Vision Fly Fishing Canada Win Silver 7 Weight Fly Rod Contest

Vision Fly Fishing Canada


Win A Vision Silver 7 Weight Fly Rod

Win A Vision Silver 7 Weight Fly Rod - It's twofold. If you already like this page, you are in. If you want to be in twice, send a photo of your home waters, favourite fishing spot, to info@teamvision.ca. We will post it in a gallery and there is your second entry. The draw happens when we break 500 likes on this page. We are at 459 now. 

So pimp this page out, recommend it to friends, share it to your wall, whatever. You could be swinging a Vision Silver fly rod in 2012.


here is the facebook link https://www.facebook.com/pages/Vision-Fly-Fishing-Canada/115486068496312 to register

2011 has been a good year for Vision in Canada. We have gained sales and exposure all across the country, and so we thought it was time to celebrate a bit. So now is your chance to win Vision's Silver Fly Rod. A 9 foot, 3 piece, 7 weight one to be exact. The Silver is a fast action bullet shooting rod designed for fishing Coastal Sea Trout and Salmon. The Silver is not afraid of high winds, salt water or high rivers. The Silver looks the part too. It's light Silver/Blue blank colour is matched by it's aluminum reel seat. It comes complete with a Dark Blue Cordura tube and a full Vision Warranty.

So how do you win? It's simple really. Email a photo of your favourite waters to info@teamvision.ca. You are entered. Or, go to ourFacebook Page and click the like button. You are entered. Even better, do both, and you will be entered twice. Our favourite photo will be selected for another yet to be named prize. The draw will take place when the Facebook Page reaches 500 likes. So spread it around. The sooner we get the there, the sooner the Silver finds a new home. Best of luck too everyone.

Vision Fly Fishing. There has never been a better time to Join The Cult.

Visit Our SHOP Website http://www.repere-moucheur.com/produits_VISION_canne_SILVER.htm

Jocelin & Sonie

Vision: Ikon Zip Waders

Fly Fishing and Fly Tying Review

Vision: Ikon Zip Waders

http://www.repere-moucheur.com/produits_VISION_waders_fr.htm

The first thing you notice about the Ikon Zip waders is of course the large zipper running down the front. In Europe zippers on waders are nothing new and in the U.S. the design benefits of using zippers on waders has only recently started to take hold.

The inclusion of a zipper on waders has many advantages. First, being able to unzip the wader makes putting the waders on incredibly easy. There is no real difference between putting on a regular pair of pants and zippered waders. All of the extra length and bulk from the upper part of the waders is open and you literally just step in and then zip them up. The ease of entering and exiting the waders also stresses the seams less, which can lengthen the life of the waders. Second, when taking the waders off or just unzipping them to relieve the bladder the zipper could not be anymore convenient. Third, the zipper allows you to help regulate temperature. On a hot day you can unzip the waders part way to let in some fresh air and for winter fishing I have found it helpful to partly unzip the waders when walking upstream against a strong current to keep from building up a sweat.

In addition to the zipper the Vision Ikon Zip waders feature six layers of F3.5 waterproof breathable material on the lower leg and three layers of F3.5 on the upper sections. By varying the number of layers of material to high and low stress points Vision has created a durable yet extremely lightweight pair of waders. The Ikon Zips are avaliable in size XS-XXL with the additional regular, long, short, and king sizing. The waders also have a water resistant front pocket on the outside and a zippered inside pocket for keeping your car keys and cell phone.

The neoprene feet are contoured for both left and right feet and have built in gravel guards and lace hooks. The gravel guards work great and at the end of a long day fishing a fine gravel and sandy stretch of river my wading boots were completely free of debris.

The Ikon Zips have elastic suspenders with fully adjustable buckles and quick release clips on the front. They also have small attachment rings just below the quick release clips, which can be used to attach a Vision chest pack or any number of accessories. The clips are small and if you decide not to use them they will not get in your way.

The waders also come with an elastic wading belt with a quick release clip. I found the elastic belt a nice touch and it can be cinched down tight enough to keep water out without binding. I did, however, find the belt loops on the waders a bit lacking. There are two thin loops on either side of the zipper and when putting the waders on the belt kept wanting to slip one of the loops. A third loop on the back of the waders would be a nice addition to help keep the belt in place when entering or exiting the waders.

The cut of the Ikon Zips is great! One reason I found these waders to be so nice is that they are not too baggy. The legs have plenty of room to wear layers for winter fishing and yet they do not have so much material that the legs rub against each other.

The other day I wore a thick military base layer with a pair of heavy fleece pants over top and the waders fit just right. The F3.5 material did a nice job keeping sweat from building up and at the end of day I was warm and dry.

