First Casts: New Orvis Recon Rod Series
Posted by Nick Teynor on Jan 27th 2026
New for 2026: Orvis has officially released its newest generation of the Recon rod series. Ever since the Recon series came out in 2015, it has gained a reputation for having high end performance, but at a price that was easier on your pocketbook. Retailing for $698, the gen 3 Recon is more expensive than the previous versions of Recon fly rods, but still retails at a price point that many can afford, is still made at the Orvis rod shop in Vermont, and comes with upgraded graphite and cosmetic facelift. As a result of these upgrades, according to Orvis, the 2026 Recon is now 20% more durable than previous generations, which makes the Recon an ideal fly rod for those who treat their fly rods as “tools, not jewels”, and has more lifting power in the saltwater versions to aid in fighting larger fish. I’ve never liked regurgitating rod specs from the manufacturer in my reviews, so for more information on the specific rod cosmetics for the Recon, you can find that here.
Like the last generation of Recon rods, the 2026 Recon is also being offered in two distinct models: Freshwater and Saltwater. The freshwater models range from 9’ 3 wt.- 8' 9 " 11 wt., and all freshwater Recons between 3 weight - 6 weight have olive colored blanks and an uplocking reel seat with a wooden insert. The saltwater models range from a 9’ 6 weight - 9’ 11 weight, have a noticeably stiffer / faster action than their freshwater counterparts, and all saltwater Recon rods come with blue colored blanks, saltwater capable guides, and black anodized aluminum reels seats with fighting butts.
Full Disclosure: I haven’t had the opportunity to get the new Recon out on the water yet. I hope to change that down the road. However, I have been able to cast 19 different models (13 Freshwater, 6 Saltwater) with no less than 10 different fly lines from RIO and Scientific Anglers. My overall impression is that this latest version of the Recon is noticeably lighter in hand than its predecessor, casts a variety of fly line tapers well, and will be a good option for those who want a versatile, quality American made rod that doesn’t cost an arm and a leg.
As of right now, we won’t be carrying every model of Recon, so I’m going to focus this review on the models we’ll have in stock, and those that we'd be more inclined to use on our local waters. If you have any questions about fly line pairings, or where each model of Recon would be best used, please feel free to reach out to the shop! As mentioned before, I’ve cast every rod in the series, and can help point you in the right direction. Now, onto the rods!
Recon 903-4: This would be a great rod for fishing the local tailwaters-especially during midge and baetis hatches. Out of all the freshwater rods in the Recon series, the 903 has the most touch and feel throughout the blank, and is very well-designed for fishing in that 20’-40’ range with light leaders and tippets. If you love to fish small flies to picky fish, and / or the Uintas or Boulder Mountain range, this rod would be a great tool for fishing high country streams, lakes or ponds.
Recommended Fly Line Pairings
All-Around: Scientific Anglers Amplitude Smooth Trout GP , Scientific Anglers Amplitude Textured Trout GP , RIO Gold Premier
Big Flies and Wind: RIO Gold XP , Scientific Anglers Infinity Textured
Classic / Delicate Techniques: RIO Double Taper Technical Trout , RIO WF Technical Trout Premier , Scientific Anglers Amplitude Double Taper , Scientific Anglers Amplitude Trout Expert
Recon 864-4: If you do most of your fishing in Utah and across the west on small-medium sized streams, small lakes and ponds, and want a rod capable of fishing everything from dries to small streamers, this would be a rod to look at. It has a noticeably quicker action when compared to the Recon 903, but with the right line pairing, it’s a smooth operator.
Recommended Fly Line Pairings
All-Around: RIO Gold XP
Big Flies and Wind: Scientific Anglers Infinity Textured , Scientific Anglers Infinity Smooth , RIO Elite Gold Max
Classic / Delicate Techniques: RIO Gold Premier , Scientific Anglers Amplitude Smooth Trout GP , Scientific Anglers Amplitude Textured Trout GP
Recon 904-4: This would be a perfect rod for the angler who wants an all-around option for medium sized rivers, mountain lakes and ponds, and a great dry-fly rod for a variety of water bodies. Like the Recon 864, it has a quicker action than you may expect for a 4 weight, so I’d recommend pairing the 904 with a ½ size heavy line to get the best performance out of it-especially at normal trout fishing distances (20’- 45’).
