Shadow Warrior Fly Rod Review - 3wt and 7wt rods for bass and brook trout
Intro
I found Shadow Fly Fishing by accident while searching for a used fly rod. I wanted a rod for small mouth and large mouth bass. I bought a 7 weight off of Facebook marketplace place. The rod exceeded all my expectations.
Casting
The rods are classified as fast action. They have a lot of power and load really well at short distances. Because of this, I’ve had to slow my casting stroke down. When I did this, everything clicked. I’m able to deliver small flies with accuracy with the 3WT or chuck large poppers with the 7 wt 40 feet and hit exactly where I’m aiming. Overall, both the 7wt and the 3WT cast great.
Weight
What surprised me was just how light the Warrior feels. Out of curiosity, I weighed them.
My 7-weight Shadow Warrior weighs just 3.10 ounces. My 10-foot Orvis Clearwater weighs 3.8 ounces. That's pretty impressive when you consider the Shadow is actually a heavier line-weight rod. You really notice that difference after several hours of casting or nymphing.
Build quality
For a mid-price rod, the build quality exceeds expectations. It has an awesome skeletal reel seat that cuts back overall weight of the rod, it locks the reel in very securely. The wraps are high quality. It uses single foot guides. I know there is a standing debate as to what performs better. I feel the rod is great at shooting line, and you can feel better action from the single foot guides. The quality of the cork is comparable to a high end rod.
The Reel
I also picked up the matching 3/4-weight reel. I've been just as impressed with the reel as I have been with the rod. Everything feels smooth. Stripping line off the reel feels effortless. The drag has positive clicks that make fine adjustments easy. A lot of trout anglers don't use their drag very often. Personally, I do. If I hook a better fish, I like getting it onto the reel quickly and letting the drag work. I've found I lose fewer fish that way, and this reel has performed extremely well. I also like all the color options. Originally I wanted black. They were out of stock, so I ended up with orange—and, I think it looks even better. If you decide to buy one, I'd probably send Shadow a quick email first just to verify what's currently available. That's what I did, and they were great to work with
The bonus feature that sold me
The one foot extension is an awesome benefit that essentially gives you two rods in one. Versatility in fly fishing is key. With my 3WT 7 6 rod, I can fish right brook trout streams the first half of the day, add the one foot extension piece, then go to a larger stream in the afternoon. I now have the same rod that I can have more reach, line control, and length.
For my bass rod, I can go from a 9’ rod chucking larger streamers and poppers, to a 10’ rod for nymphing or fishing deep runs dead drifting streamers.
Everything You Get
As a complete outfit, you're getting quite a bit.
You get:
• the rod
• the reel
• fly line
• rod sock
• aluminum tube
• the one-foot extension
• and even an extra rod tip.
That extra tip is actually a bigger deal than most people realize. If you've fly fished for any length of time, you know the tip section is usually the first thing to break. Instead of ending your trip or immediately sending the rod back for warranty work, you've already got another tip ready to go. Shadow also backs the rod and reel with a lifetime warranty, which gives some extra peace of mind.
Final Thoughts
So who do I think this rod is for? If you're brand new to fly fishing, I think this is an outfit you can genuinely grow with. It's easy enough to learn on, yet still has enough performance that you won't immediately outgrow it. If you're already an experienced fly fisherman looking for a quality mid-priced setup, I also think it's worth serious consideration. No, it's not trying to compete with the highest-end rods on the market. But for the money, you're getting a lightweight rod, an excellent reel, two rod lengths in one outfit, an extra tip section, and a lifetime warranty. That's a lot of value. I've been genuinely impressed with both of mine, and they've earned a permanent place in my regular rotation.
