Articles

Gear we love right now: February 2021

What's working on (and off) the water

by Hatch Magazine - Thursday, Feb 25th, 2021

The Smith Caravan MAG sunglasses with ChromaPop Bronze Mirror (installed) and ChromaPop Ignitor (spare) lenses (photo: Chad Shmukler).

Fly anglers are overloaded with gear choices—rods, reels, boots, waders, lines, packs, bags, boxes, vests, apparel and more. It seems harder and harder to know what's worth coveting and what's worth ignoring. Gear reviews are a great way to explore in-depth what might be right for you, but not every piece of gear is suited to a full-length review and, even if it were, there's simply too much of it to get to. With that in mind, we periodically showcase what's working for us right now, to hopefully offer more helpful feedback on gear that's worth a second look.

The long list of things we don't know about bonefish just got shorter

New study reveals remarkable details about bonefish spawning behavior

by Chris Hunt - Tuesday, Feb 23rd, 2021

An Abaco Island bonefish (photo: Chad Shmukler).

The first time I ever hit the tropical flats — armed with my finely tuned small-stream trout cast — I didn’t catch a single bonefish. Not one. But my failure started me on an odyssey that will likely never end. Chasing bones on the flats, from the Bahamas across the Caribbean to the Mayan Riviera, might be my favorite fly fishing pursuit.

And damn my luck for it.

Dead skunks don't lie

Skunks are modern, tragic harbingers of spring

by Johnny Carrol Sain - Monday, Feb 22nd, 2021

Photo: Brad K. / cc2.0

Prior to Snowmaggedon here in the South, the drive into town had turned into an obstacle course. I’d jerk the steering wheel this way or that to avoid some hapless, already flattened critter, or a live one doing its level best to avoid that grisly fate. Roadkill typically peaks at this time of year as warming temperatures tempt hibernating and semi-hibernating animals out of their dens and puts them on the move for various reasons. What I’ve noticed on the road more than anything else are dead skunks, and dead skunks don’t lie. Dead skunks are the modern and tragic harbingers of spring.

The 2021 Fly Fishing Film Tour kicks off

The 15th anniversary tour includes films from a dizzyingly diverse array of destinations both near and far

by Hatch Magazine - Sunday, Feb 21st, 2021

A scene from the film 'Tetiaroa' (photo: Josh Hutchins).

The 2021 Fly Fishing Film Tour (F3T) kicked off this week with the release of its compilation "stoke reel," online ticket sales, and more. This year marks the 15th anniversary of the iconic, nationwide fly fishing film festival. F3T 2021 will be screening its slate of a 12 feature films and 7 shorts virtually, beginning on March 10 and ending on April 4.

Do Marine Protected Areas make a difference?

A new study suggests that MPAs can yield significant benefits for regional fisheries

by Chris Hunt - Monday, Feb 15th, 2021

Photo: California Sea Grant / cc2.0.

Commercial fishing interests and even recreational anglers often bemoan the political creation of Marine Protected Areas around the globe, but the science suggests these sea-life sanctuaries benefit regional fisheries and those who pursue fish for food or for recreation.