New Product Review: Scientific Anglers Head Wallet

If you're like me keeping your spey heads/tips or fly lines organized is key when you have more than just a couple. Not all head wallets are created equally! Some head wallets, after putting only a few heads into their slots, are difficult to close or keep closed. The NEW Scientific Anglers Head Wallet is a refreshing upgrade that allows you to put a dozen shooting heads, fly lines or whatever else you want to keep organized into the provided compartments and still be able to easily close and keep it closed.

What I like about this, and the design, is that I can actually open the entire wallet like an accordion and lay it flat on the table or tailgate of my truck and see everything that is inside. Although initially it can be a bit confusing when trying to close it back up, but once you do it a couple of times it's a piece of cake.

The retail price of $29.95 is not too bad either. if you're like me and like to be organized, it's a small price to pay in keeping heads or lines organized and knowing exactly where they are.

In each pocket there is a space to put a label tag in to know exactly what is in that particular pocket (see photo) and where to put it back once you are done with it.

If you are looking for a solid organizational tool for storing heads...Pick yours up today at the Gorge Fly Shop or online at www.gorgeflyshop.com you'll be glad you did!
John

"The Gorge"

Gorge Fly Shop Team - 541.386.6977

GorgeFlyShop.com  |  Join our Team |  Contact Us

"Fly Fish the World with Us" 

Simms Headwaters Sling Pack: Reviews are over rated!

Accessories sold separately

Reviews are often over rated, fluffed up, powder coated and one sided often times scewing the truth all to sell product. So lets just cut to the chase. Or as my father would say, "Just the Facts".

This pack is Sweet!

Greg Darling scoping out the San Juan

I've always been a fan of spaghetti westerns so with that thought in mind. I would name this pack the "Gunslinger" of sling packs. Easy on, easy off. Similar to tactical sling packs but nothing quite as cool as this fishing friendly sling. Versatile, Comfortable - Packed full of features. Now onto the review FACTS: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly.

In March Greg Darling and I spent two days on foot and two days floating the San Juan River. Our go to bag was this Simms Sling Pack. Perfect for the trip! 

The Good

Day in and day out we knew we could rely on our packs. Ideal for easy going day trips with two side access main compartments. It's a sling pack so you must sling the pack around in front of you in order to gain easy access. Attention went into detail, from the large ring zippers to the pockets on the inside. A full zip out work station front and center allowing you access to everything you need. Room for a bottle of water, gloves, spare spool and other accessories. A true joy to use.

Just the Facts Dude:

Peanut butter jelly time

• Lightweight for a full day use – pack in all your gear and fish on the go. 
• Two large zippered compartments with stretch mesh pockets 
• Quick-access stash pocket beneath the waistband allows easy access without slinging pack all the way around. 
• Compression molded front pocket creates a fold-down workspace 
• Removable hook and loop floatant holder and tippet-spool retainer 

Product Specs:

• FABRIC TECH: 420 Denier Abrasion resistant fabric with DWR 
• APPROX. WEIGHT: 32 oz 
• CAPACITY: 15 liters, 915.36 cubic in. 
• DIMENSIONS: 20” x 14” x 8”

G. Loomis Pro4x Review

Las Vegas I-Cast / IFTD Show with Steve Rajeff

Pro4x: The Sleeper! This is what comes to mind when I think of the G.Loomis Pro4x series rods. The Pro4x series appeared quietly on the market shortly after the launch of the revolutionary NRX. NO flashy colors or hardware on these rods, just clean, streamlined and ready to fish.

G. Loomis Pro4x

It wasn’t long after the Pro4x hit the market that anglers started to take note of it. Maybe it’s the attractive price point which is exceptional for an all American built Fly Rod. Maybe it has to do with the use of NRX tapers as the design layout for the backbone of this “sleeper”. Whatever it is the word is spreading around and anglers all across the world are adding Pro4x’s to their arsenals.

As a writer for the fishing industry I feel responsible for informing anglers of what is new, great and must have. We are passionate for our sport and with that comes a great deal of appreciation for the craftsmanship and quality of our gear. Just as a much as you count on anglers like myself to evaluate the latest greatest industry offering it is also my responsibility to listen to what anglers are saying. I confess that I didn’t pay much attention to what anglers were saying about the Pro4x. I saw the sales and was impressed. I heard the feedback and it was all good so why did it take so long to pick up a Pro4x. It’s easy in my position to only look at top shelf contenders and dismiss mid-price offerings as inferior products. Even budget minded rods get more evaluation for the purpose of finding the greatest value for our customers. When I fish an NRX or similar price point rod it’s hard to imagine that a rod near half the price might ruffle my interest at all. At this moment while feeling shame for ignoring the middle ground I must apologize to my fellow anglers.

