New Zealand Dry Fly Rod 486-4 8' 6" 4wt

Crisp, fun, efficient and deadly accurate. Yup, it's the best casting dry fly rod on the planet.

                                              Leland New Zealand Dry Fly Rod:

 

"Hooking a trout has much to do with how perfectly you are able to present your dries."

 

The Leland Rod Co. New Zealand Dry Fly rod was designed specifically for those trout anglers who prefer to fish with dry flies. Well-balanced, efficient, accurate and just plain fun to cast, this rod is what casting dreams are made of. Rest assured that our rod is dressed with highest-quality components and the best blank materials available. From the moment you handle this rod, to your first cast...it's all smiles. It's like finding a classic car with a contemporary engine in it.

Review by W. Arnold of Georgia

Background:

I was very fortunate to be given the opportunity to test the Leland New Zealand Dry Fly 486-4 fly rod for a couple of weeks. While testing this rod, I was able to solicit input from other guides and also an individual new to fly fishing, so the following comments are the consensus of several others, not just myself.

Quality:

The build quality of this rod is excellent. The blank, guides, reel seat, and cork grip are all top quality components. The blank is slender and the ferrule connections are hardly noticeable. The action is medium to fast and very well suited to dry flies and small nymphs, and the rod tube and sock are also a "cut above." Neat, little extras include ferrule plugs and the sock even has a small pocket to store the plugs when the rod is assembled. There is also an extra place in the sock for a spare rod tip. At first glance the shape of the cork grip is a little "quirky," however, the ergonomics are excellent and the grip is a perfect fit for most hands. Overall, this is a very well thought out package.

Casting:

I have ready many rod reviews where the reviewer states how easy a rod is to cast or the rod almost, "cast itself." I own a couple of these rods and do not find these statements to be accurate. However, I found the New Zealand Dry Fly rod to be one of the nicest casting rods I have ever had in my hand. The rod is excellent at short distances and loads with very little line. The rod can also throw a line a considerable distance and I had no trouble casting 60 feet or more. The rod also executes "roll casts" in an equally competent manner. While guiding a "Wounded Warrior," who had never cast a fly rod, I traded off the "guide rod" we provided for the New Zealand Dry fly rod model. He found his casting to be so much improved that he did not want to go back to the "guide rod."

Lines:

I tried several different lines from Airflo to Rio and found that the Leland New Zealand Line in a 4 weight balanced it just right.  This fly line has a shorter head and I love the olive/green color combination.

Fishing:

While I did not have the chance to land any fish larger than 14 inches, I felt the rod could handle large fish with ease. Casting accuracy was "dead on" and mending line was also very precise.

Recommendation:

I would definitely recommend the rod to anyone of any skill level and my next rod purchase will be a New Zealand for sure.