Redington Chromer Two Hand Spey and Switch Rods

08.52 in and, at, Boat Plans, chromer, fly, gorge, hand, now, redington, rods, scott, shop, spey, switch, two

"And On the Seventh Day We Hucked"

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.

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.

Going back even before the creation of the GripShooter, anglers who wanted to help stop line slipping from their fingers would use non-adhesive tape (like that used on golf clubs) to help them solve the mono dilemma. I say all this to lead up to this point…In steps the Redington Chromer. Seriously a sight for sore eyes. I don’t know, maybe it was Georgie, who thought of the idea for the Polymer Grips, but its genius. They should give the man a raise! It’s one of those ideas that you wonder how come we hadn’t done this sooner. Brilliant but simple. The Polymer grip doesn’t hurt the effectiveness of the rod at all. It certainly, in my opinion, doesn’t hurt the aesthetics of the rod, in fact I think the rod looks pretty sweet. I love the matte black finish and even how the word “Chromer” on the rod shines like a freshly washed chrome bumper on a classic car (see photo below). On a clear sunny day you better make sure you have your shades on while fishing with the Chromer!

Better wear your shades

I am also a big fan of the price tag on this rod. I’ve said this before but I believe it’s a better rod than the price tag indicates. Travis, the shop owner has a saying and it certainly is true with most rods and that saying is… “If you don’t want to spend more money on a better rod then don’t cast one.” I will tell you this, if you were to put the Redington Chromer on the counter with the rest of the rods that I have tested and used in the same price range, even up to a few hundred dollars more, I would, without hesitation, fight you over the Chromer.

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

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"

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Columbia Gorge Fishing Report August 24th

23.51 in 24th, august, Boat Plans, by, columbia, cook, defined, fishing, george, gorge, lines, report, spey, trout

photo credit: Greg Darling

Fishing Report
Let’s get out and fish!  The Deschutes finally came into great shape this week.  While the visibility is poor right at the confluence of the White and the D, it is very fishable on the lower river.  It was 2-3’ and a nice olive color on Friday.  We fished Airflo T-10 FLO tips and Skagit lines and had a great couple of days Thursday and Friday.  It was quite windy, but that didn’t stop the fish from grabbing an articulated bunny leech.  The color at the confluence with the Columbia is also worse than a few miles upstream as the Columbia backs up the flow and gets sediment mixing more than upstream.

I talked with several anglers that saw the visibility, called it blown out and went home.  The thing is that fishing was killer and there was no one up there.  You just have to change your tactics a little.  If that same angler was on the Klickitat, he would have claimed visibility to be great and fished with sink tips with no problem.  That is because anglers are used to a certain level of expectation with the Deschutes.  Fish bite there in a few feet of visibility just like they do everywhere else.  The clarity of the river reminded me of the Kenai the other day.  Kenai fish eat tiny little beads all summer long in poor clarity, so the steelhead in the Deschutes have no problem seeing your fly.  Visibility on the Deschutes is unlikely to get much better soon, so get your sink tips out and get to the river. 

Summer Steelhead are most definitely around right now in the local rivers big time.  The Deschutes River is great.  Get out there and fish!  Use light sink tips and bigger flies as long as visibility is on the lower end.  We left the river Friday evening to nearly three feet of visibility, but of course on Saturday morning, people are coming in claiming that it is blown out again.  I do not know what, if anything caused a blowout, but I would assume that the river is in the same condition as when I left it Friday, as no rain has come through since last night…  Until further notice, assume that the conditions are good on the lower.

The Klickitat Riverhas been a bit worse than the Deschutes, but it is still completely fishable.  Hovering about 2-3 feet lately with a little grey color to it. It is improving and we have heard good reports over the past few days.   Both the Klick and the Deschutes should be money this week; just be prepared to fish a sink tip…

Smallmouth Bass fishing has been excellent on the John Day River and fair in the local haunts here.  Bass on the Columbia River have been hiding out in plain sight.  Suspending off of ledges and dropoffs and scattered all around, they are there, but harder to find in good numbers than in the spring and fall.  A good day fishing will just require lots of moving around and changing tactics to find the numbers.  The John Day remains a solid choice for an easy day of good fishing with big numbers of fish.  A small popper or grasshopper pattern will produce fish from first light to last. 

Carp fishing has been decent, but not stellar.  I have heard fish are eating bigger flies right now with less picky fish, but there are not tons of fish being aggressive.  The aggressive fish are really aggressive, so that is the bonus. 

Trout fishing has been good.  The Crooked is still pushing out some weeds and bio-debris, but fishing was good.  A hopper/dropper is the ticket right now.  The Metolius has been good, as fish seem to be more willing to take a good, sneaky presentation than usual.  The upper part of the Deschutes (above Lake Billy Chinook) has been really good with terrestrials.  The upper part of the Lower Deschutes(below Pelton Dam) has been better this last week with a hopper/dropper producing good fish.  The McKenzie River has also been good with a hopper/dropper setup.  Any small, #18 mayfly nymph works well as the dropper.  A #18 Flashback Pheasant Tail (beadhead) is a personal favorite, but copper johns, hare’s ears, lightning bugs and prince nymphs work just fine too. 

