What's New
RL Winstons new GVX all Graphite Fly Rods!
I received my 9' 8wt GVX the other day and immediately I was covinced that when Winston started to produce an all Graphite fly rod for under $500.00 and produce them in Twin Bridges, this rod was it. With fine detailing as most Winstons are this rod shows it self well to customers and friends, so much that one of my friends bought one. I casted mine with Airflo's 40 plus Extreme. The casting is superb with no flaws in loading the line to complete follow throughs. The double hauls were full of tremendous energy and the delivery was straight and clean. You cast this rod and find out for yourself! I will use this rod in my boat this season with nothing but high expectations. From hook set to fighting big fish this rod delivers and at a mere 3.7/8 ounces, allows very low swing weights. If you have thought about a new Winston in your life or this being your first, get this rod you will not be unhappy!!!
Help Save Conserve Coaster Brook Trout!!
The Coaster Brook Trout Research Unit is a research initiative of the Greater Lakes Superior Foundation intended to help conserve this significant evolutionary segment of the Eastern Brook Trout species "Salvelinus Fontinalis", once common in Lake Superior, but now rare. Because of the limited sport fishing opportunities for coaster brook trout, the fish does not have a large constituent group as its advocate. The Coaster Brook Trout Research Unit is intended to provide this advocacy. Each year, the GLSF offers a grant to assist a graduate student to research on Coaster Brook Trout in Lake Superior or its tributaries. To provide funds for the grant program, we are selling high performance decals, available out our shop. Decals are $6.00 each!!
Patagonia's Rock Grip Wading Boot with Sticky Rubber and Removable Studs
When time and budget allow get yourself a pair of these boots. You will not be disapointed!!! With a comfortable feel that has just that little extra space so your feet dont feel like they are in a death grip from hell, you can stand and wade all day. The sticky rubber soles grab and grab very well in large boulder size areas as well as slick muddy icey shoreline. Then when you think things are not going to hold the removable studs kick in and keep your ass where it needs to be: maintaining vertical not horizontal!! Of course being a safe wader helps a great deal and use a wading staff. There are all kinds of scientific termo I could be in this review but that would not be me, these boots work and work they shall!! Besides they keep the micro bugs out of your favorite rivers and lakes!! Cheers. "Fight Fish and Drink Good Beer" John
Echo Fly Rods new Echo 3 Fly Rod
This is a rod ready to take over the fly fishing world. With smart styling and essential high end components this is a rod comfortable in a fresh water world as well as salt. I cast the 9' 8wt and WOW!! You can feel the casting power with just one false cast and lots of reserved energy waiting to take off. Casting large poppers and big heavy streamers was not a problem even in very windy conditions. A gorgeous deep blue blank and nice wrappings make this rod ready to take the fly fishing world by storm!! Retail $379.00 for Salt and $349.00 for Fresh.
Echo's 10'10" 7 weight Switch/Spey Rod
I have been waiting anctiously for the arrival of two new rods from Echo and what a bitchin delight they were when they arrived. The first rod I unpacked and used on the Brule was the 10' 10" 7 weight Switch/Rod which I describe with a Spey classification due to the numerous typical Spey heads that can be incorporated with this rod. With a Fast Action blank I immediatly took all my steelhead junk off of my 9' 6" 7 wt and put it all on the new rod. Couple that with a new Mastery Series Nymph line turned on to me by my good buddy John Goplin (area rep) what a difference it has been. The 10-10 rod is very light, smooth through the drifts, and for its size and length it balances very well with a reel weighing in at 7 to 8oz. The rod kicked ass high stickin and swingin with indicators and tanem flies on the Brule and picked up the "stuff" after the drift flawlessly. Having the extra leverage with the back grip allowed better control on lifts and hooking and settin. The rod sets very quick and with the extra length has positive advantages with getting into tighter spaces. It retails at $329.00, this alone is sweet enough!!!If you are interested in purchasing this rod, go onto our on line store and there are more details on the rod there.
Echo 13' 7 weight TR Spey Rod
Listing the Echo TR as a 7 weight is a misconception but used as a beginning. These rods are designed to be used with "GRAINS". Meaning you use certain grain shooting heads to make these rods and yourself feel good. Feel good with a great cast that is. This gorgeous stick comes with recommendations etched on her side at 510-620 grains. These are great areas to start, but I have opted to use a 480 grain head being that I am new at this and learning all "kinks" of stuff. The stick is a casting machine. Smooth, Precise and excellant at laying line out line this stick is true gem. I am still learning the motions and power of this Spey rod but what a delight it is to feel the power and how light and smooth it is. This stick is not to aggressive or too slow its just right. I will use this stick out in front of the mouths of the rivers along the Northshore of Minnesota and in Alaska. Swinging intruders and big bunny leeches will not be a problem. This rod balances nice with a reel matching in around 9 to 11 OZ's. I would recommend the Hardy Classic Reels or the Bauer Rogue Classice series, see our on line shopping store to get a complete description of each reel. Oh yes the TR retails at $349.00, how sweet that is!!! If you are interested in purchasing this rod go on to our on line shopping and there are more details also. More on these rods and lines to follow. Cheers!!
Echo 3 and Echo Edge coming in Spring 2011!!
The Echo 2 SW 9' 8wt
With the amount of new technology in fly rods coming out you would think that you need to spend big bucks for that next fly rod. You don't!!! I have found a rod now in my arsenal that meeets all the demands of hard smallmouth and big northern fly fishing and whats best it is less then $300.00. The Echo 2 SW 9' 8wt is the rod and then some. I was casting this rod like a raped ape last and had a great time. Casting big flies in windy conditions is superb and couple the rod with the Forty Plus line from Airflo you will not be disapointed!! The charactor of both line and rod working together is actually best in windy conditions when you would think that's at its worse. The quick load from the bigger head of the line and the solidness of the Echo 2 SW Distance tip is a marraige made in heaven. I have found in some situations after casting all night I get fatiqued and start making stupid casing mistakes, this set up does not allow you to do that. Everything is easier so you are not working as hard to get that 60 or 70 foot cast to that tight area along the shore. The rod is great when you need to make quick line direction changes, the rod beefs up the heavier line and puts it with one false cast in the new direction. Now I am not saying it is not without its challenges. You will need to get used to casting the running line, floating head confiquiation and using a stiffer rod set up, but I have found the Echo 2 SW is so much more mellower then other stiffer action rods. Not mentioning any name brands those rods have their places, all I'm saying is cast one today and you will see.
Airflo "Forty Plus" Fly Line!!
Ask any fly fisher what element of their fishing they'd like to improve and most would say they'd like to cast further. Enter the Forty Plus. With its easy loading 35' head and low diameter running line, you'll soon be reaching for the horizon. Enhanced with Ridged running line, an addition that makes the line cast even further than you ever imagined possible. Power Core as standard, and you'll need it to help set hooks at the increased distance you'll be fishing!! This line is the bomb!!! If you are casting big wind resistant fly's and in windy conditions, this is the line you need. If you need to make accurate cast in tight areas at farther distances, this is the line you need. If you need your fairly stiff rod to load on ONE false cast not 800, this is the line you need. Check out this line, come on down to the shop and try it. Oh did I mention this line doubles as an excellent switch rod casting line in confined spaces. Available is sizes ranging from WF5F-WF5Sinking to WF9F-WF9Sinking. Please call for pricing, ordering and availability.