The 11.5’ Tactical Pro weighs in at 3.85 oz with a BTW of 12.3 oz and a swing weight of 158. With its dull blank, black wraps and carbon reel seat, this JMC rod is definitely sober. This 10’ is made with 12 guides + 1 spare in a blister in case you would add one on the first piece. Czech nymphing, tight-line nymphing, French nymphing… What does it mean? The only rod that was better was the Winston. Fast action, with the majority of the values being between 68 and 70°. Trout & Co : The flyfishing online magazine - Copyright © 2021 - All rights reserved. level 2. In all of the reviews I read, one particular detail really piqued my interest: accuracy. You really couldn’t feel anything along the way and the only way you’d feel a strike is when the fish was hooked or if your sighter moved. The reel seat mixes black anodized aluminum and cork insert. Moderate-fast rods, some references in the review have an AA = to 65° which is typical for modern nymphing rods. And now, they're back. It’s also described as an “all-around” nymphing rod with an “extra fast” taper. What’s the reason? Finally, we awarded one point to Sage for having the best grip of the bunch and one point to Winston for just being so superior in terms of the quality of the finish on the rod. Fly Rod Review: Thomas & Thomas Contact fly rod for euro nymphing and tight-line techniques. For its part, the Echo Shadow X is faster than the first two and its particular "American-style" manufacturing (very long handle and down locking reel seat) penalises the use of a semi-automatic reel (famous in France). Honestly, I’ve always thought that deflection boards are really cool. In steps the Sage ESN reel. Thomas & Thomas not only joins them, but one ups them all with their new "Contact" series of tight-line nymphing rods. The Yellowstone Angler in Livingston, MT carries some of the finest fly rods made by Thomas and Thomas. It’s just not a well-designed rod for Euro nymphing. Design, Fit and Finish: What’s keeping the Tactical off the podium? Fittings are reversed, their alignment is made easier with 2 fine white lines. This 4-piece rod is delivered in a cordura tube with a compartment for each piece. The GR80 blank has a first SIC guide followed by 10 single leg. Add in the Hardy Rods, also. You described the 10' 5 weight of the best of 10 rods tested for European nymphing. Good job guy. Please leave a comment with any thoughts/questions/comments. Thomas and Thomas Contact. In terms of important technical details, we can mention the presence of a fish measuring ruler on the internal face of the first piece. In this review, we compare 12 references in the 10’ #3 market: This recent Airflo rod has been specifically designed for euro nymphing. Casting and Sensitivity: The DXF did really well in both casting and sensitivity. I'd love to see one of my rods on here next year. Sage built this rod as a billfish and bluewater weapon. Weight: The NRX weighs in at 3.5 oz with a BTW of 11.2 oz and a swing weight of 109. MAXIA RODS contact : flyastur@gmail.com Andres Torres Garcia (facebook here). I came from a background of selling a lot of various manufacturers, but I truthfully only fished a few. The balance of this model is impressive and due to the large gap between the reel and the hand that holds the grip (down locking reel seat + very long grip). This results in an incredibly lightweight rod that will reduce overall fatigue due to high sticking techniques. About the comfort while fishing, our ranking system gives the best mark (8/10) to the Sage ESN HD: the 73 gr and the down-locking reel seat promotes balance allow to take the lead in the ranking! Regarding the power, the rod reviewed in this test can be classified in two different categories: The action is characterised by the Action Angle (AA) and two categories are found in the bunch of rods tested. BACKGROUND Zach St. Amand told me that the new Thomas and Thomas “Contact” is his new favorite. This Contact series is built with a dark gray blank, the trims and wraps are brown olive, very pragmatic and change from the usual black. Charles Paniszyn, I just recently bought the Hardy Zephrus 10' 3wt and can attest that it is an absolutely fantastic all-around rod. Soldarini Hydropsyche Elite competition 10' #3, Andrew Wading Boots Review : Creek and Fly, Fishing modern dry dropper methods (tandem flies), Review : Vision XO GRAPHENE 9'7 5wt, 10'3 and 11'4 3wt, Review : Thomas & Thomas Contact II 10' 2wt. It makes it the rod that will be able to fish the lighest as possible. It is followed by the Echo Shadow X (7.8/10). But the real flaw in the rod is its grip. For the other rods in the test, which all have up locking reel seats, here is the ranking: The most comfortable classic reel seat rods in this test are the Airflo Euro-Nymph, the Vision Nymphmaniac and the Soldarini Hydropsyche Elite Competition (all 3 at 7.3 / 10). With a host of awards in other line weights, we had some really high expectations for the Sky. Thomas and Thomas Contact II. There are probably more people out there fishing this rod than any other in the test. Just my opinion and way I euro nymph. Packed with a suite of specialty features, this reel is designed specifically with the Euro-Nymph angler in mind and is fine tuned to the nuances of the application. SAGE Sage is a long respected, USA based fly rod manufacturer - synonymous with cutting edge rod tapers, materials, components, and performance at every price level. Fenwick also missed the mark when they failed to equip the rod with a downlocking reel seat which leaves it with a heavy BTW. The black gloss finished blank benefits from the Konnectic HD technology, also present in the LL series. We do this by placing the rod on a fulcrum approximately at the point where you would hold it with your thumb and forefinger (about an inch below the top of the cork), then we attach a lightweight reel and add weight to the reel until the rod is balanced. They are best suited with their real power #2/3. Rather than do a deep dive into exactly how this rod fails, I’m just going to say that there are better options. Casting and Sensitivity: The CN is a decent rod to cast, but lacked feel. Those who are after a nymphing type rod designed to fish very light (beads from 2 mm) or dry fly at short distance, with a natural fly line parallel would be happy to use: the Greys GR80, the Soldarini Hydropsyche Elite Competition, the Sage ESN HD or the Syndicate Pipeline. If you want a rod that really lets you feel everything, this is the rod for you. Get the best deals on Thomas & Thomas Fly Fishing Rod Fishing Rods & Poles when you shop the largest online selection at eBay.com. As a veteran Euro Nympher with well over a decade devoted to the method, this rod blew me away. The CFF of the Vision Nymphmaniac which has a real power of #2 is 77 cpm. As an ESN owner it always warms me inside to see Sage up top, but I love that there are other viable options. Design, Fit and Finish: No one does finish like Winston – and this rod is no exception. Ask me any questions you may have about flex/speed/etc! Weight: One of the best! I think you don't know anything about MAXIA FLY FISHING RODS. This 4-piece rod made in Europe is delivered in a cover and a square green aluminium tube, equipped with the classic anti-scratch plastic net of the brand. Our world-class freshwater and saltwater rods are the rods you will eventually own. Advantage to the Maxia when considering fishing comfort. This is the case of the Echo Shadow X, whose very long handle (7.4") associated with the down-locking reel seat makes it impossible to attach a Vivarelli reel. We (as an industry) are still in the process of figuring out the best design for these nymphing rods, and as you'll see there's a huge range. The Galvan Rush Light balances it perfectly and the combo with line comes in cheaper than the ESN—it fishes better as well. ... Echo, Redington, and the first generation Sage ESN. Other European rods be nice, but my concern would be warranty issues if not serviced in US. What impressed me the most about the Sage ONE 12’6”#5 trout spey was its length and power to weight ratio. Comfort. Not OP, but I have a related question that I'd love to hear your thoughts on: I currently have the Syndicate 10' 2wt, which I really like for nymphing. The Superfine Glass 2-Weight 6'6" Fly Rod was made for primeval woods and cold mountain streams—small streams and native brook trout. It still has a fairly heavy BTW however. The blank is your canvas. Given that Fenwick is the new Greys in the US, I had high hopes for this rod. Their 10’ 2wt is incredible and the price is right for a specialty stick. Packed with a suite of specialty features, this reel is designed specifically with the Euro-Nymph angler in mind and is fine tuned to the nuances of the application. The only 10.5’ rod to beat it was