Tiny Pieces of All of Us is a short film that takes a behind-the-scenes look at what goes into making Scientific Anglers fly lines. With stunning cinematography and an engaging storyline, the film is well worth watching.
Hodgman developed an innovative interchangeable sole system to help anglers deal with the varied terrain they regularly encounter. The versatility provided by the H-Lock boots allows anglers to switch from felt to studded felt, and from to rubber or studded rubber depending on whether they’re in and out of a drift boat or scaling steep banks on a remote mountain stream. Testers liked the idea of the versatile sole system and found that it was easiest to change soles with the boot off the foot. Aside from the versatility of the boots, testers also found the boots to be quite comfortable. Designers created the VION H-Lock with durability in mind. The boots feature a molded toe guard and double-stitched construction. If you like a sturdy boot, and you live in an area where your boots see lots of different terrain,
be sure to check out Hodgman’s new offering. hodgman.com
A number of companies make good reels, but it’s the subtle details in a reel that set it apart from others. Such is the case with Orvis’s new Mirage. The Fly Fusion team tested out the Mirage II (designed for 3 to 5-weight lines) and had an overwhelmingly positive experience with the reel. The ultra-large arbour on this machined aluminum reel enables a quick retrieve and produces less line-memory. The fully sealed drag system is both smooth and easily adjusted— everything an angler would expect from a good reel. But what takes this reel to the next level is the Orvis design team’s attention to detail. The reel foot has a smooth radius, so when the angler reels up, wraps the leader around the base, and fastens the fly to a rod guide, the leader doesn’t kink. Also, the counterbalance (opposite the handle) is not a knob but is low profile so as not to catch on line or fingers. And the handle itself is perfectly fitting machined aluminum so there’s no give or wobble—which increases the smooth feel of the reel because the reel-handle is the primary point of contact when fighting a fish. Also, the spool is a quick-release type with no extra parts that can be easily lost while out on the water. The Mirage looks good, sounds good, and feels good. This is one of those “what’s not to love?” gear pieces from Orvis. The Mirage is available in sizes five sizes with the largest designed for 11 to 13-weight lines. orvis.com
Not much for dressing up and heading out on the town? You might want to consider celebrating Halloween night by hunkering down in your den and tying Reece’s Masked Bandit. It’s a small steamer that’s super attractive to big trout. Check out the tying video here.
Recipe:
Hook: Gamakatsu octopus #4
Thread: 6/0 matched to zonker
Flash: Ripple Ice Fiber (Hareline)
Tail: Pine squirrel zonker
Collar: Pine squirrel zonker
Head: Flymen Fish Mask w/ Living Eyes – Earth
The Royal Vulture, originally featured in volume 9 issue 4 of Fly Fusion. Tied by our good friend Colin Callbeck.
Royal Vulture Recipe
Hook: Partridge 3/0 Bartlet blind eye
Eye: silk gut
Thread: black silk
Tag: purple metallic tinsel, blue floss, silver oval tinsel, purple floss, silver metallic tinsel, yellow floss, blue floss with silver metallic over yellow and blue floss
Tail: king fisher wing feather
Butt: purple ostrich
Body: blue floss, silver metallic tinsel, pink floss, silver metallic tinsel over blue floss, pink floss, silver metallic tinsel, blue floss, silver flat tinsel, black floss, silver flat tinsel
Throat: vulture guinea fowl back feather under blue vulture guinea fowl back feather
Wing: vulture guinea fowl back feather under spotted vulture guinea fowl feather
Cheek: king fisher wing feather
Topping: wild golden pheasant crest
Horns: blue eared pheasant
Head: purple ostrich feather
When it comes to fly tying, I’m pretty lazy, and get bored quickly. A good tying session might yield three or four flies; rarely do I tie a half-dozen at one sitting. So my version of the Micro GP is an exercise in economy: What’s the minimum in materials and steps to get the job done but still produce the most effective fly?