Lost Lake is still fishing very well, and trout have been coming up to the surface early and late to eat Callibaetis, Grasshoppers and Carpenter Ants, as well as just about anything else including beetles, damselflies and maybe some early caddis.  Pull a woolly bugger deep and slow on a sinking line during the day for your best shot at good numbers of fish. 

                                          

As always, we are happy to talk fishing any time.  Give us a call if you have any specific questions on local rivers, gear, and tactics, or if you just want some encouragement to get out of the office.  541.386.6977

"Fly Fish the World with Us"

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Monster Arapaima in the Deep Jungle of Guyana

03.01 in 2015, arapaima, bend, benefit, Boat Plans, day, deep, experience, guyana, in, jungle, monster, my, of, oregon, spey, the, your

Some anglers like to fish the same water for many years. Each time you fish there it becomes like visiting an old friend, reflecting on special days and fish from the past. Other anglers look beyond what they know and where they have been for new angling challenges and adventure. That is exactly what clients Dave Farley and Tim Youngkin had in mind when they heard about fishing for Arapaima in Guyana from my article in the Gorge Fly Shop Newsletter in the spring of 2013.

It is a very limited fishing season in Guyana, for 3 weeks in the spring and 3 weeks in the fall, with only 4 anglers per week. Outside of that the fishing for this species is illegal in these protected waters. The next available week was in November 2014. They said we are in and put their money down. There was a lot of preparation on their part with fly tying and buying as well as a lot of new heavy duty 65lb core Rio Leviathan lines. The rest of them break like trout tippet. As there is a weight limit on the charter flight into the jungle, strategic packing and planning was essential. This part was unrealistic but the reality of the situation. This is not a full service fishing lodge but the remote jungle Rewa Eco lodge reached by charter flight and a boat trip.  The money they get from this tourism helps the tribe be self sustaining without selling of logging and mining rights that would destroy this rare place.

After fishing the water nearby the lodge the guides determined there were more fish up river and further into the jungle. So they left the comforts of the lodge for a hammock in the jungle under an open shelter. They spent days up there without creature comforts. It was extremely rustic but in the middle of huge Arapaima that would eat the fly. There was also a scientist along that had been studying those ancient fish for years. They both had some ass kicking action as well as landing fish. The two photos included show a fish landed by Dave and one by Tim. The largest was well over 200 lbs.

So get out of bed….put down the remote….get off the computer and make a plan to get on the water!

Jerry Swanson
Fish Head Expeditions, LLC
jerry@fishheadexpeditions.com
503-539-1451

"Fly Fish the World with Us"

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Trout Spey Lines No Perfect Answer!

04.29 in and, answer, Boat Plans, fly, lines, nautilus, no, now, perfect, reels, spey, then, trout

I have put off writing this article for months now. Its not that I dont want to write it but I know as soon as I do some new switch line will hit the market and already this article will be old news. I know many of you are reaching out looking for this info so therefore I will wait no longer to publish what I know and well tackle the new when it gets here! For the purpose of this article I am focusing on trout size spey/switch rods.

Trout Spey/Switch Rods

What are they exactly? Baby spey rods...Small switch rods... Smaller versions of steelhead rods...Id like to point out that a switch rod cannot switch into anything! The rod itself cannot change! It is not a transformer! The action and power of any particular rod is fixed. To change what you do with a switch rod REQUIRES you to change the line to match the style of fishing you wish to do with it. With that out of the way lets now accept the fact that there is no one line that does it all, period! End of discussion! But heres the good news! With a little information, planning and practice you can tune your fishing conditions with various lines that will let you fish many different techniques with your switch rods.

Can you do it all with todays switch rods? The term "Switch Rod" implies that it is both a single hand rod and a spey rod but think of it in terms of the game of golf, thats like calling one golf club a switch club, same club that can drive your ball can putt your ball...Im sure Tiger Woods can beat me in golf with only one club BUT! He would never agree that there would ever only be one club to do it all! And I Agree! Now with that out of the way I do believe our modern trout spey rods are closer than ever to what we want in a trout rod action.

What line do I need?

To make this as simple as possible Ive decided to take it line by line and supply you the details of each including rods I have tried these lines on.

