Echo Shadow II Rod Review

It’s amazing how specialized fly fishing has become in our current modern world. Back when I started in the 70’s I had two rods, 5 and 7 weights, both Fenwick fiberglass models matched with Pflueger reels and Cortland lines. That’s all that my Dad and I used, and we caught plenty of steelhead and trout with them. Today’s world is different, and I own more specialized rods than ever. I still like to simplify my quiver though, and have become a man of basic needs over time. A longer rod has its advantages though, and two scenarios would be high stick nymphing, or short line dry fly fishing in classic Northern California pocket water.

My current high sticking rod is the last generation of Powell rods designed by Press Powell and manufactured in Chico, Ca. It’s the 10 foot IM6 triple scrim, a beautiful rod that is medium to fast action with a soft tip and perfect for nymphing and mending long line. Because it is so rare and cherished, I hate to use in fear of beating it up or breaking it. It can’t be replaced. In searching for a day in and day out workhorse of a rod I stumbled on the Echo Shadow II, and so far I’m extremely pleased with the results. I chose the 10.6 foot model in a 4 weight, and purchased the competition kit that allows the user to increase the length of the rod to an additional 6 to 12 inches. The kit also comes with a fighting butt and slip on counter weights to balance the rod for a perfect feel, and comfort while using it all day long.

The first attention to detail that lured me to purchasing the Shadow 2 was the matte finish. I’ve always been big on being stealth, in fact I own the original Stealth Rod created by Gary LaFontaine, a damn fine fly rod in its own. Secondly I was sold on the length and the additional slip on feature for even greater length. Tim Rajeff and Pete Anderson really thought outside the box on this project. Black thin single foot guides keeps the weight down for better all around performance, keeping the rod balanced and true. The grip is a standard reverse cigar style and somewhat comfortable, I prefer a half or full wells, but the old school fly angler in me tells me to adjust and adapt, which is pretty much my method of operation. The aesthetics of the rod is classy yet not over commanding with a little flair, like the signature graphic of a stone fly nymph on the reel seat. 

I matched the rod with a Galvan Rush Light reel, I could have used a heavier reel to match the Shadow II since it is a bit tip heavy with the longer length, but the additional slip on weights offered in the competition kit fixed that. I added 3 of the washers from the kit to get a true balance of the rod while being held in my hand. The line I chose to match with the Shadow II was the weight forward In Touch RIO Perception 4, with this line I can high stick, and also switch to dry fly fishing with a quick change in leader selection.

With high stick nymphing, the casts are short and none of the fly line is outside the tip with my own personal leader construction. The Shadow II loads a heavy nymph rig quite well and is accurate in its delivery. The greatest feature on this rod for nymphing is the super sensitive tip, and I could feel my flies tick along the bottom of the river while making a drift. This is important and can save an angler a lot of flies from being lost on snags because you’re in better contact with your rig. The softer tip also allows for extra protection when using lighter tippets, and more efficient hook sets. The butt section on the Shadow II is beefy, and for a 4 weight it can handle big fish easily and tires them out for a quicker net job. With my same high stick leader during testing, I put on an Air Lock indicator and made long nymphing presentations. I was surprised at how well the rod mended large amounts of fly line throughout the drift. It also delivered line effectively from the tip of the rod using a downstream bump feed presentation without much bounce or recoil. I also tested the Shadow II with a dry fly set up and made false casts amazingly well with a nice controlled loop that allowed my leader to fully lay out. I will definitely be fishing it on the North Fork Yuba River this coming summer. The rod was equally good at swinging small streamers with a RIO Versi Tip at a drop rate of 3 inches per second.  

This rod does it all, and does it well. At $250 it’s well worth the money, and for $75 more you can purchase the competition kit and customize your rod for any situation you encounter on the river. I have yet to use this rod on a stillwater, but I imagine it would shine just as well as the other tests I made with it. The Shadow II is a fast action rod with great power and accurate tracking. Though I bought this rod for just high stick nymphing, it’s nice to know it can be used for many different applications. 

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