Orvis Blackout Rods Available Now
When it comes to nymphing in Southwest Montana, there are several times a 9' rod won't get it done when we are running super deep, and super heavy rigs. Whether you are a fan of nymphing with an indicator or take part in the euro nymphing craze, the Orvis H3 Blackout rods are designed with you in mind.
If you are nymphing from a drift boat on the Yellowstone, or wrangling aquatic critters on the upper Madison with a euro nymph setup sometimes a standard length rod won't get it done. That's why 9'5" 5wt. H3 and 11' 3wt Blackout Rods are available now in our Bozeman fly shop. Get that extra reach when euro nymphing with the 3wt. and extra pickup power with the finesse to present a dry fly with the 9' 5" 5wt.
If you spend much time in a drift boat out west, there will unquestionably be early and late season days spent fishing deep nymph rigs along seams, drop-offs, and mid-river buckets. Long drifts, quick hook sets, effortless mends and lifting power make all the difference in terms of success at the end of the day. The 955 Helios 3D Blackout from Orvis is the perfect western nymphing fly rod, yet still works wonders as a techy dry fly rod on our big rivers. Made in Vermont.
The Blackout series includes three application-specific models built on the Helios 3 fly rod platform, finished out with a full, matte black blank featuring the "Blackout" logo.
H3D 9' 5" 5wt. Blackout
It began as a supremely accurate 9'5" 5-wt. boat rod, with superb long-range mending abilities on both reach casts and on-the-water drift manipulations straight to the indicator.
Field-testing proved it’s also a 5-wt. that impresses when it’s time to hop a gunnel and fish backchannel sippers on foot. That extra 5" is the secret sauce, providing added lift on your back cast without feeling overwhelming, with the comparable length advantages of a 10-footer in a rod that feels more like a 9. Simply put, it’s a nymphing weapon and your dream dry fly or hopper/dropper combo all in one.
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H3F 11' 3wt. Blackout
It’s what happens when you unleash American ingenuity on constantly evolving European-nymphing techniques.
This, our four-piece, 11' 3-wt. Euro-nymphing rod, is the latest development. A supremely accurate 11' rod with the swing weight of a 10-footer, it’s got the unreal sensitivity to telegraph the exact number of times your nymphs kiss gravel. Translation: Significantly fewer missed strikes and more fish to hand. Note the 11' length—that extra 6" is crucial for intuitive drift control in extremely complex current seams with a softer tip to protect even the finest tippets.