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A balanced set of fly rod, reel and line offers beginners and advanced anglers a perfect introduction to a particular type of fishing - for sea trout, for example. Vision's sea trout 'outfit' is called 'Coast' and features the versatile Meri high-end line, which we liked very much in our practical test. In this video we introduce you to the price-performance winner by Vision in detail.
A fly rod set can make it much easier to choose the right tackle. Because a consistent combination of rod, reel and line is already made by the manufacturer, who knows the individual components best and has tested their compatibility intensively. At least this is the case with the Vision Coast Out from Vision! Here you notice immediately that the individual components work together in harmony and that the sea trout experts from Finland have put a lot of thought into it.
Vision has already managed to score with some other kits in the past, such as the Vision Pike Set, which was equipped with the popular Vision Grand Daddy fly line. And this time Vision is again using a high-quality fly line: The Vision Meri is a brilliant addition to this set. And all this at a particularly attractive price!
The Vision Coast Outfit has been carefully selected by Vision and first of all it is also carefully protected. It comes in a hard Cordura tube, which not only holds the fly rod but also the reel securely, protecting it from damage and scratches. As soon as you unpack the set for the first time, it is clear: the Vision Coast set is indeed ready to go! The pre-mounted Hero reel is pre-spooled with a high-quality 20lb backing and the Vision Meri. Even a 9 ft long leader is attached to the line, to which we only added a Pitzenbauer ring and some tippet for our test.
Set perfectly matched for sea Trout: The Vision Coast Outfit
Vision Coast Fly Rod
The Coast fly rod is a 4-piece fly rod in 9 ft (2.74m), which comes in a nice dark blue. The action of the rod is Medium-Fast, which we really liked especially with the Meri line in this set. The rod loads up with an even bend from tip to handle, and thus gathers quite high power, making it easy to fire the Meri line towards the horizon. However, the progressive action of the rod not only offers a lot of power, it also forgives one or two timing mistakes without the cast collapsing immediately. We found this particularly pleasant in a fly rod set for beginners.
The matt, dark blue blank of the Vision Coast is equipped with two strong guide rings and additional snake rings, which are held in place with a likewise dark blue wrapping. The white decorative wraps match the Vision inscription perfectly and round off the overall appearance of the blank beautifully. The high-quality and finely sanded cork of the rod comes in a full-wells shape, of course, which makes it easier to blind-cast for hours. In addition to the shape of the handle, we also found its size to be very pleasant. The handle is designed in such a way that it can be held comfortably even in large hands.
A secure grip of the cork itself is provided by the edges made of a stable cork mixture at the beginning and end of the handle. This is matched by a saltwater-resistant, anodised reel seat that holds the Vison Hero fly reel perfectly and securely in place. The anodisation of the reel seat, as you would expect, is also in a very dark blue to bring out the colours of the blank. Last but not least, there is also the colourful fighting butt made of EVA, as we have seen on other Vision fly rods.
Blue for the coast: The medium-fast blank of the Vision Coast
The set is available in line classes #6 and #7, of which we were allowed to test the Vision Coast fly rod of line class #7 for the first time together with Mats-Ole Herz from Vision on Bornholm. We were very surprised about the powerful blank of the Coast, which did not have to hide next to the Vision Meri fly rod. We really liked the smooth, progressive action of the rod, especially at medium to long distances. Of course, these long casts were also supported by the medium-length, powerful head of the Meri line. One thing quickly became clear to us: this rod offers fly fishermen a lot of potential, which can be put to good use in the sometimes rough conditions along the coast.
Vision Her Fly Reel
The Hero reel comes in a dark blue to match the blank, the reel seat and the fighting butt. It is an aluminium reel in large-arbor design, which is produced by a die-casting process. This means that expensive CNC machining can be avoided for the most part. The Large Arbor Design of the Hero reel guarantees on the one hand that the fly line does not curl so much, as the diameter is quite large on which the line is kept. And on the other hand, the large-core spool offers fast line pick-up. This fast line pick-up can be of advantage especially in sea trout fishing, as the trout are often very hectic fighters and the waves also make the fight more difficult. In addition, the spool of the Large Arbor reel is very well ventilated so that wet line and backing can dry quickly.
Modern large arbor fly reel made from aluminium
The Hero's disc brake is made of carbon and stainless steel. But we must admit: We were not able to test the brake system to the limit with the sizes of the sea trout we caught during out test. But we are already familiar with the reliable Hero reels from pike fishing and we know that they do a good job when it comes down to it.
A striking feature of the Hero reel is the very short reel foot, which disappears visually into the reel. This special design has a great advantage over other fly reels, because the centre of gravity of this reel is shifted to the rod and thus to the casting hand. The smaller lever of the reel weight thus ensures that you can cast and fish more fatigue-free on a long day. And that is a good thing! Because sea trout are caught primarily through perseverance.
Vision Meri Fly Reel
The Vision Meri fly line is the best from Vision when it involves sea trout! The Coast Outfit includes the Slomo, which is the optimal choice for the vast majority of on-shore situations and is particularly versatile due to its moderate sink rate. The line is the heart of the set and brings the other components to life. An absolute high-end line that has earned an excellent reputation among die-hard sea trout anglers in Scandinavia.
Sinking Rates
The complete Meri series from Vision offers four lines with different sink rates. With this range you are prepared for all situations on the coast and there will definitely be no nasty surprises.
- Float/Slomo Tip: The SloMo tip (3m tip with a sink rate of 0.5 in/sec i.e. 1.3 cm/sec) is perfect for fishing in shallow and cold water. The rest of the line floats and therefore it is also a very good choice for summer fishing.
- (Included in the set!) Slomo: The SloMo version (10m with a sink rate of 0.5 in/sec i.e. 1.3 cm/sec) with its floating running line is the perfect all-round coastal line and quite literally the right choice in the Vision Coast set! With the Slomo you always fish under the wave and the fly is thus permanently visible to the sea trout. But also on calm days the 10m long Slomo part of the line has its advantage, as it prevents the line from breaking on the surface and thus keeps the spooking effect to a minimum.
- Fast Inter: The Fast Intermediate (with a sink rate of 1 in/sec i.e. 2.5 cm/sec) is the ideal line for deeper banks and for fishing in a big wave. A great addition to a shallow fishing line.
- Fast Inter/Sink3 Tip: The Fast Inter with S3 tip (4m with a sink rate of 1.5in/sec i.e. 3.8cm/sec) is a good choice for fast retrieves, windy conditions and fishing from a boat.
The Meri series has been developed from A to Z for the special requirements of coastal fishing. And the brains behind Vision know just as much about that as they do about pike fishing!
First and foremost, the 10m long head is what turns the Meri into a clear favourite for casting in adverse conditions. The special taper makes it possible to load the rod quickly and effectively and bring your sea trout fly to distance with minimal false casting. And that even in strong winds. The compact design of the belly with the long tapered tip offers power and presentation at the same time and ensures a clean turn-over of your leader. Even extra long flurorocarbon leaders can be delicately presented when needed. And here, too, you can see how much thought Vision has put into the Meri. The transition to the mostly 9 ft long leaders is not made via a loop-to-loop connection, but via a knot!
A Tippet ring instead of welded loop on the front
Rather than an open, welded loop, all Meri lines come with a small ring, comparable to the well-known Pitzenbauer rings. The leader is attached to this ring, for example, by using a clinch knot. This is a solution that we like very much, because this connection is not only extremely secure, it also never gets caught on the rings when the sea trout really steps on the gas in the finale of the fight - brilliant!
The Vision Meri fly line in Slomo is the best choice for the Coast outfit. A versatile line that not only upgrades the whole set incredibly, but also made us smile widely when we were casting.
It is slightly thicker than most 'rivals' on the market, but this is not a problem, as the line's enormous shooting power makes up for it completely. The slightly larger diameter of the line also provides extra grip on cold days with wet fingers and, last but not least, increases the life of the fly line immensely.
Immediately after casting the first metres it becomes clear that the Meri wants to go out as far as possible! The 10-metre head is perfect for sea trout fishing and loads up the rod in a flash. After a few flicks, the grey head of the line is out of the rod and almost impossible to stop, so that it takes the blue running line out of the line basket during the final cast. Only the front taper could have been tuned a little more harmoniously, so that the fly is dropped more smoothly. But thankfully this is not decisive for sea trout fishing, as the leader is stretched by casting into the reel.
In short: without question, the Vision Meri is a modern fly line that can compete with the other top candidates such as the Guideline Coastal or the Scientific Anglers Volantis. A line that will be on our reel again and again on future trips to the coast.
Our Conclusion
If you are looking for a stylish set for the coast, you should take a close look at the Vision Coast Outfit. Here, practice-oriented performance and good design meet a very attractive price-performance ratio. The individual components blend very well together and are brought to life above all by the high-quality Meri line in the versatile Slomo version. Without restrictions, this sea trout set from Vision is a recommendation for beginners on the coast. But also experienced casters will have their true joy with this rod. We can also recommend the two line classes without hesitation for other predatory fish that promise exciting fishing - for example sea bass. In our opinion, Vision has hit the jackpot here!
