3wt Fly Rod Shootout: Cheap vs. Expensive
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- Опубліковано 11 січ 2021
- Let's set the smack talk aside and put my super budget-friendly 3 weight fly fishing setup (the Maxcatch Extreme) to the test against some higher priced (TFO Pro 2) and quite expensive (Hardy Zephrus) competitors. We've put together a shootout to test the casting accuracy and distance of these rods. The results may surprise you.
Links to Gear on Amazon:
Maxcatch Extreme Fly Rod:
www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01...
TFO Fly Rod:
www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...
Cameras used in video:
@PanasonicLumixVideo G85
Akaso EK7000
Apeman A79
Follow me on Instagram @haleonthehunt
This type of stuff really highlights the advances in manufacturing that have come along. People are mentioning that the more expensive rods will be lighter, more sensitive, more enjoyable, etc and that’s absolutely right. When you spend more money on gear, it’s nicer to use, it tires you out less and allows you to dedicate more of yourself to the task at hand. My NRXs, Conquests, etc. are all unbelievable and I can’t imagine wanting more out of a rod. But that doesn’t make the ~$100 setups any less practical/usable. Whether or not you catch the fish that’s 40’ out in front of you is 99% down to your skill level and the conditions (whether or not its feeding, etc). I *never* look down on someone with an inexpensive setup…the amount of money you spend on your gear is the last factor involved with your ability to catch fish.
Well said!!!
It also highlights how far marketing has come!
The fish has no idea how costly your gear may be. It only knows whether what it sees appears to be genuine food.
I got my father a maxcatch 8’6 4wt for father’s day last year. He really enjoyed it as his first fly rod. I just tried it for the first time this year out of curiosity. I am absolutely blown away by the feel and crisp casting ability. I just thought my dad was a natural fly caster! Still can’t believe the price of this rod, incredible bargain.
Awesome! And I completely agree... super impressive for the price tag.
Another interesting shootout, thanks. I really enjoy watching ( and using ) really low cost but functional gear being posted against the expensive stuff. It helps balance out the plethora of high end videos with folk using stuff I'm never able to purchase. Thank you.
Thanks so much for this review - I've been itching to get a 3wt but din't want to spend too much. But I never knew I could spend so little!
You're so welcome! Thanks for the feedback! I was in the same spot - wanted to get into 3wting but a whole new rod/reel setup wasn't in the budget. I took a chance on the cheap stuff and this time it worked out. This performance at this price does make me second guess all the times I did splurge on fly fishing gear... haha
Awesome video 👍... I love how you and your dad did a thorough shoot out of all three rods and gave a honest opinion.. thanks again for the info... I'm going to get a Max catch!!
What a great video, with actual science behind it. I appreciate the time you took to make this.
Thank you so much! I appreciate the time YOU took to watch it
Great job! Loved watching and loved the science behind it!
Thank you :)
That was fun to watch! Yeah for the cheap alternative. It is fun to have rods from different Companies to compare the feel of fishing with them.
Thank you!
This test is pretty thorough. I can attest as to this experience having owned an Extreme 3WT myself. That sweet spot on that rod is exactly at what your results came out, 30-35 ft, its a laser.
Used mine for baby tarpon and snook, never disappointed. Great video.
Thanks so much!! I wish I were slinging mine at tarpon and snook LOL
Thank you for the work you put into creating this video. Benn fishing all my life but fly fishing not as long and this anwers the question about high end vs cheaper decent quality.
Hi, Thank you very much for your very kind review. It was very interesting. And it's great that you and your kids are enjoying fly-fishing together.
I used to fishing(almost all kind) for about 20 years in Japan, but since I moved to Canada, I have been too busy to fishing.
Now that my kids are grown, I'm thinking of getting back into fly fishing for the first time in over 30 years, and I'd like to enjoy fly fishing on a small lake using a kayak.
I'm planning to buy a 3wt or 4wt rod, but my budget is very tight and I've been away from fishing for a long time, so I didn't know anything about the latest fishing equipment, so I really appreciate your review.
Thank you once again.
Thank you so much! I hope this was helpful. Good luck out there on the lakes in Canada!
Thank you so much for the review! Very well done!
Thank YOU so much!!
Thanks. It has been a long time since I have purchased gear. I am getting my grandkids into fly fishing and this quality in this price range is amazing.
Agreed! I was blown away by this impressive of a rod at $35. And I love hearing that you're getting the younger generations out there! I hope they love it
Wow! Amazing video. I got a 9’ 5wt Extreme over lined with sink tip 6wf line and with the fast action it casts streamers without fail!
