Ross Reels - A Closer Look at the Animas and Cimarron II

Back by popular demand!
The original Double R logo

It's been about a year now since Ross Reels announced their return to a fly reel ONLY company and I have to say we were glad to hear the news. After Ross Reels acquired the new ownership from a company called the Mayfly Group (who happens to also own Abel Fly Reels) it was decided that the right direction for Ross was to drop the line of imported rods and get back to their roots of building high quality USA made fly reels.  

Ross Animas
The Animas is named after the Animas River that flows through Southwest Colorado and conjoins the San Juan River in Northwest New Mexico. Some key features to note about the Animas is the machined aluminum reversed taper crank, tool-less easy right-to-left conversion and a time honored drag system taken from the indestructible CLA and remodeled with some high grade component upgrades.

Animas Specifications

Model	Diameter	Width	Weight	Rod wt	Line
3/4	3.125"	0.97"	4.3 oz	3/4	WF3+75yds/20#
4/5	3.25"	0.97"	4.5 oz	4/5	WF4+100yds/20#
5/6	3.50"	1.01"	4.9 oz	5/6	WF5+150yds/20#
7/8	3.875"	1.09"	7.0 oz	7/8	WF8+200yds/20#
9/10	4.25"	1.17"	8.5 oz	9/10	WF9+250yds/30#
10/12	4.625"	1.19"	9.5 oz	10/12	WF12+275yds/30#

Ross Cimarron II
The Cimarron II replaces the aging CLA (Cimarron Large Arbor). The Cimarron II models the drag system from it's predecessor but sees some upgrades including some new composite  and stainless steel materials resulting in a much more powerful drag pressure while maintaining smooth startup inertia. In keeping with the CLA tradition the new Cimarron II offers high performance large arbor disc drag design in a lightweight economical USA built fly reel.

Cimarron Specifications

Model	Diameter	Width	Weight	Rod wt	Line
3/4	3.125"	0.97"	4.77 oz	3/4	WF3+75yds/20#
4/5	3.25"	0.97"	4.85 oz	4/5	WF4+100yds/20#
5/6	3.50"	1.01"	5.11 oz	5/6	WF5+150yds/20#
7/8	3.875"	1.09"	6.82 oz	7/8	WF8+200yds/20#
9/10	4.25"	1.17"	7.54 oz	9/10	WF9+250yds/20#

Oh and the one of the best changes that happened at Ross Reels was the return of the double R logo! Sometimes you have to take a step back to see the correct path forward!

Ross is Back!

Just Wrong!

Greg Darling 

Gorge Fly Shop Internet Sales Manager | Product Specialist

"Fly Fish the World with Us"

Columbia Gorge Fishing Report (1.25.16)

Fishing Report

Short and sweet, and maybe the last report for a few weeks as not much is changing and it’s getting repetitive…

Winter Steelhead:  Rivers go up, rivers go down.  Fishing is hot, then its not.  It’s all about what you make of it.  If you have a decent amount of skill, then it’s all up to luck and how much time you can put on the water.  That’s really all there is to it.  There are plenty of steelhead in every river right now and there will be plenty of them through March.

Rainbow Trout fishing is still fabulous right now on the Deschutes.  Fish are starting to really key in on Skwala nymphs, while Blue Wing Olives are being taken in the back eddies, and sculpins are being eaten on the swing.


As always, we are happy to talk fishing any time.  Give us a call if you have any specific questions on local rivers, gear, and tactics, or if you just want some encouragement to get out of the office.  

Andrew Perrault
Gorge Fly Shop | Product Specialist
541.386.6977

"Fly Fishing Report"

Soft Rods and Light Lines

Winter Brownie

Soft Rods and Light Lines a 2 part series.

Part 1: The rods

I have always had an affinity for soft, smooth fly rods, rods and lines that were a joy to cast, that kept you from being in a hurry and that often resulted in fish. For me, fly fishing started on a whippy fiberglass rod, a Daiwa I think, and a Martin reel handed down from my dad. I really began to learn how to cast on that rod, and maybe that feel has stuck with me till today.

