aaa tours to yellowstone national park

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Idaho, Montana & Wyoming Tourbook Guide

Including boise, jackson hole, yellowstone national park and grand teton national park.

Explore the rugged wilderness of Idaho, Montana and Wyoming with the AAA TourBook guide. From the impossibly blue skies of Montana's “Big Sky Country” to the diverse wildlife within Yellowstone National Park, America's West offers seemingly endless opportunities to explore the great outdoors. Plan your next trip with the help of AAA's TourBook travel guide, available now on mobile, tablet or desktop.

With the Idaho, Montana & Wyoming guide, you'll get advice from AAA travel experts about the best things to see and do, where to stay and how to plan the trip of a lifetime. You'll learn insider travel tips and answers to many top questions asked by travelers.

Here's a sampling of what you'll find in the Idaho, Montana & Wyoming TourBook:

• Why Jackson Hole and the Grand Tetons are worth a visit
• What to see in Yellowstone and Glacier national parks
• How to experience what life was like in the Old West
• Why Montana's Going-to-the-Sun-Road is a bucket list adventure
• Where to find one of author Ernest Hemingway's favorite fly-fishing spots in Idaho
• How to follow in the footsteps of early explorers Meriwether Lewis and William Clark
• Where to camp, hike and fish in state parks and national public lands
• Why astronauts trained for a lunar landing in Idaho
• How to safely explore Hells Canyon, North America's deepest river gorge

What are some of the must-dos covered in this guide?

We know no two travelers are alike, so we've included a wide variety of things to do in each TourBook, from national parks and recreational activities to museums and theme parks.

We cover the top outdoor spots to visit in Montana, Wyoming and Idaho, including Glacier National Park, Yellowstone National Park, Yellowstone and Old Faithful. Learn about local history at the Museum of the Rockies in Bozeman or the Buffalo Bill Center of the West in Cody. Take the whole family to Silverwood, one of the largest theme parks in the northwest. Go behind-the-scenes on a Powerhouse Tour at Montana's Fort Peck Dam, or get up-close with wildlife at the Grizzly Wolf Discovery Center in West Yellowstone or Yellowstone Bear World in Rexburg.

You'll find all these attractions and more in this destination guide.

Will this guide help me plan a road trip?

Yes, this digital TourBook guide includes inspiration for scenic drives in Montana, Wyoming and Idaho. You can also use the high-quality maps to get started planning your own route.

Is national park information included?

The Idaho, Montana & Wyoming tour book includes detailed information and travel tips for Yellowstone National Park, Glacier National Park and Grand Teton National Park.

You'll also find travel information about popular public lands such as Devils Tower National Monument, Little Bighorn Battlefield, Craters of the Moon National Monument and Preserve, Fort Laramie National Historic Site, Hells Canyon National Recreation Area.

Explore the Idaho, Montana & Wyoming AAA TourBook, and start planning your next travel adventure today!

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The 16 best yellowstone national park tours of 2024.

Make the most of your trip to the oldest U.S. national park with these guided excursions.

The Best Yellowstone National Park Tours

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Home to more than 2.2 million acres, hundreds of geysers and waterfalls, as well as Yellowstone Lake – the largest high-altitude lake in North America – Yellowstone National Park is a bucket list vacation destination for many travelers. For an unforgettable visit to America's oldest national park, consider a guided tour. In addition to in-the-know locals, these tours provide hassle-free transportation from nearby cities like Jackson Hole, Wyoming . With the help of traveler and expert input, U.S. News determined that the following tours offer the best ways to take in everything the park has to offer. All of these top-rated excursions feature skillful guides who are eager to share their knowledge of the park's unique geologic features and wildlife.

Note: Because of weather and other factors, Yellowstone's roads are not accessible all year, and its entrances in Wyoming and Montana have differing seasonal opening and closing dates. Additionally, tour companies' prices typically do not include the park's $20 entry fee for each visitor 16 and older.

BrushBuck Wildlife Tours – Yellowstone Old Faithful, Waterfalls and Wildlife Day Tour

Price: From $299 Duration: 12 hours

Take a day to observe Yellowstone's scenery and wildlife on this tour. After passing through Grand Teton National Park , buses proceed to highlights of Yellowstone National Park, such as Old Faithful , Yellowstone Lake , the Upper and Lower Falls, the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone and numerous geyser basins. Throughout the journey, guides provide commentary on the area's history, flora and fauna, which travelers typically find very insightful.

Buses depart Jackson Hole daily from April through November starting at 6 a.m., and tour-takers must be at least 6 years old. Fees include the use of binoculars and spotting scopes, as well as a picnic lunch. Private outings and multiday tours are also available.

Check prices & availability on:

Teton Floats – Yellowstone Lower Loop Tour

Price: From $299 Duration: 11 hours

See many of Yellowstone's top thermal attractions on this small-group outing, which also travels through Grand Teton National Park. Marvel at the famously reliable Old Faithful, which erupts every 90 minutes, as well as geysers such as Beehive, Castle, Daisy, Grand and Sawmill. Other highlights include the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone and the Grand Prismatic Spring . In addition to enthusing about the scenery and wildlife, tour-takers frequently praise the guides for their valuable information and entertaining stories.

Pickups from lodging in Jackson and Teton Village occur around 7:30 a.m., and buses return to the starting point between 6:30 and 7:30 p.m. Tours happen daily from May to mid-October. Prices include transportation, use of binoculars, snacks and a picnic lunch. Groups are limited to eight people, all of whom must be at least 4 years old. The company also operates tours in Grand Teton National Park, in addition to fly-fishing trips.

Scenic Safaris – Yellowstone Snowmobile Tour (Old Faithful)

Price: From $525 (single) or $855 (tandem) Duration: 12 hours

While certain parts of the park may be inaccessible by conventional four-wheeled vehicles in winter, that doesn't mean there aren't adventures to be had. This 45-mile snowmobile tour beside the Yellowstone River takes riders past points of interest, such as Moose Falls, Lewis Canyon and West Thumb Geyser Basin, to Old Faithful. Rides are offered daily from mid-December to mid-March, a period when some of the park's larger animals move down to its lower valleys. Tripgoers generally find snowmobiling in the park a memorable experience, one enhanced by the helpful, informed guides' commentary.

Jackson Hole-based Scenic Safaris picks up tour-takers in the area between 6 and 7:30 a.m. and returns them to their lodgings between 6 and 7 p.m. Prices vary throughout the season, but they always include the use of a snowmobile, a helmet and a snowsuit, as well as morning snacks and lunch. Drivers must be at least 16 years old, and riders must be at least 8 years old. Private tours are also available.

Yellowstone Adventure Tours – The Best of Yellowstone

Price: From $1,250 Duration: 8 to 10 hours

Visit the best-known Yellowstone spots – including Old Faithful and the Upper and Lower Falls – but also several lesser-known geysers, hot springs, waterfalls and wildlife viewing areas on this private excursion. Trip-takers consistently praise the enthusiastic, personable guides' commentary about the park's remarkable landscape and wildlife.

Tour prices vary based on the size of your party. Prices include pickups from locations in West Yellowstone, Bozeman, Big Sky, Livingston, Paradise Valley, Gardiner and Mammoth, Montana, as well as locations within the park. You'll also get a picnic lunch, use of binoculars and scopes, and snacks. The expeditions occur between May and October. Start times vary by season, but tours generally begin early in the morning. Yellowstone Adventure Tours also offers private outings devoted strictly to off-the-beaten-path locations, as well as multiday tours of the expansive park.

Yellowstone Raft Company – Scenic Float

Price: Adults from $74; kids from $64 Duration: 2 hours

Sights on this raft ride include Boiling Beach, LaDuke Hot Springs, the Devil's Slide (a cliff with a distinct stripe of red rock) and Electric Peak. Reviewers frequently praise both the beautiful scenery and the engaging guides.

From May through September, tours are available daily starting at 9 a.m., 11:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. The company asks that participants arrive about 30 minutes prior to departure to get ready and sign paperwork. Prices include transportation from the meeting point at the northern border of the park to the river. Gardiner-based Yellowstone Raft Company also offers whitewater rafting, as well as kayaking and horseback riding. Private tours start at $600 for parties of six; each additional person pays $74.

Flying Pig Adventures – 8-Mile Rafting Trip

Experience Yellowstone by rafting its eponymous river. On this trip, you'll paddle through Class II and III (novice- and intermediate-level) rapids with names like Queen of the Waters, Rock Garden and Sleeping Giant, and pass sights such as Devil's Slide and the nearly 11,000-foot tall Electric Peak. Participants consistently describe this tour as fun and deem its guides friendly and entertaining.

Trips operate daily from May through August starting at 9:15 and 11:15 a.m., as well as 1:15, 3:15 and 5:15 p.m. Rafters must weigh at least 45 pounds to participate. In addition to this 8-mile trip, Flying Pig offers an 18-mile ride, as well as an overnight expedition.

Wild West Rafting – Classic Half-Day Whitewater Experience

Price: Adults from $69; kids from $59 Duration: 2 hours

Ride mild and intermediate rapids on an 8-mile stretch of the Yellowstone River on this outing. You may also glimpse deer, elk, osprey, bald eagles and other wildlife inhabiting the area as you paddle down the river. In addition to enjoying the views, travelers typically find the guides knowledgeable, enthusiastic and helpful.

Raft trips run daily from May through September at 9 a.m., 10 a.m., 12:30 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. Prices include use of life jackets, water shoes and (on colder days) wetsuits. They also cover transportation from Wild West Rafting's Gardiner office to the river. Full-day paddling trips, in addition to private outings are also available.

Yellowstone Geyser Kayak Tours – Day Paddle

Price: From $200 (single) or $175 (tandem) Duration: 5 hours

Kayaking in the West Thumb Geyser Basin – the largest geyser basin in Yellowstone Lake – allows you to see geothermal features, some of them underwater, that would otherwise be inaccessible. This outing also travels to Potts Basin, an area with no boardwalk and, possibly, no other visitors. Travelers report enjoying the scenery and appreciate the informative guides.

Tours begin and end at the marina in Grant Village on the western side of Yellowstone Lake. Trips are available daily from late May through late September at 9 a.m. (though they may begin at 10 a.m. toward the end of the season) and conclude at around 2 or 3 p.m. Prices include a picnic lunch and use of all necessary kayaking gear. No prior experience is required, and children ages 5 to 12 must ride in a tandem kayak with an adult. The company also operates sunset paddling trips.

Wildland Trekking – Private Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone

Price: From $550 Duration: 4 to 7 hours

This private trek through the park can be tailored to suit your preferences, with possible routes ranging from 3.5 to 8 miles long. Whatever way you go, you're likely to see Artist Point overlook, as well as forests, lakes, geysers, mud pots and meadows in areas away from the park's boardwalks. Reviewers enjoy the beautiful scenery and appreciate the helpful, patient and personable guides.

You can sign up for this excursion from mid-May through September. Prices vary depending on group size and include lunch, snacks and use of trekking poles. Participants will be notified of their exact start times a week before their hikes. Wildland Trekking also organizes multiday tours around the national park.

Yellowstone Hiking Guides – Grand Canyon Rim Hike

Price: From $182 Duration: 6 hours

Walk the rim of the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone on this 6-mile trek and see Yellowstone landmarks like the river's Upper and Lower Falls, as well as forests and meadows. Hikers find the views spectacular and the guides both knowledgeable and entertaining.

Tours take place every day except Sunday from June through September. Groups meet at the Upper Falls View parking area off of South Rim Drive at 8 a.m. Prices include lunch, snacks and use of trekking poles. The company leads a variety of hikes around the park, including the Lamar Valley.

Jackson Hole Wildlife Safaris – Best of Yellowstone

Price: From $345 Duration: 10 to 12 hours

Observe the wildlife and landscape of Yellowstone on this full-day, small-group tour, during which naturalists offer insights on the area's ecology, wildlife and geology. In addition to animals, you'll see the park's famed geysers, hot springs and waterfalls. Tourgoers regularly report seeing ample wildlife and appreciate the friendly, informative guides.

Excursions are available from mid-April through October. Pickup from lodging in Jackson and Teton Village typically begins around 6:30 a.m. (or 7 a.m. later in the season). Prices include transportation, breakfast and lunch, as well as use of binoculars and spotting scopes. Groups are capped at eight participants. Half-day (four- to five-hour) iterations of this tour are also available.

Grizzly Country Wildlife Adventures – Yellowstone Lower Loop Tour

Price: From $365 Duration: 12 hours

This tour hits many of Yellowstone's top attractions – including Old Faithful, the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone River, Fountain Paint Pots and Yellowstone Lake – as well as some lesser-known geological formations. In addition to seeing multiple geysers, lakes and waterfalls, you'll have opportunities to glimpse some of the park's diverse wildlife. The trip also includes a morning drive through Grand Teton National Park on the way to Yellowstone. Travelers frequently rave about the scenery and appreciate that the engaging guides try to visit off-the-beaten-path locations within the busy national park.

Tours typically take place from mid-May through December. Departures from Jackson and Teton Village begin at 7 a.m., and vans return approximately 12 hours later. Fees include transportation, lunch, snacks, and use of spotting scopes and binoculars. The company also leads wildlife safaris year-round.

Old Faithful Snowmobile Tours – Yellowstone Snowmobiling Day Tour

Price: From $425 Duration: 12 hours

Marvel at a snow-covered Yellowstone on this daylong snowmobile tour to Old Faithful. Stops along the way include Black Sand Basin and Moose Falls. During the approximately 100-mile ride (which lasts about six hours), you'll likely see multiple geysers and waterfalls, as well as an array of wildlife. Reviewers consistently gush about the views and appreciate the professional and accommodating guides.

Fees include pickup in the Jackson area between 6 and 6:30 a.m., as well as a continental breakfast and lunch. Groups typically return to Jackson between 4:30 and 5:30 p.m. Tours run daily from mid-December to mid-March, and the company also operates multiday adventures.

Yellowstone Vacations – Snowcoach Tour Old Faithful

Price: Adults from $240; kids from $220 Duration: 9 hours

Snowcoaches – buses with oversized, low-pressure tires – allow you to experience Yellowstone during the less accessible winter months. This tour's vehicles take passengers to popular locales within the park, such as Biscuit Basin, Black Sand Basin, Fountain Paint Pot, Madison Junction and, of course, Old Faithful. Passengers generally find the coaches warm and comfortable and the drivers (who double as guides) knowledgeable and passionate about the park.

From mid-December to mid-March, daily tours begin at 8 a.m. and end at 5 p.m. Yellowstone Vacations also conducts snowmobile tours and, during summer months, bus tours.

Yellowstone Wild – Bear and Wolf Watching Tour

Price: From $900 Duration: 8 hours

Calling all wildlife lovers! As its name suggests, this tour centers on seeing bears, wolves and other animals that call Yellowstone home. Travelers regularly report seeing a wide array of wildlife and praise the guides for their animal-spotting skills and overall professionalism.

This tour is private and fully customizable, and it is available from May through October. Fees depend on group size. In addition to a light breakfast and a full picnic-style lunch, prices include pickup from hotels in the Gardiner, Mammoth Hot Springs, Tower Junction and Roosevelt Lodge areas. Additional fees may apply for round-trip transportation to some other locations. Departures begin between 5 and 6 a.m. (depending on the time of year), and kids must be at least 5 years old to participate.

Yellowstone Insight – Day Tours – Wildlife Tour

Price: From $850 Duration: 12 hours

This tour goes where the animals are, which means routes may vary, but a focus on the park's Northern Range (including Mammoth Hot Springs ) is fairly standard. Bears and wolves are among the wildlife you may spot during this daylong expedition. Tourgoers enthusiastically praise the guides for their expertise.

Tours, which are available to book year-round, generally start at around 5 a.m. in the summer and 6:30 a.m. in the winter. Prices include round-trip transportation to locations in the Bozeman area, as well as a continental breakfast and use of spotting scopes.

You may also be interested in:

• Best U.S. National Parks
• Best Colorado Snowmobile Tours
• Top Things to Do in Montana
• The Ultimate Camping Checklist

Tags: Tours , Travel , Vacations , Yellowstone National Park

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AN ADVENTURER’S WEEKEND IN YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK

HOW TO SPEND AN ACTION-PACKED WEEKEND IN ONE OF AMERICA’S FAVORITE NATIONAL PARKS

Yellowstone National Park is home to 3,500 sq. miles of wilderness, hot springs, gushing geysers and alpine rivers – all located right on top of a volcanic hot spot. Discover how you can embrace the array of experiences and destinations when you spend a weekend in the park.

07:00 – Check Out  Hayden Valley’s  Wildlife

The early morning is the perfect time of day to view some of Yellowstone’s most iconic wildlife. Head to Yellowstone’s Hayden Valley to see herds of grazing bison, coyotes, waterfowl, grizzly bears and wolves.   

09:00 – Hit the Lower Geyser Basin Boardwalk

A trip to Yellowstone isn’t complete without a visit to the Grand Prismatic Spring. This mystical spring is deeper than a 10-story building and is only accessible via boardwalk.   

11:00 – Catch Old Faithful

Chances are high that if you’ve heard of Yellowstone, you’ve heard of Old Faithful. This famous geyser erupts 20 times each day up to 140 feet in the air.

12:30 – Grab Lunch at Geyser Grill

Get a quick bite to eat at  Geyser Grill , a quick-serve restaurant offering vegetarian, organic and locally sourced dishes.

13:30 – Tour Backwards Distilling Company

Are you in need of a break from all the excitement of nature? Take a  tour  of this quirky local distillery to get an in-depth look at Yellowstone’s brewery.

17:00 – Experience an Old West Cookout

Eat like a cowboy at the  Roosevelt Old West Cookout  in Pleasant Valley. You’ll take a 30 to 45-minute wagon ride to get to the cookout side and enjoy a great meal, all to the tune of cowboys singing songs of the Old West.

33:00 – Drive Dunraven Pass

Dunraven Pass is a great drive to take if you’re looking to see a handful of views in a short period of time. Stop by  Tower Falls  during the drive to see a remarkable 132 ft. waterfall created by cracked lava flow.

35:00 – Hike Mt. Washburn

Enjoy panoramic views for up to 50 miles after you hike 3.1 miles to the top of Mount Washburn. Fun fact: this short hike is one of more than 900 miles of hiking trails located in the national park.   

38:00 – Lunch at Roosevelt 

Built in 1920,  Roosevelt’s  rustic log cabin dining room is the perfect pit stop for a bite to eat – complete with rocking chairs on the front porch.   

39:30 – See Mammoth Hot Springs

Have you ever wanted to see a cave turned inside out? Walk the boardwalk to view Mammoth Hot Springs, comprised of soft limestone travertine formations – creating an impeccable landscape.

42:30 – Dine Lakeside at the Lake Yellowstone Dining Room

End your trip right when you dine lakeside at the  Lake Yellowstone Dining Room . Feast on a locally sourced, sustainable meal in the well-appointed dining room while reminiscing about all the great memories you just created.

This content was created in partnership with Best Western.

Home 〉 Tours 〉 North America Tours  〉United States Of America

Yellowstone and grand tetons adventure.

Embark on a discovery of some of the most iconic natural landmarks in the USA. Visit the country’s oldest national park – the immense Yellowstone National Park – where Old Faithful Geyser shoots boiling water to the sky, bubbling hot rivers flow, and herds of bison roam. Spot wildlife like moose, bears and beavers hidden within the Grand Teton Mountain Range and follow along with a real-life wolf tracker who’ll teach you their secret tracking tricks in the wee hours of the morning. In the evenings, unwind like the cowboys used to do, with dinner, drinks and entertainment in the famous frontier town of Jackson, Wyoming.

