The opening line in Norman Maclean’s classic, A River Runs Through It, is perhaps the most memorable distillation of the inherent passion behind angling: “In our family, there was no clear line between religion and fly fishing.” Anyone who has been around fly fishermen knows the pursuit is more addiction than hobby.
Thus, it won’t come as a surprise that fly fishermen choose their gear with the same care that they select their fishing waters. A fly rod and reel, a waterproof backpack, duffel bag, shirt or a pair of boat shoes isn’t chosen solely for its functionality. To devout fly fishermen, buying gear is an opportunity to state clearly to the world: I know the secret of what lies beneath…and how to catch it…with a dry fly.
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While all fly fishermen are bound by that fundamental truth, anglers come in two basic dispositions—those who spend their lives fishing familiar waters and those who are forever in search of new destinations and challenges. For the latter with perpetual wanderlust, there is a whole category of gear just for them and nothing says you love them more than these selections.
Fishpond Grand Teton Rolling Duffel
Grand Teton Rolling Duffel
Courtesy of Fishpond
I knew this company when it could have been called Little Fish in a Big Pond, an unknown enterprise that created a better travel duffel. Now they are a force in the fly fishing community—with scores of products ranging from fly boxes to waterproof bags and backpacks to fly fishing vests, rod cases and nets—to say nothing of all manner of must-have accessories.
Grand Teton Rolling Luggage
Courtesy of Fishpond
Along the way, however, the company grew up and, as all great companies do, they became a force for good. For the Colorado-based Fishpond company, it is about saving the wild where anglers and fish meet, that intersection of existence that makes the dance all worth it. By making a statement and taking a stand, Fishpond has become far more than the makers of high quality, inventive products for fly fishermen. Instead, the brand asks those who believe in healthy rivers, lakes and oceans to join their tribe and save the places that our kind can’t live without. “We are friends of our wild places far away, and those in our own backyards,” says the tag attached to most of their products.
If you want to tell others you’re a member of that tribe—especially in airports across the globe—nothing does so better than the Grand Teton Rolling Duffel. It’s a fish camp in a bag. In addition to hauling boots, waders, nets, shirts, vests, rods and reels, the 35-inch tall, lightweight duffel with multiple compartments is uber tough because it’s made of a proprietary fabric with ballistic fabric accents in high abrasion areas. And did I say it’s handsome to boot?
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Huk Icon X Refraction Camo Hoodie and Brewster Print Shoes
Huk Icon X Current Camo Hoodie
Courtesy of HUK Gear
If there’s one company that’s hooked the fishing world, it’s Huk (pronounced hook). Take a look at their apparel and accessories and it’s easy to see why. The first thing that you notice about their shirts isn’t that they look good, it’s that the people in them look good. Any ripped gym rat shines in all shirts, but the way Huk designs their technically advanced apparel, the Double Pony Polyester fabrics they use and the clever print patterns they employ tends to give Dad bods a boost…and I’m ok with that.
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Huk hat
Chris Dorsey
And beyond their extensive line-up of angling favorites—from rain gear, pants and boxers to hats, gloves and gaiters—they offer some of a traveling angler’s most comfortable shoes. The Huk Brewster is an easy slip-off model that is ideal to buzz through TSA checkpoints as well as stand on the bow of a flats boat scanning for bonefish. The shoe comes in many colors, but Refraction Storm just screams, I’ll see you on the water.
The Huk Brewster
Chris Dorsey
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Premium Technical Fly Fishing Rod & Reel Travel Case
Courtesy of Sea Run Cases
It’s a simple question, what case are you going to trust thousands of dollars of rods and reels to as you head to the Amazon for peacock bass or Belize for permit or the Seychelles for bonefish? For those that have used the hand-crafted Sea Run Fly Rod Cases—there are many models—the answer is obvious. Sea Run cases hold four to five, four-piece rods, up to six fly reels or fly boxes, are TSA compliant and are the lightest weight, most durable cases on the market—period. The Italian company has more than 40-year’s experience making cases for premium firearms that often cost as much as many homes. When your rods and reels absolutely, positively have to be there in one piece, there’s one sure choice.
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Bajio Nippers Sunglasses
Courtesy of Bajio Sunglasses
Bajio’s line of high performance glasses are both stylish and practical whether you’re casting to tarpon or taking a stroll on a beach. The frames are made of a low-density, bio resin and its wide, curved lenses provide enhanced field of vision with polarized lens technology that blocks blue light and diminishes eye strain on the brightest days. Despite being lightweight, they’re stronger than heavier models and provide impact resistance as well in case your buddy gets carried away with his back cast.
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Simms Bugstopper Fishing Shirts
Bugstopper Fishing Shirt
Courtesy of SIMMS
From the Montana-based maker of some of the world’s best fly fishing gear—where they know a thing or two about fish…and bugs—comes the ultimate bug-off shirt. Simms makes an extensive line of premium men’s and women’s fly fishing and adventure apparel, gear and accessories, but I’ve worn their shirts for many years because they’re well-made, fit beautifully and, in the case of the Bugstopper line, keep me from being devoured by mosquitoes…and that means more time on the water.
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Backpack Dry Bag
Courtesy of Filson
If you’ve ever walked through Filson’s Seattle store, you know a lot of what the brand is about is staying dry and warm in all manner of weather. That’s the mantra of most fly fishermen that call the North Country or Pacific Northwest their home, which is why you see so much Filson worn anywhere rain, snow and ice is common.
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Their new dry bag, however, is something of a technical leap from the traditional wax cotton and wool materials that comprise most of their outerwear. It’s made of 840-denier nylon tarpaulin fabric that is coated with thermoplastic polyurethane—as they say, water simply cannot penetrate it. The pack was developed with extensive feedback from serious fishermen and hunters and has all the features to make it comfortable to carry with even heavy loads.
