Steve Hunt field tests the Guideline Reaction 13' 7" 9/10wt

When it comes to choosing a Salmon rod I am in an enviable position as I have access to the worlds finest fly rods, having said that, this makes the choice even more difficult!

I fish for the elusive silver tourist on the River Wye on a weekly basis. The Wye is not a big river, with the exception of a few beats, so I wanted a smaller rod but with the capability of casting a reasonably large tube fly if needed.

When choosing a rod my criteria are simple. I wanted something that I could cast with ease and with the minimum of effort. I am no casting instructor, or casting guru, I am a fisherman. Sounds simple, but I had been searching for a while!!

Until……. the day Lief Stavmo, Guideline’s rod designer, introduced the Guideline Reaction series.

The first time I picked up the Guideline Reaction 13ft 7in # 9/10 it was a wow! The balance was perfect and the rod was very light in the hand. You could feel how the best American and Japanese graphite cloths, together with the most advanced guides and reel seat components, achieve this balance and lightness.



I use my Lamson Guru 4 fly reel teamed up with the Guideline ready-to-go shooting heads on this rod - Guideline recommends Head Weights of 33-37 grams for the Reaction 13ft 7in # 9/10. To get more information on the Lamson Guru 4 Reel, and Guideline triple density shooting heads.



With a short under-hand cast and no effort, the line was punched out and a very pronounced sling-shot effect was noticeable in the middle and lower sections of the rod, this action seemed to add distance to my cast.

Another big tick in the box.



The rod is easy to get to know, with a forgiving action and a fast powerful tip. I reckon the easy casting stroke will appeal to a majority of intermediate to advanced casters, like me!!

This is now my go-to rod. I have fished it in Scotland on the Tay and up and down the Wye. Next year I will be taking it to Russia!

I have found that the rod’s powerful tip helps with my line control and increases the accuracy of the cast; it also has the power to lift and cast a sink4/sink5 line with ease.  I have been a huge fan of the Guideline range for a number of years. It’s a lot of money for a Salmon rod but hell!! It is an amazing rod and it certainly puts a smile on my face when I cast it, and it adds yards to my cast.

Another big tick in the box.

Job done after all these years!!!

Steve Hunt

This rod is discontinued. Please view all current Guideline rods here »