6 days, from

12 people max Traveling in a small group people gets you closer to your travel companions, your destination and its culture. Grab a few friends, then grab a few more, and if you get 10 friends together you’ll be traveling in an exclusive small group with a local leader and an incredible itinerary. Traveling in a small group people gets you closer to your travel companions, your destination and its culture. Grab a few friends, then grab a few more, and if you get 10 friends together you’ll be traveling in an exclusive small group with a local leader and an incredible itinerary.

ACTIVITY LEVEL

Countries Visited:  United States Of America Accommodation:  Hotels (5 nights) Transportation: Private vehicle Included Meals:

• 4 breakfasts

Group size: Minimum 1, Max 12 Minimum Age: 15

Meet up with an experienced wolf tracker for a unique opportunity to view wolves within their natural habitat in Yellowstone National Park.

Explore the stunning scenery of Grand Teton National Park, home to wildlife such as moose and grizzly bears, as well as pristine lakes and incredible alpine terrain.

See Yellowstone’s most iconic sites like the powerful Old Faithful and the hypnotic Grand Prismatic Pool, then see if you can spot the park’s famous bison herds… from a safe distance, of course.

Marvel at artwork by world-renowned artists as you take in over 4000 years of wildlife history at the National Museum of Wildlife Art.

Show Full Itinerary

Welcome to the historic town of Jackson, Wyoming, where fur trappers and frontiersmen once gathered. Surrounded by towering mountain ranges and the meandering Snake River, Jackson is your gateway to discovering Yellowstone National Park. We’ll have a group meeting at 6 pm, followed by a welcome dinner. Afterwards, the evening is all yours to explore the town’s nightlife. Feel free to wander the plaza or maybe head to the famous Million Dollar Cowboy Bar for a drink.

After breakfast, embark on a day exploring Grand Teton National Park, one of the most stunning places in Wyoming. The Grand Teton mountain range rises above a scene rich with abundant wildlife and pristine lakes. Take a walk to Inspiration Point for outstanding views or enjoy a scenic stroll around the glacially carved Jenny Lake and gaze up in awe at the surrounding landscape. Have a picnic, maybe spot a moose or even a grizzly bear and enjoy the serenity of this remarkable place. Other wildlife you might find include elk, beavers and black bears, so keep your eyes peeled! We’ll continue on to viewing sites for buffalo and antelope herds along the Gros Ventre River and Antelope Flats.

This morning, take in the fascinating artwork of the National Museum of Wildlife Art. Featuring work by famed artists such as Georgia O’Keeffe and Andy Warhol, the museum’s collection chronicles the history of wildlife in art, from the present all the way back to 2500 BC. You’ll have the rest of the day free to further explore Jackson – perhaps wander among the many shops or opt for an exciting whitewater rafting adventure on the Snake River.

An early start sees us on the road to the crown jewel of the American national parks, where you’ll spend the full day exploring with your expert guide. Yellowstone is the country’s first national park and is a mountain wilderness, home to grizzly bears, wolves and herds of buffalo and elk. Watch as Old Faithful sprays over 4000 gallons (14,000 litres) of boiling water into the air, then be hypnotized by the startling colours of the Grand Prismatic Pool. Other highlights include Yellowstone Canyon with its geysers along the north and south loop, and the tranquil Yellowstone Lake.

It’s another early morning for a fascinating day with a local wolf-tracking expert. There is no better place than Yellowstone to see these magnificent animals in the wild. We meet up with an experienced naturalist guide who tracks the movements and behaviour of Yellowstone wildlife almost daily and know the best places to find the animals. There will be top-of-the-line binoculars and high-powered spotting scopes on board, so no one will miss out on seeing these creatures close up.

After breakfast, make your way back to Jackson (approximately 3 hours), where you will arrive late afternoon. Your tour ends here and you are free to explore more of Jackson or depart at your leisure.

The Perfect 4-Day Yellowstone Itinerary

• Travel Tips , USA
• September 7, 2024
• Geysers , Itineraries , Montana , National Parks , Outdoor adventures , Wildlife , Wyoming , Yellowstone

Last Updated on: 25th March 2024, 10:48 pm

A t over two million acres, Yellowstone requires several days to fully appreciate. While it would probably take weeks to see 100% of the park, three or four days is enough to see the main highlights. In the following Yellowstone itinerary, we’ll be covering how to experience the park over four days as efficiently (and as cheaply) as possible. But we also have you covered if you have less time or will be coming from a different direction.

Many travelers seem to enter Yellowstone National Park from the south following a visit to Grand Teton National Park. And many people also exit via the north, as it’s common to combine Yellowstone with a trip to Montana’s Glacier National Park. The itinerary below, therefore, is ideal for those who will be following this route.

However, you can also find  alternate suggestions  if you’ll be starting in the north, or will be coming from the west or east.

As we’ll cover below, it’s highly recommended that you stay within the park for the duration of your trip. Even then, you’ll still have a lot of driving to do!

Day 0: Arrive in Yellowstone from Grand Teton / Jackson

Yellowstone National Park is situated just north of Grand Teton National Park, which itself is located right outside the town of Jackson. Most visitors, therefore, visit Grand Teton right before their trip to Yellowstone.

While one full day is enough to see Grand Teton’s highlights, consider spending 1.5 days in the park. That way, you can head straight into Yellowstone after your second day and get settled before you start exploring the following day.

Be sure to check our detailed guide to Grand Teton for tips on how to spend your time there.

While those coming straight from Grand Teton or Jackson will be entering Yellowstone via the South Entrance, the park also has a West, East, North and even Northeast entrance. 

As mentioned, the following itinerary assume you’re entering via the south and exiting via the north. But if you’ll be coming from another entrance (or also exiting via the south), we’ve provided some suggestions on how to alter the main itinerary below .

WHERE TO STAY ON NIGHT 1:  As mentioned above, it’s best to stay within the park during your explorations of Yellowstone. Not only is the park massive, but there are very few towns close by.

And even if you do stay within the park, you’ll still have lots of driving to do each day. As such, you’ll also want to base yourself in at least two different locations over the course of your trip.

If you’re entering from the south, spend your first night at Grant Village. Yellowstone National Park is home to a few different ‘villages’ which are all managed by the Xanterra Corporation.

Each village features both lodging and extensive campgrounds. You’ll also find things like restaurants and general stores as well. You can make reservations for campsites at  this link and for Grant Village hotels at this link .

Just be sure to make your reservation several months in advance, as both can get booked up quick!

Lodging can cost a few hundred dollars per room each night, while campsites cost just around $40 per night (the price varies slightly depending on campsite size and number of tents).

In my case, I decided to camp every night of my Yellowstone stay. Grant Village does feature showers for campers, though you’ll likely have to drive there from your specific campsite. Each camping area, at least, has ample restrooms nearby.

Depending on who your camping neighbors are, things can get a bit noisy at night. With that said, considering the alternatives, I wouldn’t have changed a thing.

If budget is not an issue for you, also consider staying at the iconic Old Faithful Inn for your first two nights.

If you’re new to camping or wondering how to prepare for Yellowstone specifically, be sure to check our detailed packing list.

Day 1: Explore the Geyser Basins of Southwest Yellowstone

This day will be entirely dedicated to geysers. The southwest section alone is home to around five geyser basins (depending on how you count), and exploring everything can easily take a full day.

It would be wise to start at the Upper Geyser Basin, home to the famous Old Faithful. The area can get crowded very quickly, while you’ll also want to arrive early to ensure you get a parking space. Try to get there by around 8:00 or 8:30 if you can.

From the Grant Village Campground in the south of the park, the driving journey is just about 40 minutes. As there are no shuttles in Yellowstone,  renting a car  is a must.

Conveniently, Old Faithful happens to be the first geyser you’ll encounter upon walking to the Upper Geyser Basin from the parking lot. As such, it makes sense to wait around until the next eruption before going off to explore the rest of the area.

Old Faithful presently erupts every 90 minutes or so. You’ll find scheduled eruption times at the Visitor Center, while you can also  check online .

After witnessing an eruption, there’s still plenty more to explore nearby. The Upper Geyser Basin is home to no less than 150 geysers in a single square mile, making it the most dense concentration of geysers on the planet.

Some people like to plan their explorations in order to be back at Old Faithful in time for another eruption. But there’s so much to see in the general area that to see it all would take over two hours!

When finished with the Upper Geyser Basin, make the 15-minute drive to Midway Geyser Basin. By this point in the day, parking will be an issue. But if you’re patient enough, you should be able to find a spot when someone leaves.

All in all, Midway Geyser Basin is tiny compared with Upper Geyser Basin, and the boardwalk will soon take you to Grand Prismatic, arguably Yellowstone’s most famous attraction after Old Faithful.

Next, continue to the Lower Geyser Basin. While there are plenty of geysers to see here, the overall area is small compared with Upper Geyser Basin, with the boardwalk stretching out to 0.5 miles (0.8 km).

Next, head south to the Fairy Falls Trail, famous for its stunning overlook of Grand Prismatic. The hike is just about 0.8 miles (1.3 km), though it’s fairly steep. Expect to make it up in about 15-20 minutes.

Continuing further south, the next destination on this Yellowstone itinerary is Biscuit Basin, situated just northwest of Upper Geyser Basin. This is a geyser basin similar to the others, though you also have the option of taking an additional hike through the forest.

About halfway through the main boardwalk in the geyser area is the detour for the Mystic Falls hike. From the boardwalk, it’s about 0.7 miles to reach the falls, or 1.7 for the entire loop hike.

If you’re in the mood to see even more geysers, it’s from the Biscuit Basin parking lot that you can access a remote and largely overlooked section of the Upper Geyser Basin. The trail is commonly known as the Artemisia Trail after the Artemisia Geyser. 

And finally, if you still have any energy left over, there’s yet another geyser basin around here known as the Black Sand Basin.

If you’re planning on seeing everything mentioned above, expect to make it back to Grant Village by early evening. Also note that you probably won’t have time to stop for a proper lunch, so bring plenty of snacks in your car.

Elsewhere online, you may come across websites telling you not to even bother exploring Yellowstone during the busiest times in the afternoon. But that’s poor advice. There’s so much to see in the park that you’d hardly get anything done if you took a break during peak times.

WHERE TO STAY ON NIGHT 2:  If the  Old Faithful Inn  is out of your budget, spend another night at Grant Village. As mentioned, you can make reservations for campsites at  this link  and for lodging at  this link .

The next morning, be sure to wake up early to clear your campsite and pack up your things, as you should aim to stay in a different part of the park on night three.

Day 2: Explore Yellowstone Lake & Visit Mud Volcano

Conveniently, Grant Village is situated right by Yellowstone Lake, so you won’t have to travel very far to start your day. But the lake is massive, and you’ll be driving alongside it for much of the day.

Frankly speaking, if you only have three days in Yellowstone instead of four, this is probably the day you should remove from your itinerary. While the lake is indeed beautiful, it’s not particularly unique. (See more suggestions below .)

Yellowstone Lake covers 136 square miles, and with 110 miles (180 km) of shoreline, there’s plenty to do and see nearby. 

Start your day at the West Thumb Geyser Basin. While similar to the geyser basins you’ll have seen on Day 1, this basin is situated right along (and at some points within) the lake!

Your schedule for this day will largely depend on whether or not you’ve decided to book a Yellowstone boat tour, officially known as  Yellowstone Lake Scenicruise  tours. The excursions last one hour and they depart from Bridge Bay Marina at 9:00, 10:30, 1:00, 14:30 and 16:00.

The marina is about 25 minutes from West Thumb Geyser Basin, so keep that in mind when choosing a time. Booking a 9:00 tour might force you to rush, while a 10:30 might leave you with plenty of time to kill.

In any case, before or after your tour (or even if you decide to skip it), consider hiking the Natural Bridge Trail, accessible from the marina. The 2.2-mile (3.6 km) hike culminates at a beautiful stone bridge.

Continuing north, another hiking trail is the Elephant Back Trail, which is 3.6 miles (5.8 km). Expect it to take a couple hours to complete. Unfortunately, it doesn’t feature any dedicated overlooks, though you can still catch some great views of the lake by peaking through the trees.

Alternatively, you might want to replace it with the Storm Point Trail on the lake’s north shore. At 2.3 miles (3.7 km), it’s mostly flat but still offers excellent views of the lake.

If you’re a big hiker, consider replacing any other hikes mentioned above with the Avalanche Trail. The hike is probably the best way to see unobstructed views of Yellowstone Lake from above. But it’s considered a strenuous hike with 2,000 ft of elevation gain, and it takes most people at least three hours to complete.

At the far northern end of the lake, meanwhile, is the Fishing Bridge, a historic bridge constructed in 1932. It takes just a couple of minutes to see.

Now you’re finally done with the lake, and it’s time to continue north along the Grand Loop Road. Be sure to make a quick stop at the LeHardy Rapids which are part of the Yellowstone River. This is a great spot to watch native cutthroat trout make occasional leaps into the air.

Further north along the river, don’t miss the Mud Volcano. While its name makes one think that it’s just a single hydrothermal feature, this is actually an entire geyser basin. The total length of the boardwalk is 0.75 miles (1 km), while this is also a great place to spot some bison.

Speaking of bison, your day will finish with a drive through Hayden Valley, one of the top spots in Yellowstone to see wildlife. By this point in the day it should be evening, which is one of the ideal times to see animals.

But this won’t be your last experience with Hayden Valley, as you’ll want to be sure to drive through it at sunrise at least once.

Finally, head to Canyon Village and check into your accommodation.

WHERE TO STAY ON NIGHT 3:  As mentioned earlier, Yellowstone National Park is comprised of a few different villages that feature both campgrounds and hotels, not to mention restaurants and general stores. And for nights three and four, you should aim to stay at Canyon Village, located just south of the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone.

Each village features both lodging and extensive campgrounds. You’ll also find things like restaurants and general stores as well. You can make reservations for campsites at  this link and for Canyon Village lodging at this link .

As mentioned earlier, be sure to make your reservations several months in advance.

If budget is not an issue for you, also consider staying at the historic Lake Yellowstone Hotel  on your third night.

Day 3: Hayden Valley, Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone & More

This is going to be another busy day. But as we’ll cover shortly, you should be able to move some things from this day over to Day 4 if you’d prefer to rest in the afternoon.

While you should have already seen plenty of animals – especially bison – in the evening, right around sunrise is the best time to experience Hayden Valley – both for wildlife and for scenery.

Even if you’re not at all a morning person, it’s well worth putting forth the effort to wake up around 5:00 and make it to the valley by around 6:00. Conveniently, Hayden Valley is situated right next to Canyon Village.

Not only are you more likely to see wildlife at this time, but the mist over the river in the early morning creates a spectacular landscape.

Expect to see plenty more bison, not to mention elk, bears and other animals. While Hayden Valley takes about fifteen minutes to drive through from end to end without stopping, you’ll be pulling over plenty of times whenever you happen to see something.

You’ll eventually end up back at the Mud Volcano, at which point you can turn around and drive through the valley one more time.

Finished with Hayden Valley, you’ll find yourself right by the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone. The canyon consists of two large waterfalls, while there are various viewpoints and hiking trails from which to appreciate the views from different angles. 

As such, there are plenty of ways to experience the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone, and seeing every single viewpoint should take you around 4-5 hours.

But if you’re not into the idea of spending that much time and energy here, Artist Point and the Brink of the Lower Falls should be considered must-visits. After that, if you’re still in the mood, go see the North Rim’s Red Rock Point.

One benefit of starting Day 3 with a sunrise tour of Hayden Valley is that you’ll easily be able to make it to Artist Point before the crowds arrive. You shouldn’t have a problem finding a parking spot by around 8:00, though you might find the lot completely full by 9:00.

Artist Point is located along the South Rim of the canyon, which is also home to the Upper Falls Overlook.

The North Rim, meanwhile, is home to Brink of the Lower Falls (a must-see), Red Rock Point & Lookout Point, Inspiration Point and Brink of the Upper Falls. While popular (though not quite essential), Brink of the Upper Falls can be saved for last thanks to its large parking lot.

Whether you’ve just visited a few overlooks or have seen everything, you should still have time left over in the afternoon for another excursion.

If you’re feeling especially energetic, consider hiking up Mt. Washburn, located north of the canyon. But expect the roundtrip hike to last three hours at the very least.

Alternatively, you could head west across the road that runs between Yellowstone’s Upper and Lower Loops, where you’ll find Norris Geyser Basin.

Or you could simply head back to Canyon Village to rest, as it’s also possible to stop at Norris Geyser Basin on the morning of Day 4.

WHERE TO STAY ON NIGHT 4:  Spend another night at Canyon Village.

Day 4: Mammoth Hot Springs & More

Yellowstone National Park is comprised of two main loop roads, commonly referred to as the Lower Loop and Upper Loop. Thus far, this Yellowstone itinerary has largely focused on the Lower Loop, though Day 4 finally takes you to the Upper Loop.

But first, if you didn’t make it to Norris Geyser Basin on Day 3, you’ll want to start your day here. It’s about a 25-minute drive from Canyon Village. And even if you did manage to visit it the previous day, you’ll have to repeat the drive.

Norris Geyser Basin is home to hundreds of hydrothermal features like geysers, mud pots and fumaroles. While it may not be as well-known as Upper Geyser Basin or Middle Geyser Basin, it’s easily one of the most interesting hydrothermal areas of the park. It’s also considered Yellowstone’s hottest and oldest basin.

If you want to see everything, give yourself a couple of hours here. When finished, it’s time to head north along the western half of the Upper Loop.

Visitors who are into hiking should consider stopping at the trailhead for Bunsen Peak. It’s about a 30-minute drive from Norris Geyser Basin, or a little under an hour if you’re coming straight from Canyon Village.

The roundtrip hike to the top of the mountain is 4.2 miles (7 km) with an elevation gain of 1282 ft (391 m). Expect the hike to take you around 2-2.5 hours. Just be sure to carry bear spray! (See our packing list for more info.)

Whether you’ve completed the hike or decided to skip it, continue north until you reach Mammoth Hot Springs. You should have some basic familiarity with the area before arriving, as navigation can be confusing.

Mammoth Hot Springs consists of two main areas: the Upper Terraces and Lower Terraces. A majority of both areas can be explored on foot via a complex network of boardwalks. But given how big the overall area is, you’ll want to park in at least two different spots.

When coming from the south,  you’ll first encounter the Upper Terrace Loop Dr on your left. Confusingly, after turning off the main road, you’ll immediately encounter a small parking area next to a boardwalk.

However, I’d recommend turning right to partially drive along the Upper Terrace Loop Dr. And rather than complete the drive, you should soon find another parking lot at the upper level. If you’re able to find a spot here, be sure to take it.

After appreciating the viewpoint of the Upper Terraces, you have a few options. One option is to keep your car where it is and proceed to the Lower Terraces on foot via the boardwalk system.

Don’t walk all the way down to the road level, however. As there are a couple of parking lots near a must-visit landmark called Palette Spring, it would be wise to head there later after exploring much of the Upper and Lower Terraces on foot.

When finished with most of the Lower Terraces, return to your car and complete the Upper Terrace Loop Dr. Then return to Grand Loop Rd and proceed north. A bit later on, look out for a monolithic spite called Liberty Cap, in front of which you should find parking. From here it will be an easy, flat walk to Palette Spring.

While in the northern part of the park, don’t miss the opportunity to check out a slice of historic Yellowstone. Just across from Mammoth Hot Springs is what remains of Fort Yellowstone, which now serves as the Albright Visitor Center.

It’s also around here that you’ll find a large shop at which you can grab some things for the road. 

It’s now finally time to wave Yellowstone goodbye. Next, proceed north to the town of Gardiner, Montana, where you can stop to admire the iconic Roosevelt Arch.

WHERE TO STAY ON NIGHT 5:  If you’ll be heading to Glacier National Park, the drive from Yellowstone takes roughly six hours. Needless to say, you won’t be able to make the drive after following Day 4 of this Yellowstone itinerary. So where should you stay?

