I can't remember a spring that was more anticipated than this one and as of last week friends up north and out west were still getting snow. Heck, we were in the 40's overnight this past weekend which is a little late for those kind of temps around here as well. I was looking forward to spring but maybe I need to be wishing for summer.
Here are few springtime favorites that I've picked as essentials as we move into the summer this coming weekend with Memorial Day.
BELL'S BREWERY OBERON
Growing up in Michigan, the robins in the yard was our first sign of spring. Fast forward thirty some years and seeing a robin or three are great, but when Oberon is getting bottled up I know it's truly spring.
This is a stellar summer seasonal wheat ale from Bell's Brewery and you can bet I've always got a six pack in the fridge or in the YETI Cooler on ice.
EAGLE CLAW FEATHERLIGHT FLY RODS
Have you been reading T.F.M. for some time now and want to know what glass is all about? Try a Featherlight. Have a child or friend that you want to get into fly fishing? Try a Featherlight. Want a fly rod to bang around in the back of your car for those just in case situations? Try a Featherlight. Kind of a cheapskate and think fly fishing is too damn expensive? Try a Featherlight.
These fly rods are just plain fun and nothing says spring like a foam spider or popper and bluegill on a Featherlight.
Look for these timeless gaudy yellow sticks at your local hardware store, sporting goods shop, or just order one from the T.F.M. Store. I've got all three models in stock.
GRAND TRUNK GOODS DOUBLE HAMMOCK
A couple years ago we purchased our first nylon double hammock, which was soon followed by everyone in the family getting their own, and I can't tell you how many times we have spent a warm spring afternoon with all of them hung between the trees for nap time and relaxation. These lightweight hammocks are stuffed into their own pocket for storage and easy to carry along for an impromptu hammock session.
This is definitely one of those pieces of gear that you didn't know how much you needed until you have one. There are several companies that offer nylon hammocks but Grand Trunk Goods gets extra credit points for offering their Double Hammock with rope kit included which only makes sense to me.
HOWLER BROTHERS TALISMAN FLEECE
Looking for the perfect lightweight and packable fleece for cool nights around the fire or morning drift boat runs looking for redfish tails in the grass? Give the Talisman Fleece a good look. This waffled tech fleece a great layer that is available in three color choices. Consider this an essential layer to anyways have around.
PATAGONIA ISLAND HOPPER SHIRT
I wear a lot of button up shirts and a personal favorite is the Island Hopper. This relaxed fit poly/cotton mix shirt is lightweight and perfect for warm spring and summer days. Reach through chest utility pockets are great for tucking away your mobile phone and even better for a fly box. These shirts are always offered year to year in a couple different patterns as well as solid colors. This shirt is offered in both short sleeve and long sleeve as well.
SCIENTIFIC ANGLERS SHARKWAVE FLY LINES
There is a lot of tech that goes into the design and making of a fly line and the wizards at Scientific Anglers got things right with the new SharkWave series of lines that they started rolling out a couple of months ago.
I have been fishing prototypes and early release lines from this series since last summer and have been extremely impressed. These lines make a little noise through the guides but are wonderful fly lines to fish with.
The Ultimate Trout has been a great match with most of my glass fly rods and the GPX is a solid choice for some of the quicker taper S-Glass fly rods like the Epic fly rods too.
SIMPLE FLY FISHING
This book is more or less being dubbed a book on tenkara but it's so much more than that with quite a bit of knowledge shared from Yvon Chouinard, Craig Mathews, and Mauro Mazzo in it's nearly 150 pages. Easy to read chapters, beautiful photography, and excellent illustrations make for a wonderful book and one that should find it's place in your fly fishing library.
TRUEFLIES MANASOTA CHINO SHORT
The longer that I live in South Carolina the more I like the coastal style in clothing and the Manasota Chino Shorts have become one of my favorites. These are a comfortable cotton twill short with a nine inch inseam and an embroidered TrueFlies shrimp on the left leg that is a cool touch. Order a size up if worried about fit.
WILLIAM JOSEPH CINCH
It's been a couple years since William Joseph has released anything new but they recently unveiled five new packs with the Cinch grabbing my attention as a small utility pack that can be worn several ways and has enough capacity to toss in a couple fly boxes, tippet spools, and tools for some time on the water. Anglers that are looking for a small lightweight pack option should give this one a hard look.
YETI COOLERS RAMBLER TUMBLER
We have a stack of plastic tumblers around but the new YETI Rambler aces all of them for keeping hot hot and cold cold. I've been using this stainless steel double-wall tumbler just about every morning for the past couple months and amazed that it keeps my coffee burn your tongue hot if you're not careful for well over an hour. Ice in a drink stays cold for hours. Kind of amazing.
The Rambler is offered in two sizes (20 ounces and 32 ounces) and well worth having a couple around for coffee, tea, juice, beer, or mixed drinks and should be available at your local YETI dealer.
What are your spring essentials? Drop a comment below and let me know.
DISCLAIMER - Items for this post were either purchased at full retail price, on an industry discount, or provided free of charge to demo and review by the respective company. It should be known that any product that is reviewed on this website is one that I have used and would recommend for others to use as well.
Here are few springtime favorites that I've picked as essentials as we move into the summer this coming weekend with Memorial Day.
BELL'S BREWERY OBERON
Growing up in Michigan, the robins in the yard was our first sign of spring. Fast forward thirty some years and seeing a robin or three are great, but when Oberon is getting bottled up I know it's truly spring.
