hardy zephrus 8' 6 4wt

Hardy Ultralite LL Fly Rod. Ive fished this Zephrus myself for the past two years, and it has been my go-to rod when Im fishing small dries, emergers and spinners in the surface film. The blank is finished in natural graphite gray in the Scott tradition, with the blank sanded only lightly so that the tape marks remain. Im amazed that I can cast off the tip nearly as well as the Zephrus. The quality of the cork in the handles varies enormously among fly rods. Expensive rods do have that wow factor that will impress your buddies. Often takes 4-6 weeks. I wish there was a hook keeper, which I find very useful on light rods, but there is none. It is important for any fly line to shoot well, and even clear well, when you have extra line at your feet and a fish is streaking for the horizon. The stiffness and slower action hurt its scores in a lot of categories. Also, by having 8-10 rods set up, 2-3 testers can simultaneously do the casting. Another stiff rod, the Avantt, was slightly better. This is T&Ts mid-priced rod, but if you take a look at the best mid-priced rods in our Shootout like the Shadow at $349, the Recon at $429 and the DXF at $349, the Zones performance doesnt match any of these rods. This is a very pleasant rod to cast, with a medium fast action. The Zephrus has that perfect balance between power and sensitivity; its easy to control but has the ability to turn it up a level when reaching out to longer distances or when conditions require a bit moreoomph.The softer tip on the Zephrus will protect the lightest tippets. The 9' 5wt weighs in at 3.03 ounces and has a swing weight of 61.2 gm^2. It's actually a balance that I like better than the 4wt FWS and feel it could cover most single and dual nymph setups, small streamers and small-to-large dries on small-to-medium sized rivers taking the exact duties I currently use the 4wt FWS for with a little less weight and a little less splash due to the lighter 3wt lines. Whats impossible to notice until you actually fish the rod, though, is its backbone. Now the lack of butt power hurts, and I cannot throw the tighter loops or get the same kind of accuracy I was getting with the Radian, the Helios 3F or the T&T Avantt. One of the things I really like is the shape of the full wells cork handle. The new Zephrus have a softer tip than the Zeniths which is a good thing for dry fly and short distance accuracy guys. It would be so much better with a WF-5-F. As they are reviewing 5wt rods in this article they do not talk about why it is their favourite 4wt rod. The Zephrus Ultralite just doesnt live up to that level of wind-beating performance. The guides start out with a small hook keeper, then a single SiC stripper, followed with black, hard chrome single-foot guides. The 79 model was far better and a lot more fun to cast and fish. Very nice feel with excellent accuracy at short distances. #8. Nickel silver is used for the winding check and rear grip check as well as the hardware on the reel seat, which is a sliding band and one wide locking ring. A gray graphite insert is used that goes well with the blank. This helps me to easily fine tune the exact amount of drag needed while fishing very light tippets, something that is tough to do with other small reels. Heads up the Recon and Shadow were far better. It is also a lot heavier in overall weight and swing weight, mainly due to the fact that Loop is using a much lower modulus graphite than in their more expensive K2. Ive fished with Howard here, on our Montana Spring Creeks, and better understand how and why he came up with these designs. In addition to being a test caster and editor, hes responsible for some of the photos and putting all of this on line. Why? The X is a medium fast action rod built with Sages KonneticHD technology that they say delivers greater blank recovery and good dampening. The Hardy SHADOW at $349.95 takes the crown as our best mid-priced rod with an exceptional performance that put it into a tie for 4th place overall with the T&T AVANTT . And while each rod has its own personality, two things remained consistent throughout the new Ultralite family: unfair accuracy and strikingly smooth casting. Still, I felt it could be our 4-weight winner until I finished casting the Ultralite heads up with the winner, the Zephrus. Thats the trade-off you make for light weight and insane feel in close and its one Im personally happy to make. Performance at 40 feet: 19.5 points out of 20. I really expected to see this new G Series 4-weight challenge the best rods. It has a larger swell than most rods, and the swell is set closer to the top of the grip, than most rods well forward of the center of the grip. This is not a pleasant rod to do a lot of false casting with, as you would fishing dry flies. The quality of the cork is superb. You can read about these warranty policies later in our Shootout. The wraps are also black, nicely trimmed in light gray on the butt sections. TheHardy SHADOWat $349.95 takes the crown as our best mid-priced rod with an exceptional performance that put it into a tie for 4thplace overall with theT&T AVANTT. The whole rod weighs in at 2.51 oz (crazy light) with a swing weight of 53.6 gm2, one of the lightest swing weights we've ever seen. The Shadow and Pure were far better. Same day or next day shipping if they have the parts in stock, if not, usually takes 2 