You have a number of options in Gardiner, Montana, with popular hotels being  Yellowstone Riverside Cottages and The Antler Lodge .

Another option is Livingston, situated about an hour and twenty minutes north of Yellowstone’s North Entrance. Not only is it cheaper than Gardiner, but staying in Livingston would shorten your journey to Glacier the following day. The Livingston Inn and Country Motor Inn would make for great choices.

Staying in the nearby city of Bozeman would be another convenient option.

How to Visit Yellowstone if...

If you only have three days in the park, give much of Yellowstone Lake a miss. First, follow Day 1 as described above. Then on Day 2, you should still start with West Thumb Geyser Basin, but drive along most of the lake (while making the occasional stop to enjoy the views) until you reach the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone.

Explore the area and check into your accommodation in Canyon Village. Begin Day 3 with a sunrise drive through Hayden Valley, followed by a drive over to Norris Geyser Basin. Then finish your trip with a visit to Mammoth Hot Springs.

If you only have one or two days, you’d be best off just relying on tours. Tour operators would know the best way to take you to the park’s highlights in the most efficient way possible.

If you’ll be based in Jackson, this full-day tour will take you to Old Faithful, the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone, West Thumb Geyser Basin, and more.

If you’ll be based in Gardiner, Montana, this wildlife tour will take you through Lamar Valley over the course of six hours.

Those based in West Yellowstone, meanwhile, should consider this Upper Loop Tour , which takes you to Mammoth Hot Springs, Lamar Valley and numerous other locations.

If you’re traveling from north to south, the Yellowstone itinerary above shouldn’t be too difficult to carry out in reverse. What follows is a brief outline, assuming you’ve spent the previous night relatively close by.

On Day 1, begin your visit with Mammoth Hot Springs, followed by a visit to Norris Geyser Basin (you can also hike Bunsen Peak if you wish). Check into your accommodation at Canyon Village.

You can follow Day 2 exactly as Day 3 is described in the itinerary above, again spending the night in Canyon Village.

On your third day, begin your day at Mud Volcano, followed by a drive along Yellowstone Lake, stopping at whatever overlooks or hikes you like.  Visit West Thumb Geyser Basin in the late afternoon or evening before checking into your accommodation at Grant Village.

On your final day at Yellowstone, simply copy the Day 1 itinerary in the guide above. Spend the night at Grant Village and then get an early start for exploring Grand Teton National Park the following day.

If you’ll be coming from the west, spend the night before your trip in the town of West Yellowstone, Montana. The following day (Day 1), the drive from West Yellowstone to Old Faithful should just take about an hour (depending on traffic).

As such, you can easily follow the Yellowstone Itinerary above, spending the next night at Grant Village and the next two nights at Canyon Village.

Alternatively, if you’ll be coming from the west but want to exit via the south, start at Mammoth Hot Springs. The drive from West Yellowstone should take about an hour and twenty minutes. Then follow the ‘If You’re Traveling From North to South’ itinerary outlined just above.

Coming from the east and then following the itinerary above would be a bit tricky. The nearest major town would be Cody, Wyoming, which is about two hours from the Fishing Bridge on the north shore of Lake Yellowstone.

With that in mind, on your first day, you could either head south and explore Yellowstone Lake, or head north and start by visiting the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone. How you complete the rest of your trip will then largely depend on how you plan on exiting the park.

Also consider this highly-rated tour  that departs from Cody and takes you to various parts of the park, such as Norris Geyser Basin, Upper Geyser Basin and Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone. It also takes you through Hayden Valley to spot wildlife.

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2024 5-Weight Shootout

Yellowstone Angler 2024 5-Weight Shootout

By george and james anderson, with comments by the yellowstone angler staff.

With more than ten new 5-weight fly rod models hitting the market since our 2020 5-Weight Shootout, we decided it was time to update our ratings of what rod manufacturers are currently producing. In this evaluation we weighed, deflected, cast, and fished each fly rod side-by-side to see how they compared. This comprehensive head-to-head analysis allows us to give you the most complete advice on how these 5-weights differed as well as which 5-weight rods to consider or purchase.

Our Opinion

If you’ve been reading our Shootouts for a while, you know we are not about to pull our punches if we feel a rod manufacturer’s product falls short of its claimed qualities. We have always given you our honest opinions, which at the end of the day, are just that – our opinions . Both in terms of our criticism of rods, as well as our compliments, we simply call it the way we see it. Our credibility depends on it.

There are many approaches to rod design and construction and naturally, different anglers prefer different actions. However, we are able to describe and compare the actions of the rods we are reviewing by testing and casting them immediately side by side.  In this Shootout, you will see our preferences align with faster action rods that have light swing weights. Your preference, (and casting style), might be different. As long we are able to identify how each rod’s action differs from the next, we have done our job. After that, it’s up to you.

We hope this Shootout will help you determine which rod is the right fit for you. While we have focused primarily on finding the best all-around 5-weight rods, you might be looking for a more specialized 5-weight, especially if you already own a 4, 5, or 6-weight. We think this Shootout will help you see through the manufacturers’ marketing hype and narrow your choices, whether for an all-around rod or one more suited to a specialized application.

Where’s my Rod??

There are a number of rods missing from the Shootout this year. This year we limited the Shootout to only rods we carry. Every fly rod manufacturer we carry was offered the opportunity to supply a rod for our testing. A number of them, nevertheless, chose not to participate, so the following rods are not included:

Echo Carbon XL Echo Trout X Sage Foundation Scott Centric St. Croix Evos St. Croix Tecnica T&T Avantt 2 TFO Legacy LK TFO Axiom II Winston Air 2 Winston Pure

Although we have not reviewed or rated these rods here, they are all available for sale on our website and at the shop. But if you are curious as to how any of these specific rods cast, just give us a call or swing by to try one. There is an excellent chance we have cast or fished it.

Like the rods we test, our Shootouts are constantly evolving. We listen to reader and customer feedback, read other reviews, and pay attention to comments and criticism on fly-fishing forums as well as receiving input from our editorial consultant, who is an avid and experienced fly angler.

This year we have addressed two issues that often arise in the feedback we receive: 1. It’s not fair to compare each rod using the same line, and 2. How can you tell the way a rod performs without actually fishing it? In addition to incorporating the use of different lines and fishing the rods, we added a few things in an attempt to make our Shootout better:

New Format Bullet Points

• We tested each rod with the line recommended by the manufacturer
• We actually fished the rods (each with dries, nymphs, and streamers)
• We only tested rods that we carry
• We only tested rods the manufacturers supplied
• New casting distances:  25’, 35’, 45’ and 60’ (previously at 25’, 45,’ and 70’)
• We included the MOI figures in our Objective Observation chart, (A more scientific way to measure swing weight)
• We graded craftsmanship and components in a few new and more specific categories.
• No more Power or Presentation groups – we focused on the best all-around 5-weight rod
• Charts now separated by price groups: High-End Rods, Mid-Priced Rods, and Inexpensive Rods, to help buyers find the winner at their price point.

Results First

Most of you are familiar with our previous Shootouts and our scoring methodology. We have found that most readers want to get to the bottom line first. Accordingly, in keeping with our recent Shootouts, we are presenting our results first. If, however, you are unfamiliar with our Shootouts or would like to understand our testing and scoring methods, please scroll down or click here to read our Methodology and Scoring Section .  Don’t overlook this section, however, since it contains many additional impressions and comparisons of the rods in this Shootout.

Our 5-Weight Shootout Results Summary

• The outstanding Douglas Sky G wins again, an amazing all-around rod, now with back-to-back wins. 
• The G.Loomis Asquith , Hardy Marksman , G.Loomis NRX+ LP , and the Douglas Sky G appeared in 5 out of our 6 testers’ top 4 rods, even though the individual rankings differed. The consensus was, these four rods are the best all-around 5-weights we sell. Three of these four rods are unchanged since their introductions, four or more years ago, evidence of their durability and state of the art design and construction.
• The new, (at least to the US market), Guideline NT11 wins our favorite all-around Mid-Priced Rod, followed by the smooth casting Hardy Aydon . The USA-made Scott Session also stood out as a great option for those who appreciate slower actions.
• The Greys Lance was our favorite inexpensive rod for tailwater rivers, where more delicate presentations and smaller bugs take precedence. The Gen 3 Fenwick Aetos takes the top spot for our favorite all-around Inexpensive Rod for freestone rivers, where larger flies are more common.
• The G.Loomis NRX+ , Sage R8 , and the Orvis Helios D stand out as this year’s best powerful 5-weights, each making great “guide boat rods” on large Western rivers.

2024 5-Weight Rod Superlatives / Accolades 

The following rods were consensus winners in each of the stated categories below:.

Overall Winner –  Douglas Sky G

Best Powerful 5-Weight –  G.Loomis NRX+

Best Feel for a 5-Weight – Douglas Sky G , Orvis Helios F , Scott Session

Best Mid-Priced 5-Weight – Guideline NT11

Best Inexpensive Tailwater 5-Weight – Grey’s Lance

Best Inexpensive Freestone 5-Weight – Fenwick Aetos

Most Accurate – G.Loomis Asquith

Best Tip Dampening – Orvis Helios F , Orvis Helios D

Best Streamer / Sink Tip 5-Weight – G.Loomis NRX+

Best Mid-Priced Streamer 5-Weight – G.Loomis IMX-PRO V2

Best Inexpensive Streamer 5-Weight – Fenwick Aetos

Biggest Grip (For Meathooks) – Fenwick Aetos , Hardy Marksman

Best Price – Grey’s Lance

Thinnest Grip (For Women / Children) – Grey’s Lance

Best Craftsmanship – G.Loomis Asquith

Best Warranty Policy –  Douglas Sky G

Lightest Overall Weight – Guideline NT11

Lightest Swing Weight –  Douglas Sky G

Best Heavy Nymph / Indicator 5-Weight – G.Loomis NRX+

Best 25′ Performance –  Douglas Sky G , G.Loomis Asquith , G.Loomis NRX+LP , Guideline NT11

Best 35′ Performance –  Douglas Sky G , G.Loomis Asquith , G.Loomis NRX+LP , Hardy Marksman

Best 45′ Performance –  G.Loomis Asquith

Best 60′ Performance – G.Loomis NRX+

Best To Throw The Whole Line – G.Loomis NRX+

Slowest / Bamboo Like Feel – Scott Session

Most Likely To Become A Cult Classic – G.Loomis Asquith

Most Easily Recognized From Afar – Orvis Helios F , Orvis Helios D

George’s Casting Notes and Scoring

1. douglas sky g 9’#5 $845.

Once again, the Douglas Sky G is at the top of our current 5-weight rods, and for good reason. It gave us nearly perfect performance at the shorter distances and extremely good results right out to 45 feet. At the price of $845.00, it is hundreds of dollars less than our other competing 5-weight rods while providing better performance in most cases.

The Sky G has been my go-to 5-weight for many years and has never let me down. I love fishing it on the Missouri, where pods of big rainbows congregate. Often if I observe their rises long enough, a larger fish will reveal itself and the Sky G gives me the edge I need to make an accurate, precise cast. If my cast is too long, too short, or too far to either side another fish could eat my fly, jump around, and put the pod down for a while.

Having an accurate rod that has enough power to land a big 20″ rainbow gives me a lot of confidence to get the job done. The Sky G is also a great rod for sight nymphing, when the larger fish are not eating on the surface. The Sky G has the power to set the hook quickly and firmly, while the G’s softer tip protects my 6-7X tippet. If the wind picks up and blows the hatch away as it often does in Montana, I can fish hoppers tight to the undercut banks or even throw two small streamers, eliminating the need to bring along a second or third rod, which can be a pain.

This is the same Sky G that appeared in our 2020 5-weight Shootout. If you’re not familiar with our description of the development and construction of this rod, we have copied an insert from of our 2020 review in italics below – feel free to skip to the 2024 scores if you are familiar with it:

Fred Contaoi, the head rod designer for Douglas, took on the process of refining the original Sky G, resulting in this rod that produces the ultimate in casting presentation and accuracy. Fred modeled the Sky G in part on some of the other great 5-weights we liked, including the original G. Loomis NRX LP, which has good butt and mid-section power but has a softer tip section. In looking at the deflection board, the Sky G has lots of mid-section power but a softer tip than a lot of the other rods. Out on the lawn, we love how well we can cast short distances off the tip of the rod, with superb accuracy. But there is still plenty of mid-section power when needed.

According to Fred, the SKY G rods are composed using G-Tec platelets. Platelets are essentially building blocks that are microscopic in size. The platelets make up a small part of the resin matrix while offering substantial benefits in using less material and maintaining high integrity in linear and hoop strength, with added impact resistance. The combination of graphene materials and a new resin system is what Fred refers to as “G ARMOR.” These changes allow Douglas to build this SKY G with less material, resulting in a much lighter and stronger rod. This description seemed to check out, as the Sky G has the lightest swing weight of all the rods we tested. The SKY G is very quick to dampen and is very sensitive. It gave me a wonderful sense of feel, especially at short distances. The increased dampening and recovery also result in superior accuracy, which immediately impressed me when casting and comparing the SKY G to the other top 5-weight rods.

The SKY G is an attractive rod, finished in a dark gray color, with black wraps. The epoxy coatings are excellent. Three thin coats of epoxy are applied to the wraps, rather than a thick one-coat used by other manufacturers. Alignment marks on the sections are helpful and the rod size is noted too. The guide set is perfect, starting with one of the new cerecoil stripping guides that use a nickel titanium frame and a zerconia ring insert designed to resist separating from the frame as it flexes. Recoil nickel titanium, flexible one-foot guides are used the rest of the way. These single foot guides are lighter than snake guides, but have proven to be extremely reliable and rarely break. A cigar shaped handle is used with the swell a little more forward than most. A stack of thin cork rings is used and the quality is close to perfect. Thin contrasting rubber/cork rings are added top and bottom for increased durability, ensuring you can pass this rod down to your grandkids someday and the cork edges will still be intact. The gray anodized double up-locking skeleton reel seat uses nylon washers on the rings that give a very secure lock up. A burl blackwood insert is used. One of the best reel seats we have seen. 

George’s 2024 Score: 78.7 out of 80

Casting Notes at 25 Feet: 20 out of 20 I love the accuracy I’m getting, combined with lots of feel.

Casting Notes at 35 Feet: 20 out of 20 Excellent accuracy again with amazing feel.

Casting Notes at 45 Feet: 19.5 out of 20 Also awesome.  Not quite as good as the Asquith, but not much daylight between them.

Casting Notes at 60 Feet: 19.2 out of 20 Only out long does the accuracy fall off.

2. G.Loomis Asquith 9’#5 $1,235

Like the Sky G, the Asquith has been around for a while, I have been fishing mine for nearly 7 years now. I turn to my Asquith 9’#5 whenever I’m looking for a little more power over my Sky G. This could be due to the wind, but more often it has to do with the type of flies I will be fishing that day. If I’m headed to the Yellowstone or Madison, I’m likely planning on throwing a handful of larger dries like hoppers and stoneflies along with smaller pmd’s and caddis. I’m always looking for rising fish in the foam lines and eddies but if it is not in the cards I like throwing two hoppers. On days when the fish refuse to look up, I’ll switch to a stonefly dry with a stonefly nymph dropper. The guides all love throwing this rig and I can see why, it works well and can cover a variety of different depths depending on how you mend or drag it. No question, the Asquith is the best rod I’ve ever fished for this type of fishing. The beauty with the Asquith is that if the wind dies down, the clouds come out, and pmd’s start coming off, I have an elite rod for technical dry fly fishing. I’m not sure if G. Loomis will be able to develop anything that can top the Asquith.

If you’re not familiar with our 2020 description of the development and construction of this rod, we are supplying a summary below in italics again for you to read or skip to to the 2024 scores:

I have loved the Asquith rods since their introduction. These rods are both powerful and delicate when they need to be, especially in the 5-weight. Steve Rajeff designed the tapers and mandrels at G. Loomis but the actual blanks are rolled and finished at the Shimano factory in Japan. Once the blanks are received at G. Loomis, the rods are finished in Woodland, WA.

Loomis calls the construction Spiral-X technology and it is unique to Loomis. Spiral-X technology is a complex three-step process. Shimano has developed a special graphite tape, called infinity tape, which is wrapped on the mandrel on a 45-degree axis. Next, a layer of “muscle carbon” is wrapped on in a conventional manner. The final step is another wrap of the infinity tape, but at an opposing 90-degree angle to the first, so that the infinity tape forms an “X” pattern.

The beauty of this process is that it uses 15-20% less graphite to get the exact same strength as the original NRX rods, which we know from experience are stronger than any other rods we have used. Another benefit of Spiral-X technology is that it reduces any twist in the blanks, and more importantly, reduces ovalization as the rod bends. This gives an angler more feel combined with an enormous amount of reserve power. About the only drawback of the Asquith is the price.  At $1235.00, it is significantly more expensive than the other top rods we tested.  

The Asquith it a lovely rod, with extremely good craftsmanship. I love how the dark green finish sparkles in the sunlight. The wraps are done in black and finished perfectly. On the 9’#5 Asquith, one single stripping guide is used, along with nickel/titanium snake guides that are flexible, and will never break.The cork handle is comprised of a stack of narrow cork rings, with almost no imperfections. A comfortable half wells shape is used with the swell a little forward of the middle of the grip. Lastly, the reel seat is a beautiful combination of narrow rings of bamboo, with a single uplocking ring that locks up perfectly and securely.

We were blown away by the Asquith’s performance. It was nearly perfect at every distance with the highest scores at 25, 35, and 45 feet. At 60 feet, only the Loomis NRX+ was better. Looking back at my casting only scores at the various distances, the Asquith outscored the Sky G. Overall the Asquith lost points to the Sky G, mostly due to the price. I’ve used Asquith rods for a lot of my saltwater fishing, with a 9 foot #8 for bonefish, snook and redfish, and a 9 foot #11 for tarpon. They always impress in their casting accuracy and fish fighting ability.

George’s 2024 Score: 79.3 out of 80

Casting Notes at 25 Feet: 20 out of 20 Impressive accuracy combined with a lot of feel.

Casting Notes at 35 Feet: 20 out of 20 Nearly prefect accuracy again.  I can put the fly right where I want.

Casting Notes at 45 Feet: 19.8 out of 20 The best accuracy that I got at this distance with any rod. Lots of feel too.

Casting Notes at 60 Feet: 19.5 out of 20 Only the NRX+ was better at longer distances.

3. G.Loomis NRX+LP 9’#5 $915

This is the same rod we reviewed in 2020 and much of the construction and materials are described in the review of the NRX+. I’ve added some further notes about the NRX+ LP below.

I’ve always liked the G. Loomis rods and the NRX+ LP is another outstanding example of a rod that can do everything you want a 5-weight rod to do. It was especially good at short to medium distances on the spring creeks, and only at long range did the performance fall off slightly. This would be a great rod for nearly all anglers, that are looking for a rod that can make delicate presentations in close but has the power to reach out and make those longer casts very easy.

This rod has good butt and mid-section power which come into play when an angler needs to reach out at longer distances. So what you have here is a wonderful dry fly rod but one that can also chuck some streamers when you need to. Another great all-around rod from G. Loomis! I felt that the NRX+ LP gave me just a little more power than the Sky G, which I appreciated at times in the Livingston wind.

Like the other G. Loomis rods, this is a handsome rod with extremely good craftsmanship. The color is a dark olive color, with contrasting brown wraps, trimmed in white on the butt section. One small titanium SiC stripping guide is used, with the rest of the guides being my favorite Recoil single foot guides that will bend but not break. The epoxy coatings over the guides were nicely done. G. Loomis gives you a hook keeper just above the handle, which is handy. The cork handle is a comfortable cigar style, and comprised of a stack of very high quality thin cork rings. One darker rubber/cork ring at the base of the handle looks good. The reel seat is a double uplocking affair, with a handsome walnut burl wood insert.  

