Live from Fly Fishing Retailer – Day 1 Podcast

Each day during this week’s Fly Fishing Retailer show in Denver, we’re posting same-day podcasts of new-product announcements from the top manufacturers. Today, Zach Matthews interviews company executives and product designers from Simms, Scientific Anglers, Scott Rods, Dr. Slick, and Tibor Reels.
Podcast Highlights

• Diane Bristol of Simms talks about the company’s work with Vibram to develop a high-performance rubber alternative to felt soles that addresses aquatic nuisance species. New Simms ’09 boots will feature a 360-degree tread design that grips “as good if not better than felt.” She also mentions new technology in sportswear fabric — high UPF, anti-odor, high-wicking — and a waist-high version of Simms’s G3 waders.
• Jeff Wieringa from Scientific Anglers says they have tweaked the whole Ultra 4 line — adding loops and AST coatings — and renamed it “Supra.” Air Cell Supreme is going to be replaced their new “Pro” line of fly lines. They are also introducing a new double-taper trout line, a GPX and a shooting line using Sharkskin technology, as well as a eight new waterproof fly boxes.
• Rod designer Jim Bartschi describes Scott Rods’s expansion of the S4 series, with the addition of a full line of 10-footers and a 9-foot 9-weight. There’s also another new series — the A3 — which replaces the A2.
• Dr. Slick’s Steve Fournier tells us about the company’s new braid scissor, new improved knot-tying nipper, upgraded pliers and the new split-shot and twisted-loop clamps.
• Marianne Papa of Tibor Reels talks about their new Tibor “Spey” reel, designed solely for steelhead and salmon fishing. She describes the new “witness marks” on the Spey model that enable anglers to keep track of drag settings.