Trident Fly Fishing is a full service fly shop. We spend a lot of time testing gear and writing shootouts to give you all of the tools to make your next trip a success.  We are not a blog, or a review site. 100% of our funding comes from your gear purchase, so if this shootout helps you on your next fly fishing adventure, support us by buying your next fly line (or better yet, your next rod and reel), from us.

This post is part of our Fly Line Shootout, so if you haven't read our main post, you probably want to check it out.

About Cortland Fly Lines

No other company in this test has as rich of a history making fly lines as Cortland. Cortland has been manufacturing fly lines since the 1930's. After several re-organizations, Cortland is now going strong making fly lines under 3 different labels: Precision, 444, and 333. While most people are familiar with the older (and more value-based) 444 and 333, the Precision line boasts some great new coatings and innovations. Read on to see how they fared against the big boys.

One thing we found interesting about Cortland lines (including lines made by Cortland like Teeny), is that they are a little bit heavier than their cousins at Rio and SA for similar tapers. Greater density means that they probably don't float as well as their competitors. See our comparison between 444 and Rio Gold for more info on this.

The Reviews:

Cortland 444 Modern Trout

Price: $59.95

The Hype: Designed for the intermediate and advanced level anglers, the new 444 Classic - Modern Trout delivers the ultimate combination between performance and price.

Taper Diagram:

Casting Notes:

The 444 is an interesting line. The 444 line has been around for decades and has a very strong following, particularly amongst the bamboo crowd. It’s important to note that 444 is a series designation, not a single line. The line that we tested is NOT the same as the Classic 444 Peach. This taper has a long rear taper, and is very similar to Rio Gold (I’m not sure which came first). Here's a comparison between the two:

We cast the 444 on the NRX first. It did not do well and it was pretty clear that it was not loading the rod well. This is very interesting since the 444 is roughly the same weight as GPX (and in fact has a heavier head weight overall). We've found that long rear taper lines, like 444 and Rio Gold, just feel lighter and need more weight overall than standard lines. On the Circa however, this line sings! It was one of our favorites overall on the Circa. It did everything really well.

Pros:

• An inexpensive line that casts really well on softer rods.

Cons:

• Not the most versatile line. It won’t work well on today’s faster rods.

Bottom line: If you have a Sage Circa (or another softer rod) this line should be near the top of your list.

Cortland Finesse Trout II

Price: $79.95

The Hype: … Designed for fishing small flies at greater distances in complex currents.

Taper Diagram:

Casting Notes:

Cortland Finesse Trout is a “presentation” line similar to Rio Trout LT and Triangle Taper: average front taper, average rear taper, long belly. Unfortunately, this line has no taper in the belly like the other two. Ironically, it’s also a half line size heavy. The result is very poor loop stability. Sure, it’s got a decent presentation, but there are so many lines (even many from Cortland) that do that and cast way, way better on every rod.

Pros:

• Decent presentation

Cons:

• Poor performance in every other category

Bottom line: There are much better choices than this line.

Cortland Trout Boss HTx

Price: $79.95

The Hype: Built a full-size heavy, the 46.5’ head design helps load fast action rods and increase line speed.

Taper Diagram:

Casting Notes:

The design of the Trout Boss is fairly standard. It has a slightly longer flat belly, plus an elongated rear taper. The longer head length of the Trout Boss HTx made it an excellent roll-casting and single-hand spey line. This line performed above average across the board on the NRX. Unfortunately, on the Circa, the Trout Boss overloaded the rod and its distance casting and loop stability suffered.

Pros:

• A great roll-casting line
• A great all-around line on faster rods.

Cons:

• Too heavy for slower rods

Bottom line: The Trout Boss is an excellent choice for faster rods, especially in tight quarters.

Trident Fly Fishing is a full service fly shop. We spend a lot of time testing gear and writing shootouts to give you all of the tools to make your next trip a success.  We are not a blog, or a review site. 100% of our funding comes from your gear purchase, so if this shootout helps you on your next fly fishing adventure, support us by buying your next fly line (or better yet, your next rod and reel), from us.

This post is part of our Fly Line Shootout, so if you haven't read our main post, you probably want to check it out.

About RIO Fly Lines

RIO is a relative newcomer to the fly line game. They made their first fly line in 1997. Since then, they've become a market leader due to great products and clever marketing. RIO divides its lines into 4 "series", which are differentiated by technology and price points: Mainstream, Avid, "Premier", & InTouch. Mainstream & Avid are Rio's entry-level lines and they have aggressive front tapers, while the Premier and InTouch series feature a wider array of lines to fit the needs of any angler. Read on to learn more.

The Reviews:

RIO Avid Trout WF

Price: $54.95

The Hype: The lines are designed for easy casting performance, with slightly heavier and shorter head lengths.

Taper Diagram:

Casting Notes:

RIO Avid Trout represents the ‘middle’ of Rio’s trout portfolio. In terms of taper, it’s almost identical to RIO Grand. So much so, that it would have been interesting to test the non-InTouch version of RIO Grand side-by-side with the Avid to see if there was anything that was accounting for the $20 price difference. Here's a taper comparison between Grand, Avid, & Mainstream:

You'll notice that the only difference is that Grand is a little larger in diameter (and therefore a little heavier). Overall, RIO Avid Trout is a solid performer across the board, but its shorter head made it a bit more difficult to roll cast or get extreme distance.

As this is the first RIO line we’re reviewing, it’s worth mentioning that many of Rio’s offerings seemed to be geared toward the intermediate angler. Which is to say they are front-loaded to make rods load quicker, and have shorter heads to facilitate shooting line. This also means that they excel at nymphing and streamers, but aren’t the best dry fly lines.

Pros:

• An above average line, at a below average price
• Like many RIO lines, the Avid felt like it was geared toward the intermediate angler

Cons:

• A full line size heavy
• Comes with all of the shortcomings of a shorter head.

Bottom line: Is this RIO Grand for (almost) half the price?

RIO Gold

Price: $74.95

The Hype: The RIO Gold has a revolutionary taper design that gives incredible loop stability at distance, a unique profile that allows a rod to load at close range and a front taper that delivers perfect presentation of flies between sizes #22 and #2.

Taper Diagram:

Casting Notes:

RIO Gold might be one of the best-selling fly lines of all time. It’s a modern classic - the standard against which all [trout] fly lines are measured. In this test, RIO Gold came in two varieties: standard and InTouch.

Before we talk about how it casts, I wanted to touch on its taper in more detail. RIO Gold has a continuously sloping belly which transitions into a long rear taper. It’s kind of like the opposite of Triangle Taper, and a lot like Airflo’s new Bruce Chard saltwater taper. It’s designed to load quick, carry a lot of line and turn flies over quickly. As we’ve discussed earlier in this shootout, a long rear taper also makes a fly line feel lighter than it actually is.

While the theory behind this line is sound, it performed much better on the Circa than on the NRX. In fact, it might be our favorite line overall on the Circa (which isn’t surprising, given Sage and RIO are part of the same entity). It just left us wanting more on the NRX and didn’t load the rod enough, or shoot line particularly well. On softer rods, RIO Gold does everything really well, save throw streamers, where its performance was just ok (but this may have as much to do with the rod as the line).

Pros:

• A great all around line for softer rods
• Shorter front taper makes a great nymphing line (on softer rods)

Cons:

• Feels too light for faster rods

Bottom line: A popular line that works great on softer rods.

RIO InTouch Gold

Price: $89.95

The Hype: The ultimate, all-round fly line, with ultra-low stretch performance.

Taper Diagram:

Casting Notes:

RIO InTouch Gold is pretty similar to 'regular' RIO Gold. There were two noticeable differences between the two lines: First, while InTouch Gold is 6 grains lighter, it actually feels a little heavier. I think this would be more pronounced if the two lines we tested were actually the same weight. For that reason, we preferred the standard RIO Gold on the Circa, but thought the InTouch was a little better on the NRX. Second, as we noted with all InTouch lines, this one had a little more memory in the running line. It greatly benefits from being stretched out before use. Want to know more? Scroll up and read our review of RIO Gold.

Pros:

• A great all around line for softer rods
• Shorter front taper makes a great nymphing line (on softer rods)
• Low-stretch core benefits

Cons:

• Feels too light for faster rods
• A little more memory than we'd like

Bottom line: A popular line that works great on softer rods - with a low stretch core.

RIO InTouch Grand

Price: $89.95

The Hype: The InTouch RIO Grand is a full line size heavier than the industry standard, and features more weight distributed towards the front of the line to easily load faster action fly rods.

Taper Diagram:

Casting Notes:

RIO InTouch Grand is the same taper as RIO Avid and Mainstream. It’s a strong weight forward line designed to help load faster rods. The actual grain weight on the RIO Grand line we tested was a full 6 grains heavier than Avid. Combine that with Rio’s new InTouch core, and this line feels way heavier than Avid or Mainstream. It’s more of a 6.5-weight line, than a 5-weight.

It should come as no surprise that this line didn’t perform well on the Circa – it’s just too heavy! On the NRX, however, RIO Grand works much better, but it’s obviously a line geared toward the intermediate and beginning angler throwing easy medium sized loops well at short to medium distances. It’s also a great choice for nymphing and streamers.

Pros:

• Lives up to its promise of an easy to load line
• Great for nymphing and streamers

Cons:

• Is this really a 5-weight?
• Running line has too much memory

Bottom line: A great choice for beginners and intermediates with faster rods.

RIO InTouch Outbound Short

Price: $89.95

The Hype: Exceptionally powerful, easy casting, line built for maximum distance, with ultra-low stretch performance.

Taper Diagram:

Casting Notes:

It’s important to note that this is probably the first time RIO InTouch Outbound Short has ever been tested as a trout line. It’s really not designed for it. It’s designed for pike, or stripers, or roosterfish. But, they make it in a 5-weight and RIO was gracious enough to send us one to test.

First, let’s look at the taper. It’s a front loaded compound taper, that’s basically a shorter (and therefore more weight forward) version of Rio’s popular Avid/Mainstream/Grand taper. OB Short is also a VERY heavy line. According to AFFTA, it’s about a 7.5-weight, unquestionably 2 line sizes heavier than a standard 5-weight. This isn’t a mistake, it’s exactly what RIO intended.

OB Short loaded deep and produced wide loops. Those characteristics are great for streamer fishing, nymphing, and to some extent, beginners. They are however, not what we look for in a dry fly line. It shoots well, but distance suffered because it was just too heavy for the NRX, and way too heavy for the Circa. So, we cast it on the Sage Method, and it really started to shine. It's the perfect line for really, really, fast rods, particularly if you're throwing nymphs and streamers.

Pros:

• Shoots well on really fast rods
• Possibly a good choice for some 6-weights

Cons:

• Needs to be stretched before use.
• Really needs a fast-to-very fast rod to perform well.

Bottom line: Not a trout line per se, but a line that will work well when combined with the right (really fast) rod.

RIO InTouch Perception

Price: $89.95

The Hype: Our revolutionary RIO InTouch Perception floating trout line helps anglers connect with more fish than ever before.

Taper Diagram:

Casting Notes:

RIO doesn’t tell you a lot about this line. Part of that is likely due to the fact that RIO InTouch Perception was Rio’s first low-stretch core line, and they are totally stoked about that. The other reason they aren’t talking too much about it is that it’s got an incredibly unique and complex taper. By the numbers, it’s relatively average, with a 7’ front taper, 21’ belly and 6’ rear taper, but the front taper is actually extended an extra two feet before the main section of the belly begins. The rear taper is also a bit different as it feeds into a thick handling section that extends for roughly 10’. Weight-wise, it’s nearly identical to SA GPX.

I’m not going to even attempt to figure out what each of these design features is supposed to do, but I can tell you that it’s one of Rio’s best all-around trout lines. While many of Rio’s offerings are geared towards making it easier for beginners, Perception is a much higher performing line that offers truly blended performance.

