Month: May 2017

TORPEDO NEWS

We are very busy at the moment and Hot Torpedo orders are currently taking around 3-4 weeks to ship – sorry about that, but also thank you! If you are planning on buying an HT rod for an upcoming trip then please please plan ahead to avoid disappointment.

Sexyloops Invisibility Shirt

If you missed it we now have Sexyloops Stealth Master fishing shirts which turn you invisible. I will be putting in our first order in 7 days so if you want a Mahseer Sexyloops shirt of your own then please order here http://www.sexyloops.com/index.php/webshop/item/547/mahseer-invisibility-shirt or alternatively send me an email paul@sexyloops.com

If you are a Hot Torpedo owner then please enter our competition where the best entry wins a Hot Torpedo rod of his or her choice. Simply send a photograph and a story about your HT rod to me and best entry wins. Full rules here: https://www.sexyloops.com/htoc/2017/04/25/the-great-annual-hot-torpedo-competition-2017/

Many thanks, Paul

ENTRY NO.10 – Pat Brennan

In 2012 I began my journey towards FFFCCI certification. I worked for many hours on my casting and teaching techniques in my lunch breaks, after work and on the weekends. I had many friends and fellow fly fishers offer their assistance and had one MCI candidate in particular offer a huge amount of help. I enlisted the help of a mentor and together we reviewed the test, practiced and polished my practical and teaching technique.

Around about this time a new rod was being developed on the other side of the world, to be called the Sexyloops Hot Torpedo. I watched the development, read the early reviews, and thought this sounds like the type of rod I would like to own. I made a promise to myself that if I passed my CI test I would reward myself with a white Sexyloops Hot Torpedo Instructor rod.

So after many years as a fly fisher and a solid 12 months dedicated towards certification I sat the test at Hayes on Brumby in Cressy Tasmania. A great facility for fly fishermen run by an equally great guy, Peter Hayes.

As luck would have it, I passed both the practical and written tests that day and was awarded the CI designation. I wasted no time after that and placed my order for the rod. I waited patiently here in Australia for the rod to arrive, we are used to waiting for things in Australia being so far away from everywhere else.

When the rod arrived, I was very happy with it. The finish on the components was excellent and the casting action of the rod even better. It has become my number one practice rod and I use it when demonstrating and teaching these days. All too infrequently due to work and family commitments. So that is the story of how HT No20 came to live in Australia.

But what is a rod if it does not get fished? I have used the rod to fish many times, in both fresh and saltwater and have caught many different species with it. The white blank hasn’t been a disadvantage as I thought it might be fishing but I haven’t used it on a technical trout stream where that might make a difference. Most of my trips are saltwater or freshwater Australian natives. Probably my favourite trip with this rod was bone fishing on Christmas Island. I have attached a photo of a bone fish caught on that trip.

ENTRY NO9 – Marcus Schmidt – Mullet On The Fly

Hi Paul, hope all is well with you and Ashly. Sending you a couple of photos taken yesterday 14 /5/2017 for the comp you are running, there is no way fishing in Jersey can compete with the exotics of other parts of the world but I thought this mullet might hold some  sentimental value for you and possibly be of some significance regarding the competition.

Firstly it was caught in Jersey where your from , secondly, if I am not mistaken ? it may be the first saltwater species caught in Jersey on one of your very own hot torpedoed fly rods and thirdly it’s the first time I have used the H. T rod since purchase and it was our first mulleting season of the year.  So like I said not a big fish, but something of value to us both.

Kind regards, Marcus.

 

ENTRY No8 – Miss Ashly Chan

 我的飞鱼杆故事。
(My flyrod story)
When I first met Paul in Nov 2014, he invited me to fish with him in Temenggor, but I had no idea what fly-fishing was all about! After few invitations from him, my curiosity kicked in “what is FLY-FISHING” thus I decided to join him in December. It was my  first trip to Belum Temenggor lake which lies beneath the world’s oldest rainforest. I still remember the water level at that time was very high and most of the aboriginal huts and small islands were underwater. So sad, but thank god no casualty reported.
I was there for 10 days, as a beginner Paul shows me what is flyfishing. I tied my first fly and my first flycasting lesson with HT6. And there my fishing adventure begun with Sexyloops Hot Torpedo 6 aka HT6.
My first lesson on flycasting. BTW my bum doesn’t fit in this pants anymore
My first popper which I still have it in my fly box
I fish a lot in Europe and Malaysia with HT6 after that. Let’s put aside places that I don’t catches or losing fish ?. I had my brown trout with HT6 in Jersey, Varzina river in Russia, Asp in Hungary, Grayling in Ribnik Bosnia (which I caught couple of decent size of grayling within 30 mins!), Pacu in Air Kuning Malaysia and some of our saltwater fishing gateaway in Koh Ngai Thailand and The Phillipine. It has lots of sentimental value with me and my HT6.
The Fisherman’s  Song

白浪滔滔我不怕
White waves are crashing, but I am not afraid,
撑起舵儿往前划！
Holding the rudder steadily, I row straight ahead
鱼杆下水到渔家啊！
Cast the rod into the water to the fishes’ lair
钓条大鱼笑哈哈！
Caught a big fish
嗨哟一哟一哟哼嗨哟
嗨哟一哟一哟哼嗨哟！
嗨哟一哟一哟哼嗨哟！
嗨哟一哟一哟哼嗨哟！
Hai Yo Yi Yo Yi Yo En Hai Yo! (x4)

First Grayling in Ribnik Bosnia
钓条鱼笑哈哈。
(Big smile when you had fish)
HT6 is my reliable fishing partner. I am not very good in technical of rod performance and I trust you know understand better than I do. But one thing that I am aware of and works very well to me is it’s matte finish. Just imagine this, you fish in this pristine river or lake with crystal clear water, you pick up your glossy rod and the reflection spook the fish! Ahhh how frustrating it would be! For beginners like me (where fish are mostly educated now!) every details matter as it will determine whether you will just give up or continue with the adventure. In my case he nailed it.
Simple words my HT6 cast well, not too heavy, doesn’t break when I had fish on and spook fish.
Can any of you still remember where and how you feel when you got your first fish? Lochinver Scotland is where I got my first fish in a cold weather  (around 1 degrees Celcius) – a native wild brown trout.
We had an amazing time in Lochinver. We fish, laugh, walk and eat a lot during our trip. Well, with my bulky neoprene wader and layers of clothes gives me limited movements and make it harder for me to hike for hours and cross the streams. But the scenic view around us is just breathtaking and it’s worth for all the effort. Everytime I talk about Lochinver and my first fish, I am on cloud nine.
Worth for the hours of walk.
It was very cold!

One evening while I was admiring the beautiful landscape and the calm lake that reflecting the skies, I notice some disturbance on the water, my women instinct tells me something is there, just not sure what it is ?. Without doubting my instinct I picked up my HT6 and cast, wait for few second and retrieve the line slowly. And woo la la I feel the pull, my first native wild brown trout.  My excitement alerted Paul which he was BUSY enjoying his cold beer treat after a hard work setting up our tent. He ran towards me wanting to share my joy (thank god he didn’t trip). I was excited, clumsy and also nervous (mix feelings) on how to handle the fish. I don’t want to hurt the fish. With no hesitation Paul took control of the situation. I listen carefully and follow exactly what he said. All under control, catch and release, the fish swam back to the lake gracefully. What a great moment! Paul was very happy for me and I am delighted on my first catch.

My adventure with HT rod doesn’t stop, from graceful trout to aggressive Giant Snakehead and fly-casting sports……………