Simms Freestone Waders

Written By: Pete - Photo By: Jamie Keown     

I feel like any time you review a pair of waders it better be after they have some miles on them. I would expect that all waders work for the first couple trips but what happens after they have been through briars, fallen in rivers and streams, and trekked through the stream side brush that has ripped nets, jackets, and even snapped a fly rod. Well, over the last year and half the Simms Freestone Waders have been on that exact journey with me and so far they are still performing flawlessly.

If anyone puts miles on something quickly it is me. I am a person who tends to be hard on everything and unfortunately for my waders I am also clumsy. Over the last year I have fallen in large tail waters, down hills, down waterfalls, into a stream in Montana (lost my wedding ring), and in the woods more times than I can count. Also, in the continuous search to find water that isn’t heavily trafficked they have been through countless briars, down trees, bushes, and pretty much everything else you can think of. As far as weather goes I have fished them in everything from snow and ice to warm summer days on the Chattahoochee here in Georgia. They have traveled across the country and fished back to back days without a chance to dry and each and every time they have stood up to the test.

Now in the life of a set of waders I guess you can still consider these young but so far I am impressed. They are one of the only pairs of waders that Simms makes that aren’t Gore-Tex but so far I have been dry as a whistle, except for the head first fall in the Chattahoochee. The stocking foot set up has been great and I haven’t seen any signs of wear. The only thing I have noticed is that the suspenders tend to stretch a little more than I would like but so far I have been able to tighten them down every couple months and keep a good fit on my shoulders. I would like to have a belt loop or two on the front so that you aren’t constantly looking for your wading belt behind you when getting dressed but at the price point we are talking about that is a pretty nit-picky complaint.

When all is said and done I am sure they won’t last quite as long as the higher priced Gore-Tex waders, but if you are new to the sport or trying to work on a budget I feel like they are well worth the money. When I purchased these waders they were my first pair and I was trying to buy everything to start wading at once. I don’t expect them to last a life time but so far after one year and 60+ fishing trips they are holding strong and seem to be worth every penny invested.

PS…If I have talked you into making the investment and you aren’t a size small check them out here at an insanely good price.

Patagonia Rio Gallegos Wader & Rock Grip Bar Boot Review

Photos By: Justin Dobson     

Admittedly I like new shit as much as the next guy… probably more. The marketing these days on new gear is genius. They shave an ounce off of last year’s boot weights or use a dab more resin and new a paint job on the latest rod and market it like the next best thing since sliced bread. Something inside of us all says “I’ve gotta have it”. Or at least something inside me does. It’s ok though, admitting to yourself that you crave useless gear is the first step in fighting the urge to pull the trigger on more shit that will inevitably sit in your closet collecting dust.

Last winter, after spending 7 plus years in my Simms Rivershed’s, I decided that it was time for an upgrade. I pondered on this decision for a while because those things had been damn good. At this point they look like they’ve been rode hard and put up wet (which they have) but they were still going strong. Wader technology I feel has vastly improved since the last time I had purchased a pair and I convinced myself that if I was going to buy new waders I might as well buy new boots too. So I began my search like every other civilian; on the internet. I knew that if I was going to drop some cheese on a fresh set of body condoms that I wanted the zip fronts so that I would have the ability to pee pee with ease. I compared the big name players and decided to go with the Patagonia Rio Gallegos Zip-fronts and the Rock Grip Aluminum Bar Boots. I won’t bore you with the wader or boot description. You can find that on the Patagonia web site. What I want to convey are the positives and negatives I took away after spending a year in the waders and boots.