Thank you!! I'm putting together a mousing set up next and was thinking 7 wt but I've heard from you and others that over lining the maxcatch rods has worked well so maybe I can get away with a 6wt rod that would be more versatile.
I've spent so much on baitcast and spinning combos that I can only afford entry level fly gear, so this review makes me feel better about my consumption choices. Thanks!
Very true. However spend as much as you can afford. Quality pays in the long run.
I feel your pain! Those Shimano Tranx and Dobyns rods don't come cheap. I'm all about buying what you can afford to get yourself into other types of fishing! Thank you!
Very refreshing to have a lady doing something like this. Interesting results. Very cool cheers from NZ.
Thank you so much!! I hope to someday do some fly fishing in NZ! Looks so beautiful.
Very well done. An enjoyable and informative clip!
Thanks, Thibs!!
very well documented and detailed!
Thank you!
Well done and this confirmed what I had already heard about maxcatch double hand (spey) rods too.
I haven't tried it in a spey rod yet but I would love to. Thank you!
Great video with some suprising results. I have that same TFO 3wt and it is by far the best rod I own. I dump my 5wt for it all the time because it's so easy for me to cast well. I have never heard of Maxcatch before. For that price I may just have to get one and give it a try. Thanks for the great video
Thank you very much!
Great video and conception of the experiment, well done :)
Thank you so much!!
My hats off to you! Very informative video, well done
Thank you!!
Thank you for the video. I have been using a Matxcatch for over a year for trout fishing and enjoy it. You confirmed me what I perceived of this rod. Fishing is the fly presentation not the price of the rod...
You're welcome! Thank YOU for watching and for the feedback!
I have the same line and I absolutely love it. Got it on a redington classic trout with a redington rise. Love the setup
I'm a huge triangle taper fan!
nice work.. I mostly fish with Maxcatch gear.. love it!
Thank you! I'm super impressed with Maxcatch too! I just got a 6wt Extreme and I don't have the right line paired with it just yet but I'm excited to get that setup dialed in.
Very good quality for the cost. Great shipping tube that can be used for transporting the rod for trips. Highly recommend!
I love my 3wts. I bought a 25 dollar eagle claw fiberglass rod and it is a blast to cast and so fun on fish. Great job!
Agreed you can have fun with modest gear and catch fish
Completely agree!
Ha! Awesome video! Was thinking of exact same type of comparison. Really, not that surprised that the hardy was outperformed in some circumstances. Seems like there would be a pretty steep curve of diminishing returns with modern fly rods. I especially liked you comments about rod weight being a factor with distance. Thanks for great video!
Excellent job, not many reviews between rods with such large price points!
Thanks so much!!
Great review. Thanks.
Thanks for watching!
Cool video! I'm so surprised by Maxcatch's quality for the price that I was thinking about making a comparison video of my maxcatch against Hardy gear . I might not now because yours is just spot on!
Thanks so much! And you should still do your comparison, I’d love to see if our results match up!
Mine would be a little different because the rods I have from Hardy is a 7wt and a 9wt, my maxcatch rods are a 3wt and a 5wt. I guess my video could be more about the general "feel" and quality.
That was great fun! You have a lucky dad.
I believe the results. The differences are generally going to be small and in the "nuance" variables. Once one is really good and experienced, there may be enough joy in those little differences to justify the difference in price, especially if you have a good sized budget for toys. Beginners are not likely to notice much difference one to the other. You can catch plenty of fish with most budget rods, and if you break one it is not such a tragedy.
Thank you so much! And I agree, for beginners, or people who are a little rougher on their rods, its much more reasonable to stick to the less expensive options.
Right on!.. real technical.. Perfect!
Thank you!!
Great stuff!
Here’s the thing. If you actually FISH with the Hardy and the TFO you’ll very likely prefer these lighter and more sensitive rods. Anyway, 3 wt rods are not meant to be “distance casting animals”.
Found the hardy owner.
True - experienced fly fishers might definitely prefer the more expensive rods for long fishing sessions. And I know they're not _meant_ to be distance casting animals, but we like to have the capability, yeah?
@@johannescabal7057 actually, no. I’m a Sage guy.
@@RodrigoVargas72 I wish I had a 3wt Sage to put in the shootout. I DO have a 6 wt Sage that I put to the test in a 6wt shootout and the results were super interesting.
I bought Orvis's cheapo Clearwater rod as a filler when my Hardy rod got stolen on a MT trip. It's not the best "lawn casting" stick in the world ( pretty stiff ) but it fished surprisingly well in Beartooth country using mostly hoppers and attractor dry's.
