For those of you who have it all, meaning total gearheads like me, you might want to pick up the new Yeti Brick bottle opener which, if you add wheels, can double as a personal defense tank if we ever get invaded. To get one, however, you have to wait until tomorrow, when they officially go on sale.
This thing is solid, overbuilt for sure, but that brings on the possibilities. Constructed of cast stainless steel, and weighing 3/4th Continue reading
Old days, with the Mooseman, Wind Rivers, Wyoming
If you watch this video and you’ve fished high-mountain lakes in past years, you’re going to say one thing at the end: I should do that but my window is running short. And by saying that, you’d be right.
High-mountain lake fishing—meaning the entire experience—is vastly overlooked. The fishing can be phenomenal, the exercise and hiking are great, camping out and cooking in the mountains is a fun challenge, and the scenery is unbeatable. Period.
It’s also an outing that’s restricted by spring, fall and winter weather, meaning your only windows are during summer and early fall. And even in early fall you can get shut out. That happened to me one year Continue reading
I love this debate, which is back in the forefront with an article from Outside magazine (see below): Do fish feel pain?
Come on. I ‘ve heard this nonsense, over the years, that fish don’t feel the sting of a hook. And I’ve always responded to that declaration with this: Then, why do they jump so high?
I am a big Nirvana fan, but Cobain had it wrong when he screeched, “It’s ok to eat fish because they don’t have any feelings.” Fish feel pain. That’s clear. You ever see how they react when you nick one with a gaff? They go batshit crazy. To me, the argument isn’t whether fish feel pain or not. The point is, it doesn’t matter if they feel pain or not because without anglers pursing them they wouldn’t even exist. There’d be no economic advantage allowing the politicians I vote for to stave off consumptive interests that would bulldoze and pave every inch of a riverbank for the development of subdivisions and personal Continue reading
I can’t ignore landscape. I’m even impressed when driving through the “holes” that other people can’t stand, including eastern Washington, eastern Montana, all of North Dakota, and southern Manitoba. All beautiful in my eyes, as long as you use your eyes to pick out the particulars of each place.
That’s what I was doing in Alberta this past Continue reading
I’m not one to let a drink sit long, and rarely will a Tonic get warm when I’m on the watch, but these new Yeti Rambler Lowball cups are pretty sweat. I tried them out over the weekend on Montana’s Rock Creek (um, no, I didn’t see any spruce moths on the water, why would you even ask?), in sweltering heat and I can now report that they’ll keep rum, whiskey, vodka and gin as cold as can be for as long as it might take you to swill your drink. And you’ll have plenty of time to Continue reading
I think most of you know that Angler’s Tonic and Fly Rod & Reel aren’t my only gigs. In fact, I write for many publications, a few being the New York Times, Sporting Goods Business and, recently, the Boone and Crocket Club. But one of my longest standing relationships has been with Big Sky Journal, a beautiful, glossy regional that finds its way into Montana’s finest homes. And it gets most of the state’s best writers to contribute. Whether I Continue reading
Put yourself in the final scene of this vid and you’ll see why I placed it here for you to see. Again, it’s almost August, these fish are moving in soon. This is another reminder to get those shooting heads in order and organize your tips.
I’m always following The Bonefish And Tarpon Trust’s efforts to save habitat and some of our favorite fish through research and outreach. And this recent info is pretty fascinating. Read on to learn what a 45 pound tarpon, caught and tagged in the lower Keys, did during the month following its capture. —GT
BTT began to acoustically tag tarpon this past May in an effort to expand on knowledge of tarpon habitat use and movement at different life stages. We just received report of the first tarpon detection from Continue reading
From the Freshwater Trust and Columbia Sportswear. Worth listening to the perspectives and the various reasons we all love to fish. And I never get tired of seeing central Oregon’s landscape. Also, this is a reminder that summer/fall steelhead season is here, and the Deschutes is one of the best places to hit during the early season.—GT
It’s The River That Binds Us – A Staff Story from The Freshwater Trust on Vimeo.
Fall can be busy but this may be worth fitting into the schedule, especially if you are vested in the well-being of trout.
Trout lovers from around the world who are passionate about trout and cold water will be convening in Bozeman, October 2-6, 2016 for the first ever International Trout Congress. The Congress will follow Trout Unlimited’s national annual meeting. The Congress is a seminal event celebrating trout and the passion they inspire around the world. Arguably no other freshwater species has had more impact on art and literature, conservation science, the global economy, and the human condition. This first-of-its-kind event will be held in Bozeman, Montana in the shadow of Yellowstone National Park and in proximity Continue reading