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Jumat, 20 Mei 2016
Rabu, 18 Mei 2016
Bauer Fly Reel Tour
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Last Summer while headed up north on I-5 to meet up with Gabe on the Umpqua River I got a phone call from Barbara over at Bauer Fly Reels. The New RX was in production and some of the first finished reels where ready to ship. Barbara informed me she had some pictures of the new reel that I could use for the website. I knew Bauer Fly Reel was somewhere in southern Oregan so I ask "whereabouts are you guys located, Im driving north on I-5 getting ready to cross the Cali/Oregon border." Barbara says "You are less than 10 minutes away and we are really close off the exit. Were getting ready to go have lunch, well wait on you." Awesome! Ill be there in a few!
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| Front Door |
Its fun to walk into a business and see reel parts on the desk instead of files. This is my kind of business!
We took in an outdoor lunch at the Caldera Brewery and Resturant. I highly recommend it for food, brew and atmosphere.
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| View From the restaurant. Beautiful! Looks like Oregon |
After Lunch Jon Bauer gave me the tour. The first thing I took interest in was Jons workbench. How many fly reels have been assembled here is anyones guess. Well worn from years of use it was obvious that this bench was Jons very own personal work space. Clean, neat and all in order. Having come from a mechanical career myself it was easy for me to recognize that his assortment of tools had been well chosen and precision instruments. Its kind of like a passionate and precision fly tyers bench were each tool and device has been proven over years to be the best for the job.
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| Champion Race Car Driver |
Passionate Fly Angler, Precision Fly Reel Designer and a Champion Race Car Driver, I personally dont think Jon has it in him to do anything in life less than perfect.
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| Color Options |
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| RX (Rogue Extreme) Frames |
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| CFX Drag Knobs |
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| I see reels |
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| Program this! Ahhhh! |
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| CFX #4 solid backs? Maybe...Stay Tuned! |
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| Im holding my new reel |
I have great pride and passion in my fly fishing gear and its easy for me to spot others that share the same feelings. Bauer Fly Reels have always been about quality, function and attention to detail and they back that up with incredible service. Being here on this day to witness it getting done just reinforces what I have believed for many years that my pride and passion comes from the people who have shared there pride and passion. Jon and Barbara Bauer relentlessly share it everyday in every reel they make.
Greg Darling
Gorge Fly Shop Internet Sales Manager | Product Specialist
"Fly Fish the World with Us"
Jumat, 13 Mei 2016
Rabu, 11 Mei 2016
Redington Chromer Two Hand Spey and Switch Rods
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"And On the Seventh Day We Hucked"
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| Fall colors in full bloom. The Redington Chromer 7136-4 got the job done and done very well! |
First off, let me just state for the record that the title of this article is not just a catchy sales slogan, but something George Cook has said several times when referring to the Redington Chromer and in fact what I can confirm to be truly - A FACT! More on that later. When Georgie (our Redington Rep) first revealed the Redington Chromer to us at the Gorge Fly Shop I became super interested in it. What caught my eye was its unique design with the Polymer pinch grip sections on the handles. The main reason for this is that I’ve been a longtime fan of monofilament running/shooting lines for the extra distance and line speed that is generated by a “slicker” shooting line.
After using mono shooting lines for years, it’s almost impossible for me to use a “fly line type” of shooting line for any length of time. This is not to say that they are not a quality product and can’t get the job done, they can and do get “r” done, but for me and what I am used to, and what I like most, mono suits me well. I have used lots of different running/shooting lines that are available on the market and believe me each one has its issues or drawbacks. Maybe in the future I could do a breakdown of pros and cons of each running line that I have used, but not today. Today I want to focus on the design of the addition of the Polymer pinch sections on the handle and the benefit that it has for the mono lovers or the folks who are on the verge of trying a mono type shooting line.A few years ago RIO created the “GripShooter” shooting line which incorporates a thick “fly line type” handling section to help prevent the slipping of the mono through cold, wet fingers and yet still have the benefit of a mono shooting line. The very fact that Rio would create such a line is proof of the benefits of a mono shooting line and the need to help anglers transition from the fly line type of lines to a mono type shooting line. Essentially giving the angler the best of both worlds. Although Rio’s mission was accomplished with the creation of the “GripShooter” and many made the switch, I felt that the shooting line was slightly slowed down by the fly line handling section until it transitioned into the mono shooting line and then, shot out like a rocket. But remember I am so used to mono that any fly line type of shooting line seems slow to me, and that if you’re transitioning from a fly line type shooting line to a mono type, you may not notice the difference, and I would highly recommend the GripShooter if you need a line to help you transition. The bottom line is the need to help alleviate line slipping from your fingers in wet and cold conditions because this is the major issue anglers have with mono shooting lines.
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| Jamey slips on the big rock at the tail out of “Magic”, a sweet run on the Deschutes River. I was told by Sam to huck it out there as far as I could so I launched a cast that left only a few wraps of my running line still on the reel and hooked that fish right on the lip of the tail out about 20 feet away from him. The Chromer had no problem helping me get the distance I needed for success. |
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| Better wear your shades |
On the first full day of fishing this rod, I only had one time that the line slipped from my grip and that was no fault of the rods. I was purposely trying to see how loose I could pinch my mono shooting line against the Polymer Grip before it would slip. No joke, the Chromer does exactly what it was designed to do, and it’s just innovative enough that I think the idea will be around awhile. There are numerous other things I like about the Chromer besides the Polymer Grip, like the cork handle, it fits nicely in my hands and feels super comfortable, this is a big deal for me. I don’t like a thick handle, it doesn’t feel right to me. Its light in hand at only 6.8 ounces (I didn’t weigh it, I am actually taking their word for it and honestly don’t feel like I have to weigh it because it feels light in my hand). I fished with my Hardy Bougle #4 on it and it felt a little rear heavy due to the weight of the reel but when I fished it with my Lamson Litespeed #4 on it the Litespeed balanced the Chromer absolutely perfectly. It is important to place your fore grip at the position where the rod balances while casting, for comfort and power, and the Chromer and Litespeed balanced at the point my fore grip was exactly in the middle of the Polymer Grip. It does have a smooth fast action as Redington claims and It cast effortlessly at normal casting distances but when you need that extra umph to huck it out of bounds it has no problem accommodating you. Put a little more power into your bottom hand and watch it launch. By the way I put a RIO Skagit Max 525 grain head on it when I need to use a sink tip and a RIO Scandi 450 grain head for surface work.
Bottom Line:
The Chromer is legit, a dandy, worth every penny, and I would highly recommend it to anyone shopping around for a rod in this price range and as I said earlier, even a few hundred dollars more. The only drawback that I can come up with on the Chromer when compared to rods in its class is that - I DIDN’T COME UP WITH THE IDEA!
The Details:
- Super-smooth fast action
- Down locking reel seat for improved in-hand balance
- Polymer Pinch Grip sections on top and bottom handles
- Polymer grips maintain body temperature for comfortable winter fishing
- Matte finish blank for flash reduction
- Section tips epoxy coated to prevent sticking
- Full Anodized aluminum reel seat
- Premium grade cork handles
- Fully protective Cordura rod tube with dividers
- Lifetime warranty
The Specs for the 7136-4 Chromer:
- Handle - “C” (pictured above)
- Length - 13’6”
- Line weight - 7
- Rod weight - 6.8 ounces
- Skagit Grain Weight - 500 +/- 550 (the Rio Skagit Max 525 grain was MONEY!)
- Scandi Grain Weight - 425 +/- 475 (the Rio Scandi 450 was dead on!)
- Price Tag - $399.95
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| A well-deserved break after hundreds of cast…I think I like this rod. I like it a lot! |
Remember, if you can’t find it at the Gorge Fly Shop, you don’t need it!
Gorge Fly Shop
John Garrett | Product Specialist
541.386.6977
"Fly Fish the World with Us"
Out of the Shop
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I had planned on using beer and thirsty friends to get the boat out of the shop and onto a trailer, but then a I reconsidered the logistics of getting six friends here at the same time with late fall weather cooperating, and devised a new plan on the first warm day. As when I previously turned the hull over, I suspended ratcheting tie-down straps from the ceiling beams and lifted the boat up off its building cradle. Then I moved a small cart under the center of the hull and lowered the boat onto the padded cart. I backed the 8 wide trailer up to the 6 wide shop door; pushed the hull out the door, rolling on its cart, until about 8 of the hull was out the door and on the trailer; then simply finished winching the hull onto the trailer.
Crowley Marine was ready to install the engine, steering gear, engine controls, and wiring, and they recommended a canvas shop for the travel cover and bimini. So, in a short period of time, the boat is now basically ready for the water. Of course, there are always more finishing projects. I need to (1) reinforce the deck underside where the bimini fittings are fastened; (2) place flotation foam in the bow and stern; (3) touch up the cetol finish in spots along the sheer where it was disturbed when the sheer strip was placed. After pricing simple custom upholstery for the plywood-framed cockpit seats, I found that I could purchase quality standard bucket seats for less than half the price. I should get the seats in the next two weeks.
But with winters snow in our yard and the ski slopes beckoning, that will all wait until warmer weather.
Selasa, 10 Mei 2016
Another year another boat
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A new boating season is beginning, and it is time to recharge the battery, refill the gas tanks and get out on the water. However, after last season I thought of all the ways I could learn and improve from my last boatbuilding experience and create an even better design. I wanted something of the same size but more closely resembling a classic runabout and with a better integrated sun shade. After calculating the offsets and sketching out the results, I started drawing out full-size patterns. At about Christmas, I started putting together wooden frames. By themselves, the frames look like just a pile of wood scraps, but when you mount them on a strongback, align them using a laser, and start adding the keel and other longitudinal members, it begins to look like a boat. With the experience of building something similar, I have been able to move forward more confidently this time. Instead of searching for answers, I know how to handle the design and construction challenges at each step. Having purchased a new table saw has been a great help also.
I am now ready to make patterns for the exterior sheathing. The 6mm marine plywood will arrive soon. I hope to finish the sheathing (plywood, cypress planking, glass and epoxy) and sanding during the summer months when I can leave the windows open. Next fall will be time for an upholstered interior and other finishing details. Changes from the previous design include a constant deadrise (12 degree) hull bottom, chine flats, a straight sheer profile with the foredeck raised 5 inches, and reduced deck camber. This hull is meant for slightly more power / higher speed.
Sabtu, 23 April 2016
Airflos New Bruce Chard Tropical Punch
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| Bruce Chards Tropical Punch |
Airflos Chard Tropical fly lines kicks off with an awesome new taper appropriately named Chard Tropical Punch.
Captain Bruce Chard is one of the world’s premier line designers and Airflo has been lucky enough to have him design their new series of saltwater taper fly lines; which are now available at Gorge Fly Shop. Chard’s Tropical Punch Line will soon be the line of choice for saltwater anglers across the globe. Available in WF8F-WF12F, this line serves a wide range of applications and fishing situations. There are three reasons why these new lines are going to soon rule the saltwater world: The taper, the low-stretch core, and the urethane coating.
The compact front taper and long back taper gives anglers’ the best line profile for punching big flies in windy conditions. These lines are built with windy conditions in mind, which is something every angler will encounter on a daily basis in the tropics. You can pick up the line and cast at a variety of distances; quickly punching it through the wind to reach fish with fewer false casts than a traditional tropical line that has a longer front taper.
The low-stretch core (6% at breaking point) gives you the best connection to fish without compromising power, accuracy or adding memory. Traditional lines can stretch between 20%-30%, which will drain power from your cast. With this low-stretch core, you can pick up your fly without having to stretch the line out to get it moving. This results in quicker, more accurate casts, and fewer false casts as you have better control of the fly from beginning to end; plus every little tap and grab is felt through the tight line. There is never a doubt whether you just had a grab or dragged on the bottom.
The urethane coating is the “kicker”. It is the third piece of this puzzle that results in the ultimate tropical line. Urethane does not fade or crack in the sun like PVC coatings, nor does it react to sunscreen or DEET insect repellent. You may have noticed that all three of those factors are problems that saltwater anglers have to deal with. There is nothing worse than having a line fall apart after applying sunscreen and DEET, and then handling your fly line. I have seen it happen more than once. The ultra-slick urethane coating will hold up no matter what the conditions.
The compact front taper and long back taper gives anglers’ the best line profile for punching big flies in windy conditions. These lines are built with windy conditions in mind, which is something every angler will encounter on a daily basis in the tropics. You can pick up the line and cast at a variety of distances; quickly punching it through the wind to reach fish with fewer false casts than a traditional tropical line that has a longer front taper.
The low-stretch core (6% at breaking point) gives you the best connection to fish without compromising power, accuracy or adding memory. Traditional lines can stretch between 20%-30%, which will drain power from your cast. With this low-stretch core, you can pick up your fly without having to stretch the line out to get it moving. This results in quicker, more accurate casts, and fewer false casts as you have better control of the fly from beginning to end; plus every little tap and grab is felt through the tight line. There is never a doubt whether you just had a grab or dragged on the bottom.
The urethane coating is the “kicker”. It is the third piece of this puzzle that results in the ultimate tropical line. Urethane does not fade or crack in the sun like PVC coatings, nor does it react to sunscreen or DEET insect repellent. You may have noticed that all three of those factors are problems that saltwater anglers have to deal with. There is nothing worse than having a line fall apart after applying sunscreen and DEET, and then handling your fly line. I have seen it happen more than once. The ultra-slick urethane coating will hold up no matter what the conditions.
From bonefish to redfish to tarpon to snook, this line has you covered for all of your saltwater needs. Now all you need is a tropical vacation to try them out.
By Andrew Perrault
Product Specialist | Gorge Fly Shop
Product Specialist | Gorge Fly Shop
NEW Bruce Chard Airflo Tropical Punch from Rajeff Sports on Vimeo.
"Fly Fish the World with Us"
Rabu, 13 April 2016
Minggu, 10 April 2016
Scott Fly Rods Now at Gorge Fly Shop
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At Gorge Fly Shop we appreciate all fly rods. We wish we could sell and fish all fly rods but lets face it, there is just too many fly rods on the market to learn, know and fish with. We pay attention to what the other rod companies are doing and Scott Fly Rods have been on our radar for some time now. Very impressive watching this rod company grow into success. I really like going to the fly shows and getting a chance to casts Scotts latest offerings, since I dont get to do that everyday I always look forward to it. Gorge Fly Shop cant possibly carry all brands of fly rods made but instead we like to carry a good selection of brands that we believe in. Were proud to add Scott Fly Rod company to that lineup and look forward to providing you with these great rods.
I asked Dan Marshall (our NW Scott fly rod representative) to give us a breakdown of the different rod series from Scott to help us get under way. Here is Dans comments for Scott Fly Rods.
The Scott fly Rod Company began in 1974 in the Bay area of California handcrafting high performance U.S. made fly rods, first using fiberglass and then progressing to carbon fiber (graphite). Today the company resides in Montrose, Colorado and maintains the legacy of building high performance hand made fishing tools that anyone would be proud to own and enjoy fishing.
Run down on Scott Fly Rod models and fly rod actions.
A4 Series
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| A4 |
This rod series is all water, medium fast action with nice recovery and easy loading and great durability. All anglers will feel these rods cast effortlessly and put the fly on the target. A great rod for the budget minded angler but with great performance.
G2 Series
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| G2 |
The G2 is our dry fly presentation series with a moderate action that allows it to load easily at close range and protect fine tippets. Scott uses an internal ferrule system that makes this rod track extremely well and makes casing accurately a breeze. This is my favorite trout rod to fish dry flies from a boat or walking and wading.
F2 Series
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| F2 |
Scott began making fiberglass fly rods in 1974 and continue to do so to this day. This material has inherent properties that lend itself to creating a very soft action fly rod with the easiest loading capability of all of our rods. The F2 is perfect for brushy creeks and streams, loads very well in close, is very durable to abuse, and is also extremely accurate for a soft action fly rod due to the internal ferrule system similar to the G2.
Radian Series
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| Radian |
The Radian from Scott has received awards as the best freshwater fly rod and for good reason. It is extremely light, has a medium fast action, casts an incredibly tight loop and is deadly accurate. This rod series is a great all around fishing tool that can throw dry flies, streamers, and nymph rigs with ease and is a joy to fish. It is 20% lighter and 20% stronger than any other high end freshwater rod we’ve ever built.
Tidal Series
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| Tidal |
Scot introduced the Tidal fly rod series to give the budget minded saltwater and bass angler a great rod for under $500. It has a fast action but loads easily and can handle big flies and strong winds that are commonplace in a saltwater environment. Of course, all components used are corrosion resistant for salty environs and like most saltwater rods the blanks are slightly thicker than a freshwater rod which makes it very durable. One feature I like the most is the thread wraps are…..Seahawk colors.
Meridian Series
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| Meridian |
This is the most recent offering from Scott that has been awarded the title of best saltwater fly rod. The material used to craft this rod is the same used in the very popular Radian, making it lighter and stronger than any other saltwater rod Scott has ever made. Features include titanium guides, a very slim fighting butt, anodized aluminum reel seat and a modified full wells grip that aids the caster in loading the rod deep for long casts. As with all Scott rods, the Meridian excels at all distances making close accurate casts as well as throwing the long bomb to reach a spooky fish. Tight loops are the rule rather than the exception and Meridian creates extremely high line speed to make it happen. Of course, nine foot four piece models are the standard but in this series Scott also offer eight foot ten inch two piece models for the boat angler and added durability.
