G. Loomis Asquith 590-4

Reviews

1. Rated 5 out of 5

   I preferred each Asquith freshwater model with a different fly line, cleverly suited to their respective line weights.  Whereas my favorite line on the 4-weight is the Rio Technical Trout, my favorite on the 5-weight is the Scientific Anglers MPX, followed closely by the Rio Gold.  With either line, this rod is an incredible caster, combining lightness with line speed and control as well as any rod I’ve cast.  The Asquith series is for real.  They offer a higher level of casting performance than anything on the market, at least in fast action fly rods. 

   The Asquith 590-4 must be the best drift boat dry fly rod on the planet.  Line speed, leader turnover and accuracy are truly elite.  This rod offers sensational stability for picking up a long fly line at the end of your drift and recasting to the bank, minimizing false casts as you change direction and placement.  Casting in the wind is all about aerodynamics.  Paired with either of the above fly lines, or the Rio Technical Trout, the rod forms instantaneous tight loops that leap from the rod tip, tugging at your line control hand demanding more distance.  Fish it with a single dry fly (large or small), dry dropper or a nymph/indicator rig.

   John Duncan (Telluride Angler)

2. Rated 5 out of 5

   The 9’ 5wt Asquith from G. Loomis is a great all-around 5. Just like all of the Asquith rods, the 5wt is incredibly light in hand and has a very playful feel to it. This is a rod that will perform well regardless of what style of fishing you like to do with your 5wt. It has a tremendous amount of feel for dry fly fishing but also has enough power in the tip to fish a nymph set-up with ease. Mending and roll-casting capabilities are second to none when compared to other fast action 5wt rods. The rod offers an impressive amount of feedback to the caster and is as intuitive as any rod out there. It can also handle a relatively wide range of fly line tapers. My personal favorite is the SA Amplitude Infinity WF5F. With this line, the rod loads a bit deeper and excels in close.

   Parker Thompson (Telluride Angler)

3. Rated 5 out of 5

   The new Asquith 590 is a great fly rod. For the 6 weight it was love at first sight. The 590 did not welcome me quite as warmly, but the introduction was one that I knew was lasting. I cast the 590 first with a Rio Gold and I couldn’t quite get it dialed in as perfectly as I assumed. I have experienced this with several fly rods, including one that became my all time favorite. Your first shake at a very refined fly rod might not catch you when you’re ready.

   Today, I took the rod back out, got it on the water and I fished a Gold XP this time around. That line really set my understanding of the rod into motion. The Gold XP gave the blank a little more and let me open it up and explore the taper. Enough so, that I put a Gold back on it afterwards. I had a completely different experience. The XP gives the blank more spirit and engages the lower portion of the rod more readily. The Gold drives the load up the blank a little bit more and gives the rod a feeling of carrying line more than shooting line. The XP had a little more line shooting feeling and an SA Infinity was similar.

   I believe the new Asquith 590 is a technical dry fly angler’s dream, if you lean towards a faster action style fly rod. The feeling of the bend is there, but the down-to-the-cork feeling through the cast is reserved for the long shots. The blank feels like a loop forming foundry and when you hold the rod tip high at the end of your roll cast you feel it. The middle of the blank just kicks the loop into shape with only a thought. This rod lays down a straight line on the water. If I wanted a little wiggle in my drift as it was coming down, I had to put it there, and I could with the rod asking me how many little S’s I would prefer in my drift. You are very connected to the the line with this rod. Subtle with all the power in reserve, the Asquith 590 is begging to take a long shot across a tricky drift into the wind.

   Richard Post (Telluride Angler)