Scott's Meridian is perhaps the most celebrated saltwater-focused fly rod series produced in the last decade. Or longer. When the Meridian hit the streets in 2015, it won virtually every award it was eligible for, well-respected industry personalities like Kirk Deeter called it "the best saltwater fly rod ever made," and Popular Mechanics even featured the Meridian and its technology in an article that called it the "fly rod that makes you a better fisherman."
And so most of us expected the Meridian to be around for quite some time, not just because of its success, but because of Scott Fly Rods' willingness to buck what has become sort of an industry trend of more-new-rods-more-often.
"We certainly wouldn't have replaced Meridian at this stage in its life cycle if we weren't absolutely compelled to," Scott Fly Rods president and rod designer Jim Bartschi told Hatch Magazine.
Typically, Scott's fly rod series stay in the company's lineup for at least 5 years. Often more. The Radian is going on 8. The G2 lasted 12 years. Under Bartschi's guidance, Scott tends to only replace rod models when it truly believes it can build a better product. Usually, that when comes as a result of the development of new tapers, new materials or new components.
In the case of the Meridian's successor—the new Sector series—it was all of the above. Building on the success of the Meridian and Scott's 'ReAct' technology, the Sector series is built on newly designed tapers, using new materials technology and features all-new components you won't currently find anywhere else.
The keystone of the new Sector series is Scott's new 'Carbon Web,' a technology which encases unidirectional fibers—which typically run vertically along a rod's blank—in a "web" of ultra-light multi-directional carbon fiber. The benefits, according to Scott, are better torsional stability, better tracking, and a reduction in the propagation of micro-fractures that can ultimately lead to your rod quitting on you when you need it most. When combined with newly designed tapers and the existing advancements in the Meridian series, Bartschi says he and the folks at Scott were able to build a rod that is more efficient at generating line speed and power.
And others seem to agree. According to John Duncan at Colorado's Telluride Angler fly shop—not too far down the road from Scott's Montrose, CO factory—the Sector is a notable evolution. "I really believe the Meridian is the best saltwater rod from 20 to 70 feet ever created. The Sector is the best saltwater rod from 20 to 100 feet," Duncan said.
In addition to the new tapers and Carbon Web technology, the Sector also includes new Ceracoil stripping guides—which you won't currently find on any other rods. Now, it's okay if you're not inclined to get excited about stripping guides, but understand that the folks at Scott are. And that's saying something. According to Scott, the new, patented Ceracoil guides are the most advanced guide system available thanks to being corrosion proof, crush proof, having the lowest coefficient of friction of any guide, and being coated with a low-reflective PVD finish that is more durable than traditional plated finishes.
The advancements and new features in the new Sector series—available in weights 7 through 15 and retailing for $985—don't end there. For the rest of the details, you can visit Scott.
LEARN MORE ABOUT THE SCOTT SECTOR FLY ROD (via Scott Fly Rods)
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