LOVE & WATER: Riding Shotgun with Riverhorse

I was first exposed to Nathaniel Riverhorse Nakadate through several different podcast interviews and since then have been much more aware of his stellar work.  Writer, traveler, surfer, musician, philosopher and so many more words and titles can be used to describe what makes him known simply as Riverhorse.

Love & Water highlights the experience of rolling with Riverhorse in the woods, waters and wilds of Texas.  Take some time to visit The Flyfish Journal website to read the article, press play on the video and also enjoy the photography.  Take it all in.

CTS FISHING - Crystalglass Quartz 20% Off Sale

Looking for a Christmas gift to keep someone busy this winter?  How about a premium fiberglass fly rod blank?  CTS Fishing is offering 20% off their entire Crystalglass Quartz line up using code "QUARTZ20" now through Christmas.

Take a minute to learn about the History of Quartz, view available models, check out the Rod Colours page and look at the options in Custom Quartz Fly Rod Blanks in creating something all your own.

Don't forget the SALE page as well for other deals which the discount code will not apply.

P.S.  Be sure to follow CTS Fishing on Instagram for a chance to win a $100 voucher each month.

LOON OUTDOORS - Spirit of Giving Gear Giveaway

It's that time of year again and Loon Outdoors has linked with quite a few industry friends for their annual Spirit of Giving Gear Giveaway with two prize packs in the mix and  all you need to do is share your email address.  Just make sure you get in before December 4, 2018 for your chance to win.

Up for grabs is over $3,000 in gear divided into two prize packages from Loon Outdoors, Fishpond, Sage, Riversmith, Smith, YETI and Rep Your Water. 

Tough to decide which one is sweeter, Prize Pack 1 or Prize Pack 2?

Take a minute and enter HERE.

SCOF POT LUCK TYING NIGHTS

There are a lot of advantages to living in the middle of South Carolina most of the time with Asheville and Charleston about equal miles away but I sure do wish I was a little closer to WNC to hop over to Catawba Brewing Co. for the Southern Culture On The Fly Pot Luck Tying Nights.

The first night on the schedule kicks off tonight.  Grab up your tying tools, materials and take a couple bucks for a pint and some food.  I hear there are contests and prizes.  You like things for free, eh? 

Someone give Mr. Grossman a hug for me while you're there.

More information on the SCOF Facebook and Instagram pages. 

SHOP SMALL SATURDAY

Writing this website for the past ten years has put me in touch with quite a few "Small Shop" owners from rod builders to fly reel and gear makers, those that sew, fly shop friends, artists and photographers and quite a few more craftsmen and women in this niche industry of fly fishing.  The entire fly fishing industry doesn't take up a lot of space and it's always kind of hard to draw that line of where "Small Shop" ends and "Big Shop" begins.  I always look at it as one or just a handful working together to stay on that "Small Shop" side of the spectrum.    

Days like Shop Small Saturday are of course important but really, support through the entire year is what keeps these artisans and shop owners going day to day.  Many however, look to the holiday season to finish out the year squarely in the black, so consider this as you map out your holiday spending.   

Here's a short list of "Shop Small Saturday" offers that you should consider taking advantage of this weekend...

Someone still needs to pick up this Graywolf Rods yellow glass spinning rod.  Or I will.   
Vedavoo is offering 20% off today using code "handbuilt".
Sight Line Provisions is offering a free Gear Tag with purchase over $60.
Save 10% at Blue Sky Furled Leaders using code "TFM".  Think stocking stuffers...
Finn Utility has the camo James Wallet 30% off using code "GREENSPEY".
Whiskey Leatherworks is offering 20% off with code "holidayweekend". Remember these belts.
Rep Your Water is offering a free cap with purchase over $75.  Free shipping too.
Emerger Fly Fishing is offering 15% off using code "HOLIDAY2018".
Remember Tin Crown Photo?  He's offering 20% off and proceeds benefit PHWFF. Code "HOLIDAY2018"
Fly Slaps is celebrating one year in the business with 15% off code "15over15".
The Flyfish Journal and Tail Fly Fishing Magazine both have great holiday promotions going on.
Don't forget the artists. Bob White, Paul Puckett, Derek DeYoung (and others) have great sales.
PAKMULE is offering a set of 4' MULEstraps with a cargo carrier purchase.  Code "holiday".
Lastly, don't forget your local fly shop.  I bet that have some great deals going and would be really glad if you stopped by.

Oh yeah, and don't forget the T.F.M. STORE as I have quite a few items that would be perfect to gift at Christmas.  Send an email to thefiberglassmanifesto@gmail.com to place an order.

