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New fly rod T&T orvis winston sage

4K views 4 replies 5 participants last post by  FishHawk 
#1 ·
Looking for a new 8wt. Anyone got any suggestoins or thoughts on T&T HII, orvis t3 or winston boron sage etc. Looking for a good stout rod.
 
#2 ·
I'll give a review on a T&T Helix 908s-4. I didn't cast the H2 so I can't compare the two, the shop I bought it from said the He is a little faster than the H2, and I've heard the H2 is quite different from the original Horizon (I have a 6 wt. and it is awesome to cast). I find the rod casts very well with an 8 wt. long head line (Rio salmon/steelhead), and also well with a 9 wt. short head line. It casts very straight and has good distance. I found it tricky at first to cast weighted flies and sinktips, you have to purposefully try to slow the rod down. Under normal circumstances it will cast very tight loops and casts well into the wind. My biggest gripe is that there is no hookeeper on the rod. The reel seat functions well and the stripping guides (2) are of sufficient diameter. I'll give the finish a 4/5, it's good but plain. Red thread on a blue blank. I like the way the ferrules fit together, very positive. There is an alignment dot on the butt section only. It's had a couple of nice fish on the end of it, and some nice bends in the middle of it, I thought it held up ok in the fight department. The tube is very nice, I want to make a sock for the tube so I don't scratch it! Does anyone know if these tubes have a vent in them? (for pressure change like in a plane) The price is a little up there, I suppose, but so is anything else in that range.
 
#3 ·
i have cast all of these except the Orvis. the T&T HII is definitly faster than the helix. acording to T&T, the tapers of the old horizons were changed very little they added the BAFT technology to the HII rods. both rods are terrific with a very straight, no torque punch even if pushed hard. the winston B2X has the softest tip but is still a powerful rod just doesn't seem as powerful as the rest of the rods in that class. if you like light tips these rods are great. the sage XI2 is a cannon as well but feels a little on the stiff side in the tip section. they are very straight tracking as well but a little too stiff for my taste, faster than the T&T HII. the two not mentioned that you should try out before doing anything are first Scott S3S which is an amazing rod with a ton of power but without feeling overly stiff, just the right blend imho, a real smooth casting but extremely powerful rod. lastly the new Scott E2 is very fast very light and costs considerably less than the others mentioned. it has a finished, polished blank and tip over butt ferrules and doesn't for a second feel like a mid priced rod. faster than the S3S and all but the sage XI2.

in conclusion i personally like the T&T HII and the Scott S3S the most. i would try and cast every one you can get your hands on and decide from there. i almost don't think you could make a bad choice out of any of these rods but you may like one better than the rest. good luck.
 
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