DEMYSTIFLY

Intro/Specs/Craftsmanship There's a new Crown in town. Stealthy and simplistic, Cortland Crown fly reels are back on the scene looking to offer anglers a quality alternative without breaking the bank. They may lack the exotic, intricate looks of reels costing three times as much, but I've been impressed more than once by the performance of both rods and reels with subdued looks and affordable price points. Could the new Crown be another one of these surprising reels? Reel Siz

It's safe to say that Cortland REALLY brought the goods this year. From a big push on the conventional side to an even bigger product release for us fly anglers, it was evident they've been BUSY as of late. Interested? Here's a complete rundown of all the latest fly fishing gear from lines and leaders to rods and reels! Price: $79.95 Price: $89.95 Price: $89.95 Price: $79.95 Price: $79.95 Price: $99.95 Price: $99.95 Price: $37.95 Price: from $19.15 Price: $10.95 Price: $13.95

Intro/Specs/Craftsmanship Back when I started fly fishing in the early 90's, I remember the top fly lines costing around 60$ or so. Were there more expensive lines? Perhaps. As both a kid and a newbie, I wasn't super aware or knowledgeable of the market quite yet, but at that age the cost still seemed relatively high. Well, have you seen what top tier fly lines cost nowadays? I've reviewed a few of them right here on Demystifly. I'll start off by saying that the ones I've tri

Intro/Specs/Craftsmanship Several months ago, the good folks at Cortland sent over two lines for me to test: Quick Descent 24 in a 7/8 (250 grains) and Compact Sink Type 3 7/8 (275 grains). As we've said many times, a sinking line can be an absolute necessity for getting the fly down into the strike zone effectively under certain conditions! Quick Descent 24- Rated for both warm and cold temps, this line is built on a braided multifilament core. Sporting an orange running por

Intro/Specs/Craftsmanship Flats fishing and just sight-fishing in general are games of stealth. The water is shallow, typically clear, and the fish don't often come easily. Because of this, everything from flats skiffs to clothing are designed to be subtle so you remain undetected. By the same token, fly lines for tropical flats fishing conditions are often designed with muted, natural colors to help them blend-in to the surrounding water. This is great from a stealthy perspe

Here in Florida, the intense heat and humidity during summer can turn the average fly line into a sticky mess. It takes a specialized "tropical" type of fly line to withstand these harsh conditions and remain user-friendly. Over my years of fishing down here, I have tried several types of these specialized lines ranging from offerings geared towards bonefishing to more general-purpose tapers. Most of these lines have at least been good, but there's always a few that make the

GT/Tuna- Built for big flies and big game, these 100-foot-long floating lines utilize Cortland's new Grip Set technology coupled with a braided nylon multifilament core boasting 50+ pounds of breaking strength and great abrasion resistance. Featuring a yellow running line and a light-blue head, GT/Tuna lines also tout a tropic plus jacket to withstand harsh conditions. $89.95 Tropic Compact- This new line sports a short, aggressive head to beat the wind and toss chunky flies.