fly rod reviews

Fly rod action is super important in both the experience and the functionality of your fly rod. If you're new to fly fishing, you may be wondering what is fly rod action? We break it all down in the fourth installment of how to choose a fly rod.

Even If you’ve only been interested in fly fishing for a short time, you have probably heard praise for the venerable 9ft 5wt. The 905 has been touted as the go-to, do-everything utilitarian trout rod since its inception. It’s the best-selling configuration in nearly every trout and freshwater-oriented series. However, as most reading this know, fly rods come in different sizes to serve the many fishing scenarios, anglers may face. A rod over nine feet offers many advantages, from high sticking and better line management to roll casting larger nymphs and streamers. Unfortunately, rod makers don’t always dedicate as much time designing 10ft tapers as the nine in the same series. However, we recently got to demo the 10ft 5wt Hardy Ultralite, and the results floored us. Read on to see why this could be the rod that’ll convince you to leave the 9fter in the truck.

With the R8 Core, Sage seems to be back on track by making rods with a smooth, progressive taper that gives the caster exceptional feel and feedback but still delivers plenty of power. When Sage announced the new Salt R8 would replace the Salt HD, we were excited about the rod's prospects but a little apprehensive over a new salt-specific Sage Rod. Has Sage finally delivered? You will not want to miss this review!

The Wing is Greys’ premium, fast-action offering designed to offer anglers the performance of a high-end model at a fraction of the cost. The Wing’s predecessor, the GR80, received praise from nearly everyone who cast it, which, unfortunately, wasn’t many. Will the Wing take off and help re-establish the Greys' name to American anglers? Read on to get our take!

The Lance is Greys’ price point model, coming in at a cool $219.99. If you are skeptical about how much performance a rod can provide at this value, remember the GR60 was priced similarly, and we were routinely blown away by its performance. To find out how the Lance stacks up against other rods in the bargain-bin category, you will want to read on.

Designed with affordability and accessibility in mind, Douglas claims the ERA is the best fly rod on the market in terms of performance and value. At $150.00, the price is certainly right for those getting their feet wet, but can a rod this cheap offer enough performance for anyone other than the fledging angler? You will not want to miss the review if you are looking for a brand new 5wt on the stingiest of trout bum budgets.

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.

The allure of leaving overcrowded and overfished rivers behind for more tranquil settings has piqued the interest of a new generation of anglers. The fly fishing industry has taken note, and The SR enters a growing field of fly rods designed for small stream applications. Going into this review, we questioned whether the rod offered anything different from others in its category. After all, $825 is a good amount for a specialized tool, and it is hard to reinvent the creek rod wheel. If you have similar questions and find yourself in the market for a new rod for your next blue line adventure, you will not want to miss this review.

Scott is no stranger to making great mid-price rods like the salt-friendly Tidal and the fresh-oriented Flex, which were nearly impossible to find during the pandemic. With Scott officially throwing both into the discontinued graveyard, it seemed like they planned to focus on their flagship models until they released the brand new Wave seemingly out of nowhere. At $675.00, it is cheaper than the fantastic Sector but also pushes the boundaries of what constitutes ‘mid-priced.’ Will the Wave crash the mid-price market or make little more than a ripple? Read on to find out.