These days there are a hundreds of fly rods to choose from, so it can be pretty tough to find the right one for you. It also means that there are a lot of rods that simply aren’t up to snuff and let fisherman down. If you are in the market for a new fly rod, it is a good idea to know what to look for and then find a rod that checks all of those boxes.
The key to finding a great fly rod is to look for the ones that cast well, that strike and land fish perfectly, and that give you excellent line control. You’ll also want to think about the type of fish that you often go after since some fly rods were specifically designed to help fishermen catch specific fish. If you do all of your homework beforehand, you should have no problem finding a fly rod that you will be proud to own.
On this page are five of the highest rated fly rods that you can get right now. Each has been used by both beginners and experienced fly rod fishermen, though they all have their own strengths and weaknesses. We recommend taking a look at all of their features before you commit to one, though the truth is that if you are just looking for a solid fly rod to go fishing with, you really can’t go wrong with any of these rods.
It’ll be important to get the right rod for yourself and we hope this list of some of the best fly rods of the year helps you in your search.
- 1. Tailwater Outfitters Toccoa Fly Rod
- 2. Maxcatch Extreme Graphite Fly Fishing Rod
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- 4. Orvis Encounter 6-Weight 9′ Fly Rod Outfit
- 5. Fenwicks AETOS Fly Rods
Tailwater Outfitters Toccoa Fly Rod
There aren’t too many other fly rods out there with a higher customer rating than the Tailwater Outfitters Toccoa fly rod. That seems to be because customers end up getting a much higher quality rod than they are expecting for the price they paid to get it. This fly rod is made of the lightweight yet durable IM8 graphite material, it has high quality guides, and its handle is one of the most comfortable grips that you will find. Add all of that together and you have a fantastic fly rod that doesn’t cost an arm and a leg to own.
Features
– IM8 graphite fly rod design
– Fast action
– 4 piece design, making it very travel friendly
– Ceramic stripping guides
– Smooth chrome snake guides
– Aluminum reel seat with double lock rings
– Cork handle increases accuracy and limits fatigue
– Rod tube included
– Natural dark gray color
M MAXIMUMCATCH Maxcatch Extreme Graphite Fly Fishing Rod
People who buy M MAXIMUMCATCH fly rods do so because they know that they are some of the strongest fly rods that they can buy. The Maxcatch, in particular, is extremely strong thanks to the company’s unique five layer carbon fiber rod design, giving this fly rod all the strength you’d ever want or need. As a bonus, the company offers all of its customers a full five-year repair warranty on all of their fly rods just in case anything goes wrong while you’re out on the water.
Features
– IM7 24T and 30T carbon fiber designs
– 20 percent stronger than most other fly rods on the market
– Fast action design
– Slim taper makes the fly rod smooth and powerful
– MaxSelect stripping guides
– Lightweight chromed stainless steel snake guides
– Contoured cork handle
– Aluminum reel seat
– Lifetime repairing warranty
Temple Fork Outfitters Graphite Fly Fishing Rods
Temple Fork Outfitters have made a bunch of highly rated rods in recent years, improving their reputation in the industry and helping them to make great improvements to rods like this fly rod. It’s a medium fast rod that gives you incredibly smooth casting, making one of the only fly rods on this list that is just as good for beginners as it is for the experienced angler. On top of that, the black matte finish used on the rods makes them some of the nicest looking fly rods that you will find.
Features
– Smoother casting than many competitors
– Medium fast rod
– Color coded alignment dots
– Oversized stripper guides
– Anodized reel seats and aluminum inserts
– High quality cork handles
– Black matte finish
Orvis Encounter 6-Weight 9′ Fly Rod Outfit
The Orvis Encounter is the perfect fly rod to get if you like the classic fly rod design but want modern quality. What sets this Orvis fly rod apart from the pack is the fact that it performs about as smoothly as a fly rod can perform, making it equally great for experienced anglers and those that are new to fly fishing. If you do prefer the classic fly rod design, you really are not going to find too many better than the Orvis Encounter, and you’re definitely not going to find one that is cheaper.
Features
– Lightweight fly rod
– Large arbor Encounter reel
– Weight-forward floating line
– Highly durable materials used
– Made to be easy to use for beginners
– High quality rod at entry level price
– Rod tube included
Fenwicks AETOS Fly Rods
Fenwicks is another company that has developed a great reputation in the fishing industry because they are always trying to make improvements. You can certainly see that a lot of work went into making this AETOS fly rod as it is made of a unique mix of high quality parts. It is very light in weight, yet it is super strong, giving fishermen excellent control over the rod no matter what is on the other end of it. It has a great cork grip that keeps your hands comfortable even during extended battles, and the reel seat is considered to be one of the very best that you can get right now.
Features
– 4 piece design
– Fast action for excellent performance and recovery
– Large stripper guides
– Double foot snake guides
– Anodized double uplock reel seat
– Very lightweight
– High grade cork provides fishermen with very comfortable grip
– Includes Fenwick cloth covered rod tube and bag