A Kinetic Loop

Do you remember Sipping Dry from Sharptail Media?  It's definitely on of my favorite fly fishing film of the last couple years.  A Kinetic Loop is their next film project and is a celebration of fly fishing past to present. 



I am really looking forward to seeing the full version at next year's Fly Fishing Film Tour. 

Check out the Sharptail Media Vimeo page for more film shorties.

T.F.M. Spotting - Cult T.F.M.?

A couple weeks ago John Putteman spent a week at Disney World with his family and sent this quick dispatch for the T.F.M. Spotting Photo Contest which made me laugh. 

John wrote...  "While wearing my T.F.M. hoodie in Disney World, I was stopped by a gentleman who was very excited to run into a fellow glass geek.  The funny thing is that later that night my wife asked me if this "fiberglass manifesto" is a cult.  I simply answered "Yes!"

Well played, John, well played.

First Look - Barclay Glass

 There are many aspects of writing this website that I genuinely enjoy, but seeing small shop custom fly rod builders have ideas, create, collaborate, and then then put it all together in a final product is a very cool process to watch from the outside looking in.   

Chris Barclay of C. Barclay Fly Rod Co. announced this week the first fly rod in his Barclay Glass line up with a three piece 7'2" three weight.  The workmanship is top grade and every aspect of this build compliments itself.  I am impressed and can't wait to cast one.

Chris wrote...  "For some time I have been working on developing my own line of fiberglass fly rods.  I am pleased to announce that the first of the Barclay Glass line is ready to go!
 
These rods are very much in line with my personal philosophy of fly fishing.  I love fly fishing because it is simple, true and beautiful.  I started rod building to enhance my own enjoyment of fly fishing.  I build fly rods that are simple and classic with attention to small details that bring out the true beauty of every material used.   My mission is to share this love for the simplicity and beauty of fly fishing with all of you.

This first model of the Barclay Glass line is a 7'2" 3 weight 3 piece fiberglass rod made of the highest quality Uni-Directional fiberglass.  I chose a deep, translucent 'brown ale' color for the Barclay Glass rods to reflect the smooth sweetness they embody.  I designed these rods in conjunction with a high quality, well respected Japanese blank maker.

These rods are... Smoothly progressive.  Responsive.  Stable.  Sensitive.  Sweet."

This builds feature the following fittings...

Snake Brand light wire Universal Guides with ECOating
Classic Mildrum Carbide Stripping Guides
Custom designed brass reel seat hardware made by Masatoshi Okui of KINEYA Reels
Flor Grade Portuguese cork grips and seats
Japanese silk wrappings in a deep brick red
Marine grade spar finish
Milled aluminum tube with domed brass ends
Custom designed and made muslin rod sock

Also know that I will soon be adding one of these fly rods to the T.F.M. Fly Rod Loan Program.  Send an email if you'd like to get on the list to demo this fly rod.

Check out the C. Barclay Fly Rod Co. website and Facebook page for more information. 

SALAD DAYS - Fall Run Part 2

You may remember watching Fall Run Part 1 the other week, and this video is the second half from Bloodknots of a recent steelhead trip.



Check out Bloodknots for more goodness.

Patagonia - Worn Wear

This film, which was released earlier this week, is a part of Patagonia's latest project called Worn Wear, which looks at the clothes and gear that we already have and celebrates their stories.



I can think of several pieces of gear that I've had for years, long over a decade even, that work as well today as it did when I first bought them.  Several of these pieces go on just about every road trip, hike, plane ride, and fly fishing excursion, and have become a valued and relied upon essential.  Not surprisingly, several of this pieces are indeed made by Patagonia.

Check out the Worn Wear website for more information about this program and take a look at the do it yourself instructional videos on the iFixit to mend your Patagonia products when they need a fix from time to time.

Erin Block - "Could Be Good"

You may need a reprieve today from all this Thanksgiving family time.  Is that weirdo (insert family member) coming for dinner...or worse staying the entire weekend?  Have a seat in your comfortable chair, put on the noise canceling headphones, and take a break with Erin Block reading you one of her latest stories, "Could Be Good".