Airflo Switch Streamer

Airflo Switch Streamer

I put this line first simply because most anglers who are going to wield a two hand rod for trout are most likely going to swing or strip flies on sinking tips. This is your line! Were still waiting for this line to become available and it cant get here soon enough! My knowledge of it comes from fishing a prototype for almost a year. Tim Rajeff and Tom Larimer are the genius behind this line. The goal of the line is to appeal to trout anglers with shooting line integration and safely satisfy streamer angler needs with a line that is not afraid of T-Series sink tips. They nailed it plain and simple! Integrated with a Ridge running line the semi aggressive skagit style head handles T-7 and T-11 like a dream and if you need to lighten up it has enough finesse to behave friendly with polyleaders. Tom Larimer worked out the bugs of these lines to intentionally match them to perform perfect with the Winston BIIIx Microspeys although we have found they perform excellent on many different switch rods.
The Airflo Streamer Switch retails for $99.95 and comes with a Fast Sinking Polyleader to get you started. You will most likely want to go ahead and get an Airflo Custom Cut Single Sink Tip in the T-7 size.
Airflo Streamer Switch Specs -

Line Size	Color	Head Weight	Head Length	Sink Rate	Total Length
WF4	Pale Mint/Orange	300	18ft	Float	85ft
WF4.5	Pale Mint/Orange	330	18.5ft	Float	85ft
WF5	Pale Mint/Orange	360	18.5ft	Float	85ft
WF5.5	Pale Mint/Orange	390	20ft	Float	85ft
WF6	Pale Mint/Orange	420	20ft	Float	85ft

Current sizes give you a range from 300gr to 420gr. The 330gr is a great match on the Winston 4110 and equally as well for the sage ONE 4116. The Winston 5116 really likes the 390gr.

RIO Scandi Short VersiTip

RIO Scandi Short Versi-Tip

This short scandi taper line is an awesome switch rod line. I really like the tight loop casts it performs. It is a head system line so choose your shooting line. You can also buy this line as a head only and purchase the tips separately. The nice feature of the Versitip kit is it comes with the tip wallet and includes four matching tips. Floating, Intermediate, Type 3 and Type 6 sinking. Just as the name implies the kit gives you a ton of stream side versatility. Scandi tapers do a few things really well such as roll casting and overhead casting and of course spey casts great but Scandi Shorts do have some limitations to consider. They dont handle much more tip than the type 6 they are supplied with and they are limited to fly size. Where I have really liked this line is working with tandem soft hackle rigs. It presents well and the supplied tips lets you dial in just the depth you want to fish. While the Scandi Short works great in close I find the loop to loop to be a real pain for small water work. Ive submitted a request to RIO to make an integrated version of this line but I have no idea if that will come to light.

Specs -

SKU	Line Size	Head Weight	Head Length	Color	Sink Rate
6-20659	#4 275gr	275gr	33ft 10m	Straw	Flt w/ 4 tips
6-20660	#5 320gr	320gr	33ft 10m	Straw	Flt w/ 4 tips
6-20661	#6 370gr	370gr	33ft 10m	Straw	Flt w/ 4 tips
6-20662	#7 425gr	425gr	33ft 10m	Straw	Flt w/ 4 tips
6-20663	#8 485gr	485gr	33ft 10m	Straw	Flt w/ 4 tips
6-20664	#9 540gr	540gr	33ft 10m	Straw	Flt w/ 4 tips

Notice this chart gives you the actual head weight and tip weight separately

The Sage ONE 4116 really loves this line. The fast tip of the Sage really compliments the scandi taper but I also find the line to work great on the Winstons. The 275gr is a great match up for the Winston 3106. The 320gr is my go to for the Sage 4116 and equally excels with the Winston 4110. The 370gr is enough grains for the Winston 5116.

S/A Adapt

Scientific Anglers Adapt

Scientific Anglers you almost got this line right! So close! I liked this line and I wanted to really like this line! The Adapt (like the Airflo Streamer Switch) is an integrated line with a somewhat aggressive skagit head. The thin diameter running line really flies through the guides and the textured head stays on top of the water better than most others Ive fished. The problem is the front taper. Its fine if you are fishing tapered leaders but the problem starts when you add a sink tip. The line tapers down too small to retain enough mass to turn over a sinking tip. The result is struggling to turn over your casts. Polyleaders work decent with the Adapt line but forget fishing T-Series tips. I actually modified my line by cutting the tip back and welding a new loop to the end. The difference is huge. But who wants to chop their brand new $86.95 line. Im sure out of the box it would make a good nymph/indicator line.

Order #	Line Size	Head Length	Sink Rate	Total Length
120500	280gr	22ft	Float	100ft
120517	320gr	22ft	Float	100ft
120524	360gr	22ft	Float	100ft
120531	400gr	22ft	Float	100ft
120548	440gr	22ft	Float	100ft

The 320gr works well with the Sage 4116 and Winstons 4110. I also have the 360gr and thats the one I chopped the tip off the head. I took off 2.5 and that amount scale weighted 18gr so I ended up with a head weight of 342gr and T-Series sinking tips were no longer an issue after my modification.

