Product Reviews Fall 2004

By Shane Stalcup

 

Albright Fly Rod GP Series

Over the last couple of years with the economy being a little sluggish, the biggest increase that one could imagine in rod sales has come from the lower end rods. Lower end however does not mean poor quality. Some of these rods look and cast just as good as some of the more expensive ones and are perfect for someone on a budget or just in need of a back up rod.

The Albright GP Series which is short for General Practitioner would be considered somewhere between a medium and a medium fast action rod, and this would be dictated by which line weight you used. The rods are labeled dual use in the sense that the one that was demonstrated was a 9’ 5/6wt. rod. With the 5 weight the rod leans more towards the medium-fast action side until the line gets out to around 40ft. A 6wt. line turns the rod into more of a medium action rod and is probably why there are two stripping guides. Since not all fly lines are the same, the demo was carried out with Scientific Anglers’ GPX all around fly line.

Cosmetically, this is a true keeper. A beautiful brown color tucked into a black rod sock and no tube. This is the new kicker with the cheaper rods. They give you many options so you can keep costs down, and one of them is the rod tube. You can also buy a complete setup of rod, reel, backing, fly line, leader, and a case. For just the rod the 905 retails for $125.00 and a complete outfit $269.00. Whether you are looking for your first fly rod or just want a back up, the Whole Line Up of Albright rods would be well worth your time to look at and better yet, make a few casts with.

 

Wishbone Easy Thread Bobbin

  When it comes to fly tying nothing gets done unless you have some thread on the hook. Getting it there is not always an easy task if your bobbin tube has plugged up with wax and debris. It used to be that some kind of wire loop was pushed down the bobbin and the thread placed into the loop and then the thread pulled back through or the thread was started and the tier would suck on the end of the tube to get the thread. My, how times have changed.

 

Now, we have a totally NEW approach to threading our bobbins like never seen before. At the tip of the bobbin is a slit. Line up this slit with the direction the thread is coming off the spool. Then all you have to do is push the thread through the slit and out the tip. How much simpler could that be? No more sucking, no more clogged tubes, no more hunting around on your desk for your threader. If you find you would like more tension on the bobbin, just turn the slit the opposite way and the thread will wrap around the bobbin one turn. This was not an afterthought, it was built with this idea in mind, so you don’t have to worry about fraying your thread. Something so simple that has taken decades to come along.

 

Turkey CDC

  It has been probably about 15-18 years ago that c.d.c. came to America and really got its first going over. At first no one knew what to do with it, and then the feathers that were being sold were junk. Today, many have come to rely on c.d.c. for many of their flies--especially for emergers and smaller midges. To this day as have many others said, the reason c.d.c. works is not due to the oil in the feather but rather its construction. With all those tiny barbs grouped together; a tremendous amount of air is trapped, and that is what makes them float.

  In resent years c.d.c. has begun to take another path, from dry flies to wets and nymphs. It was only natural that those who really liked the feather would find other uses for it. Wrapped as a collar sparingly, the use of c.d.c. brings life your fly and now with the larger turkey c.d.c., just think of the giant and traveling sedges you can tie now. Let’s not forget that c.d.c can also now be used for stoneflies, whether dry or nymphs. Just imagine some turkey c.d.c. wrapped through a bulky thorax. Can you just see and almost feel the movement and life this fly now has? It comes in a multitude of colors, so steelhead fisherman are sure to enjoy some of the benefits of this feather as well.

 

Costa Del Mar

  You may be saying Costa who? Costa Del Mar, which was founded in 1983, supports numerous conservation groups, and is the official sunglass of the International Game Sportsman Association. It is also a sponsor of ESPN2 television show “Spanish Fly with Jose Wejebe.” Anyone who does any saltwater fishing has probably noticed most of the guides wearing these glasses as well. Then why when you walk into a fly shop are these high tech glasses are nowhere to be found? Who knows, but one thing is for sure; I would go to their web site and seek out the nearest dealer. If guides in the Keys depend on these glasses day in and day out, that should tell you something about how good Costas really are.

  New in their large line up this year in the “Performance  Series” Costa produced some of the highest tech glasses to date. The frames are from Titanium Fused Grilamid (TFG) and advanced nylon materials. This gives the frame strength, comfort, and upmost performance. Attached to the frame you can choose from their patented Wave Technology, which absorbs light. There is the Wave 400 and Wave 580 series and a whole host of colors to pick from. The 400 is which Costa was founded on, giving the angler 100% UV protection in a polarized sunglass. From this came the 580. This lens eliminates the presence of yellow in the color spectrum from reaching your eyes, which is the cause for glare. At the same time they allow the eye to take in more of the reds, blues, and greens. This particular lens also holds its own patent.

  Costa gives the angler many choices of both frames and lenses of the highest quality and latest technology--plus most are available for prescriptions as well. Once you try them, you’ll wonder how you ever fished without them.

 

About The Author

Shane Stalcup is an expert fly tyer and fly fisherman from Denver, Colorado. He is the author of Mayflies: Top to Bottom, and has produced numerous fly tying videos, including “The Mayfly Life Cycle,” “Tying Mayfly Cripples,” and “Tying Mayfly Emergers.” You can order his books and videos online at www.stalcupflies.com.  For comments or questions about these product reviews, contact Shane at: PO Box 211412, Denver, CO 80221. Or email stalcupflies@earthlink.net.