FFFT & Boulder - A Classic Combo

Once again the home town did not disappoint with a fantastic showing at the Boulder Theater for the Fly Fishing Film Tour. After a 1-year hiatus, the Tour was back and better than ever as an eager crowd ate it up.

With a few changes in the line-up there were films that appealed to everyone and once again the footage of a winter midge hatch on the Roaring Fork got great response (The volume of that response had nothing to do with a crowd ready to take on the challenge thrown down by Tour organizers: The last time the FFFT was at the Boulder Theater the bar posted its all-time best sales. What? That's right. Could we beat it this time around? I'm not sure if we did but as I closed out my tab the boys working the stick were very pleased...).

A beautiful Boulder Boat Works drift boat (pictured) added some spice out front and the raffling of a new SST Jacket and Sage Z-Axis rod got the crowd fired up during intermission. I have to admit, we were all psyched on the number of women in the house and a lucky lady went home with the jacket. Nice.

The folks from Rocky Mountain Anglers and Front Range Anglers also threw in some great prizes. The staffs of both shops came out in force and although I never saw him, the ever entertaining Randal Hicks of Rocky Mtn. made his presence felt throughout the evening.

To all of those who showed up, thanks again. It is a pleasure to live in a town with so many bug-throwers ready to support the pursuit we love, the groups that protect the resources we treasure and the film makers that get us fired up in the middle of winter. See you on the water!

How's this for a classic Boulder Theater line-up?!?

Early Reef Session...

Sometimes... You just have to get out there. Mikey, Blake and I got to take advantage of some unseasonably warm February weather and floated the Reef this past Saturday. Water being cold as it was it took a little while for the fish to wake up and they hit the bottom as soon as the sun took the low arc but in between we got a few hours of quality action.

Afterwards we joined over 450 Casper locals at the Parkway Plaza Motel for the Wyoming Wilderness Association benefit concert benefiting the Rock Creek campaign. Patagonia was a title sponsor along with Mountain Sports and it was inspiring to see so many people motivated to protect this beautiful place. Well done everyone!

All in all, a great day.

The NEW SST!

Bristol Bay, Tierra del Fuego, the Russian Arctic – they all share three things: good fishing, bad weather and a whole lot of SST Jackets. Since its introduction in 1989, the venerable SST has continually set the standard for on-the-water weather protection and this new iteration sets the bar even higher.

The 2009 version features our latest advances in shell design and technology, along with a host of new, angler-friendly details. We're building this jacket from 3-layer nylon double ripstop fabric with our completely waterproof/breathable H2No® barrier and Deluge® DWR (durable water repellent) finish. The new SST is durable and windproof yet still extremely light. Plus there are two features that you might not expect: 1) The jacket hem is folded over and glued which eliminates the conventional tunnel that can hold water. 2) The SST is fully recyclable (Common Threads Recycling Program).

The feature list continues with a new integrated hood with single-pull adjustment and waterproof, corrosion-resistant Aquazip center front, hand/cargo and back pocket zippers. The iconic large, gusseted chest pockets are seam sealed (waterproof) up to their opening and set high for deep wading. Each large pocket has a zippered tippet pocket inside. Our latest streamlined cuffs lie extremely flat and are virtually snag-proof when worn loose or tightened to seal out water.

More details include: Large back pocket, zippered inside pocket, hidden rod holder/accessory clip, lined collar/chin flap and two Beastie D-rings on front, one on back. For comparison, the SST is 2" longer than the Deep Wading Jacket. The Guidewater Jacket is our longest option - 2" longer than the SST.

Thanks to all of you who weighed in with advice on the Setting the standard post back in 2007, to YC who tested prototypes across the globe and who made sure the jacket worked with our favorite packs & techniques and huge thanks to the Patagonia design and development teams for jumping hurdle after hurdle to make this jacket the best. Onward.

Photos courtesy of Yvon Chouinard, Brian Bennett and Alistair Stewart Illustration by El Pescador

Fly Fishing Film Tour Launch Is In The Books!

