Scott Wave 9011-4

Reviews

1. Rated 5 out of 5

   A Keys-ready tarpon rod without qualification, the Wave 9011-4 deserves to live on your skiff. In many cases, mid-priced 11 and 12-weights simply lack the power found in their high-end cousins. Not this one. The Wave 9011-4 throws a Rio Elite Flats Pro like they were made for each other. It is powerful and stable throughout the lower 2/3 of the rod with plenty of guts for hammering casts into 20 knot winds and pulling without caution on heavy fish beneath the boat. This rod delivers the action and muscle required for the silver king.

   John Duncan (Telluride Angler)

2. Rated 5 out of 5

   Mid-priced 11wt and 12wt rods often feel heavy and clunky. The 9011/4 Wave is another beast entirely. Just like all of the Wave rods, the 11wt is very stable and accurate. It doesn’t have the feather light feeling that the lower line weight Wave rods do, but it’s by no means heavy. It is more of a rocket ship than other 11wt rods in a similar price range but it doesn’t sacrifice feel. It loads well with only a little bit of fly line out and fishes great in close. I cast the Rio Elite Flats Pro WF11F on this rod and it handled the heavier fly line very well. If you plan on using this rod strictly for Tarpon a line like the Rio Elite Tarpon WF11F would be another great choice. This line is a bit lighter in the head and will hold a nice tight loop on longer casts.

   Parker Thompson (Telluride Angler)

3. Rated 5 out of 5

   The Wave 9011/4 was the most surprising model in the Wave lineup to me, a declared tarpon rod. You reach for an 11-weight when you have to pull on something enormous with a fly rod, but still need to actually present the fly: powerful on the fight but predictable and controlled on the delivery. It is a tall order for a fly rod, and the Wave 9011/4 is tailor made for the work. You can pick up so much line and put it right back where you found it. The second shot capability of this rod is remarkable. Control is a such a strong characteristic of this rod. You are in the driver’s seat and you don’t seem to feel the bumps, the line speed matched to the taper of the rod in perfect unison. The Wave 9011/4 is a serious tarpon rod with a unique feeling that I really enjoyed.

   Richard Post (Telluride Angler)