When your heart rate is up, and everything is on the line for that one cast, that’s where this ease of casting score is significant. Oftentimes in saltwater fly fishing, you only have one shot at a fish, and you need a rod that’s going to be forgiving in those situations. However, how easy it was to cast those distances dramatically differed depending on the rod. This score is a significant portion of the review because, as we mentioned earlier, the distances remained fairly consistent. In addition to the accuracy and distance testing, we scored from one to five for ease of casting. But, the better rods consistently had longer casts instead of one of the five being a bomb. This shows that a better rod will not add a considerable amount of distance to the end of your cast. Rogers’ longest casts were in the 80 to 90 feet range, and Einsmann and Huges’ max distances were consistently around 70 feet. One interesting thing about this test is that the maximum distance remained fairly consistent among all three casters. The cast distances were averaged and are found in each rod’s key features section. Some rods were very easy to land a fly consistently on or near the target, while others took more effort to dial in the accuracy and felt less forgiving from minor errors.Įach tester made five casts, and the longest of the five was measured. This was a test where we saw the biggest difference among the rods. The scores were averaged and listed in each rod’s key features. Each angler cast at the targets and gave a one- to five-point accuracy score (five being the most accurate) based on the rod’s performance. The accuracy test was performed at 45 and 60 feet, with targets measuring 30 inches wide by 20 inches tall. The rods were tested at 45 and 60 feet for accuracy. The Casting Test The rods were rested for max casting distance. Einsmann enjoys fishing for striped bass, redfish, and speckled trout near his Virginia home. He prefers a slower casting tempo and rods with a moderate action that don’t require a lot of snap to cast well. Hughes is an intermediate-level fly caster with a fast casting stroke, and he prefers rods with a fast action and quick casting ability.Įinsmann is Outdoor Life’s gear editor as well as a lifelong saltwater fly angler. He also spent most of his saltwater fly fishing career living in Miami, Florida, where he fished for bonefish, tarpon, permit, snook, and a host of other species. But he often makes trips to the Chesapeake Bay for redfish and striped bass. Kevin Hughes is an Outdoor Life contributor who fly fishes for trout, carp, muskie, and smallmouth bass near his home in Harrisonburg, Virginia. This casting style limits the hauls required to make the cast at fish who are constantly on the move. He likes a precise and firm fly rod due to his preferred casting style of one up-one down. Ryan is an advanced fly caster, and his casting style is powerful but smooth. He spends most of his time guiding clients to redfish in technical creeks and river systems. The Test Teamīorn and raised in Charleston, South Carolina, Ryan Rodgers is a full-time inshore fishing guide and professional outdoor lifestyle photographer. Throw in the adrenaline of sight fishing, and the best rods shined while others stumbled. The creek fishing was highly technical, requiring long and accurate casts while also avoiding obstructions like oyster beds and the surrounding tall grass. We fished the rods over two days in Charleston’s marshes. There were several excellent options throughout the country, but we chose Charleston, South Carolina, because sight casting to tailing reds is a perfect test for a saltwater fly rod. They helped us find a skilled captain and an ideal test location to give the rods a workout in a limited time. We used Captain Experiences, which is a service that connects anglers with trusted guides. Scott Einsmann A powerful rod was needed to wrestle fish to the boat. How We Tested Saltwater Fly Rods Sight casting in tight quarters. If you’re in the market for a new rod, this review will help you narrow down which you want to buy or test out at a fly shop. To find the best saltwater fly rods, three fly anglers spent two days putting a dozen fly rods through a formal accuracy and distance test as well as some of the most technical saltwater fly fishing scenarios. To meet those challenges you need a saltwater fly rod with the right mix of power and control-not all rods have that. But it becomes incredibly challenging when you add in wind, adrenaline, being surrounded by back cast snagging tall grass, and line cutting oyster beds lining the creek. In an open field, an accurate 50-foot cast is pretty easy. We turned a bend and there they were just 50 feet away, tails out of the water and pushing a wake as they fed. As we polled into the back of a creek not much wider than the skiff, our guide said you’re only going to get one shot at these fish.
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