A note to the manufacturers - As a line company yall need to decide if your switch line is made for leaders or tips. NOT BOTH! And please stop telling us they will do both! Ive been around the river long enough to know that the "MIDDLE GROUND" fly lines do not do anything good! There is no one line for all switch rod applications. In reference back to earlier in the article remember a switch rod cannot switch into anything. We must switch the line to match the technique desired from our switch rod. We have a serious need for technique specific switch lines.

RIO Switch Chucker

RIO Switch Chucker

I had high hopes for the Rio Switch Chucker and in some ways it delivered, others not so much! A full integrated head / shooting line was a welcome addition to the RIO lineup and received great attention upon its introduction. Unfortunately I feel like this line falls into the trap of "One line does it all." First the good about the Switch Chucker, its pretty easy casting provided you stay within some parameters. Tapered leaders or VersiLeaders (Polyleaders) are happy but T-Series not so much. Now when you get to larger sizes of this line it will carry some light T-Series like T-8. But when it comes to 4 and 5 weight trout sizes it no longer likes a sinking tip. Besides not carrying a sinking tip easily I have two other complaints with this line. 1) In low light its hard to see the color transition between the head and shooting line and 2) The incorporated handling section slows down shooting part of your cast. This handling section is 14 of thicker running line directly behind the head and is intended to make it easier to grip for cast and mend for nymphing. I guess if nymphing is your purpose for this line than you might find this to be a benefit. Stick to leaders, polyleaders or nymph/indicator rigs with the Switch Chucker and you will be happy!

RIO Switch Chucker

I tested the #4 325gr on both the Sage ONE 4116 and the Winston Microspey 4110 and the grain weight matched up with both rods really well.

RIO Switch Line
Im not going to spend any time with this line other than to say this is a great choice if you use a switch rod to nymph from a boat. Dont expect to enjoy spey casting this line! End of discussion!

Skagit Heads
RIO, Airflo and S/A all make skagit heads down to trout rod sizes. For big rivers, sink tips and full on swinging flies these skagits work great. The RIO Max Short comes in sizes all the way down to 200gr. S/A Skagit Extreme comes in sizes down to 280gr and although S/A does not designate these as short or switch heads these smaller sizes do have shorter lengths suited for the shorter rods.The Airflo Skagit Switch starts at 360gr which can help your 5 weight and up switch rods. I dont spend much time with these skagits. Yes they work but they are really just downsized steelhead skagits. Two hand trout anglers like myself are really looking for a line designed for my game and not just an adopted line that already exists.

Overhead casting lines

Many anglers have found great use with switch rods for making long casts from beaches or jetties.
Ive heard many accounts from east coast striper anglers to west coast sea run cutthroat anglers of the use of switch rods for overhead casting. Typically we find in most cas

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Korkers Defined All about Sole!

02.52 in about, all, answer, Boat Plans, defined, korkers, lines, no, perfect, sole, spey, trout

Korkers - Defined

Lets talk about Korkers. There has been confusion on sizing and which sole option best suits your needs. We hope this answers your questions.

SIZING: 

When it’s time to purchase a new wading boot it is always confusing to know which size is best.

Please see our Wading boot sizing guide for all general rules. We want to note however, that if you own the older Korkers sole boot (the one where only the middle part of the sole is interchangeable) the sizing on those boots are different than the current models. So please use the one full size up rule and not purchase the same size as your previous boots as they will not fit.

Studded Felt vs Studded Kling-On 
Studded Felt in the water is our preference however on the sides of the river and while hiking felt can become slippery. Also to note that in temperatures below freezing snow can build up on wet felt or can freeze.

AS OF THIS WRITING: All Korkers boots can be purchased with two different sole configurations. This is true except the Redside boot which offers three configurations.

First Configuration
Kling-On and Felt this is the base price for all boot models. (2 sets of soles)

Second Configuration
Kling-On and Studded Kling-On this is a $20.00 upgrade (2 sets of soles)

Redside Only - Has above two options plus they offer a Felt only option for a great price of $99.99 (only 1 set of felt soles)

All other soles are considered accessory soles and purchased separate from the boots. 

Korkers Soles - Defined

Kling-On Sticky Rubber - Basic sole that comes with all boots. Great for use in boats / inflatables and basic hiking situations. While it is sticky rubber, it was not designed for highly slippery conditions.

Studded Kling-On Rubber - Same as Kling-On but with 26 carbide-tip studs per pair. These are great for slicker conditions or where studded felt can not be used.

Felt - Compressed high quality felt provides great traction while wading in the water. As noted above, depending on your wading conditions studded felt might be a better option as plain felt is not as grippy without studs.

Its all about that Sole!

Studded Felt - Plain felt soles adorned with 26 carbide tip studs per pair. Our number one choice of soles for our home waters and extremely slick conditions. Keep in mind while felt is great in the water it can be very slippery outside of the water and in very cold conditions snow/ice can build up on your feet. If this occurs we recommend changing the soles back to a rubber based sole for hiking in between fishing spots or back to your rig. That is a Korkers Boot Bonus…. not another boot out there allows you to change your soles while on the water.

