TFO Moment 7wt Rod Review

TFO Moment 9’ 7 Weight

Is this a ‘Sweet Lil Rod™’? Yea it is. Let’s start with the looks. Reminds me of the Scott Tidal or another Scott I am not putting my finger on at the Moment. It’s a nice gray blank with blue wraps that is unsanded too. Ok, that is why I am thinking Scott. I love the little snubbed, mushroom cap fighting butt on this seven weight. Nice little blue lines in the uplockers on the reel seat. It is a classy looking rod from TFO, who usually does a more in your face color scheme on their offerings. 

TFO describes it as fast action. That is an accurate description. It has a stiffer tip than the rods I have been casting lately and usually prefer if I am being honest. The flex is very consistent and predictable and that all occurs in the middle of the rod. I usually like throwing poppers or anything topwater with a tip casting rod, however I was able to (very) easily hit the bank consistently over and over. I think this rod allows for that because of its steady power. My loops were a little more open than I would have liked but that may be due to my poor/lazy casting stroke. This rod really shines stripping streamers or bigger saltwater flies. I would say this rod feels more at home in the salt and I think that is what TFO was after when they designed this thing if I had to guess. I looked it up and this particular model checks in at 3.5 oz, which is light. I feel that the swing weight is a bit heavier than some of its competition but I don’t have the data to back that up. The power generated by this rod more than compensates for that heavier swing weight. I totally see myself never leaving this rod home when fishing for reds on the Gulf Coast. I would probably reach for something else if targeting bones where a rod that flexes more in the tip would be preferred. And I would think the nine and ten weights would make for dynamite striper sticks. 

Now for the price which clocks in at $645. If money were no object would I choose this over some of the American made flagships from the other guys? Probably not. But I just spent $8 on a tube of toothpaste and shits expensive. I would definitely head down to your local shop and try them out. I think you would be impressed. I certainly was.