Maybe its spring fever, but for the past couple of months lots of folks have been shopping for new rods. In particular, we have noted that lots of people are asking us what Euro-nymphing or tight-line nymphing rods are available in the shop. Of course, we have a few in the shop. We have a variety of rods suited to different budgets and styles. Here are eight to consider from Sage, Orvis, Echo, Redington and TFO.

SAGE

Sage developed the ESN (European Style Nymphing) rod specifically for short and long line Euro-nymphing techniques. This rod is a super light-weight medium action rod with Konnetic-HD (high density fiber positioning pushes the limits of strength-to-weight and stiffness-to-weight ratios) with super-fast recovery, a sensitive tip and excellent shock absorption. This may be the go-to rod if you have high performance in mind and a few extra bucks in your budget. We would grab a 10’6 3-weight for our home water and a 10’ 2-weight or 3-weight for smaller tributaries. 

ORVIS

Orvis’s flagship Helios 3F rod in 10+ foot lengths would be a worthy comparison to the Sage ESN.  Orvis has also amped up their game with advances in rod building. They are employing space-age (seriously) carbon-fiber, resin and rod building techniques. The Helios rod is a top shelf stick that delivers any fly accurately, has a sensitive tip to maintain contact with your flies and find fish.  It also has sturdy mid and butt sections to haul in a pig. This rod could actually do just about anything. 

We are waiting to see Orvis’s latest line of Recon rods. The 10’ 2-weight and 3-weight rods should be in the shop soon and we think they will be a leading mid-priced rod for those who enjoy Euro-nymphing. We expect they will have a more moderate action than previous versions and steal some of the technology from the Helios. 

The Orvis Clearwater is Orvis’ least expensive option. (10' 2, 3, or 4wt) This rod will get the job done on a budget. In fact, some of our staff think the Clearwater rods are some of the best casting rods in the shop. Despite being a less expensive tool, it’s still a lightweight, sensitive rod that delivers flies and is capable of fighting big fish. 

ECHO  

Echo, led by Tim Rajeff, always does their homework when putting together new rod designs. The Shadow line of rods including the Shadow-X and the less expensive Shadow-II are no exception and are both great rod recommendations.  Abe (our new guy) kept  drooling over the 11’ 3-weight Shadow-X before ultimately pairing with a stealthy Lamson Litespeed reel.  We have sold numerous Shadow II rods and customers rave about their sensitivity and performance.  These rods seem to exceed expectations for the price. 

Perhaps our lowest cost Euro-nymphing rod is the 10’ ECHO Carbon XL Euro Nymph rod – another affordable stick for someone who wants to give tight-line nymphing a go. 

REDINGTON

Redington is a popular brand, well known for providing great, affordable rod options. Redington’s Hydrogen line of rods have been popular with the Euro-nymphing crowd.  From what we hear, these affordable rods perform well with several different setups. For example, some folks have added OPST heads to throw a dry fly when the opportunity a-rises. These rods are lightweight, stealthy, medium-fast action rods that we recommend to anyone considering euro nymphing.

Temple Fork Outfitters

TFO went all in when they set out to offer a rod to Euro-style fisherman. They assembled a unique 6-piece 3-weight rod.  The Drift rod is ultra-versatile. It can be set up as a 9’ 4-piece, 10’ 5-piece, 11’3” 5-piece or even a 12’3” rod with all 6 pieces. With clever engineering, the rod can be lengthened or shortened without even unstringing the line from the rod.  This is possible through the rod’s unusual stripping guides.  This rod also includes weights and a micro-butt attachment to jump into some micro-spey fishing tactics. This rod get’s rave review from our customers – particularly for fishing the Bow. It’s sensitive, balanced and versatile and it won’t break the bank.

We are really enjoying helping customers explore the world of Euro-nymphing and finding the tools and accessories needed to be successful. We also love hearing from our customers as they delve into this style. We love to hear about your experiences with these fantastic rods on the river. Drop us an email and let us know what’s working.

Tight Lines :)