Recommended Fly Line Pairings
All-Around: RIO Gold XP , Scientific Anglers Infinity Textured
Big Flies and Wind: Scientific Anglers Infinity Smooth , RIO Elite Gold Max
Classic / Delicate Techniques: RIO Gold Premier , Scientific Anglers Amplitude Smooth Trout GP , Scientific Anglers Amplitude Textured Trout GP , RIO Double Taper Technical Trout , RIO WF Technical Trout Premier , Scientific Anglers Amplitude Trout Expert
Recon 865-4: Lighter in hand and a little more responsive in the tip than the 905 Recon, the 865 is a great all-around option for the angler who wants a versatile 5 weight fly rod that will be more at home on the medium sized streams and small-medium sized ponds and lakes we have in Utah.
Recommended Fly Line Pairings
All-Around: RIO Gold XP , RIO Gold Premier
Big Flies and Wind: Scientific Anglers Infinity Textured , Scientific Anglers Infinity Smooth , RIO Elite Gold Max
Classic / Delicate Techniques: Scientific Anglers Amplitude Smooth Trout GP , Scientific Anglers Amplitude Textured Trout GP , RIO Double Taper Technical Trout , RIO WF Technical Trout Premier , Scientific Anglers Amplitude Trout Expert
Recon 905-4: Lighter in hand, and possessing more touch and feel than the previous generation of Recon, the 905 is a great all-around option for the angler who wants a versatile 5 weight fly rod. Dries, nymphs, standard trout streamers-I’m confident the 905 Recon will fish it all and fish them well. This rod would be a great option for our local tailwater fisheries, medium-large(-ish) rivers, mountain lakes, small reservoirs, etc.
Recommended Fly Line Pairings
All-Around: RIO Gold Premier , RIO Gold XP
Big Flies and Wind: Scientific Anglers Infinity Textured , Scientific Anglers Infinity Smooth , RIO Elite Gold Max
Classic / Delicate Techniques: RIO Double Taper Technical Trout , RIO WF Technical Trout Premier , Scientific Anglers Amplitude Trout Expert
Recon 906-4: If you're looking for a rod that is capable of fishing everywhere from the Green River, Strawberry Reservoir, Henry's Fork, Madison, and everything from dries, dry-droppers, nymph rigs, and streamers-the Recon 906 is a great option. Like the 905, the new 906 Recon is lighter in hand and has more touch and feel than its predecessor, which should make it even more enjoyable to fish with.
Recommended Fly Line Pairings
All-Around: RIO Gold Premier , RIO Gold XP
Big Flies and Wind: Scientific Anglers Infinity Textured , Scientific Anglers Infinity Smooth , RIO Elite Gold Max , Scientific Anglers Amplitude Textured MPX
Classic / Delicate Techniques: Scientific Anglers Amplitude Smooth Trout GP , Scientific Anglers Amplitude Textured Trout GP
Recon 908-4 Saltwater: Out of all the new Recon rods, the Recon Saltwater rods caught my attention the most, particularly the 908. It’s lighter in hand and more responsive than you would expect for a mid-price point rod, and would be an excellent option for the occasional saltwater angler that wants a high quality rod without having to pay over $1,000. I also see this rod being used for any and all large freshwater fish, and casting and fishing large air-resistant flies.
Recommended Fly Line Pairings
Freshwater All-Around: RIO Gold XP , RIO Elite Gold Max , Scientific Anglers Infinity Smooth , Scientific Anglers Infinity Textured
Saltwater All-Around: RIO Elite Flats Pro , Scientific Anglers Amplitude Smooth Infinity Salt , Scientific Anglers Amplitude Textured Infinity Salt
Saltwater Big Flies and Wind: Scientific Anglers Amplitude Smooth Grand Slam
Saltwater Classic / Delicate Presentations: RIO Elite Bonefish , Scientific Anglers Amplitude Textured Bonefish
Conclusion:
With all things in this world becoming more and more expensive, it’s nice to see that at least with the 2026 Recon, you don’t have to spend a thousand dollars to get a very capable fly rod. Overall I feel that Recon is a very good option for anglers across the experience spectrum, and particularly for those who fish their gear hard. The best way to get to know a fly rod is to cast it, and if you have any interest in this new offering from Orvis, we’ll have a 905, 906, and 908 available to cast and buy. Stop on by the shop to talk and/or gawk at the new sticks whenever you’re in the neighborhood-coffee’s on!
