The Scott Meridian has been discontinued by Scott. Check out its successor, the Scott Sector, or shop our full lineup of Scott Fly Rods.
We had the opportunity to spend a lot of time with the brand new Scott Meridian fly rod starting way back in the days when it was secretly known as "Project S". Scott has dubbed it a softer rod with a faster recovery. It does that and then some.
It's a Scott. That means you're getting top quality workmanship. It's got top quality titanium guides along with their trademark unsanded fast action blank. The marketing department claims that they changed the shape of the fighting butt, but I didn't notice it. It had the standard, comfy, Full Wells cork handle that has become synonymous with saltwater fly rods. The rod also has an aircraft grade aluminumreel seat, SiC rings in full titanium frames, and Recoil nickel titanium snake guides. Titanium guides provide corrosion resistance on the water. The reel seat also has lock rings that keep the reel in place and are easy to lock with wet hands. And of course, built from "beginning to end" in Montrose, Colorado.
Weight
The 8wt Meridian weighed in at 3.8 ounces, which is on the lighter end of the saltwater spectrum, but what we really liked was how light it felt while casting. It wasn't quite as light as my Proaxis one-piece, but it makes the Loomis feel like a 7-iron.
Distance
A lot of people associate saltwater fly rods with distance. When you're fishing for stripers, that makes a lot of sense, but when you're on a flat stalking bones, you're unlikely to make a cast over 50', because you just can't see that far. Nevertheless, the Meridian definitely has some power, just not as much as say the Sage Method.
Accuracy
The Meridian is one of the most accurate fly rods I've ever cast in close to mid distances. At 30' and 50' it's just a laser when paired with the Chard taper. Out at 70' it's still great, but it's clearly a rod focused on the more useful fishing distances.
Flex & Feel
The Meridian is a fast rod, but not a really fast rod. When paired with the right line (again, Chard taper), it provided an enormous amount of feedback (aka feel), yet recovered fast enough to launch into the wind. With a fish on, the Meridian has enough power in the butt section to bring in even that larger than expected "baby" tarpon.
Warranty
The Meridian is covered by Scott's lifetime warranty.
Price: $865
Conclusion
I feel like this review is as much a testament to how awesome Airflo's Chard taper is, as it is to the Scott Meridian. Over about 10 days in Florida, we caught snook, redfish, tarpon, and even peacock bass on it. We were able to make many "how did I even do that" casts under mangroves that produced more snook than we could have managed otherwise. So, does it de-throne the NRX? Yes and no... I think the NRX is still a better rod for someone looking to cast every kind of line on one rod. But for flats fishing (except for really spooky bonefishing) it's a much better choice for most anglers.
Chard's Tropical Punch is a must have on this rod. It likes to have some weight out front.
Pros
Light weight, and very light swing weight
Very accurate at key distances
Famous Scott build quality
Cons
Not as flexible as the NRX. I didn't really like Rio Bonefish line on this rod.
Ben Freeman founded Trident Fly Fishing in 2012 to cut through the marketing fluff and provide anglers with the technical info they actually need. He’s built his reputation by putting gear to the ultimate test in the world’s most unforgiving fisheries. With fishing stamps from over 22 countries and 17+ states, Ben’s passport is a roadmap of bucket list angling—from landing a 25lb Golden Dorado in Bolivia and 150lb Arapaima in Guyana to sight-casting for Roosterfish off the beaches in Baja. Whether it’s battling 60+mph winds to land a 20lb Rainbow at Jurassic Lake or a full day of casting 8in streamers in Mongolia, Ben has spent decades ensuring his gear performs when a trip of a lifetime is on the line.
At Trident, Ben serves as the lead gear geek, specializing in the deep-dive mechanics of rods, reels, and lines. Over the past 15 years, he's reviewed 250+ fly rods and 150+ fly reels and is likely one of the most prolific rod reviewers in the world. But he doesn't just curate the catalog; he scrutinizes every taper and drag system through the lens of a traveling angler who knows what it's like to have gear fail a thousand miles from home. For Ben, the mission is simple: leverage his experience across nearly 100 species to ensure that when you head into the wild, you’re equipped with gear that has been vetted by someone who has actually been there.
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