Article and reviews by John Duncan
Technology | New configurations | Rod action | Model reviews
The Scott GT Series is a serenade to anglers worldwide who are entranced with the artform of fly fishing for trout. Uncasing a GT is like unwrapping a gift, offered by Rod Designer Jim Bartschi to enhance a shared love and to honor old ideas with the application of his most modern technological innovations.
Technology advances
The most important advance is found in the Scott Internal Ferrule, the connection between rod parts that provides the truest flex continuum. At one time, several manufacturers built rods with their own version of an internal ferrule but fell out, one-by-one, conceding to less laborious construction methods. Scott continues to invest in doing certain things the hard way, and the result is the medium action GT Series, which delivers casting purity never previously achieved by any rodmaker.
The new Scott internal ferrule is lighter. Now wrapped in ARC II reinforcement, which is 40% lighter than original ARC, GT Series spigot ferrules average 20% lighter, about .5 grams per ferrule. At the Scott factory, we actually weighed them side-by-side with the previous version. That’s a lot of weight to take out of the rod blank. Without this ferrule, it would have been infeasible to make 5-piece rods that feel like the GT 843-5 and GT 844-5.
The GT Series is further enhanced with the inventive resin first used in the Centric series, lightening every model and improving stability. This is how 8’ 10” rods swing like 8’8” rods, and contributes to the design of medium action 9’8” rods that don’t feel tip heavy.
All new configurations
How are they new and unique? Every single model is new (or new since 2004, when the original Scott G 5-piece rods were discontinued).
7’4” 3-weight: The 7’ 4” 3-weight is more specialized toward creek fishing than any graphite rod since the 6’10” models of the original G Series (circa 1980). Here is the first Scott graphite rod since 2004 that we would compare side-by-side with the F Series (fiberglass) for the creek fanatic.
8’4” 3 & 4-weight 5-piece rods: Every angler now travels and many hike into the backcountry seeking the most fleeting element of our sport: solitude. If 5-piece rods were relevant in 2004 (when the original G Series went away), they are twice as compelling today. The problem is that every former 5-piece rod (from any rod maker) came with an asterisk: it wasn’t as good as a 4-piece rod. We guarantee you will immediately forget these are 5-piece rods; you’ll literally have to remind yourself to put the 5th piece in the sleeve. The 8’4” 5-piece rods are the lightest, smoothest, most progressive, rangy rods that Scott has ever designed in a mid-length configuration.
The 8’ 10” models do several things slightly better than their 8’8” predecessors: 1) overhead cast and roll cast a little farther 2) hold line higher on the backcast 3) handle even longer leaders 4) set the hook more effectively, especially at distance or with a long leader. They are rangier, more stable and more versatile. They combine the purposes of the former 8’8” and 9’0” rods in the G Series into rods that are somehow better than either. These are the most versatile and optimized trout rods Scott has ever designed.
The 9’8” rods are a completely new swing at an old idea: deliver a superior technical nymphing and dry fly rod by giving the angler more reach, but in a medium action rod rather than the fast action package that most long rods come in. What’s new here? Everything. Scott hasn’t made a medium action rod over 9’ since 2004.
Rod character and overall fishability
The GT Series are characterized as “medium action,” but more crisp and stable than their predecessors, lending to the feeling of a medium-fast action rod. In point of fact, we cast these rods with a quicker tempo because we’re not waiting for the rods to stop wobbling. Every rod in this series is the most fine-tuned that Scott has ever designed. We notice countless advantages on the water. The rod adjusts to your casting stroke, whether backing off to drape a long dry fly leader at short distance or accelerating your stroke to build line speed and stopping the rod hard for fly turnover in the wind. When you accelerate, the rod accelerates. This is a result of immaculate fly rod tapers. In no previous Scott rod have the sections been so perfectly synchronized with each other. There are no hinges in the action. The rod puts the angler in complete control. The rod flexes precisely according to the amount of power applied and the length of the false cast. That’s why they are so deadly on the water and such a joy to cast. Fishing one is like reading a love letter.
Model reviews
GT Series 743-4 (7’4” 3-wt, 4-pc)
John Duncan: This is the first Scott graphite rod that I would fish side-by-side with my fiberglass rods. We do a ton of small stream fishing in the San Juan Mountains and for me, a true creek rod must be really short and slow-to-medium action to accentuate the special nature of my experience on the creek. This is the best short graphite rod I have ever fished. On the South Fork San Miguel, I found that it cast weightlessly and precisely into pockets and along grassy banks from less than 10 feet to over 30 feet. It is medium action, or even medium-slow, without any sense of being tip-heavy. All I feel is the fly line. The grip distinctly embellishes the feel and perception of lightness, too. It’s a well-contoured classic trout shape scaled down to match the rod, a thoughtful and delightful accent to this terrific, specialized fly rod. Fish it with an SA Trout Expert WF3 (formerly the SA Trout taper).
