SHORELUNCH WITH NATE P. - Monster Carp on Vintage Tackle

Shorelunch with Nate P. continues to be a favorite YouTube channel and him tossing jigs at carp on the Columbia River on vintage tackle has me frantically searching eBay for an Orvis 100 spinning reel.  I must have one...  Though I wonder if I'm going to have to buy up several for parts to build one.
 

Anyways, please PLAY.  Heads up, there's some potty mouth language in this episode (Nate got REALLY excited...) so keep the volume down at work or around your kids.

MOONLIT FLY FISHING - Last Call NIRVANA PhoenixGlass Pre-Orders

I got the word from Brandon Moon at Moonlit Fly Fishing that the NIRVANA PhoenixGlass fly rods have arrived in the warehouse earlier than expected and I wanted to share three things...

1.  If you already took advantage of the pre-order savings (up to $100 or more depending on when you ordered), your order will ship this coming week.

2.  If you have been on the fence with an order, they won't be any cheaper than they are now. 

3.  I talked about it in this T.F.M. post but if you need a quick tip recovery and high performance fly rod at a third or half the price of others on the market, the NIRVANA PhoenixGlass fly rods are it.

I've got the 6-weight and 8-weight already but would like to add the 9-weight and 10-weight to my stash.  Maybe the 7-weight, too.  Actually, it would be great to have all four for a set.

Visit the Moonlit Fly Fishing website and check out the NIRVANA PhoenixGlass. 

FISHBEERBBQ - Autoerotic Interspecific Moose Kink

A trip report of sorts along with a wild story.  No one tells them like Matt Dunn at FishBeerBBQ.

Deep dive into all things FishBeerBBQ on Substack, Instagram, and YouTube.  Catch the podcast on Amazon Music and iTunes.

YETI Presents | All That Is Sacred

You're going to see this film shared all over your socials over the next few days and for good reason.  Take a few minutes, uninterrupted and focused, to enjoy it.  

An original film copy of Tarpon was found and is being restored to 4K. You can find out more at www.tarpon1973.com.

RIVERSMITH - Introducing the Convoy Collection

I don't know if you have been keeping an eye on Riversmith lately but they took one good idea with building car top rod holders and over the last year or so have been rolling out a series of new and innovative products.  Their latest release is the Convoy Collection, which is a carefully designed series of waterproof travel bags.

I'm hoping to get hands on several pieces from the Convoy Collection and might even talk Riversmith into a giveaway.  More on that (hopefully) soon...

From the Riversmith presser...

"Riversmith is proud to introduce its new Convoy Collection – a collection of weatherproof travel bags purpose-built to instill confidence in anglers, regardless of the challenges they may encounter. Each mindfully designed bag brings together lightweight construction and durability to withstand the rigors of fly fishing and destination travel.   
 
“The Convoy Collection is something that Riversmith has been thinking about, designing and field testing for over a year,” said Jason Thomas, Director of Design and Product Development. “You might know Riversmith as a company that designs fly rod racks and storage systems for your vehicle or rafts. Today, we’re extending our product offerings and bringing you a highly intentional line of fly fishing travel gear.”

Combining lightweight fabrics with heavy-duty construction, the Convoy Collection offers anglers everything required for all-purpose destination travel and includes:
 
The Gear-Roll – Whether you're fishing small streams close-to-home, exploring remote rivers, or wading cold water beaches, the Convoy Gear-Roll is the ultimate wade-fishing pack that ensures you're equipped for success on the water.

The Hauler – The Hauler is our newest fully waterproof gear-tote tailored for the get-after-it angler. It comes in both 45 and 60-liter sizes.

The Duffel – This is our waterproof-on-demand duffel bag, engineered for destination travel anglers who prioritize lightweight gear without compromising protection. The Convoy Duffel comes in two size: 45 and 70-liters.

The Travel Pack – The Convoy Travel Pack was designed for the angler who travels obsessively and extensively. This backpack is innovative, durable and functional - ensuring that every aspect of your journey unfolds seamlessly.

