NcHippie

 Back in 2014 I got my first fly rod. It was a cheap 4wt from Walmart with barely any flex or give. For my first fly fishing rod it was perfect, but once I learned how to properly cast I quickly out grew it. So here I am on the hunt for a good rod. I had a few criteria. I wanted my new rod to be nine foot high, 5-8 weight, hold a large arbor reel, and have a nice warranty. At first I started looking at Reddington rods. They had just released a new rod after partnering with a golf company. Ill link the article I wrote about them here . My second choice was a Temple Forks Outfitters rod. On paper this was going to be the perfect rod. It was affordable, had a warranty, and had all the flex I wanted. I have nothing against TFO, but when I got to Cabela's to check the rod out in person I was less than pleased. It had to have been something about the action of the rod that just turned me off of it.  So, after all that work and all that research I was back to square one. at least, ...

         Throughout time fishing has made leaps and bounds, growing as new technology is available. Eventually we must ask ourselves "how far will can something grow". Twenty years from now will we have rods that fish for us? Probably not, but I can guarantee that more technology will be available to further our accuracy, casting distance, and rod strength.           These are all very good things for us anglers. We are living in a time where we only have to buy one good rod, or if we choose we can buy many different rods for different uses. It wasn't more than 100 years ago when people were still using bamboo rods. Don't get me wrong these rods are amazing pieces of craftsmanship, but the practicality of them is not so amazing. They were expensive, took a long time to make, and if you broke one you would have to buy a brand new rod. These rods were often one piece to retain strength.            As time w...

Helton Creek is a 10 mile stretch of stream that’s due west of Stone Mountain and flows into the new river. This is my second favorite place to fish in North Carolina. The sheer length of this little creaks gives wonderful opportunity to many fisherman without feeling crowded. This creek has a few advantages compared to other creeks in the area.. Helton Creek is wide and deep. That means there are opportunities for larger trout to survive. The largest fish I've pulled out of Helton Creek was a 17 inch Brown trout, and this boy was fat. What sets this creek apart from all the others is its geographic features. All the deep pools surrounded by large stone walls on either side of you make this place prime fishing are. Theses stone walls will often create overhangs dipping into the water. These types of overhangs are used by trout to stay shielded from potential predators. If you can cast a weighted nymph such as a copper john under one of those overhangs you are almost guarante...

Tired of Leaky waders? Lets remedy that problem In our modern world there are hundreds of different types and brands of waders to choose from. Some waders offer camouflage, some are meant for the cold, and some have so many pockets you don't even need a gear bag. Out of all these type of waders there is one common problem, LEAKAGE. We've almost all experienced it. Its early in the morning and the water is below freezing, but you don't mind. Your waders are insulated so the cold isn't a problem. Well that is till you get balls deep and realize you have a leak. Let me say, I have never gotten out of the water faster than when I realized water was flowing over my unmentionables. An experience such as this can ruin any fishermans day. The thing about waders is, you get what you pay for. If you decide to buy a 50 dollar pair of waders that are equivalent to wearing trash bags you can expect them to have a short life. If you buy waders expecting this then it's al...

Ovris is an American based fly fishing and hunting company that provides consumers with high end products that will last a lifetime. One of their best rod combos is the Helios 2. This rod comes in all weights and length. If I have to be honest the Helios two is simply unbreakable. I have personally seen fisherman take on a carp with the 2 weight without breaking a sweat. Orvis certainly took to time to test this rod and stretch it to its full potential. Although I might be a bit bias when it comes to the best rod brand, I can certify that Orvis is one of the best. When you buy an Orvis rod your not just paying for the name, or the classy lifestyle, but your paying for a high quality product that you know will never randomly break. That coupled with the 25 year warranty that comes with your rod makes it the perfect rod for any situation.