Scott Tidal Fly Rod Review

2014 was not the most exciting year for fly rods. Sure, Sage released the new Salt (which we also reviewed here), but there were no other releases of marquee rods, and nothing that made me rethink my quiver. The three major releases that happened were in the value space – the Tidal, the Nexus, and the Accel (sort of). All three rods define a price-point made in the USA rod for the masses, which is something that we’ve been saying needed to happen for a while now. While I really liked the Nexus, the most game changing of the trio, in my mind, is the Scott Tidal. Keep the reviews coming. Buy yours here.

Outfit

• Scott Tidal 9' 8-weight
• Hatch 7-Plus
• Rio Bonefish

Fit and Finish

The Tidal is unmistakably a Scott. Were some corners cut? Sure. The rod tube isn’t aluminum, the reel seat isn’t mil-spec, the cork is probably only AA grade, and the guides could be lighter. But what you notice right away is that the rod is built just like every other Scott, and has the same unsanded blank and immaculate attention to detail that you’d expect from the brand.

Weight

The rod weighs in at 4.15 ounces and feels light when you cast it.

Distance

If there’s one complaint I had with the Tidal, it’s that it’s not a long distance rod. You can probably cast a Sage Method 20-30’ further. But does that really matter? When was the last time you successfully cast to a bonefish at 80+’? I will say that the trade-off is that the Tidal doesn’t generate tons of line speed like some of the other top saltwater rods. So if you see people kitesurfing, you’re probably going to wish you had a more powerful rod.

Accuracy

The Tidal does very well in the accuracy department, particularly at the closer in distances. At 30’ it’s almost as accurate as the S4s. At 50’ it’s still great, though maybe not quite as good as my NRX. Finally, at 70’, the Tidal’s slower flex starts to show. It’s really not that accurate for those longer casts.

Flex & Feel

In addition to the great accuracy of the Tidal, the flex pattern is also fantastic. I would call it a ‘medium-fast’ rod and this is what makes this rod great. If you read our 5-weight shootout, you know that we found that the average angler prefers a rod that’s softer and more forgiving than many of the super-fast rods on the market today. Unlike its chief competitor, the Sage Motive (which is very stiff), the Tidal is easy to cast, loads well, and has a ton of feel. What does this mean on the flats? You’re less likely to blow that cast to a tailing bonefish on a rod that you can load well.

Warranty

Lifetime – just like every Scott rod. Price: $495

Conclusion

We said at the beginning that this rod was a game changer. If it hasn’t become clear why that’s the case, let me spell it out: The Scott Tidal is the first rod that has been produced that is specifically targeting the beginner, intermediate, and/or occasional FLATS angler (which is a lot of people). There are plenty of other rods out there that are great for stripers or pike or blind casting to sea trout, but on the flats they lack the accuracy necessary to help you catch more bonefish (and permit, and redfish…). And while this review is for the 8-weight, the 10-12 -weight Tidals make amazing tarpon sticks too. Best of all, you get this at backup rod pricing. We recommend fishing this rod with a Rio Bonefish, or your favorite tropical floating line. Don’t over line it.

Pros

• Famous Scott made-in-the-USA build quality
• Bargain price
• Flats friendly flex pattern.

Cons

• If it gets really windy, you’ll want more line speed than you can easily get from this rod.