Thank You Dan...We look forward to getting out and putting the bend in these great All American made fly rods from Scott.
Greg Darling
Gorge Fly Shop Internet Sales Manager | Product Specialist
"Fly Fish the World with Us"
Minggu, 03 April 2016
Ready to leave the shop
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Painting is not my favorite thing, but I have been doing quite a bit of it to complete this build. I still need to do some touch up but I have been trying to get this boat out of the shop and onto a trailer so I can get the engine and controls installed. Of course the boat will still need cushions, and bimini top and a travel cover. The weather forecast mentions possible snow next week, so I am just a little late to launch this season.
Sabtu, 02 April 2016
First season report
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Boating season is about over for this year but it has been very enjoyable. The only changes I have made so far to the boat are to move the throttle control over about 1 1/2 inches away from the steering wheel, to allow more clearance, and to replace the plexiglass windshield with auto safety glass for a clearer view. After trying three propellors, we have boat speed up to 33 mph (at a 7500 altitude). The engine trim control allows us to bring the bow down in waves and trim it up in smooth water for more speed. My wife enjoys the boat which is important. She spent more time driving it than I did on this last trip. That is great; my great joy is to start with a vision, create a plan and then make it a reality. This winter I will start on a new boat.
Sabtu, 26 Maret 2016
Rabu, 23 Maret 2016
Adventure Steelhead 1 30 2015
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Recently, John and I did some serious bushwhacking/exploration. We had been looking for a new way to get down to the river, and after a failed attempt or two, we found it.
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| Steelhead! |
After an hour of scrambling down this slope, we managed to get to the river right where we thought we would end up (according to our calculations via Google). However, it quickly became apparent that we would not be able to leave the river in the same manner that we went down. Getting up the same way that we descended would not only have been extremely difficult, we would have spent hours climbing up the loose brush and rock. Climbing down had not been that bad, but the thought of going up was pretty much out of the question.
So we fished this run that I had been eyeing for a while. Unfortunately, it was much faster than and not as deep as we had hoped. Bummer dude… Luckily, I am Swiftwater Rescue Certified, and one of the things I learned how to do is cross a river that is moving fast by linking arms and walking in step with a partner while leaning on each other to keep steady. This was really the only way to get across the river as it is fast and forbidding. So we slowly crossed the river and walked downstream along the bank for a while until we found a decent looking piece of water.
So this is where the fish story comes in!
I started swinging this run and quickly got my fly into a really nice looking bucket. A fish grabbed my pink bunny leech in mid-swing. It then dropped the fly, and then hit it again even harder on the hang-down at the end of the swing. One head shake and it dropped the fly again. By this point, I was yelling and swearing at this fish. Jon had stopped and was watching the action.
After the second grab (and drop), I quickly stripped the fly twice as it was hanging down at the end of the swing. As if I was trout fishing, this steelhead boiled on my fly and slammed it as hard as possible. I saw all of this as the fly and the fish were in less than two feet of water and less than fifty feet from me. The fish then screamed about fifteen feet of line off my reel and popped off. That fish was hooked and lost. I had never had a steelhead take a fly three times like that in one swing, and never had a winter fish eat a fly on the strip.
So instead of standing there staring at the water in disbelief, I fired a cast ten feet off where that fish popped off towards the deeper side. I mended the line and stripped the fly once. Less that a second later, this fish took the fly again, even harder that the other three times, and proceeded to put me in my backing while going airborne several times.
When I finally landed him, the hook was up in the roof of his mouth, right where it should be. I thought that maybe, just maybe, there were two fish out there that were involved in this incident. When we took a closer look, we could see the fresh hole, still bleeding, in the corner of his mouth from where I had just put a hook in him on the previous cast.
I have been fishing for a long time, and I never had a steelhead ever act that aggressively towards my fly,
especially a winter steelhead. Winter fish are not exactly known for moving a long ways for a fly. Grabbing the fly four times total and getting pinned at least twice in two casts is unheard of. The adventure of getting to the river was totally worth the sweat and soreness, but the fish was a bonus that gave us both a glow and a smile for the rest of the day.
We ended up having to walk down the river for quite a while before climbing up the other bank. We then had to figure out how to get to our car on the other side of the river several miles upstream, but that is a completely different story.
Andrew Perrault | Product Specialist | Steelhead Adventurer
Gorge Fly Shop
541.386.6977
