27 days left!!! Throwback Countdown: Waterworks-Lamson Center Axis

Still counting down with 27 days left until the largest fishing and flyfishing shows in the world!! At the 2017 IFTD Demo Day I was able to cast the new Waterworks-Lamson Center Axis rod and reel! To be honest with you, I've wanted more time with it ever since!! Check it out if you haven't already and let me know what you think if you've had the opportunity to cast one! www.waterworks-lamson.com

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IFTD Demo Day 2017

Evenin' Folks,

  I thought I'd start off the series of AFFTA IFTD 2017 posts with a recap of Demo Day.  IFTD Demo Day is an event where members of the media are invited to the Ritz-Carlton Grande Lakes in Orlando before the opening of the IFTD Show and given the opportunity to talk with some manufacturers and use their new products on the water, under real conditions with a rep's (or in some cases, the designer's(!!!)) coaching and input.  It really is an incredible opportunity that I very much enjoy.  

  The setup was a little different this year in that all of the participating manufacturers were lined up along one long pond, which really made it easier to get to all the booths and make sure there was time to try all the new toys.  And, I don't want you to think that this was like casting into a 2-inch deep pool like the indoor casting ponds at various fly fishing events.  No, the water hazards of the Ritz-Carlton Grande Lakes golf course are trophy managed bass ponds.  Certainly not easy ponds to fish, but if you are lucky enough to hook up it's with a largemouth bass worthy of the latest and greatest products being tested.

  Unfortunately, I was skunked.  But, I was skunked using some of the most advanced fly fishing products to date.  And I had a hell of a time doing it and can't wait until Demo Day 2018!  Follow along with the photos below.  I'd love to hear your thoughts on any of them.  And be on the lookout for the next article in the IFTD 2017 series very soon.

  I hope you're all doing well,

     -Nick

IFTD 2017 Demo Day 7am at the Ritz-Carlton Grande Lakes, Orlando, Florida

The J.W. Marriott Hotel at the Ritz-Carlton Grande Lakes Golf Course, Orlando, Florida

Hardy Fly Fishing let me cast one of their new Zephrus Ultralight Series rods in 9' 5-weight with one of their classic Bougle reels.  This setup was designed for delicate presentations and was a pleasure to cast!

The new Salt HD from Sage Fly Fishing has a very soft, smooth cast and the KonneticHD technology helps put the power on for the quick casts that sight fishing saltwater fish requires.

I had the opportunity to cast the new Waterworks-Lamson Center Axis rod and reel side-by-side with an identically outfitted conventional fly rod and reel and the difference was quite astounding! 

At the Scientific Anglers station I got to cast their new Bonefish line on an Orvis Helios 3 rod.  This combination made for near effortless casting of this 8 weight!  I'd really like to spend some more time fishing with this setup!

G. Loomis introduced their new IMX-PRO series of rods this year.  These rods take advantage of the IMX-PRO Matrix graphite that they've been using on their tournament bass rods.  This strong, lightweight rod was a pleasure to cast and with a price tag around $500 it's a high quality rod that's not totally out of reach.

We weren't the only ones fishing at the Ritz-Carlton!

I spent some time talking with Nick (good name!) from Simms Fishing in front of the Simms Bus.  As a Large Outdoorsman myself, I was very happy to hear the Simms has starting increasing the sizes available on some of their more popular lines. 

The Ritz-Carlton Grande Lakes is a beautiful venue for the AFFTA IFTD Demo Day.  They hotel even provided drift boats and guides to help put attendees on fish!

2017 IFTD Demo Day

2017 IFTD Demo Day on the water at the Ritz Carlton Grande Lakes, Orlando, Florida.

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The Simms bus parked right on the green!

The Simms Fishing bus parked right on the green! I'm glad to hear that Simms is planning to expand their lines into larger sizes! Maybe I'll finally be able to get some Simms gear!!

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G. Loomisfly IMX-Pro

Another new this year rod is the G.Loomis IMX-Pro. I cast both the 5 and 6 weight and really enjoyed the action on these rods!!

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Orvis Helios 3F

The new Orvis Helios 3F 8 weight with Scientific Anglers new bonefish line was an incredibly smooth system!!

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The new Center Axis rod from Waterworks Lamson

This new Center Axis rod and reel setup from @waterworkslamson has a very different feel when cast side-by-side with an identical traditional setup!

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New Sage SaltHD rods!

Sage Fly Fish brought out some of their new SaltHD rods with an update to last year's new Konnetic Technology. Very soft, easy cast on this 7 weight saltwater rod!

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Casting a new offering from Hardy Fishing

Casting a new offering from Hardy Fishing The new Ultralight Series of rods. This 9' 5 weight cast beautifully with a very delicate presentation!

