TFO Pro III Fly Rod Combo Pack
Product Review

TFO Pro III Combo | Intro/Description:

The TFO Pro III package is a fly-fishing combo package including rod, rod bag, reel, floating fly line, backing, leader, and reel-on-rod hard case. Specifically, this review will focus on the package containing the 9’ 6wt 4 piece model (906-4) rod, which is currently listed at the MSRP of $519.99 (CAD) through the TFO Canada website.

First impressions of the package generally were that the case, sock, and rod and reel were of excellent finish and workmanship. I have experienced some questionable quality and attention to detail in fly rod combo packages geared to entry and/or novice level rod users. Certainly, the TFO Pro III package I received left me feeling like aesthetics and quality control were paid attention to in the design and production of this package, and this was absolutely consistent with the TFO Pro II package that I wrote a previous review on. This bodes well, as the Pro III is not on the lower end of the pricing spectrum for intro-novice user packages. My experience has been that, to an extent, people are willing to pay for quality; Having used this rod for most of a full open water season, I believe that consumers get quality and performance in this combo package. The lifetime warranty provides further certainty that you’re dealing with quality products from a reputable company.

TFO Pro III Combo | Rod:

The Pro III rod is marketed by TFO as being targeted at new and intermediate casters, while offering users of all skill levels a tool to help improve casting. As the TFO Pro II was similarly targeted, I wanted to cast them alongside each other to really be able to distinguish the characteristics of one vs the other. Having done so, I can confirm the Pro III has a bit of a larger “sweet spot” where the timing/loading response is forgiving enough to result in good casts, yet sort of “guides you” toward the optimal timing and loading.

I know that if you’re a beginner caster and you’re reading this you may not really understand or appreciate that description. It can simplified by saying the rod casts really well, and it actually helps you feel what you should be feeling for as you are actively trying to improve your casting proficiency. But one thing I liked about the Pro II, and feel that the Pro III does even better, is have the capability to perform satisfactorily in the hands of an experienced angler demanding a “bit more” from their rod. This medium-fast action rod performs well in a variety of situations, some of which are beyond what a beginner angler may be doing. One example might be casting an indicator plus 20-25 feet of leader, a split shot, and a fly. While the reader shouldn’t expect to be shooting their entire fly line with all that gear tied on there, this rod (and line pairing) will muscle around a long leader and ancillary gear and get it out far enough to fish it all effectively. I could however, cast almost all of the TFO Special Delivery fly line when casting a naked 9’ tapered leader. No complaints on ability to achieve distances beyond what would be needed under the vast majority of circumstances.

While it can toss around some weight, the rod also delivers dry flies with enough accuracy and presentation that it absolutely deserves the title of a great “all around” casting tool. Some of the castability is associated with the line the rod is paired with, and I’ll discuss that further into the review.

From an aesthetics perspective, the Pro III is a great looking, well-finished rod. The matte black of the carbon fiber section is nicely contrasted with glossed blue in the guide foot areas. The reel seat has double rings for secure fastening of the reel, and the handle is a nice, smooth cork which has shown good durability over the season I’ve used the rod. The 6wt model comes with a half-Wells style handle that is comfortable to grip and is still a good conduit of power from the body to the rod.

A major factor in assessing “value” in a fly fishing package is longevity. Having fished this rod an estimated 40 outings over this season, in a variety of situations, I can say I’m have no concerns with how the rod is standing up. And while I can’t comment on the Pro III’s longevity over multiple years, I can comment on how the TFO Pro II is holding up after 3 years of use in the hands of someone I should be very careful about describing. Let’s just say the rod is alive and well, all guides and cork intact, after several seasons of “no special treatment” from my special person. She’s easy on my eyes but I wouldn’t say she’s particularly easy on her fishing gear. If the Pro III holds up as well as the Pro II, I don’t expect to have to tap into the lifetime warranty. But it’s always there for one who may have to, of course.

