If you have followed me on this blog for a while, you may know that I love fly rods and I love comparing them to each other. I try to give you my feedback on how they feel to me, but every angler is different. Some could care less about new gear and some just love it and want to find all the info they can get.
I have always considered myself a Scotthead, loving all the Scott Fly rods. The old Gs, the newer G2s and the S4s. The problem I was having with Scott was that they had old rod designs for the standard freshwater rods. The S4 was released in 2007. Newer rods had been coming out every year but the S4 was not being replaced. The S4 was great when it was released, but 6 years later it was still their flagship fast action rod. In early 2013, I got word that there was a new rod in the works and would be released in July. A new S5 I thought. When the Scott Rep came by Anglers Covey, I hopped in the car and drove as fast as I could to the shop to cast the new prototype. I wasn't too impressed. It was still a prototype and sometimes they are heavy and unfinished.
When the new Scott Radian was released, I was excited. It won best of show at the 2013 IFTD show and many people were praising the feel and look of this rod. I had to get my hands on it.
I rigged up the 9' 5wt rod and took it on Angler Covey's casting pond. Dang! This rod is sweet. It felt great and I was already trying to figure out which rod I could sell to buy one of these rods.
A few days later, I brought one of my Hardy rods over to the Covey to compare to the Radian.
I was a little afraid the Radian was going to feel better than the Hardy Zenith. It was a 1-piece rod I threw in the car that morning. Both rods were casted by me and by a few others at the Covey and the unanimous decision was that the Radian was a sweet rod, but the Hardy was just that much smoother, lighter and overall pleasant to cast. Now, this was the 1-piece rod we were casting, vs. a 4 piece rod but the 4 piece 9' 5wt. Zenith is the next smoothest rod I have ever cast in a 5wt. Earlier in the week, I was able to cast the 9'4wt G. Loomis NRX LP and I was impressed. That is a sweet rod also! It has a very soft tip and cast like a dream up close. I tend to fish up close, within 20 feet to rising fish eating tricos in 11-Mile Canyon and BWOs on the Arkansas River. I rarely make longer casts than 40ft.
In my opinion, the top rods out there right now are the Hardy Zenith, the G. Loomis NRX LP, the Scott Radian and the Orvis Helios 2. I have casted all of these rods, but have only fished 2 of them. In the future, I will do more casting and more fishing with different rods to follow up with more information. 2 rods that I really didn't like: The Sage ONE and the Winston BIII-SX. I'd like to beat the Winston BIII-SX with the ONE. I am sure the One would survive and then I could fish it. The Winston 9' 5wt is just that bad.
I'd love to hear your thoughts on rods. My favorite rod may be the one you would like to beat with my least favorite rod. We all fish differently and rods are different to all of us. That is what is great about it all.
Would I suggest a new Scott Radian? Yes. It is a great rod, but to me, not the best one out there.
 |
| The best 5wt. rod in the world! |
Nice comparison Juan. I too like to hear other peoples reviews on gear...especially rods. I casted the new Scott at the Covey as well. I too wasnt blown away, but I like it. For a dry fly only rod, it was definitely on par with what I like. As you say, for throwing tricos or BWO's its perfect. Ive been fishing the ONE for awhile now, and I have to say I love that rod. Its primarily been used for nymphing though and Ive only thrown dries with it a few times. My ZXL 4 wt. for a dry rod has been hard to get rid of. I love that thing. I actually casted, then bought the new B3 SX. I thought it threw line like no other rod Ive ever casted. Roll casts were butter with that thing. But, I did get this rod for more of a czech/short line nymph set up. I fished it on the Taylor a week ago and it was perfect for that river. It stands its ground on the fight too, which was equally impressive. I also was able to get out on Spinney with it too. It was a great stillwater rod. I still have yet to cast a zenith, but Im anxious to do so. Thanks for the insight.. Jon E.
ReplyDeleteLike I said, many people like other rods that I may not like. Some people don't like the Zenith. Some people hate Ford and love Chevy. It goes on and on.....Thanks for sharing your thoughts on the rods you like.
DeleteJuan! I enjoyed the conversation and casting session with you that day at the covey. I must say that I've been thinking about (lusting over) that hardy since casting it. The youtube videos on the zenith, particularly the strength and bend test ones, are mind blowing. I'm a believer. Andrew B.
ReplyDeleteGlad you could spend some time messing around with me and the Zenith. It sure was fun to compare different rods. One of these days we'll have to cast the other Zenith rods. If you think you are lusting now.........
DeleteGood Review! Good Stuff!
ReplyDeleteJuan, it seems like every couple years I bounce between Sage and Scott. My 884 G2 is a sweet stick a close second to my 590 Z-Axis. I will be casting the Z and Radian side by side one of these days. I am afraid that I will like the Scott more because right now I'm on a Sage kick and jusy bought a 490 ONE.
ReplyDeleteAnd I'm not a fan of Wimpston as Stebe would say. But my B2MX is one hell of a streamer rod!
What rods can I sell to get the Radian....
Randy
I think I've wrote it elsewhere here about the Sage One.
ReplyDeleteI think it's too stiff and Sage has gone way to far with this. It's just not a pleasant rod for anything below 40-50ft.
Winston's BIII-MX is too stiff as well.
The Hardy Zenith is a very nice rod. Has that sensitive tip that's needed for close(r) fishing as well as moderate length (40-60 ft). Distance longer than 70ft is 'parking lot casting'.
Haven't seen the Radian yet. Still love their G2 (mine is the 905 G2).
The Sage throws very tight loops for me. The tip feels great but the lower third of the rod feels very clunky to me. I can't get past it. I saw a blog pst about someone getting a new ONE and stripping the cork off of it and replacing the cork and reel seat. The finished product looked hot and I probably wouldn't mind that rod. The grip is just too clunky for me. The G2 is still a great rod, knowing that it can't compete with the long ball rods out there. Most people fishing the G2s have it for specific reasons and that's not to cast it in a parking lot. It's a great rod. The 8'8" 5wt is just sweet as is the 3, 4 & 6 wt rod.
DeleteA member at our fly fishing club brought his G2 8.8ft #5. I cast it and it feels and casts very different than my 9ft #5.
DeleteIn fact, I don't like the 8.8ft G2! It is very light, it feels like a 4 weight rod. Lightness is a good thing I'd say but with this rod I didn't feel the authority I feel with the 9ft version. The rod felt like it was underlined.
Casting tight loops is easy with a fast rod. But fishing isn't always about casting tight loops. Fishing is getting the rod deliver the fly, be a dry fly or a (for me) double bead head nymph rig. t's about thinking about a certain way of delivery and the rod just does that. That's the rod I like.
I haven't played around with the 9' rods in the G2 series. I have only wiggled them a bit here and there. I own the 8'8" series and I just love them. It may be that you get used to a particular rod length in a series and other lengths just feel "off". Just like 9' rods feel "normal" compared to 10" rods.
DeleteYou are certainly correct about using the right rod for you and your fishing style. As long as the rod does what you need it to do and you are happy, then there is no issue. Its fun comparing different styles and different rods for sure. Thanks for your input!
Good Stuff on your review! I am a Scott Fanatic so a little biased maybe.... I am going to purchase the 8'6" 4 wt Radian when I get back to the states at the end of the month. I have heard, and I know of one guy, that has had issues with the One breaking constantly. My son fishes the Hardy and yes, it is a great rod, in fact its amazing, but there is just something about a bunch of guys in a little building in Colorado pushing out amazing fly rods that just keeps me coming back to Scott.
ReplyDeleteI hear you about the homegrown stuff! I haven't cast the 8'6" Radian yet. I bet that is a sweet little rod. I really do like the rod and if I could, I would shave down the cork to a regular half wells grip. I don't care for the full wells grips on the ONE and Radian. It's a great rod, certainly one of the top 4.
DeleteNice review. I am curious to know what line you prefer on the Radian. I have cast it with a Rio Gold but wondered if it might cast better with a slightly heavier GPX?
ReplyDeleteI haven't ped around too much with the Radian, but I would think that a Rio Gold would work just fine, but I have noticed that a lot of newer or less skilled casters do better with a GPX on most rods. The heavier head of the GPX helps load the rod better and makes the shorter casts easier. I'll have to play around more with this rod.
DeleteI own the Radian in both the 4wt and 5wt 9'-0" configurations and find them to be excellent rods and living up to their marketing claims. The 4wt has become my go to rod. I have cast both rods with Rio Gold and found short/ up close casting a bit difficult. I think you are correct that it is most likely my skills that are the main factor. I recently tried the new Rio Perception line and have found this to be an excellent match up with the Radian. Scott has really created an excellent rod.
ReplyDeleteJuan, the SX is a "broomstick," "tomato stake," etc. Have you cast/fished the 9ft B3X in a 4, 5 or 6wt? Not fast enough for you? How truly fast is the Radian? Is it truly a tip-flex rod like the Zenith and others, or does it get its feel from flexing a bit lower into the blank? I can only assume you like a tip-flex rod, yet that seems to be the only knock on the Zenith, as it doesn't excel in-close as easy as a rod such as the B3X, which definitely flexes deeper. Perhaps your skill-level doesn't require as much flex - mine does. :)
ReplyDeleteI have cast the B3x in a 9' 5wt and 8'6" 4wt. I have not fished either one of them. It is a great rod. My only knock on that rod is that Winston uses a 1/2" or so shorter cork grip. I cast 80% of the time with my index finger on the tip of the cork. With Winston rods, my finger is on the blank. The B3X is a nice smooth rod with a good feel up close and enough guts to cast to 50'+. The Radian has a full wells grip similar to the Sage ONE. As mentioned earlier, I like to cast with my index finger out. Maybe not right, but I like the feel of that. These two rods just don't feel right to me. The Radian is fast. They say it is fast with feel, but I don't think it can cast half as good as the Zenith or the G. Loomis NRX LP. The tip is not as soft as the B3X. The Zenith has a great feel to it overall. It is light in the hand, has good feel up close and has enough guts to punch most things 75' out there. I fish within 30' most of the time so long bombs are not called for for me. On a lake, things are different though. The Zenith can make the short cast, but one has to only do flick of the wrist to get the tip bent and the rod does the rest. The tip does not push or slam the fly down hard as does the ONE. It carries it through the air and rolls over the leader gently. On a scale of 1-10 for close in casting, I give the B3X an 8, the Zenith a 9, the Radian a 7 and the ONE a 5. The B3SX gets a 2! The Zenith is not great in close, but excels everywhere else. Now when I know I am going to be throwing dries, I will go to a softer rod or a lighter line rod to get more feel, but most of us don't have that luxury. The B3X would be great to have for throwing dries but for me, it lacks on the other end. maybe it is too soft for me! With the Radian and ONE, they work great for throwing nymphs and streamers. When a BWO hatch happens, I would want a different rod. With the Zenith, I feel I can cover all three bases just fine. That is why it is my favorite.
DeleteAnother rod I really like is the G. Loomis NRX LP. I do not own one, but I spent a good amount of time this weekend casting one. It is light, smooth, strong and has a great feel to it. Think of mixing the B3X with a Zenith and that is what this rod feels like. It casts incredible up close and still feels great out to about 50'. On a scale of 1-10 for close in casting, I give the NRX LP a 10. It is better than the Zenith up close, but I still feel better about the Zenith overall. I think it covers my bases a bit better overall. I sure wouldn't mind having a 4wt. NRX LP! So, I like the B3X, but I don't think it is as good of a rod as the Zenith. I can do everything with the Zenith, including casting close and not feel I am wanting anything else in my hands when different situations arise or if I wanted to head to a stillwater.
Right now I would pick in my top 5 rods: Zenith, NRX LP, Orvis H2, Radian, B3X
Great question! Thanks for asking. Anymore thoughts?
Thanks!
Juan, love your enthusiasm! Thanks for taking the time to be so in-depth with your response. Can you elaborate on your opinion of the Radian when saying you don't think it casts as well as the NRX LP or Zenith? Also, how does the LP tip compare to that of a B3X in your experience with the 9ft 5wts? I am also curious about your love affair with the Zenith? Is this really the 8'10" 5wt 1pc we are talking about, or a 4pc 9ft 5wt apples-to-apples comparison with the other rods? I am also very curious to hear more about where each of these top 5 rods of yours flex - maybe you could rate their flex in the 590 configuration in terms of how far from the tip they actually flex during the back cast? Where does each load? Additionally, while many might say an intermediate caster really has no business with an $800 fly rod, which of these rods would you think would be easiest for someone with some acquired skill, but still very much learning when it comes to fly-casting? Perhaps you'd enjoy rank-ordering the rods in this area, as well? Lastly, you point out that most of your fishing actually occurs within 30-feet unless fishing stillwater. Given you rate the NRX LP as the better rod (vs the Zenith) in-close, and you do most of your fishing "in-close," why hasn't the LP de-throned the Zenith for you? No reason to give up the Zenith, but perhaps the NRX LP is the rod you should now be fishing tailwaters with? :) ~Mike
ReplyDeleteThe Radian is a great rod, don't get me wrong, I just think it is still too stiff in the tip to be an all around rod. Can I throw nymphs with it? Yes, it will throw them great. Will it throw streamers great? Yes it will. Will it throw dries great? Yes it will. But a size 24 trico is a bit different than throwing a # 8 Hopper Juan. If I am throwing hoppers, I can do it with any rod out there, no doubt and this rod would be great for throwing hoppers. Some rods are better than others, but when throwing BWOs or Tricos at 15', there are only a few rods that can do it and turn around and chuck a streamer with weight attached to it without missing a beat. The Radian can do this for some people, but it is not the rod I want in my hands when I have to make those 15' casts or shorter. For me, it's just too stiff. It doesn't have feel in close. A Scott G2 or Sage Circa would be great at 15' but would they be your all around rod? Not for me. Too soft.
