Surprisingly the best Euronymphing rods are not always the most expensive, there’re are some bargains to be had. In fact two of our top 6 rods can be bought for under £250.
Table of Contents
- Orvis Clearwater – 10ft 2 weight Euronymphing rod
- Maxcatch Nano – Best value Euronymphing rod (by Cuillin Rae)
- Sage ESN – 10ft 6″ 3weight and 10ft 2 weight
- Orvis Recon 10ft 2 weight – (best Euronymphing rods)
- Redington Strike V.2 (best Euronymphing rods)
- Conclusion
Orvis Clearwater – 10ft 2 weight Euronymphing rod
Firstly let me start by saying, if you want a work horse of a Euronymphing rod, with a great guarantee, this is the rod for you. The Orvis Clearwater rod comes with a 25 year, no-nonsense guarantee. Given that I have fished with this rod, on almost every Grayling river in Scotland, here are my observations.
Firstly, the rod is a tiny bit top heavy, so requires careful balancing with the right sized reel. If you have the ESN reel you can add a counterweight.
That aside, it has great “feel” and bite detection. In fact place a finger on the blank, and you really can stay in touch with what’s happening at the business end with the nymphs.
Secondly, it has a downward locking reel seat, which I found to stay in place and not work loose. However the cork handle is not the best quality, and contains a fair bit of filler. But again, this is nitpicking, if you’re ok with those aesthetics, don’t let it put you off.
Lastly the rod has decent recovery speed, considering the price and it felt good in the hand and enjoyable to fish. Rest assured, the Clearwater has the backbone to play big Grayling. In conclusion, I would say the rod is recommended and the 10ft 2weight ideal for smaller rivers like the Teviot, Upper Tweed and Whiteadder.
Maxcatch Nano – Best value Euronymphing rod (by Cuillin Rae)
Firstly, Ive been lucky to fish a variety of fly fishing rods throughout my fishing career. Occasionally you come across a product offering unbelievable value for money. Nonetheless, it still has the characteristics and performance of a higher priced and branded fly rod.
The fly rod is called Maxcatch Nano IM12 priced at £108 .The rod is 11 foot in length and can take a 3 weight line. In addition this is also a 4 piece rod so makes it easier to store when travelling in the car . Given that the rod is a fast action , it weighs in at 98grams that’s 3.4ounces. Granted that, for an 11ft rod, that’s pretty light. Reassuringly, the rod comes with a 10 year warranty.
Secondly, the rod is made of IM10 and IM12 Japanese Toray Carbon with Nano+ resin. Given that, this offers improved durability with reduced blank weight. In fact, the tip is a bit of stiffer to protect flies hitting the top eye. Also the rod bends down to the halfway point to increase tippet protection .
Plenty of power in reserve
This makes it easier to cast the fly to desired target. Additionally the butt section has quite a good power in reserve. As a result its easier handling big fish.
The fly rod has snake eyes to prevent less leader friction. That also helps when using light leaders to stop them twisting. It comes with a high grade top end, Portuguese cork handle. The hard burrled wood and aluminium anodised reel seat add extra aesthetics. In addition, dot alignments make it easier to put the rod together. Lastly, it comes with a keeper eye to hook your fly onto when moving fishing spots.
With nano rod being a fast action rod, you could fish it with a normal fly line. However, I just use it with a euro nymphing leader. While the rod is 11 foot rod in length , this means I can extend my arm out to cover more water. As a result this rod is ideal for bigger rivers. Lastly the added reach will avoid spooking fish.
Also, having a longer rod means I can get round having a longer leader in competitions. Owing to distance from point fly to fly line not exceeding 2 lengths of the rod. Because of the regulations used in the Scottish National Fly Fishing League and World Fly Fishing Championship.
Further, I tend to use a very fine euro nymphing line for my competitions that can be 0.60mm to 0.22mm in diameter. In opposition to fly lines, this line sag and increases sensitivity.
Best Euronymphing rods – Maxcatch Nano Conclusion
In fact this rod is very easy to cast. When I throw my flies out of the rod tip it shoots very well. Additionally having the snake guides help you feel the flies ,tapping along the bottom of the river bed.
I feel I get more reach with 11ft rod on the bigger river to increase my chances of not getting too close to fish incase i spook them.
When a fish takes, a prefer a sideways strike motion. Surprisingly I am very impressed with the sensitivity with rod. Indeed, when fighting fish the rod certainly cushions any lunges the Fish makes when running downstream.
Finally the rod bends really well and is perfect to stop ligher tippet from breaking. Overall, I would have to say this is a high-performance budget euro nymph Rod. In conclusion, I find very hard to fault for the money and in fact ended up buying a second rod for a spare.
Tested by Cuillin Rae – Alba Guide and Current Scotland Team member
Sage ESN – 10ft 6″ 3weight and 10ft 2 weight
Firstly, if you are serious about Euronymphing and you have a big budget, consider the Sage ESN.
ESN stands for European Style Nymphing rods. The ESN is a stand out choice, offering a perfect blend of power and sensitivity. I absolutely love these rods, especially as they are made in America at the Sage factory. In view of all the Euronymphing rods I’ve fished with, including Loop, Vision, Redington, Orvis, Thomas and Thomas, the ESN wins hands down.
