article by John Duncan
reviews by John Duncan and Parker Thompson
Orvis rolls out the 2026 Recon series with the promise of durability and value, explaining that it is designed with technology borrowed from their famous Helios rods and with actions lying between Helios F and Helios D, which makes the new Recon series medium fast action. In trout models, the new Recon series distinctly reminds me of the original Helios (2008-2012). They are strikingly lightweight with an ultra-modern feel, but the tapers require specific fly lines to instill a sense of connectedness and control for the caster. The saltwater models, on the other hand, have a workmanlike character, erring on the side of power and durability in lieu of lightness. They are convincing tools that are clearly built to survive in challenging environments. Across the board, these are well made fly rods with high quality components.
Model-by-Model Reviews
Recon 864 (8’6″ 4-wt, 4-pc)
John Duncan: With a Scientific Anglers Infinity taper, this might be my favorite Orvis 4-weight. It casts predictable, measured loops with medium-high line speed and automatic leader turnover. The heavier, long-headed Infinity Taper actually makes the rod feel lighter because it loads the rod so naturally. Almost every caster will throw terrific loops with this rod and line pairing, but beware of using lighter lines, such as the SA Trout GP, SA Trout Expert or Rio Gold, which do not adequately load the rod and deliver a bouncy cast with a disconnected feeling. This will be a great rod for wade fishing smaller rivers, like our hometown San Miguel.
Parker Thompson: The 8’6” 4wt Orvis Recon is everything I look for in a mid-priced 4wt. It is wonderfully light in hand and has the sensitivity of a rod in a much higher price category, a perfect tool for small to medium sized rivers where fishability in close is key. Though it is an excellent rod in close, it holds a beautifully tight loop at distance as well. I was pleasantly surprised at the stability of this rod. You can lift a ton of line off the water and shoot it back out with virtually no bounce in the tip. I cast this rod with the SA Amplitude Infinity WF4F and it’s a great pairing. This rod casts and fishes well above its price.
Recon 904 (9’0″ 4-wt, 4-pc)
John Duncan: One of my favorite rods in the series, the Recon 904 swings super light and casts an SA Infinity taper with effortless long, level loops. What a great dry fly rod. While the Recon 864 would be my choice for small rivers, the 904 can cover more water and turn over a longer leader. Choose this rod for medium sized and larger rivers, lakes, spring creeks and all other waters that don’t specifically call for a short fly rod. You’ll be impressed with your line speed and accuracy, and with the versatility this rod offers in fishing flies in a wide range of sizes (from a #8-#24). It has plenty of backbone for light nymphing, too.
Parker Thompson: The 9’ 4wt Recon from Orvis is an incredible caster. The rod itself is very light in hand and swings even lighter. It forms a beautiful loop in close and holds its loop shape at all distances. It is slightly slower than the 8’6” version but still has enough backbone for some bigger bugs. Mending and roll casting capabilities are second to none in comparison with other similarly priced rods. Though I would reach for this rod for dry fly fishing exclusively, it has enough range for dry droppers and even lighter nymph rigs. It will fish a long leader well and presents the fly very gracefully. I’ve played around with the SA Amplitude Infinity WF4F and it’s an excellent pairing.
Recon 865 (8’6″” 5-wt, 4-pc)
John Duncan: In my hands, this is the slowest action rod in the series (but still medium-fast) and the only model that I prefer with a Rio Gold rather than an SA Infinity Taper. It’s a great all-around trout rod for small and medium sized rivers and I particularly like the more moderate action given its 8’6” length. It forms natural casting loops at only 10-15 feet, so I can throw may favorite dry flies all afternoon on the San Miguel or Upper Dolores without feeling like I am working to cast a stiff fly rod. Roll casting and line mending are effortless. This is an excellent all purpose 5-weight that can fish dry flies and dry dropper rigs with the ease and delicacy of a 4-weight.
Parker Thompson: Just like the 8’6” 4wt, the 8’6” 5wt is light in hand and very sporty. It throws nice tight loops in close and loads almost immediately. This would make for an excellent all-around 5wt for smaller rivers where length is key. It favors a slightly quicker casting stroke but if you have a slower cadence you can still get it to operate well. With a quicker stroke the rod creates tons of line speed with minimal effort. It has plenty of power for heavier flies but will also fish a small single dry fly well. I threw the SA Amplitude Infinity WF5F on this rod and it was great.
Recon 905 (9’0″ 5-wt, 4-pc)
John Duncan: This is an impressive rod when paired with an SA Infinity Taper, but lighter lines leave the caster feeling disconnected and wandering. With an Infinity, however, we have something special. The Recon 2 905 feels light in hand but stable and confident throughout the blank. It doesn’t wobble under the weight of a strike indicator and lead, nor will it back down from a Rio Predator or other common streamer line. This is truly a 5-weight for all techniques: dry flies, nymphs and streamers. It possesses tremendous power and seems to build line speed with each increment of line in the air, yet flexes and responds beautifully at short distances for fishing right off your boot laces. This is an outstanding mid-priced trout rod that will fish right alongside most of the high-end 5-weights on the market.
Parker Thompson: This is a great “do it all” 5wt that will handle a wide range of fishing styles well. It doesn’t quite have the ultralight feel that the shorter models do, but it isn’t as heavy as other rods in a similar price point. It performs pretty well in close but really comes to life with 40’ or so of fly line out. Just like all of the Recon rods, the 9’ 5wt handles several different casting strokes well. It will perform equally well with a long, smooth casting stroke as it will with a short aggressive stroke. It’s relatively stiff compared to other mid-priced rods but still has great feel. I threw this rod with the SA Amplitude Infinity WF5F and was very happy with the performance.