Alumatrax - Our # 1 selling Accessory sole - These soles are a great alternative to studded felt. The aluminum bars are made here in the USA and for this reason very limited quantity. Aluminum is a soft metal, offering exceptional grip in the most slick wading conditions. One downfall….aluminum wears out faster vs. carbide but due to how grippy it is still very popular.

Studded Rubber - Large aggressive 7mm threaded carbide tip spikes adorn these flat rubber soles. Please note these studs are replaceable. These soles are great for those whom are Jetty fishing or fishing in highly slick conditions. Not the most comfortable to do much hiking in.

Vibram Idrogrip - Idrogrip is made by Vibram. This sole has a deep and wide lug patterns that offers better grip in tougher wading conditions. Great all around sole.

Studded Idrogrip - Same as Idrogrip but with carbide studs which offers even more grip in slick conditions.

Do you have the current generation of Korkers with OmniTrax v3.0 soles?

They are pretty easy to identify if you look closely at these pictures. The current OmniTrax v3.0 soles have a U-shaped notch on the front portion of the sole. They are the only ones that have this feature. Gorge Fly Shop only stocks current OmniTrax v3.0 soles. If you are searching for older generations please call us for information and availability.

Three generations of Korkers Soles

We hope this information is helpful in your quest to find the perfect wading boot and soles to match. Korkers Innovative design and comfort really allow you to utilize one boot in many ways with the replaceable and interchangeable soles. If you are headed on a trip and will need a studded sole but your friend does not want studs in his boat….easy fix just throw your non studded sole in your pack and you just solved a big problem without needing to haul a second set of boots.

For further questions or information please feel free to contact us via phone or email. We are here 7 days a week to help!

Helpful links:

Wading Boots - Finding the right size
Korkers K-5 Bomber Wading Boot (New for 2015)
Korkers Wading Boots




Lyndsey Duddles
Gorge Fly Shop | "Deskmaster"
541.386.6977

"Fly Fish the World with Us"

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New Reels from Redington Behemoth and Zero

00.11 in and, behemoth, Boat Plans, from, new, one, redington, reels, sage, spey, trout, zero

Redington Behemoth

Redington Zero

Redington continues to advance design innovation in its quality fly rods, waders, apparel and more, and that has never been truer than in its two new reel models, the BEHEMOTH and the Zero.

“We set out to push and challenge the traditional boundaries of reel design with both the BEHEMOTH and Zero reels, achieving some incredible performance levels,” comments Redington reel designer Paul Richardson. “The Behemoth combines the most powerful drag in its class with visually stunning and harmonious aesthetics, whilst the Zero sets a new standard for supreme lightweight performance within trout fishing.”

Behemoth

The Behemoth reels are the most powerful drag system fly reels in their class, offering over 30lbs of torque. They feature a diecast construction that is impossible to CNC machine, offering unrivalled strength and durability as well as a large arbor design to speed retrieve times and reduce line memory. The drag package features super-heavy duty carbon fiber and stainless steel braking discs for the utmost in reliability and power, and the oversized drag adjustment knob makes it very simple to access and adjust. The deep v-spool increases backing capacity for epic fish battles and a new twin molded handle improves grip and comfort. These reels are supplied with a nylon reel case and a lifetime warranty. Available in August 2015 for a retail price of $109.95 for the 5/6 and 7/8 and $129.95 for the 9/10 and 11/12 models.

Zero

The Zero reels are the lightest aluminum diecast reels available on the global market thanks to distinctive, unmachinable die-cast construction and skeletonized design. The spring-loaded clicker drag system is constructed with minimal moving components to improve durability and ease of function and easily switches retrieve direction. The large arbor design reduces line memory and quickens retrieval times when fighting fish, and the new twin molded, soft-touch ergonomic handles improve comfort and ergonomics. These reels are supplied with a nylon reel case and a lifetime warranty. Available August 2015 for a retail price of $89.95.

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Columbia Gorge Fishing Report November 1st

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Fishing Report

Trout season wrapped up this weekend in many areas and fishing in general just got a lot more interesting with this big storm blowing out most of the local rivers.  This will definitely get fish moving around, which tends to put them on the bite. 

Chinook Salmon are all but done.  Its major spawn time and the high water will definitely bring a bunch of salmon out of the Columbiainto the tributaries.  This should trigger the last push for spawners.  We are still a few thousand fish short of breaking the record for total passage of Fall Chinook over Bonneville Dam, but there are a few weeks of stragglers left that could push us over the top.  Either way, the run size was encouraging; the river conditions through most of the season were terrible, so we shall see how all of these recovery efforts play out over the next couple of years.

In the meantime, please be aware of spawning fish and look for redds.  Please do not walk across, over or through them. 

Targeting Chinook in the Hood River is prohibited after June 15.

