Echo River Glass fly rods

For 2019, Echo has replaced their "Glass" series rods with River Glass, targeting a more specific realm of fishing. There's a dedicated contingent of glass anglers who enjoy the feel of the rod loading and the superior shock absorption they offer. The River Glass was designed in different lengths to cover the widest range of freshwater applications.

River Glass rods come in either Glacier blue or Amber. There are six rods ranging from a 6'9" 2-weight (which was a joy to cast!) to an 8'6" 5-weight.  The shorter rods come in 3-piece, the longer rods in 4-piece. 

At ICAST, I asked the Echo representative whether the River Glass is made of e-glass or the more modern s-glass, which is lighter, stronger, and faster. He responded "it's s-glass".  The weight of the 8'0" 4-weight is only 3.0 ounces, which leads me to believe this is correct. When casting the rods, they had a fairly fast action for glass and a high recovery rate, with the capability to make 60+ foot casts without much effort.  MSRP is $249, which is on par with most s-glass rods.

Echo's Bad Ass Glass goes Quickshot

Echo is a division of Rajeff Sports, a small Washington-based company founded by Tim Rajeff. Tim, like his brother Steve, has been a successful world competition caster. His love of casting led him to rod design - with a dream of building great casting rods for the masses.  Tim's dream has been a successful reality.  Echo's budget-friendly Base, Ion XL and Carbon XL have all received high accolades.

In 2016, Echo introduced the Bad Ass Glass fiberglass series. Built from the same e-glass (electrical grade) fiberglass that your grandfather's rods were made from. But with high-tech resins that reduced weight and added strength. Even so, these 9-foot rods had a noticeable swing weight.

For 2019, Echo is replacing the BAG with the BAG Quickshot. Same glass, same resins. But at 8-feet long, there is a significant lessening of swing weight, faster action, and more precise casting. In fact, the BAG Quickshot was one of the ten best casting rods - out of four dozen - we tested at ICAST!

With so many makers going to ultralight, ultraslim saltwater blanks, it warms the heart to feel a rod that has enough power to horse a jack crevalle, musky, tarpon, or big bass and know it'll most likely survive any trauma.

BAGQ rods are a gorgeous translucent sky blue color, have anodized reel seats, and come with a matching sky blue case. It also features Echo's lifetime warranty. Models are all 8-foot, and range from 6-weight to 10-weight. MSRP is $279.  For details, go to www.echoflyfishing.com.

Sage Dart fly rod

Advancements in nanoresins and taper technology have allowed  manufacturers to make rods that are stronger, lighter, and with a narrower profile. In some cases - such as rods used in the pursuit of big game species - having an ultralight, thin-profile rod can actually be counterproductive. As this technology has evolved greatly over the last few years, I've felt that a stellar application for all this tech would be in small water rods.

Apparently, Sage agrees. All this high tech has been applied to their new DART series. These ultralight, ultrathin rods all are 7'6" in length (except for a 6'6" 3-weight) and range in weight sizes from 0 (yes, zero!) to 4-weight.  Although designed exclusively for small water applications, the KonneticHD system used in these rods deliver quite a punch for their length. On the distance test, I was consistently putting out 60 feet of line using the 6'6" 3-weight!

While distance capable, that's not the purpose of the Sage DART. It loads with only a few feet of line outside the tip top, and makes highly accurate casts to close targets.  Test casting the 3-weight and the 1-weight was more fun than the law allows!  In the "bend test", the 1-weight displayed a solid moderate taper.  Battling a half-pound bluegill on that rod would be a joy... just imagine hooking into a rainbow trout! Such high tech thrlls come at a premium price.  MSRP is $700.

Thomas & Thomas Zone fly rod

I've written about the comeback of T&T rods before, but I'll summarize here. At one time Thomas & Thomas was one of the industry leaders. Their lineup ranged from the budget-friendly Emerger series to the powerful saltwater Horizon series, with several excellent trout series. A couple of ownership changes resulted in decline in sales and new products. In 2014, coffee shop entrepeneur Neville Ormand - and fanatical fly angler - bought T&T and brought back founder and master rod designer Tom Dorsey to help design the finest American-made fly rods using new resin and taper technology.

