2013 Deschutes Steelhead Season in Review

The 2013 Deschutes River steelhead season really surprised me. Prior to August, everyone was saying "If you want to catch a steelhead this year, go north to Canada."

Rich Kornbroth finds a nice one in camp water. -Photo by Tom Larimer

Casting for Recovery Holiday Auction: Coming Soon!

Limited (did we say Special) Edition - Gorge Fly Shop "Angel Girl Steelhead Flies"

Announcement: CFR Auction - Bidding for Good

This past year we have been in communication with Casting for Recovery. We continue promoting the sport of fly fishing for Women and gear that not only helps but promotes CFR. Most recently we started our first ever photo contest in honor of CFR.

Mark your Calendars, Save the Date!
The Casting for Recovery Holiday Auction is almost here. The auction will run from December 2nd, 2013 to December 12, 2013, with proceeds supporting Casting for Recovery's programs for women in recovery from breast cancer.

Auction items range from exotic vacation getaways to donated items guaranteed to delight and surprise. So, tell your friends, family, community. Let the bidding begin (December 2nd)!

Casting for Recovery Auction will be held with Bidding for Good. BiddingForGood is a charitable e-commerce company that connects fundraisers, cause-conscious shoppers, and socially responsible businesses. Look for the Gorge Fly Shops donation of a dozen Angel Girl Steelhead Flies in a Gorge Fly Shop Fly Box. Help us get the bidding up for our special edition fly! 

Start Date: December 2nd, 2013

End Date: December 12th, 2013

"Fly Fish the World with Us"

Product Review: Smith Optics Tenet with Low Light Ignitor Lenses

Smith Optics has been leading the Fly Fishing industry in quality optics for many years. In recent years we have seen even further forward movement with great lens choices like Ignitor and Polarchromatic Copper and frame choices like Dover, Chief, and Frontman. Smith Optics sunglasses not only have great style and fit but provide incredible clarity with Techlite Polarize Glass lens technology.

For this review we are going to check out the New Low Light Ignitor lenses.

Smith Optics Tenet - Black w/ Low Light Ignitor Lenses

New: Award Winning Nautilus CCF X2

Update: 2/14/2014...I just got the word that the new CCF-x2 size 6/8 has been shipped. Follow the new CCF-x2 from Florida to Oregon...

UPS Tracking Link = Track Now!

The New Nautilus CCF X2 - Available for pre-order purchase

Award Winning Nautilus CCF X2  - Photo: Oswaldo Saiki 

Ten years the Nautilus CCF series fly reels have been setting the standard for others to live up to. Its sealed CCF drag has been challenging the industry ever since its induction. The CCF also managed to hold a price category that made it nearly impossible to find a better reel for a better deal. It absolutely was an industry “Game Changer” and still carries high rankings today!

A time for a change is in order even though I hate to see an old friend go...

Coming Soon! The all new CCF-x2 is in the R&D department of the Nautilus factory and coming along quite impressively. I got to see the prototypes at the 2013 I-CAST & IFTD Show. One of the things I noticed right away was while the reel is undergoing an entire facelift is that the CCF X2 is going to remain in the mid price area of performance saltwater reels.

Nautilus CCF X2 - Photo by Gorge Fly Shop

The Prototype Nautilus CCF X2 - Photo by Gorge Fly Shop

Expected early 2014
CCF-x2 Reel Series

"Fly Fish the World with Us"
Win a Nautilus Reel, learn how to WIN BIG!
Gorge Fly Shop: Casting for Recovery Photo Contest

Outcast Boat Hoist - for pontoons, kayaks, bicycles and more...

Outcast Boat Hoist (plus more)

The simple, affordable hoist from Outcast makes a perfect piece of equipment for not only boats but kayaks, bicycles and more. Hoist your important large items up and out of the way in your garage. 

At Only $99 it will be pretty hard to beat such a great product. Order today at the Gorge Fly Shop: Free Shipping in the U.S. - Free International Shipping over $500.

