carry 5 year warranties). Fred Contaoi, Douglas head rod designer has done a lot of work in designing and fine-tuning these new G series rods, and our testing confirms the wisdom of his choices. The final version of this 9-foot SKY G is just a fantastic rod, that produced an amazing performance in our Shootout at both 30 feet and 50 feet, picking up perfect scores from me at both distances. No handling fee. The CFF of the Vision Nymphmaniac which has a real power of #2 is 77 cpm. Here you can more easily see the softer tip of the Sky G, in comparison to the NRX+, Ultralite and Asquith, which gives it better feel and accuracy in close at 30 feet. *Note: The Sky G Salt could have been included in our top ten, however it is essentially the same rod as the Sky G except for its larger cork with a fighting butt and saltwater guides. Eliminating the biggest variable the Livingston wind! That's a lot. Logically, the highest frequencies are correlated to the weight being a #2 : 81 cpm with a weight of a #2 line and 75 with a weight of a #3 line for the Greys GR80 and the Sage ESN HD, 80 cpm and 74 cpm for the Syndicate Pipeline. I especially liked the amount of feel I was getting at short distances with the 3F, which led to superb accuracy. Fly Rod All are important. Youll find these on our Yellowstone Angler home page at yellowstoneangler.com. Only the SKY G was better at short range. I really like the faster action of these Helios rods that allows them to throw tight loops at all distances. Not only is this rod noticeably lighter in your hand than other top 6-weights, but there is just nothing that can come close to matching it casting at short to medium distances, where Im fishing 90 percent of the time. Of all the reel seats, the one on Hardys Ultralite is the most unusual and attractive. The 3F was much better at shorter distances than the 3D, but still had plenty of power to go long with ease. There are several reasons as to why we like it, so lets take a closer look at it right now. Performance at 75 feet 20 points available. Douglas Lifetime no-fault warranty program for original owner only. Sage tells us that this is a fast action rod like the X, built using their same Konnetic technology. These trims are near the fittings and the first guide. But the amazing thing is how light it is in your hand considering how much power it has. The casts may be a little hard in terms of their landing, but you can achieve long distances and a fair amount of accuracy too. We gave it a perfect score for indicator nymphing, and at $795, its three hundred dollars less than the Asquith. Now we position the grip over the fulcrum created by the foam pellet so that the pellet is positioned under the midpoint in the swell where you will naturally grip the rod. On the water, the Centic proved to be great for roll casting and mending a lot more powerful than the previous Radian. The reel seat is a matte slate gray anodized, single up-locking skeleton aluminum seat with a brown laminated hardwood insert. The other kind of common fly fishing rod is the bamboo rod. Im confident that we can come up with the perfect rod or outfit for you. Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. The 3F was slightly better as were both Loomis rods and the Sky G. Now the power on tap takes over and the rod tracks beautifully, throwing wonderful tight loops. Performance distances for the 6-weight rods. Review: Scott Centric fly rod My accuracy was as good as the NRX+ but not as good as the Centric or Helios 3F. As in our past Shootouts, we know how important it is to make an effort to eliminate any variables. By setting up all the rods in an identical manner, it is easy to take a few casts with a rod at one of the distances, then quickly pick up another rod and do the same. Now you can easily see which rods have faster actions than others (the tip bends more) or ones that have more moderate, slower actions (the tip bends less steeply). Now the softer action doesnt allow me to throw the same kind of tight loops as I was getting with the Ultralite. This rod is made out of IM8 carbon fiber, which is both strong and lightweight, for optimal performance. If you are fishing in more difficult conditions, with spooky fish, then you might want to shift up to our 12-foot Clear Butt leader with tippets down to 5X and 6X. Personally, we like the hardened cork grip, which provides for good traction and easy casting, plus a good amount of leverage too. Free shipping on many items | Browse your favorite brands | affordable prices. Look how similar the softer tips of the Sky G and the Helios 3F bend. Today the deflections of our top 11 rods are much more similar than they were ten years ago. At the bottom end of the price spectrum are the Echo Boost salts. Very unusual, but great looking as well as functional. This was too bad, since we were highly impressed with the Air 2 9#5. I created Fishtackly to share my 30 years of fishing experience and knowledge with others with the aim to help, and hopefully get more people involved and educated in this fantastic hobby that I love. In a rush? For