Summer Steelhead:  Fishing was pretty darn good most of last week.  We heard good reports of fish being caught throughout the Columbia system.  All of the typical rivers were kicking out fish daily.  After all of this rain, it will likely take most of the week before our rivers are fishable again, but possible cold temps will help clear them up quicker.  The Deschutesabove the White River should have the best chance for good conditions early in the week.  The Klickitat and the Hoodwill likely take a few days to clear, and the lowest part of the Deschutes below the White River will likely be muddy for much of the week.  This is all just armchair speculation based on experience, predicted before the bulk of the rain appears.  Conditions can change quickly. 

Trout fishing is closed on several local lakes and streams now.  Please consult the regulations before fishing. 

Areas closed for trout include: East Fork Hood, Hood River (for trout), Eagle Creek, and the Deschutes upstream of the northern boundary of the Warm Springs Reservation.  The White Salmon above the county road bridge below the powerhouse (old dam).  LaurenceLake is also closed, as well as the Metolius Riverabove Allingham Bridge. 

Areas open for trout include:  Deschutes downstream of the Warm Springs Reservation (Maupin area and downstream are open), Lost Lake, Goose Lake(WA), The White Salmon from the mouth upstream 2 or so miles to the old county bridge and Yakima River.  November trout fishing can be really good, especially big fish eating big meaty streamers.  Get out your favorite streamer patterns and go!

Smallmouth Bass fishing has been tough now that the level of the Columbiais so low.  They are looking for current and not finding much.  Fishing should improve after this storm as river temps should drop and bass will get happy again.  Water temps in the 50s would be really nice.

As always, we are happy to talk fishing any time.  Give us a call if you have any specific questions on local rivers, gear, and tactics, or if you just want some encouragement to get out of the office. 

Andrew Perrault
Gorge Fly Shop | Product Specialist
541.386.6977

"Fly Fish the World with Us"

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The Genius of RIO’s Skagit MOW and iMOW Tips

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Originally brought forth by the “3 Speyketeers” as I call them, Mike McCune/Scott O’Donnell and Ed Ward (Hence the name MOW…McCune-O’Donnell-Ward). The MOW System is nothing short of brilliant!

Available in Light (T-8 format 7.0 ips), Medium (T-11, 8.0 ips), Heavy (T-14 format @9.0 ips) and Extra Heavy (T-17, 10.0 ips) .

Each MOW Family (Series) has 6 “Family Members” consisting of the following:

                10’ Floating Tip

10’ Sinking Tip

12.5” Sinking Tip

THEN….the 3 MOW’s…..7.5 x 2.5 (7.5 Floating integrated into 2.5 of given make up say medium as an example in T-11). 2^nd MOW is a 5 x 5 (5’ of Floating integrated into 5’ on sinking).MOW #3 is a 2.5 x 7.5 (2.5 of Floating Integrated into 7.5 of sinking).

MOW Tip Kits

There are two ways to get these 6 family members, either individually or in a MOW Kit (Say, a MOW Medium Kit as an example).

Practical Usages as prescribed below….

10’ Floating Tip : The MOW system is built for use with Skagit Style Spey Lines . Regardless of Skagit “Type” (RIO formula’s include Skagit Max Short, Skagit Max & Skagit Max Long) the MOW’s are formulated to play in the Skagit line theater. The 10’ Floating Tip is a quick way to “Ala Carte” your Skagit Line into a Full Floating use line.

10’ and 12.5’ Sink Tips: Available throughout the MOW Range (Light/Medium/Heavy/EX Heavy), these practical length sink tips play incredibly well with a wide range of Spey and switch rods making them a wonderful addition to the standard “Traditional” 15’ sink tips (Intermediate/Type 3, 6 and Type 8). These 2 sink tips will provide the Angler with sink rates from 7.0 ips (Light T-8) all the way to 10.0 ips (EX Heavy T-17)that will cover a wide range of use from Alaskan Kings to Tierra Del Fuego Sea Run Browns as well as the full gamut of Steelhead application.

The 3 True MOW’s

Here is where the absolute Genius of the MOW boys shines brightest !  Given that any “Cut” sink tip under 9’ is likely going to basically become a boomerang/tumbler within the cast that will prove to be ugly at best and ultra frustrating at worst. The “Integration Format” that McCune/Scotty O and Ed brought to the table from their “Chop Shop” artistry days providing the stability/cast-ability of a 10’ common denominator in overall length coupled with the desirable “Baby Tips” making for one of the all time great innovations.

7.5 x 2.5 (2.5 being the Sinking Portion): True “Rock Garden/Tail Out Probe Tool”. One could think of a 15’ Type 3 in this instance but the beauty of the MOW idea/format is that the mere 2.5 sinking portion is simply unrivaled when it comes to sliding around and thru such haunts. The traditional 15’ sink tip or even the 10’ and 12.5” MOW Sink Tip family members are all prone to “Swing Drag Thru” often catching/hanging up and killing any real chance at a follow and/or GRAB.

