Gear: MacWet Climatec Gloves

Recently I received a pair of MacWet gloves to test drive. These light weight gloves come billed as "equipped for grip" and are popular with shooters and equestrian sportsmen. The gloves are form fitting, comfortable and have a tactical feel. They are definitely not intended for extremely cold temperatures, nor are they waterproof (as evidenced during a recent snow shoveling adventure), but if you need keep hold of anything from a fly rod, MP5 sub machine gun, or the oars of your favorite drift boat, these will do the trick.

All grip, no slip. That is the mission statement of these fantastic MacWet Climatec ® long cuff sports gloves. For sports where a good grip enhances your performance wear these maximum grip Macwet gloves. 100% great grip, even in the wettest weather, these gloves are ideal for golf, horse riding, watersports, shooting, fishing, cycling and even paragliding, to name a few activities. The long gloves finishes just above the wrist and has a thick elasticated cuff which uses a durable Velcro strap for a secure fit. The ideal glove for any sporting activity where a good grip enhances performance: MacWet Climatec ® long cuff sports gloves.

These gloves will be a permanent addition to our fishing pack and will most likely find the most use during mild spring and fall fishing trips. They are available from various retailers including Amazon.com via this link:

Macwet Men's & Women's 1 Pair Long Climatec Sports Gloves 6 Green

MSRP around $49.

Gear Review: fishpond Tundra Tech Pack

When fishpond mentioned they were sending me the new Tundra Tech Pack to test this fall, I got all Pavlovian. Who knew I could drool so much?! And when I got it out for an overnight on the Bitterroot River near Missoula, Montana, it didn't disappoint. The Tundra Tech Pack is a great piece for short backpacking trips. Fishermen know it's a pain to stuff your fly pack into your regular backpack...and no one likes to hike in a vest with accessories banging around. The Tundra keeps everything contained in well-considered compartments.

There is enough room in the 1525 cubic inches of storage space to fit all the overnight gear you need. (But not quite enough room for more than two nights unless you're an expert at minimalist camping.) The removable chest pack can clip on to the back of the pack when you're hiking and to the front when you get to the river. And, it completely separates from the pack so you can leave the big gear at camp and just wear the front pouch while you're fishing. The backpack's molded back and internal frame make it very comfortable and easy to haul heavy gear. There's a 100 oz hydration reservoir, a d-ring to attach your net, and a loop for a wading staff. If you're a smaller-sized fisherman, you'll have to cut quite a bit of length from the tightening straps...they come long enough to fit around any fisherman's keg-sized belly. The large mesh pocket on the outside of the pack is great for letting wet wading socks air out as you hike.


There are two internal rod sleeves that are the perfect size for 4pc rods, but I don't think it's deep enough for a 3pc. I chose not to bring the rod case, just to save on weight and room...but my 3pc stuck up too high and I kept hitting the rod on branches as I bushwhacked to the river.


The fishpond Tundra Tech Pack is a great solution for anyone who likes to keep their gear organized and contained as they hike into high mountain lakes or streams. I know the picture above doesn't make the pack look like it holds a lot, but I have a one-man tent, camping pad, food, water, hat, gloves and emergency supplies in there.

(The chest pack is sold separately as the Deep Creek for $79). MSRP: $239
Available Now

http://www.fishpondusa.com/

Gear: Switch Vision's Magnetic Interchangeable Lens System

The first thing that I will say about Switch Vision's new sunglasses with their "Magnetic Interchangeable Lens System" is that they do not, under any circumstances float. More about that later. The second thing is that they most certainly do solve a problem faced by fly fishers who need to be able to spot fish in varying light conditions.

When I go fishing I generally start early and end late in the day. This means fishing in light conditions that run the gamut from morning fog, bright mid-day sun, to the low light conditions of dusk, all the while still trying to spot fish and appreciating the help and protection that good quality polarized lenses provide. I have found dark gray lenses to be an excellent choice for bright days casting in the tropics or even bright days on a small stream but in my opinion amber lenses which allow more light into the eye are much better for spotting trout on small blue line streams winding their way through dense forest canopy. Since most of us don't want to lug around two or three different pairs of sunglasses, interchangeable lenses that are easy to switch out on the water make sense.

