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Our Favorite OutfitsBest 4 Weight Outfit | Best 5 Weight Outfit | 5 Weight Best Buy Best 5 Weight Outfit with Ultralite | 5 Weight Best Buy With Guru Best 6 Weight Outfit | Best 6 Weight Outfit with Fighting Butt Best 7 Weight Outfit | 7 Weight Best Buy | Best 8 Weight Outfit 8 Weight Best Buy | Best 10 Weight Outfit Best 10 Weight with Tibor Signature | Best 11 Weight Outfit Over the years we've seen a lot of products, some worth their weight in gold, others a waste of money. One of the most important things to consider when purchasing an outfit is the synergy between each item - that is to say, how well each individual product works together as a whole. As new rods hit the market, we test them with a variety of different lines to find out the ultimate combination. Some combinations bring out the best of the products involved, others do them a disservice. For example, if you use a Trout taper line (which is a top shelf product on its own) with Hardy or Sage One five and six-weights, you're not loading the tip enough to get the best performance out of the rod. If you throw on a GPX taper, the extra weight towards the tip of the line accents these new rods in perfect harmony. After 30 years of being in business, we've learned exactly how to balance these various combinations of rods, reels and lines to give you the ultimate in performance. The trade rules of the industry do not allow us to discount their products. While we can't give you 10% off a new outfit, on any of these outfit over $600.00 we'll sweeten the deal by throwing in a free line valued at $69.95. On our Best Buy 5-weight, and 8-weight outfits we'll give you a GPX or Bonefish Taper line, a $69.65 value, for only $30.00! Regardless of what outfit you choose, we always recommend getting the best quality line possible. In you do the math you will be saving as much as 12% on our Best Buy outfits. Plus, they will be rigged up perfectly with our special knots and on the saltwater outfits, loop to loop connections from the fly line to backing. Order through out Online Catalog, call in your order, or e-mail us for for free shipping, free expert advise, and no sales tax!
Best 4-Weight Outfit
The Loomis Whispercreek GLX 8'6" #4 is a rod I helped Steve Rajeff design for our spring creek fishing in Montana, where accuracy and a delicate presentation are a must. This is one of those special rods that has a wonderful sense of feel and unparalleled accuracy. It puts the fly exactly where I'm thinking it needs to go, and with its nice light tip, I rarely break any fish off fishing 6X and even 7X tippets. The Ross Evolution LT 1.5 is a perfect match for this lightweight rod. The copper colored Evolution LT compliments the Olive color of the rod and its brown reel seat. This is the best light 4-weight outfit I've found for the Paradise Valley Spring Creeks, tailwater rivers, or Western streams and rivers, especially if you love to fishing small dry flies where accuracy is so important. This rod has good power though, and will handle plenty of wind. It’s also a pleasant rod for fishing nymphs with only a medium amount of weight. -George Anderson
1. G.Loomis Whisper Creek 8'6" #4 (4 pc)..........$645.00 (specify left hand or right hand wind)
Best 5-weight outfit!
If you are looking for that perfect 5-weight rod, this is it! Our new 2011 5-weight shootout winner, this rod swept all the performance categories and won by a landslide! This rod is extremely light, with a softer, more flexible tip, and a delight to fish in close with dry flies. If you need to blast a hopper out there 70 feet, this rod does it with ease! By utilizing a totally new method of construction developed with 3M, Hardy has brought us a rod that performs spectacularly at all distances. We also found that this rod is one of the finest performing nymph fishing rods we've ever tested. We are convinced that you'll be as impressed with the Zenith as we are once you make your first cast. This is a rod that has raised the bar way, way up there, and it is going to take the other manufacturers a good while to catch up. The Mist Grey Evolution Lt #2 is the perfect match for this rod. - George Anderson
1. Hardy Zenith 9'#5 - 4pc fly rod ................................ $649.00 _______________ <Free GPX Line> <$69.95> (specify left hand or right hand wind)
Zenith with Hardy Ultralite DD Outfit
The same awesome set up, instead this time with Hardy's new Ultralite Disc Drag reel. Obviously this reel was meant for the rod and matches the reel seat perfectly. A great option for those looking to shave off an extra $50 and still have an incredibly light, high performance outfit! The drag system on the Ultralite is every bit as good as the evolution's, plus the super large arbor will be better for retrieving line faster. Follow this link for more info on the new Hardy Ultralite DD Reels. 1. Hardy Zenith 9'#5 - 4pc fly rod ................................ $649.00 _______________ <50% off GPX Line> <$34.95> (specify left hand or right hand wind)
Best Buy 5-Weight Outfit
In doing our 2011 5-wight shootout, we found an impressive new inexpensive rod from Winston that put a lot of higher priced rods to shame. The Passport is one of the nicest rods we've cast, especially at short to medium distances, yet it has the power to reach out when needed. This rod showed us uncanny accuracy with a nice feel that isn't normally found in rods that cost less than two hundred bucks! If you are looking for a starter rod for someone, or just another good back-up 5-weight, you can't go wrong with this one! The Lamson Konic 2 is the perfect companion as a reel- light in weight, with a wide arbor spool, and it has the same great drag system found on the more expensive Lamson LiteSpeed reels. - George Anderson
1. Winston Passport 9'#5 (4pc).................................$229.00 (please specify left hand or right hand wind) Now that's a smart buy! Best Buy 5-Weight Outfit with Guru Reel
Get the same incredible outfit, except upgrade to the fully machined Lamson Guru reel. These two reels have the exact same drag system, but the Guru's frame is fully machined. The main difference between a machined reel and a cast reel is strength and durability. In a machined reel, they drill out a solid piece of bar stock aluminum, thus the integrity of the metal is never compromised. We think The Guru's silver color and style is more attractive than the Konic, and it happens to match the Passport reel seat perfectly. For only an extra $60, we think this is a no-brainer and a great buy! - George Anderson 1. Winston Passport 9'#5 (4pc).................................$229.00
Best 6-weight outfit!
Behold - the "Unofficial 6 weight Shootout Winner!" While we didn't have the time to do a full 6 Weight Shootout comparison, (hopefully next year) we did take 6 different 6 weights out to the lawn and compared them at 25, 45, and 75 feet. The results? The ONE blew everything away! While the Hardy Zenith and Winston BIIIx were slightly nicer at 25 feet, the Sage ONE swept the competition from 45-75, creating the most beautiful tight loops you can imagine. This rod will blast hoppers out there with authority, and we also love it for fishing two nymphs under and indicator, for both large river and stillwater situations. The ONE is extremely light and power, which is exactly what we were looking for when it comes to the ultimate 6 weight outfit! 1. Sage One 9'#6 - 4pc fly rod …………………………………….. $725.00 Shipping: FREE! Another SMART buy!!
Same Incredible 6 weight Outfit, only with a fighting Butt, anodized aluminum reel seat, and half wells cork grip
Here's the same incredible 6 weight outfit, except instead of the Sage 690 4pc, you'll get the 691 4pc. The main difference as you can see from the photo above is the additional fighting butt. The 691 also comes with an anodized aluminum reel seat built for freshwater or salt, and has a larger half wells grip instead of the new "snub" grip. If you think there is any chance you may take this rod to a saltwater destination, this would be a better rod for you. For freshwater situations, unless you are targeting 6 pound fish or bigger, the original 690 is probably the way to go. The added fighting butt does reduce the swing weight of the rod however, which is an added and possibly unforeseen bonus. No extra cost for the 691. This is ONE sweet rod!
1. Sage One 9'#6 - 4pc fly rod (691)............................ $725.00 Shipping: FREE! Another SMART buy!!
Best 7 Weight Outfits
Just like the 6 weight comparison we did, Sage's new ONE blew everything away. For us, Sage's 6 and 7 weight rods are the clear "cherry pickers" of the line up. For anglers who are looking for the best of the best, the ultimate 4 pc 7 weight outfit, this is it - the 9'#7 Sage ONE matched with a Ross Evolution 3. This rod will fling a hopper dropper rig with ease but is really built for throwing streamers on a floating line. Like to fish lakes? This outfit is absolutely ideal for 6-8 rainbows on a damsel / scud combo under an indicator or slow trolling a leech pattern. Like to pound the banks of the Yellowstone with streamers and not suffer from tennis elbow? This 7 weight outfit is the ONE for you! 1. Sage One 9'#7 - 4pc fly rod …………………………………….. $730.00 <Free GPX Line> <$69.95> Shipping: FREE!
