expert graphite travel rod

Best Travel Fishing Rods for 2024

Jason sealock.

• Oct 09, 2023

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Choosing a travel rod for anglers who like to pack light and carry a fishing rod in their luggage on every where they travel requires a little planning and view of the options and fish you think you might encounter on your travels. We reviewed a wide gamut of rods and came up with a lot of options to consider as well as some great recommendations for which fishing rods we would suggest for a lot of different types of fishing and travel.

Things like size of the rod when disassembled, number of pieces, rod case, roll or bag, type of rod, how you will transport it, whether a telescoping rod makes sense and more need to be considered before choosing the best travel rod for your fishing plans.  

Travel rods can come from 2 pieces up to 5 pieces not to mention the telescoping travel rod options out there. You might want to fit the rod in a suitcase, if so more pieces will break down into a smaller foot print. Or you might carry it with you which might give you more options for rods. You might want a hard case to protect the rod if you’re worried about TSA or some other party damaging your rods in transit. Or a rod wrap may suffice if it’s tucked inside of another hard case suitcase.

OUR TOP PICKS

• Best telescoping travel combo – Buy from Tacklewarehouse
• Best travel rod for bass – Buy from FishUSA
• Runner up: Daiwa ardito travel rod – Buy from Basspro
• Best all-around / saltwater travel rod – Buy from Basspro
• Best telescopic travel rod – Buy from Basspro
• Runner up: Ugly stik cx2 4-piece travel combo – Buy from Basspro
• Ark rods genesis rods – Buy from Tacklewarehouse
• Zebco 33 spincast telescopic combo – Buy from Basspro
• Shimano Convergence D Travel 4-Piece Spinning Rods – Buy from Tacklewarehouse
• St. croix triumph travel rod – Buy from Tacklewarehouse

Know Your Travel Rods

Then there are the types of rod to consider including spinning travel rods, casting travel rods, telescoping travel rods as well as travel fly rods or specialty rods like travel swimbait rods or travel trout or panfish rods. Or any combination of the aforementioned.  

If you plan to fish with light lures and light line, then a spinning travel rod might be the best option. If you plan to look for big bluegills or crappies specifically on your travels, then a long telescoping rod might make more sense or a small spinning rod like a trout rod might give you a lot of options for trout and panfish.

If you’re going for larger quarry, you will want a beefier rod that has a reel that can hold heavier line. Usually a baitcasting travel rod makes sense for bass, or big fish like walleye, pike, musky, stripers, etc.  

Specialty rods like travel swimbait rods or extra long jigging rods might be just the ticket for probing unknown waters for specific types of fishing like jigging brush for crappie or casting oversized swimbaits for trophy bass and stripers.  

Of course if you’re in to fly fishing, then a travel fly rod is hard to beat. There are some super high end and middle of the road options that are great rods that make a 9-foot fly rod fit into an over night travel bag with the travel fly rod option.

CONSIDER TELESCOPING RODS FOR TRAVEL

For some, a telescoping rod is an easy spur of the moment travel rod option to probe some nearby waters to see if they have fish available. I have buddies that keep telescoping rods in their trucks at all times and will break it out on their travels or while taking a lunch or after work on a work trip. It’s a quick and simple option.

Most of time telescoping rods are a bit lower quality. Or at least that was the case back when the only option was a low end push button spin cast combo for small panfish. There are, however, some newer options bringing this back as a real viable option for bass and panfish.

A Travel Combo Might Make More Sense

You can buy travel rods that are a rod and reel combo. This is often the case with telescoping options. But there are some better quality options in the multi-piece travel rods with a decent spinning reel. Most of the time. I want the best rod I can get and a good reel in my bag so I’m not fighting my equipment in the limited amount of time I get to fish on my travels. Especially those spur-of-the-moment unplanned fishing trips while traveling.  

But when you get to a location and wished you had a rod and reel, a decent priced telescoping rod/reel combo can get you in the fish on an unexpected hot spot quickly and easily.

You Need a Travel Rod Case, Bag or Roll

Anymore your travel rod is going to come in a hard case, a roll or a bag. Regardless you need to take care to protect the pieces of the rod or the rod while it is compartmentalized so it’s not damaged in your travels.  

A hard case might be a cloth case with a hard shell inside of it that zips closed on the end and the multiple pieces slide into little sleeves inside of it. Or it might be a hard outer shell with a soft interior that keeps your guides and blank parts protected. These are nice when you plan to carry your travel rods separate from your luggage. Or keep them in a vehicle on your travels.

A travel rod roll is just a cloth sleeve with individual pockets for each piece of the blank and then you roll it up with flap that closes on one end and tie it off with the attached ties. These can be nice for putting a rod or two into your other travel bags or a small compartment in your vehicle.

A travel bag can be just a cloth bag or a padded foam bag that houses and protects the rod simultaneously. I’m a fan of these as they keep your pieces from falling out as sometimes happens with rolls. And they keep the blank pieces with a bit of added protection. The padded bags are ideal in my opinion.  

Best Travel Rod Brands

In the freshwater space, the best travel rod makers are often synonymous with the best rod makers. Makers like Daiwa, Shimano, St. Croix, Megabass, Ark Rods, Fenwick, and others have really solid travel rod options. Others that many don’t know offer travel rods have good options like Favorite, Bass Pro, and BnM Poles.  

Here are the travel rod brands we reviewed and liked:

• Favorite Fishing
• B’n’M Poles

Having said all that, let’s take a closer look at some of our personal favorites in various travel rod categories.

Best Telescoping Travel Combo

Daiwa travel combo.

We chose the Daiwa Travel Combo as the best combo because it comes with a good reel, telescoping rod that is better than most and it’s own sling carry bag that is big enough to put several travel rods and reels in. This combo compacts down to 26 inches making it a perfect option for any trip whether it be in a car or a plane.

The rod is a 7-foot, 2-inch Medium power fast action rod. It’s a solid rod and stayed extended as we fished with it. The reel is a 2-bearing Daiwa Crossfire LT 2500. Even though it’s only 2 bearings, it performed very smoothly and effortlessly with a very smooth drag. It’s a solid spinning combo and it’s offered in EVA or Cork grips.

The combo costs $149 but if you just want a good combo without messing around with pairing rods and reels, this is a quick easy choice.

Buy at TackleWarehouse

Best Travel Rod for Bass

Shimano zodias travel rod.

The fact that Shimano took one of their best rod lines and converted it into a high-end bass travel rod got me excited. And when I got the new rod in my hand, I was very impressed. I am a big fan of the original Zodias line and was so excited to see this level of quality in a 5-piece travel rod.  

This travel rod condenses down to 19 inches when packed, meaning you can literally take it anywhere. And when full assembled you have a very high quality rod full of all the features of the high end one-piece blanks. The 5-piece construction gives the rod more uniform bend than a 2-piece model would.  

It has so much power and a steady consistent load when casting. You will forget it’s a travel rod by your second cast. It’s a high end rod that just happens to be in 5 pieces. It has a CI4+ reel seat for lightweight strength and a full carbon monocoque grip which eliminates the use of EVA giving a light rod more sensitivity.

Hi-Power X construction which makes the blanks outermost layer wrapped with carbon tape form that X appearance on the blank that gives more precise actions to the rods with more strength.  

You can really lean into fish with this rod without worry. It’s one of the nicest travel rods we’ve tested.

Buy at FishUSA.com

Buy from Omnia

Runner Up: Daiwa Ardito Travel Rod

This is another high-end rod that has been brought down to a travel rod form factor. This rod comes with a very nice hard case and it breaks down to 30 inches (32 in its case). It features a V-flex ferrule joint system. These ferrules don’t require you to jam the rod pieces all the way together and then struggle to separate them. You simply push them until they snug together and you are all set. You can break down and put the rod together in seconds and be fishing as fast as you can thread your line.  

The rod has a high-modulus blank, Fuji Aluminum Oxide guides, unsanded micro-pitch blank, split Eva grip and machined nut hood. It’s a high quality rod that pairs nicely with your favorite bait caster. It comes in 7-foot medium, 7-foot medium heavy and 7-foot, 6-inch medium heavy.

Buy at BassPro.com

Best All-Around / Saltwater Travel Rod

St. croix avid trek rod.

This is a finely crafted American rod with incredible blanks offering uniform performance, strength and ultra-perceptive sensitivity. The premium cork full grip, and quality blanks featuring St. Croix’s IPC mandrels, SCII high modulus carbon, slim profile ART ferrules, Sea Guide Hero hi-grade guides with zirconia rings and stainless gun smoke frames, sea guide hook keeper, and a 15-year-transferable warranty.  

This rod can literally do it all. Going to Louisiana to fish the marshes for bass and redfish, this is your rod. Strong, light, smooth, sensitive and easy to pack. The 3-piece rod is 6-foot, 6-inch MH rod with a lot of power but great castability. This rod is a joy to fish with and you can expect it to last a long time with that kind of warranty.

Best Telescopic Travel Rod

Bass pro aventur1 telescoping rod.

I was pleasantly surprised by the Aventur1 telescoping rod. It features 6 sections but 8 guides for uniform castability and a nice line path while fighting fish. The unique guide system has floating guides as well as guides permanently affixed to the rod sections. So you won’t fight with line on the blank on this travel rod.  

The 7-foot medium power rod fished really well and I was pretty taken aback at how nice this rod fished for $59. A rod that will likely always be in my travel plans. With an RT2 graphite blank, Fuji aluminum oxide guides, Fuji reel seat, with EVA split grips and X-Wrap rubber cork butt cap, this is a pretty functional telescoping rod for travel fishing.

Best Big Swimbait Travel Rod

F5 departure travel rods.

The folks at F5 Custom Rods make some of the nicest big swimbait rods available today. These are custom made rods from blanks to handles to accents. They are often very selective in how they build rods and you usually have to get lucky enough to catch a rod on a drop. However, the F5 Departure Travel Rods are often in stock and I picked up a H and XH rod a year or so back.

These are two of my favorite big swimbait rods that I use for crankdowns like the Bull Shad 4×4 and the Toxic Whippersnappers, for glides like the 86 Baits Doomrider, KGB Swimbaits Chad Shad or the Deps Slide Swimmer 250 and of course for my jointed swims like the Bull Shad 8 inch.

The rods are both 3-piece rods and are custom made with a full extra long camo EVA handle. The ones the often sell are split grips. The rod blanks are solid. Even with three pieces I had no issues heaving big baits like the Slide Swimmer which weighs 6 1/2 ounces.

They are going to run you about $289 a piece for these rods. But I am so happy to have them because I can take a pack of my favorite big baits and a very high-end swimbait rod literally everywhere I go to chase trophies all over the country and out of the country for that matter.

Buy at F5 Custom Rods

Best Travel Rod on a Budget

Favorite fishing army geo rod.

This is an impressive rod not only for the price but for how well this 4-piece rod fishes and fights fish. We caught some really quality bass on this rod this spring and it is a legit fun spinning rod to fish. I love that I threw it in my suitcase, loaded up and went to Arkansas and broke it out and caught a bunch of nice bass that were moving shallow to spawn.  

Even my brother-in-law enjoyed fishing with this travel rod. And at $39, it’s a hard rod to pass up. The 4 pieces in their hard travel tube are 26 inches. The pieces are barely 23 inches. The rod is a 7-foot, 2-inch medium-heavy spinning rod. I used it to skip Senkos around shallow cover a lot this spring. And it sets a nice hook and has a ton of backbone to land big bass. Our biggest on it was 6 pounds, 4 ounces this spring.

Buy at FavoriteUSA.com

Runner up: Ugly Stik GX2 4-piece Travel Combo

At $44 at Walmart, you can’t go wrong with this nearly indestructible travel rod. The Ugly Stik has been the staple of affordable travel rods. They can take abuse and continue to catch and land fish.  

Buy from Walmart.com

Buy at Scheels

Best Trout Travel Rod

St. croix trout series pack rod  .

For the adventurer who needs a light and packable trout rod to get to remote locations, this is the Cadillac of adventure rods. This rod says trout, but it’s a dynamite bluegill, crappie and even smallmouth rod for remote streams and creeks. It’s a beautifully built rod at only 2.9 ounces and 3 pieces, it compacts down to be no added weight in your backpack.  

I paired it with a small 1000 spinning reel and 4-pound line and really enjoyed fishing this rod a lot. It will become one of my staple creek travel rods now. It throws little baits effortlessly and had a nice backbone for such a light rod. A real joy to fish with.

Buy from FishUSA.com

Best Panfish Telescoping Rod

Bnm poles little mighty telescoping rod  .

I have to admit, I’m a little blow away by this rod. I grew up crappie and bluegill fishing with my father in Florida and Arkansas with telescoping fiberglass rods from B’n’M Poles. So I have a lot of nostalgia when it comes to these types of rod. But the new Little Mighty Rod is something special.

While it’s not technically a travel rod, it’s a telescoping rod that reaches out to 20 feet and breaks down to barely 22 inches. It looks like a bright orange track baton but it extends to a masterful reach out and touch a crappie or bluegill telescoping rod quickly.

One word of caution, be sure you extend the rod small sections first. So grab the string tab on the tip and pull it out that way. Don’t slide the sections out by dumping the open end out or you will have issues with sections getting out of order and blocking each other. Same for breaking it down. Big sections first and be sure to leave the string out when you put the cap on.  

Other than that, I enjoyed testing this rod a lot. I honestly didn’t think much of it when I got it. But after using it I can think of all sorts of places I want to take and fish with this rod. Once you get the hang of maneuvering 20 feet of rod with a fish on the end it’s a pretty fun stick to fish with.

Buy at Walmart.com

Buy from BnmPoles.com

Other Travel Rod Considerations

Ark rods genesis rods.

This was my original travel rod and I’ve put a lot of miles on it. It’s caught fish in Nebraska, Arkansas, Kentucky, Tennessee, Alabama and Mississippi. This is a two piece travel rod that comes with a nice padded bag.

Read our full Ark Genesis 2-piece travel rod review

The rod joins together nicely and fishes so well. The very narrow blanks are durable and sensitive. I’ve caught fish just about every way you can on these rods. I have the 6-foot, 8-inch MH and the 7-foot, 6-inch MH rods and have flipped, frogged, spinnerbait fished, jigged, cranked, popped a topwater popper and burned a buzz bait with these rods. A great option that gives no sacrifice in performance in a 2-piece travel rod.

SixGill Argos Travel Rods

A very nicely made travel pack rod, the Argos Travel Rod is a 4-piece rod built on a 24T Toray Carbon blank. Comes with a 25 inch travel case. It fishes like your nicest bass rod but you can tuck it under a jacket and take it with you anywhere. The rod loads nicely on the cast and has enough back bone with it’s 7-foot MH frame to fight any size bass you might tangle with. A very nice travel rod option.  

Buy from Sixgillfishing.com

Zebco 33 Spincast Telescopic Combo

This is an affordable option at $25 but it’s not made to handle big fish in my opinion. It’s a great rod for catching panfish around a campsite, or of the dock on vacation. But it’s not made for fishing for larger fish. The rod bends easily at the tip under load and the line cuts across the rod to the next guide. So just be cautious with bigger fish on this setup. But for $25, you can catch the heck out of a bunch of panfish with this setup.

Buy at Amazon

Hardy Zephrus FWS Travel Fly Rod

I haven’t had a chance to review the latest offerings from Hardy yet, but one of my all time favorite travel rods is my Hardy Zephrus FWS Travel Fly Rod. It’s a 9-foot, 5-weight rod. It is the perfect pack rod for hiking into remote streams and chasing fish on the fly. This is the Ferrari of travel rods in my opinion. Everything is first class from the aluminum case, styled bag, ferrule covers, and beautiful craftsmanship on the Sintrix 440 blank.  

Buy from Hardyrodsandreels.com

Shimano Convergence Travel Rod

This 7-foot, 4-piece rod is another great do-it all travel rod. It’s a great rod for a lot of different species and lures in that 1/4 ounce to 3/4 ounce size. It breaks down to 25 inches so it will fit in almost all your bags and it comes in a nice hard case with a shoulder strap if you want to carry it on your back while you hike. It’s very well made and fished nicely with a variety of reels.

Spinning rod

Casting rod.

Buy at Tackle Warehouse

St. Croix Triumph Travel Rod

This work-horse travel rod serves a ton of different purposes. It’s 6-foot, 6-inch size makes it a great size for tight quarters. I loved fishing some small streams near the house with this rod. A fun little rod for wading creeks or winging around on bigger waters on your travels. It’s small form factor of 24 inches makes it a great pack rod to keep in your vehicle or throw in your bag on long trips. It’s a very nice blank divided into 4 pieces. It’s strong, sensitive and light. A great travel version of their very popular Triumph line.  

Wired2fish Travel Rod Comparison Chart

We review a ton of products and while they don’t always make the best of categories there are a lot of good rods to choose from that can get the job done. We try to give you as many options as possible while identifying some that we think stand out in the array of options. The goal with our guides is to help you be as informed and aggregate as much helpful information and personal experience into helping you with your fishing gear decisions.  

Here is a quick rundown of a lot of travel rod / telescoping rod options:

Currently working as Senior Advisor to Wired2fish. Former COO and Publisher, Jason Sealock came to Wired2fish shortly after inception in January of 2010. Prior to that he was the Editor-in-Chief of FLW Outdoors Magazines. He worked up from Associate Editor to Photo Editor and finally Editor in Chief of three magazines FLW Bass, FLW Walleye and FLW Saltwater. He set the content direction for Wired2fish while also working directly with programmers, consultants and industry partners. Sealock has been an avid angler for the better part of 40 years and has been writing and shooting fishing and outdoors content for more than 25 years. He is an expert with fishing electronics and technologies and an accomplished angler, photographer, writer and editor. He has taught a lot of people to find fish with their electronics and has been instrumental in teaching these technologies to the masses. He's also the industry authority on new fishing tackle and has personally reviewed more than 10,000 products in his tenure. He has a 30-year background in information technologies and was a certified engineer for a time in Microsoft, Novell, Cisco, and HP. He mostly fishes for bass and panfish around the house. He has, however, caught fish in 42 of the 50 states in the US as well as Costa Rica, Mexico, and Canada and hopes to soon add Finland, Japan, Africa and Australia to his list.

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The Best Travel Fishing Rods of 2024

By Pete Robbins

Updated on May 24, 2023 5:36 PM EDT

Best for Bass

Abu Garcia I.K.E. Signature Series Travel Casting Rod

Best budget.

Shakespeare Ugly Stik GX2 Travel Spinning Combo

Best premium.

Megabass Triza Travel Rod

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Travel fishing rods are easy to pack for a trip, and the good ones fish like a one-piece rod. Over the past several decades, rods have gotten longer because more length typically equals better casts and more leverage on big fish. For example, the 5-foot 6-inch pistol grips that dominated bass fishing into the 1980s have been replaced almost entirely by rods that are 7 feet and up. Unfortunately, luggage costs and rules have also exploded at this same time, meaning that it’s not always feasible to take an oversized 7- or 8-foot rod tube on distant trips. That’s doubly true if you’ll be getting on a floatplane or your luggage size is otherwise restricted.

Travel rods aren’t solely for air travel, though. If you’re an urban angler getting on a subway, they may be your best choice. If you want something to keep in your car or backpack in case you pass by a tasty-looking fishery, they’re prime choices. In the past, the options were often limited. Either manufacturers took an existing blank and added rudimentary ferrules, or it was a bargain basement combo that required a staple remover to get out of the package and that couldn’t stand up to farm pond bluegills. Fortunately, many manufacturers have recognized the need for better travel tools, and they’ve heeded the call. 

I get to do a lot of traveling with fishing rods as a writer and host of exotic fishing trips. I’ve been to the Alaskan wilderness, through the Amazon jungle, and on every major bass lake in the U.S. and Mexico. Those destinations require a plane ride, and while I don’t always pack multi-piece rods, it’s given me the chance to test out many of the best. Here are my picks for the best travel fishing rods.

• Best for Bass: Abu Garcia I.K.E. Signature Series Travel Casting Rod
• Most Innovative: Daiwa Ardito-TR Travel Casting and Spinning Rod
• Best for Inshore: Falcon Traveler Coastal Spinning Rod
• Best Budget: Shakespeare Ugly Stik GX2 Travel Spinning Combo
• Best Finesse: Wild Side Light Spinning Rod
• Best Premium Casting: Megabass Triza Travel Rod  
• Most Versatile :  Toadfish Travel Spinning Rod
• Best Bait Finesse :  KastKing Kestrel 3-Piece Rods
• Best Premium Spinning : Shimano Zodias 5-Piece Travel Spinning Rods

How I Tested the Best Travel Fishing Rods

I’ve taken these travel rods all over the globe and all over the country, fishing for species both exotic and mundane. More importantly, though, I’ll admit that I’ve abused them. They’ve been shoved in suitcases, walked through dense forests, and used for lures outside of their supposed range. That’s the nature of the travel game. Coming home from Mexico, officials forced me to check a carrying case that I’d carried on for the trip South of the Border, and my rods returned in one piece—or rather in their original configurations of multiple pieces. When possible, though, I like keeping them at my side, and I’m usually able to do so. It also enables me to bring a rod and reel or the occasions when I travel for a non-fishing purpose but might be able to sneak away to make a few casts.

Best Travel Fishing Rods: Reviews & Recommendations

Key Features

• Length: 7 feet
• Packed Length: 28 inches
• Three pieces
• Comes with both medium (1/4-3/4 ounce lures) and medium-heavy (3/8-1 ounce) tip sections
• Soft travel case included
• Versatility means you only need to carry one rod
• Comfortable E.V.A. handle
• Great value
• Included case isn’t crushproof; should not be checked on airlines

Abu Garcia, worked with Bassmaster Classic champion Mike “Ike” Iaconelli, to design the Ike Signature Series Travel Rod. Ike is known for his wins on the pro bass circuit, but he’s also known for his urban angling adventures. Traveling by bus, bike, plane, and train to those urban fishing spots were the inspiration for his travel rod. 

The best feature of the rod is the included interchangeable tip sections that provide different actions. They are a tremendous value, since the rod doesn’t sacrifice on components. They include 36-ton graphite blanks, stainless steel guides, and a premium Fuji reel seat. Ike carried this rod worldwide on his television fishing exploits for a wide range of species, but his heart remains with bass, and that’s where this rod excels, for everything from soft plastics to crankbaits to spinnerbaits . Anglers who expect to use finesse presentations can buy the spinning version.

• Length: 7 feet 
• Handle converts from spinning to baitcasting
• Three-piece rod, includes six total pieces 
• Lure Weights: ¼ to 1 ounce 
• Extreme versatility
• Handles wide range of lures
• Sensitive yet strong graphite construction
• Included case not crushproof; should not be checked on airlines

Daiwa has built a rod—and specifically, a rod handle—that will accommodate both spinning and baitcasting reels when configured appropriately. That means you don’t have to choose one or the other when you’re limited to one travel rod. What’s most impressive is that they’ve somehow developed a blank that doesn’t feel awkward in either role. It includes X45 graphite construction that prevents blank twisting and truly performs like a one-piece. I took this rod to Zambia for tigerfish, where it performed admirably with a baitcasting reel, and then used it at home to skip Senkos under docks with a spinning rod. It’s not truly a finesse spinning rod, but could handle light baits with plenty of backbone to extract hard-pulling bass from gnarly cover.

• Medium action
• Lure weight: ¼ to ½ ounce 
• Bargain priced
• Durable full cork handle
• High-quality components
• Some anglers may not like the moderate action

If you’re chasing redfish or speckled trout on the Gulf Coast, or bonefish and snook in the Everglades or Keys, you need a rod that will simultaneously make pinpoint presentations that also has the heft to muscle outsized, super-strong fish away from cover. This rod is light but mighty and fits the bill. The Coastal Traveler series also has a baitcasting model in the lineup. They’ll both do double-duty in freshwater, although Falcon also provides Lowrider series travel rods for that purpose. All of them include cork handles (full in the case of the Coastal, split-grip on the Lowriders), Fuji K-Frame tangle-free guides, and a blank through reel seat. All come with a crushproof, three-section Cordura-coated case with the rod’s specifications printed on the outside.

• Lengths: 5 feet 6 inches and 6 feet 6 inches 
• Comes with matching reel
• Three or four pieces
• Rod and reel packaged together for the price of one
• Four-bearing spinning reel
• Strong guides will stand up to braided line
• Cloth rod and reel travel bag cannot be checked

The Ugly Stik brand has been synonymous with strength and value for decades, and Shakespeare continues to refine the products while keeping them at rock bottom prices. These three spinning combos—one light action, two medium action—all come with a four-bearing reel and rods that combine graphite and fiberglass construction. While the cloth carrying case may not be crushproof, this combo will stand up to just about anything you can dish out. That makes it a great option for kids or beginners, but you’ll be surprised at the wide range of species it can handle across the globe without any fear of failure.

• Length: 6 feet 3 inches
• Packed Length: 22 inches
• Action: Light
• Five pieces
• Ultra compact 
• Innovative ferrules maintain one-piece feel
• High modulus graphite

Wild Side’s U.S. distributor Arundel Tackle claims that this rod is “made for the overhead bin, NOT baggage claim.” It comes with a rectangular carrying case that weighs a mere 2 ounces and will slide easily into your carry-on. More importantly, they’ve somehow taken a five-piece rod and eliminated any traditional multi-piece imprecision. That might be because they use refined spigot ferrules that do a solid job of maintaining a one-piece flow. This has become a go-to Ned Rig rod when I’m bass fishing at home, but it has so many other uses where it’ll excel. These include stream trout fishing, pan fishing, and light saltwater use. The high-quality cork and E.V.A. split handle are comfortable for all day fishing and match up with any lightweight spinning reel.