Winter Trout'in

The modern fly fishing world is full of catch phrases like “high tech, high modulus, fast action, ultimate performance” etc, etc… which is all fine and good, but is that always what you really want in a trout rod? I tend to think not. Many would argue with me, which is fine, to each their own, but give me a medium to soft rod, an appropriately weighted line and put me on an intimate trout stream and I am in heaven! Not only will you be able to make nice, delicate presentations, but you will fight fish in a much more enjoyable way and lose less fish! Soft rods have all the give you need to keep fished hooked and to protect the lightest of tippets. OK, you probably have heard all of that. Here is where I deviate from the standard soft rod talk; I like medium to soft rods for everything, including streamers. You will have to adjust your cast, get the right line, but in the end you will have a rod that you can do it all with. A nice medium 5 or 6wt will allow you to fish with anything. Throw a size 4 streamer in the morning, nymph during the day, and get the midges out there delicately in the evening.

In the shop we often talk about rods that we would never part with, that we would be buried with, rods that have soul and that speak to us. I have 5-6 trout rods that certainly fall into that category, and you guessed it, they are all medium action graphite, glass or bamboo rods, and most have the name “Winston” on them.

Bamboo

If you have never fished a softer rod, you owe it to yourself to try one. I recommend you start with glass, as it is the most easily accessible and the easiest on the wallet. The revamped Fenwick Fen Glass rods, which we just received in the shop, blew all of us away. These are by far the lightest and most balanced glass rods on our rack, and just a joy to cast. Built on the newest S-Glass technology, they have a rod for every scenario; the lineup amazingly includes 3 to 8wts! Grab the 3wt for a high mountain stream or take the 8 out for steelhead or bass. Whatever you do, take a dip back into simpler times with a modern glass rod!

If you are having a hard time adjusting your cast or transitioning from fast rods, the Winston Boron III-LS, G Loomis NRX LP, Sage Circa and Scott G2 rods are perfect for you. You are still going to get that classic smooth feel, but with modern light graphite and exceptional performance. All of these rods have a reserve of power for when you need it, and with the Winston, a boron flavored butt section is to thank for that. These rods are awesome, and really what any “modern” trout-oriented fly rod should be like. We definitely have more people choose trout rods like these over faster rods after casting them side by side.

Now let’s say you have tried all of that, or you want to connect to a time before high tech. Enter cane. Rod tapers so well known they are named after their creators: Leonard, Payne, Garrison and Powell to name a few. Rod shops and builders as famous as coliseums and Greek gods: Winston, Orvis, Thomas & Thomas, Morgan, Brackett and Oyster. A historically designed taper and well-crafted bamboo rod is the closest feeling I have had to pure fly fishing joy. They cast like an extension of your body and they absolutely come alive when you hook a fish. Even a little 10 incher will give you a rush. You will find yourself giggling like a school girl when you fish cane. This grass, and yes bamboo is a grass, the best of which grows in only one region of Asia and given the name Tonkin, has the perfect attributes for a fly rod: strength, flexibility and quick recovery. Do yourself a favor and see what the fuss is all about. You only live once!

Most bamboo rods require patience to acquire and often involve wait lists. I waited 3 years for my first… That’s why we at the Gorge Fly Shop keep some on hand, just to fulfill your cane desire. The Winston shop has carried on the tradition of building beautiful and smooth casting bamboo passed down through many generations of world class rod builders and innovators. Check out our current selection here of R.L.Winston Bamboo. We can all relate to the impulse buy, especially for something as far fetched as a bamboo fly rod, so we decided to keep some on hand to help you get your fix. If you are looking for the ultimate gift for the fly fisher in your life or for the person that has it all, a Winston bamboo is it.

