** Note ** Links for buying the Smith Creek Rod Rack are after the video and at the end of this article. (Your support is appreciated.) Transporting a fly rod is not as straightforward as it may seem. But it can be. For many of us, our preference to keep the fly rod...
Articles With the Tag . . . Recommended
VIDEO: The Only Way to Carry a Wading Staff
A few years ago, I wrote a Troutbitten article about rigging and carrying a wading staff. I do things a little differently than most anglers, and I believe that a wading staff carried this way helps everyone, regardless of their wading ability. That article continues...
Choosing Fishing Gear for Kids — Waders, Boot, Rods and More
From the time they could walk, my sons have fished with me. Early on, the actual fishing taking place out there was minimal, sure. But they were on the river, holding trout, breathing the air, feeling and learning what we all love about the woods and the water. As a...
Wet Wading Gear and a System for Fly Fishers
** Note **Â Links for wet wading gear are in the second half of this article Did you know that breathable waders breath most effectively underwater? Fun fact, right? The permeable membranes pass water vapor best when there's a significant temperature difference...
Pack or Vest? Why I’m a Vest Guy
As river anglers, everything we need now and we might need later accompanies us when we leave the truck. Our gear must transport with ease or we won’t bring it. And it must store with convenience, or we won’t use it. The vest solves these two directives better than any other system . . .
Fly Shop Fluorocarbon too expensive? Try InvizX
Seaguar Invizx has become my go to fluorocarbon tippet material, and some of my Troutbitten friends do the same. It’s thin, strong and flexible with excellent handling and flex. Invizx is as good as some fly shop brands and better than many others. And because the type of tippet we use is not what catches trout, I don’t overspend on tippet . . .
100 Day Gear Review: Orvis Pro Waders
Orvis built a pair of waders that have lasted one-hundred hard days on the water (and counting) — with no leaks or seam failures. That is impressive. I’ve owned waders from all the major brands, and I’ve never come close to this kind of durability in waders before.
Here’s what’s good and bad about the Orvis Pro waders . . .
Fly Fishing Gear: What to Spend On and What to Skimp On
Boots, traction, waders, tools, pack, vest, fly rod, flies, hooks, tippet, fly reel, fly line, net.
What fly fishing gear matters and what doesn’t? Here’s a list of where to invest your money and where you can save a few bucks.
How to pick a fly reel — And why I choose the Sage TROUT
These are the qualities I think all good trout reels should have: durability, smooth drag, large arbor, counterbalance and a sweet sound. There are also a couple of extra things that tight liners and euro nymphers need in a reel. We need a full cage design with easy, reliable spool removal. Here’s an article that gets into all of that and more. And here’s why I really like the Sage Trout fly reel.
Gear Review: Simms Bulkley Wading Jacket
Weather be damned. We’ve come a long way from your grandfather’s yellow rain slicker. The Simms Bulkley insulated wading jacket is the perfect cold-weather fishing coat. And after spending about a hundred days in it over the last year, I can tell you why . . .