Gear » Fly Rods

photo by goodluz A 4-weight fly rod delivers quieter presentations and longer drag-free drifts during April's Hendrickson and Baetis hatches — the two surface-feeding windows where a 5-weight's extra mass most often costs fish. The difference comes down to 20 grains of line weight (120 vs. 140 grains at the AFFTA standard), which translates to roughly 17...

Orvis has released a limited run of Helios D fly rods tied to its ongoing work with Captains for Clean Water. The series focuses on two saltwater models built for the fisheries that the organization is working to protect in Florida Bay and the Everglades. The release includes a 9-foot, 9-weight and a 9-foot, 11-weight, both built on the distance-focused...

Dan Favato photo An eight-weight and ten-weight saltwater fly fishing travel system — two rods, two reels, one carry-on case — covers bonefish, redfish, permit, smaller tarpon, and most backcountry species on a March flats trip from the Keys to Belize to the Bahamas. The eight-weight handles bonefish presentations and moderate wind, while the ten-weight...

Images by Rick Mikesell Fly fishing often seems to chase the rest of the outdoor industry, hoping that by mimicking its messaging it will magically find a larger market. In reality, our market has always been much smaller than other cornerstone outdoor pursuits. The golf industry has become the benchmark. Many rod makers lean on the analogy of golf clubs to...

photo by Olya L A 9-foot 8-weight fly rod is the best first saltwater fly rod for most anglers, offering the ideal balance of casting power for wind, delicacy for spooky fish, and versatility across species from bonefish to redfish. This single rod handles tropical flats, coastal marshes, and baby tarpon equally well—making it the natural entry point for...

The Orvis Clearwater Two-Handed rod offers an accommodating casting profile at reasonable price, making it a mid-price favorite A 12'6" to 13-foot 7-weight Spey rod with medium-fast action is the ideal first Spey rod for most steelhead anglers—it provides enough length for proper two-handed casts, enough power for winter sink tips and summer floating...

photo by Bradly A 4-weight rod with medium action is the best fly rod for winter trout when fishing tiny midges on fine tippet, while a 6-weight handles wind and heavy nymph rigs more effectively than the standard 5-weight most anglers default to. Winter conditions—size 20–24 flies, 6X tippet, and biting wind on open tailwaters—push the 9-foot...

Images by Rick Mikesell Orvis has refreshed the Recon fly rod lineup with a full range of freshwater, saltwater, and big-game models built around purpose-driven tapers and durable construction. According to Orvis, the new Recon series draws on taper concepts developed for Helios rods, using a mix of standard, intermediate, and high-modulus graphite tailored...

G. Loomis has announced a complete redesign of its top-tier Asquith fly rod series, introducing new carbon construction technology and refined componentry across the lineup. The redesigned rods feature what the company calls Spiral X Core, an evolution of parent company Shimano's proprietary carbon tape construction. The blanks are manufactured in Kumamoto...

Shawn Combs arrived at Orvis in 2011, a year after I did, and his influence on the quality of the company's fly rods and reels—as well as the scope of the offerings—cannot be underestimated. He burst onto the scene in 2013 as the man behind the Superfine Glass, and the hits just kept on coming, right through the launch of the Helios last year...