FLY FISHING PRODUCTS REVIEW

Scott and Galvan (click image for detail)

 PRODUCT REVIEWS – 2006/07 SEASON

 FISHPOND ACCESSORIES 

I met John Le Coq, co founder of Fishpond through a client who suggested I use their products. 

I called these guys and I couldn’t believe how friendly they are. 

John offered me some of his products and now I cannot live without them.

I travel a lot, usually with tons of gear.  A typical month during peak season finds me traveling back and forth from Patagonia to different cities in the US where I do a presentation on our trips.  I travel by plane, truck, car, taxi, horses and on highways and dirt roads and everything in between. 

My first choice was off course the Outbound Rolling Duffel.   When I got it a thought I was going to get a lot of looks from people in the airport because it looks so cool, and I was trying to avoid looks from customs agents.  The design and functionality of this piece of technical luggage is amazing but I really got impressed when I started filling it with my stuff.  I used the lower compartment, which is divided from the main compartment by neoprene; to put “some” fishing equipment (this compartment proved to be great to carry around wet waders and boots).  I put a pair of Patagonia boots, a pair of lightweight wading boots, two pairs of Patagonia waders, all my Capilene underwear and socks and 10 fly boxes   I still feel I can push the limit a little further.  The top compartment has enough room to put clothes for two weeks and plenty of inside pockets to organize smaller stuff.  There are still two outside compartments, one really large, that I used to put more flies (like 4.000) 4 pairs of shoes and my toiletry.  The Outbound Rolling Duffel has a really good pair of wheels(in line skate style) and an extendable carrying handle which makes it really comfortable to move around airports, lodges and all sorts of motorized vehicles. 

  I also got the Voyager Travel Rod Tube bags.  I always carry on board my rods and reels as I will not take the risk of going fishing without my gear.  I may wade naked, but will have a rod and reel to fish.  These bags are made for 3 four piece rod tubes but I carried 4 rods, one securely placed in between tubes.  The bags are padded have a handle and you can also carry it over your shoulders.  The two large outside pockets can carry 6 trout reels and then some.   It is my ideal traveling rod case.  It is light, strong and safe. 

  Another product I used quite a lot is their Tailwind Modular Back pack.  I use a back pack when I am guiding a river which is wading only and can carry extra fly boxes, two spare rods, reels, lunch for 3, etc., etc. etc.  There’s something about Fishpond products that amazes me and it is that no matter how much stuff you put in them that they will hold their shape and always be comfortable.    And what makes this pack really special to me is the hydration bladder.  What a comfortable way to hydrate yourself while fishing and guiding. 

  The other essentials I used from Fishpond are their Crooked Island Guide Pack. 

I use fanny packs a lot as the normal fly fishing vests make me uncomfortable.  I can carry a lot of stuff in this medium to large size fanny pack and it also has a bottle holder which I found very useful, especially while wading for bonefish in Los Roques. 

  I used the Barracuda Pliers fishing for Dorado, Saltwater, Trout, etc and it is just perfect.  I had another brand of very expensive pliers and the wire cutter needed to be replaced once a year.  The cutter on the Barracuda Pliers are still like new after a year of use and abuse. 

  The last product I got from them was their dry bag.  I used it probably 200 days this past season and even though it looks stained from the sun and what not, it is still waterproof.

 

GALVAN FLY REELS 

I had the pleasure to meet Bonifacio Galvan, of Galvan Reels a couple of years at the Retailer Fly Fishing Show in Denver.  He immediately offered me to have a few of his reels to use and give him some feedback.   He was presenting his Torque Series to the public and I was lucky enough to get a full set of reels for all my rods!!!!!!! 

I was a little reluctant to use a reel without a ball bearing.  I wrongly thought reels without a bearing were not good, God I was wrong.  These reels are as smooth as it gets with a huge range of braking capacity light enough to protect a light tippet from the sudden run of a large fish to almost lock for fighting and lifting a truly large leviathan from the ocean.  Torque reels are very light yet strong.

I remember a really large brown trout I hooked on the small a log full Verde river last season.  I saw this brown trout while floating the raft from Curruhue Lake to Lake Verde where my truck was parked.  When my clients went home, I went to look for this large beauty and luckily I found him.  It was a large male I estimate was 13 lbs.   This section of the river is very narrow with lots of logs and the fish had lots of places to brake my tippet if he wanted to.   I spent 3 hrs throwing all sorts of flies with a floating line and a 9’ 2X fluorocarbon leader.  I used dries, nymphs and large streamers with no luck.   Around 6 pm a sparse hatch of # 12 March browns occurred and I saw the trout getting uneasy.  He moved a foot to both sides from where he was picking a submerged emerger here and there.  Then, he went all the way to the surface and picked one adult.  My blood was pumping adrenaline and nervously tied a # 12 Royal Wulff (never leave home without one).  My first cast was a little too much over his head and thought I blew it but my second cast was a winner.  He simply went up, picked the fly and went down like nothing until he felt the fly and freaked out.  He went downstream straight to the log jam and my first impulse was to block the drag system and put as much pressure as I could.  I had him stop and then he went straight upstream to where I was while I reeled in like a madman (and I had the leader almost on my rod tip).  He then knew that the only way out was the log jam he just missed and there he went again.  MY drag system was on the tighter position and the Trout fought as hard as it could until (you guessed it) the hook straightened out and lost this fish. 