George’s 2024 Score:   78.5 out of 80

Casting Notes at 25 Feet: 20 out of 20 Impressive!  Making short casts with great accuracy was easy with this rod.

Casting Notes at 35 Feet: 20 out of 20 Slightly heavier than some of the top rods, but it was stable with wonderful accuracy.

Casting Notes at 45 Feet: 19.5 out of 20 Awesome at mid-distance and I’m getting great accuracy. Definitely one of the very best rods at 45 feet.

Casting Notes at 60 Feet: 19 out of 20 Finally at long range, the accuracy fell off. I felt that other rods like the NRX+, Asquith and Marksman were definitely better. 

4. Hardy Marksman 9’#5 $950

The Marksman is Hardy’s latest premium rod, replacing their Ultralite. When I picked up this rod I was impressed at how light it is compared to others. Howard Croston, Hardy’s rod designer, not only knows a lot about rod design, but he’s the top angler on England’s International fly-fishing team, which has won the title a number of times. Howard is a terrific caster and one of the very best anglers I’ve fished with. Out on the lawn casting, I’ve been impressed with how tight Howard’s loops were. Howard has come up with several great rods that I have liked – the Zenith, the Zephrus, and the Ultralite. The Marksman is another terrific addition to these other rods.

The Marksman, like the Zephrus, is very good at all distances, but especially good at 25-35 feet, which I find myself fishing most of the time. This rod has a strong butt section and you can lean on it when casting longer distances too. On the deflection board, the butt and mid-section were much the same as the Loomis Asquith and the Orvis Helios D, but with a slightly softer tip. For fun, we deflected an old Hardy Zenith 9’#5 and found it was identical to the Marksman!  But in weighing the rods, the Marksman was lighter in both overall weight and swing weight compared to the Zenith. The Marksman is one of the very lightest we tested in swing weight – in a tie with the Asquith and Hardy’s sibling, the Aydon.

I liked everything about this rod except the reel seat. It worked well in the end but was a little hard to figure out at first. Unlike other rods, the reel doesn’t sit on the wood insert, but rather slightly above it. Perhaps this is a way to avoid the wood from getting a water mark over time, but I always take my rod and reel apart at the end of the day. As such, the Marksman’s score in reel seat functionality was slightly lower than other top rods.

The Marksman is a sharp looking rod that you will be proud to show off to friends. The blank color is a matte bronze, with brown wraps, trimmed in metallic green. Alignment dots at the ferrules are helpful. Hardy utilizes a modified spigot ferrule system that allows for a larger surface area of contact between the sections, which distributes casting energy and fish fighting stress more evenly. It also accounts for less overlap at the ferrules, keeping the rod’s taper true to form.

The butt section above the handle is gray with a nice x-wrap pattern. A hook keeper is fitted just above the cork handle. The comfortable half wells design handle is comprised of another stack of thin diameter cork rings with almost no imperfections. The reel seat is black anodized, double uplocking, with an attractive burl wood insert. Metal ferrule plugs are included which are a nice traditional touch, although mine have lived in the rod sock pocket since day one.

I liked the guide set-up. A hook keeper is fitted just above the handle, then one titanium SIC stripping guide, followed with excellent black colored single foot and flexible nickel/titanium guides. Hardy rods are built in South Korea, in the same factory as Loop, Guideline, Taylor, and Fenwick rods. Douglas has moved to a separate factory there.

George’s 2024 Score: 78.5 out of 80

Casting Notes at 25 Feet: 19.5 out of 20 I was tempted to give it a 20 but the Asquith and Sky G were definitely better.

Casting Notes at 35 Feet: 20 out of 20 Now it does rate a perfect score. Just about perfect!

Casting Notes at 45 Feet: 19.5 out of 20 Wonderful feel and accuracy, only edged out by the Asquith.

Casting Notes at 60 Feet: 19.5 out of 20 Again, one of the very best rods in our shootout at long range.

5. G.Loomis NRX+ 9’#5 $915

With nicknames slung around the office like, the “big gun,” the “rocket ship,” and “beast mode” one would assume the NRX+ does not perform well in close with smaller dries. If I applied the same exact power and casting stroke as I did with the Sky G or Asquith, the NRX+ became a plate smacking whack-a-mole mallet. But to my surprise, I found if I used a little more wrist action and stopped my casting stroke so the leader straightened out above the plate, I could still achieve very accurate, light presentations. This says a lot for the stiffest rod in our Shootout, but the key lies in its relatively softer tip, which gives the rod better feel at all distances. The softer tip is also relatively light in swing weight, especially for a power 5-weight.

If you are the type of angler that likes to snipe rising fish from 50-60 feet away, (from necessity of not spooking them, or perhaps you have become bored with normal fishing distances and appreciate a new challenge), the NRX+ is for you. It is also the best streamer 9’#5 rod I have ever fished. The NRX+ is another rod we reviewed in our 2020 5-weight Shootout. If you’re not familiar with our description of the development and construction of this rod, we have copy it in in italics below.

Steve Rajeff, (now retired) designed the NRX+ rods. He was a 14 time all-around world champion caster, and his pedigree shows in the re-design of his original NRX rods. The NRX rods were great rods, but the new NRX+ rods are even better. They are lighter, stronger, and dampen better than anything G. Loomis has given us in the past.

In upgrading the NRX rods, Steve utilized a blend of three things: Mega Modulus+ Graphite, GL8 Resin, and Multi-Taper Design. As Steve explained, the new Mega Modulus+ graphite fiber is slightly higher in modulus but has a much higher strain rating. This makes the blank much stronger under a “lifting load” with less overall material used. G. Loomis has built some of the toughest rods we’ve ever fished and it takes a lot to break one. Knowing the new NRX+ is even tougher than the old NRX is great news!  

This NRX+ is one of the very stiffest rods in our Shootout. When compared with the NRX+ LP, the LP is much softer, especially in the tip. The NRX+ can be an advantage in the wind, especially if you want a 5-weight rod that can throw streamers. The additional stiffness of the NRX+ is also a big help if you are fishing nymph rigs with an indicator and a lot of split shot. Casting long bombs with this rod is a piece of cake, and it still feels light in hand.

The NRX+ rods differ from the NRX+ LP in color. The NRX+ rods are an attractive deep steel gray color with darker midnight blue wraps, trimmed in lighter blue and silver on the butt.   Another difference from the NRX+LP rods is that the cork handle on the NRX+ is a full wells style with a pronounced swell in the middle of the grip. It felt great to me, especially when casting longer distances. Loomis uses a stack of very high-quality thin cork rings with one rubber/cork ring at the bottom of the flare to promote durability. A dark gray anodized aluminum, double uplocking seat is used that holds the reel very securely. The insert is epoxy-impregnated wood in a deep brown color.  

For guides, a single, extremely light stripping guide is used, with a titanium frame with a very thin wall SiC ring. The rest of the guides are the finest, flexible, nickel/titanium one-foot guides that you will never break. A small hook keeper is used, just above the cork. The epoxy coatings on all the guides are excellent.

George’s 2024 Score: 78.50 out of 80

Casting Notes at 25 Feet: 19.5 out of 20 Surprisingly accurate despite the stiffness. As good as the Marksman, but not nearly as good as the Sky or Asquith.

Casting Notes at 35 Feet: 19.5 out of 20 Again, very good accuracy that matched the Orvis Helios rods, but the NRX+ LP along with the Sky G, and Asquith were definitely better.

Casting Notes at 45 Feet: 19.7 out of 20 A rocket ship for sure! Only the lighter Asquith felt better.

Casting Notes at 60 Feet: 19.8 out of 20 The power of this rod produced the best long-distance results of all the rods for me. If you want a 5-weight rod that will throw long with ease, this is your rod!

6. Orvis Helios F 9’#5 $1,098

The bottom line: The Helios F is a fantastic all-around rod, and right up there with the best of them. Sometimes a marketing campaign can be so strong it overshadows its own product.

Orvis made some big changes to their Helios rods this year and rolled out an advertising campaign claiming that these new Helios rods are lighter and four times more accurate than their earlier rods. They further claimed that these new Helios rods are the most accurate rods in the world. We’ve done our comparisons, and we beg to differ.

We were not going to buy all this Orvis hype without comparing their new rods to the contenders. They may be better than the Helios 3 rods, but how did they stack up to the best rods in our Shootout like the G. Loomis Asquith, NRX+LP, Douglas Sky G or the Hardy Marksman? The short answer is not quite as good in a number of ways.

We have to give Orvis credit for their attempt to improve these Helios rods but here is what we found in our own testing. We weighed the old Helios 3F at 2.9 oz. and the new gen 4 Helios F at 3.0 oz. (in overall weight). Then we weighed their swing weight, using our proven method, and the old Helios F came in at 8.8 ounces, while the new Helios F was 9.3 ounces! The Helios 3D and gen 4 Helios D came in at the same overall weight – 2.9 oz. In swing weight, however, the old Helios D weighed 8.6 oz. and the new Helios D weighed 9.0 oz.

We called Orvis after noticing these weight discrepancies and shared our concerns. We learned that Orvis measures swing weight differently than the method we use. Orvis uses a torsion testing meter, in which the reel seat becomes the fulcrum for the point of weighing each rod. Our method makes the center where you’d naturally grab the cork grip the fulcrum. The different methods account for the different weights, although Orvis did not share their weights with us. Our method is by no means scientific, but it is one you can do at home, and we feel more representative of the true swing weight, since you grip the rod by the cork grip when fishing and not the reel seat.

For as much criticism as we have dished out to Orvis’ gorilla marketing, to be sure, their new Helios F is the best all-around rod they have ever made and a definite improvement over the previous H3F.

I’ve never been a fan of the white label on the butt section of these Helios rods. We know the reason Orvis does this – you can tell that the rod is an Orvis Helios at a long distance and especially in all the fishing videos found on youtube or Instagram. I can respect what Orvis is doing and we’re sure it has increased the visibility and sales of the Helios rods.  

The new Helios F is finished in a dark olive color, with complementary olive wraps. The new rod still has a white label above the handle, but now it is two tone – white and light gray. One huge stripping guide is used, and the rest of the guides are the good recoil snake guides that will bend but not break. I prefer the flexible single foot guides but these snake guides work fine. The guides are wrapped with a complementary olive color but I felt that the coatings were a bit heavy. Alignment dots at the ferrules are helpful. The cork handle is called a modified full wells, with a comfortable swell in the middle. The quality of the cork was excellent. I would have liked to see a hook keeper above the cork handle. The silver uplocking reel seat works well with a fairly large locking ring that incorporates a nylon ring at the front side to provide a secure lock up. A nice piece of gray burl wood is used as a spacer.

George’s 2024 Score:   77.5 out 80

Casting Notes at 25 Feet: 19.5 out of 20 Wonderful feel and excellent accuracy. Only the Asquith, Sky G and NRX+LP were better. This rod is fun to cast in close.

Casting Notes at 35 Feet: 19.5 out of 20 Again, great feel and superb accuracy. One of the best rods at this distance in our Shootout, but still behind our top four rods.

Casting Notes at 45 Feet: 19.5 out of 20 Good feel and it was easy to get good accuracy without a double haul. 

Casting Notes at 60 Feet: 19 out of 20 Finally, the softness of the Helios F hampers my accuracy out long.

7. Orvis Helios D 9’#5 $1,098

[See our comments about the Helios F marketing and swing weight calculation, which apply equally here].

The Orvis Helios D, (D for distance) is quite similar in appearance to the Helios F, but in a different color – dark gray. I can see the difference immediately when looking at the butt section, which is noticeably larger in diameter. On our deflection board, the profile of the D is pretty close to the Loomis Asquith, with the Loomis NRX+ being overall a lot stiffer, in both the mid-section and tip. 

As mentioned in my comments about the Helios F, Orvis did a lot of work to improve both new Helios rods. Orvis claims the new rods are lighter and are four times more accurate than their original rods. They also claim that these new Helios rods are the most accurate rods in the world, but we didn’t find this to be true. These Helios rods are better than the original ones, but how did they stack up to the best rods in our shootout like the G. Loomis Asquith, NRX+LP, Douglas Sky G or the Hardy Marksman? The short answer is that we felt that the other top rods were better, and in many instances, more accurate.

It’s not that the Orvis Helios rods are bad rods – they are actually very good rods and only small differences separate them from the best rods in our Shootout. The Helios D tracks very well, and the Orvis improvements show up here for sure. But in a 5-weight, most experienced anglers are likely to prefer the Helios F.

The color of the blank on the Helios D is a very dark gray, almost black. The wraps are black. The guides start out with a humongous (for fresh water) titanium/ceramic stripping guide, and the rest of the guides are the good Recoil snake guides, which are flexible but will never break. The finish on the wraps was nearly perfect and better than what we saw on the Helios F. Neither the Helios D or Helios F use a hook keeper above the cork handle, something I miss.

The cork handle proved to be very comfortable, with a wider middle, tapered off on either end. Orvis calls this a modified half wells. The grip is a stack of smaller cork rings with absolutely no imperfections. The skeleton reel seat was similar to the Helios F, but in black with a nice looking gray burl wood insert. I especially like the easy to tighten, wide uplocking ring with a plastic ring, which gives a good solid lockup on your reel.   

George’s 2024 Score:   76.6 out of 80

Casting Notes at 25 Fe et: 18.5 out of 20 As you might expect, the feel was not too good in close – the Helios F was far better.

Casting Notes at 35 Fe et: 19.3 out of 20 Now I’m getting good accuracy and feel but our four top rods were better. 

Casting Notes at 45 Fe et: 19.5 out of 20 Nice feel and very good accuracy. Only the Asquith and NRX+ were better.

Casting Notes at 60 Fe et: 19.3 out of 20 For some reason I felt that the Helios D struggled at distance compared to the previous H3D.

8. Sage R8 Core 9’#5 $1,050

The R8 Core had a stiffer tip than most other rods and although it performed well, other rods like the Asquith and Sky G had a lot more feel, especially in close. The R8 Core is another very good rod from Sage, one that reminds me a lot of their popular XP or ONE. We actually deflected a 9’#5 Sage ONE and found the deflection to be identical to the R8. When we weighed the ONE however, the R8 was lighter in both overall and swing weights.

Anglers that want a powerful all-around rod will love this new R8 Core. There are other rods here that are better in close, but at medium to longer distances, the R8 Core was accurate with tons of power on tap. If you are looking for a rod that won’t struggle in the wind, the R8 could be your rod, especially if you are doing a lot of nymph fishing and even throwing some smaller streamers. 

This rod was among the heaviest in swing weight for High-End rods. Sage uses larger and heavier guides on this 5-weight rod than most other manufacturers. When many of the other rod makers are using light, flexible single foot guides, Sage sticks to standard snake guides and a larger and heavier stripping guide. All this weight slows down the action and I can feel this extra weight compared to the other top rods. 

Like past Sage rods, the overall quality is excellent. The blank itself is a dark greenish gray, which Sage calls silver pine. The wraps are a complementary gray color with some white and lighter gray trim wraps on the butt section. The cork handle and reel seat are excellent. One of the most comfortable cork handles, Sage builds this with a series of small width cork rings with no imperfections. They call the shape a snub half wells – pretty much straight with a little smaller swell at the top and a slight flare out to the reel seat. The reel seat is a skeleton seat with dark gray hardware that complements the color of the blank. The side opposite where the reel fits is marked with the size of the rod (5). A single uplocking ring is used that has a nylon facing that provided a secure lock up. A dark brown wood insert is used.

George’s 2024 Score: 78 out of 80

Casting Notes at 25 Feet: 19.5 out of 20 I’m getting good accuracy but not as much feel as I’m getting with the Sky G or the Asquith.

Casting Notes at 35 Feet:   19.5 out of 20 Again, a lack of feel but the accuracy was excellent.

Casting Notes at 45 Feet: 19.5 out of 20 This rod casts very well out long, one of the best rods tested. 

Casting Notes at 60 Feet:   19.5 out of 20 Now the stiffness helps produce very tight loops and very good accuracy.

Mid-Priced Rods

1. guideline nt11 trout series 9’#5 $599.99.

Before diving into our analysis of the NT11, First, some background on how we connected with Guideline. Guideline is a Swedish company, but their rods are built in Korea, like others. Guideline came to us last year to see if we were interested in carrying their rods. Since they were off our radar, our answer was no, we already carry too many rod brands. But they were persistent and asked if they could show us a rod or two and we agreed. Our first impression of the NT11 was a good one!  It was extremely light, coupled with ample power and excellent feel. Guideline soon asked to be included in our next 5-weight Shootout, which we replied maybe , (since this year we were only including rods that we sell). Long story short, after comparing the NT11 9’#5 and finding it to be one of the best mid-priced rods we have ever tested, we now carry Guideline rods!

After seeing how well this rod performed, we felt that the price makes it a bargain as it could have been priced hundreds of dollars higher. Casting scores were equal to the Orvis Helios F!  This rod is designed with a powerful mid-flex action. It has one of the lowest blank weights. It is nice and light in hand and on our deflection board, it is quite similar to the Helios F. Making delicate presentations with this rod was easy, and it had plenty of power to reach out when needed. It proved to be a nice rod to fish dry flies with and was especially accurate, but gave a nice delicate delivery.

This is a very good- looking rod! The blank is finished in a satin gray, with ruby colored wraps. The guide setup starts with a titanium frame stripping guide, followed up with hard chrome single foot guides. The guides on the tip section seem quite small but they worked well. I wish they had given us a hook keeper ahead of the cork handle. The shape of the handle is a half wells, a little thinner than most, but very comfortable. They use flor grade cork and the handle is a series of thin cork rings with no imperfections. A good looking, uplocking reel seat is fitted – dark gray with some red trim. Just one uplocking ring is used but it seems to work fine. A handsome dark brown burl wood insert is used.

George’s 2024 Score: 77.1 out of 80

Casting Notes at 25 Fe et: 20 out of 20 Wow, I was impressed at such good accuracy, combined with a delicate delivery in close. 

Casting Notes at 35 Fe et: 19.5 out of 20 Again, an impressive performance at closer distances that you fish at a lot of the time.

Casting Notes at 45 Fe et: 19 out of 20 Enough butt power to carry a nice tight loop, and put the fly on target.

Casting Notes at 60 Fe et: 18.6 out of 20 Only at long distance did the NT11’s softer tip struggle, but still acceptable accuracy.

2. Hardy Aydon 9’#5 $550

Here is another nice rod from Howard Croston, Hardy’s rod designer.The Hardy Aydon had a softer mid-section on our deflection board than a lot of rods but would make a good dry fly rod at a much lower price than the Marksman. There is a lot to like about this rod. Its attractive good looks and the nice performance at shorter distances will make anglers happy. This rod performed exceptionally well in close, fishing dry flies. It was easy to roll cast and mend while fishing nymphs. And it will even throw streamers decently when needed. 

This is another good-looking rod from Hardy, finished in a dark olive color with complementary olive wraps. The guide set up starts out with a hook keeper- that I liked, just above the handle. A Sic stripping guide is fitted followed with hard chrome single foot guides. The epoxy coating over the wraps was good but a little heavy on some. The half wells cork handle tapers slightly towards the front, with a comfortable swell under my palm. The cork rings are series of small width, very high-quality rings with no imperfections. Hardy uses a black skeleton double uplocking reel seat that I felt worked well. A nice-looking gray wood burl insert is used.

George’s 2024 Score: 76.5 out of 80

Casting Notes at 25 Feet: 19.5 out of 20 Very good accuracy in close, with a good amount of feel.

Casting Notes at 35 Feet: 19.5 out of 20 Again, nice accuracy and feel at shorter distances.

Casting Notes at 45 Feet: 19 out of 20 Now the softness is hurting, and my loops are not as tight.

