Orvis Rods

[flydude]

What is your favorite Orvis Rod?

[jdmidwest]

HLS 7' 4wt One Ounce rod. Great little small stream rod and a wonderful dry fly rod. SWEET ROD.

HLS 8'6" 4wt Adams rod. Best all around trout rod for MO. Was overpowered by the Montana Creek Rainbows in Alaska though.

Superfine 7'9" 5wt Far and Fine. Excellent small stream Smallmouth Rod and for heavier trout flies.

Zero Gravity 9' 5wt 4pc Mid flex. Beautiful big stream trout travel rod, my tailwater special. Beat down the 5 lb dollies and the odd spawned out red salmon in Alaska.

TLS Power Matrix 10' 7wt. Acquired by accident, broke a 9' 8wt Power Matrix and they came back with this one in exchange. Turns out to be a great rod on the Kenai and will handle a silver salmon with ease.

I have 3 more that I have not fished enough to give a good report on, Zero Gravity 9' 8wt 4 pc, Clearwater Classic 9'6" 7wt 4pc that just came in this week, and a Superfine 8'6" 5wt Henry's Fork that the X wife gave me that I don't really fish anymore.

[Danoinark]

I don't own one, but I have cast them and I have to agree with JD, that the Superfine series are true gems.

Dano

[jdmidwest]

The older Superfines were a better deal than the new Superfines that came out a few years ago. Slower, simpler graphite actions. The new ones are great to look at and are nice rods, just a little pricey.

I have all Orvis rods, I did purchase a Cabela's 4wt 5 pc rod a few years back and it did alright. But it was the first rod that I have ever closed up in a car window and broke the tip off. And it is the only rod that does not carry the 25 year, no questions asked guarantee that Orvis offers on most rods.

[Thom]

I usually fish a Trident TLS mid-flex 7.5 9 ft. 5 wgt as my first choice at Taney. It is a good all around rod and fishes great from my boat since my bad knees usually limit my mobility in waders. Great for roll cast and loading and shooting. Effortless handling balanced with the Battenkill recommended reel.

[flydude]

I had a TLS Power Matrix 9'5wt tip flex and returned it after fishing it in Colorado. It was great for power casting but not much on short casts or dry flies.Maybe I should have tried the mid flex. I'm trying to decide which one to get. I like the T3 series alot but that will require a little more saving.

Keep the favorites coming!

[Bill Anderson]

My favorite is a 7 1/2 foot, 3 7/8 ounce Battenkill with a 5wt. line. In graphite, I really like my HLS 7' 9" 5 wt. I also have a really sweet 8 1/2' Limestone Special, 6wt. graphite I bought in 1979. I love the slow, full loading action of the older Orvis rods. I've got a 4 piece, 7 foot Orvis glass Fullflex pack rod that is a honey to cast too, I have taken trout and even a big redfish on that one.

[BrowningFisherman]

I want to add another question. I am about to buy an orvis rod, I just bought a 4 weight that I love but I am going to Montana next summer and I need a rod that will be a little stronger. I am thinking TLS or T3 9' 5wt in the 4 piece my question is do I want the tip flex or the mid flex, I like to strip woolys and cracklebacks at bennett as well as double scud at taney and montauk. I need this rod to be pretty versatile. Am I thinking on the right track? Is it worth it to go for the T3 or am I going to be good with the TLS? Or am I overlooking something else all together

[Gavin]

Orvis Battenkill 8' 5wt bamboo..In graphite, forgetaboutit.

[John Berry]

I have an old superfine tight loop which is a four piece four weight. I bought it for backpacking in the Smokies and it is the perfect rod for that. We took it to Montana a few years back and Lori landed a spectacular twenty five inch native Yellowstone Cutt at Buffalo Ford using it.