The reasoning for this was that many new saltwater anglers have trouble double hauling and the heavier line will help them flex the rod better. This is hands down one of my favorite 12-weight rods. scott meridian vs orvis helios 3. washington court of appeals briefs. Scott claims that this allows them to build a stronger and one less likely to break rod. We just like their rods a lot, since they perform and hold up so well. scott meridian vs orvis helios 3. With spooky, pressured fish becoming the norm, more guides are instructing their clients to make a quick roll cast, which creates less movement than a regular cast. Performance at 80 feet: 19 points out of 20. The faster action is about perfect, and surprisingly the feel and accuracy Im getting is very good, even better than the Orvis Recon. What a nice light feel in my hand, and Im getting nice tight loops with superb accuracy. Normally we wouldnt do two Shootouts in the same year, but after seeing how well the NRX+ rod did, winning our 2020 5-Weight Shootout, we were excited to see how the NRX+ 8-weight would compare to our 2018 8-weight Shootout winner, the G. Loomis Asquith. We have employed identical methods and rating categories in this 8-Weight Challenge. At mid-range nothing comes close to the Asquith. Especially in the 11 and 12-weight variants. In close the Echo Prime was much better. He has an uncanny ability to design rods knowing how they will be used by anglers, from beginners to experts. Only at the 100 foot mark did I feel it was not quite as good as the Asquith and NRX. The Echo Prime 4pc is the lightest and best mid-priced rod for fishing at short to medium distances, but lacks power at longer ranges. We brought Orvis into the shop this year for the 2020 season because of the strides Orvis has taken lately to make some baller fly rods including the Helios 3 and the newly designed Recon series of rods. On the plus side, we have sold a lot of Asquith rods and see very few being broken. Fenwick uses a solid dark gray anodized, double uplocking seat. On the other hand, Sage offers quite a nice range of premium fly rods for veteran anglers. It is a flat finish medium gray, with very attractive blue-ish gray wraps. I would like to see them a bit larger so that they can clear line tangles more easily. We take a lot of people out on the lawn to cast and compare 8-weight rods at the Yellowstone Angler. rdr2 kieran fishing mission disappeared; reggie lewis son basketball. A comfortable full wells cork handle is used with a stack of very high quality thin-width cork rings as on the Loomis and Scott rods. Performance at 100 feet: 19 points out of 20. The rod has a fast recovery rate channeling all the casting energy to the line. The new NRX+ Saltwater blank is dark gray with dark blue wraps, trimmed in lighter blue and silver on the butt. backing. Series Overview: The Orvis Helios 3F Series (along with the Helios 3D Series) replaces the much-loved Orvis Helios 2 Rod Series as Orvis' flagship fly rod. Scott Meridian 9 foot #8 $865.00. I found that the Sector performed best at the shorter distances, from 35-60 feet, where you typically fish an 8-weight. However, there are certain conditions where a freshwater rod could be suitable. As Steve explained to me, this process also reduces any twist in the finished blanks and reduces ovalization in the blank as it bends, giving the angler more feel, coupled with a huge amount of reserve power when you need it. Weve found that some of the new lines with shorter front tapers and heads are just not well suited for flats fishing where you need to combine accuracy with a delicate delivery. 13-Weight and heavier rods are reserved for large bluewater fish. Still booming! Freshwater. The Helios 3 Blackout, however, seems to have made a bigger leap than usual. I love the light swing weight and feel of this rod in my hand, and it gave me extremely good feel and accuracy at short distance, equal to the Asquith and NRX+. Somewhat like the Helios, there is a 5 inch logo just above the handle with the new larger Orvis logo, but at least it is in gray rather than white. This is a new rod from Douglas that uses their new graphene technology that we saw in their latest SKY G (the winner of our 2020 5-Weight Shootout in the Presentation category). It is popular for anglers planning on spending a long time on the casting platform due to it being more forgiving on the arm. We offer free shipping on all orders over $100 and have no sales tax. Of the three rods, the Asquith was the stiffest and most accurate. If you are fishing 60 feet and beyond or often facing windy conditions, the Orvis Recon Big Game is your best mid-priced rod. Although each angler has his or her own casting style and personal preferences, almost everyone loves the way the Scott Meridian performs. A 12-weight takes some time to. It is a great fishing rod, especially in the 8 and 9-weight varients. The rod is nicely balanced, allowing easy casting without having to exert much grip-pressure. 