Really great video, I recently purchased the echo life paired with a Lamson liquid and SA frequency trout line and it performs exceptionally for the price.
Hail Mary Cast....LOL. I've done a few of those. I'm self taught and a real hacker. But absolutely addicted to fly fishing. I don't own any other rods except fly rods. 24 years ago I spent $1000 on a sage 9ft 5wt 2 piece ($600)and a Galvan reel ($400). I could afford it back then , now not so much ...LOL, It is still my best and favorite set up today. I have more than got my moneys worth out of it. I did purchase a Cabela's 3 wt about 5 years ago and broke the tip on a bull head I snagged. Cabels replaced it no charge with the newer model. I paid $185 for the rod and $35 for a 3wt Cabels reel. Its a great combo and use it a lot in small rivers etc. Great video and I will sub for more that's for sure. A video about your choice of flies for different fish would be nice, Keep em coming . 🎣
Thank you so much! I love the suggestion! And more videos are on the way! I just got back from a weekend fishing the Hendrickson mayfly hatch and have a camping trip planned to target the March Brown mayfly hatch here at the end of the month.
Hail Mary casts are the best, aren't they?! They usually don't result in a hookup but the valiant effort and suspense are worth it anyway. Thank you for watching and for the kind words!
Very enjoyable and helpful. I was thinking of upgrading from my 5wt Orvis Encounter set up with a Sage rod. Maybe I'd best do some more research!!
Research is key! And some shops let you cast their rods before you make your decision, that’s super helpful as well. Sage is awesome, though. I have a couple of my dad’s old Sage rods and they’re great. Neither of us had a 3 wt Sage, otherwise that would have been in this shootout as well. Good luck and thanks for the positive feedback!
Not shocked! I have 3 rods from maxcatch, 2 glass 1 graphite and they perform the same as rods that cost 2-3x as much. Great video!
I subscribed - good stuff. Love the Boston gear - old Boston guy here.
THANK YOU! And hello neighbor! I love Boston and lived there for a year (well, technically Somerville, but 5 minute walk from Sullivan Square). I'm itching for a city trip but haven't been in a while because you know, COVID
Love the video. I have 8 Maxcatch rods and 2 TFO rods. I don't care what anyone says, you don't need to pay more than $50 for a rod when you fishing 3wt and making
I totally agree - when you're bushwhacking the last thing you want to be worrying about is babying a $1,000 rod. I also went the cheaper rod route for my kayak fishing fly rod (I have a habit of hitting it off of bridges) and my mousing fly rod (since I'm usually bushwhacking/river forging in the pitch black and I'm not the most graceful hiker/wader LOL)
Great little competition. I have a couple of Euro Maxcatch rods. One of them is a real cheapo and it’s pretty heavy for a 2wt. Not a great rod but it is usable. Then I have the competition 3wt, which only cost another $20 or so, and that is a very nice rod, light fairly accurate and a bargain at $104.
Also have the TFO rod in a 2wt 8 ft version and love it. Use it for very finicky fish in low crystal clear very cold water. It does a great job.
Thanks for the reviews. If you add price as a variable, the clear winner is the Maxcatch.
I really enjoyed your video especially with your dad. I have a daughter who used to fish with my any chance she could get. Now she is at the age of make up and boys and clothes. But she is still interested in how the fishing it was. I have found that most of my fishing with a 3 weight rod usually consists of short accurate presentations in streams and small rivers. I have found if their s any wind. It can put. A 3 weight in the trees or brush along the banks. Nice to have a a 4 wt along too. Thanks for showcasing 3 distinct price points.if you practice with any rod you can learning to cast it. The fish never know what your rod cost.
So true!! And don't lose hope in your daughter just yet! I did a ton of fishing and hunting with my dad when I was really little and then once I was in high school I was scared that it "wasn't cool" so I quit for a few years. But, I have found my way back! I hope your daughter does too. And props to you for even getting her out there when she was younger. We need more dads like that!
Scott fly rod is my dream company!!!!!! love your challenge idea. just bought/traded for a 3wt scott G series wow wow wow
I'll have to try to get a Scott in the next shootout! And thank you!!
Interesting. I wasnt expecting that, but glad max catch was the winner because i allready ordered a max catch.
I hope you are as impressed with yours as I am with mine!
Great video
Thank you!!
Glad to see this just got a maxcatch for Father's day
I have an extreme 6 wt that I use for bluegills and bass.....it casts wonderfully!
