Echo Full Spey 13' 8wt
I should do more product reviews. I enjoy sharing products that I believe in. I only recall ever reviewing products that I have purchased. My patience is tested when reading bias reviews where people spout off about crap that they get free.
One of the more recent purchases that I have fallen in love with is the Echo full spey 13' 8 wt. I've known about their rods for a long time. They boast quality, durability, economy and an outstanding warranty (not looking forward to testing that). I believe they have achieved these criteria. I have cast the Echo3 spey rods in 6,7,8 wt and thought them to be exceptional. The Full spey seems to have replaced those models and I have not been disappointed. Although the line suggestion for these is a 540-570 Skagit, I find it best matched with a 510. To me, that makes it a "Heavy 7wt" if you will. Everyone's rod balance is different, so please do not treat this as gospel. I like fishing this rod for light and moderate tips. I will also use it for dryline fishing using either an Airflo Rage 510 with a 12-15ft tapered leader for my shorter presentations or The New BRIDGE TRIBUTARY 6,7 by Tim Arsenault. It balances perfectly on this rod if I'm fishing somewhere where I can fish a longer cast.
It would appear that this 13 footer is my comfortable, do anything rod. It’s the one I've been dragging from the quiver most often recently. I find it quite light and I have mine outfitted with a Lamson GURU HD, which makes it an extremely light setup. The Full Spey is nothing fancy to look at (not that I care what a fishing rod looks like) but its timeless black w Copper/Gold accent wraps. The tube is fabric covered and square (which I like so it doesn't roll around in my camper, or on the floor of the boat.) It's a Solid rod for a reasonable price. It's my recommendation now for people starting into two handing.