It's a free listen and it's stellar.

It also may be worth signing up for the Pulp Fly newsletter as they have a pile of swag to give away from Fishpond and Abel in the coming weeks as well as a couple digital books in the works as well. 

Howler Brothers - Third Anniversary Sale

It's hard to believe that Howler Brothers has been around for three years already and in that time period they have really established themselves as one of the coolest companies within fly fishing and beyond.

From today through Monday, Howler Brothers is offering 30% off all clothing orders using the discount code "TERCERO" at checkout.

After Monday please remember to use the discount code "TFM13" which is the every day 20% off orders for the savvy online shopping T.F.M. readership.

Check out the Howler Brothers website for their latest clothing and gear offerings and to place an order.

T.F.M. Retro Fly Koozies

I've been thinking about doing this for some time now and decided to pull the trigger this week on an initial order of a couple hundred Retro Fly koozies and the ability to order more if there is interest.   

These koozies will be made of a high quality neoprene with the Retro Fly artwork screened on two sides and a handy QR code screened on the bottom in case one of your friends wants to check out the website.  Cool, eh?

Click Image To View Larger

The Retro Fly koozies will be offered in Black, Blaze Orange, Fall Camo, Navy Blue, and Fluorescent Green and are priced at $5 for one or $8 for two shipped with a couple T.F.M. decals. 

I can take PayPal, check, or credit card and happy to ship international for a couple dollars extra for shipping.

To place an order, please send an email to thefiberglassmanifesto@gmail.com.

Gear Envy - A&F Passport

I have a friend that lives out of country and from time to time I accept packages for him and then ship them off to him due that some online sellers don't like to ship to international locations.  Last week a small box arrived and when I shook it, it sounded like a bunch of small sticks stacked inside.  What could this be?  I opened it to investigate and found this boxed Abercrombie & Fitch Passport in very fine condition inside.  Damn.

This fly rod is a total of ten pieces and measures less than five feet in length when assembled.  Each section is right at or a little longer than six inches in length and is supposed to carry a four weight fly line quite nicely.  The total weight of the pieces is about an ounce and a half.

These were made for Abercrombie & Fitch by Phillipson and there may have been only 100 (or less( made which is another reason they fetch a healthy price on the online markets.  These pocket fly rods were made in the 1960's and sold for $32.00.  If you can find one, they now sell for ten times that or more, depending on condition.

After handling this special little fly rod, it got me wondering if a modern fly rod maker could replicate something like this?  I am betting that they could...

Custom Fly Rod Crafters Cyber Sale

It's hard to believe that the holidays are now upon us and I'll be passing along a select few discount codes that I come across in the next few days but did want to tip everyone off that Custom Fly Rod Crafters is running a Cyber Sale starting Friday and running through Monday with 15% discount code on everything they offer. 

This sale includes the Swift Fly Fishing Epic blanks, Lemke hardware, and the recently added Redington Butter Stick fly rods and RIO Products fly lines as well.

Use the promo code "CBS" during checkout to take advantage of the 15% off.  This code is valid from 11/29/2013 to 12/2/2013 and limited to the stock that is on hand on the Custom Fly Rod Crafters website.

If you have any questions feel free to email them at info@flyrodcrafters.com.

Dutch Oven Chicken Stew & Dumplings

Yesterday morning we woke to temps in the low 30's and a high in the low 40's which quickly got my wife and I thinking about a hearty stew for dinner.  One of my Instragam peeps had passed along a chicken stew and dumplings recipe that seemed perfect for the Dutch oven.  We prepped everything before I went outside to work in the woods around our property for the afternoon and started a fire to keep the children warm and ready some coals for the Dutch oven as well.

