# Orvis Recon



## spc7669 (Apr 15, 2015)

A buddy of mine has one and I used it a bit this summer. I like the TFO Mangrove better. The Recon did not load well for my casting stroke. But fly rods are a very individual decision and some series have certain weights that really stand out. For instance, I really liked the Scott S4s in a 10wt, but not in a 12. Same thing with the Hardy Sintrix. Loved it in an 8 but the 6 felt a size too heavy.
If you are able, go cast some at a shop. Even better, find someone who has what you want and cast off their boat where you can load the rod with water tension.
The TFO Axiom II X is on my list to demo. Looks like a cannon.
Also, and I’m sure folks get tired of me saying this, the line is as important as the rod. Bonefish line is very different than tarpon line. I find permit specific line to be somewhere in between. If you are going back to Belize, I used Rio Bonefish on my trips and it did fine.


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## grampy_grumps (Sep 6, 2015)

spc7669 said:


> A buddy of mine has one and I used it a bit this summer. I like the TFO Mangrove better. The Recon did not load well for my casting stroke. But fly rods are a very individual decision and some series have certain weights that really stand out. For instance, I really liked the Scott S4s in a 10wt, but not in a 12. Same thing with the Hardy Sintrix. Loved it in an 8 but the 6 felt a size too heavy.
> If you are able, go cast some at a shop. Even better, find someone who has what you want and cast off their boat where you can load the rod with water tension.
> The TFO Axiom II X is on my list to demo. Looks like a cannon.
> Also, and I’m sure folks get tired of me saying this, the line is as important as the rod. Bonefish line is very different than tarpon line. I find permit specific line to be somewhere in between. If you are going back to Belize, I used Rio Bonefish on my trips and it did fine.


Thanks for the response. I used the RIO bonefish as well. It worked okay on the 7wt Vice rod. I used one of the lodges 10wt Orvis Helios 3D rods on my last day chasing tarpon. The thing shot like a canon. They are a little pricey though. But I guess that you get what you pay for.


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## spc7669 (Apr 15, 2015)

grampy_grumps said:


> Thanks for the response. I used the RIO bonefish as well. It worked okay on the 7wt Vice rod. I used one of the lodges 10wt Orvis Helios 3D rods on my last day chasing tarpon. The thing shot like a canon. They are a little pricey though. But I guess that you get what you pay for.


You do, but there are many mid range rods now that cast fantastic. The progress in rod development over the last 20 years is nuts. But, and I hate to spend your money, if you loved that HD and had confidence with it, it’s definitely worth keeping it at the top of the list rather than settling. When it’s a dream trip or fish of a lifetime the few hundred bucks difference really ain’t so much.


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## Bjorn240 (Jul 24, 2020)

At least in 9wt, if you like the Helios 3D, you will like the new Recon. The Helios is a touch faster and has a slightly stiffer tip (and has Ti snake guides) but the general feel is very very similar. I haven’t cast them in 8 or 10, so don’t want to make any inferences there.


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## bwolfjohnson (Oct 20, 2021)

I have Recon and do not love it...._The Recon did not load well for my casting stroke_...same with me. I prefer the Sage Motiv 9 wt.


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## richarde206 (Sep 9, 2021)

grampy_grumps said:


> Anyone use the Orvis Recon model for bones, permit or tarpon? I went this to Belize with a couple a Redington Vice rods which did okay for the bones if the wind didn't pickup but seem to be a little weak in a good breeze. I am looking to upgrade a little bit to a better rod for another trip next year. I will probably get an 8wt & 10 wt. The 7wt Vice worked good for the bones.
> 
> Thanks


Sorry, man, but those Redington Vice rods are very powerful rods, and if there is issue in the wind, it's not the rod. Perhaps you need another line or another line weight (other than the 7) and perhaps another leader/tippet combo or line when it gets windy.


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## spc7669 (Apr 15, 2015)

I didn’t read the original post as well as I should have. Windy day in the salt is not 7wt territory for me. I’ve tried and don’t cast well enough to enjoy it. I’ll move up weights til I’m beating the wind. I’d rather make good casts than fight my equipment.