Best Premium: Megabass Triza Travel Rod  

• Lengths (casting): 6-feet, 6-inches; 6-feet, 8-inches; 6-feet, 9-inches; 7-feet; 7-feet, 2-inches   
• Available in five baitcasting and two spinning models
• Lure Weights: 1/32 ounce to 3 ounces
• Wide range of actions for a full range of techniques
• Built one at a time for attention to detail
• Gorgeous peacock wood reel seats and hand-drawn graphics

Megabass makes everything from the best swimbaits to some of the nicest production rods available. The Triza Travel Rod has typical Megabass quality in a rod that fits in a backpack. Megabass has a lot of experience making travel rods for their Japanese customers, who are often more constrained in terms of space and transportation, and therefore demand them. These premium travel rods are now widely available in America and cover just about every bass fishing technique under the sun—while at the same time being superior for some saltwater and multi-species use. They’re a gorgeous piece of art that would look great displayed, but they’re too solid to sit on the sidelines. Megabass claims they are constructed to their “Triangle” ideal—with a tip section that maximizes tension, a belly section that maximizes torque, and a butt section that maximizes torsional rigidity. These are workhorses that present like show horses.

Most Versatile:  Toadfish Travel Spinning Rod

• 7 feet 2 inches
• Medium/Medium heavy action
• Interchangeable mid and tip sections
• Incredible versatility
• Kigan tangle free guides
• Extremely durable
• Included case is strong but quite heavy

This rod comes with one handle section, two mid-sections, and two tip sections, allowing for five different configurations, making it the most versatile travel rod on the market. That uniqueness is also a huge bonus if you slam a section in a car door or otherwise break one – you lose a bit of that trademark versatility, but you’re not completely out of luck. What’s also nice is that it comes with extremely durable components, including soft-touch rubber handle inlays and a handle that will stand up to the most you can dish out, including saltwater exposure. It’s fairly sensitive for a five-piece rod, and the spigot ferrules hold well. The case may be heavy, but you can check it through on the airlines without worrying about damage.

Best Bait Finesse:  KastKing Kestrel 3-Piece Rods

• Light-fast action
• IM8 ultra-high modulus graphite blank
• Extremely reasonable price
• One of the few rods in its category
• Very sensitive IM8 high modulus graphite blank
• No case included

The biggest problem with many travel rods is that they’re too vanilla – understandably made to cover a wide range of conditions and species. That’s fine if you just want one for random use, but it doesn’t help anglers with specific needs. KastKing has entered the market with a lot of BFS options and wisely chose to build a three-piece rod in that category. It can handle lures as light as 1/10 ounce, yet, with a balanced baitcasting reel, still has the winch-like power that spinning cannot provide. The rod comes with quality components, including American Tackle Ti forged guides with aluminum oxide Duralight rings, so whether you’re chasing panfish, Alaskan trout, stream smallmouths, or light saltwater species, it’s meant to stand up to a beating. In Asia and Japan, manufacturers have historically made a wider range of multi-piece rods than they do in North America, so it’s a good sign that KastKing is willing to take a calculated risk on this specialty stick.

Best Premium: Shimano Zodias 5-Piece Travel Spinning Rods

• Medium-Light – Fast
• 1/8 – 7/16 ounce lures
• CI4+ Reel Seat maximizes ergonomic comfort
• Fuji guides hold up to the rigors of travel and different kinds of line
• At 5 pieces, incredibly transportable
• Rod case not included

Shimano and brand partner G.Loomis have dipped in and out of the travel rod market for years, producing some top-notch products. Shimano’s bargain-priced Convergence Series is a great value and quality product, but the Zodias will fill the needs of more demanding anglers. It looks and feels like an expensive JDM product, and despite the multiple ferrules functions like a one-piece rod. I liked the Carbon Monocoque grip, and felt that it enhanced sensitivity, even with light lines. It’s also available in a baitcasting rod if that’s your stylistic preference, or if you want to use heavier lines on bigger fish.

While most standard rods are one or possibly two pieces, most travel rods are three or more pieces. Alternatively, they may be telescoping. Either way, they “collapse” or “compress” or “break down” to lengths that will fit in a suitcase or in a small separate carrying case. That makes them easy to take on a plane or stuff under the seat of your vehicle for impromptu fishing adventures.

Many anglers believe that one-piece rods are superior in all instances and will do whatever they can to take them on long-distance fishing trips. Of course that is possible, and there are hard-sided carrying cases that extend up to nearly 10-feet long to transport them. One problem, however, is that the airlines are increasingly restrictive on checking such bags. Even when they allow it, they may be costly. Furthermore, rough baggage handling may result in destruction of or damage to your valuable gear.

Typically commercial airlines will not allow you to carry full-sized rods on airplanes, but they’ll often allow you to carry properly-cased and appropriately-sized travel rods on board. In fact, the T.S.A. guidelines explicitly state that fishing rods are permitted in carry-on and checked bags but note that “passengers should check with the airline to confirm that the fishing rod fits within size limitations for carry-on items.” Some foreign airports and foreign carriers will not allow the same, so be sure to check ahead of time and carry a crushproof case that can be checked if necessary.

Things to Consider When Buying a Travel Fishing Rod

What will you be fishing for.

The same travel rod that excels for panfish might be a liability chasing big saltwater fish in the surf. Today there are enough specialized options that you should be able to cover most extremes and many technical presentations. The trouble comes when you need to do double duty. That may require the purchase of a second rod, or perhaps even making compromises—using a single rod that is a jack of all trades but a master of none.

How compact must it be?

Fewer ferrules or connectors usually (but not always) means better performance. However, the ideal travel or “pack” rod will fit into a small case, which may or may not need to fit within your suitcase. Take careful measurements of your possible dimensions, adding a slight bit for the padding of the case and any internal rod sock that protects your tool.

How will I carry my travel rod?

The best possible scenario is to keep your rod or rods with you at all times, in a padded, crushproof case. That reduces the chances of loss and breakage. However, in the instance that you need to check it, make sure it fits in your other luggage or run the risk of paying a surcharge. Many of these rods come with tubes or cases. Some are better than others, so don’t hesitate to invest in an aftermarket product for peace of mind.

Final Thoughts on the Best Travel Fishing Rods

As I’ve amassed an arsenal of travel rods over the past several years, I’ve seen a shift in my thinking. Previously, I reserved them exclusively for exotic travel to places like Zambia, Mexico, Brazil, and Alaska, and then relegated them to a garage shelf when I returned home. Increasingly, however, I’ve found myself using some of them in my day-to-day angling, in places where I could still take a 7- or 8-foot one-piece rod but now choose instead to take the multi-piece tool. 

Many of the more inexpensive multi-piece rods are still notably less fluid than their one-piece counterparts, but that’s not always the case. Furthermore, if you’re a one-piece snob, you may be surprised at how refined these options have become.

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The 5 Best Graphite Fishing Rods Of 2024

Best Graphite Fishing Rods: Explore exceptional angling with top-tier graphite fishing rods. Renowned for their lightweight yet robust design, these rods offer unmatched sensitivity and casting performance. Crafted from high-quality graphite materials, they provide anglers with enhanced control, allowing for accurate and long-distance casts. Whether you're targeting freshwater or saltwater species, these graphite fishing rods ensure an enjoyable and successful fishing experience by combining strength and finesse in one essential tool for anglers of all levels.

Our Top Picks

Check out our top picks below that we have been searching for a long time to find the best graphite fishing rods needs! 1. Best Overall:  Okuma Celilo Graphite Salmon/Steelhead Casting Rod, CE-C-902Ha, Green

2. Best Budget:  Quantum Embark Telescopic Spinning Fishing Rod, 18-Inches to 6-Foot 6-Inch

3. Best For Efficiency: Abu Garcia 7’ Vengeance Casting Fishing Rod, 1-Piece Graphite Medium

4. Best For Versatile:  Quantum QX36 Spinning Fishing Rod, 7-Foot 2-Piece IM7 Graphite Fishing

5. Best For High-performance:  KINGSWELL Telescopic Fishing Rod, Premium Graphite Carbon Collapsible Fishing Pole,

Top 5 Best Graphite Fishing Rods

1.  Okuma Celilo Graphite Salmon/Steelhead Casting Rod, CE-C-902Ha, Green

Product Summary

The Okuma Celilo Graphite Salmon/Steelhead Casting Rod stands as a testament to exceptional craftsmanship and engineering. Meticulously constructed from high-quality graphite materials, this rod offers remarkable sensitivity and responsiveness, translating to precise and controlled casts. Its well-balanced design provides an effortless fishing experience, while the carefully chosen components ensure durability and longevity.

Specification

• Made using the highest quality materials
• Tested for reliability and quality more

Reasons to buy

• With its premium graphite construction, you'll experience heightened sensitivity, allowing you to detect even the subtlest of bites. 
• The rod's carefully engineered design ensures accurate and controlled casting, enhancing your chances of landing your target fish. 
• Its durable components and quality craftsmanship guarantee a long-lasting investment, saving you money in the long run. 

Reasons to avoid

The graphite construction, while contributing to its sensitivity, might also make it more prone to breaking under extreme pressure.

2.  Quantum Embark Telescopic Spinning Fishing Rod, 18-Inches to 6-Foot 6-Inch

Experience the perfect fusion of durability and sensitivity with this telescopic fishing rod. Crafted from high-quality IM6 graphite blank, it offers exceptional strength while maintaining a lightweight feel for effortless casting. The solid glass tip enhances sensitivity, ensuring you won't miss even the slightest nibble. The comfortable split-grip EVA handle guarantees a firm hold and reduces fatigue during long fishing sessions. Its sleek black design adds a touch of elegance to your fishing gear collection.

• COMPACT & CONVENIENT: Quantum Embark 6-foot 6-inch telescoping spinning rod conveniently collapses down to 18-inches making it easy to travel with, use, and store. You can also conveniently secure your fishing line and hook and prevent snagging by using the built-in hook-keeper
• ULTRA-DURABLE: The reinforced graphite rod has unbelievable strength, constructed with 4 d-ring guides, and sensitive IM6 graphite for long-lasting durability that can hold up against even the biggest fish in the most rugged conditions more
• Boasting a robust yet lightweight IM6 graphite blank and a sensitive solid glass tip, this rod ensures you're equipped to detect even the most delicate bites. 
• The convenience of its telescopic design makes it perfect for on-the-go anglers, fitting easily into backpacks or travel cases. 
• The comfortable split-grip EVA handle offers prolonged comfort during those extended fishing trips.

The sensitivity provided by the solid glass tip might not be suitable for all fishing styles, potentially leading to missed strikes in certain situations. 

3.  Abu Garcia 7’ Vengeance Casting Fishing Rod, 1-Piece Graphite Medium

The Abu Garcia Vengeance Casting Fishing Rod offers anglers a versatile and durable tool for their fishing adventures. Crafted from strong graphite, this one-piece rod excels in both freshwater and saltwater settings, adapting effortlessly to various fishing environments. The rod's unique feature, a shock-absorbing tip, enhances sensitivity while minimizing the impact of sudden strikes, ensuring a smoother and more controlled fishing experience.

• ABU GARCIA 7’ VENGEANCE CASTING ROD: A balanced and lightweight 1-piece rod designed for on-the-water technique and durability. The Texas-rigged hook keeper works with all bait applications.
• SUPERIOR CONSTRUCTION: Lightweight and durable aluminum spool. 2-piece, composite rod for a lightweight design and increased sensitivity. High density EVA handles paired with a split type handle made for right/left handed anglers. more
• Its high-quality graphite construction ensures exceptional durability and sensitivity, allowing you to detect even the subtlest of bites. 
• The inclusion of a shock-absorbing tip showcases thoughtful engineering, reducing the risk of fish escaping during aggressive strikes. 
• This rod's versatility across freshwater and saltwater environments adds further value, enabling you to enjoy a wide range of fishing scenarios without needing multiple rods. 

The shock-absorbing tip, although advantageous in some cases, might not suit anglers who prefer a stiffer and more direct feel for better control. 

4.  Quantum QX36 Spinning Fishing Rod, 7-Foot 2-Piece IM7 Graphite Fishing

Experience the epitome of modern angling with this exceptional fishing rod. Crafted from IM7 graphite, it offers a delicate balance of sensitivity and strength, ensuring you never miss a nibble. The split-grip cork handle enhances comfort during long casting sessions, while Dynaflow aluminum-oxide guides contribute to smooth line movement. With a fast action design, this rod is poised to handle various fishing techniques, making it a versatile choice for anglers looking to elevate their fishing game.

• COMFORTABLE & LIGHTWEIGHT: The Quantum QX36 spinning rod is a 7-foot 2-piece fishing pole that features a split-grip natural cork rod handle that is lightweight, comfortable, and balanced to ensure a superior grip even in wet-weather conditions
• SENSITIVE & POWERFUL: This rod is constructed with IM7 graphite for strength and sensitivity. Its fast action makes it easier to detect bites on the line while the medium power provides the ability to cast longer distances and maintain quality hook-setting power. Engineered with Quantum-designed QX graphite reel seats that have stainless steel hoods for an ergonomic fishing experience so you can fish for longer more
• The IM7 graphite construction guarantees unparalleled sensitivity, allowing you to detect the faintest of bites and significantly increasing your catch rate. 
• The split-grip cork handle not only enhances comfort during prolonged fishing sessions but also provides superior control over your casts. 
• The fast action design makes this rod adaptable to a wide range of fishing techniques, catering to both beginners and experienced anglers alike, and offering an excellent value for its versatility and performance.

The use of aluminum-oxide guides, while durable, might not match the performance of higher-end materials in terms of reducing friction.

5.  KINGSWELL Telescopic Fishing Rod, Premium Graphite Carbon Collapsible Fishing Pole,

Discover the convenience of the KINGSWELL Telescopic Fishing Rod and Reel Combo. This kit features a collapsible fishing pole made from durable graphite carbon, designed for easy transport and storage. The included spinning reel complements the rod, creating a simple and portable solution for both adults and kids interested in fishing.

• 【HIGH QUALITY MATERIALS】6.80ft telescopic, collapsible rod created with premium graphite carbon and stainless steel guides.
• 【PORTABLE】Easy to carry, the collapsed length measures 22" and can fit in a backpack or carry on luggage more
• With its collapsible design crafted from premium graphite carbon, this combo guarantees effortless portability, granting you the freedom to carry your fishing gear with ease wherever your adventures take you. 
• The thoughtful addition of a high-quality spinning reel elevates your angling journey, catering to both newcomers and experienced anglers. 
• Be it a family fishing getaway or a quest for a compact fishing companion, this combo seamlessly blends convenience and functionality, presenting an all-inclusive solution that's ready for any fishing escapade.

If you're looking for high-level performance or customization options, this combo's more basic nature may not fully meet your expectations. 

Buying Guide

Graphite Quality: Look for rods made from higher-quality graphite, like IM6 or IM7, for better sensitivity and lightness.

Fishing Style: Decide if you'll be casting, spinning, or trolling, and choose a rod that suits your preferred fishing method.

Action and Power: Consider the rod's bending (action) and strength (power). Fast action suits accurate casting, while medium power is versatile.

Handle Comfort: Opt for a rod with a comfy handle and grip material like cork or EVA foam. Check the reel seat too.

Length and Line Weight: Longer rods cast farther, shorter ones offer control. Check if the rod's line weight matches your fishing line.

Budget and Quality: Set a budget, balancing cost with performance. Known brands usually provide good value.

Brand Reputation: Go for reputable brands known for reliable fishing gear.

Try Before Buying: If possible, test the rod's weight, flex, and sensitivity in person.

Warranty: Check for warranties covering defects.

Personal Preference: Choose what feels right and suits your fishing goals.

Consider these points to find a graphite fishing rod that fits your needs and enhances your fishing experience.

Compare Products

Kingswell telescopic fishing rod, premium graphite carbon collapsible fishing pole,.

Outdoor Fishing Sports is a ranking system developed by outdoorfishingsports.com.  Outdoor Fishing Sports  has no relationship or impact from any manufacturers or sales agent websites.  Learn more

• Brand Kingswell
• 【PORTABLE】Easy to carry, the collapsed length measures 22" and can fit in a backpack or carry on luggage    more

Abu Garcia 7’ Vengeance Casting Fishing Rod, 1-Piece Graphite Medium

• Brand Abu Garcia
• 24 TON GRAPHITE CONSTRUCTION for a lightweight and balanced design.
• SUPERIOR CONSTRUCTION: Lightweight and durable aluminum spool. 2-piece, composite rod for a lightweight design and increased sensitivity. High density EVA handles paired with a split type handle made for right/left handed anglers.    more

Okuma Celilo Graphite Salmon/Steelhead Casting Rod, CE-C-902Ha, Green

• Brand OKUMA
• Stainless Steel Hooded Reel Seats
• Aluminum Oxide Guide Inserts    more

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Quantum Embark Telescopic Spinning Fishing Rod, 18-Inches to 6-Foot 6-Inch

• Brand Quantum
• ALL-DAY COMFORT: This hard-working fishing rod comes with a split-grip durable EVA handle to provide anglers with hours of comfort. Its moderate action and medium power is ideal for catching medium species such as walleye and bass and is designed to hold a 6-17 lb line weight and 1/8-1/2 oz lure weights
• EXCEPTIONAL PERFORMANCE: This telescopic rod is dependable and designed to last. The solid glass tip is constructed with one solid material and provides extra-strength where hollowed layers of graphite found in other rods are vulnerable.    more

Quantum QX36 Spinning Fishing Rod, 7-Foot 2-Piece IM7 Graphite Fishing

• SENSITIVE & POWERFUL: This rod is constructed with IM7 graphite for strength and sensitivity. Its fast action makes it easier to detect bites on the line while the medium power provides the ability to cast longer distances and maintain quality hook-setting power. Engineered with Quantum-designed QX graphite reel seats that have stainless steel hoods for an ergonomic fishing experience so you can fish for longer    more

Last update on 2023-10-09 / Affiliate links / Images, Product Titles, and Product Highlights from Amazon Product Advertising API

1. What is the quality of graphite rods?

Graphite rods, made from machined graphite or graphite compounds, are renowned for their exceptional thermal shock resistance, heat resistance, strong corrosion resistance, non-reactive nature, and ability to age gracefully due to the non-fatiguing properties of graphite.

2. How strong is a graphite fishing rod?

Despite its strength, graphite lacks significant flexibility and can be brittle, leading to the risk of snapping under unfavorable circumstances. Accidentally getting caught on a rock or at the stream's bottom while untangling could result in the unfortunate breakage of your rod.

3. Why do graphite rods break?

A common issue leading to rod returns, particularly for graphite rods, is breakage near the upper third of the rod, often attributed to tip loading. This occurs when excessive stress is applied to the tip, causing it to strain and eventually break.

Final Thoughts

When considering the realm of graphite fishing rods, it's evident that they have revolutionized angling with their lightweight yet sturdy construction. The superior sensitivity of graphite rods enables anglers to detect even the faintest of strikes, translating to more successful catches. While the market offers a wide array of options, from all-purpose rods to specialized designs, the best graphite fishing rods seamlessly blend durability, responsiveness, and versatility. Anglers should assess their specific fishing styles and preferences to select a graphite rod that amplifies their fishing experience, ensuring each cast is met with potential excitement and success.

UP NEXT: Top 5 Picks For The Best All-Around Spinning Reel

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The Best Travel Rods Reviewed: Real Performance for Serious Fishermen

Anglers who travel a lot and want to get some fishing in or who need to pack rods in carry-on luggage know that real fishing tackle that meets their needs is in short supply.

Yes, you can opt for some of the products that promise performance - Plussino comes to mind - and you’ll see these rods recommended by sites where the writers probably don’t fish themselves. 

But if you want a real rod that can perform, casting and fighting like the rods you left at home, you’ll need to look carefully.

We’re here to help, and we’ve put together a list of some our favorites, as well as buying guide to get you on the right track.

Quick glance at the best travel fishing rods:

St. Croix Triumph Travel Rod

• Excellent, sensitive blank
• Good guides
• Excellent handles
• Fishes like a premium rod should

Tackle Direct Bass Pro

Fenwick HMG Travel Spinning Rod

Goture Travel Fishing Rod

• Great price for what you get
• Good, sensitive blanks
• Nice handles
• Fishes well

Smuggler 7 Travel Fishing Rod

• Very compact
• Good, sensitive blank
• Interchangeable fiberglass tips

KastKing Blackhawk II

Table of Contents (clickable)

• 1.1 St. Croix Triumph Travel Spinning Rod - Best Light/Medium-Light Power Travel Rod
• 1.2 Fenwick HMG Travel Spinning Rod - Best Medium Power Travel Rod
• 1.3 Smuggler 7 Travel Fishing Rod
• 1.4 KastKing Blackhawk II
• 1.5 Goture Travel Fishing Rod - Best Budget Travel Rod
• 2.1 Avoid the toys
• 2.2 Modular probably beats telescopic
• 2.5 Handles
• 3 Final Thoughts

Related: 

• Best Telescopic Fishing Rod
• Best Travel Fly Rod

Best Travel Fishing Rods Reviewed

St. croix triumph travel spinning rod - best light/medium-light power travel rod.

Length: 6’ or 6’ 6” Power/action: light or medium-light/fast Line and lure weight: 6’ (4-8 lbs. 1/16 - 5/16 oz.); 6’ 6” (4-10 lbs. 1/8 - 1/2 oz.) Material: carbon fiber Handle: continuous cork Guides: Sea Guide Atlas Performance SS304 stainless steel guides Pieces: 4

Most anglers already know that St. Croix is a premium rod manufacturer, but you may be new to the sport and have no idea - and there’s nothing wrong with that!

For serious anglers looking for a “real” travel rod that can perform with the best of them, the Triumph is very hard to beat.

Available in two lengths, 6 feet or 6 feet, 6 inches, the shorter rod is light powered while the longer rod is medium-light. Both offer a fast action.

St. Croix has chosen a carbon fiber blank for these rods, and that means fantastic sensitivity. For panfish, trout, perch, flounder, specks, and the like, these rods will perform masterfully, allowing you to feel every bump, nudge, and nibble.

And when the fight does start, you’ll find the backbone of these blanks quickly, about 25% from the tip. And don’t be shy about that medium-light rod: it’s a real beast if you’re working with a good reel and a properly set drag, and you can fight any smallmouth in the world with it, as well as most largemouth.

Both rods wear premium continuous cork handles, though the shorter rod has a shorter handle.

The stainless guides that St. Croix chooses are excellent performers in the real world, especially if you skip braid, which can be abrasive to any guides.

Overall, this four-piece travel rod fishes like a premium two-piece, and that’s saying something.

Fenwick HMG Travel Spinning Rod - Best Medium Power Travel Rod

Length: 7’ Power/action: medium-light or medium/fast Line and lure weight: medium-light (8-17 lbs. 1/4 - 3/4 oz.); medium (10-20 lbs. 3/8 - 1 oz.) Material: graphite Handle: continuous cork Guides: stainless steel guides with zirconium inserts Pieces: 3

Fenwick is another brand that’s built a long-term, dedicated following by producing premium rods, and their HMG travel rod is no exception.

Where the St. Croix dominates on smaller fish, the Fenwick’s heavier power medium rod would be my choice for travel when I’m looking for species like snook, reds, blues, walleye, bass, and anything else that might test a medium-light rod to its limits.

That’s not to knock the medium-light Fenwick but rather to applaud the medium rod.

Capable with mono lines as heavy as 20 pounds, and more than able to launch a 1-ounce lure like a rocket, this is another rarity in travel rods in that it fishes like a premium rod rather than a toy.

Expect a beautiful, continuous cork handle and excellent stainless guides with zirconium inserts.

In a hard fight, you’ll appreciate those well-made guides, and you’ll find the blank’s backbone quickly, just as on the St. Croix. Sensitivity is excellent, too, making this a superb choice for the angler who travels and wants a heavier rod.

Amazon  

Length: 7’ 8” and 8’ 6” Power/action: ??? Line and lure weight: 5-20 g. or 15-40 g. Material: graphite with a fiberglass tip Handle: split EVA fam Guides: stainless steel with silicone inserts Pieces: 7

Smuggler is a British company that’s put together a very portable seven-piece rod. Innovative in many ways, if space is truly at a premium, this is a rod you’ll want to look at.

Offered in two lengths, Smuggler is shy about stating the action and power you can expect, in part because British expectations and terminology differ on this point. But given that the larger rod can cast a 40 gram, or 1.4-ounce lure, I’d guess that it’s in the medium to medium-heavy range, with a fast action given the graphite blank.

The shorter rod can cast a 20 gram, or .7-ounce lure, and I’d make that about medium-light.

In either case, graphite is very sensitive material for a blank, and these rods should allow you to feel even the lightest strikes.

In terms of innovation, they come with interchangeable fiberglass tips that alter the feel as well as the action of the rods, allowing you a bit of customization.

Expect a split EVA foam grip and stainless guides with silicone inserts.

One thing that concerns me is that customers report quality control issues, especially with guide finishing. If you do pick the smuggler, check each guide carefully for polish and finish, and definitely contact the manufacturer if you get a lemon.

