In my almost-decade of fly fishing writing, I’ve had the chance to evaluate just a few fly rods. With out fail, the query most people ask me is “are the costly rods actually value it?”
I’ve addressed this earlier than in some gear evaluations, however I needed to provide the subject some house right here as effectively, as a result of it’s been on my thoughts quite a bit recently. The shortest reply to that query is “it relies upon.” Are you the kind of one that calls for solely the perfect efficiency out of your instruments? Should you admire good issues, and also you maintain them, chances are high you’ll admire an costly fly rod.
However that query – the worth of any given fly rod – misses the mark, I believe. The query most people ought to ask is “will I catch considerably extra fish with this fly rod than an inexpensive one?” After all, the reply to that’s “in all probability not.” An costly fly rod gained’t treatment an inexpensive solid; a top-of-the-line stick gained’t make you an professional at studying water and decoding hatches.
What the great rods do is get rid of as most of the variables in fly casting as potential, in order that an angler is completely depending on their very own abilities. Take the most recent spherical of promoting in regards to the new Helios from Orvis. It’s touted as essentially the most correct rod ever to return out of Manchester, VT, and it in all probability is. I spent vital time with Shawn Combs, the lead rod designer at Orvis, studying how he and his workforce measured the accuracy of the brand new Helios. Utilizing infrared cameras and sensors connected to fly rod suggestions, they have been in a position to observe how a lot a rod’s tip moved throughout a solid. The extra a tip strikes side-t0-side, the much less straight your fly line strikes, and the decrease your accuracy will probably be.
That’s all dependent, nevertheless, in your capability to make an correct solid within the first place. Until the Helios casts for you (an innovation I worry is probably not that far off…) you’re nonetheless topic to your individual abilities.
All of the speak about superior resins, stronger graphite, and slick guides leads to the identical place – growing the inherent accuracy of a fly rod. However the caster has the ultimate say on simply how correct that rod will probably be.
For example, I just lately fished with a information on Utah’s Inexperienced River for just a few days. I had the brand new Scott Session alongside for testing (it’s an exceptional rod, and I plan on proudly owning one as quickly as potential) and through our lunch break, I inspired my information to provide it a solid. He promptly threw 60 toes of line to a rising trout, set the hook, and netted it.
“Good rod,” he mentioned as he handed it again.
That information is a a lot better angler than I’m, and he coaxed a efficiency out of the Session that I hadn’t. Proving, for my part, the worth of strong mechanics and a capability to adapt to completely different conditions.
To make a protracted reply a bit longer, I’ll shut with this: good, top-tier fly rods are a pleasure to solid and fish. I’ve discovered they often provide extra suggestions than cheaper rods, and so they can usually masks my considerably poor casting. However I do know that the angler I used to be 15 years in the past wouldn’t admire simply how nice these rods are, as a result of I lacked the abilities and understanding to get as a lot out of them as potential.
My finest recommendation to somebody an costly fly rod is to be sincere with your self first. If in case you have a strong understanding of casting, then a top-tier stick will enable you to enhance. Should you nonetheless battle with tailing loops, wait a bit earlier than shopping for the subsequent rod. An costly rod won’t ever repair dangerous casting.
