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.

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.

Honestly, getting a kid on the river is the important part. And the gear is incidental to the experience. But I’ve done this long enough to know that a few selected gear items can make all the difference. And I’ve seen my kids take amazing strides in their fishing and simple enjoyment with a better pair of boots, a more suitable rod, or a new pair of gloves . . .

Continue reading Choosing Fishing Gear for Kids — Waders, Boot, Rods and More at Troutbitten.

When a big part of your life is fishing, how you carry fishing gear is a big deal. The Simms G3 Guide Vest starts with a classic design and modernizes it in all the best ways.

With a stacked layout, molded pockets, bulletproof materials, dual front closure, a unique collar and massive rear storage, the G3 is built for fly fishers.

The G3 is the versatile angler’s perfect, efficient carry-and-access system . . .

Continue reading 100 Day Gear Review: Simms G3 Guide Vest at Troutbitten.

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 . . .

Continue reading Pack or Vest? Why I’m a Vest Guy at Troutbitten.

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 . . .

Continue reading 100 Day Gear Review: Orvis Pro Waders at Troutbitten.

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 . . .

Continue reading Gear Review: Simms Bulkley Wading Jacket at Troutbitten.

We were deep into summer, with high August heat, hot sun and heavy humidity. Sawyer and I walked past the switchback at the halfway mark. We were hiking two miles back to the truck, emerging from the canyon after a long and productive day of fooling fish.

This kind of summer heat drives most anglers away from their favorite trout streams. However, in the cold waters of this limestone region, our wild trout eat all year long.

. . . And I was miserable in the heat. Yes, we were wet wading, but the long walks in and out, the hiking and getting around out of the water was really uncomfortable. At least, it was for me . . .

Continue reading Things that are good: Simms Solarflex Shirts and Gaiters at Troutbitten.