PREORDER - T.F.M. Comrade & Retro Fly SeaDek Fly Patches

It's been awhile since I've put something new in the T.F.M. Store and though I've been thinking about doing some custom SeaDek fly patches with Castaway Customs for awhile now, it was the recently launched Flybrary Project that pushed this to reality. 

I'm pretty stoked to get these high quality fly patches out in the wild and I'm already thinking of places were I can start a local T.F.M. Flybrary around Columbia, South Carolina and also thinking of one on Beaver Island at the Fisherman's House, another one in Hopkins, Belize and elsewhere in my fly fishing travels.

Where would you want to start your own local Flybrary with the mantra of "Need one?  Take one.  Have one?  Leave one."

The Comrade fly patches measure six inches in diameter while the custom cut Retro Fly patches measure 5 inches by 7.5 inches at the widest and longest points.  The backside of the fly patches have a super sticky peel back adhesive so that you can stick your fly patch anywhere and it'll stay stuck.

The Comrade and Retro Fly fly patches will be priced at $15 each and all preorders will receive free shipping and a free Retro Fly neoprene koozie as an added thank you. 

The Comrade and Retro Fly patches will be available in your choice of Storm Gray and Mocha.   International orders are possible with an added charge for shipping.

Now through next weekend I'll be taking preorders for the Comrade and Retro Fly patches so please send an email to thefiberglassmanifesto@gmail.com to place an order. 

I can take payment through PayPal, check or credit card and if you're interested in two or more, we can work out a discount that makes sense.

No payment is necessary until these are ready to ship which should be in the next couple of weeks.  I'm doing the preorders to have a good idea on numbers before placing the first order.

Who's ready to start their own local Flybrary Project or wants to stick one of these someplace handy for keeping a stash of your favorite flies close at hand?  Let me know.

Mosquitoes & Mayflies - Episdoe 5

Take a few minutes on your Sunday to enjoy the next in Rolf Nylinder's "Mosquitoes & Mayflies" series of shortie films with Episode 5, which is dubbed "Dry Fly Delirium".



Want more?  Visit the Rolf Nylinder website and consider subscribing on YouTube too.

John Muir - The Godfather of Conservation

Over the weekend artist Paul Puckett posted a sketch of John Muir on his social media and it was perfect timing, not only since Earth Day is today but also since my family and I were wrapping up a spring break road trip that took us from San Fransisco, California on an over 2,000 mile trip that ended in Las Vegas, Nevada where we visited five National Parks, a National Monument and passed through multiple National Forests along the way.

The references to John Muir were especially evident at Yosemite National Park but his fingerprints could be seen elsewhere on the trip as well.  I spent a lot of time driving through the week from mountains to forests to deserts to canyons and over these huge expanses of public land, I was really left at awe and so thankful for this gift to share with my children, who were equally at awe. 

Hopefully this will continue from generation to generation and we'll place the appropriate value on conservation as well.  It's important.  Today and for all the tomorrows.    
If you enjoy Paul Puckett's work, be sure to check out the Sporting Art of Paul Puckett website and follow along on Facebook and Instagram too. 

Need some #goodcleanlivin in your life, look around the Flood Tide Co. website as well.

HOWLER BROTHERS - Los Hermanos de Howler

Here's some feel good vibes for your Monday morning from the peeps at Howler Brothers. 

Have you checked out the Spring 2019 Collection yet?  You should if you haven't. 

Remember to use discount code "TFM2019" for 20% off your Howler Brothers order.

THROWBACK THURSDAY - THE LADDER DIARIES

With destination fly fishing and media, it seems that there are cycles where all you'll hear, read and see highlights a particular place and then it goes fairly quiet only to refresh sometime later with everyone going back to that place and again talking about it again.  After several years of only it only being a blip on the radar every now and again, Pyramid Lake with it's Lahontan Cutthroat are suddenly all over my social media feeds along with it showing up on various blogs and in videos.

Couple all that with our family spring break trip that we're currently in the middle of where we've driven by many of the same places that I visited a few years ago, it seemed fitting on this "Throwback Thursday" to recycle a few trip posts from way back in 2015.  Our group spent our first day with Matt "Gilligan" Koles of Gilligan's Guide Service, the boys from When the Lines Goes Tight stopped by the next, Matt Heron of Matt Heron Fly Fishing showed us how it was done on a very windy day to wrap up our time on the lake and we also were able to hang out with fellow "Glass Geek" Dan LeCount of Truckee River Outfitters on some nearby trout water to mix things up.

This trip to Pyramid Lake (and the surrounding area) was full of a lot of good times and that year I was also only shooting photos with prime lenses on my Nikon DSLR.  I believe I shot this entire trip with the Nikon 1.8/f 50mm lens and the Pyramid Lake content kicked off a series of articles on the now defunct Revive Fly Fishing Journal online magazine.

Take a few minutes and click through these six posts that I hope you enjoy all over again...

