THE MISSION - Flashback to "The Glass Guy"

Have you done something, maybe forgot about it, and then someone reminds you that you did it?  It was a surprise yesterday when The Mission shared a post on their Instagram with images with excerpts from a 2020 feature on T.F.M. in their online magazine and linked the shortened blog post, too.  

Issue 20 is still out there for the full read and it all rings true years later.  The article starts on page 96.
 

If you're wondering what made that BIG bend on the Epic Bandit, check out El Tiburon for the full story.

PATAGONIA - Tying the Pheasant Tail Mayfly Spinner

One of my favorite books from last year was Pheasant Tail Simplicity and the trio of Yvon Chouinard, Craig Mathews, and Mauro Mazzo teamed up again for this Patagonia paperback which is full of stories, techniques, and fly tying recipes with step-by-step instructions. 
  

Order your copy of Pheasant Tail Simplicity on the Patagonia website or pick one up at your local book store or fly shop.  

Want to jump ahead and watch other Pheasant Tail Simplicity videos?  You can find them on the Patagonia YouTube channel.  

EMERGER FLY FISHING - The Making of the Retro Fly Hybrid Wallets

I've mentioned it before that one of the highlights of being at the Fly Fishing Show in Denver this past winter was spending time with Chris Freeman (and his wife Randi) of Emerger Fly Fishing.  During one of our chats, Chris mentioned the ability to have a stamp made that could be pressed into the English bridle leather strap of his wallets, and possibly other gear items as well.  After a bit more discussion, we decided that the Retro Fly logo would be the best fit as a stamp and we made some tentative plans to get a few built for the T.F.M. Shop.  

Fast forward a few months and I have a limited edition shipment of twelve Retro Fly Hybrid Wallets in stock and ready to ship.  Chris took a few photographs while building this set of wallets which gives a glimpse of his process.  The Retro Fly stamped into the leather couldn't look any cleaner.  

The Emerger Fly Fishing Hybrid Wallet is made of waxed canvas and army shelter cloth with sheep shearling, English bridle leather, and brass.  

Open dimensions are 11" x 7.5" and closed dimensions are 3.5" x 7.5".

The Emerger Fly Fishing Retro Fly Hybrid Wallets are $85 each shipped with a few T.F.M. and Emerger decals.  International orders with actual shipping costs added depending on the destination.

To order, send an email to thefiberglassmanifesto@gmail.com.  I can take PayPal, Venmo, and credit card for payment.  

ORVIS FLY FISHING - What's the Best Value in Fly Reels?

I agree with Tom's take on the Orvis Clearwater Fly Reels and if you're looking for a budget fly reel with the option of additional spools, this series is worth a look.  

The Clearwater Fly Reel series is available in three sizes and three colorways.  I like the matte finish on these fly reels and the two that I've been fishing a couple of these since last summer and they still look new after banging around jon boats, rafts, and kayaks on warmwater trips.

See more on the Orvis YouTube channel and check out the latest gear on the Orvis website.

VEDAVOO - Lefty Kreh Legacy Relic Raffle

File Vedavoo's latest idea to fund new fishing gear for children in need under "Super Cool", and get your raffle ticket(s) to hopefully win either the grand prize of a Mark-2 Rod Quiver, built with a piece of upcycled nylon fabric with Lefty Kreh's signature along with an engraved leather patch No-Kink Reel Case.  Or, one of six numbered No-Kink Reel Cases with Lefty's signature engraved on the leather patch.

So, seven winners in total and it only costs $10 for a ticket or six for $50 to play.  Good luck.

Scott of Vedavoo wrote...  "I had the unique pleasure of knowing Lefty.  I confess that he even helped me fix some ugly action in my cast.  He was true to the stories you hear - kind, genuine, and willing to do what he could to help new anglers succeed. 

I reached out to his daughter, and was able to purchase a piece he used regularly - a classic rod carrier made from gray and red Cordura.  With her blessing, I broke down this piece and upcycled the materials to produce this very special collection of gear."

Visit the Vedavoo website for more information and to get your raffle tickets.  I'll be getting mine...

FULLING MILL - Joe Goodspeed on Tying and Fishing the Stunt Mouse

If you aren't tracking already, along with their excellent flies, Fulling Mill is putting some incredible effort into their blog and highly produced videos that they are uploading to their YouTube channel.  

Of note, Signature Tier Joe Goodspeed dives deep into Stunt Mouse with step-by-step on how to tie this pattern and then a full tutorial on how to fish it.  Press PLAY twice and take notes...

  
Check out Fulling Mill, look for their patterns at your local fly shop, and don't sleep on their blog or YouTube channel. 

FLAT CREEK RODS - The 15th Anniversary Fly Rod Series Completed

Over the last few weeks, Ben Casarez has celebrated the 15th anniversary of Flat Creek Rods with the rollout of three limited edition 3-weights, 4-weights, and now with this post, the 5-weight series.

If you have been keeping count, this makes for a total of 15 fly rods, five built in each line weight, that Ben has created for the 15th Anniversary Fly Rod Series.  Though I haven't cast any of these fly rods, there is enough of a story with each one, along with Mike McFarland being involved rolling the blanks, to know that Ben has created something special with each one of this limited edition set of fly rods.

As a side note, 15 years is quite a milestone and Scott at Vedavoo and me sent along a memento to surprise Ben with that he shared on his Instagram page.  Making things with cool patches for your friends is fun.  Find out how in this recent T.F.M. post.

Ben wrote...  "Next up is the final offering in the 15th Anniversary Series!  These 8’6” 5-weight, 4-piece glass fly rods were inspired by a personal rod I completed in 2021, in memory of my father.  

This 5-weight has become a favorite for larger water—especially my home river, the Rio Grande.  With the power to turn over big dries, droppers, double nymph rigs, and streamers, it still carries the backbone needed for larger fish.

For the anniversary series, this model uses Mike McFarland’s legendary GTX taper on translucent “Autumn Glow” blanks in a 4-piece tip over configuration.  These builds feature Snake Brand guides, Struble agate stripper, teriyaki and black silk wraps, 6.5” Ritz flor grade cork grip, shop turned olive wood insert, and Struble 241 down locking hardware.  Each build includes a custom rod sock and tube.  This series is limited to five fly rods."

Learn more on the Flat Creek Rods website and follow along with the latest shop news and announcements on Facebook and Instagram.