The first thing I noticed upon receiving the waders was that the fit was a little more generous than my previous Simms waders. Not so much in the legs but more so in the chest area. I found this to be useful in colder weather as the waders were not so tight with layers, but in the summer they are a little too loose for my liking while just wearing a tee. I noticed lots of reviews about the shoulder strap suspension system being uncomfortable, but I didn’t notice this at all. (I assume these reviews all came from Colorado… damn legal weed.) The straps performed as advertised when converting the waders to waist high during the warmer months and I didn’t notice any discomfort where the straps meet in the back as the other reviews stated. My previous waders didn’t have a hand warmer pocket, so having this was like a savior on cold days. My only gripe is that only one side of the pocket is fleece lined. For 600 bones I feel Patagonia could have lined both sides of the pockets with the finest virgin fleece. Everything else about these waders is pure bliss. The fleece lined booties are wonderful in the winter and not overly warm in the summer months and the knee pads come in handy when making a stealthy approach. Some other manufactures have gotten away from using neoprene gravel guards and I have to say having the fabric gravel guard is a vast improvement. I’m not sure why Simms continues to use neoprene, because it’s pure crap. The gravel guards on my previous waders look like they’ve been in a knife fight and I’m not super rough on my gear. The zipper is also a thing of beauty. After one year I’m leak free and no longer have to shed all of my gear to take a wiz. All in all I would give the Rio Gallegos Zip-Fronts a 9 out of 10. I feel like the durability of these waders will be as good as others on the market and I feel confident that I will easily get many years of use from them.

Now for the boots. I have to say that I have always used felt. Some of the rivers we fish, especially the Chattahoochee River through Atlanta, have rocks that my dad would refer to as “slicker than owl shit”. I’m not sure if this is a good analogy but I can tell you it’s the closest thing to ice skating at times. I was hesitant at first to buy a boot without felt but I took the plunge anyway and purchased the Rock Grip Aluminum Bar Boots. The fit and finish of these boots is as good as any I’ve ever owned and after putting them to the test for the past year I can safely say that they perform as advertised too. The aluminum grips about the same as felt and maybe even better on algae covered rocks. The bars seem to cut through the algae and grip where felt may tend to slip. I was also worried about the life of the bars but after a year of use they still have lots of life left and we fish a pretty good bit.

Justin always says Patagonia is my brand crush and I guess that’s a fair assessment. Patagonia has been around a long time and has always made quality products. I don’t agree with some of the prices, but as far as waders and boots are concerned their prices are comparable to the other big names in the business. I’m definitely glad I went with both products and I hope this helps some of you that are in the market for new wading gear. I feel there’s always positives and negatives with every product. You just have to decide on the one that has negatives you can live with.

Junk in Your Trunk

Photos By: Justin Dobson     

“Geek out”.  I love the term.  Most of us who are serious about fly fishing “geek out” at some point.  My moment came when losing a big fish on 2x tippet that should have held.  You try to imagine what went awry in that underwater world.  Did I not tie the knot well?  Teeth?  A rock?  Bad material?

In my quest for knowledge I pondered the following; what effects does temperature have on leader and tippet material.  How many of us are guilty of throwing the fishing bag in our trunk or cab and leaving it there until the following weekend or for an evening “sesh” after work?  I know I am.

Sure they say: when all else fails read the directions.  But most fishing materials come with no warning.  So I started with the manufacturer’s opinion and contacted the reps at the best leader and tippet supplier, Far Banks Enterprises, the manufacturer of RIO products (I wasn’t paid to say that).  Here’s what they had to say:

“Typically nylon is more subject to degradation by long term exposure to UV light and Fluorocarbon is more affected by high temperatures.  But to be clear, exposure to extremely high temperatures, like those that come from being stored in the trunk of a car will have adverse effects on both mono and fluorocarbon.  Normal fishing conditions generally do not expose your leaders to temps much higher than 100 degrees or so.  I would tell you that exposing your leader material to temperatures higher than 120+ on a consistent basis will lead to weakening your material, and I suspect your car trunk in the Southeast Summertime heat could easily reach and surpass those temperatures.  I would not store my leader material in those conditions for the long term”

Chris Andersen

/ Far Bank Enterprises / Technical Service Manager

Seems logical.  This stuff is plastic after all, and it seems obvious plastic doesn’t perform well in heat or exposure to UV. But just how hot does it get in your trunk or cab? Working at an engineering firm which tests materials when I’m not fishing, allows me to “geek out” on a higher level when exploring the facts.   In an effort to appeal to the masses, I decided to forego performing this test on a steamy Southeastern Georgia day and opted for what seemed to be an average Lower 48 summer day of 83˚ F (our cool spell).  I used a thermocouple (fancy accurate thermometer) to check temperatures in a closed trunk and closed car.  I was surprised at the difference in temperatures inside the trunk of my car versus the inside of the car. The trunk of a car is somewhat insulated from radiant heat, and although it didn't reach the 120˚ F point on this  83˚ F summer day, it's still very hot and a higher temperature than what most fishing conditions would subject your material to.

