Gorge Fly Shop Blog: New for 2020 - OPST Micro Skagit Series Two Handed Rods

Designed By Skagit Legend Ed Ward

These rods represent decades of dedication purely to sustained-anchor two-handed casting. A rod reflecting its designer and a true illustration of Ed’s vision.

Olympic Peninsula Skagit Tactics is proud to release our very own line of Micro Skagit and Pure Skagit Two-Handed Rods, designed by Ed Ward. We developed our rods over five years during which we refined the taper to represent Ed’s concepts. It will initially include six rods in total, ranging from a 9’9” Micro Skagit Two-Handed 3wt up to a 11’6” 8wt, and every whole rod weight in-between.

This line-up will be classified by design differences, into two categories:

Micro Skagit - 399-4, 4100-4, 5104-4
Pure Skagit - 6108-4, 7110-4, 8116-4, 9123-4

OPST Micro Skagit

The Micro Skagit category consists of three rods rated to cast 275 grain heads or lower. Their tapers have been designed to pleasantly accommodate both single-handed Spey/Skagit-type casts and two-handed Spey/Skagit-type casts.

Whether you’re picking apart small to medium sized rivers on foot swinging soft hackles, throwing big streamers into the bank from a boat, or busting big bushy salmon flies into the teeth of an afternoon breeze, these nifty little hybrid rods should have a permanent place in your quiver.

The 9’9” 3wt and 10’4wt both have cigar-style single-welled upper grips and switch-style lower handles, while the 10’ 4” 5wt has a grip/handle configuration like the Pure Skagit Rod style outlined in the next section. Rod color is Matte Black with Blue Accent Wraps

Specs

Rod	Line Weight	Length	Sections	Grip	Action
399-4	3	9'9"	4	Reverse Half Wells	Medium/Fast
4100-4	4	10'0"	4	Reverse Half Wells	Medium/Fast
5104-4	5	10'4"	4	Full Wells	Medium/Fast

Line Recommendations

OPST Rod	Commando Head	Commando Smooth	Commando Groove	Lazar Line	Sink Tips	Floating Tips
399-4	150-175 gr	150-175 gr	N/A	30 lb	7.5' 60 grain Micro Sink Tips, 10' 80 grain Commando Sink Tips	7.5' 35 grain and 10' 50 grain Micro Floating Tips
4100-4	175-200 gr	175-200 gr	200 gr	30 lb	7.5' 60 grain Micro Sink Tips, 10' 80 grain Commando Sink Tips	7.5' 35 grain and 10' 50 grain Micro Floating Tips
5104-4	225-250 gr	225-250 gr	200-225 gr	30-35 lb	10' 80 grain and 12' 96 grain Commando Sink Tips	10' 50 grain Micro Floating, 10' 75 grain SHS Floating Tips
6106-4	275-300 gr	275-300 gr	250-275 gr	35-40 lb	10' 80 grain and 12' 96 grain Commando Sink Tips	10' 50 grain Micro Floating, 10' 75 grain SHS Floating Tips
7110-4	325-350 gr	325-350 gr	300-325 gr	35-40 lb	10' 110 grain and 12' 132 grain Commando Sink Tips	10' 75 grain and 12' 90 grain SHS Floating Tips
8116-4	375-400 gr	375-400 gr	350-375 gr	40-50 lb	10' 140 grain and 12' 168 grain Commando Sink Tips	12' 90 grain and 14' 110 grain SHS Floating Tips