Review: OEFS Bonefish vs Nirvana Apex saltwater lines

OEFS Bonefish line 2-tone color

One question I often get is: do I really need to buy a $120 premium fly line for saltwater?  The answer is "no", even though as a general rule, you get what you pay for. Which is especially true for saltwater fly lines.

Given that the 8-weight is the standard de facto rod for marsh fishing, it's no surprise that I have four 8-weight rods in my arsenal. Each is equipped with a separate reel and line, instead of just one or two reel/lines shared. And that's because - as I've pointed out countless times - it's the rod / line combination that matters. Certain rods perform to an intended purpose better with some lines than others. 

Overall, there's no question that the best line in my 8-weight arsenal is a SciAnglers Amplitude Textured Bonefish. On just about any of my rods, it can make incredibly accurate casts both at 20 feet and at over 100 feet. Which is probably why it costs $120.

But the second best line is probably a tie between a Wulff Triangle Taper line ($69 / $99) and a Cabelas Prestige Plus Saltwater line ($49). The latter is no longer made now that Bass Pro has discontinued all of Cabelas really good fly fishing stuff and replaced it with it's own inferior White River brand. 

The Triangle Taper line is still widely sold. For ages, I used the classic TT line for saltwater and cut the first 2 feet of line tip off to better cast poppers and streamers - a trick that David Diaz shared with me. Although rated for cooler water, I never had a problem with limpness but then again most of my marsh fishing was (and is) October through June.  They now make a Bermuda TT line with a shorter head (32 feet) and stiffer core intended for tropical use.

What you probably have noticed is that I don't use short head/belly lines. Just don't like them. This also gives me some flexibility when shopping for lower cost alternatives to premium lines. The dilemna is in finding a quality saltwater line at a value or budget price.

For reference, this is our current line price rating system:
Premium: $99 up, Mid-priced: $69-$95, Value: $45-$69, Budget: under $45.

At the Atlanta Fly Fishing Show in February, we came across two vendors that were selling their own labeled saltwater fly lines: Moonlit Fly Fishing and Olde English Fly Shop. Both were generous enough to let us cast them on the pools, and initial impression was good enough for us to purchase from each. 

I finally got around to full testing on each line. Since lines perform differently on different rods, I tested each on my Sage XI2 (fast-plus action) and Sage DS2 (medium-plus action).

Moonlit Apex Flight ($75 but discounted to $49)
This line is also sold under "Nirvana" branding. The line color is blue. It features a rather long 58-foot head, 95-foot overall length, and promoted as withstanding tropical use. Interestingly, the description says, "built to meet the rigorous demands of FFI CI and MCI tests". 

This line performed very well on both rods at all distances: 20, 40, 60, and "longest". It did best at 60 feet on both rods, and on the longest test, routinely hit between 100-105 feet on the XI2, and 90-95 feet on the DS2. I understand the promotion for FFI testing as I was able to carry a LOT of line false casting with its 58-foot head. The stiffer XI2 handled this better than the more moderate DS2.

Olde English Fly Shop Bonefish Taper ($36)
Don't let the name fool ya... this fly shop is owned by an English couple who live in Summerland Key, Florida. They told me the line is used extensively by a couple of local guides. The taper is very close to that of the Rio Avid Bonefish, a 37-foot head with 7-ft front taper. It comes in two tone color, light blue for the head, and sand for the running line. 

This line felt good loading on the DS2 in the 20 foot range, really good on the 40 and 60 ranges. For longest, it occasionally hit the 90-foot marker, but not once further. On the XI2, while it loaded well on the shorter distances, it was able to hit 90-95 feet every cast. No surprise here, the faster XI2 always gives a good line more distance.

Conclusion
The Moonlit Apex line was everything as Brandon Moon stated, it's definitely a great line for longer casts as I often need when fishing from a boat, whether in Louisiana, Texas, or southwest Florida. 

But I'm nearly all kayak angler these days, and for that, the OEFS line would be my favorite. It loaded so well in the shorter ranges that I catch 99% of my redfish, drum, sheepshead, trout - and on the DS2 which like the TFO TiCR is my favorite kayak rods. I also like the lighter blue color that is easier to see (I'm a big believer in light-colored lines).

So I'd say both are equally good depending on what type of fishing you do and what distance range you need. And while neither challenges my Triangle Taper or Amplitude Textured for superior status, they do represent a quality alternative to those higher priced lines.

LWF Commission to consider rollback of menhaden regs

Remember back when the commercial menhaden industry agreed to a "compromise" on harvest regulations in Louisiana? Well, if you forgot about it, you have a very short memory!

It was only a year ago, when threatened with implementation of a coastwide one-mile buffer zone, that the industry agreed to a compromise - one that heavily favored the pogey plunderers. The harvest buffer zone was extended from 1/4 mile to a measly 1/2 mile. 