I’d conclude both trunk or inside the cab may be dangerous and detrimental to your line.  But storing it inside your car or truck cab with the potential for exposure to heat AND UV light is far worse than inside your trunk.  At almost 160˚ F within 13 minutes of closing the door, I might as well been cooking a pot roast (recipe for car pot roast to follow in my next post)

All this being said and discovered, I am far more cautious about where and how I store my tippet and leader material.  There may be a blank spot for you to write in when you purchased it or an expiration date on some other manufacturers product, but how you store it during its life with you has a great deal of effect on its performance.   How you treat your material might just make the difference between your next hero shot or your next broken heart.

Thanks to Chris at RIO products for helping me "geek out".  They provide a great technical product and excellent customer service for us.

G Loomis NRX LP

Written By: Pete - Photos By: Pete & Jamie Keown     

When I first looked at investing in a new high end rod, I will be the first to admit that Loomis was not at the top of the list.  After spending countless hours researching the likes of Winston, Sage, Scott, Hardy and many others online I stumbled upon a couple reviews of the NRX LP and decided to dig a little deeper.  Being a relatively new angler to the sport I was looking for a 5 wt that was extremely versatile.  While I will continue to buy new toys my current use for a 5 wt spans from fishing small streams with micro dries to trying to catch trophy caliber trout in larger rivers that require long casts to highly pressured and easily spooked fish.

I can tell you that from the first time I went to the store to pick up my new NRX LP it has not disappointed.  Every component of the rod from the protective case to the unbreakable one foot guides are really top notch.  As soon as I put the rod in play I could see a difference from my previous rod in both accuracy and presentation.  At short distances the accuracy was spot on and the presentation was superb.  When I decided to open it up a little bit at the pond behind my house I found my casts over 50 feet to be much more accurate and it seemed effortless to get the line out there.  I could also tell in the wind that the casting ability of this rod gave me greater control than anything else I have tried.  The tight loops this rod allows for with a decent casting technique will allow the average angler to immediately become a better caster.  I have been able to make 30 foot casts in mountain holly covered streams I would have never considered in the past.

All in all this is a great rod and although the price tag isn’t cheap if you are looking to make an investment I find this rod to have many great features for the price point and I do believe there is value.

Hats off to G Loomis and Steve Rajeff for creating a true 5 wt rod that isn’t too stiff and allows us anglers looking for a versatile rod to have great accuracy and presentation at short distances but also can hit those long distance casts with great accuracy.

Tight Lines,

Pete

Death and Re-birth of Nomad Nets

Photos By: Jamie Keown     

I’m sure by now everyone is aware of the fact that Nomad Nets was acquired by Fishpond. The acquisition comes as no surprise as I felt like it was only a matter of time before a major player in the fly fishing industry figured out what an awesome product Nomad was cranking out. These nets are as solid as they come and after more than a year’s worth of abuse on the water the net is still as functional as the day it was purchased. There are times when companies that manufacture our favorite products are acquired by larger corporations and we instantly breakout into a cold sweat because in the back of our minds we know there’s a good chance that quality will go down the crapper from that point forward. I think it’s safe to say that the Nomad Nets we've all grown to love are in safe hands with Fishpond. Fishpond is a solid company that prides itself on producing quality products that are as innovative as any other on the market. I have used their packs for as long as I can remember and have never had one fail in the line of duty.

