# What are people fishing in the "midpriced" rods?



## mightyrime (Jul 18, 2016)

I have not bought a new rod for a while. At the ripe old age of 45 i feel like i am still in the mind of the sage xi3 and loomis cc glx as the standards. I fished those rods in 7wt -12wt... and they all just work casting from 30' to 80'. I can try and track these down used in questionable condition for maybe $350... or do any of the new "mid priced rods " compare?

I also fish the ECHO EPR rods which i love for power... but the tip breaks real easy and i am getting tired of buying replacements.

So i guess the question is do any of the $350ish modern mid priced salt rods compare to the top end rods from 10 years ago?

Some i were wondering about
TFO axiom 2x ( i did not like the axiom 2 in 7wt and sold it)
TFO BVK still a contender? does it break still?
Fenwick AETOS
New Fenwick salt
ECHO Prime
Hardy demon
TT zone
New Orvis recon ( i loved the older recon... i have been scouting ebay for a deal)


curious on your thoughts


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## GladesFlyFishing (Jan 17, 2020)

The Lamson standard seat saltwater rod is hands down the best bang for the buck in my opinion.


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## redchaser (Aug 24, 2015)

I like the TFO Axiom IIX and the BVK. I haven't had breakage issues with my BVK 8 wt and I've tried to blow it up on a few 30+ pound redfish. I think if you use it properly and don't high stick you won't have issues.


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## Skram (Feb 8, 2019)

I absolutely love my Axiom 2x (I’ve never used the axiom 2). Coming from my echo boost salt it’s much smoother and more accurate. It felt better to me than the EPR I have used before.


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## VANMflyfishing (Nov 11, 2019)

Axiom 2X and Orvis Recon are two killers!


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## [email protected] (Mar 24, 2012)

GladesFlyFishing said:


> The Lamson standard seat saltwater rod is hands down the best bang for the buck in my opinion.


I have to agree w/ that. I've got 3 8wts -- a Meridian, an NRX, and the Lamson SS. The build quality isn't nearly as nice -- after 2-3 trips the cork was lookign at a little ratty -- but it is a sweet casting stick. It might fit my casting stroke better than the Meridian and equal to the NRX.


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## Liam Nissan (May 21, 2020)

mightyrime said:


> I have not bought a new rod for a while. At the ripe old age of 45 i feel like i am still in the mind of the sage xi3 and loomis cc glx as the standards. I fished those rods in 7wt -12wt... and they all just work casting from 30' to 80'. I can try and track these down used in questionable condition for maybe $350... or do any of the new "mid priced rods " compare?
> 
> I also fish the ECHO EPR rods which i love for power... but the tip breaks real easy and i am getting tired of buying replacements.
> 
> ...


I love my BVK, and TFO’s warranty is second to none. Also heard great things of the Lamson SS though I’ve never fished it.


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## Russ Ford (Jan 19, 2019)

A dissenting vote perhaps - I love fishing the "older" rods and tend to lean to Sage. To me weight matters; I love the NRX in #8 but I think the Sage One edges it slightly in the #10. You can find lightly used NRX's and One's in that $400 range to your door and I think the fit and finish and casting prowess is just unbeatable. The rods made by TFO, etc just aren't as well finished. They cast well enough and their warranty is probably better. You haven't mentioned which weight you're after, but the higher you go the more you find someone who bought the rod for one trip and realized that saltwater fly fishing is hard and they'd rather dump $350 into other gear.


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## RJTaylor (Oct 4, 2017)

I've been really happy with my Reddington Predator 5wt, and 9wt.


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## finbully (Jan 26, 2013)

I like my 9 wt TFO Axiom II. Just about my favorite SW rod is my 8 wt TFO Lefty Krey I've had for a few years.

I have more expensive rods (Winston & Asquith) but TFO is hard to beat at their price point IMO.


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## mightyrime (Jul 18, 2016)

Russ Ford said:


> A dissenting vote perhaps - I love fishing the "older" rods and tend to lean to Sage. To me weight matters; I love the NRX in #8 but I think the Sage One edges it slightly in the #10. You can find lightly used NRX's and One's in that $400 range to your door and I think the fit and finish and casting prowess is just unbeatable. The rods made by TFO, etc just aren't as well finished. They cast well enough and their warranty is probably better. You haven't mentioned which weight you're after, but the higher you go the more you find someone who bought the rod for one trip and realized that saltwater fly fishing is hard and they'd rather dump $350 into other gear.



looking at the 7wt and 8wt sizes. I have an xi3 9wt, EPR 10wt i am happy with. I have a 12wt salt i never use that is actually up for sale right now on the forum.


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## fishnpreacher (Jul 28, 2018)

I have a couple of Reddington Predators, if anything happened to either of them, I would get another Predator.


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## mgmartelli (May 1, 2012)

Have not had any issues with my TFOs. As a matter of fact, they have outfished some of my expensive rods on several trips (Scott, Sage, Loomis) where the TFO was the only one left standing.


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## mro (Jan 24, 2018)

Choosing any rod would require me casting it first.
Are there any shops in your area?


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## Flyboy (Aug 26, 2019)

Axiom 2X and Orvis recon are my two favorites


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## Jdl80 (Nov 19, 2019)

No, buy the older higher end stuff


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## jay.bush1434 (Dec 27, 2014)

Add the Sage Foundation and the Reddington Vice to that list. Hard to go wrong with just about any rod on that list. FWIW, I love the Xi3 rods and have a couple of them I bought used.


