All Points Fly Shop + Outfitter - News

Written by: Joe Webster & Josh Thelin / Photo by: Josh Thelin

Stockingfoot waders, bootfoot waders, wading pants, neoprene, GORE-TEX, Toray…Where do we begin? With so many options available in today's market, we are going to break down when you may want to choose one pair of fishing wader over another or maybe even why you may want to forgo them all together for wet wading. In this post we will compare the different types of waders available, what they are made of, and subcategories of each type to help you better understand how to outfit yourself for your next adventures. We offer Simms and Redington waders here at the shop because we feel that they are the most durable and best made waders on the market, however the following information and ideas can be applied towards many brands of waders. 

What Are Waders Made Of?

For a lot of us, our first memories of fishing waders were a pair of fully neoprene bootfoots that belonged to either our parents or grandparents. Whether they were for fishing or duck hunting, or just putting the dock in/out at camp during the spring/fall, they were clunky and similar to a suit of medieval armor. They also likely weighed a metric ton. However a very warm option, this type of fishing wader has been slowly pushed to the side in lieu of today's more common synthetic-based options. Neoprene waders are certainly still used today, but their application has mostly been applied to very cold conditions. Today, anglers are mostly using stockingfoot or bootfoot waders made of either GORE-TEX or some form of synthetic based material. 

GORE-TEX

GORE-TEX has become the gold standard of waterproof/windproof/breathable material and manufacturing technology. Developed in the 1960's by Bill and Bob Gore in Delaware, it made its appearance in the outdoor world in the 1970's with GORE-TEX jackets. A giant leap forward in weather/waterproof technology for many applications, it was not long before GORE-TEX is worn on everything from the top of the world's largest peaks to even the moon. Durable, lightweight, and worthy of the wettest conditions, it's well understood why most people prefer GORE-TEX compared to other materials when it comes to outdoor gear. However well-liked, GORE-TEX is costly to manufacture and garments/waders made with it are usually quite a bit more expensive in the retail world.

Toray

Developed in Japan in the mid 1920's, Toray now makes a wide range of synthetic/acrylic based materials. Nylon being the most well known, a greater percentage of outdoor gear is made of some form of Toray blend or similar woven synthetic based materials. When manufactured and made for outdoor gear purposes, it is produced in a similar way to GORE-TEX with the used of multiple layers and sealed seams. Whether it's Toray or a similar Nylon/acrylic based fabric, when manufactured properly, it can produce a weather/waterproof garment which is durable and worthy of our fishing needs.

Pound for pound, when put to the test, I will say that GORE-TEX has the edge in durability and overall weatherproof capabilities. It really however boils down to budget and application. GORE-TEX is a lot of times considerably more expensive. Waders made of GORE-TEX provide a likely longer lasting piece of gear and will give outdoor gear a more waterproof capability. But a fall on rocks, getting nicked by barbed wire or branches while walking, or a hook stuck will most times puncture or damage your waders whether they are Toray or GORE-TEX. So anglers should manage expectations of their usage and budget accordingly.

Types of Waders

Stockingfoot Waders

Stockingfoot waders are the most popular design of waders on the market. These waders are meant to be paired with a separate wading boot and usually come with a neoprene stocking foot combined with some sort of breathable material for the legs and body. Budget friendly waders will often be the least warm to wear (not a bad thing for warmer days) but often only have single or double layer technology that is prone to fail faster than waders such as the G3 or G4 wader by Simms that feature 3 and 4 layer GORE-TEX designs for greatly increased durability. Stockingfoot waders are also available in pant models that only go up to your waist. Stockingfoot waders will be the most comfortable for walking, but be weary of layering too many pairs of socks in them as they are known to cut off circulation which causes cold feet. It is not recommended to use foot warmers with stockingfoot waders as they are known to prematurely wear out the neoprene.