Recon 906 (9’0″ 6-wt, 4-pc)
John Duncan: This rod fishes most naturally with a Rio Gold XP, Scientific Anglers Infinity or Rio Predator, all of which load it sufficiently for casting short, medium and long. The Recon 2 906 might be Orvis’s best 6-weight for streamers. It feels like first generation Helios technology with plenty of power in the butt section for controlling heavy lines, conehead or articulated streamers and aggressive nymph/indicator rigs. The rod casts beautifully with an even flex profile and progressive arc, but tilted toward a quick casting cadence and powerful stroke.
Parker Thompson: Just like the previous generation of the 9’ 6wt Recon, this is a great rod. It will handle heavy nymph rigs and streamers very well while still having a good amount of feel. It’s fairly light for a mid-priced 6wt and a wonderful caster. Just like the other 9 footers in the Recon family, it’s a great rod for longer casts and windy days. The fishability in close is excellent for a 6wt. I was very impressed with how well this rod handles a double haul and shoots line with minimal effort from the casting hand. I like several lines on this rod including the SA Amplitude Infinity WF6F, Rio Elite Gold XP WF6F, and Rio Elite Predator.
Recon 906 SW (9’0″ 6-wt, 4-pc, saltwater)
John Duncan: Distinctly heavier and stiffer than the freshwater 906, this model handles saltwater line tapers and specialized trout streamer lines with authority. In freshwater, fish this rod with a Rio Outbound or SA Titan taper to cast your largest streamers. The powerful butt section offers terrific stability for plus sized line heads and awkward flies. It’s an excellent carp and bass rod, too, although I would fish it with a 7-weight line to load deeply for casting wind-resistant flies, like deer hair poppers. The stiff character of this fly rod also makes it effective with all sinking fly lines, fresh or salt.
The Recon 906 SW will cast any saltwater fly line confidently, but line speed and sensitivity won’t compare with high end saltwater fly rods, such as the Helios D. This rod feels overbuilt for a 6-weight, but that’s what I would expect from a mid-priced saltwater rod that needs prioritize durability and power. In my estimation, it has plenty of strength for bonefish, as well as redfish up to 8-10 pounds.
Parker Thompson: There’s a big difference between this rod and the freshwater 9’ 6wt. The saltwater components and overall build make the rod itself quite a bit heavier and significantly stiffer. It performs very well at distance but is sluggish in close. I could see myself using this rod as a trout streamer rod, bass rod, or light duty bonefish rod on the flats. It needs a relatively heavy fly line to engage the blank properly. With a line like the Rio Elite Predator or even SA Sonar Titan this rod will fish very well. If you plan on using it in saltwater put your favorite Bonefish line on and have fun.
Recon 907 (9’0″ 7-wt, 4-pc)
Recon 907: This rod feels like a saltwater and salmon rod rather than a trout streamer rod. It fishes high in its line class and prefers a heavy-headed line, such as most saltwater lines, specialty streamer lines and the SA Anadro. With these lines, it forms excellent casting loops and builds line speed at distance. There are lighter 7-weights out there, but the Recon 2 is built to last with heavy duty components and a stout blank. The taper is highly refined. The rod flexes evenly and predictably with the amount of line you have in the air, but with a distinctly fast-action tempo and the constant request for power in the casting stroke. This will be a popular rod for bass, redfish, pike, sockeye salmon and heavy or articulated trout streamers.
Parker Thompson: This is a very powerful 7wt that is easy casting and relatively light in hand. It throws fairly tight loops at all distances and is surprisingly nice in close. It’s a rod that will feel equally at home in freshwater as it will in saltwater. It would make for a great bass rod and would be very fun chasing bonefish on the flats. Depending on what you plan on using it for, this rod will handle several lines well. For a general-purpose freshwater floating line, the SA Amplitude Infinity WF7F is great. If you want to use it as a streamer rod consider the Rio Elite Predator family of lines and if you fish saltwater the Rio Elite Bonefish is a great choice.
Recon 908 (9’0″ 8-wt, 4-pc)
Recon 908: Like the 907, the 908 errs on the side of power and durability, in most cases exactly what you want from an 8-weight. I like it best with slightly heavier lines. For example, I prefer an SA Bonefish Plus to a regular SA Bonefish or Rio Bonefish. If you’re fishing freshwater, you’ll find this rod handles the SA Anadro Taper, SA Titan, Rio Predator and other specialty nymph and streamer lines confidently. It also casts every version of the Rio Outbound quite well. This is not a dry fly rod, but excels in the onerous tasks that we ask of our 8-weights in saltwater, Alaska, etc. While neither light nor lively in the hand, the Recon 2 908 responds well to a powerful casting stroke. It is very stable, driving high line speed loops out to great distances in the hands of an assertive caster. If you have a relaxed and gentle casting stroke, another rod might be a better fit, but for power fishing in a challenging environment, this is an excellent fly rod.
Parker Thompson: I was very impressed with this rod. It has tons of power but still fishes very well in close with decent sensitivity in the tip. Just like the other 9 footers in the lineup, the 9’ 8wt is a showstopper at distance. The loop opens up just a tad on really long casts, but that doesn’t impact the overall performance of the rod. It is a killer all-around 8wt rod that can handle several different fishing situations well. My favorite saltwater line pairing on this is a Bonefish taper whether it’s the Rio Elite Bonefish WF8F or the SA Amplitude Bonefish WF8F. If you plan on fishing bigger, more wind-resistant flies don’t be afraid to fish a heavier line as well.