“It’s a playful, happy rod with just the right measure of seriousness.” – Richard Post
“The GT 743-4 is designed for fishing tight quarters, but on longer casts the rod still holds a beautiful loop and remains very stable.” – Parker Thompson
GT Series 843-5 (8’4” 3-wt, 5-pc)
John Duncan: The 5-piece aspect is a marvel and bonus, but I would choose this rod over any comparable model based sheerly on feel and casting range. For many anglers, I suspect the 5-piece configuration will be the deciding influence, but that only heightens the spectacle. Fishing this rod on both the South Fork San Miguel (creek) and the Upper Dolores (typical freestone river), I found the rod to load and cast with a lovely and predictable cadence. It never feels stiff, nor does it wobble or fold with 40 feet of line in the air. It casts both softly and with high line speed, depending upon my stroke. I tried it with a 7 ½’ leader on the creek and a 12’ leader for free-rising fish on the Dolores. Although the 8’10” 3-weight in this series is the best choice for technical dry fly fishing, I would never hesitate to go long and light with the GT 843-5. Conversely, I expect this rod to become our unanimous recommendation for backcountry anglers who pack into remote alpine creeks and lakes. I absolutely love it with an SA Trout Expert WF3 (formerly the SA Trout taper).
“The Scott GT Series 843/5 suffers from no crisis of identity.” – Richard Post
“As someone who often hikes to fish and also frequently fishes via bike accessed areas, this is a rod that I will always be sure to have on me, whether in a backpack or strapped to a bike frame.” – Parker Thompson
GT Series 844-5 (8’4” 4-wt, 5-pc)
John Duncan: Designing a supple-casting 8’4” 4-weight that comes in 5 pieces defies physics. Not only must the sections sync perfectly with each other, but they must do so without imparting excessive swing weight from 4 ferrule joints. No previous 5-piece 4-weight has ever accomplished this goal (from any rod maker). This is a dream rod for all small and medium sized trout water. It flexes deeply enough at 15’ to generate excellent line speed and a tight loop, rather than merely “flipping” the fly like other “stubby” feeling short 4-weights. On mid-length casts, the action is springy, stable, lively and effortless. Even at distance, it is completely confident and efficient with a hopper-dropper or light nymph rig. Like every rod in this series, the GT 844-5 excels in the finer presentation arts, including roll casting, reach casts and line mending. It is superior to its predecessor, the GS 844-4, in all of these techniques, more elegant in the tip and more elastic in the mid section. This is a marvelous all purpose 4-weight and, thanks to its 5-section design, automatic for backcountry fishing and travel. It casts an SA Trout Expert WF4, SA Trout GP and Rio Gold with equal ease, although my favorite line on pure casting merits and dry fly fishing is the SA Trout Expert.
“Few rods convey such a sense of effortless balance.” – Richard Post
“This is a rod that I can see myself constantly reaching for when fishing hoppers on smaller water.” – Parker Thompson
GT Series 8103-4 (8’10” 3-wt, 4-pc)
John Duncan: Although the longest 3-weight in the series, this model will be known as the lightest. It delivers a surreal feeling of airiness in the cast matched by no other medium action fly rod on the market and only a handful of fast action sticks, which generally have weight balanced toward the butt section in their blanks. This rod feels faster than it is because the tip recovery is so elastic, clean, bounce-free and effervescent. As each casting loop unfolds, line speed seems to build rather than die. It’s just remarkable. I’ve cast this rod hundreds of times with different lines and always come away saying to myself, “I’ve never felt anything like it.” Plenty powerful for fishing hoppers and hopper-dropper combinations, what I really recommend for this rod is a 14-foot leader and single dry fly. It swings as sweet as the famous GS 883-4 but with even greater feel. It mends across the river. When setting the hook on a long cast, the 8’10” rod peels all the line off the water to confidently bury the hook, whereas shorter 3-weights often leave me feeling like I have short arms. Fish it with a Scientific Anglers Amplitude Trout Expert WF3 for tightest casting loops and maximum line speed. It also handles a Rio Technical Trout, which may be a better line for throwing grasshoppers and hopper/dropper combinations.
