Single-handed fly rods suitable for efficient, modern salmon fishing have often been overshadowed by the buzz surrounding double-handed rods, primarily due to the Spey casting hype. Not that you can’t Spey cast with a single-handed rod, rather you should learn to if you can’t! CND claim that every contemporary salmon angler should have a proper single-handed rod in her arsenal, maybe except for early season trips fishing very large rivers in high-water conditions. Dry fly fishing, riffling hitch and efficient swinging on smaller rivers – these are all situations where a single-handed rod excels over a double hander.
The CND BV GT single handed rods in 10’ #7 and #8 quickly got a large following in Scandinavia when they arrived on the scene some year after their legendary double-handed relatives. While the seven-weight maybe was the first choice among dry fly fishers up north, the firmer eight-weight also tackled tough wet fly fishing, including sinking shooting heads. Both models were characterised by extremely slim blanks, fast recovery yet not with the tippy action so common among many single-handed fly rods in these AFTM classes.
This spring the BV GT single-handed salmon rods are being replaced by the new Gravity series. CND have casted and tested the prototypes and must say that the step forward is stunning. CND uses exactly the same formula (mandrill, taper) for the Gravity single handers, except one thing – they use the new, nano-pitch improved prepeg (graphite cloth). The result are rods which have kept many of the characteristics of the BV GT single-handers, but one thing, their swing weight have been reduced considerably! Nordic salmon fly anglers tend to prefer a 10 feet single handed rod over a 9- feet similar. Sometimes CND recommend people who get worn out by the 10 feet rod to consider a shorter rod, especially if they use it for dry fly fishing, involving much blind casting. With the lightness of the Gravity 10 feet models, this downside of previous single handed 10 feet rods are almost gone, as far as CND consider it. If you didn’t think modern graphite rods could much get better, try these, and dare to compare with your current favourite.
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