Hot New
Products
Bailey Zipper Waders | McLean Nets
Sage Z-Axis | Seaguar Grand Max FX
Simms G3 Guide Boot
To place an order call 406-222-7130
Or send us an e-mail at staff@yellowstoneangler.com
Remember Montana has NO SALES TAX!
Dan Bailey EZ Zip Waders
Review by George Anderson
Available Sizes:
XS
S
M
ML (med. long)
MK (med. king)
L
LL
LK
XL
XLL
XXL
XLK
XXLK
Price: $449.95
Waders with a zipper aren’t totally new, but recently dramatic improvements in these waterproof zippers have allowed several different manufacturers to bring these to the market for 2007. Later this summer we’ll have a wader shootout for you that will be sure to cause some controversy, but for now we just want to tell you about one of the new Zipper waders that has really impressed us.
You’ll find zipper waders out there that cost more than a good fly rod – the Simms Zipper G4’s at nearly $700, but the Dan Bailey Zipper waders for $449 have been the ones that impress us as being not only the best value but perhaps the best waders you’ll ever wear!
I got a pair last fall and immediately put them to use down on the Bighorn on a “cast and blast” trip for fall browns and pheasants. The first thing I discovered was how easy it was to get into the new waders. Zip the zipper down all the way and getting into them was a real delight compared to my old Simms G-3’s. The Bailey zipper waders are very light in weight but have lots of wonderful features. Obviously the zipper came in handy after a couple of hours of chasing pheasants thru the swamps when nature called. Normally I would have to peel everything off, take off my wader belt and pull down the waders. With the Bailey waders it took about a quarter the time it would have taken me with my normal stocking foot waders.
Bailey’s have utilized their handy side adjustments on these new waders that eliminate the need for a wader belt. The simple pull adjustments on the sides also help the waders to fit better, especially if you are doing a lot of hiking.
The pockets were superb. They had the good hand warmer pockets but also good vertical pockets that I could put fly boxes or shot shells into without them falling out, even when I was running after those pheasants in the cattail swamps.
I’ve worn the waders several times this spring fishing both the spring creeks and the Yellowstone. One other feature I liked were the built in gravel guards that utilized a simple Velcro strap to keep them tight to my boots. That kept virtually all the gravel out and also proved to be very comfortable, even when hiking longer distances.
The zipper proved to be totally waterproof as advertised. Local guide, Tracy Allen told me that he fished these waders for over 60 days last fall fishing for steelhead on the Clearwater R. in Idaho and never had one leak through the zipper! Now that’s really saying something, as Tracy is about as hard on equipment as any guide alive.
I was impressed at how light and comfortable these Bailey’s waders were and often it seemed like I was just wearing a pair of jeans. The breathe ability was superb and seemed every bit as good and even better than some Gore-Tex waders I’ve worn in the past.
In our wader shootout we’ll put all these waders through some real world tests for breathe ability and comfort and report back to you. From what I see right now though, these Bailey Zipper waders are definitely the winner.
– George Anderson
Dan Bailey EZ Zip Wader: $449.95
Please call us to order: 406-222-7130
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Simms new G3 Guide Boot
Review by Doug McKnight
I have been wearing these boots non-stop for the past month ever since I got them. These boots are really beefy in the support department but where they really shine is on a comfort level. Instead of calling them the G3's, they should have called them "River Slippers." They are so comfortable, I wouldn't mind wearing them while sitting on the couch and watching TV! They are totally bomber on the outside, but more importantly they have a nicely finished inside made out of neoprene and a very cushy insole that makes your feet really happy all day long. For me, this equates to staying out longer and fishing even harder. The weight of these boots concerned me a little at first, but after walking a few miles in them, I think that they are the best boots that I have ever worn. Now I don't notice the weight at all. They are also the easiest boots to put on and lace up. The boots have an ingenious pulley system at the ankle, which makes getting the laces tight for a snug fit a real cinch. Genuine waterproof Nubuck leather will ensure that these boots will outlast any synthetic material boot, and will last for a long time. Try a pair of these if you are in the market for a new pair of shoes, your feet will thank you.
