Ian Crabtree
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Maybe I’m wrong but I think Rio lines also have slightly bigger diameter than a typical SA line?
It’s interesting you mention this, because it’s something I’ve been wondering about with Rio’s whole Agent X coating system. Bear with me, I was never a very good math/science student. This is probably obvious to some, but I had a “well, duh” moment a few weeks ago when I was reading one of their advertisements.
Rio claims that their new coatings allow them to produce a fly line with a lower specific gravity (layman’s terms: SG = a way of describing density compared to water). Specific gravity is a function of mass and volume. So according to AFTMA standards, a fly line needs to weigh X in the first 30 feet. If Rio decreases the specific gravity of a fly line then they need to increase the volume of the line to meet AFTMA standards.
So, Rio lines would necessarily be “larger” than a line with a higher specific gravity of the same mass. The real question: Is this a good thing?
Back to the original question,
I’ve used and liked both Rio and SA lines, although I’ve switched to mainly using Rio lately because I’m tired of the tips on my SA lines sinking. I haven’t used the new SA lines that are supposed to correct this, so I can’t comment on them. I still don’t think that Rio’s come out with a line I like as much as SA’s XXD (now Mastery Expert Distance), although the Steelhead/Atlantic Salmon line is really close.
Interesting anecdote – I talked with Rio’s SE rep at the Charlotte show last weekend, and asked him if all of the Agent X/SFT technology was built into the new Sage fly lines. He said that Rio wasn’t going to hold back and cripple Sage’s lines, so other than the taper designs there shouldn’t be a practical difference between Sage and Rio fly lines. Not directly from Rio, but he seemed to speak as though he knew it as a fact, and I’d imagine it would be cost prohibitive to manufacture lines without Agent X/SFT.
The redesigned Sage hip pack looks pretty nice. I haven’t seen one in person though. Looks to be pretty similar to the Fishpond designs.
I’m still searching for the perfect hip pack, and I haven’t managed to find one yet.
Hey Tim,
I hope you don’t think I was trying to call you out, that certainly wasn’t my intention, your comment was one I hear often, and one that I can absolutely understand. For better or worse beads have become a real controversial issue in the fly fishing community.
I got a Western Michigan “care package” in the mail today with a ton of mcfly foam, egg yarn, estaz, and pencil lead. I’ll post some pictures of this package when I get back for the day, it’s pretty incredible.
Out of curiosity, how long do these zap a gap splice connections last with daily use before needing replacement?
Is this for a loop to loop connection for tapered trout leaders?
I’d actually use 30 pound maxima. This generally matches the diameter of most butt sections of tapered leaders. 30 lb maxima is what a lot of guides in Alaska use for salmon leader systems.
In my experience, most nail knots that fail are tied improperly. You really have to be conscientious that none of the wraps overlap, and that no gaps are present in the knot. I wouldn’t recommend using a nail knot with 15 pound test and under (especially flurocarbon!) the line will cut into the coating of the fly line rather than seating itself into the coating (for lack of a better description). The coating on my Selective Trout line is really soft, and I can see the nail knot dig into it pretty deep. It’s for trout though, so I’m not too worried.
In Mike’s case, if you’re really reefing on a snagged fly with heavy tippet, it’s going to strip the coating off of the line with a nail knot. I’m surprised that the hooks aren’t bending before the coating strips. For most light line use this isn’t really applicable. If you’re having nail knots slip with trout setups you’re tying bad knots.
Following in Mike’s footsteps, I’ll get ready to take some flak for this. Personally, I’m strongly opposed to loop to loop connections. I’ve always viewed each knot in a leader as a potential failure point. With a loop to loop connection you have three knots before you even get to the tippet (nail knot, perfection loop, perfection loop). If you go with a straight nail knot you only have one knot until you start adding tippet. That isn’t even getting into the issues of the bulk of the knots. If you’re frequently changing leaders, well, that’s a different story.
Has anyone tried Whitlock’s no knot splice? (first link I came across: http://flyfisherman.com/skills/dwnoknot/index.html)
I can’t believe I’m saying this, but this Orvis backpack looks pretty sweet.
Unfortunately having to cough up $149 and my pride put this backpack out of my budget.
Well at least I know I’m not that only one that’s been conned into carrying around Zach’s tripod.
If you loosen up those straps at the bottom of the ice tool sleeves you can slide the rod tube down farther to clear it away from tree limbs while you’re hiking.
Were you able to fit most of your trout rod tubes into the sleeves or were some too wide?
I’ll take those odds – I don’t have salmon runs to fish like many lucky people, so a 20″ fish remains an accomplishment to me.
Sorry Zach, I couldn’t help myself.
Oh the confusion…
http://www.feather-craft.com/2007MAster/fcpage.asp?page=51 (scroll all the way down)
It looks like Simms has updated the classic guide jacket for this year.
Thanks for all the comments everyone. Looks like we’re going to go with the Stretch SST. It’s gone through a slight redesign this year, so hopefully it will be as good as the previous version.
Those flies actually belonged to a client of mine and to be honest, we never really fished with any of them.
Cool looking mouse pattern though, I’m not sure what it’s called. My client definitely didn’t tie them, and for some reason I recall it being an Umpqua pattern. (What happened to Umpqua’s website?)
As far as the gurgler discussion. These types of surface flies have always been called pollywogs or wogs in Alaska. I have no idea why. The pink foam wog Feild posted is called a techno-wog. And yes, they’re no different then a gurgler – who knows, even the fly distributors refer to them as wogs.
Circling back to the topic at hand…
I’ll take a bunny fly over a woolly bugger any day.
Buzz,
Awesome, thanks so much. These look even better than I had thought them to be from the picture in FFSW. I’d like to use stripping buckets, but with two anglers and a guide in an 18′ boat, it’s really not feasible.
I think I can make one of these pretty easily, there’s no way I’m paying $70 – $120 for one.
A rubber door mat with a few plastic spikes ought to do the trick.
I had mistakenly assumed you were talking about rubber legs specifically.
Sawyer never included legs on his pheasant tails, and while you don’t often see people fishing with Sawyer PTs, they still work. I wouldn’t sweat it if they’re giving you grief.
Careful, Zach might pull the moderator card and send both of us packing to FAOL. I’m not sure I could take that.