Pros:

• An above average line in virtually every category.
• Roll casts well

Cons:

• Needs to be stretched before use due to the added memory of the InTouch core

Bottom line: Perception is a bit of a sleeper in Rio’s lineup. For most rods and applications, Perception is Rio’s best all-around line for better casters on fast rods.

RIO InTouch Single Hand Spey

Price: $84.95

The Hype: The rear weight distribution loads a rod deeply in the tightest of quarters, allowing anglers to make long, effortless casts with obstacles close behind. Though primarily designed for roll casting, this line also performs exceptionally easy overhead casts with incredibly smooth loop control.

Taper Diagram:

Casting Notes:

RIO Single hand Spey has a very long front taper, a short, fat, belly, and a short back taper. I’d actually describe it as a really, really, aggressive Triangle Taper. The first 10’ are quite light, giving the line quite a bit of presentation, but after that it’s quite a heavy and thick to allow the line to water load well. Overall, it’s actually a full 7-weight line.

Like SA’s SBT, Rio’s new InTouch Single Hand Spey Line is a new breed of line that is aimed at the light Spey, roll-casting, and single-hand Spey market (duh). Like SBT, Single Hand Spey unsurprisingly is excellent at both roll casting and single hand Spey casting. They are definitely NOT the same line, however. SBT reminds me of a Skagit line – a blunt instrument that works really well for chucking a lot of weight. SHS on the other hand, is more of a Scandi line – much more subtle and versatile.

Unfortunately for Rio, the marketing doesn’t really showcase how great of an overhead casting line this. It casts really well. It shoots really well. It even has fairly decent presentation. But it will take some getting used to. It’s definitely non-traditional and it’s very evident while casting.

Pros:

• A fabulous roll-casting and single hand spey line
• Great performance across the board
• More versatile than SBT

Cons:

• Non-traditional feel

Bottom line: If you spend time in tight quarters and want a line that you can fish the rest of the day as well, this is it.

RIO InTouch Trout LT

Price: $84.95

The Hype: The ultimate line for delicate presentation, with ultra-low stretch performance.

Taper Diagram:

Casting Notes:

RIO Trout LT has been around for a while. In its latest incarnation, RIO has added its low-stretch InTouch core to this popular line, which makes it feel a bit heavier. It’s a lot like Wulff’s Triangle taper in its basic shape, but features a longer head and about twice the front taper. It’s also a very light-weight line and it won’t work very well on faster rods. As the marketing states, though, RIO InTouch Trout LT is the ultimate line for delicate presentations. Unfortunately, you do sacrifice a lot in terms of usability (vs Triangle Taper) to get marginally better presentation. It’s up to you to decide if that’s worth it.

Pros:

• The ultimate presentation dry fly line

Cons:

• Needs to be stretched before use.
• Too light for faster modern rods

Bottom line: If casting size 22 midges to super spooky trout is your game, there’s no better choice than this.

RIO Lightline

Price: $74.95

The Hype: Designed for slower action rods; especially bamboo, glass and “classic” action graphite rods

Taper Diagram:

Casting Notes:

RIO Lightline is new for the 2016 season. Looking at the taper, it’s pretty similar to one of our favorites, the Wulff Triangle Taper, and is nearly identical in weight.

This line impressed us right off that bat. While it might be designed for bamboo and glass rods, it did a really nice job on both the NRX and the Circa. It loaded well on both rods, and had excellent presentation. Amongst RIO lines, it’s similar to Trout LT, but just seems to cast a little better overall.

Pros:

• Great presentation
• Excellent loop stability.

Cons:

• Not a great line for beginners.

Bottom line: One of the top choices, particularly if you’re fishing a lot of dries.

RIO Mainstream Trout

Price: $39.95

The Hype: RIO's Mainstream series of fly lines have been developed to meet the overall needs of the average and novice fly fisher, and are designed to optimize rod performance with slightly heavier and shorter head lengths.

Taper Diagram:

Casting Notes:

With a taper that’s nearly identical to RIO Avid Trout, I would have expected virtually identical performance. Unfortunately, RIO Mainstream Trout felt quite different. I don’t know if it’s AgentX or XS Technology the simply the slightly smaller diameter or a different core, but the Mainstream trout didn’t cast very well on either rod. Part of this was due to the fact that it had a significant amount of memory and it definitely needs to be stretched before use. After stretching it, performance increased substantially, but it still didn’t cast as well as Avid. Another curiosity was that this line floated noticeably poorer than all of the other lines in the test.

Pros:

• Price

Cons:

• Doesn’t float well

Bottom line: Spend the extra $20 on Avid. It’s worth it.

Trident Fly Fishing is a full service fly shop. We spend a lot of time testing gear and writing shootouts to give you all of the tools to make your next trip a success.  We are not a blog, or a review site. 100% of our funding comes from your gear purchase, so if this shootout helps you on your next fly fishing adventure, support us by buying your next fly line (or better yet, your next rod and reel), from us.

This post is part of our Fly Line Shootout, so if you haven't read our main post, you probably want to check it out.

About ARC Fly Lines

ARC is a new brand in the world of fly fishing. Started just a few years ago, they are committed to innovation in the tippet, fly line and leader markets. They sent us their ARC 99+ line for this test, so read on to see how it stands up.

Please note: While our taper diagrams are really great for most lines, they didn’t work as well for Airflo (and therefore ARC). The reason for this is twofold. First, ARC lines are ridged. This means that they are not round and when we’re talking about 1000ths of an inch, it makes a big difference. Second, ARC lines have larger diameters. That means that ARC lines have more air inside for any given weight of line. This makes them float better, but it also makes them squishy and hard to measure.

The Review:

Arc 99+

Price: $79.95

The Hype: Designed for today’s faster action fly rods, the ARC 99+ is a half line size heavier and features a more condensed taper than standard true-to-size fly lines.

Taper Diagram:

Casting Notes:

The ARC 99+ was a good short-to-middle distance line. In fact, it reminded us a lot of Airflo Xceed (both are made by Airflo). The key difference between ARC 99 and Xceed was a much lighter feeling, particularly in close. This is likely due to its longer level tip.

Unfortunately, ARC suffered the same shortcomings as Xceed and didn’t have great loop stability at distance. This was one of the lines that did everything just fine and didn’t really surprise us in any way.

Pros:

• Will work well for 99… er, probably more like 85% of anglers.

Cons:

• Didn't blow us away in any category.

Bottom line: If you’re a fan of ARC’s brand and are looking for a trout line that will get you out on the water, this will do the trick.

Trident Fly Fishing is a full service fly shop. We spend a lot of time testing gear and writing shootouts to give you all of the tools to make your next trip a success.  We are not a blog, or a review site. 100% of our funding comes from your gear purchase, so if this shootout helps you on your next fly fishing adventure, support us by buying your next fly line (or better yet, your next rod and reel), from us.

Why Fly lines?

When we first started testing gear, we knew that we had to do things differently to make a difference. It all started with the first ever fly reel shootout way back in 2013. As we continued to scour the web for new ideas, it was pretty clear that the most talked about and least understood part of our equipment was fly lines.In fact, when we started this project, we too knew very little about fly lines. As far as trout lines were concerned, it was RIO Gold, SA GPX, and for lighter rods, RIO Trout LT.

Why are fly lines so tough to understand? First, there are a TON of lines out there. We tested 43 weight-forward 5-weight floating lines in this test, which is probably somewhere around a third of the WF5F lines on the market. When you add in DT, color variations, specialty lines, different sink rates, etc. the number of lines balloons into the 100s, and that's just for 5-weights!

Second, there's a tremendous amount of variation among lines. While there is a standard for fly lines, it's no longer that relevant (if you want more history on fly lines, I’d recommend reading “America’s Fly Lines” by Victor Johnson). The AFFTA standards came about in the 1960’s when Myron Gregory, a tournament caster, and president of the International Casting Federation, set out to make lines easy for the average angler to understand. These line standards are still in place today.

Unfortunately there are a couple of problems with the AFFTA standard:

1. 30 feet. 30’ was chosen somewhat arbitrarily by Gregory. The only possible reason for this was that most shooting lines used on the west coast had heads that were less than 30’ long. As you’ll see in this test, only one line has a head that short, and most are much longer. This means that 30’ is a somewhat irrelevant reference point when head lengths range from 25 to 70’.
2. Level Tips are not included. This was also an arbitrary decision. There’s no reason that they aren’t included in the weight total, since they add to the mass of the line. This is an even larger problem today, because for the most part, level tips don’t really exist on most lines (we started measuring at 6” due to welded loops and such), and tips are much thicker and heavier than the lines of the 1960’s. Even so, we’re talking 2-4 grains per foot, so keep this in mind as you look at the 30’ weights.
3. Only weight is taken into account. In the 1960's tapered lines were a new thing. Creating a compound taper - one where weight is not evenly or uniformly distributed - was technically impossible, let alone something that a fly caster should consider when selecting a line. So, mass was all that went into the standard, and it was ok, since lines were all tapered in a similar consistent manner. As you'll see, the taper matters a LOT. (if you don't believe us, read: "The Mechanics of Flycasting: The Flyline" by Graig A. Spolek)

So why isn't the standard relevant? In rough numbers, only one-third of the lines tested are “true” 5-weight lines (134-146 grains) according to the standard and about another third are “within the margin of error” (126-152 grains). Also interesting is the fact that zero lines weighed in below 140 grains.

Finally, fly lines are really complicated. The best article we've read to date about how lines cast is "The Mechanics of Flycasting: The Flyline" by Graig A. Spolek, an engineering professor at Portland State University. If you click on it, you'll see very quickly the level of math and science that's required for a deeper understanding of how fly lines work. While we don't necessarily suggest spending your time trying to figure out that article (though it is excellent), there is one chart that is critically important:

The takeaway: When modeling the fly velocity [in air] of various tapered fly lines, Spolek found that the taper makes a tremendous difference in the way a line casts. We agree, and so we set out on an odyssey to find out which lines work, and which do not.

Testing Procedure

Line Selection

The first thing we did in this test was to limit the test to just weight-forward 5-weight lines. We did this to make sure everything was not only an apples-to-apples comparison, but to keep the test somewhat manageable. We then asked every line manufacturer we could find to send us lines, and most did!

Rod Selection

With the huge range of actions available today, we wanted to make sure we covered a wide range of actions. To do that, we picked two rods to test:

G. Loomis NRX LP 9’ 5-weight: We chose the NRX LP for a few reasons. First and foremost, it’s one of our best sellers and a customer favorite among ‘all-around’ trout rods. We considered the Hardy Zephrus, Sage ONE and the Helios 2 (among others), but what sets the NRX apart is its more progressive action which enables you to cast a wider range of fly lines on it. The Zephrus for example really likes heavier lines like SA MPX.

Sage Circa: To complement our fast action all-around rod, we looked for something that was on the opposite end of the spectrum from the NRX. We wanted a softer, medium action rod that would cast lighter more classic lines, without being too noodle-y. The Circa fit the bill perfectly (yes, Sage calls it slow, but we know it’s really not that slow).

Finally, for some of the really heavy lines and for extra testing, we cast a select few lines on the Sage Method to see how the performed on a really fast rod.

Taper Diagrams

Taper diagrams were created by measuring the diameter of each line every 6 inches until we were well into the running line. Yes, that’s well over 4000 data points. We used a digital micrometer, which is the only way to get an accurate reading.

While these diagrams are really great for most lines, they didn’t work as well for Airflo. The reason for this is twofold. First, Airflo lines are ridged. This means that they are not round and when we’re talking about 1000ths of an inch, it makes a big difference. Second, Airflo lines have larger diameters. That means that Airflo lines have more air inside for any given weight of line. This makes them float better, but it also makes them squishy and hard to measure.

Taper Lengths

One of the most important features of every fly line is its taper. Once we had the taper diagrams, we could analyze the lengths of all of the key elements of each taper: the Level Tip, Front Taper, Belly, Back Taper, and Running Line.