In the end dinner came out great and I figured that I'd pass along the recipe in case there are other Dutch oven geeks out there who would like to give this a try.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
• 3 Boneless Chicken Breasts
• Kosher Salt/Black Pepper
• 4 Stalks Celery - Chopped
• 4 Carrots - Chopped
• 3 Onions - Chopped
• 2 Tablespoons Fresh Thyme
• 2 Garlic Cloves - Chopped
• 2 Bay Leaves
• 2 1/2 Cups All-Purpose Flour
• 1 Tablespoon Baking Powder
• 1/2 Teaspoon Baking Soda
• 6 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter - Melted
• 3/4 Cup Buttermilk
• 2 Tablespoons Chopped Fresh Parsley Leaves

DIRECTIONS:

1. Heat the oil the Dutch oven over medium-high heat.  Season the chicken with ½ teaspoon each salt and pepper. Brown the chicken breasts, 4 to 6 minutes per side, then transfer to a plate.
2. Add the celery, carrots, onions, thyme, and garlic to the drippings in the pot and cook, stirring, until the vegetables begin to soften.  Add the chicken, bay leaves, and 10 cups water.  Bring to a simmer and cook until the chicken is cooked through, 25 to 30 minutes.  Discard the bay leaves and transfer the chicken to a plate to cool.  Shred the chicken and return it to the pot.
3. Whisk together ½ cup of the flour, 2 cups of the cooking liquid, and ¼ teaspoon each salt and pepper in a small bowl.  Slowly whisk the flour mixture back into the pot and simmer until slightly thickened.
4. Make the dumplings by whisking together the remaining 2 cups of flour, the baking powder, baking soda, and ¼ teaspoon each salt and pepper in a medium bowl.  Whisk in the butter, buttermilk, and parsley.  Drop spoonfuls of the mixture into the broth.  Cover and simmer until the dumplings are firm.  Serve sprinkled with parsley.

There are a couple things to consider when cooking with a Dutch oven.  First, this is slow cooking and this chicken stew and dumplings took over two hours from start to finish. 

Second, it's great to cook with wood but from the limited cooking I've done with the Dutch oven, I've found that it's better to use charcoal briquettes since they provide a heat that you can control and create more heat when and where you need it.  I went through a medium sized bag of charcoal while cooking dinner just to put it in perspective. 

Another thing that helped last night is that I made a triangle with large pieces of wood around the Dutch oven which held the cooking briquettes close to the cooking surface and gave me places on the backside of the wood to prep small piles of charcoal to use throughout the cooking process.

Cooking with Dutch ovens is a lot of fun and can create some truly wonderful meals.  What are your favorite Dutch oven recipes? 

Southern California Steelhead

This short but informative film is well worth twenty minutes of your Monday morning.



Check out the California Trout website for more on this and other conservation projects they have in the works as well.

JP Ross - Beaver Meadow Fly Reels

Jordan Ross of JP Ross Fly Rods & Co. emailed last week to pass along that their Beaver Meadow Fly Reels, which are made by Abel Reels, are on sale from now through the Christmas holiday.

Jordan wrote...  "I've been in business making custom small stream fly rods for over 15 years.  Recently they teamed up with Abel Reels to make the Beaver Meadow Reel.  This is a classic design and is based on the Abel TR Light fly reel.  It is ported on the back and had a solid spool and is reminiscent of old world machining.  This fly reel looks great on any fiberglass or small fly rod.  We also worked to have some very special colors made that really look great and will set your fly rod outfit apart from the rest. 

These fly reels are in limited quantities, especially in the color versions.  Look for new colors to be added soon with a blue and bronze arriving soon.

From today through Christmas, you can buy one of these fly reels and get 15% off the already low price of $199.95 of the Standard Black and Matte Black fly reels.  The color fly reels are priced at $325 and reduced to $276.25 each after the discount.  

Use promo code "TFMJPROSS" during checkout to take advantage of this sale."

Check out the JP Ross Fly Rods & Co. website for more information or to place an order.