The PackOut Bag - Crafted from durable materials, this minimalist fly fishing pack is built to endure the demands of outdoor exploration. The PackOut Bag provides a practical storage solution for your fly fishing gear essentials - but it’s also equipped with a deployable, removable, and machine washable 11” x 22” trash containment bag.
 
"Our customers have always trusted the products Riversmith creates,” said John Koza, CEO of Riversmith.  “For the Convoy Collection, we held ourselves to the highest standard throughout the design and production process. Every detail is looked over to ensure we continue to build the best products that solve real problems. We listen to our customers and want nothing more than to continue to cultivate that trust and enthusiasm.”  
 
At Riversmith, our focus is to protect what's really important - your time, your gear, and your experience on the water."

 

Check out the entire Convoy Collection on the Riversmith website.  Which piece or pieces have caught your eye as favorites?

REDINGTON - The Taco Tour - Episode 2

"The Taco Tour" with Mario Guel of Taco Fly Co. and Redington continues with a stop on the mighty Missouri with one of my favorite folks, Mark Raisler (a.k.a. SOL, a.k.a. Squeeky Oar Lock) at Headhunters Fly Shop.  This is a fun and tasty one...



Side note... It would be a miss if the Redington Butter Stick doesn't make it into an upcoming episode. 

Check out and subscribe to the Redington YouTube channel for more video goodness.

EPIC FLY FISH - Limited Edition Blackout Series Fly Rods

For those of you who believe that a fly rod should be black, Epic Fly Fish has you covered with their limited edition Blackout Series.  These are available in the Epic 476, Epic 580, and Epic 686 and the marketing talk says...

"Featuring a stunning jet black finish, black guides, and gold accents, these rods are as collectible as they are functional."

A search on T.F.M. will reveal dozens upon dozens of posts on all of the Epic fly rods.  You can't go wrong with any of these three fly rods though longtime readers and glass enthusiasts know the Epic 686 is a "Must Own".

EPIC 476 BLACKOUT

BLACKOUT EPIC 580

BLACKOUT EPIC 686

Visit the Epic Fly Fish website for more info and get your Blackout Series fly rod before they run out.

FLAVOR ON THE FLY - Episode 2 - Maine

It's been way too long since I've been to Maine.  Like decades long.  I've got to get back.  In the meantime, the latest episode of Flavor of the Fly will have to do.  Press PLAY...

Visit Flylords and subscribe to their YouTube channel for other great video content.

FISH ON! CUSTOM RODS - Japanese Ijuin-Rods Blanks in Stock

There are a series of posts in the works with Fish On! Custom Rods as their shop is the source of a long list of very cool things.  I figured that I'd pass along that if you're looking for any of the Ijuin-Rod blanks stateside, they are in stock on the Fish On! website.   

I don't have experience with many of the Ijuin-Rod blanks but can't speak a word against my Kazutomo Ijuin built Ijuin-Rod 7' 3-weight.  It's absolutely wonderful, a full-flex fairy wand, and the consensus online seems to be the same with all of Tomo's well thought out tapers.

Visit the Fish On! Custom Rods website to see everything they offer and check out their Ijuin-Rods page to see the dozen different blanks they have in stock.

BIKE TO FLY - 9 Days of Bikepacking & Fly Fishing Through Patagonia

What a epic journey. Videographer Will Phelps and friends take on Patagonia on bikes. Press PLAY...



Subscribe to the Phelps on the Fly YouTube channel for more goodness.

TIPPETS AND TALES - Dry Goods Store Now Open!!!

The DM's on Instagram easily stretch back four years with Brad Eaton of Tippets and Tales.  We had known each other online since the beginnings of T.F.M. but when Finn got serious about golf, and I started playing (poorly) myself, our obsessions very much meshed with both fly fishing and golf.  Our DM's turned into meeting up the past two summers for golf trips around Michigan and a lot of chats on places where we could mix days on the water with a round or several of golf.

