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George Anderson's suggestions onTackle, Equipment, Flies,and Clothing for Turneffe FlatsBelize 2006Rods | Reels | Lines & Leaders | Flies | Flats Booties Helping you get set up right for our tripTurneffe Flats Lodge is one of our favorite saltwater destinations, and over the years we have taken more than twenty groups to this wonderful island resort in Belize. Over the past fifteen years we have learned a lot about the fishing and the kind of tackle, equipment and flies that you'll want to have for the fishing in the Turneffe Islands. Although there is a small gift shop at the lodge that has some flies and other basic items and t-shirts, you will want to bring everything you'll need along with you on this trip. Along with our packing list, this letter on tackle, gear, flies and clothing will help give you some good ideas on what you'll need and our recommendations on all this various gear. You may already be pretty well set for tackle and gear but if not we would like to help equip you for the trip and get you set up right. Whether you would like just a few of the right flies or a complete outfit, we'll do our best to help you select the right gear at a nice price. There is no shop around that knows how to set up tackle like we do, for everything from trout to Big Game fish like tarpon, sailfish and marlin. Take advantage of our expertise in selecting your rods and reels, lines and then putting the lines,leaders and backing together with our tried and proven spliced loop to loop connections that zip right through your guides, and the slim, smooth and reliable line to leader connections that are so critical to success out on the flats. My favorite rods for BelizeAt Turneffe Flats you'll need two basic outfits. The first a #8 line outfit for bonefish, and the second a stronger #10 weight outfit for Permit, big Cudas, and Tarpon. Only in May and June would you need a larger tarpon rod like a #11 or #12. Most tarpon we'll find in March will be smaller tarpon in the 15-30 pound class, and a 10 weight rod is perfect for these fish. The Turneffe Islands have always been famous for bonefish, but lately more and more anglers are going to Turneffe Flats to target big permit as this is some of the very best permit fishing in the world. Belize is also one of the best spots in the world to catch a grand slam (Tarpon, Permit, and Bonefish all in the same day). As such, you'll definitely want have the right tackle with you.
We've hand picked the best rods on the market from Sage, Loomis and Winston with an eye for the finest performing saltwater rods you lay your hands on. In addition to these more expensive rods, we will also give you our picks for the best of the less expensive imported rods from Temple Fork and Albright. These $200-$300 rods are surprisingly good rods for half the cost of the premium rods, and make a great back-up rod to bring along. First, here are the graphite rocket launchers stand far above the rest and have earned a permanent spot in my person rod arsenal. Sage Xi2 Saltwater RodsSage has always been famous for their smooth casting, faster action rods. These new Xi2 rods are a big step up from the old RPLX rods. Much lighter in weight, they have have powerful butt sections, ideal for playing strong fish and softer tips that allow for accurate presentations, especially at shorter distances. These are all 4 piece rods that make them perfect for traveling. These beautiful sapphire blue Xi2's are one of our favorite saltwater rods, and one of the sweetest casting rods on the market. These lively, yet powerful rods will zing your fly through the wind like a peregrine falcon.
Model length line weight Pieces Price Xi2 890-4 9 foot 8 4 $635.00 Xi2 1090-4 9 foot 10 4 $685.00 Sage's Modulus Positioning System (MPS) developed for fine tuning the rod's power provides a starting level of "line feel" throughout the casting stroke. This allows you to feel the rod load better and lets you apply power more efficiently and smoothly - exactly what you need when you are casting to that tailing permit! G-Loomis CrossCurrent GLX RodsIn order to produce some of the best casting rods on the market, Loomis went straight to the source for rod building advice: great casters. With Multi-time World Fly Casting Champion Steve Rajeff as G.Loomis head rod designer, Loomis produced their terrific GLX line of rods. Now, with the help of great anglers and casters like Flip Pallot, Jose' Wejebe,and George Anderson, along with a cast of hundreds, Loomis has compiled generations of casting expertise to produce these CrossCurrent GLX rods.