Outcast Boat hoist Demo Video

Features -

• 2 rope pulley system
• 2 Safety release cord
• 2 handed for safe smooth lifting and lowering
• 150 lbs. max lift
• Mounting hardware included

Gorge Fly Shop
541.386.6977

"Fly Fish the World with Us"

Outcast Boat Hoist Sold at the Gorge Fly Shop

G. Loomis: 5 Minutes with Steve Rajeff

The Interview with Steve Rajeff

On a chilly rainy September morning Travis, Lyndsey, Mike and I headed out to Woodland Washington for a tour of the G. Loomis factory. We had the day planned with tour, video, casting demonstrations, lunch and a sit down meeting with our reps to go over future planning and new ideas. While Rod building is not new to me I was most excited about the tour. It takes a lot of hands on skill to build rods and its evident G.Loomis is a well assembled skilled workforce. I must include that the G. Loomis facility is clean with an excellent layout and the paint booth is something you would expect to find in an auto manufacturing plant. But the real reward came for us at the end of the tour. Steve Rajeff is the Chief Rod Designer of G. Loomis and he headed up our tour. Steve’s name is synonymous with G. Loomis and if you’re familiar with the name you probably know that Steve is a World Champion Fly Caster. While I have been acquainted with Steve for several years now I have never really known what drives him. One question kept ringing in my head during the tour, How did Steve come to be Chief Rod Designer? So when opportunity rang I asked and what we witnessed the next five minutes I could not put into words!

See it for yourself…Watch the video

Steve Rajeff from G. Loomis Interview with Greg Darling: Gorge Fly Shop

Now I understand why my G. Loomis rods feel the way they do. You just witnessed the most important ingredient to go into a great rod, Passion!

Greg Darling  - The Tormented Angler

Gorge Fly Shop Product Specialist

"Fly Fish the World with Us"

Read the Full Tour Report

Casting for Recovery Video: Colorado Style!

Casting for Recovery from Katie Roche on Vimeo.

Our friends at Casting for Recovery: Colorado recently sent us this video of their Labor Day retreat earlier this year. Sounds like everyone had a blast: "Everyone involved was so amazing!!! I had so much fun! Hope everyone had an awesome time! :) - Peggi S."

Filmed on location: N. Fork Ranch, Shawnee, CO - by Katie Roche

Casting for Recovery: Colorado

"Fly Fish the World with Us"

Apocalypse Now: When Zombies Attack!

Original Photo Credit to: Loren VanWagner - Edited by: Mike Prine

From the dysfunctional minds of the Gorge Fly Shop and the liking's of “Gink and Gasoline” we bring you a special Fly Fishing Zombie Edition post just in time for Halloween and your Christmas shopping consideration. 

The Gorge Fly Shop is ready! Are you?

Invasion of another kind

Zombies of epic proportions have invaded screens all across the globe, from adolescent pre-teens to moms and dads alike, zombie flicks continue to capture the minds of our fellow friends and family.

A Zombified Greg Darling?

Case in Point

I can’t even talk to my mother-in-law without hearing the words Walking Dead, not to mention my 4 year old nephew talks about “zombie chickens” like its a new cartoon. I don’t know if I should be more concerned or scared...

Most of us one time or another have thought about a zombie invasion, If you haven’t you may want to reconsider and plan accordingly. In the unlikely event zombies one day storm the streets, survival will be key. We could spend an entire chapter on survival covering weapons, tactics and self defense, but we’re fly casters - We Fish! We specialize in the right gear for any fly fishing situation. Let’s assume you manage to escape and get the hell outta Dodge. How would you survive the end of days and more importantly, what gear would you take? Consider this your official/un-official Zombie Fly Fishing Guide.

6 BASIC RULES 

1. DON'T GET BIT: Avoid shady characters. If you live in the city, this may be difficult.
2. PACK LIGHT: Be ready to travel at a moments notice.
3. Don’t Forget RULE #1 (Stretch each morning, it might be a running day!)
4. Take Care of your Gear: Assume warranties are null and void, or at least the return time could be a killer (consider a rod tube).
5. Flotation Device: Find a sail boat or non-motorized flotation device. This will be key to great fishing waters and a good nights rest.
6. Always BE READY!

Lets go Fly Fishing!

