Scott Meridian 9′ 7wt Fly Rod Review – Part One
Part One: Recently I purchased a Scott Meridian 7wt. (from Bear’s Den, great folks to deal with.) Yes, I know the Meridian is no longer king-of-the-hill, having just been replaced by the Scott’s new Sector. Still, the Meridian is a highly-touted saltwater fly rod having received many accolades. The Sector is yet to be proven.
Now, truth is I already own a Scott 7wt. It is a 30 year old G series rod. Damn, it’s a beaut, but I wanted a more up-to-date 7wt, one specifically designed for saltwater. Hence my decision.
The craftsmanship was immediately evident upon opening the rod. (I own a Scott Radian 10′ 4wt for euro-nymphing. and the same holds true). Top notch work goes into these Scott rods. The grey blank is unsanded, has alignment dots for the ferrules, but no hook keeper. There are two Fuji SiC stripping guides with Titanium frames. Both are excellent size. (The larger one looks like it could almost pass a dime.) Eight snake guides and a tiptop finish things off. (The Radian has measuring marks at 12″ and 20″. Great idea, very useful. I wish the Meridian had them too, perhaps at 24″ and 36″)
On my digital scale the Meridian tips in at 4 ounces on the button. Not bad. (My G series 7wt is 4.4o ounces) The full wells grip is close to 7″ long, and made of high grade cork. IMO, it could use a bit more flare at the reel seat end. The butt extension is 1.5″ and fixed. Yes, removable butt extensions are extinct these days, but personally I prefer them. For one thing extensions are rarely necessary when fishing from the beach. And second, without the extension this rod would weight about 3.5 ounces. How sweet is that? Okay onward. The reel seat is double uplocking, works well, although it may prove tight on reels with thick feet. And Scott has engraved a number “7” on the reel seat. Nice Touch.
In the next post, we’ll take this 7wt out and loft some line. Perhaps I’ll bring along the 7wt G series rod for fun. We’ll be using two AirFlo lines. A Coastal 7wt floater and a Coastal 7wt intermediate. Anxious to give this rod a try! Come along.
