Gear Roll-up: The Victorinox Swiss Army Knife, Epic Titanium Series Fly Rods, Small Stream Four-weights

I like the Huntsman, because it has a little saw that comes in handy when you’re doing things like cutting thick cord, or cleaning birds.

The Epic Backcountry Fly Reel somewhere in New Zealand.

Ode to the Swiss Army Knife

I remember what a big deal it was when I got my first Swiss Army knife in the bottom of my Christmas stocking. I don’t remember how old I was, exactly. Seems to me now that I was old enough to have promised my mother that I wouldn’t cut myself, yet young enough to believe that it was Santa Claus who, ultimately, trusted me with my own pocket knife.

I’ve had many come and go over the years… one dropped in a lake, another surrendered to airport security, but I always have some version of a Victorinox Swiss Army Knife in my possession.

After all, it’s the original multi-tool. Are there other modern multi-tools that are even more utilitarian? Probably. Do I carry a Swiss Army knife as “front-line” equipment in my fishing or hunting pack? Sometimes, sometimes not. But I always have one in my vehicle. And I always have one in the dry-box on my boat. And when I’m not in my car or on my boat, one usually ends up on my work desk.

The big question has always been, which model?

I like the Huntsman ($52), because it has a little saw that actually comes in handy sometimes when you’re doing things like cutting thick cord, or cleaning birds. It has scissors, a bottle opener and corkscrew, as well as two cutting blades–pretty much all the essentials.

Second choice is the Explorer ($65), because it has a small magnifying glass. I just like looking at bugs with that sometimes. It also has the openers and blades, but not the saw, and is a bit bulkier than Huntsman.

You might assume I like the Fisherman ($55), but that one has a funky “fish scaler” that in years of fishing all over, I have never found a practical use for (better to have the scissors, which you might actually use to trim tippets, or a saw).

The best fishing Swiss Army knife, in my humble opinion, has always been “Huntsman.”

But you be you, and of course, half the fun is looking at all the options and imagining all the things you can do with it. After all, being compared to a “Swiss Army knife” is a very tall compliment for an angler–it means you can make any cast, use any gear and catch any fish. – Kirk Deeter

The new Epic Titanium Series fly rod.

Epic Titanium Series Fly Rods

As American anglers go, I was an “early adopter” of the Epic FastGlass fly rods. The draw there is a fiberglass rod with a faster, more responsive action. Not too fast, mind you, but not at all slushy or noodly like many fiberglass rods. In fact, I liked them so much that I’ve fished different weights all over the world–a 4-weight on the chalk streams in England, a 10-weight for dorado and roosterfish in Baja, Mexico and a 6-weight for hucking streamers and large terrestrials at trout throughout the Rockies. I even fished the 6-weight for redfish in South Carolina. My love affair with Epic has stood the test of time, and I’ve said nice things along the way.

So why… why… WHY? in the heck does the company have to offer a titanium-meets-carbon-fiber fly rod to compete in an already over-crowded field of premium, fast-action saltwater fly rods? I mean, stay in your lane, right? Own your niche. Be happy. Call it good.

Then I fished the 7-weight Ti Carbon Fiber fly rod for a month, and thought, aw crap… this is its own niche. And it’s a really good one.

Built with a titanium core that’s wrapped with high-modulus carbon fiber (a classic, unsanded blank finish), the resulting action is quick and responsive. In a word, this rod is an absolute gun. A loop-packing, wind-busting, dart-throwing beast that will absolutely own any saltwater situation imaginable. This one takes the fight right to the fish.

It shines best with a half-size heavy line (the way many saltwater lines are already built these days), but it will shoot just about any line under the control of any B- or better caster. The best attribute is accuracy. You can pick up and fire at short ranges, for sure. What it really boils down to is an honest, responsive action that lends itself to both distance and accuracy. This rod ranks right up with the best of the best in the 40-to-60-foot range.

For the record, Tim Romano cast it a bit on a recent redfishing trip we enjoyed with Captain Jim Hutson in South Carolina, and I’m pretty sure both of those guys would echo my sentiments.

The components are all high end, and you can tell the rod is built for endurance. I will say I had a little defect/hiccup with the rod out of the tube, but the company sent me a replacement butt section, from half-way around the world, within a few days. It fit perfectly. There’s only one other company I know of (Orvis) that can match that level of responsive service.

