Positive Press for the Redington Classic Trout

If you’ve been reading this blog for a while, you’re probably aware that when I use a fly rod and reel, I’m pretty fond of the Redington Classic Trout. I have the 7’6″ 3-weight version, and no matter what other rods I pick up, I always tend to come back to it.

Now the Redington Classic Trout is not the fanciest of fly rods. When I received my original model as a Christmas gift back in 2010, I think it retailed for around $120. Today, they sell for $170, so they’re still a no-frills, fairly opening price point option. But in today’s world of ultra fast, high performance fly rods, the Classic Trout’s more moderate action is very forgiving and pleasurable to cast.

So, I was incredibly excited to see the Classic Trout family of rods recently receive some kind words thrown their way in two separate articles.

In the first, Yellow Dog Fly Fishing conducted a “5 Weight Rod Invitational” putting models from almost every rod maker through the paces in different casting scenarios and scored by three independent judges. The rod with the #2 overall highest composite score, besting all but one of the other 27 rods tested from Orvis, Sage, Scott, Hardy & Winston? The Redington Classic Trout. (I can’t make that up.)

Yellow Dog’s Summary:

“The Redington Trout Classic 5-weight is a moderate-action rod with great tempo, intuitive flex, and excellent ease of casting across distances—making it especially enjoyable for anglers who prefer a slower, more relaxed rhythm. The rod did exceptionally well in the streamer course, placing first overall, fourth in the dry fly course, third in the nymph course, and second overall in performance. It loads easily, adjusts well between short and long casts, and provides solid feedback and accuracy without requiring much effort. However, its heavier swing weight and slight sloppiness in the flex—particularly with some vibration and separation between tip and butt—limit its refinement and make it less ideal for longer sessions or extended roll casting. The Redington Trout Classic is a smooth, approachable rod at an incredibly affordable price that that shines in casual, close-to-midrange trout work.”

The second reference came from Todd Tanner in an article for Hatch Magazine titled, “5 All-Time Favorite Fly Rods.” Now you’ll likely click that link and skim the article quickly and notice that the Redington Classic Trout was not in Mr. Tanner’s top five list. Instead, he lists two Winstons, a Tom Morgan Rodsmiths model, and two rods from Montana Brothers Rodworks. But to those with a keen eye, and the patience to read to the very end, you’ll notice this snippet in the closing paragraph of the article…

“Finally, all the rods I mentioned up above are, or were, awfully expensive. To be frank, there’s not an inexpensive rod on the list. So to make up for that, I’d like to point you towards a very reasonably-priced series of rods that garners far less attention than it should. Redington makes an absolutely stellar line of rods that goes by the name “Classic Trout.” In fact, if you offered me a choice between the majority of the $1000 fly rods available today and a $170 Redington, I’d actually choose the Classic Trout. This particular Redington proves that you don’t need to spend a lot of money to find a wonderful fly rod, and that rod manufacturers can build a stellar rod without breaking the bank.” – Todd Tanner

So there. Some recent, and major props for the Redington Classic Trout from not just one, but two sources. And if that’s not good enough for you, I happen to know Bill Trussell‘s fond of ’em too… 😉

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