THE LADDER DIARIES - THE CLINIC

THE LADDER DIARIES - DAY 1

THE LADDER DIARIES - DAY 2

THE LADDER DIARIES - DAY 3

THE LADDER DIARIES - THE (LONG LOST) GEAR REVIEWS

BONUS FEATURE - A DAY ON THE LITTLE TRUCKEE RIVER

Seems like it's about time to gather up a group of friends and do this trip all over again.

LOON LIVE : Spring Is Coming

Spring can't come soon enough and this week's LOON LIVE session, which is hosted by Matt Callies of Loon Outfitters, will jump start things with two nifty nymph patterns that you need in your fly boxes with the Free Bird and Down Town Brown.

LOON LIVE will start at 6:00 p.m. PST this evening and make sure you've got all your fly tying and tool needs met by visiting the Loon Outdoors website. 

As I mentioned the other day, I'm super fond of the Rogue Quickdraw Mitten Clamps and Forceps.

6 Good Reads

We're on a Spring Break road trip that started in California last Friday, then a drive through Nevada and now in Utah visiting family and putting stamps in the children's National Park Passports.  I'm fitting in some "T.F.M. business" in the backseat of the minivan while the wife is behind the wheel towards Bryce Canyon National Park.  T.F.M. posts first and emails next. 

"Dad Life" (minus the clunky white New Balance kicks) meets "Hack Blogger Life"...

Here's a six pack of internet articles worth your time to keep you busy when you should be working.

FILSON LIFE - Q&A WITH ARTIST ED ANDERSON

THE DRAKE - TARPON TALES

YELLOW DOG FLYFISHING ADVENTURES ON TIDES

GOULDFISH CUSTOM RODS ON GRAN CANARIA CARP

OUTDOOR LIFE - PRO TIPS FOR MUSKIE ON THE FLY 

MEATEATER - MR. NOLTE ON HAWIIAN BONEFISH

What are you doing for Spring Break?

THE FLYFISH JOURNAL - The River Brings Everything

The Flyfish Journal continues to tell really neat stories with words, images and video on their website so click through to enjoy this feature dubbed "The River Brings Everything".

CHECK IT.

REMEDY PROVISIONS - New Fish Flag Hats in Stock

I get such a kick out of Nate Karnes of Remedy Provisions and his fish flag designs.  He recently refreshed his line up of Fish Flag Hats and they are available in regular and big noggin to cover head sizes small to extra extra large. 

I like a few of them but that Redeye Bass Patch Hat is just too cool.

Now through the end of the year, use code "TFM2019" for 10% off your order.  Need more incentive?  Get the matching fish flag decal with a hat purchase and free shipping on orders over $50.

Kick the tires on the Remedy Provisions website to check it all out and be sure to follow along on Facebook and Instagram for the latest shop announcements.

XCALAK'S SALTY BUFFET - Fly Fishing Mexico's Flats

Gilbert Rowley's The Buffet Series continues with four fun minutes on the flats of Xcalak, Mexico.



Follow Capture Adventure Media on YouTube and Instagram.

THE MIDWEST DRIFT - 6 Flies for Spring Bass

It's really feeling like spring around here with warmer days, the dogwoods in full bloom, The Masters going on just up the road in Augusta and our lawn has already gotten a haircut twice so far.  I'm ready to focus on all the different warmwater species that are around us from the family pond to the river and all the little creeks and secret spots in between.

This week I was thinking that it would be neat to tap the shoulders of a handful of custom fly tiers around the country to see what fly patterns they are using to pursue bass, bluegill, smallies, crappie, hybrids, stipers, white bass and anything else that falls under the bass and panfish flag this spring.

First up is Luke Langton of The Midwest Drift.  I've been following Luke on Instagram for years and have quite a few of his patterns in my bass boxes.  A six pack of the Starlight Leeches arrived in the mail box the other day and I can't wait to get them wet.

If you poke around his website and Instagram, you'll quickly realize that Luke focuses a lot of time on bass, smallmouth, white and hybrid bass on his local waters with great results.  These are his favorite spring bass patterns.

STARLIGHT LEECH
This leech, in a couple different color variations, is one of my go to flies in the spring for largemouth bass.  This fly is tied hook point up allowing you to fish it slow on the bottom minimizing snags. Simple fly that the bass love.

THE DEADBEAT DAD
The Deadbeat Dad is one of my patterns that mimics a crawdad.  In the spring I like to fish it along rocky banks and points and this fly does well on both largemouth and smallmouth bass.

WATKINS SPECIALS
Another simple fish catcher.  I’m a huge fan of the temperate bass and this fly is a great fly for the white bass and smaller hybrids.

CREEK BUGS
This simple bunny leech/sculpin pattern rides hook point again allowing you to slow roll along the bottom and in the lakes and ponds in could easily be mistaken for a tadpole.

CK BAITFISH
This baitfish is another great pattern for hybrids that are cruising for shad.  This fly has several wraps of lead but still most effective fished on a sink tip.