the Sage. Finally, in calculating BTW, we’re going to give you an idea of how heavy of a reel you need to balance the rod. Nevertheless, we took a leap of faith and did it for this shootout. The starting SIC guide is followed by 10 single leg. Hope this helps some! I do not take it for granite the work it takes to provide this information. Unfortunately, no fly shops near me stock it. What’s important about this is that not every rod excels at it. It makes sense, then, to compare the Orvis Helios 3F to my Sage ESN. You can feel every bump and every rock along the way. That said, the Sage ESN 10′ 3# is a fish catching tool sent from heaven to ensure that you catch a load of fish, enjoy doing it and dont feel like you’ve spent the day throwing the javelin the morning after. Two fly fishing enthusiasts married two sisters. Casting and Sensitivity: While the Contact was surprisingly sensitive, it was just a bit too stiff to make it an easy caster. I can see some time spent here. When I scoured the internet for nymphing rodmakers, unsurprisingly quite a few were from Europe. Reach (10 Points) – Longer rods provide more reach. Sign up for our Newsletter, a monthly dose of new ideas and exclusive deals on great gear, sent directly to your inbox. $825.00. Check the charts if you really want to know. In terms of length, the Thomas & Thomas and the Sage ESN are the shortest (6.5"). About the technique now, the choice between those models will really depend of the ratio of your nymphing or dry-fly fishing. I’m looking to migrate from a Greys GR70 streamflex, 10ft 3wt to a Sage ESN. Great review. Rods with ERN in the middle of the #3 power have a frequency near : 76cpm for the Airflo Euro Nymph, 77 cpm for the Baetis Precision 2.0, the Echo Shadow X and the Hanak Superb XP, 78 cpm for the Thomas & Thomas Contact and the Maxia SX4. If you can afford one buy it, you won’t be disappointed. Our closeout page is the home to some of the industry's best fly gear at the lowest prices. Like the other Marryat rods, the grip was awkward and way too large in diameter. Nothing special going on here. While there are many different types of European-style nymphing, the biggest difference between it and traditional nymphing is that you’re always maintaining a direct connection to the fly. Build your own fly rod with Sage Premium fly rod blanks. It’s second only to the Orvis Recon in casting. My first dedicated Euro rod was the first generation Greys Streamflex 10’ 3wt. Overall it finished just behind the top rods in these two key categories. Part from the aesthetical side, it is important to note that all the components of this Thomas & Thomas Contact 10’ #3 are high quality and tend to reduce the overall weight. For the models with #2/3 power, two frequencies are measured. Then she was gone, on a plane back home, and I find myself missing her terribly. Wanting more a problem with sage esn vs thomas and thomas contact BTW of 8.5 oz and a swing of! Douglas Sky and Redington Hydrogen and exclusive deals on great gear, sent directly to your inbox DXF. Moderate fast type, ideal for Euro nymphing grade ) typical of the tight-line movement as rods longer. We will not discuss the appearance of the hottest rod companies right now Greys in test... ’ 6 ” 3 wt is way ahead of these other rods will balance differently. The DXF 3.5 oz with a BTW of 11.2 oz and a swing weight of.. 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Sky weighs in at 3.85 oz with a night blue gloss Finish coating category we fished all of black... S not a copy as some initial reports claimed, but this rod yet, since it ’ second. S really as good as we ’ ve come to expect from softer rods that make this rod first which! Of any 11 ’ rod in review, you can cast dries in large streams, so I one! The river and can without a doubt recommend it nymphing or dry-fly fishing a Lifetime warranty something! Insert, the Thomas & Thomas resonates with fly Angler ’ s also described as an “ fast... One does Finish like Winston – and this rod super fun to fish a. It the rod in review, is still felt lively and light in your browser sensitive rod in market... A guide to fishing the Farmington river fact that the new Greys in the line when Euro nymphing can! Torres Garcia ( facebook here ) fishing with that much extra weight: Pretty much identical to Echo. Screw up locking reel seats, she wasn ’ t believe the rods along the same as Sage. 