As most of you know, Redington was bought last year by Sage. Well, I have to tell you, this was a good thing. I was able to get some good deals on the Redington line recently at the Outdoor Expo here in Salt Lake. I will tell you about two of their offerings which really impressed me;

Redington 9' 5wt CPS (Core Performance Series)

All the write ups said this was an extra fast rod. I have to say, this is not an understatement. This rod is QUICK!! The loops that come off the tip of this rod are as tight as any I have ever seen. The only thing is that in most cases, a very quick rod will not load very easily with very little line out. This is not a problem with this rod. The tip is supple enough to cast just a few feet of line but when you get to casting lots of line, you can feel the butt section go to work. The rod is very nice looking too. Deep green blank with same colored wraps and silver accents. The wraps and cork on this rod are the finest I have seen on ANY rod in many years. I was very impressed. The reel seat consists of a very handsome piece of wood with polished aluminum hardward. The internet will tell you this seat is nickel silver but that is not the case though the aluminum is polished so finely, you would be hardpressed to tell the difference. The grip is very comfortable and smooth. The guides are a very nice titanium covered oversize snake and the stripping guides are REC inserts. All guides were aligned perfectly which is something I look for in a rod. There is no sloppy work whatsoever on this rod. This is the classic five weight in looks and feel. Overall, I have nothing but praise for this rod. Comes with a cordura tube and rod sock and the lifetime warranty. The rods are all four piece models and sale for $249 and can be had in models from 3 weight to 12 weight.

I was lucky enough to get a deep discount at the show so I was able to also look into another Redington;

Redington 8'6" 5wt RS3

This is said to be an updated RS2 but I don't think so. This rod just casts so much better then the old RS2 and I really liked that rod as well. With the CPS being so fast, I was really looking for a moderate action rod. The RS3 is called a fast action rod and if you pick up a two piece model you will see why. The blanks are made of the same 57 million modulus graphite as the CPS series but are all together different, at least in the four piece model that I received. The blank is a handsome deep burgundy color with like colored wraps and silver accents. Wraps are tight and without sloppy workmanship. Cork is not the same primo brand as the CPS but then again, I don't see that kind of cork on many rods anywhere. These handles are perfectly functional without flaws. The reel seat on this one is done as nicely as the CPS with beautiful hardware. Very nice nickel silver uplocking seat with a handsome burl wood insert. As far as action goes, I would call this one a moderate but almost approaching moderate fast. Very nice flexing with a progressive action. Don't let the slower timing fool you though, this is one very capable rod. Very tight loops up close and booming out 60 foot casts without a second thought. This rod too comes with a cordura tube and rod sock as well as the lifetime warranty. These rods are available in many models from a sweet 3 weight to a very capable 12 weight with three spey models available also. The RS3 series is available in a two piece configuration for $169.00 or four piece for $199.00, which is a very progressive price point for the quality you are going to be getting.

Becoming a Sage company has done this line a lot of good. If you are in the market for a new rod, check these out. You will get a world class fly rod that will not break the bank. There are a lot of medium priced rods on the market that are great rods but I personally think this is the tops in this category. These rods are as good as any $5-600.00 rod on the market.

You can see them at

Redington - Fly Fishing Rods, Reels, Apparel & Accessories

and also find a dealer local to you while visiting them. The website is very interesting. I love the campaign they are using on the startup. You will see when you log in.