Orvis Clearwater Fly Rod Review
– Evaluation after One Year on the Water –

Orvis Clearwater Fly Rod Review | Preamble:

The current generation Orvis Clearwater fly rod has been available for a few years now. Both the current and the previous versions have been the subject of many reviews, and the rod has long established itself as a high value, entry level, mid-price fly rod ($300-$350 CAD). This review is less to support or debunk that assessment as it is to describe the particular qualities of the Clearwater model I had the pleasure of fishing over the 2024 season: The Clearwater 6wt 9’6” 4 piece (model 2S7M5151).

Orvis Clearwater Fly Rod Review | Initial impressions:

The Clearwater comes in an attractive, padded, partitioned tube sporting a smartly embroidered “Orvis Clearwater” logo.

Upon taking the rod out of the packaging, a few qualities formed my first impressions. I love fighting butts and was happy to see one that looks both functional and aesthetically appealing, on the end of a clean, black reel seat with dual locking rings. The finish on the rod is a quasi fine-metallic one that I’d call something close to semi-gloss, with wrapped guide sections contrasting slightly glossier, and the butt section sporting a modern label annotated with the model, weight and length.

There is a fair bit of filler in the cork, but I also remind myself that we are talking about a mid-price rod at a time where everything costs more, including top-grade cork. Speaking of cost, I’d gladly have paid the extra cost of a hook-keeper to have had one on this otherwise well-appointed rod. Overall, it’s a great looking rod with nice components for this price-point.

Orvis Clearwater Fly Rod Review | Feel:

While I like a good, quick action 9’ rod, I also don’t run an extensive quiver in each rod weight and so rely on my rods to cover a few bases. Ten foot rods are known to provide some reach for shore-fishing, mend easier, roll cast easier, control a drifting nymph easier, etc. I also have found that unless rods are purpose-built for a specific weight (usually upper end rods), 10’ rods often end up with a bastardized version of an action that was refined for a 9’ rod. And 10’ rods aren’t generally as fast nor light in the hand as their shorter counterparts. Enter the 9’6” rod.

I first discovered how great the 9‘6” rod could be at playing the middle ground when I acquired a 6wt 9’6” Sage One quite a few years back. Given it was Sage’s flagship rod of the day and retailed over $1000 CAD even then, I wasn’t surprised that the rod casted like a dream and I never felt like I was compromising either the 9’ or 10’ rods’ better qualities. What is really impressive of the new Orvis Clearwater is that in the $300-$350 price range, the Clearwater is also great at not compromising the better qualities of either shorter or longer rods. Paired with a less aggressive WF taper (I used an older SA Mastery VPT), this rod can execute some surprisingly subtle deliveries at close and mid ranges. On the flip side, it does a really good job muscling around a long leader, weight and indicator with an over-weighted front taper like a Scientific Angler Anadro, which is what I had the rod paired with most of the time.

Orvis Clearwater Fly Rod Review | Casting:

Truthfully, I spent much more time fishing nymphs on longer leaders and indicator rigs than naked delivering dry flies, so I can’t comment much on rod function at distances in that context. I was primarily chucking moderately heavy leader/fly/weight/indy combos, and I can say this rod does very well sending out to 50-60’. Beyond 60’ it definitely liked being relieved of the indicator and/or split-shot, and bends well into the backbone of the rod. None of that is too surprising though; Not many manufacturers can say that their entry-mid range rods achieve stellar status in the 60’+ casting category. In that regard, I think the value of this rod shines given the performance even in the 60’ range.

Orvis Clearwater Fly Rod Review | Componentry:

The modified Full Wells grip of the Clearwater feels reasonably good in hand. I know some people like a half Wells grip on 6 wt (and definitely on smaller) rods, particularly on entry level rods that might find themselves in the smaller hands of a youth. However, fighting butts are ultra rare to find combined with half Wells handles, and I believe this rod has the backbone to land some very large fish, which will have you happy to nudge a nicely shaped cork into your pizza receptacle rather than a hard metal shaft. So if that means a full Wells handle, I’ll gladly take it. New, the cork has an interesting orange hue to it, with the filler logically tinted to match. Odd thing is that as the rod gets used and soiled, the orange hue on the cork fades, leaving it slightly contrasting the orange in the filler. That aside, the guides seem of reasonable quality with the two closest to the handle being ceramic.

Orvis Clearwater Fly Rod Review | Warranty:

25 years. Better than most in this price range!

Orvis Clearwater Fly Rod Review | Summary:

Orvis has landed a pretty nice rod to compete with the others in the entry level market, and the 9‘6” version of the 6wt is an excellent choice for those desiring some of the qualities of a longer rod. It is also the ONLY 9’6” 6wt I am aware of in that market segment. The rod is versatile yet capable, and is really a great example of a rod that takes positive qualities of both 9 and 10’ rods and blends them really well into an affordable unit that you won’t just want to give away as you move along your journey to being a better skilled fly angler.

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