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Don't fear the zipper.

Orvis has long been associated with well constructed, heavy duty, long lasting waders. But while Orvis waders have been considered dependable by most, they haven't been known for their comfort or innovation. This began to change several years ago when Orvis introduced its sonic welding technology which allows waders to be constructed without stitching, thus reducing opportunities for holes and leaks. In the last year or so, that trend has continued as Orvis has redesigned their wader lineup with a strong design focus on fit, comfort and features.

And customers are noticing. Last month, we reviewed Orvis' relatively new Silver Sonic Waders for Women, where tester Aileen Lane took note of Orvis' attention to detail, focus on providing a woman's unique frame with a comfortable fit and addition of industry-unique features like a waterproof, touchscreen-capable interior flip-out pocket for storing smartphones, digital cameras and other touchscreen devices.

Kirk Deeter brought this pink salmon to hand on a Tenkara USA Amago rod.

I've been interested in Tenkara rods since they were first introduced to me many years ago. Given that I spend a healthy number of my fishing days each year backpacking into small, densely forested brook trout streams here in the eastern U.S., Tenkara has often seemed like the ideal tool for these streams where short, controlled casts in tight quarters are what is required to lure eager brook trout to the fly. Given my interest and the amount of time I spend in such Tenkara-friendly fishing interest, imagine how unlikely it was to turn out that my first experience with a Tenkara rod would be on an Alaskan river with pink salmon as my quarry.

If you're not already familiar with Tenkara, it is a traditional Japanese method of fly-fishing, which uses only a rod, line and fly. No reels. The rods range in length from 11' to almost 14', but are telescopic. They pack down to around a foot and a half in length, making them ideal for backpacking. And, the fly line isn't the standard fly line you're used to. Tenkara line is more similar to leader material, and you're typically only working with 10 to 15 feet of it.

The whole setup is intended to simplify the process of fly fishing, and it most definitely does that. Many consider it the ideal system for fishing small mountain streams such as the aforementioned brook trout streams. In addition to the packability and simplicity, which are big plusses when backpacking into small waters, Tenkara offers a number of advantages once the fishing begins. Examples include controlling line in tight quarters by using the rod to place and control a fly carefully as well as the ability to make very delicate presentations due to the dramatically lighter line (as compared to traditional fly lines). And, while Tenkara is best known for pursuing smaller fish, the rods aren't afraid to tackle bigger fish. A 16" trout will come in easily on a Tenkara rod, and will be a blast to play.

Shadow Fly Fishing's Warrior fly rod. Note the handle design.

Shadow Fly Fishing is a startup company out of northwestern Pennsylvania that feels that the prices customers are paying for high-end fly rods have traveled much too far from the manufacturers' costs in producing them. According to the company, the gap in these prices has growth much too large, leading most customers to the conclusion that they have to compromise in quality in order to be able to afford a new rod. Not so, says Shadow, and to prove it they've recently introduced what they call two of the world's lightest and highest quality fly rods at prices that are a fraction of the industry leading offerings.

In today's market, light and fast are the hallmarks of the most popular (and expensive) rods, and one Shadow Fly Fishing's initial offerings aims to offer both. Dubbed 'The Warrior', Shadow's fast-action offering weights in at 2.59 ounces and is initially available in two sizes, with a 5 and 7 weight available in 9 foot lengths. Shadow's medium-action offering, the Stalker, checks in at 2.58 ounces and is initially available in only one size, the universally popular 9 foot 5 weight.

A still from the new trailer.

Confluence Films, makers of the highly regarded fly fishing documentaries Connect, Rise and Drift, have released a new trailer for their upcoming film, Waypoints. Waypoints takes viewers to exotic, world class fly fishing destinations such as Chile, Venezuela, India, Alaska and St. Brandon's Atoll.

The trailer is more of a teaser, but will undoubtedly get your blood pumping with brief but tantalizing shots of beautiful vistas, tantalizing water and exotic species such as India's giant mahseer.

Not the least bit subtle in character.

Although I live in a region of the country where Northern Pike aren't exactly abundant, there are a reasonable number of opportunities to pursue the toothy predators within a few hours of my urban home of Philadelphia. Despite this fact, I've never made the journey. This was partly because I'd heard so many tales of their elusiveness, tales of long days spent on the water only to go home empty handed, determined to return again in the hopes of success. Mostly, however, it was because of my unfamiliarity with pike and my resulting uncertainty about what tactics to employ for success. When you've heard fishermen -- ones you know are more skilled than you -- tell tales of repeated skunkings when pursuing any species, the last thing you want to do is head out on your own pursuit of that species without a solid game plan. Not having one, I just stayed home.

Had anyone bothered to mention how similar fly fishing for pike is to fly fishing for largemouth bass, I'd have made the trip sooner. While I'm sure seeking pike in all locations doesn't require the same exact approach, there's no question that stalking pike with the fly is eerily similar to stalking largemouth with the fly.

It's also worth mentioning that, just like fly fishing for largemouth bass, fly fishing for pike is easy. Really easy.

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