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The Scott Session series is the latest addition to Scott Fly Rods' lineup, offering "fast with feel" performance at an accessible price point. Designed to fill the gap left by the Flex series' discontinuation in 2021, the Session series introduces a fresh take on mid-priced fly rods from a brand better known for its premium models, such as the G-Series, the Radian, and the beloved Centric.

With a more attainable price than the flagship Centric series, the Session provides exceptional value for freshwater anglers looking for solid performance without the premium price tag. In this review, we examine the entire 11-rod Session lineup, providing essential details for each model. From best uses to line pairings, plus our casting notes from the field, this guide will help you make an informed decision when choosing the right model for your fishing. Keep reading to discover what makes this mid-priced series from Scott Fly Rods a unique option for various freshwater fishing applications.

8' 3wt

The 803 Session is a finely-tuned weapon for small creek fishing. It features a fairly soft butt section that requires a compact head to load the rod at close-range. Within 40 feet, this is a very smooth casting tool that can hit precise targets accurately. Beyond 40 feet, the rod feels a tad heavy, and a relaxed casting stroke is needed to avoid overpowering this creeker. Don’t expect to throw pinpoint darts at a distance with the 803, as it really favors short to medium-range presentations. In terms of fly line pairings, we like the feel of a Rio Gold, but we suspect a creek-specific taper like the Rio Creek is even better for most small stream situations. Overall, this is a mellow dry fly tool that's ideal for small water missions where short, accurate casts are the name of the game.

Lines: Rio Creek Premier

Best Uses: Small stream trout, dry flies, terrestrials, small streamers

8'6” 4wt

The stubby 4wt has become a cherished rod model across many of our rod reviews, and this 8’6” 4wt Session is no exception. It's a great all-around 4wt for trout anglers who dabble in various techniques from dry flies and droppers to light nymphing and small streamers. Like the 803, it feels most at home within 40 feet, but its slightly stiffer blank maintains reasonable accuracy out to about 50 feet. This is another rod that requires a mellow casting stroke to get the best performance, as too much power will result in noticeable wobble and tailing loops. Pair this small water rod with an SA Amplitude Trout or a Rio Gold and you’re ready to take on a myriad of light trout situations from backpacking missions to stalking glassy spring creeks.

Lines: SA Amplitude Trout, Rio Gold Elite

Best Uses: Small stream trout, dry/dropper, dry flies, small streamers

9' 4wt

If I had to pick one Session model to dupe tricky surface-feeding trout, it would be the 9’ 4wt. This is a rod designed to throw long leaders and small dries accurately in the 30-50 foot range. It's a moderately fast blank that needs a longer head and an easygoing stroke for making delicate, precise presentations. We liked it with SA Amplitude Trout and Rio Technical Trout, and found shorter heads like SA MPX to feel noticeably heavy. For anglers who need an everyday tool for throwing dries on the Henry’s Fork, the Delaware, or the Missouri, the 904 Session is a nice purpose-built option that will save you a few bucks to spend on dry shake.

Lines: SA Amplitude Trout, Rio Technical Trout Elite

Best Uses: Technical dry flies, light dry/dropper

10' 4wt

Ten-foot rods are always interesting to test cast because oftentimes they aren’t necessarily designed to cast fly line. The 10’ 4wt Session is a great example of this scenario, featuring a softer blank that will load with lightweight mono rigs and ultra-thin level lines. Aside from its obvious practicality for euro nymphing, the 1004 is a sensible indicator rod for light bobber rigs on tailwaters like the Beaverhead, South Platte, and San Juan. Despite it feeling rather wiggly and heavy when overhead casting, it’s capable of longer casts up to 40 feet when necessary. We’d recommend pairing a level euro nymphing line, or utilizing the Rio Euro Nymph Shorty in conjunction with an SA Amplitude Trout or a Rio Gold to cover more bases. If you need a dedicated light nymphing tool with plenty of tippet protection, the 10’ 4wt Session is a versatile option that does more than just euro nymphing.

Lines: SA Amplitude Trout, Rio Euro Nymph Shorty

Best Uses: Mono rigs, euro nymphing, light indicator nymphing, dry/dropper, small rivers

9’ 5wt

In any freshwater fly rod series, the 9’ 5wt sets the tone for the rest of the models, and the Scott Session 905 certainly sums up the bunch accurately. This is a soft-tipped 5wt that leans much more toward feel than speed. It’s an ideal rod for casting dries, dry/droppers, and lighter nymph rigs while wade fishing. This is not a rod for drift-boat anglers who routinely need to make quick, powerful shots at a distance. If you have a mellow casting stroke and enjoy methodically dissecting a run, seam by seam, the 905 Session is a wonderful option. Rio Gold suits this rod very well, but it also accommodates an SA Amplitude Trout quite nicely. 

Lines: SA Amplitude Trout, Rio Gold Elite

Best Uses: Dry flies, dry/dropper, light indicator nymphing, wade fishing

9’6” 5wt

When we picked up the 9’6” 5wt Session, we immediately felt an increase in speed over the 905. This is a slightly more powerful trout rod that will stand up to windier conditions and heavier droppers better than the 9-footer, but it’s still soft enough to be forgiving to novice casters. This will be a popular drift boat rod for guides who throw dry/droppers and yarn indicator rigs on the South Holston River in Tennessee and the Bighorn in Montana. Although it wouldn’t be my first choice for streamers or deep dredging, it can certainly handle heavy-duty applications in a pinch. It’s also worth mentioning that with increased length comes increased swing weight, so this elongated 5wt is noticeably heavier than its 9’ counterpart. Overall, the 965 offers enhanced reach and power than most mid-priced 5wts. It's a valuable upgrade for intermediate anglers seeking performance without the cost of premium rods. Pair the 965 Session with an SA Amplitude Infinity or an SA MPX for solid all-around performance.

