Scott Fly Rods, Montrose, gear review, local rivers

There are two kinds of fly rods in our shop. The ones we sell to customers, and the ones we put on our own rods. There is plenty of overlap, but when you watch what our guides actually grab off the rack at the start of a long day on the river, a pattern emerges. More often than not, it is a Scott Centric.

This is the rod built two miles from our shop, fished hard on our home water, and recommended without hesitation to anglers who book guided trips with us. Here is why.

What the Centric Is

The Scott Centric is Scott's modern flagship freshwater fly rod. It is the rod that replaced the Scott Radian in the lineup, and it carries forward Scott's signature fast with feel design philosophy. The Centric is built around new tapers, multi-modulus layups, and Scott's ARC reinforcement system for greater torsional stability.

The Centric comes in a wide range of sizes covering line weights from 3 through 8, with multiple lengths in each weight. That means one rod platform handles everything from a 7 foot 6 inch 3 weight for small streams up to a 10 foot 7 weight for switch work or heavy nymphing.

The rod features Flor grade cork grips, new titanium stripping guides with super slick zirconia inserts, low glare Snake Brand Universal snake guides, and a fully milled reel seat with speed threads and a Delrin lock washer. The reel seat has self-indexing hoods and a micarta insert. The whole package is finished with type 3 flat black hard coat.

Specifications across the most popular sizes:

• 9 foot 5 weight 4 piece — the all-around trout rod
• 9 foot 6 weight 4 piece — the streamer and big nymph workhorse
• 9 foot 4 weight 4 piece — the dry fly and tailwater specialist
• 10 foot 4 weight 4 piece — the nymph rig for big water
• 9 foot 7 weight 4 piece — light salt, bass, and pike

Every Centric is hand built in Montrose, Colorado at Scott's factory on Air Park Way.

What It Actually Does on the Water

Specs are one thing. How a rod performs in a guide's hands on real water is another.

The action. Scott describes the Centric as fast with feel, and that is the right description. The rod is fast enough to push through wind, drive heavy nymph rigs, and reach across a big seam. But it loads at fishing distance. You feel the rod work on a 30 foot cast, not just on a long bomb across the river. Most fly fishing happens inside 50 feet, and a rod that only comes alive at 70 feet is a rod that feels dead during 90 percent of a fishing day. The Centric loads at the distances we actually fish.

The recovery speed. When a fast action rod recovers slowly, it creates wide loops and bad casts. The Centric recovers fast. The tip stops where you want it to stop. That stability translates to tight loops, accurate placement, and the ability to throw into wind without watching your line collapse halfway through the cast.

The feedback. A great fly rod tells you what is happening at the end of the line. The Centric communicates better than most fast action rods. You feel the load, you feel the line straighten, you feel the take. For anglers learning their casting timing, this is huge. For experienced anglers who fish all day, it reduces fatigue because you do not have to over-cast to confirm the rod is doing what you want.

The accuracy. Western Colorado trout fishing rewards accuracy more than distance. Putting a dry fly in a 3 foot soft seam at 35 feet matters more than throwing a 70 foot bomb. The Centric is precise. The combination of fast recovery and progressive load gives you the ability to drop a fly exactly where you intend.

The build quality. Scott rods last. We have customers fishing Centrics for years with no warranty issues, and when something does come up, the rod goes back to the factory two miles from our shop and gets rebuilt. Most rod warranty work in the industry ships overseas or to third party repair facilities. Scott handles it in-house. The rod that left the building is the rod that comes back.

Who the Centric Is For

The Centric is the right rod for the angler who fishes hard. Multiple times a year. In varied conditions. Wants one rod that handles small streams, big rivers, dry flies, nymph rigs, and the occasional streamer. Wants gear that lasts a lifetime and is backed by a warranty from a factory in the same town as the dealer who sold it.

It is not the cheapest rod on our wall. It is also not the most expensive. It sits in that mid to upper territory where you pay for engineering, materials, hand build, and lifetime warranty, but you do not pay the premium of a saltwater specialty rod or a limited edition.

For freshwater trout work in western Colorado, the Centric is hard to make a wrong choice with.

How It Compares to Other Scott Rods

Anglers cross shopping the Scott lineup ask us this question constantly, so let us address it directly.

Centric vs. Session. The Session is Scott's design philosophy in a more accessible price range. Same general feel, slightly simpler components. If budget is the deciding factor, the Session is excellent. If you are buying once and want the best mid-tier freshwater rod Scott makes, get the Centric.

Centric vs. F Series. Different rods for different work. The F Series is fiberglass. Slower action, deeply progressive, made for small water and short range tactile fishing. Use the F Series on creeks. Use the Centric everywhere else.

Centric vs. Sector. The Sector is the saltwater rod. Built for tarpon, permit, bonefish, and heavy salt applications. If you only fish freshwater trout, the Centric is the better choice. If you split time between trout and salt, the Sector is the salt specialist and the Centric covers fresh.

Centric vs. Swing. The Swing is the two handed lineup. For steelhead, salmon, and anglers who fish Spey or switch techniques. Different work entirely from single hand trout fishing.

What We Pair It With

In our shop, the 9 foot 5 weight Centric most often goes on a Ross Evolution LTX 4/5 for general trout work, or a Lamson Liquid for anglers building a lighter setup. The 9 foot 6 weight Centric goes on a Ross Evolution LTX 5/6 for big water nymphing and streamer work on the Gunnison. The 9 foot 4 weight ends up paired with a Ross San Miguel or Animas for technical tailwater work on the Uncompahgre.

If you walk into our shop, we will pair the Centric to whatever reel fits the water you are headed to. That is the kind of help you do not get buying online from a big box.

Final Word

The Scott Centric is the rod our guides fish. That is the highest endorsement we can give a piece of gear. Our guides fish hundreds of days a year, on water that ranges from technical tailwater to wilderness float trips. They have access to every rod in our shop and they choose the Centric. That should tell you something.

Hand built in Montrose. Backed by the Scott Unconditional Lifetime Warranty. Built two miles down the road from where you are reading this.

Shop the Scott Centric at Ed's Fly Shop

For more on why Scott Rods are made in Montrose, read our piece on the local manufacturing story. For a broader look at which Scott Rod fits which river, see our guide to fishing Scott Rods on Western Colorado rivers.