• Guide finish quality can be iffy

Length: see chart Power/action: see chart Line and lure weight: see chart Material: Toray 24-Ton Carbon Matrix blank with a fiberglass tip Handle: split EVA foam Guides: ??? Pieces: telescoping

Telescoping travel rods can be a nightmare, and most are made as gimmick offerings for new anglers who don’t know better. That needn’t be the case, and KastKing delivers a real rod that’s capable of actual fishing.

Now, to be fair to its premium competitors, you’re not going to get the sensitivity, backbone, fighting power, or durability of the St. Croix or Fenwick. That’s a simple fact, and I mean no disrespect to KastKing.

By design, a telescoping rod just can’t compete with a segmented rod.

But the carbon fiber blank on the KastKing is sensitive, and guide quality seems to be OK. I personally wouldn’t put much faith in the rods of medium power and above, as the joint construction on a telescoping blank is going to be abused by a hard fight with a big fish. 

Maybe it’ll take it; maybe it won’t - but I wouldn’t bet my fishing trip on it. The segments tend to loosen with casting - but don’t collapse. That’s not confidence-inspiring, because I’m sure that places greater stress on the joints, and with a heavy power rod and big, mean fish on the other end, I wouldn’t count on the rod to survive.

Instead, I’d stick to the lighter end of the powers - medium light and medium - and try not to push this rod too hard.

If that sounds like a serious reservation, that’s because it is. 

Now keep in mind that the Blackhawk II is about 1/3rd the price of the St. Croix and Fenwick, and if you’re just looking for an easy rod to pack and want to hit the water for a few hours, there’s nothing wrong with the product.

But as serious competition for the premium rods on our list, the Blackhawk II isn’t going to make the grade.

• The Segments loosen after casting, and I wouldn’t trust this rod in medium-heavy or heavy actions with big fish and hard fights

Goture Travel Fishing Rod - Best Budget Travel Rod

Length: see chart Power/action: see chart Line and lure weight: see chart Material: carbon fiber Handle: split EVA foam Guides: stainless with ceramic inserts Pieces: 4

For anglers on a budget too tight for the St. Croix or Fenwick, Goture offers a nice travel rod at a reasonable price. Available in powers ranging from ultralight to medium-heavy, and actions that vary from medium, to medium-fast, to fast, these are dependable travel rods that won’t break the bank.

The blank on every rod in this lineup is made from carbon fiber, promising great sensitivity and plenty of backbone. Powers and actions are matched well, and there are some great surprises in this series, like a light rod with a medium action that would be just perfect for small crankbaits.

Expect well-made, split EVA foam handles that provide plenty of territory, even for big hands.

The guides are stainless steel with ceramic inserts and clearly designed more for fresh-water fishing than the salt. They’re small - I’d say a bit undersized for salt - but perfect for enhancing sensitivity for species like bass when using a worm.

One word of caution: the ferrules are meant for a .6” gap, meaning that they should not be tightened down till they touch.

The carbon fiber blanks prove plenty sensitive and strong, and these are really good rods for the money. Anglers on a tighter budget should definitely give these rods a close look.

• Not going to compete head-to-head with premium alternatives like St. Croix and Fenwick

What to Look for in a Good Travel Rod

Avoid the toys.

When angling sites recommend products, there’s a real difference between content farms and those where the researchers and writers are fishermen themselves.

That’s a fact.

And just because a product is popular on Amazon doesn’t make it good.

Many of the telescoping travel rods with awesome reviews are disappointing if you’re more than a once-a-year angler, and you can chalk up the positive responses to people who really don’t fish a lot not using these rods much or knowing what they’re missing out on.

That’s not to insult anyone, and if you just need a rod for a few days a year and space is tight, go ahead: you probably won’t be disappointed.

But if you’re a serious angler and you try one of these out, I promise you, you’ll burn with frustration.

That’s why our list is populated with real rods that are high on performance, especially the St. Croix, Fenwick, and Goture.

Modular probably beats telescopic

On that front, modular rods are almost always better than telescoping designs. 

Being more mechanically simple, there’s much less to go wrong, and as ferrule technology has improved since the 80s, you’re not sacrificing sensitivity much at all by increasing that number to three, four, or even five.

And to be painfully honest, companies like St. Croix and Fenwick have hard-earned reputations that they’re not going to sacrifice by offering underperforming designs.

What this all adds up to in the real world is that modular is usually the way to go.

There are a variety of blank materials on the market, ranging from fiberglass and fiberglass composites to graphite to carbon fiber.

Let’s look at the strengths and weaknesses of each choice:

• Fiberglass and fiberglass composites - are well known for being heavy but very, very durable. They tend to be very flexible as well, but they can be made stiffer through the introduction of carbon fiber or graphite.
• Carbon fiber - is a common blank material, combining light weight with awesome stiffness and sensitivity. Not as durable to hard knocks as fiberglass, it’s still prized for its strength to weight ratio and its reliable backbone for hard fights.
• Graphite - is the lightest and stiffest of the rod materials out there, but it’s also the most fragile. A hard knock against a piling or rail can result in micro-fractures, so blanks made from graphite need some care in handling. But they’re awesomely sensitive and very strong, offering a fantastic performance.

Good guides are essential.

When you have a fish on your line, the stress on the line and rod is transferred through the guides, meaning that they need to be strong. But they also need to be as smooth as they can be, protecting your line from the heat caused by friction. 

If your line gets hot, it will fail!

An easy test of guide quality is to take a length of the line, pass it through the guide, and saw like mad against the guide. Excellent guides will leave your line intact.

Whether you prefer the warm feel of cork or the durability of EVA foam, look for handles that are long enough to give you a two-handed grip and really put some muscle into a fight.

That’s a tall order on a travel rod, but the best ones deliver just that.

Final Thoughts

Good travel rods are in short supply, and if you’re a serious angler, it can be a frustratingly difficult task to find one that fishes well.

What we can promise is that if you pick one of the rods we recommend, you’ll be more than happy with your purchase. The St. Croix , Fenwick , and Goture rods fall at different price points and quality levels, and the premium rods are definitely better choices if you can afford them, but all three of these products are real tackle designed for real-world fishermen.

We can’t tell you which one is best for you - only you can do that - but we can guarantee that these three will put a smile on your face.

As always, we’d love to hear from you, so please leave a comment below.

The Best Collapsible Fishing Rods for 2024

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Best Travel Fishing Rod 2023 – Top Rated Travel Rods

The best travel spinning rods.

Looking for a compact easy to transport rod that still performs? Our list of travel fishing rods has something for all budgets. 

Nothing beats hitting the open road to your favorite destination and as a fisherman the urge is always there to pack your fishing gear with you.

Sure a tackle box and a few reels don't take up too much space.

But rods are a different story.

One thing is for certain one and two piece rods can be a pain to transport especially if your travel plans involve catching a plane somewhere. Packing them up in large rod tubes can be a bit of a hassle.

A travel rod just makes life easier!

Our top choice as the best travel spinning rod is the Okuma Nomad . It maintains a near perfect taper along the rod blank due to a spigot furl design, high durability thanks to a carbon wrap over the graphite blank and is finished with premium quality line guides and reel seat.

The Nomad is best suited to salt water spinning or heavy freshwater work. If you are looking for a lighter freshwater travel rod then the St Croix Triumph 4-piece is an exceptional caster of light lures and is perfect for back-country hiking to small rivers and streams.

Okuma Nomad

The best travel spinning rod.

The Okuma Nomad is offers one of the best rod blank taper available on any travel rod, combined with premium ALPS hardware.

Rod design has certainly moved on in the last 10-15 years. Improvements in carbon fiber, graphite and even fiberglass construction techniques have given rod builders the necessary materials to produce some amazing travel rods.

Time was that your travel spinning rod was a clunky affair that lost a lot of it's sensitivity due to how the spigot affected the taper of the blank.

Clearly a one piece blank will always be the most sensitive and balanced when it comes to performance. However, travel rods these days have solved a lot of the old issues.

With a big wrap around spigot the natural taper in the blank was effected on a normal two piece rod.

Now multiple this be 3 for a 4 piece rod and you ended up with a rod that was limp and felt like it left you out of touch with your lure and hook setting.

A lot of modern travel fishing rods have whats known as a spigot ferrule . The spigot ferrule is essentially a piece that is bonded to the lower piece of the blank that the upper piece then slides onto.

It's perfectly normal for there to be a gap between each section, this allows for upper section to still fit snugly after the lower spigot has reduced in diameter due to normal wear and tear.

Below you will find a variety of different travel rods. Some are suited to heavier saltwater work and some to freshwater light spinning on rivers there are even a number of casting variants available if you prefer a baitcasting rod .

Best Travel Fishing Rod 2023

Why choose a travel rod over a telescopic fishing rod.

Although the quality of telescopic rods a has increased in recent years they still do not have the same feel through the blank.

Even though they have a regularly stepped taper due to each section fitting into the last still don't get the same feel from them.

A high quality travel rod such as the St Croix Triumph below will always outperform a telescopic rod. I have yet to find one that can compete with a well designed 3 or 4 piece travel rod. 

Now telescopic rods do have their place, they are great for keeping in the trunk of a car with a small reel and a handful of lures for the occasionally unplanned few hours after work.

However they usually never have the same backbone and always feel less than durable or capable of handling something a bit larger.

Best Travel Fishing Rods

Okuma Nomad Review

The top choice for best travel rod is the Okuma Nomad. It maintains its taper due to the spigot ferrule design described below giving an almost one piece feel to the blank.

The Okuma Nomad travel spinning rod is priced in the mid to high bracket. For the money you are getting one seriously sturdy rod. It definitely is rated on the high side when it comes to power.

So if you are looking for a light weight spinning setup then some thing like the Fenwick below might be more suitable. 

The beauty of the Nomad is if you intend to do some heavy freshwater spinning or some inshore boat work you can use one rod for both on those holiday trips to target many different species and it should have enough backbone to handle them.

The versatility of the Okuma doesn't stop there though. You get two different tips with each rod. Each with a different action meaning you have effectively two rods in one.

So if you are looking for a highly versatile saltwater spinning or heavy action freshwater spinning travel rod then the Okuma is the clear choice.

• Graphite blank with carbon outer wrap
• European spigot ferrule connection
• ALPS high rise 316 stainless steel guide frames
• ALPS two tone anodized aluminum reel seats
• Lifetime limited warranty
• Waterproof carrying case

St Croix Triumph Travel Spinning

If you are not looking for a heavy saltwater travel rod like the Okuma then take a look at the St Croix Triumph Travel spinning rod.

The range comes medium to heavy with all models having a fast action. These rods are suited to medium/light spinning.

They can happily perform spinning on small rivers and streams with smaller on 4-10 lbs line. The action is fast so you have some very quick hook setting capabilities and are pretty sensitive for a 4 piece rod.

Although this rod does come with a padded travel case it is only a soft nylon case and St Croix really could have taken the crown of top rod if they had supplied the Triumph range with a hard shell case.

That being said if you are careful about how you transport the Triumph males for one heck of a travel rod. 

There is also a casting model of the Triumph featured below.

• SCII grahite
• Extremely sensitive
• Fast action taper
• Fuji DPS reel seat
• 5 year warranty

St Croix Triumph Travel Casting

If you are not looking for a dedicated spinning travel rod and prefer a baitcasting setup then the St Croix Triumph Travel casting rod is sure to please.

Built on effectively the same rod blank sections as the spinning model above, the casting model will of course have a baitcasting reel seat and has the lower profile line guides that are usually found on a casting rod.

There is only one model available unlike the spinning series above. It is a 6'6" rod in four sections also.

The power is medium/heavy with a fast action and the line rating is 10 - 20 lbs.

With a line rating in the 10/20 pounds range and with a lure rating of between 3/8 - 1 oz you can throw some fairly decent sized lures. So, if is perfectly capable of handling crankbaits, large spoons and spinners and jerkbaits.

• 4 section travel casting rod
• Two coats of Flex-Coat slow cure finish
• Fuji ECS reel seat with silver hood

Fiblink 3-piece Spinning

These Fiblink 3 piece spinning rods are a great alternative to the Okuma if you are on a tight budget.

Similar in power to the Okuma the Fiblink are heavy rated and come in three possible lengths 6', 6'6" and 7' so pretty capable of handle some decent boat work too.

Like the Okuma these rods are certainly aimed at the saltwater fisherman. The line rating for them is in the 30-50 lbs and lure weights from 2-8 ounces. 

The Fiblink also comes with a waterproof carry case. However like any cloth based case it is not going to take too much abuse so if you intend on flying anywhere you might need an hard carry case.

• Graphite composite blanks
• Stainless steel guides with ceramic inserts
• Aluminum alloy reel seat
• One year warranty

Fenwick Methods Spinning

Fenwick are long known as a premium brand that produce some very high quality rods. Thankfully that same quality is still instilled in their travel rod range the Methods.

With the ability to change both the middle and tip section of the rods for another with a different action the Fenwick Methods travel rods are extremely versatile. 

This versatility means you can pack light but still be adaptable. Adaptability is something that is great to have when you are away on a trip to some unknown destination.

This versatility is a good thing given that there is only two rods available in the range a 6'8" and a 7 footer. The power is medium/light to medium.

Supplied with a hard case is a nice additional bonus and it really shows that Fenwick had the traveler in mind when designing the Methods.  

• 5 pieces in total
• Travel tube included
• Multiple center sections and tips included
• Spigot ferral

Piscifun Graphite 4 Piece

Priced at the lower end of the scale the Piscifun graphite 4 piece travel pole is a lot of rod for the money. 

The blanks are mare from carbon fiber using Piscifun's ArmoreCore technology resulting in a very lightweight and yet strong rod.

They probaly have the biggest range available from any of the travel rods. There are 3 sizes available 6', 6'6" and a 7'. The power is from medium/light up to extra heavy. 

The strength of the carbon fiber blanks are reinforced with 8-ton E glass. That extra layer of fiberglass makes these rods a whole lot more durable than a regular carbon fiber.

• Carbon fiber blanks
• Ceramic guides
• Medium to heavy

Daiwa Ardito-TR Spinning

The Ardito-TR from Daiwa is a 3 piece travel rod. They are available in a spinning and a casting variation.

The model featured here is the spinning edition and are available in 7' or 7'6 rod lengths.

These rods have been expertly designed by Daiwa. They have put a lot of thought into getting the rod taper to remain consistent throughout the blank. The taping blank and ferrule joint give a really clean join between each of the sections.

These are a 3 piece rod and as such have a bit more backbone than some of the other 4 piece offerings.

Slightly heavier than some of the other travel rods out there, however it is a pretty tough rod some not quite as easy to break as some of the others in this line-up.

• 3 piece travel rod
• X45 Bias graphite fiber blanks
• V-Flex Ferrule joint system
• Semi-hard travel case
• 5 year limited warranty

Choosing the right rod means knowing exactly what kind of fishing you intend on doing ahead of time. 

However, if you are on vacation and are not sure just what kind of water you may be fishing then the best bet is a spinning setup as it is generally the most versatile.

A good spinning rod can be used for almost any type of fishing assuming of course that you are not hunting large shark or marlin miles offshore.

If you are looking for a really good all round setup then the something like a travel spinning kit may suit.

The Okuma Voyager travel kit is probably the most popular travel combo available today.

No t e : it is best suited to lightweight freshwater spinning though, it is not meant for anything heavy I don't think the size 20 Voyager reel should be used in saltwater.

Best Travel Rod and Reel Combo

Okuma Voyager Travel Kit

The Okuma VS-605-20 Voyager Spinning Travel Kit combines a rod, reel, tackle box and hard shell case all into a great value for money package.

The perfect travel combo to take away on a trip the Voyager travel kit comes with one of the best hard shell cases you'll find of any travel fishing rod.

A size 20 spinning reel definitely falls into the ultralight spinning category and with a sensitive 6 foot rod you can be sure to make some very accurate casts with lightweight lures. 

You also get a small lure box included in the kit. All of the components fit snugly in the interior padding of the kit so they won't get knocked about when in transit.

• Size 20 Voyager reel
• 6 foot rod comes in 5 pieces
• Hard shell padded travel case
• Small lure box included

Do You Need a Rod Tube ?

If you have ever tried to travel with a rod any kind of serious distance that involves using some for of publicly available transport such as a bus, plane or a train then you'll know that the luggage compartment is not the place to put your rod if you still want it in one piece when you arrive at your destination.

A rod tube however can provide good protection. Rod tubes are available in either soft or hard body variations.

Without a doubt travelling on a plane will require the use of a rod hard shell tube. The checked luggage compartment on a plane is usually crammed full of heavy luggage and a soft rod tube will quite simply not be strong enough to handle all that abuse.

2024 5-Weight Shootout

Yellowstone Angler 2024 5-Weight Shootout

By george and james anderson, with comments by the yellowstone angler staff.

With more than ten new 5-weight fly rod models hitting the market since our 2020 5-Weight Shootout, we decided it was time to update our ratings of what rod manufacturers are currently producing. In this evaluation we weighed, deflected, cast, and fished each fly rod side-by-side to see how they compared. This comprehensive head-to-head analysis allows us to give you the most complete advice on how these 5-weights differed as well as which 5-weight rods to consider or purchase.

Our Opinion

If you’ve been reading our Shootouts for a while, you know we are not about to pull our punches if we feel a rod manufacturer’s product falls short of its claimed qualities. We have always given you our honest opinions, which at the end of the day, are just that – our opinions . Both in terms of our criticism of rods, as well as our compliments, we simply call it the way we see it. Our credibility depends on it.

There are many approaches to rod design and construction and naturally, different anglers prefer different actions. However, we are able to describe and compare the actions of the rods we are reviewing by testing and casting them immediately side by side.  In this Shootout, you will see our preferences align with faster action rods that have light swing weights. Your preference, (and casting style), might be different. As long we are able to identify how each rod’s action differs from the next, we have done our job. After that, it’s up to you.

We hope this Shootout will help you determine which rod is the right fit for you. While we have focused primarily on finding the best all-around 5-weight rods, you might be looking for a more specialized 5-weight, especially if you already own a 4, 5, or 6-weight. We think this Shootout will help you see through the manufacturers’ marketing hype and narrow your choices, whether for an all-around rod or one more suited to a specialized application.

Where’s my Rod??

There are a number of rods missing from the Shootout this year. This year we limited the Shootout to only rods we carry. Every fly rod manufacturer we carry was offered the opportunity to supply a rod for our testing. A number of them, nevertheless, chose not to participate, so the following rods are not included:

Echo Carbon XL Echo Trout X Sage Foundation Scott Centric St. Croix Evos St. Croix Tecnica T&T Avantt 2 TFO Legacy LK TFO Axiom II Winston Air 2 Winston Pure

Although we have not reviewed or rated these rods here, they are all available for sale on our website and at the shop. But if you are curious as to how any of these specific rods cast, just give us a call or swing by to try one. There is an excellent chance we have cast or fished it.

Like the rods we test, our Shootouts are constantly evolving. We listen to reader and customer feedback, read other reviews, and pay attention to comments and criticism on fly-fishing forums as well as receiving input from our editorial consultant, who is an avid and experienced fly angler.

This year we have addressed two issues that often arise in the feedback we receive: 1. It’s not fair to compare each rod using the same line, and 2. How can you tell the way a rod performs without actually fishing it? In addition to incorporating the use of different lines and fishing the rods, we added a few things in an attempt to make our Shootout better:

New Format Bullet Points

• We tested each rod with the line recommended by the manufacturer
• We actually fished the rods (each with dries, nymphs, and streamers)
• We only tested rods that we carry
• We only tested rods the manufacturers supplied
• New casting distances:  25’, 35’, 45’ and 60’ (previously at 25’, 45,’ and 70’)
• We included the MOI figures in our Objective Observation chart, (A more scientific way to measure swing weight)
• We graded craftsmanship and components in a few new and more specific categories.
• No more Power or Presentation groups – we focused on the best all-around 5-weight rod
• Charts now separated by price groups: High-End Rods, Mid-Priced Rods, and Inexpensive Rods, to help buyers find the winner at their price point.

Results First

Most of you are familiar with our previous Shootouts and our scoring methodology. We have found that most readers want to get to the bottom line first. Accordingly, in keeping with our recent Shootouts, we are presenting our results first. If, however, you are unfamiliar with our Shootouts or would like to understand our testing and scoring methods, please scroll down or click here to read our Methodology and Scoring Section .  Don’t overlook this section, however, since it contains many additional impressions and comparisons of the rods in this Shootout.

Our 5-Weight Shootout Results Summary

• The outstanding Douglas Sky G wins again, an amazing all-around rod, now with back-to-back wins. 
• The G.Loomis Asquith , Hardy Marksman , G.Loomis NRX+ LP , and the Douglas Sky G appeared in 5 out of our 6 testers’ top 4 rods, even though the individual rankings differed. The consensus was, these four rods are the best all-around 5-weights we sell. Three of these four rods are unchanged since their introductions, four or more years ago, evidence of their durability and state of the art design and construction.
• The new, (at least to the US market), Guideline NT11 wins our favorite all-around Mid-Priced Rod, followed by the smooth casting Hardy Aydon . The USA-made Scott Session also stood out as a great option for those who appreciate slower actions.
• The Greys Lance was our favorite inexpensive rod for tailwater rivers, where more delicate presentations and smaller bugs take precedence. The Gen 3 Fenwick Aetos takes the top spot for our favorite all-around Inexpensive Rod for freestone rivers, where larger flies are more common.
• The G.Loomis NRX+ , Sage R8 , and the Orvis Helios D stand out as this year’s best powerful 5-weights, each making great “guide boat rods” on large Western rivers.

2024 5-Weight Rod Superlatives / Accolades 

The following rods were consensus winners in each of the stated categories below:.

Overall Winner –  Douglas Sky G

Best Powerful 5-Weight –  G.Loomis NRX+

Best Feel for a 5-Weight – Douglas Sky G , Orvis Helios F , Scott Session

Best Mid-Priced 5-Weight – Guideline NT11

Best Inexpensive Tailwater 5-Weight – Grey’s Lance

Best Inexpensive Freestone 5-Weight – Fenwick Aetos

Most Accurate – G.Loomis Asquith

Best Tip Dampening – Orvis Helios F , Orvis Helios D

Best Streamer / Sink Tip 5-Weight – G.Loomis NRX+

Best Mid-Priced Streamer 5-Weight – G.Loomis IMX-PRO V2

Best Inexpensive Streamer 5-Weight – Fenwick Aetos

Biggest Grip (For Meathooks) – Fenwick Aetos , Hardy Marksman

Best Price – Grey’s Lance

Thinnest Grip (For Women / Children) – Grey’s Lance

Best Craftsmanship – G.Loomis Asquith

Best Warranty Policy –  Douglas Sky G

Lightest Overall Weight – Guideline NT11

Lightest Swing Weight –  Douglas Sky G

Best Heavy Nymph / Indicator 5-Weight – G.Loomis NRX+

Best 25′ Performance –  Douglas Sky G , G.Loomis Asquith , G.Loomis NRX+LP , Guideline NT11

Best 35′ Performance –  Douglas Sky G , G.Loomis Asquith , G.Loomis NRX+LP , Hardy Marksman

Best 45′ Performance –  G.Loomis Asquith

Best 60′ Performance – G.Loomis NRX+

Best To Throw The Whole Line – G.Loomis NRX+

Slowest / Bamboo Like Feel – Scott Session

Most Likely To Become A Cult Classic – G.Loomis Asquith

Most Easily Recognized From Afar – Orvis Helios F , Orvis Helios D

George’s Casting Notes and Scoring

1. douglas sky g 9’#5 $845.

Once again, the Douglas Sky G is at the top of our current 5-weight rods, and for good reason. It gave us nearly perfect performance at the shorter distances and extremely good results right out to 45 feet. At the price of $845.00, it is hundreds of dollars less than our other competing 5-weight rods while providing better performance in most cases.

The Sky G has been my go-to 5-weight for many years and has never let me down. I love fishing it on the Missouri, where pods of big rainbows congregate. Often if I observe their rises long enough, a larger fish will reveal itself and the Sky G gives me the edge I need to make an accurate, precise cast. If my cast is too long, too short, or too far to either side another fish could eat my fly, jump around, and put the pod down for a while.

Having an accurate rod that has enough power to land a big 20″ rainbow gives me a lot of confidence to get the job done. The Sky G is also a great rod for sight nymphing, when the larger fish are not eating on the surface. The Sky G has the power to set the hook quickly and firmly, while the G’s softer tip protects my 6-7X tippet. If the wind picks up and blows the hatch away as it often does in Montana, I can fish hoppers tight to the undercut banks or even throw two small streamers, eliminating the need to bring along a second or third rod, which can be a pain.

This is the same Sky G that appeared in our 2020 5-weight Shootout. If you’re not familiar with our description of the development and construction of this rod, we have copied an insert from of our 2020 review in italics below – feel free to skip to the 2024 scores if you are familiar with it:

Fred Contaoi, the head rod designer for Douglas, took on the process of refining the original Sky G, resulting in this rod that produces the ultimate in casting presentation and accuracy. Fred modeled the Sky G in part on some of the other great 5-weights we liked, including the original G. Loomis NRX LP, which has good butt and mid-section power but has a softer tip section. In looking at the deflection board, the Sky G has lots of mid-section power but a softer tip than a lot of the other rods. Out on the lawn, we love how well we can cast short distances off the tip of the rod, with superb accuracy. But there is still plenty of mid-section power when needed.