Since their comeback, industry praise has been universal. Their Exocett and Avantt series are two of the best rods made today. All of their offerings have been in the premium category - until now.

With the new Zone series, T&T hopes to reach out to a greater audience. These rods fall in our mid-priced category, from $495 in trout models to $525 in the saltwater models, and will compete against popular rods in that range such as the Orvis Recon and Sage Motive.

The blank is a gray finish and uses the same proprietary StratoTherm resin found in their Exocett and Avantt series. Reel seats and guide wraps are a stunning blue color. The freshwater models have single foot guides, while the saltwater versions use stainless snake guides.

Test casting the Zone rods, I felt the saltwater models were better than the freshwater models, when compared to their competition. The Zone 8-eight reminded me a lot of the old Horizon, except a tad lighter in weight. While not as slim in profile as the TFO Axiom II or Sage Foundation, that's not a bad thing. Having a slightly beefer butt section means this rod should have some good lifting power. Our "bend test" seemed to confirm that. Of the nearly two dozen mid-priced saltwater rods we tested, it was definitely in the top three! 

Blackstrap Tubes - Expanded Collection

Oregon-based Blackstrap Industries is a developer and manufacturer of UV protection gear. Their made-in-the-USA products include face masks, neck gaitors, gloves and sleeves. All are antimicrobial (anti-odor), lens safe and machine washable. In addition, Blackstrap is corporate sponsor of Trout Unlimited and supports conservation efforts across the country.

For 2019, their multi-functional tubes (aka, gaitors) are expanded to new prints. Each feature a UPF rating of 50+ (blocks out 97.5% of UV rays), is breathable, moisture-wicking, and lightweight. It works to block harmful solar radiation, but also to keep face and neck warm in cold conditions, and prevent windburn. MSRP is $19.99. To learn more, go to www.bsbrand.com.

DeYoung Lifeproof Phone Case

When it comes to angling artwork, Derek DeYoung has emerged as a superstar. The Michigan native recognized his talent at an early age, and with support from his parents, made art his life goal. After earning a degree from Kendall College of Art and Design, he pursued his passion although struggled financially like most artists.

But thanks to the subject matter of his work, he's making giant waves in the fishing community. His collection of fish art includes original paintings, coffee mugs, boat and cooler wraps, clothing, drinking glasses, greeting cards, phone cases and more.

One of DeYoung's more popular items are phone cases, featuring his artwork as skins. He offers three lines of cases: the "Tough Case" (shockproof), the "Tough Extreme Case" (shockproof, water-resistant) and now the "Lifeproof Case" (shockproof, waterproof). While the cases are currently limited to iPhone and Samsung, Janell DeYoung tells us her husband may expand to the popular Motorola phones (we certainly hope so!).  MSRP ranges from $20 to $45. To learn more, go to www.derekdeyoung.com. 

Fishpond Flattops Wader Duffel

If you're like me and tired of having to lug around oversized duffel bags because the only sizes they come in are "extra large" and "jumbo", then you'll love the new Flattops Wader Duffel from Fishpond. It measures a more manageable 24 x 13 x 14 inches, and weighs only 2.3 pounds. Perfect size for today's ultralight packable waders and boots (which fit in a separate mesh compartment below).

The upper compartment still has beaucoup space for clothing, vests, etc.  The molded bottom provides support as well as keeping the bag clean and dry from wet ground.  Along with the Fishpond Rod and Reel Case, it's all you'll need for heading to your favorite destination. Just as important, it's environmental friendly... made from Fishpond's exclusive Cyclepond recycled nylon material. The 4200 ballistic fabric is abrasion-resistant . MSRP is $149.

