Yellowstone Angler 4 Weight Shootout!
- This topic has 20 replies, 17 voices, and was last updated Apr 10, 2012 at 1:23 am by
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Looking for a 4 weight? this might be a good place to start.
I agree, complete junk. I think instead I should be sent all off these rods and I will test them. Yeah.
Ok no but the point is that these sorts of things are great. It helps new anglers to get a feel for a rod before they buy it. Plus if they have feel like they have a good understanding of what they are after, then going into a fly-shop isn’t as intimidating for some people. I don’t think anyone takes it as gospel, and I’m all for more available information that may help get people into the sport.
Besides, what makes one opinion more valid than another?
Though they’re finally trying to be equitable with line choice, if a 4 weight rod needs a 4-1/2 weight line to work right is it really a 4 weight rod?
I can’t understand why they just don’t used the line that the rod is rated to need. On not one of the rods tested were they labeled 4.5 weights.While I enjoy reading these “shootouts” and think they are fun, in reality they serve no real purpose and offer little value.
My favorite 4wt – Scott 8’8″ G2 – came in tied for 8th place . . . . . . Big Deal
Every fly shop around will give you their Biased opinion and this one is no different.
There really are not any bad rods on the market these days, but there are bad rod/line combinations and finding what works for you is where the fun begins as a consumer.
I borrowed or bought a dozen 4wts before settling on one that became my favorite and I have had a lot of fun trying new lines every year or two
Pretty funny to read how many of you criticize the Shootout.
I am pretty sure that George Anderson knows what he is talking about. And I’m sure he is a great caster as well. Together I have no doubt their Shooutout tells the differences between the various rods.Now, nobody tells you to buy the rods that are tested. You just fish the rod you like and nobody gets a bad mood.
I for one like to cast the new fastish rods for sheer casting enjoyment (tight & smooth loops, 80+ ft distances, etc.) but I like to fish with a moderate action rod. most of my rods are golden oldies (Sage LL, SP, Orvis Superfine, Scott G2, bamboos). And I rarely cast more than 50 feet when fishing.
Its pretty easy to identify rods even with the make/model covered up. Just match the colours & fittings.
Its a shame that some of the newer Scott models weren’t in the mix – like the S4, A4 or F series #4 weights, but it is an interesting read nonetheless.Best Regards,
Beechy
Make the rods visually indistinguishable, the way a blind taste test would be done with wine or whatever, and then I’d pay more attention.
Back before plastic bikes became all the rage a magazine had a famous frame builder build up bikes using steel tube sets from different major manufacturers of the time (Reyolds, Columbus et al) The frames were then built up identically. The only difference other than tube material was a little number placed on the top tube which the evaluators used to write their finding on. This was truly an unbiased test and proved that those who ‘knew’ one frame material was superior to another were being partial to a brand other than cold, hard reality.
I’ve longed to see a truly inpartial test like this for fly rods for a long, long time. I think the major stumbling block is that magazines do not want to upset their major advertisers and dealers do not want to lose a product line or take risks with their profit margins.Zach, a story along these lines would endear you to everyone but a few manufacturers. C’mon man, get right on it. I see a Pulitzer in your future if any magazine had the guts to run an article like this. You get the hardware, we’ll do the blind build and testing at the FFF Concl… err… Festival later this year.
While I continue to feel these “shootouts” don’t add much, someone else may find them helpful, so I think George Anderson / Yellowstone Angler deserves credit for doing them.
If these “shootouts” are such a gold mine to the Yellowstone angler, wouldn’t other flyshops do something similar?
I for one appreciate the efforts put into and the info provided from ‘shootouts’ like this. Another term for what Yellowstone Angler did could be a ‘Gear Review”. Most of the flyfishing mags include gear reviews.
How many out there look at consumer reports before buying a car, or an appliance? How many of you cigar smokers look at the ratings of your chosen cigar in Cigar Afficiando (flyfishers love cigars
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