[Mike Barrio]

Hi folks

Any signs of some new 2009 tackle products yet? The latest pre-season gear can't be far away

Always fun to watch out for.
Cheers
Mike

[Iain Goolager]

Mike, what's happened to the new Snowbee Tube?  keeping an eye out - just for interests sake.

I hear Loop have taken out a black version of the Opti reel - nice! don't think I'll be investing though, but I'll maybe cuddle one sometime.

Has Diver Dave  prototyped his neoprene waders yet? any word?

Funny as it may seem I've no real 'must haves' on my list so far  ???  must make an appointment with my shrink!

Iain

[Jim Eddie]

Iain

Is the the Opti ? Its new for 2009 , at that price you'd be as well getting two 

http://www.twenga.co.uk/offer/5811/7997028275587531391.html

Jim

[Dave Mundie]

Iain

Is the the Opti ? Its new for 2009 , at that price you'd be as well getting two 

http://www.twenga.co.uk/offer/5811/7997028275587531391.html

Jim

B****y hell i know i'm a grip but i can safely say there's one chance................

Dave

[Mike Barrio]

I have the Snowbee 2009 sea fishing catalogue, but the game fishing one will become available around mid February, I believe.

Interestingly, this is Snowbee UK's 25th anniversary year and they are apparently hoping to launch a lot of new products to celebrate! Cool .....

Cheers
Mike

[Iain Goolager]

Hi Jim,
That's the bigger brother.
My standard Opti is the 'Creek' which used to retail at £320....ish the new 2009 Black ones are £370 ??????? what's going on? They are good reels but c'mon. Realistically £130 for a quality reel is ample

Thank god for bonuses! still the money's better off screwed onto my rod than in some RBoS Fat cats pooch.

[Iain Goolager]

Interestingly, this is Snowbee UK's 25th anniversary year and they are apparently hoping to launch a lot of new products to celebrate! Cool .....

I have always had lots of time for Snowbee stuff so hopefully they'll do market some good kit and at good prices.

[Hamish Young]

Not in the UK yet, but look out for the new Orvis Helios 'Ion' series 

[Iain Goolager]

Hamish is that a reel to compliment the existing Helios rod? or..........another version of the Helios?

[Ben Dixon]

Helios Ion is an addition to the Helios range, similar lengths & line weights to the Superfine range but about half the weight as made from Helios material, I think the lightest rod weighs in at 7/8 of an ounce 
Orvis also have a new Western coming, the western 3.  Built on different blanks, matt finish and reduced weight, same lengths & line weights as the Western 2 series, bit stiffer and faster too, should have some in the next few weeks    New range of salmon lines and there will be a Helios Spey rod coming at some point this year too although it will not feature in the 2009 catalogue, this will be seriously light, hope to get a play with a prototype in the next few weeks.

Redington have a new range out, CPS has been replaced with CPX, not tried one yet but the reports I have heard have all been very positive.

Hardy Greys also have new toys out for 09, the Angel & Angel TE have been revised, the Angel 2 is a duller silver than the old TE (new TE is bright red).  Cast an Angel 2 9ft 4wt a few months back, nice but a bit stiff for what I use a 9ft 4wt for.  Greys have brought out the xflight to replace the Greyflex (I think), cast a couple of them, nice rods although the 9ft #5 is a bit slow & soft for my taste, these are reviewed in FF&FT this month.

Rio have revised the Windcutter Spey line and have introduced a single handed Skagit line (mine is on order  ) and there is a new sink 2/3 AFS shooting head, I have cast this but not fished it as yet, casts really well and seems to be about the sink rate I want for spring stuff, will be ideal on the Don.



Cheers

Ben

[Rob Brownfield]

There is a similar thread on another site and the general consensus is that most tackle manufacturers have shot themselves in the foot!

Many seem to have brought out a large number of expensive items, presumably conceived in the summer when everyone seemed to have money to burn, but now with the big "R" word, there is little new in the more affordable price range...well..when it comes to fly gear anyway.