According to Fred, the SKY G rods are composed using G-Tec platelets. Platelets are essentially building blocks that are microscopic in size. The platelets make up a small part of the resin matrix while offering substantial benefits in using less material and maintaining high integrity in linear and hoop strength, with added impact resistance. The combination of graphene materials and a new resin system is what Fred refers to as “G ARMOR.” These changes allow Douglas to build this SKY G with less material, resulting in a much lighter and stronger rod. This description seemed to check out, as the Sky G has the lightest swing weight of all the rods we tested. The SKY G is very quick to dampen and is very sensitive. It gave me a wonderful sense of feel, especially at short distances. The increased dampening and recovery also result in superior accuracy, which immediately impressed me when casting and comparing the SKY G to the other top 5-weight rods.

The SKY G is an attractive rod, finished in a dark gray color, with black wraps. The epoxy coatings are excellent. Three thin coats of epoxy are applied to the wraps, rather than a thick one-coat used by other manufacturers. Alignment marks on the sections are helpful and the rod size is noted too. The guide set is perfect, starting with one of the new cerecoil stripping guides that use a nickel titanium frame and a zerconia ring insert designed to resist separating from the frame as it flexes. Recoil nickel titanium, flexible one-foot guides are used the rest of the way. These single foot guides are lighter than snake guides, but have proven to be extremely reliable and rarely break. A cigar shaped handle is used with the swell a little more forward than most. A stack of thin cork rings is used and the quality is close to perfect. Thin contrasting rubber/cork rings are added top and bottom for increased durability, ensuring you can pass this rod down to your grandkids someday and the cork edges will still be intact. The gray anodized double up-locking skeleton reel seat uses nylon washers on the rings that give a very secure lock up. A burl blackwood insert is used. One of the best reel seats we have seen. 

George’s 2024 Score: 78.7 out of 80

Casting Notes at 25 Feet: 20 out of 20 I love the accuracy I’m getting, combined with lots of feel.

Casting Notes at 35 Feet: 20 out of 20 Excellent accuracy again with amazing feel.

Casting Notes at 45 Feet: 19.5 out of 20 Also awesome.  Not quite as good as the Asquith, but not much daylight between them.

Casting Notes at 60 Feet: 19.2 out of 20 Only out long does the accuracy fall off.

2. G.Loomis Asquith 9’#5 $1,235

Like the Sky G, the Asquith has been around for a while, I have been fishing mine for nearly 7 years now. I turn to my Asquith 9’#5 whenever I’m looking for a little more power over my Sky G. This could be due to the wind, but more often it has to do with the type of flies I will be fishing that day. If I’m headed to the Yellowstone or Madison, I’m likely planning on throwing a handful of larger dries like hoppers and stoneflies along with smaller pmd’s and caddis. I’m always looking for rising fish in the foam lines and eddies but if it is not in the cards I like throwing two hoppers. On days when the fish refuse to look up, I’ll switch to a stonefly dry with a stonefly nymph dropper. The guides all love throwing this rig and I can see why, it works well and can cover a variety of different depths depending on how you mend or drag it. No question, the Asquith is the best rod I’ve ever fished for this type of fishing. The beauty with the Asquith is that if the wind dies down, the clouds come out, and pmd’s start coming off, I have an elite rod for technical dry fly fishing. I’m not sure if G. Loomis will be able to develop anything that can top the Asquith.

If you’re not familiar with our 2020 description of the development and construction of this rod, we are supplying a summary below in italics again for you to read or skip to to the 2024 scores:

I have loved the Asquith rods since their introduction. These rods are both powerful and delicate when they need to be, especially in the 5-weight. Steve Rajeff designed the tapers and mandrels at G. Loomis but the actual blanks are rolled and finished at the Shimano factory in Japan. Once the blanks are received at G. Loomis, the rods are finished in Woodland, WA.

Loomis calls the construction Spiral-X technology and it is unique to Loomis. Spiral-X technology is a complex three-step process. Shimano has developed a special graphite tape, called infinity tape, which is wrapped on the mandrel on a 45-degree axis. Next, a layer of “muscle carbon” is wrapped on in a conventional manner. The final step is another wrap of the infinity tape, but at an opposing 90-degree angle to the first, so that the infinity tape forms an “X” pattern.

The beauty of this process is that it uses 15-20% less graphite to get the exact same strength as the original NRX rods, which we know from experience are stronger than any other rods we have used. Another benefit of Spiral-X technology is that it reduces any twist in the blanks, and more importantly, reduces ovalization as the rod bends. This gives an angler more feel combined with an enormous amount of reserve power. About the only drawback of the Asquith is the price.  At $1235.00, it is significantly more expensive than the other top rods we tested.  

The Asquith it a lovely rod, with extremely good craftsmanship. I love how the dark green finish sparkles in the sunlight. The wraps are done in black and finished perfectly. On the 9’#5 Asquith, one single stripping guide is used, along with nickel/titanium snake guides that are flexible, and will never break.The cork handle is comprised of a stack of narrow cork rings, with almost no imperfections. A comfortable half wells shape is used with the swell a little forward of the middle of the grip. Lastly, the reel seat is a beautiful combination of narrow rings of bamboo, with a single uplocking ring that locks up perfectly and securely.

We were blown away by the Asquith’s performance. It was nearly perfect at every distance with the highest scores at 25, 35, and 45 feet. At 60 feet, only the Loomis NRX+ was better. Looking back at my casting only scores at the various distances, the Asquith outscored the Sky G. Overall the Asquith lost points to the Sky G, mostly due to the price. I’ve used Asquith rods for a lot of my saltwater fishing, with a 9 foot #8 for bonefish, snook and redfish, and a 9 foot #11 for tarpon. They always impress in their casting accuracy and fish fighting ability.

George’s 2024 Score: 79.3 out of 80

Casting Notes at 25 Feet: 20 out of 20 Impressive accuracy combined with a lot of feel.

Casting Notes at 35 Feet: 20 out of 20 Nearly prefect accuracy again.  I can put the fly right where I want.

Casting Notes at 45 Feet: 19.8 out of 20 The best accuracy that I got at this distance with any rod. Lots of feel too.

Casting Notes at 60 Feet: 19.5 out of 20 Only the NRX+ was better at longer distances.

3. G.Loomis NRX+LP 9’#5 $915

This is the same rod we reviewed in 2020 and much of the construction and materials are described in the review of the NRX+. I’ve added some further notes about the NRX+ LP below.

I’ve always liked the G. Loomis rods and the NRX+ LP is another outstanding example of a rod that can do everything you want a 5-weight rod to do. It was especially good at short to medium distances on the spring creeks, and only at long range did the performance fall off slightly. This would be a great rod for nearly all anglers, that are looking for a rod that can make delicate presentations in close but has the power to reach out and make those longer casts very easy.

This rod has good butt and mid-section power which come into play when an angler needs to reach out at longer distances. So what you have here is a wonderful dry fly rod but one that can also chuck some streamers when you need to. Another great all-around rod from G. Loomis! I felt that the NRX+ LP gave me just a little more power than the Sky G, which I appreciated at times in the Livingston wind.

Like the other G. Loomis rods, this is a handsome rod with extremely good craftsmanship. The color is a dark olive color, with contrasting brown wraps, trimmed in white on the butt section. One small titanium SiC stripping guide is used, with the rest of the guides being my favorite Recoil single foot guides that will bend but not break. The epoxy coatings over the guides were nicely done. G. Loomis gives you a hook keeper just above the handle, which is handy. The cork handle is a comfortable cigar style, and comprised of a stack of very high quality thin cork rings. One darker rubber/cork ring at the base of the handle looks good. The reel seat is a double uplocking affair, with a handsome walnut burl wood insert.  

George’s 2024 Score:   78.5 out of 80

Casting Notes at 25 Feet: 20 out of 20 Impressive!  Making short casts with great accuracy was easy with this rod.

Casting Notes at 35 Feet: 20 out of 20 Slightly heavier than some of the top rods, but it was stable with wonderful accuracy.

Casting Notes at 45 Feet: 19.5 out of 20 Awesome at mid-distance and I’m getting great accuracy. Definitely one of the very best rods at 45 feet.

Casting Notes at 60 Feet: 19 out of 20 Finally at long range, the accuracy fell off. I felt that other rods like the NRX+, Asquith and Marksman were definitely better. 

4. Hardy Marksman 9’#5 $950

The Marksman is Hardy’s latest premium rod, replacing their Ultralite. When I picked up this rod I was impressed at how light it is compared to others. Howard Croston, Hardy’s rod designer, not only knows a lot about rod design, but he’s the top angler on England’s International fly-fishing team, which has won the title a number of times. Howard is a terrific caster and one of the very best anglers I’ve fished with. Out on the lawn casting, I’ve been impressed with how tight Howard’s loops were. Howard has come up with several great rods that I have liked – the Zenith, the Zephrus, and the Ultralite. The Marksman is another terrific addition to these other rods.

The Marksman, like the Zephrus, is very good at all distances, but especially good at 25-35 feet, which I find myself fishing most of the time. This rod has a strong butt section and you can lean on it when casting longer distances too. On the deflection board, the butt and mid-section were much the same as the Loomis Asquith and the Orvis Helios D, but with a slightly softer tip. For fun, we deflected an old Hardy Zenith 9’#5 and found it was identical to the Marksman!  But in weighing the rods, the Marksman was lighter in both overall weight and swing weight compared to the Zenith. The Marksman is one of the very lightest we tested in swing weight – in a tie with the Asquith and Hardy’s sibling, the Aydon.

I liked everything about this rod except the reel seat. It worked well in the end but was a little hard to figure out at first. Unlike other rods, the reel doesn’t sit on the wood insert, but rather slightly above it. Perhaps this is a way to avoid the wood from getting a water mark over time, but I always take my rod and reel apart at the end of the day. As such, the Marksman’s score in reel seat functionality was slightly lower than other top rods.

The Marksman is a sharp looking rod that you will be proud to show off to friends. The blank color is a matte bronze, with brown wraps, trimmed in metallic green. Alignment dots at the ferrules are helpful. Hardy utilizes a modified spigot ferrule system that allows for a larger surface area of contact between the sections, which distributes casting energy and fish fighting stress more evenly. It also accounts for less overlap at the ferrules, keeping the rod’s taper true to form.

The butt section above the handle is gray with a nice x-wrap pattern. A hook keeper is fitted just above the cork handle. The comfortable half wells design handle is comprised of another stack of thin diameter cork rings with almost no imperfections. The reel seat is black anodized, double uplocking, with an attractive burl wood insert. Metal ferrule plugs are included which are a nice traditional touch, although mine have lived in the rod sock pocket since day one.

I liked the guide set-up. A hook keeper is fitted just above the handle, then one titanium SIC stripping guide, followed with excellent black colored single foot and flexible nickel/titanium guides. Hardy rods are built in South Korea, in the same factory as Loop, Guideline, Taylor, and Fenwick rods. Douglas has moved to a separate factory there.

George’s 2024 Score: 78.5 out of 80

Casting Notes at 25 Feet: 19.5 out of 20 I was tempted to give it a 20 but the Asquith and Sky G were definitely better.

Casting Notes at 35 Feet: 20 out of 20 Now it does rate a perfect score. Just about perfect!

Casting Notes at 45 Feet: 19.5 out of 20 Wonderful feel and accuracy, only edged out by the Asquith.

Casting Notes at 60 Feet: 19.5 out of 20 Again, one of the very best rods in our shootout at long range.

5. G.Loomis NRX+ 9’#5 $915

With nicknames slung around the office like, the “big gun,” the “rocket ship,” and “beast mode” one would assume the NRX+ does not perform well in close with smaller dries. If I applied the same exact power and casting stroke as I did with the Sky G or Asquith, the NRX+ became a plate smacking whack-a-mole mallet. But to my surprise, I found if I used a little more wrist action and stopped my casting stroke so the leader straightened out above the plate, I could still achieve very accurate, light presentations. This says a lot for the stiffest rod in our Shootout, but the key lies in its relatively softer tip, which gives the rod better feel at all distances. The softer tip is also relatively light in swing weight, especially for a power 5-weight.

If you are the type of angler that likes to snipe rising fish from 50-60 feet away, (from necessity of not spooking them, or perhaps you have become bored with normal fishing distances and appreciate a new challenge), the NRX+ is for you. It is also the best streamer 9’#5 rod I have ever fished. The NRX+ is another rod we reviewed in our 2020 5-weight Shootout. If you’re not familiar with our description of the development and construction of this rod, we have copy it in in italics below.

Steve Rajeff, (now retired) designed the NRX+ rods. He was a 14 time all-around world champion caster, and his pedigree shows in the re-design of his original NRX rods. The NRX rods were great rods, but the new NRX+ rods are even better. They are lighter, stronger, and dampen better than anything G. Loomis has given us in the past.

In upgrading the NRX rods, Steve utilized a blend of three things: Mega Modulus+ Graphite, GL8 Resin, and Multi-Taper Design. As Steve explained, the new Mega Modulus+ graphite fiber is slightly higher in modulus but has a much higher strain rating. This makes the blank much stronger under a “lifting load” with less overall material used. G. Loomis has built some of the toughest rods we’ve ever fished and it takes a lot to break one. Knowing the new NRX+ is even tougher than the old NRX is great news!  

This NRX+ is one of the very stiffest rods in our Shootout. When compared with the NRX+ LP, the LP is much softer, especially in the tip. The NRX+ can be an advantage in the wind, especially if you want a 5-weight rod that can throw streamers. The additional stiffness of the NRX+ is also a big help if you are fishing nymph rigs with an indicator and a lot of split shot. Casting long bombs with this rod is a piece of cake, and it still feels light in hand.

The NRX+ rods differ from the NRX+ LP in color. The NRX+ rods are an attractive deep steel gray color with darker midnight blue wraps, trimmed in lighter blue and silver on the butt.   Another difference from the NRX+LP rods is that the cork handle on the NRX+ is a full wells style with a pronounced swell in the middle of the grip. It felt great to me, especially when casting longer distances. Loomis uses a stack of very high-quality thin cork rings with one rubber/cork ring at the bottom of the flare to promote durability. A dark gray anodized aluminum, double uplocking seat is used that holds the reel very securely. The insert is epoxy-impregnated wood in a deep brown color.  

For guides, a single, extremely light stripping guide is used, with a titanium frame with a very thin wall SiC ring. The rest of the guides are the finest, flexible, nickel/titanium one-foot guides that you will never break. A small hook keeper is used, just above the cork. The epoxy coatings on all the guides are excellent.

George’s 2024 Score: 78.50 out of 80

Casting Notes at 25 Feet: 19.5 out of 20 Surprisingly accurate despite the stiffness. As good as the Marksman, but not nearly as good as the Sky or Asquith.

Casting Notes at 35 Feet: 19.5 out of 20 Again, very good accuracy that matched the Orvis Helios rods, but the NRX+ LP along with the Sky G, and Asquith were definitely better.

Casting Notes at 45 Feet: 19.7 out of 20 A rocket ship for sure! Only the lighter Asquith felt better.

Casting Notes at 60 Feet: 19.8 out of 20 The power of this rod produced the best long-distance results of all the rods for me. If you want a 5-weight rod that will throw long with ease, this is your rod!

6. Orvis Helios F 9’#5 $1,098

The bottom line: The Helios F is a fantastic all-around rod, and right up there with the best of them. Sometimes a marketing campaign can be so strong it overshadows its own product.

Orvis made some big changes to their Helios rods this year and rolled out an advertising campaign claiming that these new Helios rods are lighter and four times more accurate than their earlier rods. They further claimed that these new Helios rods are the most accurate rods in the world. We’ve done our comparisons, and we beg to differ.

We were not going to buy all this Orvis hype without comparing their new rods to the contenders. They may be better than the Helios 3 rods, but how did they stack up to the best rods in our Shootout like the G. Loomis Asquith, NRX+LP, Douglas Sky G or the Hardy Marksman? The short answer is not quite as good in a number of ways.

We have to give Orvis credit for their attempt to improve these Helios rods but here is what we found in our own testing. We weighed the old Helios 3F at 2.9 oz. and the new gen 4 Helios F at 3.0 oz. (in overall weight). Then we weighed their swing weight, using our proven method, and the old Helios F came in at 8.8 ounces, while the new Helios F was 9.3 ounces! The Helios 3D and gen 4 Helios D came in at the same overall weight – 2.9 oz. In swing weight, however, the old Helios D weighed 8.6 oz. and the new Helios D weighed 9.0 oz.

We called Orvis after noticing these weight discrepancies and shared our concerns. We learned that Orvis measures swing weight differently than the method we use. Orvis uses a torsion testing meter, in which the reel seat becomes the fulcrum for the point of weighing each rod. Our method makes the center where you’d naturally grab the cork grip the fulcrum. The different methods account for the different weights, although Orvis did not share their weights with us. Our method is by no means scientific, but it is one you can do at home, and we feel more representative of the true swing weight, since you grip the rod by the cork grip when fishing and not the reel seat.

For as much criticism as we have dished out to Orvis’ gorilla marketing, to be sure, their new Helios F is the best all-around rod they have ever made and a definite improvement over the previous H3F.

I’ve never been a fan of the white label on the butt section of these Helios rods. We know the reason Orvis does this – you can tell that the rod is an Orvis Helios at a long distance and especially in all the fishing videos found on youtube or Instagram. I can respect what Orvis is doing and we’re sure it has increased the visibility and sales of the Helios rods.  

The new Helios F is finished in a dark olive color, with complementary olive wraps. The new rod still has a white label above the handle, but now it is two tone – white and light gray. One huge stripping guide is used, and the rest of the guides are the good recoil snake guides that will bend but not break. I prefer the flexible single foot guides but these snake guides work fine. The guides are wrapped with a complementary olive color but I felt that the coatings were a bit heavy. Alignment dots at the ferrules are helpful. The cork handle is called a modified full wells, with a comfortable swell in the middle. The quality of the cork was excellent. I would have liked to see a hook keeper above the cork handle. The silver uplocking reel seat works well with a fairly large locking ring that incorporates a nylon ring at the front side to provide a secure lock up. A nice piece of gray burl wood is used as a spacer.

George’s 2024 Score:   77.5 out 80

Casting Notes at 25 Feet: 19.5 out of 20 Wonderful feel and excellent accuracy. Only the Asquith, Sky G and NRX+LP were better. This rod is fun to cast in close.

Casting Notes at 35 Feet: 19.5 out of 20 Again, great feel and superb accuracy. One of the best rods at this distance in our Shootout, but still behind our top four rods.

Casting Notes at 45 Feet: 19.5 out of 20 Good feel and it was easy to get good accuracy without a double haul. 

Casting Notes at 60 Feet: 19 out of 20 Finally, the softness of the Helios F hampers my accuracy out long.

7. Orvis Helios D 9’#5 $1,098

[See our comments about the Helios F marketing and swing weight calculation, which apply equally here].

The Orvis Helios D, (D for distance) is quite similar in appearance to the Helios F, but in a different color – dark gray. I can see the difference immediately when looking at the butt section, which is noticeably larger in diameter. On our deflection board, the profile of the D is pretty close to the Loomis Asquith, with the Loomis NRX+ being overall a lot stiffer, in both the mid-section and tip. 

As mentioned in my comments about the Helios F, Orvis did a lot of work to improve both new Helios rods. Orvis claims the new rods are lighter and are four times more accurate than their original rods. They also claim that these new Helios rods are the most accurate rods in the world, but we didn’t find this to be true. These Helios rods are better than the original ones, but how did they stack up to the best rods in our shootout like the G. Loomis Asquith, NRX+LP, Douglas Sky G or the Hardy Marksman? The short answer is that we felt that the other top rods were better, and in many instances, more accurate.

It’s not that the Orvis Helios rods are bad rods – they are actually very good rods and only small differences separate them from the best rods in our Shootout. The Helios D tracks very well, and the Orvis improvements show up here for sure. But in a 5-weight, most experienced anglers are likely to prefer the Helios F.

The color of the blank on the Helios D is a very dark gray, almost black. The wraps are black. The guides start out with a humongous (for fresh water) titanium/ceramic stripping guide, and the rest of the guides are the good Recoil snake guides, which are flexible but will never break. The finish on the wraps was nearly perfect and better than what we saw on the Helios F. Neither the Helios D or Helios F use a hook keeper above the cork handle, something I miss.

The cork handle proved to be very comfortable, with a wider middle, tapered off on either end. Orvis calls this a modified half wells. The grip is a stack of smaller cork rings with absolutely no imperfections. The skeleton reel seat was similar to the Helios F, but in black with a nice looking gray burl wood insert. I especially like the easy to tighten, wide uplocking ring with a plastic ring, which gives a good solid lockup on your reel.   

George’s 2024 Score:   76.6 out of 80

Casting Notes at 25 Fe et: 18.5 out of 20 As you might expect, the feel was not too good in close – the Helios F was far better.

Casting Notes at 35 Fe et: 19.3 out of 20 Now I’m getting good accuracy and feel but our four top rods were better. 

Casting Notes at 45 Fe et: 19.5 out of 20 Nice feel and very good accuracy. Only the Asquith and NRX+ were better.

Casting Notes at 60 Fe et: 19.3 out of 20 For some reason I felt that the Helios D struggled at distance compared to the previous H3D.

8. Sage R8 Core 9’#5 $1,050

The R8 Core had a stiffer tip than most other rods and although it performed well, other rods like the Asquith and Sky G had a lot more feel, especially in close. The R8 Core is another very good rod from Sage, one that reminds me a lot of their popular XP or ONE. We actually deflected a 9’#5 Sage ONE and found the deflection to be identical to the R8. When we weighed the ONE however, the R8 was lighter in both overall and swing weights.

Anglers that want a powerful all-around rod will love this new R8 Core. There are other rods here that are better in close, but at medium to longer distances, the R8 Core was accurate with tons of power on tap. If you are looking for a rod that won’t struggle in the wind, the R8 could be your rod, especially if you are doing a lot of nymph fishing and even throwing some smaller streamers. 

This rod was among the heaviest in swing weight for High-End rods. Sage uses larger and heavier guides on this 5-weight rod than most other manufacturers. When many of the other rod makers are using light, flexible single foot guides, Sage sticks to standard snake guides and a larger and heavier stripping guide. All this weight slows down the action and I can feel this extra weight compared to the other top rods. 

Like past Sage rods, the overall quality is excellent. The blank itself is a dark greenish gray, which Sage calls silver pine. The wraps are a complementary gray color with some white and lighter gray trim wraps on the butt section. The cork handle and reel seat are excellent. One of the most comfortable cork handles, Sage builds this with a series of small width cork rings with no imperfections. They call the shape a snub half wells – pretty much straight with a little smaller swell at the top and a slight flare out to the reel seat. The reel seat is a skeleton seat with dark gray hardware that complements the color of the blank. The side opposite where the reel fits is marked with the size of the rod (5). A single uplocking ring is used that has a nylon facing that provided a secure lock up. A dark brown wood insert is used.

George’s 2024 Score: 78 out of 80

Casting Notes at 25 Feet: 19.5 out of 20 I’m getting good accuracy but not as much feel as I’m getting with the Sky G or the Asquith.

Casting Notes at 35 Feet:   19.5 out of 20 Again, a lack of feel but the accuracy was excellent.

Casting Notes at 45 Feet: 19.5 out of 20 This rod casts very well out long, one of the best rods tested. 

Casting Notes at 60 Feet:   19.5 out of 20 Now the stiffness helps produce very tight loops and very good accuracy.

Mid-Priced Rods

1. guideline nt11 trout series 9’#5 $599.99.

Before diving into our analysis of the NT11, First, some background on how we connected with Guideline. Guideline is a Swedish company, but their rods are built in Korea, like others. Guideline came to us last year to see if we were interested in carrying their rods. Since they were off our radar, our answer was no, we already carry too many rod brands. But they were persistent and asked if they could show us a rod or two and we agreed. Our first impression of the NT11 was a good one!  It was extremely light, coupled with ample power and excellent feel. Guideline soon asked to be included in our next 5-weight Shootout, which we replied maybe , (since this year we were only including rods that we sell). Long story short, after comparing the NT11 9’#5 and finding it to be one of the best mid-priced rods we have ever tested, we now carry Guideline rods!

After seeing how well this rod performed, we felt that the price makes it a bargain as it could have been priced hundreds of dollars higher. Casting scores were equal to the Orvis Helios F!  This rod is designed with a powerful mid-flex action. It has one of the lowest blank weights. It is nice and light in hand and on our deflection board, it is quite similar to the Helios F. Making delicate presentations with this rod was easy, and it had plenty of power to reach out when needed. It proved to be a nice rod to fish dry flies with and was especially accurate, but gave a nice delicate delivery.

This is a very good- looking rod! The blank is finished in a satin gray, with ruby colored wraps. The guide setup starts with a titanium frame stripping guide, followed up with hard chrome single foot guides. The guides on the tip section seem quite small but they worked well. I wish they had given us a hook keeper ahead of the cork handle. The shape of the handle is a half wells, a little thinner than most, but very comfortable. They use flor grade cork and the handle is a series of thin cork rings with no imperfections. A good looking, uplocking reel seat is fitted – dark gray with some red trim. Just one uplocking ring is used but it seems to work fine. A handsome dark brown burl wood insert is used.

George’s 2024 Score: 77.1 out of 80

Casting Notes at 25 Fe et: 20 out of 20 Wow, I was impressed at such good accuracy, combined with a delicate delivery in close. 

Casting Notes at 35 Fe et: 19.5 out of 20 Again, an impressive performance at closer distances that you fish at a lot of the time.

Casting Notes at 45 Fe et: 19 out of 20 Enough butt power to carry a nice tight loop, and put the fly on target.

Casting Notes at 60 Fe et: 18.6 out of 20 Only at long distance did the NT11’s softer tip struggle, but still acceptable accuracy.