7 Weight Best Buy Outfit
While stocking up on all the best rods on the planet would be nice, most of us need a new rod like a hole in the head. It's hard to justify (especially to a significant other) a new 7 weight outfit, no matter how much it would improve your experience on the water. This is where our 7 weight best buy enters the stage - sleek, elegant, super lightweight, and half the price. Does that mean this combo is half the performance value? Certainly not, both TFO's BVK rod and Lamson-Waterworks Guru reel are top of the line products priced to undercut everything else out there. Ruthless is what they are - we're loosing money right now! Normally on our best buy outfits we do 50% off the price of the line, but we are offering it at 75% off to get the total outfit price lower than $500.00 … now that's a good deal on a smoking hot outfit! 1. Temple Fork BVK 9'#7 4pc ………………………………………. $249.00 <75% off GPX Line> <$52.46> Shipping: FREE!
Best 8 Weight Outfits
The new G. Loomis NRX rods are a huge improvement over the older CrossCurrent GLX, and especially in the larger sizes. The new 8-weight NRX is much lighter but throws beautiful tight loops at long distance, cutting through a 20 mph wind with ease. The NRX 8-weight is so light it feels like you are casting a 6-weight rod! With it’s softer tip, the accuracy at 35-60 feet is superb, but when you need that little extra distance to get to a bonefish 100 feet away, the NRX has the power to reach out with astonishing ease. We feel that the new NRX is better than the CrossCurrent GLX in every way.
We have loved the Tibor Everglades reel as match for an 8-weight rod. In addition to the Everglades and Quick Change Everglades, this year Tibor has introduced their new Signature series reel, with a sealed, waterproof drag system making it the strongest, smoothest drag in saltwater reels. Then new drag system also eliminates any over-run when you are stripping line quickly. These are beautiful reels and utilize the Tibor Quick-change system, so changing extra spools is quick and easy.
The Tibor Signature series 7-9 reel holds about 50 yards less capacity than the standard Everglades so if you feel you need the extra capacity, then go with a standard Everglades or the Quick Change version as an option.
The tibor reel in black is a great color match with the new NRX rod. Black and Gold are standard, but other colors are available at extra charge. Also Tibor offers very nice engravings (like bonefish) for only an additional $55.00 - George Anderson 1. G. Loomis NRX 9 foot #8 4-pc. rod................. .$760.00 2. Tibor Signature Series 7-9 reel, black...............$775.00 3. 160 yards of saltwater 30lb. micron...................$15.00 4. Scientific Angler's Bonefish WF-8-F.....................$69.95 5. George Anderson's Bonefish Leader......................$6.95 __________ Total: 1,626.90 Tax: 0.00 <Free Line of your choice> <$69.95> (specify left hand or right hand wind) Shipping: FREE! __________ You Pay: $1,556.95 With a Std. Black or Gold Tibor Everglades reel: $1421.95
Other Options: Tibor Signature 7-9 extra spools…………………….… $385.00 Standard Tibor Everglades reel, black ………………..$640.00 Tibor Everglades Quick Change reel, black……......$746.00 Everglades Quick-Change Extra Spools………….....$365.00 With 2011 16' LP Clackacraft Drift boat...........$9.256.95
Best Buy 8-Weight Outfit
The Obvious choice for our "Best Buy" 8-weight rod is the $249.95 TFO BVK, which very nearly won our latest 8-weight shootout, placing 2nd ahead of many rods in the $600-$700 range! The BVK is just a terrific rod in every respect. It casts great in close with good flex in the tip yet it has great power to throw long with the best of them. This is a strong rod with lots of beef in the butt and mid-section for playing big fish. Nothing in the $200-$500 range can touch this rod for performance. It's also a very light rod for all the power it generates, and is a real pleasure to fish all day long. Add TFO's own Large Arbor 375 reel and you have an unbeatable 8-weight outfit for both price and performance. This TFO 375 reel should sell for $500 but it is only $289.95! This is a terrific reel for big strong fish and an especially good bonefish reel. These TFO large arbor reels run on three ball bearings, just like a Tibor – smooth and good looking to boot. It’s just the right size and looks great too in the titanium colored finish. Black is also available, so please specify the color you want. This reel also has easily interchangeable spools and extra spools are only $129.95. This is an awesome outfit at an insanely low price. -George Anderson
1. Temple Fork Outfitters BVK 9'#8 (4pc)...........$249.95 (specify left hand or right hand wind) Shipping: FREE! Now that's a smart buy!
