DEMYSTIFLY

Intro/Specs/Craftsmanship Since the beginning of Demystifly, I have reviewed several Douglas Outdoors rods including DXF and Upstream 5-weights along with 7 and 9-weights from their flagship SKY series. I've had great experiences with their products so far, as everything I've fished and handled at shows was put together very well and had the performance to back up all the hype. As good as those rods were, I was really interested in fishing with their new LRS series that was i

Intro/Specs/Craftsmanship The 8-weight fly rod is definitely the majority favorite heavy freshwater and lighter saltwater fly rod, but I've always had a big soft spot for the 9-weight. Despite being less popular overall, that size has always played a key role in my arsenal for fish like stripers, false albacore, and largemouth bass. The 9-weight's advantage comes in the ability to handle a little more wind, larger flies, and bigger fish, yet if you choose your rod wisely, cas

Intro/Specs/Craftsmanship In covering the IFTD show each year, I come across a huge variety of new rods. One thing the sales reps and pros always tell me is to head over to the casting pond and cast their latest and greatest offerings. I always say that I'll be back later, but typically never have the time. The show is a busy, busy time for me and I always work each day until my back and brain call it quits. Unlike last year, this year I DID break away to the casting pond for

This past spring, I was fortunate to receive two demo rods from the crew at Douglas Outdoors: a 5-weight DXF and a 7-weight from their new flagship SKY series. Spanning two years in development, Douglas' own rod designer Fred Contaoi took input from industry pros along with his own expertise and crafted this series from the ground up. SKY fly rods are not just another "premium" offering—a word that can often be loosely thrown around. This series utilizes the proprietary X-Mat

SKY Rods: New from Douglas is the premium lineup of SKY fly rods. Using blanks constructed with nano carbon matrix materials and resins from the aerospace industry, these rods are built with nice soft tips to allow them to load easily at close range but still have plenty of power to go long. Finished in an attractive matte-silver color, they're quite handsome, too. SKY rods are adorned with premium components like tangle-free Torzite stripping guides and unbreakable REC singl