Bootfoot Waders

Bootfoot waders are one of the most underutilized and under appreciated pieces of gear in the fly fishing industry. It is safe to say most people will associate the term Bootfoot Wader with the fully neoprene, super heavy and very uncomfortable brown waders from a certain big box retailer. We want to change this. Bootfoot waders do not need to be heavy, do not need to be uncomfortable, and can make a subzero degree day feel like a summer evening on the beach. Bootfoot waders are really the only way to efficiently keep your feet warm when water is under 40 degree. Cold feet is the number one reason people will stop fishing in the winter months and bootfoot waders solve that. Another great use for bootfoot style waders is fishing in the surf or on sandy beaches. If you have ever warn stockingfoot waders when fishing in the surf, you know that no matter how hard you try, it is impossible to keep every grain of sand out from between your neoprene stocking and wading boot. Sand getting into a wading boot is the number one reason for failed neoprene and bootfoot waders completely solves this problem.It would not be recommended to walk long distances on the beach, or anywhere for that matter, but if you are taking a short stroll from your car to a hole on a freezing cold river or to a sandy beach close to a public parking area, you may want to reconsider boot foot waders. For the best Bootfoot Waders on the market click HERE

Wet Wading

When the water is warm enough, this is always your best bet. Wet wading takes away the need for waders and only requires a pair of wading socks, and your favorite wading boot or shoe. Especially when dealing with saltwater environments wet wading can save you a lot of money due to the harsh nature of wading in the salt. Simms freesalt boots paired with a wading sock and gravel guard is our favorite way to wade here on the Maine coast, especially on rocky shorelines and can also be applied to our rivers and streams around the state. If a rugged boot meant to be warn with a wading sock is too much, another option is using a flats sneaker or bootie that can be warn barefoot or with a lightweight sock. This can often be the best choice if walking very long distances or roaming skinny water flats all day long.

CHECK OUT OUR WADERS AND BOOTS HERE!

If you have any questions about types of waders/wading gear or are curious about what would work best for you, please give us a call or shoot us a message!

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Here in Maine and many parts of New England, springtime means ice-out and smelt runs. In the early spring, smelt are spawning. Looking for tributaries and other feeder streams to complete their duty, trout and salmon will follow suit. Smelt can enter the river in many different ways, including getting tossed through dams, so they can be ever-present in many different areas in rivers, lakes, and ponds. Trout and salmon are hungry from a long winter and ready to feed. Baitfish meals that are full of protein are high on their list. This means it is a great time to get out those streamers. Some of the biggest fish are present and feeding this time of year and some of your best chances to find these beasts is to fish streamers. Here is a short list of some of our favorite ones at the shop!

Raptor Smelt 

This is streamer pattern designed here at the shop that is tied to imitate a smelt. This pattern features a wing with a combination of synthetic and natural materials including Raptor hackle, Steve Farrar SF Blend, and peacock herl. These flies are tied on size 6 Daiichi traditional streamer hooks. With smelt runs in full swing during the spring, patterns that imitate this forage are incredibly important to have in your box. These flies will work well on floating, intermediate, and sinking lines depending on the depth desired. Smelt streamers in general work very well when swung, but can induce bites by being stripped sporadically as well. If you think you will be fishing for trout and salmon that are actively feeding on smelt, be sure to pick up a few of these flies.

Check out this pattern HERE

Floating Smelt

The floating smelt is an incredibly effective imitation of a dead or wounded smelt. This pattern is meant to be dead drifted on the surface to imitate this but can also be swung in the current with succesful results. The floating smelt works best when fishing on tailwaters that have smelt being washed down and injured through the dam turbines. With so many of our rivers heavily dammed in Maine this is a very regular occurence. This fly is tied with E-Z Tubing stuffed with foam and colored with a marker for the dark back. Tied on a size 4 Gamakatsu B10S stinger hook and features Fish Skull Holographic Living Eyes.

Check out this Pattern HERE

Grey Ghost

As effective as it is famous, it doesn't make much sense to target Maine salmon and trout without a grey ghost in your box. Originated by the famous Carrie Stevens, this is probably the best known traditional Maine streamer pattern, and for good reason. This fly is very productive in the fall for inducing a territorial reaction bite, but is also a great pattern to be throwing during smelt runs. This fly can be effectively fished on a floating, intermediate, or sinking line depending on the depth desired. We offer a marabou wing version here at the shop that seems to be especially productive in our northern rivers and streams. These flies are tied on size 6 Daiichi traditional streamer hooks.