Add a TFO rod tube for $19.95...................... 616.75
Best 10 weight Outfits
Our choice of the best 10-weigt rod is the new G. Loomis NRX. These NRX rods are 20% stronger and 20% lighter than the older CrossCurrent GLX, making them noticeably lighter than the older rods. The 10-weight feels almost like the older 8-weight in my hand, but it has the same kind of explosive power and fish fighting ability we have come to expect from the Loomis rods. The NRX 10-weight is a very versatile rod, perfect for mid-sized tarpon, big permit, big cudas, big jacks and a variety of other game fish. This rod has the butt power to land 100 lb. tarpon but is delicate enough to put that perfect cast in front of a permit sixty feet away. The Tibor Riptide Reel, in either the standard or Quick-Change version is a wonderful match with the NRX rod. The Riptide will hold a little more backing than the Signature Series reel, which is nice if you want to shift up and use a WF-11-F line to load the rod more quickly at short distances. The Riptide uses the tried and proven Tibor drag system that is smooth and strong. With absolutely no start-up inertia, this is the best saltwater drag system ever developed. We see Tibor reels that are 10-15 years old that still work perfectly, and they require little maintenance. The Riptide comes standard in black or gold finish. Both colors are good but the Black is probably the most popular match with the NRX rod. Tibor offers several game fish engravings like tarpon and permit for an additional $55.00 - George Anderson
1. G. Loomis NRX 9 foot #10 4-pc. rod ………………………..$800.00 2. Tibor Standard Riptide #10/11 reel…………………………. $670.00 3. Scientific Anglers Tarpon Taper WF-10-F line………………$69.95 4. 175 yd. 30 lb. micron backing…………………………………....$15.75 5. George Anderson’s Permit Leader …………………………….....$6.95 _____________ Total: $1,562.65 Tax: 0.00 <Free WF-10-F SA Tarpon line> <$69.95> (specify left hand or right hand wind) Shipping: FREE! _____________ You Pay: $1,492.70 Options: Tibor Riptide Quick Change Reel…………………………………..…$775.00 Tibor Riptide Quick Change Extra Spools…………………….….$380.00 Tibor Standard Riptide Extra Spools ……………………………….$315.00
10 weight with Tibor Signature Outfit
Our choice of the best 10-weigt rod is the new G. Loomis NRX. These NRX rods are 20% stronger and 20% lighter than the older CrossCurrent GLX , making them noticeably lighter than the older rods. The 10-weight feels almost like the older 8-weight in my hand, but it has the same kind of explosive power and fish fighting ability we have come to expect from the Loomis rods. The NRX 10-weight is a very versatile rod, perfect for mid-sized tarpon, big permit, big cudas, big jacks and a variety of other game fish. This rod has the butt power to land 100 lb. tarpon but is delicate enough to put that perfect cast in front of a permit sixty feet away. The Tibor reels have been our favorite saltwater reels, and this year they have introduced a new Signature series reel in the 8-10 model that makes a perfect match with this NRX rod. The Signature series reel has sealed, waterproof drag system, making it the strongest, smoothest drag we’ve seen in saltwater reels. The new drag system also eliminates any over-run when you strip line quickly. These are beautiful reels and utilize the Tibor Quick Change system; so changing spools is quick and easy when you are out in a skiff. It is always handy to have both a floating line and a slow sinking line on hand, especially when fishing for tarpon. - George Anderson
