Purist

I've been using the Lamson purist 4wt two piece matched with the Guro-S 4wt reel, and it immediately became my favorite rod and reel outfit. The action, sensitivity, performance on turning over flies and presenting them with surgical accuracy has taken my fly fishing skills to the next level. As professional fly fishing guide, my success depends on reliable equipment, and Lamson has it in spades. Thank you again for turning me onto Lamson's unmatched rods and reels.

I picked up a purist 4wt at Anglers Fly Shop here in Boise last week and fished with it the other day. I paired it with my Guru and a size 20 olive smoke jumper. I can't believe the ease of accuracy you get from this rod. While working the fly out to the spot I wanted it to drop I had a trout breach the surface and strike at my fly. Being it's December and not getting any more action from a dry fly, I switched to nymphing. Running an Idaho Stank about 3 ft under an indicator produce a 17" whitefish and an 18" rainbow. Handed the rod to my son to test out and he refused to give it back. About 15 minutes later my son caught another 18" rainbow. Light, accurate, fast....this rod is sure to slay the trout. My son will have to buy his own purist because it's not leaving my hands again. Dry flies or roll casting nymphs, the purest is simply phenomenal.

After several years of use I added a Lamson reel to my old TFO that I really liked so when it came time to look for a new 5 wt I picked up a Purest and headed for the North Fork of the C'DA. Spent over 8 hours fishing a wide range of flies, including hoppers (w/ a dropper) to very small dries.I didn't want to come off the river and had my best day on this river in years! It's a great rod that I look forward to fishing for years to come. I'd definitely recommend it.

It’s been my experience with fly rods that unless you’re willing to break the bank there’s a fairly simple rule: accurate, light, and cheap, pick any two of the three. The 9’ 4wt not only breaks the rule but destroys it. I’m fortunate to have a number of top-end rods, so I’m comparing the Purist to rods that are 50% - 100% more expensive. My rod collection covers mainly 5 – 8wt rods, and a couple of inexpensive 4wts. I’m now fishing in western NC, on small to medium freestone streams. On many of these streams, a 5wt is just too much rod, so it was time to get a better 4wt. However, paying upwards of $1,000 for another rod held little interest for me. I had owned the prior generation SS rod, and after that experience, I wasn’t even considering another Lamson rod. I happened by a local fly shop and saw the Velocity rods, and my first thought was WOW these are really nice looking with excellent fit and finish. But on a small freestone stream, an ultra-fast rod is the wrong tool for the job. I happen to see the Tim Volk video on the Purist and that video touched on every point I wanted in a 4wt.

After having fished this rod, it’s as light and accurate as my Douglas SKY-G, but at half the price. The tip enables the rod to load easily and make wonderful delicate casts. I’m routinely making 30’+ foot casts, under an overhanging bush, next to the bank, to a spot the size of a coffee cup. The more I cast this rod, the more I want to cast it.

As for the elephant in the room, 2-piece construction. I couldn’t imagine trying to take this on a fly-in trip, it’s simply too long. However, as a home-water rod, it’s a non-issue. Oh, and the reel seat is such a straightforward and common-sense design, I’m surprised someone didn’t think of it decades ago.

In much the same way Orvis designed the H3 F&D series rods, Lamson has done the same with the Purist and Velocity rods, just at half the cost.

I have been fishing the same 4wt rod and reel for a long time and have had much success both dry flying and nymphing. This year, however, I wanted to "up" my drying flying game. After much research, I decided on the Lamson 3wt Purist. The river I fish most requires small dry flies - 22-26's. The presentation must be soft and accurate. The Purist does both extremely well. I like the two piece rod assembly and the attractive finish. This rod makes beautiful curve casts, roll casts and reach casts. The new lock down rail system is an added bonus. I have also high-sticked this rod when there were no fish rising and it performed exceptionally well. It's light weight is a big plus. I believe this would be a great nymphing rod on small brooks. In closing, I do believe the Purist has improved my dry flying and at the listed price, it is a GREAT VALUE. I rightly recommend this rod.