2. Hardy Aydon 9’#5 $550

Here is another nice rod from Howard Croston, Hardy’s rod designer.The Hardy Aydon had a softer mid-section on our deflection board than a lot of rods but would make a good dry fly rod at a much lower price than the Marksman. There is a lot to like about this rod. Its attractive good looks and the nice performance at shorter distances will make anglers happy. This rod performed exceptionally well in close, fishing dry flies. It was easy to roll cast and mend while fishing nymphs. And it will even throw streamers decently when needed. 

This is another good-looking rod from Hardy, finished in a dark olive color with complementary olive wraps. The guide set up starts out with a hook keeper- that I liked, just above the handle. A Sic stripping guide is fitted followed with hard chrome single foot guides. The epoxy coating over the wraps was good but a little heavy on some. The half wells cork handle tapers slightly towards the front, with a comfortable swell under my palm. The cork rings are series of small width, very high-quality rings with no imperfections. Hardy uses a black skeleton double uplocking reel seat that I felt worked well. A nice-looking gray wood burl insert is used.

George’s 2024 Score: 76.5 out of 80

Casting Notes at 25 Feet: 19.5 out of 20 Very good accuracy in close, with a good amount of feel.

Casting Notes at 35 Feet: 19.5 out of 20 Again, nice accuracy and feel at shorter distances.

Casting Notes at 45 Feet: 19 out of 20 Now the softness is hurting, and my loops are not as tight.

Casting Notes at 60 Feet: 18.5 out of 20 The softer mid-section is making this rod harder for me to cast at long distances, especially if there is any wind. 

3. (TIE) Douglas DXF GEN2 9’#5 $499

The Douglas DXF Gen 2, is another good rod that has been improved. We have always liked the DXF and this new edition casts great, especially at shorter distances. Only at long range did the performance fall off. Here is another good rod that can do it all at a reasonable price. Like the other Douglas rods this is built in Korea and the overall craftsmanship is excellent. 

This is another rod that performs well with both nymphs and dries, and one that will also handle fishing smaller streamers. It proved to be easy to cast, even using two nymphs and an indicator. This is one of the softer rods in the Mid-Priced rods group, and out long it suffers from lacking the power of the stiffer-tipped rods.

The color of the blank is dark green that sparkles in the sunlight. The guide wraps are black, trimmed with some lighter green on the butt and at the ferrules. The finish on the guides is good. Alignment dots are helpful at the ferrules. Guides start with a hook keeper just above the cork handle. A dark gray SIC stripping guide is used, followed by dark colored hard chrome snake guides.

One of the few faults I found with the DXF is the cork handle. It is a half wells design and about the right size, but the quality of the cork rings is not very good and shows a lot of filler. Thin rubber/cork rings are used at the top and bottom of the handle for durability, which I do like for durability. The locking rings worked well, faced with a nylon bushing. While the reel seat could be fancier, functionality-wise it is one of my favorites in the Shootout.

George’s 2024 Score: 76 out of 80

Casting Notes at 25 Fe et: 19.5 out of 20 One of the better performing rods for me in close. Good feel and accuracy but couldn’t match the NT11 or Aydon at short distances.

Casting Notes at 35 Fe et: 19 out of 20 Nicely matched power and presentation, and a pleasure to cast.

Casting Notes at 45 Fe et: 19 out of 20 At longer distances the performance fell off a bit, but still very good.

Casting Notes at 60 Fe et: 18.5 out of 20 Now at long range the more powerful rods are better.

3. (TIE) G.Loomis IMX-PRO V2 9’#5 $595

Loomis made some changes to their IMX-Pro, so they are calling this the V2, or Version 2. The tip is a little less stiff, but it is still a very powerful rod, and almost more suited to a 6-weight line than a 5. 

This new IMX Pro V2 may not be as good as some of the other rods for fishing dries, but it is a wonderful rod for fishing nymphs and streamers. Lots of power to pick up an indicator and nymph rig, either mending or making another cast. If you are looking for a powerful mid-priced 5-weight, this might be your rod!  

Like other Loomis rods, the IMX-PRO V2 is a good looking rod. The blank is a very dark gray, with black wraps, trimmed in green on the butt section.  The guides start out with a SIC (silicone carbide) stripping guide followed with hard chrome single foot guides. The epoxy coating on the wraps was excellent. A small hook keeper just ahead of the cork grip is helpful.

The cork grip itself is a full wells style, with a stack of thin cork rings with no imperfections. A rubber cork ring at the base, just above the reel seat is a nice addition for durability. The silver skeleton reel seat looks great with a tan wood burl insert and two locking rings.

George’s 2024 Score: 76.3 out of 80

Casting Notes at 25 Fe et: 18.8 out of 20 The stiffness of the tip hurts here. A lower score than any of the other mid-priced rods. Not much feel, and jumping up to a WF-6-F line would help.

Casting Notes at 35 Fe et: 19 out of 20 With all this power, it begs to cast farther!  

Casting Notes at 45 Fe et: 19.2 out of 20 Still on the heavy side, but now with more line out it is performing better.

Casting Notes at 60 Fe et: 19.3 out of 20 Now, with a lot of line in the air, I’m getting very good performance.

5. Scott Session 9’#5 $675

We were surprised after putting the new Scott Session together and flexing it. This is a soft rod, much softer than the other rods in our Shootout, even the Helios F. On our deflection board, the Session has a very soft butt and mid-section with a relatively stiffer tip. Out on the lawn, casting the Session, you can feel this slower action as the rod flexes right back into the cork handle. Even though it was easy and pleasant to cast, it was not nearly as accurate as the faster mid-priced rods like the Guideline NT11, Hardy Aydon, or the Douglas DXF. It was also heavier in swing weight and lacked power, which hurt its distance scores.

The word on the street from respected sources was that the Session utilizes a Radian blank with less expensive components, essentially producing a less expensive, “dumbed down” Radian. The Session however, is unlike anything you have ever cast from Scott. While reminiscent of the Radian, the Session is much softer and its action fits nicely between Scott’s GS and Centric. For anglers who are tired of fast-action rods with little feel, the Session could be your rod, but you’ll have to slow down your normal casting stroke. If the shoe fits, I could see the Session becoming a fan favorite for years to come.

The Session completely blows the mid-priced competition out of the water when it comes to a high-quality build. On par with Scott’s typical craftsmanship we’ve become accustomed to over the years, the Session is an attractive rod. The blank is un-sanded, (or very lightly sanded) so you can see the tape marks on the rod, as you can on other Scott rods. The color is a dark graphite gray with black guide wraps that are trimmed with green on the butt section.

The guides start out with a hook keeper just above the handle. A silicone nitride stripping guide (like a SIC) is used followed with thin black snake guides that are not flexible but nice and light. The epoxy coating on the guides is excellent – close to perfect. The cork handle is a modified full wells with a nice swell under your palm. A stack of very high-quality cork rings is used, with no imperfections. An attractive black skeleton reel seat is used, with a handsome green burl wood insert. Scott uses two uplocking rings faced with nylon spacers that provide a very secure lock up. While others were close, we gave the Session the only 10 for reel seat functionality.

George’s 2024 Score:   72.5 out of 80

Casting Notes at 2 5 Feet: 19 out of 20 Good feel even with the slow action. Pretty good accuracy, but not nearly as good as the best rods.

Casting Notes at 35 Feet: 18.5 out of 20 Again, a nice amount of feel but the accuracy was worse than I wanted.

Casting Notes at 45 Feet: 18 out of 20 Now it is hard to lean into the cast with the slower action and this hurt my accuracy.

Casting Notes at 60 Feet: 17 out of 20 Tougher to hit 60 feet accurately compared to the more powerful mid-priced rods. 

6. Orvis Recon 9’#5 $598

My initial impression of the Orvis Recon was that this is a heavy and stiff rod. On our deflection board, the Recon was close to the Helios D and Asquith, however it feels far heavier. In looking at the swing weight, the Recon is the heaviest of the Mid-Priced rods at 9.9 ounces while the Hardy Aydon and Guideline NT11 rods are at 8.2 and 8.3. The best rods, like the Sky G and Asquith are at 7.6 and 8 oz. All this extra weight and stiffness doesn’t make the Recon as pleasant a rod to fish all day long compared to the lighter rods.

Still, the Recon handles wind well, and is better for throwing multiple nymph rigs and even streamers. Fishing dry flies was easy enough, and for nymphing it was on a par with the DXF and the IMX Pro V2. It was also good at launching a streamer and would be a good match for a 150-200 grain sinking line.  

The Recon is a handsome rod. The blank is finished in slate gray, with gray wraps, trimmed in black and green on the butt section. It does not have the white Orvis label of the Helios rods. The guides start out with a chrome ceramic stripping guide, followed with hard chrome snake guides. Alignment dots at the ferrules are handy. The epoxy finish on the wraps was well done and not too heavy. No hook keeper is used. The cork handle is a modified half wells with a comfortable swell in the middle. The quality of the cork was excellent. The silver skeleton reel seat uses a big, double-wide locking ring with a nylon ring, giving a firm lock up. A gorgeous piece of walnut burl is used for the spacer.

George’s 2024 Score:   76 out of 80

Casting Notes at 2 5 : 19 out of 20 I’m getting decent accuracy at short distance and good presentations but the weight holds it back from a higher score.

Casting Notes at 35 : 19 out of 20 Accuracy here is good also but still feeling heavy in hand. 

Casting Notes at 45 : 19 out of 20 The Recon handles these longer distances with ease and is giving me good accuracy.

Casting Notes at 60: 19 out of 20 Has plenty of power to hit 60 feet and more with pretty good accuracy.

Inexpensive Rods

1. greys lance 9’#5 $219.95.

I liked the way the Grey’s Lance performed, but I hated the small grip! Of course, this grip may be ideal for younger anglers and women who tend to have smaller hands. We cured the small grip problem by using some 3M Vetrap bandage wrap over it. Ha, ha. It cast especially well at the shorter distances and only out long did it suffer. The Lance would make a nice dry fly rod if you are on a budget. For a fly rod that is just over $200, the performance was impressive. Only at long distances did the performance suffer.

Grey’s is an inexpensive offshoot of Hardy, and the rods are made in Korea. The Lance is finished in a flat gray color, with black wraps, trimmed in red on the butt section. The guides start with a hook keeper just above the cork handle. A good SIC stripping guide is used, followed with hard chrome one-foot guides. The epoxy finish over the guide feet was nicely done.  

The handle shape was half wells, which would be fine if it was just a bit larger in diameter. If the grip proves too small for you, the vet tape is a quick and easy fix. Standard sized cork rings are used, and the quality was fairly good, with only a small amount of filler. Better than I expected to find on a $200 rod. A solid gray aluminum, uplocking reel seat is used with two locking rings, faced with nylon rings that gave a nice positive lock up.

Casting Notes at 25: 19.5 out of 20 I’m getting nice accuracy in close, and it was easy to cast off the tip of the rod. 

Casting Notes at 35: 19.5 out of 20 Matches the Aetos for feel and accuracy at shorter fishable distances.

Casting Notes at 45: 19 out of 20 Still good, but starting to run out of power needed to throw tight loops.

Casting Notes at 60: 18 out of 20 Finally, the lack of power hurts my accuracy. With the softer action, it is not a good rod for fishing longer distances.

2. Fenwick Aetos 9’#5 $239.95

The Fenwick Aetos has always been one of our favorite inexpensive rods. It performs better than a lot of rods that are two to three times the price! It isn’t the lightest rod in either overall weight or swing weight, but it performs surprisingly well at all distances. This 5-weight will be a pleasant rod to fish all day, especially with dry flies. I liked the action, which on our deflection board was somewhat like the Helios F, but a little softer. Anglers have loved the performance it provides at a nice price. Yes, the craftsmanship is not quite as good as the best rods, but what can you expect for a little over two hundred bucks? As a starter rod, the Aetos is hard to beat!  

The blank is finished in a medium blue with complementary blue wraps. Guides start out with a hook keeper just above the cork handle, and then a good sized SIC stripping guide, followed with hard chrome single foot guides that are colored black. Alignment dots are added to the ferrules, a handy touch. Some nice blue and silver trim and the Fenwick logo are just above the hook keeper. The cork handle is a fairly large half wells with some nice rubber cork trim at top and bottom. The quality of the cork was just fair, with quite a bit of filler, but you can’t expect perfect cork at such a low price. The double uplocking, black skeleton reel seat uses a gray fiberglass insert. Again, nothing fancy but it provided a good solid lock up. 

Casting Notes a t 25: 19 out of 20 Good accuracy and pretty good feel in close.  

Casting Notes a t 35: 19.5 out of 20 Amazing accuracy for such an inexpensive rod. I was impressed. It’s hard to beat the Aetos as a nice, inexpensive all-around 5-weight rod.

Casting Notes a t 45: 19.3 out of 20 Very good accuracy and feel. Matches a lot of better rods at mid-range.

Casting Notes a t 60: 18.5 out of 20 Only now does the Aetos seem to be running out of gas. But it has enough power to hit 60 feet easily.

3. Orvis Clearwater 9’#5 $249

Of the three inexpensive 5-weights, the Orvis Clearwater is my least favorite. It is heavier than the Aetos and Lance, and also stiffer. This was a bit of a surprise since the Clearwater won our favorite inexpensive Power 5-weight in 2020. But back then, the Aetos (which also won our favorite inexpensive 5-weight) was in our Presentation category, and wasn’t directly compared to the Clearwater. The Aetos and Lance are definitely better as dry fly rods with their lighter swing weights, but the Clearwater handles nymphs and streamers well. 

This is Orvis’ least expensive rod and I can certainly see why. The best thing I found on the Clearwater was the superb quality of the epoxy finish on the guide wraps. Everything else was not so great! This was the heaviest rod in overall weight and the heaviest in swing weight. In our “Fun to fish, got to have” category, the Clearwater was dead last. That tells you about all you need to know.

The Clearwater blank is a dark gray with slightly lighter gray wraps. The guides start with a large chrome/ceramic stripping guide, followed by hard chrome snake guides. Alignment dots at the ferrules were a help, but there’s no hook keeper, which I prefer on a 5-weight. The cork handle is a modified full wells, much like the Helios rods, but the quality of the cork is not nearly as good, showing a lot of filler. The dark gray anodized uplocking reel seat uses only one large locking ring with a nylon faced ring that provided only a fair lockup on the reel. There is no white Orvis label on the butt section.

George’s 2024 Score: 73 out of 80

Casting Notes a t 25:   19.0 out of 20 Very little feel and very stiff. Accuracy was just OK.

Casting Notes a t 35: 18.5 out of 20 Well below the other inexpensive rods – with little feel.

Casting Notes a t 45: 18 out of 20 Now the heavy casting weight also becomes a factor.

Casting Notes a t 60: 17.5 out of 20 I could hit 60 feet but this is such a heavy rod you won’t want to do a lot of casting at long distances.

METHODOLOGY AND SCORING

Meet the testers.

I’ve been in the fly-fishing business now for over fifty years, as a guide, fly shop manager and owner. With experience in both fresh and saltwater, many rod makers and manufacturers have consulted with me during their design process, including G. Loomis, Douglas, Sage, Scott, Winston, and Tom Morgan Rodsmiths.

My son James is also a dedicated fly fisherman and has developed into a great caster and a person who I can trust in judging a rod’s performance. He has been a very important and integral part of our Shootouts and tackle comparisons over the years. He is also responsible for many of the great photographs you’ll find in our Shootouts.   

Logan Brown, our guide bookings manager has lived in Montana for nearly 20 years now. I have fished for golden dorado as well as for big rainbows at Jurassic Lake with him. He has proven himself time and time again to be a good angler and caster, even in the toughest conditions imaginable.

Justin Todd was born in Billings and grew up fishing the Yellowstone and other blue ribbon streams in southwestern Montana. Later in life, as a park builder for Mammoth Mountain, Justin spent all of his days off hiking and fishing the Sierras. He is passionate about fishing and the amount of time he spends on the water adequately supports his knowledge of what a great fly rod should do.

Ken Phillips has been fly-fishing for nearly 45 years. Ken was the youngest member in his Michigan angling club, and soaked up all things fishing like a sponge from his mentors. While he has a tremendous collection of bamboo rods, he is a great caster and appreciates all kinds of fly rods – from fiberglass-slow to ultra-fast and everything in between.

Joe Sherman was born and raised in the Adirondack mountains of upstate New York where he learned to fly-fish at an early age. After serving in the US Navy he earned a law degree and spent more than 20 years in corporate America before trading the office in Atlanta for Big Sky country.  Joe is a great caster as well as a great guide in Yellowstone National Park.

Comparing the Best 5-weight Rods

Fly rods are getting better and better every year. Often only subtle differences separate one rod from another. Casting and rating the performance of the rods at different distances is the real meat of our Shootouts, and also the reason we have separate charts for each tester’s Performance Only scores. The overall results chart shows you the various categories at which we scored rods. You can evaluate for yourself which categories are more important, (such as price, reel seat functionality, warranty, performance at 25’, etc.) in your choice of the best rod for you.

The only good way to pin down these subtle differences is to have at least three or four rods in front of you with the lines stripped out, stretched and with the leaders straightened so that you can pick up one rod, make a few casts at a specific distance, then immediately pick up another rod and do the same. Only then do some of the subtle differences become apparent. Then move on to the next distance and repeat the process.

Once we score all the rods at the different casting distances, we then combine them with the total points in the other categories to determine the final rankings shown in our Final Results chart.

Remember, what you read here are only our opinions. We are trying to call it as we see it in an unbiased manner. Along the way, we expect we will ruffle some feathers.

Fishing the Rods

In the past, we have received criticism for not evaluating the rods in a fishing setting. The main reason for not fishing them is we feel that it is much more difficult to accurately compare rods side-by-side fishing than casting them on the lawn. As mentioned above, on the lawn we can pick up a rod and in an instant pick up another rod to compare it at the same distance. This immediate rotation of multiple rods is virtually impossible on the stream, (unlike like golf – there are no caddies here).

It takes a while to get the feel for a rod while fishing it. And naturally during this time you adjust to the rod. Like a puzzle, you figure out what works well and what micro muscle movements allow the rod to perform best, whether it is a cast, mend, or strike.  All the adjustments are natural to expert anglers, and hence a good angler can make any of these rods work.

Compare casting rods on the lawn with testing a flight of 4 beers. You taste one beer, and then immediately taste another. After quickly trying all 4 beers you will likely eliminate one. Then you can focus on the other three to find the more subtle differences, hopefully coming up with a beer to call your favorite.  Fishing the rods is more like going on a pub crawl and ordering one beer at a time. In most cases your taste buds will adjust to that beer and you’ll likely enjoy it. In the same way if you go fish with a rod for an hour you are probably going to like it, or at least adapt to its characteristics.

The other big reason for not testing on the water was that we didn’t want to damage the rods, as we were returning them to each manufacturer. This year we kept the rods, (which most will be donated to the various charities we work with). This allowed us to take the rods to the stream without fear of damaging them, whether a tungsten bead head hits the tip, or the rods get scratched when laying them down on the rocks. 

All of our testers fished some or all of the rods and their fishing observations appear in their individual notes. By far, the most thorough and comprehensive impressions appear in James’ notes. To see these, click on his blue drop down bar under each rod, or click here.

The Best Rods Are Not Always The Most Expensive (We’ve said this before)

As you may have read by now, our #1 rated rod, the Sky G sells for $845.00.  More expensive rods like the G. Loomis Asquith retail for $1,235 ($390 more) while the Orvis Helios rods sell for $1,098 ($253 more). Our favorite mid-priced rod, the Guideline NT11 sells for $599.99, about $75 less than the Scott Session. As you will see, some of the best Mid-Priced rods outscored a few of the Elite rods in our Final Results. 

Craftsmanship is undeniably better on the most expensive rods, and with a few exceptions they generally perform better than the less expensive rods. But will they make you a better angler? Our answer is almost always YES! The more expensive, top performing rods have the ability to throw tighter loops, are dampened better so they track better, to give you more accuracy and better presentations at all distances.   

Expensive rods do have that wow factor that will impress your fishing buddies. Are you comfortable showing up with a $200 rod when everyone else has one of those hotshot $750 to $1000 rods in their hands? It’s also nice to admire your rod and appreciate the craftsmanship as well as its performance. But is that high priced rod really worth $300-$700 more, by whatever standard you apply? Only you can make that decision.  With the inexpensive warranties that most manufacturers now offer, you are going to use your new rod for many years, which makes it easier to justify buying one of the more expensive rods. 

Our advice has always been to pick the best performing rod, for your fishing application, even if it is a little more expensive than what you had planned. You’ll never regret spending those extra bucks once you get the rod in your hands and see how well it performs.

Eliminating Variables (except the lines).

As in our past Shootouts, it is important to try to eliminate any variables that will have an effect on the scores at different distances. For obvious reasons, the line will be the biggest variable (which you can read about below) but we did our due diligence to try to keep everything else the same. 

We tried to keep the rest of the variables apples to apples by using the exact same reel, the same amount of backing (and hence weight of backing), and the same type and length of leader. We kept the same tippet length, as well as the same size small yarn indicator we used on the end for visibility. Larger yarn indicators with more wind resistance can substantially affect the scoring.

Before casting, we stretched the fly lines and leaders, leaving the extra fly line (running line) piled in front of each casting station.

By setting all the rods up in an identical manner, it was easy to take a few casts with one rod at a particular distance, at say 45 feet, then pick up another rod and cast the same distance. Having multiple outfits set up allows us to do this easily. Over the years we have discovered that it is more difficult to judge the subtle casting characteristics among rods if you need to take the time to strip all the line off one rod and then re-load the next rod. Also, by having 10-12 rods set up 3 or 4 testers can cast simultaneously.

Aside from the line, one of the biggest variables is the wind, especially here in Livingston! As anglers, we are often dealing with the wind. If we could control the wind so all the rods tested were evaluated in identical wind conditions we would do so. Unfortunately, Mother Nature rarely cooperates in that respect.  Winds are almost always gusty, with wind speed being unpredictable and varied. We have found that trying to judge accuracy and a rod’s ability to form tight loops (or track well) is nearly impossible if you have winds more than 5-10 mph. 

We have found that the only fair way to compare rod performance (specifically accuracy), is in the absence of wind. So for our first three days of casting and comparing we did this indoors at the Livingston Civic Center. Later, on nice days with little wind, we did the rest of our casting outside on our lawn here at the shop.

REELS:   THE GALVAN TORQUE T-5

As in our last 5-weight Shootout, we decided to again use the Galvan Torque (T-5) , a wonderful light reel with a very smooth and highly adjustable drag. This reel is the one that won our 2016 5/6 Reel Shootout. I love the large drag knob on the backside of the reel that is easy to grip and adjust. These Galvan reels also have a wider range of drag adjustment than other reels, making it easy to fine-tune the drag adjustment, which is important when you are using light tippets like 6X and 7X. Much of the time when you are fishing dry flies, and hooking smaller trout, you can just strip the fish in, but if you are fishing nymphs or streamers with heavier tippet like 3x-4x, you’ll want to play the larger fish on the reel, and this requires a smooth drag that you can adjust easily.     

Removing the spool is easy – just a simple click of the button on the handle side. I also like the handle design – it tapers outward, allowing you to quickly get and maintain a solid grip. Galvan uses a counterbalance so that the reel runs perfectly smoothly when a big fish is smoking away from you. The Galvan reels are essentially maintenance free, with Rulon bushings that require no maintenance or lubrication to keep them working properly. We loaded each of the reels with 100 yards of Cortland 20lb. Micron backing.

In past Shootouts, we strived to keep everything “apples to apples” which included using the same line on all of the rods. During preliminary casting rounds we tried several lines but settled on the Scientific Anglers Amplitude Textured MPX WF-5-F as our favored line, since it performed best on most of the rods. The concern with this method was that we weren’t necessarily finding which one of the fly rods was the best, but we were determining which one of these rods cast the Amplitude Textured MPX the best.  Maybe, on some of these rods, a different line might improve its performance.

This year we decided to cast each rod with each manufacturer’s recommended line. While our apples to apples theory gets thrown out the window, we felt this was the most fair to each rod (and manufacturer). We arrived at this decision after listening to constructive criticism about the Shootout, mostly from on-line forums or in social media comments, and from our independent editorial consultant.

By giving each manufacturer the chance to tell us which line they thought best showcased their rod, in theory each rod is “tuned up” to the best of its ability.  In most cases, this was the line that the rod designer used during the process of designing and testing the rod. We then cast, (and compared) each rod head-to-head, each rod now performing at the theoretical pinnacle with the line that works best on it. Most of the time we agreed with each manufacturer’s line choice. Even if we thought a rod felt better with a different line, we still stuck with the manufacturer’s recommendation for all testing purposes.  

Below you can read about each line, their differences, and which rods used each line. You can also refer to our Objective Observations chart to see each manufacturer’s line recommendation.  

A quick sidenote gripe with all the line manufacturers before we jump into each line. We used to receive lines on plastic spools. Scientific Anglers was the first to eliminate these, supplying a cardboard spool instead. The idea was that this would reduce plastic waste, and there would be less plastic at the landfill. It didn’t take Rio long to follow suit. 

The problem with the cardboard spools is that the lines often tangle when we are spinning them on a reel. Every blue moon you get lucky and they work nearly as well as the older plastic spools, but it rarely happens. The other issue with the cardboard disposable spools is they are not as good for storing used lines as the original plastic spools. Line companies say they are worried these plastic spools will end up in the landfill, but now that they are no longer used these are like GOLD and NEVER get thrown away!  

