Gear

Gear — 4 Comments
02
Dec 13

Keep Calm and Carry On

For most of us, getting bonefishing involves flights. There is always the worry your bags might not find themselves in the same place, at the same time, as you.

So… what gets carried on and what gets packed. First, let’s see what the TSA has to say about it:

Tackle Equipment

Sharp fishing tackle that may be considered dangerous, such as large fish hooks, should be sheathed, securely wrapped, and packed in your checked luggage. Like other high-value objects, you may wish to pack expensive reels or fragile tackle that does not pose a security threat (small flies) in your carry-on baggage.

So… flies are OK. Now, I won’t carry on all my flies… that seems excessive, but you can bring a box of flies on the plane. If you can, you probably should.

The advice you hear most often is this:

I carry on rods, reels, camera gear and flies. Everything I need to get fishing.

If you have long pliers, that could be an issue as well. Tools can’t be more than seven inches long (and here, please, don’t say anything about the length of your tool).

One suggestion is to use a boat bag as your carry on. Load that bad boy up with gear, including your flies. Carry on your rods. Wear flats clothes on the plane.

Gear — 2 Comments
26
Nov 13

The Worst Products

The Headhunter (my dad fished out of the Headhunter last summer and had a great day, by the way) posted a question about the worst products out there. There were lots of good replies.

There are some goodies on the list. One of my favorites is the line straightener. This is a little do-dad that hangs off your vest and you run it down the leader to straighten it.

It’s a bad idea. Heat weakens tippet. The line straightener is heating your tippet.

Facepalm.

Gear — 3 Comments
15
Oct 13

G&G muse one affordable bonefish sticks

I do love the budget gear and the guys over at Gink and Gasoline recently posted some thoughts on affordable bonefish rods.

Of the three, the only one I’ve case is the Redington Predator, which I own in a 10 wt. and I’ve cast in a 9 wt.. I do have a TFO Clouser 8 wt. I use for bonefish and I’ve been pretty happy with it in a variety of situations. The funny thing is the diagram they have implies it has less power and is more of a presentation stick, which I disagree with. I’ve never found that rod lacking in power… not once.

The Predator

I have yet to fish an ECHO. One has never found its way into my hands on the water. Off the water I’ve used their practice rod, but the new Redington Form Game Rod has relegated that to the garage.

The Form Game Rod in practice.

There are a great number of affordable rods out there for your bonefishing pleasure. The rods mentioned in the G&G post are all $250, as is the TFO Clouser I mentioned above. If that’s too steep, there are even cheaper rods that will do the job.

The Redington Voyant is only $190. The TFO Professional Series II is only $160.

Options. Options abound. If you are shelling out big bucks for a premium rod, one of these might make sense as a backup. I’d never head out for a week of fishing with just one rod. That’s one careless move away from doing a lot more spectating than I’d really care for.

Gear — 4 Comments
13
Oct 13

Tenkara Bonefish… wait… what?!?!?

OK, I lose a point or two for not paying attention. Maybe you only see what you expect to see. I know I often edit like that. If I write “teh” I read it “the,” regardless of how many times I read that sentence. That may explain why I wrote the below post about Tenkara bonefish, when it is actually (as one person in the comments noticed) a REDINGTON FORM GAME ROD. Yup… a practice rod. I’m a bit dumbstruck by this one.

Ya never know…

—– original post below —-

A Facebook follower put up this photo asking if it was real.

A bonefish on a Tenkara rod (the Japanese set-up that has a fixed line and no reel). It sounds impossible to land a bonefish on one, but I’ve read enough reports of people hooking them on Tenkara rods to believe this is, actually, possible and true.

I can think of 3 bonefish I have landed without putting them on the reel at all. It is possible if the fish is small enough.

It still isn’t the right tool for the job, not by a long shot, but sure… it is possible.

Well… look at that.

Gear — 3 Comments
23
Sep 13

From the do and I say, not as I do Dept.

