Articles

Review: Airflo Ridge Bonefish / Redfish Line

by Chad Shmukler - Thursday, Oct 6th, 2011

Airflo Ridge Bonefish / Redfish Line

I'm not an expert caster. I don't give casting instruction to anyone but beginners. I'm not one of those casters that can chuck an 80 foot cast in 30 mile-per-hour winds. It has to be a good day, with the stars in perfect alignment, for my double-haul to really be a smooth operation. That said, I'm a competent caster. I don't have trouble turning over big stuff, distance casts aren't usually a problem and I've got pretty good accuracy. In my humble opinion, I'm a somewhat above-average caster that possesses the knowledge of what I should be doing, but doesn't always do it. By my best guess, that means I'm like the majority of avid fly fisherman out there. So, if you want an expert review on a fly line, on exactly why the tapers and core construction make one line different from the next, you probably don't want my review. If you want some first-hand experience on how a line performs in the field for a typical fly fisherman, you might want to keep reading.

I was eager to put Airflo's Ridge Redfish line to the trip on my recent trip to South Carolina. I had been out for redfish in May, with a line not suited to the conditions, and it had presented a number of challenges both in turning over larger redfish flies and, more importantly, when shooting line. I had also recently fished one of Airflo's ridge trout lines, and was impressed by how effortlessly the line glided through the guides on my 5 weight, so I was eager to see what the 8 weight tropical version could do.

Review: Fishpond Storm Mountain Gear Bag

by Chad Shmukler - Monday, Oct 3rd, 2011

Fishpond Storm Mountain Gear Bag Interior

I'm gear obsessed. This is a common malady in our sport. I have reels I don't have rods for, lines I don't have reels for, and rods I only have the occasion to use a couple times of year. I have sink tips for every imaginable scenario, fluorocarbon and mono in a stupid variety of sizes, and ten times the number of flies I should have. And yet, with all this gear, I've spent the last 5 years toting most of it around in what amounts to a giant duffel bag, rummaging through it feverishly and unproductively whenever I need to find something. Non-fishing gear essentials (camera, lenses, apparel, etc) end up stuffed in with the rest of the mess, treated with less care and respect than they should be.

When the need for a proper gear bag became undeniable, I began the search for a bag that would provide organization options for my over-abundance of gear while providing adequate protection from my carelessness and the elements. These days, it seems like there are ten times the number of options there were just a few years ago, so choosing the right bag seemed quite the task. After way too much exploring, I ended up picking Fishpond's Storm Mountain Gear Bag. The feature set seemed impressive, and given Field & Stream named it one of 2010's Best of the Best, the chances of receiving a dud seemed slim.

Missouri Joins List of States Banning Felt Soled Boots

by Ben Kryzinski - Monday, Oct 3rd, 2011

A particularly bad Didymo outbreak.

The Missouri Department of Conservation announced that it has instituted a ban on porous-soled boots and waders made of porous materials on waterways throughout the state. This announcement adds Missouri to the slowly, but steadily growing list of states that have made the decision to ban felt soled boots and other problem materials in the hopes of preventing the spread of invasive species, particularly Didymo algae.

Didymo (Didymosphenia geminata), commonly known as "rock snot", is an invasive algae that thrives in some cold water habitats, forming thick mats on river and stream bottoms. The algae reduces the amount of food available to other aquatic species and, in particularly bad outbreaks, can make fishing completely impossible.

America Cup Wraps Up: Is Competition Good for Fly Fishing?

by Ben Kryzinski - Wednesday, Sep 21st, 2011

Vail, Colorado - Site of the 2011 America Cup.

The 2011 America Cup of fly fishing came to a close this week. This year's event was held in the posh mountain town of Vail, CO and showcased the nearby waters of the Colorado River, the Blue River, Sylvan Lake and Lake Nottingham. Almost 2200 fish were caught and released by a mere 70 anglers in 3 days of competition. The competition followed FIPS Mouche rules, which does not allow the use of strike indicators or split shot.

This year's first place prize went to multinational Team Emerger, comprising of Sandro Soldarini (from Italy), Todd Oishi (from Canada), Michale Drinan (from Ireland), Marek Walczek (from Poland), and Rob Kolanda (from the USA).

Historic Coho Runs on New York's Salmon River

by Ben Kryzinski - Monday, Sep 19th, 2011

Morning on New York's Salmon River.

Whether the runs of coho salmon on New York's Salmon River reported over this past weekend turn out to be record-setting may never be known, but it seems abundantly clear that this season's first big push of fish was one for the ages. Beginning this past Friday, reports of massive runs of coho began emerging from the river. These reports continued throughout the day on Saturday. While Sunday seemed to return to the previous norm, wish small pods of fish being spotted intermittently, initial reports this morning indicate the return of some strong runs of coho. Healthy numbers of king salmon and brown trout have also been reported.

Even Salmon River regulars seem to have been amazed by the numbers of fishing moving through the river over the last few days. The official report from the Douglaston Salmon Run described the river as "stupid with fish." Numerous reports surfaced of fisherman being repeatedly run into by migrating fish. One report even suggested that anglers were able to "walk across the river on the backs of coho". While we're not entirely sure that last report is accurate, this much is clear: the first big runs of the season were here, and if you missed it, you're kicking yourself like we are.