I have the Maxcatch Premier (ya I splurged the extra $18 because I am a big spender). For what it is and what I use it for I do not have any complaints and would recommend it to anyone. Not giving up my nicer rods anytime soon, but for someone wanting a finesse rod you cannot go wrong. I am a little skeptical about their 5-8 wt rods, but I have plenty of rods in those sizes already. I have found that Hardy rods are light, sensitive, and are the best "feeling" rods in my hand. Having said that I also find that their rods lack the power that other rods in their same class. My Hardy 9' 5wt Ultralite is more of a 4wt rod and my 6wt is more of a 5wt. The opposite is true of the Maxcatch rods. I find the 3wt is more of a 4wt in both stiffness and length. I would over line your Maxcatch and underline your Hardy rods. I know nothing about TFO. =]
great info
Thank you!!
Nice,good to know.
SUCH a great shootout! I absolutely loved it. Hope you do more like this. I'm firmly of the opinion that expense and the sophistication (and therefore the supposed "performance") of blank materials and hardware matter LESS as you move towards the lighter end of the fly rod scale. From #4-weight down, the modulus, crispness and recovery speed of a rod, along with its all-up weight, seem a little less critical. Interestingly, I have a hunch the same thing possibly happens at the upper end of the scale, too: from #9-weight and above. It seems (to me anyway) that it's in the #4 to #8 weight range that the more sophisticated (and therefore more expensive) rods seem to shine strongest... But I could be wrong! Anyway, thanks again for this great video. If you're interested, I just did an on-water evaluation of the eye-wateringly expensive G.Loomis Asquith 9' #5-weight rod on my "Starlo Gets Reel" channel (coming to you all the way from "Down Under" in Australia!). Once again, thanks for your vid. I've just subscribed to your channel, too. Tight Lines.
Wow! Thank you so much for the kind words! Your hunch sounds like a good one to me - the lower grade components on the 3wt Maxcatch didn't hold it back at all in my opinion. I did do a similar shootout with 6WT rods and the Maxcatch didn't do as well. Suprisingly, the super expensive rods didn't blow it out of the water either - the Fenwick Aetos came out on top in that one. I checked out your evaluation of the Asquith - looks like a great rod and what a beautiful spot to fish! You're channel looks like it is full of great content, I've subbed. Thanks for the add! Tight lines, Starlo!
@@HaleontheHunt thanks! I'll check out your 6-weight review for sure!
Thank you!
You're welcome! Thanks for watching!
I have the maxcatch extreme 3wt, I own about a dozen fly rods and this is one of my favorites
In the past you needed to pay for good tackle. However, technology has improved and now you can get good gear at reasonable price levels. Good job on this piece of work.
I enjoyed this video - thank you - and would love to see more in the same vein. I have a Hardy Ultralight SR 8ft 8in 4wt (the range that replaced the Zephrus) and experienced exactly the same issue you describe of running out of steam as distance increases. That is emphasised by a somewhat overweight line such as my SA MPX which is built a half size heavy. My SR rod does much better at distances over say 40 - 45 feet with a true 4wt line and even better with a DT 4wt silk line. I'm looking for a 10ft 4wt to use for nymphing and will take a look at Maxcatch - they seem to offer excellent value for the money.
Enjoyed you vid, thank you
Thank YOU!!
I love my Maxcatch Rods. I have a 5, 8, 10, and 12. Accuracy the 5 gets beaten by some of the other more expensive rods. Distance I routinely outcast almost everyone with all of these rods. The only one to be really challenged by a fish was the 8 wt that took on a 48 inch bull redfish in the surf. The fish was landed by being beached, not netted and its weight was 28 lbs.
When I retire (soon) and move back north the 5 will take on some trout. The 12 is hanging around so I can take a crack at a big tarpon before I leave the Gulf Coast.
Wow, that redfish on an 8 wt must have been a riot. I hope you get your tarpon before heading back north!
My 3 wt rod is an older Winston 8ft IM6. I mainly fish small er waters with it here in Montana. I Love it. When I fish the Missouri I use my Orvis 9 ft 5wt. George in Montana
Good stuff
Thanks :)
Just got back from Flaming Gorge area of the Green River in Utah, fishing for a day with a 3wt Maxicatch Premier using a 5wt flyline and reel. Easily scored at least a dozen heavy strikes. Finally tallied 18 inch and 21 inch brown trout in 4 hours of wading. The rod performed well. My knot tying needs work but it was a fine day fishing Little Hole for some beautiful hard hitting fish.
WOW! I'm having fishing trip envy over here! How was the casting performance with a 5wt line? I had a mind to try it with a 4 wt but haven't gone as far as a 5. It must not have been too bad if you scored high teens and 20+ inchers!
Nice review. Hope your dad kept the Hardy!
Thank you! And he did keep it!!
