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2025 3-Weight Fly Rod Shootout

In more than 19 years of writing fly-fishing Shootouts this is our first 3-Weight Shootout. Given the terrific fly rod brands we carry, the fabled Paradise Valley Spring Creeks located out our back door, and a staff that loves to fish smaller dry flies, we were overdue for a dive into this category.

We were not surprised to find that 3-weights vary significantly compared to 5-weights. From their wider range of lengths, actions, and intended uses, that an apples-to-apples test would be out the window.  

The 3-weight rods we received from the manufacturers varied from 6 feet to 10.5 feet, making it a challenge to compare rods head-to-head. As one might expect, the shorter rods, (generally speaking), have lighter swing weights, better feel, and offer better presentation with a more delicate delivery. They also felt better when false casting. The longer, 9 to 10 and a half foot rods feel much heavier in hand, but offer better reach, mending capabilities, stability at distance, and also have the capacity to eliminate slack in your line or leader quickly during a strike.

Every tool has its niche and we appreciate the manufacturers designing a variety of different 3-weights. In the end, we decided to focus on finding the best all-around 3-weights for fishing size #16-22 dries on our local spring creeks, headwater streams, and tailwaters like the Lower Madison, Missouri, and Big Horn.

Why fish with a 3-weight?

  • Better for fishing small streams
  • Better drift possible
  • Better accuracy and presentation in-close
  • More fun to play smaller fish
  • Superb cushioning / tippet protection
  • Get away and connect to nature  
  • Truly getting to feel the rod
  • Forget the ego
  • Something new and different

Better for Fishing Small Streams

Many anglers feel that they have a more enjoyable experience fishing a small stream with a 3-weight. Their lighter weight and softer feel make 3-weights well suited for casting shorter distances with precision while still making a delicate presentation. Their shorter lengths also make maneuvering through tight, brush lined streams easier.

Better Drift


Since the diameter of a 3-weight line is thinner than a 4 or 5-weight line, you are able to achieve a better dead drift, especially when utilizing a down and across or reach cast technique. The various micro currents on the surface of the water don’t push and pull a 3-weight line around nearly as much, giving you a better natural presentation. This can be improved on by fishing a long 12-15 foot leader.

When guiding clients on the Paradise Valley Spring Creeks, I used to bring my 3-weight along, in addition to the client’s rod, (usually a 5-weight). I would rig the two rods with identical set-ups, usually a 12’ 6X single dry or dry dropper rig. I would point to the fish with my rod and have the client cast at the down and across angle we discussed. Eventually the client would get a tangle and I would pass my “ready-to-go” 3-weight to them. This saved time during the feeding frenzy, and while the client fished my rod, I would re-rig theirs.

I found that my clients would always hook a fish on my 3-weight but rarely on their 5-weight. I believe this is because they were achieving a better dead drift with the 3-weight line. Plus, the softer tip and mid of a 3-weight also helped them land the fish when using 6-7X tippet.


Better Accuracy & Presentation in-close

3-weights are known for their ability to deliver a soft, natural presentation, which is critical to success when fishing to selective trout in gin clear water like the spring creeks.

3-weights are made with less mass than their more powerful 4 and 5-weight siblings. You can see this, (by the thinner diameter of the butt section near the cork), but more importantly you can feel it. Since less grain weight is required to cast off the tip in-close at 20 feet, a 3-weight casts more naturally as you don’t have to force it to perform well. Since you don’t have to create as much line speed to flex the tip, your fly can land more softly while still being equally accurate, eliminating those hard fly slaps that nearly always spook fish. 

More Fun to Play Smaller Fish


An obvious reason to fish a 3-weight, is that it simply more enjoyable to catch and play smaller fish on a lighter outfit. If the alpha size fish in your favorite bubbling brook is only 6-8 inches, a 3-weight fly rod is more appropriate and fun to fish with.

A great 5-weight rod may have the ability to cast well in-close, fool the fish, and possibly protect your 6X tippet, but you don’t want a rod with so much backbone that it skates your fish in like a piece of wood, depriving you of the sense of enjoyment you might otherwise get from playing a small fish. Everyone loves the refreshing feel of the initial take, the run, the headshake, and jumps. A 3-weight has the ability to heighten this sense of enjoyment and connection to the fish.

Superb Cushioning / Tippet protection 

As a stellar shock absorber, the softer action of a 3-weight rod helps absorb the energy of a fish’s run and also cushions the initial strike used to hook the fish. This especially comes in handy when fishing lighter tippet like 6, 7, and even 8X.

While most all of the 3-weights we tested have softer butt and midsections compared to a 5-weight, the best tippet protecting rods also had relatively softer tips compared to the other 3-weights. In this sense they could have their cake and eat it too since they had more powerful butt sections for longer casts and fighting fish, but still had excellent feel as well as tippet protection with their softer tip sections.

Get away and connect to nature

Many anglers favorite memories include fishing one of the famous blue-ribbon rivers in the west. Names like the Yellowstone, Madison, Missouri, Big Horn, Snake, Henry’s Fork, Green, or South Platte resonate with angling groups. But fishing these famous waters during primetime comes with a price, namely seeing lots of other boats and anglers.

Most of the time putting up with the crowds is worth it, as you see plenty of smiles and bent rods. But taking a break from the hustle and bustle of busy boat ramps can feel equally good, and more soul refreshing. Hiking to a smaller, less known stream with a 3-weight rod in hand is one of fly fishing’s great get-a-ways and can rejuvenate your love for both fly fishing and life in general. 

Connection to nature, whether you are fishing solo, or with a friend, is near the pinnacle of our sport when it comes to enjoying a day on the water.  Fishing a more intimate setting with a 3-weight in hand is not only a vitalizing experience, it can be exactly what the doctor ordered after a busy day or work week.

Truly getting to feel the rod

Sometimes the right tool for the job might be a powerful stiff rod that can handle heavy sinking lines, powerful gusts of wind, or giant wind resistant flies. While the masochist in all of us can appreciate a fishing challenge, we don’t always have to suffer. Fishing small dries with a 3-weight lands near the true essence of fly-fishing. Appreciating the subtle feedback we get when we are totally in synch with our fly rod is at the pinnacle of our sport.

This is where technology steps aside and a great rod designer makes a big difference. Is the rod pleasant to cast?  Can you feel the rod loading and unloading in a pleasant manner?  Can you be precise and accurate without slapping the water?  Do you feel naturally connected to the rod where casting becomes effortless?  If the answer is yes to these questions, your casting style and stroke are in tune with the rod you are fishing. It is easier to create a rod with soul in a 3-weight than an 8 weight since you are primarily looking for a rod with feel rather than one that embodies pure power.

Checking your Ego

With the introduction of social media much of today’s fly-fishing focus has shifted to showing off the success of landing the big one. We are not impervious to this either, it is human nature to show off what takes time, luck, hard work, and skill. While all of us appreciate seeing big fish, this trend has gotten away from the real reasons of why most of us fish in the first place.  As has been observed, many anglers discover its’ not the fish their after.

While catching “the big one” is a part of nearly every angler’s hopes and dreams, it is nice to just get out there and enjoy the art of fishing. As the pressure of hunting a big fish vanishes, other enjoyable reasons you are fishing are able to emerge – to relax, have fun, and find a connection with nature.

The time we spend with a 3-weight in our hand rarely includes thinking about problems, obligations, responsibilities, or work stress. 3-weight fly rods help give you the ability to let all of that go and simply enjoy the feel of the rod, the joy of casting, and that initial wiggle of a live trout that has taken your fly. Fishing a 3-weight allows you to slow down, get Zen, and to have a great day regardless of how many fish you catch. 

Something New & Different 

Doing something new and different from your normal fishing can be refreshing. If you always fish streamers, give yourself a break and try a different form of angling. It could be anything from Euro nymphing, to tenkarka, to fishing with a two handed-rod, fishing with tiny dries and 3-weight, or even spin fishing. Not only is fun to learn some different techniques, but there is a good chance you can apply something you’ve learned to your regular everyday style of fishing. 


When is a 3-weight a poor choice? 

If you expect to routinely catch 20+ inch trout on a specific stream or river then you should bump up to a 4 or 5-weight fly rod.  Fishing a 3-weight will get the job done as far as hooking the fish, but the softer blank will make landing fish more difficult. Since most of us catch and release trout, the last thing we want to do is wear them out by playing them too long, which has been known to increase mortality rates.

Targeting large trout with a 3-weight also increases the chance of potentially breaking your rod. Should you get too deep a bend in your 3-weight, especially candy-caning your rod when the fish is closer to your feet, you risk breaking it.  A little forethought and common sense here goes a long way. 

Each Tester's Top 10

There were a lot of great 3-weight rods among the 56 rods we tested. Unfortunately, we didn’t have time to write them all up. And even if we did, we would run out of things to say for satisfactory rods and didn’t want to beat up on rods. For these reasons we decided to make top 10 lists instead.