5 x5 (5’ Floating with 5’ Sinking):  Again, another Rock Garden probe but long enough to provide quick drop for given slots particularly in ledge rock environments found in many Steelhead streams. The 5 x 5  MOW Heavy (T-14 Format) is a great one for such a task where the angler needs a quick drop into a slot where he’ll need to engage quickly in order to be in that zone/slot target area. Lots of Pacific Northwest watersheds feature just such places making the 5 x 5 MOW a handy tool.

2.5 x 7.5 (7.5 being the sinking portion): My personal favorite in both the standard MOW as well as IMOW (See Below). This “Baby Tip” if you will has tons of application for a host of fisheries most certainly including the trout game. Given water depth and speed considerations often play perfectly into the hands of the 2.5 x 7.5 MOW quite often in the MOW Medium (T-11) format. Incredibly versatile sliding thru the boulders and swinging “All The way In” giving both “The Long Followers and The Down Below You” Critters time and opportunity to run down or run into your swung offering.

iMOW Family

The innovation of the Intermediate style Skagit Heads necessitated the invention of the iMOW in order to accommodate MOW usage with such an Intermediate format head (Substituting Integrated Intermediate VS Floating as found in the original MOW format), this is the obvious use of an iMOW but certainly not limited to an iFlight/IMAX format line. I personally love the iMOW’s, as a general MOW use tool as they can, and do have their place covering a host of angling waters particularly where you know going in, that the bottom format is relatively clean but needing “Less” of a given sink tip. iMOW’s come in LIGHT/Medium and Heavy. Kits have 6 family members with the previously mentioned 10’ floating Tip subbed out for a 10’ Intermediate tip.

iMOW Family:

                10’ Intermediate Tip

10’ Sink Tip

12.5” Sinking Tip

       The 3 iMOW’s

7.5 x 2.5 (7.5 is intermediate integrated to 2.5 of given sink tip say iMOW Heavy T-14 as an example)

5 x 5 IMOW

2.5 x 7.5 IMOW

Al in all, the MOW Families have a lot to offer the Spey and Switch Rod enthusiast. I can tell you with absolute confidence that every angler out there has/knows places that are “Made To Order” for MOW use, in particular the 3 True MOW tips. The Spey community owes a lot to the genius of the “3 Speyketeers “ Mike Mc Cune, Scott O’Donnell and Ed Ward.

Find RIO MOW Tips at Gorge Fly Shop

More about Sink Tips in Sink Tips, Polyleaders, VersiLeaders - A Buyers Guide

George Cook
Anglers Rendezvous
Northwest Representative
Sage, Rio, Redington

"Fly Fish the World with Us"

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Spey Day 2015 My Experience Your Benefit Bend Oregon

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Got the email from Erik of Anglers Rendezvous (our Sage, Redington and Rio reps) that our annual Farbank Mini Spey day was going down on March 22nd, 2015 in Bend, Oregon, a short three hours drive from my hometown of Hood River. I thought, what a great excuse to get away and spend six hours casting Spey and Switch rods until my hands had to be pried from the cork handles...Like a warrior whos held a sword for hours during battle and his hands wont let go.

Spey Day - Bend Oregon

Sage and Redington Spey & Switch rods
patiently wait their turn to perform.

If this years Spey day is anything like last years, I am going to thoroughly enjoy it. Its not too often that a guy has the chance to cast multiple Spey and switch rods side by side, for an instantaneous direct comparison. To really get a feel for the difference, casting different models, lengths and tapers side by side is by far the best method of telling the differences. Honestly, not only is it fun for me to spend the 6 hours casting all the rods but it translates into the confident conversations that I have on a daily basis with customers who call the shop or drop in looking for guidance in making their first spey rod purchase or their tenth.

From a customers standpoint, there is nothing like talking to someone on the phone that has actually cast or fished with the rod that they are interested in. From a shops standpoint there is nothing like having an employee who has actually cast or fished with the rod that the customer is interested in. First hand knowledge of equipment reeks through your conversation over the phone. I hate talking to someone that seems to be reading right out of the catalog trying to sell me something. It doesnt take too long to realize when this is happening.

Google or YouTube anything today and in a matter of milliseconds you have years of information and opinions at your fingertips. This is a good thing and it can be a bad thing. Good because you can do research without the pressure of a used car salesman breathing down your neck paid by commission. Bad because you can do your research...too much research...research overload, so much to the point you cant make a decision one way or another. Youre now more confused than when you first started. If youre reading this and are thinking of making a Spey or Switch rod purchase, with all due respect, do some research, and pick just a couple of fly shops that actually fish with spey rods and youre confident with, give them a call and get dialed in. I have had numerous conversations with customers who have over researched and finally, out of desperation reach out to us. I once had a customer (if this is you, I didnt mention any names) straight up, within the first few seconds of our conversation confessed that he had been researching the equipment he was interested in for months and that he had literally called nearly every fly shop in the United States and now was so frustrated because he kept getting conflicting intel. I totally understood what he was saying and I respectfully said to him...that he had become so saturated with information he couldnt make a decision because most of the folks he talked to contradicted the previous guy he called. I politely said to him that he needed to take a breath and pick a couple of shops, who actually use spey rods, and start to trust somebody. He agreed with my statement and confessed that he was exhausted from all the research and he thanked me for being so honest with him. I could actually feel the tension in his voice subside as I told him this.


