Rambling Review – Redington Vice Rod and Redington i.D Reel

Rambling Review: The Redington Vice Rod and the Redington i.D Reel

The Redington Vice Rod and the i.D Reel Combo
The Redington Vice Rod and the i.D Reel Combo

Why:

After one of the windiest Pyramid Lake fishing trips last year, I found myself in the market for a little bit stiffer action rod for throwing a sinking line. I was fortunate to get my hands on a Redington Vice Rod paired with a Redington i.D reel and a Rio Outbound Short full sinking line a few weeks before the trip, and what a setup this turned out to be.

Redington Vice and i.D
Redington Vice and i.D

First impressions:

The Redington Vice Rod – Out of the tube, the emerald green carbon fiber blank looked really sharp paired with the black snack guides and black aluminum reel seat. The rod itself is a no frills workhorse that is completely saltwater ready.

The Redington i.D Reel – The flat black cast aluminum large arbor reel looked pretty sweet as is.  Turns out that Redington has a whole line of decals that can be added to the solid side of the reel. I saw a few KC Badger prints in the mix, but went with a low profile digital camo.

Lifetime warranties – Both the rod and the reel are covered under Redington’s lifetime warranties.

i.D Decals
i.D Decals

Field Use:

If you read the report from the trip, you’ll note that the fishing was on the slower side. All that means is that I did quite a bit of casting and stripping for 3 days. You can get to know your equipment pretty intimately in a setting like Pyramid Lake that throws wind from all directions, rain, snow, and sub-freezing temperatures. I feel like it’s the perfect place to put gear to the test.

Let’s start with the rod. To be honest, I loved the Vice rod. Very smooth while casting a heavy sinking line, with enough backbone to punch through a snow squall in your face. Prior to the trip, I had bought another rod from another manufacturer in the same weight. Long story short, I liked the Vice so much I’m selling the other rod and keeping the Vice. This rod is a solid addition to my quiver and I plan on continuing to push it’s limits for years to come.

When I first saw the i.D reel I couldn’t really see past the sticker. It seemed kind of gimmicky to me and went into the field testing with a bit of a bias. The first night I hooked into a real nice fish about 10 feet from my ladder with about 70 feet of running line in my stripping basket. The large arbor reel gobbled up the loose line and the rulon disc drag did the rest. For a $100 reel, I was impressed.

Lastly the line. I’ve had my fair share of experience with Rio line, but had never used the Outbound Short. Although I’m sure the Vice rod had something to do with it, the Rio Outbound Short was a treat to cast. It loaded the rod well, flew threw the guides, and turned over heavy jig flies with ease. It was easy to see why these lines are so well regarded.

Redington Vice Fly Rod
Redington Vice Rod

Pros:

Lifetime guarantee on Redington gear

Great price on a quality rod and reel

Personalization decals for i.D reel

Cons:

Drag not sealed on the i.D reel

The Redington Vice Rod and the Redington i.D Reel
Cutthroat and Redington

Prognosis:  If you’re looking for a nice Pyramid Lake setup with out breaking the bank, check out the Redington Vice Rod paired with a Redington i.D reel spooled with Rio Outbound Short full sinking line.

* Disclaimer:

The reviews at Arizona Wanderings are my honest opinion. Arizona Wanderings is not sponsored by or associated with any of the stated companies and is accepting no compensation, monetary or otherwise, in exchange for this review.  My independent status may change in the future but, as of the date of publication, no relationship other than described above has been pursued or established.

 

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2 Responses to “Rambling Review – Redington Vice Rod and Redington i.D Reel”

  1. Drew Edwin Dittmer

    Looks like you went with a 9 weight? Is that a step up from the rods you have used on previous trips?

    Reply
    • azwanderings

      Drew,

      Thanks for the comment. You are correct. I normally fish an 8 weight and there are some windy days on Pyramid where it’s so tough to cast, I wish I had a heavier rod. I’ve fished with a couple of guys who carry heavier rods just for that situation. So I bumped up to the 9 weight just to see what it was like and honestly really liked it. The rod throws line effortlessly and I really didn’t feel like I was casting anything different than an 8 weight.

      Ben

      Reply

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