fly fishing equipment Print Reviews

Here’s the Written Word. Almost all of us at Leland Fly Fishing Outfitters live, breathe, eat and sleep fly fishing, and, it’s safe to say, fly fishing equipment. It’s what we love to do.

Winston Boron II-MX 1090-4: The Boron II-MX is the third fly rod series to use the Boron II and in my opinion it is the best, but then again I love saltwater fly fishing. I decided I’d give the 10weight 9-footer a go while tarpon in the Keys, one word, IMPRESSIVE...more

We’re headquartered in the Financial District of Downtown San Francisco, where we’ve been for over 23 years. Leland has become the leading dealer in the United States, and the world, for many of the top brands in the fly fishing industry. The Downtown isn’t exactly what you would consider a fishing destination, yet, to the surprise of many first-time visiting anglers, we have a wealth of diverse fly fisheries from a few minutes, to a few hours, away; world record striper, really big largemouth bass, blue ribbon trout streams and coastal steelhead rivers, to name a few.

Simms 3XDRY Solarflex Shirt: After several days of tarpon fly fishing in this shirt I found while it felt slightly different slipping over your head, it worked wonderful in the hot sun of the Florida Keys. It wicks moisture quicker than cotton and it dries much faster so you stay cooler....more

San Francisco has a rich fly fishing history; Golden Gate Park surrounds the finest tournament casting ponds in the world and most World Casting Champions have originated from here for decades. Winston and Scott Rod companies first built their reputations here and, in fact, the West Coast, in general, has been a spawning ground for technical developments in fly fishing techniques and equipment that are employed, and enjoyed, by anglers throughout the world. I’ve heard that the San Francisco Bay Area has more fly anglers, per capita, that travel to fish in other destinations, than any other region on the planet, although I can’t remember where that statistic came from.

Sage 590 Z-Axis:When I heard that the folks at Sage Fly Rods were replacing the most popular and successful line of fly rods ever produced, the XP Series, I was, well, sorta shocked...more


Anyway, we like good fly fishing gear. If it’s lighter, stronger, faster, better, - we’ll probably like it. But hey, fly fishing is an art form, not a sport, so certain aesthetics sometimes come into play for many of us. We wear different hats. One person’s favorite fly rod might be another’s bane. All of our fly equipment choices are, by nature, a trade-off; sometimes it’s price versus extra features or overall quality, sometimes its weight versus durability, or distance versus finesse, whatever. The important thing is to educate yourself, when you need a particular piece of gear, so that you can make the best choice for your own fly fishing needs, not someone else’s.

The Abel Super 5N Fly Fishing Reel: This may very well be the finest backcountry trout reel ever made. Rugged, large arbor design and a huge, flawless cork disc drag for landing large trout with a 5 or 6 weight rod ... more


We’ve assembled written reviews on some of our most popular pieces of equipment, from ourselves and other experienced anglers like you, to help you in that selection process. Included in the reviews are rundowns on technical info, the manufacturer, overall impressions, and a summary of PROS, CONS, and BOTTOM LINE at the end of each review, plus a short bio on the reviewer. Enjoy.


Hatch 9 Plus: Cutting edge design, impeccable machining and powerful drag is how I would describe the Hatch 9 Plus fly reel. Its alternating stacks of stainless steel and Rulon disc are the bases for the reel and along with stainless one way bearing gives you big fish stopping power and protection...more


Sage 590 ZXL: Enter the Sage ZXL 590 fly rod, a rod which I put through as many paces as a day of fishing would allow, from fishing tiny dry flies in a feeder creek I could jump across, to throwing nymphs with plenty of added split-shot into...more


Simms G4 Guide Wader: My old fishing buddies in their Red Ball waders laughed at me years ago when I bought some of the first breathable Gore-Tex waders. Coming from the old school of “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” and a pride in not spending anything on their fly fishing gear...more


G. Loomis StreamDance Fly Fishing Rods: The all-around series, if you can only own one series, or the most versatile fly rod series. The StreamDance brings you the best of all that is good in fly rods and gives you every advantage you need ...more


G. Loomis MAX GLX Fly Fishing Rod: Do you need absolute control under adverse trout fishing conditions? Wind? Big Bugs? Long distance? The new G. Loomis Max GLX Fly Fishing Rods are designed for ultimate control over your fly line, and fly, regardless of what Mother Nature throws at you... more


G. Loomis WhisperCreek Fly Fishing Rods:
If you like to sneak up on your trout like Wile E. Coyote, but without the calamity, then you need one of the new G. Loomis WhisperCreek Series Fly Rods. These special-purpose fly rods are designed for short, yet accurate casts with soft presentations...more


Scott X2s Fly Fishing Rods: Designing a fly rod series that meets every anglers casting stroke is near to impossible, even for a company that has been designing fly rods for more than 30 years like the folks at Scott Fly Rods. However, Jim Bartschi and his group of designers and expert field testers... more


G. Loomis NativeRun Fly Fishing Rods: The Pacific Northwest of the US is steelhead and salmon fly fishing at its finest. This region and fishery has spawned phenomenal fly anglers, like Steve Rajeff, Steve Choate and Gary Loomis. In fact this fishery started a quest to define and build the best steelhead rod... more


Sage Bass Fly Fishing Rods: Wow! The two new Sage Bass Fly Fishing Rods provide a unique solution for turning over and accurately casting bulky, wind resistant flies without getting tired and frustrated and fighting fish quickly with power and authority. ... more


 The new Sage Z-Axis 13'6" Spey Rod for a #7 line has the experts raving, and redefines what spey rods are all about! Light, fast, powerful, and strong ... read more




Scientific Anglers Sharkskin Ultimate Trout Fly Line - Technological breakthrough greatly improves overall fly line and fly fishing performance; less friction, greater casting distance, higher floatation, ...more



Simms Women's Gore-Tex Waders
Learn about what makes these the finest, most breathable and comfortable women's wader you can buy... more