More Favourite Fly Fishing Setups

We understand that not everyone is a gear junkie but deep down there is a bit of it in all of us. This is our second blog "article" is our series of staff favourite setups, this week's is Caitlin's favourite setups.


Dry Fly- 376-4 ZXL, Litespeed 1 & Wonderline G3 WF-3-F
This seven foot six inch three weight is my new baby, it's been on a fewadventures with me and so far I couldn't say anything negative. The ZXL is the new medium acton rod from Sage, available in two to six weights and a variety of lengths. I love it's light weight, smooth action and ultra delicate-ness. From high country cutties to Bow River risers, it seems to mold itself into whatever rod I need it to be. The Litespeed 1 is the perfect match to this rod, it weighs 3.55 oz and utilizes the same sealed conical drag system in their high end, big game reels. Waterworks/Lamson has created one of the lightest, prettiest and toughest large arbor reels on the market. The Hard Alox coating on the reel gives it durability while keeping weight low.The Wonderline Generation Three line claims to be the slickest trout line on the market and I wouldn't disagree. I mostly use this line for short, accurate casts and it definitely produces.

Overall Trout- 590 Z-Axis, 4540 CF & Sharkskin Trout WF-5-F
The Z-Axis is the favourite among many anglers, me included, making it one of Sage's best selling rods. It's light weight and fast action, allowing me to throw small PMD's and size six hoppers alike.
The 4500 series from Sage is new for 2009 and is available in a Carbon Fibre spool. Some anglers are thrown off by its black finish and near weightlessness (the whole reel weighs only three and seven eighths of an once) but trust me this thing is tough. The spools are interchangeable with the regular 4500 series reels as well as the original 2500 series reels.
Oh, the Sharkskin. For those that haven't heard the Sharkskin is a new line from Scientific Anglers utilizing a textured surface which decreases friction allowing greater shooting distance, higher "floatability" and increased ease of line manipulation.

Streamer- 690 Z-Axis, Battenkill Large Arbor & 200 grain Streamer Express.
Do I need to say more on the Z-Axis? Check out our online store for more info http://www.countrypleasures.com/store/contents/en-ca/d8.html I use a Orvis Battenkill Large and spare spool system for my streamer rod allowing me to easily change between a floating line and a sink tip line. The large arbor design comes in handy for reducing line coils on the mono core streamer express. A heavy duty drag system adds even more to this reel, allowing me to use in the salt. The Scientific Anglers Streamer Express gets my flies down and fast, it has a extra long sink tip that I cut down to make casting and line manipulation easier. The only down side is it utilizes a mono core which on cold days can coil and be a bit difficult to straighten.

Thats my favourite trout set-ups, stay tuned for Mike's, Mark's, Dee's and Zach's!
(check out Brent's fav's from earlier this month.)

-Caitlin