As you’ll observe, the diagrams show each part of the line very clearly – for some lines. For other lines, it’s less clear:

In cases like this, we used the manufacturer’s specifications as a guideline. After all, we’re really trying to determine if what they are telling us is accurate.

So how accurate are these measurements? Well, all of our measurements were in 6” increments, so we could be as much as a foot off. Couple this with a 6” manufacturing tolerance and that gives us another foot. What does that mean? If a manufacturer claims the head length is 40’, and we found it to be 38’, it still could be within specifications. This goes for any part of the line.

Weights

In order to understand the effect mass has on how a line casts, we decided to weigh each fly line in 10-foot increments up to 30’ to make sure that we got consistent measurements across all of the lines. We then measured the full head weight to show us the maximum amount of weight that we were casting. We took all of our measurements using a gram scale accurate to +/- .01 grams, or +/- 0.15 grains.

Casting Categories

Loop Stability

If I were forced to pick one factor that differentiated a great casting line from a poor one, it’s loop stability. What we mean by this is the ease with which a line "unfurls”. Another way to think about it is that the velocity of the fly never gets too low to compensate for gravity when making longer casts.

Distance

Let’s face it, as fly fisherman, rightly or wrongly, we’re kind of obsessed with distance. We made a couple of “long casts” across a tape measure and then recorded points based on the relative distances we cast.

Presentation

Presentation is another category that is talked about often. I can honestly tell you that with a few notable exceptions, every fly line that is designated as a "trout line" has pretty decent presentation. The difference between RIO Trout LT and Scientific Anglers SharkWave GPX is really not that much. Certainly for 95+% of fishing situations, I'd take the easier to load, better casting line, over the better presentation. It's really overrated. We tested this by casting each line on a lake and judging how much it "splashed" and how softly it landed.

Shooting

Unlike presentation, the ability to shoot line is an important characteristic of any fly fisherman. Shooting line is, simply put, the length of line that goes through the tip after the line is released from your bottom hand. At first glance you might think that this is equivalent to distance… but there are lines that shoot far but don't cast AS far due to the fact that they can't hold as much line in the air.

Nymphing

This one is easy. We took our standard test leader and added a small split shot to the end and a Thingamabobber to the butt section of our leader and then cast it! This category will also tell you how well a line will cast "junk" - like a dry dropper, or a two-dry rig - anything that falls outside of a traditional dry fly or a streamer. Let's face it, most of us are throwing a lot of bobbers these days.

Roll Casting

One thing we do a lot in the brush covered streams of the east is roll-cast, so we wanted to see which lines roll casted well. We also tested this on an open lake, but did two different styles of cast: the old school standard slow d-loop and a much more aggressive Scandi-style touch-and-go single hand spey cast.

Streamers

Easy! Just add a big chunk of split shot to your yarn and you've got the perfect streamer imitation without the dangerous end.

Beginners

Last, but not least, we included a category for beginning casters. Why? Because no matter where you sit on the casting spectrum, a line that loads better will give you more feedback and be more fun to fish. And also because, let's face it, you're no Steve Rajeff. We tested this by making a few short casts and seeing how the line loaded each of the rods.

A Note on “Average” Fly Lines

The many of the lines we tested in this shootout can be described as “average”. It means that they don’t really stand out in any way, good or bad. They don’t have spectacular presentation, or load incredibly quickly, or cast particularly far. Every one of these lines will cast your double nymph rig with a bobber 40’ if you’re a reasonably competent caster, and they will lay down a dry delicately enough to catch a fish on the Bighorn. The problem with these lines from a reviewer’s standpoint is that, because they don’t stand out in any way, it’s very difficult to determine any significant differences between them. As you read through our casting notes, we’re going to keep referring back to this paragraph so that we don’t repeat ourselves.

If you’ve got one of these lines, it will work for you. But if you’re in the market for a new line, you can probably find a line that will fit your fishing style and casting ability a bit better.

The Reviews

The best way to read these individual reviews is alphabetically, even though it's a TON of reading (this review is over 50 pages long in total). The reason for this is that's how we wrote it, and we found that the best way to talk about fly lines is in reference to other fly lines (particularly those that are popular and most people have experience casting). Below you'll find links to the reviews of each and every fly line we cast.

For the REALLY, really, short attention span

You probably haven't even gotten this far, but if you have, just get Scientific Anglers SharkWave GPX. It will work well on most modern fly rods, for most situations, for most anglers. If you really don't like texturing, you can try SA MPX or Teeny WF Floating, but neither line is as well rounded.

Recommended Lines

If you don't want to read all of our reviews individually, here's a table of our favorite lines broken down by rod action and fishing style:

Lengths, Weights, and Points

Below you'll find all of our test data. These images are really big, so if you want to see them, you'll probably want to right click and choose "Save Image As...", and save a copy to your computer so you can adjust the size properly. We have also included links to PDF versions.

Taper Length Chart

Taper lengths computed using our taper charts. For individual line taper shapes, please see the review specific to the line. If you can't read the image, you can view it in PDF format by clicking here.

Grain Weight

Grain weight measurements taken for 10'-20'-30' and the full head. We also included a relative chart as this is helpful in understanding the taper. If you can't read the image, you can view it in PDF format by clicking here.

Scoring

Last but not least, we scored each of the fly lines in the test. We seriously considered not including this chart, since there is no magic bullet in fly lines. Let me repeat that: there is no magic bullet. There is no one size fits all, does everything well fly line. If you buy Royal Wulff Triangle Taper and use it for streamers, you'll probably be disappointed. The opposite is true for SA Anadro. We highly recommend checking out our chart on "Recommended Lines" above and using that as your guide for selecting a line. Nevertheless, this is non-distilled version will help you if you're interested in finding, say, the best RIO line for streamers and you don't want to read our full review. We also only scored some lines on one rod. We did this because there was a massive disparity between how the line performed on one rod vs the other. If you can't read the image, you can view it in PDF format by clicking here.

Thanks for reading! As always, we'd love to hear your comments and thoughts. Please feel free to leave us a note!

It’s the start of trout season in Maine. That means it’s time to dust off my trusty Lamson Litespeed, put on my fleece and wading jacket and start reviewing trout rods! First up for 2016 is the brand new Douglas Sky. If you don't know Douglas, you should definitely be checking them out as they are making some of the best fly rods at much more affordable prices.

And don’t forget - if you enjoyed this review, help us by buying your next fly rod here.

Outfit

• Douglas Sky 9' 5-weight
• Lamson Litespeed IV #2
• SA GPX WF5F

Fit and Finish

One big difference between the Sky and other rods in the high-end price range is fit and finish. While Korean rods perform as well as their US-made counterparts, they just don’t look as nice. While the production version of the Sky is still a big upgrade from the prototype we saw at iCast last year, it is still lacking the awesomeness of rods like Scott and Winston. But then again, it’s also lacking the price tag as well.

There are also a couple of quirks that are worth mentioning. First, the rod sock is definitely the first I’ve seen of its kind on the market. It’s made out of a mesh material that has some sort of softer material in the middle. It probably protects the rod better than anything on the market, but it’s also a lot bulkier. If you’ve got a multi-rod tube, you’ll definitely want to pick up a new rod sock before your trip. The other oddity is the stripping guide which is angled upward. Again, I assume there’s a really good reason for this, but it looks a little weird when you first pick up the rod.

Weight

The Sky weighs 3.05 ounces (86.6 grams). It’s not the world’s lightest rod, but it feels pretty light in hand.

Distance

The Sky has TONS of power. Casting this rod side-by-side with the Hardy Zenith reveals that the Sky is actually the longer rod. As far as all-around trout rods go, this one has more distance than just about any rod out there. If you need more reach, you’ll have to go for an ultra-fast rod like the Sage Method.

Accuracy

I cast the Sky side-by-side with the Hardy Zenith. At 30’, neither rod is amazing, but the Hardy was the more accurate rod. Oddly, I preferred the presentation of the Sky, which definitely was more delicate with a lightweight dry. I'd probably rate it an 8/10.

At 45’ the Zenith is nearly perfect, and the Sky was a little too fast to keep up, or maybe I’m just a little used to the Zenith by now. The Sky still works well at 45’, like it did at 30’, but it’s just not picky spring creek accurate, 8.5/10. When I moved back to 60’, the nature of the Sky changed. It’s easily one of the best rods I’ve ever cast! 10/10 (or 11 in the Spinal Tap world) at 60'.

Flex & Feel

No question about it, the Sky is a fast rod. Queue the comments about it being a telephone pole in 3… 2… 1… Let me assure you, that it’s not – but it also not the most forgiving rod in the world. You need to know how to cast to use this rod effectively.  It lacks the soft tip that we see on so many rods these days, but it does flex very evenly throughout the rod which gives it quite a bit of feedback.

Warranty

Lifetime.

Price: $695

Conclusion

After a day of reflection, I came to the conclusion that the Sky is a lot like the Sage ONE – a fast rod that comes alive at longer distances.  With that in mind, the Sky is also a lot better than the ONE at short and middle distances, and a good caster will make it work at any distance. If I were to summarize the rod, I’d say it’s a faster rod that’s a distance champ, but will work well at any distance. Or a great all-around rod that shines at longer distances. More importantly though, I’m really looking forward to checking out the heavier saltwater versions of this rod, where the characteristics of a faster rod will make it more well suited to the salt.

Who should be fishing this rod?

• Anyone who likes a faster rod
• Anyone fishing bigger rivers, particularly from a drift boat

I cast this rod with GPX, and I think it might even take a heavier line if you wanted to load it a little deeper.

Pros

• Super, super accurate at longer distances
• A distance champ
• $200 less than other high end rods

Cons

• Not as forgiving as other rods out there
• Some quirky design choices

When Sage changes their flagship rod, it’s a big deal in the fly fishing industry. Sage is one of the largest and most innovative rod makers, so everyone is really excited to see what Jerry is going to come up with next... and then of course there are the haters, like my fishing buddy, who, when I mentioned that I had a new Sage X fly rod said, “Meh, it looks like a dressed up Sage ONE.” I can tell you unequivocally that it’s not another Sage ONE. Read on to see what this rod’s all about.

If this review helped you decide on your next fly rod, help us by buying it here.

Konnetic HD

The biggest innovation in the X comes from its KonneticHD (that’s High Density, not Definition) technology that’s buried in the blank. Not being a materials scientist, I can’t tell you what any of this really means, but here’s what Sage has to say about it:

“KonneticHD Technology is the next era in performance graphite rods. Optimizing our graphite-to-resin ratio, we have created a higher density (HD) fiber composite, resulting in lighter, stronger blanks which deliver unmatched recovery, energy transfer, and line/loop control. Building upon proprietary construction techniques developed for Konnetic Technology, KonneticHD gives us an elevated platform to achieve new levels in rod design.”

Outfit

Here’s what I was casting:

• Sage X 9' 5-weight
• Lamson Litespeed IV
• SA GPX WF5F and later Rio Gold

Flex & Feel

I decided to change up our typical review format to highlight some of the things that are new and interesting about this rod. The first thing that struck me was the flex and feel, which was definitely not what I was expecting.

When I pick up a Sage, I’m expecting certain things – namely, a light, fast, rod that works well with my slightly-too-aggressive casting stroke. Heck, Don Green founded the company to create rods that never ran out of “power”. The ONE (and even more so, the Method) loved to be pushed hard. The bigger your double haul, the better it casts. This isn’t necessarily the case with the Sage X. If I pulled too hard on my double haul, the rod seemed to overload. With that said, the rod also didn’t need to be double hauled. It practically casts itself.

Presentation

Another area where the X surprised me is in presentation. Where the ONE was a blunt instrument, the X presents a dry fly softly and subtly - a great thing for you dry fly enthusiasts out there.

Fit and Finish

Sage made some very minor changes to the aesthetics of the rod – namely they changed the reel seat. It looks nice and the engraving does make it easier to determine which rod you’re grabbing off the rack. Other than that, the fit and finish of the Sage X is just like any other Sage rod. It’s great, but don’t expect any ultra-high end components or alignment dots. One thing that I do like is the standardization of the grip. Every new Sage rod comes with their snub-nosed half-wells grip, which is one of the best and most comfortable you’ll see anywhere.