Beautiful
Fresh great Content! Greetings from Germany. Good to have women’s in this sport 🤙🏽
Hello Germany! Thank you so much!! I'm happy to be here in this sport :)
Nice comparison!
Thank you very much!
@@HaleontheHunt Keep up the good work!
Very good and interesting video
Thank you!!
Well done!..
Thank you!!
Awesome review! What fly line did you use?
Love it!, subbed :D
Thank you so much!!
A few points to think about: #1- Three weights are "finesse" rods typically not meant for distance casting but rather light, delicate close-in presentations. #2 - Not much, if anything, was said about the durability and warranty associated with each rod. Hardy is by far the best "warranted" of the three - made to last and the company will stand behind their rod if it needs repair. #3 - Fly casting accuracy is a function more related to the skill of the flycaster than the brand of the rod, IMO. Precise casts are less critical at greater distances. So if you need to make long casts ... practice distance casting . . . or in other words, don't base your decision to purchase a rod on the fact that you heard it could cast a fly a mile! (The secret to casting is in the timing and technique of the flyfisher - not the particular rod that is used.) Thank you for the great video. Steve
All valid points!
I couldn't agree more. I have always cheaper fly rods, from 4wt to 6 wt, for 20 years. I never felt like my rod let me down.
Thank you!
I’m a custom rod builder and agree with this statement as buying a cheap 3/4 wt fly rod & even a fly reel is a wise decision 👍, 6wt & up I definitely build custom fly rods
Oooooooo shit!!!! I have a couple friends who have Hardy’s. Looks like I’m gonna bring out Ole Cheapo on our next tripbso we can see how our 5wt match up against one another. I have a Fenwick Aetos 3wt my wife LOVES! I was gonna get her a Redington Vice 3wt with a Redington Zero 3wt reel. Now I might consider the Maxcatch set up. Thanks for the review. Looking forward to your next one
Thank you! I'd be curious to see how the 5 wts match up!
It would be interesting for many of us to know what leader/tippet set up you were using
Awesom Rest and thanks for doing it. Just a little FYI I’m 60 and when fishing with other people some days someone can have the hot rod for catching and other days not so much. Rod selection is down the list IMHO for fishing performance
Not a bad point - sometimes its more about being in the right place at the right time.
Hi all you guys. I try different things in all fields but to my surprise my garbage dump fly reel a Superfly like the BFR drag needed a rod. It turns out I had a Angler Pro 6wt.9ft. Carbon Fiber butt brand new and a Omni 7wt.8.6" composite that fits great. Needing $4.00 of backing to fill the reel properly. My friend said it feels like his new $500 Ross. High praise he always buys fine rods so I asked his opion. I expected slow action but faster than my best a Daiwa Lochmor . Maybe I'm on to something but just maybe worth looking into. Anyways for$4 how can I go wrong. Pennies on the dollar compared to Maxcatch. Nice cork and double locking metal and wooden reel seat to boot. I've caught all but one off my 3 largest 27 28 29" on my cheaper rods and reels. Go figure. Thanks for you educational videos 👍.
Thanks so much for the info-packed comment!!! Thight lines, my friend!
i have a couple maxcatch rods and expensive rods... the maxcatch rods are very good rods.. have not broke one yet in 2 years..i even have a 9 foot 8 weight i use for salmon and stipers... caught fish up to 28 pounds on the 8 weight.. no problems at all
Wow! I was wondering if the low price point at the heavier weights just turned into a leader-breaking, unyielding stick but if you're landing 28 pounders with no problems I guess I have my answer. Thanks!
Good video very good content
Thank you so much!!!
Nice video
Thank you!!
Thanks for the review. Since you're seeing if a rod is worth the money one way to look at the scoring is value per point. For the overall accuracy points (which is probably what most people care about) it would be Hardy at $21.6/pt, TFO at $7.35/pt and the Maxcatch at $1.21/pt. That really starts to show your bang for your buck... almost exactly a buck in this instance.
If you really wanted to get interesting with the stats I would put a weighting average on the near distances as that is what most fisherman would cast for. However, I couldn't do that on my own back of the envelop calculations to give as an example since the max score for each distance wasn't available.
Wow, such great ideas! I love the cost per point calculations.
And you're totally right about the near distance accuracy being more important, especially with 3 weights! I'm a wicked numbers nerd so going back to my spreadsheet... if I apply a 3x point weighting for the nearest distance, a 2x point rating for the mid distance, and leave the farthest at 1x we get: Hardy wins with 80 points, Maxcatch comes in second with 64 points, and TFO gets third with 52 points.
