The Helios 3D and Sage X lead the pack in that regard. This fast action deflection blueprint, along with Hardys high-modulus graphite and Sintrix Nano resins allow the Zephrus to perform well and feel great at all distances. Usually takes 4-6 weeks. Alignment dots are placed at the ferrules, which is handy. The nice soft tip allows me to cast off the tip of the rod with a flick of my wrist. About as good as the Imperial, but the Recon and Shadow were noticeably better. Scott claims that this gives their rods better strength and we cannot argue with this as we see very few Scott rods broken. Matches the Aeteos here, but still nothing to get excited about. Out long the overall softness of the rod is a handicap. The cosmetics and components of this rod are similar to its shorter brother. TheHardy SHADOWat $349.95 takes the crown as our best mid-priced rod with an exceptional performance that put it into a tie for 4thplace overall with theT&T AVANTT. Surprisingly, even using this lower modulus graphite that should be heavier, the overall weight and swing weight are very good compared to our other top 4-weight rods. The best Korean built rods now rival what is produced here in the US. The 79 model was far better and a lot more fun to cast and fish. New rods must be registered at time of purchase. #25. Every high-end rod (which I classify as $650+) handles average wind just fine. If you are looking for that perfect saltwater outfit, then use ourFavorite Saltwater Outfitslink. The Helios 3 rods are available in both the D and F Series with the D series more designed for distance and power. Also, by having 8-10 rods set up, 2-3 testers can simultaneously do the casting. We kept the best rod in each category, high priced, medium priced, and inexpensive category handy for comparison. Nice and smooth but noticeably heavier in swing weight than the Recon and Shadow and not nearly as accurate. 4. I do like the 8 foot rods over the 9 footers as they are lighter and the shorter length allows me to strike more quickly, and they often provide better light tippet protection than the longer rods. We have learned that we cannot trust manufacturers stated rod weights. The single uplocking seat is gray anodized aluminum, and doesnt use a spacer, but does have some trick looking cutouts on each side. If the rod is broken because of a defect, or while fishing, replacement is free. hardy zane. Both of these for $130 less than just the Sage Dart (again, my Sage rods are my favourites in my rod quiver). But this is a fairly soft rod, and didnt have the butt power to handle the long distance quite as well as the more powerful rods. Since this is a softer rod than the Zephrus, we settled on using the lighter Trout line but this rod had the power to handle the heavier Infinity nearly as well. In all, this is an extremely attractive rod. Thats the trade-off you make for light weight and insane feel in close and its one Im personally happy to make. The Expeditor policy on the IMX Pro is $85.00. Rods with softer tips help you avoid break-offs like these. With comments by the Yellowstone Angler staff. I liked the medium fast action, and this was a pleasantly smooth rod to cast, especially at the longer distances. and they examine it. The wraps are darker green and the epoxy coatings were nicely done. The best rings use thin nylon spacers between them to assure a positive lock up. WinstonLifetime warranty to original owner. Only out long did I feel at a disadvantage to the best rods and I think part of this was due to the lighter Trout line. The Galvan Torque reels have proven to be wonderful reels. Its slower action means slower line speed, but thats relative to the norm in todays industry. I was hitting the plate almost every time. Brand New. Hardy Ultralite NSX DH Fly Rod. hardy shadow. As I have grown older, I derive a lot of pleasure from stalking and catching rising fish, where the keys to success are casting accuracy and making delicate presentations. Little feel, and the slower action kills any accuracy. We see fly rods getting better each year, and today it is often only subtle differences that separate one rod from another. Our answer is a definite yes. Hardy Zane Rod. (tie) Waterworks-Lamson SS 9 #4 $399.99. $50 handing fee. It was even a little sloppy on the tip sections. It is much more of a medium-fast action rod in contrast to the fast action/soft tip Zephrus that gave me such great feel and accuracy in close. When you read everyones comments on the Zephrus, you will see that we all agreed that this is a very special rod, for a variety of reasons. Performance at 40 feet: 19.3 points out of 20. This is a fast action rod, a tiny bit stiffer and a tad slower in action than the Helios 3F, but still a very good casting rod. The G. Loomis Asquith rods are designed here in the U.S. but the blanks are rolled in Japan and then the rod is completed here in the U.S. Usually takes 2-4 weeks. Like the K2, no hook keeper is used, which I miss on a 4-weight. Rods are repaired or sections replaced. The blank itself is unsanded natural graphite gray, much like the Scott rods, leaving the tape marks visible. The Asquith tracks beautifully and is giving me nice accurate tight loops. The quality of cork was excellent. The cork handle is what Sage calls a snub nose half-wells. Now that we have dropped our Perfect 4 category, this category gives you our opinions on the best rods and how they stack up. With the Infinity it cast better long, and I would have scored it closer to 9 at long range. Swing weight is on the heavier side and this hurt the performance to some degree. The wraps are also black, nicely trimmed in light gray on the butt sections. Sage promotes the MOD as a rod that will deliver delicate presentations with