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Salad Bar
LATEST RELEASES
SALAD BAR
SIMMS - FLYWEIGHT PACK FISHING VEST
Are you built like a trail-running racing snake? Do you like to head up distant valleys for unpressured fishing, with just the bare essentials on you? Then we think you need to take a gander at the Flyweight Pack Fishing Vest from Simms. Super lightweight, low-bulk and customizable, it’s designed to fit more like a garment than a pack and offers easy access to essential fishing gear. Its tough 420-denier CORDURA® and lightweight 210-denier nylon ripstop with polyurethane coating is highly durable and weather-resistant; while the mesh shoulder harness is lightweight and breathable. The easy-access roll-top design compresses or expands to accommodate various-sized gear loads. Exterior straps cinch down the roll-top opening. The fully adjustable, lowprofile shoulder harness fits close to the body and evenly distributes weight on the trail. The shoulder harness sports both Simms’ 5.11® HEXGRID® panel and stretch mesh pockets that can accommodate multiple attachments and accessories. Because we are effectively human camels, our favourite feature is the 2-liter HydraPak® reservoir. simmsfishing.com, frontierflyfishing.com
HATCH OUTDOORS - NIPPER 3
Ditch the blunt toenail tools and upgrade to these wonderfully over-engineered beauties from Hatch. With an new ergonomic shape, crafted from 6061-T6 aluminum, protected with type II Anodize, and finished with a misted texture for ideal grip, the Hatch 3 feel solid in the hand, but the function is as good as the form. The tungsten carbide cutters, powered by a new 302 stainless steel spring, ensure you can take care of anything from 7x and hefty fluorocarbon tag ends, while there’s also a needle post sized for cleaning eyelets. hatchoutdoors.com,
upstreamflyfishing.co.za PATAGONIA – TRAVEL ROD ROLL
We love the look of the rod-carrying solution from Patagonia made from 100% postconsumer recycled polyester ripstop with a TPU-film laminate, upcycled from leftover material from Patagonia’s Black Hole bag range. With room for up to four fly rods, the roll features internal daisy chains to help secure rods, while exterior compression straps can be used to set up a rod station when not traveling. Black Hole side panels keep elements out and add extra security to rods while rod roll is rolled up and in use. This product is also Fair Trade Certified™ sewn, which means the people who made it earned a premium for their labor. patagonia.com, xplorerflyfishing.co.za
ORVIS – PRO MEN’S SUN HOODIE
As fly anglers who spend all day in the sun, staying cool has become a priority, especially as the planet gets hotter and hotter. Orvis’s Pro Men’s Sun Hoodie is made for intense tropical sun, humidity and heat. The Polartec® Power Grid™ bi-component knit fabric spreads moisture quickly over a large area helping with rapid evaporation and enhanced cooling, while it also has the highestrated UPF 50+ for maximum sun protection. Gussets in the underarms facilitate Usain Bolt levels of freedom of movement, there’s a hidden zip pocket in the side-seam, integrated thumbholes on the sleeves for back-of-hand sun protection and Polygiene® odor control for extended wear ensures you don’t sit alone at lunchtime. orvis.com,
flyfishing.co.za
HARELINE – FLY TYING MATERIAL KIT WITH PREMIUM TOOLS AND VISE
Thinking of getting yourself or someone else a comprehensive fly tying kit for Christmas? Check out Hareline’s Premium kit which includes a complete material selection (48 different materials including premium hooks and Veevus threads), a 60-page pattern book and Griffin’s high quality USA-made tools and fly tying vise.
hareline.com, frontierflyfishing.com
XPLORER – BEADS
We all love a draaaaflaaa, but the fact is the vast majority of fish feed below the surface and if your nymph game is strong you will catch a ton more fish than a dry fly purist if there’s fokkol happening up top. If you have some production nymph tying on the horizon, check out the large range of tungsten beads Xplorer have. From slotted to cyclops beads, in sizes 2mm, 2,5 mm, 3 mm and 3,5 mm and in 18 different colours, they’ve got you covered. Note, do not Google ‘(E)xplorer + beads’ as that might take you to a corner of the Interwebs you’re not ready for.
