Orvis ZG Helios 8-wt Fly Rod w/ Battenkill LA IV Reel

Welcome to the Bristol Bay Conservation Campaign Fundraising Auction!

Thank you for visiting the online auction to benefit the campaign to protect one of the world’s greatest fishing and hunting destinations – Alaska’s famed Bristol Bay. This region is home to the world’s largest runs of wild Pacific salmon as well as the best trophy rainbow trout fishing on the planet. Anglers come to pursue those fish as well as Dolly Varden, arctic char, arctic grayling, lake trout, and pike. Hunters visit southwest Alaska to hunt caribou, moose, and bear. This area is truly a sportsman’s paradise, but unfortunately it’s in great peril. Multinational mining corporations are proposing to turn this remote, fish and game-rich area into a massive mining district complete with huge open pits, toxic tailings lakes, and some of the largest dams in the world.

Your support via this auction or direct donations will help wage the battle necessary to fight for Bristol Bay. You may find a full listing of auction items as well as a schedule for the auction at the Sportsman’s Alliance for Alaska Web site. At that site, you may also learn more about Bristol Bay and the threat facing it, sign a petition to Alaska’s Governor and federal agencies asking that the area remain a haven for sporting pursuits, and make a direct donation to the campaign.

This auction would not be possible without the generosity and support of so many companies in the sporting products industry. You will find fishing rods, reels, waders, other gear, artwork, and trips to some fantastic destinations in Alaska as well as other parts of the globe. The Sportsman’s Alliance for Alaska and the campaign to protect Bristol Bay would like to extend a very sincere thank you to all of the donors who contributed to this fundraising effort.

Without further delay, please check out the details for this listing, below. The minimum price has been set at under 75% of retail value, but the hope is that every item or trip will sell for retail value or higher. We are definitely “David” to the mining corporation’s “Goliath” in this fight. Nothing worth saving or no fight worth winning ever comes easy. Much work will be needed to prevail in this fight and your support is critical. Here’s your opportunity to help save one of the greatest sporting destinations in the world. Bid early and often.

Thank you for your support.

Scott Hed – Director
Sportsman’s Alliance for Alaska

NOTE: The Sportsman's Alliance for Alaska (www.sportsmansalliance4ak.org) is a program of the Alaska Conservation Foundation, a 501c(3) non-profit organization. Bidders are advised to consult with their tax professional to determine the potential tax deduction associated with this auction.

Top-of-the-Line Orvis Rod & Reel Package!

Our friends at Orvis have very generously donated a top-shelf combo to the Sportsman’s Alliance for Alaska to benefit the Bristol Bay conservation campaign. Check out this incredible deal – they’ve even spooled the reel for you!

Orvis ZG Helios 8-weight Fly Rod

Orvis Battenkill Large Arbor IV Big Game Fly Reel

Salmon/Steelhead Wonderline Generation 3 Fly Line

Orvis ZG Helios Fly Rod 9-foot 8-weight 4-piece

The new Helios saltwater fly rod is so far ahead of all others it skips generations in how a fly rod should feel, cast, and fish. It is so sublimely light, incredibly responsive, deadly accurate, and just plain easy and enjoyable to cast that to compare it to other graphite saltwater fly rods is like comparing graphite to bamboo. There is no comparison. The Helios fly rod is that good. And everyone is noticing.

Orvis’ best-selling saltwater flex profile for bones, reds, stripers, and larger freshwater species. Ice cleans out of Recoil guides quickly and easily. A real plus when steelheading or trout fishing in cold conditions.

Orvis Company’s new ZG Helios fly rod series was named “Best of the Best” for 2008 by Field & Stream Magazine in the annual gear review issue. Coming on the heels of last year’s win for the Zero Gravity fly rod series, the award reinforces Orvis’ position as the world leader in fly rod design, performance, and manufacture.

Technological Leaps in Weight Reduction and Durability

Replacing industry standard epoxy resins with thermoplastic, thermoset resins and fiberglass scrims with carbon fiber scrims, the Orvis designers were able to make significant, simultaneous leaps in weight reduction as well as durability.

Made by hand in Manchester, Vermont, the Helios is presently offered in 13 4-piece models ranging from an 8’4” 3-weight to a 9’ 10-weight, with more models due out over the course of the year. All Helios models are configured as 4-piece and come with a beautiful woven graphite reel seat, translucent olive finish, REC recoil guides that resist breakage, and a matching, woven graphite rod tube.

Orvis Battenkill Large Arbor IV Big Game Fly Reel

Orvis’ completely new large arbor fly fishing reel series is built off the wildly popular Battenkill Mid Arbor fly reel design, and machined from 6061 aircraft barstock. This is the best value, high-performance large arbor fly reel anywhere. Your fly reel of choice when fishing any hard-fighting gamefish—from bones and reds on the flats, snook under the lights, and stripers in the surf to steelhead and salmon in the harshest freshwater fly fishing conditions. Plus, with backing capacities to handle any spey-fishing situation, this fly reel’s smooth, strong, proven drag and fast retrieve rates help control and land big fish more quickly and effectively. The Battenkill Large Arbor Big Game Fly Fishing Reel on this auction is in titanium color.

Features:

Machined Construction: The new Battenkill Large Arbor is machined from solid bar-stock, aerospace grade 6061-T6 aluminum

Large Arbor Design: The new Battenkill Large Arbor was designed as a true large arbor reel—not a redesign of a traditional arbor reel. The Battenkill Large Arbor was designed with the idea that there would never be more than a 30% reduction in pick-up rate from a full spool to an empty spool.

Dramatically Improved Center Pull Drag System: The drag system on the new Battenkill Large Arbor is a solid improvement over the older off-set models in smoothness, consistency and reliability.

Salmon/Steelhead Wonderline Generation 3 Fly Line

Reach More Fish. 7% slicker than other fly lines, to instantly increase your casting distance and decrease tangles. Land More Fish. Protects tippets better than any other line.
Improve Presentation & Mends. Increased floatability makes mending easier and pickup quicker.

This fly line has a 33% longer belly than standard fly lines and the 15' extended rear taper make roll casting and line mending easier. This line is perfect for salmon and steelhead fly fishing because the increased line mass enhances casting distance. This fishing line has a braided nylon core for increased suppleness to address various situations. Light olive color. 105' long.

Retail Value for this rod/reel/line combo is $1,073!

Heck, the starting bid is less than the price of the rod alone…bid it up!

Thank you to everyone at Orvis for their generous donation to the Bristol Bay conservation campaign. Visit their web site to check out all of their great products.

New

Freshwater and Saltwater

Fly Fishing

Flies

FLY FISHING

Orvis Fly Rod & Reel