I'll try to keep this list updated through the day and have been sharing other sales and promotions through the T.F.M. Instagram Stories too.

Wyoming Fall

Here's your Saturday morning moment of Zen mixed with a little funk back beat. Press PLAY...



More goodness on Benjamin Kraushaar's Vimeo, Instagram and website.

GLASS DEALS - Black Friday to Cyber Monday

I am going to try to keep up with this post through the weekend but if you're looking for a deal on a fiberglass fly rod, please be aware of these promotions that are going on.   There are just a few to list right now but I'm sure that I'll come across a few more as my inbox keeps dinging away with new emails and then there is social media...

BLUE HALO - 25% off now through Monday, November 26th when you use the code "BLACKFRIDAY".

CTS FISHING - Use code "BLACK10" through Sunday, November 25th for 10% off and free shipping worldwide.

DIAMONDBACK - Up to 50% off website wide with the Meeker fly rods 30% off through Monday, November 26th.  Meeker blanks are on sale too.  No code needed.

MOONLIT FLY FISHING - Shadowcast fly rods are $60 off and their fiberglass blanks are on big time sale as well.  Not sure when this sale ends but it's worth a look.

MOONSHINE ROD CO. - The Revival fiberglass fly rod is 15% off though unsure on the end date.

ORVIS - Free shipping on all orders using the code "THANKS" which is good through Tuesday, November 27th.

PROOF FLY FISHING - New blanks are in stock and sales abound through today including their Premium Fiberglass Rod Kits.  Don't delay.

SWIFT FLY FISHING - Use code "Epic30" for 30% off select items which is good through Monday, November 26th.  This sale includes the Epic Standard fly rods, a mess of blanks and Ready to Wrap Fly Rod Kits.

If shopping the sale, don't worry about using the T.F.M. affiliate link but if shopping off sale, please let me know.  I'm always happy to send along some T.F.M. swag for using the code.  Thanks in advance.

THE WADE - I'm not seeing a discount on the fiberglass fly rods but they are tossing in a cool free hat with each fly rod purchased.  The Dragon Glass - Bluegill is a ton of three weight fun and the Dragon Glass - Brookie five weights were just re-stocked.

All other non-fly rod gear sales that hit my radar will be shared directly through The Fiberglass Manifesto Facebook and Instagram Stories.

HUGE FLY FISHERMAN - 3 Videos You Need Today

Not sure what your Black Friday looks like but mine will be spent tackling Christmas decorations, figuring out what string of (#*$%) lights aren't working on the tree, a turkey sandwich and leftovers for lunch, more decorations, maybe some yard work that I've been putting off, too much Christmas music and then making a pot of chili with a family holiday movie or two to end the day. It'll be a lot.

If you don't know Ben Sittig, aka @carelessethiopian on Instagram, then you might not realize that he's a "Huge Fly Fisherman" but his recently launched YouTube channel is sharing bits and pieces of his knowledge for all to enjoy. 

Click PLAY on all three of these (one at a time) and take a break.  The Christmas lights can wait.







For more goodness, follow Ben on Instagram and YouTube.  You're welcome.

The Art of John Piacquadio

I follow quite a few artists and creative types on social media and have always enjoyed the work of John Piacquadio as he quite often takes something that is already art in the form of a hand tied fly and then makes more art from it with ink, paint and paper.

I contacted John over the weekend and asked if he would share a few images and thoughts on his art for a T.F.M. post.  He sent along a few images and then I grabbed a few more from his Facebook page this morning.  There are a lot of images here but well worth a slow scroll through taking each piece in one by one. 

John wrote...  "The original focus of flies as a subject for my work came out of being a fly tier and growing interest in mindfulness. I remember a few years back wondering how well I really ‘knew’ the fly I was tying after the second dozen of a particular pattern, understanding every twist of dubbing, knowing what animal my material was coming from, knowing the unseen layer that lay under the top seen layers. 

I wondered if I could somehow artistically reproduce these flies on paper in some unforgiving medium where I couldn’t erase or go over...an experiment in just innately knowing the fly.  Was it in me, with just a wave of the hand, and a stroke of a brush...would the fly would magically appear?  Ink became that unforgiving medium.  The experiment appeared to be a success.   I recently started expanding my subjects as well as my medium.

I’ve started matting and framing the paintings with the actual tied flies they are based on.  Some of my work has turned into commemorative pieces for clients wanting to remember a special time on the river."

Visit the John Piacquadio website to see more of his work and be sure to follow along on Instagram as well.