The rods are priced at $1,095, so it’s playing in the big leagues, and it only comes in five weights–6 through 10-weight. But it’s worth at least a test encounter if you have a chance (Epic has a love it or return it program), because this isn’t a run of the mill rod. I’d say it has Epic potential. – Kirk Deeter

Epic Backcountry Fly Reel

I’ll admit off the bat that one of the things I like most about this reel from Epic is that it says “Backcountry 7/8 – New Zealand” right on the frame. If ever you have had the good fortune of fishing the backcountry in New Zealand, the mere thought will automatically put your mind in a happy place.

As for the reel itself, it looks like… a nice fly-fishing reel. Not clunky, and not over-cooked. I spent a lot of time fishing for redfish with it in the saltwater marshes of Low Country South Carolina, and liked it the more I used it.

It’s light. It’s sturdy. The pickup is great (with a large arbor). It’s easy to pop the spool. Easy to switch from left- to right-hand retrieve. The drag knob (an X-shaped surface on a round knob) is easy to find as you play a fish if you do that sort of thing, but maybe a bit stiffer to adjust on the fly than some of the other saltwater reels I use–Hatch, Hardy, Abel, Tibor, Orvis, etc.–especially those with completely round, larger drag knobs.

The thing is, at right around $500 this reel costs less than most of the saltwater reels offered by the companies I just mentioned. And the ceramic, fully-sealed drag is impressively smooth. I never felt a hiccup fighting dozens of fish over months in all weather conditions and temperatures ranging from near freezing to the mid 80s.

Of course, time on water is the ultimate durability test and I want to fish it more (I generally just want to fish more). But it’s machined from cold forged, tempered aluminum, and has a military-grade anodized finish, so there’s no reason for doubts.

Having said all that, the 7/8 (as large as they get) is a great crossover for both fresh and salt water. And $500 for a reel of this high quality, that I have full confidence fishing in salt… knowing the customer service support is actually faster than many domestic US companies can provide… seems like a pretty darn good deal to me.

For the record, the backcountry costs the same in smaller sizes, which makes the cost advantage less pronounced when compared to some other trout reels, but I’ll still vouch on behalf of overall value and performance. – Kirk Deeter

West Slope dry fly eater.

Testing Four-weights On Colorado’s West Slope

Every fall around late September, early October, a small group of us head down to an old, historic ranch in the Roaring Fork Valley to run the dogs, drink a few beers around the fire and, of course, hunt for dry fly eaters.

When the weather cooperates, providing cloud fronts and rain, the fish, a healthy mix of wild browns and rainbows (20-inches is a monster), happily spread out onto the choppy flats and cobbled pocket water to pick off the last of the season’s stoneflies, caddisflies, late-season PMDs and Green Drakes and a consistent (afternoon) armada of Blue-winged Olives.

Running streamers or bobbers on heavier fly rods is generally discouraged. Sixty-foot casts are unnecessary. This is the time of year for a quieter approach and smaller fly rods–accurate, but forgiving tools, that allow the angler to make a variety of shorter and longer casts against the grass, wood piles or even tucking shots under bridges and overhanging tree limbs.

The fish have been stepped on by half the Front Range at this time of year, so you’re looking for a fly rod and line combination that can deliver accurate and unobtrusive presentations: long leaders, subdued line colors (you don’t have to go clear, but worth investigating in 2026) and a rod that can execute soft, accurate casts with purpose, and often through some wind.

Here, fast-action, nine-foot rods are a liability, breaking off fish and floundering within the confines of a narrow river canopy. Shorter four-weights can be ideal, but they also have to be able to do the work, horsing fish out of cover or turning them out of rock piles in heavy water. Ideally, you want a rod that can do all the delicate presentation work required for smaller, late-season dry fly work, while also providing some backbone if you happen to tie on a larger hopper or bump into a better fish that turns and runs.

The four-weight line-up: the Epic Reference 480G 8-foot 4-weight fly rod (medium-fast action), the Scott GT Series 8-foot, 10-inch 4-weight fly rod (medium action) and the Sage Classic R8 8-foot, 6-inch 4-weight fly rod (medium action). All three of these fly rods are constructed with industry-leading graphite and resins and complimented with high-end reel seats, cork grips and handcrafted finishes. Point being, they aren’t cheap, but they do deliver the look, feel and performance you would expect.

