is intended to encourage saltwater fly anglers and fly tyers to think outside the box and do less of selecting flies from an anglers perspective but instead do more of selecting flies from the fishes perspective. How many fishermen really know what they are trying to imitate accurately. 
Ad copy ad copy ad copy. Ad copy ad copy. 
New Kids on the block
On test are the new Kids on the block Sonik Rods the SK3, we test both the 9’6” 7/8 and the 8’ 3/4 river Rod.
Chris Fly tier extreme ties every ones fly's.
9’ 6” 7/8 A nice rod, the quality is excellent, I very much 
like the centre marking to help set the rod up and the overall look and quality is excellent but, I did not like the real seat because, and this is just my opinion, look s cheap. It’s a good casting rod, using 8’s double taper you where able to cast out a good distance with accuracy. The rod looked and felt like a rod of £200 to £300, the action is medium fast actions, which is easy to load and will present a fly with accuracy at distance. I found it handled the 8’s weight line the best allowing me to cast the full line, it became more responsive and I like the single leg intermediate guides which I believe reduces friction and makes for easier casting.
Les (Mop Man) Fished all his life and will tell you about it at the drop of a hat!!
9’ 6” 7/8 On our first try I had problems, just tried the rod 
with an old line size 7’s and the rod felt stiff and unresponsive however, when I tried it with my SShoot Slickstream 6’s the line just flew out, It seemed like a different rod. (the conclusion, it was the old line that was at fault) The rod looks and feels like a rod in the £300 bracket. The quality is second to none and I like the little differences like the lines to line up the rod when setting up and the thumb indent in the handle for better grip, this would really help the beginner. I found when using a selection of lines that the 8’s lines loaded the rod better and I was able to cast the whole line with ease.
The 8’ 3/4 is just a dream to cast, it is a perfect small stream rod with enough gum shun to handle the large trout you hope to run into on the river. Moreover, It handles the dry flies with pinpoint accuracy and has enough power to throw a weighted nymph when required. The quality is nothing short of brilliant for this price range, a very nice setup that casts beautifully and at a cost of only £64.99 at the moment half price, but even at the retail price of £129.99 it’s a steal, next time your thinking of a new rod purchase, Jim will have a tough job to get this rod back.
Paul (Fished since he was knee high to a grasshopper ho, he still is)
The 9’6” 7/8 having a good understanding of the variables 
that render every rod unique, I first looked at the quality and aesthetics of this new Sonic rod and was not disappointed. The Aqua green blanks, as the literature says is made from top grade carbon, is no exaggeration, from the AA cork handles to the high grade line guides give this rod the look of a much more expensive brand. This looks the business but how does it cast, the marketing spiel says this is a medium to fast action, is ideal for a wide range of casting styles and they are not wrong, this rod cast like a dream. However, I found that I needed the heavier line to make the rod work and then it worked with precision allowing me to cast an intermediate line and nymph at distance or for that elusive fish at close range. Performance is excellent in this rod, as is the appearance. The "Aqua green finish" and lightweight marine grade aluminium reel seat give these rod very high marks in the looks department.
Keith Garklic Just popped into fish Westlow Mere and had a quick go with the 9’ 6” 7/8 and was bowled over with both the quality and ease of casting with this rod. Although the action is, medium fast actions, which are easy to load, it is quite forgiving even if a bit hard work. I couldn't help thinking that the rod would be better with a heavier line.
Jim (Fly Fished since he was a young man, that’s for ever then!)
Conclusion: When considering what makes a good rod for fly fishing, you have to take into account lots of differing criteria. The choice of one’s fishing companion is very much subjective. Some would say that poorest rods will seem to give the poorest performance. However there are traits that make a good rod irrespective of cost although the more expensive a rod the more likely a better performance. The rod needs to function well under many differing conditions and fishing situations;
other differences then come into play, like finish, quality of components used, warranty, extras like rod tube and bag. Then there is one-upmanship the need for some people to be seen with the most expensive gear! However, this does not say they will catch more fish, it’s just like flies, our President Dennis always says that you have flies to catch the fish and there are flies produced to catch the fisherman.
My criteria is, can I fish with the rod in all conditions, in any role I want to fish, floating line, intermediate or sinking line.
The SK3 7/8 is just such a rod as far as I’m concerned, a good rod is one that can be persuaded to perform in any one of a number of different fishing scenarios. Back casting; roll casting, heavy, flies, wind etc.
8’ 3/4 little river rod, I had a lot of trouble getting this rod from Les (mop man) but having done so we decided to take the rod to the Dee at Llangollen, what a revelation, in terms of casting ability, accuracy, mending, presentation and ease of handling, it feels almost as good as any of the more expensive rods I own. I used it on some very narrow and over grown banks and presentation was smooth and very controllable and it was easy to manoeuvre in between the overhanging trees.
When you hold these rods for the first time, there is an obvious 
air of quality about them. It certainly gives you the feeling that you have an expensive rod in your hand, aesthetics are an important ingredient in premium rods! When handling these rods for the first time, they extrude quality. The aesthetics are what you would expect from premium rods costing hundreds of pounds! The blanks are aqua green in colour and nicely complimented by the lightweight machined marine grade aluminium real seat which is then hard anodised in black to prevent corrosion making a very usable rod.