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6wt Fly Rod Shootout: Cheap vs. Best Rod of All Time | best fly fishing gear | Baking tips and tricks
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#6wt #Fly #Rod #Shootout #Cheap #Rod #Time
6wt Fly Rod Shootout: Cheap vs. Best Rod of All Time
Let’s put some 6 wt fly rods to the test – the good, the bad, the ugly, the cheap, the expensive, and what may be “the best rod of all time.”
Rods:
@Fenwickfishing Aetos:
@DouglasOutdoors Sky:
@Sageflyfish1980 XP
@hardyfishing Zephrus
St. Croix Legend Ultra
Maxcatch Extreme:
Reel:
Lamson Guru:
Fly Line:
Royal Wulff Triangle Taper 6 wt Floating:
Shooter’s notes:
Fenwick Aetos: Great rod. We all LOVED casting it. It was the FASTEST of these fast action rods and one of the only rods in this shootout that wasn’t overpowered by this 6wt triangle taper line. I’m not sure if there is a thing as too fast, but if there is, it might be this rod. We were worried that it might be a tippet breaker on hooksets because it is SO fast. This is Will’s personal rod and when we got to thinking about it, on a trip we took last year he did break off several fish on the hookset using this rod. If you can put a little finesse into your hooksets, this rod with this line was a great combination. If we get really picky and have to find something wrong with this rod, it was the half well handle. If you could put full wells and a fighting butt on this rod, it would be gold.
Douglas Sky: LOVED IT. Great rod at near distances and actually wins the accuracy portion of the shootout if you only look at the data up to 50 feet. Just a touch below Fenwick at the farthest distances but still a very respectable performance. Best rod grip of any rod we’ve cast. Since you hold the rod all the time and only need to hit those ultra-long casts occasionally, I think some of us would choose the Douglas over the Fenwick for that reason, especially on smaller rivers where those long casts are never needed. Also, from 45 feet (arguably the most used 6 wt casting distance), it won with clear margins.
Sage XP: I know that this rod can do better than it did in this shootout. I don’t think the triangle taper line is a good match for it. We think, as far as fly lines go, it is perfectly paired with the Scientific Anglers Steelhead Taper, another fantastic product that has been discontinued *sigh*.
Hardy Zephrus: We all liked it. I was pleasantly surprised by how much I liked casting this rod. It wasn’t tippet-breaking fast but still had the backbone to cast long distances. This was a rod dad was going to sell after he got the Douglas Sky but after the shootout he’s changed his mind. He is going to keep this rod, pair it with an OPST commando line and use it as a single-handed spey rod.
Maxcatch Extreme: I was so disappointed that this rod didn’t do very well after seeing its little 3 wt sister do SO well. Don’t get me wrong, for $38 it still has excellent value and would be great for someone looking for a 6wt on a budget. It did handle the triangle taper well, better than most rods in the shootout, but it just wasn’t very accurate. We all felt like there wasn’t quite as much feedback to the handle when casting this rod, so it was a little tricky to feel the rod loading and to anticipate our casting strokes. On the plus side, I’ve heard that the extra weight and rigidity make it super durable: great for people who are a little rougher on their gear.
St. Croix Legend Ultra: None of us enjoyed casting this rod with this line. It was completely overpowered by this 6 wt triangle taper line even at very mid-range distances. Even though it claims it is, this rod just didn’t belong in a fast action 6 wt shootout. I would call it a medium action 5 wt at best. I don’t think this rod is junk, I just think to have an enjoyable casting experience with it, you need to underline it with a 5 or maybe even a 4 wt line.
Comments on rod handles: When it comes to 6 weight rods, a lot of rod manufacturers will sell 2 versions of their 6 wt rod: one with half wells and no fighting butt (typically called their freshwater version) and one with full wells and a fighting butt (typically called their saltwater version). In the shootout, we had 3 rods with each handle type, and it didn’t seem to affect performance, just preference. The winning rod had half wells while the second, third, and fourth place rods had full wells. My dad, Will, and I ALL prefer the feel of full wells and the added fighting butt for 6 wt rods (typically called the saltwater version although we are using these rods exclusively in freshwater).
I’m on Instagram @haleonthehunt
best fly fishing gear
Let’s put some 6 wt fly rods to the test – the good, the bad, the ugly, the cheap, the expensive, and what may be “the best rod of all time.”
Rods:
@Fenwickfishing Aetos:
@DouglasOutdoors Sky:
@Sageflyfish1980 XP
@hardyfishing Zephrus
St. Croix Legend Ultra
Maxcatch Extreme:
Reel:
Lamson Guru:
Fly Line:
Royal Wulff Triangle Taper 6 wt Floating:
Shooter’s notes:
Fenwick Aetos: Great rod. We all LOVED casting it. It was the FASTEST of these fast action rods and one of the only rods in this shootout that wasn’t overpowered by this 6wt triangle taper line. I’m not sure if there is a thing as too fast, but if there is, it might be this rod. We were worried that it might be a tippet breaker on hooksets because it is SO fast. This is Will’s personal rod and when we got to thinking about it, on a trip we took last year he did break off several fish on the hookset using this rod. If you can put a little finesse into your hooksets, this rod with this line was a great combination. If we get really picky and have to find something wrong with this rod, it was the half well handle. If you could put full wells and a fighting butt on this rod, it would be gold.
Douglas Sky: LOVED IT. Great rod at near distances and actually wins the accuracy portion of the shootout if you only look at the data up to 50 feet. Just a touch below Fenwick at the farthest distances but still a very respectable performance. Best rod grip of any rod we’ve cast. Since you hold the rod all the time and only need to hit those ultra-long casts occasionally, I think some of us would choose the Douglas over the Fenwick for that reason, especially on smaller rivers where those long casts are never needed. Also, from 45 feet (arguably the most used 6 wt casting distance), it won with clear margins.
Sage XP: I know that this rod can do better than it did in this shootout. I don’t think the triangle taper line is a good match for it. We think, as far as fly lines go, it is perfectly paired with the Scientific Anglers Steelhead Taper, another fantastic product that has been discontinued *sigh*.
Hardy Zephrus: We all liked it. I was pleasantly surprised by how much I liked casting this rod. It wasn’t tippet-breaking fast but still had the backbone to cast long distances. This was a rod dad was going to sell after he got the Douglas Sky but after the shootout he’s changed his mind. He is going to keep this rod, pair it with an OPST commando line and use it as a single-handed spey rod.
Maxcatch Extreme: I was so disappointed that this rod didn’t do very well after seeing its little 3 wt sister do SO well. Don’t get me wrong, for $38 it still has excellent value and would be great for someone looking for a 6wt on a budget. It did handle the triangle taper well, better than most rods in the shootout, but it just wasn’t very accurate. We all felt like there wasn’t quite as much feedback to the handle when casting this rod, so it was a little tricky to feel the rod loading and to anticipate our casting strokes. On the plus side, I’ve heard that the extra weight and rigidity make it super durable: great for people who are a little rougher on their gear.
St. Croix Legend Ultra: None of us enjoyed casting this rod with this line. It was completely overpowered by this 6 wt triangle taper line even at very mid-range distances. Even though it claims it is, this rod just didn’t belong in a fast action 6 wt shootout. I would call it a medium action 5 wt at best. I don’t think this rod is junk, I just think to have an enjoyable casting experience with it, you need to underline it with a 5 or maybe even a 4 wt line.
Comments on rod handles: When it comes to 6 weight rods, a lot of rod manufacturers will sell 2 versions of their 6 wt rod: one with half wells and no fighting butt (typically called their freshwater version) and one with full wells and a fighting butt (typically called their saltwater version). In the shootout, we had 3 rods with each handle type, and it didn’t seem to affect performance, just preference. The winning rod had half wells while the second, third, and fourth place rods had full wells. My dad, Will, and I ALL prefer the feel of full wells and the added fighting butt for 6 wt rods (typically called the saltwater version although we are using these rods exclusively in freshwater).
