The mighty Clouser – a fly for all seasons.
This is the last of three blog posts that feature the Echo fly rods I fish through the seasons here in Pacific City.
Fly fishers who know me have long ago realized that I fish rods offered by the likes of Sage, Winston, Scott, Loomis, T & T and so forth. People also see that the rods standing ready in my cabin, on my 4 runner, and in my boat are as likely to include a selection of Echo fly rods, and this is true every month of the year and everywhere I fish.
I am quick to recommend Echo fly rods alongside all of the pricier rods I’ve fished over the decades, for 4 basic reasons.
First. Echo fly rods cast and fish side by side with the best brands in the industry.
Second. Echo fly rods are durable, tough and dependable. Tim Rajeff engineers extra strength into all of his fly rods, and this makes a crucial difference when I’m setting out to fish for the day or the week, whether my venture is 500 yards from my cabin or several thousand miles away. I would never embark on a long range fly fishing trip without carrying Echo fly rods — because I have found Echo rods are D-E-P-E-N-D-A-B-L-E!
Third. I have good friends at Rajeff Sports. I’ve known Jamie and Jarrod, and then Red, and Randy, and now James – successively – over a period exceeding ten years. Tim Rajeff has been a good friend and the people he hires are rock solid too. Relationships are a crucial element of brand loyalty in the fly fishing industry, and I trust my friends as well as the products at Rajeff Sports.
Fourth. Warranty. The Echo fly rod warranty is rock solid. Fast, fair, and no hassles. Simple.
With all this said, I will now note the Echo fly rods I fish for fall chinook, because this is the feature species on the Oregon coast, even though the fall angling season of 2019 offered great fly rod opportunities for late season albacore, coho salmon, sea run cutthroat, and black rockfish.
My Echo Chinook fly rods.
EPR 8 and 9 wt
I have described this fly rod before, but it is worth noting that I am comfortable fishing 8 and 9 wt rods in 2019, but would have insisted on 10 wts fifteen years ago. Fact is, our fall chinook are smaller these days, with 40 pounders non-existent (in my world) and salmon above 25 pounds a rarity for most folks. The 8 wt fly rods I fish are well suited to battle the vast majority of 12-20 pound king salmon I encounter in Oregon estuaries.
Prime 8 and 9 wt
Same rationale as with the EPR.
Gen-2 Prime
to arrive!” width=”640″ height=”640″ /> Fall Chinook and First-gen Echo Prime. I can’t wait for the Gen-2 Prime to arrive!
Boost Salt 8 wt
The Boost salt is stout enough that I do not feel the need to venture north of an 8 wt.
Boost Beach 9 wt:
This is a new rod in 2019 for me to fish, and I have found it a reliable long rod when I want a stout salmon rod to fish two handed in tidewater. Note that I am fishing my usual shooting head and integrated short head fly lines like the Rio Quick-shooter and Airflo Sniper on this 12 ft 2 in rod. Fishing this 9 wt rod gives me the option of casting off my left shoulder when the wind is howling from my right side. This rod is powerful, and has all the heft needed to handle kings and the occasional chum salmon you might encounter.
Chum salmon to the Echo Boost Beach 9 wt.
I hope you have found something of information or entertainment here, and I wish you kindness and good fishing always.
Jay Nicholas – late 2019