DeleteAlso, I mentioned that the grip is a full wells. I don't like it. It's like writing with a fat pencil or a fat pen!
I don't have a lot of experience with either rod, but my first reaction is that the tips are similar in flex. The G2 also comes to mind. The new Winston B3X LS comes to mind also. The G2 is smooth, but lacks the longer distance power for some people. The LS is a bit slower than the B3X. It has more flex down the rod than the B3X. The B3X is stiffer/stronger in the butt section than the LS. The LP tip is maybe a bit faster of all of these. It is still softer than the faster rods out there though. It is smooth but has the power that the G2 lacks. I have no doubt that I can throw a #22 BWO at 15' effortlessly and turn around and chunk a heavy streamer with it. The B3X can do that too, but I just don't think it has as much guts as the LP. Again, if you are looking for one all around rod, can you chunk a woolly bugger 60' on stillwaters with the B3X? What about the LP? What about the Zenith?
I would look at the B3x in a 6wt. as I think it has enough guts to do the nymph and streamer chunking and the tip is soft enough to get away with throwing the smaller bugs as needed.
Let me just say that the 1 piece rods are the best best rods out there period. They can do it all. There is no comparison in my opinion when comparing 1 pc. to 4pc. rods. The 1 pc. rods are just lighter, smoother and more precise.
In my comparisons, I try to use 4 pc rods so the comparison is somewhat equal. A lot of people often wonder why I have that love affair too. If I can get the rod in their hands, they understand. There is just something about this rod that people who have never cast it, it just makes them smile. I am sure you would think highly of this rod if you cast it. The rod is light and smooth. Matched with the proper line, I think it is the best all around rod for me. Streams, rivers, ponds and lakes, it can handle it all. Like I have said before, I can make this rod work for me at 15' all the way to 70' with both dries and streamers. There are a lot of rods that can't do this. I like this rod as it fits my casting style the best. I am talking about the 4 pc rods.
I think any of these rods will make you a better caster. Putting on the right line also makes a huge difference in how the rod works. Think of it in terms of a high end sports car. What type of tires will you put on it? Some tires are better for this type of driving vs. this type of driving. Even trucks and truck tires work the same way. If you put on a GPX line on any of these rods, that rod will feel better for a lot of intermediate casters. The heavier head of the GPX or Rio Grande will help load the rod better and deeper than a standard line. This helps to hide some flaws of the caster. The rods also help to stabilize some of the caster's side to side motion better than what some of the older rods used to do.
DeleteThe newer resins in some of these rods are not gimmicks. They are actually the real deal. These new rods are helping all of us become better casters. As for ranking them, I would say the Zenith and LP would again be the top 2 because they allow the caster to get away with so much more than they are used to. They react quicker and smoother so this helps the caster. Other rods do this as well, but the newer technology is really working in this case.
The LP is a great rod. I would love to have one or more, but I have to look at how I fish. Most of the time I am nymphing. That is the name of the game for the most part here around the Front Range. Hatches are not always happening and when they do, sometimes they only last for a few minutes and are done. When comparing the Zenith and LP, I prefer the quicker feel of the Zenith. For me, I can make it cast up close and make that delicate cast at 10-15'. I can also zing that fly 45-60' on the very next cast. I would say that fishing a hopper/dropper is more enjoyable for me with the tad-bit stiffer Zenith. I fish this way more often in the summer. Throwing a #8 hopper with a 24" tungsten dropper is not as fun with a softer tip-ed rod. That is probably my reason for not going to a softer rod in the 590. I like to look at these 2 rods and say on is Manning and one is Brady. One is Magic one is Bird. Which one would you want and why? For me, I want both, but if I had to pick one, it would be the Zenith.