These new CrossCurrent GLX rods that have replaced the older black GLX models are all 4 piece rods to satisfy traveling anglers. These rods are very light, yet have unbelievable power that allows good casters to throw incredibly tight loops into the hardest wind. Their strong butt and mid-section power gives the angler the ability to play fish quickly while the softer tips allow for excellent accuracy and short distance performance. These Olive CrossCurrent GLX rods are attractive, especially with their Olive anodized offset-oval locking reel seat. They use unbreakable recoil stripping guides and nickel/titanium snake guides that will bend but never break. These CrossCurrent GLX rods are slightly stiffer than the Sage Xi2 rods. Good casters will love these rods! Model length line weight Pieces Price FR1088-4 9' 8 4 $635.00 FR10810-4 9' 10 4 $685.00 Winston Boron IIx RodsLike our top selling BIIx trout rods, these saltwater versions are extremely light, thanks to the Boron fibers wrapped within Winston's high modulus graphite. Boron, which was originally developed for aerospace applications is five times as strong and twice as stiff as steel, yet lighter in weight than aluminum. The result is a lighter, stronger, un compromised rod that can throw very tight loops, has high sensitivity and good power for hook setting and playing fish.
These Winston BIIx rods are the same gorgeous emerald green found in other Winston rods. These are all 4 piece rods for easy traveling, and come with a green graphite and black anodized aluminum locking seat. Like the Loomis rods, these BIIx rods use the new, unbreakable nickel/titanium snake guides. Model length line weight Pieces Price 9'#8 BIIx 9' 8 4 $615.00 9'#10 BIIx 9' 10 4 $615.00
Call us: 406-222-7130
Temple Fork TiCr X RodsTemple Fork Outfitters have really created a name for themselves with Lefty Kreh's help. With great products at good prices, and smart marketing, they have dominated the low end market. The rods that impress us the most are their top of the line TICr X saltwater rods. These imported 4pc rods are handsomely finished in a rich blue with colored alignment dots, an aluminum reel seat, a flor grade cork half wells grip, and all are equipped with a fighting butt for those beastly bones and streaking permit. As Lefty puts it, "Wow!!!! This rod throws a line as flat as a billiard table with a loop that you can throw through a screen door."
In comparing these TiCr X rods to the best from Sage, Loomis and Winston, you'll find that they are a bit heavier and not quite as smooth or accurate to cast. Still, they cast surprisingly well, and they do it a at half the price. These rods come with cloth bag only but we have travel cases for an additional $16.95 Model length line weight Pieces Price TiCr X 9'#8 9 ' 8 4 $249.95 TiCr X 9'#10 9' 10 4 $249.95
Albright A-5 RodsHere is another outstanding inexpensive imported saltwater fly rod from Jim Murphy, who brought us the Redington rods. These A-5 models have impressed us with their good looks, light weight and sweet actions. This is due to the fact that they feel significantly lighter than their competition, and are designed with better templates and tapered mandrels. If you are looking for a great back-up rod, this is the one! Use this for a day on the flats though, and your backup rod might be taken off the bench and become one of your starters! These lovely green A-5's are 5 piece rods and come complete with a bag and case.
