http://www.scierra.com

http://www.cortlandline.com

http://www.orvis.com

Angling Publications - Index

Angling Publications - Magazine - Index

Scierra XDP 10/11 Reel
Scierra introduced their XDP (“Extreme Drag Performance”)
reel last year, but this is this first chance we’ve had
to test the saltwater “big boy” of the series—the XDP
10/11 (WF10F+200 yards 30 lb. backing, 7.9 oz.).
The 10/11 is fully machined from aerospace-grade
aluminum, hard anodized in silver, and is built on an
immensely strong, full-cage frame that won’t twist
under load. For the best of both worlds, Scierra incorporated
a wide, smooth, palming rim that permits the
angler to manually supplement drag pressure. Frame
and spool venting is extensive, which contributes to the
10/11’s very low capacity-to-weight ratio. The crank knob,
spindle, drag housing, counterweight and fasteners are machined
from stainless steel, making them virtually impervious
to corrosion. Retrieve reversal is accomplished by popping off the
spool, sliding out a retaining clip, and reversing the one-way bearing. The
large (1.5” diameter) centerline disc-drag is operated by a huge (2.25” diameter)
star drag knob, with a full 1/4” relief off the frame, that rotates through one revolution
lock to lock. Start up inertia measured a scant 1.4% in our standard test, with
maximum drag pressure of 10.6 pounds. Spool to frame fit is as good as it gets, and
counterweighing is spot on, without a hint of spool wobble at high rotational speeds.
Best of all, with a price of $149.99 (extra spools $74.99) this tarpon-ready reel
is truly affordable. See it at your fly shop, or contact Svendsen Sport USA,
Dept. FFA; Tel: (866) 511-3848; Web: www.scierra.com—Bill Battles
Cortland Precision Tropic Plus Redfish Line
Cortland’s new Precision Series of species-specific fly lines has been a huge success,
due, no doubt, to the fact that each line in the series is specially designed to address
the unique variables encountered in fishing for each of the target species. The series
currently includes species-specific lines of the cold water variety for salmon/steelhead
and stripers, and of the warm water persuasion for bass and pike. On the tropical
saltwater side, Cortland offers its Precision Tropic Plus species-specific lines for
tarpon, bonefish, billfish and, the subject of this review, redfish.
The Precision Tropic Plus Redfish line is a 90-foot floater available in line
weights 6 through 9, and sells for $65. In line weights 7 through 9, it’s built on
a 30-pound, braided nylon core—the 6-weight gets a 20-pound, braided nylon
core—for virtually zero line-coil memory. The sand-colored, Tropic Plus outer
coating is extremely hard, and remains castably stiff in the hottest tropical air and
water temperatures. The super-slick Tropic Plus
outer coating is also extremely durable to resist
abrasion on coral, shell beds, and other nasty
stuff encountered on the flats. The
short, weight-forward taper—1-foot
level tip, 3-foot front taper, 18-foot
body, 6-foot back taper, and 62
feet of small diameter running
line—is designed to fully turn
over large, air-resistant, saltwater
flies and deliver them accurately
at long casting ranges.
See them at your fly shop, or
contact Cortland Line Co.,
Dept FFA; Tel.: (607) 756-2851;
Web: www.cortlandline.com
—Dudley Hall
Orvis ZG Helios
8-weight Rod
In our 2008 Editors’ Choice
Award for the Orvis ZG Helios
5-weight we said, “If you liked
the Orvis Zero Gravity, you’ll
do back flips over the ultralightweight
ZG Helios.” And
the 8-weight ZG Helios is
even better.
Tipping our certified postage
scales at an amazing 3.2 oz.,
the 4-piece, 8-weight ZG
Helios Saltwater we received
for testing felt like a 5- or 6weight
in hand. To put that
in perspective, the venerable
Orvis T3 8-weight (still one
of my all-time favorite rods)
weighs 5.0 oz. So how did
Orvis accomplish a 36% weight
reduction while increasing
casting performance across the
board? The secret lies in a new
unidirectional graphite scrim,
and steeper, faster tapers that
are noticeably more responsive
and powerful. All of our testers
were amazed by the rod’s
extremely light swing weight,
and the ease with which tight
loops and long, accurate casts
could be achieved.
Other standout features
of the ZG Helios Saltwater
include tip-over-butt ferrules
with alignment dots, green
painted blanks with maroon
wraps, dual-foot, titaniumalloy
strippers with NanoLite
rings that are twice as hard
as ceramic, no-break REC
Recoil snake guides, uplocking,
gold-anodized reel seats with
twin locking rings and woven
carbon-fiber inserts, premium
cork full-Wells grips, 1.25”
diameter cork/EVA foam
fighting butts, and woven
carbon-fiber rod tubes with
gold-anodized caps that match
the reel seats.
Test cast one at your local
fly shop ($775), or contact
The Orvis Co., Dept. FFA;
Tel: (800) 548-9548; Website:
www.orvis.com—Bill Battles
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