Fishpond Thunderhead Chest Pack

Fishpond has been around for about 20 years and during that time, has risen to one of the top brands in fly fishing accessories. Headquarted in Colorado, their focus on the past decade has been sustainability by manufacturing products made from post-consumer waste such as recycled fishing net nylon and up-cycled industrial waste nylon.

For 2018, they've adapted their Cyclepond material into several new submersible packs. The one probably of most interest to the broad range of coldwater, warmwater and kayak anglers is their Thunderhead Submersible Chest Pack. Made to protect your gear in the worst conditions, it features waterproof submersible zippers, 1680D TPU coated recycled nylon, integrated tippet holder and much more. MSRP was TBD, but expect it to be around $200.

Orvis + Fishe Groovy Sling Pack

In 2015, Linda Leary founded Fishe Wear with the purpose of creating functional fishing fashion for women. After two successful years of growth and many new products, Fishe has teamed up with Orvis to create a new sling pack featuring Fishe's original Groovy Grayling pattern.

The Groovy Grayling Sling Pack allows for all-day comfort, while providing beaucoup accomodation for fly boxes, tippet spools, tools and other necessities. A side bottle holder that fits medium-sized stainless canisters as well. MSPR is $89.

Orvis Clearwater Revival

The budget offering in the Orvis line of reels has been the Clearwater. These die-cast reels feature a matte gray powder coat finish and a powerful inline, Rulon to stainless, stacked disc drag system. It also has a positive click drag knob for consistent settings.

For 2019, the Clearwater has been given an upgraded look that more closely matches the higher-priced Mirage series. Also, there's a new member of this family - a cassette version that comes with a casette spool on the reel, along with two spare spools. This offers the fly angler the option of loading different weight lines on the same reel. Or different type lines (floating vs intermediate vs sinking).

Orvis Mirage LT fly reel

For 2019, Orvis has taken one of their most popular reels and made it 30% lighter and with a narrower spool. How light? The LT3 - for 8-weight rods and lines - weighs a mere 4.3 ounces.  Why a narrower spool? While the debate of wide spool vs narrow spool will probably rage on forever, the majority of seasoned fly anglers prefer spools around 1 inch in width. Being that the Mirage is a reel experienced anglers will fish for a lifetime, it all makes sense they buy what they prefer!

Despite it's dashing new look and light weight, the Mirage LT offers the same features as the regular Mirage: machined from 6061 aluminum, hard-anodized, with a sealed, maintenance-free drag system, with no start-up inertia and a fine-tuned drag adjustment.  MSRP will range from $329 to $389.

Taylor Anomoly fly rod

Casting the Anomoly 8-weight at ICAST

Taylor Fly Fishing started out as a reel company.  And then expanded into the rod business. With engineering backgrounds, design and innovation was the strength of TFF. When the company braintrusts aren't in design mode, they're out testing - that means fishing their prototypes.

Like premium rod makers Sage, Winston, Orvis et al, Taylor utilizes proprietary nano resins and super high modulus carbon fiber to create rods that are extremely strong, yet lightweight. The latest in this technology are their new Anomoly rods. These light blue rods feature a thin profile and titanium recoil guides - lighter, stronger, and virtually unbreakable.  Rod models are all 9-foot, 4-piece, with three weight models - 4, 5, and 8. MSRP is $649.  And come with a lifetime warranty.

These rods cast as well in our testing as several of the top premium rods from the big names, and even better than some.  The one caveat is that they're made overseas. Still, considering that the top USA rods are over $800, the Anomoly series should be another strong seller for TFF.

Taylor Enigma 2.0 series reels

Another upgrade in the Taylor Fly Fishing lineup for 2019 is the Enigma series reels. The Enigma ESD (Exterior Sealed Drag) was created as a hybrid between a sealed and unsealed reel.  The drag is unsealed, while the clutch and bearings - parts most likely to fail or freeze - are completely sealed. The Enigma has been their best selling fly reel, with a base price under $200. 