Simms G3 Guide Boot: $179.95
Please call us to order: 406-222-7130
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McLean Landing Nets
A big net is priceless when it comes to landing a really large fish. In fact it can mean the difference between landing that fish or losing them during the moment of truth. Long handled boat nets work great while floating down the river, but leave a little to be desired for the wading or hiking angler. McClean Folding nets are made in New Zealand, where they know a thing or two about landing big fish on foot. These nets fold down into a sheath that slips neatly into a custom sheath that you wear on belt. For a long handled net these things really break down into a manageable size. You can also open these nets with one hand with a flick of the wrist. For a little money, some of their models have a very accurate scale built into the handle where you can weigh the fish without even taking them out of the net! These nets are very well made and will serve you for years to come.
Standard Folding Net (with scabbard) $104.95
Folding Telescopic Weigh net (w/scabbard) $149.95
Please call us to order: 406-222-7130
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One thing's for sure - Seaguar knows fluorocarbon. (And they should, since 20 years ago they invented it). Their stronger, yet thinner in diameter tippet virtually revolutionized the way people fish. Unfortunately, that technology also came at a price - $14.95 for a 25 yard spool to be exact. Is it really worth it? We think so...
To begin with, Seaguar Grand Max is the only fluorocarbon company that actually uses two different resins when extruding their tippet on to spools. The inner core is the strength behind the tippet. It is stiff and water has a hard time penetrating it, unlike mono. The outer shell, is composed of a softer resign, which allows your knots to "grip" much better than other fluorocarbons. Other fluorocarbons have a tendency to slip when tied into each other, or cut through mono, if you are tying a fluorocarbon tippet on to a mono leader.
We've heard several complaints when people come in the shop that fluorocarbon sinks, pulling down their dry flies. I ask them have they been using the Grand Max? Well, no they reply... and unfortunately it is hard to sell them on fluorocarbon because they've already had a bad experience with it. True, Grand Max is ultra-high density fluorocarbon, and typically things that are more dense sink faster, but we simply have not experienced this with Grand Max. I think the key here must be the softer, less dense outer coating. Regardless if we are streamer fishing, nymphing, or dry fly fishing, you can bet we are tying our flies on with Seaguar.
Grand Max Seaguar's newest edition to the angling world is Grand Max FX. The key to FX is that it is softer and more subtle than regular Grand Max, yet compromises nothing in terms of strength. This means even better drifts with the confidence to land big fish on tiny tippet! If you are heading out to a spring creek, or anywhere that has slow moving water where a dead drift means the difference between a good day and getting skunked, this should be your choice of tippet - especially in 5, 6, and 7X. We know it is expensive, but please try some, we think you'll be as impressed as we were! Getting a 22 inch fish to nail your sawyer style pheasant tail is well worth $14.95. Landing him? Priceless.
From 03X (25.3lb test) to 8X (1.9lb test) $14.95
Please call us to order: 406-222-7130
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SAGE Z-AXIS
Our pick as the hottest new fishing product for 2007
Click for more photos
Kiss the XP rods good-bye, and enter their successor- the new Z-Axis. Finally! Sage has been working on this rod for three years, and we had hoped that they would unveil the new rod in Denver in the fall of 2005, but it didn’t happen. With another year to work on the rod, Sage did their homework and did it right. This is the rod that Sage should have built instead of the XP! The XP was Sage’s answer to the Loomis GLX rods – very fast actions with stiff butt and midsections. The only problem was that the XP rods needed one line size larger than Sage recommended to get the rods to work for most anglers. I’d take a 9 foot #4 XP and put a WF-5-F GPX on it and then it loaded perfectly and would allow me to fire hoppers out there seventy-five feet, or turn over a heavy nymph rig with a couple of BB split shot up close.
