Page 15 - Aug_2014

Fly Fishing Gear Guide

Three Basic Setups to Get You on the Water, Plus Some Extras

By Weyland Joyner
Imagine this scenario: with this type of fishing is that bass and
On the eve of your annual Vermont
bike have hard mouths and sharp teeth.
fishing trip, your bags are brimming Terminal tackle—leader and tippet—is
with the latest and greatest in angling what really sets warm water rigs apart.
technology. Over the past few months, Atocha says he uses 60-80 lb. test fluo-
you’ve contacted all the local fly shops
rocarbon for his pike leaders. Fluoro-
at your destination for advice, in the carbon is nearly invisible under water,
process becoming an amateur entomol- so it doesn’t spook fish as much as wire
ogist, fisheries technician, and deranged
nature poet all in one.
leaders, and in the 60-80 lb. range it’s
You get into internet bidding wars thick enough that a pike normally won’t
be able to bite through it. Alternatively,
with adolescent girls over hackle feath- Rio makes a convenient product called
ers that you used to tie flies with before
they became coveted hair accessories. Toothy Critter (7.95), a 15-20 lb. leader
You’re the only guy at work who knows that tapers down and is connected at
the end to a shock tippet of nylon-coat-
what a ‘bobbin’ is.
Then, just as your meticulously ed stainless steel, with a snap at the end
laid plains are set to come into frui- with which to attach a fly.
tion, the unthinkable happens: your
flight into Burlington International is EXTRAS:

diverted by inclement weather, result- Boots: Korkers’ Whitehorse ($169.99)
ing in a crash landing in a remote dairy boots get my vote as one of the cooler
field. When the smoke clears, your gear, offerings on the market. Korkers boots
strewn about the disaster site, is dam-
aged beyond repair—to say nothing of feature interchangeable soles, ideal for
Vermont, where felt soles are outlawed.
a few unlucky bovines.
A unique clip-on system allows anglers
Like any true angler, you refuse to to switch between Vibram, studded, and
be stopped by mere unforeseen weather Fly-fishing gear: Tackle needed for fly-fishing for larger carp and pike require heavy
events, and, squaring your shoulders, leaders, a stout rod and reel set-up and large, colorful flies. Photo by Weyland Joyner
felt soles in less time than it takes to tie
on a tippet. When I lived in Wyoming I
you start off toward the nearest town, actually did a fair amount of hiking in than the reel. Rio has long been a favor- 3-weight would probably be my pick for
expecting a hatch at sunrise.
You arrive in town hours later di- Korkers boots, clipping on the Vibram ite of anglers, and Rio Gold line (74.95) this type of fishing.
sheveled and dust-covered, muttering to soles for the scramble into a nearby is a reliable bet for all-round trout fish- Sage’s Click reel ($280) features a
yourself about fluorocarbon. But you’re stream, and then swapping out for felt ing. The notation WF6F on a spool of lightweight design that pairs it ideally
soles when I got to the water. Here in
in luck—the fly shop is open for another 6-weight line means that it’s Weight- with light-line rods, and a classic click-
half hour.
Vermont I wade with the Vibram soles, Forward (WF) Floating (F) line—line and-pawl drag system.
What essentials do you buy for to- but Korkers also makes studded Vibram that floats and is thicker in the first 10 Rio offers a line called the Intouch
morrow’s fishing trip?
soles for greater stability. Adding to the feet or so to give more heft to the cast. Trout LT ($89.95). The LT stands for

ALL-AROUND TROUT GEAR
boots’ comfort is a Boa® lace system Add to this a selection of leaders, some Light Touch, and refers to the long front
similar to those used on snowboard tippet, and a well-stocked fly box, and taper that allows for delicate casts with
The 9-foot rod is basically the industry boots. I was skeptical about its versatil- you have a versatile rig that can handle small dry flies. Intouch lines, which
standard, and the majority of trout fish- ity at first, but it hasn’t let me down yet.
situations from sight-fishing in small come in several types, have Connect-
ing in the state can be done with a 5- or Flybox: A company called Cliff Out- streams to streamer fishing from a drift core technology, meaning that they are
6-weight. If you’re in the habit of fishing doors out of Casper, Wyoming makes boat.
ultra-low-stretch, allowing for greater
weighted nymph rigs and streamers, the a selection of great plastic flyboxes that precision. The Intouch Trout LT comes
SMALL STREAM GEAR
6-weight might be a better bet. A meati- are popular with guides. Especially in Weight Forward or Double Taper.
er rod can also handle higher winds. if you throw a lot of larger flies and While small streams with overhanging
For trout fishing my pick is the Or- streamers, the Cliff’s Bugger Barn or brush can certainly be fished with the GEAR FOR WARM WATER
vis Access. The price point falls in the equipment above, some specialized gear FISHING
Bugger Beast offers plenty of room—
middle of Orvis’ fly rod range at $425 plus, the plain yellow exterior is a great can add a lot to the experience.
I don’t have as much experience fishing
($340 on sale as of this writing), above surface area for attaching sleazy trout Small stream fishing often demands fi- for pike and bass in warm water, so I
the entry level Clearwater and below bum decals with graphics by artists like nesse and accuracy in presentation. It’s got in touch with Steve Atocha, owner
also nice to have a shorter rod when of the Middlebury Mountaineer, for
the Hydros and Helios. To me the dif- Derek DeYoung and Jeff Currier. Cur- casts are shorter and there is brush to
ference between the Access and higher- rier, who lives in Victor, Idaho, will ac- gear recommendations.
priced rods is minimal, and certainly tually customize your Bugger Box with get tangled in.
Though you can get away with
Sage’s Circa ($775) fits the bill for catching bass on a 6-weight like the one
justified by its affordability.
the fish of your choice; check out his both of these requirements. For a com- I described above, Atocha recommends
The obvious companion to this website, www.jeffcurrier.com.
pany known for its stiffer, fast-action an 8-weight, especially since you’re like-
rod is the mid-arbor Orvis Access reel If you prefer something more clas-
($165), but any mid- or large-arbor reel sic, check out Finn Utility, a local Ver- rods, the Circa is a departure from the ly to run into pike as well as bass. Sage
norm. It comes in 2- to 5-weight, in makes a rod fittingly called the Bass II
that’s weighted appropriately for the mont company that makes handcrafted either 7’9” or 8’9” models, and has a ($550) that Atocha says his guides use.
rod works. Some anglers prefer a large- products from waxed canvas duffels to moderate action and a lot of sensitiv- A good reel and a bass line, like Rio’s
arbor reel for smoother line handling. streamer wallets and reel cases. www. ity. This is ideal for short distance casts Mainstream Bass (39.95), are impor-

The line itself is much more important
finnutility.com.
with small dry flies. A 7-foot 9-inch
tant, but the main thing to think about

AUGUST 2014
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