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Rod review: Orvis Recon
Over the past several months it became acutely necessary for me to get a couple of new fly rods (my old ones broke and I had them so long they could not be repaired). After looking around a bit I decided to go with the Orvis Recon series. They are pretty affordable for new fly rods and look nice too. It’s when you fish one you find out. It just gets the job done. I find them to be light enough to cast streamers over and over but beefy enough to get a popper “Over There”.
I’m able to use my six weight for saltwater in speckled trout and slot sized redfish as well as bugging for largemouth bass. The eight weight handles the bigger flies I use for redfish in the wind and I’ve even caught under 10 lb false albacore with it. These are the rods I use most of the time and I am very pleased with them. I didn’t have to hold off on groceries that week I bought them either!
Book excerpt
Marshall Cutchin ran an excerpt from my book, Flyfishing the Southeast Coast, on the Midcurrent blog:
Go into the light (for trout and reds).
I got another couple nights of dock light fishing. Friday night was the classic scene of fish busting minnows on the surface and I fished with small poppers
Got a slam.
Also used size 4 streamers fished like wet flies. 
You can see the Lazer Minnow w/ Flymen Fishing Co. Fish Mask in the mouth of this 5 pounder.
Saturday night the fish weren’t on top so I fished a weighted fly using the Flymen Fishing Co. Sculpin head on a Shrimpy Critter and they liked that too.
My new Orvis Recon is a gem of a rod that doesn’t cost the same as a gem.
Tailing tides this week…
Another great night of dock light action
It might seem repetitive, but any time a style of fishing is as good as this has been lately, you tend to want to keep doing it. I hit the dock lights with my buddy Griffee @griffee11 . We pulled up and the fish were popping in the lights. It sounds like champagne corks being pulled. My first cast was with a size 4 Crease Fly. One grabbed it immediately. Redfish.
My next cast was an instant replay, except this guy had striped pajamas:
A couple more and this speckled trout decided he wanted his chance:
It slowed down after this and when the bite quit we went to another spot. That was a good idea because this Momma was there:
Pictures aren’t great but that’s close to five pounds. Got her on a size 4 Lazer Minnow with a Flymen Fishing Co Fish Mask. My new Orvis Recon is a great rod and I was able to make the long casts I needed to in the dark with no problems.
We wrapped it up when the tide changed. Got to bed pretty late. It was worth it.
Working on the night moves
I usually don’t start doing this until later in summer but I heard some stories so off I went. Yeah it was a good idea. That shiny object in the top photo is a 4.5 lb speck and we caught them non stop for three hours in the middle of the darkest night. If you haven’t done it I recommend it. I even wrote about it in my book that you may have heard about…. hint, hint 😉
More bass to kiss
Tied up these two beauties on Owner XLWG hooks and headed out.
The black one seemed to work better. The wing on top keeps it riding straight
Then I tried this ridiculous contraption that I made using one of those Squirmle toys. Casts like a tire but this one liked it enough
Flyfishing the Southeast Coast
Did you know that I wrote a book? And it got published? And that it’s shipping now?!?!
Totally true. Look for more info coming soon!
Capt. Gordon's Fishing Reports 