Lines: SA Amplitude Infinity, SA Amplitude MPX

Best Uses: Dry/dropper, indicator nymphing, light streamers

10’ 5wt

The 10’ 5wt Session is quite similar to the 1004 in the sense that it’s more of a fishing tool than a casting tool. This is a soft 5wt compared to the 965, loading more deeply into the blank with a relaxed casting stroke. It’s good for indicator nymphing, single-hand spey, or water-loading midge tip lines on lakes. However, it's less suited for blind casting in windy conditions. - you’ll want more stiffness and a lighter swing weight for those pursuits. While it’s more of a niche rod than the other 5wts on the list, the 1005 Session will appeal to a distinct group of anglers whose primary focus is nymphing, swinging wets, and stillwater fishing.

Lines: SA Amplitude Infinity, Rio Premier Midge Tip

Best Uses: Indicator nymphing, single-hand spey, stillwater Trout

9’ 6wt

There’s lots of variation in modern 9’ 6wt rods, from ultra-stiff laser beams to smooth, hopper-friendly rods that feel more like 5wts. The 906 Session is more of the latter, providing much the same feel as the Session 905, but with a bit more gusto to throw bigger rigs like poppers, frogs, and mice. I wouldn’t hesitate to choose it for Smallmouth Bass fishing in rivers with topwater flies. Like the 5wt, it doesn’t like to be pressed too hard, so type-a casters will likely want to step up to the 907 Session. For targets within 50 feet, an SA Bass Bug or MPX performs very well. If you’re making longer casts, consider an SA Infinity or a Rio Gold. Overall, this is a laid-back 6wt that offers a silky feel for throwing terrestrials, poppers, and small frogs all summer long!

Lines: SA Amplitude Bass Bug, SA Amplitude Infinity

Best Uses: Smallmouth Bass, Poppers, Mice, Frogs, medium-sized rivers

9’6” 6wt

Compared to the 906 Session, the 966 feels much more powerful and is noticeably stiffer. This is the do-it-all trout stick that can handle everything from conehead streamers to double nymph rigs and dry/droppers, even in gusty conditions. I’d make this a year-round drift boat rod in a heartbeat, knowing it can be used for so many different applications. Advanced casters who prefer a quicker tempo will enjoy this rod. For all-purpose trout fishing, go with an SA Amplitude Infinity. For making quick shots at the bank with bulky dries, streamers, or poppers, an SA MPX gets the job done perfectly. 

Lines: SA Amplitude Infinity, SA Amplitude MPX

Best Uses: Drift boat fishing, streamers, indicator nymphing, big dries, poppers, Bass

9’ 7wt

The 9’ 7wt Session is the most powerful rod in the lineup. This fast streamer stick throws tight loops at a distance with authority, making it a great option for drifting big western rivers, stripping leeches in lakes, and midwest Bass fishing. It’s also a good option for crossover into light saltwater work (think Redfish, Bonefish, and Snook), as it slices through a stiff wind with ease. While this rod focuses less on delicate presentations, it can certainly lay down a small carp bug with delicacy if paired with an SA Infinity taper and a long leader. For most streamer and Bass applications, I’d choose an SA MPX or a Rio Outbound Short for this snappy 7wt. 

Lines: SA Amplitude Infinity, SA Amplitude MPX, Rio Outbound Short Premier

Best Uses: Streamers, freshwater Bass, light saltwater, Carp, indicator nymphing

9’ 8wt

The design team at Scott Fly Rods nailed it with the 9’ 8wt Session. This all-arounder strikes the perfect balance between providing power for streamer and bass work, while maintaining enough feel to enjoy throwing poppers and small Carp flies. It's also a great nymphing tool, loading deeper into the blank for roll casting with an SA Anadro Indicator or Rio Indicator line. For a good all-around taper, we like SA MPX as well as SA Infinity - both offer smooth casting and the choice depends on your target distances. The range of fly lines this rod casts just goes to show how versatile it is for a multitude of fishing scenarios. If you’re still using your stiff saltwater 8wt for Bass, Carp, and Steelhead, you owe it to yourself to give this rod a try - you will be pleasantly surprised by how much feel you’ll gain without sacrificing too much power.

Lines: SA Amplitude Anadro Indicator, Rio Elite Indicator, SA Amplitude Infinity

Best Uses: Freshwater Bass, indicator nymphing, great lakes Steelhead, Carp

Favorite Rod:

The Scott Session fly rod series offers a (mostly) mellow-casting lineup that’s ideal for intermediate anglers looking to step up from entry-level rods. Their moderately-fast action provides enough power to be versatile, while maintaining plenty of feel to make casting fun and intuitive. With that said, I can’t help but love the 9’ 7wt Session for its smooth power and comfortable swing weight. Out of all the rods in the lineup, this one felt the most like a “premium” rod to me, and I anticipate many intermediate to advanced anglers will see tremendous value in this streamer cannon. Honorable mentions go to the 966 for its place as an all-around drift boat rod, and the 908 which is a welcomed departure from the typical broomstick 8wts that are so common among mid-priced rods. Overall, we applaud Scott for reviving the mid-priced lineup with the new Session series, and we encourage you to cast them yourself to see what all the hype is about!

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