2004 Lefty Ray's Product Reviews

Below are product rating and recommendations on NEW products I have used during the 2004 season. Some of these products were acquired via a discount due to the fact I am on various "Pro Staff" or "Guide Programs," however I tell it like it is and pull no punches nor show favoritism. I am constantly in search of new products that will help me in the pursuit of redfish with a kayak in a better way by performing better, offering better value, and/or saving me time. If the product performed, I will tell you why. If it did not, I will tell you why not, so that you do not waste your money on inferior products.

Home	kr4@leftyray.com	210-260-6154	Fish Report & Recent Pictures

Comments: This “performance powder” as the creators call it, is the best stuff we have come across to prevent a chaffed ass. While kayaking we try to keep our shorts as dry as possible but sometimes the water level does not cooperate and you do get wet. There is nothing more miserable than a wet chapped crack after kayaking for a few days in a row. This stuff really pays off if you have to drive home after a day of kayaking and you do not have the opportunity to take a shower or even change into a set of dry clothes. The staff at the “Kayak 4 Redfish” Guide Service highly recommends this product.

Comments: Loomis continues to lead the fly fishing rod industry pack with this "1" piece fly rod. There are no ferrules to align, no pieces to come apart. It is very light and weighs only 4 ounces. It has a fast action and casts very easily. You can use 3 fingers and your palm to cast the line out. Loomis took a rap about not being pretty cosmetic wise, but this has been rectified. The colors have been changed from the plain looking black colored GLX to a greenish color and the logo has been incorporated into the reel seat (see 1st picture). Another good feature has been the addition of recoil guides (3rd picture). These guides will actually bend under a load and then return to their original position. If your lifestyle cannot transport a 1 piece, 9 foot fly rod, then a 4 pieces version is also available. We highly recommend this rod.

Comments: We throw a lot of Clouser style flies and most of these have large lead eyes on them. The promise of a fly line with a taper to throw these flies sounded really great. After using 3M/Scientific Angler fly lines for 20 years we wanted to try some specialty fly lines that might help us get the fly out better. What we found was the taper did deliver as promised. We could throw Clousers slightly better than the SA Mastery Saltwater taper fly line. What we did not like about it was that the fly line coming off of the reel in the morning “coiled.” We had to stretch the fly line to make it lie flat and straight. We consider this a very big inconvenience. Once stretched the line was OK. Over the years we have NEVER have had to stretch out a fly line that was being used in the environment it was created for. Stretching out a line takes up valuable time away from fishing and is a pain in the you-know-what. In this day and age of technology and materials, coiling should not be an issue. Rio is a good fly line company and makes some great products but in this instance because of the coiling characteristic we do NOT recommend this fly line.

Comments: A very lightweight rain jacket that is 100% breathable. The cut is generous so that it can be worn over a fishing vest or a PFD. We have been carrying this jacket around all season. The best insurance against rain is a rain jacket on board. In the times we have had to use it, it has performed great. The breathe-ability eliminates that clammy feeling. Also there is no restriction while paddling. This jacket proved a champ during the Rockport Extreme Kayak Tournament. Though pricey, we highly recommend this jacket.

Comments: We have long been a fan of the Columbia Bonefish shirts. We like the breathe-ability of 100% cotton but hated ironing them for a crisp look. This year we decided to try a synthetic blend shirt. This Tropicwear shirt from L.L. bean is 71% nylon and 29% polyester and does a good job of keeping you cool. If you look at the first picture, you see will a shirt just taken out of the dryer. Although not wrinkled it really does not need ironing. After 1 season it has not faded which was a problem with the Columbia’s. On thing we did not like was that the fabric did pile. In the third picture you can see the little balls. It is possible that the Velcro on the shirt caused the piling. Sometimes when the shirt pockets were closed some of the Velcro was exposed due to bad alignment on our part. It is possible that during the washing and drying process that Velcro caused the pile to occur. We will contact Bean to see they say. We recommend this shirt for now and will follow up with a second season evaluation next year.

Comments: After carrying a lightweight (high dollar) pair of Swarovski 8x20’s for many years, we got tired of squinting into the small aperture (with or without sunglasses on). Our shopping quest found this pair from Nikon which has a large aperture of 7/8” (see second picture). This is the largest aperture we have found in a number of binocular brands. We can easily view through these things without taking our polarized sunglasses off which is a big boon to determining if it is a mullet tail or redfish tail we are spotting. This pair is also waterproof and fog proof. This makes cleaning easy because you can rinse them out in the sink. The optics are superb and images sharp as can be. The only drawback is their weight which is 28.2 ounces. This might be heavy for some people but because we constantly wear a large camera around our neck, we feel this weight is bearable. We highly recommend this pair of binoculars. (Note: When shopping beware because Nikon makes the same binocular that is NOT waterproof for a few dollars less.)