THE MISSION - Issue 12

The latest issue of The Mission is live and covers a lot of bases over it's 96 pages.  They saved the "Glass Geek" article for near the end of this issue with Dr. Danie Pienaar taking on tigerfish with his ECHO Bad Ass Glass eight weight.  Sounds fun enough if you don't mind those chompers.

CHECK IT.

THIS IS FLY - Issue 70

The latest issue of This Is Fly went live late last week and it's a perfect reprieve from all the work you found on your desk this morning.  Pour another cup of coffee, click play on the mixtape and enjoy.

Be sure to check out the article on fiberglass wonder worker Chris Barclay of C. Barclay Fly Rod Co. by Dave Fason along with the "Westbound & Up" which also features his photography.

CHECK IT.

#OptTenkaraSale - STARTS NOW!

It hardly seems possible that Thanksgiving is this week and with it will come a cornucopia of sales and offers.  Tenkara USA is ahead of the curve with their #OptTenkaraSale which begins today and ends on Monday, November 26th.

Save on all six of the Tenkara USA rods and pick up a copy of Tenkara -The Book for half off.

Be sure to visit the Tenkara USA to check out the sale.

Swing Season - Ghost Of Steelhead Future

Sage is back with another well done story to watch and consider.  Press PLAY...



Take a minute to scroll through the Swing Season page on the Sage website.  It's worth a look at the imagery and read the words too.

LOON LIVE: Swing for Glory

After a short hiatus, Loon Outdoors is back on schedule with another Loon Live tying session this evening.  Tonight's step by step pattern instruction include Anderson's Euphoria and the Wiggle Squid.  It's time to get your steelhead boxes back in shape.

Jump on this session HERE.

SOUTHERN CULTURE ON THE FLY - No. 29

Grossman punches the clock of 40, Jason Tucker finds brook trout in new places, two "scientists" get nerdy on what's in the water, the Floridian Viking shares a favorite streamer pattern, Rick Crawford's does some real talk on the environment, Puckett and Benson tell a story and much more are all packed into the freshest issue of Southern Culture On The Fly.

CHECK IT.

Fly Fishing Belize: 2 Grand Slams in 2 Days

Some things are just unbelievable but if two Grand Slams in two days were going to really happen, my money would be that Blue Horizon Belize guides Lincoln Westby and Marlin Leslie would be pointing out the shots.  I've been in both of their pangas several times and have always come away learning way more than when I stepped off on the dock at the end of the day.



Well, that settles it, I can't stop thinking about getting back to Belize now...

LIVINGSTON ROD CO. - "Livingston Glass" Announcement

Over the ten years that I've written The Fiberglass Manifesto, there are few things that give me more satisfaction than seeing small shop custom fly rod builders find success.  A handful of these builders not only build fly rods but have also taken their rod taper philosophies and created their own line ups of fiberglass (some graphite or bamboo as well) blanks.  Doing this has often times taken years of work and certainly a lot of investment of time and money to arrive at the final results.  

Dusty Smith of Livingston Rod Company made the decision early to design his own tapers and over the past several years has received great acclaim from anglers for his work in both his fiberglass and graphite blanks and fly rods that he offers.  His "Western Glass" and "Flats Glass" series of fly rods will soon see the addition of "Livingston Glass" which are a series of shorter fly rods made for small and medium sized waters.

Though not listed on the Livingston Rod Company website yet, Dusty Smith announced this new series on the Fiberglass Flyrodders forum the other day and I figured that it was worth a share here as well.

Dusty Smith of Livingston Rod Co. wrote...  "First a thank you for the large amount of support I have received from the members of this forum since the inception of the Livingston Rod Co and the Western Glass Series. Due to that support I am pleased to announce my new series, Livingston Glass.

Livingston Glass: 
We all have our favorite small to medium sized waters, so I set out to design a series of rods for those special waters. Whether you’re fishing your favorite stream or exploring to see what waits for you beyond the next bend I wanted rods suited for the many small to medium sized streams that are often our sanctuaries away from the rest of the world.

Utilizing the same Unidirectional S-Glass as my Western Glass I am able to create light, full flexing rods, with the responsiveness we’ve come to enjoy from Uni-S Glass. All Livingston Glass blanks are rolled domestically and are in a 3pc tip over butt configuration.

7’ 3wt: For the smaller blue lines. The ones that have our favorite wild/native trout where a 10” fish is a monster. Relaxed, smooth, and full flexing, this rod will be a blast on tiny trout streams.

7’6” 3wt: For those streams that are just a little bit bigger, where you might run into 12-14 incher or might to do a little high sticking. Full flexing like the 703 with a little more power in the lower section.

7’6” 4wt: A dry fly rod for smaller to medium sized streams or anywhere trout are sipping insects. Full flexing for those delicate presentations. When I was developing this rod I kept thinking of the stream in PA where I taught myself how to fish.