Switch Vision has come up with a unique answer to this problem by creating a lens changing system that uses tiny yet powerful magnets to secure the lenses to their frames. The magnets hold the lenses firmly in place but also allow for a very quick change. The replacement lens literally jumps into the frame when you get it close. A lens change to a new color takes less that 5 seconds to complete.

In our sample set, the polarized lenses provided excellent clarity and vision was comparable other premium sunglasses I have worn. Weight was slightly heavier than other glasses with polycarbonate lenses. However they were still lighter than their counterparts equipped with glass lenses. I found the frames to be comfortable and the wrap around style did a great job of keeping light from seeping in at the sides of the frames.

The standard Switch product offering which retails for $249, comes with no less than three pairs of lenses. However only one pair in the set is polarized. Fishermen will want to create their own package with their choice of lenses. Two sets of polarized lenses in your choice of colors along with a low light amber non-polarized pair will run you $334, still comparable to the price of other premium brands with only one color option. The lens options come in their own individual "pods" which protect them and easily fit into the pocket of a fishing vest for quick access. One item we found odd was the lack of a hard case for the glasses themselves. Most brands at this price point come with a case but Switch includes a bag that doubles as a cleaning cloth. We wouldn't let this keep us from purchasing a set though as it is easy enough to pick one up at your local drug store.

Back to the part about them not floating, I discovered that fact when I inadvertently flung our sample set into a local black water lake while swatting at a large wasp with my hat. No amount of dredging the bottom brought them back to the surface. Switch Vision sunglasses with their innovative magnetic lens interchange system are available in a variety of styles from various retailers or via www.SwitchVision.com. Prescription lenses are also available. If your vision needs include the ability to adapt different lenses to different lighting conditions these innovative glasses are an excellent option.

Undercover FlyShop Vist: LL Bean Retail Store

Our latest surreptitious fly shop visit finds us sneaking around the inside of an LL Bean retail store. The store, located in Southern, New Jersey, also happens to be the only source fly fishing gear within easy reach of my temporary residence in Cherry Hill, NJ. Since the bulk of my fishing and fly tying gear packed in boxes in a warehouse somewhere, I was glad to find a place to pick up a few flies.

As expected, the bulk of the store's square footage is devoted to men and women's clothing. While the Editorial Trophy wife picked up a few bargains from the clearance rack, I proceeded to the fly fishing section located at the back of the store.

I wasn't sure what to expect when it came to the fly shop, but I must say that I was pleasantly surprised at what I found. The shop carries a good selection of both trout and saltwater flies at normal retail prices along with a fair selection of rods from both LL Bean and other well known makers. I noticed a section of "pre-rigged" reels and "grab and go" bags of leaders, tippet and etc at what seemed like a good price and fit the bill for the angler who planned poorly and ended up with all his gear locked in a moving van.

It has always been said that the Editorial Trophy Wife had eyesight issues an eye for value, after all she did marry me. However, she outdid herself on our first trip to LL Bean, when she noticed a orange Clearance sticker on a Sage 9 weight fly rod. Since one of the upsides of my move North is the chance to fish the Salt, I wasn't able to pass it up. I won't divulge the price we paid but lets just say it pays dig through the clearance rack when you visit an LL Bean store. They had a bit of an issue locating the rod tube to go with my new prize but it all worked out and I was smiling when I left.

The staff at this location was friendly and knowledgeable and even took a bit of interest in some guy running around the fly shop snapping pictures with a camera phone. I explained that I was a blogger and in what must be a sign of the times, they simply nodded and went about their business. The location offers classes and has a FFF certified casting instructor on hand as well.