Casting Notes at 60 Feet: 18.5 out of 20 The softer mid-section is making this rod harder for me to cast at long distances, especially if there is any wind. 

3. (TIE) Douglas DXF GEN2 9’#5 $499

The Douglas DXF Gen 2, is another good rod that has been improved. We have always liked the DXF and this new edition casts great, especially at shorter distances. Only at long range did the performance fall off. Here is another good rod that can do it all at a reasonable price. Like the other Douglas rods this is built in Korea and the overall craftsmanship is excellent. 

This is another rod that performs well with both nymphs and dries, and one that will also handle fishing smaller streamers. It proved to be easy to cast, even using two nymphs and an indicator. This is one of the softer rods in the Mid-Priced rods group, and out long it suffers from lacking the power of the stiffer-tipped rods.

The color of the blank is dark green that sparkles in the sunlight. The guide wraps are black, trimmed with some lighter green on the butt and at the ferrules. The finish on the guides is good. Alignment dots are helpful at the ferrules. Guides start with a hook keeper just above the cork handle. A dark gray SIC stripping guide is used, followed by dark colored hard chrome snake guides.

One of the few faults I found with the DXF is the cork handle. It is a half wells design and about the right size, but the quality of the cork rings is not very good and shows a lot of filler. Thin rubber/cork rings are used at the top and bottom of the handle for durability, which I do like for durability. The locking rings worked well, faced with a nylon bushing. While the reel seat could be fancier, functionality-wise it is one of my favorites in the Shootout.

George’s 2024 Score: 76 out of 80

Casting Notes at 25 Fe et: 19.5 out of 20 One of the better performing rods for me in close. Good feel and accuracy but couldn’t match the NT11 or Aydon at short distances.

Casting Notes at 35 Fe et: 19 out of 20 Nicely matched power and presentation, and a pleasure to cast.

Casting Notes at 45 Fe et: 19 out of 20 At longer distances the performance fell off a bit, but still very good.

Casting Notes at 60 Fe et: 18.5 out of 20 Now at long range the more powerful rods are better.

3. (TIE) G.Loomis IMX-PRO V2 9’#5 $595

Loomis made some changes to their IMX-Pro, so they are calling this the V2, or Version 2. The tip is a little less stiff, but it is still a very powerful rod, and almost more suited to a 6-weight line than a 5. 

This new IMX Pro V2 may not be as good as some of the other rods for fishing dries, but it is a wonderful rod for fishing nymphs and streamers. Lots of power to pick up an indicator and nymph rig, either mending or making another cast. If you are looking for a powerful mid-priced 5-weight, this might be your rod!  

Like other Loomis rods, the IMX-PRO V2 is a good looking rod. The blank is a very dark gray, with black wraps, trimmed in green on the butt section.  The guides start out with a SIC (silicone carbide) stripping guide followed with hard chrome single foot guides. The epoxy coating on the wraps was excellent. A small hook keeper just ahead of the cork grip is helpful.

The cork grip itself is a full wells style, with a stack of thin cork rings with no imperfections. A rubber cork ring at the base, just above the reel seat is a nice addition for durability. The silver skeleton reel seat looks great with a tan wood burl insert and two locking rings.

George’s 2024 Score: 76.3 out of 80

Casting Notes at 25 Fe et: 18.8 out of 20 The stiffness of the tip hurts here. A lower score than any of the other mid-priced rods. Not much feel, and jumping up to a WF-6-F line would help.

Casting Notes at 35 Fe et: 19 out of 20 With all this power, it begs to cast farther!  

Casting Notes at 45 Fe et: 19.2 out of 20 Still on the heavy side, but now with more line out it is performing better.

Casting Notes at 60 Fe et: 19.3 out of 20 Now, with a lot of line in the air, I’m getting very good performance.

5. Scott Session 9’#5 $675

We were surprised after putting the new Scott Session together and flexing it. This is a soft rod, much softer than the other rods in our Shootout, even the Helios F. On our deflection board, the Session has a very soft butt and mid-section with a relatively stiffer tip. Out on the lawn, casting the Session, you can feel this slower action as the rod flexes right back into the cork handle. Even though it was easy and pleasant to cast, it was not nearly as accurate as the faster mid-priced rods like the Guideline NT11, Hardy Aydon, or the Douglas DXF. It was also heavier in swing weight and lacked power, which hurt its distance scores.

The word on the street from respected sources was that the Session utilizes a Radian blank with less expensive components, essentially producing a less expensive, “dumbed down” Radian. The Session however, is unlike anything you have ever cast from Scott. While reminiscent of the Radian, the Session is much softer and its action fits nicely between Scott’s GS and Centric. For anglers who are tired of fast-action rods with little feel, the Session could be your rod, but you’ll have to slow down your normal casting stroke. If the shoe fits, I could see the Session becoming a fan favorite for years to come.

The Session completely blows the mid-priced competition out of the water when it comes to a high-quality build. On par with Scott’s typical craftsmanship we’ve become accustomed to over the years, the Session is an attractive rod. The blank is un-sanded, (or very lightly sanded) so you can see the tape marks on the rod, as you can on other Scott rods. The color is a dark graphite gray with black guide wraps that are trimmed with green on the butt section.

The guides start out with a hook keeper just above the handle. A silicone nitride stripping guide (like a SIC) is used followed with thin black snake guides that are not flexible but nice and light. The epoxy coating on the guides is excellent – close to perfect. The cork handle is a modified full wells with a nice swell under your palm. A stack of very high-quality cork rings is used, with no imperfections. An attractive black skeleton reel seat is used, with a handsome green burl wood insert. Scott uses two uplocking rings faced with nylon spacers that provide a very secure lock up. While others were close, we gave the Session the only 10 for reel seat functionality.

George’s 2024 Score:   72.5 out of 80

Casting Notes at 2 5 Feet: 19 out of 20 Good feel even with the slow action. Pretty good accuracy, but not nearly as good as the best rods.

Casting Notes at 35 Feet: 18.5 out of 20 Again, a nice amount of feel but the accuracy was worse than I wanted.

Casting Notes at 45 Feet: 18 out of 20 Now it is hard to lean into the cast with the slower action and this hurt my accuracy.

Casting Notes at 60 Feet: 17 out of 20 Tougher to hit 60 feet accurately compared to the more powerful mid-priced rods. 

6. Orvis Recon 9’#5 $598

My initial impression of the Orvis Recon was that this is a heavy and stiff rod. On our deflection board, the Recon was close to the Helios D and Asquith, however it feels far heavier. In looking at the swing weight, the Recon is the heaviest of the Mid-Priced rods at 9.9 ounces while the Hardy Aydon and Guideline NT11 rods are at 8.2 and 8.3. The best rods, like the Sky G and Asquith are at 7.6 and 8 oz. All this extra weight and stiffness doesn’t make the Recon as pleasant a rod to fish all day long compared to the lighter rods.

Still, the Recon handles wind well, and is better for throwing multiple nymph rigs and even streamers. Fishing dry flies was easy enough, and for nymphing it was on a par with the DXF and the IMX Pro V2. It was also good at launching a streamer and would be a good match for a 150-200 grain sinking line.  

The Recon is a handsome rod. The blank is finished in slate gray, with gray wraps, trimmed in black and green on the butt section. It does not have the white Orvis label of the Helios rods. The guides start out with a chrome ceramic stripping guide, followed with hard chrome snake guides. Alignment dots at the ferrules are handy. The epoxy finish on the wraps was well done and not too heavy. No hook keeper is used. The cork handle is a modified half wells with a comfortable swell in the middle. The quality of the cork was excellent. The silver skeleton reel seat uses a big, double-wide locking ring with a nylon ring, giving a firm lock up. A gorgeous piece of walnut burl is used for the spacer.

George’s 2024 Score:   76 out of 80

Casting Notes at 2 5 : 19 out of 20 I’m getting decent accuracy at short distance and good presentations but the weight holds it back from a higher score.

Casting Notes at 35 : 19 out of 20 Accuracy here is good also but still feeling heavy in hand. 

Casting Notes at 45 : 19 out of 20 The Recon handles these longer distances with ease and is giving me good accuracy.

Casting Notes at 60: 19 out of 20 Has plenty of power to hit 60 feet and more with pretty good accuracy.

Inexpensive Rods

1. greys lance 9’#5 $219.95.

I liked the way the Grey’s Lance performed, but I hated the small grip! Of course, this grip may be ideal for younger anglers and women who tend to have smaller hands. We cured the small grip problem by using some 3M Vetrap bandage wrap over it. Ha, ha. It cast especially well at the shorter distances and only out long did it suffer. The Lance would make a nice dry fly rod if you are on a budget. For a fly rod that is just over $200, the performance was impressive. Only at long distances did the performance suffer.

Grey’s is an inexpensive offshoot of Hardy, and the rods are made in Korea. The Lance is finished in a flat gray color, with black wraps, trimmed in red on the butt section. The guides start with a hook keeper just above the cork handle. A good SIC stripping guide is used, followed with hard chrome one-foot guides. The epoxy finish over the guide feet was nicely done.  

The handle shape was half wells, which would be fine if it was just a bit larger in diameter. If the grip proves too small for you, the vet tape is a quick and easy fix. Standard sized cork rings are used, and the quality was fairly good, with only a small amount of filler. Better than I expected to find on a $200 rod. A solid gray aluminum, uplocking reel seat is used with two locking rings, faced with nylon rings that gave a nice positive lock up.

Casting Notes at 25: 19.5 out of 20 I’m getting nice accuracy in close, and it was easy to cast off the tip of the rod. 

Casting Notes at 35: 19.5 out of 20 Matches the Aetos for feel and accuracy at shorter fishable distances.

Casting Notes at 45: 19 out of 20 Still good, but starting to run out of power needed to throw tight loops.

Casting Notes at 60: 18 out of 20 Finally, the lack of power hurts my accuracy. With the softer action, it is not a good rod for fishing longer distances.

2. Fenwick Aetos 9’#5 $239.95

The Fenwick Aetos has always been one of our favorite inexpensive rods. It performs better than a lot of rods that are two to three times the price! It isn’t the lightest rod in either overall weight or swing weight, but it performs surprisingly well at all distances. This 5-weight will be a pleasant rod to fish all day, especially with dry flies. I liked the action, which on our deflection board was somewhat like the Helios F, but a little softer. Anglers have loved the performance it provides at a nice price. Yes, the craftsmanship is not quite as good as the best rods, but what can you expect for a little over two hundred bucks? As a starter rod, the Aetos is hard to beat!  

The blank is finished in a medium blue with complementary blue wraps. Guides start out with a hook keeper just above the cork handle, and then a good sized SIC stripping guide, followed with hard chrome single foot guides that are colored black. Alignment dots are added to the ferrules, a handy touch. Some nice blue and silver trim and the Fenwick logo are just above the hook keeper. The cork handle is a fairly large half wells with some nice rubber cork trim at top and bottom. The quality of the cork was just fair, with quite a bit of filler, but you can’t expect perfect cork at such a low price. The double uplocking, black skeleton reel seat uses a gray fiberglass insert. Again, nothing fancy but it provided a good solid lock up. 

Casting Notes a t 25: 19 out of 20 Good accuracy and pretty good feel in close.  

Casting Notes a t 35: 19.5 out of 20 Amazing accuracy for such an inexpensive rod. I was impressed. It’s hard to beat the Aetos as a nice, inexpensive all-around 5-weight rod.

Casting Notes a t 45: 19.3 out of 20 Very good accuracy and feel. Matches a lot of better rods at mid-range.

Casting Notes a t 60: 18.5 out of 20 Only now does the Aetos seem to be running out of gas. But it has enough power to hit 60 feet easily.

3. Orvis Clearwater 9’#5 $249

Of the three inexpensive 5-weights, the Orvis Clearwater is my least favorite. It is heavier than the Aetos and Lance, and also stiffer. This was a bit of a surprise since the Clearwater won our favorite inexpensive Power 5-weight in 2020. But back then, the Aetos (which also won our favorite inexpensive 5-weight) was in our Presentation category, and wasn’t directly compared to the Clearwater. The Aetos and Lance are definitely better as dry fly rods with their lighter swing weights, but the Clearwater handles nymphs and streamers well. 

This is Orvis’ least expensive rod and I can certainly see why. The best thing I found on the Clearwater was the superb quality of the epoxy finish on the guide wraps. Everything else was not so great! This was the heaviest rod in overall weight and the heaviest in swing weight. In our “Fun to fish, got to have” category, the Clearwater was dead last. That tells you about all you need to know.

The Clearwater blank is a dark gray with slightly lighter gray wraps. The guides start with a large chrome/ceramic stripping guide, followed by hard chrome snake guides. Alignment dots at the ferrules were a help, but there’s no hook keeper, which I prefer on a 5-weight. The cork handle is a modified full wells, much like the Helios rods, but the quality of the cork is not nearly as good, showing a lot of filler. The dark gray anodized uplocking reel seat uses only one large locking ring with a nylon faced ring that provided only a fair lockup on the reel. There is no white Orvis label on the butt section.

George’s 2024 Score: 73 out of 80

Casting Notes a t 25:   19.0 out of 20 Very little feel and very stiff. Accuracy was just OK.

Casting Notes a t 35: 18.5 out of 20 Well below the other inexpensive rods – with little feel.

Casting Notes a t 45: 18 out of 20 Now the heavy casting weight also becomes a factor.

Casting Notes a t 60: 17.5 out of 20 I could hit 60 feet but this is such a heavy rod you won’t want to do a lot of casting at long distances.

METHODOLOGY AND SCORING

Meet the testers.

I’ve been in the fly-fishing business now for over fifty years, as a guide, fly shop manager and owner. With experience in both fresh and saltwater, many rod makers and manufacturers have consulted with me during their design process, including G. Loomis, Douglas, Sage, Scott, Winston, and Tom Morgan Rodsmiths.

My son James is also a dedicated fly fisherman and has developed into a great caster and a person who I can trust in judging a rod’s performance. He has been a very important and integral part of our Shootouts and tackle comparisons over the years. He is also responsible for many of the great photographs you’ll find in our Shootouts.   

Logan Brown, our guide bookings manager has lived in Montana for nearly 20 years now. I have fished for golden dorado as well as for big rainbows at Jurassic Lake with him. He has proven himself time and time again to be a good angler and caster, even in the toughest conditions imaginable.

Justin Todd was born in Billings and grew up fishing the Yellowstone and other blue ribbon streams in southwestern Montana. Later in life, as a park builder for Mammoth Mountain, Justin spent all of his days off hiking and fishing the Sierras. He is passionate about fishing and the amount of time he spends on the water adequately supports his knowledge of what a great fly rod should do.

Ken Phillips has been fly-fishing for nearly 45 years. Ken was the youngest member in his Michigan angling club, and soaked up all things fishing like a sponge from his mentors. While he has a tremendous collection of bamboo rods, he is a great caster and appreciates all kinds of fly rods – from fiberglass-slow to ultra-fast and everything in between.

Joe Sherman was born and raised in the Adirondack mountains of upstate New York where he learned to fly-fish at an early age. After serving in the US Navy he earned a law degree and spent more than 20 years in corporate America before trading the office in Atlanta for Big Sky country.  Joe is a great caster as well as a great guide in Yellowstone National Park.

Comparing the Best 5-weight Rods

Fly rods are getting better and better every year. Often only subtle differences separate one rod from another. Casting and rating the performance of the rods at different distances is the real meat of our Shootouts, and also the reason we have separate charts for each tester’s Performance Only scores. The overall results chart shows you the various categories at which we scored rods. You can evaluate for yourself which categories are more important, (such as price, reel seat functionality, warranty, performance at 25’, etc.) in your choice of the best rod for you.

The only good way to pin down these subtle differences is to have at least three or four rods in front of you with the lines stripped out, stretched and with the leaders straightened so that you can pick up one rod, make a few casts at a specific distance, then immediately pick up another rod and do the same. Only then do some of the subtle differences become apparent. Then move on to the next distance and repeat the process.

Once we score all the rods at the different casting distances, we then combine them with the total points in the other categories to determine the final rankings shown in our Final Results chart.

Remember, what you read here are only our opinions. We are trying to call it as we see it in an unbiased manner. Along the way, we expect we will ruffle some feathers.

Fishing the Rods

In the past, we have received criticism for not evaluating the rods in a fishing setting. The main reason for not fishing them is we feel that it is much more difficult to accurately compare rods side-by-side fishing than casting them on the lawn. As mentioned above, on the lawn we can pick up a rod and in an instant pick up another rod to compare it at the same distance. This immediate rotation of multiple rods is virtually impossible on the stream, (unlike like golf – there are no caddies here).

It takes a while to get the feel for a rod while fishing it. And naturally during this time you adjust to the rod. Like a puzzle, you figure out what works well and what micro muscle movements allow the rod to perform best, whether it is a cast, mend, or strike.  All the adjustments are natural to expert anglers, and hence a good angler can make any of these rods work.

Compare casting rods on the lawn with testing a flight of 4 beers. You taste one beer, and then immediately taste another. After quickly trying all 4 beers you will likely eliminate one. Then you can focus on the other three to find the more subtle differences, hopefully coming up with a beer to call your favorite.  Fishing the rods is more like going on a pub crawl and ordering one beer at a time. In most cases your taste buds will adjust to that beer and you’ll likely enjoy it. In the same way if you go fish with a rod for an hour you are probably going to like it, or at least adapt to its characteristics.

The other big reason for not testing on the water was that we didn’t want to damage the rods, as we were returning them to each manufacturer. This year we kept the rods, (which most will be donated to the various charities we work with). This allowed us to take the rods to the stream without fear of damaging them, whether a tungsten bead head hits the tip, or the rods get scratched when laying them down on the rocks. 

All of our testers fished some or all of the rods and their fishing observations appear in their individual notes. By far, the most thorough and comprehensive impressions appear in James’ notes. To see these, click on his blue drop down bar under each rod, or click here.

The Best Rods Are Not Always The Most Expensive (We’ve said this before)

As you may have read by now, our #1 rated rod, the Sky G sells for $845.00.  More expensive rods like the G. Loomis Asquith retail for $1,235 ($390 more) while the Orvis Helios rods sell for $1,098 ($253 more). Our favorite mid-priced rod, the Guideline NT11 sells for $599.99, about $75 less than the Scott Session. As you will see, some of the best Mid-Priced rods outscored a few of the Elite rods in our Final Results. 

Craftsmanship is undeniably better on the most expensive rods, and with a few exceptions they generally perform better than the less expensive rods. But will they make you a better angler? Our answer is almost always YES! The more expensive, top performing rods have the ability to throw tighter loops, are dampened better so they track better, to give you more accuracy and better presentations at all distances.   

Expensive rods do have that wow factor that will impress your fishing buddies. Are you comfortable showing up with a $200 rod when everyone else has one of those hotshot $750 to $1000 rods in their hands? It’s also nice to admire your rod and appreciate the craftsmanship as well as its performance. But is that high priced rod really worth $300-$700 more, by whatever standard you apply? Only you can make that decision.  With the inexpensive warranties that most manufacturers now offer, you are going to use your new rod for many years, which makes it easier to justify buying one of the more expensive rods. 

Our advice has always been to pick the best performing rod, for your fishing application, even if it is a little more expensive than what you had planned. You’ll never regret spending those extra bucks once you get the rod in your hands and see how well it performs.

Eliminating Variables (except the lines).

As in our past Shootouts, it is important to try to eliminate any variables that will have an effect on the scores at different distances. For obvious reasons, the line will be the biggest variable (which you can read about below) but we did our due diligence to try to keep everything else the same. 

We tried to keep the rest of the variables apples to apples by using the exact same reel, the same amount of backing (and hence weight of backing), and the same type and length of leader. We kept the same tippet length, as well as the same size small yarn indicator we used on the end for visibility. Larger yarn indicators with more wind resistance can substantially affect the scoring.

