New Kids on the block
On test are the new Kids on the block Sonik Rods the SK3, we test both the 9’6” 7/8 and the 8’ 3/4 river Rod.
9’ 6” 7/8 On our first try I had problems, just tried the rod 
with an old line size 7’s and the rod felt stiff and unresponsive however, when I tried it with my 6’s the line just flew out, It seemed like a different rod. (the conclusion, it was the old line that was at fault) The rod looks and feels like a rod in the £300 bracket. The quality is second to none and I like the little differences like the lines to line up the rod when setting up and the thumb indent in the handle for better grip, this would really help the beginner. I found when using a selection of lines that the 8’s lines loaded the rod better and I was able to cast the whole line with ease.
The 8’ 3/4 is just a dream to cast, it is a perfect small stream rod with enough gum shun to handle the large trout you hope to run into on the river. Moreover, It handles the dry flies with pinpoint accuracy and has enough power to throw a weighted nymph when required. The quality is nothing short of brilliant for this price range, a very nice setup that casts beautifully and at a cost of only £64.99 at the moment half price, but even at the retail price of £129.99 it’s a steal, next time your thinking of a new rod purchase, Jim will have a tough job to get this rod back.
The 9’6” 7/8 having a good understanding of the variables 
that render every rod unique, I first looked at the quality and aesthetics of this new Sonic rod and was not disappointed. The Aqua green blanks, as the literature says is made from top grade carbon, is no exaggeration, from the AA cork handles to the high grade line guides give this rod the look of a much more expensive brand. This looks the business but how does it cast, the marketing spiel says this is a medium to fast action, is ideal for a wide range of casting styles and they are not wrong, this rod cast like a dream. However, I found that I needed the heavier line to make the rod work and then it worked with precision allowing me to cast an intermediate line and nymph at distance or for that elusive fish at close range. Performance is excellent in this rod, as is the appearance. The "Aqua green finish" and lightweight marine grade aluminium reel seat give these rod very high marks in the looks department.
Keith Garklic Just popped into fish Westlow Mere and had a quick go with the 9’ 6” 7/8 and was bowled over with both the quality and ease of casting with this rod. Although the action is, medium fast actions, which are easy to load, it is quite forgiving even if a bit hard work. I couldn't help thinking that the rod would be better with a heavier line, with the heavier line, the rod worked like a dream.
Jim (Fly Fished since he was a young man, that’s for ever then!)
Conclusion: When considering what makes a good rod for fly fishing, you have to take into account lots of differing criteria. The choice of one’s fishing companion is very much subjective. Some would say that poorest rods will seem to give the poorest performance. However there are traits that make a good rod irrespective of cost although the more expensive a rod the more likely a better performance. The rod needs to function well under many differing conditions and fishing situations;
other differences then come into play, like finish, quality of components used, warranty, extras like rod tube and bag. Then there is one-upmanship the need for some people to be seen with the most expensive gear! However, this does not say they will catch more fish, it’s just like flies, our President Denis always says that you have flies to catch the fish and there are flies produced to catch the fisherman.
My criteria is, can I fish with the rod in all conditions, in any role I want to fish, floating line, intermediate or sinking line.
The SK3 7/8 is just such a rod as far as I’m concerned, a good rod is one that can be persuaded to perform in any one of a number of different fishing scenarios. Back casting; roll casting, heavy, flies, wind etc.
8’ 3/4 little river rod, I had a lot of trouble getting this rod from Les (mop man) but having done so we decided to take the rod to the Dee at Llangollen, what a revelation, in terms of casting ability, accuracy, mending, presentation and ease of handling, it feels almost as good as any of the more expensive rods I own. I used it on some very narrow and over grown banks and presentation was smooth and very controllable and it was easy to manoeuvre in between the overhanging trees.
When you hold these rods for the first time, there is an obvious 
air of quality about them. It certainly gives you the feeling that you have an expensive rod in your hand, aesthetics are an important ingredient in premium rods! When handling these rods for the first time, they extrude quality. The aesthetics are what you would expect from premium rods costing hundreds of pounds! The blanks are aqua green in colour and nicely complimented by the lightweight machined marine grade aluminium real seat which is then hard anodised in black to prevent corrosion making a very usable rod.
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The Beulah 8'6" little river Rod.
A fantastic little Rod.
Accurate to within a foot at 15 yards, starts to overload the rod the rod at 18 yards, don't try 20. (With a 4 double taper)
Nice to play a fish up to about 2lb to 2.5lb (rainbow Trout)
I had one of about 3.5/4lb which I thought was too much for the rod. (The rod bent alarmingly in the middle section) but no damage was done.
To conclude Jim I will have it for those little brown trout and grayling we get on the Dee.
Moreover, it comes complete with a spare tip.
Well it’s got to be over 50 years since I started fly tying I learned from the great Bill Tagg, he and a friend a carter invented the whip finish, still use his book from time to time just to get back to the basics “The Art of Fly Dressing” he inscribed it for me, “For Jim”, still treasure it. I do most of my Fly Fishing at Westlow Mere a very fine and friendly still water fishery in Congleton Cheshire. Then, for work reasons (excuses?), I stopped both Fly Fishing and fly tying, giving most of my tying supplies away to those more active.
