I found the 3F to be a wonderful tool when stalking tailing fish on foot. A rod which allows a gentle cast with a lighter line is a big asset. When the water is still, it becomes a real challenge presenting the fly without spooking fish. Anyone who has done much bonefishing will tell you that the only thing tougher than a stiff wind is dead calm. In the hands of a good caster, it is perfectly capable of casting a full fly line.Īlthough it falls short of the 3D when it comes to punishing wind, it offers an important substitute-presentation. In spite of the F and D distinction, you don’t really sacrifice distance with the 3F. It is easier to load with an easy stroke and will be much more approachable to the average angler. As promised, the 3F provides the angler with more feedback during the casting stroke. It also performed well with a more technical, long-belly line when over weighted by one line weight. I like the 3D set up with a 3/4 overweight, head-heavy line like the Airflo Tropical Punch, SA Titan or Orvis Ignitor. If you have a clean stroke and good timing, it will sing. If you struggle with timing and loop control, the 3D will demand your complete attention. Any super-fast action rod requires good technique to load and cast well. If there is a downside, it’s that the 3D may not be immediately approachable to every angler. By punching through the wind and delivering the energy to turn over the leader, it made accurate casts possible in the worst conditions and that absolutely translates into more fish caught. In this regard, the 3D lived up to its claim of accuracy in a real-world scenario. So, for me, as a bonefish rod, the beauty of the 3D is it’s ability to dominate the wind.įishing this rod in the worst conditions, I was able to put my fly in front of fish I would have missed without it. Distance? Sure, but also line speed and ultra-tight loops. It is a stiff, powerful beast with a blindingly fast recovery. You might expect this from it’s distinction as a “distance” rod. The H3 is easily one of the best casting rods on the market and what is of particular interest to me are the characteristics of the the F and D individually and as a set. How true a fly rod tracks either matters to you or it doesn’t, but in my opinion it’s not the most compelling thing about the Helios 3. That, I suppose, is the marketing so make of it what you will. So, Orvis is clearly attacking their competition where they are weakest. You might be surprised to see the tracking data from some very popular and expensive rods. I can’t help but believe that they did this because it’s something their competition doesn’t do very well. Orvis did put a lot of work and science into making a fly rod which is capable of delivering a very precise cast. It would be ridiculous to believe that, as a caster, you can buy accuracy. The rod is a tool and performs no better than its user. There are casters who will see the difference in their casting accuracy and a great many who will not. Having a rod that is capable of extreme accuracy and making extremely accurate casts are two very different things. That’s the science and, in that regard, the H3 is everything Orvis claims. It is factual that a rod which tracks truer is capable of making a more accurate cast. That is to say that there is very little side-to-side movement of the rod blank and it loads and unloads. The fundamental idea behind the claim of accuracy is that the new H3 tracks true during the casting stroke. I have seen the testing they performed on the H3 and it is impressive. Even before Sean Combs, who brings with him a serious technical background, joined the company Orvis was very diligent with their collection and use of data. Orvis is actually very good with their science. It would be easy to dismiss as pure marketing but I do believe there is more to it. That’s quite a claim and one which is certainly difficult to either prove or disprove. You’ve likely seen the ads claiming that the Helios 3 is the most accurate fly rod ever made. I don’t know that “distance” and “feel” tell the whole story but the idea may be more approachable for some anglers. The idea, I believe, was to give the consumer some idea what these rod actions might be used for rather than expecting them to understand the technical aspects of rod flex. With the introduction of the Helios 3, Orvis dropped their description of fly rods as “tip flex” and “mid flex,” opting for the distinctions of D for distance and F for feel. It was the perfect opportunity to test each of these rods for their strengths and their weaknesses. In my rod quiver for the trip were two Helios 3 eight weights, the F and the D. As you would expect, there were some beautiful days and some real howlers. I have spent the last two weeks fly fishing for bonefish in the Bahamas. Which Helios 3 fly rod is right for the saltwater angler?
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