Gear » Fly Rods

The folks over at Field & Stream had the chance to take the new Hardy Marksman Z saltwater rod out for a spin in Florida. The Marksman Z is Hardy's premier saltwater rod, so expectations for its performance were high. You can read about how the rod performed here.

Douglas Outdoors has announced the release of their new DXF Gen 2 fly rods. These rods are the "next step" in the DXF lineup, according to the company, and feature a completely redesigned rod. The blank has been tweaked from the ground up with new materials, component have been updated, and Douglas claims this leads to a fly rod with "unparalleled feel...

Scott Rods has debuted a new rod family, dubbed the Session. Session rods are built to "bring together high line speed and exceptional loop control with a light and lively feel in the hand," per Scott's website. Session rods feature a new cork grip and a striking bright-green color theme that I think looks sharp. You'll also get low-glare snake guides and...

The Helios 3 was, arguably, the best rod Orvis ever built. Today, they're releasing the next rod in their flagship series, simply dubbed "Helios" (not Helios 4). The new Helios is billed as "4 times more accurate than the H3" according to Orvis. Now, if that sounds like standard marketing-speak designed to sell more fly rods, I understand you apprehension...

Sage recently announced the release of their newest flagship spey rod - the Spey R8. Built on their new and innovative Revolution 8 (R8) technology, the Spey R8 line has rods from weights 5 through 10, giving spey anglers across the spectrum a rod for their favorite style of two-handed angling. Per a Sage press release, all Spey R8 rods will "heighten the...

The folks over at G. Loomis have been busy building out a lot of new rods lately. One intriguing addition to their lineup is the NRX+ Swim Fly, a rod tailored specifically for bass fishing. Zach Burton put together a great review on this rod, over at Gear Junkie, which you can read here.

Greys Fishing has released a new rod and reel combo they've dubbed the "Cruise." The rod and reel combo is available in weights 5, 7, or 8, and comes in lenghts of 9 or 10 feet. The Cruise retails for $189.95, but you can buy the reel separately for around $65. The Cruise rod is a medium fast action rod that's at home in both fresh and saltwater...

The R.L. Winston Rod Company announced the release of their new Air 2 Max rod family. Per Winston's website, the Air 2 Max is a fast-action rod that uses the company's "fastest and most powerful graphite tapers to date." The Air 2 Max is designed to excel in big game fishing situations, in both salt and freshwater environments. By combining proprietary...

The folks over at Tenkara Rod Company have an interesting product on the market - the Teton Zoom. This rod can be extended to two different lengths, making it a versatile fishing tool for those who enjoy tenkara. Steve Larese, over at Gear Junkie, wrote an in-depth review on this rod, highlighting what it does well. You can read the entire thing here.

If you've ever wondered what exactly goes into building a high-end graphite fly rod, then you should read through this story from Tim Schulz over at Hatch Magazine. Tim walks us through a recent trip he took to the Orvis Rod Factory, where the guys showed him parts of the rod building process. For anyone interested in rods, or gear in general, this is a...