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## mfdevin (Jun 18, 2020)

I actually just ordered a recon in an 8, have read about the rod action a decent bit, and it sounds like a fun rod to fish. The tfo axiom 2x is a rod I picked up in a 7wt recently, while I typically enjoy casting a more “medium-fast” rod, I really enjoy the a2x. Paired with a mastery grand slam line, I have had zero issues casting it in the wind, and it is really well priced for the quality in my opinion.


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## richarde206 (Sep 9, 2021)

spc7669 said:


> I didn’t read the original post as well as I should have. Windy day in the salt is not 7wt territory for me. I’ve tried and don’t cast well enough to enjoy it. I’ll move up weights til I’m beating the wind. I’d rather make good casts than fight my equipment.


Exactly; need to use the right tool for the job. ;-)


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## richarde206 (Sep 9, 2021)

mfdevin said:


> I actually just ordered a recon in an 8, have read about the rod action a decent bit, and it sounds like a fun rod to fish. The tfo axiom 2x is a rod I picked up in a 7wt recently, while I typically enjoy casting a more “medium-fast” rod, I really enjoy the a2x. Paired with a mastery grand slam line, I have had zero issues casting it in the wind, and it is really well priced for the quality in my opinion.


That Axiom 2X is a nice rod, and has a forgiving action that hits the sweet spot for many different casting strokes.


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## Frequent Flyer (Jul 23, 2019)

I picked up a new Orvis Recon 8 wt a few months ago and absolutely love it. Would I love a Helios 8 even more? Probably, but for the price, the Recon is tough to beat. As others have said, a fly rod that suits my style might not work for you, so try to get one in your hand first, if possible.


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## mfdevin (Jun 18, 2020)

Frequent Flyer said:


> I picked up a new Orvis Recon 8 wt a few months ago and absolutely love it. Would I love a Helios 8 even more? Probably, but for the price, the Recon is tough to beat. As others have said, a fly rod that suits my style might not work for you, so try to get one in your hand first, if possible.


My recon touched down today, put some reps on it in the yard, nice and windy out here even on my street tucked away under a bunch of old oaks. Using a 205g line, this thing is sweet. It’s pretty quick, especially compared to my Scott tidal, but very smooth and accurate, still pretty good feedback as well. In the 20 minutes of playing around with it, I think I’m really gonna like it for winter low tide redfishing, and flood tides too. I’m sure it would and will do great on the bucket mouths too. Excited to get out and pull on some fish with it.


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## Frequent Flyer (Jul 23, 2019)

What reel did you slap on it?


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## mfdevin (Jun 18, 2020)

Frequent Flyer said:


> What reel did you slap on it?


I’ve got a hydros that I’ve been rocking for a while now, light and easy to swing around


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## Frequent Flyer (Jul 23, 2019)

Nice set up and hard to beat for the money.


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## mfdevin (Jun 18, 2020)

Frequent Flyer said:


> Nice set up and hard to beat for the money.


Currently fishing out of a Jackson kayak most of the time, wanted something mid-priced, with a warranty, that I can abuse and not feel too poorly about. Additional spools are fairly priced, it’s a decent reel, and I can easily switch between my 7/8.


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## Flyguy33 (Oct 31, 2021)

richarde206 said:


> That Axiom 2X is a nice rod, and has a forgiving action that hits the sweet spot for many different casting strokes.


I have to second this, have an Axiom 2X in an 8wt and it is probably my favorite casting rod. It takes so little effort to shoot a lot a line. I know it was supposed to be based somewhat on the ole TICR X but I own one of those as well and they are truly completely different animals.


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## hipshot (Sep 29, 2018)

FWIW one of my 5s and one of my 6s, as well as my 9, are Recons. I really like all 3. But as stated above, rods are an individual thing. You should try it before you buy it.