That also changes the cost per point to $8.13 for Hardy, $3.25 for TFO, and $0.55 for Matcatch. Two bangs per buck!
Thanks for the awesome feedback!
@@HaleontheHunt no problem! With the cost/point stat it “normalizes” the data. Not sure if you’re a statistician or not but with the normalizing by cost it puts all the rods on the same level as their points gained are divided by their cost. Ya... I’m a biologist and get crazy into stats. :-)
As for the weighting for more emphasis on closer casts one option would be to do something like this: Total points= ((25’ points gained/25’max points available)*0.35) + ((30’ points gained/30’max points available)*0.30) + ((35’ points gained/35’ max points available)*0.2) + ((max distance casted points)*0.15).
Where:
1. the multiplier for each distance (ie the weighting) changes based on the weight of the rod. Smaller weight rods would get more emphasis (ie higher multiplier) for closer distances while higher weight rods like an 8wt you would put more emphasis (higher multiplier) on the further distances.
2. The multiplier for each would all add up to 1.0 (100%)
3. The max distance casted category I would recommend using a different calculation where two different rods could still earn the same points. The reason being is, say you have rod A cast 34.5’ while rods B and C cast 34’ and 33’ respectively. All the rods effectively had the same distance in real-world applications but rod A would get more points in the scenario you did in the video although it only casted 1.5’ more. Nothing wrong with that per say but it has the potential to create greater point differentials than what actually was measured. One solution is to set it up so that distance between say 30-35’ gets you 5 points. Distance between 35’ and 40’ gets you 8 points. Or whatever point/distance ranges system you devise. Another solution is give a point or 1/2 point for each foot casted. This is probably the best method as its easy to measure and calculate points and its fair between all the rods. So for example, Rod A would get 34.5 points, B would get 34 points and C would get 33 points which is all pretty even which reflects the real-world application. All those points though then be multiplied about your weighting system (in my example is 15%).
You could also add another category with it being the subjective test (ie. how does it feel to cast and land fish) and apply a weighting factor to the points “earned” in that test. You would just need to adjust the other multipliers so that they all add up to 1.0 (100%).
Just some thoughts! I own four maxcatch rods so always curious. 2 8wts and just got a 3wt and 5ft fiberglass ones from them. Normally I fish a 3,4 and a 5wt from st. Croix.
@@brendandowling3485 Awesome feedback, again! Nope, I'm not a statistician, process engineer. I'm in the middle of getting my six sigma green belt so I'm dabbling in stats and loving it. Of course I went back and ran the calcs again... So with the weighting exactly as you suggested above, the new scores are: Hardy with 6.6 points, TFO with 5.6 points, and Maxcatch with 6.8 points. Very close scores but Maxcatch still scraping it out.
@@HaleontheHunt and then you could do the cost/point Calc. Another thing, I was just thinking, is that you could skip the division by the max points and just multiply the points “won” by the weight factor (eg 35%). This would give the overall scores a higher value and would show more separation between the different rods instead of just a few tenths of a point. Easier for people to see the differences if you were to put it into a graph. It wouldn’t affect the overall results.
Nice video. Great job, but you forgot the two most important controls that affect distance in fly casting. Rod action and length. I knew even before you tested them the longest rod would easily win the distance challenge. I was surprised the TFO out cast the Hardy, however since you didn’t mention the action, that could have easily accounted for that. If the Hardy was a slower action that would explain the lack of distance while at the same time accounting for it high accuracy at shorter distances. If you ever do another shot-out, make sure to test rods that have identical actions and lengths. That the only way you’ll achieve truly unbiased results.
99% of my casts are under 30 feet. Buy for the type of fishing your going to do. My only two fly fishing rigs are over forty years old and they still work very well.
I use less expensive rods for teaching kids and beginners to fly fishing . I’ve cast some inexpensive rods … cast beautifully . One thing to consider is of course accuracy, then which type of fishing ? Nymphing , dry fly , streamer etc . Some rods are great for all around fishing . But also considering a great warranty . I’ve only broke 2 rods , 1 while fishing ( Sage rod ) and the other was due to just carelessness ( Orvis rod ) Sage had / has terrible customer service . The orvis rod that I broke was no longer made and I received a fantastic upgrade in less than 2 weeks . The Sage rod took almost a month and a half and cost 50.00 to get repaired and postage . I usually fish either Scott, Thomas & Thomas . Just some things to consider . You pay for what you get . But like anything try several before making a purchase .