For 2019, the Enigma 2.0 still offers the exterior sealed drag, but with a slightly upgraded carbon fiber drag system, and a smaller frame to lessen weight. But what caught the eye of many IFTD attendees was the reel's elaborate fish imagery hard anodized into the reel spool. Contributed by renown artist David Danforth, it gives a buying option found in the most expensive reels yet at a very affordable price. Reel sizes range from a 2-weight to a 9-weight, with MSRP from $199 to $219.   

Taylor Revolution Z fly reel

Several years ago, Matthew Taylor came up with a design for a better fly reel for budget buyers.  He funded his idea through Kickstarter and Taylor Fly Fishing was born. As Taylor's customers expanded their fishing horizons, Matt decided to upgrade his offerings to meet their needs. The Revolution has been their top-line reel the past couple of years. It's sealed, stacked disc drag system offered an incredible 25 pounds of drag pressure!

For 2019, the Revolution has been replaced by the Revolution Z. Lighter, smoother drag, and zero inertia. To make the reel as light as possible - to help balance the new ultralight saltwater rods like the Winston Salt Air and Sage Salt HD - the frame is made of carbon fiber. According to Matt, it's the toughest carbon fiber on the planet!  The Revolution Z comes in four sizes, to handle lines from 4-weight to 12-weight. MSRP is $460 to $550.  It also comes in multiple colors that are the Taylor trademark. 

Winston introduces new PURE light line series

At IFTD this week, Winston introduced two new rods - the Salt Air (previewed earlier) and the PURE light line series. The PURE is a moderate action rod with a very slim profile, designed for open loops needed for fine dry fly presentation. Yet when test casting the 8-foot, 4-weight, it put out a great deal of line for this type of rod. It's not  quite as lot as the fast-action Air series, but light enough to cast all day with no fatigue.

Winston attributes the qualities of the PURE rod to the Boron III technology, combined with advanced taper design. Like all Winston rods, the PURE is handcrafted in Twin Bridges, Montana, and carry a lifetime warranty. There are 10 models ranging from 7-foot, 2-weight to 9-foot, 5-weight.  MSRP is $850.  Blanks are also available for $425.

Pelican Catch 130 kayak with HyDryve

Yesterday we mentioned a new low in the price point of pedal drive kayaks - Brooklyn Kayak Company's $1500 PK11. Well, yesterday we saw two more kayaks at that price point - and even one under 1000 dollars!

The most intriguing of these new low priced pedal yaks is the Pelican Catch 130.  This is the first pedal drive model in their line of thermoformed boats. The Catch 130 uses the same stable, open cockpit design as their popular Catch 120 model. What's unique is the pedal system, which they call "HyDryve". It uses two flippers that move back and forth, just like the Hobie Mirage drive.  In fact, it looks and works almost identical to the Hobie drive.  This is no coincidence - the patent on the original Mirage drive expired last year, and Pelican makes no apologies for having copied their drive.

Pelican did make one improvement. Because their yaks are thermoformed - two molds of HMWPE plastic joined together - the drive slot is more susceptible to stress fractures. To avoid this, they've added a heavy duty plate for the drive to sit in. Should the plate crack, it can be easily removed and replaced.

Being a thermoformed yak, the Catch 130 is lightweight, a mere 68 pounds minus the seat and drive. The rudder system is easy to operate, and the stadium-type seat has been upgraded from the original Catch series. MSRP is just $1499. 

Yes, Virginia, a $1500 pedal kayak is real!

Someone asked if this blog will cover kayaks, even if it's not considered gear or tackle.  Most of the pioneers of kayak fishing were fly anglers - folks like Jon Kumiski, Chrystal Murray, Drei Stroman, Jimbo Meador. Most saltwater and warmwater fly anglers fish from kayaks.  So YES, kayaks are critical gear to the flyfisher!

At the ICAST Demo Day yesterday, a slew of new pedal kayaks were introduced.  We'll cover them all, as well as a few new paddle models.  But the one that was most intriguing to demo attendees was the Brooklyn Kayak Company's new UH-PK11 - a pedal powered kayak.  For simplicity, we'll call it the PK11.