pinpoint accuracy. Not much feel with all that swing weight, and the accuracy was pretty crappy too. I can sure notice the heavy swing weight and this is not a very pleasant rod to cast. I love the light swing weight. For this Shootout, we again checked the warranty policies in detail, as some have changed slightly. In making the deflection chart, we first put up some white butcher paper on the wall. Once again we give you a Performance Only chart, which zeros in on the very best performing rods, which is the real meat of our Shootout. Wraps are a darker red, (almost black), trimmed in brighter red on the butt. At that price there may not be a better rod on the market. Its not really there when youre castingthe Zephrus Ultralite has a decidedly medium action, very similar to the old Winston GVXbut the second you hook a fish youll feel it. Better than the Radian and Helios 3F in close. There is no question that the Shadow is our best Mid Priced 4-weight rod. Conversely, looking at the most expensive rods in our Shootout, the G. Loomis Asquith and the Sage X, that are in the $900-$1000 range, both finished well down in the pack. The 8 foot Pure had a much heavier swing weight, and would not be as much fun to false cast all day as this 8 footer. And if there was any wind, I couldnt make good enough back cast loops to hit the distance. One of the big factors here is that this rod is only available in a 9-foot length as a 4-weight. Much of the time Im able to play smaller trout by just stripping line in, but when I hook a big fish that runs hard I want to play it off the reel. Both were perfect at 40 feet, and then the Zephrus was better at 60 feet. The Hardy Zephrus comes in a hard rod tube and wrapped in a nice rod sock. A darker composite cork ring is used on the bottom of the grip that is flared out to accept the uplocking seat. Ive found that it is almost impossible to judge accuracy and presentation if you have strong gusty winds, but having a little wind tells you a lot about how the various rods perform, especially at long distances. The Radian placed 2ndin our last 5-weight Shootout and I was surprised to see that it was this far down the list in a 4-weight. They use a stack of thin diameter cork rings and the quality of the cork was good. Feels equal to the Avantt and Recon at mid distances. However, as youll see in the Performance Only scores, it finished much higher in 12thplace. We found most rods performed better with the Amplitude Smooth Infinity, which is a half line size heavier. But when I need to reach out and make casts at 60-70 feet, as I often do fishing bigger rivers like the Missouri, the Zephrus has tons of power on tap to get the job done. Take a look at the deflection board if you want a hint of the secret to Hardys success. The Radian has a faster action than the G Series, with more power in the butt and mid section that allow it to cast better at the longest distance. Build quality and reel seat Out long the K2 seemed to hold its own with the Recon, and it was better than either the Shadow or DXF. The cork handle is a half wells design and the quality of the cork is not nearly as good as the best rods and a lot of filler is used. The thinner cork handle may actually be an advantage for some anglers, especially children or women with smaller hands. #27. The Zephrus has an even stiffer butt and midsection with a softer tip than the Zenith. We have fished all over the world in both fresh and saltwater for a variety of fish, and well be glad to answer all of your questions, to help you choose the perfect rod or outfit. These Shootouts take a lot of time and effort. #21. Performance at 40 feet 20 points available. 1stimpressions: Sweetest all-around 4-weight rod here. Light in hand but the stiffness in the tip is not giving me as much feel in close as the Zephrus, and the accuracy is not as good as the best rods. The ability of this rod to track precisely combined with its ability to form beautiful tight loops allowed it to perform almost as well as the best rods at long range. This makes for a very comfortable grip that improves casting at longer distances. Better at the longest distances, much like the stiff IMX Pro. Just keep in mind that all these measurements must be made the same day with the same room temperature. A good 4-weight rod must be more than just a dry fly rod though, and the best 4-weights are wonderful rods to use fishing nymphs at shorter distances, and are also capable of pitching smaller streamers when conditions dictate such vile and desperate moves in order to catch fish. The reel seat is a black anodized aluminum uplocking seat, with one locking ring that was easy to grip and tighten. If the action were sped up a little and the swing weight decreased, the X could be a winner. The locking ring was fairly large and easy to grip and tighten but didnt have a plastic ring like some that allow them to lock up more securely. Another stiff rod, the Avantt, was slightly better. Taylor Lifetime warranty to original owner. The blank is that same lovely emerald Winston green we have come to know and love. A contrasting dark composite cork ring is used at the top of the grip. The stiffness and slower action hurt its scores in a lot of categories. When you read everyones comments on the Zephrus, you will see that we all agreed that this is a very special rod, for a variety of reasons. Images: Tim Romano and Jeremy Roberts. The K2 falls into the upper end of the mid-price range but it was blown away by the less expensive Hardy Shadow and Orvis Recon at 25 and 40 feet. At 40 feet you need a rod that is light and pleasant enough to do a lot of false casting, as you will when fishing dry flies, but you shouldnt have to double haul to get the rod to perform