The question of the day came when a gentleman, who seemed to be new to the sport walked up to the counter and asked the equivalent of "what are they biting?" " If you could only buy one fly, what would you buy?" This caused a bit of debate among the other staff and customers. I managed to get some odd looks when I chimed in that "if you could only afford one fly, you should probably stick to garden hackle." I'll be back to visit our local LL Bean in the near future. I need to make friends with the Manager as I noticed what looked to be a carp or two cruising the pond beside the store....

Orvis' Fly Fishing Reports and Conditions Website

As a fly fisher, blogger, and person who uses the intertubes for most of my news and information, I have always thought that it would be great to offer fishing reports via the web. To that end, I even set up a section of FlyfishMagazine.com for said reports. I thought for certain that shops and guides would love a chance to post their reports and even sweetened the pot by giving them full blown ad space in exchange for their efforts. However, try as I might it never really took off.

It always went the same way. I'd meet someone in "the biz" give them a card and let them know that they could post reports on my site complete with their contact info and even a sales pitch if they so desired. Most thought it was great (save one shop owner who looked at me as If I were crazy and then told me he was out of strike indicators), posted one or two reports, then were never heard from again. I am sure they just forgot it, got fired from the shop they worked at (this actually happened), or just had more pressing matters at hand than recording their day on paper for me. Nobody wants to read last week's fishing report so things never really took off. I often considered that, to make such a site work, it would have to be handled by a major industry player with a ready made relationship to hundreds of fly shops across the country.

Enter Orvis into the mix with a full featured report section for their website. Their current click able map shows reports available from more than 30 states nationwide with many of the states having reports from several rivers within their boarders.

A quick click on The Old North State reveals reports for three of our favored rivers. From there click on the Davidson River and you get a report from David Hise of Caster's Fly Shop, dated 7-06-2009 that tells us not only how good the fishing is, but also water conditions, weather forecast, hatches, must have flies (click to buy), and even the recommended tippet size to use. A click on our all too soon to be stomping grounds of New Jersey and Pennsylvania reveals plenty of information that gives the traveling fly fisher a head start when visiting an area (or in my case relocating).

One thing that I found to be of interest was that aside from the URL for the site, there is very little that brands it as an Orivs offering. While you can find the Orvis name, if you look closely, and you can navigate to the page from the Orvis website, it is not at all evident unless you click a link or read some fine print.

Overall the Orvis fly fishing reports and conditions site does a great job of providing reasonably up to date content about many fisheries across the country. Be sure to check it out for yourself.

Fly Fishing Reports & Conditions for United States, Canada and Mexico

Christmas in Mexico-No luggage

We spent this Christmas in sunny Mexico on the Mayan Riviera thanks to my little brother John. He treated the whole family and there were nineteen of us at the fantastic Mayan Palace all inclusive resort. The rooms were great. The food was great. The drinks were great and plentiful. There was only one small problem. Our luggage didn't show up for three days. It was on a tour of Mexican airports, and arrived three days late, partially destroyed, and so dirty that I think it was delivered on donkeys.

The reason for this posting has nothing to do with fishing. It is all about my experience with my Exofficio travel gear. I arrived in Mexico wearing an Exofficio air strip lite shirt(pictured)Exoffficio zip off pants and Exofficio give and go underwear. Other than a swim suit and a tank top that I got from my brother, that is all I had to wear for three days. Exofficio advertises that all you have to do is rinse the clothes in the sink, roll them up in a towel, stomp on them, and hang them up to dry. That is what I did, and my family was amazed. The shirt and shorts dried in a few hours and looked like they came out of the dryer. My wife wore my shirt when I wasn't wearing it and was so impressed that we bought her three when we got back.

I told my friend Sven at Exofficio that I would field test some gear for him and report back; so Sven we were all impressed. Our staff is always willing to field test all types of gear and give our honest opinion and in this case Exofficio gear gets a big thumbs up.

Gear: Cabela's Fly Tying Desk

Fresh out of college, getting a new piece of furniture more than likely included opening a carton and spending a frustrated hour or two trying to decipher assembly instructions that were no doubt written by the one semi English speaker in the piece's village of origin. Now, later in life, and having the ability to occasionally shop at stores where the furniture is already put together and delivered by men with trucks, I tend to avoid he particle board and hex fasteners. For this reason, I was somewhat skeptical when I discovered Cabela's Fly Tying Desk with "some assembly required."