“There’s no other way to put it—this rod shocked me. ” – Richard Post
“This rod not only fishes a long leader well, but it mends and roll casts incredibly well.” – Parker Thompson
GT Series 8104-4 (8’10” 4-wt, 4-pc)
John Duncan: I held my breath while first casting this rod because it replaces one of the greatest trout rods of all time, the GS 884-4. I was so relieved, and now excited to introduce everyone to the new flagship of the G Series. The GT 8104-4 seems to swing as light as its predecessor, but the additional 2 inches offer a quantifiable advantage in casting distance, reach, and every subtle technique. This is the 4-weight I cast in my dreams, and also on my backyard rivers. On the Dolores, I found it to have tremendous range, fishing dry flies and light dry-droppers from my boot tops to 60 feet. The act of casting this rod with a single dry fly captures my love for this sport, but it is also a highly capable nymphing stick at reasonable distance, whether running micro nymphs deep on the Green or San Juan, or highsticking pockets on the San Miguel. Here again, the extra length really helps. It fishes like a 9’ rod but feels like an 8’6” rod.
Take your pick on fly lines. With a single dry, the SA Trout Expert WF4 feels like it was made for this rod. The Rio Tech Trout WF4 loads the rod deeply and evenly, and has a little more kick for turning over larger dry flies or dry-droppers. An SA Trout GP or Rio Gold would be my choice for fishing a straight nymph rig up to about 35-40 feet from the angler.
“The new GT 8104/4 isn’t just an evolution—it’s the next legend, ready to fish for decades to come.” – Richard Post
“Being a huge fan of 8’8” 4wt rods from the past three Scott G generations, I have found a new love in the 8104/4.” – Parker Thompson
GT Series 8105-4 (8’10” 5-wt, 4-pc)
John Duncan: A chip off the same block as the 8104-4, this rod is everything I want in a 5-weight. It holds the line high enough to fish aggressively without fear of dropping my backcast into the willows, yet flexes evenly throughout the top ¾ of the blank, imparting a wonderful sense of cradling the fly line and shooting it the appropriate distance. It’s not just a great fly rod, it’s a great 5-weight, equally capable with a double nymph rig as it is with a dry fly. Like many rods in the GT series, it fishes slightly stiffer and longer than its predecessor, which I preferred to fish only with a dry fly. It is stable and powerful enough to fish from a driftboat, yet sufficiently supple to present long leaders at any distance while wading. It casts gently with an open loop for draping silky leader presentations, or crisply with hard stops for tight loops in the wind. The character of this rod is truly original. Most anglers will never know how hard Jim Bartschi worked to perfect the taper. We fished several early prototypes, all of which were fine fly rods, but not what he had in mind. Great fly rods are not born by chance, and the process of producing a series is anything but cookie-cutter. Bartschi wanted and needed this rod to stand above every previous G Series 5-weight, a daunting task. The result of his work is gift to all of us.
The GT 8105-4 casts many fly lines well, which is critical to versatility. Fish an SA Trout Expert WF5 with a single dry fly for gorgeous parallel loops and incredible long leader presentations. A Rio Gold is ideal for dry-dropper fishing or terrestrials in the #8-#10 range. The new SA Trout GP has similar characteristics to the Rio Gold and brings out a crisp, lively character in the 25’-50’ fishing range.
“There’s a deeper quality to it, an almost intangible ease that becomes clear the moment you cast. The GT 8105/4 feels unburdened, effortless, and alive in the hand.” – Richard Post
“This is a rod that impresses from the moment you pick it up until you are able to convince yourself to put it down.” – Parker Thompson
GT Series 8106-4 (8’10” 6-wt, 4-pc)
John Duncan: In the previous series, the GS 906-4 and GS 886-4 were medium-action rods with stiff tips that forced them to flex into the middle on every cast. On the soft side for all-purpose 6-weights, they were lovely with a dry fly and wonderful roll casters for nymphing, but limited in streamer fishing capability. The new GT 8106-4 is more similar to the other 8’10” rods in this series, possessing stiffer mid sections and a lighter tip than the previous GS models. The new rod will meet the expectations of anglers seeking an easy-casting 6-weight that still fundamentally casts off the top half of the rod, holding the line higher on the backcast and with a quicker load-and-recoil tempo than the previous models. It is still much lighter and deeper flexing than most 6-weights on the market, but the angler can demand more when needed and expect a confident response. It’s better from the driftboat, wading deep or chucking a streamer, and great with both a Rio Gold and SA Infinity Taper, which I consider minimum credentials for an all-purpose 6-weight. This is a rod that excels in all 3 techniques we require from the 6-weight line class: dry flies, nymphs and streamers.