The Fly Fishing Film Tour got off to a great start February 12th with the event benefiting Project Healing Waters down in Colorado Springs at the Black Sheep - a classic long-standing music venue in the heart of the east side of town. The owners were very generous in their donation of the space as the main purpose of the event was to generate funds for the CO Springs chapter of this non-profit dedicated to helping vets overcome their wartime experiences through the simple joy of fly fishing in beautiful places. Very cool, to say the least.

Benefiting Project Healing Waters in a town with a strong armed forces community brought out a lot of folks - probably 250. I heard from David Leinweber of Angler's Covey that the door took in $1500 - a good haul considering the entry fee of $5. Some excellent raffle prizes, including a Patagonia Deep Wading Jacket, also opened wallets. The impact of the event and the emotional responses of some of the vets in attendance was reiterated Sunday morning on ESPN when the all-sports network aired an exceptional piece on the program as a whole. Well done.

A classic new-school blue grass band called Grass It Up got the crowd in a jovial mood. They did some hilarious covers of Prince and KC & the Sunshine Band - as well as some excellent originals. If you are in CO Springs and have a free evening take a look in the local paper to see if you can catch them live - you won't be disappointed.

The film selections were excellent and everyone left stoked to get on the water. There was some great footage of the Frying Pan and the Roaring Fork which was special - a nice reminder that you don't have to go half way around the world for an amazing angling experience. A couple photos for you (the urinal shot is a just a little reminder that Fenway and Gill Stadium are not the only places on earth with such fine receptacles!)…

FFFT To Kick Off In The Rockies With Project Healing Waters And Angler's Covey!

Project Healing Waters

Fly Fishing Fundraising Event

By David Leinweber (Pictured)

Project Healing Waters will be hosting a fundraising social event for fly fishers at The Black Sheep on February 12 th at 7:00pm. Fly fishers and their friends and families can socialize with other fly fishers, enjoy the open bar, and watch the films brought together for the Drake Magazine's Fly Fishing Film Tour. All attendees get the chance to purchase raffle tickets to win a Patagonia Wading Jacket, free passes to Colorado State Parks, a gift certificate to Sportsman's Warehouse, and other great prizes! Organizers request a minimum donation of $5 a person for entrance and all proceeds will go to benefit Project Healing Waters.

Project Healing Waters is a program dedicated to the physical and emotional rehabilitation of disabled active duty military personnel and veterans through fly fishing, fly tying education and fishing outings. Project Healing Waters has been a great benefit to the solders at Fort Carson and the program has grown a lot the last few years. When David Leinweber, the owner of Angler's Covey, looked at bringing the Fly Fishing Film Tour to Colorado Springs, the opportunity to create a fund raising event became a no brainer. This event is win-win event for everyone involved. The Fly Fishing Community gets the change to see some great films and our local Project Healing Waters group gets some needed funding. Anyone who misses this event will regret it, says David, who has spent many hours planning and coordinating this event which will also include some local talent from Grass It Up, a local Bluegrass band.

Read more here. Hope to see you there!

There Is No Business To Be Done On a Dead Planet

Three Dollar Bridge from felt soul on Vimeo.

(Via: Way Upstream)

Felt Soul Media has produced another gem. Check out this 3 minute profile on 1% For the Planet, an alliance of businesses that donate at least 1% of their annual revenues to environmental organizations worldwide. Founded by Yvon Chouinard and Craig Matthews, 1% has grown to over 1000 members since it's launch in 2002 and has donated nearly $42 million to approved environmental non-profits. This particular film highlights the Three Dollar Bridge (Madison River) project that was made possible by 1% funds. The two founding members tell the story.

Music by Neil Halstead & Jack Johnson | Brushfire Records

Fly Fishing Film Tour - Update!

