First, this rod is-as advertised-as light as you'd expect it to be. You knew we'd get around to this eventually. Of course, that kind of grip is pretty standard on today's production rods, and if you're a total pain in the ass about a grip, you're probably buying custom rods anyway. The new Orvis reel seats are shapely (and clearly lightweight) affairs, though they're overshadowed a bit by the 7" reverse wells grip, which is (to my preference) too long, though the center swell fills the hand nicely. The wraps are clean and neat (what you'd expect from a high-end rod), and the guides appear to be standard The Zero Gravity comes in a gorgeous, pebbled finish red tube, and the blank itself is handsome, deep red color. I have some serious doubts about technology being the one true path to fly rod happiness, but I will say Orvis got the cosmetics right. I've fished the rod four times under winter conditions (it's a special-purpose rod after all-if I waited until I used it a dozen times you'd be reading this a year from now), including a couple brief flings with a streamer, casting a dry, and nymphing. The wraps are simple, and the deep red blank is handsome. I went with a 9' 6wt in the Orvis "mid flex" (7.5 flex), figuring I'd feel more at home with the taper than with the "tip flex" rods which I don't much care for. However, I would highly recommend the Blackout to serious anglers who want to maximize their time on the water with the best tools possible.So when I had the chance to score a high-end Orvis rod (d isclosure: a trade) I went for a rod that played to graphite's better qualities: a big fish/high winds/sinking line/streamer rod. There are plenty of lower price point products that will put fish on the line and allow you to use this effective method. If tightline nymphing isn’t something you plan on jumping headfirst into, then I wouldn’t recommend paying this much money for a rod that is so specific to this style of fishing. Rods like the Blackout are technique-specific tools that allow anglers to do what they do as effective as they can possibly do it. We all have.īut for those of us who are truly devoted to a lifestyle on the water, low end gear just won’t cut it. Sure you can catch trout on inexpensive equipment. This saying rings true in every profession and hobby. It’s certainly not the most expensive out there, but it’s for sure sitting in the upper echelon. I also appreciate the fighting butt, which really does come in handy when playing large trout.Īt $999 this is definitely an expensive rod. The bottom section of the rod has the power and feel of my Helios 7-wt. That being said, I’ve landed four- to five-pound trout on this rod without the slightest concern of breaking off! The tip design really keeps things nice and buttoned up when fighting a fish. I found this rod has the perfect amount of pliability in the tip not only for casting, but also for protecting 6x-7x tippet, while not being too whippy or slow as many other Euro models are. This rod can cast out 30 feet if needed and has the delicacy and power to cast small, lighter nymphs long distances with ease. This becomes even more possible when using a micro leader system or a mono rig. Being able to reach out a few more feet and maintain a controlled drift at a distance often means the difference in catching or not catching fish. This is really crucial to me as I fish many different places that often have complicated current seams. Those anglers who are familiar with tightline techniques know that an added 6″ in rod length adds quite a bit of distance to your cast. One of the features that this rod offers is the extra length. Orvis already offered the Helios 3F in a 10’6″ 3-wt., but with the Blackout series, they sought to improve upon their high-end Euro model even more. is designed as a predator rod, and the 3-wt. is designed to be an ideal boat rod for lakes and ponds, the 8-wt. Each model was designed to be a specific tool with a specific purpose. The Blackout series was released in 2021 in three specialty rod models a 9’5″ 5-wt., an 8’5″ 8-wt. I wanted to quickly share my thoughts on it, seeing as how there are actually very few reviews on this particular model to be found online. as the tool for getting the job done on the river. I recently purchased an Orvis Helios Blackout 11′ 3-wt. ![]() However, getting the job done is much easier and turns out better with the right tools. It should be noted that I was using this technique for a little while with a standard 9′ 5-wt. Fly patterns that never caught fish for me before suddenly started catching 20 a day! ![]() People aren’t exaggerating when they talk about how their catch rate tripled after learning this technique. It’s almost hard to believe until you see for yourself just how effective it is. There’s no denying that tightline/Euronymphing is an incredibly effective method of putting trout in your net.
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