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IFTD Demo Day 2016

Afternoon Folks!
  The day before the opening of the IFTD/ICAST Show in Orlando, the folks from the American Fly Fishing Trade Association (who put on the IFTD Show) hosted a day on the water for show attendees to get products in hand under actual fishing conditions.  Although temperatures were pushing 100 degrees by lunchtime, we couldn't have asked for a prettier day to be fly fishing on a golf course!  It was so much fun, and such a great way to experience new fly fishing products, we can't wait to do it again next year!  Here's some photos from the day.  Enjoy!

Ritz-Carlton Orlando, Grande Lakes, Orlando, Florida

The coffee and pastry gathering before the shotgun start.

An incredibly beautiful course, we felt very fortunate to be able to fish such a gorgeous setting.  We were even issued a golf cart to cruise around the course between vendor tents.

 Flymen Fishing Co.

Surface Seducer Double Barrel Poppers

The first stop of the day was with the Flymen Fishing Co. and a chance to fish for trophy bass with their new Surface Seducer Double Barrel Poppers.  I'm a huge fan of fishing for bluegill and bass with poppers and these new ones did not disappoint.  The double barrel shape and deep concavity made these poppers "pop" better than any I've used before!

The water hazards at the Ritz Carlton Orlando Grade Lakes are actually trophy managed bass ponds.  And, since they were in the middle of the roughs and greens of a golf course, there was almost always plenty of back casting room.

Douglas Outdoors

Sky Series Rods

Our next stop was the Douglas Outdoors station where they were demoing their new Sky series of fly rods.  The 2 weight had a great feel to it and cast very smoothly.  Unfortunately I hung my fly on the weeds you can see in the background and snapped it off before I could really get some good fishing in!  I enjoyed using the Douglas Sky and hope to get a chance to try it again!

G. Loomis

 

My apologies to my readers (and the folks at G. Loomis) for the terrible picture quality! It was such a bright sunny day that my cell phone camera was struggling and I couldn't see the screen to QC the pictures as I took them.  I don't like to use stock photos, though, so we're stuck with these! 

 G. Loomis had the new Asquith rods at their station.  Designed by casting champion Steve Rajeff, the Asquith rods are touted as the fly rod of the future.  Featuring titanium guides, Shimano's Spiral X blank, light weight and a fast action, these new rods are all about high line speeds.

They also let me cast a PRO 4x Shortstix rod.  These short, but quick loading rods are designed to put a big, bulky fly exactly where you want it, FAST!!!  You might see one added to my new saltwater arsenal before too long!

Scientific Anglers

The Scientific Anglers booth had a full complement of lines, leaders and tippets to try on the pond.  I tested one of the new textured shooting lines and was definitely impressed by the smoothness.  The sound from the line running through the guides, though, made me think the line needed cleaning!!

Hardy Fly Fishing

Sirrus Glass Rod

I really enjoyed fishing this little 6' 2 weight Hardy Sirrus Sintrix Glass rod.  I don't have a whole lot of experience with the new fiberglass rods that have emerged, but I think Hardy did something right with this one.  It's has such a smooth, relaxed cast and excellent accuracy and presentation. This was also the only station of the day where I got a bite!  I wish I could've hooked him, so I could fight a fish with this great little rod.  This would be a fantastic choice for the little North Georgia native brook trout!!!

Rio Products & Sage Fly Fish

Summer Redfish Fly Line & The X Rod

Rio and Sage partnered together on a station to demonstrate the new Sage X rods with Rio's Summer Redfish line.  With temps pushing 100 degrees, fishing conditions were right in the Redfish line's wheelhouse!  The flyline is weighted and tapered to facilitate accuracy on short casts while maintaining a delicate presentation for spooky fish.  The stiff core and Tropical line coating ensure that the line won't wilt under hot sunny conditions.  The Sage X rods new fast-actions taper keeps loops tight and recovery times quick to get that next cast in the water fast.

Just me.  Doing what I love and feeling very fortunate for the opportunities and places I get to cast a line.

Double Barrel Poppers from Flymen Fishing Co.

These Double Barrel Poppers from Flymen Fishing Co. really push some water and give a loud pop!! I can't wait to get a package and get a bunch tied up!! Those Dragon Eyes really set them off, too!!

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Fishing a Hardy fiberglass rod...

Fishing a Hardy Sirrus Sintrix Glass fiberglass rod on a Ritz-Carlton golf course in front of a J. W. Marriott hotel was a bit surreal! But check out how that 'glass bends!!!

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A beautiful evening on the balcony...

A beautiful evening on the balcony and only 3 more days until the first ever IFTD Demo Day at the Ritz Carlton Grande Lakes!! We are so looking forward to meeting with manufacturer reps on the water and trying out their products. Its going to be a great day!!!

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