Grip Studs are single point carbide tipped studs with an auger style bit. The result is sticky traction, incredible durability and studs that don't fall out. Simply put, they're the best studs I've ever used.

Here's more . . .

Continue reading 1000 Day Gear Review: Grip Studs — Unmatched Traction for Wading Boots at Troutbitten.

How can we keep our stuff with us, make it easily accessible and not be slowed down or fatigued by extra weight? Answer: Carry the heavy things on your hips.

Most anglers focus on whether to choose a chest pack, vest, sling pack, hip pack, lanyard or something else. We think of carrying fly boxes, tippet, leaders and other incidentals. But what about the net? What about water, a wading staff, a camera or anything else with extra weight? Carrying these items should not be a secondary consideration. As the heaviest things among your gear, how you carry them is of primary importance.

The heavy stuff is best carried on your hips, so the most critical part of your carrying system is probably the wading belt. And most wading belts are not up to the task.

Continue reading VIDEO: Wading Belt Carrying System at Troutbitten.

In the short term, reeling with the casting hand might lose fish. But in the long term, it encourages poor line maintenance principles.

In this article I give a lot of thought to the various inefficiencies and handicaps that hurt when reeling with the casting hand . . .

Continue reading What Hand Should Turn the Fly Reel? at Troutbitten.

I've revamped the Troutbitten Recommended Gear Pages to reflect not only my current favorites, but the preferences of the guys whom you've also come to know through the podcast: Austin, Matt, Bill, Trevor and Josh.

So here are our favorite rods, reels, boots, waders, packs, vests, lines, leaders, tools, jackets, layers, vises, books and more . . .

Continue reading Recommended Gear Pages Updated! Also With Troutbitten Crew Favorites at Troutbitten.

Skwala takes the minimalist approach seriously. The Carbons are high-end waders, built from the ground-up with mobility, comfort and toughness at the forefront.

The Skwala Carbon waders are a workhorse for the die hard angler.

Here’s a closer look at the best (and worst) features of the Carbons, as I see them, from bottom to top . . .

Continue reading 100 Day Gear Review — Skwala Carbon Waders at Troutbitten.

Who among us cleans our waders with enough frequency to maximize the long term durability that we believe we’ve paid for? Very few. So I asked my friends from every prominent wader building company. How should we care for them? Here are their replies . . .

Continue reading Critical Wader Care — Advice From the Companies Themselves — How to Wash and Dry Your Waders at Troutbitten.

Fly fishing gear breaks down. Waders leak, boots fall apart and pack zippers fail. The stitching at the seams of all this stuff takes a lot of abuse, so how long can it hold up? How well is it built?

The 100 Day Gear Review Series on Troutbitten takes a look at how gear is performing after the century benchmark. The Orvis Pro Wading Boots have outperformed my expectations. They are light but extra-solid. They are durable, comfortable and have excellent support in all the right ways. These are great boots . . .

Continue reading 100 Day Gear Review — Orvis Pro Wading Boots at Troutbitten.

What’s the best way to carry your gear? Should you use a vest, a chest pack, hip pack, sling pack or something else? We have more choices than ever before, but it pays to think about efficiency when selecting a carrying system. Because a big part of being versatile on the water is having easy access to whatever you need, right when you need it . . .

Continue reading PODCAST: Vest, Pack or Something Else? Carrying Your Gear — S7, Ep8 at Troutbitten.

No matter what we’re into, there’s a time when the learning of skills reaches a critical mass, when it’s time to do rather than read more about it and buy more gear.
. . .There’s a time for learning. There's time for preparation. And then there’s time for doing — for putting all of it into practice, making the casts, covering water and catching fish . . .

Continue reading When Gear Gets In the Way at Troutbitten.

Choosing the right indicator is the first step to setting up and effective system. Balance between indy and weight is the key.

Continue reading Your Indicator Is Too Big at Troutbitten.