Not that this is super-current news, but I thought this would help clear everything up. Most importantly, the Tour is still happening and will be a blast, especially on a chilly Rocky Mountain evening. Courtesy of the one and only Straq and WayUpstream:

"As you may have heard, The AEG Fly Fishing Film Tour is now evolving into The Drake Fly Fishing Film Tour. Tom Bie, Chris Keig and Doug Powell acquired the tour from previous owners Terry Wolvert and Jim Crystal shortly after Thad Robison, Justin Crump, Chris Owens, and Brian Jill emailed resignation messages to all the sponsors on 12/31/08. The DF3 Tour is scheduled to be in a town near you starting next month. The most substantial change that the new owners highlight is that the filmmakers will take a share of the profits, based on a model that the Banff Mountain Film Festival has been using for years. For a more detailed account of this story, read Tom Bie’s post from 1/16/09 titled "The show must go on". "

I plan to attend the Colorado Springs, Denver, Boulder, Ft. Collins and Casper tour dates (Patagonia is still the official clothing sponsor) in February. I will have some great gear for prizes on hand so please introduce yourself and enjoy the show!

Tour photo by RJ Hosking Illustration by El Pescador

"...and the Gear Maker of the Year is…

Congratulations to Patagonia! They get a free ad on Outdoorzy for 1 month, not to mention bragging rights."

Thanks to all who voted. Those of us who live in, play in and work with Patagonia products are very proud of this award. The designers and product developers continue to push the limits of function, performance and "the cleanest line:" a design ethic and guiding principle to create the most streamlined, efficient and comfortable fishing gear available. While others have been caught up in a frenzy of more zippers, pockets and doo-dads, we strive for less. Less weight. Less hassle. Less line-snagging add-ons. With everything we make, our goal is to carve away the unnecessary and sharpen the utility of what’s needed. It’s another way of saying what we’ve believed all along – great gear disappears. I hope you get to enjoy some soon following on your favorite water...

Patagonia Fly Fishing Catalog Is Back!

That's right... After a 3 year hiatus the Patagonia Fly Fishing catalog is back!

In addition to the great photography and details on the new product line, you'll also find a field report from Jeff Currier and an environmental essay by Rick Bass. You can preview the catalog by clicking on the photo above - It retains an excellent technical edge with strong product descriptions, layering stories and true Fish content. I recommend going to the options menu in the viewer and clicking on single page mode for easier reading. A complete PDF version of the catalog will be available on the Patagonia Fish site January 28th. Fantastic...

This is Fly #14 - Extra Extra!

The Ultimate Layering System

So, if anyone was wondering what the ultimate layering system for 2009 might be, Brian Bennett, Chum purveyor and Patagonia Fish monger (how about that chrome, huh?) had it dialed on this OP tributary:

1. Capilene 1, 2, 3 or 4 base layer (1 "modeled" here!)
2. Styling shirt for burger and pint afterwards (Puckerware, Island Hopper, Fezzman, etc.)
3. Nano Puff - new for Fall 2009
4. Guidewater Jacket (substitute SST or Deep Wading Jackets based on preference)

All situations now covered. Be on the lookout for all of these products now and after July 15th 2009 at any and all Patagonia Dealers. Mmmmmm.... Toasty.

Your CO Fishing License - The Gift That Keeps Giving...

Spend that money on some good winter midge patterns citizens...

From Fly Fishing Colorado:

"If you hold a Colorado Annual Fishing License, the license period has been extended to 3/31/2009. The Habitat Stamp period has also been extended to 3/31/2009.

Starting 4/1/2009, the fishing season will run from 4/1 through 3/31 the next year. (Ex. 4/1/2009 - 3/31/2010)

Per a DOW representative I talked with today, this change is being done to bring the fishing licenses into sync with other licenses and improve management of the license programs overall."

http://wildlife.state.co.us/Fishing/SeasonDatesAndFees/

Tight Lines and Good Fishing,
Marshall, Editor
www.fly-fishing-colorado.com

Fly Fishing Fim Tour - Check it Out!

That's right people - once again the AEG boys have put together a fantastic show for all us lovers of the fly. Click on the image at left for a full run-down of venues and dates, directions, ticket information and everything else. I for one am excited to have such great representation here in CO (and a showing up in Casper, WY!) with several venues along the Front Range as well as Telluride, Durango and Grand Junction hosting the event. I hope to see you there - this is always a great time and a perfect way to get stoked during the cold months.