When I found the large carton on my doorstep the first thing that I noticed was that one corner was rather mangled. As this normally does not bode well for the contents of a package, I was already expecting the worst. However, upon opening the box, I found that the ample packing material had taken the brunt with not even a scratch on the contents. A quick unpacking revealed the instruction sheet (not many words - mostly drawings) and the dreaded bag of hardware. I also noted happily that the sides, drawer, and desktop were all pre-assembled.

The desk itself is made of solid oak and assembles with small Phillips head lag screws that thread into a barrel nut that is inserted into pre-drilled holes. The base comes together by attaching the drawer supports to the side panels and the top attaches to the base with wood screws and dowels. It all comes together rather quickly into a very sturdy package. No fly tyer wants to wrap thread on a wobbly platform. (Hint: have a short Phillips head screw driver on hand when you attach the top to the base as clearance is tight between the top and the drawer supports.)

The drawer, which has removable dividers, fits snugly into the base and the drawer pulls complete the package with decorative flies burned into them. A final tightening of the fasteners and then covering the holes with oak plugs and you are done. The desk is unfinished so it can be stained to fit your decor but it is attractive enough in its natural state to make this step purely elective on your part.



The verdict? The Cabela's Fly Tying Desk (the MSRP is $179 but it has been on sale for as low as $159 in the past) is a sturdy piece of furniture that gives good value and performs well for the fly tyer who is looking for a compact work station and who wants to get their tying station off the kitchen table. In the case of the desk that I received, the tolerances were tight and the pieces went together without difficulty.

With dimensions of 40.5" H x 25"W x 14" D this desk is not well suited for the production fly tyer nor for the angler wishing to store large amounts of material away from the prying eyes of his or her spouse. It will however, make a nice addition to the tying area of your home.

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Gear Review- Smith Optics Interlock Sunglasses

I finally got to wear my new sunglasses out on the water. It was a trip to Mosquito Lagoon in Titusville, FL with Capt Bryan Pahmeier. The shades are light and comfortable and fit my giant cranium nicely. With the amber lenses I was able to spot fish easily in the clear water. I didn't change lenses because the only other color I have is a yellow lens that I am not going to bother with except for driving in low light conditions.

The only small concern I had was that the lenses seemed to be loose from the frames when I first took the glasses out of the cases. I am assuming they got smooshed a little bit in my gear bag. A simple snap and they were back in. Some different color lenses to try out on different color bottoms and different clarity water would be a good addition, but otherwise the glasses are of high quality. I am pleased with them.

Smith Optics Interlocks are available from www.SmithOptics.com Suggested retail price $149.00

New in the Review Que

Flyfishing for everything but trout.

DVD Review: The Search Tahiti

Ask any dedicated angler and they will most likely tell you that no matter how good the fishing is where they live, they have spent some time pouring over maps looking for new water to try. The Search Tahiti from Gin Clear Media tells this same sort of tale as it chronicles the story of a group of fly anglers who set off from their home waters in trout rich New Zealand on a search for big bonefish on virgin salt flats.

Most fly fishers would take a map or a rumor and venture to drive a few hours in search of promising fishing. However, how many would hop a freighter to French Polynesia's 120 remote islands in search of a new fishery? (if our wives would let us and money wasn't and issue maybe a few more of us.) Throw in razor sharp coral heads, the fact that food and water are almost non-existent, and sharks that have seen so few people that they simply think of them as more food and you begin to get an idea what they are up against.

The scenery is beautiful and the film does a great job of giving you a sense of both the area and the culture of the islands. It also does not pull any punches or allow any illusions that this kind of exploratory fishing does not come with the very real risk that you could travel a great distance only to come up empty in the bonefish department. I like the part where the angler who planned the trip worries what his buddies might do to him if they go all that way only to find no bonefish. I can only think what my fishing com padres might consider.

