Fly Fishing Features

Here in Washington, not only are we under a stay-at-home order but even if we venture out, we can’t fish. All state lands are closed, and the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife has closed ALL hunting and fishing seasons until further notice. So anglers have plenty of time on their hands this spring. Fly […]

Sage Trout LL rod & Trout reel designed for dry fly fishers In recent years, most fly rod designers have focused on stiffer, faster, more powerful casting rods. This season, though, Sage engineers took a step back to address the needs of the traditional dry fly anglers who pursue trout. The Sage Trout LL rod […]

A lot of companies sell products labeled as “Pro” gear but few of those products truly meet the needs of professionals. Fishing guides, pro anglers, fisheries biologists, and riparian scientists are professionals who spend hundreds of hours each month in waders and wading boots, plunging through cold rivers and water bodies. Orvis’ design teams considered […]

  Sitting in the Boise Airport for the second long day, I realized my long-anticipated adventure on the Middle Fork Salmon River wasn’t going to happen. Wildfire smoke from Canada and Oregon has swirled over the entire Pacific Northwest and that smoke obscured the wilderness airstrips in the river canyon enough that pilots couldn’t land. […]

After nearly 30 years of reviewing outdoor gear, I’ve seen far too many “new” product designs that merely make modest changes to a previous design.  But once in a while, someone comes up with something totally new and ground-breaking. Such is the case with Trxstle and their Convertible Rod Carry system (CRC). This unique product […]

Personal Floatation Devices (PFDs) serve a valuable primary purpose, but all too many PFDs function only that single purpose. Anglers, however, tend to already wear vests of packs loaded with other gear and accessories, so adding another single-use vest doesn’t make sense. Fortunately, some PFD makers understand that fly fishers who fish from rafts, kayaks, […]

In building the Helios 3 rod series, Orvis’ designers engineered a rod that damps tip vibrations without affecting the rod’s power and flex. It’s earned Gear of the Year honors (Men’s Journal) and it’s my pick as Best Ever Trout Rod. Our team of testers found the Helios 3F was more accurate and sensitive than any […]

The Thomas & Thomas Avantt is the lightest fast action rod I used in 2017, yet it also proved to be one of the strongest in terms of fighting power and casting distance. The Avantt proved to be my  favorite rod from early 2017, knocking off some great products from Sage, Scott, and G.Loomis. The […]

Fish Camps, 21st Century Style On the Rainbow Road: Camping near trout The numbers are easy. Four states. Seven rivers. Two thousand, five hundred and eighty three miles. Countless fish. The total value of our road trip, though, can’t be measured. For two weeks, three of us – my wife, our yellow lab, and me […]

Beat the winter blues with this gifts   Whether rewarding your closest friends and family or yourself, giving gifts is one of the best ways to lift the mid-winter blues. The follow items are ideally suited to fly fishers, and any angler would love them — including you! Native Eyewear Women’s Ashdown, $119 Women represent […]