Gear Guide: Fly Tackle & Accessories

by

By Perry Mack

Fair Flies Composite Brushes

Best of Show Fly Tying Materials went to Fair Flies for their new composite brushes. Each “brush” is made up of up to five different materials on a stainless-steel wire. You can also use them to make homemade jigs, spinnerbaits, and other types of baits. The ‘Fair’ in the name comes from their fair trade practices. They help raise funds that bring jobs into areas that need living wage income. So far they have worked in Kenya, and Nepal and have visions for Southeast Asian countries like Myanmar, Bangladesh, South Korea, Cambodia, and more.

Fair Flies aims to have over 100 different coloured brushes available. You can also buy their completed flies.

MSRP: $15 - fairflies.com

Flymen Fly Fishing Company Surface Seducer Double Barrel Bass Bug

This little fella popped home with the Best Freshwater Fly award at the 2017 International Fly Tackle Dealer (IFTD) show. The large front cup is designed to create big pops with big splashes. It’s made of tough EVA closed-cell foam so it won’t take on any water while repeatedly triggering hits by predatory fish. A thin coat of flexible epoxy finishes off the Bass Bug keeping it lightweight and easy casting.

MSRP: $5.75 USD - flymenfishingcompany.com

Monic Fly Lines

There are two ways to talk about fly lines - the science and the performance. Monic fly lines deserve both discussions. From a conservation standpoint, Monic fly lines stand apart as there are no harmful chemicals used in the lines. In you care about having plenty of fish for yourself, your kids, and your grandkids – this is important.

But science is a waste of time unless it positively impacts your fishing, and we were fortunate enough to get our hands on Monic’s Impact WF-6-F to see if the science resulted in improved performance.

Monic boasts that their lines are low stretch. So we looked for long, accurate casts and positive hook sets – and we found them. We also found the lines were quick to pick up and cast, which we believe was also due their excellent buoyancy.

They are all-temperature lines, which is especially important in Canada, as temperatures can vary dramatically within days, and the lower and upper temperature limit for activity of your catch can be a difference of 18°C. With the Monic Impact we could confidently fish with one line, changing location and elevation without a noticeable temperature sensitivity.

The lines are some of the highest floating available and we found our dry fly leaders got a good long float and mends casted across the water were more effective. And as mentioned earlier the lines were quick to pick up and cast.

We look forward to testing the durability, abrasion resistance and line memory of Monic Impact (tough job as they say), and expect to as pleased as we were with the other performance features so far. After all, there is some serious science behind the angling engineers that built these lines.

Impact Line Specs:

  • Tip – 1′
  • Front Taper – 5′
  • Belly – 25′
  • Rear Taper – 5′
  • Running Taper – 54′
  • Total Length – 90’/27.5M
  • Available in weight forward floating 3-12
  • Available in weight forward intermediate 6-12

MSRP: $80 - Monic.com

RIO’s InTouch Scandi 3D

It is a shooting head so you need to connect it to a shooting line, and on the front end you can put on sinking versa leaders if you need a bit of extra depth. This is a Scandinavian style shooting head that seamlessly integrates three different densities along the length of the single head for ultimate depth and fly control. This line easily cuts through the wind and current to allow the fly to swing deep without snagging the bottom when the current slows. Built around RIO’s ultra-low stretch ConnectCore, the heads provide enhanced sensitivity, faster hook sets, and total control when fighting fish. There are three different density combinations available.

The floating/hover/intermediate head (F/H/I) is ideal for swinging flies in the top 30 to 90 cm of the water column. The floating back portion makes mending and pickups easy, while the hover mid-section and intermediate tip keeps the fly at the ideal depth for summer steelhead, salmon, and easy flows.

The hover/intermediate/sink 3 head (H/I/S3) is a better choice for deeper presentations or heavier currents with the fly swinging 60 to 150 cm below the surface. The hover back section allows for easy casting and line control, while the intermediate mid-section and sink three tip ensures the fly swings deeper – ideal for faster currents or cooler water temperatures.

The intermediate/sink 3/sink 5 head (I/S3/S5) gets the fly down deep and fast and is a great winter steelhead or back end salmon line. The fast sinking front section allows the fly to swing between one and three metres in depth, yet the graduated density allows for outstanding line control and easy casting.

MSRP: $60 USD - Rioproducts.com

Vedavoo Rod Holder

‘Hands free’ has come to fly fishing with this simple, belt-worn holster for fly rods . Just drop the butt of your rod through the webbing loop, and buckle the strap over the cork to secure your rod (tip up!). It’s great for both fresh- and saltwater anglers who wants a place to secure a rod out of the way while re-rigging, or for those who are working with two rods… one for streamers and another for dries.

MSRP: $25 USD - Vedavoo.com

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