The new Z-Axis rods are softer than the XP rods, and slightly slower in action. This is exactly the fix that was needed and Sage got it just right. These new rods are a delight to cast and best of all; they are light – really light.
To reduce the weight, Sage used the latest generation 5 technology that they are using with the Xi2 and TXL rods. Basically this is higher modulus graphite than what they used on the XP rods, so in building a rod with the same flex, they can use less graphite, thus making the rod lighter. Sage also changed their old method of using glass scrim to a new graphite based scrim that is lighter and stronger (Loomis has been using this technology for several years and this is one reason their GLX rods perform so well.)
In addition to the new style of construction, and better resin systems (the stuff the glues it all together during the baking stage), Sage is utilizing more graphite fibers running lengthwise, which they claim gives them 10% more power with equal weight. This is why they came up with the name Z-Axis. The Z being the power fibers that run lengthwise.
Cutting through all this industry BS is often a chore, but the proof comes in casting the rods, and comparing them to other rods that we know cast well.
So when our Sage Rep, Mike Atwell showed me the new Z-Axis 9 foot #5, the first thing I did was flex it in my hand, comparing it with the Loomis StreamDance High Line Speed 9 foot #5, which is the best casting #5 line rod I’ve found yet. I told Mike, “I know that this Z-Axis is going to cast well. The flex pattern is almost identical to the Loomis.” If anything, the Z-Axis was also lighter in my hand. Lighter is always better, when it comes to fishing a long hard day.
We stepped outside to our casting lawn to compare the new Z-Axis to both the Loomis StreamDance High Line Speed, and Winston’s Boron IIx– all in the 9 foot #5 line models.
The Z-Axis delivered – big time. It was a close call but I’d rate the new Z-Axis a shade better than the Loomis, and with the Winston a distant third. So now we have a new winner in the Best Trout Rod category. A state-of-the art trout rod that will cast beautifully both in close or 100 feet.
And yes, you can use a #5 line on this Sage #5 rod! The Z-Axis is no wimp though, so you’ll want to use a slightly heavier line like a Scientific Anglers GPX or the RIO Rio Grande, rather than one of the lighter lines in each line size category.
The new Z-Axis is a gorgeous rod too, with a metallic moss green color that set it apart from anything else out there. The Z-Axis rods are all four-piece rods too – ideal for traveling anglers.
Just before I left for my annual fall week at Alaska’s Enchanted Lake Lodge we got in a couple of 9 foot #8 line rods. I took one with me to Alaska and fished it all week. I was amazed at how smoothly it cast, especially launching a Scientific Anglers Streamer Express 200 grain Sinking line. Eighty to one hundred foot casts were a piece of cake and the rod had plenty of guts to play those big 6-10 pound rainbows. Up there I was using heavy tippet – GrandMax 03X – which breaks at around 25 lb. test. The Z-Axis took all the punishment I could dish out and then some. There were several times when I thought I’d pop the tip section, landing big fish with too big a bend, but the rod survived and continued to perform flawlessly.
The Z was accurate too. Sight fishing to those big Alaska rainbows with a floating line requires accurate casts at shorter distances, and the Z-Axis, with its softer tip, allowed me to be on point. Then, when the fish took the egg pattern, the rod’s stiffer butt and mid-section allowed me to slam the hook home and get good solid hook-ups. By playing the fish as quickly as I could, the rainbows gave me a better fight, and were in far better shape when I released them.
By the end of the week I had played more big trout on the Z-Axis 8 weight than I would in a lifetime here in Montana. The most impressive thing was how well the rod held up, with the amount of abuse I gave it. The Z-Axis was simply a joy to cast and fish. Now I can’t wait to get my hands on those 4 and 5 weight rods again!
– George Anderson
Prices vary depending on rod ($610-$700)
please call for to order: 406-222-7130
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