Model length line weight Pieces Price A-5 9'#8 9' 8 5 $195.00 A-5 9'#10 9' 10 5 $195.00
Rod Tubes, Cases, and Travel Tips
One other trick I've learned from experience traveling with my rods is to plug the top of your rod case with a wad of paper towel. This will take up the rest of the available space so there your rods can't move inside. Otherwise, you'll risk opening your case to find a broken tip before you've even on the water. Reels & SpoolsSaltwater reels are a different animal from their smaller, less substantial trout versions. Although they are heavier and more bulky than freshwater reels, they also provide everything you'll want and need while battling a streaking bonefish or 100 pound tarpon. A strong and very smooth drag system is essential, especially when you tie into a bonefish or permit that is going to peel off all your line and then another 150 yards of backing in seconds. Unlike trout, you need a drag system with enough frictional resistance to slow that monster down when he takes you into your backing - not if. You'll want a direct drive reel, with a large arbor that will help you land a tarpon in fifteen minutes instead of forty five! Any saltwater reel needs to be tough, with a high quality anodization inside and out to protect the aluminum from corrosive salt water. This is one case where it makes sense to spend the money on the best reels, that are not only bulletproof but will last a lifetime. When you look inside my Saltwater reel case, these are what you'll find:
Abel ReelsSuper 8- 8/9 line rods Weight: 8.1 oz. Spool Diameter: 3.90" Spool Width: 1.125" Capacity: 220 yd. 20lb Micron with WF8F line Color:Black Coral. Price: $650 Gold, platinum or Pewter - add $50 Interchangeable Abel 3 X/spool for 10-12 lines $195.00
Super 10 -10 line rods Weight: 8.7 oz. Spool diameter: 3.90" Spool width: 1.375" Capacity: 220 yd. 30 lb. Micron with WF-10-F line Color Black Coral Price: $690 Gold, platinum or Pewter - add $50 Interchangeable Abel #4 X/spool for 11-13 lines $215
As soon as you hold an Abel reel in your hand, you begin to understand the epitome of a quality reel. At first glance you'll notice the beautiful machining and porting, the perfectly shaped laminated wood handle, and that sparkling hand polished Black Coral anodized finish. The important stuff is inside though, like the ultra smooth drag system that could Stop-a-Sub, and the new click you hear as the line plays out as well as the standard click on the retrieve. Abel has flawlessly perfected one of the single greatest reels in the world. Pick one up and you'll see why people are always comparing other new saltwater reels to an Abel. These are bulletproof reels that perform their job flawlessly and will last a lifetime. The fact that the Super Series Reels are 100% interchangeable with comparably sized Abel Big Game Reels is a huge bonus. Essentially, you can get 2 totally different reels with different line capacities at the price of a reel and extra spool. For example the super 8 with it's wide arbor spool will hold a WF-8-F and two hundred yards of 20 lb backing, perfect for bonefish, but if you slip in a standard Abel #3 spool, now you have room for a 10-12 weight line and plenty of 30 lb. backing for big permit or tarpon. This is a very smooth reel that runs on multiple ball bearings and utilizes Abel's famous cork disc drag system, one of the best saltwater drag systems ever designed in a fly reel. Not only is this silk smooth but has a very wide range of adjustment and a perfect drag adjust knob with positive ball bearing detents that sits on the opposite side of the reel from the handle.
Tibor ReelsTibor Everglades -8/9 line rods Weight: 8.5 ounces Frame size: 3 3/4 x 1 3/8 Capacity: 200 yards 20lb with WF8F Standard Colors: Black or Satin Gold. Several other colors available at an additional 10% charge. Standard reels Price: $610 Quick change series Price: $710 Tibor Riptide - 10/11 line rods Weight: 9.5 ounces Frame size: 4" x 1 3/8" Capacity: 200 yards 30lb Micron with WF10F Standard Colors: Black or Satin Gold. Several other colors available at an additional 10% charge. Standard reels Price: $635 Quick change series Price: $735
Temple Fork Large Arbor Fly ReelsTFR 375
Spool Diameter: 3.75" Spool Width: 2.0" Capacity: 250 yards of 20lb backing with a WF8F Rod Weights: 7,8,9 Price: $249.95 TFR 425 Weight: 9.2 oz Spool Diameter: 4.25" Spool Width: 2.0" Capacity: 275 yards of 30lb backing with a WF10F Rod Weights: 10,11,12 Price: $259.95 These new Temple Fork large arbor reels are impressive performing saltwater reels, especially for their low price. These imported reels are machined from 6061 aluminum, and are anodized a beautiful olive gray. These good looking reels have quick change spools with a state of the art draw bar/carbon fiber disk drag. Roller bearings and ball bearings, much like the Abel and Tibor reels make this an exceptionally smooth spinning reel. The carbon fiber drag plate system is both smooth and strong. These are some of the most impressive reels we have seen lately, and the price is terrific. We feel that this is a great reel for anyone, but especially for those that don't want to spend an arm and a leg on tackle.