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## redchaser (Aug 24, 2015)

Had to correct my post to add the "X" after Axiom II


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## tntarpon (Jan 4, 2020)

Your Sage xi3 was not a medium priced rod when purchased new while it was current.

In today's market, your mid-priced saltwater rods will run in the $450--$550 price point. Examples would be the Loomis IMX-Pro, Scott Tidal, and Sage Maverick.

There certainly are some rods in the $350 price range that cast well. But, like a lot of things out there, you usually get what you pay for.


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## jake_scott11 (Jan 29, 2018)

I have two Fenwick Aetos in 5wt and 8wt and really like them. Broke the tip on one of them and they had me a new one in a week. Great rod.


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## Bonesonthebrain (Jan 2, 2020)

Douglas DXF and SKY, check out Colton rods.


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## texasag07 (Nov 11, 2014)

To me the new echo prime feels a lot like the nrx, but half the price. Seem like a good stick but isn’t the same action as the old one piece primes it replaced still a good rod. It’s a little slower than the epr I casted both were 12wt’s.

The old recon’s were great rods. The 10 being my favorite followed by the 6 and the 8.

I personally don’t mind paying for older rods off eBay. Of my main stable most are 8-10 years old and I still search eBay religiously for spares at good prices just in case I break one. I’d rather have a rod I really love then buy 3 others worried about what their current warranty program is like or what other model they will soon replace it with.


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## sjrobin (Jul 13, 2015)

None of the alternative rods you mentioned are built as well as the previous generations of top end Sage and Loomis fly rods, so the older rods if not abused are a better deal and cast as well or usually better with the right line.


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## Shadowcast (Feb 26, 2008)

GladesFlyFishing said:


> The Lamson standard seat saltwater rod is hands down the best bang for the buck in my opinion.


I could not agree more. I have cast them all and these rods are the real deal for the money!


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## Cory Michner (Jan 28, 2020)

I'm a bit in the same boat, and I stick with the shopping for used Loomis CCGLX's and NRX's (not a lot of experience with the Xi3). I haven't cast that many new top-end rods that I prefer over them, let alone mid-priced rods. 

Having said that, I haven't cast all the mid-priced rods out there and I'm sure a lot of them cast great (I've heard especially great things about the Lamson SS). However, I kind of doubt that, even if they cast as well, that they'll be as durable as a CCGLX or NRX. I've owned a few mid-priced rod that found themselves going back for warranty pretty often. 

Long story short: For me, a great casting, durable/reliable but used Loomis is preferable to a new mid-priced rod.


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## Sweetchili (Aug 26, 2020)

mightyrime said:


> I have not bought a new rod for a while. At the ripe old age of 45 i feel like i am still in the mind of the sage xi3 and loomis cc glx as the standards. I fished those rods in 7wt -12wt... and they all just work casting from 30' to 80'. I can try and track these down used in questionable condition for maybe $350... or do any of the new "mid priced rods " compare?
> 
> I also fish the ECHO EPR rods which i love for power... but the tip breaks real easy and i am getting tired of buying replacements.
> 
> ...


Im a huge fan of the echo boost salt and personally like the way they cast...but with that said i picked up a couple TFO tfr rodsand other than slowing down your casting stroke a little there really pretty indestructible...just my 2 cents


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## realfly32 (Apr 12, 2020)

I have several Orvis Recons , 4,5,8. Had a 10 but traded it for a H2
I just recently ordered the new Sage Sonic #6 to use as a streamer rod , but USPS has Had it hostage for 9 days between Memphis and Nashville.


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## Renegade (Aug 30, 2015)

I have owned most of them. My quiver is full of NRX's an Asquith, and an Oyster Bamboo Rod I built. I picked up a Lamson as a back up for an overseas trip and was blown away. It is twice the rod of the TFO's and Echo's for the same/similar money. I cast it as well as any rod I have every owned, even if it is slightly heavier.


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## mightyrime (Jul 18, 2016)

wow the Lamsons have quite a following here... was never even on my radar. I just found a used last years Recon for a good price. That rod seems to do it for me and seems like a well built blank.


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## KyleCorey (Feb 3, 2018)

Another vote for the Lamson. Very impressed with my 6wt for light saltwater. Echo prime is also very nice in that range as well.


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## bknot (Sep 18, 2020)

I also fish old higher end rods. They tended to be well rounded taper designs. Just a little heavy, but do all well. Seems a good number of mid-priced rods are just ok, and either light but lack power, or clubby.


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## Gorma (Nov 21, 2018)

I say nothing new to say here: Hard to beat TFO rods. I use A2, A2x- (to new to have storng pnion but I am happy so far), Mangrove and BVK. Mid price but high shelve performance and top shelve warranty - if needed.
(I even like a lot chaep low price black label!) 

(I do not care about Clouser somehow though (and would gladly get rid of 790- cast few hours/perhaps I did not match line well).

I cast few Echos and they were good rods but I do not remember specific models-sorry.

Ross used to made surprisingly good and chip rods but they are out and RR does not support any warranty to my knowledge so I would stay away if found. 

I do not dig reddington- perhaps I am wrong. But few R I cast did not make me smile at all for some reason.

all subjective (- to some extend )


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