Now that spring is finally here, its time to head out to your favorite fishing hole. But before you go, be sure you have all the gear you need for a successful outing. Here are our picks for the best new fly fishing gear for spring 2017.
Tenkara Rod Company’s Teton Package
The ancient craft of tenkara fishing recaptures the pure essence of fishing — putting the angler in direct contact with the fly through supple rod and fixed line. While not every fly angler embraces the simple approach of tenkara, everyone can appreciate the convenience of the Mini Teton Rod package offered by The Tenkara Rod. This compact package weighs less than 2 ounces, but provides anglers with a 10.5-foot rod, line, tippet material, and 3 flies. The telescoping rod collapses down to just 10 inches, so it can fit into any backpack, glove compartment, or travel bag. That means anglers can turn any form of travel into a fishing trip with little effort. $249 | tenkararodco.com
Orvis Nippers & Precision Pliers
An angler’s nippers get used more than any other tool they carry so it makes sense to carry a quality nipper that will work day-in and day-out. The new Orvis Nippers feature corrosion-resistant machined aluminum grips, and replaceable hardened steel cutting blades. The powerful leverage of the grips allows the nippers to slice through 30-pound monofilament as easily as 7x tippet material. For bigger tasks, such as removing hooks from tarpon jaws, or securely holding wire bite leaders without damage, the Orvis Precision Pliers meet the challenge. These corrosion-proof machined aluminum pliers sport replacement steel jaw plates and a contoured grip that won’t slip when wet. Nippers: $79; Precision Pliers: $189 | orvis.com
Korkers DarkHorse Wading Boots
Finding the right wading boot can be problematic for fly anglers who trek into their favorite wade-fishing spots or routinely shift from wade-fishing to boat-fishing. The versatile DarkHorse Wading Boots from Korkers solve this dilemma perfectly. The boot itself provides enough structure and support for all-day walking, whether on a trail to the river, or up a riverbed itself. The key to the boots versatility, though, comes from its interchangeable outsoles. When casting from a drift boat or raft, soft rubber soles provide great grip on those vessels, and decent grip in rivers. When purely wade-fishing, step into the felt soles — nothing grips slippery rocks like a thick layer of felt. And when trekking in to remote fishing holes, rubber soles affixed with steel studs provide outstanding traction in both slippery rivers and muddy trails. The boots sport a Boa lace system for a fast, secure fit in all conditions. $180 | korkers.com
Simms G4 Pro Hip Pack
Some of the best fishing holes reside at the end of rough trails, or tough bushwhacking routes. In these cases, savvy anglers carry just the essentials in a stout pack. The G4 Pro Hip Pack proves the perfect tool for the job. A drop-down ‘shelf’ on the front of the pack reveals a fly storage patch and spaces to keep nippers, tippet, and fly floatant at hand as you work on your fly. The pack offers 732 cubic inches of storage space—plenty for all your fishing essentials, plus a lunch and camera. A stretch-mesh side pocket secures a waterbottle. The broad, comfortable hipbelt holds the pack secure in most scenarios, but when the load is heavy and the trail rough, a clip-on shoulder strap provides more stability. $180 | simmsfishing.com
Sage 4250 Reel
The 4200-series reels from Sage earned respect from everyone who tested them. The large-arbor reel picks up line quickly and smoothly, while the milled aluminum body is light, yet strong — a perfect balance to today’s fast and light composite rods. A large drag control knob marked with numeric stops makes fine-tuning line tension a snap. No fumbling for little dials or guessing on settings. Grab, twist and check the number where you want to return to. The reel was well suited to hard-fighting trout, but it earned our respect by the way it handled lunker carp in Potholes of Central Washington. These powerful fish will take line like Caribbean bonefish, and then settle on the bottom like lead boat anchors. The 4250 let them run when appropriate, but cranked them up with ease when necessary. $299 | sageflyfish.com
Redington VICE Rods
The VICE rod series brings fast-action performance to even novice casters. We put a 4-weight VICE in the hands of a novice angler and within minutes, she was casting big dry flies smoothly to rising fish 30 feet away. The rod recovers quickly, helping maintain good line control and casting accuracy. But even as the rookies fell in love with the VICE, the pros found it equally enticing. Several professional guides praised both the casting performance and the action with fish-on. “This is a rod with power, and finesse — just what I want for clients in my boat,” said one guide. The 490-4 model we tested (that is, a 4-weight rod, 9-foot length, in 4 pieces) worked well with dries, dry-droppers, and straight nymphing rigs. We fished skinny mountain streams, and big blue-ribbon drift-rivers. $199 | redington.com