Weight

The new Sage X is slightly lighter than the ONE. Unfortunately, most of this weight was removed from the handle where it doesn’t matter and the tip is fairly similar in weight to most other high performance rods (the last 3 sections of the X are identical in weight to the Fenwick Aetos, for example). This means that when you put a lightweight reel on it, the balance is off, but only slightly.

Distance

The Sage X will give intermediate casters more distance; however it’s not the cannon of its predecessors.

Accuracy

As you’ve probably gathered from this review, it took me a little while to get used to the Sage X. Once I did, however, I realized that the X is fantastically accurate at 30’. That was quite a shock, since the ONE was terrible at short distances.

As I moved further away, performance was both great and somewhat confusing. At 45’, I would normally employ a double haul to increase line speed and accuracy, when I did this, accuracy suffered. But as I mentioned before, the X doesn’t like to get pushed hard, so when I laid off my usual aggressive double haul, the rod performed marvelously. Again, the rod casts itself.

The story is much the same at 60’, but I felt like the rod didn’t have as much oomph as some of the faster rods like the Scott Radian or Hardy Zephrus. BUT, the power of the Sage X is so much easier to access that a lot of anglers may find it to cast further and with more accuracy than either rod.

Warranty

Lifetime.

Price: $895

Bottom line

If you were expecting this review to end in the conclusion that the new X series is some mythological weapon that does everything for everyone, you’ll be disappointed. Honestly, I found the rod quite difficult to review as it took a lot of time to get used to and figure out.

What is clear, however, is that the Sage X will work really well for a lot of anglers. I’m happy to report that Sage is making a rod for the masses. For the beginner and intermediate angler, the X will make you look like a better caster and will allow you to cast farther and more accurately. While the extreme minority of fly anglers who really needed a rod like the ONE for their everyday needs (let’s face it, not many of us need to make 50-70’ casts most of the time) will be a little disappointed, I expect that they will find solace in the Method or Bolt.

I was torn on line selection, but I liked both Rio Gold and SA GPX on the rod. Gold seemed to cast a little better at distance.

Pros

• A Sage for the everyman angler, finally.
• Felt much more true-to-line weight than the ONE

Cons

• Hardcore Sage fans might be upset that the action is slower than what they are used to.
• I’d like to see Sage add some high-tech components to their rods.

Whether you’re taking your first tarpon trip, or upgrading your existing setup, one of the questions that you’re going to wrangle with is which line weight to choose. Of course, we're not talking about baby tarpon that you get in the backcountry or the Yucatan. We're talking about true, adult, 100+ lb tarpon. That choice typically comes down to 10-, 11-, or 12-weight. Here’s how to choose between them:

But first, here’s what some of the top guides in the Florida Keys have to say on the topic:

Capt. Justin Rea says, “Guides like me are moving away from 12-weight rods and going to 10- and 11-weights. They are much easier to throw all day and matched with larger reels like the Hatch 12 Plus and 11 Plus, they are deadly. The advantage is that they are lighter to cast and land much softer. You can get more technical with the casts and with bigger reels you are able to keep a good bend in the rod and land them quickly!”

Capt. Eric Wallace says, “The go-to rod is a one-piece 11-weight. The 11 has become the rod of choice in the keys. It gives you lifting power to pick up the fly and extra power to fight the fish. You have to win the battle quickly with tarpon and an 11-weight does that better than a 10-weight. To top it off, rod makers have started putting their best tapers on 11-weights."

The Case for the 10-weight

The go-to rod for saltwater fishing is an 8-weight. An 8 works for bonefish, redfish, smaller stripers, pretty much everything you can think of. For most of us, that means that the further you get away from an 8, either small or larger, the less you’ll use that rod. A 10-weight is not only a great tarpon rod, but works well for permit, roosterfish, milkfish, and most larger tropical species as well as a host of coldwater gamefish like pike and stripers. What I’m saying is that if you go for a 10-weight, you’ll probably get to fish the rod more than one week a year.

More importantly, 10-weights can also give you a lot of advantages when you’re tarpon fishing. They are light enough to cast all day and make a more delicate presentation than a heavier rod. If you’re an experienced saltwater angler, and you’re fishing for tarpon in clear water or high pressure environments (aka Florida), a 10-weight is the way to go. What’s the downside to a 10? It’s harder to land a big fish, and it’s easier to break than the heavier rods. If you’re fishing outside of the US for 150+ lb fish, you may want to think about lining up.

Split the Middle?

Bruce Chard made this argument perfectly: “Go with an 11-weight. A 10-weight is a specialty tool that can work really well, but needs an angler that knows how to apply pressure properly. 12-weights's are just too heavy and hard to cast all day.” 11’s are the split the middle between weight and strength and usefulness and specialization. Not to mention the first choice for all of the Keys guides we talked to.

I own an 11-weight. I don’t own a 12-weight. I like to think of the 11 as a “the new 12”, it’s a great fish fighting tool that you’ll be able to use anywhere there are big fish to be caught. It’s easier to fight big fish on than a 10, and it’s lighter to cast than the 12. So why wouldn’t you want an 11-weight? Well, for exactly the same reasons it’s great: It’s not as light or delicate as a 10, and doesn’t fight fish as well as a 12.

Go Big or Go Home

12-weights are definitely the traditional big tarpon hunter’s weapon of choice. While there’s plenty of argument on whether or not a 12 is still a 12, you’ll find plenty of 12-weight Crosscurrents in guide boats across the Keys. While it’s pretty clear that most tarpon fisherman have shifted to lighter rods, here are 3 good reasons to go with a 12-weight:

• You already have a 10- or 11-weight you like.
• You’re also planning a trip for sailfish or big GT in the near future.
• You’re going to a well-known big tarpon destination like Costa Rica or West Africa.

Ok, I’ve decided. Now which rod should I go with?

Our current favorite saltwater rods are the Scott Meridian, Hardy Zephrus SWS, and Orvis Helios 2. It’s also likely that the new G. Loomis Asquith will be a top contender.

Still can’t decide?

We’re here to help. Drop us a line at support@tridentflyfishing.com or call us at 888-413-5211.

Rarely do new rods surprise me. Being in the industry means that I usually get a heads up for what’s coming next. I got no such heads up from Winston. Needless to say I was pleasantly surprised when Winston came to iCast ready to make a splash. They have hired 3-4 new team members, have a host of new, top-notch pro staffers, and some really great new products. Leading the charge is the new Winston Air. It’s touted as a “super premium, ultra-lightweight, all around fly rod.” Read on to see if it lives up to the hype.

If this review helped you decide on your next fly rod, help us by buying it here.

Outfit

• Winston Air 9' 5-weight
• Lamson Litespeed IV 2
• Winston Energy WF5F

First, let’s talk about fly lines

The Air wasn’t Winston’s only new product for 2017. They also released an entire line of fly lines to match their rods. I’ve got a lot of work to do before I release a review of these lines, but here are three things you should know about them.

1. They are made by SA, so you’re getting a quality product.
2. The lines are designed using Opterus technology to better fit today’s (and especially Winston) fly rods.
3. Most importantly, they take the guesswork out of finding a line for your new Winston.

Naturally, it made sense to cast the Air with the new line. To make sure it wasn’t all smoke and mirrors, I also cast SA GPX on the rod, which will also work well if you don’t want to spring for the new line.

Fit and Finish

Classic Winston. The fit and finish is really the best in the industry. The new Air features hard chrome snake over-sized "Shooting Guides" with chrome nano-lite stripping guides – the same upgrade the B3x got last year.

Weight

The Air feels really light when you pick it up, but actually it weighs 3.4 oz. That makes it one of the heavier 5wts overall. What it doesn’t tell you is that most of the weight is in the butt section. More specifically, having a beautiful reel seat costs you a few 1/10ths of an ounce. Bottom line: the rod feels nice and light in hand.

Distance

Being a medium fast rod, the Air isn’t a great distance rod. But, let’s face it: most trout fishing doesn’t require distance.

Accuracy

The best part about this rod is its accuracy at short and middle distances. It’s one of my favorite rods at 30’ and 45’. It can also get it out to 60’, but you’re going to need to slow down your cast significantly. If you’re willing to do that, you’ll be rewarded with some pretty good accuracy, but the rod just doesn’t generate the line speed that many of the faster rods do today.

Flex & Feel

Again, the Air is classic Winston. It’s marketed as a medium-fast rod, and it IS a medium fast rod. “But Ben, I really like my B3x and it’s a fast action rod, will I like the Air?” In terms of feel, the Air is similar, *possibly* a tad softer than the B3x. Really, though, the B3x is also a medium-fast rod in today’s world. Like the B3x, the Air has a nice soft tip and flexes progressively though the blank. It gives the caster great feedback.

What’s new about the Air, is its nano-silica resin (think Hardy Sintrix) which makes the rod much stronger and, more importantly, more forgiving than any Winston I’ve ever cast.

Nymphing

If there’s one thing I didn’t like about the Air, it’s its nymphing ability. Despite the marketing, the Air is a dry fly rod with a lot of all-around ability, not a do-everything rod. That means that it just doesn’t nymph as well as a Hardy Zephrus. Just to be clear, I’m not saying it’s a bad nymphing rod. If you’re fishing tailwaters and throwing really small nymphs, you’ll probably enjoy it a lot, but it lacks the power to throw lots of 3 BB size split shot attached to a couple nymphs and a big Thingamabobber.

Warranty

Lifetime.

Price: $945

Conclusion

I really loved casting the Winston Air. While Winston has claimed it’s an all-around rod, it’s really more of an all-around *Winston* rod. That means it’s a dry fly specialist that can do some light nymphing and streamer fishing on the side. That’s what the classic Winston feel is all about.

If you’re a Winston fan, you’re going to love this rod. If you’re *mostly* a dry fly guy, the Air should be near the top of your list to try.

Pros

• Stronger and more forgiving than the B3x
• Classic Winston feel

Cons

• The only con I can think of is that it’s expensive, but it’s a Winston

The 2017 model year will likely go down as a great one for the fly rod industry. We were lucky enough to have 3 major rod releases from 3 of our favorite companies. The Asquith (yes, that’s what it’s really called) is Loomis contribution to the pile, and it makes fly rod history by being the first regular production rod to break $1000. Is it worth it? Asquith vs. NRX? Read on to find out.

This is our first of two reviews of the Asquith.  Why two? Well, it’s at least as important of a trout rod as it is a flats rod. Also, sorry for the stock photos, we only had our demo for a few days and didn’t have time to photograph it.

If this review helped you decide on your next fly rod, help us by buying it here.

New and Notable

1. “Spiral X” – I’m not a materials scientist, but here’s what Loomis says about it “Built on Shimano’s proprietary Spiral X platform, the Asquith boasts superb power transfer from tip to hand, quick recovery, and increased sensitivity.”
2. Blank is built in Japan, then the rod is finished in WA – I see no issue with this, but this rod is no longer technically “Made in the USA”
3. It has a pretty silly name

Outfit

• G. Loomis Asquith 9' 8-weight
• Nautilus NV-G
• Bruce Chard Tropical Punch WF8F and later Rio Bonefish WF8F

Fit and Finish

Loomis has always had great finish work, but not as good as Scott and Winston. The Asquith is no different. The one thing that might be of interest on the new rod is the size of the guides – in particular the stripping guides – which are even smaller than the NRX, which were already amongst the smallest saltwater guides on the market. Personally, I don’t really care about this, as large guides have never saved a bonefish for me if my line was tangled, but some saltwater guys seem to have had a different experience.

Weight

One of the key features of the new Asquith is its weight. At 3.75 oz., it’s nearly half an ounce lighter than the NRX. BIG improvement! What’s better is that about half that weight comes from the top 3 sections making the swing weight drop considerably.

Distance

See the section on line selection.

