When Thomas & Thomas announced the Avantt II earlier this year, The Venturing Angler had the opportunity to get one of the first reviews out there. But instead of taking advantage of having some of the first content out there, it felt as though a rod priced in the $900s and potentially worthy of being a generational rod needed a bit more attention.
In the trout waters of Montana, the Avantt II got some good reps in. On the Yellowstone River and Lamar River, this rod was used in a variety of situations with a number of different flies. From carefully casting small dries to rising fish in calm pools to flipping clunky double nymph rigs with weight, this rod was tested with most angling uses in mind. And having previously fished the Avantt, expectations were high.
Thomas & Thomas won’t deliver a rod that is anything less than impressive — especially when carrying on the name of such a well-received trout rod, and as expected, this is a mighty fine fly rod.
The Avantt II is a fast action rod that is a delight to cast and fish. T&T describes the action as “smooth, fast action,” and this rod is in fact great in hand. With a properly paired line, we fished a 9-foot, 5-weight rod that checked every box, especially with heavier flies and setups. This rod was most impressive when casting bigger dries and dry/dropper rigs, and the ease of roll casting and line control with nymph rigs and indicators showed that this rod can handle it all. Additionally, the Avant II shined when casting longer distances.
The Avant II has what Thomas & Thomas calls a “Special Wells” grip and uses the finest components. And as one ought to expect with any Thomas & Thomas rod, from the reel seat to the blank, this rod is gorgeous.
The Avant II is available in line weights 3 through 7 and lengths 8’6″ to 10 feet.
To check out the Avant II from Thomas & Thomas, please click here.
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