DEMYSTIFLY

The sun has long set on yet another great ICAST/IFTD show! Although I've covered the show several times for TackleTour.com, this year was especially important with the launch of this site just a couple weeks prior. For most of the show my mind is overloaded with the tasks of interviewing reps, taking pictures, posting to social media, and just generally managing my time, but I'm always still partially in "self shopping mode" and looking for gear that interests me for future r

Contact: Contact rods from Thomas & Thomas are their new series of long nymphing rods. Boasting proprietary StratoTherm resin with multi-modulus graphite, these rods are made to be extremely sensitive while dampening quickly. Each rod also features a natural graphite finish with olive wraps, black Recoil single-foot guides, western-style grips, and a black aluminum reel seat with maple insert and a small fighting butt. Three 4-piece models will be available: both a 10'8" #3 a

SST Reels: Bauer's new SST reels are striking to look at and sport some very colorful options. Designed and built in the USA, these reels are machined from aerospace-grade aluminum and boast features like a new narrow-profile frame, large-arbor spool, sealed zero-backlash carbon fiber drag system, and a drag star mounted on the front of the reel. Speaking of the drag star, the reel can come in an all-black color scheme or in clear aluminum with your choice of red, blue, green

Ultralite ASR Reel: This new reel sports a unique clear cassette spool system and an Assisted Spool Release (ASR) for fast spool changes. Machined from 6061 bar stock aluminum, this reel also features a "multi-pad" 340-degree disc drag, line ID system, and generously-ported design. Each reel includes two additional high-impact composite spools and a protective case. Sizes range from #4/5 up to #9/10/11 at a starting price of $299. Available in September. Marquis LWT: This cla

EPR: Covering sizes from a 9'0" #8 to a 9'0" #12, these rods have a stout fast action but sport a nice soft tip for easy loading at short distances. MSRP $449.00 Bad Ass Glass: How's that for an attention-grabbing name? These rods were designed for anglers that want to catch big fish with a fiberglass rod. Ranging in size from a 9'0" #8 to a 9'0" #12, these rods will cover heavy freshwater and many saltwater applications. Tarpon fishing with one of these has to be pretty inte

G1000 PRO Fly Rods: Brand new from Lamiglas, the made-in-America G1000 PRO fly rods sport subtle matte-grey blanks and simple cosmetics for no-nonsense looks. The component list for every rod model includes custom reel seats, fighting butts, stainless steel stripping guides, and stainless steel chrome snake guides. Look for these rods to initially arrive in 9'0" lengths and #5,#6,#8,#9, and #10 line weights. All models have a moderate-fast action and two-piece blanks, but fou

Fluent HD: The first new offering to join the Clutch family of fly rods is the Fluent HD series. These rods are all 10'0" long and come in line weights #6, #7, and #8. Sporting a matte finish with special UV-coating, the list of components includes titanium-framed stripping guides with SiC inserts, Recoil snake guides, 1" fighting butts, and custom acrylic reel seats. Expect these to be available this fall at a price of $795 which includes a sock and tube. REV: These new rods

Enigma ESD: Taylor Enigma ESD fly reels are both attractive and affordably-priced. These reels are built with an Exterior Sealed Drag (ESD) which means that both the clutch and bearings are externally sealed, yet the drag discs are left unsealed. Carbon fiber is the drag material of choice which provides the necessary fish-stopping power. Machined from 6061-T6 bar stock aluminum, some of the other features include a one-way clicker, tool-free spool removal, right or left-hand

Renegade Switch Rods: This new line of compact switch rods from Canada-based Pieroway uses the latest carbon fiber technology to deliver rods that load easily and recover quickly. Each rod touts a pewter blank with army-green wraps, titanium guides, woven reel seat, magnetic hook keeper, and a rubberized camouflaged grip with removable bottom end. Arriving in 1–2 months, these rods are all 4-pieces and cover line weights #3–9 in lengths from 8'6"–12'0". Prices range from $475

WADE Fly Reels: South Africa-based WADE Fly Reels really caught my eye at IFTD with their elegant fly reels designed for everything from freshwater trout to giant trevally. Boasting a lifetime warranty, each WADE reel sports beautifully unique aesthetics and a heavily-ported design to reduce weight. Included with each reel are features like Type-3 anodizing, cork draw-bar drag system, lasered spool/line identification, and a generously-sized drag knob which adjusts to the max

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.