I will admit to not being the absolute best when it comes to doing all the maintenance I should be doing with my saltwater gear. I will admit to not being in the 60th percentile on that, really.

Still, I know I SHOULD take better care of my gear. The salt is unforgiving and this stuff isn’t exactly cheap, so it makes sense to look after the gear you just might catch the fish of a lifetime with.

I found some good advice on rod, reel and line care.

What do you do to take care of your gear?

Well, there’s your problem right there.

Gear — 1 Comment
20
Sep 13

We have a winner

Frank Reid is getting a new flats pack from Fishpond. That works out pretty well, as that was the piece of gear he was most wanting.

Our winner, Frank.

Thanks to the good folks at Fishpond for letting us do the give away and thanks to all of you for your comments. Fishpond is a pretty solid company. I like their gear and their philosophy.

Thanks Fishpond

Gear — 26 Comments
17
Sep 13

The Fishpond Scavenger Hunt

Nice pack

I have gear to give away (the Low Tide Hydration/Lumbar pack above). One of you lucky folks will be the beneficiary of this thanks to the good folks over at Fishpond. I am not one for just selecting people at random. I want you to put in some work, so here’s what’s required to be entered into the drawing for the wonderful flats pack.

You need to go to the Fishpond Facebook Page and give them a “Like”
You need to go to the Fishpond website and find the piece of gear you most covet and tell me what it is and why you covet it.
List out what you put in your pack for a day on the flats.

I’ll announce the winner on Friday. You must put your answer in the comments section of this page (look at the top of the page, not the bottom, for the comments link).

Gear — 1 Comment
15
Sep 13

Fishpond Pack Give Away

I like Fishpond, as a company. They just seem solid, solid, solid. I like their gear and I like their ethics.

So, later this week I’m announcing a Fishpond Pack Give Away. I’ll announce the details in a couple days. Should be fun.

Nice.

Gear / Tactics — No Comments
11
Sep 13

My Mistakes. Sunburn.

Day one, it isn’t much of an issue. Day 3, day 4… 6… it’s an issue and it can really put a dent in your experience.

My “problem areas” are:

The spot below my cap and above my buff on the side of my head
The backs of my hands

I’ve thus far avoided a bad burn on the tops of my feet, but I can see how that would be an issue. I think it is a matter of time before they make sun gloves for your feet for boats (if you make this and sell it, I want a %).

The backs of my hands is the part that has gotten bad on some trips. I simply don’t re-apply sunscreen enough and have a habit of leaving my sun gloves back at the lodge. I noticed one trip where I was constantly trying to hide my hands from the sun with my body. It meant I was distracted and it meant I was probably not paying as much attention as I could have been to the fishing.

Don’t do things that take you out of the moment. Getting the right gear to keep you covered and sunburn free is key.

Finally… wearing the gloves.

Gear — No Comments
09
Aug 13

Best in Show

The IFTD Show was a few weeks back. I didn’t make it this year, but there were still plenty of folks there. Last year it was a good time. There was some over training on my part, but it was great to actually meet folks I had been talking to, or about, for a while.

The show is maybe mostly about relationships, but people come there to talk about gear.

Gink and Gasoline was there and they had some thoughts. Good stuff.

The Best Saltwater Rod was the Vapen from Redington. Now… I got to fish the Vapen a bit here in mostly fresh water and I wasn’t a huge fan. That may have been largely because I got a bit hung up on the new grip. The rod itself felt pretty good. I said I would have liked the rod a lot more if it just had a cork grip and as it turns out, you can get it with a cork grip. That would help my opinion of it a lot.

That’s a grip you’ll see from a long ways off.

The best saltwater reel was given to the Nautilus CCFX2. I haven’t put my hands on one of those just yet. Sam Root captured the the deets.

Here’s the list from MidCurrent. Some notables in there.

Bonefish on the Brain Bonefish and all that relates (maybe a bit about tarpon too).