“The Scott GT Series 8106/4 immediately stood out to me as the boat rod in the GT lineup.” – Richard Post
“With this rod it doesn’t matter what the conditions throw your way, it’s ready to step up to the plate and knock it out of the park.” – Parker Thompson
GT Series 984-4 (9’8” 4-wt, 4-pc)
John Duncan: A light line, medium action rod of such length is a tough engineering challenge, but the performance advantages for the experienced angler are numerous. Bartschi polished this model through several prototypes to deliver a rod that flexes deeply yet remains perfectly connected to its fly line. It fishes best with an SA Trout Expert WF4, DT4, and other long-headed, true-to-line-weight lines. This is a technical fly rod for the angler trying to decode the toughest trout. It casts a single dry fly elegantly and softly, yet possesses the bottom end to comfortably handle a size #10 stonefly nymph. After the cast, it lifts and mends with impressive range and precision. The tactical advantages in tech nymphing sought by dedicated tailwater anglers are complete in this fly rod. It is stealthy and rangy on all small fly presentations, and the ultimate shock absorber for heavy fish on hair-thin tippets.
“The GT 984/4 will reward the technical trout angler fishing pressured waters who demands ultimate feel and finesse. ” – Richard Post
“Whether it be on a classic western dry fly fishery like the Henry’s Fork in Idaho, or your favorite stillwater, the 984/4 will perform wonderfully.” – Parker Thompson
GT Series 985-4 (9’8” 5-wt, 4-pc)
John Duncan: While I generally prefer trout rods that are 9’ or shorter, I liked this rod while lawn casting and decided to take it for a spin on my favorite techy alpine lake. Casting a single dry fly, it is rangy and effortless from 20’ to about 55’. The less I forced the rod, the more work it did for me. I got none of the heavy tip flop I expected from a 9’8” medium action rod. The lower two sections are stiff enough to support the length. Casting it gives the sensation of pushing from the bottom of the rod rather than pulling from the top. The feeling is almost like operating a hydraulic device, or like squeezing toothpaste from the bottom of the tube. It feels terrific and casts with superb range, turning over the fly decisively to make a convincing delivery on every cast. On the alpine lake, I found it incredibly effective for making long roll casts perpendicular to the heather-choked shoreline, easily turning over the fly at 40 feet or more. I came away thinking this might be my favorite stillwater fly rod, or at minimum, this is a great rod on the lake. A fast action rod like the Scott Centric 955-4 will raise the line higher on the backcast, but the overall length of this rod is adequate for holding the line pretty high, at least with a single dry fly, as long as the angler begins the cast with a low rod tip. It’s great on the hook set, too, sweeping up a long line to bury the fly in a deep, confident arc.
The GT 985-4 presents a major opportunity for the nymphing angler. It swings lighter than any 10-foot rod I have ever tried, yet does more work on the water. It is completely optimized for roll casting, line mending and playing heavy fish on light leaders. Any concern about extra weight and clumsiness when fishing a plus-9-foot trout rod is completely usurped by the empowerment of watching this rod perform its magic. I’ve never worked so little and received so much in return. This rod instills the trout angler with much the same tactical advantage as a two-handed rod for the steelheader. It’s just a better tool for nymphing. Period. Fish it with a Rio Gold, SA Infinity, or any long-bellied lake line, floating or sinking.
“Where this rod truly shines is in unconventional scenarios: situations demanding maximum drift length, finesse control with 6X tippet, or precision at extreme range.” – Richard Post
“This is a really cool, funky, and fun fly rod.” – Parker Thompson
[Scott GT Series fly rod pages]
Dear folks at Telluride,
I‘m on CET, 7 hours before your time and thus have the distinct advantage of being first in your comment section.
Thank you for yet another excellent rod review. I bought a Scott G-Series this summer after years of hesitation. It has become my go-to trout rod. Normally, one would expect an angry reaction from someone who‘s rod is being replaced by a new rod series just months after the purchase. Not me.
It is pleasing to see that there‘s Jim
Bartschi producing the finest medium action rods on the market. This new series will give us light 9.8 ft nymphing rods with a medium action, probably the first on the market and 5 piece medium action rods ideal for a hike to the water.
In a world where only Scott and Hardy still use internal ferrules this new GT rod series will be a welcome addition to the choices we have as trout anglers appreciating a medium action „made to fish rod“