Temple Fork has updated their two-handed game this year. Along with the new Axiom II switch rods , the Pro II adds a quality rod at a...
Temple Fork has updated their two-handed game this year. Along with the new Axiom II switch rods, the Pro II adds a quality rod at a good price point.
When our illustrious sales rep brought these over for us to try out (a hard day at work), we were excited to see all of the new offering from TFO. The Pro II series two-handed rods were the most exciting new rod. Our big question was "Will it compete with the Dually?" The Dually is our best selling two-handed rod, and it sets the standard for price-point spey rods. If TFO wants to really compete in this game, the Pro II must be better than the Dually.
Aesthetically, it is a really basic rod. Clean and simple, no one will be writing poetry about it's looks. The composite cork is really comfortable. I have become a fan over the past couple of years. The butt and top of the grip feature a soft EVA foam that gives it a nice look, while adding comfort and protecting the composite from chipping off at the more vulnerable points.The black blank with updated TFO logo are again, not fancy, but provide a clean and simple look that doesn't distract anyone from the performance.
So the real question is: How does it cast?
I will say that two-handed rods have come a long ways since I started casting them. This rod, that ranges from $299-$349, is far superior to the $800 _____ rod that I started with about 20 years ago (I bought it well used). But again, we are really only concerned here about whether it is better than the Dually.
I think that all four of us that cast it agreed that it is. We thought that it is a bit more crisp with a tighter action, more power and a more uniform taper that will accommodate a wide range of casting styles and line choices. It is not like $300 better, but $50 better? I will give it that.
It has great recovery, so newbies should have an easier time learning on it, and the taper allows the rod to grow with the angler. As we get better at casting, we tend to get lighter lines and our stroke gets shorter and slower. With a more uniform taper, this rod can handle those differences better than some others...
This rod is priced well. There are some really nice rods out there, but in this price point, I don't think it can be beat.One thing that we don't care for is the split weight on the rod. Call it a 6 weight or a 7 weight, because calling it a 6/7 makes it sound cheap. While it is at the low end of the market, it still reminds me of that first crappy fly rod I bought. That first fly rod of mine was a 5/6 weight, generic no-name brand with a plastic reel seat. While the Pro II does not have a plastic reel seat, (it has a nice black aluminum uplocking seat), the split weight is a downside. That was really the biggest gripe about the new Pro II series.
Here are the models:
TFO is jumping head first into the trout spey world with an 11' 2/3 weight that was super fun to cast. It doesn't have a lot of power for streamer fishing, but it should do just fine swinging soft hackles and nymphs, as well as (don't tell anyone) facing upstream and throwing a dry fly. It is definitely a rod that can, and should be thrown with a slow stroke and some careful planning. It is lightweight and definitely feels like a 2 weight.
The 11' 6/7 should be a killer summer steelhead rod, as well as a great streamer rod for big trout, stripers or whatever you want to eat a big chunk of meat in a moving stream. It had a nice, powerful delivery and seemed a little faster than the other models.
The 11'6" 7/8 is going to be the rod of choice around here for year-round steelheading on our smaller rivers. It packs a punch, throws Skagit heads with sink tips and Scandi heads with small flies equally well, although I liked how it loaded up a big sink tip really well. I see fishing this on the Hood River this winter with a big weighted articulated leech.
The 12'6" 6/7 is a great summer steelhead rod. It throws Scandi heads really well, as well as lighter sink-tip setups. This one had a really nice feel to it. I think we all liked that one a lot.
And the 13' 7/8 will make a nice big water rod. I can see fishing this on the big winter flows of the Clackamas or the Cowlitz. It should handle any sink tip that you would want to add to that Skagit head.
We were all impressed with the new Pro II two-handed rods. Not every pitch can be a strike, but this rod should deliver as promised. The discussion around the shop here has been on whether we would buy this over the Dually, and we all agreed that the Pro II is a better rod. While the Pro II doesn't have the hipster retro looks of the Dually, it casts better; and that is what should count in the end.
-Fishing, usually not catching