We apologize in advance if the rod(s) you are interested in most didn’t make each tester’s top 10 “write-up” rods. We did cast them and kept our notes, so if you are interested to hear our tester’s opinions of their performance, please give us a call at 1-406-222-7130 or e-mail us at staff@yellowstoneangler.com. Here is a list of the additional 37 rods we tested:

This year we asked each tester to come up with their own top 10 rods based on casting performance at 20, 25, 30, and 40 feet. We asked each tester to included two mid-priced rods and one inexpensive rod. Other than these parameters, testers were free to write about anything they wanted, performance based, aesthetics, or otherwise. Click on each tester’s link below to read their individual top 10 rods and 3-weight Shootout winners.

Once we figured out each tester’s Performance Only Scores we added these to the Final Results chart (rating categories such as price, weight, swing weight, warranty, etc). But we also felt it was important to include each tester’s final results table as well as their Performance Only charts, since performance is really the meat and potatoes of these Shootouts. 

 

Final Results

To see each tester’s casting results on opinions, click on their link below:

 

Our 3-Weight Shootout Summary

  1. The outstanding, Scott G Series 7’7”#3, the smooth casting and versatile Hardy Ultralite SR 8’#3, the light and playful Winston Pure 2 7’9”#3, and the great all-around Scott G Series 8’4”#3, all take top honors as our tester's top rods. 
  2. The new, USA made Orvis Superfine 7’6”#3 ($598) wins our favorite Mid-Priced 3-weight rod, followed by the well-balanced (and nearly $200 less expensive) Echo Trout X 7’6”#3 ($399.99).
  3. The Echo Lift 8’#3 ($124.95) and Greys Lance 7'6"#3 ($209.95) are our favorite Inexpensive 3-weights, with superb actions for rods in this price range!
  4. The powerful Thomas & Thomas Avantt II 8'6"#3 ($985) and G. Loomis NRX+ LP 8'3"#3 ($915) are our favorite 3-weights for larger tailwater rivers, where more backbone is crucial for longer casts, battling wind, and landing larger fish.  
  5. The Winston Pure 2 6’9”#3 wins our favorite rod for fishing small mountain streams or smaller eastern rivers. It had the lightest swing weight and was especially effective in tight quarters. 

 

2025 3-Weight Superlatives / Accolades

The following rods were consensus winners in each of the stated categories below:

 

Methodology and Scoring


Meet the Testers


George has been in the fly-fishing industry for more than 50 years as a guide, fly shop manager and owner. He has hosted many fresh and saltwater trips around the world and understands what it takes to make a good fly rod. Several manufacturers have consulted George during their design process including Sage, Scott, Winston, Douglas, G. Loomis, and Tom Morgan. 

Since the 90’s James, (Jamie) has worked for years in the family fly shop on and off. He’s worn a lot of hats including as a sales associate, guide, buyer, shipping and receiving manager, guide bookings manager, general manager, janitor, human resources, and head weed whacker. He is responsible for putting our Shootouts together from start to finish.

Logan Brown, our guide bookings manager has lived in Montana for 20 years. He has fished for golden dorado in Uruguay as well as for hog rainbows at Jurassic Lake in Argentina. He fishes hard and has proven to be a good caster and angler in the toughest conditions imaginable. He has completed at least 10 Shootouts with us and knows how to compare and rate rods.

Joe Sherman was born and raised in upstate New York where he learned to fly fish in his youth. After serving in the US Navy he earned a law degree and spent more than 20 years in corporate America before trading the office in Atlanta for Big Sky Country. Joe is a great caster and guide in Yellowstone National Park. He has a knack for discerning how rods differ and the ability to describe why.

Ken Phillips has been fly-fishing for nearly 45 years. As the youngest member of his Michigan angling club, Ken soaked up all things fishing like a sponge from his older mentors. While he is a collector of classic reels and fine bamboo fly rods he appreciates all kinds of fly rods – from slow fiberglass to ultra-fast fly rods and everything in between. Ken can usually find the beauty in all rods and adjust accordingly to make them work well for him.

Last but not least, a special shoutout to our editor, Joel Rosenthal. Thanks for being an integral part of the team, we couldn't do it without you!


Comparing the best 3-weight rods


Casting, comparing, and rating rod performance is the real meat and potatoes of our Shootouts. Since each tester has their own opinion on each rod’s performance, we have a separate Final Results chart and a Performance Only chart for each tester. Often only subtle differences separate one rod from the next.  

When deciding for yourself what is the perfect rod for you, keep in mind that many of the small differences or hang-ups can easily be forgiven so long as the rod suits you and your intended use.

The only good way to pin down these subtle differences is to have at least three or four rods in front of you with the lines stripped out, stretched and with the leaders straightened so that you can pick up one rod, make a few casts at a specific distance, then immediately pick up another rod and repeat the process. Only then do these differences become apparent. Then we move on to the next distance and repeat the process.

Remember, what you read here are only our opinions. We try to call it as we see it in an unbiased manner, (as best as humanly possible). Along the way, we expect we will ruffle some feathers. But we’d rather give you our honest opinions than blindly agreeing with the manufacturers or other rod reviews.  

Fishing the Rods

Unfortunately, we didn’t have time to fish all of the rods that we cast in the gym. We did fish many of our favorites.  You can read these in the testers’ comments, (most are in Jamie’s comments).

Please feel free to call us or e-mail us anytime to talk more about how these rods performed on the water. Once we know your preferences, we can help you narrow down your choices to one or two rods that would be best suited for you.

The Best rods are not always the most expensive

Our testers chose the following rods as their #1 overall winners: the Scott G Series 7’7”#3, Scott G Series 8’4”#3 ($945), the Winston Pure 2 7’9”#3 ($995), and the Hardy Ultralite SR 8’#3 ($875). More expensive 3-weights, like the Winston Air 2 retail for $1195, ($200- $370 more), while the Orvis Helios rods sell for $1,098 ($103-$273 more).

Our favorite mid-priced rods, the Orvis Superfine 7’6”#3 ($598) and Echo Trout X 7’6”#3 ($399) each outscored several of the high-end 3-weights.

Our favorite inexpensive 3-weights, the Echo Lift 8’#3 ($124.99) and Greys Lance 7'6"#3 ($209.95) come in $1,070 - $985.05 less than the Winston Air 2 models. Both rods are unbelievably great 3-weights for the money! 

Our advice has always been to pick the best performing rod that fits your style and fishing application. Even if that rod is a little more expensive than you had planned, you’ll never regret spending those extra bucks once you get the rod in your hands and see how well it fishes. Plus, you may have this rod for the rest of your life, (and may even pass it on to a loved one). When you divide the money over all those years of enjoyment it’s really not that bad. As the millennials say: YOLO - you only live once!

Eliminating variables (when possible)

As in our past Shootouts, we try to eliminate any variables that will have an effect on the scores at different distances. For obvious reasons, the line (and leader) will be the biggest variable, which you can read about below.

Before casting, we stretched the fly lines and leaders, leaving the extra fly line (running line) piled in front of each casting station.

By setting up all the rods in an identical manner, it was easy to take a few casts with one rod at a particular distance, at say 45 feet, then pick up another rod and cast the same distance. Having multiple outfits set up allows us to do this easily. Over the years we have discovered that it is more difficult to judge the subtle casting characteristics among rods if you need to take the time to strip all the line off one rod and then re-load the next rod. Also, by having 10-12 rods set up 3 or 4 testers can cast simultaneously.

Aside from the line, one of the biggest variables is the wind, especially here in Livingston! As anglers, we are often dealing with the wind. If we could control the wind so all the rods tested were evaluated in identical wind conditions we would do so. Unfortunately, Mother Nature rarely cooperates in that respect. Winds are almost always gusty, with wind speed and direction being unpredictable and varied.

We have found that trying to judge accuracy and a rod’s ability to form tight loops (or track well) is nearly impossible if you have winds more than 5-10 mph. We have found that the only fair way to compare rod performance (specifically accuracy), is in the absence of wind. So, for our first few days of casting and comparing we did this indoors at the Livingston Civic Center. Later, on nice days with less wind, we continued casting outside on our lawn here at the shop. When the wind picked up, we did notice the rods with excellent feel but less power began to struggle, but that is to be expected.

REELS


We did not have a favorite 3-weight reel picked out prior to our testing. We thought most anglers would likely opt for a less expensive reel, since they would be fishing for smaller fish and not require a substantial drag, and also most anglers won’t fish a 3-weight nearly as much as their 4, 5, or 6-weight outfit. So saving a bit on the reel seems prudent. 

Our top picks for 3-weight reels, (putting money aside), include the Abel TR ($475 – in black), the Iwana Retro Trout 2 3/4 ($476), the Hardy Bouglé 3” ($725), the Hardy Perfect Wide Spool 3” ($825), the Hardy Fly Weight ($525), the Hardy Featherweight ($525), the Lamson Litespeed F ($549.99), Galvan Torque-3 ($400), Hatch Iconic 3 Plus ($591), the Nautilus XS ($395), the Bauer RVR 2/3 ($725), the Bauer RX1 ($545), and the Ross LTX 3/4 ($475). 

The four value reels that most stood out were the Orvis Battenkill II Click ($189), the Lamson Liquid S -3+ ($139.99), the Galvan Brookie 3-4 ($295), and Sage Click 3/4/5 ($330). Since we wanted to get to know these reels better, we pulled several of each out of inventory and used them for our testing reels. 

