Hardy has stepped up to the plate to deliver the Aydon, billed as a medium-action, delicate-presentation performer with a price tag nearly as light as the tippet it's designed to protect. Sure, at $550.00, it’s a substantial jump from the much-beloved and missed Hardy Shadow. However, in today’s marketplace, and considering there aren’t many options in the Aydon’s class, it could prove to be an excellent value. Read on to see if the Aydon can deliver the performance of rods twice its price.
Hardy’s Ultralite LL rods are a ‘light line’ series loosely lumped together for various ‘long leader’ fishing applications with the competition angler in mind. Everything from Euro nymphing to technical dry fly fishing is covered. The 9’9” 4wt falls into the latter category, and it’s one of the more unique rods we’ve ever tested. If you are interested in learning more about what makes this rod stand out and if it deserves a place in the quiver, you will not want to miss this review.
Echo is no stranger to the world of fiberglass, and their latest glass offering, the River Glass, is making quite the splash for several reasons. If you are interested in picking up a new rod for fishing small creeks, you will want to read on.
The Air 2 is being touted as the best all-purpose 5wt in the company's illustrious history and a challenger to the top trout rods on the market. Winston is known for making rods with a soulful touch that are perfectly tuned for technical dry fly fishing. However, due to their delicate nature, they often lack the backbone needed for dedicated nymphing and streamer fishing. If you are in the market for a new 5wt, read on to see if the Air 2 is the ultimate multi-purpose trout fishing tool.
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.
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.
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 you’ve read our review of the Vapen, then you know about what I like to call “The New Redington”. If you haven’t, here are the cliff notes: the new Redington rods are fantastic. The Redington Butter Stick makes up one part of the awesome threesome.
Here’s the scoop. It’s fiberglass (the first rod made from “T-Glass”, whatever that means). It’s slow-ish. It’s cheap.
This is the review you’ve all been waiting for. The Trident staff finally got a chance to cast the new Sage Circa at IFTD, and we were definitely impressed. But we weren’t the only ones, apparently, because the Circa won the award for Best New Fly Rod! This review is based on the 589-4, but the 4-weights should...
