Fly Rod Reviews

Have you ever wondered which Trout Spey rod is the very best? Well, the wait is over. We've ranked the industry's top 3wt Trout Spey rods based on a comprehensive criterion. Which rod took home the title as 'Best Trout Spey Rod on the Market'? Read on to find out. Plus the Best Buy, Best Distance Rod, and Finest Componentry awards and fly line recommendations for every rod. Don't buy a Trout Spey rod without reading this shootout.

Dynamic componentry, a blazing light swing weight, and a stylish unsanded rod blank make this rod an angler's dream on paper. But how did it perform at typical trout distances? Who should fish this rod and what style is it most suited for? We answer those questions in this fly rod review along with a host of others. Read on to find out how Epic's Graphite/Carbon rod stacks up against the competition.

The fiberglass movement has been gaining popularity in contemporary fly fishing... a revival of sorts. Rods like the Echo River Glass, Orvis Superfine Glass, TFO Finesse Glass, Scott F Series, and more have brought fiberglass back in style. Glass allows the angler to slow down, fish more delicately, and be more in tune with short presentations on smaller creeks. While larger glass rods for saltwater species exist, most anglers think of a 3wt or 4wt fly rod for trout when they hear the word 'fiberglass'. This new Epic Fastglass II 7' 6" 4wt Fly Rod combines everything we love about Fiberglass with modern innovation and impeccable craftsmanship and attention to detail. Add a lime green blank color, a nifty reel seat, and one of our favorite grips on the market, and it's easy to see why the Epic Fastglass II is so much fun to fish. Read on to find out what the rod does well and why we're big fans of Epic's short-range glass series.

TFO's flagship saltwater fly rod series, the Axiom II, is all-new for the 2019 season and is a solid offering from a company focused on affordability and performance. Entering the market in the mid-$300 price range, the Axiom II definitely falls in line with TFO's mission to create affordable rods. But what about the performance of the Axiom II? That's one of the questions we set out to answer in this review. Whether you're choosing a rod for Bass, Bonefish, Steelhead, or Salmon, the Axiom II has a lot to offer at an attractive price point. Read on to find out what we liked about the 8wt version of the Axiom II and some of the cool features on this rod.

Surprising accuracy at close range and stellar versatility overall make this rod a little more than just a streamer-only rod like we've seen from other fly rod manufacturers in the recent past. Functional componentry and a pretty cool lightning-blue blank color contribute to the rod's aesthetic appeal and high performance. But who should fish this rod? What's its flex profile and where does the rod cast best? What about power and weight and swing weight? We've answered all those questions and more, like we always do, after casting, examining, and experimenting in this fly rod review. Read on to find out how the Axiom II-X performed.

Scott has announced the release of their brand new saltwater rod series, the Sector. The Sector replaces the much-loved Meridian and features some updated aesthetics and improved performance. Scott elected to keep their trademark unsanded blank design to keep the Sector lightweight and strong. The unsanded blank design may be the same but the technology is different. The Sector utilizes ReAct Tech (which we've seen in the past from Scott), and new Carbon Web Tech. Carbon Web improves torsional forces for better tracking and more pure power. This rod features phenomenal performance, as we've come to expect from Scott, and state-of-the-art craftsmanship. Here's our in-depth review... you don't want to miss this one.

The Loop 7X is heptagonal. Yeah, the blank has 7 sides. Wait, what? We've never seen anything like it. Who cares, why's a 7-sided blank special? How about improved energy transfer, the fastest tip recovery in the industry, blazing accuracy, and in-your-face power. Seriously, this rod is THE MOST ACCURATE fly rod we've ever cast. Has Loop changed the game? Indeed, forever. Don't cast a 7X rod, you'll never go back. Read on for the full review.

Sage has released a rod designed to cast large flies and fight big fish. The PAYLOAD features a rugged design and extra large componentry to handle heavy lines and wrangle the largest freshwater and saltwater species. If you're looking for a rod designed for Pike, Musky, and other predatory fish, especially in the mid-price range, the Payload is one of the best at its price range. Read on to find out why.

Sage has announced the release of another new rod: The TROUT LL. This new rod series from Sage utilizes blank taper optimization, specialized lengths, and Konnetic HD Technology to cater to anglers who prefer small flies, light tippets, and short-range presentations. The rod represents a delicate touch and smooth, easy feedback and feel for a heightened trout experience at close range. Like the Igniter and the PAYLOAD rod series' from Sage, the TROUT LL is a highly specialized rod. This rod is sure to be a dry fly angler's kryptonite. 

Finally, summer sun and productive fishing during the nicest season of the year. We grind out the winter months staying busy at the fly tying bench in preparation for summer fly fishing. Well, it’s here. Maybe you’ve taken care of updating your gear for wet wading season and summer trout, or maybe you’re scrambling last minute to find the best gear for what remains of the fishiest time of the year. In either case, we’ve compiled a list of the most important summer fly fishing gear, regardless of target species, to bring some useful products to light that you may not have considered.