FLY FISHING RETAILER 2007

Scott Rod (click image for detail)

FLY FISHING RETAILER SHOW  I always attend fly fishing shows expecting to see new useful products to make my fly fishing life easier.  I always find stuff I want to try really bad.  This year was no exception.  There was a lot of nice new stuff.

My attention goes first to rods and reels, these are the jewelry of our sport, at least to me.  2’ after jumped in the show I said hi to a dozen people or so but my attention was focused on finding the Scott Fly Rod booth.  I was way excited to check on a rod that Cody Munchow told me over the phone is was the right tool for casting road kill size flies on a short line for large dorados.  I was skeptical about it, the beautiful S3s 9’ #10 I love for tarpon was way too stiff for 15’ to 30’ casts.  The rod I was to try was a 8’ # 10 medium fast rod people use to throw large and heavy flies for Largemouth Bass. At the place in the grip where I put my thumb for casting, it was carved leaving a ½ “of the blank exposed.  This feature is supposed to help you “feel” a subtle take.  

Let me tell you something, I was really skeptical, but the first two casts changed my mind.  This was the rod I needed for the JURAMENTO RIVER FLOAT TRIPS.  It feels super light yet capable of casting a dead rhea and then some…

Next stop was at the Galvan Fly Reel booth.  Boni Galvan, the reel maker told me I needed to check on his new 14 to 18 wt super large arbor Torque reel.  He made these reels for pelagic fish.  Boni is a fanatic Marlin and Sailfish fly fisherman. He and his son Lou travel all over the Pacific coast from Mexico to Galapagos and made this special reel to help land larger and stronger fish.   Even though I have no idea about fly fishing open water (hey, I caught a few nice kingfish and mahi mahi) I saw the potential of these reels for Double handed rods and Tarpon.  The super large arbor helps the angler retrieve large amounts of backing with fewer turns thus reducing arm fatigue and tendonitis.

Walking away from Galvan’s booth I stumbled into a shotgun looking fly rod handle and a few double handed rods that sported these.  I was now really curious and asked about it.  The Zpey company made these funny looking handles which according their inventors helped execute the perfect “Underhand” cast a.k.a. Scandinavian style of casting a Double handed rod.  Having the lower grip forwarded like an inch from the upper grip have the underhand caster more room to properly executing it using the upper hand as just a pivot.

It made sense, you actually have more room to pull the lower grip without hitting your thing or your belly.  It worked.  I tried a few of their rods that used Loop blanks and worked really good with shooting heads.  Any angler can cast a mile with these rods. Joe Roope from Castaway fly fishing shop in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho gave me some really good tips on underhand casting.   A style of fly fishing with double handed rods that works really well for sea run brown or steelhead fishing in Patagonia. 

A great fly rod deserves a great fly reel this one deserves a great fly line.  I use lots of different fly lines and I use a lot of Airflo Ridge fly lines.  When I first saw this ridged lines I thought they would probably catch a lot of dirt between ridges but it didn’t and they cast so easily.  Airflo Delta and Skagit lines are the best lines for double handed rods.  Another fly line caught my attention and it was Monic clear floating fly line, made for warm water and it cast super smooth and got a few to try at the show and cast really well and smoothly. 

On the soft core department I liked the Fishpond vests and luggage.  John Le Coq, the artist behind their designs, showed me the whole line of products and I am already ordering the duffels, another pair of their Barracuda pliers and more fanny packs. 

Adventure Fly Fishing Co. has a vest/jacket completely loaded with nice features and it converts a vest into a waterproof jacket in seconds.  This is the Swiss army knife version of fly fishing clothing.

Of other products I saw I particularly liked a lot the Saracione Reels to match my bamboo and double handed rods; the Anvil vise, Kaenon line of polarized sunglasses, Bite flats boots and Loop waders and jackets. 

  Besides trying great gear I also had the chance to spend quality time with people I really enjoy like Jean Williams from Cortland, Simon Gawesworth of Rio, our own Argentinean fly fishing ambassador Mel Krieger, Jaime Rios from the Argentinean tourism board, Tim Rajeff and Jarrod Black from Airflo, Trey Combs, Scott Wessels, Tom Rosenbauer from Orvis, and other “celebrities”. 

  I recommend you visit your local fly shop and check all their new gear. I am sure they have plenty more to show you.