Part 2: The lines

We live in a remarkable time as fly fishers. Fly line design has gotten to the point where you can find the perfect line for any rod and any application. The downside is that the number of choices can become daunting. I will try my best to keep it simple when it comes to lines for medium to soft trout rods. For the past few years it has been a pretty simple equation for me. If you had a medium to soft 8’6” or longer rod, go with the RIO Trout LT in a WF (weight forward), and if you had a shorter rod go with the DT (double taper). These lines are appropriately weighted for softer rods, have a nice long taper that casts beautifully, and they roll cast well in tight quarters, especially the DT. Don’t be fooled though, you can easily chuck a big bugger or sculpin with these lines! But the real beauty of this line is in accurate, delicate presentations; from dry flies to small streamers.

RIO LightLine

I was very excited to hear that Rio was releasing another line choice in the soft rod game; the LightLine. This line is perfectly weighted to load medium to soft rods from graphite to cane. I have had a chance to fish the DT (Double Taper) version on my glass, classic Winston graphite and Sweetgrass bamboo and let me say it is phenomenal. The taper is built to traditional standards of weight and length; these rods were often built around the limited availability of lines at the time. The line lands so softly that the fly can make a bigger splash than the line. It floats down at the end of your forward stroke like a feather. The DT in particular is a wonderful line to roll cast with too. DT lines have fallen from the limelight as fast modern graphite has become the norm, but make no mistake, they are wonderful to cast. The extended rear taper helps you keep your casts subtle and helps load the rod for a roll cast at any reasonable distance.

If you have a medium-soft rod (and you should) and live anywhere near small streams and spring creeks, from the Northeast limestones, Driftless spring creeks, or high mountain streams of the West you need to try this line. The taper has enough weight in the front to quickly load your rod for casting in tight quarters. It will seriously load up with 10ft of line out or even less. If you are familiar with the old Sage quiet taper lines, then you will dig this one. I would have loved to have this line as I cut my teeth learning the myriad of spring creeks in the SW Wisconsin and NE Iowa; that’s for sure!

With ice on the guides!

My final words on these lines, both the Rio Trout LT and the Light Line, and soft rods in general are this: slow down… Take your time; get in a rhythm with the creek, your rod and the fish. Relax your tempo, take a chill pill, take a step back and remember why you enjoy fly fishing in the first place.

Ryan Van Duzor
Gorge Fly Shop | Product Specialist
541.386.6977

"Fly Fish the World with Us"

Columbia Gorge Fishing Report (1.17.16)

Fishing Report

We had one week of low water conditions, and now our local rivers are on their way back up.  This is great news for winter steelhead junkies.  In an typical year, there is a lull in steelhead numbers during mid to late January, before the later spring fish start really coming through in mid-February.  Not that there are not a whole bunch of fish around; winter has been great so far and our rivers are full of steelhead.  So don't look at the Bonneville Dam counts and come to the conclusion that there aren't any fish around.  It only takes one and there are plenty of nice steelhead in all of our rivers.  

As long as the Pacific Ocean keeps pumping rain and snow at us, we should continue to see great fishing throughout the region.  Pick your favorite river and get your swing on.  Just keep an eye on the levels and don't try to fish rivers when they are too high.  Some of them dirty up really quick and others can stay in great shape after heavy rains.  Some rivers get really high and are dangerous to wade or float, so please be aware of your surroundings and conditions  

Rainbow trout fishing has been great on the Deschutes.  It is now open for trout all the way to Pelton Dam. Midges and Blue Wing Olives are the most productive patterns right now, but streamers have been working well too.  

Andrew Perrault
Gorge Fly Shop | Product Specialist
541.386.6977

'"Fly Fish the World with Us"

How far would you go?