Ross Canyon Big Game ReelsRoss Canyon Big Game #5 Weight: 8.0 ounces Spool Diameter: 4.00" Spool Width: 1.05" Capacity: 250 yd. 20 lb. Micron with WF8F Rod Weights: 8,9, Price: $415.00
Ross Canyon Big Game #6 Weight: 8.7 ounces Spool Diameter: 4.25" Spool Width: 1.05" Capacity: 200 yd. 30lb. Micron with WF10F Rod Weights: 10/11 Price: $455.00
The Ross Canyon Big Game reels are a superb saltwater reel and we sell a lot of them as a less expensive alternative to the Abel or Tibor reels. These wide arbor reels have easily interchangeable spools, and are tough! They run on a simple bronze bearing and steel arbor system but are very smooth reels. The drag system is totally enclosed from the elements and extremely strong and smooth. The Canyon BG series has over 6 square inches of effective drag surface; more drag area than any competitive reel. Set at maximum drag, the Canyon BG series accomplished a dead lift weight of 13.5 pounds - three times the effective drag of every cork drag reel tested. We have been impressed with these reels and they have performed flawlessly over the past few years since their introduction. Lines, Leaders, & Tippet MaterialLeaders, tippets, and knots are the vital link between you and the next outsize saltwater monster that inhales your fly. A good terminal tackle system in a joy for both the novice and expert to use. A bad one is a disaster. One thing that we have always been famous for here at the Yellowstone Angler is our expertise in rigging up fly lines, backing and leaders, using slim but strong loop to loop connections, special spliced loops and slim butt section to line connections that slip easily through your guides. Saltwater lines with their stiffer braided monofilament or solid monofilament cores require very different knots from what we use in trout fishing. They must be tied perfectly to withstand the the extreme pressure you'll need to apply, especially playing larger fish like big jacks, permit and tarpon.
Fly LinesFor saltwater lines, we prefer both Scientific Angler's braided core bonefish and tarpon taper lines along with Rio's new powerflex solid monofilament core lines... Prices run $60-$70 each For bonefish, all you'll need is a floating line. SA's bonefish taper is a wonderful line for most anglers. It is easy to cast and weighted so that it loads quickly and drives better into a hard wind. This is a braided core line, and much stiffer than the trout lines we use , allowing it to shoot better and eliminating potential tangles in your running line that will give you fits and cause you to break off a lot of fish while you are trying to clear your line on a fast running fish. We rig these lines with a spliced loop at the rear end to maintain 100% of the strength of your backing and allow you to quickly change lines if one gets shredded in the coral. You'll want to stretch these lines out each day before fishing with them. You'll definitely want to bring a spare floating line for bonefish. Coral is everywhere on the flats in Belize, and it doesn't take much pressure to shred your running line on a hard running bone. Good casters love the way the RIO Powerflex lines shoot and fish, but they are very stiff lines and must be stretched more to avoid coiling problems. For permit and tarpon, floating lines are also an excellent choice as they allow the angler to pick up and deliver multiple casts with ease. Better casters will find the SA Tarpon Taper slow sink a wonderful casting line and one better suited to getting down in the deeper channels and rivers where many of the smaller tarpon are found in winter and early spring. Another one of our favorite lines for both permit and tarpon is RIO's Powerflex core, clear tip line. This line is tan but has 15 feet of clear, slow sinking tip. Perfect for those spooky tailing permit or tarpon in the deeper channels.
