Orvis Helios D 10′ 6-weight

Reviews

1. Rated 3 out of 5

   Much heavier and stiffer than other Helios models, the 10’ 6-weight is workmanlike with an SA Infinity Taper, a popular line choice for single hand steelheading and big river nymphing. It possesses plenty of spine for lifting sink tips or full sink lake lines, but I found this model out of character with the rest of the series in that it lacks feel and lightness. I didn’t really like it with the Infinity Taper, but perhaps it would cast a streamer line or full sink lake line with greater engagement. Overall, it casts more like a 7-weight.

   John Duncan (Telluride Angler)

2. Rated 4 out of 5

   10’ 6-weights are their own beasts. The Helios D 10’ 6wt falls nicely into that category. It has plenty of power for any big river or stillwater application. It is a little overkill for trout fishing in my opinion, but if you like fishing 10’ 6wt rods for trout it will certainly perform well for you. Just like all longer 6wt rods, it’s fairly heavy in hand but that is to be expected. This is a tool that is designed for a very specific task. It will be a little cumbersome fishing all day, but if you’re targeting big fish with large flies this rod will feel right at home. I played around with the SA Amplitude Infinity WF6F on this rod and it’s a great match.

   Parker Thompson (Telluride Angler)

3. Rated 4 out of 5

   The Helios D 106 has a big rod feel and in my hands feels like something more than a trout rod, at least trout in the lower 48 that I have come across. I got a strong sense of intentional taper design from this rod. In close the loops are open and almost stubbornly so. You have a hard time tightening them up at close ranges, but the more open loop has a hard driving and purposeful sense. The loops tighten up quickly as you lengthen the line out of the tip and it is pretty darn easy to dump out the whole line from that initial proper load. The Helios D 106 can absolutely drop bombs with an Infinity WF6F. The visual feedback is very good and you can see the loops leaving hot and level, but the feedback along the blank is best described as muddled. No matter what length of line I had out, the rod had a flat sensation of rod loading. You can really hammer it and watch it launch line, however. My sense is that this an Alaska-built 10-foot 6-weight, with open loops at closer distances for indicator bead rigs and an easy automatic ability to reach out across the river with plenty of bottom end pulling power. The wells grip is full and of the same design as the saltwater Helios models with a smaller fighting butt.

   Richard Post (Telluride Angler)