Bozeman Save Wild Steelhead Festival!

Three reports from the Bozeman Save Wild Steelhead Festival that took place in on November 5th. This fund raising event was conceived, organized and flawlessly executed by the Fly Boys and featured their film Raising the Ghost. Along with other film clips and steelhead media one of the highlights of the evening was Patagonia presenting a check for five thousand dollars to the Wild Steelhead Coalition.

Fly-fishing fanatic and Patagonia field report writer, Dylan Tomine, shares his experience at a recent steelhead-conservation fundraiser in Bozeman, Montana.

Just back from the Bozeman Save Wild Steelhead Festival and thought I’d report in. I know what you’re thinking – I thought it too: What the heck is a steelhead event doing in Montana, of all places? A fundraiser for a species that doesn’t even live there, on a school night in November, during a severely spiraling economy? No way.

LINK (Via: The Cleanest Line)

Wild Steelhead Coalition is proud to have been a part of the Save Wild Steelhead Festival in Bozeman, Montana. Despite a tough economy, weeknight schedule and a geographic location that has never even seen a steelhead, the Bozeman angling, arts and conservation community turned out in droves to support the event created by the FlyBoys, Paul Tarantino and Josh Brandner.

LINK (Via: The Wild Steelhead Coalition)

The first ever Save Wild Steelhead Festival went off Nov. 5th 2008 with an overwhelming response from audience members, sponsors, and advocates. The overall consensus was that it was a huge success. Team Fly Boys with the help of presenting sponsors Patagonia and RL Winston organized a multimedia fundraising event to save wild steelhead. Fly Fishing community members came from all over to support the cause.

LINK (Via: Fly Boys)

Wader Sizing Chart

Good morning Patagonia Fishing Accounts! Please find to the left a high resolution image of our wader sizing chart along with a logo. This has been designed to print on standard 8.5" x 11" letter paper so feel free to print one out, laminate it or in some other way display alongside your wader selection. I will also have several laminated copies with me as I travel to see you with the F9 Fish line. Please note that these size runs apply to both the current Watermaster II and Watermaster Light styles as well as the upcoming 2009 Guidewater and Watermaster (M's and W's) styles. This is a great way to help you customer determine the appropriate waders for them! If you have any questions at all, please drop me a comment.

A Little Time On The Umcompaghre...

This morning finds me returned home from a quick blitz through Telluride and Crested Butte and some other great towns along the way. Part of the mission was to meet with Tim and Bill of Rig's Fly Shop in Ridgway, CO, a great Patagonia Fish Partner and a fantastic shop and guide service. After talking strategy for 2009 it dawned on me that I had a couple hours before heading into Telluride for a clinic. I had not brought my fishing gear for fear of getting distracted by all the quality water in the region but Tim convinced me that I really should hit the Umcompaghre River just outside of town. In a manner that reflects the great service at Rig's, he set me up with a 3-weight rod, a new 6x leader, some tippet, a pair of Patagonia Watermaster Light waders, some boots, a set of 'nippers and a couple of flies - about as minimal a set-up I have ever hit the water with. It was a wonderful reminder that when you stand in the water with no ability to match the hatch, or even worry about it, you focus on approach, presentation and a quality drift. Attention to those details brought about a dozen beautiful rainbows to hand and peace to mind in one of the most spectacular and quintessential western settings. Just one pictured at left. Thanks Tim - made my day...

Gray's Best Award - The Guidewater Jacket

What can I say? This is an exceptional award that we are very proud of. I could go on and on, but the folks from Gray's Journal certainly say it the best. This is the letter to Bill Klyn, our hardworking Fish Team media man on the street:

"Bill,

It is with great pleasure that I write to announce that Patagonia has won a Gray’s Best Award for its Guidewater Jacket. Congratulations!

There are few designations in the hunting and fishing business more coveted than a Gray’s Best Award. As you know, we only give out a few each year and each is decided solely by the editor responsible for a particular area of expertise.

I would just add the line about the criteria for the award. "What does BEST really mean? Our editors think it's a product that tries a little harder, does something a little better, is a little more elegant - is somehow more satisfying than similar products."

See the complete story on Gray’s Best for 2009 starting on Page 60 in our Expeditions and Guides Book 2009, on sale late in December. A preview is attached here. I look forward to congratulating you in person soon.

Happy Thanksgiving,

Gray's Sporting Journal"

Please click on the image to read the review.