Yes, we know it would have been best to test all of the rods with the exact same reel, but in the end, we found their weights were similar when fully loaded with line and backing. While we know we will receive criticism for not eliminating this variable, we didn’t feel an appreciable difference among the reels when trying to score rods at the various distances. 

Galvan Brookie 3/4 $295

The Galvan Brookie looked and felt awesome, and also appeared to have the best quality machining of the three. The drag tension can be set, but it must be equal tension going out or reeling in, which was a little tricky for us to dial in perfectly, since we wanted more drag going out (so when you get excited and pull more line off quickly you don’t get a bird’s nest), but when we dialed the drag strength up this far, it made it more difficult to reel in with that same resistance.

Lamson Liquid S -3+ $139.99

The Lamson Liquid S -3+ has the best machined drag of our tested reels. Not only is it sealed to keep out grit and sand if you wet reel in the stream, but it also has the widest range and strongest maximum drag. The down side is the reel’s spool and frame are not fully machined instead, are pressure molded. This means it is more likely to scratch, and possibly bend more easily if you fall on the riprap bank with it, or drop it off a tailgate. But if you are careful with your gear and take care of your reel it will look good for years to come. 

Orvis Battenkill Click II $189.00

Our favorite of the three ended up being the Orvis Battenkill Click II. It has a classic look and sound that just seem to fit well with a three weight. It is fully machined and will last a lifetime and won’t scratch as easily as a non-machined reel. And the price is still right -  although it's now $40 more, (when we started the Shootout the Click II was $149, but due to tariffs the price has increased to $189). We still love this reel for the money. You can adjust the drag slightly by turning the rectangular piece of metal, (increasing the stiffness of the spring), which means we could pull off line quickly without backlashing, but there was little resistance when reeling in. A happy mix that we were all pleased with. If you want the smallest reel, a size I would be great, although it won’t hold quite as much backing as the II. And since they both are similar in weight when fully loaded, the II seemed like the best size in general.  

Sage Click 3/4/5 $330

The Sage Click 3/4/5 had the largest arbor of all the reels in the Shootout. It was also exceptionally light for its size. We found the drag adjustment, while limited in changing the strength of the drag, was sufficient enough to eliminate pulling your line off and getting a bird’s nest. The larger size works well for palming the reel, which is what you’ll have to do if you hook into a lunker. While you’ll likely strip most fish in, if you do feel the need to get the fish on the reel the larger arbor will bring up your stripped in slack in a hurry. 

Lines

In past Shootouts, we strived to keep everything “apples to apples” which included using the same line on all of the rods. This year we wanted to cast each rod with the line the manufacturer recommended. We asked, but unfortunately, we didn’t hear back from enough of the manufacturers in time, so in order to keep the testing process going we decided to cast them all with the same line - a Scientific Anglers Trout Standard. While we realize this was not ideal, but that’s simply what happened. 

After testing we had more time to chase down the reps to get each company’s official line recommendation. We have included both the manufacturer’s line recommendation as well as our own Yellowstone Angler line recommendation in the Objective Observations chart.

SA Trout standard WF-3-F

Mastery coating $79.95
Amplitude Smooth coating $99.95
Amplitude Textured coating $129.95

Manufacturer’s Line Recommendation on: Scott G Series 7’7”#3, Scott G Series 8’4”#3, T&T Avantt II 8’6”#3, Winston Air 2 8’6”#3, Winston Pure 2 6’9”#3, and Winston Pure 2 7’9”#3.
Yellowstone Angler’s Line Recommendation on: Echo Lift 7’6”#3, Echo Trout X 7’6”#3, Hardy Ultralite SR 7’6”#3, Hardy Ultralite SR 8’#3, Orvis Helios 7’6”#3, Orvis Helios 8’4”#3, Orvis Superfine 7’6”#3, Scott G Series 7’7”#3, Scott G Series 8’4”#3, Scott Session 8’#3, Winston Air 2 8’6”#3, Winston Pure 2 6’9”#3, and Winston Pure 2 7’9”#3.

The Scientific Anglers Trout Standard, (being replaced by Trout GP for 2026), is a true to AFFTA line, and as SA puts it “the caster’s line.” We like to think of it as a great all-around line, especially for most 3-weights where you’ll be primarily fishing dries, but sometimes dry dropper rigs or even small streamers. This rod matches well with nearly every rod, only the softest and stiffest 3-weights might do better with a different line. While SA says its mid-length head is built for exceptional mending and accuracy at long distances, we feel it also loads rods more than the SA Trout, (meaning it flexes their tips more, especially in close when less line is out the tip of the rod. 


Rio Technical Trout WF-3-F

 


Premier coating: $99.99

Elite coating: $129.99

Manufacturer’s Line Recommendation on: Winston Air 2 8’6”#3, Winston Pure 2 6’9”#3, Winston Pure 2 7’9”#3, Hardy Ultralite SR 7’6”#3, Hardy Ultralite SR 8’#3, and Sage R8 Classic 8’6”#3

The Elite Technical Trout is Rio’s high-end, true to weight line. It is highly capable of forming stable loops with delicate presentations. If you feel that an SA Trout Standard is just slightly under-gunning your rod, try a Technical Trout for something a touch “beefier” but still closer to a true line size than a quarter or half a line heavy. Rio’s Elite lines all use low-stretch ConnectCore Plus which gives the angler enhanced detection of takes, faster hook sets, and greater control. Rio’s SlickCast coating helps these lines shoot and float well. Rio’s Elite Technical Trout lines come with factory welded loops and a line ID. They feature a tricolored measuring system for increased accuracy and distance control – the running line is gray, followed by an orange sherbet rear taper and a light blue body / front taper. Both the fly line box and spool are made from recyclable materials.

SA Trout WF-3-F

Frequency coating: $59.95
Mastery coating: $79.95
Amplitude Smooth coating: $99.95

Amplitude Textured coating: $129.95

Manufacturer’s Line Recommendation on: G. Loomis NRX+LP
Yellowstone Angler’s Line Recommendation on: Greys Lance 7’6”#3,Orvis Superfine 7’6”#3, and Thomas & Thomas Paradigm 8’2”#3

  

The SA Trout, (renamed the Trout Expert for 2026),is a fantastic dry fly line for softer to medium (and possibly medium-fast) flexing rods. It produces a lighter load than a SA Trout Standard in close, which means it fits best on softer rods that are being fished at 20-30 feet, or medium-fast rods that are fished 30-50 feet. One thing we love about the SA Trout is the delicate presentation it delivers, especially with a 12 foot 6X leader. 


SA Infinity WF-3-F

Mastery coating: $79.95
Amplitude Smooth coating: $99.95

Amplitude Textured coating: $129.95

Manufacturer’s Line Recommendation on: Winston Air 2 8’6”#3
Yellowstone Angler’s Line Recommendation on: G.Loomis NRX+LP 8’#3, Hardy Marksman 8’#3, Sage R8 Classic 8’6”#3, and Thomas & Thomas Avantt II 8’6”#3.

 

Scientific Anglers’ Infinity Smooth line, like the MPX is a half a line size heavy. The difference is where extra grain weight is distributed on the line. With the MPX, those grains are pushed further towards the tip, giving the MPX the “hero” line experience and performance of a modified shooting head.

With the Infinity those grains are distributed more evenly through the front taper as well as the belly of the line, improving the delicate presentation of the line while still matching the flex of today’s fast action rods. The result is an all-around line that embodies both power to turn over dry dropper rigs, as well as the capability to make a delicate presentation with a single dry. An all-around delight!

Many of the guys at the shop prefer the Amplitude Smooth coatings as they don’t make any noise zipping in and out of the guides while casting. But at my age (82), I can’t hear any of this! (and prefer the better performing Amplitude Textured lines, ha ha). Also, from my experience, all of these SA Amplitude Textured lines outlast all the other brands of lines I have used.

SA MPX WF-3-F

Frequency coating: $59.95
Mastery coating: $79.95
Amplitude Smooth coating: $99.95
Amplitude Textured coating: $129.95

Manufacturer’s Line Recommendation on: Hardy Marksman 8’#3,
Yellowstone Angler’s Line Recommendation on: G. Loomis NRX+LP, Hardy Marksman 8’#3 Sage R8 Classic 8’6”#3, and Thomas & Thomas Avantt II 8’6”#3.

We have been Scientific Anglers line fans for years, and their Amplitude MPX line is a perfect choice for stiffer 3-weight rods. This line is a half-size heavier than a normal trout taper. The MPX WF-3-F is especially good with larger, more wind resistant flies like small beetles, hoppers and stonefly dries. The Amplitude Textured MPX utilizes tiny “golf ball dimple” laser cut-outs, which help reduce friction in the guides and also with surface tension on the water. These cut-outs create the ultimate in floatation. With SA’s AST Plus slickness additive these Amplitude MPX lines shoot like crazy and last longer than other lines.