I won't spoil it for you but they do find the bones and when all the moving parts come together they end up in a pristine lagoon that lends itself to the feeling that these might just be the first anglers to ever cast a line in its waters.

Other highlights not to be missed include fly fishing off of the back of a coconut boat and an excellent look at ongoing research into bonefish genetics. Be sure not to miss the "trout strike" short in the special features. It will ring true with any trout fisher who has tried their hand in the salt.

"The Search Tahiti" from Gin Clear Media runs 63 minutes and is available via their web store for NZ 49.90 (that's around $35 US) including a 28 page photo booklet.

Next in the review queue

Showing soon in the FlyFishMagazine.com corporate screening room, a dispatch from the islands by way of New Zealand. "The Search" from Gin-Clear Media.

DVD Review: Sporting Fly - Madison River

The anglers at Sporting Fly sent us a copy of their latest "reality style" destination video about the waters of Montana's Madison River. This video from Sporting Flyo's might best be described as allowing the viewer to ride along with host Dave Long and Director Rob Pontello, as they fish the Madison River. On this trip we get to spend some quality time with several famous Montana fly fishers, including guides Bob Jacklin and Craig Matthews. These pros give some excellent tips that would assist anglers of any skill level.

This is a reality style video, and true to the format, we get to see fish both hooked and missed and also caught and lost. Slippery fish are released in some pretty acrobatic, albeit inadvertent ways, sometimes going flying through the air and back into the water. Often this is followed by the refrain, "That's one way to release a fish." I was glad to see that this happens to other anglers and not just me.

During a float trip there is no attempt to indicate that our hosts and their guides have the river to themselves, but rather they go out of their way to show that the river is used by lots of anglers and that heavy use of the river doesn't have an adverse impact on the fishing. It also gives host Long a chance to talk about river etiquette both while rowing and while using the river bank.

The big fish moment of this video comes when Bob Jacklin is shown landing a 10lb brown trout which he considers to be one of the largest ever caught on the Madison. How the host addresses the fact that Jacklin elected to keep the fish to hang on his wall is well worth watching and it shows these guys aren't afraid of talking about controversy.

Overall I would say that this DVD is a great look at one of the nation's top trout rivers. The hosts do an excellent job of letting us tag along on their fishing trip and we get rewarded with great scenery and a feel for what fishing the Madison river is like for the visiting angler. It is not your typical "destination" video, but it also does not fall into the genre of the hip new fast paced, music blaring, fish porn. It is a nice middle ground that will appeal to a large audience.

The more I watch video's hosted by Sporting Fly, the more I like them. You have to appreciate the passion that an angler has for his sport when he breaks off in the middle of an interview to cast to a big trout rising to a salmon fly. I am not ashamed to say that I would have done the same thing myself.

Sporting Fly's Madison River - Montana DVD runs 45 minutes and is available via the Sporting Fly web site for $29.95. As of this writing, shipping is free. They feature several other rivers and offer their videos for download to your Ipod or other media player.

Books: "The Freshman Fly Fisher" by Rick Passek

I was first introduced to Rick Passek via his Vancouver, BC RP3 Fishing Adventures website and the FlyFish Fanatic blog. Rick is an avid angler and fishing guide who has devoted his career to showing others the enjoyment of the sport of fly fishing.

Rick's new book, "The Freshman Fly Fisher - A Beginners Guide for a New Generation," arrived at the FlyFishMagazine.com HQ via international post and immediately found its place in our reading room. Digging into the text of this book it quickly became clear that the book's small size was no indication of the massive amount of excellent information Rick had put into this guide for the novice angler.

The book contains plenty of information to get the new fly angler quickly on the correct path to a sport that they can enjoy for a lifetime. "The Freshman Fly Fisher" has chapters that cover everything from equipment such as rods, reels, and even boats to fishing etiquette and techniques. I found his tips to be a common sense approach to getting started in the sport. If this book had been around when I started fly fishing, I am certain that I could have saved a lot of money and caught many more fish earlier in my career.