Accuracy

As you might expect, accuracy on the new Asquith is really great. It is probably the best rod I’ve ever cast in close (with Tropical Punch) – easily better than the Scott Meridian or NRX. It’s also really good at middle distances. But, it’s not as good as the NRX at 80’. It doesn’t have enough horsepower to make longer casts accurately with a heavy-ish line. Is it going to beat out the Scott Meridian? Using Airflo Tropical Punch? No chance. Using Rio or SA Bonefish? Maybe.

Flex & Feel

I think we’re seeing a trend this year. The Sage X is softer than the Sage ONE. Now that we’ve tested them side-by-side, the Asquith is also unquestionably softer than the NRX. That said, when paired with lighter lines, it still has plenty of power. Being a Loomis, the rod also has the same great feedback you’d expect from a Rajeff design.

Line Selection

Now that I’ve told you about the flex, the more important question is how to line the rod. One of the things I loved about my 8-weight NRX was that I could pretty much pick any line in my bag and it would work well. Outbound Short to Rio Bonefish – I never had an issue. That’s not the case with the new Asquith.

As I mentioned earlier, I cast this with both Bruce Chard Tropical Punch and Rio Bonefish. The rod performs MUCH better with Rio Bonefish than with Tropical Punch. With Rio Bonefish, the rod is a cannon – easily making 100’ casts. With Tropical Punch, 80’ is difficult. So, for now, stick with lighter, less powerful tapers (Rio and SA Bonefish) on this rod. We’ll update you when we’ve tested more options.

Warranty

Lifetime. Loomis has the best turnaround time in the biz.

Price: $1100!!!!!!!

Conclusion

So, the burning question is: Is the new Asquith worth $1100? While only you can truly answer that question, when we compare it to the NRX, the Asquith is:

• Unquestionably a better salmon/steelhead rod.
• A better bonefish rod for better casters.
• Probably not a great rod for pike fisherman or Northeast striper guys who are looking to chuck big streamers.
• Excellent at short-to-mid distances (…  where you really need it)

• Incredible accuracy in close
• A cannon with lighter lines
• WAY lighter than the NRX 

Cons

• Really expensive
• Line sensitive
• Small stripping guides (maybe)

Round 2. Our second review of the much talked about G Loomis Asquith. It’s a silly name, but is it also a great rod? We’re going to skip the techno-babble in this review and get right down to the meat and potatoes. Read on to see if you should spend your next stack on the Asquith.

This is our second of two reviews of the Asquith. If you’ve already read the other one, I’m sorry for any repetition. This review is a lot more straightforward. If you haven’t read our review of the 8wt, you can read it here: G. Loomis Asquith 8wt Fly Rod Review

If this review helped you decide on your next fly rod, help us by buying it here.

Outfit

• G. Loomis Asquith 9' 5-weight
• Lamson Litespeed IV
• SA GPX WF5F

Fit and Finish

Loomis has always had great finish work, but not as good as Scott and Winston. The Asquith is no different. There really isn’t much to talk about here. It’s a nice looking rod, but not the BEST looking rod.

Weight

One of the key selling points of the new Asquith is its weight. At 2.8 oz., it’s way lighter than the NRX LP. This was really noticeable when casting side-by-side, but I never heard anyone complaining about the weight of the LP to begin with.

Flex & Feel

When I asked Steve Rajeff about how the Asquith compared to the NRX LP [in terms of flex], he said that it was somewhere in between the LP and the ‘standard’ NRX. I’d say that is definitely true, but a little misleading. It’s definitely not squarely in the middle between the two. To me, the Asquith feels A LOT like the LP. Only on long casts did I notice much difference at all.

Distance

If there was one area that I didn’t care for the LP in, it was distance. It just wasn’t a rod that you’d take to the casting competition. I mean that’s why there’s an NRX Trout AND an NRX LP. The Asquith does a better job at making these longer casts (vs LP) without a doubt.

Accuracy

Comparing the Asquith to the NRX LP was probably one of the easiest comparison tests I’ve ever done. The Asquith is better across the board, and MUCH better at 60’. That’s actually a pretty hard feat to accomplish – to offer more accuracy at both 30’ AND 60’. It’s like having a rod that is simultaneously faster and slower… but it’s true.

Warranty

Lifetime. Loomis has the best turnaround time in the biz.

Price: $1000!

Conclusion

So, like I did with the 8-weight review, I’ll end with the all-important question of: Is it worth $1000? While the 8-weight left me with some questions, I can’t deny that the performance of this 5-weight is incredible. For a true, top of the line shootout, I’ll need to compare this with the Helios 2, the Zephrus, and the Radian, but I can tell you now that it’s a top contender for sure, and possibly the best of the bunch.

I really liked this rod with GPX, I can’t imagine anything else working better, nor would I recommend another line.

Pros

• Better at every distance than the NRX LP
• Also, much lighter

Cons

• The only thing stopping everyone from buying this is, obviously, its very high cost.

In a big year of rod releases, it’s easy to overlook some of the little guys. The Scott Flex is one such release. It’s not that people don’t think the Flex will be a great rod and a huge improvement over the *meh* A4, and it’s not that Scott doesn’t have a ton of fans. But, let’s face it, the $1100 G. Loomis Asquith is just a little more newsworthy. Read on to see why you shouldn’t overlook the new Flex.

If this review helped you decide on your next fly rod, help us by buying it here.

Outfit

• Scott Flex 9’ 4-weight Fly Rod
• Lamson Litespeed IV Fly Reel
• SA GPX WF5F

Fit and Finish

Scott makes some of the finest fly rods in the world. Fit and finish is top notch, and the Flex is no different. Every wrap of the rod is just perfect! Usually, finish work suffers on low- and mid-priced rods, but not so on the Flex. So, how does it differ from the Radian? Well, for one, you’re not going to get a full wells grip. You’re also not going to get a wood reel seat… boo hoo. Really the only substantive (maybe) difference is the guides aren’t titanium.

Weight

The Flex is a really light fly rod. It weighs in at 2.95 oz. which is slightly heavier than the Radian. It feels nice and light in hand, but it’s not the absolute lightest feeling rod out there.

Accuracy

At shorter distances, the Flex performs really well, but takes some getting used to. It’s got a different flex pattern and while you’d expect it to be deadly in close, it feels like the rod is more optimized toward medium length casts and sacrifices in close accuracy to do it.

As you step back, the Flex comes into its own. I loved casting the Scott Flex at 45’. It’s one of the best rods out there and is incredibly accurate. It’s a good thing because 45’ is the distance that’s going to be the most useful to the largest majority of anglers. One thing I did notice was that the Flex doesn’t have the line speed of faster rods, like the Radian, so don’t expect it to punch into the wind particularly well. That same characteristic means that it’s not going to make really long casts, or be really accurate at longer distances – and it isn’t. At 60’, I was left wanting a little extra oomph, but it got the job done.

Flex & Feel

Scott calls the Flex a fast rod with a “faster” recovery speed. This is compared to the fast flex and “fastest” recovery speed of the Radian. Overall it’s clearly a softer rod than the Radian – and that’s a good thing. It means the rod is more forgiving and easier to cast.

Warranty

Lifetime.

Price: $475

Conclusion

Well, it’s high time we did a $500 rod shootout. There are a lot of great rods in this price range and it seems that more are coming out each year. In 2011, there wasn’t a $500 rod worth casting, but in 2016 we have the Winston Nexus, Orvis Recon, Sage Pulse, Hardy Jet, and now, the Scott Flex (among others).

As for the Flex, it’s an excellent trout rod. For most people, it’s a better trout rod than the Radian. It’s easier to cast, and easier to cast accurately at mid distances.  As you’d expect, however, it doesn’t do *everything* better than the Radian (or any of the other top fly rods) and doesn’t have super high line speeds or great long distance performance. Nevertheless, I can’t overstate that this is an excellent rod for many trout anglers, particularly those interested in saving some $.

Pros

• Scott build quality
• Awesome at middle distances
• Super light

Cons

• It doesn’t do everything for everyone as well as the G. Loomis Asquith

Photo: Paul Smith

I recently spent a week fishing Turneffe Atoll, Belize in preparation for a hosted trip I have scheduled in April. I stayed at the Turneffe Flats lodge, which is located on the northeast (Caribbean) side of the atoll, and is situated in perfect location for easy fishing/diving access. “Flats,” as it’s nicknamed, is even stationed right along a home flat which would hold bonefish and at times permit and triggerfish during various times of the day. Most days, either early morning or when I returned to the lodge in the evening, I would see tailing fish feeding no more than 40 feet away. So, right off the bat the location seemed great. I was anxious to see what the rest of Turneffe Flats would show me. 

The Fishing

After a good night’s sleep in a well air-conditioned room, we gathered in the main lodge for a fishing orientation. (Those that were there to scuba dive or take the atoll-adventure tour met separately). The fishing orientation consisted of everything from what to expect in terms of fish, proper clothing/apparel, keeping safe/hydrated, how to (not trout) set the hook, to the best ways of interacting and getting the most from our guides. After that, we loaded our gear into the boats...

I have read a lot about how great Turneffe Atoll and specifically Turneffe Flats is in the past, but this exceeded my expectations. Our daily routine, which we had complete freedom to adjust at any given minute, was to mainly chase permit first thing in the morning. (You can also arrange with your guide to schedule time in the early morning before breakfast to search for rolling tarpon). Some days we saw 10 permit. Some days over 40-50. But everyday we had at least a couple "shots," some days we had 10+ solid shots. Like most days of permit fishing, we gave it our best and if nothing prevailed, we would then motor over to another one of the seemingly endless flats to chase bonefish, or whatever else happened to come in with the tides. Usually at this time we would get out on foot and wade around - this also helped stretch our legs a little after hours on the boat.

Photo: Paul Smith

The bonefishing there is extremely good. We did not see many huge bonefish as the largest I caught was about 5lbs, but man were they all over the place! Healthy populations of bones would cruise the flats in either large schools, doubles, or sometimes singles. I even saw one of the elusive Turneffe golden bonefish. Most of the time they were more than willing to take a well presented fly, but sometimes it took some changing of flies to see what they would key in on. Some people say this is largely due to the abundant amount of food on the atoll and the fish become picky. Earlier in the day, after getting heart-pounding follows from a permit without a take, it was good to freely walk around a flat and listen to our drags sing. The amount of spotted eagle rays we saw too was not only really cool to witness, but a great sign that the flats were healthy and full of life.

Looking down while wading Photo: J.Thelin.

The flats along the ocean side of Turneffe are mostly coral. When I was there it was shortly after hurricane Earl had done its damage, so there was actually more coral than normal that had washed up as a result. This presented a slightly more challenging wading environment and made me thankful I packed a pair of lace-up wading boots. The coral also made the fishing a little more difficult as it was common to lose a bonefish during its first big run while it dragged you over large chunks of coral, some even sticking out of the shallow water.

Looking out across one of the ocean side flats. Photo: J.Thelin.

We also did some blind casting for big tarpon in the deep channels if we were in the mood. We did see some resident tarpon during our days with some good shots at sight fishing for those, but no takes. I have a feeling if we set aside a day to only look for resident tarpon we would find a lot. A guest that was there did hook and jump a 100+lb silver king, but unfortunately he did not land it. I had one day where two 30-40lb tarpon appeared out of the mangroves while we were stalking a school of permit in the same area. The tarpon on one side of the boat, the permit on the other. I have never been so conflicted and confused on a flats boat in my life!  My guide kept me calm and we didn’t spook either giving me a chance at both.

Late in the week we came across a school of permit that were tailing along some mangroves. After a few changes to my crab fly and adustments to the leader, I was able to coax this beautiful Turneffe local to the boat.

We finally agreed on a particular crab pattern.