Brad is exceptionally good with his hands and builds fly rods, sews rod socks and cinch bags, makes metal or wood markers, wooden marker displays, and even built himself several choice wood putters.  The guy is talented and last week added a Tippet and Tales Dry Goods page to his website which he will continue to add items to.  My thought?  Put that golf swinging trout on everything...

Have an idea for a project?  Metal or wood markers for an upcoming buddies golf trip?  Need a special display?  Give Brad a shout through his contact page. 

Check out the Tippets and Tales website, poke around the T&T Dry Goods page, and follow along with the latest shop news on Instagram. 

REDINGTON - The Taco Tour - Episode 1

I really like fly fishing and I really like tacos. It's fun to see that Redington tapped on the shoulder of Mario Guel of Taco Fly Co. for a series of shortie films where he visits fishy folk in Montana, sip on "Special Beers", and find all best taco joints.  Press PLAY for the first episode with more on the way.

Want to get ahead?  The rest of the episodes are up on the Redington YouTube channel.

KABUTO RODS - All Blanks Available to Order

The other day, Yasuyuki Kabuto of Kabuto Rods posted on his social media pages that all of eleven of his fiberglass blanks tapers are in stock and, the part that was interesting to me, they are all offered in five different color choices.  His offerings start with a 7'3" 2-weight and extend to a 8'3" 6/7-weight.

Personally, I'm really drawn to the dark yellow and brown Kabuto Rods blanks as far as a color choice but realize that might not be everyone's preference.  I could consider these blanks to typically have a "strong" progressive taper and it's not uncommon to go up one line weight to find the fly line weight match that works best for your casting stroke. 

Visit the Kabuto Rods website to check out their many blank offerings and follow along on Facebook and Instagram for the latest shop news.

PAUL PUCKETT - Timelapse of "A Grand Day"

Let's get today started with artist Paul Puckett and some "Happy Little Waves" vibes.  Press PLAY...

Puckett is starting to upload more videos and podcasts on his YouTube channel, so click on the subscribe button.  He's a fun follow on Instagram, too.

FLYLAB - Epic Reference 476 Review

The folks at Flylab have been in overdrive lately in publishing gear reviews and Kirk Deeter's deep dive into the Epic Reference 476 is worth reading if you've been considering a new glass 4-weight.  

This Epic model is out of stock right now but you can pre-order an Epic 476 Limited Edition Black fly rod or the Reference 476 Packlight is in stock.  The Packlight is the same taper but in an easier to travel with size in five pieces.

Are you a member of Flylab?  Check it out and consider the community for gear reviews, discounts, and more.

RISE - A Confluence Film

This is a fun flashback to 2009 that popped up on the Yellow Dog Flyfishing YouTube channel...

Subscribe to the Yellow Dog Flyfishing YouTube channel for great films, travel dispatches, and more.

Support Shawn's Fight Against C-Diff

It's tough to see fly fishing industry friends going through health struggles and in Shawn Brillon's case, he's asking for help with a GoFundMe campaign to help him afford the treatment he needs in his fight with C-Diff.  This all started with a trip to the dentist.  Crazy.

Shawn is back to work at the Orvis Rod Factory building bamboo fly rods, but he was off work for a month and the upcoming medication infusion that he needs is expensive. 

Can you help out Shawn?  Learn more about what he's going through and make a donation on the GoFundMe website.

SEA RUN CASES - WeatherProof Covers to Protect Your Gear Case

This is for those who have a Sea Run Case (or seriously considering one...) and want to increase their "insurance" in keeping your case protected along with gear dry with their new WeatherProof Covers offered for the Norfolk Expedition Series, Riffle Daily Compact Series, and the Cast & Blast Series cases.

The WeatherProof Covers feature a protective cover for your Sea Run Case with waterproof zipper, additional pockets and storage, carry handle, and detachable shoulder carry strap.

I've had a lot of experience with Sea Run Cases for several years now and you can read my thoughts on several of their cases HERE, HERE, and HERE.

Have questions about one of their cases?  Send me an email and I can assist in making the decision on which might be best for you.

