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Thomas & Thomas is excited to announce the release of the highly anticipated Contact III+, a fully redesigned third generation of T&T’s award-winning Contact rod series. Building on the proven success of the Contact II, each model retains the familiar action and flex profiles of its predecessor, ensuring a seamless transition for anglers, now with meaningful performance enhancements.
As modern techniques have evolved to include thinner leader systems, smaller flies, dry-dropper rigs, and jig streamer presentations, T&T has engineered the Contact III+ to excel across this broad spectrum of approaches.
At the core of the Contact III+ is a new proprietary composite material, resulting in a 100% pure carbon blank that is both lighter and smaller in diameter than previous generations. The reduced cross section decreases air resistance during casting and minimizes wind influence while drifting. This advanced composite also delivers a faster recovery speed, allowing the rod to return to its static position more quickly. The result is longer, more accurate casts with less effort.
Enhanced blank damping further refines performance, virtually eliminating tip bounce and allowing for immediate connection to the flies as they touch down. Together, these refinements provide superior control, sensitivity, and efficiency on the water.
Specific models within the series have been carefully tuned to meet distinct angling demands. The 1002 and 1092 models are optimized for smaller flies and lighter rigs, while the former 1123 has been replaced by the new 1153—a longer, lightweight rod offering increased sensitivity. The 1153 is ideally suited for competition settings and long-line Euro-nymphing applications. All Contact III+ rods maintain the powerful backbone of their predecessors, providing the strength needed to confidently hook, control, and land large fish.
With the exception of the 6-weight, all Contact III+ models are supplied with two interchangeable tips: a traditional tubular tip and a new solid carbon tip. This dual-tip configuration not only provides a spare but also expands performance versatility.
The solid carbon tip loads more easily on the cast and delivers exceptional sensitivity during the drift, enhancing bite detection through the sighter and allowing anglers to detect the most subtle takes. It excels with micro leaders, very light and small flies, and dry-dropper techniques, all while offering unmatched tippet protection. Competition anglers in particular will appreciate the reduced number of lost fish when fishing at close range.
The traditional tubular tip is better suited for heavier flies, including jig streamers, and provides improved support for weight-forward fly lines when casting dry flies or dry-dropper rigs. For anglers who prefer to impart action to the fly throughout the drift using the rod tip, the tubular option is the ideal choice.
With the Contact III+, Thomas & Thomas continues its commitment to innovation, precision, and uncompromising performance for modern fly anglers.
The same, original-owner warranty applies to all T&T rods. We are happy to introduce a new, streamlined warranty process for Contact III+ tips. The angler can email a photo of the broken tip showing the break and the serial number, and a matching replacement will be created and shipped within one week, without having to send the entire rod in for repair. Damage to parts other than the tip will still require that the whole rod be sent in for part fitting.
Features:
- All models except Contact III+ 1086 will come with two tips, one tubular tip and one solid tip.
- Premium Flor grade cork grips with ¼” composite nose increases feel and bite transmission.
- Matte black downlocking hardware updated with two locking nuts, complemented with T&T’s trademark roll stamped logo and burled wood spacer.
- Gunmetal light wire single foot running guides, with one nickel titanium bendable snake guide under the tip top to reduce line wrap.
- On 10’ 9” and 11’5” models, the guide sizing has been reduced to increase line control. The added number of guides on the rod reduce line sag. The 10’ models have appropriately sized guides for weight forward fly lines.
- Black double foot high frame stripping guide provides a more acute angle from stripping guide to reel to reduce drag when the rod is under load. The stripping guide has been further lowered on the rod in order to reduce sag.
- Insect green and goldenrod thread wraps.
- Black hook keeper and winding check
- Contact III+ 1086 has a full wells grip and full metal black reel seat, this rod does not come with solid tip. This rod is primarily designed for migratory fish.
- Uplocking reel seat option available at an additional $25 charge on all other models.