I have been using the Torque line since then and nothing else.  I used these reels for Trout, Salmon, Peacock Bass, Large Tarpon, Sharks, Sierra Mackerel, Blue fin tuna and I almost never clean them with fresh water.  The always perform like new and the hard anodize the sport makes them complete saltwater safe.  And the price range for a reel this quality and style makes it very affordable for an angler looking for a great value in the highest performance fly reel line.

After two years of full satisfaction we will get more Torque’s for our rental fleet.

 

PATAGONIA CLOTHING  

 I met Bill Klyn from Patagonia at a fly fishing show in San Rafel 3 yrs ago.  I arrived in San Rafael but my bag never showed up.  There I was, an Argentinean lost in California with no clothes (and booth for that matter).  Bill saw me freaking out, came to me and asked me if I needed help.  I told him about my misfortune and within 5 minutes he left and came back with a bunch of clothes.  He said to me: “I hope this will help you out”  gave me some fresh clothes and invited me for dinner.  We had a wonderful time and I was the happy owner of the best outdoor clothes around. 

I got a pair of GI pants.  I cannot destroy not matter what I do, they always look good.  I fished for Dorado, got stuck in mud, walked through Coirones and wild roses full of thorns and they still hold.  Their Capilene underwear is the best thing that happened to human kind after  the Prince Nymph.

I have to say something about Patagonia Watermaster Waders and Deep Wading Jacket that is, I have used their waders for two seasons (almost 300 days) and the waders does not have a single leak and that the jacket has kept me dry during pouring Chilean rains.   It is amazing how comfortable we are now fly fishing under the most demanding conditions. 

I paired the waders with the Riverwalker Wading Shoes and I had to get a new pair of soles after the first season.  This was the weakest Patagonia Product I got, but, I may have abused the shoes a little bit.  The sole didn’t wear out but actually came unglued from the toes.  I should have glued when it started coming unglued and probably had solve the problem, but instead, I continued using the shoes like this until I had to buy replacement felt soles.

And last, but not least, I have used for two consecutive seasons their Great Divider Waterproof gear bag and it has kept all my gear, cameras, etc. etc. dry and intact up until today.  

Scott Fly Rods 

We had the opportunity to join forces with Scott Fly Rods and what a great move!

We tested a few of their huge product lines fishing for Trout, Steelhead, Salmon, Dorado, and may saltwater species.

 E2 Models We used three rods from this line, an 8’ # 4, a 9’6” # 6 and a 9’ # 8, all four piece models.

The price range for a rod this line is around $ 470.

Since being a guide enables us to get rods at a discounted price, we are spoiled brats who want nothing but top of the line rods (S3 model = $ 660 avg.) and since we are spoiled, our brain is rotten. 

From the moment we unpacked the rods we fell in love with the looks (I know looks does not help in casting, but who cares).  Their dark green color, top of the line stripping guides, reel seat and cork makes a deadly combination. 

We mounted the rods and off we went fishing.

  I was very excited to get hands on the 8’ # 4 and try it on the Malleo River.  I was going to use a 9’ leader tapered to 4X with a # 10 Stimulator and a 2’ dropper nymph.  

The wind was blowing 12 to 15 mph straight downstream and we had no problem casting some 50’ away with precision.  It handled the hopper/dropper combo fabulously.   It pushed a tight loop against the wind easily and we brought a couple wild browns and rainbows from 16” to 20” really quickly, it had backbone.  Late afternoon I tied a # 4 conehead wooly bugger and battled the dying wind and heavy fly with confidence. It was an instant favorite. 

  The next day we floated the Collon Cura River and we were going to use everything from # 14 green inch worms and a floating line to # 2 articulated leeches with heavy lead eyes on 200 grain lines.   I instantly picked the 9’6” # 6 rod.

I started with a 9’ 3X leader and a # 8 Rubber leg stimulator with a 3 ½ ‘deep dropper.  I felt uncomfortable.  The rod didn’t load as expected and I was so connected to the fishing that didn’t bother to look for other things until my fishing partner and fellow guide suggested I should use a WF 7 line.  I switched reels, tied the same combo and I was happy again.  The rod loaded quickly and put my flies 30’ to 90’ with precision.   Later on I switched to the 200 grain line and I could throw the whole fly line and then some.  This was going to be my rod for large trout and big water.

  3 days later we cross the Andes to Chile and we did cast some flies to large Chinook salmon and Steelhead using the 9’ # 8 E2.  It was a really nice rod.  There’s not much beauty on a 100’ + cast using shooting heads and short leaders, but this is not the point  I was doing what I wanted to: casting large, heavy flies and heavy lines for large fish with no problem. 

I also used this rod for saltwater.  I caught snook and Baby Tarpon up to 15 lbs and some schoolie Dolphin offshore.  It did all.  I tried their new Saltwater X2S and I think these are better rods for saltwater than the E2 but if you can afford just one with a price tag below $ 500, the E2 should be your choice.

 S3 Models The rod I use most of the time is a 9’ # 6 rod.  I like a stiff rod for throwing long a short casts with a floating line and a large dry fly with a nymph as a dropper.  I use this rig 70 % of the time in Patagonia.  I also carry an extra spool with a heavy sink tip line to put a streamer deep in the pools late afternoon.

The S3 is a great all around rod for my kind of fishing.  It is stiff enough to cast against the wind and play a large trout and also light enough to make precise presentations to fuzzy trout and feel every movement of it.  It feels really light while casting and has a lot of backbone to lift a large fish (or a log, which is my favorite sport lately J

  I am looking forward to use a 7’7” # 3 G2 to fish some small tributaries of the Alumine River early season and an Ls 14’ # 8 for Steelhead on the Santa Cruz River in Southern Argentina.