YOU PICK: Fly Rod & Reel Fall Cover

We pick covers at Fly Rod & Reel democratically, but I wanted to toss out a few potential covers to the Angler’s Tonic brethren. I’m looking for you to pick your favorite. Just comment to let me know. We may or may not go with one of these images but it would tease the interior content. Just try to picture it with the FRR logo on the top and a code on the bottom right. Have fun with it. Continue reading

Posted in Culture, Industry, Photography | Tagged | 17 Comments

Igloo’s Yukon Cooler. Better than Yeti?

I know Yeti coolers are all the rage in fishing and hunting, and that Yeti spends an advertising budget rivaling Apple’s promoting their merits, but I wanted you to know there are other options for keeping your food fresh and your cold ones icy for extended periods of time, meaning from a week up to 14 days.

In July, I visited the Igloo booth at the ICAST/IFTD show in Las Vegas and talked to their representatives about cooler design and functionability. And what I learned is that Igloo’s Yukon Cold Lockers line is the equal of Yeti, if not technically more sound. And how did I come to that conclusion? Igloo had sliced their coolers and Yeti’s in half to show Continue reading

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OWAA Hires Schoonen to Communications Post

A little local love to throw out here. OWAA is a great organization and a solid place for people getting into outdoors writing to meet brethren and gain valuable contacts. Whether you live in Missoula or elsewhere, and you want to write outdoors pieces, or sell outdoors photography, get in touch with these people.

MISSOULA, Mont. – The Outdoor Writers Association of America announces the hiring of Jennifer Schoonen as the organization’s publications editor.

Over the past 20 years, Schoonen has worked Continue reading

Posted in Industry, Montana, Northern Rockies | Tagged | 2 Comments

Alaska’s Arctic Char and Peanut Butter

My hands were frigid in the icy Alaskan river, and things weren’t looking good for this finned, anadramous, Arctic char. Several minutes ago, swinging a 7-weight spey rod, heavy tip, and weighted flash fly, I dredged up the chrome toad, fifteen plus pounds, and fresh from the salt. After a fairly short fight, five minutes max, I carefully put the meat to him Continue reading

Posted in Absinthe Lounge, Alaska, Culture, Northwest, Spey | Tagged , , | 5 Comments

Beating Summer’s Fly Fishing Doldrums on the Beaverhead

August isn’t always the best month for fly fishing in the northern Rockies and recent stream closures around the state, including full restrictions on some portions of the Big Hole River, support that notion. However, if you just put a rod in the rack and don’t take a chance, you could miss out on some awesome fishing during a nice time of the year. For instance, if you’ve always thought, I should fish southwest Montana’s Continue reading

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I don’t usually post job openings but being in Denver and working for this forward-thinking shop would be a good gig for a lot of people. Trouts is one of the best shops in the country and they have moved forward, through technology and ideas, to embrace fly fishing’s retail future. While many shops are flailing, Trouts is rising. Check out the job descriptions and give these guys a shout if it sounds appealing. Lots of fish-heads to hang with and lots of on the water opps would come up with this position, I would image.

Trouts Fly Fishing is looking for a Full-Time Sales Associate to join our dynamic team of fly fishing subject matter experts. The Full-Time Sales Associate position at Trouts Fly Fishing requires a passion for the fly fishing lifestyle and an outgoing personality that Continue reading

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Trouble on British Columbia’s Dean River

I spent some time fly fishing the Dean River for steelhead a few years back and it was one of the greatest experiences of my life. Magnificent scenery, chrome-bright and rocket-fast steelies taking Pick-Yer-Pockets and skaters, and great camp life at BC West.

Today I’ve been getting letters from several people noting a serious decline in steelhead and salmon abundance. And they think they know why. If you have any interest in reading about one of the top two or three steelhead fisheries on the planet, and how it is in peril, do it right now and respond, if you would, to the authorities who make management decisions in this beautiful coastal region of British Columbia.


From April Vokey
Good afternoon,
For those of you included in this email who I don’t already know Continue reading

Posted in British Columbia, CANADA, Conservation, Culture | Tagged , , , , | 6 Comments

RIO Pike/Musky Lines and Leaders

If I had any plans to fish musky or pike in the near future, I’d be stocking up on RIO’s pike/musky line and their pike/musky leaders, which are a combination of heavy mono and wire with a metal clasp to secure them to the eye of the hook. The leaders have a mono loop that attaches to the fly line, which Continue reading

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Best Products From the IFTD Show

A little belated here, but I thought all of you would want to know who won awards at the ICAST/IFTD show held in Las Vegas in early July.

IFTD New Product Showcase Winners: Continue reading

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Tactics for Tricos

I penned this story years ago but it remains relevant. Tricos are out on many western rivers right now, including the Clark Fork and Bitterroot in my backyard, and on the Missouri a couple hours away, so get out there early and test yourself during this great hatch of tiny bugs.

 

The diminutive trico—also known as the “white-winged curse”—causes more Continue reading

Posted in Flies, Idaho, Montana, Northern Rockies | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment