Category: Blog

The Simms G4 lineup was made for those days when Mother Nature throws everything at you.  Whether it is freezing cold conditions, a pouring monsoon, and even in a blizzard snow storm, you’ll be comfortable and protected from the elements in this set up. The G4 lineup has you covered – it’s the best of (more…)

I was born in the bay area outside of Redwood City, then my parents made the move up to Northern California when I was still very young. My dad would take us up to the eastern sierras every year for the trout opener while we still lived in the bay for years before I could (more…)

In our last post we covered the “Clothing for Fall Fly Fishing”.  As we said we would, here is the follow-up to that article with the gear needed to switch seasons. As summer gives way to autumn, some, not all, anglers look to put away our 8’ 4-weights and size 18 PMD’s and break out (more…)

In Memory of John Dietz (December 13, 1963 – July 27, 2023) By Mike Mercer I met John Dietz in 1978, shortly after I took the job at The Fly Shop®. I was 18, he was 15, and it turns out I had taken the job he was hoping for! We laughed about that off (more…)

When you set out to chase migrating fish, you better be prepared for a whole lot of heartache with an occasional pulse of adrenaline. Any given day Mother Nature will throw nasty weather at you.  Your buddies told you where to go, but the fish moved 20 miles upriver overnight. When you choose to play (more…)

Summertime Fly Selections for Trout & Bass by Zach Thurman We are in the middle of trout season here in Northern California, and with the weather heating up the hatches are changing and have switched from the bigger bugs to caddis and mayflies throughout the region. With this transition the flies that are the most (more…)

Hi everyone, This is the first installment in a series of articles dedicated to fly fishing fitness. Over the last couple years, many of us have put on a few pounds due to the Coronavirus, we like to call it the Covid-19, 25, or 30, it doesn’t make a difference, what does make a difference (more…)

Wading Staff by Pat Pendergast One of the most asked questions we get from traveling trout fishermen is whether they should bring a wading staff.  Our answer is simple and pragmatic – if you use one on your home waters, then bring one on your trip. Several years ago I was in Kamchatka, Russia, fishing (more…)

Exciting Fly Fishing Gear for 2023 by Terry Jepsen As we inch forward in 2023 (always quicker than expected!), we thought we would share some of our favorite new products. The items listed below aren’t just stuff that we’ve seen in catalogs or on some mannequin, but rather items that we have personally field-tested and (more…)

Gear Review:  Skwala Sol Wading Pant & Sol Tactical Hoody Right before I hopped on a plane to Brazil to target some ridiculous jungle monsters, I received two new Skwala products to try out. I had heard great things about Skwala’s new waders, jackets, and cold weather layering pieces, but no one had tried out (more…)