In addition to new finishes like the Jon Osiris Tribal Grizzly and the new Grateful Dead designs, Abel introduced their Sealed Drag Saltwater reels. This new series sports a sealed drag system consisting of 16 polycarbonate and stainless discs for up to 20-pounds of fish-stopping power. Although it looks similar to the current Sealed Drag series, there's been some slight design changes to the spool and frame. Available in January, there will be a #7/8, #9/10, and #11/12 offer

Pro Series Fly Rods- While I have heard of the G-Rods brand, for some reason I wasn't aware they offered a line of fly rods! Made with a proprietary graphene/Toray blend, these sticks really set themselves apart both in looks and materials. So, what exactly is graphene, you ask? G-Rods says it is the lightest, strongest material ever discovered, and that it's 200 times stronger than steel and one million times thinner than paper. Impressive! Pro Series fly rods blend stealthy

Aspen Reels: Made-in-the-USA Aspen reels come equipped with a host of features for rugged performance in a simple, yet handsome package. Some aspects of an Aspen Reel includes a frame and spool fully-machined from 6061 bar stock aluminum, Type III anodization, a hollow main shaft for heat dissipation, and an easy pop on/off spool. At the core of the reel's design, Aspen uses a fully-sealed teflon and stainless steel drag system and 4 stainless ball bearings to maintain smooth

Stu Apte Signature Series: New for 2016 from 3-TAND reels is the limited edition Stu Apte Signature Series. Limited to just 100 samples of each size, these fully-machined reels may be purchased as a set (with an optional case) or individually. Other noteworthy features include a sealed nano-carbon drag system, integrated spool counterweight, rubberized inset on the reel foot, and the Stu Apte signature along with a beautiful fish image on the back of the frame. Various sizes

EDGE Fly Rods: I first previewed EDGE's advanced fly rods on TackleTour.com after last year's ICAST show. Although there's been some tweaks since first showing those particular rods, this new lineup still boasts premium components and construction all wrapped up in a wonderfully simplistic package. Needless to say, I can't wait to get one of these out on the water in the near future for a bit of testing! Two groups of rods are offered: The moderate-action Gamma Alpha series a

Mirage Fly Reels: Orvis has redesigned the popular Mirage series of fly reels and given them both stunning aesthetics and impressive features. Mirage reels will now be made here in the USA, and will be machined from 6061-T6 aluminum with a Type III mil-spec anodizing. Other robust features include a sealed carbon/stainless disc drag, zero-to-full drag in just 330-degrees of knob rotation, super-large arbor, and a quick release spool. Available colors are black or pewter. Expe

Flex Rods: The new Flex lineup of fast-action fly rods from Colorado-based Scott are "hard working rods" at a moderate price. Scott constructed the blanks with technical features such as X-Core for increased feel and stability, Advanced Reinforced Carbon (ARC) for reducing torque and increasing hoop strength, and multi-modulus for a smoother action. Completed with a natural finish and black reel seats with woven inserts, these rods (like all Scott rods) are made in Scott's Co

AIR Rods: R.L. Winston Fly Rod company has long been known for crafting some of the finest quality rods around. At this year's IFTD show, Winston unveiled a new ultra-premium rod lineup called the AIR series. These rods command a rather hefty price, but they also deliver a hefty load of advanced features. AIR rods incorporate advanced carbon fiber with Winston's new SuperSilica resin system and Boron III technology, all of which help to increase the performance and feel of th

I have always associated the Grundens brand with rugged clothing designed more towards commercial applications. Anyone who has spent much time around a harbor or fishing aboard charter boats has likely seen boat crews wearing their popular bibs. With the new sportfishing lineup from Grundens, they have taken a different route by offering apparel that will be a great fit for not just the recreational angler, but the casual wearer as well! Dark & Stormy Jacket/Bib: Anglers that