Call us: 406-222-7130
Special knots and backing We use a variety of methods of attaching a butt section to all these lines, from back to back nail knots on the Rio powerflex core lines to our special Triple TK (totally tricked out tarpon knot) on the braided core lines. These line to butt section connections are slim and will run right through your guides, but are 100% reliable, and we test every one for strength before it leaves the shop. For backing, we'll use 20 lb. on most bonefish set-ups, and 30 lb. for larger fish like permit and tarpon. We like to use Saltwater Micron with it's special teflon coating and the ability for us to tie blind spliced loops in the end of the backing to give you that critical loop to loop connection between backing and fly line. Send us your reel and line and get it rigged up right Many of our customers send us their reels and lines before the trip and we'll be happy to check everything out, replace old lines, re-do all the critical knots and then clean and lube your reel. If you don't have the time to do all this, let us help. It could mean the difference between next year's christmas card with you holding a 30 lb. permit, or just nice Belize sunset silhouetted by palm tree at the Loge
LeadersHaving a leader that will turnover a big, wind resistant crab fly to a tailing permit, or one that will punch into a twenty knot wind on the bonefish flats is a big key to success. Over the years we have designed our own leaders for bonefish, permit and tarpon, using stiff hard nylon butt sections and Seaguar GrandMAX fluorocarbon tippets. These are all hand tied with our special formulas, developed by George Anderson over twenty five years of fly fishing the flats. These leaders have rapid tapers and will turnover a heavy fly with the flick of the wrist. You can even cast a tight loop with them in your hand right out of the package! Both our Bonefish and Permit leaders are tied with a Mason's hard nylon butt section with a quick taper, allowing the best turn over in a hard wind with great accuracy. We use Stu Apte improved blood knots to connect the tippets for near 100% knot strength. On our Bonefish leaders we use a tippet of 1X Seaguar GrandMAX Fluorocarbon that tests nearly 15 pounds. On our Permit leaders we start with a heavier butt section and then use 02X GrandMAX for the tippet, with the breaking strength at 20 pounds. For the Belize trip we recommend that you bring at least 6 bonefish leaders and 4 permit leaders. $6.95 each. Our Tarpon quick change leaders are tied with 20lb class tippet and 60-80lb. Seaguar fluorocarbon shock tippets. We utilize Mason's Hard Nylon for the class tippet to give anglers the ultimate in abrasion resistance and performance. Mason's hard nylon, a long time favorite of Florida Keys guides, is very stiff yet strong. Its larger diameter also helps the leader to turn over perfectly, even when a longer class tippet is needed. We attach a shock tippet of 60, 70 or 80lb. Fluorocarbon, using a Slim Beauty knot that gives a short, clean profile and knot strength that approaches 100%. Our large quick change loops make these leaders easy to loop into your butt section. For Belize, we recommend that you bring 2-4 of our 70 lb. shock tippet tarpon leaders. $9.95 each. Tippet materialThe new fluorocarbon tippet materials are the only way to go, especially for the well educated Belize bones and permit. The best fluorocarbon we have found by far is Seaguar's GrandMAX. For bonefish you'll want to bring sizes 1X, 2X and 3X - one spool of each. For permit, one spool of 02X (20 lb.) is perfect. $13.95 per 25 meter spool Fly PatternsYou may have flies that will work for bones, permit and tarpon, but over the years we have have found that certain patterns are critical to success in the Turneffe Islands. In general, we use smaller bonefish patterns in Belize than in other destinations around the Caribbean. Also, at Turneffe, there are many small, green, jade colored crabs we'll want to imitate for both bonefish and permit. For bones, you'll want mostly bead chain eye flies that will sink to the bottom in a foot and a half of water but you'll also want some very lightly weighted flies without bead chain eyes, for fishing to tailing fish in ankle deep water, and on the ocean side flats. As for permit patterns, we have some deadly new ones like the Enrico Puglisi Palometa crabs along with tried and proven Del Brown's Merkins and George Anderson's McCrab that was developed at Turneffe Flats for those picky 30 lb. permit. Here is our idea of the perfect selection of flies for this trip to have you well equipped for any situation:
