Day Two Wrap-Up: Eye-Catchers

While MidCurrent will be publishing a complete list of our favorite new fly fishing products in our Annual Product Review later this month — including products introduced by companies not in attendance this year — we thought it worth mentioning a couple of pieces of gear that caught our eye during the second day of the IFTD show in Denver.

While Orvis’s new Superfine Touch and Sage’s TXL-F rods are definitely on our wishlist, Ross’s new RX rods and Orvis’s Access series are a very fine choice in the moderately priced category. R.L. Winston’s Passport — at some $100 less than the RX — is a good choice in the budget category, as is the Redington Pursuit. If you’re looking for a big-fish rod, it will be pretty hard to go wrong with Hardy’s new SINTRIX. And if you want to go retro — or just believe that glass is as good a material as any for building a fly rod — check out Scott’s new F2 series.

Ted Juracsik makes good fly reels. That’s all we might need to say except that the new Tibor Signature series, in our opinion, shows just how a sealed drag system should be made: very simple, very reliable, and maintenance-free. Besides, we think it will be the best-looking reel they’ve offered.

Redington is touting their Sonic Pro waders, but they ignored the temptation to “go frou-frou” when they came up with their new women’s waders, which in our opinion are the most smartly stylish of their new line. (It’s hard to shop for my wife, but she’s getting a pair of these as soon as they become available, even if she only wears them around the house.)

Korkers has clearly thought through sole design and continues to innovate with their new Chrome wading boots, which offer a configuration for just about anyone (and they finally added a ring for securing gravel-guards).

L.L. Bean continues to do what many other companies are doing but at much lower cost. We saw a new products in almost every category that will provide great value for the budget-conscious, including a new Coolweave Technical Fishing Shirt for only $39.

On the fly tying front, Clear Cure Goo is coming out with a full line of UV-cured epoxy products that they guarantee to be tack-free, and Fish Pimp introduced Hard Headed and Head Strong, two cements that we definitely want to try on some new flies. Rite Bobbin’s got a new adjustable-tension Half-Hitch Mag bobbin that improves on an already popular line of products.

TroutHunter’s new leaders deserve attention, as do Fish Pimp’s new strike indicators.

We hope to be test-driving the new Creek Company’s Sport XR-1 Pontoon Boat sometime this year. Its no-tools-required, powder-coated steel frame assembles in minutes, and includes adjustable foot bars, a cargo deck, motor mount, and plastic molded seat. Best of all, it will cost only $399.99.

There are too many products to pick out all the interesting new offerings, so be sure to check out our upcoming Annual Product Review for details on over 400 new products for fly fishers.