Review by Rodney Wevill, Fluff Chucker & Orvis Saltwater Festival Guide
Just prior to Christmas I received a delivery from Orvis UK, on opening the package I found a brand spanking new Orvis Helios rod, a 9ft 11 weight.
This was very exciting, as I knew they were sending me a rod from their new range to trial and review, but I had no idea which model I would receive. I had already cast another rod from the range on the Itchen — a 9ft 5-weight that was super light and extremely accurate.
Unboxing this new surprise left me even more excited. The new colour scheme was a little more understated, which I really liked. Putting the rod together was easy thanks to the alignment dots, and for an 11-weight it felt light and well balanced in the hand. The reel seat and stripping guides were finished to the usual high standard, while the cork handle and extended fighting butt were made from high-grade cork. Overall, the rod is finished to a very high standard.
I selected my 9/12 Orvis Hydros Reel, loaded with an Orvis Bank Shot 11-weight floating line. Once the reel was securely seated and the line threaded through the guides, I headed straight to the field to give it a cast.
I was so very impressed right from the start.
I could put a full line out cast after cast, but the most noticeable thing was the pure accuracy. Point the rod and that’s exactly where it shot the leader. This is all well and good in a field, but what about on the water? With daily storms bringing 45mph winds and biblical rainfall, I needed to find somewhere to put it to the test.
I didn’t care about the conditions — this rod was going to be pushed to its limits. The next day I headed to the Somerset Levels to throw big flies at pike on the largest drain I could find. Standing on the banks of the Kings Sedgemore Drain, the weather was atrocious, with squalling gusts up to 55mph and heavy rain. Fishing was from one bank only, leaving me facing a head-on wind or hard right-to-left gusts.
I clipped on a 10” fly and started casting. There was no need to worry — the rod pushed the fly exactly where I wanted it, achieving excellent distance with a solid double haul. Even better, with just two false casts I could place the fly anywhere within my hunting area, with minimal effort.
I managed several more trips to the Levels over the following weeks and never enjoyed good conditions. However, this gave me the opportunity to fish the rod with an intermediate line and a wide range of flies, from large 15” pike and musky patterns to small clousers and everything in between.
So where would you choose to use this 11-weight powerhouse? The answer is simple. It’s an excellent tool for targeting big pike or musky on lakes and reservoirs, whether fishing from the bank or a boat. With its strong backbone, it’s also a solid option for mid-sized Wells catfish.
Then there’s what it was really built for: saltwater fly fishing. In the UK it would excel for big pollock, while in the tropics it would feel right at home on offshore medium game fish or medium-sized tarpon. In fact, it’s hard to think of a better rod size for a tarpon party.
While testing the rod, I found that despite its fast action, it has a lovely responsive tip. Even when playing a small river pike, it delivered excellent feel and feedback through the blank. It’s light enough to cast all day, and I wouldn’t hesitate to reach for it on stormy, windy days when most anglers would stay at home.
If the rest of the new Helios range performs at the same level as the 9' 11# and 9' 5#, we are in for a real treat. Having already owned several Helios 3 rods, including the 9' 11#, I can confidently say these are not just a cosmetic update — they are genuinely new rods, and they are the real deal.
I believe Orvis have set the new standard in casting with these rods. 10 out of 10 from me.
You can find Rodney at @roddersonthefly, and see more about the all-new Helios and Rodney’s first try @orvisuk over on Instagram.