Belize Fly Selection for our trip:Here are our suggestions for the perfect selection of flies for Turneffe Flats that will have you well equipped for any situation: Bonefish Wtd. Pearl Crazy George 3/6, @$2.50 ea. Brown Crazy Charlie 2/6, 2/8 @$2.50 ea. Pearl/tan Crazy Charlie 2/6, 2/8 @$2.50 ea. Taku Special 3/8, 3/10 @$2.50 ea. Tan Squimp 2/6, 2/8 @$2.95 ea. Pearl Squimp 3/8 @$2.95 ea. Olive Bonefish Bitters 2/6, 3/8 @$2.95 ea. Tan Bonefish Bitters 2/6, 3/8 @$2.95 ea. Unweighted Pearl Crazy George 3/6, 3/8 @$2.50 ea. Unweighted Bonefish Special 3/6 @$2.50 ea. Complete Bonefish fly selection $115.00 Permit Olive Palometa Crab , 2/2 @$5.95 ea. Tan Palometa Crab 1 1/0, 2/2 @$5.95 ea. Del Brown's Merkin 2/2 @$4.95 ea. Beadchain Beige Merkin 1/2, 2/4 @$4.95 ea. Anderson's McCrab 1/2, 1/4 @$6.95 ea. Olive Mini Merkin 1/2, 1/4 @$4.95 ea. Complete Permit fly selection $78.00 Tarpon White and Grizzly Deceiver 2 2/0 @$4.95 ea. Black Death 2 2/0 @$4.95 ea. Yellow Orange & Grizzly 2 2/0, 1 3/0 @$4.95 ea. Cockroach 1 2/0, 1 3/0 @$4.95 ea. Complete Tarpon selection $44.50 Barracuda Wire rigged cuda flies 2/ 2-0 @6.95 ea. This total fly selection would come to $251.00 but if you want "the works" our special price will be $215.00 for all of the above flies. The selections above are a conservative number of flies and patterns for a week of fishing. Many anglers would opt for a greater quantity of the best bonefish and permit flies. On the other hand, if you would like a smaller selection or flies, just give us an idea of what you would like to spend and we'll make up a custom selection for you. Wading Gear
SIMMS Flats Sneaker (top) $99.00 Original Marlwaker (bottom) $120.00 Now $96.00 (sizes available 6-10,13,14)
Wading at turneffe flats is a mixture of soft bottom on the inside lagoon flats and hard coral out on the ocean side flats. You definitely need to have a good pair of flats booties to combat all the jagged rocks and coral formations you'll find on the Oceanside flats. The flats of Belize have some of the nastiest coral around, and being able to wade comfortably and confidently will make a huge difference while you are fishing. Both Simms and Patagonia make tough and comfortable shoes that will protect you from what lurks beneath the surface. They are light weight, fast drying, and comfortable to wear all day. These flats boots also give you awesome traction on the bow of the flats skiff. Your normal shoe size is the size you should order. Patagonia Marlwalker 2: $135.00 sizes available: 5-13 (Men's sizes) Wading Socks socksWith the flats wading shoes, you'll want to wear a pair of thin socks for comfort in dealing with the sand and shell fragments that will chafe your feet. The two best we've found are the Patagonia's capilene liner socks at $11.95 and Simms waderwick liner socks at $9.95. These dry fast enough that you can wash them in your sink at night and they are dry the next morning.
It is smart to give your socks and wading shoes a good wash in fresh water before you head home, and wrap them in a garbage bag to help eliminate most of that nasty odor that can permeate your luggage. You'll also want to wash off your rod and reel with soap and fresh water, and dry these out before the trip home. Clothing to BringBelize is a humid tropical environment, and the daily temperatures will be in the mid 70's to low 80's in March. Dress is casual at all times, so you can wear your fishing shirts or even a t-shirt to dinner. Out on the flats you want to wear clothing that will give you some sun protection, yet be light and quick drying. The best flats fishing shirts we stock are made of some type of nylon, cotton or polyester blend. These fabrics are light and comfortable but dry very quickly, a must feature when you are catching salt spray while running in the skiffs. Most have vented backs and vents along the sides. We stock a variety of shirts and flats pants and shorts from Ex-Officio, Columbia, Redington, and Patagonia. Many people will wade in shorts, and even wear short sleeve shirts, but just remember to use plenty of 30-50 protection factor sunscreen. Everyone should bring a few long sleeve shirts as well as a couple of pair of lightweight flats pants to wear while fishing if you are getting too much sun. Many people make the mistake of getting burned up early in the week and then suffer the rest of the time. Many anglers now fish only in long sleeve shirts, long pants and wide brimmed hats to minimize the possibility of skin cancer. You can't be too careful in this regard, especially in a tropical environment like Belize. If you need help with some shirts, pants or shorts just call us at 406-222-7130 and we'll be happy to tell you what styles, sizes and colors we have in stock. Bring at least two good pair of light weight wading pants. We stock Ex-Officio's Amphi pants that have a comfortable mesh brief inside. These also come as convertible pants with with zip off legs for around $60.00 Patagonia's Island hopper pants, GII pants, or tropical flats pants also fill the bill well. We carry these in variety