Patagonia Women's Tropic Comfort Natural Shirt - $109 Brand new for 2023 - With 40+ UPF sun protection and a quick-adjust neck buff, the Patagonia Tropic Comfort Natural Shirt is built for on-the-water performance. Featuring modal fabric engineered from renewable, natural beech tree pulp; modal is super-soft and breathable and made for the most demanding hot-weather conditions. Recently tested by Fish Tales' staffer Courtney, and found to be a perfectly fitting, soft and stretchy upgrade over the previous Tropic Comfort design. Also available in Quartz Coral and in a Steam Blue Patagonia Women's Tropic Comfort Hoody. |
Orvis Women's Tech Chambray Work Shirt - $150 Another Nancy favorite, now in a new color for 2023 - Alpine Lake. Made with MarinoWul+, Orvis' eco-friendly performance fiber, it feels silky soft—and it breathes, wicks moisture, and dries quickly to help regulate body temperature so you feel your best whatever the day brings. With UPF 40 and OutSmart Fresh odor control, you can confidently wear it more than once between laundering, making it a great choice when packing light for road trips or weekend escapes to the river. Hidden lens cleaning cloth and active, contoured fit for comfort. |
Nothing kills a day of fishing fun faster than leaky waders. Wet-footed in the Campbell River on a trip for chinook salmon last fall, I knew it was time to let my pair of old Patagonia Spring River Waders die. They had been a lot of places with me, patched and patched again, and it was time. Having worn a few different brands, I can say that Patagonia has long been my favorite for waders due to their quality, service, and fit. Unfortunately, at the time when I needed to replace my old pair of discontinued Spring Rivers, the rollout of the new Patagonia Women's Swiftcurrent Waders had been delayed due to Covid-19 and supply chain issues. So as my winter steelhead trip loomed, I was delighted to find a shipment of the new waders had landed in the shop.
This past week, I spent five days hiking around Vancouver Island's Cowichan Valley in my new waders looking for some early winter steelhead. While there are a lot of well established trails, this trip required a lot of bushwhacking to get to some of the best water. I can't think of a better way to put a new pair of waders through its paces. The sizing on these waders is bang on. I am 5'6", 160 lbs with a size 8 foot and a MRM (medium, regular length, medium foot) fit me perfectly, with just enough extra length in the legs to make scrambling over logs and kneeling in the water a breeze. The articulated knees and gusseted crotch aid movement when kneeling, crouching, and climbing. Padded knees, like those featured in the Patagonia Men's Swiftcurrent Expedition Waders, would sure be a nice touch (hint, hint, Patagonia...).
Putting on close to 50km hiking winter trails in a garment in near zero temps really tests its mettle. The midweight fabric of these waders was light enough to be breathable and comfortable but not so heavy to be a burden. I often find myself wishing that someone would make a heavier women's wader for boat fishing and trips like these, but found that the midweight fabric held up well through rose bushes and icy conditions. I didn't get too warm and sweaty nor too cold. The ripstop fabric on the gravel guards is a plus, I always tear my waders in this spot and ended up with only a small hole here at the end of this trip, with no leaks or issues elsewhere. The neoprene booties are thick and fleecy on the inside, making them easy to take on and off, though I found they were a tighter fit in boots than my last waders, so definitely try them for size with boots for the right fit for you.
One of the best features of these waders is the drop seat technology, brought along from the Spring Rivers, which allows one to pull waders down to take a bio break without removing a jacket. It's an awesome ability to have when it's cold and raining, just undo the wading belt, undo the front clips and the buckle at the back, and slide down. The only down side is that if one were not very flexible, it might be difficult to do that buckle on the back up without assistance. The wading belt has changed since the Spring Rivers. Once a simple elastic strap with a buckle, it is now dually adjustable and is ruched to stretch at the back. It feels more secure and yet is very comfortable and easy to adjust the tightness with the belt on as both sliders are at the front. I appreciated the convertible top when the weather warmed up to a balmy nine degrees one afternoon. The tabs on the straps flip up, and the waders roll down easily and comfortably.
There were a couple of things I wasn't a fan of. The lightweight fabric on the exterior of front pocket was a little snaggy while bushwhacking, and a hook from one of my flies poked through. That has never happened with the previous generation waders with the wader fabric on the exterior. This fabric stretches a bit and pokes out, adding bulk where I don't need it. I used to keep my phone in my front pocket but this fabric feels more flimsy and less protective, so I don't feel like that pocket is as useful to me now. I do like the width of the zipper across the top along with diagonal pocket styling. I used the fleece lined front pass through pocket behind the front pocket a lot while swinging flies.