We wish they would go back to the plastic spools or make a better cardboard spool that doesn’t cause the line to tangle when you spin it on a reel and that can be reused to store used lines. 

In the meantime, our work-around to storing lines has been to spin lines on to one of SA’s Regulator Spool ($29.95). You can spin the lines on with the Regulator’s arbor in the large position, and once you are done you can reduce the arbor so the line comes off. When we sell new lines we save the pipe cleaners and coated wire that keeps the line coils together. If the line ID is relatively new it can still be read, but over time the markings can come off or become hard to read, so on these we add a hang tag so you can ID quickly in your pile of lines at home. To see a video of how it works click here .

SCIENTIFIC ANGLERS AMPLITUDE TEXTURED MPX WF-5-F $129.95

Manufacturer’s line recommendation on: .

Douglas Sky G, G. Loomis NRX+, Orvis Helios D, Douglas DXF, G. Loomis IMX PROV2, Orvis Recon, Orvis Clearwater.

We have been Scientific Anglers line fans for years, and their  Amplitude MPX  line is a perfect choice for many medium to fast 5-weight rods. This line is a half-size heavier than a normal trout taper. The Amplitude MPX in WF-5-F has a total head length of 36 feet with a 6.5-foot front taper that allows for a quick turnover in the wind. 

The MPX is especially good with larger, more wind resistant flies like hoppers and stonefly dries. The Amplitude Textured MPX utilizes tiny “golf ball dimple” laser cut-outs, which help reduce friction in the guides and also with surface tension on the water. These cut-outs create the ultimate in floatation. With SA’s AST Plus slickness additive these Amplitude MPX lines shoot like crazy!

The Amplitude MPX is a ninety-foot three colored line – the 8-foot tip is buckskin, followed with a 35-foot belly that is moss green, and then the rest of the running line is optic green. Having the difference in colors between the head and running line allows you to judge how much line you have out of the rod in the air, and when casting longer distances using a double haul.

ELITE RIO GOLD WF-5-F $129.99

G. Loomis Asquith, Sage R8

The Elite Rio Gold is a fan favorite, and certainly one of our best-selling Rio lines. In the WF-5-F size, it is heavier than a true to weight 5-weight, somewhere between a quarter of a line size heavy and a half line size heavy. If you feel like an Elite Rio Gold is a little light on your current rod, try the Elite Rio Perception, which is a true half a line size heavy.

One thing I like about the Rio Gold while casting the Asquith and R8 at 45 and 60 feet was the longer belly and rear taper gave me extra stability, making it easier to dial in accuracy at distance. I feel like the Elite Rio Perception would be better at 25 feet, fishing two nymphs under a strike indicator, or throwing a streamer. 

Rio’s Elite lines all employ low-stretch Connect-Core Plus which give the angler enhanced detection of takes, faster hook sets, and greater control. Built with Rio’s SlickCast, these lines shoot and float very well.

The Elite Rio Gold is a tri-tone colored line, which helps to judge distance. The running line is light gray, followed by a yellow rear taper and mid, and an avocado green upper mid/tip. Two factory welded loops are included along with a line ID. Both the fly line box and spool are made out of recyclable materials.

ELITE RIO PERCEPTION WF-5-F $129.99

Fenwick Aetos, Grey’s Lance

The Elite Rio Perception is Rio’s top-quality line that is half a line size heavy, similar to the SA MXP or SA Infinity. The Perception has become my favorite Rio all-purpose line for trout fishing. The Gold, (roughly a quarter of a line size heavy) is often too light to match today’s fast action rods while the Grand (a full line size heavy) is too much.

On the Fenwick Aetos and Grey’s Lance, the Perception loaded the rods in close at 25 feet, (especially the Lance), felt perfect at 35-45 feet, and threw stable loops at 60 feet, (especially on the Aetos). In fishing these rods, we found the Elite Rio Perception’s 8’ front taper worked great for turning over bulky dries like chubbies and hoppers, and also performed well throwing two nymphs under an indicator – even in the Livingston wind. Streamers? No problem.

The Elite Rio Perception utilizes Rio’s low-stretch Connect-Core Plus which gives the angler enhanced detection of takes, faster hook sets, and greater control. Factory welded loops and a line ID are included. A tricolored line is featured to help visually measure distance – the running line is a light gray, followed by a dark green back taper to the middle, and finally a brighter chartreuse green from the middle of the body to the tip. Both the fly line box and spool are made of recyclable materials.

ROYAL WULFF TRIANGLE TAPER SIGNATURE PLUS WF-5-F $89.95

Hardy Marksman, Hardy Aydon

We were very impressed with the performance of Royal Wulff Product’s new Triangle Taper Signature Plus lines. Royal Wulff essentially “beefed” their classic Triangle Taper up a little to better match the faster action rods we are seeing today, while still keeping the essence of what makes the Triangle Taper Classic so smooth and fun to cast.

Aside from adding more grain weight, Royal Wulff also shortened the front taper from 36 feet to 30 feet. This is still a very long front taper compared to all the other lines in our Shootout, (with the exception of the even longer front taper of Guideline’s Presentation+ at 58 feet).

We really enjoyed this line on both the Hardy Marksman and Aydon as we were able to make accurate casts and enjoyed stable loops even at 25 and 60 foot limits. The only downside to the line is that if you are primarily casting at 25 feet, other lines like the MPX will give you more feedback since more grain weight is out of the tip of the rod. We would likely have scored the Marksman a 20 at 25’ with the MPX line on it. Also, if you are looking to throw double nymph rigs under an indicator, or heavier leadeye streamers often, then the Triangle Taper will challenge all but expert casters. For DFO (dry fly only) guys, this is your line!

For anglers who want the ultimate performance we suggest the Triangle Taper Signature Plus Textured line ($129.95), which is the same line as the Signature Plus but with a textured coating. Like the SA textured lines, these have less friction when sliding through your guides, float better, and pick up more line from the water. Royal Wulff also gives you three colors instead of two. The only downside that we see with these is the “zipping” sound they make while casting.

The Triangle Taper Signature Plus comes with two factory welded loops and a laser ID for line identification. The fly line box and spool are eco-friendly and made of recyclable materials.

RIO ELITE TECHNICAL TROUT WF-5-F $129.99

G. Loomis NRX+ LP

The Elite Technical Trout is Rio’s high-end, true to weight line. It worked well on the NRX+LP as an all-around line, forming stable loops with delicate presentations. Of all the true to weight lines, we feel the Elite Technical Trout fared the best when pushed to the limits while fishing two nymphs under an indicator or for throwing streamers.

A great all-around line, especially if you are the type of angler who wants to fish dries 75% of the time, but are not afraid to get “down and dirty” if the fish are only feeding under the surface.

Rio’s Elite lines all use low-stretch ConnectCore Plus which gives the angler enhanced detection of takes, faster hook sets, and greater control. Built with Rio’s SlickCast helps these lines shoot and float well.

Rio’s Elite Technical Trout lines come with factory welded loops and a line ID. They feature a tricolored measuring system for increased accuracy and distance control – the running line is gray, followed by an orange sherbet rear taper and a light blue body / front taper. Both the fly line box and spool are made out from recyclable materials.

GUIDELINE PRESENTATION+ WF-5-F $84.99

Guideline NT11

Guideline has improved their original Presentation line, (one of their best-selling lines to hit the market since 2002), by increasing the thickness of the handling line and running line. This increase in grain weight better matches today’s fast action rods, promoting better turnover as well as a more stable loop in the air. Like the Triangle Taper Signature Plus, the Presentation+ has a very long front taper (58 feet!), which helps promote a smooth casting stroke and eliminates the “hinge” feeling that is common on shorter front taper lines.

Guideline seems to have perfectly improved the line by producing a line with enough punch and velocity to handle most winds, nymphs, and small streamers while excelling primarily at smooth delicate, dry fly presentations. Since the rear taper is thicker and longer, it also pairs well for single hand spey casts or water-loaded casts. We did struggle with the Presentation+ when casting a streamer at 60 feet however, and found it doesn’t handle a burly two-nymph freestone rig under a bobber as well as other lines. Still, we thought it was a great all-around line and the perfect match for the NT11, making the rod feel light, powerful, and lively.

The Presentation+ is built on a braided monofilament core. Guideline includes two factory welded loops and a line identification laser ID. The Presentation+ is phthalates free, a toxic agent that is known for softening PVC lines. Both the fly line box and spool are made of eco-friendly recycled materials.

ORVIS PRO TROUT LINE – TEXTURED WF-5-F $129

Orvis Helios F

In case you were unaware, Orvis owns Scientific Anglers. In May of 2013, Orvis acquired Scientific Anglers (along with Ross Reels, which Orvis has since sold). The point is, Orvis has access to some of the best line manufacturing technology in the world.

The Orvis Pro Trout is a true to size line, meaning it is a 5-weight line, not an oversized “5.5-weight” like the SA MPX or Infinity. It has a complex front taper, which is broken down into three sections instead of one:  From the tip of the line, the first front taper is about 4 feet, with very little mass gain. The second front taper is also 4 feet, where the line begins to build in size. The third front taper is 18 feet, and gets much thicker until it gradually hits the belly of the line. This multi front taper seems to work well as an all-around line, especially for medium fast rods like the Orvis Helios F. The 50-foot head with its relatively long rear taper was also good for mending as well as making water-borne, single hand spey casts.

The Orvis Pro Trout lines have AST+ coatings as well as golf ball dimples cut out of it to reduce friction, (the same as its SA amplitude textured line siblings). The Orvis Trout Pro comes with two welded loops as well as a line ID. As with Amplitude Textured lines, the Trout Pro comes in a tri-tone colorway, however, this one has a peach-colored running line, olive belly, and sage tip.

SCIENTIFIC ANGLERS AMPLITUDE SMOOTH INFINITY WF-5-F $99.95

Scott Session

Scientific Anglers’ Infinity Smooth line, like the MPX is a half a line size heavy.  The difference is where extra grain weight is distributed on the line.  With the MPX, those grains are pushed further towards the tip, giving the MPX the “hero” line experience and performance of a modified shooting head. With the Infinity those grains are distributed more evenly through the front taper as well as the belly of the line, improving the delicate presentation of the line while still matching the flex of today’s fast action rods.

The result is an all-around line that has the power to bomb out streamers and turn over double nymph rigs as well as the improved presentation when fishing dries. Since the line has a longer belly and rear taper it produces stable loops at distance and also is better at mending or water-born single hand spey casts.

Scott chose the Infinity Amplitude Smooth version. Many of the guys at the shop prefer the Amplitude Smooth coatings as they don’t make any noise zipping in and out of the guides while casting. But at my age, I can’t hear any of this! (and prefer the better performing Amplitude Textured lines, ha ha).

Personally, I’m still sticking with my Scientific Anglers’ Amplitude Textured MPX in the WF-5-F (and WF-6-F) size. Depending on the rod, I do prefer the Scientific Anglers Infinity Textured WF-4-F. For three weights I prefer the Scientific Anglers Trout Amplitude Textured WF-3-F. 

For whatever reason I feel all of these Amplitude Textured lines outlast all the other brands of lines I have used.

Leaders are extremely important in obtaining accuracy, particularly ones that will turn over well at short distances with very little fly line in the air, especially at 25 feet. Just about any rod will turn over a 9-foot leader easily. But having to turn over a 12-foot leader forces a rod to perform at a higher level.

As in the past, we prefer to set up all the test lines with our own  Yellowstone Angler hand-tied leaders . For this 5-weight Shootout we used our Clear Butt 12 foot 4X leaders. These utilize clear Maxima butt and midsections with Rio nylon 4X tippets. Our hand-tied leaders turn over better than any of the 12 foot knotless leaders we’ve found and are also more accurate than chemically tapered leaders.

On my own 5-weight rods, I’m normally using a 12-foot leader, with tippets from 4x to 6x, fishing dry flies. A 12-foot leader keeps the fly line farther away from the fish, minimizing the number of fish you will spook while casting. If I’m fishing a more wind-resistant fly like a hopper pattern or stonefly, I’ll cut the leader down to 9 feet or less and end up with a 3X-4X tippet. 

When I’m nymph fishing, I often switch to one of our Hot Butt Leaders that utilizes five feet of fluorescent red Amnesia for the butt section, followed with the same clear Maxima we use in our Clear Butt leaders. Since our Hot Butt leaders use the same basic formula as our Clear Butt leaders I often use the Hot Butt leaders, even for fishing dry flies. This makes it easy to switch back and forth if I’m fishing both dry flies and nymphs.

To make it easy to judge turnover and accuracy, in our testing, we tie on a small fluorescent yarn indicator at the end of the leader that approximates casting a medium size dry fly.

DEFLECTION CHARTS

Deflection charts have become an integral part of our Shootouts. These charts help to visually represent the subtle differences among rod actions. The butt and mid-sections flex pretty much the same with slight differences in stiffness. Where the big difference comes in is how much the rods flex in the tip. 

Instead of a chart with all the rods, we break this down into multiple charts for easier viewing.  Aside from breaking these down to groups with just the Elite rods, Mid-Priced rods, and Inexpensive Rods, we have also included other variations, allowing you to compare rods of different prices.

In making these deflection charts, we first staple white butcher paper on to the wall. We place each rod into a homemade, wall mounted jig, that positions each rod at approximately a 45 degree angle. We then hang a 3.9 oz. lead from the tip of each rod to make the rod flex. We tape the tip and midsection down, and trace each rod’s profile with pencil, later retracing it with a colored sharpie.

Using these charts, you can examine each rod’s profile and see how stiff it is compared to other rods and how much the tip bends. The faster action rods (not stiffer action rods) have tips that bend more with stiffer butt and midsections, while the more medium action rods have slightly softer butt and midsections and a relatively stiffer tip.

We have found that faster action rods with softer tips give you better feel, improved accuracy, and more delicate presentations, especially at closer distances. In general, but not always, rods with stiffer tips typically use more material and are thus heavier in swing weight as well. 

Sometimes we find two rods that deflect nearly identically, but the actions and feel are significantly different due to the swing weight of the rod. 

OBJECTIVE OBSERVATIONS

You may have already studied our Objective Observation chart above in the Results First section. Most of these categories are more or less self-explanatory.  Others may need explanation. Here is our breakdown of each category:

Tested Overall Weight in Ounces

In past Shootouts we have learned not to take the manufacturer’s word for it when it comes to weight. Too often have we found manufacturers falsely claiming lighter weights to capture a higher interest from consumers. Here you will find the figures from our Bracknell postage scale. *Note – we weigh all of the rods on the same day/hour to avoid possible differences caused by varying barometric pressure.  

Tested Swing Weight in Ounces

If you play golf, you are familiar with this term. The swing weight is the relationship of the club head weight to the shaft when you wiggle the club in your hands. The swing weight of a fly rod is the weight you feel out ahead of your hand, holding the rod horizontally. A little wiggle helps you feel this with fly rods as well. Rods with a light swing weight are delightful and effortless to cast. Rods with heavy swing weights feel clunky in your hand and are not going to be as pleasant to fish all day. 

To see exactly how we measure swing weight with a postal scale you can view this short video from our 2019 4-weight shootout:

Note the swing weight section of the video is 1 minute long, (running from 2:43 – 3:43). You can watch the rest of the video to see how we deflect rods and our previous discussions, just remember this is from our 4-weight Shootout years ago and won’t show the current 5-weights tested here.

MOI (Moment of Inertia) in Grams/Meters Squared

We found out about Sexy Loops’ Moment of Inertia Calculator from a European friend. This web site allows you to enter data into a database and then uses a complex mathematical formula to calculate swing weight. Anyone can use the calculator and you can do so with your own rod’s measurements. You’ll need to enter 4 things: 1. The weight of each section (in grams), 2. The length of each section (in meters), 3. The mass center of each section (in meters), and 4. The total length of the rod (in meters). To figure out #3, you’ll want to find the balance point for each section. We folded a business card in half, taped it to our countertop and then balanced each section, finding the mass center. There is a good diagram below the calculator showing which measurement will be your mass center. Last but not least, don’t forget step #4!   You will enter the entire length of the rod (in meters) on the bottom row of the calculator. This is necessary because the overall length is used to calculate overlap in the ferrules and the distance from the rod end to the center of mass for each section.

In the past we found the MOI figures didn’t match exactly what we were feeling in our hand. This year we found the figures were, for some reason, closer, however, there were some slight discrepancies between the figures from our method and the MOI calculator figures. We didn’t have a great answer to why our swing weight figures didn’t align perfectly with MOI swing weight figures. We think some of this could be due to differences in the cork grip shapes, since we measured the fulcrum in the middle of the swell. Some rods utilize a swell that encourages your hand to grip it further towards the top. When you “choke up” on the grip, even if it is only a centimeter difference this can make the rod feel lighter in your hand.

At the end of the day we feel the MOI figures were worth including in our Objective Observations chart, especially for our readers with scientific or engineering interests.

Manufacturers’ Line Recommendation

Here you will find each manufacturer’s line recommendation for their rod. We have abbreviated some of these names to fit in the column better. Here are the non-abbreviated versions as well as their price:

Scientific Anglers Amplitude Textured MPX ($129.95) Elite Rio Gold ($129.99) Royal Wulff Triangle Taper Signature Plus ($89.95) Elite Rio Technical Trout ($129.99) Orvis Pro Trout Line – Textured ($129) Guideline Presentation + ($84.99) Scientific Anglers Amplitude Smooth Infinity ($99.95) Elite Rio Perception ($129.99)

Blank Material

We asked each manufacturer “what type of material is your rod blank made from?” Without giving away any secrets, in this column you’ll find each manufacturer’s answer. All of the answers involved some kind of graphite, (technically carbon fiber) although each company has a specific marketing name for it. None of the manufacturers wished to reveal the modulus of graphite they used, nor which section they used it in. And we don’t blame them – this would be like trying to get Auntie Rae’s secret recipe for her salad dressing!

Cork Handle Shape

This one is simple, however certain manufacturers had different modifications and their own spin on certain grip shapes. If you have smaller hands, in general, we’ve noticed customers gravitating towards the cigar, micro full wells, or snub half wells grips. If you have larger hands, often a full wells or modified full wells will feel best. This is all personal preference, if it feels comfortable then go with it.

Cigar Grip 

As the name implies, these grips have the general appearance of a cigar, perhaps a torpedo shaped Monte Cristo #2.  While many cigar grips now have a slight flare at the bottom end, a true cigar grip won’t have any flare. The top end of all cigar grips is quite narrow, allowing anglers to cast with either their thumb on the grip, or instead place their index finger up on the blank. Classic cigar grips used to be standard especially on Eastern built, downlocking rods. Nowadays, builders still use cigar grips, however nearly all rod manufacturers are using uplock reel seats.

Half Wells 

A half wells, also referred to as a “Western” grip or “reverse half-wells” refers to a grip that is relatively thin at the top, a swell in the middle, and a flare at the bottom of the grip (the reel seat side). We are seeing more and more of these on 5-weight rods particularly.

A full wells grip flares at both ends of the cork. These are often found on saltwater rods, (or powerful 6 weights) that are built for more power over feel. The idea with a full wells grip is that your thumb can nestle in the dip between the swell in the middle and the top flare, allowing you to apply more power for a more aggressive casting stroke. 

Modified Full Wells/Micro Full Wells

A modified full wells, (also referred to as a micro full wells) is a miniature version of a full wells grip. The flares at both ends are not as large, although usually the top flare is even smaller than the bottom flare. These have become quite popular in 5-weight rods as they have proven to be great all-around grips for power and feel.  

Snub Half Wells

This is what Sage calls their version of a micro full wells. Sage’s snub half wells grips have become well known for comfort and feel and are certainly one of the best all-around shaped grips on the market today for a 5-weight fly rod. 

Width of Cork at Widest Spot Inches / mm

In this column you’ll find the width of the cork at the widest part of the handle – excluding either of the swells at the top or bottom (that you would never grasp anyway). We found that nearly all of the handles were in a similar range here, however there were a few outliers. The smallest (thinnest grip) by far was on the Grey’s Lance at .85” or 21.70mm. Anglers with small hands will likely love this grip, anglers with normal to larger hands will probably dislike it. For anglers with meathooks, the Fenwick Aetos was the largest at .99” or 25.21mm, followed by the Hardy Marksman at .99” or 25.17mm, and the G. Loomis Asquith at .98” or 25 mm.

If you love your rod, but don’t love the grip width, you do have a couple of options. If the grip is too large in diameter for your hands, you can sand the cork down. If you are careful, you can start this process on a lathe. Perhaps you can sand off some cork or add 3M vetwrap tape to it if the grip is too narrow to begin with.

Type of Stripping Guides Used

The stripping guide is the largest guide on the rod, the first one up from the butt section. Most saltwater rods have two stripping guides to help funnel their more powerful energy but all of the 5-weights we tested had only one stripping guide. These stripping guides all had some kind of ceramic insert, designed to reduce friction. 

The most expensive of these are the Cerecoil stripping guides offered by REC components. These are the industry’s newest and most high-tech guide on the market, with a nickel titanium frame and a zirconia ceramic insert. The only downside to these rings is we have seen a very small sample “pop” out during the shipping process.

SiC stripping guides refer to silicon carbide, which are considered to be one of the best materials for stripping guides as they use a ceramic ring to reduce both friction and heat. Titanium refers to a tensile titanium frame.  

We think a titanium/ceramic stripping guide is virtually the same as a titanium/SiC, just one made by a different manufacturer than Fuji. A chrome/ceramic stripping guide has a chrome frame and a ceramic insert. The chrome versions are the same color as the titanium but thicker (and heavier). A black SiC uses a black nickel frame.

A silicone nitride (SN) stripping guide is also similar to a SiC stripping guide.  They also are made with low profile high tensile titanium frames but with a polished SN insert. Very similar to SiC, SN is a ceramic that is designed to reduce friction and heat, as well as add fracture resistance and strength.

Type of Guides Used

Here we look at the remaining guides located above the stripping guide(s).  Snake guides have two “feet” which are both wrapped with thread and covered with epoxy. Snake guides have a spiral appearance and rarely ever pull out. Single foot guides only have one foot which is wrapped with thread and covered in epoxy. They cut weight because of less material, but mainly because of less epoxy. While rare, we have seen a few single foot guides “pull” out of their thread/epoxy dens.

Chrome guides, whether snake guides or single foot are made out of stainless steel with a chrome coating. These guides are significantly thicker and heavier than Recoil guides. Chrome guides are very durable. I can’t remember ever seeing one break in half, although they can get bent out of shape.

Recoil brand guides, whether snake guides or single-foot guides have a much thinner gauge wire and are flexible. They are made from a nickel titanium alloy which is extremely hard but flexible. If you push these guides down (or around) they will quickly “pop” back into their original position. The exception to this is in the middle of winter, on days close to 10 degrees F or less, we have noticed Recoil guides with stay in the same position you bend them in. 

While all recoil guides are made from a nickel titanium alloy, natural titanium refers to the silver color guides whereas black pearl refers to the black color guides.

Includes Rod Sock or Tube Slits?

All of the rods in our 2024 5-Weight Shootout include hard rod tubes. Some of these hard cases are metal, others are made of PVC or plastic, covered with Cordura (a fabric weave).

Most high-end rods include some type of cloth bag. These cloth bags all have 4 separate sections to keep the individual rod sections from hitting each other. This keeps the rod from getting little transfers or scraping marks, either from other sections or from the rod tube itself.

This year both Sage and Orvis came up with new rod socks. The R8 rod sock now comes with a micro cord (black with reflective silver diamonds) and a pull tab that slides up, similar to a miniature bolo tie. We like this upgrade although their old strings were just as useful. Orvis on the other hand, includes a buckle with their new Helios rod socks. We think this is pretty cool and the logo on the sock looks sharp as well, complete with a length and weight designation.

We always prefer rods that offer rod socks as sometimes when going on a trip you want to bring 3 or 4 rods, (or even more). The best way to travel with this many rods is to take each rod out of their hard tube, and place all together, each in their respective rod socks into a carry-on tube or carrying case. Some of our favorite carrying cases hold both rods and reels including those by Fishpond, Sage, Simms, Orvis, Patagonia, and Nigiri.  

One trick we like to do is to place one rod in the carrying case with the cork handle end on the left side, and your next rod the opposite way with the cork handle side on the right. This allows you to fit quite a few more rods if you are the kind of angler that brings 6-8 rods along instead of 3-4. You never know!

If a rod doesn’t include a rod sock, then their case will have interior slits that divide the inside of the rod tube. Like a rod sock, these slits allow each section to be separated so they can’t rub against each other. You will often find this solution with less expensive rods, especially in rod “kits” or “combos” where the rod, reel, and line are all sold together.   

You will have to buy a separate rod sock if you wish to travel with one of these rods outside of its hard tube. 

Country of Origin

This one is self-explanatory – except for the Asquith. The Asquith blanks are rolled in Japan and shipped to Woodland, Washington where they are built and finished.

FINAL RESULTS

PRICE in US$ – 10 points available

Simple – the lower the price, the higher the points awarded. Our three inexpensive contenders all got perfect 10’s, ranging from $219.95 – $249.00, (a $29.05 difference). The Asquith, now $1,235, gets the lowest score with a 6, while some of the best mid-priced rods like the NT11, Aydon, and the DXF, ranging from $549 – $599, (a $50.99 swing) were scored at 8.7 points.