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## captgeorge (Jan 2, 2022)

I have a Recon 2 in 8wt, it is not a long bomber by any means... it is accurate up to 60ft but when it's windy it gets tougher to cast and it's a little heavier than most rods but it's a solid choice for a mid priced rod in my opinion. For me it usually comes down to conditions. Wind or no wind, current or no current, distance or close in accuracy. For bones in the keys or Bahamas I prefer my 8wt orvis helios 3f. If it's windy the 9wt Scott Sector comes out. If it's calm and I can get away with it, the Winston Air Salt in 7wt is a dream to cast all day..... if your spending money fly to Belize and stay and enjoy your time, I would invest in some rods first. The truth is you shouldn't even have to think twice about your RIG, just what's in front of you and the moment that fish comes into view and feel confident you can take the shot and be ready for the hook set. Oh, and great fly line like Rio direct core bonefish, great knots, and sharp hooks on your flies are all part of being able to have a great experience and catch that fish of a lifetime. Whenever I'm on the water I fish like it's gonna be the fish of a lifetime because well, you never know...


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## richarde206 (Sep 9, 2021)

captgeorge said:


> I have a Recon 2 in 8wt, it is not a long bomber by any means... it is accurate up to 60ft but when it's windy it gets tougher to cast and it's a little heavier than most rods but it's a solid choice for a mid priced rod in my opinion. For me it usually comes down to conditions. Wind or no wind, current or no current, distance or close in accuracy. For bones in the keys or Bahamas I prefer my 8wt orvis helios 3f. If it's windy the 9wt Scott Sector comes out. If it's calm and I can get away with it, the Winston Air Salt in 7wt is a dream to cast all day..... if your spending money fly to Belize and stay and enjoy your time, I would invest in some rods first. The truth is you shouldn't even have to think twice about your RIG, just what's in front of you and the moment that fish comes into view and feel confident you can take the shot and be ready for the hook set. Oh, and great fly line like Rio direct core bonefish, great knots, and sharp hooks on your flies are all part of being able to have a great experience and catch that fish of a lifetime. Whenever I'm on the water I fish like it's gonna be the fish of a lifetime because well, you never know...


Although I envy your inventory of graphite, not everyone can afford $2.5k-3k of rods to have available for different fishing conditions. I do agree with you that the last thing a fisher person should be worried about is their gear, but I believe that most fly fishers' gear isn't being pushed to it's performance potential. I fished a baby tarpon trip on the Yucatan Peninsula, went by myself, and was paired up randomly with a couple of different guys. My first partner had a new Sage Xi3 890-4, new TIbor Everlglades, and new Rio line combo. He couldn't cast 30', while my TFO TiCr-X and Galvan combo worked perfectly and would deliver the fly with minimal false casts for our fishing distances. The second partner had a beautiful Sage/Abel setup; at the end of the day he was envying both my TiCr-X setup and the second outfit, my trusty ol' 1997 GLX paired with an old Ross BG..

A person can get a whole lot of good fishin' in for fairly reasonable without dropping $3k on 3 rods, without reels. Getting 'er done isn't typically about the equipment, and is usually about the flyfisher. But, you know that.


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## captgeorge (Jan 2, 2022)

I Completely agree with you Richard 100%. If your not proficient with your gear it don't matter and I see this all the time. 

I have older rods and much less expensive tackle as well that does just fine. Those sticks I mentioned just happen to be my pride and joy and I personally love them. I have moved away from any made in China rods and reels period. Nothing against them, but because of the failure rate from my personal experiences. And I consider every minute on the water as sacred so I hate to have second doubts whatsoever. But that's just me.


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## Steve_e_B (Sep 13, 2020)

I would recommend going out and casting a few different rods as said before! Pick whatever one feels more comfortable for your way of casting!


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## b gee (Apr 9, 2021)

Can't say a bad thing about the recon in the salt. Have had an 8 (original recon) that I now use as a backup rod when traveling and a 9 (recon 2) and love them both. I think a used NRX (not the NRX+) is also a great great value for a stick that will last you a lifetime.


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## codyjorge (2 mo ago)

I had a 7wt original Recon that didn't fit well for me. A rod worth checking out if you get to cast before you buy is the T&T Zone. Great rods.


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## hollandbriscoe (Jul 28, 2015)

I’m a fan of the recons. I have them in everything from a 6 through a 10. I personally feel that the 8 wt recon cast as well if not a little better than the 8 wt H2 that I have.


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## cwarfield (16 d ago)

Not crazy about Orvis in the Recon series, Helios 3 better choice


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