I tie this on a ¼-inch to ½-inch tube cut from lengths of 1/8-inch outside diameter air brake line. When fishing, I insert a Daiichi 2451 #6 or #8 hook into the back of the tube. Using the air brake line eliminates the need for a hook holder on the tube, so that saves a step. Tubes also allow me to use one fly with multiple hooks—if a hook gets dull or damaged, I just replace it. So ½ dozen Micro GPs can easily get me through a week of fishing. I’ve also eliminated the ribbing by using sparkle dubbing. The fly is small, so it only needs one tying station for the wing. The Krystal Flash is optional. I like it because it seems to work really well if used in moderation, but I’ve also had success without it, so eliminating it would save another few steps. The two-tone wing is something I’ve kept from the original RaginG Prawn, but you could get away with just using one colour – again, saving a step.
Micro GP Recipe
Thread: Hot orange or red 6/0
Tail: A few strands of hot orange polar bear or bucktail mixed with a few strands of pearlescent Krystal Flash
Feelers: Black and white barred peccary extending well away from the hook bend. If you can’t find peccary, try black and white barred rubber legs
Eyes: Golden pheasant tippet. Rather than cut a notch out of a section of tippet, I snip a few of the black-tipped fibers and tie them in on each side. For the Micro GP this material would be optional.
Body: Hot orange sparkle dubbing
Wing: Fire orange Woolly Bugger marabou over fluorescent orange Woolly Bugger marabou. I also mix in a few strands of pearlescent Krystal Flash. I layer this wing with one colour on top of the other but you could mix them together and tie them in as one mixed piece as well.
Hackle: A sparse turn or two of pheasant or brown saddle at the head.
It’s nice to know that as fly-fishing gear progresses there’s still some equipment designed to remind us that we’re part of a rich history. That said, the Lodgepole is a classy gear bag. Though the satchel is definitely worthy of a nostalgic day on the water with a bamboo or glass rod, it’s also comfortable enough to wear anytime. The shoulder strap provides enough padding to wear for a full-day excursion, and if you’re an angler who prefers to keep a satchel a little closer to the body when hiking though a wooded area, there’s a removable waist-strap as well. Testers found the bag to have ample storage in the main compartment and lots of smaller compartments to help organize fly boxes, leaders, indicators, and whatever else an angler needs. The Lodgepole also has places designed to attach gear on the exterior. It’s functional and looks fantastic—what a great combination for the fly angler who years for something reminiscent of simpler times. Click here to view.
Testers enjoyed the feel of Allen’s Icon II. Across the board, the testers noted the rod has a very balanced feel in the hand and that the rod loaded effortlessly. The Icon II has a seamless feel when transferring energy from the rod to the line. Testers also noted that the rod definitely finds its place on the continuum of fast-action rods, but it’s closer to medium-fast than super-fast, which allows the Icon II to offer a smooth blend of power and sensitivity. Fly Fusion staff tested the 9-foot, 5-weight and gave it high marks for versatility. It performed well in a number of trouty situations with a number of different methods (streamers, nymphs and dries). To compliment the rod’s performance, the blank has an attractive deep brown finish with dark mahogany wraps. Click here to check them out.
The Catatonic Leech
Regular contributor and innovative tier Jeremy Davies says, “This might be the easiest fly I have ever tied except for the San Juan Wire Worm, and on lakes it is one of the most effective flies to fish. The standard Catatonic Leech is tied almost entirely of marabou (my preference is Wapsi Woolly Bugger Marabou, as it is fluffier and more lifelike than standard blood quill marabou), with a few wraps of lead and an optional glass bead. I tie this fly with olive marabou about 90% of the time, and use black, brown, wine, or white on occasion. The hook is a 3X long streamer hook in #6 to #12 with a glass or brass bead behind the eye. Four or five wraps of .020 or .025 lead wire immediately behind the bead help the fly flutter lightly as it sinks to the bottom. The tail should be about three quarters as long as the hook shank. Tails that are too long cost you hook-ups because the trout grab the tail but miss the hook. Tying the body out of marabou is easy. Strip the marabou off the main quill and dub it to the thread like regular dubbing.”
Recipe
Hook: Streamer hook, size 8-14
Weight: Four or five wraps of lead wire
Thread: 8/0 Uni-Thread (olive, black, or brown)
Bead: Glass (colour to match body)
Body: Dubbed marabou (olive, black, or brown)
Tail: Marabou (olive, black, or brown)