Rating:

Product: Werner Camano Carbon & Carbon, 230 cm long, small diameter shaft. 2 piece

Comments: After using a Werner Camano fiberglass model for several years with no problem, we wanted to step up to the next level. We got a Camano Carbon fiber from the factory's Pro/Guide Program and have not looked back. This thing weighs only 26 ounces which is 1 1/2 cans of Coke for comparisons. Very light weight. The connecting ferrule has been improved. Instead of 2 or 3 holes for feathering, the ferrule has a internal spline (see 6th & 7th picture) which is indexed every 15 degrees. This allows a large number of feathering positions for left-handers and right-handers (see 3rd picture). One gripe was that the sticker indicating the positions of the spline did deteriorate (see 4th picture). A quick call to to the Werner service desk and a replacement set was mailed the same day. The 5th picture shows the replacement in place. There is no play in the ferrule. The 2 pieces fit very well and I have had no problems taking it apart. The carbon fiber blade did hold up well throughout the season. The second picture shows some scrapes from encounters with oysters. There is no major damage, just some minor surface scratches. Considering we push off a lot, we expected worse. We also experienced no flutter in the blade while paddling. One of the best features was the ability to get a small diameter shaft. The thinner shaft felt better in our hands and also reduced the overall weight. Customer that have tried our paddle try not to let go of it. We highly recommend this blade. The quality is superb and customer serve is reachable on the first call.

Price: We paid $149.99 after a $50 rebate. $256.99 to $303.99 for the replacement model HX471S

Comments: Although we did not need it during the storm that hit the Extreme Rockport Kayak Tourny, a VHF radio is a good piece of gear to have on board. This one has the VHF Marine band plus AM/FM, the FRS (Motorola's) channels and codes, weather stations, weather alert, airplane band, and something called MURS (which is no longer being used). If you get one, leave it on scan so that you can hear the radio traffic that occurs during the course of the day. This way you will learn the lingo and the different marine frequencies. All bands worked well except the FRS. We had trouble communicating with our other Motorola's. We could talk to then but could not hear them very well. Although this radio is waterproof and we rinsed it under the sink after every trip, the silver painted aluminum housing started to corrode (see 3rd picture). So far this has not affected any performance. We talked to the SH service dept and they said to send in for a no charge repair. They also said to expect a 7 day turnaround which in our opinion is not bad. When the radio was returned they had replaced the housing at no chrge. As far as the FRS issue they also said the Motorola brand FRS radios broadcast a tone which screws up talking to other non-Motorola radios. We got a good value on this purchase due to it being discontinued plus the rebate. Its replacement, the HX471S is identical except for not having the MURS band which was discontinued by Uncle Sam. We really like this brand of radio. It is small and light, has a good speaker, and the rechargeable battery lasts forever. It comes with a cel-phone type of clip and a recharger base. We highly recommend its replacement the HX471S or its little brother the HX460 if you cannot find this discontinued model..

Comments: When Simms announced they were discontinuing their neoprene booties some time ago, We went out and bought a couple of booties for backup. The last pair finally wore out at the beginning of this season. We looked at some other neoprene boots but could not find a pair that fit as well as the Simms. All along we had resisted trying on the flats lace-up boots made by Patagonia, Orvis, and Simms. Without another option I gave the Simms lace-ups a try. We were very skeptical that we would not like them. At the end of this season we came to the conclusion the laces give a better custom fit on our foot and the harder material on the bottom held up better than the neoprene's (picture 2). We can only remember 2 times when the laces came undone while out on the water, so not bad. We also had less sand and shell get inside the sneaker versus the neoprene's. We believe this is due to wearing the Simms wading socks doubled over inside the top of the sneaker. Also this is the second version of their flats sneaker and it has a higher ankle cuff than the first version. We believe this also helps keep out excess sand and debris. If your neoprene booties wear out give these pair a try, you will not be disappointed.

Comments: This machined reel performed flawless throughout the year. It is a large & wide arbor reel. Very light weight, easy to clean and easy to switch from left hand crank to right hand crank. A slight click on the way out and no noise as you retrieve the line back in. The drag has infinite click settings so a repeatable setting is possible. The quality and finish are outstanding. We highly recommend this reel for putting the "wow" on redfish.

Comments: A PFD manufacturer has finally listened to kayakers with high back seats. This PFD has a rear flotation panel that is located at the top instead of the entire real panel (2nd picture). The rest of the panel is a mesh material. This allows the high rear panel to ride above the top of a high back kayak seat. Before the normal kayaking PFD would actually place your body an inch or so forward requiring you to adjust the foot pedals accordingly. No more with this new PFD. The front and rear panels also incorporate some reflective strips. Never has a PFD felt so good especially when you paddle in the hot weather of our part of Texas. We highly recommend wearing a PFD and we highly recommend this product.