Patagonia Fish Product Marketing

Hello Patagonia Fish Accounts!

In our ongoing effort to position fantastic Patagonia Fish gear in front of your customer, I wanted to share a peek at the new Guidewater Waders and SST Jacket ads. The images below are high resolution so feel free to print them out as additional POP to support the product on the floor when it arrives. Both of these products, the updated SST Jacket and the new Guidewater Wader, are creating a lot of buzz and we want to support that, and you, with a targeted ad campaign.

The ads will be placed in most of the traditional Fly Fishing print media including Gray's, The Drake, Fly Rod and Reel, Fly Fisherman, etc.

Our talented creative team did a great job delivering hardworking product messaging in classic Patagonia style. Feel free to contact me in the near future for an ad schedule so that you can strategically plan you own marketing campaigns around these exceptional products.

Guidewater Wader Ad

SST Jacket Ad

"Breathing Underwater" - Or - Waders 101

This is a great article for any angler looking to wrap their hands around the myriad of high-tech fabrics on the market that go into the fishing-specific clothing and gear that makes our time on the water more enjoyable.


Breathing Underwater

by Zach Matthews

photos by Zach and Lauren Matthews Photography - www.itinerantangler.com

"The road to creating the high-tech fabrics that keep you dry in the water has been long and winding ... and there's still a ways to go.

IF YOU'VE LOOKED at the stack of fly-fishing catalogs on your bedstand lately, you’ve probably noticed a lot of recent growth. Just 15 years ago, fly fishers could reliably choose from a small handful of products for their wader, jacket, vest, and sundry other needs. Established companies such as Hodgman, L.L. Bean, Orvis, Patagonia, and Simms have been providing technical products for decades, but lately they’ve been joined by such upstarts as Albright, Cloudveil, William Joseph, and even Under Armour, to name just a few. Having all these new players at the table means an increase in competition—and where there’s competition, innovation thrives. Unfortunately, all that innovation can add substantially to the level of confusion when an angler walks into a fly shop and takes a couple wading jackets or pairs of waders down off the walls. What makes a $350 wader a $350 wader anyway? Why is a $350 model worth more than the one that costs $99? To answer these questions, you need to understand a little about how fly-fishing clothing is designed and made."

Read the rest of this article at MidCurrent.

Kudos (Literally) To The Pack Vest!

A great Fly Rod & Reel Kudos award for one of my favorite products. Substantial improvements for 2009 - a hydration reservoir sleeve, a cleaner vest-to-pack attachment system, D-ring on vest back for a net, a 47% recycled fabric package and larger capacity - make this my go-to pack for any angling that requires a 30 minute or more approach or may bring large swings in temperature / environmental conditions. It makes covering the miles easy while the snug fit translates into confidence moving around boulders and brush while you get to that perfect pool. Click the upper image to the left to read the review. Great stuff. Check out the Pack Vest in detail at Patagonia.com.

Micro Puff - THE Proven River Insulation

Too many steelhead shiver-fests can leave you mumbling incoherently and sporting a thousand-yard stare. Micro Puff products are worth more than their weight (which isn't much) in Bristol Bay gold for core warmth and cold-weather sanity. This high-loft class of products provides such ultralight, compressible warmth, you won’t think twice about throwing it in your pack or vest. Durable, high-quality synthetic insulation traps heat (even when wet), the double-ripstop polyester shell with DWR is windproof and resists snow and spitting rain. Micro Puff products are made with recycled polyester content. All styles are offered in M's and W's fits/colors except for the pants (Unisex). Add Micro Puff to your layering system. You won't be disappointed. Styles include a jacket, hooded jacket, vest and pants. All fit into their own pocket or stuff sack.

As always, thanks to Straq and Way Upstream for this great info!

Congratulations YC!

Fly Fishing Film Tour - Bring It On Home!

This is a great opportunity for your shop / organization to bring the angling community in your area together for a fantastic evening of fly fishing cinematography.

AEG has made it easy to bring this turn-key package to your area. Please send a note to sales@aegmedia.com to get the informational packet.

Tour dates and venue are booking now, so please contact AEG ASAP to make this happen. Events that are booked prior to December 1, 2008, receive a 10% discount.

Bring the fly fishing event of the year to your town!

Now is the Time...

Catch Magazine - Vol. #2 - Get Some!