Visit the Sea Run Cases website to learn more.  Pre-orders for the WeatherProof Covers will ship soon.

P.S.  Not sure when the promotion will end but use code "SUMMER15" for 15% off your order.

6 Good Reads

Let's ease into our Monday with a six-pack of reads that are a mix of profiles, a couple of Substacks that you should be following, a book excerpt, an insight, and a story.  Enjoy...

BONEFISH & TARPON JOURNAL - MONTE BURKE ON THE BORSKIS

FONTINALIS RISING - MONDAY MORNING COFFEE IS BACK

LOON OUTDOORS - A CINDERELLA STORY

GLORIOUS MAYHEM - ON SOBRIETY AND WHAT HAPPENED AFTER

HATCH - AN EXCERPT FROM STEVE DUDA'S UPCOMING BOOK

TROUT UNLIMITED - DEETER WITH A TAKE THAT I AGREE WITH

What have you been reading online lately? 

HOUSE OF FLY - The Fly Project Haka Series Fly Rods

House of Fly has been working on a refresh of the The Fly Project Haka fly rods and have recently released this three fly rod series that includes a 7' 3-weight, 7'6" 4-weight, and 8' 5-weight with what they are calling "Retro Slow Action Glass". 

I like the new cosmetics and hopefully will be able to get one soon to demo and review for T.F.M. for some additional thoughts...

Visit the House of Fly website to learn more about the The Fly Project Haka series fly rods and follow along with the latest news on Facebook and Instagram.

6 Cool Things

It's been awhile since the last "6 Cool Things" installment and this is a fun mix of things that I'd certainly like.  How about you?

OAK & OSCAR - INTRODUCING THE ATWOOD
I mentioned awhile back that I've turned into a "Watch Guy" with acquiring a Humboldt GMT several months ago as an early 50th birthday gift to myself.  The Oak & Oscar family of watches is growing with the addition of The Atwood, with orders shipping later this summer.  This is such a sharp design in a manually wound, flyback chronograph, and three dial color choices.   

Chase Fancher, founder of Oak & Oscar, spent a couple of days with us at Beaver Island a few weeks ago and it was neat to learn more about his company, what inspires him, and we had a first look at the Atwood.  I can't afford a new watch right now but maybe you'd like one...

 
BELL REEL CO. - NON-PORTED TROUT SPEY REELS

I've been following the Bell Reel Co. Instagram page for years and it's been a neat insight to the work done in creating these distinctive fly reels.  A couple of non-ported trout spey reels popped up on my feed this week and figured that they were a good introduction to others who might not be familiar with this small boutique fly reel company.

FOUR WHEEL CAMPERS - ORVIS SPECIAL EDITION
I'm two years away from the possibility of retiring from law enforcement and an ultimate travel vehicle is on our short list of conversations.  This special edition collaboration with Four Wheel Camper and Orvis is pretty interesting.  Click PLAY for the announcement and then HERE for the walk through.



IKO PRINTS - CREATE YOUR OWN GYOTAKU ART
I've long been captivated with gyotaku art and this kit by IKO Prints is a neat way to learn the process on your own.  Or with your kids.  Imagine catch and keeping a bluegill and honing a new art skill.

LOON OUTDOORS NORTH FORK NETS

The folks at Loon Outdoors recently released a family of sharp looking "Made in U.S.A." landing nets that cover sizes from Wade Net to Trek Net to Boat Net to XL Boat Net. 

Made in Ashton, Idaho with easy grip rubber handles, deep rubber-coated polyester netting, and four color choices. Sign me up for a Wade or Trek model. 

 

 
LAMSON PURIST II FLY REELS
I am a pushover for click and pawl fly reels and the new Purist II fly reels check a lot of boxes for me with modern looks meets traditional click mechanics.  The Purist II is available in two sizes and in two color choices.  I can think of several fiberglass fly rods in my stash that would look good with one.

Okay, what's on your wish list right now?

FLAVOR ON THE FLY - Episode 1 - Vermont

This is a new series that will be fun to follow along with.  I've had a lot of fun in the past in Vermont and would sure like to get up there again.  You can visit some of those past posts HERE, HERE, and HERE.