weeks. At least it is sanded to a smooth finish initially. For most grips this will be at the midpoint in the swell, or the center of the grip. Mystic Lifetime warranty to original owner. Perhaps the best example here is our winner, the Hardy Zephrus. We can attribute this to the use of one-coat finish rather than multiple coats as seen on the T&T rods. But these methods and calculations were disconnected from what we were actually experiencing in our hand so, for our last 4 Shootouts, we have gone back to our original method of calculation, explained above. As the name implies, the new Zephrus Ultralite is light. Rods are repaired, not replaced unless broken. From $689.00. Im getting effortless tight loops, and I had complete confidence on where the fly was going on every cast. The first time I went to cast one of these rods, my local Hardy rep said hed bet $20 Id throw a tailing loop. If you look at the best performing rods in general, they have stiffer butt and midsections and softer tips. The Radian is both stiffer and faster in action. I enjoyed the amount of reserve power it has, and I was making great casts at the longer distances. Pretty good loop control but the feel and accuracy were not as good as what I was getting with the DXF or the St. Croix Imperial. At long range no rod has more power. For $699.95 you can get the 9' 5wt Zephrus Ultralite with Hardy's lifetime warranty, superior build quality, and all the incredible performance attributes mentioned above. The top three rods were a lot better. $50 handling fee. In fact the JXP had one of theheaviestswing weights in our Shootout, tied with the IMX Pro and Clearwater. Category changes that improve the accuracy of the results in our latest 4-weight Shootout. Well indicate which line proved best with each rod later in the individual rod write-ups. But there are a lot of good reasons. Line speed $25 handling fee on current rods. The reel seat is an unusual, triangular shaped silver anodized seat with no spacer. Ive found that it is almost impossible to judge accuracy and presentation if you have strong gusty winds, but having a little wind tells you a lot about how the various rods perform, especially at long distances. The uplocking skeleton seat is anodized in a dark gray to complement the blank with a beautiful piece of black ash burl for the insert. Better as I get more line in the air, but still not nearly as good as the NRX LP or the DXF. This and the Pure were the only two rods I scored a perfect 20 out of 20 at 45 feet. For this Shootout, we were able to do the casting here on our lawn at the shop. The wraps are all in blue, and the epoxy coatings are all extremely well done. Like the Zephrus, casting off the tip of the rod was easy and fun and I was getting very delicate, precise presentations. If you cannot find or cast the rods that interest you, we are here to help. This one is simple The least expensive rods get the highest points. Nothing else is even close. Like the K2, no hook keeper is used, which I miss on a 4-weight. (tie) Douglas DXF 86 #4 $349.00. Unfortunately like a few other rods, it is only available in a 9-foot model as a 4-weight, and this hurt its performance scores a bit. Hardy uses their Sintrix 220 in this rod, a lower modulus graphite than the Sintrix 440 used in the Zephrus, but it provides easy loading yet a sharp recovery. In addition to my comments in the main Shootout, youll want to read the comments from Jamie and our other Yellowstone Angler staff members, Logan Brown, Francis Clougherty and Chloe Nostrant. 1. Forty feet was definitely the sweet spot for this rod. The idea here is to measure the swing weight at the middle of where your palm is likely to sit on the grip. scott radian. The action is medium fast not as fast as the Pure but still feels very nice in my hand and produced some respectable performance scores. For broken rods that are not registered to the original owners, most companies are going to charge you $150 or more for repairs. We have liked the Mystic Reaper that has done well in some of our early 5-weight Shootouts. The swing weight of the rod is the weight you feel out ahead of your hand, holding the rod horizontally. The cork is excellent, and Douglas uses darker contrasting composite cork rings at both the top and bottom of the grip. If you look at the deflection chart, youll see that the Zehprus has one of the stiffest butt and midsections, yet then it progresses to a nice soft tip. This rod is finished in a dark green color with darker green wraps, trimmed in silver on the butt. There is no question that the Shadow is our best Mid Priced 4-weight rod. Starting at under $700 and offered in weights 2-5, the Zephrus Ultralite provides performance equal to or exceeding other rods priced much closer to the $1,000-mark. And for a rod that is half the cost of the Helios 3F, the overall weight and swing weight are actuallylower! Even with the Livingston wind, the Zephrus outdid itself at this distance. Performance at 60 feet: 8.8 points out of 10. Hardy Zane Rod. But superior craftsmanship commands a much higher price! I am surprised at how well it performed at closer distances considering how much power it has on tap. G. Loomis ASQUITH 9 #4 $1000.00. Guides start with a hook keeper, and then one SiC stripping guide, followed with black hard chrome snake guides. The TFO rods, the Taylor rods, the Mystic