Echo is an incredible fly rod and fly rod company. Echo fly rod is the vision of Tim Rajeff. The Echo fly rod line has been years in the making ever since Tim started casting competitively at the Golden Gate Angling and Casting Club in San Francisco.
These fly rods are beyond durable. I’m sure you’ve seen the countless videos of Echo rod owners bending their rods way beyond the breaking point of most normal rods without a single crack.
We review Echo’s best-selling fly rods below.
|
Best Overall
|
Runner Up
|
Best Budget
|
|
|
|
|
Why should you get an Echo fly rod?
An Echo fly rod is a great choice for anglers of all skill levels. It offers excellent quality, craftsmanship, and performance, while still being affordable. The Echo fly rod is highly versatile, allowing anglers to use it for everything from trout to bass fishing. It is lightweight, durable, and easy to use, making it an ideal choice for beginners and experienced anglers alike.
EPR
Perfect for short accurate casts. With a fast tip, picking up line and making a short accurate cast is easy with EPR. The thick robust bottom half of the rod helps with fighting beefy fish and makes endless casting a breeze, even when it’s windy.
The Echo EPR Fly Rod is a great choice for anglers of all skill levels. It features an incredibly lightweight and durable 4-piece design, making it a pleasure to cast. The EPR is constructed with an advanced graphite composite that provides smooth power, accuracy, and durability. It provides excellent performance at a great value, making it the perfect rod for beginners and experienced anglers alike.
Pros:
- Lightweight and durable 4-piece design for easy casting
- Constructed with an advanced graphite composite for smooth power, accuracy, and durability
- Excellent performance and value make it great for anglers of all skill levels
- Comes with a lifetime limited warranty
Cons:
- Can be expensive for some budgets
- Does not come with a rod tube for storage and transport
Shadow II
The Shadow II is the perfect European nymphing fly rod. It comes in 2 through 4 line weights. Perfect for mending line in large rivers and creating a dragless drift.
Grab the Competition Kit that includes two 6 foot extensions and a removable fighting butt.
The Echo Shadow Fly COLOR 2100-4 is a four-weight fly rod from Echo built for freshwater fishing. Featuring a deep green blank, the rod is constructed from a mid-modulus graphite composite for extreme sensitivity and superior strength. The rod is completed with a 8-piece fast action for swift and powerful casting. Its Chromium-Molybdenum stainless steel guides are ideal for shooting tight lines, while its triangular stopper wraps keep the line tangle-free. Furthermore, the rod comes with a lightweight cork handle and a black anodized aluminum reel seat for a secure and comfortable grip. This 15-foot, 9-inch rod is perfect for the angler looking for ultimate precision and power on the water.
Pros:
- The pros of the Echo Shadow Fly fishing reel are that it is lightweight and durable, making it perfect for casting and retrieving lures. It has a very smooth action and is relatively inexpensive compared to other high-end fly fishing reels. The drag is incredibly smooth and can be adjusted easily depending on the weight of your line. It also has a large arbor for better line management, plus it comes with a lifetime warranty.
Cons:
- reel are that it is a single-handed reel
Carbon XL
The Carbon XL is a medium fast action fly rod in 2 through 6 line weights. This rod series is perfect for casting dry flies to trout and leeches to bass.
The Echo Carbon XL Fly Rod is a premium fly fishing rod designed to provide superior performance in any situation. It features a medium-fast action for increased power and accuracy when casting. The blank is made from high modulus carbon for increased sensitivity and durability. Its four-piece construction makes for easy transport, and the anodized aluminum reel seat is designed to provide secure locking power. This rod is designed for all-around performance, from light trout fishing to larger trout, bass, and salmon.
This rod is perfect for avid anglers looking for a reliable, versatile rod capable of handling any situation. Whether you’re an experienced angler or just getting started, the Echo Carbon XL Fly Rod is sure to meet your needs.
Pros:
- Durable and sensitive blank made of high modulus carbon
- Medium-fast action for increased power and accuracy when casting
- Four-piece construction makes for easy transport
- Anodized aluminum reel seat provides secure locking power
- Suitable for all-around performance, from light trout fishing to larger trout, bass, and salmon
Cons:
- Not suitable for large saltwater species
- Not ideal for heavier casting
Echo 3
The Echo 3 also comes as a four-piece in varying line weights (3-8) and lengths (7’6″ – 10′). The rod is delicate enough to present a Parachute Adams to a rising trout but beefy enough to pull in a fat bass. It’s truly a versatile rod.
ECHO Shadow 100 Fly Rod is a high-quality fly rod designed for accuracy and sensitive action. It is lightweight and fast-action, perfect for long-distance casts. The rod is constructed with a four-piece design for easy transportation and storage, and features an anodized aluminum reel seat with a fighting butt for ergonomic and comfortable handling. The rod is made from graphite and has an ultra-light blank for increased sensitivity and increased accuracy. It is ideal for anglers of all skill levels, from beginners to experts.
Pros:
- Lightweight and fast-action for long-distance casts
- Four-piece design for easy transportation and storage
- Anodized aluminum reel seat with fighting butt for ergonomic and comfortable handling
- Graphite construction for increased sensitivity and accuracy
- Ideal for anglers of all skill levels
Cons:
- Price may be higher than other fly rods
- Could require a break-in period before optimal performance is reached
Echo 3S Ti
A four piece rod that’s perfect for traveling. The fast action makes casting a fun and easy. It’s a versatile rod that you can cast all day and has enough backbone to turn the strongest of fish. The Echo 3S Ti is available in 7 line weights (6-12).