The dark side

"There is no dark side of the moon really. Matter of fact it's all dark. "
Pink Floyd

Great hypothetical questions of all time: if you won the lottery would you quit work? Would you travel to the ends of earth to catch fish? Is it possible to eat too many tacos?  I've always thought there this is no limits to where I would go to find aggressive bad ass fish, like Giant Trevally. Hell, if they were on the dark side of the moon, I'd go there. Recently, my hypothetical was tested by a dose of reality by traveling to the Seychelles to chase a number of species but specifically GT's,  the psychopath of the jack family.

The Seychelles are a group of over 100 islands with a only a few inhabited that lies about 1000 miles off the east coast of Africa in the Indian Ocean. The largest island is Mahe which hosts a number of flights from Europe and the Middle East. A few of our group made a detour for a few days in London. And yes, you cannot travel further to find fish since the Seychelles lie 12 hours ahead of our own Pacific time zone. From Mahe, we took a small plane to Farquhar atoll to a small landing strip. The atoll forms a semi circle to an approximately 60 square mile area with only about 5 square miles of land where Fly Castaway, headquartered in South Africa runs one of several operations throughout the Seychelles.

Simple yet clean

Lodging at Farquhar is clean, comfortable, and simple with a/c but certainly not luxurious. A large porch sits facing the beautiful turquoise waters of the atoll. A thatched open air area serves as the dining area with the best view of all towards the water and the sunsets. Food is exemplary and plentiful especially when you realize that everything has to be imported to the atoll.

We were there for a week of fishing with some of the most accomplished and knowledgeable guides from South Africa, France, and the Seychelles who speak excellent english and are highly motivated to make sure the week is a success. Be prepared for extensive wading over large flats with uneven terrain and coral, therefore, boots are a must. Ratio of guides to clients is 2 to 1 being ferried around by very nice open console boats. In the morning one option is to start by trolling teasers for sailfish with bait and switch to fly options. Guides are adept at discussing the fishing options depending on the flat and the tides. The night before everyone gathers in the “rec room” to discuss pairings and strategies for the next day.

The ecosystem in Farquhar is truly amazing given the lack of impact from man and no commercial influence. Across the flats are numerous non game marine life including large numbers of sting rays, Manta rays, turtles, many species of sharks and bird life. In a subsequent article, I explain how the bird life can influence fly choice. Just walking the flats and spying all this wildlife is worth the trip. But since I had traveled to the “Dark Side of the Moon”, I thought I might make a cast or two.

A few friendly faces.

Game fish include GT’s, permit, bonefish, trigger fish, sail fish, barracuda, snapper, grouper, milk fish, Napoleon wrasse and a fish that looks like it’s from the movie “Avatar”, the bumphead parrotfish or bumpy. Through the day you might catch any number of species. And any number of these fish will test your gear to it’s limits, just ask my new reel that decided to hiccup on a bumpy. Thank god for my guide who was willing to wade out and chase down my fish. Fishing is primarily done with 12 weights for GT’s but one always carries a 9-10 weight for other less fearsome species. GT’s are definitely worth their reputation in terms of attack of the fly and their strength.

All in all, a trip of a lifetime where I’ve proven that I’m willing to travel any distance to chase fish. Now if I can just win the lottery to to test one of my other hypothetical scenarios. 






Charlie Chambers
Gorge Fly Shop Contributor 

"Fly Fish the World with Us"

Columbia Gorge Fishing Report (1.11.16)

Sam Sickles - Clackamas River

Fishing Report

For winter steelhead addicts, local rivers are back to low and clear conditions for the moment.  

Rain is in the forecast, but how much is questionable.  At least it is warmer outside than it has been for most of the past month.  Warming conditions should cause fish to be a little more active than they have been.  My advice is to invest in an intermediate Skagit head as long as the water is low.  Yes, even in low and clear conditions, especially in low and clear conditions, an intermediate head is an advantage.  It moves slower through the water than a floating head, allowing your fly to be presented in front of fish for a longer period of time, as well as assuring that you are probing the depths of the run.  In low, clear and cold water, fish will hug the bottom of runs in the middle of the river, whereas they will hang in softer water closer to the banks in higher water conditions and do not require ultra-deep presentations. 

