The Redington Prospector Delivers on the Promise
OK, I RESISTED THIS FOR A TITLE BUT SOMEONE IS BOUND TO SAY IT SO IT MIGHT AS WELL BE ME. THE REDINGTON PROSPECTOR STRIKES GOLD.
At least the 4 weight does. This light weight switch rod is one of the best trout rods I’ve fished in a while. I’ll qualify that later but for now let me say that at $370 this versatile little rod, in no way feels like a compromise.
Redington is known for inexpensive fly rods and in the past not always for quality. That started to change a few years ago when the Predator started turning up in the hands of serious anglers. Not too long ago their two handed rods were not worth talking about at all, but Redington has clearly made rod design a priority and that has paid off in the Prospector.
The rod I tested is the 4 weight (remember that’s 4 weight on the Spey scale so more like a 5 1/2 for a single hander) it’s 10′ 9″, weighs 5.3 oz and is designed to cast a 275 grain line. Redington calls it a medium-fast action but I’d call it a true medium and I mean that as a compliment. I know too many guys who get excited about fast action rods only to overline them to slow them down. I’ll not get on my soap box at this point, I’ll just say that a rod weight should mean something and this one does.
The quality of the components and construction seems quite good and the cosmetics are surprisingly nice. The rod is finished all black, including the reel seat, with a few gold and white accent wraps and although the finish is not flawless, I did have to use a 6X magnifier to find the one or two purely cosmetic issues. Even the rod sock is an upgrade. That’s impressive for under $400.
Both grips feature composite cork accents which make for a handsome rod. The forgrip is a full Wells and measures 10 3/4″. The butt grip measures 3 5/8″ and including the reel seat the total grip length is 17 7/8″, which is very comfortable for casting with two hands or one.
The Prospector’s balance and light weight make it an incredibly fishable rod. This may be its greatest strength. It’s a switch rod designed for trout fishing and it offers a wealth Continue reading
Sunday Classic / A Closer Look, The Silver King
Tarpon are the stuff of dreams. To look at one, it’s hard to believe that they’re not made of metal. It’s even harder to believe when you try to put a hook in one! Continue reading
Saturday Shoutout / Alaska on My Mind
IT’S ALMOST THAT TIME. ALASKA IS JUST AROUND THE CORNER.
Here are three great articles on why you want to catch Alaska rainbows, what you want fish for them and how you could win a free trip. Continue reading
Tie Twice the Flies in Half the Time
If you tie flies and you’re looking for a way to increase your fly output, I’ve got a great fly tying tip for you today. I personally don’t have the luxury of extra time on my hands these days with running two companies and managing my family time. When my fly boxes start getting bare, I have to restock them as fast as possible. For years, I’ve been an advanced fly tier but I’ve never been one of those guys who can rip out a dozen flies in thirty minutes. I take that back, I can bust out a dozen san juan worms in thirty minutes, but that goes for most of us. For more complex fly patterns, it can be very beneficial to us if we take the time to get organized prior to wrapping the thread on the hook. Continue reading
Attractor Flies in Tandem Rigs
A LARGE PART OF FLY FISHING IS PROBLEM SOLVING.
Problems are just part of the game and the better you are at solving them, the more effective an angler you will be. Often the solutions require tactics that are unusual or counter intuitive. When fish are being stubborn a creative solution may be just what is needed.
On our recent trip to the Owyhee River in Oregon, Kent and I encountered such a problem. The Owyhee (the part we were fishing) is a tailwater. It’s a highly pressured and very technical fishery full of picky brown trout. That’s a big enough problem but there were other factors we were dealing with as well.
The Owyhee has an amazingly abundant insect population and the insects are very small. This means that your #22 fly is competing for the fish’s attention with thousands of tasty naturals. The fish do not have to move for food so the only way to feed them is to put the fly right on their nose.
No problem, and anglers generally do this by targeting rising fish because the waters of the Owyhee are stained with dissolved lime and calcium carbonate, a very fine silt that does not settle and gives the water an opaque green tint. The color makes it nearly impossible to sight fish when there are no fish rising. When we were there strong winds had put off the hatches so we were fishing blind. We were catching fish fairly regularly by reading water and being persistent and observant, but I kept thinking there had to be a better approach. Continue reading