
London Fly Fishing Fair 10th/11th March 2017
01/03/2017
London FlyFishing Fair 2017
16/03/2017
My new Guideline kit has arrived and I could not wait to test drive it, I was like a child in a toy store and spent several hours playing on the casting pools at Fly Only with the new kit. After I had made my decision on what rod, reel and line combinations to use for the different fishing situations I will encounter this season, I thought it would be a good idea to share this information. Anybody looking to purchase Guideline kit might find this helpful.
Light Salt Water Selection.
I have chosen the Guideline RSI 6 weight rod for my light salt water fishing. This rod has a powerful tip action and a fast recovery and does not struggle with the trying wind conditions we all encounter when salt water fishing. It is also very light and is finished off beautifully in black and red. The reel I have chosen is the Guideline Haze V2. I want a reel with a good drag system, large arbour and cool looks so it does not let the rod down and this reel does not disappoint. My line selection might surprise a few people. I have gone for the Guideline Pike line which turns over big flies with ease and is not affected by the heat. I have used this line before on several salt water trips and I can highly recommend it. I will also use the RSI 8 weight Rod, paired with the Haze V2 reel and the Guideline pike line when targeting larger fish. I also carry a selection of sinking lines for both 6 and 8 weight setups.
Heavy Salt Water set up.
I am hoping to fish Kenya in September and my target species will be the sail fish but I will also take anything else that wants to grab my fly. My choice of rod for this trip is the RSI 12 weight. The RSI range of rods is probably my all time favourite salt water rod and I cannot give this rod a bigger compliment than that. The reel I will use is the Vosso as the sail fish is one of the fastest species in the sea so a quality drag system and large arbour will be required, all these are all characteristics of the Vosso. I have not decided on which lines to take on this trip yet, but I have until September to decide so that gives me plenty of time to test a few.
Salmon Fishing
I didn’t think it was possible to improve the LPXE rod but Guideline has managed to do it. The New 14ft 9/10 weight is the one I will use for the bulk of my salmon fishing this season. I love the fast action of this rod although it seems to load deeper and the recovery is quick. The new handle has a much better feel to it and the general look of the rod has improved, although it is all about the performance with the LPXE and the new range does not disappoint. I will use the Haze V2 reel which has a good drag system and large capacity arbour. I carry a wide variety of lines for my salmon fishing but the new Guideline power taper 4D line and tip system is the one I will use for 99 percent of my fishing, it allows you to fish varying depths without having to change lines. This suits the way I like to fish, as it allows me to fish at different depths with only a quick change of tip saving time and keeping my fly in the water for longer. It also saves on carrying a load of different lines. I think the tip system is the best idea Guideline have come up with in line design for a number of years. These lines will also cast 18ft tungsten tips so maybe my skagit line has just become redundant?
Still water
I will use the Fario 9ft 6 weight rod which I used last season. This rod is a credit to the guys who designed it, Leif Stavmo and Christopher Rownes. It is light weight and has a fast action but loads deep and throws super tight loops. I will pair it up with the Fario reel which has a really smooth drag system, large arbour and balances beautifully on the Fario rod. The finish of the reel also looks very classy. I am going to use the bullet evolve line as I was so impressed with it when line testing. This line will present all types of flies well. It is much more than just a line for throwing big heavy flies out as far as you can get them. The line has a very slick coating which assists shooting line. I also found the orange section of line which marks the rear taper to running line portion of the line very useful when re casting. I will also carry the 4 cast sink 5 for fishing at depth.
River
I will use the Fario Classic 10ft 3 weight rod. This rod casts well but is super sensitive. The feedback you get through the blanks when a fish breathes on your fly is superb. I love nymph fishing with this rod but it is also performs very well when casting dry flies. I will pair this rod with the Fario reel for the same reasons as with my still water selection. The line I am going to use is the Presentation Evolve, this works well in tight areas, has a nice slick feel to it and I find the colour change which marks the rear taper area useful when recasting.
Guide line Clothing
To put it simply, Guideline clothing is as good as it gets. I used to go through a couple of pairs of waders per season but since I started using Guideline, I found waders lasting a few seasons and I have never had a problem with leaks. They are always stylish and functional with plenty of storage, in fact a lot of the time I am able to get all my equipment in my waders which means I don’t have to wear a vest or carry a pack. I will use the Alta Sonic Tizip this season, but I can recommend any Guideline waders with confidence, anybody purchasing a pair are sure to be impressed.
Alta Jacket.
Waterproof, plenty of storage and stylish. What more do you need from a fishing jacket?
Alta Boots
New for 2017 I have not tested them yet but they do look the business. Very light weight but sturdy and the quick release lace up system works well. Just a word of advice, I always order Guideline boots two sizes larger than my proper size.
Alta Loft Jacket
This is a probably my favourite piece of Guideline clothing. Need I say more? Check it out on the Guideline web site.
Laxa Loft Hoody.
Very light weight and warm. Ideal for dry days to wear alone, or to wear under a waterproof jacket on those bitter cold wet days we all love to fish in.
Alta wind shirt
Check this shirt out. It is the best I have seen since Simms did the one with the stretch sleeves. This shirt is super cool with its zip up track suit type neck.
These are my choices for the majority of fishing situations I will cover this season 2017. I used some of this kit last season but I have tweaked my selections for this one. It is hard not to, with all the great new products coming out from Guideline. Hope this feedback helps anybody looking to purchase Guideline equipment for the new season.
Chris Hague
Professional Fly Fishing Instructor/Guide
Game Angling Instructors Association
Advanced Professional Game Angling Instructor Single Handed and Double Handed Rods
Mentor/Assessor
International Federation of Fly Fishers
Master Casting Instructor/Two Handed Casting Instructor
Mentor/Assessor
GUIDELINE POWER TEAM