Choose intermediate heads about 30-60 grains lighter than your floating Skagit head, as they are harder to get moving quickly.  My intermediate Skagit head is the same grain weight as my Scandi head. 

All of the rivers that are accessible within a day of Hood River are low and clear, but they all have fish in them, so pick one and hit it while you have the chance.  Ryan, Jon and I floated the Clackamas on Friday and did not touch a fish, and apart from seeing one bait plunker pull one in, we didn’t hear of much action from other anglers.  A beautiful day on the river with good friends and great scenery, I wouldn’t have traded it for anything. 

Clackamas River

Rainbow trout fishing on the Deschutes should be great as the air and water temperatures are increasing.  Increasing air and water temperatures can trigger hatches of midges and Blue Wing Olives.  Barr’s BWO emergers, zebra midges, #18-20 flashback pheasant tails and hare’s ear are all good choices, while doubling up with a bigger nymph like a March Brown Mayfly nymph (Anato May or Posse Bugger) is also not a bad bet.  If you are going to go bigger, I would also look at a Skwala pattern like a #8 peacock rubber leg.  Skwalas should be on the move now.  They hatch in January through February and into March, and the March Browns usually start during warmer days in February and go through early April, but nymphs can start moving as early as late January.  Skwalas hatch at night in fairly low numbers and is not considered a productive hatch for dry fly action, although it is possible to hit it right.  Most anglers and trout focus on the nymphs. 

The Crooked River is also a good winter trout fishery when the air temps warm near or above freezing.  It is a tailwater, so water temperatures are fairly constant as long as it is warm enough for fisherman to be comfortable.  For best results, fish small flies under an indicator on the Crooked.  I’d start with a #20 zebra midge and a #20 pheasant tail and change flies often until you find a good combo.

As always, we are happy to talk fishing any time.  Give us a call if you have any specific questions on local rivers, gear, and tactics, or if you just want some encouragement to get out of the office.  

Andrew Perrault
Gorge Fly Shop | Product Specialist
541.386.6977

'"Fly Fish the World with Us"

G.Loomis NRX Fly Rods - Sales Event - Changes for 2016

It's a good time to be a G.Loomis fan.

Never before has there been a sale on NRX Fly and Spey rods. 

View Sale Items!

Since conception the G. Loomis NRX is one serious rod to contend with! Other manufacturers scrambled to come up with a design to match the performance and durability of the NRX and most contenders have yet to equal the abilities of this Nano Resin creation.

NRX Fly and Spey Rods

The original color Stealth Matte Black with Blue wraps identified with the bold power the NRX is capable of while the next year came the second color of Evergreen with Green wraps which defines the gentle forgiving nature of the Nano Resin Technology.

Both colors deserve the right to adorn the NRX. Countless inquiries about what one color is the proper choice only led all discussion into a stalemate stance.

So what is the right color choice? Sometimes the obvious answer is not in our own opinions but better matched to the environment in which we place the subject in. Since the NRX line of rods spans the anglers needs from lite presentation trout streams to the explosive power of unforgiving saltwater beast such as tarpon and Permit it was concluded that no one color could properly identify across the board spectrum.

For 2016 the choice was made to establish color identification to the NRX family of fly rods. The NRX Trout, Trout LP, Trout Nymph, Salmon/Steelhead and Two Hand Spey will acquire the Evergreen color while the Saltwater and Saltwater Pro-1 NRX fly rods with be identified with Matte Black / Blue Wraps.

We believe a wise choice has come about that in the end helps everyone. The angler will better understand the thought behind each individual rod, the dealer will see improved availability and G.Loomis will see a more streamline manufacturing that will allow time for future innovations.

With this change comes some inventory that needs to be cleared. Here is a list of models and colors that are affected...

