While fly-fishing over the weekend, I reached for some strike indicator.
The sun was dropping. The water was no longer transparent. There was no hatch, and it was time to go subsurface.
I was fishing a limestone cut that runs just upstream from my cabin in Craig Creek. It’s one of the deepest holes on the creek -- so deep that this section was used in the ‘70s as a sacred place for baptisms and rebirth.
The land has long since shed the visitations of the believers, and is now a much quieter place of rustling leaves, a cool fall wind and deep-water trout.
Pinching off some orange “Biostrike,” I cast my rubber leg stone fly nymph into the rock cut and immediately landed a fish.
Biostrike indicator has become a must have in my pack, and Loon Outdoors has become one of my favorite fly-fishing companies for several reasons.
Loon, based in Boise, Idaho, makes and distributes a mixture of practical, innovative and uncommon gear and accessories.
Strike indicators are one of those fly-fishing products that novices don’t appreciate and experts can’t live without. A strike indicator is a fly-fisherman’s bobber, and when properly used, usually means the difference in catching and releasing trout.
Loon Biostrike is a high visibility putty indicator that is malleable, sticky and movable on your line while being reusable and biodegradable.
I also believe it as “de facto attractor pattern” because it often draws fish strikes as an egg imitation.
The Loon organization, www.Loonoutdoors.com, started small, when in 1993, their founder left the aerospace industry. Starting with soft weight putty, he had an eye on building a niche business on product effectiveness and environmental sensitivity.
Loon is a company that has some of the most practical items you will find. The company makes a lot more than floatant and putty, and it’s a shame that Roanoke’s local retailer carries just a few items.
Regardless, Loon’s “must have” item is the Flak Jacket.
Loon’s Flak Jacket is an integrated fly pack with two box platforms for quick access.
With a large rear pocket, the Flak jacket also comes with a hydration system, which is handy for hike-ins and float trips.
The jacket comes equipped with two fly boxes and two zingers, three handy storage pockets on each side, four tippet dispensers, easy-to-use zippered lower pockets, D-rings and inside pockets. A large cargo pocket on the back stores everything else you need.
The fly boxes are on your left and right chest, and fold down tray style for access.
I keep nymphs and streamers in my left fly box and dry flies on my right.
The Flak Jacket is lighter and more intuitive than your vest, and compared to the William Joseph line, it’s more than just pockets.
Loon’s other new product is the Taperclip Leader.
Imagine a spool (shaped like tippet) that contains five precut nylon 9-foot sections of copolymer knotless, tapered leaders.
You clip-off each leader where it’s marked and discard the red connecting section between each leader.
There are no packages to unwrap, no coiled leaders to untangle. Just pull a leader from the spool, clip it off, drop the spool in your pocket and fish.
I hate to admit it, but there have a few too many times that I have unwrapped a brand new leader and had it knot up when I tried to uncoil it.
The final Loon item I’ll mention is the Loon Dust.
The new product is a “triple duty” treatment powder floatant. Composed of a non-white fumed silica powder, you apply with a brush applicator on a fly that will ride high on the water.
You can also apply to nymphs to create a realistic air-bubble effect. Dust works great on CDC flies and can also be used on fly lines for easier pick-up and to accelerate casting speed and distance.
Loon’s rod cases are also half the price of Sage models, and all Loon’s items are priced right -- based on what they are made of instead of what brand name is stitched on the outside.
Loon’s other notable items are its line of UV products, tools, cleaners (check out Fresh Pants), fly tying, boxes, gear and kits.
Loon is a small company, and like most small companies they are extremely innovative, which makes for great company measured by the value to the angler and our world in out of the water.
Check 'em out.
Tight Lines,
Richard