In a post apocalyptic world, a good fly fishing outfit will be a must. Lets call it a Zombie Outfit!
We know what we would carry, we have the perfect outfit in mind, but before we indulge our gear of choice we asked the boys over at Gink and Gasoline what they would carry. Would they have the right gear to survive?

Gink and Gasoline
New to our articles and some of the inspiration behind this madness are the boys at G & G, Kent and Louis. Now if you happen to read Gink and Gasoline's Zombie post from last year they make mention to raid their local fly shop for all their fly fishing needs, but what exactly will be their go to Zombie Outfit and how do they plan to survive?

Hear what they have to say in their own words. When asked:

Q: Who would you take with you?

A: Gink (Kent) & Gasoline (Louis) would travel together at all times and we'd of course have to bring our families. If we could we'd bring some of our side kick friends like Charlie Murphy (fly fishing jedi and veteran medical nurse) and Erik Ashlin (off the grid survivalist/gun guru and champion fly fishing caster).

Q: Drink of Choice?

A: Drink of choice would have to be moonshine. One of our crew members has the recipe and has proven the means to make it himself already. It packs one hell of a buzz in small amounts, can be used for molotov cocktails for defense, and is equally valuable for bartering with. Of course we'd have to also carry with us a large stash of coffee beans, because Louis can't function at all without his daily caffeine fix.

Q: Gear of Choice?

A: For our fly rod and reel gear of choice, it would have to be something versatile like a 8wt combo good for small and big species and the reel would have to be saltwater friendly in the off chance we ended up on an island and didn't have the ability to thoroughly clean our gear with freshwater easily. I'd go with a 9' 4 piece 8wt Thomas & Thomas Helix Fly Rod and a Nautilus NV 8/9 Reel loaded with power pro backing and a floating fly line.

Q: A place to call home?

A: As for a location to fish and hunker down that is a tough one. I'd prefer to stay around the southeast where we're familiar with our terrain and have shelter and mainstay goods and equipment. However, I understand that might not be feasibly during a full-blown zombie outbreak. In that case, we'd all cast a vote and probably end up either heading into the mountains of VA where's there's low population and plenty of WMA's loaded with rivers, lakes and streams or we'd find a saltwater island big enough to find a freshwater source and loaded with fish packed flats that are wadeable.

In a Blaze of Glory:
So what will the GFS team be doing when the gut’s hit the fan and the biters ingulf the globe in a un-holy blaze? For starters barricading the windows, hardening the doors and securing the goods at the Gorge Fly Shop. All in preparedness to ride out the end of days and plan our escape, from rods and reels to wading boots, all down to the last fly. During this time expect the shop to be closed for a remodel. I wouldn’t expect any freebies or free shipping and don’t get any bright ideas either, some of the boys are not only great fisherman but avid hunters as well... What does this mean for you? Sound like a Zombie, walk like a Zombie and you’ll find out...

Excess Baggage: Rule #2
We mentioned packing lite. This rule holds true in just about every fly fishing scenario (See Rule #3). In our case we need a pack that serves more than one purpose, lite weight, functional, durable, easy to carry and accessible.

Simms Dry Creek Roller

Simms Dry Creek Roll Top Backpack

This back will hold all your tools and accessories, with 1,365 cubic inches and well placed access points make it simple to find your gear, and easily add-on to your Dry Creek and Headwaters packs when needed.

A few noted features:

• 420 Denier, double-coated polyurethane nylon shell, 210 Denier lining
• Water-tight roll-top with side buckle closure
• Fully adjustable aeromesh padded shoulder straps and lumbar back support

For those who need more room for your gear and don’t plan on much running…

G. Loomis Cargo Roller Bag

G. Loomis Cargo Roller

This cargo bag truly does safely carry an entire trips worth of gear, made with durable materials and over-sized buckles and zippers for ease of handling. Split-zip bottom with wet/dry side pockets and double top handle for handling ease.

Strong Box!
Don’t forget Rule #4. If you haven’t already done so, acquire a strong box for your flies and a rod tube for your rods. With fly material and tying equipment not always available you’ll need a good fly box to keep your “Fly Arsenal” safe and ready for combat. Nothing worse than damaged goods.