• NRX Lite Presentation - All Matte Black w/Blue Wraps
• NRX Trout - All Matte Black w/Blue Wraps
• NRX Nymph - All Matte Black wBlue Wraps
• NRX Salmon / Steelhead - All Matte Black w/Blue Wraps
• NRX Two Hand Spey - All Matte Black w/Blue Wraps
• NRX Salt - All Evergreen w/Green Wraps
• NRX Salt Pro 1 - All Evergreen w/Green Wraps

View our Inventory!

Columbia Gorge Fishing Report (1.4.16)

Photo courtesy of Sam Sickles - Steelhead Outfitters

Fishing Report

It’s gotten cold, really cold. Water temps in most western rivers are in the mid thirties. Prior to that temps were hovering around forty and we were finding some fish. The last two steelhead I saw caught came on a third pass and a second pass respectively. What that means is, slow down. I generally take three to four steps between casts but right now the fish are glued to the river bottom and don’r want to move, so slow down and be meticulous. If you aren’t hanging a fly here and there you’re probably not close enough to the fish so tip up or fish a weighted fly and a bit longer leader.


The good news is we’ve got a good batch of early steelhead and they are grabby. Here’s a tip; when river temps reach rock bottom (right now) there’s only one way to go and that’s up. I know you’re thinking, Duh! What I mean is it’s tough to fish water temps on the decline, the fish get lethargic. The opposite is true for rising temps even if they are really low, so watch for warmer water temps, even a degree or two and be ready for fish that become a little more aggressive as the days warm up.


For now, heavy tips and heavy flies casting to the deeper slower water. Good luck.

Sandy River Steelhead

Sam Sickles

Steelhead Outfitters

"Fly Fish the World with Us"

What are we fishing? Winter Steelhead Gear

John fighting a Chrome winter Steelhead while the snow falls

We get asked a lot what gear we are personally using here in the shop. Well, it is winter steelhead season here, our favorite time of year to fish, and all of us at the shop are polishing up our rods and reels, collecting lines and sink tips, and tying flies like madmen. John, Ryan and I fish as much as anyone else out there and this is the gear that we are rocking for the winter.

John:

G. Loomis NRX 13’ 7/8
Galvan Torque T-10

G. Loomis NRX

The G. Loomis NRX 13’0” 7/8wt is one of the sweetest rods out there. It is light in hand, and the grain window is huge, but it fishes best with lighter lines than most 7 weight rods, and likely all 8wt rods. Most 7 weights fish well with a 500-550 grain Skagit head, but this rod is dialed in with a 475 grain Skagit, yet it still has plenty of backbone to land those big winter hogs that John gets into.

It is really easy to cast, even though it is a fast rod. Most fast rods are difficult to stay dialed in with. Once an angler starts to get tired after a few hours, their casting stroke falls apart. With faster rods, casts can get ugly quicker than with slow rods, but with the NRX, the balance between the flex in the tip and the stiffness in the butt end gives this rod some room for error and recovery when casting. There is also tremendous power behind this rod even with how light it is and how light the grain window is.
The thing that really drives John to love this rod is that it is comfortable in hand. The cork is high end, thin and very easy to hang onto and fish all day.

John likes this reel for several reasons. The price is right, it looks cool and has a sweet sound. Those are the superficial reasons, which often seem to be more important to consumers than the solid construction, the easily adjustable drag and smooth overall function. This reel is light in hand, but balances the lightweight NRX perfectly. Galvan makes “spey weights” for adding weight to a reel in order to counterbalance heavier spey rods, but this is unnecessary with the NRX. Another reason that John likes the Torque is that in all of the years that we have been selling reels, Galvans rarely, if ever, come in for repair work, less than any other reel per unit sold. We’re not saying that they are maintenance-free, but they are definitely very reliable and low-maintenance.