60 ft. is really easy to hit with the Meridian. The components and finish of a saltwater specific fly rod are selected to be hard-wearing and deter corrosion. Theyve been top of their game for years. I just cast the 8'5" 8 wt on Woodward the other day. This makes the NRX + blank much stronger under a lifting load with less overall material used. Get a Print Subscription Get a Digital Subscription On the other hand, the best 8-weight rods must also possess enough butt and mid-section power to throw well at longer distances, or to bring a line screaming, 10-pound bonefish to hand. The 5 Best Wading Staffs in 2023 Buyers Guide, The 5 Best Sit On Top Kayaks Under $600 in 2023 Buyers Guide, The 5 Best Headlamps for Fishing in 2023 Buyers Guide, The 6 Best Fly Fishing Chest Packs in 2023 Buyers Guide, Saltwater Fly Fishing Tips, Tackle & Techniques, The 6 Best Fishing Watches in 2023 Buyers Guide, 150 Mount Locke Rd, Dripping Springs, TX 78620, Available weights: 8wt 12wt (in the saltwater specific range). micron backing youll have capacity for 170 yards, all without overloading the reel. The meat of our 8-Weight challenge is how these rods perform. But the things that matter are there, including a modern build designed to reduce wobble and side-to-side movement when casting. Lightning line speed and unheard of power are delivered not by increased stiffness but by relying on exceptional recovery speed. In fact, of the two Asquith rods we sent back on G.Loomis warranty program, both were returned as free repairs, deemed to be factory defects. An 8-weight is great for protecting lighter tippets and casting smaller saltwater flies. Craftsmanship has always been excellent on the Orvis Helios rods. 2. And how does the new re-designed Recon compare to the original Recon? Its always great to have Skips perspective. The epoxy coating on the guides was excellent. At the mid-distances it was still right in the running with the Loomis rods, but lacked their punch. I do recommend spending as much time as possible casting this rod before going on a fishing trip. I know the guys at Orvis in Royal Oak enjoy demo-ing rods. By now you are familiar with the format of our Shootouts. When comparing the guides and components of all the rods, I felt that the Meridian had one of the best set ups. The + is no different. The guide set up starts with two large titanium framed SIC style stripping guides, followed with large diameter hard chrome snake guides and a large tip top. I especially like the handle shape, putting the swell slightly ahead of the middle of the grip. The rod has a progressive, crisp action that makes it ideal for using all day long. Rather than do another full blown 8-weight Shootout, we decided to collect these new rods and see how they compare to the top rods in our 2018 8-Weight Shootout. No rod could touch the Helios in close and it was easy to give it a perfect score. I like the appearance of this new Recon more than the previous version. The epoxy coating over the guides is excellent. Yeah it's all that. We have fished all over the world in both fresh and saltwater for a huge variety of fish, and well be glad to answer all of your questions, to help you choose the perfect rod or outfit. If you have the budget, stop reading right now and just go buy a flagship fly rod.For the rest of us, we might do better by buying two different rods say, a 9 6-weight for power and big flies and an 8'6 4-weight for smaller water and delicate presentations. The Orvis Helios 3F, Scott Sector, and Douglas SKY G all perform with excellence up to 60 feet but lack power when casting at the longest distances of 80-100 feet, or when battling a headwind. The cork handle is a full wells, with rubber/cork rings at the top and bottom for better durability. In the event of something happening to your primary rod, you have the backup to fall back to. A stack of thin width, very high-quality cork rings is used with a rubber/cork ring at the bottom for durability. scott meridian vs orvis helios 3venice beach boutiquesvenice beach boutiques Shimano developed a special graphite tape called infinity tape, which is wrapped on the mandrel on a 45-degree axis. Below you will see my notes for each of the rods, but you will also want to read the comments from my son James and Captain Skip Zink, our two other testers, both competent saltwater anglers and excellent casters. What it actually means is that if theres a manufacturing defect, the rod will be fixed free of charge. This meant leaving out a lot of very good rods, like the Thomas and Thomas Exocett, the tried and true Sage X, the fabulous Hardy saltwater Zephrus, and the ultra-powerful Loop Cross 7X. The silver rings look good but are rather thin and harder to grip and lock up than most. And now, Helios 3 rods take another giant step ahead of other Orvis rods and the competition. Mindfulness for Kids: Activities for Elementary and Middle School Students. I could hit 80 feet, but my cast timing had to be right on the money. We have tried to explain the exact changes in material, technology, and manufacturing techniques in the write up for each rod. easton rebel vs rival. Im getting a lot of feel as well and this gives me a lot of confidence in where Im putting the fly. The Asquith, with its softer tip offers the ultimate in power and feel, and was created with the SA Bonefish line in mind. spiritual meaning of someone stealing from you. On the other hand, if you are a novice or an intermediate skilled angler, there is a good chance you might not be able to tell the slight differences between the Asquith and the NRX+. A large fighting butt is used with a wider end that wont dig into you while reeling hard. Your email address will not be published. With your support we can continue to give you more Shootouts and head to head comparisons on tackle and equipment in the future. (If you have ever experienced hooking the biggest bonefish of your life, only to have it break off due to a line tangle, youll appreciate the larger guides!). If you are an expert caster, you will likely gravitate towards the Asquith, as it has power and feel. It's thoroughly in the "want" category for me. The alignment dots are handy as well when putting your rod together. You can click on the chat button, email us or call any of our stores. scott meridian vs orvis helios 3 dr thomas horn wikipedia. Performance at 80 feet: 