I’m on Instagram @haleonthehunt
![[UNAVAILABLE] Used 1996 Pro-Line 210 Sportsman in Colts Neck, New Jersey](http://northwestfishing.info/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/UNAVAILABLE-Used-1996-Pro-Line-210-Sportsman-in-Colts-Neck-New.jpg)
46 Comments
Great video and decent methodology; however, using the same fly line on each rod may not give the best performance data for each rod…i.e.; this methodology only evaluates which rod best performs with a Wulff TT 6wt line. It can be argued that is as much subjective as it is objective, and that those rods that performed poorly could have rated much higher if evaluated using a fly line better matched to the rod's characteristics. Understanding that there is an infinite number of variables illustrates that there is often a rod/line combination that will suit almost ANY angler regardless of budget or ability…the rod is just one piece of the overall formula.
In Britain it's said that the Aetos blanks are the old Greys XF2 at least in the 5#. Same holding company.
My son got an aetos the first time i cast with it i could tell it preformed above its price range i was amazed at the accuracy of it its up there with my sage
You forgot to mention that you can't cast! 🤣🤣🤣
Really nice and useful from every day fly fishers. thanks
Orvis blackout or Sage TCX or g Asquith. Hardy Zane pro. Those rods can cast
I think it really depends on line suited for the rods. Can’t really go on this test. Hardy usually needs a heavier line same with st croix. Maxcatch might cast alright but not worth the money even at $100 price point. I’ve tested 4 of their rods and everyone of their rods snap. Just garbage.
I am a newbie to fly fishing and found this video very informative. GREAT VIDEO!
Just go through your Rod Shootout videos. Really impressive experiment! Subscribed!
I have aetos #4 and 5#, they performed really good.
I am really curious about the performance of high-end product of maxcatch(i.e. Nano, Skyhigh…).
Do you have any opinion on them?
Thanks!
Nice review. But please get some casting lessons, all of you. All these rods will perform better and you will have more fun at fishing.
I bought the maxcatch and after 10 outings, all the rings are dead…the sylk filed them
I still love my 1986 Sage Graphite III RPL 696… in a 6 wt.
I just found your videos. I like the content. I'm an engineer myself. After being in the profession for a while and doing design, manufacturing, and now sales and marketing, I don't let a brand name influence my purchase unless they have manufacturing based in the US or excellent customer service and an iron-clad warranty.
I worked for an OEM supplier for AG equipment. We sold finished parts to one of the most prominent ag players in the world. Our sale price to them was $13.50. They were hitting us hard to reduce costs, so out of curiosity, we went to a local dealer and price-checked our part there. $587 sell price to the customer…. I can't believe they could survive on such low margins…
Anyways, one rod that I'd like to see in the future is a moonshine drifter. I picked up a couple on prime day along with some Fenwick ateos rods and some Picsifun rods as cheap backup rods to take on trips. After casting the drifter and picsifun rods I felt inclined to return the drifter. I haven't casted the Ateos yet. The only drifter reviews I found were solitary rods, free product, or sources that didn't seem impartial. I was really impressed with the Picsifun rods. I think they make the Maxcatch rods.
hey thanks for this video ive been looking at the aetos alot lately and this seems really promising!
Thanks for the shoot out.
It's not really fair comparing at $38.00 fly rod to a $695.00 fly rod and expecting them to be pretty close….is it? But why not compare MaxCatch's more expensive rods, it seems it should be a more even comparison?
Really loved this comparison. I've got a 9ft 5wt Aetos; and while it's a great rod; my problem with it lies with my environment. I'm in Upstate NY, and 9 times out of 10, I'm on a river that I can't get more than 5-8ft of back casting space. The medium-fast action simply can't put enough line out there when I need it unfortunately. I'm now looking for a faster action rod (Douglas DXF, Sage Foundation, etc) for really cranking out my fly.
did you use the "old" model Aetos for this shootout? i see the video was posted in 2021 which is after the "new"" Aetos should have been release… but from the video it looks like it was the "old" model which is more bluish compared to the newer charcoal colored rod. i really like my 6wt Aetos but just wondering if the one you tested is the same one i have.
I’m super new to fly fishing and all I have is the 30 dollar combo Martin makes from academy. The rod tip broke off. It says 4/5/6 but I’m thinking about getting that max cast in a 4 weight and using that same reel as I learn. Does that sound good to you? I want to learn more before I spend more. Also I have been killing the pan fish and smaller bass in the local creeks. That probably what broke the top off.