The RIO Skagit Max lines are smooth and easy to cast. Rods shorter than 12’6” are best served with a Skagit Max Short, while rods between 12’6” and 14’0” take the Skagit Max perfectly. Long rods over 14’0” will take the new RIO Skagit Max Long. We have had a few guys tell us how they tried the Max Long on a shorter rod and didn’t like it all that much.

John likes the Rio Skagit Max because of the bright orange back end and the subtle blue color that still shows up well in low light. It casts well too, but mostly John likes it because when matched with 50# RIO Slickshooter and chartreuse backing, it creates a nice Seahawks colored theme on his reel.

Ryan and I couldn’t choose one set-up each. We both take two rods/reels to the river, so you get to hear about both of them.

Ryan's Winter Setups

Ryan:

Sage ONE 7116 Switch
Tibor Signature 9/10

Winston Boron III TH 7133-4
Tibor Riptide

Ryan has been a big Winston fan (like me) for years now. The new Boron III – TH 7133-4 is another beautiful, powerful, smooth rod from Winston, and it is the star of the Winston Spey lineup. The 13’3” 7wt is the go-to year-round steelhead rod for the Northwest. It has a deep load and a smooth, powerful release. Coupled with a great finish, good grip and excellent components, Ryan loves this rod for all of the reasons mentioned above, but there is one thing that drives him to. Winstons are smooth and it’s hard to describe until you have cast one, but there is no “smoother” rod out there.

Another reason that Ryan is high on Winston is that the boron in the butt holds a
“reserve” of power for when you need to turn a fish or push that cast a few more feet. It is what they call the “Boron Advantage”.

The Winston is loaded up with the new Airflo Skagit Compact G2 540 grain head, and it matches perfectly. The 540 grain is a great match that allows an angler to throw larger flies, and as a Midwestern Muskie fisherman, Ryan sure likes his big flies. The G2 Skagit Compact line is just about perfect. Ryan likes it because the two tone color scheme is pleasing on the eyes and the length is just right for 12’6” – 14’0” rods. He knows that it does everything that you could ask of a Skagit Head.

Ryan also picked up a Sage ONE 7116-4 earlier this year. Switch rods are not the go-to rods around here, but having one in the arsenal is a must if you are a steelhead junkie which Ryan has become (especially because of the lack of muskie). He picked this rod up because it is very lightweight, and easy to cast. The Sage ONE is fast, but not too fast and it is the easiest switch rod to learn on. Matched up with a RIO Skagit Max Short 475, this 7116-4 will huck big flies and heavy sink tips, yet it will maintain tight loops at long distances. He picked this up primarily to fish Rock Creek in Stevenson where he lives, but switch rods are the preferred method to fish big boulder gardens on large rivers, and to rule the small coastal rivers like the Wilson and the Trask.

Now Ryan loves his Tibor Reels. I have never seen him fishing anything else. He loves them because they are rock solid in fresh or saltwater, but the biggest reason he loves them is reliability. Much like why John loves his Galvan. After years of abuse, dropping, kicking, and scratching these reels all up and down, he has never had a problem with any of his Tibor reels. In fact, he just ordered the new Signature 9/10 to put on his switch rod. He does like to remind me that there have been more world record fish caught on Tibors than any other reel.

Andrew:

Burkheimer 7134-4
Lamson ARX 3.5+

Echo Glass 7110-4
Hardy Salmon Marquis #1

I love my Burk! If you follow the blog, you may have noticed. I can go on for days about the quality of the rod from the cork to the guides to the finish, but in the end, it is very easy to hold all day, it casts like a dream and I love the way it handles fish. I have a more complete write-up in Why I Love my Burkheimer. This rod loves the Airflo Skagit Compact G2 540 grain head, but I have been fishing the S/A Third Coast Skagit 520 grain head on it recently.

The new Scientific Anglers Third Coast Skagit a very good, very overlooked line in the spey world. Scientific Anglers, in general, does not get much love in the spey world, but this new line casts just as well as any RIO or Airflo head. The Third Coast has a good color scheme, and it turns over big flies and tips with ease. I have been very impressed with it so far and would recommend it to anyone that is looking for a Skagit line.