However, over the last few months I have started to take an
interest in the Art of Fly Tying again, I had some ideas for new designs and the new materials seemed to give endless opportunities to tie some distinctive patterns.
I did my research and asked a lot of questions, read reviews and used the new media of the internet including YouTube to see what was going on. Since I was just getting back into the hobby I set myself the target of getting the most cost effective vice I could, now being a pensioner money is very tight. Moreover, the vice needed to be inexpensive with good features, rotary or not, and with arthritis in my hands it had to be an easy vice to use, and with as many gadgets as I could get! However, let’s get one thing out of the way first, would I use a rotary vice to its full potential, it is the question everyone seems to asks, the answer is probably not, however I do and would use the rotary function enough to warrant this functionality. When I was at this year’s BFFI (British Fly Fair International) show http://www.bffi.co.uk/, the one question I ask most of the professional fly tiers was “What is the most important attribute you need in a fly tying Vice” and to a man they all said a stable tying platform that can hold the hook securely.
So the vice I chose was, the “peak Rotary Vise” their marketing literature says “Engineered and manufactured adhering to PEAK’s philosophy of proving high quality equipment at an affordable price made in the USA”. So on opening the box first impression was “WOW” The vice shouts quality, you can have a standard G-clamp or the very heavy and robust pedestal base and it still comes in under $150. Peak say the standard jaws are designed for size 2 to 20 and having tried all sizes I have found that to be correct so this vice for me would be adequate for all my tying needs.
I fish small rivers the Dee at Llangollen for instance when we are catching 6 inch trout (ridiculously small); Les says this is all I can catch! And the bigger rainbow still water trout like at Westlow Mere (www.westlowmere.co.uk) that can be up to 10LB, therefore I need something that is going to take a wide variety of hook sizes without any problem - when I received the vice the first hook I put in it was a size 18, no problems at all – I have also since tied up numerous tiny dries and large lures without any difficulties, so far it has coped with everything I have thrown at it.
Many of today’s vices are sold as rotary vices. And indeed most of them rotate one way or another. But my definition is the rotational axis has to be the same as or very close to the axis of the hook shank. Which means that when the hook is in position it will keep the hook shank at the same level of the rotating part of the vice, sadly on lots of vices, mostly the cheaper end of the spectrum this is not the case.
Peak: Because the Peak vice jaws are on a fixed head I thought this would be one of the criteria that would be lacking however, I was wrong in most cases I was able to place the hook with the shank on the same rotational axis, Excellent.
However, it would also be nice if the vice allowed easy adjustment of jaw position for aligning different sized hooks with the rotary shaft.
However let’s get back to my question at the BFFI or the answer; “and to a man they all said a stable tying platform that can hold the hook securely”
Peak: So what about the holding power off this vice? The cam lever has a positive action when the jaws are tight enough to hold the fly so no breaking your thumb trying to get it too tight. Moreover I was able to break hooks before they slipped. The simple cam adjustment nut provides a one-handed adjustment of the jaw gap for various hook sizes. Peak along with many other accessories has both midge and saltwater jaws to compliment the versatile standard jaw, all made with the same eye on quality and longevity.
The hook must be able to turn through 360 in a smooth way fast or slow both clockwise and anticlockwise and most importantly have no wobble. Also a means to ad friction to the movement so you can stop at any position for better viewing of the fly and most importantly enough space behind the hook for hands and material, to little space here will make tying in tails, hackles ribbing etc more cumbersome and with my hands this is very important.
Peak: Adjusting the friction against rotation is easy. It’s a matter of screwing or unscrewing the tension knob in this case a plastic nylon (Delrin) screw, at first I thought this was a mistake, will the
screws strip, break or wear out! And if you prefer you can buy brass ones. However, on reflection the plastic works well and will not scour the central spindle, but I think I will buy an extra couple to future proof.
They also provide a D-arm as they say “for those who find a horizontal handle easier to tie with than the standard handle”
Do I use it every time I tie a fly? No. Do I use it much? Yes. I use it for tinsel bodies, floss, rib, dubbing, etc. You can spin the fly, hold it in any position so you can inspect the fly from all angles and stop it securely in any position, if fact all the positions and functionality you require making it easy to place any material.
A couple of my friends pointed out that it would be good if the head could be moved up and down to give better positioning of the hook however, I am very happy with the access to the hook and have encountered no instances when the fly was in a difficult tying position.
One of the problems with a rotating vice is that when the vice rotates the thread can either be wound on or off the hook but, by using a bobbin cradle this means the thread can be held horizontally making it parallel to the hook shank and also keep it out of the way when applying other material to the hook shank.
Another most important attribute is that the base whether G-clamp or pedestal allows a good solid platform from which to tie ones flies.
Also varnishing nearly everyone varnishes from the top making it difficult to distribute the varnish evenly but using the rotary action you can get an even smooth head and avoid blocking the eye.
