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Powell's Tiboron XL Fly Rods serve up performance and value
(continued)
  Casting:
There was a time when a 6wt. rod was all you needed for all trout, but these
days anglers are tending to use lighter and lighter rods when fishing for trout.
Still a 6wt. is a great all round trout rod which allows anglers to fish for
everything from Rainbows to hard running Steelhead. The Tiboron has a nice tip
capable of dealing copious amounts of line with little effort. The rod loads
nicely and it doesn’t take too many false casts to drop your flies in perfect
position.
A look at the titanium stripping
guides
The Tiboron didn’t feel as
crisp as the more expensive G.Loomis GLX rod in our test arsenal but it offers
just as good overall casting distance. The Maxumfiber blank material delivers an
extra fast action and I found I was able to push lines without having to overtax
my arm muscles. The fast taper of this rod combined with a not overly stiff
blank allows fly fishermen to form reasonably tight loops for quality control
even under light to medium wind conditions. While the Tiboron XL 906-4 didn’t
offer the most immediate response when it came to comparable 6wt. rods it did
have a forgiving overall casting stroke, one that will satisfy fly fishermen of
many different skill levels.
Hard casting with weighted flies
Power:
When it comes to power the Tiboron XL is all about “subtle” power. The rod is
not overwhelmingly powerful nor is it too light. The rod delivers confidence
with a fish on a line and allows the top half of the rod do the work. If I had
to compare the Tiboron XL’s power and feel to another well known rod series it
performs most similarly to a G.Loomis GL3 fly rod. The rod handled rainbows in
our test beautifully, and while we did not get into any big browns during our
test I am confident that the Tiboron XL 906-4 will be able to handle these fish
without issue.
The rod features light wire chrome
snake guides
The tip is not as fine as
some other 6wt. rods we tested so horsing fish too quickly can result in
stressing light tippets. However the tip is tolerant enough that unless you
really go wild on your sets you have nothing to worry about. While I didn’t fish
this rod from a float tube I tried to simulate holding the rod high and upwards
on the deck of the boat and from shore when fighting fish and found the rod
quite capable at wearing down fish while bringing line in via the reel versus
stripping by hand.
The graphite reel seat comes to
life in bright sunlight
Sensitivity:
Like many other 4 piece fly rods the Tiboron XL loses a minor bit of sensitivity
in comparison to two piece rods. But one of the things that the Tiboron has
going for it is that it balances out nicely with a wide range of reels including
our lightweight Galvan Torque T-4 and larger diameter Scientific Anglers System
2LA LA-678 fly reel. While I knew the Galvan would match up well I was surprised
that the larger SA 2LA reel paired so nicely with this rod as it is designed for
steelhead and bass applications. Balanced the Tiboron feels great when fishing
nymphs under an indicator or tossing heavily weighted flies.
Fishing from shore in the Eastern
Sierras
Price & Applications:
I honestly wasn’t sure what to expect from the Tiboron XL fly rods, as the rods
retail for significantly less than the average fly rod. By the end of the tests
I found the Tiboron XL 906-4 rod delivered an unexpectedly good balance of
performance and value. Quality four piece rods normally retail for over 350
dollars, and some premium ones can even get into the 600+ dollar price range. At
only 289 dollars the Tiboron 906-4 costs about the same as a high end bass rod,
which for a quality fly rod is a rarity.
The Tiboron XL 906-4 balanced out
well with the SA System 2LA reel
The Tiboron 906-4 is a
good rod choice for bigger trout, steelhead, and even dabbling with bass.
Capable of long casts in light to moderate wind this is a good choice for a wide
range of applications. The rod is capable of dealing streamers, long leaders, or
fishing flies under a strike indicator, and can be used in large streams and
rivers as well as open water on lakes.
Preparing for a steeple cast with
the Tiboron XL
So who should consider the
Powell Tiboron rods? Any angler looking for a great starting rod that doesn’t
ask anglers to make any real sacrifices. This isn’t a starter rod in the
traditional sense, and it certainly isn’t like many of the stripped down cheap
component rods offered by other brands, no…this is a rod that is a great first
rod that can grow with the angler as their casting skills improve.
The rod has a hook hanger to hold
flies when not in use
The Powell Tiboron XL is
as forgiving as it is reasonably priced, and best of all with a 4 piece
configuration this rod is also a fantastic choice as a second 6wt. just for
travel or to stow in the boat. Powell backs up all Tiboron XL fly rods with a
lifetime, original owner warranty.
Ratings:
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Powell Tiboron XL 6wt. rod Ratings (?/10)
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| Construction/Quality |
Powell's Tiboron XL is a well built rod with quality appointments like lightweight guides, high end cork, and a sleek Ti-Graphite reel seat |
7 |
| Performance |
Great overall performance that surpassed the rod's price point. The Tiboron XL may not be the most crisp rod but it is able to quickly and offers quality control when casting both short and long distances |
8 |
| Price |
When it comes to price the Tiboron XL is a excellent price for a 4pc rod complete with a rod sock and cordura rod tube |
8.5 |
| Features |
The Tiboron XL is all about business and while it performs very well lacks a little personality in comparison to some of the other rods we are currently testing. Still when it comes to raw features the Tiboron XL has everything that you need, nothing you don't |
6 |
| Design (Ergonomics) |
The Tiboron XL is very well balanced and feels good with a wide range of reels |
7 |
| Application |
While many anglers are choosing 5 or even 4wt. rods to target trout the 6wt. still is a great all round choice for a wide range of applications ranging from mid sized trout to steelhead, and the Tiboron XL is no different. This rod is a well rounded starter rod that can grow with you |
8 |
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Total Score
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7.41 |
Ratings Key: Ratings Key: 1 = terrible : 2 = poor : 3 = lacking : 4 = sub par : 5 = mediocre : 6 = fair : 7 = good : 8 = great : 9 = excellent : 10 = unbelievable!
(For a detailed explanation of the ratings go here) |
Pluses and Minuses:
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Plus Minus
|
| J Capable and forgiving caster |
L Not as crisp as some competitor offerings |
| J Well balanced for a 6wt. |
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| J 4pc and comes with a rod sock and cordura tube |
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| J Great price for a 4pc quality fly rod |
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The Tiboron XL serves up a healthy
helping of performance that surpasses the sub 300 dollar price point
Conclusion:
My experience with Powell up till now has revolved around the company’s Max
series of bass rods, and while bass fishing is my first love there is just
something raw and beautiful about catching a fish on a fly rod. It doesn’t
matter if it is a rainbow trout or a largemouth, somehow catching that fish on a
fly rod seems like a unique achievement. Perhaps it is the tug of war on the fly
line or simply just the art of casting a fly rod itself. Fly fishing is rooted
in tradition, and
Powell is a company that has a long history in fly, and the new Tiboron rods
make use of much of what the
company has learned through the last century to design a fly rod that anyone
from a beginner to a experienced fly fisherman can fish. While not as crisp or
refined as some premium fly rods there is no arguing that the rods are a price
point well below most competitors, and the Tiboron XL series of fly rods truly
delivers when it comes to performance that exceeds the asking price, making this
one exceptional value.
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