Checkout this fly HERE

Montreal Whore

Sometimes you just need the biggest piece of white marabou you can find tied onto a hook. That is what the Montreal whore is. A classic and super effective Maine "attractor style" streamer pattern, the Montreal Whore shines not only during the fall but during our smelt runs as well. This fly is a quick easy tie, but produces a lot of fish. Somewhere in between an attractor pattern and a smelt imitation, this is one fly you should be sure to have in your box. Like the Grey Ghost, this fly fishes well in both Spring and Fall months. Our version of this pattern is tied on size 6 Daiichi traditional streamer hooks.

Check out this fly HERE

Bead Head Woolly Bugger

As obvious as it is, this one had to make the list. Woolly Buggers just down right catch fish. And in the spring when the trout and salmon are looking for a big meal after a long winter, they cannot resist this super popular pattern. In the spring we like them on the larger size 4 and 6 hooks specifically in olive, white, and purple. Black is also very productive, especially in stillwater scenarios. We have many different sizes, colors and variations at the shop.

Check out this fly HERE

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The R8 CORE is the latest release from Sage. From 8'6" - 10' in lengths and covering 3-9wt models, the R8 is designed for freshwater and lightweight/inshore saltwater fly fishing.

CHECK OUT THE VIDEO BELOW!

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Words/Photos: Josh Thelin

I have to admit, when I heard that Sage was releasing a new flagship rod which would be replacing the X, I didn't have much confidence that the heavier weight models would be good options for striped bass. For me, the X is a better freshwater/trout rod and light inshore rod. But, it didn't quite have the "umph" needed to manage the various gear and situations we face here on the northeast coast for stripers in the salt. 

For instance, fly lines designed for our water and targeted species of striped bass, are different than saltwater lines specifically made for, say, sight-fishing bonefish or tarpon on tropical flats. "Striper lines" are generally either heavier, more aggressive tapered, include more various fast sinking lines/tips, require the ability to throw very large/heavy flies, are made of different materials, or all of the above. For the most part, fly rod and fly line setups that allow us to quickly load our rods (we do a lot of blind-casting where distance and efficiency trumps accuracy), with minimal false casting, is the goal. Plus, the ability to deal with casting and lifting aggressive-tapered intermediate or fast sinking tips with heavy/wind resistant flies are ideal for our type of fishing. And even further, they have to do this in usually less than "ideal fly fishing conditions." Although most people would call these "fast action" rods (which they are), I think calling them "capable" is a better way of describing them. Just because it's fast, doesn't mean its good. I like fast rods for fishing stripers, but I also like to feel whats going on. Consistency and efficiency in fly casting is much better than working my butt off (hauling harder, etc) for the ability to cast 10ft further once every ten casts.

The R8 CORE, being the newest addition to Sage's flagship series, boasts some of the most modern fly rod technology to date. "Axial Fiber Formulation" and "Circumferential Hoop Fiber" are the two most notable build differences from previous Sage rods. The effort here is simply to make a rod that transfers energy more efficiently and can still provide a fast action rod that gives good feedback to the caster. In the past this has meant sacrificing some of the qualities that make for a good striper rod. Also, in all fairness, Sage's new R8 CORE is more targeted towards freshwater pursuits. But when I was able to cast these new rods recently, I was pleasantly surprised at this new rod's potential in the salt. They were clearly great freshwater rods across many different weights. So let's see how the R8 CORE 9wt did against Sage's more saltwater specific rod, the Salt HD 9wt...

Gear/Set-Up

Fly Lines Used:

• RIO Premier Striper WF9I (330gr)
• RIO Coastal Quickshooter 8IXP (330gr)
• Scientific Anglers SONAR Titan Triple Density WF9S H/S2/S4 (330gr)

Leader:

• 20lb RIO Fluoroflex Saltwater Tippet

Flies:

• Hollow bucktail deceivers tied on 4/0 hooks and various clousers tied with brass and lead eyes on 1/0 hooks.  

The Salt HD 9wt has been one of my favorite saltwater rods. It not only scored very well on our 9wt Rod Royale Shootout, but it has found a place as one of my 9wt mainstays for not only stripers, but a wide range of salt applications. So I took both of these rods out on the rocks and ledges with three different lines that I use to fish these rocky shorelines, and a handful of flies. 

The gut reaction I had was of pleasant surprise. The R8 CORE was able to throw all of these lines without feeling completely overwhelmed by their weight or aggressiveness. It managed to pick up a decent amount of the SA Triple Density line out of the water and re-cast competently. So far, so good. But how did it compare to the Salt HD? 