This is a stellar summer seasonal wheat ale from Bell's Brewery and you can bet I've always got a six pack in the fridge or in the YETI Cooler on ice.
EAGLE CLAW FEATHERLIGHT FLY RODS
Have you been reading T.F.M. for some time now and want to know what glass is all about? Try a Featherlight. Have a child or friend that you want to get into fly fishing? Try a Featherlight. Want a fly rod to bang around in the back of your car for those just in case situations? Try a Featherlight. Kind of a cheapskate and think fly fishing is too damn expensive? Try a Featherlight.
These fly rods are just plain fun and nothing says spring like a foam spider or popper and bluegill on a Featherlight.
Look for these timeless gaudy yellow sticks at your local hardware store, sporting goods shop, or just order one from the T.F.M. Store. I've got all three models in stock.
GRAND TRUNK GOODS DOUBLE HAMMOCK
A couple years ago we purchased our first nylon double hammock, which was soon followed by everyone in the family getting their own, and I can't tell you how many times we have spent a warm spring afternoon with all of them hung between the trees for nap time and relaxation. These lightweight hammocks are stuffed into their own pocket for storage and easy to carry along for an impromptu hammock session.
This is definitely one of those pieces of gear that you didn't know how much you needed until you have one. There are several companies that offer nylon hammocks but Grand Trunk Goods gets extra credit points for offering their Double Hammock with rope kit included which only makes sense to me.
HOWLER BROTHERS TALISMAN FLEECE
Looking for the perfect lightweight and packable fleece for cool nights around the fire or morning drift boat runs looking for redfish tails in the grass? Give the Talisman Fleece a good look. This waffled tech fleece a great layer that is available in three color choices. Consider this an essential layer to anyways have around.
PATAGONIA ISLAND HOPPER SHIRT
I wear a lot of button up shirts and a personal favorite is the Island Hopper. This relaxed fit poly/cotton mix shirt is lightweight and perfect for warm spring and summer days. Reach through chest utility pockets are great for tucking away your mobile phone and even better for a fly box. These shirts are always offered year to year in a couple different patterns as well as solid colors. This shirt is offered in both short sleeve and long sleeve as well.
SCIENTIFIC ANGLERS SHARKWAVE FLY LINES
There is a lot of tech that goes into the design and making of a fly line and the wizards at Scientific Anglers got things right with the new SharkWave series of lines that they started rolling out a couple of months ago.
I have been fishing prototypes and early release lines from this series since last summer and have been extremely impressed. These lines make a little noise through the guides but are wonderful fly lines to fish with.
The Ultimate Trout has been a great match with most of my glass fly rods and the GPX is a solid choice for some of the quicker taper S-Glass fly rods like the Epic fly rods too.
SIMPLE FLY FISHING
This book is more or less being dubbed a book on tenkara but it's so much more than that with quite a bit of knowledge shared from Yvon Chouinard, Craig Mathews, and Mauro Mazzo in it's nearly 150 pages. Easy to read chapters, beautiful photography, and excellent illustrations make for a wonderful book and one that should find it's place in your fly fishing library.
TRUEFLIES MANASOTA CHINO SHORT
The longer that I live in South Carolina the more I like the coastal style in clothing and the Manasota Chino Shorts have become one of my favorites. These are a comfortable cotton twill short with a nine inch inseam and an embroidered TrueFlies shrimp on the left leg that is a cool touch. Order a size up if worried about fit.
WILLIAM JOSEPH CINCH
It's been a couple years since William Joseph has released anything new but they recently unveiled five new packs with the Cinch grabbing my attention as a small utility pack that can be worn several ways and has enough capacity to toss in a couple fly boxes, tippet spools, and tools for some time on the water. Anglers that are looking for a small lightweight pack option should give this one a hard look.
YETI COOLERS RAMBLER TUMBLER
We have a stack of plastic tumblers around but the new YETI Rambler aces all of them for keeping hot hot and cold cold. I've been using this stainless steel double-wall tumbler just about every morning for the past couple months and amazed that it keeps my coffee burn your tongue hot if you're not careful for well over an hour. Ice in a drink stays cold for hours. Kind of amazing.
The Rambler is offered in two sizes (20 ounces and 32 ounces) and well worth having a couple around for coffee, tea, juice, beer, or mixed drinks and should be available at your local YETI dealer.
What are your spring essentials? Drop a comment below and let me know.
DISCLAIMER - Items for this post were either purchased at full retail price, on an industry discount, or provided free of charge to demo and review by the respective company. It should be known that any product that is reviewed on this website is one that I have used and would recommend for others to use as well.
4 comments:
Cam ....
Thanks for the shout out for Oberon. Bells has a limited release right now of Two Hearted and Oberon in pint cans. I'm on the Au Sable now and having one in the day pack for the mid stretch break is awfully nice.
Will check out the Cinch too. Thanks...jack.
I was thinking of checking out "Simple Fishing" from my library the other day, but thought that it was just a primer for Tenkara. I'll have to go back and take a look at it.
Cameron, can you give a little comparison between the WJ Cinch and the Vedavoo sling? Trying to find a sling that is a bit smaller than my Orvis guide.
Thanks,
Jeff
Jack...Oberon in the pint can is legit. I had some last weekend.
Joe...check it out and let me know what you think.
Unknown...the Cinch is smaller and not as versatile as the Vedavoo Tightline Sling Pack. Tough to beat the Vedavoo...
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