22 OUTSIDE MAGAZINE PHOTOGRAPHS BY Inga Hendrickson
Dispatches Fly Rods
09/10.19
ABCDEFFish Sticks
CATCH A BIG ONE
IN ANY KIND OF WATER
BY JEN RIPPLEToday’s fly rods are a far cry from the
bamboo beasts found lurking in the
corners of your great granddad’s lake
house. Astonishingly light and smartly
engineered, they are exceptional tools
that are also beautiful to behold. Even
better, the many options available now
means there’s an ideal rod out there
for every kind of angler, regardless of
budget, ability, or age.
Take the A. TFO Bug Launcher ($170),
which is candy-apple red and has a thin-
diameter cork grip and extended reel
seat, allowing young anglers to use both
hands if need be.
Steelhead fishing is about covering a
lot of water. The ceramic stripper guides
and large fore and rear grips on the
B. Sage Two-Handed X Spey ($1,200)
allow it to handle a variety of shooting-
head lines and casting styles. It’s never
been easier to make smooth and accu-
rate long casts.
Prefer to chase big bass around
lakes? Better to go after them with big
flies. The C. St. Croix Mojo Bass Fly
($150) is made of premium carbon and
is shorter (seven feet eleven inches)
than a standard fly rod, which gives you
the heft you need to throw poppers,
terrestrials, and articulated minnow pat-
terns even in strong wind.
Woman-owned SaraBella Fishing
is known for making exquisite rods by
hand. Its D. Ready-to-Fish Fly ($595), in
the nine-foot five-weight, has an aqua
finish and dark blue and purple wraps
that stand out on the riverbank. And that
middle-of-the-pack length plays well in a
range of waterways and conditions.
If small-stream trout fishing is your
thing, the E. Orvis Clearwater ($198)
is a perfect fit. Crafted with an equal
mix of durability and accuracy, this
seven-foot-six rod has a chrome strip-
ping guide with a ceramic insert and
performs well in tight quarters, letting
you make casts almost anywhere the
fish are rising.
Scott created the F. Meridian ($865)
for saltwater fishing, where timing and
precision are key. Superbly powerful, this
rod’s carbon construction has the back-
bone to generate exceptional line speed.
The titanium guides and aluminum reel
seat keep the weight down, so you can
cast all day.