The Albemarle Angler

Let’s start by saying that I typically review only rods that really impress me and this review is no exception: the new TFO Clouser rod is phenomenal especially when you consider the $250 price tag and typical TFO lifetime warranty. When i first took the rod out of the case I noticed that while we had the typical blue blank, it was a color of blue I hadn’t seen before which i like. It also includes the “fly” graphic above the grip. In addition, the burled cork rings on the grip are a nice touch. The rods all come in a 4 piece configuration.
I consider TFO rods as a whole to be the best value in fly rods today. Mind you, they’re not the best rods out there but for the money they are tough to beat. This rod is no exception and is by far my favorite saltwater caster. I had despised the old TICR-x—it’s a broomstick fit for a witch. The Axiom is a great rod and I was happy to see it come along a couple of years ago but the Clouser sets a new standard in castability: I feel it comes in head and shoulders over the Axiom. While the Clouser doesn’t feel as light as a very high end rod such as the Orvis Helios or Sage Xi3, it has a great balance and substantial feel without being heavy. What really sets this rod apart from others is its castability: it is effortless to cast. You can feel the tip load easily, loop is easy to control and it has plenty of reserve power. With minimal effort you can cast 80ft and it will chuck the whole fly line with power to spare. Sure there are other rods which have this power but they seem to me a bit more difficult to control. The Clouser is pinpoint accurate and positive. The rod was actually designed to throw weighted flies and sinking lines and this it will accomplish well but that doesn’t mean its not a terrific tool for your standard floating line. The only rod in this price range that comes close to this is the Grey’s Platinum XD saltwater (which is a close second). Finally, the only odd thing about this rod is its limited configuration: it only comes in one length. 8 feet 9 inches but it covers line weights 5-10. It’s a home run from TFO and Bob Clouser at a price that you can afford. As Bob Clouser says about this rod, “Light in the hand and super sensitive…..I like to say, “I can feel them breathing on the fly as they inhale it”.

As many of you know, the fly fishing industry is moving quickly toward all rubber soles on most of the new wading boots to combat the spread of invasive species. The newest entry into the market from Orvis is the Riverguard series of boots. We highly recommend studs on all Vibram wading boots but the good news is that the Riverguard boots by Orvis come with studs. Our testiing has seemed to bear out the fact that rubber is more durable and offers better traction when studs are used than felt alone. This video explains more about the boot.