Before casting, we stretched the fly lines and leaders, leaving the extra fly line (running line) piled in front of each casting station.

By setting all the rods up in an identical manner, it was easy to take a few casts with one rod at a particular distance, at say 45 feet, then pick up another rod and cast the same distance. Having multiple outfits set up allows us to do this easily. Over the years we have discovered that it is more difficult to judge the subtle casting characteristics among rods if you need to take the time to strip all the line off one rod and then re-load the next rod. Also, by having 10-12 rods set up 3 or 4 testers can cast simultaneously.

Aside from the line, one of the biggest variables is the wind, especially here in Livingston! As anglers, we are often dealing with the wind. If we could control the wind so all the rods tested were evaluated in identical wind conditions we would do so. Unfortunately, Mother Nature rarely cooperates in that respect.  Winds are almost always gusty, with wind speed being unpredictable and varied. We have found that trying to judge accuracy and a rod’s ability to form tight loops (or track well) is nearly impossible if you have winds more than 5-10 mph. 

We have found that the only fair way to compare rod performance (specifically accuracy), is in the absence of wind. So for our first three days of casting and comparing we did this indoors at the Livingston Civic Center. Later, on nice days with little wind, we did the rest of our casting outside on our lawn here at the shop.

REELS:   THE GALVAN TORQUE T-5

As in our last 5-weight Shootout, we decided to again use the Galvan Torque (T-5) , a wonderful light reel with a very smooth and highly adjustable drag. This reel is the one that won our 2016 5/6 Reel Shootout. I love the large drag knob on the backside of the reel that is easy to grip and adjust. These Galvan reels also have a wider range of drag adjustment than other reels, making it easy to fine-tune the drag adjustment, which is important when you are using light tippets like 6X and 7X. Much of the time when you are fishing dry flies, and hooking smaller trout, you can just strip the fish in, but if you are fishing nymphs or streamers with heavier tippet like 3x-4x, you’ll want to play the larger fish on the reel, and this requires a smooth drag that you can adjust easily.     

Removing the spool is easy – just a simple click of the button on the handle side. I also like the handle design – it tapers outward, allowing you to quickly get and maintain a solid grip. Galvan uses a counterbalance so that the reel runs perfectly smoothly when a big fish is smoking away from you. The Galvan reels are essentially maintenance free, with Rulon bushings that require no maintenance or lubrication to keep them working properly. We loaded each of the reels with 100 yards of Cortland 20lb. Micron backing.

In past Shootouts, we strived to keep everything “apples to apples” which included using the same line on all of the rods. During preliminary casting rounds we tried several lines but settled on the Scientific Anglers Amplitude Textured MPX WF-5-F as our favored line, since it performed best on most of the rods. The concern with this method was that we weren’t necessarily finding which one of the fly rods was the best, but we were determining which one of these rods cast the Amplitude Textured MPX the best.  Maybe, on some of these rods, a different line might improve its performance.

This year we decided to cast each rod with each manufacturer’s recommended line. While our apples to apples theory gets thrown out the window, we felt this was the most fair to each rod (and manufacturer). We arrived at this decision after listening to constructive criticism about the Shootout, mostly from on-line forums or in social media comments, and from our independent editorial consultant.

By giving each manufacturer the chance to tell us which line they thought best showcased their rod, in theory each rod is “tuned up” to the best of its ability.  In most cases, this was the line that the rod designer used during the process of designing and testing the rod. We then cast, (and compared) each rod head-to-head, each rod now performing at the theoretical pinnacle with the line that works best on it. Most of the time we agreed with each manufacturer’s line choice. Even if we thought a rod felt better with a different line, we still stuck with the manufacturer’s recommendation for all testing purposes.  

Below you can read about each line, their differences, and which rods used each line. You can also refer to our Objective Observations chart to see each manufacturer’s line recommendation.  

A quick sidenote gripe with all the line manufacturers before we jump into each line. We used to receive lines on plastic spools. Scientific Anglers was the first to eliminate these, supplying a cardboard spool instead. The idea was that this would reduce plastic waste, and there would be less plastic at the landfill. It didn’t take Rio long to follow suit. 

The problem with the cardboard spools is that the lines often tangle when we are spinning them on a reel. Every blue moon you get lucky and they work nearly as well as the older plastic spools, but it rarely happens. The other issue with the cardboard disposable spools is they are not as good for storing used lines as the original plastic spools. Line companies say they are worried these plastic spools will end up in the landfill, but now that they are no longer used these are like GOLD and NEVER get thrown away!  

We wish they would go back to the plastic spools or make a better cardboard spool that doesn’t cause the line to tangle when you spin it on a reel and that can be reused to store used lines. 

In the meantime, our work-around to storing lines has been to spin lines on to one of SA’s Regulator Spool ($29.95). You can spin the lines on with the Regulator’s arbor in the large position, and once you are done you can reduce the arbor so the line comes off. When we sell new lines we save the pipe cleaners and coated wire that keeps the line coils together. If the line ID is relatively new it can still be read, but over time the markings can come off or become hard to read, so on these we add a hang tag so you can ID quickly in your pile of lines at home. To see a video of how it works click here .

SCIENTIFIC ANGLERS AMPLITUDE TEXTURED MPX WF-5-F $129.95

Manufacturer’s line recommendation on: .

Douglas Sky G, G. Loomis NRX+, Orvis Helios D, Douglas DXF, G. Loomis IMX PROV2, Orvis Recon, Orvis Clearwater.

We have been Scientific Anglers line fans for years, and their  Amplitude MPX  line is a perfect choice for many medium to fast 5-weight rods. This line is a half-size heavier than a normal trout taper. The Amplitude MPX in WF-5-F has a total head length of 36 feet with a 6.5-foot front taper that allows for a quick turnover in the wind. 

The MPX is especially good with larger, more wind resistant flies like hoppers and stonefly dries. The Amplitude Textured MPX utilizes tiny “golf ball dimple” laser cut-outs, which help reduce friction in the guides and also with surface tension on the water. These cut-outs create the ultimate in floatation. With SA’s AST Plus slickness additive these Amplitude MPX lines shoot like crazy!

The Amplitude MPX is a ninety-foot three colored line – the 8-foot tip is buckskin, followed with a 35-foot belly that is moss green, and then the rest of the running line is optic green. Having the difference in colors between the head and running line allows you to judge how much line you have out of the rod in the air, and when casting longer distances using a double haul.

ELITE RIO GOLD WF-5-F $129.99

G. Loomis Asquith, Sage R8

The Elite Rio Gold is a fan favorite, and certainly one of our best-selling Rio lines. In the WF-5-F size, it is heavier than a true to weight 5-weight, somewhere between a quarter of a line size heavy and a half line size heavy. If you feel like an Elite Rio Gold is a little light on your current rod, try the Elite Rio Perception, which is a true half a line size heavy.

One thing I like about the Rio Gold while casting the Asquith and R8 at 45 and 60 feet was the longer belly and rear taper gave me extra stability, making it easier to dial in accuracy at distance. I feel like the Elite Rio Perception would be better at 25 feet, fishing two nymphs under a strike indicator, or throwing a streamer. 

Rio’s Elite lines all employ low-stretch Connect-Core Plus which give the angler enhanced detection of takes, faster hook sets, and greater control. Built with Rio’s SlickCast, these lines shoot and float very well.

The Elite Rio Gold is a tri-tone colored line, which helps to judge distance. The running line is light gray, followed by a yellow rear taper and mid, and an avocado green upper mid/tip. Two factory welded loops are included along with a line ID. Both the fly line box and spool are made out of recyclable materials.

ELITE RIO PERCEPTION WF-5-F $129.99

Fenwick Aetos, Grey’s Lance

The Elite Rio Perception is Rio’s top-quality line that is half a line size heavy, similar to the SA MXP or SA Infinity. The Perception has become my favorite Rio all-purpose line for trout fishing. The Gold, (roughly a quarter of a line size heavy) is often too light to match today’s fast action rods while the Grand (a full line size heavy) is too much.

On the Fenwick Aetos and Grey’s Lance, the Perception loaded the rods in close at 25 feet, (especially the Lance), felt perfect at 35-45 feet, and threw stable loops at 60 feet, (especially on the Aetos). In fishing these rods, we found the Elite Rio Perception’s 8’ front taper worked great for turning over bulky dries like chubbies and hoppers, and also performed well throwing two nymphs under an indicator – even in the Livingston wind. Streamers? No problem.

The Elite Rio Perception utilizes Rio’s low-stretch Connect-Core Plus which gives the angler enhanced detection of takes, faster hook sets, and greater control. Factory welded loops and a line ID are included. A tricolored line is featured to help visually measure distance – the running line is a light gray, followed by a dark green back taper to the middle, and finally a brighter chartreuse green from the middle of the body to the tip. Both the fly line box and spool are made of recyclable materials.

ROYAL WULFF TRIANGLE TAPER SIGNATURE PLUS WF-5-F $89.95

Hardy Marksman, Hardy Aydon

We were very impressed with the performance of Royal Wulff Product’s new Triangle Taper Signature Plus lines. Royal Wulff essentially “beefed” their classic Triangle Taper up a little to better match the faster action rods we are seeing today, while still keeping the essence of what makes the Triangle Taper Classic so smooth and fun to cast.

Aside from adding more grain weight, Royal Wulff also shortened the front taper from 36 feet to 30 feet. This is still a very long front taper compared to all the other lines in our Shootout, (with the exception of the even longer front taper of Guideline’s Presentation+ at 58 feet).

We really enjoyed this line on both the Hardy Marksman and Aydon as we were able to make accurate casts and enjoyed stable loops even at 25 and 60 foot limits. The only downside to the line is that if you are primarily casting at 25 feet, other lines like the MPX will give you more feedback since more grain weight is out of the tip of the rod. We would likely have scored the Marksman a 20 at 25’ with the MPX line on it. Also, if you are looking to throw double nymph rigs under an indicator, or heavier leadeye streamers often, then the Triangle Taper will challenge all but expert casters. For DFO (dry fly only) guys, this is your line!

For anglers who want the ultimate performance we suggest the Triangle Taper Signature Plus Textured line ($129.95), which is the same line as the Signature Plus but with a textured coating. Like the SA textured lines, these have less friction when sliding through your guides, float better, and pick up more line from the water. Royal Wulff also gives you three colors instead of two. The only downside that we see with these is the “zipping” sound they make while casting.

The Triangle Taper Signature Plus comes with two factory welded loops and a laser ID for line identification. The fly line box and spool are eco-friendly and made of recyclable materials.

RIO ELITE TECHNICAL TROUT WF-5-F $129.99

G. Loomis NRX+ LP

The Elite Technical Trout is Rio’s high-end, true to weight line. It worked well on the NRX+LP as an all-around line, forming stable loops with delicate presentations. Of all the true to weight lines, we feel the Elite Technical Trout fared the best when pushed to the limits while fishing two nymphs under an indicator or for throwing streamers.

A great all-around line, especially if you are the type of angler who wants to fish dries 75% of the time, but are not afraid to get “down and dirty” if the fish are only feeding under the surface.

Rio’s Elite lines all use low-stretch ConnectCore Plus which gives the angler enhanced detection of takes, faster hook sets, and greater control. Built with Rio’s SlickCast helps these lines shoot and float well.

Rio’s Elite Technical Trout lines come with factory welded loops and a line ID. They feature a tricolored measuring system for increased accuracy and distance control – the running line is gray, followed by an orange sherbet rear taper and a light blue body / front taper. Both the fly line box and spool are made out from recyclable materials.

GUIDELINE PRESENTATION+ WF-5-F $84.99

Guideline NT11

Guideline has improved their original Presentation line, (one of their best-selling lines to hit the market since 2002), by increasing the thickness of the handling line and running line. This increase in grain weight better matches today’s fast action rods, promoting better turnover as well as a more stable loop in the air. Like the Triangle Taper Signature Plus, the Presentation+ has a very long front taper (58 feet!), which helps promote a smooth casting stroke and eliminates the “hinge” feeling that is common on shorter front taper lines.

Guideline seems to have perfectly improved the line by producing a line with enough punch and velocity to handle most winds, nymphs, and small streamers while excelling primarily at smooth delicate, dry fly presentations. Since the rear taper is thicker and longer, it also pairs well for single hand spey casts or water-loaded casts. We did struggle with the Presentation+ when casting a streamer at 60 feet however, and found it doesn’t handle a burly two-nymph freestone rig under a bobber as well as other lines. Still, we thought it was a great all-around line and the perfect match for the NT11, making the rod feel light, powerful, and lively.

The Presentation+ is built on a braided monofilament core. Guideline includes two factory welded loops and a line identification laser ID. The Presentation+ is phthalates free, a toxic agent that is known for softening PVC lines. Both the fly line box and spool are made of eco-friendly recycled materials.

ORVIS PRO TROUT LINE – TEXTURED WF-5-F $129

Orvis Helios F

In case you were unaware, Orvis owns Scientific Anglers. In May of 2013, Orvis acquired Scientific Anglers (along with Ross Reels, which Orvis has since sold). The point is, Orvis has access to some of the best line manufacturing technology in the world.

The Orvis Pro Trout is a true to size line, meaning it is a 5-weight line, not an oversized “5.5-weight” like the SA MPX or Infinity. It has a complex front taper, which is broken down into three sections instead of one:  From the tip of the line, the first front taper is about 4 feet, with very little mass gain. The second front taper is also 4 feet, where the line begins to build in size. The third front taper is 18 feet, and gets much thicker until it gradually hits the belly of the line. This multi front taper seems to work well as an all-around line, especially for medium fast rods like the Orvis Helios F. The 50-foot head with its relatively long rear taper was also good for mending as well as making water-borne, single hand spey casts.

The Orvis Pro Trout lines have AST+ coatings as well as golf ball dimples cut out of it to reduce friction, (the same as its SA amplitude textured line siblings). The Orvis Trout Pro comes with two welded loops as well as a line ID. As with Amplitude Textured lines, the Trout Pro comes in a tri-tone colorway, however, this one has a peach-colored running line, olive belly, and sage tip.

SCIENTIFIC ANGLERS AMPLITUDE SMOOTH INFINITY WF-5-F $99.95

Scott Session

Scientific Anglers’ Infinity Smooth line, like the MPX is a half a line size heavy.  The difference is where extra grain weight is distributed on the line.  With the MPX, those grains are pushed further towards the tip, giving the MPX the “hero” line experience and performance of a modified shooting head. With the Infinity those grains are distributed more evenly through the front taper as well as the belly of the line, improving the delicate presentation of the line while still matching the flex of today’s fast action rods.

The result is an all-around line that has the power to bomb out streamers and turn over double nymph rigs as well as the improved presentation when fishing dries. Since the line has a longer belly and rear taper it produces stable loops at distance and also is better at mending or water-born single hand spey casts.

Scott chose the Infinity Amplitude Smooth version. Many of the guys at the shop prefer the Amplitude Smooth coatings as they don’t make any noise zipping in and out of the guides while casting. But at my age, I can’t hear any of this! (and prefer the better performing Amplitude Textured lines, ha ha).

Personally, I’m still sticking with my Scientific Anglers’ Amplitude Textured MPX in the WF-5-F (and WF-6-F) size. Depending on the rod, I do prefer the Scientific Anglers Infinity Textured WF-4-F. For three weights I prefer the Scientific Anglers Trout Amplitude Textured WF-3-F. 

For whatever reason I feel all of these Amplitude Textured lines outlast all the other brands of lines I have used.

Leaders are extremely important in obtaining accuracy, particularly ones that will turn over well at short distances with very little fly line in the air, especially at 25 feet. Just about any rod will turn over a 9-foot leader easily. But having to turn over a 12-foot leader forces a rod to perform at a higher level.

As in the past, we prefer to set up all the test lines with our own  Yellowstone Angler hand-tied leaders . For this 5-weight Shootout we used our Clear Butt 12 foot 4X leaders. These utilize clear Maxima butt and midsections with Rio nylon 4X tippets. Our hand-tied leaders turn over better than any of the 12 foot knotless leaders we’ve found and are also more accurate than chemically tapered leaders.

On my own 5-weight rods, I’m normally using a 12-foot leader, with tippets from 4x to 6x, fishing dry flies. A 12-foot leader keeps the fly line farther away from the fish, minimizing the number of fish you will spook while casting. If I’m fishing a more wind-resistant fly like a hopper pattern or stonefly, I’ll cut the leader down to 9 feet or less and end up with a 3X-4X tippet. 

When I’m nymph fishing, I often switch to one of our Hot Butt Leaders that utilizes five feet of fluorescent red Amnesia for the butt section, followed with the same clear Maxima we use in our Clear Butt leaders. Since our Hot Butt leaders use the same basic formula as our Clear Butt leaders I often use the Hot Butt leaders, even for fishing dry flies. This makes it easy to switch back and forth if I’m fishing both dry flies and nymphs.

To make it easy to judge turnover and accuracy, in our testing, we tie on a small fluorescent yarn indicator at the end of the leader that approximates casting a medium size dry fly.

DEFLECTION CHARTS

Deflection charts have become an integral part of our Shootouts. These charts help to visually represent the subtle differences among rod actions. The butt and mid-sections flex pretty much the same with slight differences in stiffness. Where the big difference comes in is how much the rods flex in the tip. 

Instead of a chart with all the rods, we break this down into multiple charts for easier viewing.  Aside from breaking these down to groups with just the Elite rods, Mid-Priced rods, and Inexpensive Rods, we have also included other variations, allowing you to compare rods of different prices.

In making these deflection charts, we first staple white butcher paper on to the wall. We place each rod into a homemade, wall mounted jig, that positions each rod at approximately a 45 degree angle. We then hang a 3.9 oz. lead from the tip of each rod to make the rod flex. We tape the tip and midsection down, and trace each rod’s profile with pencil, later retracing it with a colored sharpie.

Using these charts, you can examine each rod’s profile and see how stiff it is compared to other rods and how much the tip bends. The faster action rods (not stiffer action rods) have tips that bend more with stiffer butt and midsections, while the more medium action rods have slightly softer butt and midsections and a relatively stiffer tip.

We have found that faster action rods with softer tips give you better feel, improved accuracy, and more delicate presentations, especially at closer distances. In general, but not always, rods with stiffer tips typically use more material and are thus heavier in swing weight as well. 

Sometimes we find two rods that deflect nearly identically, but the actions and feel are significantly different due to the swing weight of the rod. 

OBJECTIVE OBSERVATIONS

You may have already studied our Objective Observation chart above in the Results First section. Most of these categories are more or less self-explanatory.  Others may need explanation. Here is our breakdown of each category:

Tested Overall Weight in Ounces

In past Shootouts we have learned not to take the manufacturer’s word for it when it comes to weight. Too often have we found manufacturers falsely claiming lighter weights to capture a higher interest from consumers. Here you will find the figures from our Bracknell postage scale. *Note – we weigh all of the rods on the same day/hour to avoid possible differences caused by varying barometric pressure.  

Tested Swing Weight in Ounces

If you play golf, you are familiar with this term. The swing weight is the relationship of the club head weight to the shaft when you wiggle the club in your hands. The swing weight of a fly rod is the weight you feel out ahead of your hand, holding the rod horizontally. A little wiggle helps you feel this with fly rods as well. Rods with a light swing weight are delightful and effortless to cast. Rods with heavy swing weights feel clunky in your hand and are not going to be as pleasant to fish all day. 

To see exactly how we measure swing weight with a postal scale you can view this short video from our 2019 4-weight shootout:

Note the swing weight section of the video is 1 minute long, (running from 2:43 – 3:43). You can watch the rest of the video to see how we deflect rods and our previous discussions, just remember this is from our 4-weight Shootout years ago and won’t show the current 5-weights tested here.