Comments: When rigging up before the crack of dawn a little light goes a long way. In the old days we would hold a Mini-Maglite in our teeth. When affordable headlamps first arrived we liked the convenience but hated the heavy weight on our head. Before we launch into why we like this particular product, let us say that "any" headlamp will work. The key is that your hands are free to rig up and where ever you point your head you have instant light. This is our 3rd headlamp and each time the newer models get lighter and the batteries last longer. In this case this one weighs 4.9 ounces so we sometimes forget it is on our head. It is powered by 3 AAA batteries (which are included) and so far we have not had to replace them in an entire season. The key to the long life is the 3 LED bulbs (one bright center one or two side lights). The light is also pivotal so you can point it up or down to some degree. This unit is also waterproof in the event you get caught in some rain. While this one may be considered "pricey," we feel the lightweight and performance is well worth it and highly recommend it.

Comments: This waterproof container is large enough to house a typical sized digital or point-and-shoot film camera. This box floats if it falls overboard and can handle salt spray real well. The best part is that you can leave it on your lap as you paddle and paddle drip will not harm your camera. The clear plastic material is Lexan which means it is virtually indestructible. I added the red strap so that I could attach it to something in the event it fell off of my kayak. If you want to take your camera out on the water but are afraid of getting wet, then this product is for you.

Comments: This vinyl half moon shaped bag is waterproof. It can house a 35mm SLR and a digital camera. It is built to be lashed down on your kayak deck. This bigger bag can hold bigger items like a full size camera or other items and does a great job of keeping everything dry. I like this product but have since replaced it with the product below. It is for sale, $55.00 including shipping

Comments: This is the current bag that I am using to house my 2 cameras while on the water. A full size 35mm SLR and a digital fit plus accessories. It is water resistant but not waterproof. I lash it behind me in either kayak and have found that it handles salt spray very well. It also fits inside of my kayak hatches in the event I want to stow it inside. The flip top lid makes access very easy. The inside of the lid has 2 mesh pockets that hold several misc items. The tarpaulin outer material is like a heavy vinyl. Very washable. If you have wondered how I am able to take my photos while on the water, you now know my secret. I have had a camera around my neck while wading for over 20 years. In all of those years I have not lost a camera due to water (knock on wood, or in this case knock on cork) but it is containers like these 3 that have helped. This item was found in the fly shop inside Bass Pro. Since then I have not been able to find it on their website. To my knowledge Mountain Cork does not have a website and until I found this bag, I have not heard of the brand. If you carry a lot of camera gear and find the hard Pelican cases too rigid to fit inside of a kayak hatch then this may be your answer. I highly recommend this product.

Comments: Coming from a fly fishing background we have evolved from vests to fannypacks to chestpacks. Containerizing flies is not a problem due to their overall small size. Trying to containerize lures which are bigger was a challenge. While fannypacks exist to handle lures for the wading fisherman, we do not like the fact of having to take the fanny pack off while reentering the kayak and then putting it back on when exiting. This chestpack from TALS fits the bill. You can house 4 lures in plastic tubes that have revolving doors. These tubes keep the lures from tangling. The tubes have velcro strips which attach to inside material. Five other tubes are included for spoons, jig heads, etc. After 1 season, salt spray has not affected it including the zippers. We highly recommend this product if you throw artificial lures of any type.

Comments: TPWD regulations require a white 360 degree light while paddling in the dark. While this light is compact and thin and does emit a white light, we do not recommend it. The light output does meet the regulations but we feel it does not put out enough. The other Scotty light (3rd Picture) although bulkier, because it is powered by 2 D cells versus 2 AA batteries, puts out a larger amount of light. This alternative puts out a larger amount of light which increase safety. Another alternative which also puts out a larger amount of light and is a lot more inexpensive is my homemade pole/Mini Maglite creation.

Comments: While we are not knife aficionados nor knife experts we wanted to mount one on our PFD to look cool or to cut something like a stringer that is being attacked by a great white shark (big chance right?). These 2 are made of 420 stainless but as the word implies they "stain less" and are not "stain proof." We had to be diligent about keeping them clean and if we didn't, rust spots would develop. While a handpad of maroon Scotchbrite removed any rust, it was a pain trying to stay ahead of it. We tried spraying it with silicone and that has helped to a large degree. We like the one hand removal from the sheath and the sheath attaches easily to the square mounting pad on the PFD. The blade is supposed to be easily disassembled from the hard plastic handle but we have not figured how to do that yet. While we had not had to use the knives, we might have to someday and having it handy might pay off in the future. We are also sure there are better knives out there and would welcome any suggestions. Just keep in mind spending $100 for a titanium knife is not gonna happen. No recommendation either way is made because a knife could be a luxury or a not very required item.

Product of the Year: Squeaky Cheeks	G. Loomis Fly Rod	Rio "The Clouser" Fly Line
Simms Freestone Rain Jacket	Simms Wading Boots	L.L. Bean's Tropicwear Shirt
Nikon Action EX ATB Binoculars	Werner Paddle	Standard Horizon VHF Radio
Galvan Fly Reel	Lotus Mildwater PFD	Black Diamond Headlamp
Waterproof Camera Container	TALS-500 Chestpack	Scotty Kayak Night Light
McNett PFD Knife	Sunscreen	Camera Protection
Rating System	Items for Sale	210-260-6154