8’ 4wt: The bigger brother to the 764, a great Spring Creek rod. A little more power in the lower half and perfect for dry flies. I can think of some very famous and not so famous spring creeks this rod would excel on. Not to mention freestones with great PMD, Sulphur, and Baetis hatches.

8’ 5wt: This rod is made for your “Area 51”. The one stream you have to get away from it all and also where you might run into a 16-20” trout. For those medium sized streams where you need to throw hoppers, drakes, hendricksons, stoneflies, or any attractor a trout would want to eat. This is going to be my headwater hopper rod where I get some 20” Cutts. Between Medium and Medium fast, very responsive but enough power to punch through a breeze with a hopper.

8’ 6wt: The bigger brother to the 805 and little brother to the Western Glass 866. This is an all around 6, for those days where you may need to nymph, throw woolly buggers, and cast small dry flies. What comes to mind for me are streams like the Ruby in March, April, and October, not to mention the great eastern mid sized streams like the Willowemoc, Kettle, or Young Womans’ Creeks in the Early Spring and the Fall. A bit more power in the lower half than the 805 but with great feel.

Appointments:
Rods are finished with the finest components available, Livingston Rod Lemke Seats (slide bands for the 703, 763, and 764), Snake Brand Universal Light wire Guides (regular light wire for 3wts), Flor Grade Grips, and will come with a Rod Tube w/logo and bag. Rods come in 3 colors, White/Clear, Brown, and Black (in limited quantities).

Rod prices: $600 Agate guides and darkened hardware are available upon request and will be priced on a custom basis.

Blanks: $230 Presently blanks are only available in white/clear."

Interested in learning more?  Visit the Livingston Rod Company website and be sure to follow along with the latest shop news on Facebook and Instagram.

FILSON - SOURCEBOOK 2018/19

The Filson Sourcebook 2018/19 arrived in my mailbox a few days ago (which has now been followed by the online flip book version) and this is what dream apparel and gear lists are made of.  Everything that Filson sells is in this book which is spread out over 180 pages and worth a look through. 

Click to view the Filson Sourcebook 2018/19.  Apologies in advance to your new credit card balance...

ECHO FLY FISHING - Replacement Rod Tip Sections Are Genius

A couple of months ago I was down in Florida for a work conference and on the way back I had a chance to spend some time on the pointy end of Steve Seinberg's skiff.  I still need to tell that story with a blog post since we had a stellar time looking around for juvenile tarpon but there was a moment of "tragedy" striking when the tip of my ECHO Bad Ass Glass Quickshot eight weight was snapped off in a boat mishap.    Boat hatch doors love to eat tips for snacks and this was a good reminder that rod holders are there for a reason.  Lesson learned...

Sending off a fly rod for a warranty repair is never fun and when I finally got around to sending off an email to ECHO Fly Fishing to figure out the process, I almost instantly received a response back pointing me to the Replacement Rod Tip Sections webpage.  A scroll trough the drop down box, a couple of clicks, $17.50 (plus shipping) on the credit card and two days later a new tip arrived putting the Quickshot was back in service. 

While I haven't talked about them much yet on T.F.M. but the ECHO Bad Ass Glass Quickshot fly rods are everything that I hoped this series would be when Tim Rajeff and I started talking about them a couple of years ago.

Short (this series are all 8' in length) heavy line weight fiberglass fly rods are made with big flies and big fish in mind.  Inevitably this can mean a broken rod every now and then from the abuse and the possibility of a fix that is both inexpensive and quick brings a lot of piece of mind.

Visit the ECHO Fly Fishing website to learn more about the Bad Ass Glass Quickshot line up along with how they approach warranty and repairs.

Whiskey Leatherworks X Casey Underwood Collaboration Belts

Longtime readers will hopefully remember the past T.F.M. posts which highlighted the work of Daniel Earnest of Whiskey Leatherworks (see the making of the West Fork Wallet HERE) and the artistry of Casey Underwood (the most recent T.F.M. posts are HERE and HERE).

Over the past several months these two have been working on a belt collaboration that went live last week on the Whiskey Leatherworks website and features seven different fish skin choices carefully sewn into a handmade leather belt.  A lot of work has gone into making each of these turn out just right and when given the choice, I had a hard time picking out a favorite.

P.S.  I finally choose The Brown Belt.

Visit the Whiskey Leatherworks website to check out this collaboration and be sure to also visit the Casey Underwood Artwork & Design website to see more of his work. 

Christmas is just around the corner and one of these belts would be the perfect choice for gift giving.