SKWALA LOUNGE - Rich Hohne on Beaver Island

For the last three years, Rich Hohne of Skwala has been part of the crew for the annual Beaver Island trip.  Honestly, the weather has sucked most of all three years.  Maybe the worst was this year since spring was so late to arrive and Lake Michigan never warmed up from the low 40's the entire week we were there.  It's been tough and made worse that this was the third year of getting kicked in the pants.

Through it all, we've had a great time and in these two articles in the Skwala Lounge, you'll get Rich's take on the island.  He's one of the good ones since he never complains and realizes that its the breaks from fishing around a bunch of islands in the middle of an inland "ocean".

WHAT MAKES A FISHING TRIP GREAT?

DAYS OFF

I'll admit, quite a few of the afternoons were spent at Whiskey Point Brewing Company.  10 out of 10 would recommend, weather day or not.

And, I planned for a little bit of everything with my "Beaver Island Kit", which included...

BACKEDDY WADER
BACKEDDY JACKET

FUSION HYBRID JACKET

CARBON WADING BOOTS 

Check out the Skwala website and if you have any questions about their gear, send me an email.  I'm happy to discuss my opinions on the various pieces that I've worn for the past couple of years.

FIN AND FEATHER - The White River

Fly fishing guide turned country music singer and songwriter Colby Acuff is kicking off a film series dubbed "Fin and Feather" and the first episode is centered on the White River.  Click PLAY...



Check out the Colby Acuff website to see where his tour stops and music.  Subscribe to his YouTube channel for future episodes of Fin and Feather and his music videos.

THE DRAKE - #SwiftcurrentWadersDog Sweepstakes

The Drake, along with support from Patagonia and the Lodge at 58 North, have teamed up on a fun sweepstakes that you could have really decent odds (less than 100 posts on Instagram) right now of winning a trip to Alaska later this year to fish at the Lodge at 58 North.

I'm reaching back to the early 2000's for my #swiftcurrentwadersdog with my work partner, K-9 Ice.  He was a narcotics detection K-9 and known as an all-around "Good Boy" throughout town.  Working with K-9 Ice was certainly a highlight of my career in law enforcement.  On days off and after he retired, we'd run up to western North Carolina to wade trout streams together.  He was always very focused on rings on the water from a rising trout and would stick his nose deep into the net to sniff, and sometimes bite, at the trout caught.  Those were some stellar days together. 

Visit The Drake for all the details on the #swiftcurrentwadersdog Sweepstakes.  You have until August 2, 2025, to post your entry on Instagram with the noted hashtag.  Good luck.  

REVIEW - Magnolia League Ultralight Age Defense SPF

It's been awhile since I first mentioned Magnolia League with a T.F.M. post and with Independence Day and the rest of the summer in front of us, I figured it was a good time to talk on them again.  I've been using the Ultralight Age Defense SPF anytime I'm on the water, golf course, lawn work, or in the pool.  I've been so impressed with this product that I even gifted a few on the recent trip to Beaver Island, which you'll hear about more on that with a future post.

I'm what they call "Fair-Skinned" and that means using sunscreen is an absolute essential.  Even on cloudy days.  I've used quite a few different sunscreens over the years but the Ultralight Age Defense SPF is by far my favorite.  It applies easily, is mostly odorless, and soaks into the skin.  

What's in it?  Along with Zinc Oxide 20%, here are the "Hero Ingredients"...

•     Ceramides: repair skin barrier damage + soothe dryness, redness, irritation
•     Hyaluronic Acid: powerful hydration, reduces wrinkles + fine lines
•     Kudzu Root: potent antioxidant stimulates collagen production for radiant complexion
•     Vitamin E: delivers deep hydration, extra protection, + reduces inflammation
•     Mineral Zinc Oxide: Reef Safe natural sunscreen better for your skin and the planet
  
  

I like that there isn't an oily or messy feel after application and it lasts.  I know that guidance is to reapply every two hours but I've found a single application to get me through beyond that.  Another plus?  The small pump container size fits in a gear or golf bag pocket, so it's always convenient.

If you poke around the Magnolia League website, you'll see that the Ultralight Age Defense SPF is their only product right now and they continue to rebuild and revision who they are after dealing with Hurricane Helene last year.  You can read Rising from the Storm on their blog for the story.  Get to know who Paul Landon is with another blog article, How My Roots Shaped Magnolia League.  Magnolia League has some neat things in the works over the coming months.  Stay tuned...

Lastly, if you're interested in giving the Ultralight Age Defense SPF a try, use code "CLEANCAST" for 15% off your order.  While you're on the website, don't forget to sign up for their newsletter, the Magnolia Green.  It's well worth your time each week when it arrives in your inbox.

KEEP FISH WET - NO FISH DRY JULY

It's July and the rivers and lakes are running warmer than usual, especially out west, which already puts added stress on coldwater fish.  The idea of "More Vibes and Views" from Keep Fish Wet and their No Fish Dry July campaign sounds like a good idea.  Are you in?

From the Keep Fish Wet new release...  

Keep Fish Wet is pleased to announce the fifth annual No Fish Dry July in partnership with Phillip Clark Design. This campaign encourages anglers to ask themselves, “Do I really need a photo of my fish?” and challenges them not to take a single fish photo during July.   

This month-long challenge was created to raise awareness about the impact of rising water temperatures on fish, especially cold water species. As water temperature rises, fish become physiologically stressed, and the time it takes for them to recover from capture and handling increases, as does their chance of mortality after release. So, during one of the hottest months of the year, Keep Fish Wet encourages anglers to give our fish a break by keeping them wet and releasing them as quickly as possible.  

“Now, more than ever, we need anglers to step up and be active participants in fish conservation,” says Sascha Clark Danylchuk, executive director of Keep Fish Wet. “Challenging ourselves to change our behaviors for just one month can have lasting impacts for our favorite fish species for years to come.”

Keep Fish Wet will be posting fish-less photography and inspiration for anglers to share their own shots showing what else they love about fishing all month long. There is also a giveaway for anglers that participate in posting fish-less photos on Instagram using the hashtags #NoFishDryJuly #KeepFishWet.  

Follow along on social media and at keepfishwet.org to learn about how fish respond when the water gets warm, how you can tell if fish are stressed, and to see some beautiful fish-less photography.  

DUCK CAMP - The Summer Closeout Sale

This is just a quick heads up at the folks at Duck Camp have kicked off their Summer Closeout Sale and there are eight pages of 30-60% off sale items worth checking out.  

Men, women, hats and accessories, it's all on sale.  

CHECK IT.

An Ode to Blake and 1970's Glass

If there is any reason to continue to wade through all of the pervasive negativeness of social media, its to find little gems like Andrew Nepsund's Instagram post from over the weekend.  

I asked if he's send the images for a quickie post on T.F.M. along with a little narrative to with it.  What he sent was a stellar reminder that old school glass still deserves a place in your buddy's drift boat, popper eats rule, and maybe I'm that friend in my own text circles...

Andrew wrote...  "Every group chat has that one friend who won’t stop talking about his 1970’s Shakespeare Wonder Rod.  At least ours does.  That one friend is Blake Barnell.  Fiberglass this, fiberglass that.  And in a world full of fast action graphite, casts so long you can’t get a proper hook set, and 6” swim flies, Blake sure is a breath of fresh air. 

So go ahead, fish a Boogle Bug on a long leader, tell your buddy to row a little closer to the bank, bend that old school glass to the cork and smile. 

Just shut up about it in the group chat."

Here's to more old school glass adventures and smallies that fall all over themselves to eat a popper.