Good point - you definitely have to consider which type of fishing you will be doing most. For this shootout I was basing the experiment around dry fly fishing - casting a small "fly" using a weight forward floating line. Bummer to hear that Sage didn't give you the greatest customer service. I have heard other good stories about the Orvis warranty - seems like they have a great reputation for standing by their gear. Thanks for sharing!
As someone who does a TON of small creek and stream fishing in the high mountains, I have learned that having a rod that casts accurately within 30 feet is essential! So, I would choose the one that performs the best within this short distance. That IS the point of a leight weight rod!!!
Very true!
Nice review. Two thoughts on the Maxcatch 8'4" 3 wt rod. I have that same rod and find it fish's allot better with a long head Wf4F line. ( I've even fished a wf4f gold line on this rod. ) The rod is under rated for line size. Also, Maxcatch makes a 7.6" 3 wt Ultralight series that would be closer to the TFO in spec. ( It weighs in a 2.3 oz if memory serves.) Owning both, I think the Ultra Lite (and sister V-light) in 3 wt outcast the 8'4" Premier and Extreem rods. p.s Splurge on the Avid 3/4 fully machined reels for $45 and you be equally amazed.
Thanks for the line suggestion! I was wondering how this rod would cast a 4 wt line. While the Hardy seemed to tap out with the 3 wt and I wanted to try it with a 2 wt line, the Maxcatch did seem like it still had some capacity. I'll have to give it a try. Fully machined reels for $45?! I've got to check that out.
I can vouch for this as well. I love my Maxcatch rods and they all (3wt to 7wt) perform better when over-lined. Cheers!
Great video. I have been thinking about a 3wt for a while. Looked at Sage several times but hokey moley are they expensive. I love small stream fishing so that would be its primary use. I will probably buy the Matchcast as an interim rod.
Thank you so much!!
Buy yourself the Sage - you deserve it.
Great reviews... try the Aventik Fibreglass rods .. !!!
Thank you! And I want to - I have heard good things!
There are some other aspects that go into a fly rod as well, of course. One is "feel" which hopefully to some extent will correlate with accuracy, but not necessarily distance (e.t. stiff rods cast longer but lack feel). Another is "components" i.e. you have to pay quite a lot extra to get the best quality of cork and overall craftsmanship. That being said, I used to buy more expensive rods in the past, simply because they were actually better, but just the last year I have noticed that some of the more cheaper rods are way much better (in the casting department) than my, a couple of years old premium rods. I've talked to the retailers about this, thinking that what's the point of buying premium rods nowadays. They made the good point that instead of just buying one expensive rod, people can buy several cheaper rods that fit different needs. While the customer ends up spending the same amount of money as before, they get much more value and versatility, which is great! I also have to make the point that rod makers are nowadays better at building rods actually match the corresponding line weight; it used to be that rods were way too stiff, and most people would have to "overline" it just o be able to cast it. Now it is instead the more experienced caster that has to "underline" the rod, which makes a lot more sense (they usually know what they are doing). The fact that lines also have become a lot heavier than intended (compared to AFTMA) over the years and the line weights between manufactures can differ a lot is another problem, however, that we're going to have to live with. This is important to keep in mind when pairing lines and rods from different companies...
Wow! Super relevant and valid considerations. I definitely agree that feel needs to be a category for future shootouts. And you definitely pay more for higher quality cork and craftsmanship although I don't think that those characteristics make a better casting rod. And I am seeing what you are seeing too, I think some of the higher end rods were untouchable as far as value went until relatively recently when we started seeing some super high-performing budget gear. I personally wouldn't have gotten into 3wt fly fishing if my only quality options for rods were $500+. Its a short season for me that I thought would be fun to try but I just couldn't put a bunch of money in upfront to get into it.
You struck a chord with this one - What do we (as a fly fishing community) have to do to get rods and lines rated in the same language?!? Maybe move towards the spey scheme where both rods and lines are grain rated (ignore the part where they also assign a wt to rods)? I'm not sure how we do it, but it would be amazing. Thanks so much for the feedback!
@@HaleontheHunt some do already suggest weights, which clearly show that their rods are stiffer compared to AFTMA sometimes up to two classes. What is complicated here is that the belly of long belly line needs to be heavier than a short belly line and vice versa and showing the weight for the 30 first feet, the long belly needs to be lighter than a short belly and depends if the belly has a long front taper/back taper. I don't have a solution to this except experience 😕, although I can think of some general guidelines...
@@creativeflyfishing998 So true... when you start getting into those crazy tapers, we really need a second line weighting that includes more than the first 30 feet....
Cool 😁👍
Enjoyed your rvw. Looking forward to others. But ah ... how often are you really FISHING (including successful hook set) with a 3 wt at distances of over 30 ft ?