Since then, an independent study has shown that the menhaden fishery results in the demise of 24,000 red drum each year, mostly spawning size fish. Not to mention millions of other game species. And yet, the dead bycatch total falls just within the LDWF acceptable standard. 

At last Thursday's Wildlife and Fisheries Commission meeting, the industry pleaded for a rollback to prior regulations. They didn’t just ask for a repeal, they put on a full-blown advertisement in south Louisiana newspapers stating their case, claiming that the fishery generates $419 million in economic output and supports over 2,000 jobs. Nevermind that saltwater recreational fishing in Louisiana is a $2.5 billion industry (as of 2021).

As a result, the Committee Chairman has asked LDWF to bring a Notice of Intent to the November 6th commission meeting.

Let's review why anglers and conservation groups were asking for more stringent regulations prior to the "compromise".

• Menhaden are the most important food source for redfish, speckled trout, jack crevalle, spanish mackerel and many other predatory species.
• Overharvesting of menhaden has been linked to poor condition of fish and decreased biomass of species, as well as displacement of sea birds and mammals.
• Studies show that harvest bycatch results in direct kills of over 24,000 redfish (mostly spawners), thousands of black drum, millions of white trout, and many other species each year.
• For these reasons, most coastal states have long banned commercial harvest within their waters, while the few states that allow it have established strict regulations – both zones and harvest allotments.

The American Saltwater Guides Association has posted a response on their website. We strongly encourage all of our followers to read it.  CLICK HERE.

In the meantime, CCA Louisiana, the FFI Gulf Coast Council, Louisiana Wildlife Federation, Louisiana Charter Boat Association and other groups are calling upon members and followers to contact Commission members and legislators and let them know this is unacceptable. What we need is more stringent harvest regulations – not less!

Review: Maxxon Gorge fly rod

Recently our local club was in need of getting new rods for our casting clinics and public events.  We had started with six 2-piece rods at one point, and were down to just 3 rods.  Equally important, the rods we had weren't ideal for storage, transportation, and they had a high swing weight (heavy in the tip).

It just so happens that Maxxon Outfitters was having a sale on their beginner-rated "Gorge" series rods.  I had met the guys at Maxxon at ICAST on three occasions, and tested their products.  Their Aerlius (moderate-fast) rods and Double-X (fast) rods are quite impressive for the money, so I figured their Gorge might be a best buy for our club.  The sale price was very attractive, so we purchased six 8-foot, 6-inch 5-weights, all four piece.

A week later, I received the rods and proceeded to test cast each one.  One broke near the tip, and immediately I put in a warranty claim and within a half-hour received a response.  A new tip was on the way.

Cortland 444 WF5F taper

I put one of the Gorge rods through my usual battery of tests:  20, 40, 60 foot accuracy, distance, and 90 degree change-of-direction cast.  As usual, I also used three different fly lines because - as we should all know by now -  a fly rod's performance often changes with different types of fly lines. The three 5-weight lines used were:  Cortland 444 WF5F,  Mastery GPX WF5F, and a new line from Maxxon, their Premium Freshwater WF5F.

Maxxon Premium WF5F taper

Price.  All important to the buyer working within a set budget.  Our current pricing division for fly rods goes as follows:

    Budget - up to $200
    Value - $200 - $400
    Midrange - $400 - $700
    Premium - $800 - $1200

At $149, the Gorge is clearly a Budget class rod. Competitors include the Allen Heritage, Redington Classic Trout, Orvis Encounter, Fenwick Aetos, Douglas ERA, Echo Carbon XL, Echo Lift.  As mentioned, it comes with a lifetime warranty to replace broken pieces.  The cost for a replacement section for the Gorge is only $35.

Appearance.  The rod comes with a cordura-covered PVC tube case. The rod is light in the hand, comparable to the Orvis Encounter and Redington Classic Trout in this category, with almost no swing weight.  The grip is fairly decent cork, not too small like some budget rods, and the all-aluminum reel seat has a locking ring that is above-average.  The blank is a bluish-green, a welcomed departure from the typical gray/black blanks of most budget rods.

Casting performance.  With all three lines, casting was excellent.  The action is moderate-fast, and so it handled the heavier GPX better than expected.  Still the best lines were the Cortland 444 and their own Premium line.  In fact, the Premium line hit over 80 feet consistently on the distance cast.  The 444 cast almost as far, but felt slightly better over shorter distances.  Either would be an excellent line for this rod.

Accuracy was excellent, about as good as any Budget rod I've ever tested.  As with all Budget category rods, the 90-degree test - while not bad - left something to be desired.  This is where Mid-Priced and Premium rods shine, so I wasn't expecting a miracle.

Conclusion.  This is an excellent budget rod.  Our club made a great choice, and hopefully our students will appreciate it. 

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