The Amplitude MPX is a ninety-foot, three colored line – the 8-foot tip is buckskin, followed with a 35-foot belly that is moss green, and then the rest of the running line is optic green. Having the difference in colors between the head and running line allows you to judge how much line you have out of the rod in the air, and when casting longer distances using a double haul.

Orvis Pro Trout Line WF-3-F

Smooth coating: $98
Textured coating: $129
Manufacturer’s Line Recommendation on:  Orvis Helios 7’6”#3, Orvis Helios 8’4”#3, and Orvis Superfine 7’6”#3

In case you were unaware, Orvis owns Scientific Anglers. In May of 2013, Orvis acquired Scientific Anglers (along with Ross Reels, which Orvis has since sold). As such, Orvis has access to some of the best line manufacturing technology in the world.

The Orvis Pro Trout is a true to size line, meaning it is a 3-weight line, not an oversized “3.5-weight” like the SA MPX or Infinity. It has a complex front taper, which is broken down into three sections instead of one: From the tip of the line, the first front taper is about 4 feet, with very little mass gain. The second front taper is also 4 feet, where the line begins to build in size. The third front taper is 18 feet, and gets much thicker until it gradually hits the belly of the line. This multi front taper seems to work well as an all-around line, especially for medium fast rods like the Orvis Helios F. The longer head and relatively long rear taper also make this line good for mending as well as water-borne, single hand spey casts.

The Orvis Pro Trout lines have AST+ coatings as well as golf ball dimples cut out of them to reduce friction, (the same as its SA Amplitude textured line siblings). The Orvis Trout Pro comes with two welded loops as well as a line ID. As with Amplitude Textured lines, the Trout Pro comes in a tri-tone colorway, however, this one has a peach-colored running line, olive belly, and sage tip.

406 Fly Lines Vintage Series DT-3-F

AST (SA Mastery) coating: $79.00

Manufacturer’s Line Recommendation on: Livingston Rod Company 8’9”#3
Yellowstone Angler’s Line Recommendation on: Livingston Rod Company 8’9”#3

We have carried 406 Fly Lines since their introduction in 2015. Both their double taper and weight forward lines have been fantastic. They are designed by owner Tom Broadhead, who came up with a variation based on various vintage fly lines that he loved to fish on this bamboo and fiberglass rods. These lines are made by Scientific Anglers in Midland, MI with the same great AST coatings SA utilizes in their Mastery series lines. They are packaged here in Montana, hence the name – 406 – Montana’s only area code. We love the light olive color of these lines which are visible in the air without being “too bright.” They have held up well over time and are a local favorite, especially on softer, medium-action rods that have a lot of soul. 

SA CREEK TROUT WF-3-F


Amplitude Smooth $99.95


Manufacturer’s Line Recommendation on: Scott Session 8’#3

The SA Creek Trout is designed to make a delicate presentation but at very close distances, when little fly line is out the tip of the rod. It is a full line size heavy, but because of its triangle shaped front taper, it won’t slam down your dries. SA claims this line distributes more mass to the front of the line, which assists in turning over weighted flies and excels at performing roll casts. If you are fishing smaller mountain streams, headwaters, or smaller eastern creeks, where many of your casts will be 15-20 feet, this could be the line for you.

Royal Wulff Triangle Classic WF-3-F

Classic smooth coating: $79.95
Manufacturer’s Line Recommendation on: Thomas & Thomas Paradigm 8’2”#3

Designed by Lee Wulff, the Triangle Taper Classic floating line features a continuous front taper in the head of the line, providing the efficient transfer of energy and a delicate presentation. This line is great for both overhead casting as well as roll casting. On longer casts, the thin running line gets pulled behind the thicker head like a shooting head, while maintaining presentation and accuracy. These lines feel awesome at 25-30 feet but can feel a little light when casting 15-20 feet due to the taper of the line, and not much grain weight to flex the tip of the rod in close. But at mid to long distances the line is amazing.

Royal Wulff Bamboo Special WF-3-F  

J3 coating: $99.95
Manufacturer’s Line Recommendation on: Hardy Ultralite 7’6”#3, Hardy Ultralite SR 8’#3, and Livingston Rod Co. 8’9”#3

Built on a Lee Wulff design specifically for bamboo fly rods, the Bamboo Special has a longer-belly that accommodates a wide range of cane rod actions. At 30 feet (from the tip) the WF-3-F line has 100 grains, with a relatively short 5’ front taper. Two toned for ease of casting in natural, traditional bamboo colors. This line includes both front and back welded loops and utilizes Royal Wulff’s J3 smooth coating.

SA Double Taper WF-3-F

Mastery coating: $79.95
Amplitude Smooth coating: $99.95

Amplitude Textured coating: $129.95

Manufacturer’s Line Recommendation on: Thomas & Thomas Paradigm 8’2”#3

The SA Double taper works well with classic rods and modern glass, especially for delicate presentations at mid-distances. Since there is no skinny running line, double tapers also mend really well, for a long way! They also excel at longer roll casts for the same reason. As an added bonus, once your line begins to develop cracks from natural wear and tear of a few seasons’ fishing, you can simply turn the line around (connecting the old tip to the backing instead of the leader). Voila! You are back in business without spending more money or going to the fly shop.

Airflo Superflo Tactical Taper WF-3-F

Ridge 2.0 coating: $129.99
Original coating: $99.99
Manufacturer’s Line Recommendation on: Echo Lift 7’6”#3 and Echo Trout X 7’6”#3

Here is Airflo’s version of a precision taper, similar to an SA Trout or Rio Technical Trout. The front taper is relatively long, which lends well for delicate dry fly presentations. The extended head is good for control at longer distances with a “hauling zone” between the rear taper and running line for double hauling. The extra thin running line is great for shooting line, and also takes up less spool space on a smaller 3-weight reel. Aiflo lines are PVC free, (since 1984), using polyurethane instead, which is considered a more environmentally friendly material than PVC.

Leaders

Leaders are extremely important in obtaining accuracy, particularly ones that will turn over well at short distances, (e.g. 25 feet), with very little fly line in the air. Just about any rod will turn over a 9-foot leader easily. But having to turn over a 12-foot leader forces a rod to perform at a higher level.

As in the past, we prefer to set up all the test lines with our own Yellowstone Angler hand-tied leaders. For this 3-weight Shootout we used our Clear Butt 12 foot 6X leaders. These utilize clear Maxima butt and midsections with Rio nylon 6X tippets. Our hand-tied leaders turn over better than any of the 12 foot knotless leaders we’ve found and are also more accurate than chemically tapered leaders.

To make it easy to judge turnover and accuracy, in our testing, we tie on a small fluorescent yarn indicator at the end of the leader that approximates casting a medium size dry fly.

Deflection Charts 

Deflection charts have become an integral part of our Shootouts. These charts help to visually represent the subtle differences among rod actions. Butt sections pretty much flex the same with slight differences in stiffness. The big differences come when observing how the rods flex in the mid-section and tip.

Instead of a chart with all the rods, we have created multiple charts for easier viewing. The first chart is composed of everyone's Performance Only winners, (including high-end, mid-priced, and inexpensive winners). Various charts with random groupings are below (be sure to click on the variations link). We have also included a second "zoomed in" chart for those who can't swipe to zoom on a phone or i-pad, or can't drag the graphic and open it on their desk top computer. We included the Hardy Ultralite SR 8'#3 in all charts as a reference point for comparison purposes. 

Click here to see all variations of our 3-weight Deflection Charts

In making these deflection charts, we first staple white butcher paper on to the wall. We place each rod into a homemade, wall mounted jig, that positions each rod at approximately a 45-degree angle. For 3-weights, we hang a 2.5 oz. lead weight from the tip of each rod to make the rod flex. We tape the tip and midsection down, and trace each rod’s profile with pencil, later retracing it with a colored sharpie.

Using these charts, you can examine each rod’s profile and see how stiff it is compared to others. The faster action rods (not necessarily stiffer rods) have tips that bend steeply but with stiffer butt and midsections, while the more medium action rods have slightly softer butts and midsections with relatively stiffer tips.

Over the years we have that our preference is for faster action rods with softer tips that give you better feel, improved accuracy, and more delicate presentations – especially at closer distances. In general, but not always, rods with stiffer tips typically use more material and are thus heavier in swing weight as well. One advantage to this style of rod construction is a very stable rod that is more difficult to throw a tailing loop.

Objective Observations

(In alphabetical order)


Most of the categories above are more or less self-explanatory. Others may need explanation. Here is our breakdown of each category:

Price

No explanation needed, other that it's in US Dollars.

Tested overall weight in Ounces

In past Shootouts we have learned not to take the manufacturer’s word for it when it comes to weight. Too often have we found manufacturers falsely claiming lighter weights to capture a higher interest from consumers. Here you will find our figures from our Bracknell postage scale. *Note – we weigh all of the rods on the same day/hour to avoid possible differences caused by varying barometric pressure. Here, the lightest is the best.