rod, and the Waterworks rods are all designed here in the U.S. and built in Asia. Performance at 60 feet: 6.5 points out of 10. I loved the look of the Mod, with its standout, jazzy lime green color. $75 on recent rods within 10 years, $125 on classic olderrods. The handle is a half wells western style grip with contrasting dark composite cork rings at both the bottom and top. Heres a mid-priced rod that put in a good performance across the board. A dark gray wood burl insert is used that matches the blank. item 8 Hardy Zephrus Double Handed DH Sintrix AWS Fly Rod 13'6' #7/8 4 Pieces +Warranty Hardy Zephrus Double Handed DH Sintrix AWS Fly . (tie) Loop Q 9 #4 $229.00. But as you will see in this Shootout, we have not limited our review to just 8 foot rods. If you are looking for that perfect saltwater outfit, then use ourFavorite Saltwater Outfitslink. The best rods in our Shootout can handle this distance with ease, and are actually capable of casting much farther in an expert casters hands. Light Tippet Protection 20 points available. The Pure puts in an impressive performance, especially at the shorter distances, and finishes in 2ndplace in both the overall and performance results. First, it is very light in swing weight and the fast action is a lot like the Zephrus in that it has a stronger butt and much softer tip than most of the other rods. I wish that we could have tested an 86 Aetos, but this rod is only available in an 8 foot #4. That might be the answer, but then it would likely be more of a 3-weight rod than a 4-weight. Tracks beautifully with nice tight loops that are giving me great accuracy. At $650 I expected it to do better. Performance at 25 feet: 19.0 points out of 20. This is a good-looking rod, finished in a non-glare flat black. Performance at 40 feet: 19.5 points out of 20. The perfect line: SA Amplitude MPX WF-5-F. (However we tested the rod with the WF-4-F Infinity.). Performance at 40 feet: 19.7 points out of 20. Did not feel overpowered, and loaded quickly. Better now, with more line in the air, but the G series was still a little better in both feel and accuracy. One thing I like is that there is a serial number on each rod section. In the past we have used the Scientific Anglers lines since they shoot better and hold up longer than any other line we have found. There are matching burgundy wraps on the guides, and the epoxy coatings were very well done. Picking up this rod, I'm immediately impressed by its light weight and responsiveness. Like the K2, the Q is only available as a 9-foot rod in a 4-weight. No better at mid-range. A counterbalance opposite the handle is used to keep the reel running smoothly when a fish is racing away from you. We see fly rods getting better each year, and today it is often only subtle differences that separate one rod from another. The Expeditor service fee for the Asquith rods is $250.00 for ground or $275 for 2-day air. First, the Zephrus Ultralite's blank is surprisingly strong, stiff and stable given its weight. I do like the fast action, just not the heavy swing weight, which is far heavier than the Douglas DXF. This same Expeditor service applies to the Asquith but the fee is $275 for 2ndday air. Hes also the Managing Editor of The Modern Trout Bum. Rodis repaired, or sections replaced. The Recon has been one of our favorite rods, and this 4-weight version is terrific. Here is a brand new rod from Loop that we liked better than their stiffer, more expensive Cross rods. If you do a lot of nymph fishing, the extra length will help, and this rod has enough butt and mid-section power to also chuck some smaller streamers. Equals the DXF but rods like the Recon and Sky were much better. backing and fly line. Click on any rod to see the full write up. I could really notice the heavy swing weight in my hand. (tie) TFO FINESSE TROUT 79 #4 $229.95. Usually takes 2-4 weeks. Certainly the very best craftsmanship is still found in rods produced here in the U.S. We gave perfect scores to the R.L Winston Pure, the Thomas and Thomas Avantt, and the Loomis Asquith. After fifty years in the fly fishing business as a guide, shop manager and shop owner, Ive learned a lot about what it takes for a fly rod to perform well. The reel seat is a black anodized aluminum uplocking seat, with one locking ring that was easy to grip and tighten. It has a sliding band and single locking ring that seems to lock up well enough but squeaks a little as you tighten it. Usually takes 1-2 weeks. The quality of the cork was much better too, but still not in the class of what we found on the Recon or Shadow. It also has a relatively stiff tip when compared to the winners. An absolute dream to cast. Shop Now. It is trimmed top and bottom with contrasting, composite cork rings. The casting scores were only fair to good, and in my notes I say that I am getting very little feel or accuracy in close compared to the best rods. I think that this can be attributed to the slower action of this rod compared to the Zephrus. Equal to the Orvis Recon, but head to head the Avantt and Helios 3F were far better. In looking at our deflection chart, the SKY is nearly as stiff as the Loomis Asquith one of the stiffest rods in our Shootout and a lot closer to a 5-weight than a 4-weight. Then the dark green finish just sparkles. Performance at 40 feet: 17.5 points out of 20. The new $700 offering from Hardy