The PK11 builds on a market trend to make smaller (less than 12 feet) yaks that are lighter in weight.  It's an appeal to the fast growing number of women taking up the sport (almost 30 percent in the last two years!).   The PK11 is 10'6" in length, and only weighs 60 pounds minus the pedal drive!

Of course, it's the pedal drive that most excites.  The bicycle style pedals turn a high efficiency propeller.  A hand-controlled rudder allows for sharp turns.  The ergonomic frame seat can be positioned for ideal comfort and leg movement. 

At 34 inches wide, and 60 pounds, it's both fast and light, and stable enough for some standup fishing (but not ideal).  However, it's the price point that will generate the most excitement - retail price is $1495. 

Cortland introduces new Trout, Bonefish series lines

Cortland's new Bonefish fly line is built for the challenges of casting in saltwater flats around the world. Constructed of materials designed to withstand heat and salt, they are prime for cruising targets such as bonefish and redfish.

In addition to loading fast action rods quickly, the long rear taper allows anglers to pick up line, change direction, and make long distance casts all in one.  The Bonefish Taper comes in sizes 6 thru 9, has a monofilament core, comes in a white/sky blue/ pale yellow transitional color, and sells for $99.95.

Cortland also has introduced a new Ultralight fly line for precision casting with the highest level of loop control.  Designed for rod weights 2 thru 6,  it uses a three-color scheme for easy taper identification (like the Bonefish series).  This provides a visual mark so anglers can more accurately load the rod.  The long front taper develops smooth casts while working out the correct line length for presentation. 

The Ultralight series also is supple for mending and lands softly.  This is less likely to spook fish in soft water conditions.  Line lengths are 80 to 90 feet.  Lines have a braided monofilament core, and come in aqua green, dark green and pale yellow color.  MSRP is $89.95.

Frogg Toggs to introduce new products at ICAST

Alabama-based Frogg Toggs, popular makers of outdoor outerwear, plan to introduce over a dozen new products at the ICAST/ IFTD show, which kicks off Wednesday.  Among those new products is the Pilot II™ Breathable Stockingfoot Wader with the guide-quality lightweight nylon shell.  This wader is 100% waterproof, breathable and built to last for all fishing adventures.

Features include: Elastic wading belt with locking, quick-release buckle, belt loops and daisy-chain accessory loops, internally reinforced butt-pad design, 4-ply nylong leg and knee protection, gravel guards, and a trademarked single-seam crotch and swing leg design which eliminates crossed crotch seam failures. Sizes range from  small to 2XL, and the waders come with a 1-year warranty.

Rainshadow RX6 blanks now Unity blanks

Rainshadow has been one of the most popular brands of Batson Enterprises, one of the largest rod blank manufacturers in the world. Their Jaguar Design team is comprised of designers and engineers that ensure that Rainshadow blanks are top quality in performance and reliability.

For 2019, Rainshadow's longtime RX6 blank series gets a slight remake and a new series name, Unity. The Unity series will continue to be smooth casting, and a great value. The remade blank has slightly reduced weight, increased strength, improved resins, and a new Olympic green color.  Models range from 6'6" 2-weight to a 9'0" 8-weight. The blank weight of the 9'0" 5-weight, 4-piece is mere 2.0 ounces, while the 8-weight blank is 2.2 ounces!

Winston introduces two new rods for 2019

Saltwater Air fly rod

R.L. Winston has announced two new rod series - the Winston Saltwater Air and the Winston PURE Light Line. 

The Saltwater AIR is an extension of last year's freshwater AIR series and employs the same Boron III material with their proprietary SuperSilica lightweight resin system. It delivers the traditional Winston "feel", with a fast action and fast recovery rates for incredible line speed and presentation. Weights range from 8 to 12 weight, with retail price of $975.

The Winston PURE Light Line series offers moderate acton with quick recovery for more open loops for dry fly presentation, while allowing faster line speed for longer casts. The slim profile and proprietary design put presentation and tippet protection as top priority. Weights range from 2 to 5 weight, with retail price of $850.

