The Rio Soccer Mom is one of our favorite trout streamers in rivers and Stillwater. Now available in the Thin Mint color scheme.
"The Gorge"
Gorge Fly Shop Team - 541.386.6977
Mar 29, 2024
Mar 28, 2024
BUYER'S GUIDE TO SPECIFICALLY DESIGNED STILLWATER FLY LINES:
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| Sometimes fishing late pays off with stunning lake sunsets. (photo by Callum Brock) |
Lake fishing seems like it should be simple, I mean, growing up as a child and going to the local lakes was pretty simple, especially when fishing over planted fish. However, now, knowing what I know, it can be quite technical. As Callum from the shop here says it..."Lake fishing is the perfect example of how simple it can be or how complicated you want to make it." I couldn't agree more.
That being said, it's amazing how technical stillwater fishing can be and it can make your head spin trying to choose which lines to use/buy. Anyone who loves to fish lakes knows what I'm saying. Honestly, I mean no offense, unless you're a stillwater ninja, the need for all the different types of stillwater lines out there seems uneccessary. I hope to try and simplify things here and hope that I'm successful. When it comes down to it, most often I'm fishing a couple to three lines at the most. Especially if I am fishing from a float tube or pontoon and space is limited and I can't carry extra rods or a bunch of spare spools. On the other hand, if I am in my drift boat, then I will carry more in case I need it.
FLOATING LINES:
RIO'S Elite Stillwater Floater:
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| RIO Elite Stillwater Floater. |
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| RIO Elite Stillwater Floater Taper Profile |
When fishing stillwater (lakes) having a full floating line that performs well is a necessity. I personally like a floating line that can serve as an all-around multi-purpost line. Unless I'm fishing out of a boat and have much more room for extra rods with different specialized lines, a multi-purpose all around line comes in real handy.
The RIO Elite Stillwater Floater has been specifically designed to easily cast long leaders, and will turnover indicator rigs with multi-fly set ups we commonly use while Chironomid fishing. This line has the ultra-low stretch ConnectCore Plus core that provides unbelievable sensitivity for those sometimes subtle takes for a quicker reaction time when setting the hook. The Stillwater Floater also has a Hang Marker which allows you to estimate when to stop your retrieve and fish the "hang down" which can be extreamly effective. This line additionally has the SlickCast coating for incredible casting and durability as well and the MaxFloat Tip, which helps keep the tip of the line from sinking as many floating lines tend to, especially when dirty. The Elite Stillwater Line works well fishing from a boat or from shore.
NOTE: It is always a great idea to carry a few of the RIO Fly Line Cleaning Towelette's in your boat, pontoon or vest when fishing lakes. If your floating line starts to sink, they are a blessing and you can get a quick cleaning and your back to full floating.
Airflo SuperFLO Stillwater Floater Fly Line:
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| Airflo SuperFLO Stillwater Floater |
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| Airflo SuperFLO Stillwater Floater Taper Profile |
Airflo's version of the stillwater floating line has their classic Delta Taper which is great for casting multiple fly set ups for distance with minimal disturbance on the waters surface, which helps prevent spooking fish. Airflo lines are made with a durable Polyurethane coating and are 100% PVC free. This has proven that the lines last longer over time. In addition, the FLO technology has made it possible to create thinner diameter running lines in comparison to their older lines. This is a huge improvement because the newer lines are super slick and have minimal friction when going through the rod guides.
Scientific Anglers Amplitude Smooth Anadro Stillwater Indicator:
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| SA Amplitude Smooth Anadro Stillwater Indicator Line |
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| SA Amplitude Smooth Anadro Stillwater Indicator taper profile. |
The Scientific Anglers Amplitude Smooth Anadro Stillwater Indicator fly line has become a pretty popular Chironomid line when using strike indicators. I like this line alot. It roll cast really well and is easy to see with it's alternating Hi-Vis bands near the tip. Even in low light conditions, I can easily track it. I also like the fact that it is one and a half line sizes heavy so there is no need to upsize the line for your rod. This also takes less effort to roll cast because it easily loads your rod so that you don't have to "make it" or try to "force it" to roll cast. With every rod that I have used this line on I just get the line that matches the rating of the rod. In other words if you have a 6wt rod, get the 6 weight line and you're good to go.