Tested Swing weight in Ounces

If you play golf, you are familiar with this term. The swing weight is the relationship of the club head weight to the shaft when you wiggle the club in your hands. The swing weight of a fly rod is the weight you feel out ahead of your hand, holding the rod horizontally. A little wiggle helps you feel swing weight with fly rods as well. Rods with a light swing weight are delightful and effortless to cast. Rods with heavy swing weights feel clunky in your hand and are not going to be as pleasant to fish all day. Again, lightest is best. 

To see exactly how we measure swing weight with a postal scale you can view this short video from our 2019 4-weight Shootout: Note the swing weight section of the video is 1 minute long, (running from 2:43 – 3:43). You can watch the rest of the video to see how we deflect rods and our previous discussions, just remember this is from our 4-weight Shootout years ago but won’t show the current 3-weights tested here.

MOI - MOMENT OF INERTIA

(In grams/meters squared)

We found out about Sexy Loops’ Moment of Inertia Calculator from one of our European friends. This web site allows you to enter data into a database which uses a complex mathematical formula to calculate swing weight.

Anyone can use the calculator and you can do so with your own rod’s measurements. You’ll need to enter 4 things: 1. The weight of each section (in grams), 2. The length of each section (in meters), 3. The mass center of each section (in meters), and 4. The total length of the rod (in meters).

To figure out #3, you’ll want to find the balance point for each section. We folded a business card in half, taped it to our countertop and then balanced each section, finding the mass center. There is a good diagram below the calculator showing which measurement will be your mass center.

Last but not least, don’t forget step #4! You will enter the entire length of the rod (in meters) on the bottom row of the calculator. This is necessary because the overall length is used to calculate overlap in the ferrules and the distance from the rod end to the center of mass for each section.

In the past we found the MOI figures didn’t match exactly what we were feeling in our hand in terms of swing weight. This year we found the figures were closer, there were, however, some slight discrepancies between the figures from our method and the MOI calculator figures.

We don’t have a great answer to why our swing weight figures didn’t align perfectly with MOI swing weight figures, (although in general they did). We think some of this could be due to differences in the cork grip shapes, since we measured the fulcrum in the middle of the swell. Some rods utilize a swell that encourages your hand to grip it further towards the top. When you “choke up” on the grip, even if it is only a centimeter difference, this can make the rod feel lighter in your hand.

At the end of the day, we feel the MOI figures were worth including in our Objective Observations chart, especially for our readers with scientific or engineering backgrounds.

Manufacturers' Line Recommendation

Here you will find each manufacturer’s line recommendation for their rod. We have abbreviated some of these names to fit in the column better. Here are the non-abbreviated versions as well as their price:
 
Scientific Anglers Amplitude Textured MPX ($129.95)
Elite Rio Gold ($129.99)
Royal Wulff Triangle Taper Signature Plus ($89.95)
Elite Rio Technical Trout ($129.99)
Orvis Pro Trout Line – Textured ($129)
Guideline Presentation + ($84.99)
Scientific Anglers Amplitude Smooth Infinity ($99.95)
Elite Rio Perception ($129.99)

Yellowstone Angler's Line Recommendation

Here you will find our line recommendations for each rod. We have abbreviated some of these names to better fit the column. In many cases, we liked the same line that the manufacturer recommends, but in some cases we have a different preference. All tapers being equal, we are partial to Scientific Anglers Amplitude lines as we feel they are more durable.

Cork Width in Inches

This is a simple measurement of each cork handle using our Husky Digital Caliper. We measured each handle from the middle of where it feels most natural to grab the cork, not necessarily the thickest part of the swell. Our favorites were those that were right in the middle, around .93 inches.

 

Type of Guides Used

These are the guides located above the stripping guide(s).

Snake guides have two “feet” which are both wrapped with thread and covered with epoxy. Snake guides have a spiral appearance and rarely ever pull out.

Single foot guides only have one foot which is wrapped with thread and covered in epoxy. They cut weight because of less material, but mainly because of less epoxy. While rare, we have seen a few single foot guides “pull” out of their thread/epoxy dens. 

Chrome guides, whether snake guides or single foot, are made out of stainless steel with a chrome coating. These guides are significantly thicker and heavier than Recoil guides. Chrome guides are very durable. I can’t remember ever seeing one break in half, although they can get bent out of shape.

Recoil brand guides, whether snake guides or single-foot guides have a much thinner gauge wire and are flexible. They are made from a nickel titanium alloy which is extremely hard but flexible. If you push these guides down (or around) they will quickly “pop” back into their original position. The exception to this is in the middle of winter, on days close to 10 degrees F or less, we have noticed Recoil guides will stay in the same position to which they are bent.

While all recoil guides are made from a nickel titanium alloy, natural titanium refers to the silver color guides whereas black pearl refers to the black color guides. 

Our favorite guide set up is on the Hardy Marksman, which utilizes Recoil black pearl single foot guides.  Not only do these reduce overall weight in materials used, they also reduce swing weight, with less epoxy being used near the tip of the rod. They also have the black pearl color, which reduces glare. 

Rod Sock or Tube Slits?

All of the rods in our 2025 3-Weight Shootout include hard rod tubes. Some of these hard cases are metal, others are made of PVC or plastic, covered with Cordura (a fabric weave).

Most high-end rods include some type of cloth bag. These cloth bags all have 4 separate sections to keep the individual rod sections from hitting each other. This keeps the rod from getting little transfers or scraping marks, either from other sections or from the rod tube itself.

We always prefer rods that offer rod socks as sometimes when going on a trip you want to bring 3 or 4 rods, (or even more). The best way to travel with this many rods is to take each rod out of its hard tube, and place them in their respected rod socks, into a carry-on tube or carrying case. Some of our favorite carrying cases hold both rods and reels, including those by Fishpond, Sage, Simms, Orvis, Patagonia, and Negrini.

If a rod doesn’t come with a rod sock, then its case will have interior slits that divide the inside of the rod tube. Like a rod sock, these slits allow each section to be separated so they can’t rub against each other. You will often find this solution with less expensive rods, especially in rod “kits” or “combos” where the rod, reel, and line are all sold together. You will have to buy a separate rod sock if you wish to travel with one of these rods outside of its hard tube. 

Country of Origin 

Do we need to explain? 

Final Results (Before Casting)

To see each tester's Performance Only Scores, as well as their comments on their top 10 favorite rods click on their photo below: 

Explanations to our Final Results Chart

Price in US$ - 10 Points Available

Simple – the lower the price, the more points awarded. Our inexpensive winner, the Echo Lift ($124.95) scored a perfect 10. The Winston Air 2, ($1,195), gets the lowest score with a 6, and our two favorite mid-priced rods, the Orvis Superfine ($598) get 8.4, while the Echo Trout X ($399.99) scored 9.2 points.

Quality of Guides & Guide Set up - 10 points available 

Here we looked at two things: 1. What is the quality of the guides utilized? and 2. Do we like the style of guide set up?

The first part is simple. The best guide components happen to be the most expensive. Some manufacturers are willing to spend top dollar for the best parts, others appear to be saving money. For a large manufacturer, savings adds up quickly – if you can save $8.50 per rod on the cost of guides, multiplied by 10,000 rods a year that saves $85,000. Not exactly chump change.

As for the second half, we prefer lighter guide setups rather than heavier ones. This gives Recoil ® brand guides the edge since they are thinner and lighter than the hard chrome guides. Single-foot guides are lighter than snake guides. Not only are they lighter themselves, they only require one set of thread wraps and epoxy instead of two sets, which are required when snake guides are used.

In terms of color, we gave the darker guides the edge. The darker versions of chrome or recoil guides are more expensive, and while any rod moving in the air is going to spook fish, we suppose darker would be slightly less reflective or shiny.

We gave the Hardy Marksman a perfect 10 here as it utilizes dark Recoil ® single-foot guides. A handful of rods were close on the Marksman’s heels with 9.5’s, including the Hardy Ultralite rods, the G. Loomis NRX+ LP, and the T&T Paradigm.

The Sage R8 Classic, Orvis Superfine, Echo Trout X, and Echo Lift all received 7’s. These rods all utilize snake chrome guides that are slightly heavier (and less expensive) than the single foot recoil guides. But one good thing about these is they are quite durable and never squeak.

Ergonomics of cork grip - 10 points available

We scored the shape and size of the cork handle. Both of these are personal preference, so these scores are our subjective opinions. If you have small hands however, you should take a look at the Greys Lance, (cork diameter of .86 inches). If you have large or extra-large hands, take a look at the Hardy Marksman, (cork diameter of .99 inches) followed by the Scott G Series 8’4”#3, (cork diameter of .96 inches).

We felt the two Helios rods and Sage R8 Classic had the most comfortable grips, each scoring perfect 10’s. The Helios models utilize modified full wells grips, the R8 Classic sticking with their ever popular “snub” half wells. These grips just felt good in our hands and gave us a little something extra to lean into when casting in the wind or when playing larger fish. These grips also felt great when casting in close, when we were trying to be as accurate as possible.

The Winston Pure 2, T&T Avantt II, and Winston Air 2 scored 9.5’s and were nearly as comfortable. The Winston rods utilize classic western “cigar” grips, the Avantt II a comfortable “special wells” grip.  The Scott G 7’7”#3 scored lower at 8.5 because the grip was quite short, and as a result, hard to fit your whole hand over it. Those who have larger hands might have to choke up onto the graphite. The Orvis Superfine was shorter (but relatively thick), the Echo Lift was a good length, but definitely on the thin side, each scoring 8.5’s.

