L AT ES T R E L E A S ES
SALAD BAR THOMAS & THOMAS - SEXTANT Send out the dancing monkeys, release the freedom doves and toss that confetti, because Thomas & Thomas have just released their latest premium saltwater range, the Sextant. Technically, Sextants already existed at T&T in the shape of rodmaker Troy Jacques’ bamboo Sextant rods (see the Slamboo story in issue 26). This new carbon Sextant range of 9-foot rods is, as you might imagine, a lot quicker. The T&T team construct the Sextants with a special reinforcement strategy that enhances the strength and recovery properties of the rod’s unidirectional fibres. This means upgraded performance in the overall efficiency of all the rod sections, giving the angler better accuracy and distance. We’ve been testing the 7-weight on spotted grunter on the Breede river (full review to come) and have loved the rod so far. Capable of dealing with the bastard winds of the Overberg, we were able to send out long lines as well as drop accurate casts on tailing fish close-in. It’s a looker too, with classy detailing from blue thread wraps and green accents to the deep blue primary blank colour, corrosionresistant titanium stripping guides with premium silicone nitride inserts (designed to reduce friction and improve your ability to shoot line), natural finish nickel-titanium RECoil snake guides and a matte titanium uplocking anodized reel seat. The Sextant sports a Full Wells Cork grip and fighting butt (models 9-12-weight sport a 1.25” composite reinforcement on the grip). Available from 5-weight to 12-weight. thomasandthomas.com
“UPGRADED PERFORMANCE IN THE OVERALL EFFICIENCY OF ALL THE ROD SECTIONS, GIVING THE ANGLER BETTER ACCURACY AND DISTANCE”
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SQUIRREL NUT BUTTER – CHAFE SALVE There are a few things that can ruin a great fishing trip in no time – like typhoons, government coups and chafe. There you are, happily fishing yourself into a coma, when all of a sardine there’s a slight rubbing in the general thigh/crotch area. You’ve been wading, in and out of the water all day so your skin has that devil’s slurry of suncream, sweat, sand, salt, hair and maybe even some sunburn. You start to walk a little funny, rearranging your shorts to mitigate the chafe, but it won’t help. That’s where the wunder-product of Squirrel Nut Butter can be an absolute lifesaver. SNB is made from all natural ingredients like coconut oil, cocoa butter, beeswax and vitamin e oil. They even have a vegan version (minus the beeswax) and a footcare salve too. Prevention is better than cure, so apply SNB to areas susceptible to chafe before fishing and you will never be bothered by chafe again. If you already have chafe, it will help make walking and wading bearable. Beloved by trailrunners and cyclists, this stuff is now our go-to chafe salve too. squirrelsnutbutterafrica.com SEMPERFLI - PREDATOR FIBERS What’s 18-inches long, comes in a range of colours and packs a lot of action? If you are pure of mind and guessed Semperfli’s Predator Fibres, you would be the proud owner of a corduroy lounge suite if this were a gameshow. Somewhere between marabou and bucktail in terms of movement, Semperfli’s Predator Fibres are brilliant hydrophobic synthetic material perfect for imitating baitfish but versatile enough to be used as winging material too. Strong and light, the hydrophobic nature of the fibres allows you to shed water on your backcast and achieve greater distance. Available in an array of colours, all you need to decide is what tone matches your local baitfish the best. semperfli.net, xplorerflyfishing.co.za
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