Orvis Helios

Joe D

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The light weight and delicate feel of this rod is in stark contrast to the swift power this rod generates to buck the sometimes windy conditions that surround big water trout fishing. The rod I have is a mid flex 8'6" 5 weight that feels like something less in my hand, yet casts like something more. Fighting and playing fish with this rod is incredible. I've used this rod's sensitive tip to protect delicate 7X tippets against twenty inch class brown and rainbow trout while the rods backbone easily handled bringing big fish in fast water to the net.

Recently, I also had the opportunity to fish a Helios 10 weight in the salt for stripers, bluefish and false albacore. The rod performed beautifully. It's light weight, lighter than many five weights, made casting all day long a very non-tiring pursuit. Casting can best be described as distance made easy. The windy conditions typically found on the ocean were less of a concern than usual as this rod generated tight loops and line speed to slice through the up to twenty knot winds we encountered. I have to admit that initially I had some reservations about the fish fighting ability of such a light rod. That concern was put to rest after the first fish was hooked; this rod is no light weight. It just doesn't weigh much. With the drag cranked down the rods backbone and muscle were put to the test on big North Carolina false albacore and New Jersey's chopper blues and striped bass.
 

cbl0325

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I purchased a Helios 905-4 tip 9.5 and it's just fantastic. I use SA GPX to load it a little more and I have to tell you the great thing about the Helios is not really the light weight although it's a great benefit, it's the FEEL and power the rod has that is it's greatest benefit. I am trying to find a great reel to match to it and wondered if anyone would make a recommendation. I need at least 100 yard dacron backing and would like a light reel around 4 ounces. Ross and Konic are the 2 lightest I find at 3.9..... any other recommendations are appreciated.
 

Joe D

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Why not the new Battenkill Large Arbor II or III from Orvis or a Battenkill Bar Stock III. Probably in the 3.5 oz. range.
 

Joni

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I purchased a Helios 905-4 tip 9.5 and it's just fantastic. I use SA GPX to load it a little more and I have to tell you the great thing about the Helios is not really the light weight although it's a great benefit, it's the FEEL and power the rod has that is it's greatest benefit. I am trying to find a great reel to match to it and wondered if anyone would make a recommendation. I need at least 100 yard dacron backing and would like a light reel around 4 ounces. Ross and Konic are the 2 lightest I find at 3.9..... any other recommendations are appreciated.
The TIBOR Spring Creek would be awesome, but you could send me the rod and I could make sure for you "smiling" ;-)
 

BlueDun

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Why not the new Battenkill Large Arbor II or III from Orvis or a Battenkill Bar Stock III. Probably in the 3.5 oz. range.
I have a CFO III on my 865-4 Helios. I chose that reel mostly out of convenience. I might replace the CFO with something else, but I have not been in a rush to check out anything else b/c I am happy with it the feel of the rod and reel together when I am fishing.
 

Lars Mat

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I purchased a Helios 905-4 tip 9.5 and it's just fantastic. I use SA GPX to load it a little more and I have to tell you the great thing about the Helios is not really the light weight although it's a great benefit, it's the FEEL and power the rod has that is it's greatest benefit. I am trying to find a great reel to match to it and wondered if anyone would make a recommendation. I need at least 100 yard dacron backing and would like a light reel around 4 ounces. Ross and Konic are the 2 lightest I find at 3.9..... any other recommendations are appreciated.
This summer I fished dry fly with the Helios 904-4 of a friend of mine, and it was incredible. I now want one as well, but we noticed that the weight of the reel was extremely important. With a Waterworks ULA purist it was a match made in heaven but with a ULA Force (still a very light reel) the rod performed more ordinary. So I will strongly recommend to go for an extremely light reel as the ULA Purist, which is a nice reel with a nice design ( I like that you can recognize a reel 10 feet away, that is hard witrh most now adays :icon_cry: )
Lars
 
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