The Echo Shadow 100 Fly Rod is a lightweight, high-performance rod designed for anglers who seek precision and accuracy in a fly rod. With four-piece construction and a moderate action, the rod is lightweight, responsive and easy to handle, making it an ideal choice for long casts and tight lines. The rod is versatile and can be used for a variety of techniques, from throwing dries and nymphs to casting streamers and poppers. The Echo Shadow 100 is built with a high-quality graphite blank and features a slende outfitting with anodized aluminum reel seats and balance points for a comfortable grip. The rod also comes with a hard case for easy storage and transport.
Pros:
- Lightweight and easy to handle
- Responsive and precise action
- Versatile and suitable for many fishing techniques
- High quality graphite blank
- Anodized aluminum reel seats and balance points for a comfortable grip
- Hard case for easy storage and transport
Cons:
- Price may be too high for some anglers.
Boost
The Boost is truly a versatile rod. Available in multiple line weights from 2 through 12. The Boost has a fast action that’s perfect for quick casts with pinpoint accuracy.
This product is the Echo BL-270 BOOST-70-2 amplifier. It is a two-channel power amplifier designed to provide clear sound with plenty of punch. This amplifier delivers up to 140 watts per channel at 8 ohms, making it suitable for your home, car, or studio setup. It also features Speakon outputs for connecting with passive speakers and a line output for routing signals to studio monitors. The amplifier has a two-band EQ, three-band EQ and level controls, as well as adjustable crossover frequency filters for
fine-tuning the response of your system. The adjustable crossover provides a smooth transition between the high and low frequencies, giving you a balanced sound. The amplifier also includes an LED status indicator to ensure that the system is working properly.
Pros:
- Powerful 140W/channel output
- Speakon outputs for passive speaker connection
- Two-band, three-band EQ and level controls
- Adjustable crossover filter to fine-tune the sound
- LED status indicator for easy troubleshooting
Cons:
- Not suitable for extremely high-wattage applications
- Can be challenging to set up correctly
Boost Salt
The Boost Salt is a meatier version of the Boost with fast action and a beefy butt section. The Boost Salt is perfect for saltwater and freshwater fly fishing.
The Echo BL-270 BOOST 70-2 is a single-function remote control designed to provide a convenient way to control your patio lights, landscape lights, and other outdoor lighting fixtures. It has an easy-to-use keypad and a bright LCD display that will show you the current settings and control your lights. The remote also has a dimming feature to give you the ability to adjust the brightness of the lights within a range of 0 to 100%. The remote also has a programmable timer that allows you to schedule when your lights turn on and off. The remote also has a weatherproof construction for withstanding outdoor conditions. This device is powered by two AA batteries, and it comes with a wall mount for easy installation.
Pros:
- Easy-to-use keypad and bright LCD display
- Dimming feature to adjust brightness
- Programmable timer to schedule on/off times
- Weatherproof construction
- Comes with wall mount for easy installation
Cons:
- Limited range for controlling lights
- Batteries are required for operation
Ion XL
The Ion XL fly rod is a fantastic rod, especially at it’s price. With a medium-fast action, the Ion XL is slower than the Boost fly rod series. You will not find a better fly rod at this price.
The Echo Carbon XL Fly Rod is a high-performance fly fishing rod designed for anglers of all skill levels. It features a medium-fast action that is perfect for close-range accuracy and an eye-catching bright green finish. It is constructed with a blend of four proprietary graphite materials to ensure maximum power, responsiveness, and durability. It is also equipped with a PacBay aluminum reel seat and a custom-designed ultralight cork handle for added comfort and stability. Additionally, the Echo Carbon XL is a lightweight option with a 4-piece design for easy transportation.
Pros:
- Medium-fast action is perfect for close-range accuracy
- Constructed with a blend of four proprietary graphite materials for maximum power, responsiveness, and durability
- Equipped with a PacBay aluminum reel seat and a custom-designed ultralight cork handle for added comfort and stability
- Lightweight and 4-piece design for easy transportation
Cons:
- Customers have noted the rod may break or snap under pressure
Trip
The Echo Trip is the perfect ultra-compact fly rod for your backpacking trips. Available in 3 line weights (5, 6, 8), all 9 feet in length and 8 pieces. Also, fits nicely in a briefcase or travel bag, keeping it in your carry on so you don’t worry about losing your rod to checked baggage.
The ECHO TRIP 9′ 6wt 4pc Fly Rod is a great lightweight rod for any anglers looking for a versatile performance. It features a moderate/fast action, allowing it to cast long distances with ease, while maintaining great accuracy. This rod also has a unique look, with its black and white wrapping and matching EVA handles. The four piece design makes it easier to transport and store, making it a great choice for those who travel frequently. Its quality components make this rod a great value, making it the perfect rod for anyone looking for an affordable rod with a great performance.
Pros:
- Lightweight and easy to transport
- Great accuracy and long casting distances
- Stylish look with black and white wrapping and EVA handles
- Quality components make it a great value for the price
Cons:
- Not as strong as higher priced rods
- Moderate/fast action may not be ideal for all anglers
- Limited selection of rod lengths and sizes available
- May require a bit more
See how durable the Echo fly rods are
Echo’s Fly Rod Action Chart
Echo built a useful action and power chart that ranks each of their fly rods.
Wrapping up
You can not go wrong with any of Echo’s fly rods, especially if you are hard on your gear. I have an Echo fly rod that’s older than I am. It’s been jammed against a wall, tumbled down a hill, and fallen out a car multiple times. It’s just as good as the day I got it.
