the recon was a great casting rod, except that I found it faster (too hard to load) at trout distances with a standard trout line. I would have suggested trying a 4 wt recon with a Rio Gold or some other such line that ISN'T 1/2 line sized up heavier. But because you already have the 6...er, I mean FIVE weight rod, match it with a 6...er... FIVE weight up-sized line like a Rio Grand.
It's a fine casting, well made rod. Unfortunately, Orvis is listening to it's customers again and making a rod that feels great on a casting green and not on a trout stream besides the Yough or the Delaware.
Firing out 70-footers, while not uncommon, is the LEAST common cast i make with a fly rod. It is much more common for me to catch fish 'casting off the tip' than a booming cast out and across a flat pool with a 'gorilla' reach mend. However, last time on Penns, this is how I caught my last 5 fish. But it was with a Mid-flex 4 wt uplined to a 5 wt. I know, heresy, right?
Again, the Recon is a great rod. I think it would have been better if they made the top 1/4 or 1/3 a bit softer. But then who would buy the Helios, eh?
The Pulse is a club, again, unless you down-weight the rod. Get a 4 to cast a 5 wt. line. Somewhere between the Scott A4 being a touch heavy(can you feel 0.1 or 0.2 ounces?) and soft and the Recon being too fast is the perfect $400 fly rod.
