Articles

The Fly Fishing Show kicks off its 2023 tour

The annual bonanza of fly fishing gear, seminars, films, and more will visit six U.S. cities

by Hatch Magazine - Saturday, Jan 21st, 2023

Photo: Ben Furmisky.

The Fly Fishing Show kicked off its 2023, six-city tour yesterday in Marlborough, MA. For many anglers, the show is an annual pilgrimage—one where they can ogle, shop for, and even try out new gear; take in seminars and presentations on everything from casting to fly fishing travel; meet celebrity fly tyers and watch them at their craft; lay their hands on for hard-to-find fly tying supplies; and much more.

Fly rods for beginner and intermediate anglers

Tempted to go fast? It might be best to slow down.

by Todd Tanner - Tuesday, Jan 17th, 2023

Photo: Todd Tanner

As a fly fishing writer, as well as a fly fishing and casting instructor, one simple question seems to keep popping again and again.

“I want to buy one rod for my fly fishing. What’s the best overall trout rod?”

The standard response from long-time fly fishing industry members is actually pretty simple.

New fly fishing gear: January 2023

Fresh gear to start the year

by Chad Shmukler - Thursday, Jan 12th, 2023

The new Patagonia Swiftcurrent Men's Wading Jacket (photo: Bryan Gregson).

Each year, after the holiday season is behind us all, many anglers start peering ahead. Ahead roughly, say, three or four months—to the somewhat rapidly approaching new fishing season. Or, if you’re a dedicated wintertime angler or live in parts of the country that remain hospitable to anglers throughout the entire year, fishing season never ends.

Giving a nod to both groups, manufacturers are rolling out new wares for the coming year. With rods, reels, waders, fly tying gear, and more, there’s plenty to pore over. Here are a few of this month’s highlights.

Sage intros new SALT R8 fly rod series

Sage's latest flagship saltwater series debuts with 9 brand-new models

by Hatch Magazine - Tuesday, Jan 10th, 2023

Photo: Dylan Schmitz.

Sage announced today its latest flagship rod series, the Sage SALT R8. The new series will replace the venerated SALT HD in Sage’s lineup. Leveraging Sage’s new R8 technology that the celebrated brand introduced last year with its freshwater R8 CORE series, the SALT R8 aims to utilize materials advancements to offer fresh advantages to saltwater anglers.

Southern smallies

An in-depth look at genetically unique smallmouth bass in Oklahoma

by Rob McConnell - Monday, Jan 9th, 2023

Photo: Rob McConnell

The distant sounds of clanking metal and the crunching of gravel under truck tires alerted us that someone was coming down the forest road. We glanced up from the task of packing our camping gear and fly rods into our canoe and kayak as a logging truck barreled out of the tree line, coming to a screeching halt in the middle of the bridge that spanned the small river. A cloud of dust billowed out from behind the truck, washing over the cab and softly settling around us. The door opened with a loud and piercing squeak as a forester climbed out of the cab.