Scott Session Fly Rod | Pro Review
The new Scott Session Fly Rod is here and ready to be picked up from your nearest dealer. Of course, with fly fishing, it's hard to know exactly what a rod feels like until you try it yourself. Well, to help get your head round this new series. We put the new Scott Session Fly Rod into the hands of a group of anglers and their feedback is below.
In the reviews you've got the good trusty 9ft 6wt, 9ft 5wt models, the 10' #4 and there's the superb twig water 8ft 3wt too to check out.
The Scott Session Fly Rod fits right in between the Centric and the G-Series. Not as fast as the Centric, but faster than the G-Series. It's the right in the middle. It's what Scott calls a 'fast with feel' action.
The Scott Session is a premium rod without the Gucci custom fittings of some of the other Scott models. But to put that in context the Session's component set is actually in line with what most companies put on their premium rods. That's really where the value comes in for Session and, most importantly, like all Scott fly fishing rods, they are handcrafted on site in Colorado, USA. Each rod has the Scott personal touch even down to the handwritten Scott logo, rod label and serial number.
Jim Bartschi, President of Scott Fly Rods (left), Rene Vaz, Manic Tackle Project (right).
Rather than cut corners by adding inferior fittings that would affect performance, Scott have reduced costs in other ways, without having to sacrifice on the river output. Simple measures like removing some cosmetic features, no Scott engraving on the butt and using a cordura tube, all mean that the Scott Session hand crafted rod you get is pure Scott quality and definitely not just a budget model from a premium rod manufacturer.
Rotorua's favourite son, Mike Davis, on some smaller water.
Rather than listen to us parp on about it, as you know we are going to be stoked on it as we've all fished it already! Have a listen to what these guys think, then get into your local Manic Dealer and grab one.
Yoshi Nakagawa - Professional Fishing Guide & Outfitter - @nzyoshi
Scott Session used: 905/4 | 9ft 5wt & 1004/5 | 10ft 4wt
The Scott Session is half way between the Centric and the G-series, two rods that I fish all the time. It's the goldilocks rod. It's not as fast as the Centric, nor as soft feel as the G, it's right in the middle. That middle means you have so many options. Often clients ask me what rod they should bring from overseas as they can often only bring one. That's ok if they are only fishing one place, but if they are travelling it's a bit tricky.
I fished the 905/4 on my local river and on a back country streams no wider than a table. It fished a dry dropper rig perfectly, had good control on a single dry and didn't mind being pushed on a double nymph rig. The 1004/4 I've been using for Euro Nymphing. It has a very soft tip for flicking a Euro rig plus its extremely light and balance to fish this way.
When you pick up a Session the first thing you will notice is how light it is. Superlight in fact. Then casting, that same light feel, but with power too. The versatility of the Scott Session makes it a rod that covers practically every application. It's not just a casting rod, it's a fun fishing tool
Tom Clancy - Fly Life writer and photographer @clancy_flyfishing
Scott Session used: 803/4, 8ft 3wt
First impressions of the Scott Session is that it just feels like it 'aims to please'. Fishing for Australian freshwater natives and inshore salt species more than trout these days, means I often have to really focus and slow my naturally faster and punchier casting style down to get the most out of my usual trout sticks. With the Session though, I felt like it just took whatever casting cadence and style I fed into it and delivered accurate and stable loops out the other end with seemingly no effort at all.
At 8ft, the Session 803 is a great length for the twigwater. It's long enough to hold your line up over mid steam obstacles and messy tailouts and also to ensure nice clean drifts. The length really helps with mending on the occasionally larger pool too. It is also short enough to enable accurate and unobstructed casts under the thick canopy that often encloses smaller streams and creeks and its short stature helps when scrambling through the really tight stuff.
Accuracy and stability are extremely noticeable and very impressive. For a twiggy little 3wt, the stability of my loops and the accuracy in which I could place casts - both in close and at distance - with minimum technical forethought into my casting was actually mind-blowing. I feel like this rod just aims to please; from the very first cast it just did what I wanted, when I wanted it, with no fuss or bother.
Also - I love the throwback to the wood insert in the reel seat and the green motif. Makes for a very sexy piece of kit.
Andrew Harding - Professional Recreational Angler
Scott Session used: 906/4, 9ft 6wt
The action – not sure what they did, but the rod tip is deadly accurate whilst not being silly fast and lifeless in action. It’s an absolute joy to use for beginners and experienced alike and true-to-line weight. Lots of applications, I fished this on Lake O from my boat. Not the typical boat rod, but the Session performed majestically.
Jim Bartschi, President of Scott Fly Rods
The cosmetics and finish - just a stunning rod to look at in every regard! As high-end as they come - without the associated price-tag. The finish may as well be a Centric or G. You have to look very close to see where the changes have been made. There's no engraved Scott logo on the butt cap, that's about it!
Mr Harding, fish (left), gardening (right)
It’s the small things that Scott has done with the Session that make this memorable. There's a unique new wells style grip that really suits the Session's action, double-locking reel seats, and the Session is strong and extremely light in-hand - and did I mention bang-for-buck?
Mike Davis - Rotorua Hunting & Fishing, Owner
Scott Session used: 905/4 - 9ft 5wt.
I was lucky enough to fish the new Scott Session 905/4 on a tight, tree lined stream and was instantly very impressed. The rod loaded in close beautifully which helped in placing the flies in and under tree branches to where the fish were feeding. The med/fast action of the tip meant you never second guessed where the fly was going to land and how the leader would turn over and present the fly to the feeding fish.
When playing fish in close the power through the butt of the rod was fantastic and had the power to lead fish away from obstacles with ease. The session is a rod that doesn’t like to be man handled when casting, just relax, let the fly line load into the rod and effortless delivery of a well presented fly will happen every time.
Capping off a small water session. Left to right, Mike Davis, Jim Bartschi and legendary guide and fly tier, Russ Anderson.
The session cosmetically is a beautiful fly rod and is a rod that will be treasured by every owner.
Rene Vaz - Manic Tackle Project Boss
Scott Session used: several
If there is a word to describe the new Scott Session fly rod series its smooth. To be honest all Scott fly rods have a quintessential smoothness to them that I think is totally unique in the industry. It’s particularly unique in that with Scott, this feature is across the whole series of rods. For example, it’s not just in the #5, then the #6 is a broomstick, with Scott somehow Jim Bartschi manages to get all the models to line up perfectly with an effortless smoothness.
When it comes to the Session the rods are very easy to load, you wont feel like you need to drive them hard, although if you want to lean into them they can handle it. Just imagine in fly rod terms an expensive car, it’s quiet, you don’t need to work too hard, it smoothly moves between the gears as you apply pressure and next thing you know you’re flying along over the speed limit with flashing lights behind you (just an analogy not a suggestion).
Anyway I think you get the picture, the Session is a smooth rod. On the water that means, you can take your time to control the cast, make it accurate, feather in a dry fly to a feeding fish or drive a long cast with a double nymph rig without tip bounce or a loss of tracking. I’ve been lucky enough to fish a bunch of the series and cast almost all of the models and my take home is if you like one you’ll like them all…our team certainly does.