Orvis Buys Ross and SA. Do We Care?
BY NOW I’M SURE EVERYONE KNOWS THAT ORVIS HAS PURCHASED ROSS AND SCIENTIFIC ANGLERS FROM 3M. DO WE CARE?
Well, some of us do and there seems to de a division of opinions. When I started asking friends what they thought of the deal it didn’t take long for the words “dog bed” to come up. It’s a widely held assumption, especially with folks on the west coast, that a company can’t make a good fly rod and a good dog bed at the same time. There are even bumper stickers available slamming Orvis for not being a “real fly fishing co.” Frankly, I disagree with this assertion, and I’m going to tell you why.
Before I do I would like to acknowledge that Orvis is one of our advertisers. Please take a minute to click on their ad. That’s how we get paid, or hope to at least. My opinions on this subject have nothing to do with Orvis’ support of G&G. I’ve been making this argument for a long time and the Ross SA deal is just fuel on the fire.
Is Orvis a real fly fishing company?
Founded in 1856 and selling fishing and hunting gear exclusively, Orvis is the oldest mail order retailer in the U.S. In 1874, Charles Orvis designed and sold what has been called, the first modern fly reel. In the 1870s the fly fishing arm of Orvis was taken over by Mary Orvis, daughter of Charles, who published a landmark book of fly patterns. In the 1940s Orvis and rod maker Wes Jordan introduced the impregnated bamboo rod. Charles Orvis started donating company profits to conservation efforts in the 1800s and to this day Orvis gives 5% of its pre tax profits to conservation. That was a gift of over $10 million last year. In 1966 Orvis opened its first fly fishing school to bring new anglers into the sport and I believe it was some time in the mid 1980s when the company sold its first dog bed. WTF! does it take to be a real fly fishing company?
Should we examine 3M’s record?
Read More »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
Read More »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!
Read More »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.
Sunday’s Classic / Covering a Hatch From Top to Bottom
Have you ever been standing in the river watching a big hatch unfold with rising fish all around you but no matter how hard you try you can’t get the feeding fish to eat? Covering and hatch from top to bottom starts with you first having the correct fly patterns on hand. When you know you’re going to encounter a specific hatch on the water, always carry multiple variations (colors, sizes) and stages (nymph, emerger, dun, spinner) to make sure your bases are covered. Trout can get really picky during selective feeding and if you don’t have a deep enough bench of fly patterns you very well could miss out on all the action.
Read More »Saturday’s Shoutout / 2 Alternative Species During Runoff, TFM’s Soft-Hackle Bee
This week’s Saturday Shoutout we talk about two alternative species to chase during spring runoff in and around Jackson, WY and TFM’s step by step tie recipe for a realistic soft-hackle bee that’s actually quick and easy to tie.
Read More »Seven Places the Locals Eat and Drink in the Lower Keys
IT’S TARPON SEASON, AND IF YOU HAVE ANY SENSE AT ALL, YOU’RE HEADED TO THE FLORIDA KEYS FOR SOME LINE BURNS. SINCE YOU CAN’T FISH TWENTY-FOUR HOURS A DAY, YOU MIGHT AS WELL HAVE A DRINK AND SOMETHING GOOD TO EAT. HERE ARE A FEW OF THE PLACES THE LOCALS, AND THE SAVVY VISITORS ENJOY.
BIG PINE RESTAURANT
Comfortable and unassuming, the Big Pine offers great food at a reasonable price. It’s a favorite breakfast spot for the local guides but it’s great for dinner too and you won’t feel out of place in your fishing clothes. They’ll even pack you a sandwich to take on the boat. 29943 Overseas Hwy, Big Pine Key, FL (305) 872-2790
THE WHARF BAR AND GRILL
A casual spot where fun is pretty much mandatory, The Wharf serves a great assortment of fresh local seafood and decadent desserts. There’s a full bar sporting daily drink specials and notoriously tasty margaritas. Sit outside under the palms when the weather is nice. 25163 Overseas Hwy, Summerland Key, FL (305) 745-3322 www.wharfbarandgrill.com
THE SQUARE GROUPER BAR AND GRILL
A classy place, in spite of being named after the floating bails of pot that frequent the Florida cost, the Grouper is as close to a white linen table cloth as you’ll find in this part of the Keys. Chef Lynn Bell may serve the best seafood on the keys but there’s plenty of red meat and fowl options, including roast duck as well as some very good vegetarian dishes. Everything at the Grouper is outstanding down to the fabulous desserts and craft cocktails. 22658 Overseas Hwy, Cudjoe Key, FL (305) 745-8880 www.squaregrouperbarandgrill.com
Sunday Classic / The Original Eyewear For The Flats
Bonefish are just cool. They never cease to amaze me. Like all fish, they are perfectly adapted to their environment and in their environment you need a competitive edge. Right in the middle of the food chain, the bonefish has to get in, get fed, and get out in a hurry, before he becomes somebody else’s lunch. To do that, he needs keen eyesight, a hard nose, a turbo charged tail stroke and some high-tech eye wear. I handled hundreds of bones before I ever noticed the eye glass, and a few more before I captured a good photo of it. It’s so clear and flawless that the light and the angle you look at the fish need to be just right to see it. It is a slick outer lens that covers a good portion of the bonefishes face and encapsulates it’s eye. If you study it’s profile you will see that it turns the bonefish’s already sleek profile into a perfectly hydrodynamic projectile. The equivalent of cycle racers shaving their legs.
No doubt, this aids in the bone’s remarkable speed, but that’s just part of the story. The eyeglass serves a much larger purpose. The bonefish has
Read More »Saturday Shoutout / The Films of Camp 4
On our recent adventure for BF Goodrich’s Playground Earth we had the good fortune to work with the incredibly talented folks from Camp 4 Collective, a group of athlete/cinematographers based in Salt Lake City UT. I know from the emails and comments that we have received that many of you are as eager to see the footage as we are. Well, almost as eager.
While we all wait for the editing to be done, I thought I’d share some of Camp 4’s amazing work. While none of it is fly fishing, you can’t help but be moved by the beauty an drama of these incredible films. I can’t wait to see what they have done with our, considerably more humble, adventure.
Read More »Fly Patterns 2013 – G&G Top Picks
I told everyone a while back that I would be writing a post showcasing Gink & Gasoline’s top fly pattern picks for 2013. The flies below caught our eyes and we wanted to share them with the community. We hope everyone finds this post helpful and gets excited about adding some of these great patterns to your fly boxes for the 2013 fly fishing season. Match the number by each fly in the header photo with the quick links below for more information about the fly patterns, creators and fly manufacturers.
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