International Fly Tackle Dealer - Day 2

With Day 1 just hours behind me I was up early and back out the door to meet up with the boys from William Joseph at a greasy diner downtown.  A few cups of coffee and a big breakfast fueled me through the morning.  It was my last day at IFTD and I still needed make a few appointments on time, run down a few leads for Fishy Kid, and get take a mess of photos for the T.F.M. website too.
 
CORTLAND

My first objective for Day 2 was to follow up on a confirmed rumor from Tom Gould, administrator of the Fiberglass Flyrodders forum, that Cortland was bringing back the Diamondback Glass series and along with it the Retro fly reels too.  I spoke with the reps at the Cortland booth and found that indeed the Diamondback Glass series was back and the line is made from a S22 fiberglass blend.  Six fly rods will be offered in the series from a 6' two weight to an 8'6" four weight.  The blank color is a dark midnight blue with silver accents.  The Retro reel is a lightweight click and pawl and finished in a dark blue to match the Diamondback Glass series of rods.  Price points have not been set but rod and reel should be had for just over four bills.  Pair the fly rod and reel with a Sylk fly line and you'll have a Cortland outfit start to finish. 

ROSS REELS USA/ROSS WORLDWIDE

Social media guru Geoff Samples walked me through the Ross Reels USA/Ross Reels Worldwide booth and the highlight for me was the new F1 fly reel which has a fully machined frame and spool, push button spool release, and a fully sealed drag system.  The tidbit of information that also perked my interest is that this reel will use the same black finish as the vintage San Miguel that is still a sentimental fan favorite of those that fish and collect Ross Reels and is the only reel to do so since the San Miguel.  Cool, eh?

CLIFF OUTDOORS

I have always respected Matt Cassel and Cliff Outdoors and it was really great spending a few minutes with he and his wife on Friday going over new products and talking shop.  Matt always has his thinking cap on and I found that most of his designs stem from his own process of simplifying what he carries on the water.  New products for the year include fly boxes and foam patches in pink foam and an ingenious leather strap that fits perfectly around a plastic canister of Wonder Dust.  The top of the Wonder Dust canister will also have a small magnetic to catch your fly and keep it from blowing in the breeze.

GRASSHOPPER PRODUCTS

Besides repping the ever popular monoMASTER, Ian White had a new product that he is working on that is a lightweight plastic contraption that can be placed on top of a wading staff and used to lean against in the river or on shore to give your legs and back a rest.  

ABEL REELS

The Abel booth was awash in shiny "bling" and fish graphic products from reels, pliers, knives, money clips, and flashlights.  There are new color finishes and tweaked fish graphics for 2011 and the highlight to me were the three Derek DeYoung collaborations with the Purple Cheeks Brook, Yellowstone Cutthroat, and Abstract Steelhead Oregon artwork anodized on the reels.  Stunning.

TROUTHUNTER

TroutHunter fly shop guy and mad photog Bryan Gregson gave me a quick overview of their new TroutHunter tippet and leader products.  The highlights and selling point of the TroutHunter tippets are sold in U.V. resistant packaging which means fresh nylon tippet that hasn't already been broken down under shop lights, remarkable strength (which we tested at the booth), and the interesting 5.5X and 6.5X tippet spools when just that .5X might make a difference.   

I have a demo pack en route from TroutHunter and will be giving the leaders and tippets a full review on a week in Montana next month.

KORKERS

Korkers has a new look and a full line up of new products.  The entire boot line has been revised, improved, and advancements made.  No tool is needed to change soles, the Boa Lacing System has been extended to more models, and Korkers is working on an interesting sole option that looks like it could double for scrubbing the dishes clean after dinner.

The black on black Chrome wading boot will be a "Limited Edition" run of 400 and might be tough to get your hands on but worth a try.

Being the "fly fishing fashionista" that I am I can't help but like the new Fisherman's Moc.  Neat shoe design and looks to be nothing but comfortable.  I'll be ordering a pair soon.

