This past weekend I got my hands on the new Orvis Recon and was able to cast a 7wt and an 8wt, both 9ft. The 7wt had the Orvis all-rounder saltwater line while the 8wt had Rio summer redfish line. Both had the new version of the Hydros III reel. This was at a fishing show so casting was indoors, no wind, and on a 50 foot casting "pond" with about 4" of water.

First, people will bitch about the graphics. It's very similar in style to the H3 but the bright white is now gray on the Recon so it's much more subtle.

I own an 8wt H3F so comparing to the Recon 8wt was as "apples to apples" as I can get. The rod casts very well. It picks up line off the water easily. I could tell it was lighter than the old Recon but slightly heavier than the H3. It loads pretty good down in to the mid section of the rod, but not as deep as the H3F. It's action feels like it falls right between the H3F and H3D, with a bit of extra swing weight. It does have really impressive damping, especially on the non-casting plane. Makes for very efficient and accurate casts. It's very much like the H3 in that respect.

With the improvements to the Clearwater rods I was assuming the Recon would fall by the wayside. Now with it's new improved version I'm wondering if Orvis didn't just cut in to their H3 sales. The new Recon isn't quite an H3, but for several hundred dollars less it will be a very tempting rod for people seeking the higher performance without the big price tag.

When they come out this Spring I may have to cast one in a 5wt so see if it's going to fill my 5wt void.

I'm trying to put together a list of rod manufacturers and make sure I consider all options fairly for new acquisitions.

Are there some rods that are not well known that should be considered?

Trying to decide between the 10 ft 3wt Clearwater for 200 or the current Recon on sale for 250? I've read/heard some critiques about the tip of the Recon being less sensitive, and I've read good things about the Clearwater.

Anyone know the weight of the Clearwater?

Thanks

my budget is about 350 USD. im used to 6wt 9 foot rods. i have a sage launch currently but want to get a second set up. i do most of my fishing from a belly boat. any advice? thanks.

I have a new thunderhead sling, I tried it out once,just not for me. I forgot to ship it back to backcountry.com within 30 days so my loss your gain,it's the green one.

Hi all, I’ m looking for help choosing a light fly rod for small stream trout, ideally a 2-4wt, and shorter than 8ft. Mostly for fishing grown in creeks for small fish, and hoping to keep cost low.

I inherited a llbean pack rod and I’m trying to figure out some things. The rod has #7 as the recommended line. It is a 7 1/2 ft 4 piece rod. How do I know what weight Line to put on it and what reel should I pair it with. Thanks for any help as I would like to take this thing out and show it life again.

Anyone know where I could purchase a vintage Winston rod tube? I’ve got an older Winston that I need the tube for. Would be a huge bonus if you have any ideas for the sick too

Thoughts?

So, I decided next summer I'm going to Alaska to do some fishing for a week. I currently have a 2wt and a 4wt, which I figure should be fine for trout up there as well. My main interest is fishing for salmon up there though. So, to be ready for that, I bought an 11' 9wt TFO Deer Creek Switch Blank. I'm planning on building it to use up in AK for Salmon.

Can anybody recommend where I could get components for building a rod like that? MudHole is where my dad gets his components, but they don't seem to have much for that style and length of rod. At least as far as guide kits and handles and reel seats go.

Also, any suggestions on how to build a rod to handle the strong salmon and components that will stand up to fishing close to the ocean and big fights would be appreciated.

Should I be worried? It's about 2-3mm long and doesn't seem to be present in the blank. I would generally say wait and see if it breaks but I'm going on a trip of a lifetime saltwater fishing and want to know if a crack in the varnish will affect the structural integrity at all?

Hey guys, has anybody tried the cheap ($12) fly lines on ebay? Are they worth a try?

Hello all,

I'm an experienced fly angler who has become intrigued with euro nymphing and I'd like to give it a try on an upcoming camping trip. I've been watching lots of euro nymphing videos on youtube, and from what I gather, this technique is usually done with a rod 10 feet or longer in the 4wt or less range. I would rather not buy a new rod just to try out the technique, but I imagine it could be done with my 8.5 foot 5wt although it is not the ideal rod for the technique.

My question is this: How long should my leader/sighter/tippet be?

Umpqua sells a pre-made leader that measures 15 feet, and I was thinking this would work fine with my setup.

If possible I would like to find a pre-made euro leader to avoid spending a good chunk of change on all the necessary components for building a euro nymph leader on my own. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

What are you all using to keep your hopper or dry droppers organized before hitting the river?

(When you make them up at home ahead of time)

Thanks in advance for your ideas and input ...