MOI (Moment of Inertia) in Grams/Meters Squared

We found out about Sexy Loops’ Moment of Inertia Calculator from a European friend. This web site allows you to enter data into a database and then uses a complex mathematical formula to calculate swing weight. Anyone can use the calculator and you can do so with your own rod’s measurements. You’ll need to enter 4 things: 1. The weight of each section (in grams), 2. The length of each section (in meters), 3. The mass center of each section (in meters), and 4. The total length of the rod (in meters). To figure out #3, you’ll want to find the balance point for each section. We folded a business card in half, taped it to our countertop and then balanced each section, finding the mass center. There is a good diagram below the calculator showing which measurement will be your mass center. Last but not least, don’t forget step #4!   You will enter the entire length of the rod (in meters) on the bottom row of the calculator. This is necessary because the overall length is used to calculate overlap in the ferrules and the distance from the rod end to the center of mass for each section.

In the past we found the MOI figures didn’t match exactly what we were feeling in our hand. This year we found the figures were, for some reason, closer, however, there were some slight discrepancies between the figures from our method and the MOI calculator figures. We didn’t have a great answer to why our swing weight figures didn’t align perfectly with MOI swing weight figures. We think some of this could be due to differences in the cork grip shapes, since we measured the fulcrum in the middle of the swell. Some rods utilize a swell that encourages your hand to grip it further towards the top. When you “choke up” on the grip, even if it is only a centimeter difference this can make the rod feel lighter in your hand.

At the end of the day we feel the MOI figures were worth including in our Objective Observations chart, especially for our readers with scientific or engineering interests.

Manufacturers’ Line Recommendation

Here you will find each manufacturer’s line recommendation for their rod. We have abbreviated some of these names to fit in the column better. Here are the non-abbreviated versions as well as their price:

Scientific Anglers Amplitude Textured MPX ($129.95) Elite Rio Gold ($129.99) Royal Wulff Triangle Taper Signature Plus ($89.95) Elite Rio Technical Trout ($129.99) Orvis Pro Trout Line – Textured ($129) Guideline Presentation + ($84.99) Scientific Anglers Amplitude Smooth Infinity ($99.95) Elite Rio Perception ($129.99)

Blank Material

We asked each manufacturer “what type of material is your rod blank made from?” Without giving away any secrets, in this column you’ll find each manufacturer’s answer. All of the answers involved some kind of graphite, (technically carbon fiber) although each company has a specific marketing name for it. None of the manufacturers wished to reveal the modulus of graphite they used, nor which section they used it in. And we don’t blame them – this would be like trying to get Auntie Rae’s secret recipe for her salad dressing!

Cork Handle Shape

This one is simple, however certain manufacturers had different modifications and their own spin on certain grip shapes. If you have smaller hands, in general, we’ve noticed customers gravitating towards the cigar, micro full wells, or snub half wells grips. If you have larger hands, often a full wells or modified full wells will feel best. This is all personal preference, if it feels comfortable then go with it.

Cigar Grip 

As the name implies, these grips have the general appearance of a cigar, perhaps a torpedo shaped Monte Cristo #2.  While many cigar grips now have a slight flare at the bottom end, a true cigar grip won’t have any flare. The top end of all cigar grips is quite narrow, allowing anglers to cast with either their thumb on the grip, or instead place their index finger up on the blank. Classic cigar grips used to be standard especially on Eastern built, downlocking rods. Nowadays, builders still use cigar grips, however nearly all rod manufacturers are using uplock reel seats.

Half Wells 

A half wells, also referred to as a “Western” grip or “reverse half-wells” refers to a grip that is relatively thin at the top, a swell in the middle, and a flare at the bottom of the grip (the reel seat side). We are seeing more and more of these on 5-weight rods particularly.

A full wells grip flares at both ends of the cork. These are often found on saltwater rods, (or powerful 6 weights) that are built for more power over feel. The idea with a full wells grip is that your thumb can nestle in the dip between the swell in the middle and the top flare, allowing you to apply more power for a more aggressive casting stroke. 

Modified Full Wells/Micro Full Wells

A modified full wells, (also referred to as a micro full wells) is a miniature version of a full wells grip. The flares at both ends are not as large, although usually the top flare is even smaller than the bottom flare. These have become quite popular in 5-weight rods as they have proven to be great all-around grips for power and feel.  

Snub Half Wells

This is what Sage calls their version of a micro full wells. Sage’s snub half wells grips have become well known for comfort and feel and are certainly one of the best all-around shaped grips on the market today for a 5-weight fly rod. 

Width of Cork at Widest Spot Inches / mm

In this column you’ll find the width of the cork at the widest part of the handle – excluding either of the swells at the top or bottom (that you would never grasp anyway). We found that nearly all of the handles were in a similar range here, however there were a few outliers. The smallest (thinnest grip) by far was on the Grey’s Lance at .85” or 21.70mm. Anglers with small hands will likely love this grip, anglers with normal to larger hands will probably dislike it. For anglers with meathooks, the Fenwick Aetos was the largest at .99” or 25.21mm, followed by the Hardy Marksman at .99” or 25.17mm, and the G. Loomis Asquith at .98” or 25 mm.

If you love your rod, but don’t love the grip width, you do have a couple of options. If the grip is too large in diameter for your hands, you can sand the cork down. If you are careful, you can start this process on a lathe. Perhaps you can sand off some cork or add 3M vetwrap tape to it if the grip is too narrow to begin with.

Type of Stripping Guides Used

The stripping guide is the largest guide on the rod, the first one up from the butt section. Most saltwater rods have two stripping guides to help funnel their more powerful energy but all of the 5-weights we tested had only one stripping guide. These stripping guides all had some kind of ceramic insert, designed to reduce friction. 

The most expensive of these are the Cerecoil stripping guides offered by REC components. These are the industry’s newest and most high-tech guide on the market, with a nickel titanium frame and a zirconia ceramic insert. The only downside to these rings is we have seen a very small sample “pop” out during the shipping process.

SiC stripping guides refer to silicon carbide, which are considered to be one of the best materials for stripping guides as they use a ceramic ring to reduce both friction and heat. Titanium refers to a tensile titanium frame.  

We think a titanium/ceramic stripping guide is virtually the same as a titanium/SiC, just one made by a different manufacturer than Fuji. A chrome/ceramic stripping guide has a chrome frame and a ceramic insert. The chrome versions are the same color as the titanium but thicker (and heavier). A black SiC uses a black nickel frame.

A silicone nitride (SN) stripping guide is also similar to a SiC stripping guide.  They also are made with low profile high tensile titanium frames but with a polished SN insert. Very similar to SiC, SN is a ceramic that is designed to reduce friction and heat, as well as add fracture resistance and strength.

Type of Guides Used

Here we look at the remaining guides located above the stripping guide(s).  Snake guides have two “feet” which are both wrapped with thread and covered with epoxy. Snake guides have a spiral appearance and rarely ever pull out. Single foot guides only have one foot which is wrapped with thread and covered in epoxy. They cut weight because of less material, but mainly because of less epoxy. While rare, we have seen a few single foot guides “pull” out of their thread/epoxy dens.

Chrome guides, whether snake guides or single foot are made out of stainless steel with a chrome coating. These guides are significantly thicker and heavier than Recoil guides. Chrome guides are very durable. I can’t remember ever seeing one break in half, although they can get bent out of shape.

Recoil brand guides, whether snake guides or single-foot guides have a much thinner gauge wire and are flexible. They are made from a nickel titanium alloy which is extremely hard but flexible. If you push these guides down (or around) they will quickly “pop” back into their original position. The exception to this is in the middle of winter, on days close to 10 degrees F or less, we have noticed Recoil guides with stay in the same position you bend them in. 

While all recoil guides are made from a nickel titanium alloy, natural titanium refers to the silver color guides whereas black pearl refers to the black color guides.

Includes Rod Sock or Tube Slits?

All of the rods in our 2024 5-Weight Shootout include hard rod tubes. Some of these hard cases are metal, others are made of PVC or plastic, covered with Cordura (a fabric weave).

Most high-end rods include some type of cloth bag. These cloth bags all have 4 separate sections to keep the individual rod sections from hitting each other. This keeps the rod from getting little transfers or scraping marks, either from other sections or from the rod tube itself.

This year both Sage and Orvis came up with new rod socks. The R8 rod sock now comes with a micro cord (black with reflective silver diamonds) and a pull tab that slides up, similar to a miniature bolo tie. We like this upgrade although their old strings were just as useful. Orvis on the other hand, includes a buckle with their new Helios rod socks. We think this is pretty cool and the logo on the sock looks sharp as well, complete with a length and weight designation.

We always prefer rods that offer rod socks as sometimes when going on a trip you want to bring 3 or 4 rods, (or even more). The best way to travel with this many rods is to take each rod out of their hard tube, and place all together, each in their respective rod socks into a carry-on tube or carrying case. Some of our favorite carrying cases hold both rods and reels including those by Fishpond, Sage, Simms, Orvis, Patagonia, and Nigiri.  

One trick we like to do is to place one rod in the carrying case with the cork handle end on the left side, and your next rod the opposite way with the cork handle side on the right. This allows you to fit quite a few more rods if you are the kind of angler that brings 6-8 rods along instead of 3-4. You never know!

If a rod doesn’t include a rod sock, then their case will have interior slits that divide the inside of the rod tube. Like a rod sock, these slits allow each section to be separated so they can’t rub against each other. You will often find this solution with less expensive rods, especially in rod “kits” or “combos” where the rod, reel, and line are all sold together.   

You will have to buy a separate rod sock if you wish to travel with one of these rods outside of its hard tube. 

Country of Origin

This one is self-explanatory – except for the Asquith. The Asquith blanks are rolled in Japan and shipped to Woodland, Washington where they are built and finished.

FINAL RESULTS

PRICE in US$ – 10 points available

Simple – the lower the price, the higher the points awarded. Our three inexpensive contenders all got perfect 10’s, ranging from $219.95 – $249.00, (a $29.05 difference). The Asquith, now $1,235, gets the lowest score with a 6, while some of the best mid-priced rods like the NT11, Aydon, and the DXF, ranging from $549 – $599, (a $50.99 swing) were scored at 8.7 points.

Craftsmanship

In past Shootouts, we only had one category for craftsmanship, with 10 points available. We looked at many things to determine this – what types of guides are used? There are several types of stripping guides, but the best seem to be the titanium frame, zirconium or SiC (ceramic insert) style guides. We think the best guides above the stripping guide are the flexible nickel/titanium alloy single-foot and snake guides, which are much lighter (and more expensive) than the heavier, hard chrome versions. How well are the guides wrapped and how nice are the coatings? How about the shape of the cork and the quality? How about the reel seat quality and functionality? 

This year we decided to break craftsmanship down into 6 separate categories, (Quality of Guides/Guide set up, Ergonomics of Cork Grip, Quality of Cork Grip, Reel Seat Functionality, Reel Seat Luxury, and Thread Wrap and Epoxy Finish). 

Originally, we had these at 10 points available in each category, but we felt allotting 60 points to craftsmanship was too much, so we opted for 5 points available. But to our surprise, when we did preliminary calculations, this didn’t change the finishing order anyway, so we just stuck with 10 points available. The main idea is a least you can see how we scored craftsmanship individually.

Quality of Guides / Guide Set Up – 10 points available

Here we looked at two things: 1. What is the quality of the guides utilized? and 2. Do we like the style of guide set up? 

The first part is simple. The best guide components happen to be the most expensive. Some manufacturers are willing to pay top dollar for the best parts, others appear to be saving money and padding their bottom line. For a large manufacturer this adds up quickly – if you can save $8.50 per rod on the cost of guides, multiplied by 10,000 rods a year that saves $85,000.00. Not exactly chump change!

As for the second half, we prefer lighter guide setups rather than heavier ones. This gives Recoil ® brand guides the edge since they are thinner and lighter than the hard chrome guides. Single-foot guides are lighter than snake guides. Not only are they lighter themselves, they only require one set of thread wraps and epoxy instead of two sets, which are required when snake guides are used. In terms of color, we gave the darker guides the edge. The darker versions of chrome or recoil guides are more expensive, and while any rod moving in the air is going to spook fish, we suppose darker would be slightly less reflective.

We gave the Sky G, Marksman, NRX+LP, and NRX+ perfect 10’s here – all rods that utilize Recoil ® single-foot guides. We gave the Asquith a 9.5 (half a point more) for its relatively smaller Recoil ® snake guides, which were smaller than those found on the Helios F and D. The Scott Session and Fenwick Aetos each scored an 8.5 but for different reasons. The Session has thinner light wire dark chrome snakes guides. These are not flexible like Recoil ® snakes but they are definitely lighter than the thicker hard chrome guides. The Aetos did have the thicker hard chrome guides, but in single-foot and also in the darker color. We gave 8’s to the R8, NT11, Aydon, IMX PRO V2, and Lance. The R8 has chrome snakes, but they are smaller than the other chrome snake guides we found on other rods. We might have scored this a 7.8 since they still require two sets of thread and epoxy per guide but we kept it to .5 intervals.

The NT11, Aydon, IMX PRO V2, and Lance all utilize chrome single-foot guides of similar size. We gave the DXF a 7.5 because it has excessively large chrome snake guides (normally a 7, but we gave them .5 extra for the black color scheme and the fact they were thinner than most chrome snakes). The Recon and Clearwater but got 7’s. The Recon has larger hard snake chrome guides (like the DXF but in silver) and the Clearwater has thick chrome guides that are slightly smaller but likely heavier and less expensive.

Ergonomics of Cork Grip – 10 points available

In this column we scored the shape and size of the cork handle. Both of these are personal preference, so these scores are our subjective opinions. If you have small hands however, you should take a look at the Grey’s Lance. If you have extra-large hands take a look at the Fenwick Aetos, Hardy Marksman, or G. Loomis Asquith.

We felt the Helios F, Helios D, and Sage R8 had three of the most comfortable grips, each scoring perfect 10’s. The Helios models utilize modified full wells grips, the R8 sticking with their ever popular “snub” half wells. These grips just felt good in our hands. They gave us a little something extra to lean into. When punching into the wind or blasting a cast out long it felt good to put our thumb in the dip before the top flare. The grips also felt good in close, when we were trying to be as accurate as possible. 

The Sky G and Asquith both scored 9.5’s and were nearly as comfortable.  The Asquith had a slightly thicker swell in the middle but tapered off towards the top smoothly. The Sky G has a cigar grip, but the swell is slightly higher towards the tip of the rod, which also helps reduce swing weight.  We liked both of these grips slightly better than the rest of the pack, which pretty much scored 9’s. The Marksman was definitely thicker and could possibly have gotten a 8.8, but was still smaller than the even thicker Fenwick Aetos grip, which we scored an 8.5. The Grey’s Lance we scored a 6.5 as it was way too thin for most anglers. Aside from anglers with especially small hands the Lance’s grip is simply too thin to the point that it was a distraction. (See our notes on how to fix this yourself by wrapping vet wrap around the cork handle).

Quality of Cork Grip – 10 points available

Another straightforward category – the better the grade of cork, the better the score. Manufacturers use different terms for high grade cork, describing them as “Flor grade,” “AAA grade,” or “Special grade.” Regardless of nomenclature we found subtle differences in quality, which are so close they could vary from rod to rod in the same brand’s 9’#5 model. 

It was easy to see what less expensive cork looked like, which had pits and blemishes, often filled in with cork dust filler to look better. Over time however, this filler falls away from the grip leaving your rod with many pits or skinny, miniature trenches. While these pits don’t make your rod any harder to grip, over time they can cave in, especially if they happen to be where your thumb naturally sits.

All things being equal in quality of the cork rings, we also awarded .5 points for manufacturers who included a more durable section of cork composite at the top end of the cork, as well as an additional .5 additional points at the bottom of the cork. Rods are getting expensive, and if they are to be true “heirloom” rods that can be passed down for generations, the cork has a better chance of remaining unchipped with these cork composite end-caps. Unless you have no hook keeper and are sticking your fly near the top of your cork grip it is usually the bottom end that chips the worst.

We scored the Sky G a 10 here because the cork quality was very good and both ends were capped with cork composite to eliminate chipping. Although the Asquith has no composite on either end, the thin cork rings seemed a notch above the rest and we could not deny them a 9.5. The NRX+LP and NRX+ have nearly as good cork, plus they utilize cork composite on the bottom end. The Marksman, Helios F, Helios D, R8, Aydon, IMX PRO V2, all had excellent grade cork, but all without cork composite on either end. Cork quality seemed to drop off quickly from there. Both the DXF and Aetos utilize cork composites, but the quality of their cork rings was not good, each with lots of filler. The Clearwater had less filler but no cork composite.

Reel Seat Functionality – 10 points available

Here we focused on the functionality of each reel seat. Our preference was for two locking rings rather than a single locking ring. Aside from the Asquith, which has a phenomenally positive single locking ring we have found two locking rings are better than one to securely fasten your reel to prevent slippage. We prefer the upper lock ring to be thicker, and the second lock ring to be thinner.

We examined how the reel foot sits in the reel seat. Is it obvious where it fits and once you crank down the rings does it stay put securely or wiggle a tiny bit? We considered how thick or thin are the threads. If too thin will mud, dust, and grime get in the way when it is time to remove your reel? Especially if you keep it attached to your rod and in a rod vault most of its life.

We gave the Scott Session the only 10 in this category as we felt the double lock rings were smooth as butter but also very positive when locking down the reel to the rod. While the hood rotates, we found it very easy to find where to put the reel foot. There were other standouts, including the Asquith, NRX+LP, NRX+, IMX PRO V2, and the Douglas DXF Gen 2.

The Asquith, only had one lock ring but was one of the best at gaining a positive lock and also had serious knurling for a grip to twist it tight. The other G. Loomis rods all had great lock rings and were easy to use as well.  Functionality wise, we liked the DXF Gen 2 reel seat more than the Sky G, with its excellent lock rings and ease of use.

The Helios rods were easy to use but only had one lock ring which was not as smooth as others going up and down the threads. The Hardy Marksman lost points as it was not as easy to fit the reel into the reel seat without looking closely – which also made things tough since it is a black reel seat. The sliding hood also wasn’t very thick, which made it slightly difficult to seat the foot on the bottom end as well. The Guideline NT11 lost a point or two because it only had one lock ring, with very thin threads. The hood on the Grey’s Lance barely fit our reel seat and although it had two locking rings did not tighten well – even when fully tightened the reel seat wiggled back and forth.

Reel Seat Luxury – 10 points available

Here we graded the reel seats as seen as art. Was the reel seat stunning and made from appealing or attractive materials? Did the reel seat stand out and make you desire the rod more (or less)? Does the reel seat include a classy wood insert spacer or a cool skeletal design? Obviously, this was another subjective category which not all will agree with.

We gave the Asquith the only 10 here. If you are used to Lexus steering wheels you will recognize the bamboo utilized in this insert. The threads are perfect, the hood has attractive cutouts, the single locking ring has excellent knurling, and even the butt cap has the engraved “fear no fish” logo.  

Lots of excellent reel seats to follow that all scored 9’s. Some of our favorite looks include the Sky G, Scott Session, Hardy Marksman, NRX+LP, NRX+ and IMX PRO V2. The DXF 2’s “murdered out” all black reel seat was cool but seemed more fitting on a saltwater rod. The NT11’s wood insert looked nice but the metal hardware was pretty plain. The Fenwick Aetos added a carbon fiber insert but still had an inexpensive look to it. The Grey’s Lance and Clearwater had the least character, with similar solid metal and no contrasting lines to speak of.

Thread Wrap and Epoxy Finish – 10 points available

Here we take a close look to see how well are the guides wrapped and how nice are the epoxy coatings? Nearly everyone is using one-coat epoxy coatings over the guide wraps now. If they are not carefully applied, they are often sloppy and add unnecessary weight, especially if the epoxy globs are closer to the tip of the rod.