So after spending some time swinging the Pro4x one word resonates over and over in my head...Intuitive! The Pro4x exhibits an intuitive feeling as soon as you throw it in a backcast. That feeling follows right through the forward cast and transmits to your fly. Automatically intuitive so much that there is no learning curve to find tune in this rod. I’m not saying it’s slow or soft! This is a powerful and capable rod. The intuitive feeling comes in the loading of the rod. I can feel this rod absorb the energy on a backcast. This is important because it’s the act of using the stored energy that is available to you in proper timing that can bring forth positive results on the forward cast. While distance is an important factor many rods that can cast great distances often leave out the intuitive feeling needed to successfully fish.

I have cast many rods over many years and in recent time I have really worked on becoming a better caster. I am working toward intuitive casting. I’m confident I can cast any rod presented to me but intuitive rods instantly become a natural fit. Many rods cast just as well when you finally learn the taper of that individual rod but they can leave you with a feeling of “I must conform to the needs of the rod” and intuitive fishing is out the window! Connect with your rod and you will connect with the fish.

I connected with the Pro4x in just one cast...Now that’s Intuitive!

Greg Darling
The Tormented Angler

Gorge Fly Shop

G. Loomis Pro4x

"Fly Fish the World with Us"
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Sage Spey Switch 8116-4 - REVIEW

A Geek’s Spey Rod: Sage Spey Switch 8116-4

Yes, I love technology
But not as much as you, you see
But I still love technology
Always and forever

Kip Dynamite


Technology can be a glorious thing or it can curse you like an unrelenting, tireless demon. Amazing all the tasks that I can accomplish on my phone or how my car can calculate how to get me to my favorite food cart. On the other hand, nothing will make you want to abandon your pacifist tendencies more than watching the spinning beach ball of death as your laptop freezes up like a hitter guessing fastball but being dealt a slow curve for a strike.

Technology has been applied to the fishing industry but I’m usually the cynic regarding each new advance assuming limited impact on my day to day forays to the water. When Sage debuted konnetic technology I heard about how this would impact accuracy but that made no sense as an advancement with spey rods. My accuracy concerns revolve around not hitting my head with a weighted Intruder. However, I’ve found that energy applied to the rod is not wasted but efficiently translated to the flex and recovery of a
spey rod. With less effort, a caster gets tighter loops and higher line speeds. And just as importantly, the rods weigh much less.

The tech really comes to a crescendo in the Sage One switch 8116-4 or 8 weight, 11 and half foot, four piece. Personally, I don’t consider it much of a switch rod because I think anything of that length will be a chore to cast single handed especially with a double handed cork grip. Consider the rod a baby spey rod that kicks like a mule. Now, here’s the amazing stat, 5 and 11/16 ounces. Meaning this rod weighs exactly the same as the Sage VXP 5 weight, 12 foot spey rod!

I matched this rod with an SA Intermediate 440gr Extreme Skagit head and a Rio iMOW tip with about 4 feet of 12-15 lb leader. Depending on your casting stroke, I think the rod could easily load up to 500 grains. With this set up and the konnetic technology, I feel connected with the fly and have a better sense of the swing. In other words, I’m fishing better. This length of rod is a joy to fight and land fish as well because it’s so sensitive. The rod has a beautiful continuous flex throughout it’s length meaning a nice steady
stroke works most effective. A quick stroke necessary with the TCX series is wasted on the ONE spey rods. The aesthetics are beautiful when matched with a Ross CLA #5 grey mist reel. Given the perfect combination of high performance to turnover a weighted fly and light weight to make skating flies a joy, the Sage ONE is going to be my new every day rod on the Deschutes this summer. I’m contemplating taking the rod on the Nushagak to swing for kings. Who would have thought that a sport wrapped up in Norman Maclean, twede, fur and feathers could be made so much more enjoyable by engineering. Ain’t it wonderful.


Article by: Charlie Chambers