Skagit Minnow

Skagit Minnow, Black

Skagit Minnow, Chartreuse & White

Skagit Minnow, Pink & Orange

Skagit Minnow, Purple & Blue

Length: 13' 4"    Line: #8     Pieces: 4

Length: 14'       Line: #8/9     Pieces: 4   

Length: 14' 2"    Line: #8    Pieces: 4

TFO 7/8 130 4 DC

A very fine rod for medium size flies and steelhead. Can be useful in winter as well as summer.
Mike's Remarks:
Standard Puget Sound summer and winter wet and dry flies.
Mike's Line Recommendations:
Skagit: 500/550 with tips to 200 grains
Rio Skagit 500/550, Airflo Skagit 7/8
Short Belly Spey with tips:
Airflo Delta Spey 7/8
Mid Length Spey with tips:
Airflo 7/8 Delta Long , Rio Power Spey 7/8, CND GP 7/8 or 8/9 for deep loading
Scandi:
450 to 500 grains <> Head length 32 to 34 feet
Mark's Remarks:
I played extensively with a 13' 7/8 Dear Creek spey rod. It is a very fast European action type rod. For its price, it is exceptionally crisp, kind of like a downsized version of a Sage 8129-4 ZAXIS.  It rocks with both a 480-grain or a 510-grain Skagit Compact and 150-grain Rio sink tip. I liked the 510 better. This outfit threw 4" flies as far as I could control the shooting line...easy...wham bam. There are a number of distinguishing features to the Deer creek Series of rods. After inspecting the flawless deep maroon finish, tasteful appointments and banded cork work, you will no doubt realize that the handle is unusually small in diameter. At first it felt alien. It was only after experimenting and analyzing a variety of casting strokes, that became apparent that to drive this vehicle you need only finger tip control. This rod has an action that demands that the caster conserves energy.  If line speed is the measure of worth, this rod at $339.95 it is a bargain!
Comes with Cordura covered hard case & sock.
Rod Weight: 8.7 ounces

TFO 08 133 4POF Skagit Spey Outfit

Its the age-old formula... find the moving water and find the fish. Tides and currents - they're the keys to saltwater fly fishing. Where current meets still water or dissimilar currents converge, edges are created and the bait is trapped. It s these edges that fly fishers seek... the "crosscurrents" where fish and fly meet!
Saltwater fly fishing is a passion - it's advantage fish, not angler. A fanatical pursuit with zeal fueled by the degree of difficulty required to reach the ultimate goal. It's fast fish and skinny water for some... big fish and blue water for others. Sometimes it's finesse and long leaders, but most of the time it's brute strength and power! Creating fly rods for such a demanding fishery requires a lot of dreaming and a lot of fishing. The final result is the most advanced and uniquely different series of fly rods ever. Messrs. Pallot, Wejebe, Rajeff and Loomis and a cast of hundreds shared their angling and casting expertise to help create the new

It started this way: Kevin Thompson, the Nautilus rep, stopped by the shop one afternoon with a bag full of shiny new reels.  He said, "These are the greatest fly fishing reels in the world, bar none."  Well of course he said that. He's a rep. It's his job.
I said, "I already have a house full of reels and I don't need more inventory to keep track of.  The reels we have are selling fine."  He said, "These Nautilus Reels have a completely sealed waterproof drag system."  I said, "I have heard that song and dance before."  He said, "What does it take to convince you?"  I said, "Score me a big spey reel and then come back and see me next year."
So he did.  Here is the rest of the story:  A year passed and the Nautilus #12 he gave me has landed many steelhead without the slightest malfunction.  Yup, we are now Nautilus dealers.  We still have too much inventory, but it looks like the Nautilus Reels are here to stay.  Some other brand of reel is probably going away.  "Oh, yes I realize that the fish I'm holding at left isn't that big. But, it is the 20th steelhead caught on that Nautilus reel. ("No it's not the one the rep gave me. That one has caught more. It is silver colored. And after the second season, it is in perfect working order.")
Steelhead fishing is hard on reels.  Deep wading with a reel often submerged may be harder on a reel than fishing for big ocean fish, which is usually done from a boat.  At any rate keeping water off the drag surfaces has to be a plus for smooth operation. Nautilus CCF are the top selling steelhead reels at our shop.
Now the third and fourth year have passed: Clients are still using my original reel and it is still working perfectly. We have tested Nautilus reels on all manner of fresh water fish and found none of them were a challenge to any Nautilus. We have also put Nautilus Reels to the test against Sailfish, Marlin, Dorado, Rooster, Bonefish, Tarpon, Snook, and many other saltwater fish...no problems!