Paul Puckett Limited Edition Prints

Artist Paul Puckett has had a lot of requests for prints of his recent sketches and updated his website last week with an array of 8.5 X 11 inch Giclee prints on heavy weight stock.  These signed limited edition prints are priced at $40 each.

A few examples of the available prints with others available on the Sporting Art of Paul Puckett website. 

I have a couple of favorites.  What are yours?

Check out the Sporting Art of Paul Puckett website for more information.  Follow along on the Facebook page as well for the latest studio updates.

Gear Review - Umpqua Deadline 3500

For the past several years I've been in the market for a do all wader bag.  I have a large luggage style wader bag that I've used for years but it's really to big to have in the back of the Element day in and out.  I have wanted a smaller pack that would hold waders, boots, and a few other small essentials but not take up a lot of space.

While at IFTD a couple years ago I got the first look at Umpqua's new line up of packs and bags and was most impressed with the Deadline 3500 as it appeared to be exactly what I was looking for.  I've been kicking around a Deadline 3500 for the past six months or so and it's more than lived up to my first impressions and expectations. 

The Deadline 3500 measures 24" X 14" X 8" and has a volume of 3,500 cubic inches.  The duffel is made with a tarpaulin front face and heavy duty nylon which looks and feels extremely durable.  Start to finish this product feels like a quality in all regards and it's obvious that it will be hard to wear this one out.

There are two large zippered wet/dry compartments are accessible from the backside of the Deadline 3500.  These compartments are designed so that the user can customize the spaces to fill their needs as fair as more wet space and less dry space or vice versa or 50/50.  You decide.

Wet wading boots have more than enough room and the polypropylene fabric is indeed waterproof keeping the other side and the rest of the duffel innards bone dry.

The real surprise with this duffel is how much interior room there really is as I can easily carry wading boots, two pairs of waders, and a raincoat inside the Deadline 3500 with room left over in the side and top pockets.

Typically I carry both wader pants and chest waders with me at all times since there is enough small water in the mountains of the southeast that if I can get away with pant waders than I'll wear them over chest waders any day of the week.  The heavy duty raincoat is just added insurance that I'll stay dry on a rainy day.

Something that is always an indicator to me on how fully a gear bag was designed and tested is the types of zippers and zipper pulls used.  The Deadline 3500 gets high marks here as the wet/dry compartments have large teeth zippers that are sturdy, corrison resistant, open and close with ease and have zippers pulls that are securely attached that making opening and closing this compartments a one finger operation.
  

The side and top/bottom accessory pockets have smaller teeth zippers with appropriate zipper pulls that are also easy to use.

Zippers may not be a big deal to you but they are a make or break a pack or bag for me most times.  If I can't get in and out of it with ease than I'd rather use another product that actually works.

Another high mark for the Deadline 3500 is in the wide nylon carry handles and lash points.  There are a total of four wide nylon carry handles on this pack along with backpack straps as well for carrying this duffel comfortably by hand or on your shoulders.  The integrated lash points come in handy for clipping or tying down the pack in the back of a truck, trunck, or rack for the trip to and from.

Included in one of the accessory pockets is a waterproof muck mat to make roadside wader changes a snap.  The muck mat is attached to the Deadline 3500 and folds flat into one of the side pockets still leaving room for other gear items as well.

The side zippered pockets of the Deadline 3500 are big enough to hold all the extras and there is room for several fly boxes, folding wading staff, various accessories, or a fly reel or two if needed.

Check out this video from Umpqua which highlights some of the features of the Deadline 3500.




The Deadline 3500 retails for $160 and is definitely worth the asking price for the functionality of this well designed wader wet/dry duffel bag.   

Check out the Umpqua website for more information on their growing selection of packs and bags.

Gear Envy - The Bozeman Reel Co.

I have been following The Bozeman Reel Co. from their first concept and CAD drawings from a few years ago and have held off saying anything about them since they just weren't ready yet.  Fast forward to the now and The Bozeman Reel Co. is (finally) unveiling themselves as a real player in the fly reel game.