We gave the G. Loomis Asquith the only 10 although the Scott Session and Hardy Marksman were close at 9.5 each. The Sky G was also very good, as were the NRX+ rods and the Guideline NT11. The others were satisfactory, but the Sage R8 still had the bulkiest coatings.     

Warranty – 10 points available

Nearly all manufacturers offer some kind of limited “Lifetime Warranty.”  In part, this is why rods have become as expensive as they are. Manufacturers expect a certain percentage of rods to come back broken, whether by defect or broken in a car door. Knowing they will have to deal with these broken rods (usually just the tip) they pad the purchase price to help pay for the materials and labor that they will eventually have to supply.

Some manufacturers refer to their fee as a warranty fee, others are charging an associated “handling fee” or “shipping fee” to repair or replace a broken rod. Additionally, it will cost you around $10-15 to ship your rod in for repair, or have your local shop do it for you. Some manufacturers only require a photo of the broken rod piece, which helps save time and money since you are not required to send your broken rod or section in. For this Shootout, we have re-checked each manufacturer’s warranty policy in detail as many have changed slightly over the years. You can read our summary of each manufacturer’s warranty policy below.

We have awarded scores prioritizing the lowest repair charges and quickest repair turnaround times. If your favorite rod breaks at the start of the summer and you don’t get it back for two months you are going to be very angry!

Some manufacturers no longer allow retail stores to handle repairs, which is frustrating for both consumers and fly shops. G.Loomis has taken the lead on this, and will not allow a dealer to handle a customer’s rod repair. Instead, customers must register their rod online, and supply a credit card to cover the repair fees. Not only does this allow the manufacturer more visibility, (as they can now bomb the customer’s inbox with spam e-mails, closeout discounts, and brand awareness), but it may even cut down on repairs, (as some customers may give up on dealing with the repair process entirely), opting to purchase a new rod instead.

We took all of this into consideration when scoring each manufacturer’s warranty policy. To get a 10, repair charges had to be $65 or less, not require you to send in the broken rod, (sending in a photo of the broken section(s) will suffice), and have a turnaround time of roughly one week or less. Most rated between 8.5 and 9 with an average fee of $75 and an average of 3-4 weeks turnaround time. Orvis only offers a 25-year warranty, however we feel this wasn’t a huge deterrent since most serious anglers will have the latest and greatest by year 2049. We dinged Sage down to a 7.5 as some of their legacy rods are more expensive to fix, but mostly since Sage’s turnaround times take 2-3 months. A real bummer should you happen to break your rod on June 20th. Fenwick received our lowest score at 6.5 as they now only offer a 5-year warranty, and if you break a rod, (due to the angler’s fault), the rod is replaced at 45% discount. After that, no future warranty is allowed, (unless your replacement rod has a true manufacturing defect). Ouch!

Fun to Fish “Got to Have” – 10 points available

We got the idea for this category years ago from the Car and Driver automobile Shootouts.  Now that we have eliminated our “Perfect 5” category, this category gives you our opinions on the best rods and how they stack up. If a rod looks like a million bucks and casts like it too, and has that certain “wow” factor, anglers are going to desire it.

Some anglers might consider a high-priced rod as a status symbol. For others, seeing how a rod performs in an expert caster’s hands convinces them it would make them a better angler as well, or at least take them up to the next level. Surprisingly, this is often true, even if it is just a boost in confidence.  Great rods don’t make great casters, but there is no doubt that they will improve any angler’s casting skills.

Pick any rod here that we rated a 9 or better and you have a real winner!  We gave out 10’s to the Sky G, Asquith, Marksman, and NRX+LP. All of these rods were in almost every tester’s top four. They are all perfect 5 weights, each with subtle differences in feel, power, swing weight, and accuracy. While G. Loomis and Hardy have better marketing and brand recognition than Douglas, we just couldn’t deny the Sky G a 10.

We gave the NRX+ a 9.8 as it performed best at 45-60 feet and was likely too powerful for most anglers. Still, for long bomb assassins, this is the one!  The Helios F was on the other bookend, being one of the softer rods in the Shootout. This could be the rod for the dry fly angler! The Helios D and Sage R8 felt nearly identical and were stiffer with less feel than the aforementioned rods. Like Chevy or Ford, they both have extremely large followings and fan bases, their ads look the best in fly fishing magazines and they are the best at social media ads as well.

The NT11 and Aydon got the highest Mid-Priced rod scores, each with a 9. The NT11 is so light and playful that we feel any trout angler will smile after casting it. The Aydon was not far behind, as Hardy has a little more stream cred, at least here in the USA where Guideline is not yet well known. The IMX Pro V2, DFX Gen 2, and Session all got 8.5’s, mostly due to their inherently higher swing weights. The DXF Gen 2 was lighter and felt best, but also Douglas also doesn’t have the same marketing power or brand appeal as G.Loomis or Scott. The Recon, Aetos, and Clearwater all had the heaviest swing weights in the test. The Lance had the thinnest grip and not much power, although it would be a great pick for women, children, or anyone with small hands.

Overall Weight – 10 points available

Another simple category, the lighter the overall weight the higher the score. Sometimes companies know they can reduce overall weight by choosing lighter materials in the reel seat or butt section. The problem with this method is that it doesn’t make the rod feel lighter in your hand like swing weight does, hence the reason we only scored up to 10 points.

For the overall weight, we simply placed each rod horizontally on the scale, read the weight and rounded it off to one tenth of an ounce. Overall weight is certainly a factor, but the swing weight is far more important.

Swing Weight – 20 points available

The swing weight of the rod is the weight you feel out ahead of your hand, holding the rod horizontally. A little wiggle back and forth helps you feel this. Rods with a light swing weight are delightful, fun, and effortless to cast. Rods with a heavy swing weight feel clunky and clumsy in your hand and are not going to be pleasant to cast and fish all day.  

Since swing weight plays a large role in how a rod feels in your hand and also performs, we raised the points available in this category to 20 points. Using our method of finding the swing weight, the Sky G was the winner. The Asquith, Marksman, Aydon, and NT11 were close.  Heavier rods included the Recon, Aetos, and Clearwater.

Performance at 25 Feet – 20 points available

A rod’s ability to make delicate and accurate presentations using small flies and a 12’ leader are the keys to scoring well here. Casting accuracy is one of the biggest factors we use in rating each rod at 25’. The feel you get through the cork handle imparts feedback which leads to confidence, allowing you to put the fly exactly where you want it. I’m convinced the key to catching more trout and especially larger trout is casting accuracy with a delicate presentation. Fly selection is important, but if you slam the correct fly on top of a big spooky fish, the game is over immediately.

Does the tip load well enough in close, to give you the feel and accuracy you need with only the leader and very little line out of the guides? At short range I like to cast off the tip of the rod, using mostly my wrist and very little arm movement to power the tip of the rod through the stroke. The best rods in this category are almost always the lightest in swing weight, since you are doing a lot of false casting while fishing dries.

The best all-around 5-weights need to perform exceptionally well at short distances. 90% of the dry fly fishing I do is at distances between 25-45 feet. The rods that scored 19.5 or better here are the ones to consider. 

Performance at 35 Feet – 20 points available

35 feet is a new testing distance for us. While casting various rods on the lawn beside our shop, we decided to cast at a distance that felt “normal” to us when we were targeting rising fish. What we realized was that everyone was casting around 33-38 feet – a distance that we have not scored in our previous Shootouts.

At 25 feet, it is more difficult to feel the rod load since very little line is out of the rod tip. A few rods still do this quite well, which became our favorite rods. We found at 45 feet accuracy can become more difficult, especially when there is any wind. Even a 5 mph side wind can blow you off target, and if a gust of 10-12 mph blows through it can be enough to throw your fly several feet off center. 

35 feet just felt like the perfect distance to load the rod well and make an accurate cast without spooking the fish. When fishing, 35’ is also a good distance to manage line as mending is easy to control. At this distance you have just the right amount of slack on the water to still strike quickly as needed. At 45-60 feet there can be a delay from when your brain tells your hand to strike, and when the fly actually moves as a result.

The Sky G, Asquith, Marksman, and NRX+LP were the standouts here, each earning a perfect 20. The NRX+, Helios F, R8, Aydon, and DXF Gen 2 were not far behind, each scoring 19.5.

Performance at 45 Feet – 20 points available

The best all-around 5-weights need to be able to perform well at 45 feet. Ideally, if a fish moves outside of 35 feet, an angler can reposition to get a little closer. But sometimes that isn’t feasible. Perhaps the angler has sneaked in low and on his or her knees, making it harder to move up. Perhaps they are fishing a tailwater and moving forward in the shallow water will send warning rings to trout’s lateral line. If a rod can be accurate at 45 feet there is no need to move. 

At 45 feet a 5-weight rod needs to be light and pleasant enough to do a lot of false casting, as you will when fishing dry flies all day. Rods that throw a stable loop at 45 feet will also be good at throwing larger wind-resistant dries like chubbies and hoppers. Getting your leader to turn over a fly in 20 mph wind requires a rod that is capable of giving you extremely tight loops. Or, if the fish are not rising well to the surface, it is nice to have a rod with ample power to add a tungsten bead dropper.

The best 5-weights will have excellent loop control at 45 feet and not require a double haul (unless you are casting into a brisk headwind). They should also be able to open your loop if you happen to be fishing two nymphs under an indicator. We have found the rods that seem the most capable of doing all of the above are nearly always the faster action rods.

This year we didn’t give any perfect 20’s. I suppose some of this had to do with adding the 35’ distance, but I didn’t feel any of the rods were absolutely perfect. This is actually something I prefer however, as I value a higher scoring rod in close. If a rod was perfect at 45 or 60 it would by nature be less effective at 25-35 feet.

The G. Loomis Asquith was nearly perfect and at 19.8 was closest to a true 20. It was very light in hand, and exceptionally accurate. The Sky G, Marksman, NRX+LP, Helios F, Helios D, and R8 were hot on its heels at 19.5.

Performance at 60 Feet – 20 points available

This year we reduced our longest distance from 70 feet to 60 feet. We felt it was easier to judge accuracy at 60 feet as 70 feet is more of a hope and pray distance. Rather than back our 70 feet category down to a maximum of 10 points we decided to go with 60 feet and keep it at 20 points available. We also felt most people won’t be casting at 70 feet, so our Shootout might be more useful to them at a more reasonable distance. 

We don’t often ask a 5-weight to cast 60 feet and beyond, but the best rods can certainly do it well, especially with an expert caster at the controls. But this also requires an angler to double-haul well with good form.

There are not many instances that call for this kind of long-range casting, but we value this distance category as the rods that handle longer distances best also handled the wind better, as well as fishing smaller streamers the best.

Sure, a 6 or 7 weight rod would be better suited to get the job done fishing streamers, but a good 5-weight works surprisingly well as long as you limit your streamers to smaller sizes that utilize materials that don’t soak up a ton of water. 

With a great all-around 5-weight you can say goodbye to the years of bringing along two rods (one for dries and one for streamers). 

While we didn’t score any rods a perfect 20 at 60 feet, here the NRX+ was the king. Even when compared directly to the other stiffer rods it was a lighter and better rocket launcher. The Asquith, Marksman, and R8 were close, but the NRX+ was truly on a level of its own. The Clearwater had plenty of power to cast 60 feet but was unpleasant to do so because of its heavy swing weight, scoring a 17.5. The Scott Session, which I liked much better in close, was too soft in the mid-section to consistently generate accurate casts at 60 feet, scoring only a 17.

MANUFACTURERS’ WARRANTIES EXPLAINED

We have here summarized the latest warranty policies of rod manufacturers and our experience with repair turn-around times. Before you purchase any rod, check the manufacturers for updates to their warranty policies as these often change. Click on their logo or name to see each manufacturer’s spiel in detail.

Douglas  – No fault, lifetime warranty for original owner with proof of purchase. A $45 fee (per damaged section) plus a $20 shipping and handling fee inside the continental US. You do NOT have to send your broken rod to Douglas, instead fill out the on-line form, take a photo of your broken section(s) and Douglas will ship you a replacement in less that 7 business days.

Go to:  https://douglasoutdoors.com/warranty/ to start this process.

Contact Info: 1-315-695-2000

Fenwick –  Fenwick now offers a 5-year warranty for all rod models. Proof of purchase is required. Fenwick will replace the broken rod with a new rod. There is a $9.95 processing fee for rods broken while actively fishing. If the breakage is the fault of the angler (car door, stepped on, etc.) the rod will be replaced with one at a 45% discount and no further warranty. (If a true manufacturing defect is found in your replacement rod it would still be covered), but for angler-fault accidental breaks, the second time around the 45% discount option is no longer available. Usually takes less than 2 weeks.

You no longer have to send your rod in for repair, instead simply take a photo of your broken section(s) and send it to [email protected] . Click here to register your rod: https://register.fenwickfishing.com/ .

Or, go to: https://www.fenwickfishing.com/fenwick-warranty to start this process Contact Info: 1-(877)-336-7637 or e-mail: [email protected] .

Greys  – You must create an account and register your rod within 60 days of purchase.  Lifetime warranty for the repair or replacement (at Grey’s discretion). Greys asks that you send your rod in for inspection. If Greys determines that there was a defect, the rod will be repaired or replaced at no charge. Otherwise the processing fee is $35.00. Shipping is out of their US warehouse and usually takes less than 2 weeks.

Go to: https://www.greysfishing.com/warranty-policy to start this process Contact Info: 1-(888)-516-1247

Hardy –  Lifetime warranty to original owner. Hardy asks that you send in your broken rod for inspection. No payment is required if the issue is deemed to be a manufacturer fault. Otherwise, there is a $75 handling fee per section. (Editor’s note: we have noticed Hardy reducing this to a $75 handling fee per claim – for those who are kind and courteous and don’t send multiple broken rods in each year). Rods are repaired or sections replaced. Shipping is from their US warehouse, usually takes less than 2 weeks.

Go to: https://www.hardyfishing.com/hardy-warranty to start this process

Contact Info:1-(888)-516-1247

G. Loomis –    You must create an account and register your rod within 30 days of purchase.  Lifetime warranty to original owner. If you feel your rod has broken because of a defect, send it back. Your rod will be examined, if deemed a manufacturer defect, the broken section will be replaced with no handling fee. This option usually takes longer, 3-4 weeks.

If broken from neglect or it is the angler’s fault, (car door, stepped on etc.) use the Xpeditor service. Usually it is a tip section that breaks – if so use the Tip Program which is cheaper. Most fly rods cost $60 for a new tip, the Asquith is $75. If it is any other section than the tip use the regular Xpeditor service.  Most all fly rod models cost $150, while the Asquith is $310.

If you opt for either an Xpeditor tip or regular Xpeditor service, you should have a new tip (or new rod) in less than a week. You do not have to send back broken tips (hence you could order an “extra” this way if you wanted to have a backup). G.Loomis will provide a FED-EX shipping label for you to send back your broken rod. As long as they receive your broken rod within 30 days you will not be charged the full amount for a new rod, just the replacement fee.

Go to: https://www.gloomis.com/pages/services to start this process Contact Info: 1-(877)-577-0600

Guideline  –  For NT11 and NT8 rods customers are entitled to a 25 year warranty for the original owner. Sections will be repaired or replaced at Guideline’s discretion. Customers are required to send broken rods in. If Guideline deems it is a manufacturer’s defect there is no charge. For all other repairs, there is a $75 handling fee per claim. Shipping is from Guideline’s US warehouse and usually takes less than 2 weeks.

If you know the break is not a manufacturer’s defect, or you simply need a new section quickly, Guideline also offers an I-Express service, where you may purchase the exact section(s) you need from their Spare Parts on-line store. Each section costs $75.00 (which includes shipping fees) and is immediately shipped to you from the US warehouse, meaning you will likely receive it within 3-5 business days. 

Go to: https://www.guidelineflyfish.com/en/rodparts Contact Info: [email protected]

Orvis  –  You must create an account and register your rod. A 25 year no fault warranty to original owner. $60 handling fee. Rod is repaired, or sections are replaced. If Orvis determines that there was a defect, the rod will be repaired or replaced at no charge. For new Helios, Helios 3, Mission, and the current Recon, Clearwater, and Encounter series rods, Orvis offers a new section replacement program with a 5-business day turnaround. Other repairs usually take 4-6 weeks.  

Go to https://www.orvis.com/fly-rod-repair.html to start this process. Contact Info: 1-(800)-548-9548

Sage  –  All Sage rods are covered under a lifetime warranty to the original owner. The warranty covers any defects in materials and workmanship, but does not cover direct, indirect, consequential, incidental, or any other type of damage resulting from use of the product. Rods that are broken or damaged due to normal use (examples: tip break due to high sticking, fly strike breakage, shut it in the car door, etc.) are subject to a repair fee. Click on the repairs-pricing link for an update on the repair fees. These fees cover the repair of the broken rod, in addition to the shipping back to the customer. Turnaround time usually takes 10-12 weeks. 

• Current Models : $50
• Recent Models : $95
• Legacy Models : $195

Go to https://farbank.com/pages/warranty-repair-policy to start this process. https://farbank.com/pages/repairs-pricing Contact Info: 1-(888)-848-7243 or 1-(206)-842-6608

Scott  –  Lifetime, no fault warranty to the original owner. $65 handling fee per claim, (not per section). Customers are required to return the entire rod. Broken sections will be rebuilt to match the original rod if they cannot be repaired. Usually takes 4-5 weeks.

Go to: https://www.scottflyrod.com/warranty to start the process or click here to download the repair form: Repair Form . Contact Info: 1-(970)-249-3180 or [email protected]

OUR THOUGHTS ABOUT A PURCHASE

As always, we feel it is best to cast a rod before you purchase it. We cordially invite you to stop at our shop and do your own rod comparison right here on our lawn. We have several reels rigged with the various line sizes, and leaders, all ready to go to complete your own “mini-shootout.” 

We realize many of our readers have a trusted fly shop near them, and likely have a good relationship with the staff. We encourage you to swing by “your” fly shop and try a few rods there if you can, and if you like a rod, purchase it with them. We would rather see you support your local fly shop than order a rod directly from the manufacturer.

However, if your fly shop doesn’t carry the rod you are interested in, (or perhaps they have been mean to you), we would love to have your business. Any purchase, large or small, helps us keep the lights on, and we appreciate it!

Use this link to go to our  Favorite Freshwater Outfits  where you will find our favorite rod and reel combinations. Here you’ll find our recommendations in three price ranges: The High-End Outfits, Mid-Priced Outfits and best Inexpensive Outfits. All of these outfits will come to you fully rigged, (with backing, line, leader, and even a yarn indicator for practicing on your lawn).  As soon as you get your package in the mail you can immediately put your package together and go practice on the lawn, or better yet – cut the yarn off, tie on a fly, and go fishing! If you are looking for that perfect saltwater outfit, then check out this link for our  Favorite Saltwater Outfits .

This year, instead of packaging only the winning rod with a reel, we have made 4 High-End 5-weight outfits to choose from, as well as 2 Mid-Priced outfits , and 2 Inexpensive outfits . If you are getting one of our High-End Outfits, we’ll throw in a free line , (the same line that we tested the rod with, which was the manufacturer’s recommendation). For Mid-Priced and Inexpensive outfits, we’ll give you the line at cost and we’ll also ship it to you for free, and since we are in Montana you pay ZERO SALES TAX!

Once you get your new rod or outfit, do some casting on the lawn, and if you feel it is not just what you want, (and has not been fished and it has not exceeded 30 days from your purchase), we will allow you to return it to us for a full refund , less the return shipping charges. 

If you are not in the market for a 5-weight right now, we suggest reading one of our current Shootouts for the line size rod you want. You’ll find these on our Yellowstone Angler home page under reviews .  

Or you can call us at  406-222-7130, or e-mail us at staff@yellowstoneangler  and we can discuss your needs and wants. I’m confident that we can come up with the perfect rod or outfit for you.

George’s Signature –