In Sum

After wading with Ikon Zips I don't think I can go back to un-zippered waders. The Ikon's fit great and they have all the right features and more that one would come to expect from a top of the line wader. The 6/3 layering of F3.5 material makes for a light durable wader. Additionally, the cut of the wader was just about perfect. If you are in the market for a new set of waders, then without hesitation I recommend the Ikon Zips. Now I just need to figure out a use for my old set of waders. 
A big thanks to Vision Fly Fishing and Steelhead Angler for sponsoring this review. I was not compensated in any other way for this blog post.

Fly Fishing and Fly Tying Review

Landmark Fly Shop new VIDEO SECTION

Check Out Our new VIDEO SECTION (Section en francais http://repere-moucheur.com/video_fr.htm)

Landmark Fly Shop

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UNDERLINING OR OVERLINING A FLY ROD

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Jocelin et Sonie

VISION VENUS 9 # 9' ROD

Another Blog by Flyfishing& Fly Tying Review  http://rodbuildersreview.blogspot.com

Vision: Venus 9wt. 9' Saltwater Rod  

Venus 9wt. 9' Saltwater Rod

More and more people are taking up saltwater fly fishing. Making the change from freshwater to saltwater can be a bit daunting. Salty environments can destroy expensive gear and hooking into a large fish will surely test the integrity of your equipment. This year Vision Fly Fishing introduced a new line of saltwater rods that have proven to be among the top rods available. The Venus SW is priced in the mid-range coming in at $349 and is offered in line weights ranging from 6-12. The Venus is available with a full wells grip or an SWS model that utilizes an ergonomic D shape handle. All of the Venus rods come standard with triple anodized aluminum reel seats and high quality salt resistant Pacific Bay hardware. The rod action is rated at medium/fast and offers a nice balance of wind-cutting power and feel. In addition to the function of the rod, the Venus rods are ascetically stunning. They feature full metallic wraps, gold/pewter two-toned hardware and a nicely balanced natural and rubberized cork grip.

Fishing in saltwater requires a rod that can both throw a lot of line and is able to handle wind. A good saltwater rod should also be light so as not to wear out the caster after hundreds of casts. I cast the Venus with five different lines ranging from a 9wt. sinking pike line to a S.A. 9wt. Red fish line and with very little effort I was able to throw the entire fly line on four of the five lines (the sinking pike line was 105' long and I could almost shoot to the backing). The Venus is not a rod for close range. The rod loads near the tip and really comes to life with about 60' feet of line out. Throwing shorter casts in the range of 20-30' was difficult because the rod just would not load for me. Perhaps over-lining the rod with a 10wt or even an 11wt. line would help the short game. Casting into the wind with this rod is as easy as it gets! The strong fast action is able to form tight loops and can punch out 80-90' casts in a head wind as good if not better than any rod I have fished.

Here are a few highlights of the Venus 9wt.

The guides are all anodized and corrosion proof made by Pacbay. The guides are generously sized to make shooting line easier and the color of the guides go great with the blank!

The reel seat features a rear lock nut for added security. The seat also features a captive hood that does not rotate. I have never seen this type of seat on a rod before, but after attaching a reel a few times I wish all my rods has a reel seat like this. The opening that receives the rear foot of the reel stays aligned with the front opening so there is no more need to hold the reel to the rod while rotating the band in search of the opening. Great idea!

The grip is a full wells and features natural and rubberized cork. I like that the grip is long enough to accommodate big hands. I don't know if its me, but it seems like a number of companies have shortened the grip on larger rods. The fighting butt is just right for added that extra amount of support for working large fish.

The guide wraps are metallic and bring a nice modern ascetic to the rod. The finish work was very good (something that can no longer be assumed!).

In sum: The Vision Venus 9wt. is a great rod if you need to throw long casts into wind. The blank is extremely quick and in the right hands can punch out long casts with very little effort. As previously mentioned, I could not get the Venus to load with less than 40 or so feet of line out so for fishing up close to easily spooked fish a more moderate action rod might be more appropriate. The Venus is a technical rod and although not an "all around" stick the Venus will get the job done if distance in wind is required. One thing I am beginning to appreciate about European fly fishing equipment is that they do not advertise nor design their equipment to function in every situation (as though any rod can live up to that). Instead, rods and lines are designed to function in a specific range of applications. The quality of gear, then, increases as the form is matched to function. Vision has done a great job with the Venus and without hesitation I recommend this rod.