The Bozeman Reel Co. is offering three different fly reel series that are designed, tested, and manufactured in Montana with prices that appear to be reasonable for a U.S.A. made product.  I am especially keen on the RS and SC series and look forward to seeing their future offerings as well.

Check out these following media links for more background on The Bozeman Reel Co.

MIDCURRENT PODCAST WITH DAN RICE
BOZEMAN DAILY CHRONICLE

Check out The Bozeman Reel Co. website and follow their story as it all comes together on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram as well.

Leiderman Rods - Kabuto Rods 7033

I think you would really be surprised at how many fly rods your favorite custom fly rod builder actually has in his own collection.  It seems all the builders that I talk to might have just a couple in rod tubes in the corner, and always intend on keeping more, but those fly rods usually end up sold in the end.

It's good to see Matt Leiderman of Leiderman Rods treat himself with this stunning Kabuto Rods 7033 build.  Matt's metal work is always impressive and his finish work flawless.

Matt wrote...  "Another fun rod that sat in various states of completion for probably six or eight months... again.  I finally finished this one up to add to my collection and it's my only Kabuto if you can believe it.  

I have a fondness for dainty seats and short grips on rods like this and intermediates never hurt either. My collection of three weights is growing.  I need to revisit my short/light rod phase of my youth because I can only imagine how fun these are to fish with..."

Check out the Leiderman Rods website for more information and follow along on the Facebook page as well since Matt is keeping that up to date with his latest build photos and shop information.

Tying Senyo's Slim Shady

You should know by now that Greg Senyo's swing patterns rock and I'd say he's a snappy dresser too.



Check out the profiles on Greg Senyo on Midcurrent if you haven't.  Two articles and both a great read.

More genius on the Steelhead Alley Outfitters Fly Tying Blog website and on Facebook as well.

The Greenbacks - 1 of 750

The Greenbacks have launched an Indiegogo project and need your support to preserve the last remaining pure strain greenback cutthroats of Bear Creek in Colorado.



This is a very worthy project that will concentrate it's efforts on a trout species that is thought to number at just 750 in the wild. 

Visit the 1 of 750 website and the Indiegogo page for more information and to make your contribution to this project.

DeYoung's Pumpkinseeds

The Year of the Bluegill is winding down and I wanted to share a couple paintings that Derek DeYoung did this year of the ever vibrant pumpkinseed.  I am always kind of amazed that these fish swim in sweetwater instead of the salt.

Check out Derek DeYoung's website for more of his work and a bunch of holiday gift ideas as well.

BEHIND THE SCENES

Loon Outdoors just released a new video which highlights their mission as well as those that work within the company.



It all comes down that Loon Outdoors makes great products made with the environment in mind and there are good peeps that work there. I've always been impressed and appreciate their support of T.F.M. over the years.

Visit the Loon Outdoors website for more information.  Follow on Facebook, Twitter, Vimeo, and Instagram too. 

The Contemporary Sportsman

The latest issue of The Contemporary Sportsman has been live for a bit now but worth a look if you haven't leafed through it yet.

CHECK IT.

Fly Fisherman - 2014 Gear Guide

The Fly Fisherman Magazine 2014 Gear Guide will be showing up at bookstores and on newsstands this week and I also wanted to call your attention to a feature article that I wrote for this issue on fiberglass fly rods. 

It was an honor to be asked to participate in this issue with words and a couple photographs.  It's also pretty neat to see my first full length feature article in print as well.  Thank goodness for a good editor (Ross Purnell)...

The 2014 Gear Guide is packed with solid information on all the fly fishing offerings that will be showing up in your local fly shop in the coming months along with a quite other feature articles covering subjects like trends in women's fly fishing gear, to SUP kayaks, and there is also a chance to win a custom Abel Reels "Steal Your Face" fly reel as well.

Check out the Fly Fisherman Magazine website for the full run down on the 2014 Gear Awards and pick up the Gear Guide off the shelf this week.