Wow, so excellent - thanks for being so articulate, and I enjoyed the analogies at the end - I'll take Manning and Magic, myself. ;) And so, with so much ground covered by one rod, what other rods do you reach for on the front range beyond the 9' 5wt Sintrix, and what is it about those rods that keep them in your quiver beyond sentimental reasons? What do you look for with shorter or longer specialty rods used for any other freshwater applications, trout or otherwise? Thanks, again, Juan. ~Mike
ReplyDeleteI have a lot of different rods yet I only have 2 arms! I have a few of the old Scott Gs as well as the G2s. These are my dry fly rods. These are used when I know I want to throw dries. These are not pulled out to throw streamers or even to fish heavy nymphs in heavy water. These are also not good for the windy days which are always an issue around here. If I had to pick a couple rods to use here, I would have a couple of different suggestions. For all around fishing, I would say a 9' 5wt Zenith and a 8'6" 4wt Zenith. These two rods cover it all for trout fishing around here. Other people would rather have a 9' 4wt. & 9' 6wt. If it were never an issue for me, I would have a 8'10" 4wt. 1 piece Zenith and a 8' 10" 6 wt. Zenith. These are a better combo than the one mentioned earlier. Transportation and storage are the main issues with these rods.
DeleteThe Scott G series was the original old school dry fly rod. These rods were and still are the benchmark for a dry fly rod. They don't do very well in Cheeseman Canyon with the wind blowing 30+ miles an hour with a big stonefly nymph and mayfly nymph with tungsten putty and a 1 inch thingamabobber. That wasn't what it was designed for. It was designed for a late summer day in 11-Mile Canyon with Trico spinners on the water and fish feeding in a slow rhythm in a gentle riffle. These are slow rods. They make you slow down and enjoy the moment. They are heavier than the new rods and your arm may tire out a little quicker and the day may be shorter due to this, but they are classic and they are still great rods. A 9' 4wt rod is great if you want to throw dries and fish smaller nymph rigs. They are more delicate than the 5wts and better for nymphing than the 8'6" rods. You can almost do everything with a 4wt rod. Streamers and heavy nymphs is where you lose some, but you gain it on the dry fly side of things. A 9'6wt rod is better suited for places like the Dream Stream where you could hook into a 20"+fish. Also, the wind never stops out there so having some additional backbone in your rod may be worth it. There have been days out there where the wind is so bad that throwing heavy streamers was the only option. It can be done with a 5 wt., but a 6 wt is better for that type of environment. A 6wt rod on the Taylor River is also useful because those fish there are a tad bit bigger than on the Arkansas River.
My favorite rod of all time is my Scott G 8' 2wt. If I am fishing that rod, it means it is summer and I am in the mountains on a small stream and chasing cutthroats or brookies with a dry fly. Those smaller fish feel bigger with that rod and that is what I want. I think the newer, faster rods, even the Zenith would be too much for these streams. Maybe I am old school when fishing this way, but that is how I like it. I want a light, short rod to fish the smaller, bushier creeks. That's just how I have always seen it and how I have always done it.
ReplyDeleteWhen looking for a dry fly rod to use on tailwaters and freestones, I look for a good strong rod with some backbone, but also a soft tip. There are a lot of 8'6' rods out there that will make a great little dry fly rod and work great for a nymphing rod. This is where the Sage ONE feels a lot better to me than the 5 wt. It has more feel to it and would probably be a great little rod. Again, the soft tips are even more important here than on the 5wts, since these rods are more delicate and the use is different than the 5wt rods.
On 10' rods, the main thing I look for is a light weight. You are adding an additional foot to the rod so naturally, you will be adding more weight to the rod also. A 10 foot rod is mainly used to nymph and a heavy rod will tire you out more quickly than a lighter one. Why would you want to gain more length but not be able to fish it as long and not enjoy it? When you get into the longer rods, there are certainly some good ones. Hardy Zenith, Orvis Helios 2 and the Sage ONE are a few I can think of that that will perform and be lightweight. matching up a good line also helps the rod out as there are lines like the Rio Indicator that help maximize your longer rod. Some people prefer a 10 foot rod on still waters. The longer length helps to keep the cast up from a float tube.