Jocelin et Sonie

GUIDELINE HAZE v2 REEL TEST

 

Here is a HAZE V2 Reel TEST REPORT by Fly Fishing & Fly Tying Review Blog

 

http://rodbuildersreview.blogspot.com

 

Lately there seems to be a glut of cheap reels on the market. Just the other day I watched a promotional video for a new reel where they hooked a car up to the line to test the drag (how the pull of a car is in any way relevant to fighting fish is beyond me). In addition to emails requesting a review I receive at least one email a month from the factory in China where these reels are being made. Basically, this is how it works: The are a couple of standard reels that the Chinese factory produces and for a price you can customize the porting on the reel, change out the handle and get your name printed on the side. After spending some time with these reels the lower line weight ones seem okay for the money. I've heard from a number of owners that the bearings on the heavier reels have a tendency to jam up and the sealed drag systems are not fully sealed and can ice up in cold conditions. Anyway, my point is this: If you are looking for a machined reel with a sealed drag that is capable of turning a 20+lbs fish and will last more than a couple of seasons, then the best bet is going with a company that designs their equipment from the ground up and does not rely solely on Chinese engineers who have never held a fly or spey rod.

For the last few months I have been looking at a number of 9wt. reels for spey, Pike, and Atlantic Salmon. I was looking for something that had a bombproof sealed drag, was machined, convertible, had a large backing capacity, a solid frame, was light weight and cost in the range of $200-$250. After looking at a number reels by a dozen manufactures I finally settled on the new Guideline V2 Haze. Coming in at $240 for the larger models and less for the smaller ones the V2 Haze is bar none the highest quality reel for the price I found. The closest competitor that has a similar list of features would be the Hatch 9 plus, that comes in around $750 and is much heavier.

Guideline: V2 Haze 79

The first thing I noticed about the V2 Haze was how light the reel felt in hand. Although not the lightest reel on the market the full frame of the V2 makes it incredibly strong while keeping the weight down. The frame is solid and the spool fit perfectly with absolutely no grinding. The porting on the back side of the frame looks great and is substantial enough to ensure you don't loose a finger while adjusting the drag on the fly. The full frame also keeps running line from jamming up between the spool and frame by channeling the lines movement.

The drag system on the V2 Haze is what really sold me on this reel. It is double sealed. One seal for the outer face to protect the release screw and a second seal that protects the bearing should any water or debris get past the outer housing (Honestly, after taking the drag apart to change the retrieve direction there is absolutely no way anything could gum up the innards of this drag system).

Outer seal and release screw

Inner seal

The drag is adjustable all the way to high tension utilizing a stacked disc design utilizing Teflon, cork, and stainless steel. The reel offers plenty of tension for large fish and I counted 45 settings. I really like the subtle drag adjustments the V2 Haze offers and there was little to no start up inertia. Even with the full frame you can still palm the spool for those times when you might want to dial back the drag for added control. The drag adjustment knob can also be adjusted with gloves on. The knurled, positive grip knob makes subtle changes to the drag easy when a fish is on the line.

The outer casing of the drag system utilizes a simple positive-fit spool connection that makes cleaning it as simple as submerging it under water and washing the dirt, mud, or salt off it. There is no need to brush out any parts! The outer drag cylinder is burgundy and gives the reel a nice modern look while not being too flashy.

Guideline's website recommends 130 m of 30 lbs. backing for a 9wt. line (on the 7-9wt. Haze). I was able to fit 150 yards of 30 lbs with room left over while using a 9wt. Pike Series Sink 3 line. When switching to the spey rod I could fit a S.A. running line and 560 grain Scandi head with 150 yards of 30 lbs. backing but things were a bit tight. The spool is heavily ported to keep the weight down and is surprisingly wide. I just kept adding backing until I filled it to just above the lower set of ports and it just kept taking more and more. Personally I have never needed more than 150 yards of backing, but if backing capacity is a concern you could always pack on 250 yards of gel spun or bump up to the 8/10 reel.

The spool features a captive release knob and easily seats in the frame without having to line anything up. Changing out spools is quick and efficient. No worrying about the spool cap flying off!

In Sum: I was pleasantly surprised by the quality of the V2 Haze given its modest price. If I had to price the reel based on my experience with other reels I would put it in the range of $400+. It has all the features one comes to expect from a high end reel: sealed drag, machined frame and spool, full frame, porting, and plenty of stopping power. The reel is light enough to use on single hand rods yet is not so light that it won't balance a spey rod. I have cast the Haze 79 on a 9wt. Pike rod turned around and threw on a Scandi head and the reel did a nice job balancing out my 8wt. spey rod. The V2 Haze generates a soft click when giving line and is silent on the retrieve. If you are looking for a reel that will last and functions with reels twice its price, then the Guideline V2 Haze is a great buy. Guideline has built their reputation on equipment made for hooking and landing large hard-fighting fish. The V2 Haze is the first Guideline reel I have used and it has absolutely won me over.

Jocelin et Sonie