Articles

Over the dunes

Sheepshead on the flats of South Padre Island

by Chris Hunt - Thursday, Feb 13th, 2020

Dunes on Texas' South Padre Island (photo: Stuart Seeger / cc2.0)

One fruitless day spent walking up and over mountains of sand on South Padres Island wasn't enough, apparently. Or at least that was the prevailing mood. Honestly, though, I think we were just stubborn. I think we believed, deep down, that if we didn't give it every ounce of effort, we were short-changing ourselves and, by extension, the adventure we'd embarked upon a few days earlier.

The right tool

The job must be a real one, not an excuse to use the tool

by Tom Hazelton - Thursday, Feb 6th, 2020

Photo: Tom Hazleton

The tool need not be new, nor heirloom, nor name-brand. It need only be right for the job.

And the job must be a real one. Not an excuse to use the tool.

Legs burning, steam pumping, heart working at a healthy-feeling pace beneath layers of merino wool and fleece. Layers that are constantly revised to avoid sweat or chill. Zippers open or closed, orange hat ear flaps turned up or pulled down.

Months after Dorian, Grand Bahama and Abaco are back in business

Both islands ravaged by Hurricane Dorian are welcoming tourists back to fish healthy, uncrowded waters

by Tom Rosenbauer - Wednesday, Feb 5th, 2020

Photo: Tom Rosenbauer

I’ve had a long love affair with the Bahamas and with Grand Bahama Island in particular. I’ve spent many days exploring its vast bonefish habitat—from the lush, food-rich north side with its mangrove abundance to the snotty bones that prowl the achingly clear beaches on the south side. I’ve made friends. And so I agonized, sitting in the comfort of my green little bubble in Vermont, while Hurricane Dorian pummeled the Grand Bahama—especially the East End, where the storm hovered with winds of over 150 mph on September 2^nd—and stubbornly refused to move on.

Review: Aquaz DRYZIP waders

Can these zip-front waders from lesser-known Aquaz compete with offerings from more recognizable brands?

by Spencer Durrant - Tuesday, Feb 4th, 2020

Photo: Bridger Lyons

In fly fishing – and the outdoors in general – we highly value what our friends and mentors think of the gear we use. I’d wager that more gear – rods especially – is sold based off a recommendation from a friend, than any number of reviews or ads.

That’s how I first heard of Aquaz. I was fishing with Mike James (the head guide and owner of The Quiet Fly Fisher in Loa, UT) and commented on the Aquaz waders he was wearing. I’d never heard of the brand, and it’s rare for me to see guides in anything other than the big name brands.

Skunked and sated

How should we define fishing success?

by Todd Tanner - Saturday, Feb 1st, 2020

Photo: Todd Tanner

I fished this past Saturday, and again on Sunday. It was cold — mid 30s — and every once in a while the skies, which were dark and threatening, decided to dump rain on me. Rain, of course, has no place in Montana in January when, by all rights, the precipitation should be white. Still, rain is what we had.