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The Douglas DXF has been a go-to in my rod arsenal for years. Dollar for dollar, I thought it punched well above its weight class. So, when Douglas announced they were replacing it with the DXF Gen2, I was excited—but admittedly, a little skeptical. It’s one thing to slap some new guides on a proven rod. It’s another to redesign the blank from the ground up.
Naturally, I had to see for myself. Did they actually improve a classic, or just fix something that was never broken?
I got my hands on the 9-foot, 9-weight model, and over the last few months I’ve run it through the East Coast gauntlet: throwing oversized flies at striped bass, sight-casting to bull redfish on the flats, and slinging weedless topwater frogs into thick mats of hydrilla and milfoil for northern snakehead. There was plenty of backyard distance-casting mixed in, too.
Turns out, they pulled it off. Douglas engineered a definitively better rod, and the result is one of the most capable mid-priced fly rods on the market today. Here’s a thorough breakdown of why the DXF Gen2 should be on the radar of anyone shopping for a new stick.
Action
Moderate-Fast
MSRP
Starting at $599
Rod Weights
2 through 12
Warranty
Limited lifetime
Pros
- The Gen2 feels quicker and more responsive than the original
- Reduced tip dampening makes it easier to cast tight loops, especially at longer distances
- Redesigned reel seat is a huge improvement from the Gen1
- Exceptional performance considering the price point
Cons
- Struggles a bit in windy conditions
- Prefer the understated matte green look of the original DXF more
Key Features
DXF Gen1 vs. Gen2 Comparison
| Feature | DXF Gen1 | DXF Gen2 (Model 9904) |
| Action | Moderate-fast | Moderate-fast, 9’0″, 9wt, 4.06 oz, 4-piece |
| Blank Construction | Multi-modulus XMatrix | Re-engineered multi-modulus; reduced tip dampening |
| Reel Seat | Traditional anodized aluminum reel seat | Self-aligning reel seat with dual locking rings and Nylatron inserts |
| Guides | Hard chrome/SiC stripping guides | Dark neo-plated stainless frame guides |
| Grip | AAA cork | AAA cork with rubberized composite ends |
| Finish | Matte green blank | Brilliant blue flake (Saltwater models) |
| Tube | Cordura tube with cloth sock | Cordura tube with cloth sock (slightly revised) |
| Warranty / Price | Limited lifetime / N/A | Limited lifetime / $599 |
What I Like
Redesigned From the Ground Up
The biggest takeaway from fishing the DXF Gen2 is how refined it feels. The original DXF was already a very capable rod, but Douglas took a good thing and made it even better.
The redesigned multi-modulus blank reduces tip dampening and gives the rod a noticeably faster recovery speed. How does that translate to real-world fishing? Basically, you get more energy and power out of your casting motion. The rod feels light in hand, tracks well, and responds quickly when you need to pick up a bunch of line and make another cast.
The DXF Gen2 loads smoothly and turns over big flies well in reasonable conditions. It has plenty of backbone when you need to lean into a fish, while still having enough feel and finesse for more technical situations. It doesn’t feel like you’re waving a broomstick around just because you’ve got a 9-weight in your hand. Truthfully, the feel is more like an 8-weight, which I view as a good thing.
A Much-Needed Reel Seat Fix
If I had one complaint with the original DXF, it was the reel seat. The design worked fine with smaller reels, but sometimes the big boys were tricky. I had instances where some of my larger saltwater reels wouldn’t fit properly, forcing me to sand down the reel feet just to make everything compatible.
Douglas clearly listened to that feedback. The DXF Gen2 features a completely redesigned self-aligning anodized reel seat with dual locking rings and Nylatron inserts. It’s beefier, easier to use, and accommodates larger reels without any drama. The seat locks down securely and feels much more appropriate for a big-fish rod.
Keep in mind, every DXF (Gen1 and Gen2) rod I’ve owned has been a 9-foot 7-weight or larger, all of which come with the “Handle B” option. I cannot speak to the other handle configurations (A, C, D, E, or F).
Feel and Durability
At 4.06 ounces, the 9-weight DXF Gen2 feels surprisingly light for a rod built to throw heavy flies and fight powerful fish. Again, it feels more like an 8-weight in hand. Fishing it all day is not a chore, as it can be with some other 9-weights on the market.
Douglas outfitted the saltwater models with a full-wells grip made from AAA-grade cork and added rubberized cork reinforcement at the ends of the handle. That little bit of extra protection should pay dividends after years of abuse.
What I Don’t Like
The DXF Gen2 is an impressive rod, especially considering its price point, but there are still a couple of areas where the gap between it and some of the higher-end rods becomes apparent.
The biggest improvement over the original DXF is distance casting. The Gen2’s redesigned blank feels quicker, tracks better, and generates more line speed than the first-generation model. Long casts that required more effort with the original DXF come together easier with the Gen2.
That said, there is still a noticeable difference between this rod and some of the premium saltwater sticks out there. When you’re trying to bomb a cast into a stiff wind or reach a fish on the edge of your casting range, rods like the Douglas Sky G, Sage Salt R8, or Scott Sector will outperform.
That’s not necessarily a knock on the DXF Gen2, though. It’s more a reminder of what you’re paying for at the top end of the market. At $599, this rod was never designed to compete head-to-head with $1,000-plus rods. Its strength is delivering a large portion of that performance at a much more approachable price.
The other complaint is completely subjective. The Brilliant Blue Flake finish on the saltwater models (Emerald Green Flake on the freshwater models) looks sharp, but personally, I prefer the understated matte green of the original DXF.
Ultimately, the DXF Gen2’s shortcomings are minor and mostly show up when comparing it against rods that cost hundreds of dollars more. Within its own price category, it remains one of the best values on the market.
Final Word
Building a 9-weight that can delicately present a fly to a cruising redfish while still having enough muscle to turn a pissed-off striper away from a barnacle-covered piling is a difficult feat.
After a few months of fishing the DXF Gen2, I came away pretty damn impressed. It casts well, loads smoothly, has plenty of backbone for big fish, and still feels light in the hand after a full day of use.
At $599, you’re obviously giving up some performance compared to rods that cost $1,000 or more. But for the average angler, those subtle differences will be negligible. The DXF Gen2 is a versatile, capable rod that performs well across a wide range of situations without requiring you to take out a second mortgage to put a fish in the boat.
I look forward to seeing what else this rod can handle in the years to come. I’ve got a trip to Bolivia coming up, and this rod just might take center stage.