all these reasons, 6-weight rods have proven to be the most popular size with anglers traveling to New Zealand and Argentina to fish for trout. Both of these rods have an almost identical deflection profile. The Thomas & Thomas Contact 10 #3 is a 4-piece rod shipped with a made in USA protective cover and an aluminium tube. They cast and turn over better than any of the knotless leaders on the market. The thread wraps on the 3D are black, and the 3D insignia is done in blue, with a blue trim wrap. My son Jamie is also a dedicated fly fisherman and has developed into a great caster and a person who I can trust in judging a rods performance. Call us at 406-222-7130, or e-mail us at [emailprotected] and we can discuss your needs and wants. BeulahOriginal owner lifetime warranty for defects. Casting accuracy and feel are the most important factors I use in rating these rods at the two closer distances. This year we found a much better place to do our indoor casting in Bozeman, out near Four Corners, called Montana Indoor Sports. These new SKY G rods are composed using G-Tec platelets. $35 handling fee. When I hold both rods in my hand and flex them, their medium fast action is nearly identical. But they should also be able to easily form the more open loops youll often use fishing nymphs. We have no doubt that the higher rated rods here will improve any anglers casting skills and his ability to catch fish. Buy It Now. Douglas, whose Sky won our last 6-weight Shootout, made some dramatic moves with graphene and a re-design to come up with their new Sky G. Hardy also gives us a new and improved top of the line rod, called the Ultralite, which has impressive power and replaced the Zephrus. But at long range, the Centric couldnt match the kind of power I was getting from both the G.Loomis Asquith and NRX+. It has a good mix of responsiveness and sensitivity, and it allows for long casting distances too. Yellowstone Anglers 2020 8-Weight Shootout - Flylords Mag The rest of the guides are the best nickel/titanium snake guides. A gray anodized double up-locking skeleton seat is used with an attractive burled blackwood insert. Doing the casting outside was difficult if not impossible with the cold and gusting Livingston wind! The rod sacrifices feel for The cork handle is a half-wells, and this is one of those pre-formed grips of lower quality cork that shows a lot of filler. You can check the current price on Amazon here. This 4-piece rod is delivered in a cordura tube with a compartment for each piece. A great 6-weight can do it all. Is it Only Males? We ended up with a total of 41 rods to cast. The lower weights are great for small fishing purposes in freshwater, whereas the heaviest models are good for heavy line, long distance casting into the wind, and for catching fairly large saltwater fish too. Having multiple outfits set up makes these comparisons easy. The rod tracked well and gave me nice tight loops but it just didnt have the power I was looking for out long. Its a good option for throwing heavy line into the wind. 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). If you are looking for that perfect saltwater outfit, then check out this link for our Favorite Saltwater Outfits. I also own Reddington Predator 10 and 12 weights. Hardy Ultralite 9 #6 $ 795.00. to Choose the Best Fly Reel for Salmon It also comes with oversized guides to allow for very thick line and line intended for saltwater fishing. In terms of action, this is a medium-fast action rod, but more towards the medium side of things. If anything, the reel seat is a little drab for a rod in this price range, but certainly functional. You can pick a rod off the rack in a fly shop, flex and wiggle it with your hand and get an idea of how it might perform, but the proof is what it will do when matched up with the correct line and then compared heads up with other rods. Mid priced 10wt shootout in the parking lot today - Fly Fishing Surprisingly, this is often true. Ive developed a reputation as a good angler in both fresh and saltwater and many leading rod makers and manufacturers consult with me in their rod design process. The 6-weight rods also have the power to pick up lots of line to make an immediate re-cast, as you often do while fishing out of a drift boat, (should your first cast be off target). 3) Your saltwater fishing presents The 9/10 model is ideal for all but the biggest fish species. 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. The Hydropsyche Elite Competition series designed by the former French competitor Thibault Guilpain has a thin blank with a night blue gloss finish coating. more than 6.7"). Then, well move on to the medium priced rods and finish off with the inexpensive rods. It is light in overall weight and also in swing weight, falling in just behind our top three rods. Regular price $ 499 INFO. It also comes with a full wells grip, a unique taper, and a strong butt section. We wished that Scott could have used the better nickel/titanium, flexible snake guides as found on the Asquith.
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