Fly fishing rods are constantly changing with improvements in construction, fly lines, reels, and technology. These are the best new rods of the year.
Every year, there’s a new list of the best rods out there. Without getting your hands on them, it’s a serious task to weed through the options and find the rod that best suits your needs.
In our annual hunt to find the best fly rods on the market, we took to the water, went to the International Fly Tackle Dealer Show, asked guides, scoured the internet, and read every tech spec and review to bring you our list of the fly fishing rods we think measure up for the coming year.
Obviously, there are a lot of opinions involved in what it takes to be the best, and if you visit six different sites, you’ll get six different lists.
That being said, here are our recommendations for 2022. Feel free to click the rods that interest you below, or scroll through to see the entire lineup:
- Best Overall
- Best Freshwater
- Do-It-All Series
- Best Spey
- Best for Saltwater
- Best Starter Package
- Best Budget
- Best Midlevel Rod
- Best Tenkara
The Best Fly Rods of 2022
Best Overall: Orvis Helios 3 Blackout
Released in July 2021, the Orvis Helios 3 Blackout ($998) missed many of the “best of” lists for last year. With almost a year of it being in public hands, there’s been some resounding praise of this specialized rod.
The 9’5″ 5-weight version of the series came out with a pile of hype, and so far it has measured up.
With its target demographic being drift boat fisherman, it has become a favorite for guides who spend long days afloat. It isn’t hard to find glowing reviews as fishermen have sung its praises for having the power and accuracy of a 10-foot rod while still casting with the ease of a 9-footer.
The rod is incredibly light in hand yet has a noticeably stiffer feel all the way through to the tip. That rigidity, along with those extra inches, is likely the most significant contributor to the power and accuracy fishermen are experiencing from the boat. When it comes to mending, again, that stiffness allows you to easily direct line for the most realistic float.
Our Hunt & Fish Editor Nicole Qualtieri fished with this rod in 2021, and here’s what she had to say about it:
“The Helios 3 Blackout might be my favorite rod I’ve fished with to date. It’s zippy, fun to cast, and accurate. Plus, this balance of light and fast makes the fight really fun when a fish is on. The 9’5” length is great for fishing in drift boats or off a paddleboard.
“But I still found myself reaching for it when wading. A lot of my other rods gathered dust; the Blackout did not. Even my guide friends loved it, and I could see a smidge of jealousy in their trout-lovin’ eyes. A lot of my other rods gathered dust last year, mostly because the Blackout did not. “
The only real notable drawback is the decision not to integrate a hook keep. It seems like an odd omission since it’s such a small component. I don’t know many people who actually use them. But for those who do, it might be frustrating to invest in such a high-end rod and be missing that simple piece.