adh-fishing test: Nam Pro Guides Edition Fly Rod

Modern rod building technology from Scandinavia meets well-founded expertise from Austria. The Nam Pro Guides Edition is the love child of these two worlds and fills the small gap in the Delgado line-up perfectly. We fished the fly rod, which is only available in a limited edition, on a trout and grayling stream and tested it for you with all imaginable techniques under demanding conditions.

From the very first day, the fly rods from Nam have inspired fly anglers with their minimalist design, high-quality workmanship and crisp action, and have caused quite a stir in the European fly fishing scene in a very short time. This applies to both the two-handed and the single-handed rods of the innovative Scandinavians! The fresh ideas of Marcus Bohlin and Co. in terms of design, combined with the most modern technologies of rod building and high-end carbon fibre materials, are simply well received. Graphene crystals are used in the production of the blanks in South Korea, which have a very special structure and are therefore extremely robust and very light. The result of this exclusive mixture of materials is rods that impress with their low swing weight. You notice this from the first metre of line you move through the air!

The same happened to Christof Menz and Uwe Rieder! The two passionate fly fishers are known as 'Pro Guides' far beyond the borders of their Austrian homeland from casting demos, courses, etc. With their expertise in fly casting, they have developed a limited special edition of the Delgado single-handed rod in cooperation with Nam, which is intended for fishing for brown trout, grayling and co. on our local rivers and streams. In contrast to the original Nam Delgado, two essential things have been changed: The action of the Nam PGE (Pro Guides Edition) is slightly softer - especially in the butt section of the lightweight blank. This gives the rod even more feel for switch casts, roll casts, etc. The rod can be loaded very deep and gives intense feedback over all casting distances. Thanks to the special action, the flying line can be felt over the entire rod travel, which is very helpful not only for beginners but also for professionals in fly casting. The typical casting style of the Pro Guides can be implemented very effectively with this rod. This is also ensured by the second change compared to the 'original'. The PGE has a slightly longer half-well cork handle. This accommodates the index finger position as taught in the courses by Menz and Rieder. In practice, this means more precision and sensitivity - two aspects that are particularly essential for successful fishing in clear waters for shy fish. With a casting weight of approx. 13 - 14g, the Nam PGE works particularly well and can be used very universally. Dry flies as well as nymphs and streamers can be transported with this 5-piece rod without tiring. A very universal rod with which you can cover the entire spectrum of modern fly fishing for trout and grayling! And due to the slightly softer action, you don't have to worry about very fine leader tips!

Apart from these two points, the Limited Pro Guides Edition also has all the advantages of the popular Nam single-handed rods. The thin blank made of modern carbon fibre combined with graphene has a matt black finish. Combined with the discreet grey decorative wraps, the result is a timeless look. The special Delgado cork is particularly high quality and fits perfectly in the hand. The black anodised aluminium reel seat and the beautiful spacer made of burl wood fit into the overall picture as well as the very hard and titanium nitride coated black snake rings.

The single-handed rods from NAM belong without question to the absolute top class and have been developed from front to back by true fly fishermen. This also applies without exception to the Pro Guides Edition. This rod convinces with the highest functionality and will impress demanding fly fishers with its low swing weight and precision casting. We personally like the new handle and the slightly softer action and are happy to be able to offer you this limited series exclusively.

Our conclusion:

The Pro Guides Edition fits perfectly into Nam's Delgado series and will make the heart of enthusiastic trout and grayling anglers beat faster. Especially those who prefer an index finger grip when casting will be pleased with the small adjustment of the handle shape. We have fished the rod with a variety of techniques: dry fly, light nymph on a greased leader, dry fly + nymph, heavy nymph on a strike indicator and even with weighted streamers. The rod mastered this wide range of applications with ease, which is important to us for a real all-round rod. The slightly deeper action helps with water-based casts, but also when presenting slightly heavier flies or bite indicators. But it also allows very precise presentation of particularly long leaders, facilitates moving longer distances of line stabely through the air, and offers enough sensitivity, especially with thin leaders. So if you are looking for an all-round rod for more technical trout waters, the Nam PGE is a beautiful and, above all, powerful fly rod.

All Details of the Nam Pro Guides Edition: