Fly Fishing Film Tour 2015 - Project Healing Waters Edition

Looks like a sell out.  Hope to see you there. 

FlyFish Mag at IFTD--Part 1

Sure, I'm as distracted as the next gal about all the jazz, beads and feather boas glimmering at us from the future. In a year from now we'll be recovering from IFTD 2011 in New Orleans; telling our trade show tales with spent voices, squinting at blurry phone pictures to figure out who flashed us, and saying over and over, "One fish, two fish, redfish, redfish."

But today I'm still happy to be stripping in the good times and great gear found at IFTD 2010 in Denver September 9-11.

First off--here are some immediate things that caught my attention:

• An AAFTA board member asked my honest opinion on how to make fly fishing less exclusive
• Logo changes for Redington and Sage
• People introduced by their Twitter handles ie: @troutscout @kyleindenver @roughfisher @midcurrent @deneki @fbrglssmnfsto @fishykid @fethastyx @tundralove @flyfishpro @outsidehilary @iftd
  
• Ross F1 Reel Series
• Free Moose Drool (Made in Montana)
• Not even close to free internet access (Made in NEVERland--as in, I ain't never payin'! )
• Watch out fishy men--the polite, capable and informative fishy kid Tyler Befus could do your job if he was legally old enough
• Tough-guys-turned-art-aficionados standing in line to have their copy of The Drake autographed by Derek DeYoung

Here are some pics from the points above:






Tomorrow I'll be breaking down the features of some of the show's top products, including those from Ross, Sage, Redington, Buff, R.L. Winston, Big Sky Inflatables, fishpond, Smith Optics and more.
And I'll explain why the Ross F1 Series is my "Best of Show" choice.
Hilary

Hassan's 18 lb Wiper

Ali Hassan of the Denver, Colorado Hassans, taunts us with yet another picture of a massive white bass / striped bass hybrid (Wiper). This one was caught on a road trip to Nebraska during a time when he probably should have working and not fishing. Ali tells us that he had no luck until he took extreme measures to match the hatch by catching some of the local baitfish in his landing net.

On another note Ali is now FlyfishMagazine.com's official Survival Editor. He will soon be providing us with an article on lessons learned in the wild during his recent trip. Lesson one will be no matter how thirsty you might be, don't ever drink lake water even if Bear Grylls says its OK to do so if you squeeze it through your shirt first.

Bonus points for the offspring shooting the Victory sign. Based on the cuteness of the kids we can only say that Ali must have a very lovely wife.

There can be only one...

Here is how Denver's two dueling consumer fly shows stack up according to a Denver Post Article:

THE FLY FISHING SHOW
Location: Denver Merchandise Mart Pavilion
Show hours: Jan. 4, 10 a.m.-6 p.m.; Jan. 5, 9 a.m.-5:30 p.m.; Jan. 6, 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
Cost: $15 adults at the door, $24 two-day, $32 three-day, $2 children younger than 12. Also, Jan. 5 family day, $2 parents and all children younger than 16, $24.
FEATURED ATTRACTIONS
Casting and demonstrations: Gary Borger, Mike Lawson, Dave Whitlock, Joe Humphrey, Charlie Meck, Doug Swisher, Lori Ann Murphy, Rick Hartman, Wendell Ozefovich.
Adventure theater: Jake Jordan, Jack Gartside, Joe Daniel, Matt Supinski, Jim Klug.
Fly-tying theater: Various performers.
Fly-Fishing Team USA: George Daniel, Lance Egan.

vs.

AFFTA FLY FISHING EXPO
Location: Colorado Convention Center
Show hours: Jan. 4, 11 a.m.-7 p.m; Jan. 5, 10 a.m.-7 p.m.; Jan. 6, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
Cost: $15 adults at the door, $36 three-day, $5 ages 10-15, children younger than 10 and Boy and Girl Scouts in uniform admitted free.
FEATURED ATTRACTIONS
Casting demonstrations: Bob Jacklin, Bob Clouser, Lefty Kreh, Jerry Siem, Rob Kolanda, Cathy Beck, Landon Mayer, Simon Gawesworth, Riley Cotter, Devin Olsen.
Destination seminars: Bob Rafferty, Kreh, Jacklin, Janice O'Shea, Patricia Edel, Barry Beck, Bob Popovics, Char Bloom, Jacklin, Mayer, John Barr, Ryan Anderson, Eric Anderson.
Destination Colorado seminars: George Schisler, Mayer, John Duncan, Scott Graham, Barry Reynolds, guides of Anglers Covey, Greg Felt, Bill Dvorak, Kirk's Fly Shop, Anthony Naranja, Olsen.
Fly-tying: Clouser, Charlie Craven, Popovics, Brady Hanson, Mark McMillan, Dennis Collier, Greg Garcia, Chris Schranz, Bill Searles, Tony Spano, Dan Ziegman, Nick Jones, Neil Leuhring, Brian Kuchyna, Jack Duerson.
Team USA Fly-fishing: Naranja, Mike Sexton, Pete Erickson, Scott Robertson, Norm Maktima, Josh Stephens, Olsen, Loren Williams, Cotter, Kolanda.

Is this a battle that will carry over to other US cities? It seems doubtful that room exists for two shows catering to the same niche audience in many other US cities. The upside is that with both of the shows being set for the same dates, fly anglers won't have to set through the same slide shows twice.

FFR Show or Bust

Most likely as you read this the wife and I will be crammed into a tiny tin can of an airplane on our way to the mile high city where we will be taking part in the Fly Fishing Retailer Show. The wife is in charge of all things fly fishy fashion while I will do the grunt work of drooling over the latest and greatest fly fishing gear. We plan on live blogging the event to the best of our ability and net access so watch for semi-regular postings about our adventures. Let us just say that the show's tag line "tie one on" does not always relate to fishing flies.

One of the highlights of the show is always the Blogger and Beer Safety meeting at the Patagonia booth. Instigated by our pal B2 from Moldy Chum, the event makes it possible for us to hang out with many of our favorite Internet characters. We might even get the opportunity to share a slaw dog with the blogger we most want to be like when we grow up,Tom Chandler of the Trout Underground. This gathering is one of the first we will be attending and I think the intention of the "safety meeting" is to prepare us for the many malt beverages to come during the three day event.

Post FFR frivolity one of the wife's friends has loaned us the use of his alpine cabin near Estes Park. Our intention is to attempt to unwind from the stress of the event while spending some much needed time with each other. When we planned the trip I told the wife that I would be spending quite a bit of time looking for "green backs." However, I am not quite sure she understood that I was talking about a cutthroat trout.

Stay tuned for more reports from the field.

45 Days and Counting

It's only 45 days until we begin our in depth coverage of the 2007 Fly Fishing Retailer Show from Denver, Colorado. Thanks to some influential industry friends, and incriminating photos from last year's parties, we will once again be bringing you news on all the new gear and trends in the world of fly fishing.

The show's organizers did however make us promise not to attempt a back cast with a 14 foot rod at the spey pond again this year. Having learned our lesson, we will abide by their rules. Watch for more info as the days tick down.