Product Review: Hydro Flask - A Thermos You Can Drink Out Of

Given our habits of winter fishing in near-freezing drizzle, and the allure of the east-of-the Cascades trout stream during 100 degree days in the summertime, we brought in a full line of Hydro Flasks.

What can a Hydro Flask do that your regular water bottle can't? Local anglers need a water bottle that keeps hot liquids hot in winter and cold liquids cold in summer. It's gotta be BPA-free, durable, sweat-proof, freeze-proof, recyclable and come with a lifetime warranty. It has to take the full abuse of life in a drift boat or a gear bag, be easy to fill, stay closed when we want it closed, open easily when we're thirsty, and generally offer high quality. After a bit of testing and some judicious use of logo stickers, the Hydro Flask delivers.

Hydro Flasks beat that pants off your old poly water bottle in the following ways:
- Keep coffee, tea, and any liquid hot for 12 hrs.
- Keeps beer, juice, and any liquid cold cold for 24 hrs.
- Vacuum insulated like a Thermos, but cool to the touch even if you are carrying piping hot coffee
- Tough enough to take the abuse of a fish-crazed, butter-fingered angler
- Food grade stainless-steel construction with a durable, nontoxic powder coating
- Lots of cool accessores like a sports cap, coffee/tea sipping lid, and plastic free lid
- Soy-based ink used in logos

We've got them in multiple sizes. Sized to fit in a drink holder, the 17 oz. is perfect for coffee or tea. The bigger 21 oz. is about right for use as a water bottle , and the 64 oz. "Growler" is pretty self explanatory (has been known to work nicely with Kokanee).  We've got a few of the Food Flasks designed for hot chili or a cold fruit smoothie, and they vary in price from $25.99 to the $49.99 64 ounce "Growler".

Fresh Spring Product For Spey Casters

CF Burkheimer 8152-4 - 15' 2" 8 Weight Spey

Can you spot the big rod on our spey wall? One of these rods is not like the others ...

A big rod for big water, the CF Burkheimer 8152-4 throws long belly lines with gusto.  Crisp and light and the hand, the action on this rod is unbelievably sweet. Pair it up with a Nextcast Fall Favorite 70, an Airflo Delta 8/9 or a Nextcast Fall Favorite 45 and get into the spey groove. Burkheimer's site mentions that it fills the niche for a big-water stick on the Thompson, Gaula, Skeena and Tweed. Really, we’re looking forward to using it down low on coastal Olympic peninsula rivers, the lower Skykomish in summertime, and the wide, powerful steelhead runs on Columbia River tribs in the fall. More info on Kerry's site here.

CF Burkheimer 8152-4 Specs

15’2″ 8wt

8.75 oz

Grain Window: 520-750gr

$975 (Classic configuration)

Kingpin Spey Reels

Made in England, these new spey reels feature a corrosion and scratch resistant Type III anodization, exposed palming rim and a sweet, sweet , sweet click-and-pawl sound on the outgoing. Light in the hand, they balance well with modern, lightweight, spey and switch rods. You’re not going to find these reels in many other shops! Come on down and take a look. More info at Kingpin's site here.

Kingpin Spey Reel Specs

Diameter: 4.125”

Width: 1.15”

Line Weights: 8/9/10

Line Capacity: DT10F + 130/WF10F + 300

Color: Black w/Black spool or Black w/Orange Spool

$599-$629

Nextcast Spey Lines

Innovative lines with tapers that promote turnover even in tough weather and wind, Nextcast lines are designed for maximum performance. We’ve heard buzz about these lines for some time, and we’ve got a full array of Fall Favorites and Winter Authoritys on the shelf. Come check ‘em out!

Fall Favorite 45

An excellent dry line, we’ve got the Fall Favorite in a 45 ft. head. It turns over long leaders in the wind, shoots distance with ease, and works great with all styles of casting. Give one a try; there is no other line out there that feels quite like this one! It sends out your cast and pancakes out flat before your fly hits the water.

Winter Authority 45, 55 and 70

The same taper as the Fall Favorite with a looped section at the front so you can switch the floating section for sink tips (12 ft. looped section for the 45 ft. head, 15 ft. section for the longer heads). The Winter Authority doubles as a great summer line as it includes a floating tip.

Fall Favorite 45
$79.00
7/8	8/9
570 grains	630 grains
44 ft.	46 ft.
Winter Authority 45
$89
6/7	7/8	8/9
510 grains	570 grains	630 grains
42 ft.	44 ft.	46 ft.
Winter Authority 55
$89
6/7	7/8	8/9
520 grains	580 grains	650 grains
51 ft.	53 ft.	55 ft.
Winter Authority 70
$89
7/8	8/9
650 grains	650 grains
55 ft.	55 ft.

Spey Casting Instruction

Need a little refresher on how to get the most out of spey casting a 2 hander? Come hang with us on the Skykomish river for our monthly free spey casting clinics. More info on how to sign up, here. Spey on!