The Tibor Signature reel comes with black or gold as standard colors and both look great on the NRX rod. Tibor also offers very nice fish engravings for an additional $55.00. The tarpon engraving looks terrific on this reel. 1. G. Loomis NRX 9 foot #10 4-pc. rod …………………...$800.00 2. Tibor Signature Series 8-10 Reel, black………………. $795.00 3. Scientific Anglers Tarpon Taper WF-10-F line……….. $69.95 4. 150 yd. 30 lb. Micron backing …………………………..... $13.50 5. George Anderson’s Permit Leader………………………..... $6.95 _____________ Total: $1,685.40 Tax: 0.00 <Free WF-10-F SA Tarpon line> <$69.95> (specify left hand or right hand wind) Shipping: FREE! _____________ You Pay: $1,615.45 Options: Tibor Signature 8-10 Quick-Change Extra Spools………….$395.00
Best Big Tarpon Outfit
My all time favorite tarpon rod was the G. Loomis 9 foot #11 Crosscurrent GLX, but now that the new Loomis NRX rods are here, it sure makes sense to spend the extra $65 and step up to the best big rod we’ve seen and cast, the NRX. The NRX rods are 20% stronger and 20% lighter than the older rods, and when you get this new #11 rod in your hand, there is a huge difference in weight. This rod has the same kind of power the CrossCurrent GLX produced but it is even smoother to cast. Belting out 100-foot casts is going to be even easier now the way this NRX fires out beautiful, controlled tight loops. The action is similar to the GLX but the tip seems slightly softer, allowing for better control on short distance casts to laid up fish. Line size is somewhat of a personal preference. A WF-11-F works a little better at mid to long distances, while a WF-12-F is a shade better in close if you want to get the rod loaded more quickly. This rod has tons of butt power and landing tarpon in the 125-150 lb. class is not going to take long! Tibor’s Gulfstream Quick-Change reel makes a perfect match with the NRX. This has been our favorite tarpon reel for some time and now the quick-change feature allows you to change lines quickly in the skiff. Especially for tarpon, I find that having both a floating line and a slow sink line with me is often critical to success, and with this reel you can change spools very quickly. The Gulfstream is a big reel that has just the right capacity for a tarpon reel: 250-350 yd. of 30 pound micron backing along with your fly line. We rig all these saltwater lines with our special spliced loop in the back of the line, and loop-to-loop this to the backing with a blind spliced loop to give you 100% knot strength. This also makes it very easy to change lines out on the water. Then we install a butt section of 60 lb. Seaguar fluorocarbon with our special TTTK over wrapped and super-glued needle knot. This is one butt section you’ll never have come loose! The Gulfstream comes standard in either Black or Gold anodized finish, with other colors available at extra cost. The Black reel seems to be the best match with the colors of the NRX rod. Tibor offers several very nice game fish engravings, like the tarpon you see pictured below, for an additional $55.00 - George Anderson
1. G. Loomis NRX 9 foot #11 4-pc. rod …………………...$825.00 2. Tibor Gulfstream Quick-Change Reel, black ………….$840.00 3. Scientific Anglers Tarpon Taper WF-11-F Line…………$69.95 4. 300 yd. 30 lb. Micron backing……………………………..….$27.00 6. George’s Tarpon Leader (20lb. class 80 Fluoro.).......$11.95 _____________ Total: $1,773.95 Tax: 0.00 <Free WF-11-F SA Tarpon line> <$69.95> (specify left hand or right hand wind) Shipping: FREE! _____________ You Pay: $1,703.95 Options:
Tibor Gulfstream Quick-Change Extra Spools……………………$415.00 Scientific Anglers WF-12-F Tarpon Taper line …………………… $69.95 Scientific Anglers WF-11-S or WF-12-S line ……………………...$69.95
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