The Guides

Along those same lines, I’d like mention a quick take on the guides at Turneffe Flats. I fished the whole week with Dion. Dion is a local of Turneffe Atoll and grew up commercial fishing for lobster with his brother and father from a small island in the southern section of the atoll. His older brother Dubs is a guide at Flats and so is his uncle Pops (both well known Turneffe guides). To say that Dion knows that water is an extreme understatement. Depending on wind, tide, weather, sunlight, time of day, Dion always had a plan. But not only was he knowledgeable of the area, he was patient and unbelievably good at getting you quality shots at fish. I instantly felt comfortable with him and the more the week went on, the more I learned and better I felt about my tactics and technique. Sometimes when fishing with guides, you get the impression it’s them that has an agenda to accomplish. That was not the case with Dion. He wanted to succeed in whatever you were looking to do. It’s the little things that separate the good from the great. Dion was great.

Photo: Paul Smith.

Looking south down the last cabana. Photo: J.Thelin.

The other obvious thing was Flats’ wholehearted dedication to the environment and their fishery. Everything there was geared to be a fully self-sustaining lodge and to prioritize the importance of their natural surroundings. They were awarded the prestigious Green Globe Certification based on these efforts. Specialized water treatment, recycling/waste management, food, power generation, and engineering of the structures is of the utmost importance to Flats. In fact I fished most of the week with fly fishing photographer/writer Paul Smith who was on assignment from a magazine to write about Turneffe Flats’ unique approach to sustainability. I was lucky enough to get the “full tour” of the place on my last day and to see the behind-the-curtains details was very impressive.

Looking east over the home flat towards the Caribbean. A couple of anglers in the distance. Photo: J.Thelin.

After each day, whether you were there to fish, scuba dive, or join guide Abel in the eco-adventure tour, everyone would gather in the main lodge and talk about their day. They have a flat screen TV set up in the main lodge where people would load pictures and videos from the day and discuss what they saw, learned, or caught. One of the really special things about Turneffe Flats is that it attracts people from all over who share a common interest in the world around them. Although there are plenty of creature comforts there, a vast majority of those who travel to Flats arrive with a task. Whether it’s to fish, snorkel, dive, or explore, everyone who was in attendance had a strong passion for learning and appreciating what natural wonders Turneffe had to offer. I hope return many times in the future.

I have booked a hosted trip April 22-29th 2017 and YOU are invited!  I will join 7 others at Turneffe Flats lodge for a week. The beach side cabanas are reserved that sleep 2 each. If you or anyone you know is interested, have them contact me directly at - josh@tridentflyfishing.com or call the shop 888.413.5211

A fellow angler's Sage rod rigged with a homemade crab pattern. Photo: J.Thelin

I recently spoke with my guide Dion about the best producing flies for Turneffe.  (This usually came up in conversation after another refusal by a permit, asking: "what the heck should I tie on now?!")

Along with specific patterns, a key factor in fly selection is weight.  What makes this an even more important variable at Turneffe is the diversity of flats and fishing situations.  You could find yourself wading a very shallow coral flat of about 2 feet and then casting to fish in 6-8 feet of water in a soft-bottomed area later that afternoon.  So to have not only good patterns, but various weights to get you in the strike zone, is imperative.  For instance, I found that flies like the EP Turneffe Shrimp or small Bonefish Bitters did the best on the shallow flats and the heavy and/or bigger flies, like the Merkin or Rag Head did the best in the lagoons or deeper sections of sandy and turtle grass flats.  Also having two rods rigged and out of the rod holder for different scenarios/species was a huge help too (I'll save that for another article).

To join us and get details on our upcoming hosted trip to Turneffe Atoll, Belize April 22-29th click HERE

To read my recent trip report from Turneffe Flats click HERE

I selected the specific (pictured) flies below for not only their effectiveness, but they also are all widely known and available to purchase and/or easy to tie.  Most of them have numerous tying videos on YouTube - enough to keep you occupied through the winter.  Everything except for the EP Turneffe Shrimp is an Umpqua version.

Del Brown's Merkin Crab - This was one fly my guide seemed to be always asking about. If I was looking to change my fly, this was a pattern Dion usually thought could be a good option.  It's a proven pattern from the Keys to Belize. The colors, like pictured above, work well in turtle grass bottoms as the lighter colored appearance makes it easier to see (by both angler and permit).

Rag Head  - I figure it makes sense to include the fly I got a 25lb permit on.  The Rag Head is a fairly well known and available pattern.  Pictured above is the Umpqua version. I used a lighter variation of this in the turtle grass (again for contrast), but a darker version would be great on the sand/coral flats.  What made this a good fly for me was the combination of color, weight, and action.  When it was really windy and I was trying to throw very heavy flies into 20mph wind to permit in 6 feet of water, it was tricky with some other heavier/larger patterns like the EP Permit.  But this was just heavy enough to get to the bottom quickly and also easier to cast on a 9wt.

EP Turneffe Shrimp - This is a great bonefish fly for the shallow coral flats at Turneffe.  It's a very lightly weighted pattern that has plenty of shine to attract a fish.  With some of the flats at Turneffe being about 2ft with heavy coral bottom, this fly proved very effective in staying in the strike zone, not getting stuck on coral, and allowing me to regulate depth with various retrievals.

Christmas Island Special -  This is a pattern that is a highly effective bonefish fly from the Bahamas to Christmas Island and beyond. Similar in it's appeal to the EP Turneffe Shrimp, the Christmas Island Special is a perfect combination of weight/attraction that's very useful at Turneffe.  Plus, it can also be an effective fly for smaller permit.  It can be easily tied with various (lighter) weight options

Tarpon Screamer (Purple/Black) - This would be my one tarpon fly for Turneffe if I had to choose.  A lot of the tarpon fishing at Turneffe is done with intermediate and/or sinking lines.  Further, it's the deeper channels/creeks/mangrove edges/lagoons where most of the tarpon fishing is done.  Although I did see some tarpon in the clear water flats,  this generally means darker water.  This pattern, plus the purple & black coloration, provides not only a good profile but good visibility in the darker water.  This pattern is suitable for not only the good population of resident tarpon, but also for the larger migratory fish they see from April-August.

Here's the full list of top Turneffe flies...

Permit

• Avalon #2, 4
• Merkin #4, 6
• EP Permit #2, 1
• Rag Head #6
• Matthews Turneffe Crab #6
• McCrab #2. 4
• EP Micro Crab #8

Bonefish

• Gotcha #8
• Christmas Island Special #8
• EP Turneffe Shrimp #8
• Ghost Shrimp #6 (good permit fly too)
• (Small) Bonefish Bitter #8

Tarpon

• Tarpon Scramer #1/0, 2/0
• Seaducer #1/0, 2/0
• Black Death #2/0
• Stu Apte Original #2/0

If you haven't been keeping up with our blog, we have scheduled a hosted trip to Turneffe Flats Lodge, Belize in April (info HERE). This is a specially organized trip where we get to take a group of anglers to experience some of the best flats fishing in the world. Check out below what makes this place such a special location for not only some of the finest tropical fishing anywhere, but also why it's continually a destination for travelers with spouses and children or simply groups with mixed interests.

Turneffe Atoll is the most biologically diverse coral atoll in the Western Hemisphere. Although it is regarded as one of the premier saltwater fly fishing destinations on the planet, it's what Turneffe Flats Lodge offers in addition to its guided fishing which can really give you the full experience. If you decide to join us in April on our hosted trip (info HERE) and want to include/substitute any of the below activities for either yourself or another guest, prices can be adjusted accordingly. Space is limited so contact us soon to reserve your spot!

Atoll Adventure Program

One of the aspects that sets Turneffe Flats apart from other fishing lodges (anywhere) is their Atoll Adventure program. This daily exploratory trip is typically lead by naturalist guide Abel. Depending on what the guest wants to do, the Atoll Adventure guide will take you out to swim, snorkel, explore, photograph wildlife, and learn about Turneffe Atoll. The healthy, vibrant coral reefs also offer some of the finest snorkeling opportunities in the Caribbean. Abel took a small group of us out one night to find crocodiles along the mangroves which was great post-dinner trip. After every day he would come into the lodge with pictures. Displayed on the flat screen in the main lodge, everyone was able to relive what Abel and his guests had discovered. Some guests book their stay strictly for this program at any time of the year. For many eco-tourists, it's considered to be the "best marine eco-tour program in all of the Caribbean." This is a fascinating and unique opportunity not offered many other places!

photo: Adam Bautz

photo: Adam Bautz

The Atoll-Adventure Can Include:

• World-Class Guided Snorkeling Tours
• Mantee, Dolphin, and Sea Turtle Encounters
• Flats Walking Tour
• Daytime and Evening Island Walking Tours
• Turneffe Birding Tour
• Sea Shell and Starfish Tour
• History - The Maya and Turneffe
• Sea Kayaking
• Saltwater Crocodile Tour
• Blue Hole and Lighthouse Atoll snorkeling and birding (on a space available basis only)

Scuba Diving

Belize has some of the best scuba diving in the world and Turneffe Flats is geared up and prepared for even the most experienced divers. They like to call their dive program "a true valet dive service." With a full service dive shop on the premises and more than 60 sites available to dive, Turneffe sets a standard for scuba diving in Belize.  Easy access to the world famous Blue Hole and Lighthouse Reef is only a short boat ride away. Additionally, Turneffe offers a "Discover Scuba" program. Full dive certifications are available, but if someone wants to do just one day of diving - a quick 30 minute instruction off the dock is all that's needed for a full dive the following day!  This "Discover Scuba" opportunity gives even the most novice diver the opportunity to see the waters of Turneffe.

Diving the Blue Hole

Belizean Cooking Class

Belize is a country of many cultures. An English speaking country with Spanish, Maya, Kriol, and Caribbean roots, Belize is a melting pot of its history. With the vast amount of influences, the food is a pure reflection of it all. Although technically offered through the atoll-adventure program, guests can schedule individual cooking classes for any of the days of their stay with ease. Using locally sourced ingredients and fresh seafood, including from the garden out back, is the staple of food at Turneffe Flats. Even the pastries served in the morning with breakfast are homemade. You have a chance to get the behind-the-scenes look when taking one of these classes. Check out some of their recipes HERE

Belizean BBQ for dinner

Kayak/Snorkel/Relax Locally

Turneffe Flats has kayaks and snorkel gear available for guests to use at any time. They can be used around the lodge in the many creeks, channels, flats, and around the islands of the immediate area. This gives guests a great chance to explore the area on their own time and at their own pace.

photo: Paul Smith

************

Adam Bautz (who was a guest at Turneffe Flats while I was there in August/Sept) graciously allowed me to use his photos from his adventures with Abel. If you are ever in Las Vegas and want to see the "other side of Las Vegas," check him out at "Bullets and Burgers."

Why would I want to change soles? It's a question that we get all the time when we talk about Korkers boots with our customers. Sure, you get some benefits like having rubber soles to use in your drift boat, but for those of us who aren't floating every other weekend, it seems like it might be kind of a hassle. To be honest, that's how we felt before we got to try them all out. The truth is, the soles allow you to maximize your safety (and therefore your fun) on or off the water.

Here's a quick introduction to the Korkers sole system, and don't forget, if this guide helps you buy your next pair of boots, help us by buying it here.

Vibram Idrogrip

Korkers says: Sticky rubber with a deep, wide lug pattern for cutting through algae and gripping terrain. Ideal for use on land, in boats, and in less demanding wet wading conditions. Price: $49.99

The Vibram sole is essentially an enhanced rubber sole with loads of extra traction. To compare it to the Kling-on sole would be like comparing your old tires with 50,000 miles on them to a tractor tire… or tennis shoes to golf shoes. So, as you’d expect, they outperformed the standard Kling-On sole in the water, and while we didn’t go on any long hikes through the mud or snow, we’re pretty sure they would beat the Kling-On in those conditions as well.

Ideal use: The Idrogrip is best for hiking in challenging conditions like lots of mud or snow. Do NOT use these soles while wading.

For: The Idrogrip is a better rubber sole than the standard Kling-on. It gripped better in all conditions, including underwater.

Against: For a sole that I wouldn’t use underwater, ever, it seems like a steep price to pay.

