Redington EDC Tactical Edition Fly Rod

The Redington EDC Tactical Edition Fly Rod is a limited-edition, blacked-out take on Redington's top-end EDC. Some trout days really are a one shot, one eat, one release proposition: you spot a good fish, you get a single drift before it knows you are there, and everything you did to approach quietly either pays off or does not. This rod is built around that kind of fishing, pairing the power and finesse of the standard EDC with a stealth treatment for anglers who want an everyday carry rod with a bit of an attitude.

It comes in two sizes only, a 5wt and a 6wt, both 9ft and four piece, which is the heart of the all-around trout range. The 5wt is the dry fly and light nymph rod; the 6wt adds a fighting butt and the backbone for streamers, wind and bigger water. Both keep the fast action and durability that made the EDC family work, in a package that does not flash at fish or anyone else.

Blank

The blank is built on Redington's Nano Resin technology, which the company calls the best material it has put in a fly rod. The resin system increases durability and precision without giving up the backbone you need to actually turn a strong fish, and the payoff in normal fishing is a rod that holds up to being carried, knocked around and fished hard while still reading the water back to you. The action is fast, which keeps mending, strike detection and precision at distance sharp. Where the standard EDC wears a muted green, the Tactical Edition goes to a blacked-out finish with matching tactical hardware, so there is nothing on the rod that catches sun and telegraphs your position to a fish holding in clear, low water.

Guides

Stripping Guides - The EDC platform runs guides with ceramic inserts at the stripping positions. Ceramic is harder and slicker than a bare metal frame, so line shoots cleanly and the guide does not groove and start chewing coating after a season of grit and false casts.

Snake Guides - Black chrome snake guides carry up the blank. They are light, durable and genuinely smooth, and on this edition the finish is doing double duty, since black chrome is subtle in appearance and adds nothing reflective to a rod built around not being seen.

Reel Seat

The reel seat is anodized aluminum with dual uplocking rings, a light and reliable combination that will not corrode if the rod sees brackish or salt water. The dual rings are the part that matters over a long day: they keep the reel foot locked down instead of working loose the way a single ring can. Grip style depends on the model. The 5wt uses a reversed half-wells cork handle, which suits delicate presentation and a lighter reel, while the 6wt is built with a full wells handle and a fighting butt for leverage on bigger fish and heavier lines.

Rod Tube

The rod ships in a nylon rod tube with built-in dividers, so each of the four sections rides in its own sleeve and the blank never rubs against itself in transit. A nylon tube is lighter and easier to stow than aluminum, which is the right call for a rod whose whole premise is that it goes with you.

Warranty

Redington covers the EDC family with an original owner lifetime warranty. The warranty is limited to replacement of the rod itself and does not cover direct, indirect or consequential damage from using it, nor neglect, misuse, theft, fire, loss or normal wear and tear. Redington also reserves the right to substitute a current model if yours has been discontinued, which is worth noting on a limited edition like this one.

More Info

• Rod Action: Fast
• Best for: All-around trout fishing, sight fishing and low, clear water where a low-visibility rod helps
• Grip Style: 5wt reversed half-wells; 6wt full wells with fighting butt
• Ability Level: Intermediate to Advanced
• Models: 5wt 9ft and 6wt 9ft, both 4 piece
• Finish: Blacked-out limited edition

Recommended Lines

A fast 5wt or 6wt wants a line with enough front mass to load it at real fishing range without overwhelming a delicate presentation. The Rio Gold Premier Fly Line is the natural all-around pairing, with a taper that mends well and turns over a dry-dropper rig cleanly. If the 6wt is going to spend its life throwing streamers, the Rio Outbound Short Premier Fly Line carries a short, heavy head that loads the rod fast and moves a weighted fly with very few false casts.