If a picture is worth a thousand words then, at least when it comes to teaching about fly fishing, a video is worth a thousand paragraphs. The Freshman Fly Fisher is innovative in that Rick has included links to special instructional videos in the text of the book. Purchasers of the book get access to special sections of the RP3 Fishing Adventures website. At least for us this is a new wrinkle in the world of fly fishing texts.

The Freshman Fly Fisher has a definite focus on anglers who will be fishing the rivers and lakes of British Columbia, Alberta, and the Pacific Northwest. However, the techniques and tips that the book presents would easily carry over to similar waters around the world. I especially enjoyed Rick's excellent primer on the fishing of Chironomids in still water. I was not particularly knowledgeable about these techniques but after reading Rick's descriptions and watching the videos I am excited to try them out.

"The Freshman Fly Fisher - A Beginners Guide for a New Generation" ISBN 978-0-9783292-1-1 is available via the RP3 Fishing Adventures website for $19.95 Canadian. While the book is certainly marketed to the angler new to the long rod, even the most seasoned fly fisher can learn something beneficial from Rick's fly fishing expertise.

Fly Fishing Video: Burl Productions - "Soulfish"

You might remember that we found out about Mikey Wier and Burl Productions while fishing the Florida Keys. When a guy who poles a flats boat 300+ days a year tells you that someone is "the real thing" in the world of fly fishing I take notice. Mikey Wier is just that guy.

I had reviewed and enjoyed his work on FishEye 3 Video Magazine so when I got an email from him asking if I would care to see what two years of his life's work looked like, I jumped at the chance. SoulFish arrived at the FlyFishMagazine.com HQ a few days later and immediately found a home in the DVD Player.

SoulFish describes its self as one angler's search for the soul of fly fishing. At first glance I was skeptical about the possibility of success for any such venture. How could anyone, even someone as talented and devoted to the sport as Mikey Wier, capture the soul of something that has become an addiction to so many through out history?

The DVD takes the viewer through Mongolia, the Amazon, Belize, Christmas Island, Key West, Louisana, California and Utah. Along the way Mikey, and the folks he features, catch everything from Tarpon, Redfish, Permit, and Bonefish to the prehistoric Hucho Taimen.

As you might guess, there is enough fish porn and excellent music to qualify this as a card carrying member of the new fly fishing video movement. However, the part of the film that really brings out the soul of fly fishing comes in the form the people that Mikey meets and profiles along his journey. Icons of the sport like Lefty Kreh, Jack Dennis and Brian O'Keef make appearances, as do hard working guides like Captain Justin Rea of the Florida Keys and Andy Burk of the Reno Fly Shop. Youthful fly fishing prodigy, Loren Elliot who we met up with in Fish Eye 3 is here again, this time going for something few anglers manage to achieve in a long lifetime, a saltwater grand slam.

As you watch "SoulFish" the fact that the soul of fly fishing resides in the people who practice the sport becomes very clear. One scene from the film stands out in my mind and may be one that best typifies the "soul" of the sport and this films maker. Mikey Wier has just hooked a Taimen and broken his only fly rod. He is literally miles from the nearest civilization can see the fish of a lifetime swimming in the river in front of him. I won't spoil it for you but lets just say he doesn't let a broken rod stop him.

Burl Production's "SoulFish" is available from BurlProductions.com for $29.99 +1 cent and runs 90 minutes with 45 minutes of extras.

DVD Review: Equilibrium - The Last Frontier

Recently we received a copy of Castaway Films short film "Equilibrium - The Last Frontier." Equilibrium's producer Dr. Grant Wiswell seeks to tell the story of the Bristol Bay region of Alaska and the fight to prevent open pit gold mining operations in the home of the largest salmon run in the world.

In addition to the magnificent scenery one comes to expect from any film about Alaska, the film's maker enlists such fly fishing notables as Gary Loomis and Gary Borger to tell the story of both the region's fishery and the danger it faces if mining operations are allowed to go forward.

The highlight of the film for the fly fisher comes in the footage of massive native rainbow trout and huge numbers of giant salmon. In this remote region anglers compete for real estate only with grizzly bear.

Watching the beauty of this unspoiled place is almost enough to make you forget about the danger the fishery faces in the event mining operations are allowed to go unchecked. Dr. Wiswell snaps us back to reality ending with a sobering presentation of how things just might be if we allow the quest for precious metal to invade one of the earth's last great unspoiled areas.

Equilibrium - The Last Frontier is available from Castaway Films for $20.00. The film has been selected for inclusion in the 2008 AEG Media Fly Fishing Film Tour and is endorsed by the Federation of Fly Fishers.

2007 Gift Guide Part II: Paisley's Picks

We continue our coverage of FlyFishMagazine.com's 2007 Holiday Gift Guide with today's picks from our tail water editor and Fly Fishing DIY Project guru, Jeff Paisley.

Jeff must be feeling the chill at his home in the Carolina mountains as two of his picks from this year have to do directly with staying warm while fishing his favorite tailraces. Like all good fly anglers he finishes his list big with a shiny new Tibor fly reel. Click here to see what gear caught Jeff's eye for this Christmas season.

Stay tuned through out the week for more gear guides from the staff of FlyFishMagazine.com.

In case you missed it here is a link to Jay Moore's picks.

Just for kicks here's what the gang picked in 2006.

Cyber Monday: FlyFishMagazine's 2007 Holiday Gift Guide

Around this time each year we ask the editorial team from FlyFishMagazine.com to stop fishing long enough to let us know what fly fishing products they would like to find under their Christmas tree. Not that we plan on buying any of it for them but it makes for good insight into what goes on in the twisted minds of the die hard anglers we run with.

The resulting list of gear has either become one of the most exclusive compendiums of holiday gift giving goodness in the fly fishing industry or a great tool for showing our wives and loved ones what we want for Christmas.

We start things off this year with gear picks from Jay "The Salomon Wrestler" Moore. Jay's picks run the gamut from limited edition Orvis trout knives to tropical shirts by Tommy Bahama. At the end of this email he dropped the real bombshell. It seems that our middle Tennessee piscatorial guru has himself been hooked and reeled in and is getting married in early 2008. Congratulations to Jay and Tammy!

View Jay's gear picks via FlyFishMagazine.com's 2007 Gift Guide.

Stay tuned for more picks from the other FlyFishMagazine.com editors later this week.

DVD Review: Roll Cast Productions - "Fishizzle"

Fly fishing video often tells the story of a person who forsakes the work-a-day world of the corporate stiff and heads off into the wilderness in search of fishing adventure. These movies make us poor corporate lackeys wonder what life might be like were we to ditch the world of 9 to 5 to seek our living as a fishing guide in the Alaskan bush. "Fishizzle" from Rollcast Productions might be described as the "flip side" of the typical fly fishing film.

Fishizzle tells the story of Steve, an angler who has worked as a fishing guide in Alaska for several years. His days are filled with tall tales, giant rainbow trout, and his fellow guides and fishing buddies. In short he is living his dream. As in all great tragedies, our hero awakens from this dream after a "brutal boat crash" and is forced to make a decision to either stay with his dream job or head back to civilization and start the makings of a proper career. Steve does the responsible thing and finds himself clad in a plaid and smack dab in the middle of city life with a job at Wooligans, "Your winter outfitter."

Steve's days at Wooligans just can't live up to the excitement and freedom of his "previous life" so he spends much of his time away from work reviewing his collection of fly fishing video footage and wishing he could find a way to make a a career of fishing. Along the way to his goal our hero must contend with a boss who thinks that his "head isn't in the wool," a bizarre lure salesman's infomercials, rivers filled with rafters and rowdy kids, and his responsibilities as a boyfriend. All of these things seeming to conflict with his love of fishing.

In Fishizzle! Steve Apple does something new in the world of fly fishing video. He manages to provide the compulsory fish porn (with some great pictures of big fish being caught) along with an great soundtrack, while at the same time telling an excellent story in a hilarious fashion. It is a proverbial breath of fresh air for your DVD player.

