Scott Radian is by far my favorite casting trout rod I own. It is sensitive and flexible enough to play fish with light tippet but has enough backbone and power to easily throw an entire fly line.
I have paired it with the Scientific Anglers Amplitude MPX line which is a half-size heavy and a Ross Animas reel for quick line pickup.
Scott-Radian
Length: 9’
Weight: 5
Pieces: 4
Action: Fast
Use: Dry/Dry Dropper
Retail: $795
If the power in this rod does not impress you, the accuracy will. I can put flies in a coffee cup relatively easy from 40 feet away. I have really put it under the test to form tight accurate loops under over hanging structure and it is always up to the challenge.
As far as different casts go, roll casting, reach, and hook casting, the Radian responds very well because of the fast action. It does not take much effort to get an effective reach cast in and is easy to overdo it.
Let the rod do its’ job and just put a little bit of “English” on casts you are trying to reach or hook with.
Also because of the fast action it does a great job turning flies over in the wind. This rod powers through the wind with ease which is a big deal over here in Eastern Washington.
One of the things Scott does is have a natural finish on their rods.
Some of the technologies I found impressive with the Radian were how light it is in hand. Where most other companies sand their rods down and cover them in a resin, Scott does not sand theirs where you can see the wraps on the rod. Their X-core, reAct, Multi Modulus, and ARC technologies are, what I believe sets them apart from other high end rod manufactures.
- X-core: Fast tapered blanks. This allows for a faster recovery and pinpoint accuracy. Think of it like Indiana Jones’ whip, if he had a whip that did not really have a taper would it be very effective?
- reAct: This works together with the X-core. This technology speeds up the action of the rod without adding unnecessary materials that add weight to the fly rod. Hence the slogan “Put the Feel in Fast.”
- Multi Modulus: Multi Modulus means that they vary the fiber tensile up the rod to control the stiffness and recovery speed of the blank.
- ARC: An inner core of reinforcing ARC technology increases the strength of the rod without adding weight.
Overall, this rod is an excellent casting rod with power, sensitivity, and control. I would highly recommend it to anglers that are advancing past the moderate skill level as a faster action rod can be tough to control for newer anglers as well as the price point.
Although this rod is discontinued, you can still find it on the market, or you can upgrade to the new Scott Centric which is similar to the Radian but lighter with some of their newest technologies.
Want to learn more about Scott rods, visit their website.