If you spend a lot of time Euronymphing, you should consider investing in one of these. In fact, so good, we stock both the 10ft 2 weight and the 10ft 6 3 weight for guests to try. Simply put, the 10ft 6 is ideal for bigger rivers. Whereas the 10ft 2 weight is the pick of the ESN rods. How can I put it? Well, like all great rods, you forget you have a rod in your hand and just fish…it just feels right. As you would expect, both of these rods have incredible tip recovery and casting accuracy. However they truly come alive when you fish with them.
Best Euronymphing rods – Sage ESN conclusion
Whilst many budget rods suffer from slow recovery and tip bounce, the ESN is quite the opposite. In fact, the 10ft 2 weight has the edge with casting accuracy, it’s like a light sabre. If you’re asking me about “feel” the ESN feels invisible in your hand, its quite superb.
There’s a quality cork handle and a highly effective downwards locking reel seat. As with all quality Euronymph rods, single feet snake guides are used to assist with fine leaders.
Furthermore the sensitive tip offers excellent bite detection, while the extra length of the 10ft 6inch provides extra reach.
Because of the light weight of these ESN rods, you’ll experience less fatigue on long fishing days. Also important when you are “high sticking”
On the negative side, a ring keeper would have been good. I tend to wrap the tippet round the base of the reel and back up to the running guide, but this leaves the dropper open to tangle, when walking between pools.
In summary these rods in my opinion are the best and most enjoyable to fish with. Furthermore our guests can try these fabulous rods on our trout and grayling fishing days.
Reviewed by S Collingswood
Orvis Recon 10ft 2 weight – (best Euronymphing rods)
Our guide on the Spey, Dee and Deveron Scott, has chosen, The Orvis Recon 10ft 3 weight
Scott’s been raving about this rod, and I had the pleasure to fish with it, and was surpirised how good it was.
Scott said..”Firstly, this is one of the best Euronymphing rods that Orvis has produced. Secondly, its light in the hand with great sensitivity, and a pleasure to fish with. Its sensitive tip can protect light tippets, and has a brilliant recovery rate.
I’ve have hooked some powerful fish, and it handles them well. This rod is also good for dry fly/dropper rigs making it versatile and no longer necessary to carry a second rod. Teamed up with the Hydros Euro II reel it is a perfect match”
Finally, the Recon 102-4 has a Matt olive/charcoal blank, features a downlocking anodised aluminium reel seat. In addition a burled wood insert with high quality cork grip and a fighting butt. Accompanied by Orvis’ 25 year guarantee it offers the mid-price buyer everything Orvis rods have to offer.
In conclusion, the recon benefits from the same technology as the Helios 3, but without frills.
Written by Scott Rutherford Alba Fishing Guide, Spey Dee and Deveron
Vision Nymphmaniac 11ft 2 weight – (almost one of the best Euronymphing rods)
Firstly, when the Nymphmaniac was launched, it created a bit of a sensation. Instagram bubbled with cool images of bearded, tattoos dudes holding big fish. Did I feel inadequate with a bald head no tattoos, a little bit. It seems everyone was using one.
Secondly, we loved the rod, and have several in stock. In fact, the 11ft 2 weight was a firm favourite and for a while, I used the rod myself to really get used to how it fished.
The extended length of the 11 feet enhances reach, and enables you to cover a wide range of water effectively.
The Nymphmaniac was a great fishing rod. Naturally it didn’t have the accuracy or tip recovery of an ESN, but it was enjoyable to fish. Bite detection was superb and it has enough backbone to deal with lunkers.
There were many lovely features on the rod, like the markings every 10cm and the green band on the cork, marking 20cm. Additionally the blank is varnish free and non reflective. Also the penultimate snake eye to minimise tangles with fine tippets. I used this rod all over Scotland and caught fish everywhere. It was a real delight to fish with and its medium action and long reach made for an excellent tool.
Redington Strike V.2 (best Euronymphing rods)
Firstly, the V2 version of the Redington Strike is lighter that the previous version. In fact the 10ft 6 inch 3 weight is 4 oz. Also a stripping guide was added closer to the cork to reduce line sag. It seems the design team have thought this rod out carefully. Also there’s the addition of a micro fighting butt, and a double-down locking reel seat.
My first impressions of the is rod are very positive. One of the stand out features is the lightweight construction and pleasing aesthetics.
It was a joy to fish with, and on first outing I landed 5 Grayling including one at 45cm. Given that it has a medium/ fast action I found it accurate when casting nymphs. Certainly, the rod tip recovered fast and there was little tip bounce.
The rod’s responsiveness helps you connect with the nuances of the underwater environment. Therefore enhancing you ability to detect and react to strikes.
In addition to the downwards locking reel seat, there’s the inclusion of a washer between the two locking nuts. Aesthetically I love the design of the rod and it feels sturdy and built to last.
Conclusion
To summarise, choosing the right Euronymphing rod comes down to individual preferences, fishing style and budget. Whether you opt for one of the rods mentioned in this article or something else, take time to try the rod first. To conclude pick a rod that compliments your style and helps you catch more fish.
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