Now click PLAY for the first episode of Flavor on the Fly...

Visit Flylords to learn more about this series with a Q&A with Ranga Perera and subscribe to their YouTube channel, too.

HOWLER BROTHERS - END OF SEASON SALE

Just quick heads up that Howler Brothers is running their End of Season Sale now through July 23rd.  

 

It's time to HEED THE CALL with up to 60% off savings...

 

 SHOP THE SALE

The Long Game Might Be Paying Off...

After being gone for over a year living in Alaska, Hadley is home for the summer before she starts college this fall.  In what seems like the long game paying off, she wants to learn more about fly fishing and even talks about taking a fly rod outfit with her to Michigan when she starts college.  As she and Finn were growing up, I never put any pressure on either of them learning to cast a fly rod.  It was always there if they wanted to try it but I never wanted either of them to feel forced into it.  Now at eighteen, she's interested and I'm more than happy to help her learn. 

We have a warmwater stream not too far away that absolutely blew my mind the first time I visited it with a friend who shared it with me a few years ago.  You can read about that afternoon trip called HERE.  I've been back there a couple of times with Finn (HERE and HERE) but Hadley and my wife hadn't been there at all.  We decided to change that with a Saturday afternoon drive on back roads through small towns and fields of peach trees.  There were some storm clouds building in the distance that I hoped wouldn't come into play.  It was worth it to find out.

 

We arrived and walked through the woods to the stream.  We made our way downstream a bit to a rock bar where Melissa settled in her chair with a book while I readied a fly rod for Hadley to use.  It felt good to be in the water and enjoyed working with Hadley on her casting.  A roll cast along with a simple lift off the water, pause, and push the fly rod forward were good places to start.  The little foam fly was bumped a few times by small fish with mouths too small to suck it in.  And, a couple of missed hook sets on larger fish were a good reminder that they were around.

Maybe forty-five minutes into the session, a wall of black clouds rolled in with wind gusts, thunder, and a not too distant streak of lightning that gave us a prompt we needed to pack it up.  Hadley was bummed out that we were getting chased off by a storm and is already wants to go back.  We might make it back for an afternoon session after work soon and in the meantime will likely get on the pond together to continue working on her fly casting skills.

Even though this was just a short session, here are a few random gear notes...

BOX FULL OF SMALL GAUDY FLIES - I've had this slender no name two sided fly box for years and on one side are flies that float and on the other are flies that don't float.  They are all sized for panfish to bass and just handy to have a couple of hundred warmwater flies with lots of mojo from being tied by a long list of friends over the years.

HEART WOOD TRADE POQUITO NET - I'm not sure if Dustin is still building nets or not.  I assume yes since the website is still up but the Facebook page hasn't been updated in a few years and the Instagram page is gone.  That said, this little Poquito Net continues to be one of my favorite landing nets.

KERMIT CHAIR COMPANY - Though I didn't get a photograph of it yesterday since we so quickly left the water, we have a couple of these chairs and they are just so great.  Lightweight, wood frame with nylon, and pack down into a easy to carry case.  Think ultimate camp chair but these will be in our car kit here on out. 

RED TRUCK FLY FISHING DIESEL OUTFIT - I have a couple of favorite short 5-weights and the 7'10" Diesel fly rod is definitely one of them.  I have the older three piece version as it's now being made as a four-piece fly rod and it's really perfect for this kind of fly fishing.  The outfit is matched with a Diesel Click fly reel.  It's classy.  It's fun.  And, it's yellow. 

(Want one?  Use "TFM10" for 10% off your order on the Red Truck Fly Fishing website.)

TURTLEBOX - There's a reason why you're seeing these speakers everywhere.  They rock.  Our children seemingly don't go anywhere without tossing one (or two) in the back of the car.  Some light tunes going from the rock bar while Hadley and I were casting nearby was kinda nice.    

