TFO TiCr X Series Fly Rod

By Frank Martin

"WOW! This rod throws a line as flat as a billiard table with a loop you can throw through a screen door. I would certainly rate this one of the very best eight weight rods I have ever cast. For anyone who likes a fast action rod - this does it in spades." -- Lefty Kreh

Imagine a fly rod company taking a prototype to Lefty Kreh and saying "This is a great rod, but what do you think we could do to make it better?” Do you think he’d have some ideas for them? Now imagine that they do this through six different rounds of prototypes, only to have him say at the end of the process, “I think you’ve done it. This one is perfect!" Is that a rod you’d like to carry?

That’s exactly how the new TiCrX fly rod from Temple Fork Outfitters evolved. And all you have to do is cast it to appreciate their efforts.

You know from experience that TFO is good at pricing their rods realistically. At under $225, the TiCrX looks and feels like someone slapped the wrong price tag on it. It’s a noticeable upgrade from the TiCr Series, with a rich blue blank color, high-grade cork, and newly designed aluminum reel seats with a uniquely designed cushioned reel hood.  The 6 weight and heavier rods have a channel lock sliding rear hood with double locking rings, and oversized titanium oxide stripping guides. The 5 & 6 weight have a reversed half wells grip, single uplocking ring, and a matte black graphite insert. A very nice looking rod with sweet features! The one I bought didn’t have a single blemish in the finish, was light to the touch, and feels perfectly balanced from butt to tip.

So how does it cast? Better than I expected. I’ve cast rods that were three times the price, and I didn’t expect this one to quite measure up, but I was wrong. A couple of weeks ago I took my new 5 wt., 4 piece, 9’ TiCrX out of the box and headed to Spinney Reservoir for a test run. My first cast was from a boat loaded with five people, each of us struggling to keep our lines from getting tangled, so it was hard to get a full cast going. Still it had a sweet feel to it.

Later in the afternoon we made our way to South Platte and I finally had a chance to let-her-rip. I should admit here that I’m definitely not a casting expert. I work with guys all day long who can throw a fly into a thimble at 80 yards (okay, maybe not, but close), so I know what a good cast looks like. I spend more time writing about fishing than I do fishing. But even in my awkward hands, this rod felt and cast exceptional. There was a noticeable ease of delivery and lightness in my fingers that impressed me from the first throw. And I could hit any target I aimed at—which isn’t always the case for me.

If you’re looking for a sweet rod for an even sweeter price, this is definitely a rod worth trying. And with TFO’s lifetime guarantee, you can hardly go wrong.

To contact TFO, go to www.templeforkflyrods.com, or call 800-638-9052.

About the Author

Frank Martin is a freelance writer, as well as co-publisher and Managing Editor of High Country Angler. He is the author of over fourteen books (none of which are fly-fishing related). You can visit his website at www.FrankMMartin.com.