Store Merchandise
A Bloody Good Chum Line Bayou City Angler
SALT IS SALT
Hot fly fishing was the main topic at Bayou City Angler (BCA) in Houston, Texas, yesterday afternoon. And the audience, employees and customers at BCA didn’t need any help whipping themselves into a frenzy over the coastal fly fishing scene with some duck hunting talk thrown in just to increase the volume. It was a chum slick of information, and we were all feeding.
I did try to settle myself down a bit by looking at all the merchandise at BCA, and I am very impressed with the inventory that has been built up at BCA since the last time I was in the store. Not only is there good inventory, they have a supply of discontinued Sage rods – right out front and CLEARLY marked down. BCA is also making room for their new fall clothing (out with the summer stuff), and an incredible series of markdowns on the reels we always want but never can afford – Abel and Hatch for example! It looks to me like BCA is establishing a name and place for itself in the fourth largest city in the Country. They also have the most extensive inventory of fly lines I have ever seen in one store, and smartly encourage buyers to try out any rod they are serious about purchasing – three reels per weight, with three different fly lines to help in decision making for line as well as rod.
CLYDE HAS A NEW GUIDE
I was there to pitch the next leg of the Clyde trip (Clyde – the car made famous in Drake magazine) to our old friend Danny Scarborough who now works at Bayou City Angler. Danny, being a wiser man that many I know, has sole possession and control of Clyde, and you can be sure it won’t get hung up sitting in Houston for six months of … let’s just say he won’t be wasting anybody’s time, or throwing me under the bus (still have Dallas tire tracks across my back) – unless I fall asleep in the middle of the road down south. That would be justified.
Danny couldn’t keep his redfish stories from Tuesday out of the Wednesday chum, and not only was that shared information great, so was the growing knowledge of snook showing up “everywhere” in Texas now. Put simply, the level of conversation and free trade of information was like a good shot of top-shelf. In my mind, I thought, “this is how it’s supposed to be.” Heck, when you’re as close to the action as these guys are – THIS IS HOW IT BETTER BE! Not a lot a talk, but talk backed by action – doing every chance they get to do it.
Of course there’s the bad with the good and ugly. Grass carp are being caught out in the bay. The number of commons in the bayous is a fraction of pre Harvey scale count. I am sure the guys that like to kill off these fish in the Houston Bayous are happy. We know they will be back. The mold is settling into the homes inundated by the Harvey floods.
I guess this means I will be forced to commute to Houston on a much more regular basis to get a shot of the real chum, and get back to the level of energy that started this adventure. God knows, I am having a hard time finding a good chum-line in North Texas. Salt is salt – it brings its own energy with it. It heals. Friends have heard me say this, but let me just tell all of you sitting at home – this is a great place for a fly fisher to LIVE.
Cinco de Mayo Texas Fly Fishing Report
The Original Texas Fly Caster Texas Fly Fishing Report
Hello to all you fly fishers tuning in today – from Texas and beyond, via the worldwide webbage. This report is long overdue, and contains a huge variety of information for your digestion, and indigestion. If you were wondering what books to get, what camera to check out, what fly fishing costume to buy – I don’t have all the answers, but at least I GO THERE. Thanks for watching. Have a great Cinco and a great weekend.
It’s a weekend full of events – like the Lake Fork World Championship Bass on Fly Tournament. That tournament has kicked my bass so many times now, I had to take a break from the bass kicking! If anyone has a post-tournament report, feel free to get it to me as soon as you can!
Fly Fishing Christmas List – What We Want For Christmas
You know you want it! Why not throw it out there, and see if Santa is watching? This Christmas 2016 list is comprised of a variety of items that have made my fly fishing better, made it a better experience, or in the case of the Gary Loomis line of fly rods – WILL MAKE my work on the water that much better.
GARY LOOMIS GAMMA BETA 1 Piece (ΓΒ)
PERFORMANCE FEATURES:
- We hand-sand our USA made, NFC, naked-graphite blanks to avoid sanding into the fiber, damaging it and creating a weak spot. Unable to hide blemishes, our sexy, smooth, smokey-grey blanks are on average 20% lighter than their coated counterparts.
- Made in USA, Mike McCoy Snake Guides are light and low profile. The small concave foot minimizes epoxy needed and requires less thread in the wrapping process, thus reducing weight and optimizing the taper design. Proprietary E-coating allows the line to slip through with ease.
- ALPS Titanium Stripping guides are lightweight, durable, corrosion resistant (saltwater) and large enough to allow the line, joints and knots to shoot through. The rounded out foot sits flatter on the graphite, reducing stress that overtime, can create weak spots.
- Sourced from a friendship Gary Loomis forged over four decades ago, our velvety, pure, premium grade flor cork hails from a family farm in Portugal. A grip and friendship that stand the test of time. Gamma Alpha Moderate action rods
Gamma Alpha Moderate action rods feature a wells grip, while Gamma Beta Fast action rods are equipped with full-wells.
EDGE Gamma Alpha(ΓΑ), moderate action and Gamma Beta (ΓΒ), fast action performance fly rods bring to life the vision Gary Loomis’ had early on in his career. Finally, technology caught up. Created in harmony with the Temple Fork Outfitter’s Advisory staff, a project more than two years in the making, these lightweight, stunning, precision tools are the closest thing you will find on the market resembling custom-built fly rods. No detail has been overlooked. Carrying forward the tradition as a materials and design genius, Gary has selected the finest composite materials available. LMX materials combine and balance strength, recovery, and weight, designed and manufactured into tightly rolled structurally sound tubes that are incredibly light in-hand. They are finished by hand and built to perfection. Typifying performance and available in two distinct actions, these are most responsive and efficient fly rods on the market. For anglers seeking something special and high-performance, these are the answer.
Dear Santa – I have heard nothing but good things about these fly rods! And a one piece to boot! Cheaper than the four piece no less! Your elves can find the GARY LOOMIS (not a GLOOMIS) fly rods at www.edgerods.com .
SMITH OPTICS – GUIDE’S CHOICE
I was surprised to SEE how many fly fishers were paying attention this year, when I made the move from Costa to Smith Optics. While Costa has a rainbow of lens choices, and colors, I was finding the lenses getting too thick and heavy. That thickness was leading to a blurry view, and glasses (with the better lenses) sliding down my nose. Now, Santa, my conversion is not yet done. We need different sunglasses for different conditions! But the Guide’s Choice is the best fitting style, lightweight, and the Chromapop Lens? Sharp as a tack! Find them at www.smithoptics.com .
HATCH – FINATIC 7+ FLY REEL
And, Santa, if you’re going to all the trouble to get me that special fly rod? You may as well get me the reel I need too.
- BODY: Finatic
- PROTECTION: Type 2 Anodize
- LINE WEIGHTS: 7-9
- DIAMETER: 4.0″
- WIDTH: 1.125″
- WEIGHT: 8.6oz
- COLORS: Clear/Blue, Clear/Green, Clear/Red, Clear/Black, Black/Silver
BACKING CAPACITY
20# Dacron/LA Spool: WF7F-220, WF8F-210, WF9F-200, 20# Dacron/MA Spool: WF7F-280, WF8F-270, WF9F-260, Hatch Premium/LA Spool: WF7F-360, WF8F-325, WF9F-295, Hatch Premium/MA Spool: WF7F-415, WF8F-380, WF9F-370
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