Fly Arsenal Includes 6 of some of our top favorites, our go to flies.

1. Green Butt Skunk
2. Hale Bopp Leech (Black)
3. Thin Mint
4. Hares Ear Bead Head
5. Parachute Adams
6. Larimer's Loop Leech - Black/Chartruese 

Plotting your escape route yet? In need of that perfect Zombie Outfit? Are you ill prepared? We suggest you acquire your gear today while the gettin' is good and the customer support is still alive, or human at least.

Zombie + Outfit = READY!

Every fly caster has his or her own pride and joy, that rod and reel/line thought to be the perfect weapon, or at least on your wish list you do. Our Zombie Outfit isn't any different, It wasn't conceived only to fly fish in the event of a zombie forecast. It’s a Go-To package designed for ever-ready casters. It's meant to be fished! 

G. Loomis Pro4x Switch

Outfit #1: G. Loomis Pro4x switch 7110-4 Fly Rod Outfit

For those "new-to-the-sport" and intermediate flyfishers will learn to appreciate and expert anglers will wonder how this much performance gets packed into such an affordable package. A new taper design along with a noticeable weight-reduction in the upper half of the blank allows this fly rod to be incredibly light, recovers quickly and casts with unbelievable precision. [Full Zombie Outfit Package]

Abel Switch Reel in Black
The perfect instrument for the Pacific Northwest steelheading or classic Atlantic Salmon. To meet the demand of steelhead, salmon and other big water anglers using Spey Techniques, Abel came up with the definite tool: The Abel Spey Reel. We recommend black to avoid any glare, you wouldn't want any unwanted attention. Matched with the Skagit Max Short Head (425 gr.) and a Rio MOW kit medium, this will round out our first outfit.

Sage Bass II 7' 11"

Outfit #2: Sage Bass II 7'11" Smallmouth 290 gr. Fly Rod Outfit
This rod truly does pack a punch, everything from explosive smallmouth in their river lairs, to voracious snook and tarpon stealthfully pulled from the mangroves on your kayak. [Full Zombie Outfit Package]

Nautilus 7/8 FWX Reel in Black
Trout to Bonefish. Fresh Water Light, Salt Water Safe! A go to reel for any angler and when packaged with a Rio Outbound wf8 fly line, your unofficially ready for combat.

If your not in the market for a full Zombie Outfit and are considering a warmer climate rod...
G. Loomis NRX Saltwater 9' 7 Weight fly rod is a good choice. The NRX is where fly rods begin the cross-over from fresh to saltwater. This dynamic "tweener" is a great choice for almost any of the popular saltwater flats species. Looking for a small steelhead rod or a great pond rod for big largemouth? Ditto! NRX makes it so light and so powerful it will surprise you! It's totally capable of handling oversized surprises, no matter where you're fishing.

Photo credit: the World Wide Web.

Zombie Free Fly Fishing Zone
In search of safer waters, good friend Jerry Swanson and travel expert suggests we head south to tropical waters of the Bahamas, where the fishing is good and the bodies are warm. Sounds Good!

Travel Guru and GFS contributor Charlie Chambers suggests packing a medical kit, also noted in his travel article are other worthy travel tips, so if you wish to cross any destinations off on your bucket list before its too late we suggest you take a look. Phone chargers and hair dryers may not be needed in a post apocalyptic world. So you better plan your vacations sooner rather than later and keep up on your vaccinations.

My Captain, My Captain, to the Sail boat - Rule #5:

Simms Flask

Although, for a cool million we’ll reserve your spot on the “SS Minnow” or as we like to call it, SS Duddles. Remember: Pack lite, be sure to bring your birthday suit and adequate amounts of Simms Sun Screen. This will be a BYOB voyage so grab your favorite flask or trusty bottle opener, fishing destinations will be scheduled along the way. We only have a few spots available so be sure to send that non refundable cashiers check to reserve your spot today. Cash flow a problem? In need of something a bit smaller? Maybe you plan to escape via river… We offer a variety of different boats suitable for lakes and rivers. Don’t forget your K-Pump, or the last breath you take just might be your last.

 

Free Shipping on all U.S. orders over $50.00 and $500 Internationally.

