Scott Centric

In the Colorado Rockies, trout fishing takes many forms, from close quarters and #22 Tricos on the South Platte to bombing out #6 Golden Stones in the Gunnison Gorge. This complexity calls for a trout rod that can perform across a wide set of circumstances. And while some rod companies are caught up in making rods for streamers, rods for Euro nymphing, and rods for soft presentations, the Scott Centric ($895, scottflyrod.com) is an acknowledgment that a well-rounded trout fisher should be prepared for anything. The new Centric feels incredibly light, has amazing range (both fishing and casting), and it’s a fast-action rod with surprising sensitivity.

Scott president Jim Bartschi credits new rolling equipment at the Montrose factory,  and new materials with this “leap forward” in rod design. The Centric uses a completely new resin system. Because it bonds so well, the carbon fiber-to-resin ratio is higher, and carbon fiber density is higher. This means the rod is lighter, tougher, and it recovers quicker than any other rod in Scott’s inventory.

“We were so excited about the performance jump that we put a big exclamation mark on it with the new components we designed,” said Bartschi. “These are the most advanced components ever seen on a freshwater rod.”

Titanium stripping guides with zirconia inserts, low-glare Snake Brand Universal guides, and a machined reel seat with speed threads, easy grip knurling, self-indexing hoods, and a stand-out red Delrin lock washer set Centric rods apart on fly shop racks as well as on the water.