The Zenith - it is a fast rod. How fast? And, with the Zenith (the 590, for example), does this mean because it is fast you MUST cast it with a fast stroke to load it, even with a 5.5wt line? Will it transmit feel during the cast even at shorter distances with only 10-12 feet of fly line off the tip? Thanks, again. ~Mike
ReplyDeleteThe really cool thing about this rod is that you adjust your cast a bit on the point blank shots. I use a flick of the wrist to make those short casts. What this does is just flexes the tip a bit and it propels the fly over just like normal but this is only at about 40% of what you normally would do. it's really cool. So you are not using your arm very much, just your wrist, which makes tons of sense. With a nymph rig, you cat just as you normally would any other rod. I don't think it requires a faster stroke. There is a sweet spot there and you will figure it out pretty quickly. This requires some casting to see if you like it and can work with the rod. Some people are just too used to really fast rods and try to over power this rod. It is fast, but not super fast. Come visit me and we can cast these rods! All of them. :)
DeleteI just purchased a 1 piece 6wt Zenith today! Now I need to make time to cast it with different lines and different reels. What line and reel do you use on your Zenith? Do you have any recommendations? I was looking at the Hardy Ultralite DD 5000 and the Nautilus FWX 5/6. I am a little hesitant about the Nautilus because of the self lubricating plastic bushing. Do you have any posts on reel reviews?
ReplyDeleteI used to live in Falcon and would fish 11-mile every weekend , some of my greatest days fishing were there, miss that place!
You are going to love that 1-piece! Especially that 6wt. It is such a strong rod, but I would have no fear if I had to throw #22 BWOs with it. You can't do that with a lot of rods out there.
ReplyDeleteI have a Lampson Litespeed on the 6wt. It's a solid reel as is the Nautilus and Hardy. I haven't used the Hardy, so I can't comment there. I have heard great things about them. I do have Nautilus reels on my guide rods (Orvis H2s) and feel these are great reels. I have had no issues with them at all. I would recommend them to you. Go with the back color! Another reel that is kick ass is the Waterworks ULA Force. Talk about light! The only problem is the price. On the 6wt, I have a SA Texured GPX line on it and it a great match for me on that rod. Another line I want to put on that rod is a Rio Perception. I have it on the 5wt rod and it is pretty darn awesome. I haven't cast the line on a 6wt. so I can't say it is a perfect match. I can only assume it is. Let us all know how you like the rod and what you put on it. I guarantee you are going to love it.
11-Mile. Great place and some good times there also. Too bad you had to move away, but it sounds like you are still fishing. Where are you at now?
Thanks for info, that will give me a good place to start with reels and lines, and will probably save me alot of time! I will give an update with what I end up going with.
DeleteMoved to Utah, we spend a lot of time at the Green fishing it from a drifter, which is why I was able to justify the 1 piece. It's a little shocking when you see that rod in it's rod tube, hopefully it doesn't spend very much time in it!
Have you ever cast a loop cross s1? I had a zenith 590-4 and did not like it. Fine for distance and nymphs but no for dries in close. At least for me. I spoke to someone at Leland fly shop and they think it was the bees knees. I don't have a dealer by me that stocks these so I would have to get it without casting. I did the same with the zenith and
ReplyDeleteI have not cast the Loop rods. I hear they are great. There is only one dealer in the Front Range area and they are pretty quite about that. I don't hear much about those rods out here. I would guess you might be have the same issue as with the Zenith if you get one without casting it first.
DeleteGreat read. I just listed an old 2pc 9' 4wt G-Series rod on ebay yesterday. I believe it is a California production, pre-Colorado. I thought I would let you know in the event that you have anyone looking for something of the vintage: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=161438312136
ReplyDeleteThanks, and tight lines,
George
Juan, great read and I feel your insight is spot on between the Zenith and NRX LP.
ReplyDeleteWhat line did you cast the NRX with?
Also, my buddy has the zenith 1 piece and everytime I cast it, the line runs through those guides like butter. Maybe it being a 1 piece, or the guides, or the SA line, combination of it all is a piece of heaven. I am trying to recreate that on my NRX LP. Do you notice the same and your thoughts?
Maybe because the zenith has more power to generate more line speed? I am using a rio gold on the NRX LP and it starts to have less oomph for me in the 40-50' range.