Thank you! Valid point - not very often.
Fly fishing sounds so complicated but looks really cool.
Hi start with getting a combo with line reel and rod and practice in open grassy area one you mastered it . Try going to pond or aware that has lots of pan fish chub master that before going after trout or salmon . Go on line read watch videos . You don’t need a 1000 $ rod . I gave my son a 35$ rod and a $ 30 reel and 25 $ line when he was 6 he had a blast with it .My son went to Rondeau bay Ontario on Lake Erie fishing of docks and shore and made the pro bass tournament look bad at 7 years old now at 27 he takes me on the boat I gave him which he restored . Both my son and my self do all types of fishing fly spinning trolling bait casting river lakes creeks ponds Great Lakes and Ocean once in a blue moon lolol
@@nickking1510 I'd like to fly fish for pike. Looks so cool when a huge pike takes a fly off the surface of a river. I am in Ireland and my local river is 1.5 km from my front door.
Don't get overwhelmed by the complicated parts! I agree with Nick, get a combo rod and reel with line. If you're targeting pike - probably an 8 wt combo. From there you'll just need some tooth-resistant leaders - Rio makes a Pike/Musky specific leader - and some flies! Good luck!!
learning how to cast is the easy part........ catching a fish.................well....
have you tryed ' ritz ' fly rods? i have 2 of them one is a 9 foot 4 weight, they come with 2 tips.. and this rod is becoming my fav. 4 weith..i think i have 2 or 3 4 weights.. nice build.. and casts well , you can put a fly on a spot at 35 and 40 feet over and over agian..also just got a 6 weight with fighting butt. for shad,, they fight hard..i have tryed it on steelhead..did not catch any , but it cast really well also,i put my fly in a bush on the other bank on accident.. about 60/70 feet
I've never tried a ritz rod but after reading what you've written, I'd like to. And I love that some companies are now sending two tips... such a great idea.
I have a hardy zephyrus 9,9f 2 weight i realy love it, but i use it more often for euro nymphing then dry fly fishing, it can throw a 2,5 mm tungsten bead nymf 30 feet under low wind conditions, imagine there are rods that cost 4 times les and can throw 10 feet further oach:-) stil most of the fishes i catch are within 30 feet, also a sensitif tip results in lossing less fish, realy nice shootout, thank you!
Thank you! And yes, maybe points should have been given for the softer tip... In the 6 wt. shootout that I did, the rod that won was VERY fast action and we suspect that even though it won, it may be a tippet-breaking rod.
My fishing buddy finally talked me into a fly rod - 3 wt. but neither of us have to worry about accuracy casting, as we both will be using a sinking line and wet flies on shallower lakes. He has been knocking the daylights out of catch and release trout recently. Mine is a Cabela's Bighorn, 7'4' four piece. This may be heresy (or worse) to a dry fly aficionado - but I never will be; the point for us is to have fun, rip some lips, and see what we can do. Nice video, great test. Have fun fishing! Oh - cost of my rod - @ $75.00.
That's not heresy to me: still getting out there, catching fish, and having fun! Thank you very much!
with fly fishing you should always start with cheap equipment imo. only after training on cheap gear do you get a sense of what kind of angler you are and what you would want out of a higher end rod.
I have a question. Are all three rods the same action. I know the TFO PRO II is a medium fast action, are the other two rods also the same?
i don't know that using the same reel for all three rods makes it fairer since reels should be matched to balance the rod. great test regardless
You should have tried a 4wt WF line on the Hardy. It would have loaded better, and shot the line further. It is a good practice tool but not one to go fishing with. Love your video, and you and your Dad are good casters. I hope you catch a bunch of fish. Thanks for making the video.
Thanks so much! I've been having excellent spring and summer fishing seasons so far. I hope you have been as well!
Could you please do it with other wts?
Like a 6 or 7 wt, and in the "standard" 7-9ft?
It would be awesome :)
Done! I recently put out this 6 wt shootout. Enjoy! ua-cam.com/video/GJ37z-1kYlk/v-deo.html
I vote cool video! You and your dad are lucky to have each other as fishing partners. Anyway, unless I missed it, what would you consider the action to be on those rods, i.e, slow, medim fast etc.? I prefer a faster rod myself. Thanks!
Thank you! I'm super lucky to have a dad who is so into this stuff and got me involved with it very early in life. It has brought us so many amazing memories together. I think the specs called the Hardy and the Maxcatch fast action and the TFO as medium fast. I missed calling it out in the video but got it into the next one!
Hello.
Could you compare Maximumcatch SkyTouch switch with other rods?
Thx!