What passes the test of time?

[Flyfisher for men]

Inspired by a online article, I ask: in flyfishing what tackle, equipment, gear, gizmos, whizbangers, and doodads pass the test?


I'll start with this:


Pflueger Medalist-- The energizer bunny of fly reels.

 

[flytie09]

I can think of a few.... but man, alot of our gadgets, widgets and kafoodles fade over time for sure.

- Surgical forceps
- Fumed silica (AKA frog's fanny). This stuff is great.
- Thingamabobber...... is there a better invention for simplifying nymphing? We'll see these for 100 years.
- The Hardy Perfect
- Hares Ear dubbing
- Red Mucilin line dressing
- The Switch Rod....man this "new" invention has revolutionized an industry
- Breathable waders.... some of us remember the Red Ball rubber waders and Neoprene ones too
- The Wheatley fly box
- The internet..... this has been one of the things can make an angler better. It can tell and show us where to fish, how to cast, how to rig, knots, weather conditions, hatch charts, flows, fly tying, maps, Google Earth.....you used to have to have a library for reference material. Now you have access to instant knowledge on anything. Scary actually.
- tungsten putty
- the Adams dry
- the Hare's Ear nymph (black, brown, olive, tan)
- the Copper John
- the Zebra midge
- the Pheasant Tail nymph
- the brass fly tying bead
- Quality hackle..... while I don't use this so much any more..... what we have to use today blows the mind compared to 50 years ago.
- A beautiful Atlantic Salmon Fly
- the Spey Fly

 

[el jefe]

I can think of a few.... but man, alot of our gadgets, widgets and kafoodles fade over time for sure.

- Surgical forceps
- Fumed silica (AKA frog's fanny). This stuff is great.
- Thingamabobber...... is there a better invention for simplifying nymphing? We'll see these for 100 years.
- The Hardy Perfect
- Hares Ear dubbing
- Red Mucilin line dressing
- The Switch Rod....man this "new" invention has revolutionized an industry
- Breathable waders.... some of us remember the Red Ball rubber waders and Neoprene ones too
- The Wheatley fly box

To take the breathable waders thought further, I'll just go with Gore-Tex, in its many forms.

And the Wheatley fly boxes, especially the flat foam swing leaf, is a great invention. I just put my first one into use, and eliminated 5(!) fly boxes from my waist pack, and can see all of my flies--save for large dries and streamers--in one place. In fact, it may eliminate the need for the waist pack on easier outings, as that fly box goes into a shirt pocket.

I'll also add nippers to the list, anywhere from the $0.99 version to the $99.00 style.

 

[sweetandsalt]

Yes, for sure Gore-Tex and its corresponding breathable membrane imitations.

Tapered tubular composite plastic, fiberglass and graphite fly rods.

Hardy style spring and pawl reels. (Still in production, use and oft imitated by others, unlike the retro-Medalist of yesteryear.)

Sure nippers without a protruding lever and retractors to hang them on.

Chemically sharpened hooks.

Silicone based floatants.

Laminated polarized eyewear.

Sunscreen and SPF angling attire.

PVC coated fly lines.

Most important and seminal of all, the invention of Nylon.

And, personally for me as both a sun protective and visual acuity enhancer, Hemingway-esque, long billed, Swordfisher style fishing hats.

 

[moucheur2003]

Hardy Lightweight series reels
Orvis CFO reels
Zingers
Fishing vests (mine is an Orvis Super Tac-L-Pac, a model that has been sold for decades with only minor changes)
Royal Coachman and Leadwing Coachman
March Brown
Light Cahill
Light and Dark Hendrickson
Grey Hackle Peacock and Brown Hackle Peacock
Adams
Gold-Ribbed Hare's Ear -- dry, wet, and nymph
Pheasant Tail nymph
Blue Dun
Quill Gordon
Black-Nosed Dace
Black Ghost
Woolly Worm and Woolly Bugger
Elk Hair Caddis
Orvis Battenkill bamboo rods
Wool fly patches
Bandana
Weight-forward line tapers

 

[flav]

Hardy spring and pawl reels
felt soles
breathable fabric for waders and jackets
Merino wool
nylon monofilament

my favorite: Lady Caroline spey fly

 

[fredaevans]

Inspired by a online article, I ask: in flyfishing what tackle, equipment, gear, gizmos, whizbangers, and doodads pass the test?