NOTE: One thing to note is that indicator specific lines tend to take up a lot more room on your reel because of the fact that they are sized heavy. Instead of a standard 6wt line being put on your 5/6wt rated reel, you're now trying to put a line that is more like a 7.5wt line on that reel. So your backing capacity will need to be adjusted accordingly. We also typically use longer rods like a 9.5' or 10' rod and sizing up on the reel is a great idea for two reasons, #1 it will balance out the rod better and #2 it will have the capacity to hold the right amount of backing and the indicator fly line. Make sence?
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| Beautiful Bow Bow, caught with a Chironomid and a sinking line. |
SINKING LINES:
Let's face it, when fishing stillwater, having sinking lines is critical to consistent success, especially when fish are not activly feeding on or near the surface. This is where it can be overwhelming, with so many choices of different sink rates available. Some manufactuers even have different stages of intermediate sink rates which we will discuss shortly. This is where having multiple spare spools make sense to me, especially when fishing from a float tube or pontoon. If you can easily change the spool to accomadate the techinque or sink rate you need, then having spare spools uses up less space than having seperate rods for each depth or tecnique to get the job done.
RIO Elite Sub-Surface CamoLux Fly Line
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| RIO's CamoLux Sub-Surface Line |
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| CamoLux Taper Profile |
I probably use the RIO CamoLux sinking line the most. It's a full interemdiate line that sinks at 1.5-2 inches per second, and is perfect for fishing near shore or in shallower areas or even when slow trolling. This line works really well when fishing Chironomids without an indicator and utilizing a super slow figure of eight retrieve.
The beautiful thing about this line is that the weight forward taper makes it pretty easy to roll cast or overhead cast and it has a hang marker to let you know to stop stripping and start slowly raising your rod tip up to fish just under the boat. This can be extremely effective.
The CamoLux comes in line sizes 4wt to 8wt and has a camo tone color scheme and the ConnectCore Plus technology. Another option of this line is the RIO AquaLux, which has the same taper and sink rate as the CamoLux but has a Clear/Translucent Green color scheme.
SA Scientific Anglers: Sonar Stillwater Clear Camo
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| SA Sonar Stillwater Clear Camo Fly Line |
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| SA Seamless Density Lines |
Deeper Sinking Versions: SA Sonar Stillwater Seamless Density fly lines are designed to provide straight line presentations to your subsurface flies with a seamless transition between the sink rates. These lines are based off the SA MPX taper and are two line sizes heavy for casting multiple fly set ups. Offered in S1/S3, S3/S5 and S5/S7
Airflo: Sixth Sense Stillwater Fly Lines
Intermediate Versions: New to us is the Airflo Sixth Sense 2 with Power Core and a smooth running line. A few have started to show up in the shop recently. The line boast low stretch of 6% and has hang markers at 10', 20' and 40' so there is no excuse to not fish the hang and feel confident you know exactly where what your depth is. Just in the intermediate versions, they have three different options, #1 Slow Intermediate at .5" per second, #2 Mid Interemdiate at 1" per second, and #3 Fast Intermediate at 1.5" per second. I personally would never fish all three of these, BUT if you're a stillwater ninja like I mentioned before, you might need all three. If I had to settle on one of the three, I would just fish the normal intermediate which is the Fast Interemdiate at 1.5" per second.
That said, I could totally see fishing the slow intermediate for instance in the very shallow weed beds along the shoreline where fish are cruising. Being able to keep your fly in the zone would be pretty important in that instance. A line that sinks too fast, requires a faster retrieve if trying to fish in shallow water, therefore giving the fish less time to decide to eat. Other manufactuers like RIO and Scientific Anglers have a Hover and Midge-Tip verstion of these slower sinking "intermediate" rates of .5" - 1" per second.
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| Airflo Sixth Sense Sinking Stillwater Fly Lines |
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| Sixth Sense Taper Profile |
Airflo's Sixth Sense Stillwater sinking lines come in a variety of sink rates. If you need a line that sinks deeper than the intermediate sink rates, you can choose from either Sink 3 (3ips), Sink 5 (5ips), Sink 7 (7ips) and Sink 8 (8ips). Comes in line weights from WF5/6 TO WF8/9. These lines are very subtle and easy to manage, which is really nice and helps cut down on the line coiling on retrieves. These are also great for slow trolling or a slow figure of eight retrieve.
NOTE: The Airflo Sixth Sense sinking lines DO NOT come with a tip section loop at the front, there is a loop that attaches to the backing but not one up front.
As you can probably see by the length of this article that there are a lot of options of fly lines for stillwater fishing. I'm just scratching the surface without really going in to super detail about each line. This is where it is good to call the shop if you need to get deeper into it.