Craftsmanship

In past Shootouts, we only had one category for craftsmanship, with 10 points available. We looked at many things to determine this – what types of guides are used? There are several types of stripping guides, but the best seem to be the titanium frame, zirconium or SiC (ceramic insert) style guides. We think the best guides above the stripping guide are the flexible nickel/titanium alloy single-foot and snake guides, which are much lighter (and more expensive) than the heavier, hard chrome versions. How well are the guides wrapped and how nice are the coatings? How about the shape of the cork and the quality? How about the reel seat quality and functionality? 

This year we decided to break craftsmanship down into 6 separate categories, (Quality of Guides/Guide set up, Ergonomics of Cork Grip, Quality of Cork Grip, Reel Seat Functionality, Reel Seat Luxury, and Thread Wrap and Epoxy Finish). 

Originally, we had these at 10 points available in each category, but we felt allotting 60 points to craftsmanship was too much, so we opted for 5 points available. But to our surprise, when we did preliminary calculations, this didn’t change the finishing order anyway, so we just stuck with 10 points available. The main idea is a least you can see how we scored craftsmanship individually.

Quality of Guides / Guide Set Up – 10 points available

Here we looked at two things: 1. What is the quality of the guides utilized? and 2. Do we like the style of guide set up? 

The first part is simple. The best guide components happen to be the most expensive. Some manufacturers are willing to pay top dollar for the best parts, others appear to be saving money and padding their bottom line. For a large manufacturer this adds up quickly – if you can save $8.50 per rod on the cost of guides, multiplied by 10,000 rods a year that saves $85,000.00. Not exactly chump change!

As for the second half, we prefer lighter guide setups rather than heavier ones. This gives Recoil ® brand guides the edge since they are thinner and lighter than the hard chrome guides. Single-foot guides are lighter than snake guides. Not only are they lighter themselves, they only require one set of thread wraps and epoxy instead of two sets, which are required when snake guides are used. In terms of color, we gave the darker guides the edge. The darker versions of chrome or recoil guides are more expensive, and while any rod moving in the air is going to spook fish, we suppose darker would be slightly less reflective.

We gave the Sky G, Marksman, NRX+LP, and NRX+ perfect 10’s here – all rods that utilize Recoil ® single-foot guides. We gave the Asquith a 9.5 (half a point more) for its relatively smaller Recoil ® snake guides, which were smaller than those found on the Helios F and D. The Scott Session and Fenwick Aetos each scored an 8.5 but for different reasons. The Session has thinner light wire dark chrome snakes guides. These are not flexible like Recoil ® snakes but they are definitely lighter than the thicker hard chrome guides. The Aetos did have the thicker hard chrome guides, but in single-foot and also in the darker color. We gave 8’s to the R8, NT11, Aydon, IMX PRO V2, and Lance. The R8 has chrome snakes, but they are smaller than the other chrome snake guides we found on other rods. We might have scored this a 7.8 since they still require two sets of thread and epoxy per guide but we kept it to .5 intervals.

The NT11, Aydon, IMX PRO V2, and Lance all utilize chrome single-foot guides of similar size. We gave the DXF a 7.5 because it has excessively large chrome snake guides (normally a 7, but we gave them .5 extra for the black color scheme and the fact they were thinner than most chrome snakes). The Recon and Clearwater but got 7’s. The Recon has larger hard snake chrome guides (like the DXF but in silver) and the Clearwater has thick chrome guides that are slightly smaller but likely heavier and less expensive.

Ergonomics of Cork Grip – 10 points available

In this column we scored the shape and size of the cork handle. Both of these are personal preference, so these scores are our subjective opinions. If you have small hands however, you should take a look at the Grey’s Lance. If you have extra-large hands take a look at the Fenwick Aetos, Hardy Marksman, or G. Loomis Asquith.

We felt the Helios F, Helios D, and Sage R8 had three of the most comfortable grips, each scoring perfect 10’s. The Helios models utilize modified full wells grips, the R8 sticking with their ever popular “snub” half wells. These grips just felt good in our hands. They gave us a little something extra to lean into. When punching into the wind or blasting a cast out long it felt good to put our thumb in the dip before the top flare. The grips also felt good in close, when we were trying to be as accurate as possible. 

The Sky G and Asquith both scored 9.5’s and were nearly as comfortable.  The Asquith had a slightly thicker swell in the middle but tapered off towards the top smoothly. The Sky G has a cigar grip, but the swell is slightly higher towards the tip of the rod, which also helps reduce swing weight.  We liked both of these grips slightly better than the rest of the pack, which pretty much scored 9’s. The Marksman was definitely thicker and could possibly have gotten a 8.8, but was still smaller than the even thicker Fenwick Aetos grip, which we scored an 8.5. The Grey’s Lance we scored a 6.5 as it was way too thin for most anglers. Aside from anglers with especially small hands the Lance’s grip is simply too thin to the point that it was a distraction. (See our notes on how to fix this yourself by wrapping vet wrap around the cork handle).

Quality of Cork Grip – 10 points available

Another straightforward category – the better the grade of cork, the better the score. Manufacturers use different terms for high grade cork, describing them as “Flor grade,” “AAA grade,” or “Special grade.” Regardless of nomenclature we found subtle differences in quality, which are so close they could vary from rod to rod in the same brand’s 9’#5 model. 

It was easy to see what less expensive cork looked like, which had pits and blemishes, often filled in with cork dust filler to look better. Over time however, this filler falls away from the grip leaving your rod with many pits or skinny, miniature trenches. While these pits don’t make your rod any harder to grip, over time they can cave in, especially if they happen to be where your thumb naturally sits.

All things being equal in quality of the cork rings, we also awarded .5 points for manufacturers who included a more durable section of cork composite at the top end of the cork, as well as an additional .5 additional points at the bottom of the cork. Rods are getting expensive, and if they are to be true “heirloom” rods that can be passed down for generations, the cork has a better chance of remaining unchipped with these cork composite end-caps. Unless you have no hook keeper and are sticking your fly near the top of your cork grip it is usually the bottom end that chips the worst.

We scored the Sky G a 10 here because the cork quality was very good and both ends were capped with cork composite to eliminate chipping. Although the Asquith has no composite on either end, the thin cork rings seemed a notch above the rest and we could not deny them a 9.5. The NRX+LP and NRX+ have nearly as good cork, plus they utilize cork composite on the bottom end. The Marksman, Helios F, Helios D, R8, Aydon, IMX PRO V2, all had excellent grade cork, but all without cork composite on either end. Cork quality seemed to drop off quickly from there. Both the DXF and Aetos utilize cork composites, but the quality of their cork rings was not good, each with lots of filler. The Clearwater had less filler but no cork composite.

Reel Seat Functionality – 10 points available

Here we focused on the functionality of each reel seat. Our preference was for two locking rings rather than a single locking ring. Aside from the Asquith, which has a phenomenally positive single locking ring we have found two locking rings are better than one to securely fasten your reel to prevent slippage. We prefer the upper lock ring to be thicker, and the second lock ring to be thinner.

We examined how the reel foot sits in the reel seat. Is it obvious where it fits and once you crank down the rings does it stay put securely or wiggle a tiny bit? We considered how thick or thin are the threads. If too thin will mud, dust, and grime get in the way when it is time to remove your reel? Especially if you keep it attached to your rod and in a rod vault most of its life.

We gave the Scott Session the only 10 in this category as we felt the double lock rings were smooth as butter but also very positive when locking down the reel to the rod. While the hood rotates, we found it very easy to find where to put the reel foot. There were other standouts, including the Asquith, NRX+LP, NRX+, IMX PRO V2, and the Douglas DXF Gen 2.

The Asquith, only had one lock ring but was one of the best at gaining a positive lock and also had serious knurling for a grip to twist it tight. The other G. Loomis rods all had great lock rings and were easy to use as well.  Functionality wise, we liked the DXF Gen 2 reel seat more than the Sky G, with its excellent lock rings and ease of use.

The Helios rods were easy to use but only had one lock ring which was not as smooth as others going up and down the threads. The Hardy Marksman lost points as it was not as easy to fit the reel into the reel seat without looking closely – which also made things tough since it is a black reel seat. The sliding hood also wasn’t very thick, which made it slightly difficult to seat the foot on the bottom end as well. The Guideline NT11 lost a point or two because it only had one lock ring, with very thin threads. The hood on the Grey’s Lance barely fit our reel seat and although it had two locking rings did not tighten well – even when fully tightened the reel seat wiggled back and forth.

Reel Seat Luxury – 10 points available

Here we graded the reel seats as seen as art. Was the reel seat stunning and made from appealing or attractive materials? Did the reel seat stand out and make you desire the rod more (or less)? Does the reel seat include a classy wood insert spacer or a cool skeletal design? Obviously, this was another subjective category which not all will agree with.

We gave the Asquith the only 10 here. If you are used to Lexus steering wheels you will recognize the bamboo utilized in this insert. The threads are perfect, the hood has attractive cutouts, the single locking ring has excellent knurling, and even the butt cap has the engraved “fear no fish” logo.  

Lots of excellent reel seats to follow that all scored 9’s. Some of our favorite looks include the Sky G, Scott Session, Hardy Marksman, NRX+LP, NRX+ and IMX PRO V2. The DXF 2’s “murdered out” all black reel seat was cool but seemed more fitting on a saltwater rod. The NT11’s wood insert looked nice but the metal hardware was pretty plain. The Fenwick Aetos added a carbon fiber insert but still had an inexpensive look to it. The Grey’s Lance and Clearwater had the least character, with similar solid metal and no contrasting lines to speak of.

Thread Wrap and Epoxy Finish – 10 points available

Here we take a close look to see how well are the guides wrapped and how nice are the epoxy coatings? Nearly everyone is using one-coat epoxy coatings over the guide wraps now. If they are not carefully applied, they are often sloppy and add unnecessary weight, especially if the epoxy globs are closer to the tip of the rod.

We gave the G. Loomis Asquith the only 10 although the Scott Session and Hardy Marksman were close at 9.5 each. The Sky G was also very good, as were the NRX+ rods and the Guideline NT11. The others were satisfactory, but the Sage R8 still had the bulkiest coatings.     

Warranty – 10 points available

Nearly all manufacturers offer some kind of limited “Lifetime Warranty.”  In part, this is why rods have become as expensive as they are. Manufacturers expect a certain percentage of rods to come back broken, whether by defect or broken in a car door. Knowing they will have to deal with these broken rods (usually just the tip) they pad the purchase price to help pay for the materials and labor that they will eventually have to supply.

Some manufacturers refer to their fee as a warranty fee, others are charging an associated “handling fee” or “shipping fee” to repair or replace a broken rod. Additionally, it will cost you around $10-15 to ship your rod in for repair, or have your local shop do it for you. Some manufacturers only require a photo of the broken rod piece, which helps save time and money since you are not required to send your broken rod or section in. For this Shootout, we have re-checked each manufacturer’s warranty policy in detail as many have changed slightly over the years. You can read our summary of each manufacturer’s warranty policy below.

We have awarded scores prioritizing the lowest repair charges and quickest repair turnaround times. If your favorite rod breaks at the start of the summer and you don’t get it back for two months you are going to be very angry!

Some manufacturers no longer allow retail stores to handle repairs, which is frustrating for both consumers and fly shops. G.Loomis has taken the lead on this, and will not allow a dealer to handle a customer’s rod repair. Instead, customers must register their rod online, and supply a credit card to cover the repair fees. Not only does this allow the manufacturer more visibility, (as they can now bomb the customer’s inbox with spam e-mails, closeout discounts, and brand awareness), but it may even cut down on repairs, (as some customers may give up on dealing with the repair process entirely), opting to purchase a new rod instead.

We took all of this into consideration when scoring each manufacturer’s warranty policy. To get a 10, repair charges had to be $65 or less, not require you to send in the broken rod, (sending in a photo of the broken section(s) will suffice), and have a turnaround time of roughly one week or less. Most rated between 8.5 and 9 with an average fee of $75 and an average of 3-4 weeks turnaround time. Orvis only offers a 25-year warranty, however we feel this wasn’t a huge deterrent since most serious anglers will have the latest and greatest by year 2049. We dinged Sage down to a 7.5 as some of their legacy rods are more expensive to fix, but mostly since Sage’s turnaround times take 2-3 months. A real bummer should you happen to break your rod on June 20th. Fenwick received our lowest score at 6.5 as they now only offer a 5-year warranty, and if you break a rod, (due to the angler’s fault), the rod is replaced at 45% discount. After that, no future warranty is allowed, (unless your replacement rod has a true manufacturing defect). Ouch!

Fun to Fish “Got to Have” – 10 points available

We got the idea for this category years ago from the Car and Driver automobile Shootouts.  Now that we have eliminated our “Perfect 5” category, this category gives you our opinions on the best rods and how they stack up. If a rod looks like a million bucks and casts like it too, and has that certain “wow” factor, anglers are going to desire it.

Some anglers might consider a high-priced rod as a status symbol. For others, seeing how a rod performs in an expert caster’s hands convinces them it would make them a better angler as well, or at least take them up to the next level. Surprisingly, this is often true, even if it is just a boost in confidence.  Great rods don’t make great casters, but there is no doubt that they will improve any angler’s casting skills.

Pick any rod here that we rated a 9 or better and you have a real winner!  We gave out 10’s to the Sky G, Asquith, Marksman, and NRX+LP. All of these rods were in almost every tester’s top four. They are all perfect 5 weights, each with subtle differences in feel, power, swing weight, and accuracy. While G. Loomis and Hardy have better marketing and brand recognition than Douglas, we just couldn’t deny the Sky G a 10.

We gave the NRX+ a 9.8 as it performed best at 45-60 feet and was likely too powerful for most anglers. Still, for long bomb assassins, this is the one!  The Helios F was on the other bookend, being one of the softer rods in the Shootout. This could be the rod for the dry fly angler! The Helios D and Sage R8 felt nearly identical and were stiffer with less feel than the aforementioned rods. Like Chevy or Ford, they both have extremely large followings and fan bases, their ads look the best in fly fishing magazines and they are the best at social media ads as well.

The NT11 and Aydon got the highest Mid-Priced rod scores, each with a 9. The NT11 is so light and playful that we feel any trout angler will smile after casting it. The Aydon was not far behind, as Hardy has a little more stream cred, at least here in the USA where Guideline is not yet well known. The IMX Pro V2, DFX Gen 2, and Session all got 8.5’s, mostly due to their inherently higher swing weights. The DXF Gen 2 was lighter and felt best, but also Douglas also doesn’t have the same marketing power or brand appeal as G.Loomis or Scott. The Recon, Aetos, and Clearwater all had the heaviest swing weights in the test. The Lance had the thinnest grip and not much power, although it would be a great pick for women, children, or anyone with small hands.

Overall Weight – 10 points available

Another simple category, the lighter the overall weight the higher the score. Sometimes companies know they can reduce overall weight by choosing lighter materials in the reel seat or butt section. The problem with this method is that it doesn’t make the rod feel lighter in your hand like swing weight does, hence the reason we only scored up to 10 points.

For the overall weight, we simply placed each rod horizontally on the scale, read the weight and rounded it off to one tenth of an ounce. Overall weight is certainly a factor, but the swing weight is far more important.

Swing Weight – 20 points available

The swing weight of the rod is the weight you feel out ahead of your hand, holding the rod horizontally. A little wiggle back and forth helps you feel this. Rods with a light swing weight are delightful, fun, and effortless to cast. Rods with a heavy swing weight feel clunky and clumsy in your hand and are not going to be pleasant to cast and fish all day.  

Since swing weight plays a large role in how a rod feels in your hand and also performs, we raised the points available in this category to 20 points. Using our method of finding the swing weight, the Sky G was the winner. The Asquith, Marksman, Aydon, and NT11 were close.  Heavier rods included the Recon, Aetos, and Clearwater.

Performance at 25 Feet – 20 points available

A rod’s ability to make delicate and accurate presentations using small flies and a 12’ leader are the keys to scoring well here. Casting accuracy is one of the biggest factors we use in rating each rod at 25’. The feel you get through the cork handle imparts feedback which leads to confidence, allowing you to put the fly exactly where you want it. I’m convinced the key to catching more trout and especially larger trout is casting accuracy with a delicate presentation. Fly selection is important, but if you slam the correct fly on top of a big spooky fish, the game is over immediately.

Does the tip load well enough in close, to give you the feel and accuracy you need with only the leader and very little line out of the guides? At short range I like to cast off the tip of the rod, using mostly my wrist and very little arm movement to power the tip of the rod through the stroke. The best rods in this category are almost always the lightest in swing weight, since you are doing a lot of false casting while fishing dries.

The best all-around 5-weights need to perform exceptionally well at short distances. 90% of the dry fly fishing I do is at distances between 25-45 feet. The rods that scored 19.5 or better here are the ones to consider. 

Performance at 35 Feet – 20 points available

35 feet is a new testing distance for us. While casting various rods on the lawn beside our shop, we decided to cast at a distance that felt “normal” to us when we were targeting rising fish. What we realized was that everyone was casting around 33-38 feet – a distance that we have not scored in our previous Shootouts.

At 25 feet, it is more difficult to feel the rod load since very little line is out of the rod tip. A few rods still do this quite well, which became our favorite rods. We found at 45 feet accuracy can become more difficult, especially when there is any wind. Even a 5 mph side wind can blow you off target, and if a gust of 10-12 mph blows through it can be enough to throw your fly several feet off center. 

35 feet just felt like the perfect distance to load the rod well and make an accurate cast without spooking the fish. When fishing, 35’ is also a good distance to manage line as mending is easy to control. At this distance you have just the right amount of slack on the water to still strike quickly as needed. At 45-60 feet there can be a delay from when your brain tells your hand to strike, and when the fly actually moves as a result.

The Sky G, Asquith, Marksman, and NRX+LP were the standouts here, each earning a perfect 20. The NRX+, Helios F, R8, Aydon, and DXF Gen 2 were not far behind, each scoring 19.5.

Performance at 45 Feet – 20 points available

The best all-around 5-weights need to be able to perform well at 45 feet. Ideally, if a fish moves outside of 35 feet, an angler can reposition to get a little closer. But sometimes that isn’t feasible. Perhaps the angler has sneaked in low and on his or her knees, making it harder to move up. Perhaps they are fishing a tailwater and moving forward in the shallow water will send warning rings to trout’s lateral line. If a rod can be accurate at 45 feet there is no need to move. 

At 45 feet a 5-weight rod needs to be light and pleasant enough to do a lot of false casting, as you will when fishing dry flies all day. Rods that throw a stable loop at 45 feet will also be good at throwing larger wind-resistant dries like chubbies and hoppers. Getting your leader to turn over a fly in 20 mph wind requires a rod that is capable of giving you extremely tight loops. Or, if the fish are not rising well to the surface, it is nice to have a rod with ample power to add a tungsten bead dropper.

The best 5-weights will have excellent loop control at 45 feet and not require a double haul (unless you are casting into a brisk headwind). They should also be able to open your loop if you happen to be fishing two nymphs under an indicator. We have found the rods that seem the most capable of doing all of the above are nearly always the faster action rods.

This year we didn’t give any perfect 20’s. I suppose some of this had to do with adding the 35’ distance, but I didn’t feel any of the rods were absolutely perfect. This is actually something I prefer however, as I value a higher scoring rod in close. If a rod was perfect at 45 or 60 it would by nature be less effective at 25-35 feet.

The G. Loomis Asquith was nearly perfect and at 19.8 was closest to a true 20. It was very light in hand, and exceptionally accurate. The Sky G, Marksman, NRX+LP, Helios F, Helios D, and R8 were hot on its heels at 19.5.

Performance at 60 Feet – 20 points available

This year we reduced our longest distance from 70 feet to 60 feet. We felt it was easier to judge accuracy at 60 feet as 70 feet is more of a hope and pray distance. Rather than back our 70 feet category down to a maximum of 10 points we decided to go with 60 feet and keep it at 20 points available. We also felt most people won’t be casting at 70 feet, so our Shootout might be more useful to them at a more reasonable distance. 

We don’t often ask a 5-weight to cast 60 feet and beyond, but the best rods can certainly do it well, especially with an expert caster at the controls. But this also requires an angler to double-haul well with good form.

There are not many instances that call for this kind of long-range casting, but we value this distance category as the rods that handle longer distances best also handled the wind better, as well as fishing smaller streamers the best.

Sure, a 6 or 7 weight rod would be better suited to get the job done fishing streamers, but a good 5-weight works surprisingly well as long as you limit your streamers to smaller sizes that utilize materials that don’t soak up a ton of water. 

With a great all-around 5-weight you can say goodbye to the years of bringing along two rods (one for dries and one for streamers). 

While we didn’t score any rods a perfect 20 at 60 feet, here the NRX+ was the king. Even when compared directly to the other stiffer rods it was a lighter and better rocket launcher. The Asquith, Marksman, and R8 were close, but the NRX+ was truly on a level of its own. The Clearwater had plenty of power to cast 60 feet but was unpleasant to do so because of its heavy swing weight, scoring a 17.5. The Scott Session, which I liked much better in close, was too soft in the mid-section to consistently generate accurate casts at 60 feet, scoring only a 17.

MANUFACTURERS’ WARRANTIES EXPLAINED

We have here summarized the latest warranty policies of rod manufacturers and our experience with repair turn-around times. Before you purchase any rod, check the manufacturers for updates to their warranty policies as these often change. Click on their logo or name to see each manufacturer’s spiel in detail.

Douglas  – No fault, lifetime warranty for original owner with proof of purchase. A $45 fee (per damaged section) plus a $20 shipping and handling fee inside the continental US. You do NOT have to send your broken rod to Douglas, instead fill out the on-line form, take a photo of your broken section(s) and Douglas will ship you a replacement in less that 7 business days.

Go to:  https://douglasoutdoors.com/warranty/ to start this process.

Contact Info: 1-315-695-2000

Fenwick –  Fenwick now offers a 5-year warranty for all rod models. Proof of purchase is required. Fenwick will replace the broken rod with a new rod. There is a $9.95 processing fee for rods broken while actively fishing. If the breakage is the fault of the angler (car door, stepped on, etc.) the rod will be replaced with one at a 45% discount and no further warranty. (If a true manufacturing defect is found in your replacement rod it would still be covered), but for angler-fault accidental breaks, the second time around the 45% discount option is no longer available. Usually takes less than 2 weeks.

You no longer have to send your rod in for repair, instead simply take a photo of your broken section(s) and send it to [email protected] . Click here to register your rod: https://register.fenwickfishing.com/ .

Or, go to: https://www.fenwickfishing.com/fenwick-warranty to start this process Contact Info: 1-(877)-336-7637 or e-mail: [email protected] .

Greys  – You must create an account and register your rod within 60 days of purchase.  Lifetime warranty for the repair or replacement (at Grey’s discretion). Greys asks that you send your rod in for inspection. If Greys determines that there was a defect, the rod will be repaired or replaced at no charge. Otherwise the processing fee is $35.00. Shipping is out of their US warehouse and usually takes less than 2 weeks.

Go to: https://www.greysfishing.com/warranty-policy to start this process Contact Info: 1-(888)-516-1247

Hardy –  Lifetime warranty to original owner. Hardy asks that you send in your broken rod for inspection. No payment is required if the issue is deemed to be a manufacturer fault. Otherwise, there is a $75 handling fee per section. (Editor’s note: we have noticed Hardy reducing this to a $75 handling fee per claim – for those who are kind and courteous and don’t send multiple broken rods in each year). Rods are repaired or sections replaced. Shipping is from their US warehouse, usually takes less than 2 weeks.

Go to: https://www.hardyfishing.com/hardy-warranty to start this process

Contact Info:1-(888)-516-1247

G. Loomis –    You must create an account and register your rod within 30 days of purchase.  Lifetime warranty to original owner. If you feel your rod has broken because of a defect, send it back. Your rod will be examined, if deemed a manufacturer defect, the broken section will be replaced with no handling fee. This option usually takes longer, 3-4 weeks.

If broken from neglect or it is the angler’s fault, (car door, stepped on etc.) use the Xpeditor service. Usually it is a tip section that breaks – if so use the Tip Program which is cheaper. Most fly rods cost $60 for a new tip, the Asquith is $75. If it is any other section than the tip use the regular Xpeditor service.  Most all fly rod models cost $150, while the Asquith is $310.

If you opt for either an Xpeditor tip or regular Xpeditor service, you should have a new tip (or new rod) in less than a week. You do not have to send back broken tips (hence you could order an “extra” this way if you wanted to have a backup). G.Loomis will provide a FED-EX shipping label for you to send back your broken rod. As long as they receive your broken rod within 30 days you will not be charged the full amount for a new rod, just the replacement fee.

Go to: https://www.gloomis.com/pages/services to start this process Contact Info: 1-(877)-577-0600

Guideline  –  For NT11 and NT8 rods customers are entitled to a 25 year warranty for the original owner. Sections will be repaired or replaced at Guideline’s discretion. Customers are required to send broken rods in. If Guideline deems it is a manufacturer’s defect there is no charge. For all other repairs, there is a $75 handling fee per claim. Shipping is from Guideline’s US warehouse and usually takes less than 2 weeks.

If you know the break is not a manufacturer’s defect, or you simply need a new section quickly, Guideline also offers an I-Express service, where you may purchase the exact section(s) you need from their Spare Parts on-line store. Each section costs $75.00 (which includes shipping fees) and is immediately shipped to you from the US warehouse, meaning you will likely receive it within 3-5 business days. 