I'll start with this:


Pflueger Medalist-- The energizer bunny of fly reels.

My vote right here ... I'm still have mine and they're 50 +/- years old. Only had one 'fail' on me but I had set my rod on the ground and drove over the poor thing.

Never did that again!

fae

 

[spm]

Bamboo fly rods

 

[Rip Tide]

Every year I help out my club with their beginner "on the water" class
You'd be surprised how many of my fellow "instructors" fish with a Medalist reel mounted on a fiberglass Fenwick

... and there's no replacement for felt soles

 

[scotty macfly]

I don't think I can really come up with anything that has not been said.

Definitely bamboo rods, that should be at the top.

The only other things I can think of are:

North Country Spiders, especially Stewart's Black Spider. These flies have been around for 130 years or so and they still are as deadly now as they were back then.

And of course, memories of being on the water.

 

[Redbrook]

Synthetic Fleece - a game changer - warm, washable and affordable.

 

[silver creek]

My nomination is a hook.

World's oldest fish hooks found in Japanese island cave - BBC News

 

[littledavid123]

Orvis CFO, takes a licking and keeps on clicking!
Filson Foul Weather Vests
Brodin Ghost Nets
Simms Waders
Orvis & Sage Fly Rods
Abel Reels


Dave

 

[mikechell]

Geezo Peezo !!!
With the plethora of answers, we could just say, "fly fishing and fly tying".

With proper care and in the proper situations, anything and everything can be considered "timeless".
If you like it, it's withstood the most important test of time.

 

[fredaevans]

"... ... and there's no replacement for felt soles "

Add one bit to this .. you want 'studs' BUT NOT THE KIND that are normally installed. They are carbide and just too hard to be effective. Hit a hardware store and buy a hand full of Aluminium sheet metal screws.

These will ware far faster but at five cents each do you care? Electric drill and drill bit half the size of the screw shaft for a shallow pilot hole, drop of Gorilla Glue (its water proof) in the hole and screw in with a 1/4 inch socket wrench.

EDIT: Dang almost forgot!! Wet the felt before putting in the screws!! Good and damp, it doesn't have to be sloppy wet.


Very rare that one will come out if installed as above; but if you do, 3/8 inch off to the size and put in a new one.

 

[jzim]

Have a good mentor. Gizmos don't catch fish. Know how to find fish, present the fly properly and you can fish naked. Nothing beats a good mentor.

 

[lake flyer]

Here is my list of things I am still using after more than 25 years of fly fishing. Some of these I have used for over 45 years.
Polarized sunglasses
Mustad hooks
Thompson A vise
Stainless steel forceps
Hoffman Super saddles
Pflueger Medalist reels
Danville tying thread
Brass english hackle pliers
Anvil tying scissors
Rapala filet knife

AuSable river drift boats- I don't own one but the basic design is still in use as is the use of wood to build them. The design has been for around 100 years or more.

 

[tuc member]

Yup (Battenkill 8' and Palakona 8'6").

 

[moucheur2003]

Geezo Peezo !!!
With the plethora of answers, we could just say, "fly fishing and fly tying".

With proper care and in the proper situations, anything and everything can be considered "timeless".
If you like it, it's withstood the most important test of time.

I think the criterion should be whether it is timeless enough to remain in demand and on the market indefinitely. A lot of classics remain beloved, especially by us nostalgic connoisseurs, but are no longer produced because they could no longer be made profitably and/or something else came along to serve the same purpose better.

 

[rsagebrush]

Original Hardy made Orvis CFO, it simply will never get better than this, I have a III, IV and the V.
Pfleuger Reels, I love mine, cool and very retro, the new ones look like the internals are taken from a Hardy for half the price.
Hooks I think are here to stay.
Stewart Spider, Girdle Bug, Zebra Midge, Hare's ear in any form.
Rapala's, In Line Spinners, Soft Baits.
Seal, I know eventually it will be regulated away, I love mine.
Mono and Flouro, it just keeps getting better and better, now they're combining the two together in one line.
Bamboo, well it's just cool and here to stay.
What's being done with fiberglass is really neat.
Wheatley fly boxes, I don't really use them much or really not at all but they are
very classic.
Walgreens or rite aid nail clippers
Tenkara rods been around a long time.
Fly Line Backing, everyone's got it but I hardly ever need it, still I can dream.
Wading Boots, they get better every year.
Supplex, can't live without it, remember wet jeans.