RIO: Lake Series Fathom Sinking Lines
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| RIO's Fathom Sinking Line |
RIO's assortment of Lake Series lines pretty much have you covered for any situation you might find yourself fishing. Just like Scientific Anglers and Airflo, RIO has put a lot of thought and effort in helping stillwater fisherman become better and more consistent anglers. From full floating lines, to Hover lines, to Midge Tip lines to Sink 3 to sink 7 lines.
One cool thing about the different colors for the different sink rates is that, if you can remember, just by glancing at the reel, you will be able to tell the sink rate by the color. Honestly I am a big fan of the sinking lines since I use them the majority of the time, which makes sense also because the trout spend their majority of time below the surface.
Parablolic/Cleansweep sinking lines:
These lines get even more technical. Designed to sink in a "U" shape allowing to fish different depths in a single cast and retrieve. Wether you use the RIO Fathom CleanSweep or the Scientific Anglers Sonar Stillwater Parabolic Sink line, you will be fishing effectively. These lines help cover the more water per cast than a typical sinking line because when you strip the fly in, you go from shallow, to deep, level out a bit and then go from deep to shallower as you retreive. Sounds pretty effective doesn't it. Well, you should try it and see what happens.
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| RIO's CleanSweep Lines - Slow & Fast Sink - Avail in 5 through 8 wt lines. |
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| Scientific Anglers Sonar Stillwater Parabloic Sink Line |
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| Available in 5 thru 7 wt lines. |
As you can probably see by the length of this article that there are a lot of options of fly lines for stillwater fishing. I'm just scratching the surface without really going in to super detail about each line. This is where it is good to call the shop if you need to get deeper into it.
As a kid, I loved how it seemed simple to go lake fishing. Never gave it much thought. We just went and fished and whatever happened, happened. Now that I'm older and more inclined to think about why I am not catching trout in a lake, I am very pleased that we have the assortment of lines to choose from. Turns out, that having your fly at the right depth and the right time makes a huge difference.
Well, nuff said. Hope you got something out of this. If you have questions you can always give us a call at 541-386-6977.
GFS Team
John G.
PARTING SHOT:
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| Beautiful Rainbow couldn't resist a Chironomid and a super slow retrieve on sinking line. |
"The Gorge"
Gorge Fly Shop Team - 541.386.6977
"Fly Fish the World with Us"
ALL NEW: SAGE R8 SPEY ROD REVIEW
ALL NEW: SAGE R8 SPEY ROD REVIEW.
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| Sage's Beautiful Spey R8 8130-4! (photo by Callum Brock) |
"The Sage Spey R8 8130-4 is really light in my hand, easy to cast with a Scientific Anglers Skagit 600 grain Head combined with a RIO iMOW Heavy 5' Int/5' T-14 sink tip. A joy to fish!" - Callum Brock.
Every few years, rod manufactuers come out with the latest, and greatest, new and improved rods. This is a great thing for the consumer since the manufactuers are always looking for lighter and stronger materials and ways to make our fishing experiences even better than they already are. When I look back at older rods, some that I still have and love to fish, it is amazing the differences in them compared to rods of today.
I can't tell you how many times I've gotten a new rod and fished it and wondered how it could ever get better than what I already have in my hand. Well, needless to say everytime I think like that, here comes a new rod. We benefit from manufactuers competing for your recreational dollars. If they want to stay ahead of the game, they have to come through with the goods. We also know that manufactuers are looking out for us, as the consumers, but we also know that they need to generate sales. So these two factors keep pushing companies to come out with amazing rods every few years.
This leads me to this short review of the latest rod that I've been lucky enough to get my hands on. The NEW Sage R8 Spey 8130-4. Typically here in the Columbia River Gorge, where I do most of my steelhead fishing, a 7wt spey rod is most sufficient, even a 6wt is prefered during the summer months when throwing a Scandi line. But, I needed an 8wt for winter fishing the Oregon Coast and for future trips to the Skeena and such. So, I bought myself the 13' 8wt and I am very pleased that I did.
I know and understand that the rod is a tool for me to get the job done, but that being said, I also love the asthetics of a beautifully built rod. Asthetically when thinking of rods that stand out in this catagory, I think of rods like Winston, C.F. Burkheimer, and a few others automatically come to mind. I'd like to include the new Sage R8 Spey rod in this short list. They have done a wonderful job and asthetically, the rod is very pleasing to my eyes!
