A popular wallet-friendly fly rod is getting a salty makeover, a savvy move by long-time rod-maker Redington, as it aims to improve its footprint on the flats. New this month is the company's new Predator SALT, an armored version of the company’s appreciable Predator line of “big-fish” fly rods.
The new Predator SALT is crafted with salt-resistent hardware, like an anodized aluminum reel seat, chrome-plated guides, ceramic-insert stripping guides, and a cool new feature — a hidden little hook-keeper tucked into the reel seat. Redington has never been afraid to take chances with its rods (who can forget the Vapen with the handle designed by a golf club maker?), and it’s definitely shooing away tradition by ditching the annoying wire hook-keeper rod makers continue to insist on tying to the blank just above the cork handle. While the idea of a hook-keeper slotted seamlessly into the reel seat is a good one, most of us would be just fine if fly rod makers just ditched the hook-keeper altogether. But cheers to Redington for, once again, trying something new.
The new Redington Predator SALT incorporates the company’s nano resin graphite that made its first appearance earlier this year in the EDC (Everyday Carry) rod that’s found a dependable audience of anglers looking for solid gear without having to pay premium prices. At just under $400, the new Predator SALT is clearly aimed at budget-conscious fly fishers. According to Redington, the new salt-specific rod boasts “boosted power, responsiveness, and increased fish-fighting potency.” Bold claims, all of them, especially at that retail price. One note: in the past, Redington’s salty offerings have often been a bit heavy and bulky, particularly when stacked up against the premium rods from high-end rod makers of late. How will the Predator Salt stack up? We hope to fish it soon, and we’ll let you know.
That said, Redington has surprised anglers in the past with astonishingly good gear at mid-range prices. Perhaps its new Predator SALT will become the next unsuspecting darling of the flats, just as the company’s flawless Butter Stick, a fiberglass creek rod that commands a cult following, continues to turn up in the hands of devoted creek freaks everywhere. For every weird Vapen the company boldly produces, there’s a sweet Crux or a Hydrogen that fly fishers can’t seem to get enough of.
Redington makes the Predator SALT available in line weights 6 through 14. The new offering is now the company’s only true saltwater fly rod in production. Other “multi-application” rods, like the Vice and the Wrangler, can certainly do the trick on the flats, but the Predator SALT’s weight offerings and corrosion-resistant hardware move this rod into the company’s premiere slot for flats and even blue-water anglers.
The new Predator SALT is billed by Redington as a fast-action, deep-loading rod for long casts under windy conditions. Given its intended application, this is what flats anglers should expect. It’s a handsome rod, with a bit of a throwback look to the label — 30 years ago, the font might have looked perfectly at home on a Jimmy Buffett album cover. Turned on a metallic blue blank and sporting dark blue thread wraps with white accents, it’ll stand out on the flats. And, at a retail price of $399.99, it’ll stand out on the rack at the fly shop, too.
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