Peak: This is a true rotary vice it can turn the hook through 360 degrees in any direction in a very smooth manner with the ability to set the hook simply at any angle, in its own plane, making it very useful for a full inspection of the 'other' side of the fly and doing those awkward jobs that can only be done easily using a rotary action. The powder coated pedestal base complete with integrated material pocket with rounded edges for holding hooks, beads etc, is a very solid construction.
This is my home made fly tying station complete with the Peak
rotary vice. I find it difficult to tie continuously and needed something that would allow me to stop at any point and simple put the fly tying gear away allowing me access to my desk. Also I wanted to be able to tie without endless preparations, gathering my tools and materials, but also to stow it away quickly if my desk is to be used for something of less importance. The bench gives me plenty of storage and work space with all tools at hand, the Peak vice fits in just perfect.
Performance:
The Peak Rotary Vice is excellent and does just about everything asked of it. It’s a very stable platform on which to ply your art. The jaws are hardened steel built to last anyone’s life time, with the added bonus of changing to either the Midge or a Salt water tying option’s if needed.
Price:
A great true rotary vice for less than $150, in my opinion the number one entry level rotary on the market and the most cost effective buy you can make, that’s why I have one!
Construction/Quality:
The quality is exactly what the manufacturer states well constructed, well thought out and made to last can’t ask for anything more, It very much appears to be a good long term investment, with nothing on this vice should give the average fly tier a problem for many years to come, however it would be remise of me not to mention the Delrin adjustment screws, I have ordered extra and they do supply an brass alternative but like I said before the Delrin will not mark the shaft, so watch this space. And a life time guarantee on materials and workmanship with a customer service second to none!
I have since spoken to Al from Peak and he states: “I just wanted to point out that the brass screw for the rotation resistance adjustment has a Delrin tip so whether you have the brass or plastic screws (which are Delrin as well) the rotational shaft is contacting Delrin in either case”. So no need to watch this space just buy one.
Design:
The design is well thought out the main function are the jaws if they must do a good job., The Peak does not let you down it does what it says on the tin, the simple lever action with the positive stop when the hook is clamped works a treat, it holds all the hook sizes with no problems. The Peak is not fancy and I am not a minimalist fan but in this case it really works, a good solid design. Both the pedestal and G-clamp base, pedestal with the durable powder coated base will last and last and the G-clamp could hold a small ship!
Features:
Well I wanted gadgets, I had better call them features, well I am male we need these extras and if you need it they have got it, keeping up with the Joneses, and you can keep up the Smiths too. With a range of accessories making this a fully featured product, material clip and with a unique design, tool post caddy, travel pouch, waste catcher, profile plate etc and you get a tool post to connect all your accessories from thus giving extra space around your fly to work unhindered.
A prolific piece of engineering, which has improved my ability to tie flies to a higher standard. The simplicity of this vice has actually encouraged me to tie more flies than I would normally do.
FlySim Fly Fishing Simulator.
FlySim is a full 3D, physics-based fly fishing game featuring accurate fly casting dynamics, multiple destinations, different types of fish, and realistic fish behavior. Practice overhead casting, roll casting, mending, dry and nymph fishing, and other fly fishing techniques. And if you catch the biggest fish, you will get your name on our trophy page.
Accurate Fly Casting Dynamics
Physics-based models allow the rod and line to accurately simulate real world casting. Effects of wind, water, current, gravity, air resistance, and rod motion are all integrated into the calculations resulting in casting so realistic it can be used as a training tool.
Learn Fly Fishing Techniques
Practice different fly fishing techniques including overhead casting, roll casting, side casting, shooting line, and mending. Learn to cast in different wind conditions, when to shoot line for maximum distance, and how current affects mending.
Nine Unique US Destinations
FlySim includes nine scenic US destinations from Oregon to Maine. Some destinations are unlocked as you complete the goals.
Ten Different Species of Fish
Ten unique 3D fish models, including rainbow, brown, brook, cutthroat, and golden trout. Fish are stored in your daily and complete logs, along with information such as length, weight, tippet, and fly.
Simply put...you guys rock. I have a smile from ear to ear. I look forward to the new river! -Stephen Francomano
Wow, this game is the real thing!!! I have hoped for a sim with this much reality to it for years. . . AWESOME sim! -Chuck Sweet
absolutely great game, incredible casting mechanism... my only complaint - I spent so much time fishing, that I didn't finish my paper for grad school on time... but an 11 lb rainbow makes it worth it! -rgray
Congratulations great game, brillant casting mechanics and fish behaviour. I hope more is on the way. Thanks. -Green, Australia
This Fly Fishing simulator is addictive Just ask Denis! and a whole lot of fun for all the family and like one reviewer says, if you are a beginner it will teach you about the different Flies. Jim Kenny
A free demo is available for download.
| Expect to see new products from manufacturers like; Rio, Hardy, Greys, Wychwood-Leeda, Sonik, Varivas, Redington, Vision, C&F Design, Masterline, Loon Outdoors, Lamson, Fishpond, Pacific Fly, Umpqua, Sage, Lookers, Medler Press and many more. Many new products are on embargo until the new year. Manufactures at the show will be able to release all the new product details and images to us in the new year. We shall publish these here, as and when details come in during the early weeks of January. |