So what does all this madness amount to? Free shipping if you order before an apocalypse, don’t be left expediting shipping or you may end up gnawing on your neighbors bone. With that said, consider what gear you do have and think about the perfect go to rod outfit that best suites you. Rule #6: Be ready for any fly fishing scenario, you never know where that next cast may take you...

Happy Halloween and Safe Fishing from the Gorge Fly Shop Team
Article by: Mike Prine 
Gear Recommendations: Greg Darling
Fly List: Travis Duddles

"Fly Fish the World with Us"

Low on Cash? Need that Perfect Gift for the Wife or Girlfriend? Or maybe you just need that perfect Man Gift... Submit your photos to enter to Win Big in our First ever Gorge Fly Shop: Casting for Recovery Photo Contest.

One Hat, Two Hat, FISH!

A hat for any occasion...

It's only a hat... said no hat lover ever!

Whether it's cold and rainy or hot and sunny, sometimes you just need the right hat to fit the bill. As many already know, Greg and I where at the I-Cast / IFTD Show in Vegas this past July, what you may not know is that we are both hat lovers, we have a hat collection of sorts. During our stay in Vegas we saw hundreds of hats and where able to try on many - some of witch we got to take home. Although we saw hats of many different brims, colors and sizes only a few stuck out and a few others have just now become available and even fewer remain constant favorites. 

Let us begin...

Hatch - Icon Trucker Caps

Red Icon

If your a tuck driver or a hat lover, the ever growing trucker caps have taken the fishing industry by storm, but with such clean style I would rather call this hat old faithful. A go to trucker/hat ready for any occasion. Structured cotton twill front with mesh back and snap closure - One Size fits all. Simple by design but serves it's purpose, carries the large (H) Icon Hatch Logo in front and fits well with it's pre-formed bill. Personally I prefer the Grey or Olive for a more universal hat but if your in need of a bolder statement the Blue and Red make for a worthy addition to any hat collection.

Keep it Reel! - Hatch - Keep it Reel Trucker Hat

Keep it Reel

The mack daddy of tucker hats meets bold statements of Hatch Reels. It will be hard to beat such a clean looking trucker hat, dark grey complements the black and white stitching with Hatch's "Keep it Reel" patch. The words "American Made Since 2003", "KEEP IT REEL" and "Original" round out this premium trucker hat. Any Hatch fan would be proud to wear such a cool hat. 

Structured cotton twill front with mesh back and snap closure. One size fits all.

Hatch - Finatic Tour Cap

Finatic Tour

Greg and I where both able to take this hat home, at $30 some may ask is this hat worth the price tag? I would reply, certainly. Upon first appearance this hat is logo'd front and rear, side to side. embroidered logos are a nice touch and give this hat a quality like few others. Upon further inspection the brim is thicker than standard hats giving this hat longer life expectancy if treated right. The back portion of this hat is constructed with a thicker mesh that provides breath-ability but doesn't allow short hair to poke through. Another feature to make note is the head band in this hat, it is a flex fit style band however it isn't binding like other flex-fit style hats, very comfortable to wear! Available in Black or White, we're partial to black while fishing in cooler months, but white would be a nice clean touch while dining out with the wife/girlfriend or even a nice round of golf, or whatever people do while not fishing...

•  Cotton twill front with sport mesh back flexible fit cap. 
•  One size fits all.
• Total of 4 embroidered logos

Hatch - Hunter Trucker Hats 

Bacon, Deer Jerky, Elk Steak

Hunter, Outdoors-man or Meat enthusiast this hat is the epiphany of cool and one of the all around universal outdoor hats Hatch offers. Hatch's Limited Edition, Short Run Hats are a chocolate brown in front and a tan brown mesh back. Available in Pig (Bacon), Deer (Jerky) or Elk (Steak), this wider brimmed hat is a perfect gift for that someone special or to yourself (did we say someone special)? 