TFO Pro III Combo | Reel:

Like its predecessor the Pro II, the Pro III package comes with the TFO “NV” reel, which currently retails for $189 CAD, with spare spools being available from the TFO website for $95 CAD at the writing of this review (Sept ’23). The reel follows the trend of today’s “minimalist” reels, paring down on metal to leave a fairly skeletal frame, decreasing weight while having good strength and aesthetic appeal. The reel’s drag system is satisfactorily smooth and has remained so during the period I’ve been using it. It can clamp down frighteningly hard to the point where I’m unsure of whether you’d ever be fishing leader that can withstand that level of resistance, and it has landed me some relatively savage rainbow trout up to 3kg (~6.5lb) without falter. The reel comes pre-loaded with backing which I haven’t measured, but will assume is something between 75 and 100 meters/yards in length.

TFO Pro III Combo | Fly Line:

This combination comes pre-spooled with TFO’s “Special Delivery” weight forward floating fly line, which would retail for $54 CAD if purchased alone through the website. I can tell you that this line out-performs line of significantly higher cost! You can check out an in-depth review of the TFO Special Delivery Floating Fly Line here! 😉

The line has very little memory and a good slick coating for good castability. I’d consider it a generalist floating line, which covers the bases of various floating line scenarios quite well, although it may not out-perform specialized niche lines when used for their special purposes (chucking heavy flies, long leaders, delicate presentations, etc). It comes factory with a welded loop, which I jump at the opportunity of swapping out in favor of a nail knot which goes through my glides without a nail-biting “kachunk, kachunk, kachunk. But the welded loop does allow mating with sinking tip leaders available through the TFO website. These tips add versatility, particularly in stream situations which are commonly encountered fishing for salmon, so if that is of interest, don’t hastily cut off that loop.

This line came on the supplied reel with a tapered leader, ready to tie a fly to and start fishing.

TFO Pro III Combo | Case:

The rod and reel came out the box in the same very nice looking 4 piece rod/reel case as the Pro II. The craftsmanship of the case looks excellent and the case has lasted with no deficiencies or zipper failures. The metallic grey finish is smooth and appealing, and I don’t think one could expect more in the way of a nice case (with sock) to compliment a great all-around package.

TFO Pro III Combo | Warranty:

While I’ve never had to utilize the Lifetime Warranty of any of my TFO products, the extent of the anecdotal information I’ve received to date suggests customers are overwhelmingly satisfied with the company’s service during warranty interactions. Should the future warranty service match the reputation the company has developed to date, I’d have no expectation for less than positive warranty experiences.

TFO Pro III Combo | Overall impression/Value:

My feedback on the TFO Pro II was that the package was a terrific, all things considered, but was teetering on “expensive” for the marketed beginner/intermediate crowd. The Pro III gains (over the Pro II) are entirely in the rod, and while the “sweet spot” is increased in this rod, it comes at a price increase of about 9%, or about $40. Part of me feels like TFO took a package that was already nearing the top of what their target users might pay and added a more expensive rod, increasing the possibility of beginners leaning instead toward affordability. On the other hand, the Pro II, and even more so the Pro III, have the redeeming quality that the performance and build mean that this can remain in a customer’s arsenal well into casting mastery. That consideration makes the Pro III well worth the cost, and the fact that an increased propensity to help the user cast better comes at a relatively small increase over its predecessor, I would still recommend making the investment. This rod/reel feel light in the hand when casting and its components all perform their respective roles impressively, especially for the price points.

My recommendation of this package is not limited to the beginner/novice fly angling crowd. Even if you are a seasoned angler looking for a capable package priced at a significant discount compared to buying individual components, this package is alluring. The rod is an easy yet capable and ultimately pleasurable casting tool, the reel is effective at its job, and the line shoots well under a variety of conditions and seems like a great match for the rod. Sometimes it’s tough to make a good thing better, but TFO landed the fly on the rise when developing the Pro III.

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