The R8 CORE, overall, has a softer action compared to the Salt HD. This I expected, but it's a little more complicated. You feel this softness mostly in the tip section, yet as the rod continues to flex/load, the remainder of the rod has enough "umph" to help compensate if necessary. So with some slight casting changes, I could rely on the butt section to help turn over the heavier flies and mange the heavier/aggressive lines. The R8 CORE felt lighter in hand and in swing-weight, which is a great thing. This is especially true with the amount of blind casting usually involved with striped bass. I can certainly see myself being able to comfortably cast this rod all day.

In head-to-head comparison, the Salt HD provided a better tool for the "grunt work" that is sometimes involved with stripers, especially when the wind picked up. Over the course of a couple of days of casting in different conditions, I tried the various lines on the R8 CORE while casting directly into 10-20mph winds and although the R8 did ok, when I swapped over to the Salt HD, I felt it could punch through better when matched with these heavier setups. It also faired better with picking up/lifting line to re-cast and just generally managing the SA Triple Density sinking line off the rocks, which can be challenging. 

How The R8 CORE Will Shine in Saltwater Fishing...

The R8 proved to be a capable rod in the salt. In an "extreme salt" application such as this, it provided a lightweight and extremely sensitive casting rod with plenty of power for most saltwater applications. As a striper specific rod, it would be a great option for a wide range of anglers. Its ability to have as much simultaneous feedback and power was surprising. 

Even further, I will venture a guess now that the R8 CORE 8wt and 9wt will become a preferred rod for tropical saltwater applications. The softer tip, with plenty of sensitivity, and reserved power in the butt section, will make for a killer bonefish rod! In fact, the next time I am planning on headed south for bonefish I'd love to bring it with me. With setups that include lighter-weight flies and (mostly floating) tropical lines, the R8 will sing! The accuracy and feel was certainly one of the biggest take-aways from this test. The R8 CORE provides a very feel-oriented rod which is very accurate. In sight-fishing applications, this is exactly what we are looking for!

What the R8 CORE proved to be, when the dust settles, is an incredibly versatile rod. Between the two rods, the Salt HD got the edge purely in this niche situation. But the R8 certainly won the more "versatile rod award." Not only will this new Sage offering shine in all heavier-weight freshwater applications like salmon and steelhead, but it clearly has cross application in many saltwater applications as well. On a day on the flats in the Bahamas, trying to softly and accurately put a size #6 shrimp pattern in front of a school of bonefish at 50ft, even in windy conditions, I'd rather have an 8wt R8 CORE than a lot of other "saltwater rods" on the market!

Best Fly Line Match-Up

The RIO Premier Striper WF9I felt to be the best match for the R8 CORE in this test. It loaded the rod well at common distances and suffered the least (compared to the other two lines) when trying to cast directly into the wind. It is the least aggressive tapered line amongst the three so this makes sense. All three of the lines included in the test weigh in at 330gr for their AFFTA weight (first 30'). But they are all very differently designed lines. This 330gr weight has proven, in my opinion, to be a great home base for 9wt striped bass fly lines. It tends to properly load most 9wt rods and can be translated into a wide range of suitable tapers and sinking lines for a lot of options for striped bass. Between 300-350gr is what I generally see as a good match for modern 9wt "fast action" rods specifically for coldwater saltwater. 

Overall Take Away

With its wide range of applications, the R8 CORE 9wt is going to be a great rod for anglers looking for not only a lightweight and responsive rod, but one that they can bring salmon fishing as well as for stripers or redfish and bonefish. Compared to the Salt HD, the R8 was a lighter-weight and "easier" rod to cast with clearly more sensitivity. I soon expect to see this rod start to find some attention outside of just the freshwater world. Between these two rods, if I were to pick one 9wt striper rod it would be the Salt HD. If I were to pick one 9wt in general, it would be the R8 CORE.

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When it comes to picking a fly reel that will be used in saltwater, there are some considerations to be made regarding build quality and features. In this video I'll talk about what makes a good saltwater reel, which ones have proven to work well for striped bass here in New England and elsewhere, and also the features we look for when choosing a good reel. Saltwater fly fishing can be punishing on gear. Here are some reels that have proven well for long days in the salt!

CHECK OUT THE VIDEO BELOW!

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