Playing around with fly stuff

Peddler · #1 02-11-2008, 12:49 AM

Ain't no mo' better place to cast new rods and try new lines than at the fly show.
If you didn't come to it and didn't have to work and you're reading this you should have been there.
The neatest plastic things I fooled around with were the SA Sharkskin line, Sagė bass rods with custom lines, the Orvis Helios's and the Winston BIIMx series.
The Sharkskin line was okay but scary. Ralph and I took a hard look at the guide area of the rod it was on and saw grooves in the epoxy from it. Not good for a relatively new rod.
At the casting pond someone mentioned they thought the Sharkskin to be noisy and splashy. It sure seemed to be. It seemed to spray on the pickup and have a louder and larger wake than other lines even when just stripping line in. It did not feel heavy at all, more like a true-weight line but it was sort of hard to tell since it was on rods I wasn't too familiar with.
I think I would pass on the Sharkskin for right now, even if they cost far less than the $100.00 they're trying to get for them. Not worth the risk of spooking fish and wearing-out guides.
Those Sagė bass rods were a blast... plain and simply a blast!
I can see myself owning one. $350.00 including the special line (probably made by their sister company, Rio) and a rod case, not the typical tube.
It comes in a largemouth and smallmouth models that are rated in grains for the shooting head-type lines they use. 290 grain (7 weight) for the smallie, 330 grains (11 weight) for the largemouth model. They’re both 7’, 11” long.
When casting them it’s one back cast then let her rip! It fly’s. While casting it I kept thinking of working a big ‘ol Duffy deer hair popper, missing the strike of a pizzed-off or hungry bass then picking it up and laying right back on the basses nose in a quick 1-2 movement. Both of those rods were a blast to play with. One of those deals where you keep on going back to them.
Same goes with the Orvis Helios. It’s everything that bad monkey said it was and more. It’s the most impressive rod I’ve cast in quite a while. The first thing I noticed is how light it is. The next was how powerful they were for the weight. I think Casters had a 5 and an 8 weight at the show. Every bit of the hype you’ve heard about them is true all the way up to the price. They ain’t cheap.
I will say that after years of trying to push some rods that impressed relatively few people, Orvis seems to have kicked everyone’s butt with this series. The others really have some catching up to do.
The BIIMx is my next rod. I have to replace a saltwater rod and it looks like a 10 weight is in my future... or is the 5 weight next? Still trying to decide!
These rods are light, have feel up close and can chuck the line out there just like the original BIIx’s but I can’t imagine them folding up with shooting heads and sinking lines. They are definitely not ‘your Grandpa’s Winston’s.
It was a good show with plenty of room and lots to see.
The biggest Problem I see is the lack of manufacturer’s booths. I guess the big guns just don’t take the south seriously. That’s a shame. Thank goodness they have some good dealers who did well at representing them.

launchone · #2 02-11-2008, 09:09 AM

Peddler, thanks for the update and information. Were there any new inductees to the FFF CI club?

Peddler · #3 02-11-2008, 10:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by launchone

Peddler, thanks for the update and information. Were there any new inductees to the FFF CI club?

They didn't test in Charlotte this year.

ditchmonkey · #4 02-14-2008, 12:18 AM

jack if you like the helios so much why dont you just spend the extra 100 bucks and get one over the b2xm?

Peddler · #5 02-14-2008, 12:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ditchmonkey

jack if you like the helios so much why dont you just spend the extra 100 bucks and get one over the b2xm?

Maybe the same reason you didn't 'just' spend a little extra and get the St. Croix Legend Elite over the TFO?

billres · #6 02-14-2008, 01:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Peddler

Maybe the same reason you didn't 'just' spend a little extra and get the St. Croix Legend Elite over the TFO?

Now would that be satire or sarcasm ? Me and the Disco had several conversations trying to figure out which was which at Lyin and Tyin last weekend.

launchone · #7 02-14-2008, 01:52 PM

I can't believe what I'm hearing..... an ORVIS rod was one of the most interesting things at the show!!??

Peddler · #8 02-14-2008, 01:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by launchone

I can't believe what I'm hearing..... an ORVIS rod was one of the most interesting things at the show!!??

I know! Year after year of dawgs and what seems like Rods of the Month, Orvis finally made a very good rod!
As they say, give enough monkeys typewriters and time and you might end up with a novel!

launchone · #9 02-14-2008, 02:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Peddler

I know! Year after year of dawgs and what seems like Rods of the Month, Orvis finally made a very good rod!
As they say, give enough monkeys typewriters and time and you might end up with a novel!

I believe it was the complete works of Bill Shakespeare, and they actually tried it....the end result was lots of poo on the type writer. Anyway, glad to hear Orvis finally did something right other than dog beds...but I hear they have a new trout bum t-shirt with saltwater fish on it....one step forward and two steps back.....but those guys from Worldcast in the Helios ad sure seem to be enjoying it.....Peddler, in keeping with your love of stiff rods I just got the 9'6'' 6wt. and 1090-4 TCR for streamers/nymphs and permit/tarpoon, I'll let you know what they are like when they get here, but remember, I'm an XP head so you may take my perception as just that, perception.....Also put in an order for the 10/12 Mako, I'm hoping to make it to a CFFC meeting sometime and show it off to try a drum up some biz for my former employer...

flyvet · #10 02-15-2008, 06:07 PM

Glad I ran into you at the show and took your advice to try the helios rod. I haven't been impressed by Orvis rods in the past but I was impressed with the 8 wt. Helios. It would pick up alot of line and launch the whole flyline with one backcast! I must say however that I didn't notice a whole lot of difference between the Winston BIIX and the BIIX-MX. But I'm partial to stiff 8 wt. rods like my TCR's. I haven't heard much about those Sage bass rods. Tell me more about the Rio lines for them, how are they like a shooting head? Are they floating? Are they overweighted? and have real short front tapers? Are you planning to go to the conclave in Callaway again this year?