UMPQUA NORTHFORK SLING PACK - This was the first trip with this sling pack and I really like it.  It checks the boxes of being large enough with a lot of usable space.  I also like the net slot pass through which fit the little Poquito landing net perfectly.  I'll deep dive more into this sling pack soon with a future gear review but in short, it's a keeper.

 

Do you have a story or experience of the long game paying off with fly fishing?  Send an email and tell me about it.    

THE PERRY PORK - Tying the General Practitioner

The Perry Pork tying videos have the perfect vibe for a Sunday morning...

Check out The Perry Pork website and follow along on Instagram and YouTube. 

RODMAKER 24/7 - Summer Sale

If you've been thinking about building a fly rod this summer (or save it until things cool down...) then take a look at Rodmaker 24/7 as they are running a 30% off everything summer sale until July 22nd.

Visit the Rodmaker 24/7 website and use code "SUMMER" at checkout for the 30% off savings.

ADIRONDACK TROUT BUM - Small Rod Giant Trout!!

I like seeing anglers have fun with glass and I don't think Alvin Montana, a.k.a. Adirondack Trout Bum, could have been more jazzed about this large brown caught on his JP Ross Fly Rods Rock Hopper.  That sure is a lot of trout for a 5 1/2 foot 2/3 weight fly rod but it looks like it handled it just fine.



Follow Alvin on Instagram and YouTube. Learn more about the Rock Hopper on the JP Ross Fly Rods website. 

MOONLIT FLY FISHING - NIRVANA PhoenixGlass Pre-Order

I've been waiting to talk about this for awhile and it's finally here.  Moonlit Fly Fishing has been working on some additions and adjustments to their NIRVANA PhoenixGlass line-up and for a limited time, you can take advantage of some significant savings during their pre-order that runs through July 12, 2024.  

If my math is correct, you'll save $120-$125 (depending on the model) on the pre-order fly rods with delivery promised in mid-August.

Let's talk about what's new and what's different...

First, there's new models with the 6-weight with a full size fighting butt and (this is what I'm REALLY excited about) the addition of the 8'3" 9-weight and 8'3" 10-weight.  I've been demoing both of these new models off and on for the last year and wildly impressed with both.  These are progressive taper with quick tip recovery fly rods that can handle big flies and big fish at a price that is half or a third of fly rods in a similar performance category. 

Second, it's been important for Moonlit Fly Fishing to keep this series around the low to mid $300 price point and with the new fly rods coming, they have upgraded the cork grips (higher cost) and swapped out the metal rod tubes with a Cordura tube (lower cost).  The price will stay about the same with the models with a fighting butt running $15 more than the ones without.

I'm excited about this family of fly rods adding a couple of heavy line weight models and believe this will give "Glass Geeks" another high performance option at a price point that will fit most budgets.

Visit the Moonlit Fly Fishing website for more information on the NIRVANA PhoenixGlass fly rods and get your order in by July 12th to take advantage of the pre-order savings.

Have questions?  I'm happy to answer them as I have experience with most of the fly rods in this lineup.  Send an email to thefiberglassmanifesto@gmail.com.

Yellow Dog Field Reports - Bhutan

Yellow Dog Fly Fishing sure does a nice job on their "Field Reports" video series and this trip to Bhutan looks like a stellar adventure.  Press PLAY...

Visit the Yellow Dog Fly Fishing website for more on this trip and others. Subscribe to their YouTube channel for other videos like this.

THE FLYFISH JOURNAL - Introducing the Sidechannels Podcast

Since they are already three episodes in, you might aware that The Flyfish Journal recently introduced a podcast, which is called Sidechannels, but if not, you should be listening.

The conversations with David James Duncan, Kate and Justin Crump, and Jeremy Koreski have been so good and I'm looking forward to future episodes.

You can listen to Sidechannels on iTunes, Spotify, or on The FlyFish Journal YouTube channel.

BER FLY RODS - A Tasty Candy Apple Green Epic 370

It almost seems that with every fly rod build, Paolo Bernabei of Ber Fly Rods just gets better and better.  The pop of the deep red wraps and agate on the olive green Epic Fly Rods 370 blank in this candy apple build is absolutely stunning. 