TRANSLUCY BRUSH GAME CHANGER
This Game Changer variation is very effective on the Hybrids tied unweighted and fished on a sink tip.

Check out The Midwest Drift website and be sure to follow along on Instagram too.  Slide into his DM's to order up a custom dozen or two.

RIVERSMITH - Crosswaters: The Compound

The folks at Riversmith recently kicked off a shortie film series dubbed Crosswaters and this episode featuring Jacob Shields, owner of The Compound in Sarasota, Florida, is pretty neat.  Fly fishing needs more people who aren't afraid of "doing it wrong". 



A surf, skate, paddle and fly shop all under one roof sounds pretty rad and both of our children (who are into all those things) would think it's pretty cool as well.

Check out the Riversmith website to check out their River Quiver rod holders and click subscribe to their YouTube page as well.

SIGHT LINE PROVISIONS - The Cone Denim Project

If you're a regular reader of The Fiberglass Manifesto, then you've likely seen articles that Dave Fason of NanoBox Reef has contributed to on his various travels with a fiberglass fly rod in hand and then also the work he continues to with rod builder Chris Barclay of C. Barclay Fly Rod Co.  Over the past couple of years I've gotten to know him through phone calls, emails and texts and earlier this year I had the opportunity to travel with him to Belize to check out things at South Water Adventures Belize and he's just kind of everywhere right now.  He's a creative fellow and I really enjoy his work with the camera.  I'm betting you'll see more and more of his work in the future as well. 

Last month Dave was in Austin, Texas for a few days to attend SXSW with his wife and while there he spent some time with Edgar Diaz of Sight Line Provisions (who's also someone that seems to be everywhere lately).  While at the shop, Dave chronicled a special set of bracelets he asked Edgar to create from part of a swatch of Cone Demin that he brought with him.  Dave sent along a series of photographs for this post along with the story of the day. 

This post is way longer than usual but the images were so stellar that I wanted to share the entire set that Dave sent.  I hope that readers appreciate seeing behind the shop curtains as much as I do on how something handmade is actually made.  Thanks to Edgar for playing along.

Dave wrote...  "The Lone Star state is well known for large companies like Dell and Whole Foods but companies like Yeti and smaller influencer clothing brands like Howler Brothers also call this state home. What some may not know is that there are many small craftsmen that are influencing the fly fishing industry in this same state. My journey to Austin brought me to Edgar, owner and creator of Sight Line Provisions.  His company is based outside of Austin, Texas and is known by anglers for their handmade bracelets. The business operation is located in a small studio connected to his house. There, Edgar and his assistant produce incredible hand crafted goods. They focus on using materials ranging from leather, denim, and canvas topped with custom laser finished metals.

We met as many do these days in this virtual world. Our first interaction was an exchange of messages after he posted on a picture of mine that went viral on social media. We messaged back and forth for months trying to align our schedules to connect in person, but never found the opportunity to link up. I planned to travel to Austin to visit my wife during her work trip over SXSW weekend. My wife has worked for the company that owns Wrangler jeans for over thirteen years and we both love denim. Greensboro, NC was home to Cone White Oak Mills that recently closed its doors and production. This mill provided denim worldwide and to Wrangler. I negotiated with my wife to land me a swatch of the Cone denim fabric so I could use it for a special project. I knew I had to have Edgar create a custom set of bracelets using this material. After telling him of my plan, he was equally excited to collaborate on a unique set of bracelets. The day was planned and we marked it in our books.

Once I arrived I knew I was in great hands. I was immediately greeted by Timber the shop dog. The scent of leather and the sound of sand blasted metal filled the air. The studio exudes the fly fishing industry with random rods, reels, industry stickers, posters and laser cutouts of fish.  His assistant was jamming away with her headphones on while finishing a new batch of bracelets for an upcoming event. After brief introductions and a quick tour of the shop we began brainstorming a few ideas for the custom bracelets. During this time it was clear Edgar had a passion for his company and his craft. Not a single detail goes unnoticed and the entire process has been meticulously refined over time. Every rivet is hand pressed, each hole hand punched, and the material is cut and glued with care.  All of these components on their own could be mistaken as scraps but he turns these raw goods into a functional piece of art. After a couple hours the bracelets are finished and ready for wear.

 What do you do after making two incredible pieces of wearable art? We decided it was only best to head out to local waters to try our hand at the running white bass. We were both skunked but were able to document the bracelet’s first adventure after just being created. These bracelets are now added to my ritual of fishing gear dressing for every outing. Every time I head out to fish I can reflect on that day and meeting a new friend and craftsman."

Want to see more of Dave's work?  Click HERE, HERE, HERE, HERE and this photo has gone kinda viral HERE.  He's also a fun follow on Instagram and Flickr.

Need some Sight Line Provisions in your life?  Visit the website and be sure to follow along on Facebook and Instagram for the latest shop news and offerings.