puts itself in the conversation for best fly rod on the market, The future of fly fishing rests in our hands, Fishtamatic: Ditching the SLR for the iPhone, A small ship cruise of Alaska's Inside Passage, Win a Free Permit Trip: Land Permit Numro 1,000, As glaciers retreat, new streams for salmon, More evidence that releasing hatchery-reared native fish is harmful, Patagonia continues fight to protect Bears Ears with interactive film series, Review: Shell 583Wh Portable Power Station, Redington releases new WRANGLER fly rod + combo kit, Rig Up Faster with Loon's New Rigging Foams, Guides Ask for Halt to Trinity River Restoration Efforts. Most of the rest score 9s, which was a $60-$75 fee for repair or replacement. Cheaper rods often utilize pre-formed grips that use a lot of filler in the cork that will chunk out or erode with hard use. We think that the best are the flexible nickel/titanium single foot and snake guides, but these are much more expensive than the heaver, hard chrome versions. The epoxy coatings on the guides were good for the most part but a little too heavy on some guides. Also get an 8'6" 4wt Echo Carbon XL ($150) and Echo Base Reel ($35), coupled with a good line ($80) for $265. The epoxy coatings over the wraps were surprisingly good for a one-coat finish. R.L. With 4-weight rods the emphasis is on the shorter distances, as rarely would an angler be casting a 4-weight at 60 feet or more. The light swing weight made casting effortless, and Im getting excellent accuracy combined with delicate presentations. The feel was also superb, giving me confidence in the direction of my cast. Hardy Zephrus Double Handed DH Sintrix AWS Fly Rod 13'6'' #8/9 4 Piece +Warranty. Great feel, power, accuracy, and a light swing weight. Perhaps surprisingly to some, where a blank is rolled or a rod is assembled doesnt impact its performance or quality. TheFenwick AETOS, at $179.95 is unquestionably our best performing inexpensive rod. (Click here to see more deflection charts). From high country Colorado River cutthroat trout to big browns and rainbows on the Green River in Utah, the blanks backbone was more than strong enough to turn trout into the net. The Orvis RECON, at $429 wasn't far behind! Of course it is six inches shorter too. In fact, the new Zephrus Ultralite from Hardy is likely my favorite fly rod currently on the market. The lower ring uses a thin nylon spacer that helps it lock up securely to the upper ring. GUIDE TYPE: FUJI TITANIUM REC RECOIL. Both offer terrific performance at half the price of the best rods in our Shootout. Props to rod designer Howard Croston, it may be a long time before someone dethrones this new 4-weight king. The color of this rod is an attractive olive, with the guides wrapped in dark brown. The reel seat is a simple gray anodized double uplocking, solid aluminum seat with sliding band. Overall weight is certainly a factor, lighter being better, but swing weight is far more important. Hardys Zenith rods, discontinued when the Wraith and Zephrus lines were introduced a few years ago, are among some of the most-loved sticks in recent memory. Performance at 40 feet: 18.5 points out of 20. The Pure is a brand new rod from Winston. Performance at 40 feet: 19.0 points out of 20. The 8-weight Asquith won our recent 2018, 8-weight Shootout, putting in a marvelous performance. Orvis 25 year warranty to original owner. The swing weight is light but it cant match the Zephrus or Pure. I was hitting the plate almost every time. The single uplocking reel seat is plain anodized gray aluminum with no insert. Take a look at the deflection board if you want a hint of the secret to Hardys success. The quality of the cork is not too good either and it used a lot of filler. Performance at 40 feet: 18.0 points out of 20. In fishing to wary trout, I often set my false casts up short and to the side of the fish, and then shoot a little line in on that last cast. Same consistent, smooth action and presentation. Both the Zephrus and Pure were far lighter in hand, and far better in performance at 40 feet. This 4-weight Q was one of my least favorite rods to cast in our Shootout. Now were talking! The blank is that same lovely emerald Winston green we have come to know and love. Like the Zenith, Wraith, Zephrus and all Hardy rods from the last decade or so, the blanks for the new Zephrus Ultralite family are rolled in Korea. The best rods certainly need to handle this distance easily, but most anglers are buying a 4-weight rod for fishing at closer distances, which puts the emphasis on 25 to 40 foot casts. Just keep in mind that all these measurements must be made the same day with the same room temperature. For some reason they dont use a hook keeper on this rod, maybe another way to cut the cost? The Zephrus was able to turn over our 12-foot hand-tied leaders with ease. The swell in the middle of the grip is a little more forward than most. hardy shadow. First we try to determine what we felt were the best performing rods. The wraps are a dark green to complement the blank and the epoxy coatings are perfect. One SiC style stripping guide is used as well as a hook keeper. No handling fee. Moreover, if you want to fish with a 4-weight we consider to be the optimal choice, you dont have to spend $850, $900, or $1000, but only $679 for the Hardy Zephrus.

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