Fly Fishing Show Comes To Denver

Come on by and check out the action January 9th - 11th at the Denver Merchandise Mart. Great clinics and films in addition to great deals on 2008 Patagonia fish gear at the Ghillies Fly Shop Hackle and Tackle Booth. For a complete list of everything happening, check out the official FFS Denver site. See you there!

Catch Vol #3 - Hot Off The "Press"

Check it out HERE. You might want to dig on the new BLOG as well. Great stuff.

A View From The Reef This December And Holiday Wishes

A rare warm December day in Casper yielded some fine results on the Reef. Plenty of big rainbows were happy to take small midges and an egg here and there. The Engagement Hole never fails to deliver a smile! There were moments that I realized how lucky I was to be immersed in this spectacular place partaking in a pursuit that I love.

To all of you that take the time to read RMPFF, I hope this winter allows you some time to enjoy beautiful places, quiet times and those you love. I wish all of you and yours a wonderful and safe Holiday Season!

All the best,

Matt O'Connor

"Eyes On The Dries" - From MidCurrent

By Rick Kustich

photos by David Klausmeyer

The ability to see your fly on the water will help you achieve better drifts and hook more trout.

Thorax Dun

Hook: Daichi 1170. sizes 12 through 16.
Thread: To match the color of the natural insect, 8/0.
Wing post: Light dun Aero Dry cut to form general shape of a mayfly wing.
Tail: Microfibbetts.
Body: Superfine dubbing to match the color of the natural insect.
Hackle: Dry-fly hackle to match the color of the body. Trim the hackle flat on the bottom so that the pattern rides low.

DRY-FLY DESIGN has been the subject of many discussions with one of my longtime fly-fishing partners, Nick Pionessa, who is a full-time fly tier. His flies end up in some of the better-known shops in the country. We agree that perhaps one of the more important aspects of a dry fly is how visible it is on the water. Not only does this let you see when a fish takes the fly, but it allows you to see how the fly is drifting, as well.

A drag-free drift is often essential to fool a discriminating trout. Unless you can see the fly clearly, it is difficult or even impossible to tell whether you are making a good dead drift. A poor drift results in more refusals than does poor fly selection, so you need to be able to follow the path of the fly to read the impact of the subtle currents that often cannot be seen just by looking at the water's surface. This is especially true when you are making long casts. Being able to see the fly lets you make adjustments to your presentation or position to obtain the proper drift. With a high-visibility fly — one you can see from a long way off — you can easily track your drift and see whether the trout that just rose ate your fly or a natural drifting alongside it.

The challenge is to produce flies you can see from a distance, but without compromising their realistic appearance. Happily, the fly needs to look like a natural insect only from the fish's point of view. This usually allows for some flexibility on the top of the fly. Highly visible wings, posts, or small pieces of foam tied in on the top will dramatically improve how easy it is to see the fly. At the same time, the fly's key elements — such as the body, tails, legs, or shuck — can still offer an impressionistic look from underneath.

Read more here!

Great 2-Fly Read From Midcurrent

Seeing Double

by Philip Monahan

Pay more attention to how you construct and fish tandem rigs, and you'll catch more trout.

Illustration by Bill Tipton www.compartmaps.com

A Tangled Subject

ALTHOUGH MULTI-FLY RIGS have been around for centuries and have always remained popular in Europe, fishing more than one pattern was nearly a forgotten science in this country until about 15 years ago. In fact, even when angling magazines flooded the market with tandem-rig stories, many anglers outside the Rockies took a long time to catch on. For instance, my older brother, Brian, has been fly fishing since the late 1970s, but he had never fished two flies until we traveled to Wyoming last summer. Troll a few Internet message boards, and you'll find that a large portion of the fly-fishing community is still discovering the effectiveness of this "modern" technique.

Read more here!

Lucky #13. Get Some...

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!