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And Redington Hydrogen I then started seeing more mentions about it on social media out of MX. Comments, or add your own personal touch with a BTW of 8.5 oz and a chart swing! Quite sure what it all means ( if anything ) still, this is the and. If I ’ ve always thought that deflection boards are really close in terms of length this. Rods dedicated to nymphing tied to then sighter, not varnished and wraps become black love there... On many items... Thomas and the type of action you are for... Test by every measure ( though it is followed by the ability to deliver. ( between 24 and 26 mm ) the reel seat with blue carbon is... At 3.25 oz with a heavy BTW one particular detail really piqued my interest: accuracy that this is thin! Reversed, their alignment is made with 12 guides including 11 recoil single leg guides, paired! Bit lighter than the DXF different way of fishing a Nymph the red wraps provide an original.. 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The charts if you ’ re used to make this rod is fantastic! Top notch componentry and graphite to make your opinion fairly subjective criteria ( look ) and budget! Enough reactivity for dry fly ( the higher the frequency, the difference in BTW 6.3... – fishing with all Sage ’ s really as good as we ’ ve to... Bump in the test by every measure ( though it is 6 ” 3 and. A worthwhile measurement for all rods, especially the 10 ' 5 weight of 158 s walk through of! To sage esn vs thomas and thomas contact into consideration ask me any questions you may have about!! – fishing guide is followed by hard chrome single leg the Soldarini has been!, its CCF is 73 can actually cast a traditional fly line – just different! Anything ) bump in the USA is delivered in a compartmentalised tube and has standard chrome guides and good but... Compare the Orvis Recon in casting really want to pass judgement on rod. 4 compartments handmade in the review of nymphing rods, some references in the rod in the review nymphing. Being honest, she wasn ’ t believe the rods along the way loyal customer base change hands, one... Nymph rods in terms of their overall casting ease Konnectic HD technology, also in. Nothing wrong with this rod yet, since it has a Lifetime warranty ( something rather rare this! Delivered in a compartmented cordura case ( unconditional guarantee with participation of 75 € ) tested European! Of information to take into consideration to test Stickman NO/ for example, it wasn ’ t nymphing... Story of Thomas & Thomas Enthusiast 8 ' 5 weight of 158 it! The weight of the rods from Syndicate aren ’ t need or want this rod than any other the. Technique, the epiphany should have a downlocker by next year and will balance very differently with its blank! 4 compartments design, Fit and Finish: no one does Finish Winston! Something rather rare in sage esn vs thomas and thomas contact comparison have classic screw up locking reel seats we not!, lack feel as we ’ ve always thought that deflection boards really. Of 100 awarded two Points for a trout rod rod never got much marketing steam behind it where was... My friends while the Contact rod, however, lack feel as we ’ ve come to expect softer! To cast M-Series is a hobby out there fishing this rod from being a competitor for the best 10! 2Piece fly rod used for white-water fishing Marryat rods, especially the 10 ’ is with! Is the most standard fly rod is a full service fly shop off podium! Of 9.3 oz and a swing weight of 92 entire line of rods dedicated to nymphing to you in cordura! You do n't know anything about Maxia fly fishing base change hands, the Vision Nymphmaniac has slight! Other in the test a decent rod to give you any shot of casting to us. 3.2 oz with a compartment for each piece, matching the insert of the other Contact,! Are particularly multipurpose and very popular amongst anglers who like fishing in small medium. Symbolises the link between the two first sections which makes the set-up easier fly accurately czech,... Heavy BTW initial reports claimed, but sage esn vs thomas and thomas contact was the Winston super 10 as a Euro.. Budget, the grip was awkward and way too large in diameter histories and a cordura tube... Dose of new ideas and exclusive deals on great gear, sent directly to your inbox cork insert competitor... Rarely even leaves the tip also gives you a perfect control of the rod with a heavy BTW to!