Richard Formato

Richard Formato is an avid catch-and-release fly-fisherman from Wytheville, Va. When not on the water, he operates a small business there. Formato loves to fly-fish in his native Southwest Virginia because of the great water and wonderful people. He also loves to fish the flats and shallows of the Gulf of Mexico and Atlantic whenever work and weather permit. He is on the Department of Conservation and Recreation's board of directors and is a trustee of the Shenandoah National Forest and Skyline Drive.

Recent columns

• What about Bob?
• Notes from the Charlotte Fly Show
• A chance meeting
• A wish for Jack

• Column archive
• Talk fly-fishing

With all "due" respect to Paris Hilton, here is my version what's hot for 2005.

Not that fly fisherman care what's "hot"... unless it has to do with equipment.

Gear, new and better equipment is the lifeblood of this sport and this industry, whether it's your local fly shop or the big retailer.

Every season, we get more catalogues with more of everything in them.

Even the big independents like The Fly Shop out of Redding, Calif., are sending out thick direct mail pieces selling everything from $29.99 starter combos to fly fishing trips to Kamchatka in East Russia.

“Hot” for 2005: Great mid-price rods

For this season, the big trend in rods is better mid priced rods from the high-end rod builders.

Sage, Orvis, Cortland have mid range rods in the $200's that are designed to fill the gap between starter poles and the super premium fly rods.

To wit: The luxury rod makers have a bit of a problem. Every time they sell a high end rod with a lifetime warranty, they take a customer out of the market for life. They have to grow sales by building less expensive rods that fill a niche for the multi rod owner, and the trade up customer who knows it is cheaper to buy a $200 rod than get a divorce over a $1,000 rod and reel combo.

The truth is a $500 rod is a $150 rod you are self insuring against breakage.

Chances are you will break every rod at least once, so it makes sense to invest in a great rod.

Rod vendors know that if they start getting any pricier, you can get a cane rod from a artesian rod builder, and have rod and a piece of art that will be an heirloom for generations.

Sage’s new mid priced line, the FLi and Launch, are a little softer than their RP line, but is aesthetically more appealing with a retro paint job and nice sheen.

Another great new rod offering is Lefty Kreh's Temple Fork Outfitter line.

Lefty Kreh is the living legend of fly-fishing and his name lends credibility to this line.

I bought an 8 weight as a back-up to my Sage, and love the rod’s action and stoutness.

What I don’t like is the line is made in the Far East, which explains the low price, and gives them an edge over Sage, which is made in Washington state.

By far the most interesting innovations are in clothing.

The two really neat innovations are the “BUZZ OFF” and “RiverTek” technology on shirts, hats, socks, underwear.

BUZZ OFF is a brand of clothing impregnated with a bug repellant that will last up to 25 washings.

It is the first insect-repellent clothing to be registered by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. And, there is no other insect-repellent clothing that has gained EPA approval. The line is said to be available by outdoor retailers everywhere, and the clothing repels mosquitoes, including those that can carry West Nile Virus; ticks, too, including those that can carry Lyme disease.

Personally, I will miss the unmistakable smell of Deet. To me, it says "James River."

Deet is deodorant of choice for floaters, because nothing gets close to you with this stuff on.

RiverTek made by Simms is a special textile designed specifically for fishing, utilizing multi-fabric construction to provide maximum wicking performance and comfort.

Simms is making a whole line of RiverTek items, and rodders everywhere know Simms' forte is making clothes that keep you warm by holding moisture off you.

Simms is “the” name in waders, and their products are de rigueur for guides all over the globe.

Personal pontoon boats

This season you will see them everywhere. Fish Cats, built by Outcast Boats, are fantastic.

It is the best $500 drift boat money can buy. You can load and transport them in anything, and they float in anything. Outcast Boats all have a breakdown frames and almost inductructable with a puncture-proof bladder.

A don’t “leave home without it” add-on purchase to the pontoon boat is the trolling motor.

Last season, my buddy Curtis and I put in at the low water bridge at Fries. We spun, skated and sailed down Double Shoals, which is a jaw dropping, beautiful Class 2 boulder field of rocks and ledges.

What saved us, and made this a great trip, was the trolling motor.

Trolling allowed us to fish more than paddle, permitted us to have the rip of the white water, and get us home by dark.

Do not buy a pontoon boat unless is has a stable deck that you can attach a motor to.

Last season, we relished floating as much as fishing, and the personal pontoon gives you one more reason to love small mouth bass season.

Last year, we floated Reed Creek, The Holston, Laurel Bed Lake, Rural Retreat Lake, and went all over the New River.

Be prepared, The Fish Cat has a lot of add on's. If you acquire a pontoon boat, you will end up investing in a trolling motor, a drop anchor, dry bags, and a lots of bungee cords to hold your stuff in tight.

But there is nothing better than floating down wide green water with a cooler behind your seat, oars in your hands, and cruising over ledges and riffles with the sun at your back.

Starting at around $500, I recommend getting two boats, so you have a partner, and always carry a pump and extra set of ore locks. This may sound a like a huge investment, but it is not, if compared to Hyde Drift Boat or a Ranger Bass Boat. You will not regret buying this item.

All the big retailers will be selling them, but as usual, the fly shops will have the one you need -- which is the Outcast Fish Cat series.