11 minute read
Salad Bar
LATEST RELEASES 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
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
ORVIS – CHEST-HIP PACK
There’s something to be said for applying the KISS (Keep It Simple Stupid) principle when you know exactly what to expect from a session on the water. That’s what Orvis’s Chest/Hip Pack was designed for. At 3L it still has ample space for all the essentials and can be worn on your hip, slung over your shoulder or kept on your chest. It even snaps right on to the front straps of Orvis’s Bug-Out Backpack if you are taking on a bigger trek, but want to fish en route. Well-thought-out and versatile, its features include a ‘Tippet Whippet’ recessed docking station (with tippet bar included so you can easily access up to six spools), a large main compartment with multiple internal pockets, a top fly patch, side forceps dock and a zinger/nipper pass-through port. What more do you need? orvis.com, flyfishing.co.za
PATAGONIA – WOMEN’S SWIFT CURRENT WADERS
One of the hero products of Patagonia’s spiffy new Swiftcurrent range, the women’s Swiftcurrent waders boast a female-specific design with fish-forward features, easy movement and comfort no matter the conditions. These waders are rich in features, from an innovative rear-buckle system that provides a drop-seat function for quick relief (without having to remove clothes or have your wader suspenders get in the way). Then there’s a reach-through kangaroo pocket and a horizontal zip chest pocket both to keep hands warm and give you easy access to essentials while a secure, waterproof, zippered pocket flips out for easy access to your phone or car keys. But wait, there’s more! Two drop-in pockets provide plenty of space for a fly box, tippet or gloves and two internal daisy chains keep your tools handy. As we have come to expect from Patagonia, these waders are made with at least 70% recycled fabric. patagonia.com
SEMPERFLI - DIRTY BUG YARN
You try telling a dragonfly nymph that it is just ‘green’ or ‘brown,’ because the truth is bugs often tend to be a mix of colours. Recognising these blinkers, Semperfli have developed their Dirty Bug Yarn range, which is a buggy, natural-looking 2-ply yarn incorporating the multiple colours found on insects and invertebrates, whether you are tying shrimps, baetis nymphs, caddis nymphs it does not matter. Simply use it as a dubbing rope or break it apart to make a bespoke dubbing to match your local bugs. semperfli.net,
xplorerflyfishing.co.za
LATEST RELEASES SALAD BAR
REDINGTON - PREDATOR SEA SPRAY FLY ROD
Time and again we are impressed by the value and performance you get from Redington and with their fastaction Predator range of rods it’s no different, especially if you are looking to tackle the rough and ready conditions of the South African coastline. With a range that stretches from 5-weights to 16-weights, it’s the 9-weight that Xplorer Fly Fishing stocks in a Sea Spray colour application (where no two rods are alike), that speaks to us as a go-to-wand for local salt. All components are saltwater ready from the anodized machined aluminium reel seat to the aluminium oxide stripping guides with ceramic inserts and hard wire anodized snake guides for durability. The rod’s powerful fast action handles big flies (hello DMAs), heavy lines and aggressive fighting fish. Did we mention the lifetime warranty? redington.com, xplorerflyfishing.co.za
LOON OUTDOORS – ROGUE SCISSOR FORCEPS
Poke the eye, crimp the barbs, cut the tippet, remove that Mrs. Simpson from your ear – these large, durable hemostats from Loon Outdoors are designed to be a versatile extension of your fishing brain. At 5.5” long, they are made of surgical quality stainless steel and have a stealthy matte black rust-resistant finish. They feature a comfy grip with extra tackiness (so you don’t drop them in the drink as we have been known to do), locking handles, a sharp cutting edge and a half smooth, half serrated jaw. loonoutdoors.com, frontierflyfishing.co.za
RIO - FLUOROFLEX STRONG TIPPET
We’ve all been there, agonising streamside over whether to go 4x or 5x, 5x or 6x, depending on the mood, strength, spookiness and bastard nature of the fish we are targeting. With their new Fluoroflex Strong Tippet, Rio have made our decision-making easier by giving us half-sizes for when you know that extra strength or thinner diameter will make all the difference to the fish (or your confidence). As for the tippet itself, with its high break strength to diameter ratio, Fluoroflex Strong boasts an exceptionally high tensile strength, plus it is easy to tie knots in. rioproducts.com, xplorerflyfishing.co.za
SCIENTIFIC ANGLERS – TIPPET RINGS
Small, strong, lightweight and hardly there, like Manny Pacquiao in camo, tippet rings give you that easy leader to tippet connection without having to sacrifice portions of your expensive leader each time you want to adjust your rig. Light enough for use with dry flies, these tiny black nickel rings save you time on the water and money in the bank. Pre-rig the set-ups you are most likely to use that day on rigging foam and away you go. Available in 2 sizes: Small (2mm, 17lb test) and Medium (2.5mm, 26lb test). frontierflyfishing.co.za,
