The “tournament configuration” of the NRX+ T2S means it has a 22" butt section, and an 86¾" tip section for a total length of 8'10". One-piece rods have been popular choices in saltwater tournaments for years, but they are difficult to transport. The Guidewater Backpack won the Fly Fisherman Gear Guide's Best New Pack award for 2022. Patagonia also smartly designed the stash pocket so you can affix it to outside so you don’t have to open the zipper to access fly boxes and other accessories while you’re fishing. With the pocket stowed, it’s perfect for passports or cash on long trips. My favorite part of this pack is the laptop/tablet pocket, and a zippered interior stash pocket that helps keep you organized. Exterior holsters allow you to easily carry a net and also strap on a rod tube or a wading staff securely. The updated zipper is waterproof, dustproof, and slides easily, with a much wider opening than Patagonia’s previous waterproof backpack so it’s easier to extract what you need. Every single day, there’s a chance you could swim, and an even greater chance you’ll need to ride out a downpour. This is the pack for wading the clear dorado rivers of Bolivia, wading bonefish flats in the Bahamas, or hiking into a remote corner of Yellowstone National Park. Patagonia’s new Guidewater Backpack is a 29L waterproof and submersible pack for your phone, camera, laptop, lunch, fly boxes, and whatever else you need to stay dry. We play in a wet environment, but we tend to carry a lot of stuff we’d like to stay dry. Ask questions beforehand, bring the right gear, and above all, practice. I’ve had partners sit out the best part of the tide because of sunburn, and boatmates who couldn’t see the fish coming because they didn’t have the right lenses to match the conditions. I’ve seen paying guests sit out days at the lodge because their saltwater wading boots chafed their skin, which got infected. Your outerwear, packs, and accessories can be deal makers or deal breakers. The conditions are difficult, but the rewards can be huge.Īnd it’s not just rods, reels, and lines that make the difference. Having the right gear can help you with that last 60 feet, and that’s why the saltwater environment is the ultimate proving ground for fly-fishing tackle. You can go to the best lodges, pick the perfect tides, hire the best guides, but as Flip Pallot says, the last 60 feet of your journey is up to you. It makes no sense to spend $10K on a fishing trip, and then show up with the wrong fly line, an inferior rod, or a reel you bought because it was on sale.Ī lot of effort goes into finding these fish. So when everything finally comes together and you get that shot you’re looking for-a permit, GT, bonefish, or tarpon-the last thing you want is an equipment failure. You took time away from your job and your family. With tropical flats fishing, you may have flown across the country or around the globe to get there. Saltwater is corrosive, the fish are stronger or pound-for-pound more powerful than anything you’ll see in fresh water, the weather can be insane, and your opportunities can be fewer and far between. This article was originally titled "Sharpened by Salt" in the 2022 Gear Guide issue of Fly Fisherman magazine.
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