Gear Review: Korkers KGB Boot

Just a few months ago I was seriously contemplating going with all Simms wading boots due to some early failures on my older Korkers. But the fine folks at Korkers Footwear (based in Portland) took fantastic care of me, listened to my concerns, and helped me get into a new pair of their Korkers Guide Boots aka KGBs for a nominal upgrade fee. 

After receiving such great service from Korkers, I figured I needed to at least put the KGBs through their paces before I switched all of my wading gear over to Simms products (Simms makes the BEST waders in my opinion and their boots are fantastic too!).

Let's just say I'm glad I tried the KGBs. With the introduction of this top of the line wading boot, Korkers has seriously upped their game. 

Before I get into my thoughts on the boots, here's what Korkers has to say about the KGBs:

"Korkers Guide Boot incorporates the comfort and technical functionality previously found in Korkers wading boots, while enhancing stability and durability. Extra durable rubber, mesh and laces were added along with a TPU cage and Vibram Idro Grip outsoles, significantly raising the performance of this guide-level wading boot."

Enough of the marketing hoopla and now to the nitty gritty:

Korkers are the kings of the versatile wading boot. We already knew that and Korkers had perfected it with the OmniTrax 3.0 interchangable sole system, but in my past experiences the construction on older Korkers models left something to be desired. The KGBs are built to last with a much more substantial outer shell material, reinforced TPU cage and a design that locks your foot into the boot. These things seem to be bombproof.

With their modern boot designs and almost sneaker-like fit, the other Korkers models were comfortable to walk in (especially with their light weight) but they never seemed to give me the all-day support I wanted. The KGBs are much taller then the Korkers boots previously available, giving you full ankle support which makes those slippery riverbeds and steep riverbanks less hazardous if you're a careless wader like me.

As much as I appreciate the BOA laceless system for it's quick "on and off" ability, I didn't like the maintenance required, and the fact that it can come loose on you during long days on the water. The KGB comes with nice heavy duty laces that feature an ingenious lacing system that allows you to really tighten in the lower lacing structure of the boot separately from the generous upper ankle section. I feel much more secure wearing these boots with the lacing system and I sure like being free from the BOA system. 

The KGBs that I bought came with both Vibram rubber and felt outsoles which both are pretty solid. I use the Vibrams if I'm doing much hiking or am fishing in my float tube and the felts when I'm fishing on slippery river bottoms. The soles attach just like any of the previous Korkers OmniTrax 3.0 boots and I've had no issues switching them out within a minute. I love the versatility factor of these boots.

I've put some solid use on the KGBs and I can say that they seem to really pass the durability test thus far. The outer shell material is solid, the uppers are reinforced, and the lacing system is an upgrade over the BOA setup on other Korkers. The KGBs aren't the lightest boots available, but if support, comfort, and versatility are your three most important criteria in choosing a wading boot then the KGB is a great choice for you. 

Korkers is back in play for this angler. 

Seeing as the blog is STILL in it's infant stages, I'm not in the position of receiving free fly fishing goods to test  and review. That being said, if I personally buy a product and feel strongly about it (for good or bad), then I'll possibly post a gear review on it. The review is my honest input about a product that I spent my hard earned money on... enjoy

More Dirty Work...

It was another new experience for me, as I took to the water in search of Columbia River Spring Chinook. Springers are arguably the most prized of the Columbia River Salmon species and with a short season, few fish, and big water, they may be the most difficult to catch!

I was fortunate enough to join some friends who truly know the Springer game and off we went in search of these tasty salmon. Armed with the newly required barbless hooks we went 3/3 and enjoyed a typically manic-weather day on the big C. 

I'm so very thankful to have landed my first Springer, a smallish 10lb fish that put up a fight that a kelt Steelhead would be ashamed of. That said, trolling in the dreary weather with a bunch of lead is just not my cup of tea. Trade me for a spey rod working a long run or chasing trout on a freestone in July and I won't say no... just don't ask for any of this Springer because it is going to taste GREAT!

Say hello to my little Springer...

Dirty Gear Hucking...

Thousands of spey casts this winter have produced nary a legitimate tug, let alone a fish to hand.

My spey casting has gone from awful to okay, and my knowledge of the swing game is limited... the odds are stacked against me and all I want is to catch a Winter Steelhead. Truth is, I had never caught one up until this week.

In the past month, taking my friends to different locales has gotten them into fish and left me, well... perplexed, frustrated, and fish-less. 

That all changed this past week.

First cast. Spinning rod. And an "egg pattern." Bobber. Down.

I feel dirty, but I just don't care. Because this hatchery brat tasted good.

28 years in and I finally got my Winter Steelhead. Now that it's off the list, I'll just have to further dedicate myself to getting one on the swing... 

Gear Review: Redington Torrent Fly Rod

Seeing as the blog is in it's infant stages, I'm not in the position of receiving free fly fishing goods to test  and review. That being said, if I personally buy a product and feel strongly about it (for good or bad), then I'll possibly post a gear review on it. The following review is my honest input about a product that I spent my hard earned money on... enjoy.