Nautilus Hats - Black Ops Cammo Trucker

Black Ops Camo

Hunting for Steelhead on the Deschutes or Big Game in the Gorge, Nautilus stepped it up with their new Camo Trucker hat. I personally love the pixelated camo and sported this hat proudly while deer hunting. Owning a hat that serves more than one purpose, or season serves me well. This hat boldly sports it's "Tested on Animals" Black Ops patch and utilizes the velcro adjustable (One Size Fits All) strap on the back with the NautilusReels.com URL embroidered in dark orange. Black mesh completes this hat in the rear.

G. Loomis Bandit Trucker Hat

Bandit Trucker

The G.Loomis® Bandit Trucker Hat features the signature skeleton fish logo embroidered on the front, so everyone will know your favorite fishing brand. This trucker hat has a TRINSIC interior sweatband that wicks away sweat, a dark underbill that reduces glare and a plastic snap for an adjustable fit. The mesh back adds extra ventilation to keep you cool on sunny days.

“The sun did not shine. It was too wet to play. So we sat in the house. All that cold, cold, wet day.” 

― Dr. Seuss, The Cat in the Hat

― Don't leave home without a hat... - Gorge Fly Shop

Mike Prine
Gorge Fly Shop - Webmaster

"Fly Fish the World with Us"

HeadWear: Hats, Caps, Beanies and Buffs

Protect yourself this Season!

Also new to GFS: Smith Optics Ignitors 

Whats new with Korkers

Whats new with Korkers for 2014?

New 2014 Korkers boots shown above have an approximate December delivery date. Call today for any questions or to place a pre-order. 

Korkers Metalhead Wading Boot - Closeout

Korkers Chrome Wading Boot - Closeout

541.386.6977

"Fly Fish the World with Us"

Rio GripShooter Review

Rio GripShooter Fly Line

Product tested: 

• Rio GripShooter 44lb/20kg.
• Handling Section – 17ft/-.043
• Overall Length – 100ft / 30.5m
• Color – Red
• MSRP - $29.95

According to: 

Rio, in their words: Rio’s new GripShooter is based on the very popular SlickShooter, but has a thick, coated handling section that makes it very easy to grip in cold conditions. The thin nylon shooting line gives caster’s the maximum distance and is light enough to hold off the water at range and allow anglers great control of their head and fly far out in the swing. A neat 8” welded loop at the front end allows for fast and efficient head changes. GripShooter is a hard nylon shooting line with a unique handling section – the best choice for distance. GripShooter has a thick, highly visible handling section for grip, durability and visibility.

Features -

• Thick, highly visible handling section for grip, durability and visibility
• Front 8" Welded Loop

Specs -

SKU	Line Size	Handling Section	Total Length	Color
6-19040	25lb / 11.3kg	15ft/.037"	100ft / 30.5m	Blue/Orange
6-19041	35lb / 15.9kg	16ft/.040"	100ft / 30.5m	Orange/Orange
6-19042	44lb / 20kg	17ft/.043"	100ft / 30.5m	Red/Orange
6-19043	50lb / 22.7kg	18ft/.045"	100ft / 30.5m	Yellow/Orange

Intro Disclaimer:

Let me start by saying this, there is no perfect running/shooting line. They all have something that someone doesn’t like about them. This one is too limp, this one is too stiff, this one has a lot of memory, and this one slips through my fingers too easily, this one doesn’t come with a loop, on and on. Working at the Gorge Fly Shop and talking to countless customers that have fell victim to the Spey and switch craze, there are just about as many opinions when it comes to running/shooting lines as there are options for shooting heads. Today’s world of switch and Spey rods and Skagit style casting has opened the door for so many options and versatility. These options and versatility have also created mass confusion. With this being said, for this post, I would like to review the Rio’s New GripShooter Shooting line.

I can honestly say that after testing all of the shooting lines that we carry in the shop, I had settled on the Rio SlickShooter in the 44# and 50# sizes as my favorites, even in cold winter weather. I learned to live with the drawback of the SlickShooter occasionally slipping through my finger when sweeping around to create my “D” loop and casting, especially in colder weather and with wet hands. To me, the benefits of the SlickShooter seemed to drown out the disadvantage of an occasional slip. I loved the distance I got with the SlickShooter and it was easy to lift off the surface when I needed to mend. If you’re a die-hard SlickShooter fan you can also place a strip of non-adhesive tape, like used on golf clubs, where your pinching finger meets the cork of your rod. This will help eliminate slippage as well.