The Epic Reference 480G 8-foot 4-weight fly rod ($895) is the fastest, shortest and least expensive of the three rods, but it also rarely disappoints. We’ve written at length about how much we like the touch and feel of Epic’s fiberglass (FastGlass) rods, but they also make some surprisingly crisp and effortless casting graphites as well. At first, the 480G almost feels like a toy (coming in at ~3 ounces), but you quickly realize how versatile and muscular this rod can be. Yes, it’s short in length, but the rod’s lively tip provides smooth loop control and surprisingly accurate deliveries–all those little nooks and crannies you wouldn’t dream of firing a cast into? This rod can pull them off. But the coolest part of the design is the unforgiving backbone built into the rod’s mid and lower sections, providing anglers the confidence to steer and fight larger fish, if required. Small fish are still fun, but a bigger fish shows you what this rod can really do. When you start to think about where this rod was designed (New Zealand), the seemingly incongruous (fish-fighting) strength paired with its diminutive stature and casting accuracy start to make more sense. Yes, you could line up this rod for a day in Wisconsin’s Driftless Area and fifteen-inch trout, but you could also throw on a dry-dropper and turn five-pound browns in the South Island’s Ōreti River. On the rod blank, a “super stealthy,” non-reflective satin SnakeBelly finish adds another thoughtful touch for those who think every part of the approach can matter. So, where would this fly rod shine? If you’re just looking to hike into some alpine creeks and throw dries at small fish, this rod will definitely be a lot of fun and deliver, but you also have lots of other choices and rod blank materials (fiberglass, bamboo etc.) to choose from. If, however, you wanted to drop a pure dry fly, or dry-dropper, rod into the boat for your next float trip, or pack trip into your favorite tailwater, and there are some bigger fish around, you’d be hard pressed to find a better option than the Epic. Factor in the rod maker’s (reasonable) pricing and best-in-class customer service, and it’s kind of hard to ignore the value these guys are delivering. End of the day, this rod is a blast to fish, can do a ton of versatile work and comes from a proven and respected brand.

The recently released GT Series from Scott Fly Rods is being marketed by the manufacturer as a new iteration of the iconic G Series, but with a “lighter” and “sportier” feel, yet still connected to the “smooth progressive actions” and “tremendous feedback” of the originals. If you want to read a little more about the “thinner-walled” blank technology of these new GTs, Deeter did a nice write-up a few weeks back, which was generally effusive about the taper designs and technology upgrades. I also fished and tested the Scott GT Series 8-foot, 10-inch 4-weight fly rod ($1,095), which is an honest “medium action” dry fly rod, roughly a foot (10-inches) longer than the Epic 480G and $200 more from your bank account. Unlike the “tippier” feel of the Epic, the Scott GT is a more fully flexing fly rod, requiring the angler and caster to slow their delivery and meet the rod’s slower and deliberate pace–in a lot of ways, it feels like an old IM6 Winston, but without the bulk and weight. I fished it with both the Scientific Anglers Amplitude Textured Trout and RIO Elite Gold fly lines, and both performed well and provided flawless dry fly strokes. The first thing you notice when comparing the rod to the original G Series (I tested against the G Series 8-foot, 4-inch 4-weight) is the lighter hand weight (related to the thinner blank walls and ferrules) and the noticeable “transmission of feel,” which refers to the tactile sensations the rod is picking up and transferring to your grip. It’s not that you can’t feel things happening with other fly rods, but it’s the extent to which you can feel everything with this fly rod: head shakes, fish changing direction, subtle sub-surface eats etc. And if you can feel all these things as an angler, you can respond. The rod’s lightness, casting touch and line “feel” are off the charts, as I would expect with any Scott dry fly rod, but its ability to transfer all this additional information to the angler (before and during a fish fight) are what separates this design from almost anything else on the market. As Deeter noted, in the hands of a willing participant, this fly rod has the ability to make you a better angler, given you’re listening to what it’s telling you. We know a grand is a lot to pay for a fly rod, but if you decide to make the GTS plunge, you won’t be disappointed. This is a fly rod you can grow old with.