xplorerflyfishing.co.za
LATEST RELEASES SALAD BAR
THOMAS & THOMAS - CONTACT II
T&T’s second generation Contact rods, the Contact II have developed a proper fanbase among euronymphers and are in huge demand. The blank is constructed from five different types of premium carbon and fibreglass, bound together at strategic angles with T&T’s proprietary aerospace resin system, to produce a blank with phenomenal strength, sensitivity and accuracy. The guide spacing has also been optimised so there is decreased line sag between your hand and the first guide. Throw in a downlocking reel seat on the 2-4 -weight models, black RECoil snake guides, brown and olive thread wraps and you have an understated beauty of a rod that should result in a ton of great fishing (if you know what you’re doing). Available in 10-foot, 2, 3 and 4-weights from Upstream Fly Fishing. thomasandthomas. com, upstreamflyfishing.co.za
ORVIS - BATTENKILL FLY REELS
If fly fishing runs in your family, then there’s a good chance someone from an earlier generation owned a Battenkill and that the generation below yours will also have Battenkills. It’s that level of classic. Machined from durable, heavy-duty bar-stock aluminium, the all-new ultra-lightweight Battenkill still looks as stylistically timeless as you’d expect, but houses a technically enhanced, four-position click-and-pawl drag system that is adjusted internally and is designed to work in tandem with the palm of your hand on those screaming runs. Constructed with a narrow spool for less line stacking on retrieve and a larger spool diameter for higher line retrieval rates, the Battenkill balances perfectly on shorter rods. orvis.com, flyfishing.co.za
ORVIS - HYDROS® REELS
Blessed be the tinkerers, for they are constantly improving on classics. Like the new Orvis Hydros reel, which has had any unnecessary material removed to further lighten it, while the narrow spool has been stiffened to lessen line stacking. Then the drag knob got tweaked (our art director’s favourite kink) to make it ergonomically accessible. The seal on the sealed drag also got an upgrade that further protects the clutch bearing and the reel foot was made less kinky for leaders. As for this reel’s main business - the fully sealed drag with stacked carbon and stainless steel disc washers is still one of the strongest in the industry, with zero start-up inertia. orvis.com, flyfishing.co.za
LATEST RELEASES
SALAD BAR
PELAGIC GEAR - EXO-TECH AMBUSH CAMO HOODY
Talk about technical, Pelagic’s Exo-tech Hoody could be the Transformer of your fishing wardrobe. Part sunshirt, part fishing shirt, part hoody, part face shield – it’s designed to create a force-field between your skin and the sun’s damaging UV rays. Features include a built-in mesh faceshield, a vented mesh hoodie and a large front secure zipper storage pocket. pelagicgear.com, safarioutdoor.co.za
PATAGONIA - STEALTH HIP PACK
While we have drowned enough phones and cameras to be properly paranoid about wanting waterproof bags, the truth is that you don’t always need them. One of the many things we like about Patagonia’s new Stealth Hip Pack is that there is a removable waterproof pocket that can be stored inside or outside the pack. In fact, the whole pack has been designed by someone who clearly fishes a lot. From the 11 litre capacity, to the way the large main compartment is divided into sections, to the zippered pockets on the belt straps, the end pocket on the pack that can house a jacket or a water bottle or the multiple D-rings, docking stations and sleeves designed to keep any of your equipment—even a net – close at hand. Made with 100% recycled nylon ripstop with a polyurethane coating on one side and a TPU coating on the reverse, it’s also Fair Trade Certified™ sewn as you we have come to expect from Patagonia. patagonia.com,
xplorerflyfishing.co.za
HOWLER BROTHERS - SHOALWATER TECH PANTS
Maybe it’s because we’re from South Africa, but when we think about fishing, we tend to visualize ourselves fishing in shorts (we’ve got great cankles ok?). The reality is, especially when fishing in incredibly hot destinations, we are getting incrementally smarter. That means we increasingly fish in longs, because A) sunburn/cancer and B) multiday comfort due to avoiding serious sunburn/thorns etc. Howler Bros Shoalwater Tech Pants are designed for exactly that job plus you can wear them amongst non-fishing mortals without looking odd. Lightweight, amphibious and tough as nails, these 85% nylon, 15% spandex quick-drying pants are made of a 4-way stretch nylon-spandex blend with articulated knee and crotch gussets for freedom of movement and comfort, rear zipper and pliers pocket, drawcord waistband and bungee closure at bottom hem. A front seam velcro phone pocket and zippered stretch pocket completes the package. Your legs will thank you. howlerbros.com, upstreamflyfishing.co.za
FISHPOND - TACKY FLY BOXES
When Fishpond bought Tacky in 2019, we didn’t see it coming, but in retrospect the acquisition makes perfect sense. Fishpond have always been about innovative, sustainable design and in Tacky they found kindred spirits. From the colour scheme to the use of recycled polycarbonate boxes, to the patented silicone anchoring technology or the latchless magnetic closure, the range of new boxes (available at Frontier Fly Fishing) are the ultimate lovechild of Tacky and Fishpond banging two years ago. If you were onboard the Tacky train before the acquisition, you might want to check out the Original Fly Box-2X. It sports all the nifty features of the Original Box but with double the space, holding up to 336 flies. If you want one box to cover pretty much every situation, check out the Double Haul Fly Box. With capacity for over 287 flies, you can load one side with nymphs, the other with dries and want for nothing all day. Lastly, if you’re looking for a bigger box, perfect for your bonefish flies, check out the Pescador Large. From crabs and shrimp to mediumsized baitfish, you’ll have everything on hand to fool even the most selective fish. If you’re in the fresh it will happily house your larger dries and streamers. It holds up to 238 flies, but an optional add-on fly page increases capacity to 532. fishpondusa.com, frontierflyfishing.com
PELAGIC GEAR - BAJA STRAW SUNHATFISH CAMO
Headwear is a highly personal thing, but when it’s hot as Hades out there, the one style that trumps all others from truckers to flat caps and floppies, is a massive straw hat. Pelagic’s Baja Straw Fishing Hat is a 100% Natural Fiber “lifeguard-style”, full-brim sun protection hat that features a front PVC rubber marlin and tuna patch with custom Pelagic elastic sweatband on the inside and their Ambush Camo print on the under-brim. It looks like it comes with a Caipirinha mixing set for beach cocktails, but it doesn’t. pelagicgear.com, safarioutdoor.co.za
UMPQUA - ZS2 OVERLOOK 500 CAMO CHEST KIT Like chest packs, but hate the neck strain and visibility issues they sometimes come with? Umpqua’s resolves both with a 4-point harness attachment and sleek, tapered face. Plus you get to choose which back option you prefer, either a flat mesh back or a full 550 cubic inch back with net holster. Throw in multiple ZeroSweep features like two retractor stations for nippers and floatant, ambidextrous hemostat station, foam fly patch and a tippet holder and your accessories are well covered. The molle modular attachment station allows you to integrate the Overlook with other ZS2 accessories. umpqua.com, safarioutdoor.co.za