19.5 points out of 20. It's a lot more accurate at longer distances than the Helios 2 was (and it was no slouch). The guide setup starts with two titanium frame SIC style guides that are slightly smaller than what Orvis or Scott use, but they seem to work perfectly and shoot line well. scott meridian vs orvis helios 3; scott meridian vs orvis helios 3. I only had a short time to spend with this rod and I couldn't wait to fish it! Here the softness in the butt and mid-section hurts, and I cant punch in the power nearly as well as with both of the Loomis rods or the Helios 3F. Everyone here anxiously anticipated seeing what Steve Rajeff would devise to replace the superb Loomis NRX rods, which have been among our favorite rods over the years. Its not the lightest rod and the components are not that great either, but the fast action is just right and gave me pretty good feel and accuracy, especially at the shorter distances. The SKY G is an attractive rod, finished in flat gray, with black wraps. This hurt it when trying to hit the longest targets at 80 and 100 feet ones that the Asquith and NRX+ hit with ease. There is a good chance youll like it the best. That means when you go on a trip youll take 4 rods with you. The rest are large diameter black chrome snake guides that will pass line and tangles easily. The first Helios were introduced in fall 2007 and the world was amazed at how light they were, and how well they cast. I noticed that it didnt fare as well in the wind as a couple of the best rods in our test, but there are only a few that best the Meridian at long range. The Sector is light in swing weight, but slightly heavier than the Scott G, Helios 3F and Asquith. My accuracy was good, just not in the same league as the top rods. The Orvis Clearwater launches long casts and consistent loops with surprisingly good feel and decent line control. This Saltwater specific range features rods from 6 to 15-weight, offering a premium solution for any fishing need. Fast action. Simms Ms G4 PRO Powerlock Boot Vibram, Armstrong Spring Creek on the OHair Ranch. I recommend buying a spare rod for each of these two weights. The big thing that separates the NRX+ from the other rods is how smoothly it casts. But hey you cant expect perfection for under $200! In my saltwater arsenal, I have all rod weights from 8 to 12. Ive given it a huge amount of punishment, putting bends in the Asquith that would have broken most other rods but it is as perfect today as when it was new! The NRX+ series are powerful rods in general but are also dampened better than any of the other rods weve found, including the Asquith. A 1 inch fighting butt is used that tapers to a wide base, protected with a rubber cork ring at the bottom. We are looking forward to Freds modifications of this rod, giving it a little more power, which will boost its performance at the longer distances. Only after satisfying the above mentioned 3 characteristics and features, we get to the castability. A short one inch extension butt is used with a rubber/cork cap. Another great flyshop that will demo rods is the Painted Trout in Dexter. The key to this power and smoothness is a utilization of three things: Mega modulus + graphite, GL 8 resin, and a new multi-taper design. Like the Douglas SKY, this rod is made in Korea. Before going on any saltwater trip, spend enough time practicing your cast. I have had hours on the saltwater flats and actual experience with all of them: No Best Fly Rod article will be complete without mentioning Sage. This rod is available in sizes from 3wt up to 12wt . Im impressed with the smoothness and the accuracy, second only to the Asquith. The Asquith is an absolute joy to cast, and for me it stood out from the other rods in our Challenge the second I got it in my hand. That being said, the best saltwater fly rods will enable you to do the following, regardless of casting style and personal preference: In many saltwater fly fishing situations youll be faced with a couple of casting challenges. Nice tight controllable loops are giving me superb accuracy, and this rod handles a lot of wind easily. The Sector won the ATTFAs award this year for the best new saltwater rod. Can You Use a Freshwater Fly Rod in Saltwater? Only the NRX+ came close to giving me the control and accuracy at long range or in a hard wind. Like the Asquith, a cannon for throwing long bombs. Orvis has totally revamped the Recon series and this is a much different (and better) rod than the original Recon 8-weight. The cork handle is Scotts modified wells style, like the Radian, where the swell is slightly forward of the middle of the grip. Being comfortable with these heavy rods, especially the 11 and 12-weights, is critical to catch your dream fish. This rod has no problem dealing with tarpon and jack crevalle. An oversize tiptop is used. The Hardy Zephrus is as durable as they get. Nothing has changed about the Meridian, however this year the Asquith had the edge at 80 and 100 feet. Review: Orvis Helios 3D Blackout 9' 5" 5-weight fly rod Review: Orvis Recon fly rod Review: Orvis Clearwater 11-weight 9'4" fly rod Obviously, the light weight makes the Recon pleasant to carry around all day, especially if you spend a lot of time hiking. Even though most anglers have their favorite saltwater fly rod, there are some characteristics that these rods share. 6. The guide set up uses two of the new CeRecoil nickel/titanium stripping guides like the Scott Sector, with a slick zirconia ceramic insert. Only the Asquith and Helios 3F felt slightly better at mid-range. As you can see on our deflection chart, the Sectors butt and mid-section are softer than all the other 8-weight rods we tested.