The other thing that just didn't work for me was the interior TPU-waterproof pocket. My phone was too tall to fit in it sideways, and so had to go length wise and that made it really hard to flip it in and out of the waders. So much for that super quick fish pic! I realize my phone being too big is a me problem, but with the size of phones nowadays, I would expect a pocket made to fit a phone would fit most phones. The other thing is that pocket traps heat and moisture as one hikes with it next to the body. I had a giant wet spot on my front where my clothing wasn't breathing on the first day and so I just flipped it out of the waders while hiking to avoid that. It flopped around as I walked and I didn't really like that. It would be better placed under the arm, like on the Patagonia Men's Expedition Zip Fronts. While I'm grateful to have a place to put my phone, I might just cut it off and move it because it feels like it's in the way.
I feel like a good fit in a wader is second only to its quality and durability. If I had to give these waders a rating, I'd give them a 8.5/10. Just to put things into perspective, there isn't another women's wader on the market that I'd give a higher rating to. The Patagonia Women's Swiftcurrent Waders are absolutely one of the best women's waders on the market, I simply wish for more features supportive of a hard week's fishing and heavy use.
In summary, I really like:
I'm torn on:
I dislike:
Review by David Blair
Anyone who's been in the shop at some point in the past 24 years knows we take our book selection fairly seriously. We have 100’s of titles from “how-to's,” to area guides, literature, fly fishing history, and more.
Monte Burke’s "Lords of the Fly" covers both the literary aspect (as it is very well written) and the history of one of the craziest times in saltwater fly fishing. The book is centered around the individuals and guides who set their sites on catching THE world record tarpon in various line class categories. It is primarily-based in Florida. Many of the individuals and PARTS of their stories have been told before in various books, magazine articles, videos, but "Lords of the Fly" goes into much more fascinating detail specifically about chasing these world records.
I grew up reading about and watching some of these exotic stories (particularly Bill Pate and his 3M VHS Videos.) When we started the shop in 1997, portions of these stories were being told and others were still happening. I love to read good fishing stories; always have! So when a new book came out I would get it and read it. Many of the individuals featured in "Lords of the Fly" were in those stories but only a portion of their stories were told.
Mr. Burke spent several years getting the full story and has written more fully about these guides, anglers, and bat shit crazy stuff that went on in Florida during the 1970’s, through the 80’s and beyond. The primary reason the more complete story is now being told is because several of the “players” have now passed away, or are old enough they no longer care, or the statute of limitations have run out!
If you enjoy a book with larger than life characters, hard core fishing challenges, drugs, murder, and the “simple act” of throwing a fly at a tarpon this book covers those basis. And the crazy thing is this is NOT a book of fiction! It is told through the eyes of people who were there.
I thoroughly enjoyed "Lords of the Fly" and I think you will as well.
David
]]>Generally one of the biggest downsides to a decent pair of polarized sunglasses is the price. If you're in the market for a pair, it usually means kicking down a third of your paycheck for some high-end face candy, or spending $10 on a pair that'll either blind you or fall apart when you look at them funny! Neither proposition is exciting. Cue the new addition of Suncloud sunglasses to the Fish Tales Fly Shop family of products.
With a wide array of injection molded frames, multiple lens colors, and a readers option, (which proved to be a excellent option for these “old eyes!”), the Suncloud’s prove their worth for those on a budget, with a price tag that's just a small fraction of many others, coming in at less than $90.00
I had the opportunity to field test the “COVER” POLARIZED READERS (+1.50) on a recent 6-day helicopter trip targeting cutthroat trout. Days one and two of our trip blessed us with bright +30-degree temperatures, and The Cover's polarized lenses did a great job of cutting down glare reflected off the river. Their frameless design allows for a wide range of peripheral vision, which comes in handy when you're casting and trying to keep an eye out for falling rock from sheep and goats on the canyon walls above. The open design also means a lot of air motion, which makes lens fogging nearly nonexistent. The reader option was perfect for tying on size 14 to 18 flies and not having to flip back and forth between 2 sets of spectacles.
The Suncloud Covers are a lightweight versatile pair of shades. Their flexible bows provide a secure and comfortable fit and prevented any sore spots around my ears, while classic rectangular lenses look good on just about everyone. The grippy rubber on the nose and earpieces kept them on my face despite tripping numerous times, (I cannot chew gum and walk at the same time!) They offer great contrast and clarity that make them as useful in the car as on the water.