Let me stress something one more time. It doesn’t matter what shooting line you choose, there will be something that you won’t like about it. I tell customers all the time to find one that they like for its advantages and can live with its disadvantages. In other words the advantages of the SlickShooter, I loved, the disadvantages of SlickShooter, I can live with. Then here comes Rio’s New GripShooter! My interest spiked as soon as Georgie revealed this product to us at the shop. Already being a SlickShooter fan, I was on point! I thought…gone are the disadvantages that I live with for the SlickShooter. Disadvantage number one, is the line slipping through my fingers as stated before. I thought this is the best of both worlds. I now will have a shooting line that launches like a cannon but doesn’t slip through my fingers anymore. Sweet! So, I got my hands on a spool of the 44# GripShooter and as soon as I got home, without hesitation, I immediately put the new GripShooter on my reel, set my alarm for predawn… and I was off running to check out the latest and greatest in shooting lines. Georgie had set me up to be excited when he gave us the presentation. Georgie, as he slowly pulled the GripShooter from his bag of goodies said, and I quote “When the phone rings…answer sooner!” I love that, if you know Georgie, you know what I’m talking about. So, seeing Georgie this excited about it made me that much more excited about it.

On the River:

John Garrett

So, I’m stripping out line and making short cast and swinging the short water in front of me, and I finally get the shooting head out of the tip and I am now holding the GripShooter in my fingers. Immediately I notice that it is thicker to my touch than the classic SlickShooter is. I set my anchor, perform my sweep to set the “D” loop up and let it rip. No slippage. Ok, this is cool. I even held the line loosely to see it if would slip from my grip and it didn’t. Sweet! I strip out another 3 feet and repeat. Same results, no slippage. Strip another 3 feet and again the same results. This goes on until I have 14 strips of line out. Not once has it slipped from my grip. Bear in mind that I am used to fishing with SlickShooter and it rarely slips from my grip anymore. But, I was intentionally holding it loosely to see if it would slip, and it didn’t. This is a great thing. I’m now enjoying the best of both worlds. The grip of the PVC coated GripShooter running line that doesn’t slip from your grip and the major benefit of the hard nylon SlickShooter for distance. I like…I like a lot! Why, someone hadn’t thought of it until now, don’t ask me, I’m just benefitting from it.

Rio GripShooter 50lb

As much as I love the new GripShooter and the idea of it, there is still one thing that I would customize about it. And this is a personal preference of mine since using it now for a couple of weeks. It’s nothing major other than if I was using the GripShooter on a switch rod, I would cut some of the Grip section down to match the switch rod. In other words, if I were using a Sage TCX 7119-4, which is 11’9” long, I really don’t need to have 17’ of the GripShooter. This gives me an extra 5 plus feet of the Grip section, which feels like it slows the line down just a hair until it hits the SlickShooter section where it then launches. I understand the idea of making it the lengths they did, to accommodate the Spey rods, and it may not be a big deal to some of you who try it out.

If you use the same reel for multiple rods and switch back and forth from a switch to a Spey rod, then you might want to leave it as is, to fit the longer Spey rods you have. Again, we are back with living with something you don’t like because of the advantages you do like. See, we still can’t get away from that. If you don’t switch reels back and forth, then by all means spool up your switch reel and customize it (or not), then spool up you Spey reel with its own sweet GripShooter. On my switch rod, I would cut the Grip section down to about 12 feet and strip off about 8”-10” of the PVC coating then build myself a new loop with a whip finisher. This would give me 5 feet less of the GripShooter and get me into the SlickShooter that much faster.

GripShooter Example: 25lb - Overall Length: 100'

All in all overview: 

When it comes to considering whether or not to try the new Rio GripShooter… call sooner! I promise to answer the phone sooner when you do. It is definitely worth a shot. If you have hesitated in the past, because of the negatives you’ve heard about SlickShooter, don’t hesitate now. It is a great addition to the shooting line roster and it has found a permanent place on my reels.


By John Garrett

Gorge Fly Shop

Rio Spey Fly Lines
"Fly Fish the World with Us"