Below is an initial review of the Nomad mid-length net:

I picked up the mid-length net for it's ability to be used wading or in the boat. Nomad net's are made of a fiberglass / carbon fiber composite which in normal folk speak means it's gonna last a lot longer than that heavy wooden net you've been dragging around. The mid-length checks in at just 400 grams at 37" in length and the handle and bottom half of the net hoop are coated with a rubberized paint which Nomad calls "Olive Riverkoat" for excellent grip when the handle get's wet. Best of all the net floats, so if you drop it during your big fish victory dance it can easily be retrieved. After putting the net to use I have to say the only gripe I can come up with is that the mid-length version does not come with a scale like the boat and guide nets. Oh and the price... but hey your grandpa was right when he told you, "when it comes to hookers and beer, you get what you pay for".

Fresh Rubber (Simms Guide Boots)

Photo By: Matt Bornhorst     

My old felt-soled wading boots have been thrashed and trashed over the years and I was forced to retire them after many years of service.  The uppers were stretched out to the point that when I tightened the laces, the eyelets on the left side and right side of the ankle would touch and the boots wouldn't be tight enough to support my ankle or keep my toes from smashing into the ends of the boots on any downhill terrain.

I knew I wanted a heavy duty boot (I tend to be tougher on my gear than most) and I knew that I wanted a rubber sole instead of felt.  With these requirements in mind, I began my quest to find my perfect boot.  I checked out the local shops and compared the boots I was considering.  I hijacked the checkbook from the wife and ended up getting a solid deal on a pair of the Simms Guide Boots.

In the field:  They...are....AWESOME!  They are like Cadillac’s compared to the old, tired Yugo’s I was wearing.  I got a rare opportunity to fish on a weekday and put a solid 3 miles on the boots over various terrains.  I purposely didn't put the studs in the soles to see how well the Vibram soles perform in the water and dry ground.  I hit up two separate streams on Wednesday, one having a considerable amount of slickness to it and the other being more pristine.  I had a bit of trouble in the slicker stream, but as long as I paid attention to my foot placement, all was well.  In the more pristine stream, these things were amazing.  I will be putting some studs on them in the near future and that should take care of those slick streams I frequent.

Simms website says that you should order 1 size bigger than what you wear in street shoes, and they couldn't be more right.  These boots fit perfectly when I have on a pair of medium-weight wool socks under my waders.

Words of caution:  1) These things are heavy...seriously heavy....but I wanted to heavy duty boot that was going to last me a few years and I think these tanks are more than capable to live up to that challenge.  2)  These boots do need some break in time.  It was a short, 200 yard walk to the first stream I got into Wednesday, and the stiffness of these boots had me concerned.  But by the end of the day, those concerns flew completely out the window.  As they break in, you will find yourself re-tying the boots to keep them snug.

Pros:  Tank-like build, good ankle support, comfort is just as good out of the water as in it, good sizing, well padded, soft foot bed and excellent ankle support.

Cons:  Heavy (tank-like build) and they need to be broken in.

Cheeky Little Bugger [Cheeky Reels]

Photos By: Jamie Keown/ Justin Dobson     

Let me begin by stating I am not endorsed or compensated by any manufacturer, so the following is an honest, straight up review.  There are a lot of reel manufacturers out there including a few small name folks who specialize in only fly fishing reels (and a little apparel).  Cheeky Fly Fishing Reels is one of many that has caught attention among fly anglers.  When I recently came to own a Cheeky Strike 325, I was excited to put it to work.  Some anglers who insist on plain old silver or black can't get past the "cheeky" colors.  Although it’s aesthetically pleasing to me (I’m kind of different anyway).  Usually orange is reserved for fine European sports cars and cheap corn snacks, but the reel is more of a copper (like a fine ‘shine still).

I took it out on its maiden run with a few of the crew to a small stream in North Georgia with the idea of putting it to the test.  I spent all morning casting to rising fish and drifting undercut banks with only one small fish under my belt. It was certainly nothing worth putting on the reel.  The afternoon was all about exploring and we headed upstream in search of bigger fish.  We finally located some worthy fish holding in a run.