A subsidiary of Smith Optics, Suncloud knows a thing or two about sports sunglasses. Stop by the shop to have a look at the many different options that Suncloud has to offer. You will not be disappointed!
Tight Lines!
Kelly Zam
]]>
For months and months customers have been asking for Maxima Chameleon monofilament for Euro-style lines and leaders. Good news! We listened and it is back on the shelves.
Maxima Chameleon has unique properties that enable it to change color hues to match the surrounding water and light conditions. To our eye, it has a dark amber profile when compared to traditional monofilament or Maxima Ultragreen. Maxima is legendary for its strength, durability, and stiffness and is used extensively on the Bow for streamers, nymphing and even dry fly tippet.
Maxima Chameleon is fantastic stuff for those wanting to build their own Euro leaders (e.g., see Lance Egan’s How-To Video) because it is incredibly strong, relatively stiff, has low memory (you can stretch and straighten easily), knots extremely well and is relatively inexpensive. Most of our guys prefer to use a Euro nymphing fly line, but some folks even run straight maxima (i.e., a Mono Rig).
We have everything you need in the shop for Euro/Contact/Tight-line….nymphing rigs including Rio Two-tone Indicator tippet (sighter material), tippet rings, fluorocarbon tippet and lots of flies. If you’re not so inclined to tie up your own leaders or in a hurry, we also have Rio Euro Leaders ready to go for your next adventure.
See our discussion of Euronymphing rods too.
FT
]]>
SAGE
Sage developed the ESN (European Style Nymphing) rod specifically for short and long line Euro-nymphing techniques. This rod is a super light-weight medium action rod with Konnetic-HD (high density fiber positioning pushes the limits of strength-to-weight and stiffness-to-weight ratios) with super-fast recovery, a sensitive tip and excellent shock absorption. This may be the go-to rod if you have high performance in mind and a few extra bucks in your budget. We would grab a 10’6 3-weight for our home water and a 10’ 2-weight or 3-weight for smaller tributaries.
ORVIS
Orvis’s flagship Helios 3F rod in 10+ foot lengths would be a worthy comparison to the Sage ESN. Orvis has also amped up their game with advances in rod building. They are employing space-age (seriously) carbon-fiber, resin and rod building techniques. The Helios rod is a top shelf stick that delivers any fly accurately, has a sensitive tip to maintain contact with your flies and find fish. It also has sturdy mid and butt sections to haul in a pig. This rod could actually do just about anything.
We are waiting to see Orvis’s latest line of Recon rods. The 10’ 2-weight and 3-weight rods should be in the shop soon and we think they will be a leading mid-priced rod for those who enjoy Euro-nymphing. We expect they will have a more moderate action than previous versions and steal some of the technology from the Helios.
The Orvis Clearwater is Orvis’ least expensive option. (10' 2, 3, or 4wt) This rod will get the job done on a budget. In fact, some of our staff think the Clearwater rods are some of the best casting rods in the shop. Despite being a less expensive tool, it’s still a lightweight, sensitive rod that delivers flies and is capable of fighting big fish.
ECHO
Echo, led by Tim Rajeff, always does their homework when putting together new rod designs. The Shadow line of rods including the Shadow-X and the less expensive Shadow-II are no exception and are both great rod recommendations. Abe (our new guy) kept drooling over the 11’ 3-weight Shadow-X before ultimately pairing with a stealthy Lamson Litespeed reel. We have sold numerous Shadow II rods and customers rave about their sensitivity and performance. These rods seem to exceed expectations for the price.
Perhaps our lowest cost Euro-nymphing rod is the 10’ ECHO Carbon XL Euro Nymph rod – another affordable stick for someone who wants to give tight-line nymphing a go.
REDINGTON
Redington is a popular brand, well known for providing great, affordable rod options. Redington’s Hydrogen line of rods have been popular with the Euro-nymphing crowd. From what we hear, these affordable rods perform well with several different setups. For example, some folks have added OPST heads to throw a dry fly when the opportunity a-rises. These rods are lightweight, stealthy, medium-fast action rods that we recommend to anyone considering euro nymphing.
Temple Fork Outfitters
TFO went all in when they set out to offer a rod to Euro-style fisherman. They assembled a unique 6-piece 3-weight rod. The Drift rod is ultra-versatile. It can be set up as a 9’ 4-piece, 10’ 5-piece, 11’3” 5-piece or even a 12’3” rod with all 6 pieces. With clever engineering, the rod can be lengthened or shortened without even unstringing the line from the rod. This is possible through the rod’s unusual stripping guides. This rod also includes weights and a micro-butt attachment to jump into some micro-spey fishing tactics. This rod get’s rave review from our customers – particularly for fishing the Bow. It’s sensitive, balanced and versatile and it won’t break the bank.
