Articles

Review: Waterworks-Lamson Speedster HD reel

A look at Lamson's ultra-large arbor update to its Speedster line
Photo: Christopher Dickey

“A fly reel’s job is to just hold line.”

You’ve probably heard that a thousand times. In most cases, that’s true. If you fish mountain streams where a nine-inch brookie is a trophy, playing fish from the reel isn’t a common occurrence. And you’ll never see your backing. But if you play in the salt, or anywhere else fish are measured in pounds and not inches, having a capable drag system can mean the difference between landing fish and burnt palms.

Book him, Dano: Words for a rainy day

Thoughts on three stellar fly fishing books
Artwork by Deanna Camp, from The Search for Elusive Trout.

One of the perks of being a fly fishing writer is that I occasionally receive books from other folks looking to share their work with me. Sometimes those books are anthologies, or “how-to” efforts, or guide books, while other times they’re filled with essays or personal observations or humor. Regardless, it can be a real treat to see how different people view the world of fly fishing. So here, without further ado, are three worthy titles that have crossed my threshold and caught my attention.

A legit way to fish

Getting bit by the wading bug
Photo: Kris Millgate

“I bet that guy is staring at you because you’re pretty,” says my son.

Since I haven’t brushed my hair, I bet that guy isn’t staring because I’m pretty. He’s staring because we’re minorities. Woman with child. No man among us. There’s no way we know what we’re doing.

But we do.

I efficiently back in my truck with the only Idaho license plate on this dirt road. Locals lose the Henry’s Fork of the Snake River to tourists in the summer. I’m parked between Utah and Washington. Texas two rigs over.

Patagonia's new Foot Tractor wading boots take top honors at IFTD 2018

See the winners for best new rods, reels, lines and other gear
Patagonia's new made-by-Danner Foot Tractor wading boots (left).

This year's IFTD (International Fly Tackle Dealers) show came to a close last Friday in Orlando, Florida. The culmination of the show's exhibits is the the 'Party at the Pond' where the winners for best products in more than 30 different categories are announced, as well as product that stands out above all as the "Best of Show" This year, Patagonia's new wading boots—a collaborative product with iconic boot maker Danner—walked away with the big prize.

Came so far for beauty

An appointment with an endangered species
Karner Blue Meadow State Natural Area (photo: Joshua Mayer / cc2.0).

I came so far for beauty,
I left so much behind.
—Leonard Cohen

I planned to make a night of it, fishing brookies on the sparkling upper river early in the evening then dropping down to a deeper, slower stretch after sunset in the hopes that Mr. Hex might appear—and that Mr. Big might join the party. I knew where the heavy brown lived and if anything could induce him to slide out from beneath his canopy of brush it was a hatch of Hexes, the biggest, juiciest mayflies on the continent.

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