I understand the new Daiwa and Shakespeare catalogues are half the thickness they used to be...but Shimano have decided to open up the marked a bit and ranges of rods that where only available in the US or EU are now available here

I like there telescopic European "Trout" rods. 15-20 feet, fitted with a fixed spool reel and 2 pound line. Basically you flick out weighted nymphs and catch traout and grayling all day long

[Magnus Angus]

Considering the tackle trade was well aware times were getting tougher there's rather a lot of new gear around - at all price points. Rob pointed to a thread where the usual miserable souls are are doing the usual bollox about expensive gear on that other forum - bleating about prices for gear which has been out in some cases, for several years and is aimed at either small niche markets or designed and sold on performance and state-of-the-widget or prestige. The volume sales in those markets mean there is no reason for the manufacturers to rush off and cut their prices. Needless to say the nit-wits who bleat about premium ranges from Sage or Loomis or Hardy or whoever choose to ignore how long those ranges have been around and the long list of gear the same manufacturers offer at lower, more competitive price points.

Most of the larger outfits have simply continued with their programs of renewing tackle, rods, reels and lines to refresh sales as the older gear looks dated and market share has declined in all the price points they cover - that's what marketing driven companies do. They have undoubtedly taken measures to control forward ordering.

I dunno about the Daiwa catalogue - seems to me they have as many new fly rods as they need. As for Shakespeare they have a long list of new game stuff. Their new management have been making changes, don't know where that's heading.

There's a double whammy coming, the exchange rate is so poor against the dollar that we can expect big increases in almost all tackle. Just about everything is priced in dollars whether sourced in the US or the far east. Those (few) things which are made in the UK will be hit the same way if they use imported raw materials. Given the state of the exchange rate there's the possibility of increased sourcing and manufacture in the UK as the cost advantage of imports slips - but I'm not holding my breath.

Ben mentioned the X-flite range - good rods, well priced. I've just taken delivery of an Angel2 TE - oh! - stiff did you say!

[Mike Barrio]

Magnus ..... Excellent post

All very, very true ..... Spot on!

The exchange rate issue is huge, I am sitting on two new fly rod designs that we have been working on over the last year, cracking products which I was planning to launch this Spring I was going to order all the components for these from my suppliers in the States this month, but the exchange rate has made me think twice

We have also been working on an excellent new fly line taper ( as an addition to the range ) and this is coming along just grand. But of course my fly lines are manufactured in the UK, which makes things so much easier

Best wishes
Mike

[Jim Doyle]

Having spoken to one or two dealers one of the biggest commercial mistakes that tackle companies made   was the rod replacement deal.  This has meant that anglers no longer look to replace their rods when damaged, they just get the new section.  There is only so much that can be done with rod blanks, there is , at the moment several blanks around that are the same rod in different cosmetics.   The argument over top end tackle has always been around, I have always bought the best I could afford and make no apoligy for this, its what I do . The credit disaster, I think this "crunch" thing lets the banks off easily, means theres a lack of confidence with people worrying about their jobs etc, but I think committed anglers will still spend money.  The cost of tackle will go up and down, there may be a slow down in the purchase of major items but the fly tying and bits and pieces side of things will stay steadyish. There will need to be serious thought given by tackle companies to their prices, they will only get away with passing so much of the rise in costs on, there is already a downturn in the cost of energy and the price of oil is down (the two factors in carbon fibre production) .  We all look to get paid more so we must expect that our chinese cousins would like a greater wage too.  I have been on some of the chinese sites and they are eye openners . For an interesting insight on rods go to Steve Partons sight, its quite amusing .  jim

[Rob Brownfield]

Rob pointed to a thread where the usual miserable souls are are doing the usual bollox about expensive gear on that other forum - bleating about prices for gear which has been out in some cases, for several years and is aimed at either small niche markets or designed and sold on performance and state-of-the-widget or prestige.

 

From my point of view, not that its worth much...but I still believe in buying from reputable British companies (gear made in the UK, not badged in the UK)..if i can..or waiting for the Orvis 50% sale I won't buy from some companies because of past experience, and others i won't buy from on principle.

Each to there own I guess, and quite frankly, tackle has never been so cheap. 10 years ago a £50 fly rod would have been a disaster, now days you actually get a very castable item. But..you also get the opposite, with some companies producing expensive items, identical to others, at a far higher price for the same item with a different sticker on it. But I guess that has always happened, just that it is so much easier with far eastern manufacturers producing items for several different companies at the same time.