of sizes and prices run $50-$65. Dinner at the lodge will be casual. Pants are nice at night due to the "no-see-um" sand flies that will try to bite you while you are out on the deck for cocktails. For shirts a smart way to do it is to wear a clean long sleeve fishing shirt for dinner and then wear that same shirt the following fishing day. You should bring enough underwear and clothes for the whole week but it is possible to get some laundry done at Turneffe Flats if you talk to the right people and leave them a nice tip. Be sure to bring rain gear.Generally we won't see much rain in March, but you must always be prepared. More importantly, you'll want to wear a light, breathable rain jacket and even rain pants in the boat while running to where you'll be fishing that day. If it is windy, you'll catch a lot of salt spray and you want to stay dry while you are running and peel off the rain gear once you arrive at your fishing location. The run time can be up to 20-30 minutes. My favorite rain outfit is the Simms Gore-tex Packlite full zip rain jacket, and their full zip pants. The jacket is a little longer than most yet folds small enough to stick in the back of my fishing vest. Good breath ability for rain wear in tropical climates is critical, and there is nothing better than these light-weight Packlite Gore-tex products from Simms. The Packlite Gore-Tex Rain Pant has full length zippers that make them very easy to get in and out of with your wading shoes on. These pants come with a good attached belt that is perfect for saltwater use. Jacket Colors: smoke gray, brick, pacifica blue Jacket Sizes: S-XXL Full Zip Rain pant sizes S-XXL PackLite full zip rain jacket $199.00 Full Zip rain pants color: smoke gray Sizes S-XXL PackLite full zip rain pant $159.95 Another excellent, less expensive, waist high jacket from Simms is their In-Vest rain jacket. This is also breathable but waterproof, has a good hood like the PackLite and packs down into a very small size. Colors: coal, blue, tan Sizes S-XL Simms In Vest Rain Jacket $129.00. Miscellaneous Items to BringBring a good quality pair of polarized sunglasses. I like the light brown shades, which work well on cloudy as well as sunny days. The best ones we've found lately are from Smith/Action Optics, Oakley, and Maui Jim. We stock a wide variety of styles in all these brands. All are polarized, and most utilize lightweight glass lenses. Some, like the Action Optics copper lens, are photo chromatic, having the ability to change to a darker shade with more sunlight. Action Optics and Maui-Jim offer glass lenses as well as lighter non- scratch poly carbonate lenses. Oakley models are all poly carbonate, but excellent. The best polarized glasses run about $150, but we have models from $75 to $295.00 Call us and we'll be happy to suggest something that you will like. We also stock lots of decent, inexpensive polarized glasses that are under $20. Be sure to bring a spare pair of polarized sunglasses, even if they are inexpensive ones. We also stock good some excellent polarized glasses from Action Optics and Orvis that have small magnifiers built right into the glasses. Serious anglers love these, as you can get rid of your reading glasses or other magnifiers and just use one pair of glasses. The several styles we stock from Acton Optics run about $90 with their good scratch proof CR -39 lenses. Don't forget a Flip Focal, Hat Eyes, or some other optical aid like the magnifying clip-ons to help you tie on your flies or work on leaders. Binoculars are handy to have on the flats for spotting tailing fish. If you have a small pair, bring them along in your boat bag. It will definitely increase your chances of spotting both bones and tailing permit at longer distances.
A Fanny Pack for wade fishing A good fanny pack is really handy to have out wading the flats. You can carry a variety of fly boxes, tippet material and even a bottle of water. Our idea of the best wade fishing flats pack is William Joseph's Flats Lite. The beauty of this pack is that you can split it in two, take off the padded belt and water bottle and use it as a chest pack! The special belt provides extra-ordinary back support while casting, making your day on the flats that much more pleasurable. William Joseph Flats Lite $79.95 Bring a good boat bag On the flats skiffs, it is important that you have a good watertight bag for your gear, cameras, extra fly boxes etc. One of the best we've seen yet is from Patagonia, called the "Great Divider". It can sit in 8" of water for weeks and nothing would get wet. It has a zippered top for easy access and is built so that the top overlaps the zipper, not allowing any water inside even in a drenching rain. This has multiple zippered pockets inside, velcro adjustable compartments and good carry straps so that you can use it as a carry-on bag.
