In Issue 35 of The Weekly Five we delve deep into fishing fanaticism. First up, are we ‘general purpose casters’ or ‘trout experts’, as determined by Scientific Anglers new Trout fly line nomenclature.
Just when we’d finally wrapped our heads around Scientific Anglers’ tiered naming system: Magnitude, Amplitude, Mastery, they’ve shuffled the deck again. Trout Standard is being rebadged as Trout GP (General Purpose?) and rumored to be a quarter line heavy. The old Trout lines are now Trout Expert, and true-to-weight. Unless SA shares the bigger picture soon, this could get confusing fast. Magnitude Trout Expert (below) already sports the new name.
It’s not widely known that Loop has been an American tackle company for a year. The rapid transition by Alex Taylor and his team at Cox has been impressive. They’re investing heavily in extending their brand globally – and particularly into the US market. Here’s a short YouTube interview between their long-time ambassador, Emilie, and Alex.
Check out Loop’s Classic COTW Collection: Colors of the Wild (Credit: Loop)
Sunglasses are critical for fly anglers, yet there’s little quantitative research available – with purchases often driven by existing brand preference or perceived loyalty. Buying a pair with prescription lenses steps up the challenge. This is the story of one angler’s path to Tonic.
According to the New Zealand Department of Conservation (DoC), when beech forests seed heavily, known as a mast, they can produce up to 15,000 seeds per square meter. This is predicted for 2026 in Fiordland, South Westland and Kahurangi National Park. If you are planning to come to New Zealand, make it for the 2026 Spring/Summer and bring your 3X tippet.
To wrap, let’s shine a light on a talented New Zealand fly tier, Rhys Hogg from NZ Fishing Flies. He will fill a box ahead of your New Zealand trip and post the selection to your hotel in advance, or ship your international order. Remember that prices are in NZD$ so are extremely reasonable.
Get these and don’t forget to include some Cicada patterns.
Missed Last Week?
The Weekly Five - 34
The Weekly Five, Issue 34 is out and we’re only seven sleeps to the start of the New Zealand fishing season. Our five for this week covers some industry news and, given the feedback last week, another film recommendation. Enjoy!
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Hubless Clicker Turns Heads
Southflyfisher was provided the Epic Trutta Model 3/4/5 Fly Reel by Swift Fly Fishing for testing.