I'm loving the butt section of the handles design, making it very comfortable to hold during the stroke of the cast. I am not a huge fan of thick handles, and Sage has done a fantastic job with these handles. Also, I really love the Ale Blank color, as I also do on my Sage Trout Spey HD 2wt rod. In my opinion, I love this color for a rod second to only the famous Winston Green rods. In addition the Granite aluminum componentry is stunning and one of my favorite colors as well. Asthetically, that's my 2 cents.
FINE-TUNED ACTIONS:
Action: Switch - For Cast in Tight Quarters | 7116-4, 8116-4
Action: Lightweight Line Speed - Accurate Distance with Light Spey Lines | 5126-4, 6130-4.
Action: Max Versatility - Spey Casting Mulit-Tool | 7126-4, 7130-4, 7136-4, 8130-4, 9130-4.
Action: Most Powerful - Max. Power, Distance & Control | 8126-4, 8136-4, 9140-4, 10150-4.
MODELS TO COVER YOUR NEEDS:
- 5 wt: 5126-4
- 6 wt: 6130-4
- 7 wts: 7116-4, 7126-4, 7130-4, 7136-4
- 8 wts: 8116-4, 8126-4, 8130-4, 8136-4
- 9 wts: 9130-4, 9140-4, 9140-6 (6 piece)
- 10 wt: 10150-4
LINE RECOMMENDATIONS:
- 5 wt 12'6" | 5126-4
- Ideal Lines:
- Skagit 350-400gr
- Scandi 300-350gr
- Recommended - Skagit 375 - Skagit Max Power
- Recommended - Scandi 320 - Scandi Launch
- 6 wt 13' | 6130-4
- Ideal Lines:
- Skagit 400-450gr
- Scandi 350-400gr
- Recommended - Skagit 425 - Skagit Max Launch
- Recommended - Scandi 380 - Scandi Launch
- 7wt 11'6" | 7116-4
- Ideal Lines:
- Skagit 450-500gr
- Scandi 400-450gr
- Recommended - Skagit 475 - Skagit Max Power
- Recommended - Scandi 440 - Scandi Launch
- 7wt 12'6" | 7126-4
- Ideal Lines:
- Skagit 500-550gr
- Scandi 450-500gr
- Recommended - Skagit 525 - Skagit Max Power
- Recommended - Scandi 470 - Scandi Launch
- 7wt 13'0" | 7130-4
- Ideal Line:
- Skagit 500-550gr
- Scandi 450-500gr
- Recommended - Skagit 525 - Skagit Max Launch
- Recommended - Scandi 470 - Scandi Launch
- 7wt 13'6" | 7136-4
- Ideal Line:
- Skagit 500-550gr
- Scandi 450-500gr
- Recommeded - Skagit 525 - Skagit Max Launch
- Recommeded - Scandi 470 - Scandi Launch
- 8wt 11'6" | 8116-4
- Ideal Lines:
- Skagit 500-550gr
- Scandi 450-500gr
- Recommended - Skagit 525 - Skagit Max Power
- Recommended - Scandi 470 - Scandi Launch
- 8wt 12'6" | 8126-4
- Ideal Lines:
- Skagit 575-625gr
- Scandi 520-580gr
- Recommended - Skagit 600 - Skagit Max Launch
- Recommended - Scandi 520 - Scandi Launch
- 8wt 13'0" | 8130-4
- Ideal Lines:
- Skagit 550-600gr
- Scandi 500-550gr
- Recommended - Skagit 575 - Skagit Max Launch (don't be afraid of a 600gr head)
- Recommended - Scandi 520 - Scandi Launch
- 8wt 13'6" | 8136-4
- Ideal Lines:
- Skagit 575-625gr
- Scandi 520-580gr
- Recommended - Skagit 600 - Skagit Max Launch
- Recommended - Scandi 520 - Scandi Launch
- 9wt 13'0" | 9130-4
- Ideal Lines:
- Skagit 600-650gr
- Scandi 550-600gr
- Recommended - Skagit 625 - Skagit Max Power
- Recommended - Scandi 580 - Scandi Launch
- 9wt 14'0" | 9140-4
- Ideal Lines:
- Skagit 625-675gr
- Scandi 550-610gr
- Recommended - Skagit 650 - Skagit Max Launch
- Recommended - Scandi 580 - Scandi Launch
- Recommended - Traditional - 710gr Mid Head Spey
- 10wt 15'0" | 10150-4
- Ideal Lines:
- Skagit 675-750gr
- Scandi 610-670gr
- Recommended - Skagit 725 - Skagit Max Launch
- Recommended - Scandi 640 - Scandi Launch
- Recommended - Traditional - 785 Mid Head Spey
Is a new spey rod is in your near future? Be sure to give the new Sage R8 Spey lineup a hard long look. Rod's nowadays can cost a small fortune and getting your moneys worth is always important. If it weren't, we wouldn't spend hours doing research looking for that perfect rod. With the new R8 lineup, there's definitly a rod for your needs, including a rod for the traveling steelhead/salmon fisherman who need a 6 piece rod for traveling. The 14' 9wt comes in a 6 piece version for just that reason. Now that there's another rod choice in the mix, hopefully it doesn't make it even more confusing. If you find it hard to choose, we're here to help you get the right tool for the job. Sage has been around a long time, their seasoned at designing/building rods that are a joy to fish with.