The Sage Classic R8 8-foot, 6-inch 4-weight fly rod ($975) was the third rod I tested, designed by Sage to fill a slower-action gap in their ever-expanding arsenal of fast-action rods. The Classic R8 marketing-speak rolls out something like this: “deep load and fast recovery results in a rod that maximizes smooth energy transfer and overall feel, while achieving unprecedented line speed, control and accuracy.” Not unlike the Scott GTS, this is a medium-action, throwback rod intended to appeal to dry fly and light-line enthusiasts, and neither of these rods are at home slinging lead or banging the banks with articulated streamers. On the flip side, when you’re required to lay down long leaders and soft, accurate casts to spooky surface feeders, this is where these spring creek rods shine. The Sage casts and feels a lot like the Scott GTS–slow, smooth, methodical–though it’s even lighter at 2 5/16 ounces. However, Sage rods tend to have a more machined and “mechanical” casting feel relative to the Scott and Winston tapers (they don’t really provide that “transmission of feel” all the way to the handle). This isn’t necessarily a knock–it’s just the way Sage rods have always been designed and feel for the caster. After the trip, I even went to the garage and pulled out a genuinely old Sage Light Line Graphite III 8-foot, 6-inch 4-weight (circa 1995?) that was laying in a pile of rods, so I could compare to the Classic R8–the rod was a little bit heavier at 3 1/16 ounces, but also eerily similar. If I blindfolded you and told you to cast them both, you’d be challenged to tell them apart. Did Sage just go back and regurgitate a bunch of old Light Line tapers? Possibly, but I’m not sure anyone would ever care or remember. I do know the Light Lines were some of the best dry fly rods Sage ever made and it’s smart to get these iconic tapers back to the market, if that was the strategy. As far as the 2025 Classic R8 goes, it’s a beautifully designed and finished rod that performs flawlessly in the right hands. Although we all have our personal preferences when it comes to medium-action dry fly rods, you could spend years improving your casting and dry fly game with one of these (seven) Classic R8s.

When you’re finally at the point of pulling the trigger on a new four-weight, it’s always worth considering the fly rod’s primary purpose and day-to-day applications: Are you looking for a versatile rod that can do a little of everything (dries, nymphs, small streamers) in different water conditions? Maybe you’re looking for a dedicated dry fly rod to tackle big, western spring creeks with a little wind? Maybe you’re a beginner or intermediate angler with a budget, and you want to dive headlong into dry fly fishing next season?

All three of these fly rods (above) could work, but they’re also materially different from performance and practical (price) perspectives. The best place to start your research is a local fly shop, where you can see, touch and cast the different rod types, while also pairing with an appropriately balanced fly line. If this seems like a lot of work, it is, but this learning and tinkering process is where the angler growth curve accelerates. Eventually, you’ll enjoy the line testing and casting as much as the fishing. – Andrew Steketee

Bay Flats Apparel

We first heard about Bay Flats Lodge in Seadrift, Texas from a friend who described it as one of those rare places that still feels genuinely authentic, no polish for polish’s sake, just a place built the right way, over time. As someone who considers himself an honorary Texan (grew up just north of there and once spent way too much time working on a book about the Texas coast), my interest was immediately piqued.

This year marks Bay Flats’ 25th anniversary, and their origin story is exactly what you’d hope it would be. Chris Martin and his wife Deb started the lodge out of a single-wide trailer–Chris guiding during the day, Deb cooking meals for guests who bunked in a spare room. From there, they built Bay Flats piece-by-piece into what it is today.

Recently, they’ve started producing apparel. It’s not “merch” in the typical sense, it’s gear informed by 25 years of guiding and long days on the water. The line is expanding in 2026, and we’ve been putting a few pieces through their paces.

While we got our hands on the coastal-inspired gear a little late in the season, it’s still seen some use: a four-day November float down the Green River, time on the South Carolina coast (where it felt especially at home) and plenty of wear bouncing around the Front Range of Colorado. It’s clearly designed with the coast in mind, but it’s thoughtfully built, well made and priced reasonably enough that you don’t feel precious about actually wearing it.

So far, we’re especially into the Ultra-Light Windbreaker ($100) and the Long Sleeve Airflow Pearl Snap Shirt ($95). More to come as this clothing line–and brand–continues to evolve. – Tim Romano

Recaps Hats

Racaps ShadeShifter Sun Hat ($46). I just stumbled onto this hat and it feels like one of those, “why hasn’t this been obvious all along” products. The problem with wide-brim hats is they’re almost always a pain to transport and store when you’re not wearing them. They get crushed, catch wind, or end up abandoned somewhere because they’re too annoying to deal with.

While placing an order for some Recaps custom woodblock-print baseball hats at a recent show, I noticed a funny little pouch in Recaps booth and was genuinely surprised to find an actual sun hat inside. It’s clearly well made, doesn’t scream “tourist sun hat” and somehow folds down to almost nothing.

On paper, The ShadeShifter Sun Hat feels like it could be your everyday sun hat–or the one you keep stuffed in a pack, stashed on a raft or drift boat, or handed to that bonehead friend who always forgets theirs.

If it lives up to the build quality, this might be a legit game changer, or at the very least, the smartest backup hat you’ve ever owned. – Tim Romano

---