Fishizzle is available from Rollcast Productions via their online store for $19.95. We at FlyfishMagazine.com think that you won't be disappointed.

Book Review: "So Many Fish, So Little Time"

One look at Mark D. Williams' book, "So Many Fish, So Little Time" and you are immediately struck by sheer size of the tome. The book's 860 pages and the promise of taking you to "1001 places all anglers should visit before they go to that great fishing paradise in the sky" left me wondering how one man could possibly fish so much and at the same time feeling sorry for the poor postman who had to lug this gigantic book to my door.

"So Many Fish, So Little Time" is both a fly fishing reference guide as well as the diary of one angler's fishing adventures. The book is broken down into geographical sections that range from different regions of the United States to Mexico, the Caribbean, Europe, Africa, the South Pacific, and as they once said in those late night K-tel album commercials, much, much, more.

Each section of the book includes a few paragraphs on several of the notable streams and rivers of the area and the author does a great job of interspersing stories of his own fishing adventures through out the stream overviews. These anecdotes are what set this book apart from being a mere encyclopedia of fishing spots and make it a very entertaining read.

For instance, in the section on Colorado's Blue River the author refers to the popular fishing venue as one of the most expensive places to fish in the United States. Not because of fees or expensive lodging but rather because of the outlet mall that it flows behind and his significant other's love of shopping.

In another section about North Carolina's blue ribbon Davidson River he refers to it as "a great place to get fairly skunked too." He is absolutely correct and you have to admire a fishing author who isn't afraid to use the word skunked in an article about any river that has been written up as much as the Davidson.

In addition to the entertainment value each section also includes information about stream access, fly suggestions and a list of a few of each area's fly shops and fishing guides. Having all of this information in one location makes this a valuable reference.

Due to its size I do not think that this book intends to be one that many anglers will sit down with on a winter's night and read from cover to cover. However, after receiving the book for this review I have found myself continually referring to it as a planning tool for future trips or when I've found a few quiet moments to read about a spot I have heard of but have yet to fish.

"So Many Fish, So Little Time" by Mark D. Williams is published by Harper Collins Publishers, New York, NY and is available via Amazon.com. ISBN 978-0-06-088239-6

The Fly Caster Who Tried To Make Peace with the World

I would be remiss if I didn't mention that my day job has been keeping me pretty busy lately. I have spent far too much time on planes and in hotels and not nearly enough time fishing. One good thing has come of all my business travel, I am managing to get somewhat caught up on my reading. It was on one of these recent trips that I dove headlong into outdoor writer Randy Kadish's book "The Fly Caster Who Tried to Make Peace With the World."

I wasn't sure what to think when I picked up my copy of the book and realized that this was a novel, set in the early 1900's, about a young man who aspired to be a long distance fly caster. I must admit at first glance the concept didn't really speak to me. I am not big on novels and I couldn't see how someone could write an entertaining one about fly casting. However, once inside the book what I found was an engaging tale of a young man coming of age in an era marred by the cruelty of World War I. All the while dealing with his own personal choices, tragedies and successes.

The author uses fly fishing on the Beaverkill River along with competitive long distance casting as the thread that leads us as we follow the book's main character, Ian Mac Bride, from boyhood through adulthood. Along the way Ian meets up with several fellow anglers some famous (Theodore Gordon and George M. L. La Branche) and some not so famous, with all being factors in his quest to make peace with the world.

The story is well told and has just the right mix of fly fishing prose and philosophy to make the point without one getting in the way of the other. A hidden gem in the book is found in the appendix in the form of a primer on long distance casting under the by line of the book's main character, Ian Mac Bride. Anglers who are looking to be entertained with a good read while getting real world casting tips should consider this book.

The Fly Caster Who Tried to Make Peace With The World is available from Keokeebooks.com. It is published by Saw Mill River Press, 255 pages, ISBN 1-879628-26-0. It is also available via Amazon.com