http://www.echoflyfishing.com/

Angling Publications - Index

Angling Publications - april2008 - Index

Echo Classic Spey Rods
When World Casting Champion, Tim Rajeff, designs a new rod series he doesn’t screw around. After almost two years of design, testing
and tweaking, Tim’s new Echo Classic Spey Rod Series has just landed.
The series includes four rods, all 4-piece designs, including a 12.5-foot 6/7-weight, a 13-foot 7/8-weight, a 13.5-foot 8/9-weight, and a
14-foot 9/10-weight. Features common to all four include green painted blanks with tip-over-butt ferrules and alignment dots, chrome-plated
stainless steel single-foot guides, twin strippers with stainless steel frames and SiC rings, brushed, clear-anodized aluminum, uplocking reel seats
with knurled locking rings, 5.5-inch long premium cork lower grips with EVA-foam butts, and 13.5-inch long premium cork foregrips in an
elongated full-Wells pattern. All come packed in a Cordura-covered rod tube with cloth rod sock, and include Rajeff Sports’ lifetime warranty.
Our evaluation rod was the 13-foot 7/8-weight, priced—like the whole series—at an amazing $269.95. We rigged it up with a Rio Windcutter Spey
line (WF7/8/9F, 525-grain, 52-foot head) and headed off for testing. We also brought along a 13-foot, 8-weight, two-handed rod from another manufacturer
(priced at $750) that we’ve come to regard as the standard for the genre, just to see what the Echo was lacking. As it turns out, the only thing
lacking was $480 worth of cost. The Echo Classic kept right up with the $750 model, delivering the entire 120-foot Windcutter Spey line with equal
competence. Test cast one at your fly shop, or contact Rajeff Sports, Dept FFA; Tel: (866) 347-4359; Web: www.echoflyfishing.com—Bill Battles
CHRIS GERONO PHOTO