About this Review: This review is my honest opinion of the fishing rod, which I purchased with my own money in March of 2021.

My take

The Redington Predator is an affordable, well-made rod that is great for saltwater fly fishing and even some streamer fishing for big bass, salmon, pike, and muskie. I recommend this rod for intermediate to advanced fly fishermen, as sometimes a big rod like this can take some getting used to.

About the rod I own

• Model: 2021 Redington Predator
• Rod Length: 9ft
• Rod Weight: 8wt
• Rod Pieces: 4
• Rod Material: Graphite

About me

• Preferred fishing style(s): Dry fly, nymph, and streamer fishing in freshwater; saltwater streamer fishing
• Experience: 10+ years of fly fishing

Test conditions

• When I bought this: March 2021
• Reel Paired with Rod: Redington Grande Super Torque
• Line Paired Rod: Rio Products Saltwater Line
• Days tested: 20+
• Waters I’ve used it on: Inshore, flats, lakes
• Species targeted with rod: Snook, bass

How it performs

What I was looking for

I was looking for a fast-action rod that could slice through the wind and help me get streamers as far out as possible when fishing on saltwater. I also was looking for a rod that I could use in Alaska to fish for big rainbows and salmon if I ever get the opportunity.

Why I chose this gear

I decided to buy this specific product because it was within my price range and it checked all the boxes I was looking for. I was considering buying some other options, specifically from Sage, but once I found this rod, I realized that for the price and quality, nothing would beat it. It is also not my everyday-use fly rod—it is more for special occasions.

What I love about it

• Quality: The rod is made of graphite, and the reel seat is anodized machined aluminum. The materials have held up great for me so far, and I see them holding up for many more years of hard use.
• Use Case: I've used this rod on extremely windy days and can say that it holds its own. It helps me get my streamer out as far as possible—even when the wind is ripping.
• Weight: The size I have is 8wt. It is perfect for inshore and flats fishing in saltwater. I pair it with an 8wt saltwater fly line from Rio, and I have had no issue when fishing snook, jacks, and everything in between. It also works well for bonefish.
• Length: 9 feet is a great length for my application. I was inshore and flat fishing with this rod and had no issue with the length. It could also be great at the 10-foot size. For me, specifically, I do not need the extra foot.
• Sensitivity: Bites are easy to detect with any saltwater fish; with this rod, I can really feel the fish grab onto the streamer.
• Grip: The handle all-cork Full Wells and features a fighting butt. It feels great in my hand, and the fighting butt is useful for when I hook up on a bigger fish.
• Build:** **This rod is handcrafted in the U.S. on Bainbridge Island, Washington.
• Aesthetics: I own the Sea Spray color, and it's like an aqua camo. It looks absolutely crazy and makes other fishermen jealous.
• Warranty: This rod comes with a lifetime original-owner warranty. It includes a replacement but does not cover direct, indirect, consequential, incidental, or any other type of damage resulting from the use of the product.

Issues I’ve encountered

• Versatility: This rod is made for slinging streamers and fishing for larger fish, so it is not meant for most freshwater rivers.
• Literal Weight: The rod weighs 4.1 ounces, which is generally a bit heavier than other rods in its class. It can begin to get a bit heavy when I am on the water all day, but not heavy enough to where it makes me want to leave. It takes a bit extra effort to produce a long cast when throwing extra-heavy flies, especially in the wind.

Favorite moment with this gear

When fishing an inlet in south Florida this past March, I was watching the boats come in and just enjoying myself. I was casting all over the place just to see if I could find something to bite. I was stripping and stripping and then bam! I was hooked up. It was my first decent-sized fish on a fly rod in saltwater. I fought it for around 20 minutes, as I really didn't want to lose it. Finally, I got it in. It was a nice-sized Jack Creval.

Value for the money vs. other options

The Predator is definitely worth the money. In my opinion, there is no other fly rod on the market that will beat the quality for this price. When I was considering looking into purchasing an 8wt rod I looked at the Sage Maverick 8wt. Though that rod retails for nearly double, and everything I read about it compares to the Predator.

Final verdict

The Redington Predator Fly Rod is an amazing rod that is built with quality and for the elements. I recommend this rod for saltwater fishing or streamer fishing in freshwater.