Thomas & Thomas Avantt II Fly Rod Series: Model-By-Model Review

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The Thomas & Thomas Avantt II has been one of the hottest new fly rod releases of 2024, replacing the original Avantt series with an elegant, high-performance rod that still maintains plenty of casting soul. We were very impressed with the 9-foot 5 weight during our initial rod review, so we were curious to see how the other rods in this eleven-rod lineup would perform. Keep reading to learn our impressions of every rod in the Avantt II series, including line pairings, action, and best uses. If you’ve been considering upgrading to an Avantt II, or you’re simply curious about the capabilities of T&T’s flagship freshwater rod, this model-by-model review is just for you.

8'6” 3wt

Had this been a blind casting test, I may have thought this 8’6” 3wt Avantt II was actually a Winston. It has a buttery-soft Winston feel, although the snub-nosed half wells grip is a giveaway that it’s something different. This is a very soft and lightweight 3wt creeker - ideal for throwing dry flies on meandering western streams or dissecting highly pressured trout on small spring creeks with light tippets. Pair this rod with a Rio Perception for in-close loading and a delicate presentation.

Lines: Rio Perception Elite

Best Uses: Small stream trout, dry flies, spring creeks, extreme finesse

8'6” 4wt

Admittedly, I’m an absolute sucker for a short, peppy 4wt, and the 8’6” 4wt Avantt II is exactly that. This is a lively stick that can keep up with a moderately-fast casting stroke and is remarkably lightweight in hand. It excels at ranges of 20-40’ with pinpoint accuracy, but still packs enough backbone for longer shots when needed. We found it to be spot-on with a Rio Gold, but it also pairs well with an SA Infinity for consistent longer shots. Overall, the 8’6” 4wt would make a fantastic daily driver for anglers who like a playful and versatile small-water rod.

Lines: Rio Gold Elite, SA Amplitude Infinity

Best Uses: Small-water all-arounder, dry flies, dry/droppers, small streamers

9' 4wt

Adding or subtracting rod length always comes with a tradeoff. Whereas the 8’6” 4wt Avantt II is a lightweight creek sniper, the 9-footer offers a touch more reach and power, though it comes with a slightly heavier swing weight and reduced accuracy. It's better for anglers who fish small to medium-sized rivers, but it can certainly double as a finesse creek rod as well. Like its shorter sibling, the 904 casts Rio Gold and SA Infinity fly lines quite well. If you’re looking for a quick and soulful 4wt with a bit more reach for high-sticking and mending, the 904 Avantt II is hard to beat.

Lines: Rio Gold Elite, SA Amplitude Infinity

Best Uses: Light trout all-arounder, dry flies, dry/droppers, small streamers, light nymphing

9' 5wt

The 9’ 5-weight Avantt II is an absolute sweetheart of a Trout rod. Quick, lightweight, and accurate, it boasts solid performance to back up its premium price tag. It also has plenty of feel at medium distances, particularly with a “do-it-all” tapered fly line, such as Scientific Anglers MPX. For more advanced casters or anglers who regularly make longer casts, the SA Infinity is an appropriate line pairing. But why should you spring for the Avantt II over another premium 9-foot 5 weight? We think the Avantt II offers a unique blend of performance and elegance, attributes that set it apart in a crowded market. It would be fair to claim that the Avantt II has the performance of the Orvis Helios F and the aesthetic of a Winston. It’s a sporty, accurate trout rod that’s as much fun to fish as it is to look at.

Check out our full review of the 9’ 5wt HERE.

Lines: SA Amplitude Infinity, SA Amplitude MPX

Best Uses: Trout all-arounder, terrestrials, dry/droppers, small streamers, moderate nymphing

9’ 6wt

The 9’ 6wt Avantt II is everything I look for in a go-to drift boat rod: fast, powerful, accurate, and lightweight. With a Scientific Anglers Amplitude MPX fly line, this rod is tuned to handle everything from conehead streamers and heavy bobber rigs to wind-resistant mice and foam hoppers. If you’re strictly pounding the banks with big streamers, consider pairing the rod with the Rio Grand Elite fly line. What’s more, this rod is still fun to cast even for intermediate casters, offering some forgiveness with respect to casting stroke and power. Overall, I predict that many western trout anglers and drift boat guides will reach for the 906 Avantt II day in and day out for many years to come.