Patagonia Great Divider boat bag $165.00 Roller luggageGreat Roller bags make traveling a pleasure again! We carry a good selection of the finest roller bags from both Simms and Patagonia. The new Patagonia bags are especially good. They make two models. The big one is the Freightliner Max. It is 30x17x16", and this runs $325. I have found that it is perfect for all my gear for a week or more. The smaller one called the Freightliner, has a trick middle zipper that allows you to use the whole lower portion of the bag as a separate compartment. I've been using this roller bag as a carry-on. It has compressor straps and if I don't pack it too full, it goes right into the overhead compartments no problem. The Freightliner measures 22x14x14" loaded and is $295.
Simms has two well-designed roller bags this year that have been very popular. These bags have an interior compartment designed to take as many as six 3-4pc rods in their cloth bags. There are other compartments for reels, gear and of course clothing.
Simms' big bag is called the "Bottomless Pit" roller bag, and it is huge. Volume is 135 Liter. Dimensions are 14" H, x 20" w, x 42" long. Few anglers will ever want or need a larger bag! A smaller version is available for 4 Pc. rods. The volume on this one is 80 Liter and the dimensions are 14"H x 18"W x 34"long. Simms 3-piece Roller Bag $379.95 Simms 4-piece Roller Bag $329.95
The new Simms Hard Bottom Roller bag is another great travel roller bag with a compartment that will also take 9 foot 4-piece rods. This bag has a hard ABS shell bottom and sides with a soft top. Dimensions are: 13"H x 16"W x 34"long. Volume: 107 Liter Simms Hard Bottom Roller Bag $299.95
George Anderson |
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I
like to hand carry my rods while I'm traveling, so the 4 piece rods make
a lot more sense than taking two or three piece rods that may need to
be checked. I'll stick the rods in one of the 4"
diameter travel cases x 32" long, from Winston or Sage. These
will hold 4-5 four-piece rods in their cloth bags. These multi-rod
cases run about $75.00. 
Lazar
engraving is optional, and you many choose from a wide variety of fish
like bonefish, permit, tarpon, redfish, dolphin, and others. The
extra cost is $60. Abel also offers a large
variety artistic and fish /graphic anodization on these reels for an additional
cost. To see these colors go to http://www.abelreels.com/pages/camo.htm.
The
Tibor series of reels were first introduced in 1995 and have established
themselves as the benchmark for custom-crafted saltwater fly reels. After
years of development and input from the likes of Lefty Kreh and Flip Pallot,
Ted was finally satisfied with a reel that truly has set a new standard
in fly fishing reel technology. The spool's large arbor design significantly
enhances the rate of line retrieval which is critical when you're trying
to control speedsters like bonefish. 
The
Tibor reels have been our all time favorites. Their drag system
with a cork disc and three small ball bearing detents makes a sweet sound
when those bonefish or permit are running hard. A flawless
system that will last a lifetime with minimal care. All Tibor
reels come with a nameplate you can return to them to be engraved with
you name at no extra charge. They also offer lazar engraving
with a variety of fish like bonefish, permit, tarpon, snook and others
for an additional $45.00 If you need the ability to change
spools quickly, Tibor is now offering this reel, called the QC version
at an additional $100.00. 
Weight:
8.0 ounces
When I'm traveling with both
the Freightliner Max and the Freightliner as a carry-on, I've found that
I can slip the folding handle of the smaller Freightliner into the upper
strap of the Freightliner Max and then it rolls along perfectly behind
the larger bag. What a great way to get all the way across big terminals
like Houston, Atlanta or Minneapolis with a minimum of effort!
Join
one of our staff on a hosted fly fishing trip