As the dust from the 2018 edition of the IFTD show in Orlando there is plenty to reflect on. The 1st of which, is the fact that this is the swansong for the IFTD show being a part of a much larger ICast showcase. Even though IFTD and ICast are now doing separate shows the fly fishing retailers involved decided to debut a plethora of new products that helped the IFTD show close a chapter in its history with a bang. Here are just a few of the products to watch out for in the upcoming year!
F Stands for Fun!
Fiberglass fans will be super excited to see all the upcoming rod options hitting the shelves starting this fall. There are a few glass rod series coming down the pipe to fit the needs and individual styling of every angler.
First up is the F Series Fly Rods from Scott Fly Rods of Montrose Colorado. Like everything else in their lineup this rod lineup is a piece of art featuring the best componentry and handcrafted artistry that anglers have come to expect from a company like Scott. However, this rod is not all looks. It packs a punch as well with an all new E-Glass taper construction that allows the rod to be thinner while maintaining integrity. These rods flex very deep into the cork which allows an angler to cast well at just about any distance but short shots are what Jim Barchi and his design team had when they dreamed up this rod. The lineup for F Series rods features five models ranging from a 6ft 2in 2wt to a 7ft 2in 4wt. They even have a 5pc rod for all your backcountry fly anglers. These rods will hit shelves this fall.
Next up is the Butter Stick from Redington. When Redington first introduced this rod a few seasons ago they labeled this rod as having “Retro Styling”. Well, they took that to the next level in 2018 with the latest version of this rod. The styling makes this rod look like something straight out of the Groovier pastimes of American culture. This rod is built on T-Glass blank that slows everything down for an extremely tradition glass feel. The butter stick family has seven models ranging from 159-3 to a 880-3. Anglers looking to venture into bigger nastier fish will be able to do so with this rod lineup as the Butter Stick will be offered in two saltwater safe models in both a 680-3 and 880-3. These rods feature a beefier blank design and anodized reel seats for saltwater safe performance. At $249 (Freshwater) & $279 (Big Game) these rods are a great value for any angler.
Lastly, our friends @ Echo are also making a colorful splash in their new River Glass Series. These rods are offered in a variety of sizes ranging from a tiny 6’9” 2wt to a more traditional 8’6” 5wt. The deep flexing action provides a ton of fun on all different sizes of water. These rods offer a pop of color as well in a new Glacier Green or for those who prefer a more muted look the traditional Amber is also available. These rods hit the market this fall and come in at $249.
Rod Storage Solutions
Those of you who are looking for a rooftop rod storage solution but don’t want to wait a year to get your hands on one don’t have to. Introducing Riversmith USA out of Boulder Colorado and their product the “River Quiver”. The River Quiver was built to be secure, lightweight and incredibly rugged. From the design of the 6063-T5 aluminum rod tubes to the incredible durability and versatility of the rod box, every detail was engineered to be world class. It comes in two different sizes either a 2-rod or 4-rod configuration. The River Quiver took home the top prize of “Best In Show” this year and will be available this fall at Fishwest.
Winston Makes A Big Splash:
The folks in Twin Bridges are making a big splash this year by debuting two new series of rods. The Winston Pure and Saltwater Air Series are already garnering a lot of attention from long time Winston enthusiasts and first time anglers alike. However, a lot of the buzz around this launch is the Saltwater Air. Some would consider this the 1st “True Saltwater” rod that Winston has ever produced.
Winston has crafted these fast action rods to produce quick recovery speeds along with ample power and durability. While Winston is well-known emerald green blanks, these rods sport a completely different look the form of a new stealth matte green finish. This rod series won “Best Of Show” at EFFTEX this year and comes in a variety of models at $975
Sage Reels:
It seems like every year that Sage makes a big splash with their new product offerings and this year was really no different. Sage has a fairly wide offering this year with the Igniter & Dart series rods however I feel that the highlight of this year’s lineup of releases was the Sage Spey Series Reels. The new Sage SPEY series blends classic traditional looks with a stout design structure to better balance long two-handed fly rods. Like a variety of other Sage Reels they Spey features the SCS drag system for plenty of stopping power on the hottest of Steelhead & Salmon.
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