At the end of the 2021 Season we were lucky enough to get our hands on the new Guideline tactical series. Kevin Shone (Guideline Ambassador for Ireland) and Jim Curry (Sales Director Guideline UK & Ireland) put the rods through their paces and give their opinions on these incredible new rods for 2022! LPX Tactical combines nothing less than cutting edge technology and a new definition of state-of-the-art rod actions for trout fishing. Tactical has a distinct and very precise action that gradually unleashes when you load the rods more and more. The action is what we like to describe as fast ¾ deep with superb stability that suits all levels of fly casters. When casting at shorter distance the tip and mid-section gives you plenty of that important sensitivity you need, at mid and longer distance the lower parts of the rod engages and give you all the connection, power, and stability you dreamed of. These rods are nothing short of exceptional: Super smooth, yet rigid and master all the different types of casts you like to do and protect the finest tippets playing your trophy trout. Ultralight in hand and in real weight - 9ft #5 weighs just 71 grams! The 9ft rods are superlight fly rods for those who favour this classical length with the advantage of true lightweight feeling for the recommended line wt. Incredibly versatile and less affected by wind, they have a faster action than the 9'9 rods. The rods in #2-#3 in the 9ft range are true dry fly and nymphing rods for the most delicate fishing with the finest tippets. The #4 and #5 are go-to rods nr 1 for allround dry and nymphing in all types of waters. The properties in these are equally good fishing on short and long distance with all types of casts. The #6 wt rod is for those who seek more wind exposed areas and want a rod to manage streamers well too. The #7wt is there to hammer out those chunky articulated streamers with heavy sinking lines. The 9'9ft rods are our new approach to a state of the art combo rod for dry fly, nymph, euro nymphing and lighter streamer fishing. Thanks to the advanced blank technology the 9'9 rods are extremely user friendly. They have a very low swing weight for the length/wt ,are crisp and modern and capable of shaping tight, accurate loops. The added length offers a longer reach on the water and a better contact and control during the drift. Compared with the 9ft rods, these enable you to control the height of your cast better, clearing bushes and high banks behind you. They also offer more time to perform aerial mends and curve casts during the presentation phase. When fishing from a belly boat or when wading deep the 9'9 rods give you additional height during casting. The 9’9 #2 and #3 models are crisp and precise tools for delicate work with dry flies and light nymphs, with tip sections balanced to cushion the finest of tippets. The #4- and #5 weight rods are super allround and equally versatile for rivers, lakes or tarns. While being a perfect match with dries and nymphs, they also perform excellent with lake rigs or smaller streamers. C.A.P M4.0 advanced blank construction Technology. Superb combination of casting performance and effective fish-fighting properties with thin tippets. Blanks have a matte coated finish for stealthy fishing without throwing reflexes from sun. Natural grey blanks with a slight tint of green. Dark green wrappings with light golden metallic trims. Grips are fitted with Super Grade Cork of high density and with very little fill. Reel seats with premium wood inserts with engraved “Tactical logo”. Hard anodized metal parts in matte finish to avoid throwing flashes from sunlight. Custom designed locking nuts and sliding hoods contribute to the extremely low weight of the rods. Titanium stripper guides with zirconia inserts. Single leg guides and tip guides are PVD coated in a semi-matte gun smoke finish, a strong, lead-free, non-toxic finish. Delivered with recycled polyester rod bags in a strong Polypropylene tube that also has a recycled polyester fabric cover. GL ECO-Tech ™, no grinding of blanks that produce harmful dust at production facility. Low Toxic Resins: Glues and varnish on the rods have a very low content of harmful substances, which leads to a healthier worker’s environment.