It felt great at mid range casting distances but still had enough power to extend out to longer trout fishing range casts. Choose Options. Was: … Pierce:The Sage X was Pierce’s favorite rod for mid-range casts between 30 and 45 feet which is a great range for trout fishing on many of the bigger rivers that we spend a lot of time on. Most of our trips include rods, flies and we rent waders. Zach really enjoyed the H3F both at closer range as well as mid range. Matt:As expected, Matt enjoyed the H3D based on his affinity for faster action rods. Most line manufactures now make both true line weight lines and “line and a half” line weight lines. PRO Power Taper is designed for loading faster action rods at a half-size heavier than industry standard grain weight. Rods TestedWe opted to select 6 premium price point rods (generally retailing between $875 and $1000) with a spectrum of rods that were designed for different applications (high powered canons for long distance and wind all the way to more moderate actions that “feel” buttery even on up-close casts. He placed the LL and Helios 3F at the top of the “happiness” factor when rod in hand for close casts with a slight edge to the LL. I felt like the Sage X had a progressive action similar to the Orvis H3F although it seemed to have a narrower sweet spot. Casey:Casey also loved the feel of the Light Line up close and compared it to “grandmas cobbler”: it just makes you feel good. Read what our guests have to say about our trips and learn why we are rated #1 in Trip Advisor and have a 5 star average on our Orvis reviews, This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google, 6 Weight Fly Rod Review Series - Part Two Jimmy At Jurassic Lake, 6 Weight Fly Rod Review Series - Part Two, Jimmy at Jurassic Lake, Hairwing Flies for Summer and Fall Steelhead, Winter Fly Fishing in Montana: The Only Flies You Will Ever Need, A visual model of the impacts of Rest and Rotation and Boat Bans on the Upper Madison River, The 5 Best Options for Fly Fishing in Montana in the Month of May, Ascension Bay Mexico Flats Fishing Report: Grand Slam Lodge. It didn’t provide as much feel in close as the LL or H3F but it also didn’t feel like a broomstick either. Although it wasn’t as fun at close range as the LL or H3F it still retained some “feel” on closer casts, but was mostly just loading the tip. Of course, when you are purchasing a rod in a shop - you can’t always take 6 or 7 different rods out for a real world spin on real world streams and rivers. Many trout fishing casts are under 30 feet and 60 feet is about as far as you would ever actually cast in a real life fishing scenario. *lol* I could use a 9 wt. Choose from over 20 fabled blue ribbon rivers that we target. At shorter casts the rod still isn’t completely a dead stick but, this was not its forte. I felt like if there was any wind or if I was hucking any weight at 45 I might be in trouble. At 30 feet you can start to load the rod but you need to pick up your casting rhythm to do so. Quite simply fishing conditions on the water are always different than on a manicured lawn. Casey:Casey felt that if he had to buy one of the rods after just casting it in the grass the H3D would be a top contender. As I was working my way through the rods we had laid out, the Asquith was the first of the “fast action” rods that I picked up. The Power Taper does make a difference when trying to get your leader to turnover in the wind! Type: Fly Line Brand: Orvis Features: Abrasion Resistant. Our blog offers a vast collection of useful articles that include topics related to hatches, seasons, rivers, destination trip reports and more, Helpful checklists to make sure you include the proper clothing and gear for your Montana fishing trip, Information on rates for Montana and Yellowstone National Park fishing licenses. The micro-textured surface traps air to provide increases in both shootability and floatation while decreasing friction. Zach:Zach also really enjoyed the LL at 30 feet and under and placed it as a tie with the Helios 3F at close distances. To read part 2 of the 6 weight rod shoot out click here: 6 Weight Fly Rod Review Series - Part Two Jimmy At Jurassic Lake. So on one hand while the rod is “easy” to cast close in, it felt like work at longer distances. Montana is home to some of the most productive wild trout rivers on the planet. It’s pretty heavy up front, so it’s going to load your rod fast and splash hard (-ish). Pierce:Pierce also felt like the H3F was the only other rod outside of the Sage LL that still felt really good on shorter range casts. It wasn’t as buttery smooth as the LL, X or H3F at 30 feet but you could still load it by picking up your casting cadence. Get the best deals on Orvis Fly Line Trout Fly Fishing Line, Leaders & Tippets when you shop the largest online selection at eBay.com.