We are always happy to talk about fishing, fishing gear and help with any questions you may have. Give us a call at 541-386-6977 or drop us a line at info@gorgeflyshop.com.
Thanks for reading.
GFS Team
John
"The Gorge"
Gorge Fly Shop Team - 541.386.6977
"Fly Fish the World with Us"
Mar 27, 2024
Korkers Chrome Lite Fixed Sole Wading Boot
Korkers Chrome Lite is a New wading boot under the new line of Wadelite Boots. The idea is a fixed KlingOn tread sole in a light boot packaged designed for the walk in angler. The Chrome Lite boot carries many similar features of the full size wading boots including BOA lace system and internal water drainage without the bulk and weight of a interchangeable sole system, They are capable of accepting screw in studs for added traction.
Mar 26, 2024
Simms Pursuit Shoe - Available Now
It won't be long and many of us will be getting out in the warm water streams. Nimble on the feet and siped outsole for wet-slip resistance, the pursuit shoe is ready for your next adventure.
Also comes in Riffle Green
"The Gorge"
Gorge Fly Shop Team - 541.386.6977
"Fly Fish the World with Us"
Mar 25, 2024
DRY LINE FLIES FOR SUMMER STEELHEAD:
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| A Pimped Up Mack's Canyon with Jungle Cock eyes...that'll hunt! |
Seems early to be addressing dry line flies for summer steelhead, but you know it's going to be here before we know it. Summer will be in full swing (pun intended) soon. Here are a few of our favorite summer steelhead dry and wet flies, typically used on dry lines, however I will mention a few that I have used while using a sink tip that work extreamly well.
Mar 23, 2024
Building Your Bonefish Fly Box
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| Bonefish Smorgasbord |
Bonefish are unquestionably one of the most sought-after saltwater gamefish. Their propensity to feed in shallow water combined with their blistering runs make them the perfect target for fly anglers. They are spooky but tend to be good biters. Having the right fly selection can be crucial to success when chasing these ghosts of the flats. So, what do you need to consider when putting together your fly box?
Fly Color:
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| Spawning Shrimp |
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| Gotcha |
Fly Size:
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| Bonefish Bitters |
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| Gotcha Clouser |
Fly Weight:
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| CXI Special w/Brass Eyes |
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| Crazy Charlie w/Bead Chain Eyes |
There are a couple instances where heavier flies with brass or lead dumbbell eyes are the key to success. The first and most obvious is when fishing deeper water. As much as we'd all like to cast to tailing fish in shallow water, this isn't always a part of the program. Having a weighted fly that quickly gets to the bottom in 3-5 feet of water can be very important.
The second scenario where weighted flies shine is in shallow water when it's rough. Bead chain flies can look unnatural in the chop. Lightly weighted flies have a tendency to roll side-to-side with wave action, and sometimes even tip over. Bonefish don't love a rolling fly, and this often leads to refusals. Fishing a heavier fly in these conditions will prevent the roll and get eaten more often. When it's rough, the disturbance of a weighted fly hitting the water is also not much of a factor in spooking fish.
"The Gorge"
Gorge Fly Shop Team - 541.386.6977
"Fly Fish the World with Us"
Mar 22, 2024
Friday's Feature Fly
Tungsten Jig Naughty Bunny
This jig has a lot going for it. The hot bead and a pearl rib for flash. Spikey hare's ear body. It's a winner anywhere cased caddis are a big part of the program. Available in size 14 and 16.
"The Gorge"
Gorge Fly Shop Team - 541.386.6977
"Fly Fish the World with Us"
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