Through the swift current I could spot a few fish in the 18” class holding.  A strong 18” fish can find its way onto a reels drag easily.  Cheeky’s website states:  “Easily spooked fish and nasty backcasts are par for the course, but that doesn’t stop you from chasing those elusive small water lunkers.  If crawling along a streamside bank sounds like your style, the Strike 325 is designed for you”.  Well this run and fish put this theory to the test.  The only way to get a drift past these fish was to crawl in parallel, kneel stream-side in the sandiest spot found and spring a cast under some overhanging laurels.  After about 45 minutes, the plan came together and I hooked into something unexpected.  This run, 10 feet wide and maybe 3’ deep, was hiding one hell of a rainbow.

Because this run was so small, I was basically high-sticking the run and had no slack out.  When this fish hit and I set the hook he was on the reel instantly, the water came alive.  Just imagine the “best eater” in your fishing crew high stepping like Deion Sanders through a 3 foot puddle.  Every fish in the run scattered like they had been electrocuted and was sure to get out of this big boys way quick.  This fish was not happy to be hooked and screamed up stream as fast as he could.  When he reached the top of the next run up from where he was hiding,  he decided to show me what snags were down stream and roared past me like a freight train.  He took me over a set of falls and into another pool.  The drag on this new Cheeky was flawless and smooth.  Every time I thought the battle was up, this fish took another run.  The battle lasted several minutes before he was finally netted.  I’m pretty sure this exceeds Cheeky’s idea of a small water lunker.  The rainbow of steelhead proportions taped out at 25” long and appeared to have never missed a meal.

If I had to find one bit of constructive criticism about this reel, I’d have to pick on the lubricant they used on the reel spindle.  It’s too thick for its application and caused reeling to feel stiff and un-natural.  An easy fix for those mechanically inclined.  Remove a screw, degrease and apply low viscosity reel lubricant you can buy at almost any fishing shop.

It’s easy to get married to a reel.  You get comfortable with its drag system and have a “go-to” reel for getting into bed with bruisers.  This Cheeky Strike 325 just became my mistress, and my other fancy reels are pissed.

Big Name Buy or Little Guy - Blue Halo Fly Line

Photos By: Justin Dobson     

I’ve just returned from a two week fishing trip up the east coast.  A few months prior to departing I evaluated the current condition of my gear and waffled over purchasing new fly line before this big trip.  Because our plan was to fish for both warm water and cold water species in lakes, rivers and streams, we were packing several different lines, spare spools and reels.  I had just purchased two new lines from one of the well-known line manufacturers (to remain nameless).  I picked up the premium 7wt fast sink and 4wt floating.  I’ve learned my lesson before on purchasing cheap lines and brought myself to pony up the $85.00 to get the good stuff this time.

Just before leaving, I convinced myself to bring my “albatross” rod with me.  An Echo Ion, 9ft – 7wt.  I always loved the matte grey finish and two-tone cork handle of this rod, but I was never impressed with the way it casted.  It didn’t want to turn over big flies and could wear you out trying to make short casts.  It was never happy unless it was double hauling lots of line.  This rod made you do all the work.  Rather than spend another $85.00 on new floating line that I wasn’t convinced could make me love this rod, I searched for an alternative.

I remembered reading some good things a few months back about a fairly new company producing rod blanks, reels and some snazzy two tone line.  Blue Halo out of Orem, Utah.  After a visit to their site I sealed the deal on some 7wt floating line in a slick two tone blue/teal color that was 1/3 the price of the big name guy’s premium stuff.  $32.08 with shipping.

For two weeks I pretty much carried two rods, one casting the big name’s line and the other the Blue Halo line.  Both lines performed well.  Although, my Echo felt like a completely different rod.  Unlike the mid-grade stuff I’ve owned, both lines laid flat and had no memory.  Blue Halo’s coating even seemed to be holding up better to the dirty ponds and urban river fishing conditions.

But the thing that set’s Blue Halo aside from the other guys is that when I received it in the mail, it came with a hand written and signed note thanking me for the purchase.  Cort at Blue Halo was even kind enough to include some decals which went right onto the canoe pre-road trip.

I’ve done some reading on Blue Halos custom rods and reels which have received excellent reviews as well.  Check out http://bluehalogear.com/ and help out the little guy.  When I finally decide to close the deal on a fiberglass rod, I know where I’ll head to.