And, don't those T.F.M. decals look great in the mix of photographs?  Want some freebies?  Email. 

Paolo wrote...  "Another 370 from Epic, one of my favourite fibreglass blanks for fishing in small streams. I like its liveliness, long throws are easy to execute, given to the considerable reserve of power that this blank has in its DNA.

The look of the rod is clean as usual, only accents in the tone of red/orange, as required.

I used a selected fragment of figured Tuscan olive, from "Maremma", Ergal aluminum hardware with green PE inlay, s.g. red/orange agate, green silk wraps and red/orange tips.

Dear Marco, I am sure that this rod will give you a lot of fun!"

Check out the Ber Fly Rods website and follow along with the latest shop news and builds on Instagram.

MARBATHO

 Are you working today?  I'm scratching my head wondering why I didn't take it off.  If you're not getting anything done, click PLAY to enjoy Rolf Nylinder's latest film story.  I do like their "Dry or Die" ethos...



Visit the Rolf Nylinder website and subscribe to the YouTube channel, too.

TROUT SMITHS - Independence Day Sale on Graywolf-Built Fly Rods

Last month, I shared the news that Trout Smiths was under new ownership with a interview of Steve Van Winkle of Struble with this T.F.M. post.  Yesterday after I got a text from Steve where he shared that they are running an Independence Day Sale on all Graywolf-Built fly rods through the weekend. 

All the Trout Smith fly rods are sale priced at $299.00 from an already reasonable price of $425.00.

Trout Smith Instagram followers got first dibs on these fly rods last night but there are still quite a few Brookie LT and Heritage Carbon models posted.

Steve Van Winkle wrote...  "We’ve had such great support since our website went live, we think the Fourth of July is an ideal time to say thanks to everyone.  Beginning July 4th, through Sunday, July 6th, we’re doing just that by offering all of our Graywolf-Built fly rods are at the special price of $299.

Our Brookie LT, Heritage Carbon LL, and Brute fly rods in all line weights are included.  These include rods Shane had completed before we acquired Trout Smiths and some he’s completed for us since we took over; either way, if you’ve always wanted to try a fun Trout Smiths rod or one built by Shane, this Independence Day weekend is the perfect opportunity to get a premium rod at a fantastic price!"

Visit the Trout Smiths website to check out the Independence Day Sale.  Follow along with the latest shop news on Instagram.

THE MISSION - Issue 46

The latest issue of The Mission is live and full of all the goodness you've come to expect and more.

CHECK IT.

KEEP FISH WET - Take the "No Fish Dry July" Pledge

The older that I get (50 is coming in September...) the more I get pushes like this to do better in keeping fish in the water and grip and grins at a minimum.  I guess I'm turning into an "Experience Guy" where it's just nice to be on the water with friends.  Having a fish eat a fly is just a bonus to being there.  It took a long time to get here, but it makes sense.

This July, Keep Fish Wet is again promoting the idea of "No Fish Dry July" and I'm in.  How about you?

 

From the Keep Fish Wet website...

"No Fish Dry July encourages anglers to rethink their interactions with fish during hot summer months and challenges everyone to make a month-long commitment to “do better”. Whether it is by not taking a single photo of fish for July, using best practices for each fish we catch, or by only targeting warm water species each angler can find a way to participate.  

With many places across North America experiencing extreme drought and higher than average water temperatures, the way we handle fish during the hottest time of year is crucial to their well-being. Instead, we will be posting other artful shots of the summer angling experience, and we encourage you to do the same. This simple shift in the fishing community’s catch-and-release behavior could do years of good for our fish’s home water.

At Keep Fish Wet, we are challenging ourselves to make a 31-day commitment to not take a single photo of a fish or to post a photo of a fish on social media."  

 

There is a good article on the Keep Fish Wet website on Fishing for Trout in Warming Waters that is worth reading.  Learn more about this campaign on the No Fish Dry July webpage as well.