Both rods are handcrafted at Winston facilities in Twin Bridges, Montana.  For more info, go to www.winstonrods.com.

St. Croix introduces new Mojo Trout rods

Affordable, smooth-casting and versatile. Those are the traits that best describe the new Mojo Trout series of fly rods from St. Croix. Available in September of 2018, these 2-piece and 4-piece rods range from 6'0" to 9'0" in length in the all-important 2 thru 7 weights used for trout and panfish. Built at their Fresnillo, Mexico facility using their premium, high-modulus SCIII graphite blanks, the rods feature a slim profile, medium-fast action, quality components, and a 5-year warranty backed by St. Croix Superstar Service.

One of the most recognized names in fly fishing, Kelly Galloup, says this about the new Mojo Trout series: "They are super light in the hand, true to their weights, look great and cast as smooth as silk. These rods perform favorably against any other rods at any price.".

Here are rods in the Mojo Trout series

MT602.2 / 6’0”, 2-Wt, 2 Pcs.
MT663.2 / 6’6”, 3-Wt, 2 Pcs.
MT703.4 / 7’0”, 3-Wt, 4 Pcs.
MT793.4 / 7’9”, 3-Wt, 4 Pcs.
MT804.4 / 8’0”, 4-Wt, 4 Pcs.
MT864.4 / 8’6”, 4-Wt, 4 Pcs.
MT904.4 / 9’0”, 4-Wt, 4 Pcs.
MT865.4 / 8’6”, 5-Wt, 4 Pcs.
MT905.4 / 9’0”, 5-Wt, 4 Pcs.
MT906.4 / 9’0”, 6-Wt, 4 Pcs.
MT907.4 / 9’0”, 7-Wt, 4 Pcs.

Retail price will be $180 to $210. To learn more, go to www.stcroixrods.com.

IFTD + ICAST: The Last One

Next week is the annual International Fly Tackle Dealer (IFTD) trade show, once again held in conjunction with the International Convention of Allied Sportfishing Trades (ICAST) trade show.  And for the fourth consecutive year, taking place in Orlando, Florida. Other than the New Product Showcases (one for ICAST, one for IFTD) there is no differentiation between the two.  They shared the same exhibition space, the same itinerary, activities, etc..

ICAST /IFTD is the world's largest fishing trade show.  It's not open to the general public, only to  buyers, retailers and qualified media. Held every July, it's purpose is for companies - and in some cases, organizations and agencies - to promote their product lines or services to retailers and media. Potentially pick up new business, and get some free publicity.

Each year, ICAST /IFTD showcases new products that consumers will have access to sometime over the next year. In most cases, those products are ready for shipping to businesses by the time the show takes place.  The first exposure to the new products begins on Tuesday, the day prior to the exposition. That's the annual "On The Water" demo day where attendees can test out new fishing tackle, accessories, and more - including kayaks.  There's a lot of buzz about several new kayak models and I expect - like last year - to see most at the demo.

As is our usual procedure, I'll be reporting on this website from the show, covering new products as well as some existing products. And for readers of my Fly Lines column in Louisiana Sportsman, there's my personal summary of new products as well as my "Highly Recommended" tackle which includes both new and existing products. 

Since combining resources, ICAST and IFTD have seen increased participation. Last year, records were broken again - nearly 2,000 product lines and over 30,000 attendees! 

But not all good things can last. The American Fly Tackle Trades Association (AFTTA) which manages the IFTD show has decided to split off from ICAST in 2019.  The 2019 Fly Tackle Dealer show will take place in October in Denver. There are a few reasons for the split, but perhaps the biggest is "Florida Fatigue".  ICAST has agreed to continue in Orlando for another 3 years, with the possibility of as much as 6 years. Most of the fly industry and media is located in the West and Midwest. Whether it's the added travel expense, the heat and humidity of Florida in July, or some other reason, most in the industy support the decision. What is NOT strongly supported is moving the event to October. I expect there'll be some discussion about the move next week.