Loved your evaluation idea..Thanks for posting. Very informative. You mentioned fly rods having a sweet spot. How does comparing these rods with a line that maximises sweet spot sound? Reading some of the comments here the results might highlight the best of each. Results would be very interesting I imagine..
I found a Chinese company that is a small shop. I ordered a 2 wt 6’-6”. I did call them. My new rod is in transit. I will keep the name confidential for now. It was not cheap. I will do my own data collection. I would gladly send it to you for you to do your own evaluation. Then I will send you what I found AFTER you do yours. I will apply my manufacturing knowledge, and you apply your engineering knowledge and compare the results.
I can tell you straight up, my first concern is accuracy …….the distance will come.
Wolff triangle taper is what I use.
The maxcatch is an good rod I use the maxcatch and can't complain you must just fish it for an year
I'm in the market for an 8 wt. I wonder whether the Aetos 8 wt performs as well as the 6 wt. I've had my eye on the TFO Legacy but it's closer to $300…
Love that 15 year old sage.
throw the v-top 6 in the review next time… it's still a quarter of the price of the sage…
Mhm, I have the XP right now in class 5 for good 20 years. Its a very nice stick. But when I look now to this high pricing rods and compare them with much much cheaper rods from Asia…….mhm, I dont spend this big money any more. Nice video. I like your channel. Greatings from Germany
on my max catch 9 foot 6 weight,, with a sinking tip, shad fishing this spring and summer..i found if that a faster casting speed was the balance was gear.. 25 to 30 fish evening were very common.. cant wait till next year for shad……i did like my ultra legend, .. and found this one ( the maxcatch ) to my liking
I like that this shootout was with fast action rods, nobody wants to cast a fly rod that feels like you are casting a wet noodle with a whimpy rod that is under powered for the line weight you are using, so you never said what the 38 dollar rod was made of, if I missed that my bad. No fly rod made of anything else but graphite is worth anything so can you give me the specs of the 38 dollar fly rod?
That was fun! Great job!🙋🏼♀️
That was such a good comparison. I have always liked Fenwick rods and have 3. It is a great time for fly fishing as even lower end rods and reels work excellent. I was just at the dump and what did I see in the garbage but a 5/6 weight Superfly with the BFR style drag one turn from on to off. Brand new with line. At my Langford Lake My friends and I popularized Fly fishing as we constantly out fished gear anglers. Now the Lake is full of fly Fisher's. Still I've years more experience and my last 6 times out have caught a 8 a 9 and a10lb. Rainbows. With the 10 running out like a Marlin. My best fish ever by far. I'm happy the big Island got in its way It got confused. I've caught that fish at least 5 times over 4 years and know it's her as her fantastic jumping running has been even at 19" much more intense than other fish I've caught. Pays to let them go. I loosen my drag soon as I can and let them run free as not to break the 8 to 10 lb. Tippet. Even though there is a good prize to be had I have no regrets letting all the big ones go. Tide Lines and tight lines to you and your subscribers.
Great unbiased review.I love the way you even took the Sage out of the rankings because it’s your own personal rod. Personally, I think “value” is very subjective. I fish with an Orvis Helios2 and a Loop Xact. The Helios casts like a dream; I don’t even think about it as it becomes an extension of my arm and it puts the fly exactly where I want it – it’s a joy to use. The Loop is a mid action rod that is nowhere near as accurate and I always have to work it. It’s still a lovely rod and was less than half the price of the Orvis but I wouldn’t miss it if I had to replace it. Despite its high price, for me the Helios gives me the best value ever because it gives me everything I ever could want in a rod and I love fishing with it. It pains me to say but often the people who rave about cheap gear are often cheap in every aspect of their lives and they would never experience the difference between a fine, high end rod and the less expensive end because to them, everything comes down to price and how low it is, then they complain the economy is f***ed and jobs have all gone to China. That said, there is nothing wrong with fishing what you can afford and not everyone can stretch to a high end rod (or even wants to) and that’s fine too. There is a huge place for budget tackle and this video shows just what a good budget rod can do. I was seriously thinking of getting a Maxcatch to see what some folks are raving about but after seeing this, I think you’ve done the work for me, thanks. Now, that Fenwick sounds very interesting….