Lines: SA Amplitude MPX, Rio Grand Elite

Best Uses: Bigger water Trout, drift boat fishing, streamers, terrestrials, dry/droppers, indicator nymphing

9’6” 6wt

Thomas & Thomas’ portfolio of freshwater rods is heavy on dry fly rods and euro-nymphing rods, but this 9’6” 6wt is something new. This is a purpose-built tool for indicator nymphing medium to larger trout and salmon streams. You can feel how the rod wants to load deeply into the powerful blank for roll casting and water-loaded casts, plus it mends and high-sticks nicely with its added length. Overhead casting with an SA MPX felt snappy and powerful at close to medium distances, but the rod's added length became noticeable at longer distances, resulting in a heavier, slightly wobbly feel. If you love indicator fishing on rivers like the North Platte in Wyoming, the Green in Utah, or the Missouri in Montana, the T&T 9’6” 6wt Avantt II is an ideal choice.

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

Best Uses: Indicator nymphing, single-hand spey, smaller anadromous species

9’ 7wt

In every model-by-model review there’s always one rod that leaves us scratching our heads, and the 9’ 7wt Avantt II is that rod. Regardless of the line we cast, we found it relatively easy to overpower the 907, requiring an intentionally mellow stroke to find the sweet spot. For a niche group of anglers, this will make a great Smallmouth Bass or Trout rod for throwing smaller poppers and terrestrials, but many will find it too line sensitive and slow to be a versatile 7wt.

Lines: Rio Gold Elite

Best Uses: Presentation Smallmouth, terrestrials, poppers

10’ 3wt

T&T excels at producing euro nymphing rods such as the Contact II and the Zone. The Avantt II 10’ 3wt probably falls into that category of greatness too, but it certainly didn’t exhibit great overhead casting ability. It casts a weight-forward fly line about how you’d expect a dedicated euro rod to do so: a bit clumsily and inaccurately. Now, we know this isn’t really a fair test of the 1003’s capabilities, but it does beg the question: why did T&T bother with an Avantt II euro rod ($985) when they already offer the extremely popular Contact II ($895)? Although we can’t answer this question, we can tell you that the 10’ 3wt Avantt II is best reserved for true euro nymphing situations, mono rigs, and tightline dry/droppers, rather than casting a weighted fly line.

Lines: Rio Technical Euro Nymph

Best Uses: Euro nymphing, dry/droppers, mono rigs

10’ 4wt

The 10’ 4wt Avantt II offers much more castability with a weight-forward fly line than its 3wt counterpart. We cast Rio Gold and found it to be reasonably accurate for close and mid-range shots, but at the expense of a very noticeable swing weight. If you are looking for a rod that can handle mono rigs as well as some light-duty indicator or dry fly fishing within 30’, the 10’ 4wt could be a good choice, but you’ll likely want a heavier reel to balance out this niche 4wt.

Lines: Rio Gold Elite, Rio Technical Euro Nymph

Best Uses: Dry/droppers, light indicator rigs, mono rigs, euro nymphing

10’ 5wt

From a performance standpoint, the 10’ 5wt Avantt II is very similar to the 10’ 4wt - it’s a versatile tool in the right hands. This rod would be at home on high gradient pocket water throwing tungsten droppers and jigged streamers within 30’. Because its blank has a bit more backbone than the 4wt, it comfortably throws a Rio Gold if you need to fish dries or light dry/droppers out to about 40’. While I’d personally choose the 9’ 5wt over this 10-footer for most of my trout fishing, I know lots of anglers who swear by a longer 5 weight with a “euro” flex profile. If you mainly fish high gradient streams where heavy flies and light tippets are required, this 10’ 5wt could be a great option for you.

Lines: Rio Gold Elite

Best Uses: Dry/droppers, light indicator rigs, mono rigs, euro nymphing

10’ 6wt

Like the other 10’ Avantt II’s in the series, the 6wt is primarily a nymphing tool which excels at close-range with heavy flies and light leaders and tippets. Interestingly, it also pairs nicely with a Scientific Anglers MPX out to about 40’, making it a dual-threat rod for anglers who bounce between steep, tight boulder fields and longer, open runs. This is a nice choice for smaller steelhead and certain Atlantic Salmon fisheries, as well as for Sockeyes, Trout and Char in Alaska. If you like a stouter 10’ rod that performs nicely at medium and close range, we think the 10’ 6wt Avantt II is the best 10-footer of the series.

Lines: SA Amplitude MPX

Best Uses: Dry/droppers, indicator rigs, mono rigs, single-hand spey

Favorite Rod:

It was hard to pick just one favorite from the Avantt II lineup. T&T has managed to create a lot of winners for a wide variety of freshwater situations, from small stream bluelining to western-style drift boat fishing and even great lakes steelheading. Top contenders included the 904, 905, 906, and the 1006, each offering something fun and unique. Ultimately, our favorite was the 8’6” 4wt. Talk about a versatile Trout rod for smaller water, this rod is a true weapon. It’s extremely light, deadly accurate, and just a joy to cast. The 8’6” Avantt II should be a top choice for any angler who’s looking for a peppy lightweight Trout rod with premium aesthetics and attention to detail.

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