In short hed become so overloaded with different personal preferences from so many shops that he couldnt choose. Shop employees where giving him advise on their casting preferences but neglecting to ask him about his. He was transitioning into the two handed world from single hand rod experience. So I was able to gather enough info from him and his background with a single hand rod that I could recommend a rod suitable to the casting style he was already used to, which made for a smoother transition for him. The equipment he was interested in was expensive and he wanted the confidence that he was making the right choice for his investment. He didnt have a local shop that he could test drive the equipment or talk to anyone who even used a spey rod.

Spey Rods and Reels stacked like chord wood!
OK, where do I start!

There are many reasons why you need to take a deep breath, sit back, relax a bit, and approach the spey/switch scene with a bit of trust. I say that assuming from this point on you will take my advice and use a shop that actually lives and breaths to spey fish and knows the equipment.

There are a number of variables that will help us get you dialed in. For instance, your casting style, are you on the aggressive side or are you a bit more laid back and patient, what size of a river you fish, what style or technique will you want to use and much more. I cannot give you a true diagnosis of the correct rod you should choose, by just considering my casting style. That would be like going to the doctor because youre ill and the Doctor diagnoses you with his symptoms. Doesnt make sense, does it? I need to gather as much information from you to help you make the right choice.






For example, I once set up a petite woman with a Sage One 7116-4 (116" 7 weight) Switch rod and a Rio Skagit Max Short head due to the fact that she was small, the shorter switch rod and head fit her perfectly. The standard, go to, introduction to Spey rods, Sage One 7136-4 (136" 7 weight) was too big for her. Once she took the Switch rod outfit to the river, it didnt take her long to fall in love with it. I try my best to get as much information from the customer and their casting style before recommending which rods would suit them. If they have no experience at all, either with a single hand rod or a two hander, my default recommendation is typically a fast action rod such as the Sage One. Theres a reason for this. Typically a fast action rod is much more forgiving than an ultra-fast action rod, were your timing is somewhat critical, or a slow action rod because most people, honestly dont have the patience to wait for a deep flexing rod to load up before they start their forward stroke. When casting an ultra fast rod, such as the Sage Method, if your stroke is on its "A" game the rod will let you know how awesome you are by producing blistering line speed with little effort. BUT if youre having a "B" day, youre gonna struggle and you may not like the Method so much. The Sage One is the perfect go to rod for most folks. Its easy going for a somewhat laid back caster, super smooth and yet still has the power if you give it a little more umph on your bottom hand when you need to. Now there are other rods that have a fast action that would suit the needs of most folks, Im just using the Sage One as an example, because in the Sage lineup of rods, it is my go to "comfort food" rod. Its an amazing tool. I wouldnt know these intimate details of the Sage One if I didnt have a personal relationship with the rod. The Method is an awesome rod, no joke, its awesome...for the guy who loves an ultra fast rod...not so awesome for the guy who likes a more traditional full flex rod.


In the six hours I spent casting, I cast 4 weight switch rods to 15 10 weight spey rods and everything in between. Spending considerable amounts of time on each. If you want to test your casting skills grab a 4 wt switch rod and immediately after casting that for 20 minutes grab the 15 10 weight Sage Method, then go straight for the Sage Accel 7126-4 aka "Mr. Wiggles" and just see if it doesnt take some adjusting before you get your stroke back. This is why I go to these "Spey Days". To be able to grab rods and cast them side by side for an accurate instant comparison is priceless for the customer who doesnt have that opportunity or have a local shop that they can do so themselves. My experience equals your benefit. You, the consumer benefits from my personal time spent with each of these rods. Now, if you call the shop and ask me about a rod that I have never cast, I will tell you that I have never cast that one...yet. I will be honest with you and tell you that I havent lined that rod up yet. I can still describe the action of the rod, maybe even talk to you about the taper, give you a great line recommendation but this conversation wont have the passion in it compared to the rod I have actually went out and spent time on the water with or even personally owned. You can tell when someone has a bit of passion about something.


Ill end with this. The "Spey Day" was on one of my days off...just sayin...

Low and Clear

This beautiful Steelhead was caught on a Sage One 6126-4 in low clear water conditions. When water is low and clear, lighter rods, lighter sink tips or no sink tips, and natural colored flies are a good choice to improve your odds in landing the prize...

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"

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