Go to: https://www.guidelineflyfish.com/en/rodparts Contact Info: [email protected]

Orvis  –  You must create an account and register your rod. A 25 year no fault warranty to original owner. $60 handling fee. Rod is repaired, or sections are replaced. If Orvis determines that there was a defect, the rod will be repaired or replaced at no charge. For new Helios, Helios 3, Mission, and the current Recon, Clearwater, and Encounter series rods, Orvis offers a new section replacement program with a 5-business day turnaround. Other repairs usually take 4-6 weeks.  

Go to https://www.orvis.com/fly-rod-repair.html to start this process. Contact Info: 1-(800)-548-9548

Sage  –  All Sage rods are covered under a lifetime warranty to the original owner. The warranty covers any defects in materials and workmanship, but does not cover direct, indirect, consequential, incidental, or any other type of damage resulting from use of the product. Rods that are broken or damaged due to normal use (examples: tip break due to high sticking, fly strike breakage, shut it in the car door, etc.) are subject to a repair fee. Click on the repairs-pricing link for an update on the repair fees. These fees cover the repair of the broken rod, in addition to the shipping back to the customer. Turnaround time usually takes 10-12 weeks. 

• Current Models : $50
• Recent Models : $95
• Legacy Models : $195

Go to https://farbank.com/pages/warranty-repair-policy to start this process. https://farbank.com/pages/repairs-pricing Contact Info: 1-(888)-848-7243 or 1-(206)-842-6608

Scott  –  Lifetime, no fault warranty to the original owner. $65 handling fee per claim, (not per section). Customers are required to return the entire rod. Broken sections will be rebuilt to match the original rod if they cannot be repaired. Usually takes 4-5 weeks.

Go to: https://www.scottflyrod.com/warranty to start the process or click here to download the repair form: Repair Form . Contact Info: 1-(970)-249-3180 or [email protected]

OUR THOUGHTS ABOUT A PURCHASE

As always, we feel it is best to cast a rod before you purchase it. We cordially invite you to stop at our shop and do your own rod comparison right here on our lawn. We have several reels rigged with the various line sizes, and leaders, all ready to go to complete your own “mini-shootout.” 

We realize many of our readers have a trusted fly shop near them, and likely have a good relationship with the staff. We encourage you to swing by “your” fly shop and try a few rods there if you can, and if you like a rod, purchase it with them. We would rather see you support your local fly shop than order a rod directly from the manufacturer.

However, if your fly shop doesn’t carry the rod you are interested in, (or perhaps they have been mean to you), we would love to have your business. Any purchase, large or small, helps us keep the lights on, and we appreciate it!

Use this link to go to our  Favorite Freshwater Outfits  where you will find our favorite rod and reel combinations. Here you’ll find our recommendations in three price ranges: The High-End Outfits, Mid-Priced Outfits and best Inexpensive Outfits. All of these outfits will come to you fully rigged, (with backing, line, leader, and even a yarn indicator for practicing on your lawn).  As soon as you get your package in the mail you can immediately put your package together and go practice on the lawn, or better yet – cut the yarn off, tie on a fly, and go fishing! If you are looking for that perfect saltwater outfit, then check out this link for our  Favorite Saltwater Outfits .

This year, instead of packaging only the winning rod with a reel, we have made 4 High-End 5-weight outfits to choose from, as well as 2 Mid-Priced outfits , and 2 Inexpensive outfits . If you are getting one of our High-End Outfits, we’ll throw in a free line , (the same line that we tested the rod with, which was the manufacturer’s recommendation). For Mid-Priced and Inexpensive outfits, we’ll give you the line at cost and we’ll also ship it to you for free, and since we are in Montana you pay ZERO SALES TAX!

Once you get your new rod or outfit, do some casting on the lawn, and if you feel it is not just what you want, (and has not been fished and it has not exceeded 30 days from your purchase), we will allow you to return it to us for a full refund , less the return shipping charges. 

If you are not in the market for a 5-weight right now, we suggest reading one of our current Shootouts for the line size rod you want. You’ll find these on our Yellowstone Angler home page under reviews .  

Or you can call us at  406-222-7130, or e-mail us at staff@yellowstoneangler  and we can discuss your needs and wants. I’m confident that we can come up with the perfect rod or outfit for you.

George’s Signature –

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BLANK PRIMARY MATERIAL SCIII+ CARBON FIBER

GUIDES PRIMARY RING MATERIAL ALCONITE

REEL SEAT PRIMARY MATERIAL NYLON PRIMARY NUT MATERIAL NYLON SECONDARY NUT MATERIAL STAINLESS STEEL

HANDLE PRIMARY MATERIAL AGGLOMERATED CORK ACCENT MATERIAL NYLON BUTT CAP NON-MARKING RUBBER GIMBAL/CORK COMPOSITE

• AVID INSHORE RODS FEATURE PROPRIETARY ST. CROIX ROD TECHNOLOGIES; IPC, ART, TET, FRS

15 YEAR WARRANTY

• MADE IN PARK FALLS, WI USA

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LEGEND TOURNAMENT INSHORE SPINNING RODS

BLANK PRIMARY MATERIAL SCIV+ Carbon Fiber

GUIDES PRIMARY RING MATERIAL Alconite  PRIMARY FRAME MATERIAL Stainless Steel

REEL SEAT PRIMARY MATERIAL Nylon  PRIMARY NUT MATERIAL Nylon    SECONDARY NUT MATERIAL Aluminum

HANDLE PRIMARY MATERIAL Super Grade Cork  SECONDARY MATERIAL Cork Composite  ACCENT MATERIAL Cork Composite    BUTT CAP Non-Marking Rubber Gimbal/Cork Composite

Legend Tournament Inshore rods are designed and handcrafted in Park Falls, U.S.A. Rods are loaded with proprietary St. Croix Rod technologies: IPC, ART, FRS.

15 YEAR WARRANTY  

LEGEND TOURNAMENT INSHORE CASTING RODS 

GUIDES   PRIMARY RING MATERIAL Alconite  PRIMARY FRAME MATERIAL Stainless Steel

REEL SEAT   PRIMARY MATERIAL Nylon  PRIMARY NUT MATERIAL Nylon SECONDARY NUT MATERIAL Aluminum

HANDLE   PRIMARY MATERIAL Super Grade Cork  SECONDARY MATERIAL Cork Composite  ACCENT MATERIAL Cork Composite  BUTT CAP Non-Marking Rubber Gimbal/Cork Composite

Legend Tournament Inshore casting rods are designed and handcrafted in Park Falls, WI USA. Rods feature proprietary St. Croix Rod technologies: IPC, ART, FRS. 

RIFT rods feature SCIII carbon, IPC, FRS and TET technologies, new Rift rods make it easier to earn more success with less physical effort over every inch of water saltwater anglers roam.

BLANK PRIMARY MATERIAL SCIII CARBON FIBER

GUIDES RING MATERIAL ALCONITE FRAME MATERIAL STAINLESS STEEL

HANDLE PRIMARY MATERIAL PREMIUM EVA ACCENT MATERIAL NYLON

BUTT CAP NON-MARKING RUBBER GIMBAL

BLANK PRIMARY MATERIAL SCII CARBON FIBER

GUIDES RING MATERIAL ALUMINUM OXIDE

FRAME MATERIAL STAINLESS STEEL

HANDLE PRIMARY MATERIAL AGGLOMERATED CORK BUTT CAP CORK COMPOSITE

REEL PRIMARY MATERIAL COMPOSITE SPOOL MATERIAL BRAID READY ALUMINUM MAIN SHAFT MATERIAL STAINLESS STEEL GRIP MATERIAL EVA PADDLE

BEARINGS & GEARING BALL BEARING 6 ROLLER BEARING 1 GEAR RATIO 6.2:1

• LEGEND® XTREME INSHORE SPINNING RODS feature:
• Integrated Poly Curve® (IPC®) mandrel technology
• Incorporates externally overlaid ART™ Technology to construct the highest level of carbon fiber-density ever used by St. Croix
• Taper Enhancement Technology (TET) blank design provides curved patterns for improved action with increased sensitivity
• Super high-modulus SCVI carbon with FRS in lower section for maximum power and strength with reduced weight
• Features resin that significantly increases strength in compression during the hookset and flexural strength as the rod is under load
• Daiwa AGS Carbon Fiber Guides with Fuji KG Tip Top with SiC ring
• Fuji® SK2™ split reel seat for the ultimate in light weight and sensitivity
• 2nd Generation Xtreme-Skin™ handle provides unparalleled control
• Kigan titanium hook-keeper
• Impact-dampening butt cap
• Two coats of Flex-Coat slow cure finish
• 15-year transferable warranty backed by St. Croix Superstar Service
• Designed and handcrafted in Park Falls, U.S.A.

This limited collection of award-winning inshore rods features cutting-edge designs and proprietary technologies that deliver unbelievable sensitivity and unrivaled performance.

• LEGEND SURF SPINNING RODS feature:
• Integrated Poly Curve® (IPC®) tooling technology.
• Advanced Reinforcing Technology™ (ART™).
• High-modulus/high-strain SCIV graphite with FRS for unparalleled strength and durability.
• Off-set, slim-profile ferrules on two-piece models provide one-piece performance.
• Fuji®  K-Series KW tangle-free surf guides with SLIM SiC rings and titanium frames for unrivaled, 100% corrosion-proof performance.
• Fuji® DPS Deluxe reel seat with Back Stop lock nut PVD-plated hoods
• Custom neoprene handle provides comfort and durability. Positive grip improves when wet. 70/30 split grip design. 
• Two coats of Flex-Coat slow cure finish.
• 15-year transferable warranty backed by St. Croix Superstar Service.
• Engineered and built for extreme surf fishing performance.

Exotic rods built for discriminating anglers. Legend® Surf leverages the absolute latest design and technology advancements to provide extraordinary performance that can’t be found anywhere else.

• LEGEND SURF CASTING RODS feature:
• Fuji® DPS Deluxe reel seat with Back Stop lock nut PVD-plated hoods.

• Constructed with newly engineered SCII carbon fiber that is both stronger in flexural strength and lighter than its previous formulation.
• Crafted strategically placing ART and Veil reinforcing technologies increasing strength and impact protection.
• Built with proprietary FRS technology. 
• Off-set ferrules on two-piece models deliver one-piece performance.
• Sea Guide® Hero Hi-Grade guides with slim aluminum oxide rings and SS316 stainless gun smoke frames.
• Sea Guide® NPS reel seat with integrated black hoods.
• X-Flock covered slim diameter handles.
• Winn® comfort focused foregrips.
• Medium light power models have 50/50 split grips, all other models have 70/30 Split Grips. 
• 15-year warranty backed by St. Croix Superstar Service.
• Designed in Park Falls and handcrafted in Fresnillo, Mexico.

Seage Surf series, driven by the feedback from hardcore surf anglers.  The latest in a lineage of legendary surf rods from St. Croix, Seage delivers superior level construction and technology to anglers demanding the longest casts, the hardest hooksets, in the most adverse conditions.

• Integrated Poly Curve® (IPC®) mandrel
• Premium, high-modulus SCIII carbon.
• Tangle-free guides with stainless steel rings and aluminum oxide frames (BC matte grey finish)
• Fuji® DPS Deluxe reel seat with Back Stop™ lock nut and matte grey
• 70/30 split grips crafted from custom cork tape handle with machined trim pieces.
• Designed to provide surf anglers maximum casting distance.
• Designed and handcrafted in Park Falls, U.S.A

This remarkable collection of surf sticks is designed to provide maximum casting distance and superior fish-fighting performance.

• AVID SERIES® SURF CASTING RODS feature:

TRIUMPH SPINNING ROD FEATURES

• Premium quality SCII carbon
• Sea Guide Atlas Performance slim aluminum-oxide guides with black frames
• Sea Guide XDPS reel seat with eco-friendly sandblasted hoods on spinning models
• Sea Guide ECS or TCS reel seat with eco-friendly sandblasted hood on casting models
• Premium-grade cork handle
• 5-year warranty backed by St. Croix Superstar Service

Durably sensitive with impressive power, Triumph® rods are built for savvy anglers seeking the best in performance and value.

• Outstanding strength, sensitivity and hook-setting power
• Designed in Park Falls, U.S.A. and handcrafted in North America (Fresnillo, Mexico)

• TRIUMPH® SURF SPINNING RODS feature:
• Premium quality SCII carbon .
• Lightweight, hard aluminum-oxide surf guides.
• Fuji® DPS reel seat with frosted silver hoods.
• Custom cork tape handle with 70/30 split grip design.
• 5-year warranty backed by St. Croix Superstar Service.
• Engineered to deliver long distance casting performance.

The Triumph® series of premium graphite surf rods provide an incredible option for savvy anglers looking for the best in performance and value.

• TRIUMPH® SURF TRAVEL SPINNING RODS feature:
• Premium quality SCII graphite.
• Custom cork tape handle with split grip design. 

The Triumph® series of premium graphite surf rods provide the best in performance and value. Included in the collection are a pair of 4-pc. spinning rods equipped with protective case for adventuresome surf anglers.

• MOJO INSHORE SPINNING RODS feature:
• Premium quality SCIII carbon .
• Integrated Poly Curve (IPC) mandrel technology
• Sea Guide Hero Hi-Grade guides with slim aluminum oxide rings and SS316 stainless gun smoke frames.
• Fuji DPS Deluxe reel seat with gun metal hoods 
• Fuji Back Stop lock nut on select models
• Contoured handle with EVA and Cork combination on select models
• Alps non-marring rubber gimbal on select models
• Kigan hook keeper
• Specialized inshore salt water rods designed and built for superior performance

Re-engineered Mojo Inshore rods get upgrades with our proprietary SCIII carbon and built using IPC mandrel technology. Tailored for the demands of inshore fishing, the next generation of Mojo Inshore is built to deliver.

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Discover the World

17 Top Tourist Attractions in Moscow

By Alex Schultz · Last updated on May 4, 2024

The capital of Russia is an incredible place to explore. Visitors to Moscow come away spellbound at all the amazing sights, impressed at the sheer size and grandeur of the city. Lying at the heart of Moscow, the Red Square and the Kremlin are just two of the must-see tourist attractions; they are the historical, political and spiritual heart of the city – and indeed Russia itself.

A fascinating city to wander around, stunning cathedrals, churches, and palaces lie side-by-side with bleak grey monuments and remains from the Soviet state. In addition to its plethora of historical and cultural tourist attractions, Moscow is home to world-class museums, theaters and art galleries.

Renowned for its performing arts, fantastic ballets and amazing circus acts, catching a show while in Moscow is a must. The wealth of brilliant restaurants, trendy bars, and lively nightlife means there is something for everyone to enjoy.

See also: Where to Stay in Moscow

17. Tsaritsyno Palace

Once the summer residence of Catherine the Great, the stunning Tsaritsyno Palace is now a museum-reserve. The architecture is magnificent and there is a lovely park surrounding it for visitors to explore.

Located in the south of Moscow, the palace was commissioned in 1775 and recent renovations mean its lavish interior looks better than ever before with its elegant halls and beautiful staircases.

The exhibits on display look at the life of the empress as well as the history of Tsaritsyno itself. The huge palace grounds are also home to some other delightful buildings with the elegant opera house and wonderful brickwork of the Small Palace being particularly impressive to gaze upon.

Starting out in 1935 as the ‘All-Union Agricultural Exhibition’, VDNKh has slowly morphed over the years into the fascinating open-air museum of today. Remarkably, over 400 buildings can now be found within its confines.

The huge park complex has numerous pavilions representing former Soviet republics on show, such as those of Armenia and Turkmenistan and the distinctive architecture of each of the buildings is always interesting to gaze upon. In addition to this there is the fascinating Memorial Museum of Cosmonautics which is dedicated to space exploration and the fun Moskvarium aquarium even offers you the chance to swim with dolphins.

With lots of eateries scattered about and numerous entertainment options such as horse-riding and zip-lining, there is something for everyone to enjoy; the Friendship of Nations fountain truly is wonderful.

15. Kremlin Armoury

One of the oldest museums in the city, the Kremlin Armoury has a wealth of treasures; highlights include the ornate Grand Siberian Railway egg, the historic Cap of Monomakh and the stunning Imperial Crown of Russia which often has a crowd of tourists around it, jostling to take a photo.

Once the royal armory, there are loads of fascinating objects on display. Perusing the many sabers, jewelry, armor and more is as interesting as it is educational and entertaining and the swords are so finely crafted that you’ll almost wish you could pick up one and wield if yourself.

Established in 1851, the museum is situated in the Moscow Kremlin.

14. GUM Department Store

Standing for ‘Main Universal Store’ in Russian, GUM is stunning. Its wonderful skylights and beautiful facades mean it doesn’t look out of place alongside its illustrious neighbors on Red Square.

With over 200 shops, boutiques and upmarket eateries inside, it is a shopaholic’s heaven and concerned partners will be glad to find more affordable options alongside luxury brands such as Dior and Prada.

The main department store in the city, GUM was opened in 1893. The stunning architecture makes it well worth a visit even if shopping isn’t your thing.

13. Moscow Metro

It’s not often that public transport looks like a work of art. So many stops on the Moscow Metro will astound visitors with their beauty and elegance.

Decked in marble and with frescoes covering the walls, the stations are amazing to gaze upon and are part of one of the longest metro systems in the world, with the first stations opened in 1935.

Using the metro is the quickest and easiest way to get around Moscow and braving the crowds of commuters is well worth it for the beauty all around you.

12. Arbat Street

An elegant yet lively street, Arbat is full of impressive architecture and was once a popular place to live for aristocrats, artists, and academics.

A historic place, it is down Arbat Street that Napoleon’s troops are said to have headed on their way to capture the Kremlin.

Nowadays, there are many cafes, restaurants, and shops, as well as various monuments and statues to former residents such as Alexander Pushkin who was reputed to be a lover of the Russian Empress due to his massive influence in court.

11. Novodevichy Convent

Drenched in history, the Novodevichy Convent is located in a striking building that was once a fortress. This captivating place is well worth visiting when in Moscow.

Founded in 1524, the convent houses four cathedrals; Smolensk Cathedral is the undoubted highlight due to its delightful 16th-century frescoes.

Wandering around the grounds is like stepping back in time. The Novodevichy Cemetery is where many famous leaders of the Soviet Union are buried, such as Yeltsin and Khrushchev.

10. Pushkin Museum

Despite its name, the Pushkin Museum of Fine Arts actually has no connection at all to the famous poet other than that it was named in his honor after his death. A delight to visit, its extensive collection focuses on European art with masterpieces by Botticelli, Rembrandt, and van Gogh all featuring.

Sculptures, graphic art, paintings and more can be found in its beautiful galleries; various sections look at themes and epochs such as the Renaissance, the Dutch Golden Age, and Byzantine art.

Among the many highlights are the clownish characters which can be found in Cezanne’s Fastnacht (Mardi Gras) and the twirling ballerinas who look so elegant in Degas’ Blue Dancers. Picasso’s Young acrobat on a Ball is also well worth checking out for its interesting use of shapes and colors.

9. Christ The Savior Cathedral

This gorgeous Russian Orthodox cathedral is located on the banks of the Moskva River, just a stone’s throw away from the Kremlin.

The church as it stands today was consecrated in 2000, as the original church that stood here was destroyed on the command of Josef Stalin in 1931 due to the anti-religious campaign.

With its delightful golden dome, spires and dazzling white facades, the Christ the Savior Cathedral is stunning. The interior is just as captivating to wander around, with its beautifully tiled floors and impressive altar.

8. Lenin Mausoleum

Opened to the public in 1924, Lenin’s Mausoleum is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Moscow. The red granite structure is located at the heart of the city in Red Square.

Lenin’s embalmed body lies in a glass sarcophagus; it is a somewhat eerie experience walking past the former leader of the Soviet Union but is well worth doing as you understandably can’t do it anywhere else in the world.

After visiting the mausoleum, head to the Kremlin wall right next to it for more graves of important communist figures such as Stalin and Brezhnev.

7. Tretyakov Gallery

Home to the most extensive and impressive collection of Russian fine art in the world, the State Tretyakov Gallery is definitely worth visiting when in Moscow for the wealth of amazing art pieces that it has on display.

Having started out as the private art collection of the Tretyakov brothers, there are now over 130,000 exhibits. Highlights include the iconic Theotokos of Vladimir which you will almost certainly recognise despite probably not knowing the name and Rublev’s Trinity which is considered to be one of highest achievements in Russian art.

An absolute must for art lovers, the State Tretyakov Gallery will delight visitors with all that is has to offer.

6. Kolomenskoye

Once a royal estate, Kolomenskoye is now a museum-reserve and lies a few kilometers outside of the city center. A captivating place to visit, there is a plethora of history on show and the site overlooks the Moskva River.

Consisting of four historical sites, there are extensive gardens for visitors to explore, as well as loads of interesting old buildings, the former village of Kolomenskoye itself and the impressive Palace of the Tsar Alexey Mikhailovich – once considered the Eighth Wonder of the World by contemporaries.

Among the many stunning sights, it is the brilliantly white Ascension Church that is the undoubted highlight – dating back to 1532.

5. Gorky Park

Lying alongside the Moskva River, the huge Gorky Park is a lovely place to visit. Its extensive gardens are home to numerous cultural institutions and visitors should definitely check out the Garage Museum of Contemporary Art and while the eclectic exhibits may not always feature such incredible sights as a balloon-covered rider on a zebra; they certainly always succeed in pushing back the boundaries of art.

Pop-up exhibitions and festivals can be found from time to time in the park itself and there is an open-air theatre and numerous eateries alongside a plethora of leisure activities.

Whether it’s cycling, table tennis or yoga that you are after or beach volleyball and rowing, Gorky Park certainly has it. In winter, there is a huge ice rink for visitors to enjoy.

4. Bolshoi Theatre

The Bolshoi Theatre is the main theater in the country. The amazing opera and ballet performances it has put on over the centuries go a long way in explaining Russia’s rich history of performing arts.

While the Bolshoi Ballet Company was established in 1776, the theater itself was opened in 1825. The glittering, six-tier auditorium is lavishly and decadently decorated; it is a fitting setting for the world-class performances that take place on its stage.

Spending a night watching a performance of such classics as The Nutcracker or Swan Lake at the Bolshoi Theatre is sure to be a memorable experience and the beauty all around you only adds to the sense of occasion.

3. Moscow Kremlin

This famously fortified complex is remarkably home to five palaces and four cathedrals and is the historic, political and spiritual center of the city. The Kremlin serves as the residence for the country’s president. It has been used as a fort, and this fact is made clear by its sheer size. The Kremlin’s outer walls were built in the late 1400s.

Under Ivan III, better known as Ivan the Great, the Kremlin became the center of a unified Russian state, and was extensively remodeled. Three of the Kremlin’s cathedrals date to his reign that lasted from 1462-1505. The Deposition Church and the Palace of Facets were also constructed during this time. The Ivan the Great Bell Tower was built in 1508. It is the tallest tower at the Kremlin with a height of 266 feet (81 meters).

Joseph Stalin removed many of the relics from the tsarist regimes. However, the Tsar Bell, the world’s largest bell, and the Tsar Cannon, the largest bombard by caliber in the world, are among the remaining items from that era. The Kremlin Armory is one of Moscow’s oldest museums as it was established more than 200 years ago. Its diamond collection is impressive.

The Kremlin’s gardens – Taynitsky, Grand Kremlin Public and Alexander – are beautiful. The Kremlin has also served as the religious center of the country, and there is a tremendous number of preserved churches and cathedrals here. The collections contained within the museums include more than 60,000 historical, cultural and artistic monuments. Those who enjoy the performing arts will want to consider attending a ballet or concert at the State Kremlin Palace. Completed in 1961, it is the only modern building in the Kremlin.

2. Red Square

Lying at the heart of Moscow, Red Square is the most important and impressive square in the city. It is one of the most popular tourist attractions due to its wealth of historical sights and cultural landmarks.

Drenched in history, the huge square is home to incredible sights such as the Kremlin, St. Basil’s Cathedral and Lenin’s Mausoleum, among others. Consequently, it is not to be missed when in Moscow as it really is home to the city’s most stunning monuments.

It is here that many important moments in Russian history took place; the former marketplace has hosted everything from Tsar’s coronations and public ceremonies to rock concerts and Soviet military parades. Wandering around the massive square is a humbling experience and undoubtedly one of the highlights the city has to offer.

1. Saint Basil’s Cathedral

Located in the impressive Red Square, St. Basil’s Cathedral is gorgeous; its delightful spires appear as if out of a fairytale. The most recognizable building in the country, the cathedral is very much a symbol of Russia. No visit to Moscow is complete without having taken in its unique and distinctive features.

Ivan the Terrible ordered the cathedral’s construction in the mid-16th century, and legend holds that Ivan put out the architect’s eyes so that he would be unable to build another cathedral more glorious than St. Basil’s. Designed to resemble the shape of a bonfire in full flame, the architecture is not only unique to the period in which it was built but to any subsequent period. For various reasons, both Napoleon and Stalin wanted to destroy the cathedral but fortunately did not succeed.

Known for its various colors, shapes and geometric patterns, St. Basil’s Cathedral houses nine different chapels that are all connected by a winding labyrinth of corridors and stairways. On the lower floor, St. Basil’s Chapel contains a silver casket bearing the body of St. Basil the Blessed.

Throughout the cathedral are many beautiful murals, frescoes, wooden icons and other art works and artifacts. Outside the cathedral is a lovely garden with the bronze Monument to Minin and Pozharsky, who rallied an all-volunteer Russian army against Polish invaders during a period of the late 16th century known as the Times of Troubles.

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