Bass Poppers

New TFO 7’ 6” TiCr X Fun “Guns”
By: Dick Sagara

Sometimes longer is not better.  In fact, at times rods over eight feet can be a real disadvantage. Lefty Kreh, TFO rod designer, reminisces about fishing in Florida with Homer Rhodes and Joe Brooks.  “We used to use short little rods to cast flies up against the mangroves or bridge piling, what great fun!”  The new 7’ 6” six and eight weight TiCr X rods were created with these

experiences in mind. When anglers first test cast the rods, instant smiles came across their faces. They were convinced they would find many uses for a rod capable of casting low, tiny loops in situations where obstacles prevented elevated casting planes. So what specific situations are these rods best suited for?  How about casting under the streamside vegetation at Salmon Fly time where many of the largest fish wait for a tasty morsel to fall on to their dining room table?  Or, when fishing from a fast moving drift-boat, firing quick, tight casts to the bank with an assortment of flies ranging from streamers to

small dries & terrestrials?  It’s a dirty job, but someone has to do it, so my son and I are off to the Deschutes to field test.  I found that the 7’ 6” length was very effective in keeping both back casts and forward casts of the large salmon fly dries in play and out of the trees and vegetation.

 In these situations being able to vary the casting plane from three quarter to sidearm allowed presentations to fish that rarely see anything other than the natural insects.  Be mindful of the length of line needed to be cast and the larger sized flies that will be used to imitate these large bugs.  Much of the salmon fly dry fly fishing is a game of short, precise casts of less than 35 feet.  As the TiCr X rods are fast action rods, I found

it most effective to “up line” the 6 weight rod to a 7 weight line to maximize turning over the larger salmon fly imitations at short distances.  Don’t worry about the weight of line used – only anglers seem to fuss about line designations.  Fish won’t eat what you don’t put in front of them.   Ditto for leader length – no need to handicap yourself with long leaders. Seven and a half foot leaders for this type of fishing work fine. 

Line selection is also critical in maximizing rod performance.  Lines with aggressive front tapers work best to turn over the larger imitations.  The Teeny Long Shot and the new Teeny Pat Ehlers weight forward floating warm water Professional series lines were the go to performers.   Pat Ehlers, one of the highly respected fly shop owners in the Upper Midwest, designed his lines with a longer rear taper to ensure pinpoint accuracy with larger flies.  He also added slightly thicker running line to avoid tangles.  Don’t be deceived by the warm water designation of the line; the line Pat designed have cold water cores. The white Teeny weight forward floating Longshot line has been a favorite of many and also works well in these types of applications.

These new  7 ‘ 6” TiCr X rods are fun, powerful fishing specialty tools. 
Call 1-800-266-3971 if you want one!

Patagonia Watermaster Waders For Women

Test report.     Guy's Watermasters

Patagonia Watermaster Breathable Stocking Foot Chest High Wader are the hippest fashion statement this year.  A huge percentage of the best professional fly fishing guides are gearing for the season with this wader.  This has happened with little sales pitch from the parent company.  It is a grass roots movement.  These waders for whatever reason just appeal to professional guides.  Here are some of the reasons why: 
Patagonia's innovative waders now have a reinforced leg and seat, 21% more puncture-resistant fabric reinforcements and right- and left-specific neoprene feet. They have the most advanced suspension system available. Waist-mounted suspenders allow you to fold down the bib for comfort in warmer weather (and to quickly release water after a spill). 
The anatomically contoured crotch and knees let you move freely even when fully layered up. A gravel-guard cuff (with boot hooks and gripper elastic) seals out grit. Built-in adjustable wading belt and field repair kit included. Guides are also very value conscious. All waders eventually wear out.  It's how many dollars per day for use that is the

issue. All indications are that these waders can take it.  And Patagonia takes care of their customers with great warrantee service.

Designed and produced by tournament caster, Tim Rajeff these four beautiful spey rods spent almost two years in the making.  The Echo "Classic Spey" rods are the culmination of countless hours of tinkering and testing. To say that Tim is a perfectionist is an understatement, and the performance of these rods is a testament to his dedication. Available in four sizes, 6/7, 7/8, 8/9 & 9/10, the rods retail for $269.95 and are all four-piece designs.

I tested the 6/7 and 7/8 models at Spey-O-Rama in San Francisco last May and was immediately impressed.  They are silky smooth, are very easy to time, and have the ability to store and release precisely measured amounts of energy for smooth casts at all normal ranges. 

The Classic Spey Rods were designed to fulfill the niche popularized in the US and Canada by west coast steelheaders. This style of fishing is identified by the use of medium length, moderate action rods. These rods help people feel the rod load during the formation of the "D" loop, which soon results in D-Loops being better formed with less slack.  This feel allows transitioning smoother during the loading of the rod during the acceleration through the forward cast.  The ease in which stored energy can be accumulated results in a more easily controlled stop.  Because of the engineering involved, Tim's rods balance exceptionally well with the size reels that are available for them.

Because of the type of cast and the length and of the weight-forward section of the line, the ECHO Classic two hand rods come in different lengths for each line size. The 6/7 rod is 12'6". The 7/8 rod is 13'0". The 8/9 rod is 13'6". The 9/10 rod is 14'0".

All the ECHO Classic Spey Rods are designed to cast and fish floating lines, sink tip lines, and the popular Skagit lines or Skagit heads. All four models were designed to have similar actions to cast well under the conditions found on most Steelhead rivers. You would choose the rod size to match the length of your cast, the size of the fly, and the size of the fish you expect to catch. These rods are priced so that you can afford more than one. We recommend you buy one of each rod...so you can be sure you have the right rod for the job.

These rods all have chrome plated, stainless steel, single foot snake guides.  The two stripping guides are larger than usual and have stainless steel frames with a highly polished ceramic ring inserts to reduce friction and to provide a lifetime of use. The reel seats are all clear anodized to match the guide color and logo color. The blanks have a deep gloss emerald green finish that will compare to any rods currently made at any price. The handles are comfortable shaped. They allow any caster to move their hands around until they find a place that feels best to them. Every rod has alignment dots that help getting the guides to lined up.  Each rod comes with a sock and a tough Cordura covered, high impact rod case.    MB 06/08/06.