Chocolates or Copper Johns?
“You know, Valentines Day is coming up for those anglers that have been extra, extra, extra good this year and have got all that painting and inside work done,” Bobby Cheers at Mountain Sports Ltd said.
Cheers was listing some of the new gear appropriate for giving or getting that’s ready for spring fishing in the Orvis Fly Fishing section of the family’s landmark store on Commonwealth Ave.
“Orvis has redone all its waders,” he said, “and we’ve got the new Endura, their entry level waders and the Silver Label. We’ve also got the new Helios rods. They’re some of the lightest rods in the industry.”
Cheers pointed out that the new Silver Label waders feature fewer seams, a prime location for persistent, hard-to-repair leaks, and a new placement for leg seams. The seam now runs down the back of the leg instead of the traditional inseam location along the inner thigh. That placement eliminates the chaffing and wear that used to make a leak in the crotch area inevitable.
“We’ve also got a cane rod in stock that’s pretty sweet,” Cheers said. “It’s a seven foot four weight Penn’s Creek. It’s gorgeous. Someone could be the lucky guy and find one of those in his ‘Valentines Basket’ this year.”
Then he added wistfully, “I don’t think it’s going to be me, though. I’m not caught up on all my chores.”
Cheers mentioned that he had a good day recently on Watauga using a Copper John nymph and that a new fly pattern, the Split Case Nymph, had been working well on Holston.
Eddie Wyatt at Fly Shop of Tennessee on the Bristol Highway in Johnson City was enthusiastic about a new line of products in his shop.
“We’ve picked up Hardy USA. We’re the Hardy/Grey’s fly rods dealer. I’m really doing good with that new series. I keep these little three and four weight rods for the people that fish up at the Weir Dam, midge fish and stuff like that. They’ve got some really neat stuff.
“Got a lot of new fly lines, too,” Wyatt added. “When it comes to the best of them I’d probably have to give it to Sharkskin. It’s not for everybody. It’s a little rough.”
The line produced by Scientific Angler incorporates a micro textured surface to reduce line drag in the guides.
Wyatt has the most essential element of an angler’s arsenal, optimism.
“We didn’t stop ordering just because times are bad. I’ve got it stacked in here good. I didn’t plan for a decrease. Hopefully I won’t have one.”
Next week we’ll check in with the other local shops about what’s new.
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