Vibram Studded Idrogrip

Korkers says: Same sole as Vibram Idrogrip with 30 carbide-tipped studs per pair Sticky rubber with a deep, wide lug pattern for cutting through algae and gripping terrain Ideal for extremely slippery aquatic environments. Price: $59.99

A carbide studded version of the Idrogrip sole we talked about above. In water performance is DRAMATICALLY increased with the addition of studs. The Studded Vibram sole worked great in all of the underwater tests we performed. It beat out the studded Kling-On because the location of the studs allowed them to grip better than Kling-On. When you have a round rock, you can just get a few extra studs to touch which will help stop you from slipping. And while we didn’t get to test these soles on super algae covered rocks, these studs should cut through them just fine.

Ideal use: The Studded Idrogrip is a great sole for difficult trails, ice, and underwater use. It might be the best single sole for anyone who isn’t ever going to use a drift boat.

For: Great all-terrain grip.

Against: In our underwater test, the Vibram wasn’t that much better than the studded Kling-On that is free with some boots.

Kling-On Sticky

Korkers says: Non-marking sticky rubber with added durability at the heel . Ideal for use on land, in boats, and in less demanding wet wading conditions. Reduces water absorption keeping them lightweight and reducing the spread of invasive species. Price: $29.99, but free with most boots.

The Kling-On sole is a basic rubber sole. You can do anything with them that you can do in your sneakers. What does that mean? They are awesome for wearing in your drift boat and for light hiking but absolutely horrible in the water. In our side-by-side testing, the Kling-On soles slipped more than any other sole. But hey, if you want to go for a swim, they’ll get the job done! Since the Kling-On’s come with most of Korkers boots, they are a great option for a 2^nd or 3^rd sole since the price is right. If you’re buying them, the Vibram sole is more useful overall.

Ideal use: Drift boats and light hikes. Do NOT use these soles while wading.

For: An inexpensive sole that gets the job done topside.

Against: There’s a better sole for most situations.

Kling-On Studded

Korkers says: Same sole as King-On with 26 carbide-tipped studs per pair. Ideal for extremely slippery aquatic environments. Reduces water absorption keeping them lightweight and reducing the spread of invasive species. Price: $39.99, but free with some boots.

The Kling-On Studded sole is a souped up version of the standard Kling-On. Once again, studs take a standard sole that isn’t great in the water and make it totally useable. When I compared it to felt head-to-head, the Kling-On Studded, didn't perform quite as well, but will likely provide much better grip in algae rich environments. Overall, it's a solid sole that performs well in the river.

Ideal use: A great all-around wading sole, but don't expect to use these in your drift boat.

For: A great, inexpensive, underwater sole

Against: I preferred the Felt, Vibram and the Studded Rubber soles for underwater use.

Felt

Korkers says: Compressed high-quality felt performs in extremely slippery water conditions. Ideal for slippery aquatic environments where felt is allowed and studs aren’t an option. Price: $29.99, but free with some boot configurations.

Felt certainly needs no introduction. It’s been the standard for wading boots for years. Why? Because it works really well. So well, that we used it as our standard for comparison in the test. Felt worked better than the studded Vibram or Kling-On soles in the water, but keep in mind that in situations with lots of algae, it probably won’t work as well as studded options. Out of the water, felt also works pretty well (and won’t destroy your drift boat), but don’t expect the tractor like performance of heavy tread like Vibram.

Ideal use: This old standby is a great all around option for use in single watersheds where there is no risk of spreading invasive species.

For: Great underwater performance that works pretty well topside.

Against: Felt has been outlawed in some states and it is not an environmentally friendly option.

Studded Felt

Korkers says: Same sole as Felt, only with 26 carbide-tipped studs per pair. Ideal for extremely slippery wading environments where felt can be utilized. Price: $39.99

Studded felt is the same as felt, but with a bunch of carbide studs. When I say it’s the same, I also mean that the performance was pretty much the same when we tested it side-by-side. Sure, the studs made a tiny bit of difference, but not much. So, as I mentioned earlier, we didn’t get to test it in an algae rich stream, but I’m willing to bet that the studs make at least some difference. That is to say, studded felt is (probably) better underwater than standard felt.

Ideal use: The same as felt, plus increased underwater performance, minus ability to use them in a drift boat.

For: Probably better than standard felt across all underwater conditions.

Against: Felt has been outlawed in some states and it is not an environmentally friendly option.

Studded Rubber

Korkers says: Big carbide tipped spikes perform in the most demanding conditions such as mossy rocks, slimy boulders, slick logs and ocean jetties. Price: $59.99

Studded Rubber was my absolute favorite sole underwater. I can’t really explain why this is the case, but they are just awesome. You stick to every rock like glue. So, what's the downside? Walk around on concrete and you'll see. These soles feel like golf spikes from the 1980's. They aren't great for hikes. They'll totally destroy your drift boat. But studded rubber will keep you high and dry in any river conditions.

Another nice thing is that the studs are replaceable, so you won’t have to go out and buy a new sole when they wear out.

Ideal use: Studded rubber out-performed all other soles underwater and is great for anyone looking for extra grip or wading in the most demanding conditions.

For: The best underwater sole, period.

Against: No place for them on concrete, drift boats, and they aren't the best hiking sole.

Svelte II

Korkers says: In conjunction with Korkers OmniTrax Interchangeable sole system, the innovative Svelte outsole technology is designed to provide maximum traction in water with minimal impact to the environment. [Svelte has] superior grip to felt & rubber, 5X less water absorption and dries 4X faster than felt. Soles intended for use in water only. Use on terrain such as trails, roads or pavement may cause premature wear and shorten the life of the product. Price: $64.99

Svelte is just like felt, but in an environmentally friendly package. When someone makes a claim that the performance is “just like” something else, I’m skeptical. How can this weird mesh be just like felt? But it is, in fact nearly identical. In our test conditions , I couldn’t tell the difference. It’s an amazing all-around sole. The only downside is that Korkers has told us that these soles aren’t all that durable. In fact they told us that again when we shared this review. Don't expect them to last.

Ideal use: Svelte was one of our favorite soles. It has all of the pros of felt without the environmental impact.

For: Great underwater performance that works pretty well topside.

Against: Expensive and Korkers has told us it doesn’t last that long. Like really fast.

Alumatrax

Korkers says: A great alternative to felt, aluminum bars can provide a unique wading solution in slick and dangerous terrain. Soft, malleable aluminum bars grab slick rocks and cut through slime. Ideal for extremely slippery aquatic environments. Wear and tear only improves performance by increasing surface area. Price: $59.99

As a fan of both Patagonia Foot Tractors and Simms Aluminum studs, I had really high hopes for the Alumatrax. Actually, I pretty much assumed that they would be the winner right off the bat. As it turns out, they aren’t all that great. In fact, they were only slightly better than rubber soles. They are slippery underwater, tough to walk on above ground, will scratch up your drift boat, and they are expensive. It makes me want to get out and try my Patagonia’s next to studded rubber to see how they do.

Ideal use: Aluminum bars have a lot of fans, but without further testing, we can’t recommend them.

For: Telling your friends that you paid less than they did for their Patagonia’s.

Against: There's a better sole for every situation.

So, which one should I buy?

It’s a tough question. Obviously you should examine the way you fish and the waters you fish and make the decision for yourself. However, if you want to have ONE sole that will do (almost) everything, I’d recommend Svelte. You can use it in virtually any condition with confidence, but don't expect it to last forever. Or more than a few trips. If you're never going to be in a drift boat, studded Vibram is the next best choice for an all-around sole.

If you’re going for TWO soles (and isn't that the point of being able to change anyway???), I’d recommend an all-around sole that’s drift boat safe, like Svelte and a high-performance underwater sole, like Studded Rubber. Really, you want to have Studded Rubber. It's awesome.

Best In-Water

1. Studded Rubber
2. Studded Felt
3. Felt and Svelte (Tie)
4. Studded Vibram
5. Studded Kling-On
6. Alumatrax
7. Vibram Idrogrip
8. Kling-On Sticky

Best Out-Of-Water

1. Vibram Idrogrip
2. Studded Vibram
3. Kling-On Sticky
4. Studded Kling-On
5. Studded Felt
6. Felt
7. Svelte
8. Studded Rubber
9. Alumatrax

Best for Drift Boats

1. Kling-On Sticky
2. Vibram Idrogrip
3. Felt and Svelte (Tie)
4. Alumatrax
5. All Others

It’s the start of trout season in Maine. That means it’s time to dust off my trusty Lamson Litespeed, put on my fleece and wading jacket and start reviewing trout rods! First up for 2016 is the brand new Douglas Sky. If you don't know Douglas, you should definitely be checking them out as they are making some of the best fly rods at much more affordable prices.

And don’t forget - if you enjoyed this review, help us by buying your next fly rod here.

Outfit

• Douglas Sky 9' 5-weight
• Lamson Litespeed IV #2
• SA GPX WF5F

Fit and Finish

One big difference between the Sky and other rods in the high-end price range is fit and finish. While Korean rods perform as well as their US-made counterparts, they just don’t look as nice. While the production version of the Sky is still a big upgrade from the prototype we saw at iCast last year, it is still lacking the awesomeness of rods like Scott and Winston. But then again, it’s also lacking the price tag as well.

There are also a couple of quirks that are worth mentioning. First, the rod sock is definitely the first I’ve seen of its kind on the market. It’s made out of a mesh material that has some sort of softer material in the middle. It probably protects the rod better than anything on the market, but it’s also a lot bulkier. If you’ve got a multi-rod tube, you’ll definitely want to pick up a new rod sock before your trip. The other oddity is the stripping guide which is angled upward. Again, I assume there’s a really good reason for this, but it looks a little weird when you first pick up the rod.

Weight

The Sky weighs 3.05 ounces (86.6 grams). It’s not the world’s lightest rod, but it feels pretty light in hand.

Distance

The Sky has TONS of power. Casting this rod side-by-side with the Hardy Zenith reveals that the Sky is actually the longer rod. As far as all-around trout rods go, this one has more distance than just about any rod out there. If you need more reach, you’ll have to go for an ultra-fast rod like the Sage Method.

Accuracy

I cast the Sky side-by-side with the Hardy Zenith. At 30’, neither rod is amazing, but the Hardy was the more accurate rod. Oddly, I preferred the presentation of the Sky, which definitely was more delicate with a lightweight dry. I'd probably rate it an 8/10.

At 45’ the Zenith is nearly perfect, and the Sky was a little too fast to keep up, or maybe I’m just a little used to the Zenith by now. The Sky still works well at 45’, like it did at 30’, but it’s just not picky spring creek accurate, 8.5/10. When I moved back to 60’, the nature of the Sky changed. It’s easily one of the best rods I’ve ever cast! 10/10 (or 11 in the Spinal Tap world) at 60'.

Flex & Feel

No question about it, the Sky is a fast rod. Queue the comments about it being a telephone pole in 3… 2… 1… Let me assure you, that it’s not – but it also not the most forgiving rod in the world. You need to know how to cast to use this rod effectively.  It lacks the soft tip that we see on so many rods these days, but it does flex very evenly throughout the rod which gives it quite a bit of feedback.

Warranty

Lifetime.

Price: $695

Conclusion

After a day of reflection, I came to the conclusion that the Sky is a lot like the Sage ONE – a fast rod that comes alive at longer distances.  With that in mind, the Sky is also a lot better than the ONE at short and middle distances, and a good caster will make it work at any distance. If I were to summarize the rod, I’d say it’s a faster rod that’s a distance champ, but will work well at any distance. Or a great all-around rod that shines at longer distances. More importantly though, I’m really looking forward to checking out the heavier saltwater versions of this rod, where the characteristics of a faster rod will make it more well suited to the salt.

Who should be fishing this rod?

• Anyone who likes a faster rod
• Anyone fishing bigger rivers, particularly from a drift boat

I cast this rod with GPX, and I think it might even take a heavier line if you wanted to load it a little deeper.

