FLADENVantage 3pc Travel Fly Rod

At 210cms this 8'4" rod being 3-piece is not exactly a travel rod, longest section is 30 inches (76cms) but what a superb performer and at this price it introduces a new disposable market, not that you'd want to leave it behind. Finish on mine is perfect; whippings in maroon tipped with gold, chrome snake rings with black 'agate' butt ring, circular chrome tip ring that will accommodate a thick line and with no 'agate' liner to come loose as so often happens. Keeper-ring also present. Cork handle had minimal filler, the best cork these days is reserved for £600 bottles of claret, and the dark finish on the up-locking reel seat complements the black blanks. Although graded for a 3# line most small rods are versatile and it cast my 4-weight floating line very well. Using a pheasant tail nymph in less than a couple of hours I'd hooked 4 wild brownies and lost more (as usual). The fight by the half-pounder transmitted right to my elbow and was great sport on this lightweight. The finish and action belie its pedigree and I can't recommend this rod too highly. It's difficult to see how other manufacturers can justify prices in excess of 30x greater. Start your wild fishing with this rod and it shall be with you for life; yours or the rod's but if you're clumsy it's cost you next to nothing.

Its a low price rod not a cheap rod. I bought it for a trip to USA, so if broken i wouldnt cry.However it performs well within its design parameters, casting cleanly and lifting the line off the water as required.As a 3wt rod it is only a stream / small river rod and i found i prefered a 4wt greased silk line.The rings & whippings were acceptable, the blank is light and strait, the cork has more filler than i prefer but it is OK.It is an ideal holiday rod, spare rod, or lenderIve had a 4wt and will replace this with another if broken or lost.

I have been using my bulky 7 weight river rods to fish on my local stream, they were far to big a slow to cast well.First trip out with this new 3 weight and I caught a Dace on my second cast. The main difference was how much easier it was using a shorter, lighter rod on a wild, over hung stream.If you do any small stream fishing, get yourself a lightweight rod.This one feels like a much more expensive rod to use.I would definately recommended this.

I have used a 7ft #3 Fladen Vantage the last season, and I was so satisfied that I decided to buy the same rod in #4. I put a nice fly line (Barrio GT90), and now I have got a nice flyfishing tool for smal.medium rivers and dry fly ... and that's my preferred way to fishing. The rod is cheap, don't look for Flor grade cork or ebony or snakebood reel seat, the guides are simple but the most important, the action is surprisingly nice for a bargain rod as this. I feel comfortable with its size and action (medium tip) and it's very easy to perform nice castingas and to go further with your dry fly. I have caught several trouts with it, and I had no problems to set up the hook . Impossible to go wrong with this rod.

This is the rod that I've most enjoyed this year, I like to fish trout in small streams and this rod is perfect for this. Light weight, easy to cast and most accurate than expected. In the negative points the finish is not very fine (resin over the guides) and it comes without tube or cloth. The better side: the price and the perfomance. I use it with #3 and #4 line, depending on the conditions of the river and the weather.

The rod casts well on a #5 wf line. It is good for small lakes about 1.5 acres. The negative is the reel end is not metal over the whole bit and there is only one locking nut so it can come loose. I would recommend that this is for people getting into the sport. It is fantastic that these days for 100 pounds you can get everything a beginner needs.

Its difficult to review a four piece fly rod when only the butt end was dispatched to me. Obviously it was returned for a refund, but the piece I received didnt look great as it was in a rather tatty plastic rod bag and of course was unuseable. The fact that it was sent out as an item that doesnt comply with the Sale of Goods Act ......not as described, not of merchantable quality, and not fit for purpose, speaks volumes about the lack of customer care, and indifference to the use it might have been put to. 0 stars at all really.

Great little rod, well balanced and strong. Would be even better if my son hadn't left it in his mates car who then went 300 miles back to work!