As we’ve noted many times when breaking the news about a new fly rod series from the venerated Montrose, CO-based rodmaker, Scott fly rods tend to hang around. That is, the team at Scott tends to bring new rods to market when they’ve built something that they think markedly outperforms what it’s replacing or offers something entirely new, rather than just adhering to a marketing lifecycle calendar. The beloved Radian held onto a spot in Scott’s lineup for the better part of a decade. So anglers can typically have a fair measure of confidence that what Scott brings to the table in each new rod series is more than just a fresh paint job. In the case of its latest offering—the brand-new, aptly named Swing series—Scott has built an expansive lineup of rods aimed at anglers who, well, swing, whether for trout, steelhead, salmon, or other quarry.
The new Swing series spans 14 different models, including a couple of single hand models and a laundry list of two-handers. Every rod in the series is loaded with Scott’s flagship technologies found in its highest performing rods like the Centric and Sector, as well as a few new introductions found only in the Swing—like new, “tangle-free,” titanium stripping guides with silicon nitride inserts that are designed to help casts to shoot farther and reduce tangles in mono or braid running lines.
SINGLE HANDERS
Though the Swing lineup is predominated by two-hand casting rods, Scott incorporated designs for two single-hand models for situations that call for — or simply anglers that prefer — single-hand rods. Both models — a 7-weight and an 8-weight — are 9’ 8” in length.
MSRP for the single hand swing models is $1,395.
TWO HANDERS
A whopping 12 two-hand models make up the heart of the Swing lineup, falling into four distinct categories: Short/Light rods (geared towards smaller fish and more intimate waters), All-Around rods (designed to work both short and long for most quarry that two-hand anglers chase), Long Rods (aimed at anglers fishing long distances and long belly lines), and Viking Sticks (longer, faster action rods that Scott says are exceptionally light in hand for their length, geared towards producing tight loops and high line speeds).
The models in the Swing two-hand lineup range from an 11’ 8” 4-weight all the way up to a 16’ 1” 10-weight.
MSRP for the two-hand Swing models is $1,395 - $1,495.
BUILDING THE SWING
About the process of conceiving, designing, and building the new Scott Swing fly rods, Scott president and rod designer Jim Bartschi said, “This was a particularly satisfying project. The challenge of creating high-performance rods for both single and double-handed fishing applications to pursue the world’s most magnificent fish species was a long, and at times, arduous process but always compelling and fun. For this project, I had the opportunity to work with intensely dedicated salmon and steelhead anglers worldwide to dig into the smallest details. When you collectively get to the finish line on a project like this, there’s a lot of shared pride and excitement.”
To learn more about the new Scott Swing series, visit scottflyrod.com.
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