While I appreciate Orvis keeping its long-running Recon rod series alive, I wish they’d update the name whenever they refresh this stick. Each iteration has been called the “Recon,” but I had the chance to review their latest version, which debuted early in 2026. Orvis was kind enough to send along a 9′ 5-weight for testing, and I had the chance to fish it on a variety of rivers and streams here in Wyoming.
New Gear
Orvis Recon Fly Rod
Key Features:
- Fast-action that’s versatile across multiple techniques
- Made in the USA
- MSRP: $698
Pros:
- Responsive, powerful blank
- Helios-inspired technology
- 25-year warranty
Cons:
- A bit expensive
- Grip and reel seat feel bulky
The newest Recon is built with “Helios-inspired” construction techniques, and Orvis says this rod is designed to be “thrown in the back of a truck, strapped to a pack, or stowed in a floatplane pontoon.” It features a subtle take on Orvis’ standard white sticker above the handle, as well as a burled wood insert.
The Recon is built in the USA, and retails for $698, a $100 increase from the price point of the previous model.
While I enjoyed my time with the Recon and don’t have any major complaints, it feels an awful lot like the Helios. So much so that I’d wonder why you’d buy a Helios when the Recon is available, in both fresh and saltwater models. If anything, that’s a compliment to Orvis for building a great stick. But let’s look further at what I like and don’t like about this rod.
What I Like
Responsive
The first thing I noticed when casting the Recon was that it’s much better than the previous versions of this rod. Both iterations, which I’ve fished extensively, felt a bit stiff in-hand. They weren’t very responsive during the casting process, which resulted in the rod feeling like it had a slight hitch in its flex about halfway down the blank.
I know other people loved the action of the Recon, and I’m probably in the minority. Don’t worry, though – this improvement only makes the rod better. It still feels and casts like the Recon, but much more smoothly than previous versions.
That’s not the case for the newest version. This rod feels and casts smoothly at traditional trout fishing distances.
The Recon feels a bit slower than the Helios, and as such, I think it gave me a bit more feedback and response during my casting and fish fighting. While this is still a fast rod, it bends enough that most casters will be able to coax plenty of power from the blank. But whether I had a dry-dropper on, an indicator nymph rig, or a single dry, the rod responded well to my casting.
I fished this with a Ross Animas reel and Scientific Anglers’ Amplitude Infinity line. With a true-to-weight line, the Recon will likely be a bit quicker.
Mending and Power
I was pleasantly surprised with how well the Recon, in a 9′ 5-weight, handled a larger nymph rig thrown from a drift boat. I fished this rod right after using another 9′ 5-weight that struggled staying stable and accurate with a heavier rig, so the Recon was a breath of fresh air.
Whether I needed to throw a big downstream mend, or muscle my indicator, two nymphs, and split shot into a far pool, the Recon showed that, in a 9′ 5-weight, it’s a versatile, do-it-all trout rod. If you’re looking for a rod that’ll do 90% of what you need for trout fishing, the Recon deserves to be in that conversation. I wouldn’t use it for sink-tip lines and large streamers, but smaller streamers on short leaders and floating line will be fine on this rod.
Great With Dry Flies
I wouldn’t pick the 9′ 5-weight Recon as my go-to for technical fishing on a spring creek; I don’t think I’d pick any 5-weight for that. But for most of your other dry fly work, the Recon will work well. It threw small blue-winged olives, a dry-dropper rig, and even some larger flies with ease and accuracy. This would make a great boat rod for chucking hoppers against the banks later in the season.
USA Made
I love that Orvis is still making two rod families in the US. Making rods here isn’t cheap or easy, so it’s nice to see you can grab a homegrown rod without the four-figure price tag. The entire color scheme is great, too. It’s a classy, well-built rod (with a few imperfections I’ll get into in a moment) that looks great out on the water.
What I Don’t Like
Price
Orvis has the Recon listed at $698, which is $200 more than it originally debuted for, an $100 more than the previous model. I don’t think it’s an awful price, but the Recon has, in past years, been a mid-priced rod that still packs some great performance. Even with rods approaching $1,200 for flagship series these days, $698 doesn’t quite feel like a mid-priced rod.
The price also confuses it a bit with the Helios for me. For $1,098, you get Orvis’ top-tier rod. That’s just an extra $400, and honestly, with how similar these rods feel and perform, I don’t know that I’d tell someone to buy a Helios when this version of the Recon exists. Sure, the Helios is a bit more accurate, but most anglers (myself included) aren’t good enough casters to coax the best out of the Helios.
It’s just a confusing price point for a rod to sit at, in my opinion.
Build Quality
The only real issue I have with the Recon is its grip and reel seat. They both feel bulkier than the Helios, and are noticeably chunkier than grips on my other 9′ 5-weights. I’ve noticed this on past Recon rods, too, so it’s a design choice that Orvis has made for a while that just doesn’t sit with me. The cork quality is great, though.
The other problem on my rod were some rod alignment dots that were misplaced. Using those to line up the snake guides on the top two sections resulted in the tip being about 45-degrees off-center from the rest of the rod. That’s not a huge deal, but at $698, I’d expect a bit better quality control.
There was also some scuffing and peeling to the finish on the reel seat insert. Neither of these affects the performance of the rod, but they’re worth noting.
Final Word
The newest Recon is definitely a step forward for the rod. It’s light, responsive, powerful, and much more fun to fish than its predecessors. You definitely see and feel the Helios influence in this rod, and since it’s $400 less, I think you’d be hard-pressed to pick the Helios over the Recon. My slight quibbles about the build quality aside, it’s an objectively great rod that’ll serve most trout anglers well.