We are really enjoying helping customers explore the world of Euro-nymphing and finding the tools and accessories needed to be successful. We also love hearing from our customers as they delve into this style. We love to hear about your experiences with these fantastic rods on the river. Drop us an email and let us know what’s working.
Tight Lines :)
]]>
Plan D is a small US firm that makes rugged, waterproof fly boxes for standard, articulated and tube flies. The articulated fly box is very popular for streamers and steelhead flies, and much of the tube fly box review is relevant.
Plan D tube fly models include:
The Pocket Tube Max fits into the pockets of my rain coat, waders, and fishing shirts, which means I can load and bring it, regardless of the weather. It’s rugged, with strong hinges and a gasket and closure that provides a tight, waterproof seal. It showed no signs of weakness or leakage during a month of continuous use.
Loading Tube Flies
The tube fly attachment system is ingenious. Each tube fly is held on an individual mandrel that passes through the tube from the back to the front (see photo). The hook on the back of the mandrel presses lightly against the back of the tube to hold it. The front of the metal mandrel is then cut to fit the tube length and inserted securely into a silicon sleeve on the edge of the Plan D box (see photo). Mandrels are available in 3 sizes to fit all tube diameters. I found that the Medium size worked for me.
It does take time to set the box up initially, but once loaded, removing or replacing flies is quick and easy. The Plan D box also includes slits to securely hold tube fly hooks (photo), so the only things you might need to carry separately are junction tubing or extra cones/discs. One option is to thread extra tubing and cones on a mandrel so that everything you need is at your fingertips in the Plan D box.
While the Plan D box is comparatively expensive, this is an example where you get what you pay for. It’s a great product - well designed and functional, and I’m going to enjoy using it for many years to come.
Terry Antoniuk
]]>I know I'm not alone in that. Sure I get to test new rods, order new and proven product, contribute to pretty much everything else that goes on in the shop but my current reality is I just can't dedicate a ton of time to being on the water. That said, I've realized recently there are several products from Fish Tales that our house uses EVERYDAY. Here's a look at some of them....
Hope you'll take some time to check out some of these not-so-fishy products the next time you're in for some flies or tying materials.
]]>I spent a few days using both lines and casting both dries and streamers. Normally I would say a 4 wt is a little outgunned on the Bow especially as a streamer rod but this little gem didn’t disappoint. I wouldn’t recommend it as a go to rod but as a dry fly Bow rod this one definitely fits the bill.
If you are in the market for a premium rod the Orvis Helios 3 series will not disappoint. Come by the shop, we’ll line one up and you can give it a cast.
]]>
The Airflo Nymph line is a multi-colored line with a very short, fat and aggressive front taper (1.1 m; 3.5 foot) and comparatively long (15 m; 49.5 foot) weight forward head. I fished a 6 weight version of this line, both with and without an indicator, on a recent week long trip to Kamloops area lakes.
The line’s designers achieved their goal – “easier casting of any size fly while allowing greater control of mending.” The line readily turned over indicators on 30-to-60 foot casts, floated very well, and shot through the guides adding distance to each cast. Very good flotation coupled with the comparatively long head and rear taper made on-water mending effortless even with crosswinds and waves. Fortunately I found some fish willing to cooperate, and the low stretch Power Core technology worked as advertised, resulting in good bite detection and hooksets. The line did have some memory that caused it to tangle on cold mornings, but its other strengths make this a reasonable trade-off.
The front of the line has a well-formed, integrated loop that easily slides through the guides – my experience with Airflo lines is that these loops are durable. The light orange front section extends for about 9 m (30 feet of tip, front taper, and belly), where it transitions to a 9 m light green section comprising the rear taper and front part of the level running line. The rest of the running line is a slightly darker and brighter orange. The transition between the front orange and middle green sections is a reasonable marker for cast pick-up and rod loading. On the water, the three-toned line provides visual markers for cast and retrieve distance.
Overall, I really liked the line and will use it in both lakes and rivers. The only situation where another option might be preferred is for technically demanding waters or fish where extreme stealth and a fine front taper is required to softly land small flies.
By Terry Antoniuk
]]>
I recently had a chance to try a new fly box and am impressed with the value and design. The Go To box has a large deep bottom suitable for the big stuff; a swing leaf with double-sided slotted foam suitable for smaller stuff; and the foam on the lid is suitable for medium-sized flies. Very functional and superb value ($24.99)
Tight Lines in the new season.
]]>