Quality of cork grip - 10 points available

Another straightforward category – the better the grade of cork, the better the score. Manufacturers use different terms for high grade cork, describing them as “Flor grade,” “AAA grade,” or “Special grade.” Regardless of nomenclature we found subtle differences in quality, which are so close they could vary from rod to rod in the same brand’s 3-weight model.


It was easy to see what less expensive cork looked like, which had pits and blemishes, often filled in with cork dust filler to look better. Over time however, this filler falls away from the grip leaving your rod with many pits or skinny, miniature trenches. While these pits don’t make your rod any harder to grip, over time they can cave in, especially if they happen to be where your thumb naturally sits. 

All things being equal in quality of the cork rings – we also awarded .5 points for manufacturers who included a more durable section of cork composite at the top end of the cork, as well as an additional .5 additional points at the bottom of the cork. Rods are getting expensive, and if they are to be true “heirloom” rods that can be passed down for generations, the cork has a better chance of remaining unchipped with these cork composite end-caps.

The Livingston Rod Company scored the only 10 here and no others. That said, the Scott G Series rods and the G. Loomis NRX+ LP, had fantastic quality cork rings. Everything else was satisfactory, other than our two favorite inexpensive rods, which comes with the territory. Depending on the exact sample rod, we might have scored some of the Echo Lifts a 6, but most were 7’s. The Greys Lance rods were more consistent, but not that great.

Reel Seat Functionality - 10 Points Available

Here we focused on the functionality of each reel seat. Our preference was for two locking rings rather than a single ring. We have found two locking rings are better than one to securely fasten your reel to prevent slippage. We prefer the upper lock locking ring to be thicker, and the second ring to be thinner.

We examined how the reel foot sits in the reel seat. Is it obvious where it fits and once you crank the rings down? Does the reel stay put securely or wiggle a tiny bit? We considered the thickness of the threads. If too thin mud, dust, and grime get in the way when it is time to remove your reel. This is especially so, if you leave your reel attached to your rod all season.

The Scott Session’s reel seat functionality scored a perfect 10. Its double lock rings were smooth as butter but also very positive when locking down the reel to the rod. While the hood rotates, we found it very easy to find where to put the reel foot.


The G. Loomis NRX+LP was a standout at 9.5, followed closely by many quality and satisfactory 9’s. The Greys Lance scored a 9.5, also with double lock rings, but they don’t move up and down the threads nearly as smoothly as the Session. The Marksman scored a 9 as it has two smooth lock rings but takes a little getting used to when inserting the reel foot (it sits above the insert instead of flush with it). If you purchase this rod, you will get used to it quickly.

We scored the Echo Lift an 8.5, like many of the rods scoring 9’s it has one solid uplock ring and worked well, but “squeaked” slightly when new, we found this squeaking sound went away with use on our sample 7’6”#3.

We scored the Scott G 7’7” slide band an 8. This would have been lower if the slide band was over a hardwood reel seat, as your reel can fall off the reel seat unless you really jam the slide band over your reel foot (and check it throughout the day). If not, you can hear your reel “plop” into the stream for no good reason, (hopefully not while playing a fish)!  With the cork reel seat however, we were able to get a more positive grip, lessening this risk. In time, you might even create a cork ring indentation, which would also help nestle your reel in place.

Reel Seat Luxury - 10 Points available 

Here we graded the reel seats as seen as art. Part of what really makes a rod really pop off the shelf is a well-designed reel seat. Is the reel seat stunning and made from appealing or attractive materials? Does the reel seat stand out and make you desire the rod more (or less)? Does the reel seat include a classy wood insert spacer or a 3D skeletal design? Obviously, this was another subjective category, which not all will agree with.

We gave the two Winston rods the only 10’s here. This is literally where Winston shines – with one of the most attractive reel seats ever made. The nickel-silver hardware not only takes the rod up a notch or two with class, but it also looks stunning contrasting against the classic Winston green blank. An extra nice touch – even the butt cap has the engraved R.L. Winston Fly Rod Co. logo.

The two Thomas and Thomas rods were not far off this mark with 9.5’s. The Avantt and Paradigm were definitely a notch above the rest of the pack with their engraved “Thomas & Thomas Makers” logo, a classy move on their part. Hats off to the good folks at T&T who have always taken fine craftsmanship seriously.

Thread Wrap and epoxy finish - 10 points available

Here we take a close look at how well are the guides are wrapped and how nice the epoxy coatings are. Nearly everyone is using one-coat epoxy coatings over the guide wraps now. If they are not carefully applied, they are often sloppy and add unnecessary weight, especially if the epoxy globs are closer to the tip of the rod.

Only the Livingston Rod Company scored a perfect 10. That said, the Winston, Scott, and Thomas and Thomas rods were very near perfect, each with attention to detail above the rest.  Hardy, Orvis, and G. Loomis all prove excellent craftsmanship here as well. The Sage R8 Classic wraps were perfect but just a little heavy on their epoxy. Strangely our Echo Lift used slightly less epoxy than their more expensive Trout X but both were acceptable.

Warranty - 10 points available 


Nearly all manufacturers offer some kind of limited “Lifetime Warranty.” In part, this is why rods have become as expensive as they are. Manufacturers expect a certain percentage of rods to come back broken, whether by defect or broken in a car door. Knowing they will have to deal with these broken rods, (typically just the tip) they pad the purchase price to help pay for the materials and labor that they will eventually incur.

Some manufacturers refer to their fee as a warranty fee, others are charging an associated “handling fee” or “shipping fee” to repair or replace a broken rod. Additionally, it will cost you around $10-15 to ship your rod in for repair, or have your local shop do it for you. Some manufacturers only require a photo of the broken rod piece, which helps save time and money. For this Shootout, we have re-checked each manufacturer’s warranty policy in detail, as many have changed slightly over the years. You can read our summary of each manufacturer’s warranty policy towards the end of the Shootout.

We have awarded scores prioritizing the lowest repair charges and quickest repair turnaround times. If your favorite rod breaks at the start of the summer and you don’t get it back for two or three months you are going to be bummed!

Some manufacturers no longer allow retail stores to handle repairs, which is frustrating for both consumers and fly shops alike. This is frustrating for the customer as they are used to top notch customer service by simply handing a rod over the counter and trusting their shop to take care of the rest. This is frustrating for dealers since each customer is inevitably now on a spam e-mail list where they are contacted for direct sales marketing, which essentially cuts out the dealer.

Instead, customers must register their rod online, and supply a credit card to cover the repair fees. Not only does this allow the manufacturer more visibility, (as they can now bomb the customer’s inbox with spam e-mails, closeout discounts, and brand awareness), but it may even cut down on repairs, (as some customers may give up on dealing with the repair process entirely), opting to purchase a new rod instead.

We took all of this into consideration when scoring each manufacturer’s warranty policy. To get a 10, repair charges had to be $40 or less, not require you to send in the broken rod, and have a turnaround time of roughly one week or less.

Most rods rated between 8.5 and 9 with an average fee of $75 and an average of 3-4 weeks turnaround time. Orvis only offers a 25-year warranty, however we feel this wasn’t a huge deal breaker since most serious anglers will have the latest and greatest rod by the year 2050. We dinged Sage down to a 7.5 as some of their legacy rods are more expensive to fix ($195), but mostly since Sage’s turnaround times takes up to 2-3 months. Should you happen to break your rod on June 15th you might not see it again until it’s fall!

Fun to Fish "Got to Have" - 10 Points Available

This is a subjective category that we considered removing, (and if you don’t like, you can easily subtract these points to see how this would change the finishing order). We don’t think it will change much however, as some of the best performing rods were also the most fun to fish and are the most desirable. If a rod looks like a million bucks and casts like it too, and has that certain “wow” factor, anglers are going to consider purchasing it.

Some anglers might consider a high-priced rod as a status symbol. For others, seeing how a rod performs in an expert caster’s hands convinces them it would make them a better angler as well, or at least take them up to the next level. Surprisingly, this is often true, even if it is just a boost in confidence. Great rods don’t make great casters, but there is no doubt that they will improve any angler’s casting skills.

Pick any rod here that we rated a 9 or better and you have a real winner! We gave 10’s to the Hardy Ultralites, Winston Pure 2, and Scott G Series 7’7”. (One of our testers also found the Scott G Series 8’4” a perfect 10, while most liked the 7’7” better).  All of rods awarded a perfect 10 were in every tester’s top four. They are all perfect 3-weights, each with subtle differences in feel, power, swing weight, and accuracy.

It is also worth noting the Orvis Superfine, our top mid-priced winner, also scored a perfect 10.  This rod simply looks, feels, and acts like a high-end rod. Even the game bird and fish embroidered cloth bag is nicer than just about anything else you can buy. Package this all together with a fantastic performing in close killer at $598 and you have a real “sleeper” winner.

