I don’t know about you, but I have a bit of a gear addiction, and as we get closer to the real kick off to the fly fishing season, I find myself dreaming of casting the new rod that I picked up over the winter, fishing the new fly in my box, or donning a leak-free pair of new waders.
With so many innovations happening in the gear world, I want to give you a peek at some of 2022’s top fly fishing gear!
Simms Flyweight Access Boot
Felt or rubber? It’s the question that’s plagued fly anglers for years, and the Flyweight Access Boot could be the answer to our calls!
Anglers fishing through the winter know that felt is less than ideal as a boot sole: it freezes, snow likes to ball up on the sole, and encounter mud and wet grass and you are just asking for trouble since the material can’t grip on these surfaces well. Conversely, rubber soles can sometimes be too hard and can skid on smooth rock surfaces. Given the choice, I would say rubber is the better of the two given it works in a wider range of environments, but we may not have to choose anymore!
Introducing the Simms Flyweight Access Boot, it’s a super lightweight wading boot with a brand new sole material called Simms Vibram Idrogrip Flex. The new flex material is much, much softer than traditional rubber materials (you can squish it down with your fingers), meaning that it can conform to surfaces and give you a sticky grip, while still being a rubber option.
I’ve been wearing the original Simms Flyweight Boot for the last three years and have loved the comfort they provide and am, personally, very excited for this boot. Now, as a heads up, you should be aware that the low cut to this boot does offer a little less ankle support than some other boots like the G3 or G4, and it’s super light and soft construction does mean it will wear faster than other boots.
Fishpond Thunderhead Eco 2.0 Bags
Storms (and wading accidents) happen, and let me tell you, a dry lunch is better than a soggy one! Fishpond has been making some of the best waterproof bags on the market for years now, and I’m an even bigger fan of their new Thunderhead 2.0 releases.
Just feel any of their waterproof Thunderhead bags and you’ll notice that they’re solid bags with good, tough materials, and they’re brilliantly laid out for the angler. In their recent upgrade of the bags (did I mention they’re made of recycled materials), they now all come standard with Tru-Zip zippers. Tru-Zips are basically super heavy-duty Ziplok-style zippers, which, compared with their predecessors, are much smoother and easier to use. If you enjoy a non-water-logged sandwich as I do, take a look at the new Fishpond Thunderhead 2.0 bags!
Tacky RiverMag and Pescador MagPad Boxes
Tacky has been on the leading edge of fly box design since their inception, and now they’ve furthered their use by adding magnetic pads to some of their styles. Magnetic patches are a great way to store tiny flies that are hard to stick into a regular box. Magnets are also great for lazy anglers like myself who sometimes like to just chuck a fly in my box after taking it off my line. The magnets are strong enough to hold even a weighted nymph without it spilling out.
Rio Foam Slice Frog
To be fair, I first came across this pattern last year so maybe it shouldn’t be on this list, but then again, for those who have not seen it yet, maybe it should.
I know we’ve got some bass anglers in our ranks, myself included, and I’ve never met a bass angler who doesn’t like fishing frogs! Lots of us are familiar with poppers and divers, but on glassy days these patterns can be too loud and spook fish. Looking to the conventional world, many “walk the dog”-style baits make very little noise in comparison to some of the topwater flies we fish, and they work!
RIO’s Foam Slice Frog has a really interesting design, with weight strategically placed in the belly of the frog, it automatically inverts so the hook point faces up (away from weeds), and it sits in the water on an angle so that just the head sticks out of the water. Give this one a go on those quieter days, and don’t be in a rush to fish it, cast it into weed pockets and let it sit motionless like a resting frog for a few seconds before giving it a little twitch, I think you’ll be happy you did!
I hope everyone has a great season, see you on the water!
Put your new gear to the test and enjoy excellent fly fishing at Ontario’s premier private fishing club, The Franklin Club.
Become a member of The Franklin Club to gain access to the finest trout fishing in Ontario! With a large lake and two pristine ponds located on our private 200-acre property, The Franklin Club is your destination for some of the best fly fishing Ontario has to offer.
And for those looking to up their game, look no further than our own on-site fishing pros, who are proud provide top-tier training and informative workshops!
Contact us today for more information about becoming a member of The Franklin Club.