scientificanglers.com
LATEST RELEASES SALAD BAR
WATERWORKS LAMSON – LITESPEED F
It’s simple to dismiss high-end freshwater reels as overly fancy line holders, but the moment you get into a fight with a trophy trout or yellow on light tippet, you’ll understand how essential a good reel can be, both in terms of protecting against break-offs thanks to a smooth drag and in terms of rapid line retrieval. The Litespeed F (or LSF) is the new freshwater version of Waterworks Lamson’s original Litespeed and as such it sports the same sealed conical drag system, plus a click stop drag knob, a unique spring set for even smoother torque progression and a minimalist super arbor frame architecture for rapid line drying and to reduce weight. The result of Waterworks Lamson’s constant refinement and improvement of materials and processes, the USA-made LSF is one of the lightest yet strongest large arbor freshwater reels on the market. Available in Whiskey and Fuego (yes, these are legitimate colours). frontierflyfishing.co.za,
waterworks-lamson.com
ORVIS - COMPLETE HY-FLOTE® FLOATANT SYSTEM
If you’re the kind of angler who likes to leave nothing to chance, Orvis’s Complete Hy-Flote® Floatant System should speak to your OCD nature, because this handy kit includes everything designed to make flies float from premium gel and paste to powder and fly dryer. The gel is temperature-stable, so it won’t melt in the heat or harden in the cold, while the paste gives tippet, leaders, and your indicator more buoyancy. The powder keeps your flies floating high, has a sparkle attractor and creates a realistic air bubble effect, while the Shake-N-Flote Renew dries flies fast and reinvigorates them. If you cannot get your dries to float using these products, you might want to make sure they are not streamers. orvis.com, flyfishing.co.za
ORVIS – TIPPET TOOL HOLDER
Look, we would have called it the Spool Tool (wiggles eyebrows), but other than that we can’t fault the Orvis Tippet Tool. Strong, lightweight and functional this nifty spool holder is made from anodized machines aluminium and designed to organize and carry up to seven spools. It can be attached to your vest, pack or sling via a carabiner clip or rings. orvis.com, flyfishing.co.za
ORVIS – CARRY-IT-ALL
When you travel to fish, your tackle needs to go somewhere. Sure, rods in rod tubes, reels in their pouches, flies in fly boxes etc, but then what? Does it all go into your day pack? Not enough space. In your cavernous duffel? That works, but it’s not easy to find everything as you dig through a week’s worth of old jocks and socks. The Orvis Carry-It-All bag which was originally designed years ago by Orvis Chairman Perk Perkins to be sure his equipment stayed safe and in his possession on flights to fly-fishing destinations. Because it was so well thought out, it’s been available for almost two decades and now, with a few tweaks, it’s even better. Built from 100% recycled CORDURA® ECO, the Carry It All protects and organizes all your gear. A separate internal zippered storage compartment handles your rods while internal compartments with improved adjustable dividers allow you to customize and stash all of your other gear. Zippered stretch-mesh compartments offer additional divided storage and the main compartment is protected by a lockable zipper. The outer corners of the bag are reinforced for extra protection and there is an external zippered pocket for quick access items like your passport. orvis.com, flyfishing.co.za
SIMMS – MERINO THERMAL OTC SOCKS
Often neglected or deemed an after-thought, socks are the unsung heroes of your coldwater fishing arsenal. They don’t get any glory; the cameos in your goofy hero shots, the shot-out to nonexistent brand sponsors etc, but without quality socks you would quit early and go home blaming the elements. Made o f 81% merino wool, 18% nylon and 1% Lycra® spandex, Simms’ heavyweight, hardworking Merino wool over-the-calf (OTC) socks are naturally wicking and odour resistant, feature a reinforced midfoot support and heel and toe and stretch up over the calves to maximize warmth. You’ll forget to thank them when you land that trophy in frozen conditions, but they’ll know you meant to. simmsfishing.com,
frontierflyfishing.co.za
SIMMS – FLEECE MIDLAYER BOTTOM
Speaking of calves, the rest of your lower body needs protection from the cold too. The Fleece Midlayer Bottom from Simms keeps you cosy in your waders even when your rod guides are freezing up, thanks to a grid-fleece interior that traps heat next to your body without adding bulk or limiting your range of motion. A front zip offers easy access when nature calls. Tapered lower legs integrate easily with boots and waders. You can wear them around the house too. No judgies. simmsfishing.com,