Pros

• Super, super accurate at longer distances
• A distance champ
• $200 less than other high end rods

Cons

• Not as forgiving as other rods out there
• Some quirky design choices

While most of our customers may never set foot into our shop, we often get asked about our local waters. Thankfully, for those interested in visiting New England, there's a new fly-fishing book that might interest anglers. Flyfisher’s Guide to New England by Lou Zambello is a complete re-write of the old guide that some of you may have purchased back in the day.

While other recently-published books cover the best known or most popular fisheries, this book not only covers those waters as well, but more importantly, hundreds of lesser known rivers, streams, and ponds, as well as a variety of fish species in Massachusetts, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine.

The author told me recently that the popular waters seem to get more crowded each year while other areas that offer enjoyable fishing are being overlooked. He wrote the book to show anglers other options, and I've personally fished several based on his recommendations.

Some of you may be familiar with the author, Lou Zambello. He is a long-time guide in the Rangeley area, published the well-received, “Fly Fishing Northern New England’s Seasons” a how-to book to maximize seasonal opportunities, and gives frequent presentations and seminars around New England. Lou teamed up with former Maine State Fisheries Director, John Boland, and other experts and spent several years criss-crossing New England researching this book.

This full-color large-format book includes full-color maps of the major fisheries, complete with GPS coordinates, access points, public land, access roads, boat ramps (including small hand launches), parking areas, named holes and pools and more.  Lou also includes easy-access options, beginner spots, vacation suggestions, and proven fly patterns (at the end of the book). You will enjoy Lou’s relaxed writing-style as well.

Signed copies of Fly Fishers Guide to New England are available from us, and the book is also carried in most retailers and on-line merchants that sell fly-fishing books.

In our first ever Spey rod review in ages, I thought I would start out with a real winner – and a rod for which there’s little to no information – the 7130-4 Asquith Spey Rod (Yup – it’s got a silly name, but get over it). This rod is awesome. I first fished it with Tom Larimer on the Big Hole when we filmed some Spey casting videos and I was so impressed that I went out and bought it. Fast forward a year and I got to actually get out and fish the rod on our first ever hosted trip to the Kedgwick River in New Brunswick. Unfortunately, I didn’t get to see how the rod performed on a really big Atlantic Salmon, but that’s a story for a different day.

My goal with our series of Spey rod reviews will be differ slightly from the single hand reviews. We’re less concerned about accuracy, and a lot more interested in the flex patterns of the rods. Further, I’m going to really dial in the line recommendations for both Skagit and Scandi, and get really specific about it. We’re going to do all of the homework so that when you’re ready to pull the trigger, you’ll have a setup that’s probably going to work really well for you. Of course, as with all things spey, your mileage may vary.

Fit and Finish

I personally feel that Loomis has upped its game big time in this department on the Asquith. As I’ve mentioned many times in the past, the Asquith is a nice looking rod, but lacks the personal touches of some of the more “boutique” rod shops. The grips on the rod are solid. No complaints on either hand.

Weight

I’m going to go out on a limb and say that the Asquith is the lightest feeling 7/8 weight Spey rod on the market. It weighs in at 6.9 ounces (remember when single handers weighed that much?!?), with a mere 2.1 oz in the top 3 sections. The Sage X 7130 edges it out in terms of overall weight, but this weight comes out of the butt section and it feels heavier.

Reel Balance

I fished the Einarsson Invictus 10/12 on it. I can say definitively that it’s too much reel for a rod this light. I would definitely go down a size and look for a reel in the 9-10 oz range.

Flex & Feel

One word: Progressive. One of the best things about the Asquith is how it casts in a wide variety of situations and lines. You can make short tippy casts or deep loading long-belly style casts and they are all great!

Line Recommendations and Casting Notes

Skagit

Loomis’ Spey chart recommends a 510gr Airflo Skagit Switch, which I have a lot of faith in, since Tom Larimer designed the chart. I also tried the 540gr Skagit Switch, which I thought was also excellent. I really love short Skagit heads. They are really forgiving, fun, and easy to cast. The issue is, on this 13’ rod, you have to pay a lot of attention of the overhang if you’re going to use one of these lines. If you’re too short, you’re going to rip it off the water on every cast. This doesn’t happen at all on the 600gr Rio Skagit Max, but it isn’t as easy to cast.

Scandi

What I really love about the Asquith is how flexible it is. It casts a Scandi as well or better than a Skagit. I thought the recommendations were way off here. First, I tried a 523gr Gaelforce Equalizer Head, expecting it to be just about right given my experience with other rods, but it was *meh*. I then tested the new Rio Scandi 3D line in a 580 gr F/H/I configuration and it came alive! I then threw on my trusty 600gr Equalizer head (I fish it on the 8140 X), and that was really great too. I like a nice deep load when I’m fishing Scandi, and so my recommended Scandi grain window is 550-600gr. Of course if you prefer to fish off the tip of the rod, then go with something less.

Warranty

Yup, still lifetime. But if you snap a tip, this will set you back a pretty penny.

Price: $1200 – actually kind of a good value when you compare it to the single handers.

Conclusion

I haven’t yet cast every Spey rod under the sun, but I have cast a few of them. The 7130 Asquith achieves something that is really hard to do: it’s exceptionally good at just about everything. While the price may be hard to swallow at first, one might even call it a good value when you consider that you will probably not need another Spey rod for a very long time.

Still to be tested is how it handles overhead casting… everything in due time.

Pros

• Super light
• Excellent with both Skagit and Scandi

Cons

• Honestly, none that I can think of.

In my short time in the industry, I can’t say that there’s ever been a more anticipated rod release than the Scott G-Series. Scott is truly at the top of their game – it seems like they are more in demand than ever! The G-Series (also known as the GS) replaces the G2 as Scott’s medium action, dry fly line of rods. It’s like the heart and soul of the Scott lineup.

Today, I cast the 9’ 5wt and the 8’8” 4wt. Why two rods? Well, they are different enough that it’s really worth talking about them both, separately, but also in how they compare to one another.

Outfits

• Scott G-Series 9’ 5wt Fly Rod
• Lamson Litespeed #2 Fly Reel
• SA Amplitude MPX WF5F

And…

• Scott G-Series 8’8” 4wt Fly Rod
• Hardy DD Fly Reel
• Rio InTouch Gold WF4F

Fit and Finish

Like all of the USA made boutique rod makers, Scott rods look great! In all honesty, the GS looks pretty much just like its predecessors. Very classic. One thing that has changed is the reel seat. It’s now a black anodized aluminum with a Micarta insert. I think it matches the rod well, but let’s face it, I would have preferred some cocobolo. Like my desk.

Weight

The 9’ 5 weighs 2.85 oz with the top 3 sections weighing in at being .9 oz. It’s a very light feeling rod. The 8’8” 4wt is nearly the same (.05 oz less on both).

Distance

No champions here, however the 9’ 5wt is actually not too bad at longer distances.

Accuracy

Both of these rods are amazingly accurate in close. At 30’ you’ll be hard pressed to find a better 5wt or 4wt. Deadly. At 45’, the story doesn’t change much. Both rods are fantastic! I will say that with Rio InTouch Gold, the 8’8” didn’t perform its best at 45’; I think something like Wulff Triangle Taper would work better. Nevertheless, I found the 884 to be more accurate than the new Hardy Zephrus Ultralite that I cast along side it.

Just for grins, I cast the 905 at 60’ and I was pleasantly surprised how, on a nice calm day, well it cast! It really demonstrates just how versatile the rod is.

Flex & Feel

This is where you’ll see the biggest difference in the two rods. The 5wt feels like a really sweet medium-fast rod. It reminds me a lot of the Sage Circa. Lots of bend, but still recovers fast and very progressive. Comparing this to the G2, it’s a much faster more useful rod. What struck me the most about the 9’ 5-weight is how easy it was to cast. I think it will be the go to 5-weight for many Scott fans, particularly those who found the Radian a bit too fast for their liking.

The 884 has a completely different feel. It’s really stayed very true to its G-roots. It’s a pure medium action dry fly rod and much softer overall than the 905. Buyer beware: you may need to slow down your stroke a bit to make this rod perform as you’d like it to.

Nymphing

You’re not going to want to throw any BB split shot on, but the 9’ 5wt is totally versatile enough to do some light nymphing, particularly if your casts are in close.

Warranty

I bet you can guess…

Price: $845

Conclusion

The all new Scott G-Series doesn’t disappoint, though, I think they missed an opportunity to name it the O-G-Series. If you were a fan of the G2, Scott has made (at least) some modest improvements to the shorter and lower line-weight rods without really changing the feel of the rod. I’d be interested to cast the new GS 884 side-by-side with the older G2 884 to see how big the difference really is. The 905, on the other hand, is just want the doctor ordered. It’s buttery smooth, packed with performance and a great compliment to the Scott lineup which was missing a high performance rod in between the Radian and the F2.

Pros

• Superb accuracy
• Classic look and feel that stays true to its roots

Cons

• Casters used to faster action rods will still find that they’ll need to alter their stroke for the 884.

Winston launched two new rods this year – the Kairos and the Nimbus – and both entered the market, well… softly. After a huge announcement, I really didn’t hear much about them for a while. They didn’t go to iCast, so I didn’t have the chance to cast them there and honestly it’s taken me months to get my hands on one. I was almost frothing at the mouth.

Now, on to the review. The Kairos replaces the Nexus as Winston’s entry level trout rod. I enjoyed the Nexus and thought it was a totally underrated rod. For some reason it never really took off (at least for us). Suffice to say that the changes they made to the rod are *not* just cosmetic. It’s an entirely different rod with a very different action.

Outfit

• Winston Kairos 9’ 5-weight Fly Rod
• Lamson Litespeed Fly Reel
• SA MPX WF5F

Fit and Finish

The Kairos, like all Winston rods, is impeccably finished. No, it isn’t green, but it’s still a rod done right. It has a “Clear Graphite impact resistant finish” which leads me to believe that it’s being marketed at the guide market. It’s also got an anodized aluminum reel seat which is actually, also, really nice. There are many high end saltwater reel seats that don’t look as good as this one.

Weights and Measures

• Overall weight: 3.4 oz
• Swing weight: 86.3 gm²
• Weight needed to balance (reel + line): 9.3 oz
• Balanced Total Weight: 12.7 oz

The big, gaping, hole in the performance of the Kairos is its swing weight. At 86.3 gm² it’s heavier than the Helios 3F 8-WEIGHT. No, I’m not joking. Yes, it’s totally noticeable when you cast the rod. I have no idea what the folks over at Hatch Magazine were smoking when they reviewed it and said that the swing weight was good. I could literally spend this entire review talking about how heavy this rod feels, but I think you get the point.

Distance

The Kairos is definitely a faster rod, but if you’re looking to impress your friends, you should probably spring for the B3 Plus.

Accuracy

If there’s an area where the Kairos excels, it’s accuracy – particularly in close. It’s one of the better rods out there at short to middle distance casts. It’s probably the best of all the mid-priced rods if trout accuracy is your primary concern. Further out, like most Winstons, it doesn’t perform quite as well as top distance casting rods, but it’s no slouch either.

Flex & Feel

There’s lots of chatter about how fast this rod is. I really didn’t think it was fast. It might be fast-ish for a Winston, but that’s about as far as I would go. It’s a solid casting rod that gives you a lot of feedback. It definitely has a faster tip, but more than enough overall flex to lend some really good feel to the rod.

Warranty

LIfetime

Price: $475

Conclusion

I really struggled about whether to review this rod. I picked it up and instantly knew that it wasn’t a rod that I was going to love, or even like. After spending time casting it, well, it’s actually an OK casting rod. Maybe even a bit better than OK. It’s just way, way too heavy.

That said, would I recommend this rod to you? No. Do yourself a favor and, if you want a Winston for less than $800, buy the Nimbus. It’s a really great rod that I can firmly say is “a real Winston.”

Pros

• Great Winston finish
• Price

Cons

• So, so heavy.
• Did I mention it was heavy?