New gear added in 2017

2017 was a busy year at Big Y Fly Co.  We focused on adding new and exciting patterns like the Mop Fly , Perdigon Nymph , X-Factor and ...

2017 was a busy year at Big Y Fly Co.  We focused on adding new and exciting patterns like the Mop Fly, Perdigon Nymph, X-Factor and Drunk 'n Disorderly.  We also expanded sizes and colors of flies like the Squirmy Worm and the Dolly Llama, and added a bunch of new flies from Solitude Fly Co and Orvis/Fulling Mills

We also made a decision to expand our fly tying selection immensely.  It has grown so much that it has spilled out of our fly tying materials room and taken over half of the showroom.  We added piles of new materials this year from Veevus, Hareline, Fish Hunter, and Wapsi.

Our Marabou selection is borderline ridiculous now!  My favorite new marabou is Hareline's Fine Black Barred Marabou.  It is give an extra depth to woolly bugger tails and marabou spey flies.  However, for most of my marabou spey flies (like the Homeless Spey or the Conehead Eggabou), I really like Fish Hunter's Strung Marabou Spey Quills.  They are a great quality and consistently good color.

Our dubbing selection has also doubled in size this year.  Great synthetics like Senyo's Fusion Dub, and Superfly's Imi Seal are unique and have some great potential, while more traditional fur dubbing like Angora Goat have found a spot in the shop.

H5 is a great wader at a great price!

We added a lot of new tools from Loon and Dr. Slick this year.  Loon's new Rogue series of tools are great and their Ergo Bobbin and other tying tools are top notch and super comfortable. 

In our wading selection, Hodgman boots and waders are new, and have been making a splash this year.  Just about every angler in my age range had a pair or two of Hodgman waders back in the day, including myself.  Now they are making some really great waders and boots and we are really excited to see them in the shop.  The Aesis H-Lock is a great BOA system boot, perfect for quick exit and entry and the H5 wader is a durable, comfortable wader that doesn't cost a lot. 

Aesis Boots with spare soles and BOA!

In rods and reels, we have really grown a lot!  We added Loop rods and reels this last spring, and they have really taken off!  I am a big fan of theirs and really like the brand and their focus.  Their reels are of high quality and their rods speak for themselves.  If I was to get a new spey reel, it would be the Loop Classic 8-11, no question about it.

In the summer, we added Fenwick and Pfleuger.  The Fenwick Aetos is an incredibly nice rod for the money.  It is arguably the nicest rod under $200 in the store. (we go back and forth between that and Redington's Classic Trout a lot).  The Fen Glass is also killing it.  I think it is the best glass rod on the market, period, and I am working on a "why you should own a glass rod" article for the spring.  Fenwick's rod is lighter and more responsive than the Butter Stick or the Echo Glass and I can't think of a better way to fish a small creek, and the 8 wt is nearly a perfect carp rod...

FenGlass is a smooth rod!

Pflueger reels are really underrated.  The Patriarch is good looking, has solid construction and a good drag system, and the Medalist is just as reliable as it was in the 1940s.  The most important thing is that neither of them are pushing the envelope as far as what you get for the money.  Great product at a great price.

Don't fear the Reaper!  Its a great rod.

After we thought we were done bringing in new rods this year, the opportunity to bring in Mystic Rods was presented to us.  We are stoked!  These guys have been making waves throughout the midwest for quite a while and us west coasters are starting to notice!  The Reaper is a great rod for the money and I would be pumped to see one under the tree this Christmas.

I know I keep saying that certain rods are good for the money, but it is true!  We brought in some awesome gear that we rave about.  We also have chose to not promote the stuff that we didn't think was great, as well as passing on vendors and products that didn't fit our brand.

Can't wait to try this line!

In the line market, we brought in Scientific Anglers as a big challenger to Rio.  We know that they make very high quality lines that are as good or better than anything else out there.  My favorite dry fly line right now is the Mastery Trout Taper, and I have been stoked to try out the new Deliverance Spey Kit this winter.

We also started carrying OPST Commando Heads and Lazer Line last winter, one of the funnest ways to fish with one hand, or two! If you haven't tried the Commando Head yet, I suggest you do.  From a 9' 5 wt to a 11' 8 wt, this line shoots like a rocket.

We hope that you all had a great 2017 and we look forward to growing and adding more good stuff for all of our loyal customers in 2018!

Andrew and the Big Y Fly Co crew.