Overall Weight - 10 Points Available

Another simple category, the lighter the overall weight the higher the score. Sometimes companies know they can reduce overall weight by choosing lighter materials in the reel seat or butt section. The problem with this method is that simply reducing weight doesn’t make the rod feel lighter in your hand as swing weight does, hence the reason we only allocated up to 10 points.  

For the overall weight, we simply placed each rod horizontally on the scale, read the weight and rounded it off to one tenth of an ounce. Overall weight is certainly a factor, but the swing weight is far more important.

Swing Weight - 20 Points Available

The swing weight of the rod is the weight you feel out ahead of your hand, holding the rod horizontally. A little wiggle back and forth helps you feel this. Rods with a light swing weight are delightful, fun, and effortless to cast. Rods with a heavy swing weight feel clunky and clumsy in your hand and are not going to be pleasant to cast and fish all day.

Since swing weight plays a large role in how a rod feels in your hand and also performs, we raised the points available in this category to 20 points. Using our method (see video) of finding the swing weight, the Hardy Ultralite SR 7’6”#3 was the winner of our Shootout rods. The Orvis Helios 7’6#3, Greys Lance 7’6”#3, Winston Pure 2 7’9”#3, and Orvis Superfine 7’6”#3 were close.  

The heaviest swing weights included the Sage Sonic 9’#3, Sage R8 9’#3, Guideline NT11 9’6”#3, and the Redington Classic Trout 8’6”#3.

To see each tester's Performance Only Scores, as well as their comments on their top 10 favorite rods click on their photo below: 

 

Performance at 20 feet - 20 points available 

A rod’s ability to make delicate and accurate presentations of small flies with a 12’ leader is the key to scoring well here. Casting accuracy is one of the most important factors we use to rate each. The feel you get through the cork handle imparts feedback, which leads to confidence, allowing you to put the fly exactly where you want it.

I’m convinced the key to catching more trout and especially larger trout is casting accuracy with a delicate presentation. Fly selection is important, but if you slam the correct fly on top of a big spooky fish, the game is over immediately.

Does the tip load well enough in close, to give you the feel and accuracy you need with only the leader and very little line out of the guides? At short range I like to cast off the tip of the rod, using mostly my wrist and very little arm movement to power the tip of the rod through the stroke.

The best rods in this category are almost always some of the lightest in swing weight, since you are doing a lot of false casting while fishing dries. At 20 feet, it is more difficult to feel the rod load since very little line is out of the rod tip. A few rods did this quite well, and became our favorites.

Performance at 25 feet - 20 points available

25 feet just felt like the perfect distance to load the rod well and make an accurate cast without spooking the fish. At this distance you have just the right amount of slack on the water to still strike quickly as needed. (At 40 feet, there can be a delay from the moment your brain tells your hand to strike, and when the fly actually moves as a result).

The Winston Pure 2 7’9”#3 and Scott G Series 7’7” were the standouts here, followed closely by the Hardy Ultralite SR rods, the Orvis Superfine 7’6”#3, and the Scott G Series 8’4”#3.

Performance at 30 feet - 20 points available

The best all-around 3-weights need to be able to perform well at 30 feet. Ideally, if a fish moves outside of 25 feet, an angler can reposition to get a little closer. But sometimes that isn’t feasible. Perhaps the angler has sneaked in low and on his or her knees, making it harder to move up. Perhaps you’re fishing a tailwater, and moving forward in the shallow water will send warning rings to a trout’s lateral line. If a rod can be accurate at 30-40 feet there is no need to move.

At 30 feet a 3-weight rod needs to be light and pleasant enough to do a lot of false casting, as you will when fishing dry flies all day. Rods that throw a stable loop at 30 feet will also be good at throwing larger wind-resistant dries like size #16 chubbies, beetles, or in a pinch, even small #10-12 wooly buggers.

The Hardy Ultralite SR 8’#3, Scott G Series 7’7”#3, Winston Pure 2 7’9”#3, and Scott G 8’4”#3 shined bright here. The Orvis Superfine 7’6”#3, Orvis Helios 8’#3, T&T Avantt II 8’6”#3, and Sage R8 Classic 8’6”#3 were hot on their heels.

Performance at 40 feet - 20 points available

We don’t often ask a 3-weight to cast 40 feet and beyond, but the best rods can certainly do it well, especially with an expert caster at the controls. But this also requires an angler to double-haul well with good form. 

Here the more powerful 3-weights were the standout stars.  The Thomas and Thomas Avantt II 8’6”#3, G. Loomis NRX+LP 8’#3, and Hardy Marksman 8’#3 shined the brightest. Any of these rods would make for a terrific tailwater rod where you are making long down-stream reach casts.  Coincidentally, they are also the best rods for handling larger 20+ inch trout that often occupy these larger rivers.

Manufacturers' Warranties Explained

We have here summarized the latest warranty policies of rod manufacturers and our experience with repair turn-around times. Before you purchase any rod, check the manufacturers for updates to their warranty policies, as these often change. Click on their logo or name to see each manufacturer’s spiel in detail.

Douglas – No fault, lifetime warranty for original owner with proof of purchase. A $45 fee (per damaged section) plus a $20 shipping and handling fee inside the continental US. You do NOT have to send your broken rod to Douglas, instead fill out the on-line form, take a photo of your broken section(s) and Douglas will ship you a replacement in less that 7 business days.

Go to: https://douglasoutdoors.com/warranty/ to start this process.

Contact Info: 1-315-695-2000 

Echo – Warranty covers the natural life of the product for the original owner, (at Rajeff Sports’ discretion). Tip sections are available for purchase ($40 for most models and $20 for less expensive models). For discontinued models, or if your section is not available, you can still submit a service request, you will be offered a current equivalent replacement model at 50% off. Customers are not required to send rods back. Usually takes 1-2 weeks.

Click here to read Echo’s warranty and repair policy in full. https://echoflyfishing.com/warranty-policy/ or click here for their rod repair form:

Contact:  1-(360)-694-2900  or warranty@rajeffsports.com

Fenwick – Fenwick now offers a 5-year warranty for all rod models. Proof of purchase is required. Fenwick will replace the broken rod with a new rod. There is a $9.95 processing fee for rods broken while actively fishing. If the breakage is the fault of the angler (car door, stepped on, etc.) the rod will be replaced with one at a 45% discount and no further warranty. (If a true manufacturing defect is found in your replacement rod it will still be covered), but for angler-fault accidental breaks, the second time around the 45% discount option is no longer available. Usually takes less than 2 weeks.

You no longer have to send your rod in for repair, instead simply take a photo of your broken section(s) and send it to support@fenwickfishing.com. Click here to register your rod: https://register.fenwickfishing.com/.

Or, go to: https://www.fenwickfishing.com/fenwick-warranty to start this process Contact Info: 1-(877)-336-7637 or e-mail: support@fenwickfishing.com. 

 

Greys – You must create an account and register your rod within 60 days of purchase. Lifetime warranty for the repair or replacement (at Greys’ discretion). Greys asks that you send your rod in for inspection. If Greys determines that there was a defect, the rod will be repaired or replaced at no charge. Otherwise, the processing fee is $35.00. Shipping is out of their US warehouse and usually takes less than 2 weeks.

Go to: https://www.greysfishing.com/warranty-policy to start this process

Contact Info: 1-(888)-516-1247

 

Hardy – Lifetime warranty to original owner. Hardy asks that you send in your broken rod for inspection. No payment is required if the issue is deemed to be a manufacturer fault. Otherwise, there is a $75 handling fee per section. (Editor’s note: we have noticed Hardy reducing this to a $75 handling fee per claim – for those who are kind and courteous and don’t send multiple broken rods in each year). Rods are repaired or sections replaced. Shipping is from their US warehouse, usually takes less than 2 weeks.

Go to: https://www.hardyfishing.com/hardy-warranty to start this process.

Contact Info:1-(888)-516-1247


G. Loomis – You must create an account and register your rod within 30 days of purchase. Lifetime warranty to original owner. If you feel your rod has broken because of a defect, send it back. Your rod will be examined, if deemed a manufacturer defect, the broken section will be replaced with no handling fee. This option usually takes longer, 3-4 weeks.

If broken from neglect or it is the angler’s fault, (car door, stepped on etc.) use the Xpeditor service. Usually, it is a tip section that breaks – if so use the Tip Program which is cheaper. Most fly rods cost $60 for a new tip, the Asquith is $75. If it is any other section than the tip use the regular Xpeditor service. Most all fly rod models cost $150, while the Asquith is $310.

If you opt for either an Xpeditor tip or regular Xpeditor service, you should have a new tip (or new rod) in less than a week. You do not have to send back broken tips (hence you could order an “extra” this way if you wanted to have a backup). G.Loomis will provide a FED-EX shipping label for you to send back your broken rod. As long as they receive your broken rod within 30 days you will not be charged the full amount for a new rod, just the replacement fee.

Go to: https://www.gloomis.com/pages/services to start this process.

Contact Info: 1-(877)-577-0600 


Guideline – For NT11 and NT8 rods, there is a 25-year warranty for the original owner. Sections will be repaired or replaced at Guideline’s discretion. Customers are required to send broken rods in. If Guideline deems it is a manufacturer’s defect there is no charge. For all other repairs, there is a $75 handling fee per claim. Shipping is from Guideline’s US warehouse and usually takes less than 2 weeks.