and hit this distance. w/ Hardy Reel + Rio Backing & Line. A few casts later Id slowed my stroke down and found the rod loading and unloading line with a firm, predictable cadence. Performance at 40 feet: 18.0 points out of 20. If a rod looks like a million bucks and casts like it too, fly fishermen are going to lust for it. Performance at 25 feet: 19.5 points out of 20. This 86#4, however, is just too heavy and too stiff to perform well as a 4-weight. Performance at 60 feet: 9.3 points out of 10. One thing I like is that there is a serial number on each rod section. Once we determine how the rods perform at the various distances and compile these point values, we then add in points earned from all the other categories to determine the final finishing order. Tracks beautifully with nice tight loops that are giving me great accuracy. I started out years ago with 5wts for my trout endeavors and currently use a Hardy Zephrus and an older St Croix Legend Ultra. Performance at 40 feet: 20 points out of 20. They have to if they want to sell. The rings on the seat were fairly large and easy to tighten, giving a secure lock up. Im getting nice loops and good control, but at mid-range the 3F and Scott Radian were better. With the Ultralite at hand, your shoulder will be thanking you after a long day on the water. It is nearly impossible to cast off the tip of the rod like I can with the best 4-weights. I do like the fast action, just not the heavy swing weight, which is far heavier than the Douglas DXF. Incredibly accurate and capable of delivering the fly exactly where it needs to go, even when dealing with a moderate breeze. The Pure has it beat for me, but if you are looking for the best all around rod, look no further. The rest of the guides start with a single wire recoil stripper like G. Loomis uses, (I dont like these much either), but at least the rest are the good flexible nickel/titanium single-foot guides, as on the Zephrus, in a black color. The Ultralite did get perfect scores for overall weight, swing weight and light tippet protection and these all helped to boost its final scores in both the overall and performance results. The blank is finished in natural graphite gray in the Scott tradition, with the blank sanded only lightly so that the tape marks remain. Nothing beats this rod at 40 feet. A beautiful birdseye maple insert is used. Even with the Livingston wind, the Zephrus outdid itself at this distance. My favorite length for a 4-weight rod is 8 feet. Year after year the Zephrus manages to maintain its top position. I love the handle design it tapers outward allowing you to quickly get and maintain a good grip on the handle. Im getting nice loops but the Scott rods were better. $50 handling fee. Performance at 60 feet: 9.0 points out of 10. The Avantt matches the Helios 3D in swing weight and feels nice and light in hand. It was a little heavier than the best rods in both overall weight and swing weight but part of this can be attributed to it being a 9 foot rod, while most other rods in our 4-weight Shootout are 6 inches to a foot shorter. Accuracy is pretty good, heads up matching the Zone and NRX LP. Picking up this rod, Im immediately impressed by its light weight and responsiveness. Only you can make that decision. Winston PURE 8 #4 $850.00. Performance at 60 feet: 8.0 points out of 10. I also like the alignment dots. Only one way to find out cast and compare them all. Heavy, slower action rods never perform well. But that nice soft tip produces great feel and exceptional accuracy. The epoxy coatings on the wraps were excellent. It performed better than any of the sub $300 rods, including the Orvis Clearwater. The butt and mid-section are among the stiffest in the test, yet the tip is one of the fastest, (softest) tips. Even better than the Helios 3F. The craftsmanship was excellent and it performed very well for me, especially at 40 feet, where I was getting beautiful tight loops and very good accuracy. Im really surprised it is so far down in our finishing order as a 4-weight. The Ultralite has a proportionally stiffer tip than the Zephrus, and much softer butt and mid section. The guides start out with a hook keeper, then one SiC stripper followed with hard chrome snake guides that are nice and light on the tip sections. This year SA has come up with an impressive new line series called the Amplitude Smooth. Good, just not great. Better now, with more line in the air, but the G series was still a little better in both feel and accuracy. If you cannot find or cast the rods that interest you, we are here to help. Of course, accuracy is more dependent on the angler than the rod, but a great rod helps. The blank color at first glance looks black, but is a very dark green called Black Spruce. The thread wraps are dark green, trimmed with metallic gray on the butt section. Blank performance Marc Barnwell replied on Sat, 01/12/2019 - 20:06 Permalink. In this years 4-weight Shootout, we found that most manufacturers are building more powerful 4-weight rods than in the past. The feel Im getting is not that good either. This rod is insanely lightweight and maneuverable; in fact, it has the lightest swing weight of any rod we've tested here at Trident. The guide wraps are a slightly darker gray, trimmed in orange on the butt. The thing that killed this for me was the cheap looking reel seat. Good-looking wood insert spacers that are finished well add to the attractiveness of any rod. Good, just not nearly as solid or as accurate as the 3F or Radian at long range. It is a very smooth rod to cast and was excellent at short and mid-distances, but at the longest distance the Radian, Helios 3F, and Avantt were much better.
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