Fantastic videos love the content. I'm Lord of cheap a couple of my rods are mixed butts and tips and land the biggest trout on Vancouver Island BC. Picked up a clearance Red Wolf 5wt for $20. Which I reeled with a old Lamson Lightspeed which I bought in the Canadian Tire parking lot for $7.50. Absolutely love that outfit. I just troll a fly so casting is a mute point but the fiberglass composite rod sure makes playing a Rainbow maximum fun.A interesting point is when I noticed a pickup truck box 1/4 full of vintage reels I also picked up 2 Daiwa 1 Lord Weldon 1 Lamson Lightspeed 1 Fjord 1 Mitchell 306 1 D.A.M. Quick Finessa 280 and a Strike King Tide Flow all in excellent shape for $ 60. Like winning the lotto. I'm not the best fly there or fisherman but catch the biggest one's so money or skill is not what is needed to catch the biggest trout it's mostly time on the water. Tight lines to you and all your subscribers.
I hope you do an 8wt shootout soon. New to your channel but I really enjoyed watching. I like the TFO Axiom and Orvis Helios 3. I much prefer the cheaper Axiom though for accuracy.
As an engineer I have to say your design of experiments is impeccable!!!!
I have an ABU Garcia rod 11 foot 7# great for open water and thing about it when a fish strike he is fucked very stiff rod but great for open lakes or even trolling with but shhh I never said that lol is that cheating lol but as for boat fishing it's the best out there once a fish strike it inbeded In him good stiff responsive rod . Great for a heavy team of fly's and hardy enough to bring in the biggest of salmon . As in finish of the blanks to reel seat hardy is only a peace of shit to it .it's a rod that has delivered 100% with out fail casts well not overly lite but it's stiffness catches all the time . Out of all the rods I have its the best next is the wychwood it's very light for all day use but I've lost so many fish onit it's lightness doesn't inbed the hook as much . Fenwick always made a super rod . Shakespeare has been a big cheap name over this side of the world you need to try them out . Probably number one selling rods in Europe tried an tested you should try a few of there rod with the big names brands but they have probably sold more rods than any of them that's Shakespeare . Not always the big name brands catch all the fish it's the fly your using and a stiffer rod that catches the the most fish . A bamboo rod of 80 years old can do the same trick as the most expensive rods out there to day . It's all in the fly how you present it and a little stiffer always lands the the fish . If you got the right fly on you can catch fish at your ankles as well as the other side of the river .
A pretty girl with brains.
Ha, ha, yep the components on a $35 rod are the equal or better to a Hardy or Sage.
Great video. I have two of those XPs, a 5wt and a 3wt, so I understand the fondness. Mine will never hit the resale market as long as I am alive, no matter their potential value!
That was a great video. Interesting to see results when taking out your preferred Sage to see results.
nice review!
Neat comparison. 👍
I'd love to see the same done BUT with all rods balanced at the same point on the grip. I feel like using the same reel on all rods is going to favor the rod that balances best with that reel. Does that make sense?
The Maxcatch didn't really beat the Hardy though did it. On that type of rod precision and presentation is the name of the game, in which the Hardy blew the others away. You scored the Maxcatch for the distance casting more and precision at distance of 40 feet. A 7ft #3 isn't for casting 40-50 ft, so you need to be contextural here.
What I like about this is that the controlled experiment was done with average fly casters. I can relate to that more than the pros that do their cast reviews. This is much more relatable. Thank you for the video
Have you seen the Orvis encounter? I'm new to fly fishing and trying to decide what rod I want to buy. Do you have any suggestions on what fly rods to look at? I don't want to spend over $200.
I enjoyed watching this video!
It does not matter what rod you have , if its not balanced with the right reel and line , you would be wasting time and money , and no matter how much you pay , it will not make you a better fisherman , that comes down to learning , and watercraft , i have 2 sage rods , one a XP , both good rods , i also have a rod made as a demonstrator , paid £60 , came with 2 tops and a bag and tube ft9 6 a 6 weight , best rod i have , out casts both my Sage , best advice try before vou buy , every fisherman has their own casting style , but hey a bad days fishing , is better than a day at work , tight lines ,