HARDY

Whoever thought Hardy was just going to rest on the laurels of their classic lines of product certainly didn't take them seriously.  Hardy is in to impress and after seeing how they roll out the carpet at a couple shows I can tell Jim Murphy is running a very tight ship.  It was very cool to see and watch Andy Mill explaining and showing off the new Hardy Sintrix line of rods along with a couple big wheels capable of turning any tarpon around. 

I am completely smitten with the English made Heritage Reels with the Perfect and St. George lines of reels.  The changes in the Classic Reels with the Bougle (solid face plate and not ported) and Cascapedia (three small circular badges with the House of Hardy logo, line weight, and reel name) are well done and might be more in my budget.  

No changes for the Classic Glass or Classic Lightweight fly rod series but are certainly worth a look.  I picked up the nine foot five weight Lightweight on demo and it will be making the trip to Montana with me next month.

L.L. BEAN

A week or so prior to IFTD a blogger friend linked me up with Mac McKeever from L.L. Bean who extended an invite to their media luncheon where they would show off their 2011 line up.  I made the short walk over to the Denver Athletic Club where the L.L. Bean barbecue luncheon was set up on the rooftop.  The highlight for me was a line of completely waterproof pieces which are available in Black, Olive, and Blue .  With reasonable price points of $89 for the Waist Pack, $119 for the Medium Duffle Bag, and $169 for the Hybrid Duffle Bag which comes complete with laptop/document pocket, roll-top main compartment, and tuck away shoulder straps.  L.L. Bean will have a sure winner if this series is indeed waterproof.  I am hoping to demo a couple of the pieces in the coming months.

The "likes to stay warm" part of me really geeked out on the PowderDry II Union Suit and I'm wishing I had a pair to take along to Montana next month.  $59 seems like a fair price to pay for warmth and comfort under the waders though I might get a few looks at the cabin walking around in "Man PJ's".     

BLUE RIBBON NETS

I meet with Mike Westfall for a few minutes and was walked through the Blue Ribbon Nets line up.  I am very impressed to see that they have sourced a clear netting that is not only substantially lighter than other rubber nettings out there but are also making it in the U.S. as well.  Blue Ribbon Nets will be adding the lightweight netting option to more net models in the coming year. 

DIABLO PADDLESPORTS

I have been following the progress and growth of Diablo Paddlesports for the past year or so and it was excellent to finally have a chance to see one of these innovative kayaks in person.  The Diablo Paddlesports crew have put together a well designed and stable stand up kayak which are available in two models and are perfect for floating flats, ponds, and rivers to chase fins.  The two models are the 12'5" Adios and the smaller 10'5" Chupacabra. 

One of the things about the Diablo Paddlesports kayaks I hadn't realized was that since the surfaces are smooth instead of drilling holes to make accessory installs that heavy duty suction cups can be used to hold attachments in place.  The ability to change position or remove entirely rod holders, cameras, or other items seems very helpful since a kayak like this might be used for fly fishing one trip and or just fun floating with a picnic the next time out.   

FISHPOND

It has been really neat to see the Fishpond product line evolve over the years and I was especially excited about the 2011 line up since besides a lot of cool lifestyle and fly fishing pieces they have introduced the Elk River Vest for kids along with a ladies Chica Vest as well.    

Johnny LeCoq and I had a long conversation about Fishpond becoming more involved with Fishy Kid and I am really excited about some of the ideas that we discussed. 

There is really so much more to talk about and more to share but Day 1 and Day 2 give you a pretty good glimpse into the "IFTD experience".  I left IFTD late Friday afternoon pretty exhausted but very inspired about the future of both T.F.M. and Fishy Kid with a long list of contacts that were made.     

Next year IFTD is moving to New Orleans and Mrs. Manifesto and I will be attending for all three days.  I am already looking forward to the trip.