9 Best Euro Nymphing Rods: Expert Review
I’ve got 22 years of experience in Euro nymphing. Yep, I was teaching Euro nymphing in 2006 before 90% of fly anglers and guides had even heard of it.
During this time, I’ve tested out just about every Euro nymphing rod there is, except for some custom rods and some hard-to-get European rods. You will be hard-pressed to find another guy recommending euro nymphing rods who has more experience than I do.
I’ve also trained with multiple medal-winning and competition fly anglers from Team USA, Team Canada, France, and even a Spanish World Champion. Hell, some of my students have even competed on Team Canada, so I’ve had the opportunity to see the rods that these experts use and like, and found out why they like certain rods.
I also owned a fishing store, so I would order in every euro nymphing rod I could find to test them out.
Guys, back when I started, I remember telling my clients to get themselves a 10-foot 3-weight rod from their local Fly Shop, but when they walked into fly fishing stores and asked for a 10-foot fly rod, the staff looked at them like they were from Mars.
Now, the stores have plenty of rods for Euro nymphing, and there’s plenty of selection online that can confuse the average angler.
Best Euro Nymph Rod Length.
If you are new to euro nymphing, or even if you’re not, 10-foot rods or 10’6 rods are best. I would only recommend 11-foot or longer rods for more advanced anglers.
Best Euro Nymph Rod Weight
Before we start. for most small to mid sized river with trout from 6 to 30 inch, i’d recommend a 3 weight. Yes, 2 weights are also good and I’ve caught brown trout and rainbows up to 26 inches without any issues.
Some 4 weights are very good, but, only in 10-foot versions and only with high-end rods.
This is because I have found that some of the 10’6″ and 11-foot 4-weight rods were just too heavy. That extra length made them feel closer to a 6-weight, which is way too much for most trout streams.
TIP: I also share my most effective Euro Nymph leader, and my favorite fly lines in
The 7 Best Euro Nymphing Fly Rods
So, if you’re convinced I’m not just one of those random bloggers who barely know how to tie a fishing knot, let’s get into the Best Euro nymphing rods I recommend for guys on all budgets.
Cortland Guide Series Euro-Nymph Fly Rod – Best Budget Rod
For the last 10 years or so Cortaaln has been making some pretty impressive euro rods at a reasonable price. For this reason planty of my clients come out with these rods.
Every time a new model comes out, I try to get my hands on it fast to test it out, and this one is no exception.
For a rod around $160, it’s pretty damn good, so I recommend it to anyone looking for a 10’6″, 3-weight.
Match this up with one of the recommended Euro nymphing reels.
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Orvis Clearwater Freshwater Fly Rod: Best Under $300
I fished with this rod for a complete of years since I was on the Orvis guide program. It comes in 2-weight to 5-weight, but for small to mid sized rivers I really enjoyed the 3 weight, and so did all of my clients.
For under $300 it’s a great rod for Euro nymphing.
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Cortland Nymph Series Fly Rod: Guide Recommended
Another winner from Cortland, and a good choice if you want a 10’6″ rod, in 2, 3, or 4 weight. Yes, it only comes in 10’6.
With a price tag around $340, it’s a great rod for small to larger rivers.
Click the button for more details and for prices.
Redington Strike II Euro Nymphing Fly Rod: Best Under $400
Another fun rod coming in at just under 400 is the Redington Strike Euro nymphing rod.
The first time I tried this I was impressed at how light it was and how well it cast small flies.
It’s definitely worth checking out if it’s in your budget.
Click the button for more details and for prices.
Cortland Competition MkII Nymph Fly Rod: Best Under $550
This is the best Cortland rod I’ve ever gotten my hands on. If you’re serious or just have a boatload of cash, this is the rod for you.
With this 10-foot rod, I can cast 35 feet with nothing more than a size 14 tungsten beadhead nymph on a 40-foot mono-leader.
It’s super sensitive and has great hooksets.
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TFO Elevare Fly Rod: Best Under $600
Coming in around $550, this is one fun rod to fish.
My clients and I have put a ton of trout in the net and spent days flinging nymphs with this rod. Although around the same price as the Cortland, if you prefer a 10’6″ rod, this is a better option.
It also comes in an 10-foot length for smaller water. Click the button for more details and for prices.
Click the button for more details and for prices.
Sage ESN HD Fly Rod: Best High-End Euro Rod
It’s funny, I just read a review on this rod from a guy who’s fairly new to Euro Nymphing, he said he couldn’t tell the difference between this and his $300 rod.
That was my thoughts the first time I tried it. Same with the High-End Loomis.
There have been plenty of times I’ve handed my clients $800 plus rods and a $300-400 dollar rod and asked them to tell me which they thought was better or more expensive. 95% could not tell the difference.
BUT…. If you’ve got deep pockets and you’re the kind of guy who wants the best of the best Euro nymphing rod, then this might just be the rod for you.
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Redington Field Kit Euro Nymph Fly Outfit: Best Euro Combo kit
If you are looking for a Euro nymph rod and reel combo kit this is a great option.
Just add a sighter and fly and you’re good to go.
I’ve recommended this before in my other articles on the best fly fishing combos..
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BONUS: Syndicate Rods
I was given a couple of Syndicate rods a few years back to test out. Well, the first fish I caught on the 10-foot 2-weight was a 26 brown trout.
After that, many trout over 20 inches up to 26″ were caught on that rod and the 10-foot 3-weight.
Guys, it was an excellent rod for the price, and I was very impressed with how it handled everything, from casting flies to detecting bites to fighting big and small fish.
Therefore, I highly recommend you check them out..
That wraps it up for this year, but I’m testing out more rods for Euro Nymphing, so check back next year to see what’s new.
Tight Lines,
Graham
