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.

FISHBEER - Periodical Cicada Syllabic Verse

The the cicada emergence for this summer is slowly winding down and here's Matt Dunn's take on it all with both words on his Substack and this shortie film.  Read and press PLAY...



Sign up for the FishBeer updates to your inbox and follow along on YouTube.

LAST CALL - Retro Fly Tees and the Greens & Streams Giveaway

Thanks to everyone who's placed an order for a box (or several) of the restocked Western Birch custom Retro Fly Tees.  If you haven't seen them yet, they are listed in the T.F.M. Shop.

This is a reminder that the giveaway with Greens & Streams for on of Brad's custom brown trout micarta single prong divot tool is winding TODAY.  I'll close the books on the giveaway and let the random number generator pick a winner tomorrow.  Are you feeling lucky?

Want in?  Send an email today to place your order.  For every box of Retro Fly tees purchased, it puts your name in the hat one more time for the custom divot tool.

Interested in a box or several?  Send me an email at thefiberglassmanifesto@gmail.com and I'll get a package in the mail pronto. 

Check out Greens and Streams and follow along on Instagram for the latest garage shop news.

Introducing Kinni Forge Kustom Landing Nets

In the same vein of rod makers handcrafting custom fly rods, those who focus on building wooden landing nets are always interesting to me and when John Cain of Kinni Forge reached out to talk about his recently formed company, I was intrigued.  He's keeping things simple with offerings the K1 and K2 landing nets, while leaving a "Kustom" option open to discuss other ideas with clients.  

After several deep dives into Kinni Forge website, digging the sharply designed logo, and better understanding the build ethos of John's nets from our conversations, it all checked the boxes of a company worth following along with.  

It wasn't until a package arrived the other day with a freshly made Kinni Forge K2 landing net did it put into full perspective the top shelf work that John is doing in his River Falls, Wisconsin shop.

I should have taken photographs on all six sides of the box but the Kinni Forge branding stamped into the packaging on various sides was a very nice touch.  You could immediately feel the care that John puts into his work with the stamping on the exterior of the box and even more so once the box was opened to find several layers of foam with a cut out that protected his hard work and ensured that the K2 arrived in flawless condition.  

The size of the K2 is a great fit for me since I'm more often in a kayak, boat, or needing a longer handle to stash through a sling pack or belt.  The clear rubber netting is deep with a flat floor, which I like a lot since it allows a fish to lay more or less flat across the bottom when held in the water.  

And, a larger net means larger fish, right?  Right?

John's hardwood choice, build quality, and overall work is impeccable.  The Kinni Forge logo burnt into the handle with the brass lash points for the clear rubber netting are a tasteful touch.  The Guguluza 3/4 inch sling swivel screw mounting hardware is a great addition for a net release to protect your custom built investment.

This past weekend, I had the chance to get out on the family pond for a couple of afternoon sessions and even though I didn't net anything of size, the extended handle of the K2 was perfect for sliding a few bass and bluegill into the clear rubber netting from my kayak seat.  I'm looking forward to a few evenings on the pond this week and the K2 will be along sure sure.

John and I have a few other ideas to highlight the excellent work he's doing in the future but in the meantime, check out the Kinni Forge website and be sure to follow along on Instagram, too.