Echo Glass 7129 Rod Review

I recently picked up the Glass Switch 11’0” 7wt and I am in love! This rod is converting me into a switch rod believer. I was already a believer in the slower action of fiberglass due to the incredible power behind it. I no longer own any spey rods that I would consider to be fast action. Glass is great for guys that get lazy with their cast after a few hours. A lazy cast on a glass rod still goes the distance with ease, while many faster rods get frustrating about five hours into a long day of fishing.

Echo Glass

I matched the Echo Glass Switch 7110-4 up with an OPST Commando 350 grain head and it is an absolute joy to fish. There will be a full article on OPST heads shortly, but just know that the OPST heads run at 75-100 grains lighter than their Airflo Skagit Switch and RIO Skagit Max Short counterparts. We’ll get into why in that other article, but if one were to fish the Airflo Skagit Switch or Rio Max Short in a 420-450 range on this rod, they would be very happy. The OPST head is amazing in the fact that my casting time and stroke is shorter, so I am spending less time in between casts and more time with my fly in the water.

Now I am a Lamson guy, much like Ryan is a Tibor guy. I have a ton of Lamson reels and the reason is that I bought a couple of them when I first started fishing and I liked them enough that I bought another, and another, and here we are. In the thirteen years of owning Lamson Reels, I have had zero problems with any of them that I did not cause myself. (I bent a spool when I sat on it, and I failed to rinse one out after fishing in saltwater and the bearing rusted).

I love the ARX (Lamson ARX 4+ Spey Reel review) for a couple of reasons. The first reason is the Heavy Duty caged frame. Monofilament running lines (like the OPST Lazar Line) tend to sneak through the gap between the frame and spool, but the Heavy Duty frame makes that impossible. The HD frame also adds integrity, making it more difficult to bend the spool or frame. There is still plenty of surface area to palm the reel, and the drag is just as smooth as any other Lamson reel. It balances well with the Burkie and it looks cool too.

I will soon be getting a Hardy Salmon Marquis #1 to put on this new Echo Glass Switch 7110-4. Right now, I am fishing an older Lamson Velocity 3.5. The Echo Glass has a classic look with classic, old-school materials. I want to match it with a reel that has that same classic look and feel to it. The Hardy Salmon Marquis #1 is a good fit. It has a click-pawl drag system, the same system that has been used for over 100 years for good reason. It is the AK-47 of drag systems. It is nearly foolproof and will work no matter what you do to it. There isn’t much stopping power to a click-pawl reel, but it does have the most classic sound that has ever been produced by a reel. It also has a heavy-duty frame to prevent mono from slipping, extra reinforcement for accidents, and the #1 a good size for the Glass Switch, plus the price is right.

You may have noticed a trend here. We love reels that are reliable, especially reels that tend to have a long history of solid performance across the industry, as well as with us personally. Each of us likes a reel that is cool looking, but for the most part, we look for a reel that is unlikely to fail.

We prefer rods that are easy to hold onto for a day of fishing, as well as rods that are forgiving and easy to cast. We all have different casting styles with different tempos, but for all three of us, the most important thing is a comfortable grip that is fun to cast all day.

As far as lines go: Winter time is Skagit time. If you are fishing a spey or switch rod, but not fishing a Skagit head, then you are missing out on fish and making things harder than they need to be. RIO, Scientific Anglers and Airflo all make equally impressive lines, and any angler should be happy with any of them, but the most important thing is to match the right length and grain weight to the rod. The OPST head is a bit different, but amazing in its own way. Again, we’ll get to that later.

Well, that is what we are fishing here at the shop this winter. Now it’s just a matter of putting these fine products on the water and getting into a fish or two.

Andrew Perrault
Gorge Fly Shop | Product Specialist
541.386.6977

"Fly Fish the World with Us"