If you know the break is not a manufacturer’s defect, or you simply need a new section quickly, Guideline also offers an I-Express service, where you may purchase the exact section(s) you need from their Spare Parts on-line store. Each section costs $75.00 (which includes shipping fees) and is immediately shipped to you from the US warehouse, meaning you will likely receive it within 3-5 business days. Go to: https://www.guidelineflyfish.com/en/rodparts.

Contact Info: service@guidelineflyfish.com 


Livingston Rod Company –A lifetime warranty to the original owner. Customers are currently not required to register their rod. No payment is required if the issue is determined to be a manufacturer’s defect.  Otherwise, there is a $100 repair/replacement fee per section, or a $200 fee for a butt section replacement. Customers are required to return the entire rod for inspection. Repairs usually take 4-6 weeks or less.

To begin a repair call or e-mail Livingston Rod Company.

Contact info: 1-406-570-3446 or dlsmithrods@gmail.com

 


Orvis – You must create an account and register your rod. A 25 year no fault warranty to original owner. $60 handling fee. Rod is repaired, or sections are replaced. If Orvis determines that there was a defect, the rod will be repaired or replaced at no charge. For new Helios, Helios 3, Mission, and the current Recon, Clearwater, and Encounter series rods, Orvis offers a new section replacement program with a 5-business day turnaround. Other repairs usually take 4-6 weeks.

Go to https://www.orvis.com/fly-rod-repair.html to start this process.

Contact Info: 1-(800)-548-9548

 

Redington – Lifetime warranty for every new rod purchased through an authorized retailer, except the Crosswater series, and the Minnow and Topo combos. Current models have a $50 repair fee, discontinued models will be replaced with a similar current-line model for a $95 replacement fee.  Customers are required to register their rods, and must return the rod. Note – Redington asks that you do NOT return the rod tube, only the rod. Turnaround time usually takes 10-12 weeks.

To read Redington’s full warranty and repair policy click here: https://farbank.com/pages/warranty-repair-policy or clink this link to start the process for your on line repair form: https://farbank.com/pages/create-repair

Contact Info: 1-(888)-848-7243 or 1-(206)-842-6608 or use their contact form: https://farbank.com/pages/contact-us

 

 

Sage – All Sage rods are covered under a lifetime warranty to the original owner. The warranty covers any defects in materials and workmanship, but does not cover direct, indirect, consequential, incidental, or any other type of damage resulting from use of the product. Rods that are broken or damaged due to normal use (examples: tip break due to high sticking, fly strike breakage, shut it in the car door, etc.) are subject to a repair fee. Customers are required to register the rod and send it back to Sage. Note – Sage requests that you only send the rod, do NOT send it back inside your rod tube.

Click on the repairs-pricing link for an update on the repair fees. These fees cover the repair of the broken rod, in addition to the shipping back to the customer. Turnaround time usually takes 10-12 weeks. 

Current Models : $50 
Recent Models : $95
Legacy Models : $195

Go to https://farbank.com/pages/warranty-repair-policy to start this process. https://farbank.com/pages/repairs-pricing

Contact Info: 1-(888)-848-7243 or 1-(206)-842-6608 or use their contact form: https://farbank.com/pages/contact-us

 

Scott – Lifetime, no fault warranty to the original owner. $65 handling fee per claim, (not per section). Customers are required to return the entire rod. Broken sections will be rebuilt to match the original rod if they cannot be repaired. Usually takes 4-5 weeks.

Go to: https://www.scottflyrod.com/warranty to start the process or click here to download the repair form: Repair Form.

Contact Info: 1-(970)-249-3180 or info@scottflyrod.com 


St. Croix – Unconditional but limited warranty for the original owner. Most fly rod models have a 15-year warranty however the Connect and Mojo models offer a 5-year warranty. Limit of one (1) rod per warranty claim. Subject to a $60, $100, or $150 warranty fee. Non-warranty rods may still be repaired or replaced under the Gold Star fee, typically $200-$300 for most models, or $150 for a Connect, $100 for a Mojo. Actual international shipping fees apply. Customers are allowed to e-mail photos of broken rods rather than returning them by including a broken rod image, serial number image, and model number image.

For St. Croix’s repair policy overview click here https://stcroixfly.com/pages/warranty-repair-policy Or click here for their warranty form: https://stcroixfly.com/pages/warranty-claim

Contact: 1-(888)-727-3591 or their contact form: https://stcroixfly.com/pages/contact

 

Taylor – No questions asked, 6 months fee free unconditional warranty, (you only pay the shipping costs). A proof of purchase from an authorized dealer is required. If you have owned the rod for longer than 6 months, a $65 repair fee, plus a shipping fee will be processed. Customers do not have to send broken rods back, just a photo of the broken rod. The rapid rod and reel program does not cover damages due to improper care or natural breakdown of materials, like scratches, cork wear, etc.

Go to https://www.taylorflyfishing.com/warranty for more info.

Contact: contact@taylorflyfishing.com or use this contact form: https://www.taylorflyfishing.com/contact

 

 

TFO – Unconditional warranty for the original owner. Customers can choose between purchasing the broken section(s) they need repaired/replaced or they can return their entire rod with a repair form with a check or money order for $60 made out to “Temple Fork Outfitters” in a mailing tube. Purchased sections vary from model to model, (usually ranging from $36-$68 per section, or $84-$225 for a butt section). If you can’t purchase a section and still need a repair you’ll need to send your rod in. Sections arrive quickly if in stock, usually 1 week or less, repairs usually take around 3-4 weeks.

Click here for TFO’s parts and service: https://tforods.com/parts-services/

Contact: 1-(800)-638-9052 or info@tforods.com

 

 

Thomas & Thomas – Lifetime warranty for the original owner, (provided the rod was purchased from an authorized dealer and the rod has been registered within 30 days). Customers are required to return the entire rod to T&T for repair or replacement. Warranty rods cost $75.00 per rod, non-warranty rods cost $175 per section or $225 for a butt section. Usually takes 4-6 weeks.

Contact Info: 1-(413)-475-3840 or repairs@thomasandthomas.com

 

 

R.L.Winston – Unconditional lifetime guarantee for the original owner.  Usually a $75-$100 handling fee, depending on which model. Customers are required to register the rod and return the entire rod for repair/replacement.  Certain discontinued models are not repairable and may require an upgrade - please contact Winston directly for specifics and options. Repairs usually take 6 weeks or less. 

Go to: https://winstonrods.com/company/warranty-repair/warranty/ to start your warranty process or click here for their repair form:  https://winstonrods.com/company/warranty-repair/warranty-repair-service-form/

Contact Info: 1-(406)-684-5674 or Winston’s contact form: https://winstonrods.com/company/contact/

 

Our thoughts about a purchase


As always, we feel it is best to cast a rod before you purchase it. We cordially invite you to stop at our shop and do your own rod comparison right here on our lawn. We have several reels rigged with the various line sizes, and leaders - all pre-rigged and ready to compare in your own “mini-shootout.”

We realize many of our readers have a trusted fly shop near them, and likely have a good relationship with their staff. We encourage you to swing by “your” fly shop and try a few rods there if you can, and if you like a rod, purchase it from them. We would rather see you support your local fly shop than order a rod directly from the manufacturer since we know how hard it is to run a small business. 

However, if your fly shop doesn’t carry the rod you are interested in, (or perhaps they have been mean to you), we would love to have your business. Any purchase, large or small, helps us keep the lights on, and we certainly appreciate it!

Use this link to go to our Favorite Freshwater Outfits where you will find our favorite rod and reel combinations. Here you’ll find our recommendations in three price ranges: The High-End Outfits, Mid-Priced Outfits and best Inexpensive Outfits. All of these outfits will come to you fully rigged, (with backing, line, leader, and even a yarn indicator for practicing on your lawn). As soon as you get your package in the mail you can immediately put your package together and practice on the lawn, or better yet – cut the yarn off, tie on a fly, and go fishing!

If you are looking for that perfect saltwater outfit, then check out this link for our Favorite Saltwater Outfits.

If you are getting one of our High-End Outfits, we’ll throw in the appropriate free line. For Mid-Priced outfits we’ll give you the line at cost and for Inexpensive outfits, we’ll throw in the backing and leader for free.  And since we are in Montana you pay ZERO SALES TAX - plus all of these outfits will earn you FREE SHIPPING!

Once you get your new rod or outfit, do some casting on the lawn, and if you feel it is not just what you want, (and has not been fished and it has not exceeded 30 days from your purchase), we will allow you to return it to us for a full refund, less the return shipping charges.

If you are not in the market for a 3-weight right now, we suggest reading one of our current Shootouts for the line size rod you want. You’ll find these on our Yellowstone Angler home page under reviews.

You can call us anytime at 1-406-222-7130, or e-mail us at  staff@yellowstoneangler.com and we can discuss your needs and wants. I’m confident that we can come up with the perfect rod or outfit for you. 


 

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