Survival Strap Bracelet
Though not exactly a fishing-specific product, the Survival Strap Bracelet proved its worth during a winter fishing trip down the Yakima River. Though the bracelet is first and foremost a decorative item, it does have a utilitarian foundation—it is braided from a bit more than 15-feet of strong nylon paracord (550-pound test). When our party came across a pair of ‘rafters’ struggling with a cheap inflatable boat, we stopped to provide aid. It seems their ‘raft’ bladder was bulging out of their outer shell and they couldn’t close the huge tear in the nylon shell. My extra rope was too big to use effectively, so I disassembled the Survival Strap and, after poking a series of holes along the edges of the tear in the nylon, we ‘sewed’ the seam together with the paracord. The patch worked well enough to get the recreational boats far enough downstream that they could be safely retrieved by car, and we were able to continue our own outing without having to participate in a full-scale rescue operation. That alone was worth the price of replacing the Survival Strap. $25 | survivalstraps.com
Redington Sonic Pro HDZ Waders
The revised Sonic Pro HDZ Waders provide anglers with all the protection they need when wading and brush-busting trout-rich mountain waters. These tough waders absorbed plenty of abuse as we fought through alder thickets and crawled over abrasive volcanic rocks in Washington’s Cascades to chase native rainbows and coastal cutthroat. The waders withstood all that abuse, with a nary a leak to be found. The Sonic Pro HDZ feature stitch-less seams and a water-tight core zipper that provides both ventilation on hot days, and an easy means to relieve yourself while fishing. Available in 8 sizes to ensure a comfortable fit, the Sonic Pro HDZs fit well and perform flawlessly. $499 | redington.com
Tenkara Rod Co. Landing Net
Tenkara fishing focuses on minimalistic methods, but even minimalists need a net to limit injury to fish. To appease the ‘less is more’ mindset of tenkara purists, the Tenkara Rod Co. offers an ultralight net. At just 12 ounces, the Landing Net appeals to even traditional fly anglers who hike to their fish. I found it an ideal backpacking accessory when heading deep into the wilderness to chase trout in alpine lakes. The carbon fiber frame is light, yet strong, and the 24-inch length is big enough for even the mightiest denizens of the remote waters that you fish. The clear rubber net bag is nearly invisible underwater, and it won’t injure the fish once netted. $99 | tenkararodco.com
Costa Trevally Sunglasses
The ability see fish can be the difference between “catching” and just “fishing.” Quality polarized sunglasses can help anglers see deep into rivers, lakes and oceans and spot the fish they are targeting, but for many women, finding polarized glasses has been an exercise in compromise. Quality lenses weren’t offered in frames that fit small faces. We had a few female anglers check out some recent offering and all agreed: Costa offered the widest selection of polarized glasses in frames designed specifically for women. The Costa Trevally proved especially popular with two of the anglers who have petite, narrow faces. The nylon frames are just 12.2 centimeters wide (4.8 inches) and, even with the glass lenses, are light enough to be worn all day without notice. The polarized copper colored lenses are scratch resistant and perfectly tinted for river fishing in variable light conditions. $219 | costadelmar.com
RIO Coastal QuickShooter Line
Designed for endless emersions in frigid salt water, the Coastal QuickShooter helps anglers power big flies through stiff winds and pounding surf. The line stays supple in cold conditions, and its extra weight-forward design helps load rods faster in tough conditions. The line works perfectly for pursuing sea run cutthroat in Washington’s Hood Canal, Puget Sound, and Pacific beaches. $80 | www.rioproducts.com
Tacky Fly Box
Fly boxes come in all shapes and sizes, utilizing foam, cork, fleece, leather, and magnets to hold flies securely in place. But after decades of trying all kinds of carriers, I found the new Tacky Fly Box the best of the lot. The slim plastic box features a clear cover to allow perusal of your flies without having to open the box. The cover locks in place via magnetic closures. Inside, the box is lined with a silicone pad with teardrop cutouts that hold hooks perfectly secure. The standard Tacky Box holds more than 150 flies, while the Big Bug Box — featuring a deeper box to prevent crushing of big foam hoppers and stoneflies — protects up to 72 beefy flies. $25-$32 | tackyflyfishing.com