Redington Torrent 8'6" 4 wt 4 pc. Rod

Despite being on a budget, I was on the hunt for a perfect small/medium water dry fly rod. I had a few 5 and 6 weight rods in my quiver but wanted a faster action 4 weight that could shoot some serious line, had solid pick up, but would also cast accurately in close/tight situations. With summer dry fly season nearing, I wanted to find a rod that would fit all those needs but for under $300.

Thankfully, you don't need to spend $750 anymore to get a quality made fly rod. I looked at rods from Echo, TFO, Orvis, Sage, and Scott before settling on the Redington Torrent. One of my local fly shops, Westslope Fly Shop in Spokane, was kind enough to order the rod in for me and allowed me to cast it before I walked out with the rod. Being a newer model, none of the local stores had any Torrents in stock.

Beautiful wraps and green finish. Nice work Redington. 

After just a few days, the rod arrived from Bainbridge Island and I met owner Jesse Clark at Westslope to test cast the rod. First impressions were simply... "wow." The Torrent featured a fairly fast action but was inherently smooth with a slightly tip heavy flex. I was throwing accurately from 15-60 feet and if needed I could punch it further. To be blunt, it cast better than my older Scott A series 5 weight and it gave the Sage VXP (a $500 rod) a serious run for it's money in lawn casting scenarios. Needless to say, after test casting it for a half hour, I left with the rod in hand.

Finish wise, the rod features a nice dark green finish that has some SERIOUS coats of paint on it. Talk about a glistening finish. The cork was not necessarily premium (some filler, but to be expected) but the grip was comfortable and more than adequate. The reel seat has a green graphite insert and a single up-locking reel seat keeps my Lamson Guru 1.5 securely in place. Stripping guides are PacBay and are high quality, and the wraps are nice and neat. The rod tube is a sweet stealthy gray aluminum with a lime colored Redington Logo.

Graphite insert on reel seat. 

The real test for a rod is, to me, how it fishes. A rod can lawn cast like a dream but until you fish it and become infinitely familiar with it, you don't know what you're getting into. The Redington Torrent is built to fish. I've used it with great success throwing everything from dries on the Bitterroot (60 foot reach casts with accuracy) to dropping lighter double nymph rigs on the Coeur d'Alene River. This rod is simply wonderful. Fish from 6" to 18" are a blast on this setup and though a 3 wt would be fun on smaller mountain streams, the 4 wt. Torrent doesn't feel like overkill in those situations.

I love the faster action (now that I've been fly fishing for long enough, I feel that a faster rod can work for many different applications) and enjoy the light weight, sleek finish, and of course the low sticker price.

This Bitterroot Cutthroat was a Torrent 4 wt. victim. 

You can certainly find a cheaper rod out there, but you wont find many with this quality finish, action, and phenomenal warranty (Redington/Sage are some of the best in the business). I suspect that the rod taper was borrowed from an older or current Sage model (perhaps the VXP with slightly lower modulus graphite?) and I don't regret the purchase in the slightest. I'll be looking at a Torrent or Predator in the future for a solid 7 weight streamer/bass rod and recommend it to anyone looking to find a quality, fishable stick.

Redington Torrent Grade Sheet -

Finish - 9/10 (only cork could be better... but for the price that's not realistic)
Hardware - 8/10 (reel seat is solid, but a slightly sturdier one would be nice)
Lawn Casting - 9/10 (faster, progressive action... similar to Sage VXP)
Actual Fishing Situations - 9/10 (can really do it all in the 4 wt class...)
Value - 10/10 (Great work by Redington... as usual)

Overall - 9/10. I prefer this single-hander over a similar CPX and find it to load with minimal line out, make accurate casts from 10-60 feet, and the fit and finish of it is excellent for the price. Pick one up and you wont regret it.

The Waterworks-Lamson Warranty Service Review

After busting up my Lamson Konic 2.0 reel a few weeks back on the Thompson River, I mailed it to the fine folks at The Waterworks-Lamson in Boise, ID for warranty service. I mailed it in on a Thursday and received it back a week and a half later.

Because the reel was a cast aluminum reel, and the damage done was of my doing (falling hard on a big rock!), I was worried that I would not be covered by the warranty program. I took a huge crack out of the spool and broke the clutch mechanism that held the spool tightly to the frame.

Lamson guarantees their reels from workmanship defects for the lifetime of the reel for the original purchaser. Despite my skepticism, Lamson warranty representative Tim told me to send the reel in (along with a $20 warranty service fee). I was concerned that not only did I send Lamson my reel and $20, but I also may not get a fixed reel back due to the damage being my fault.

I'm happy to report that my reel, upon returning home, was good as new. Lamson replaced the broken spool and fixed the clutch/locking mechanism. Lamson also retuned the drag (it's smoother than ever!).

Lamson is known for their wonderful service and I will not doubt it again. I'll probably be a Lamson customer for life, but I will likely buy a fully machined Lamson (like my Guru 1.5) the next time that I'm in the market for a reel. I love the value of the Konic, and appreciate it's precise tolerances and smooth drag, but the extra durability, better finish, and even smoother/lighter properties of a machined reel are hard to ignore.

Thanks Lamson for the great service, amazing product, and quick warranty repair.