“I sensed that there was a good fish in that pool, so I placed my drone right above it. The fish followed the fly several times until it finally took it. With the elbow recovering, you can hear a cry of pain at the first attempt to put it in the landing net. But finally it was mine.” – David
Reel of the week from @davidpikefly, be sure to follow him on Instagram here!
Cutthroat trout have long been a passion of mine. They’re my favorite fish, and not because they’re easy to catch. They’re emblematic of the West, and as a fifth-generation Westerner, catching cutthroat feels like a solid connection to my unique heritage. Cutthroat face many problems, though. Habitat degradation and hybridization with rainbow trout are probably two of the biggest issues, although non-native brook trout are also excellent at outcompeting cutties for food.
A couple hundred years ago, cutthroat swam in many of the rivers and streams in the West. Thanks to our unique geography, fish considered the same subspecies—like Colorado River cutthroat, for example—can work their way up into a drainage and develop unique genetics and life histories.
For example, look at the Lahontan cutthroat in Nevada. Pyramid Lake is home to two strains of these fish. One came from Pilot Peak, on the Utah-Nevada border, and is an exact genetic match for the cutthroat that grew up to 40 pounds in Pyramid Lake back in the early 1900s. The Summit Strain Lahontan cutthroat are still Lahontans, but never grew quite as large as the original (Pilot Peak) strain.
Things can get messy the further into genetics you dig, but each subspecies of cutthroat is genetically unique, and within those subspecies and strains, the fish can vary widely in appearance and life cycles.
However, genetic diversity has allowed some cutthroat trout to persist even in the face of non-native fish, habitat loss, and reduced streamflows. The more genetic diversity we can maintain among our cutthroat trout, the better their chance of surviving for future generations.
That’s why the Hayden Creek cutthroat is so important.
Hayden Creek cutthroats are a genetically distinct strain of fish most closely related to the Colorado River cutthroat. They were first found in Hayden Creek, a tiny tributary to the Arkansas River southeast of Salida, Colorado.
“They’re a unique fish, a strain of Colorado River cutthroat trout, not the Greenback” Alex Townsend, Aquatic Biologist for the Upper Arkansas River Basin, of Colorado Parks & Wildlife (CPW) told me. “They have unique genetics that make them distinct, and they’re one of a couple cutthroat populations on the east side of the Continental Divide.”
Years ago, when the Twin Lakes area within the Upper Arkansas drainage was explored, there were two distinct populations of cutthroat trout swimming. One was the Yellowfin cutthroat, Townsend told me had a reputation for growing larger, up to six pounds. Yellowfins were primarily lake and reservoir fish, but have since gone extinct.
The other was a stream-oriented cutthroat. By comparing DNA from Hayden Creek cutthroat to museum mounts of Yellowfin cutthroat, biologists have determined that Hayden Creek cutthroat are most closely related to those original fish found in the Twin Lakes area.
Townsend said CPW biologists don’t know exactly how the Hayden Creek fish ended up there in the first place, especially since the fish they’re closely related to—cutthroat found in Twin Lakes—are now extinct.
“We’re still trying to parse out their genetics to see whether there was any anthropogenic influence or not,” Townsend said. “We can’t say for certain whether they got here naturally, but they’ve been here for as long as we know.”
Hayden Creek cutthroat were first identified as genetically unique back in 1996, and since then, biologists with CPW have searched the landscape for fish with similar genetics. To date, nothing has been found.
“I’ve been doing cutthroat surveys in unknown drainages within the Arkansas Basin, and we haven’t found anything that matches the Hayden Creek genetics,” Townsend told me. “It’s proven to be a unique fish.”
So, when the Hayden Pass fire raged in 2016, biologists knew they needed to rescue the cutthroat from Hayden Creek to ensure they persisted on the landscape. They went in behind the fire lines, rescued fish, and brought them back to a hatchery. Only 158 fish were rescued from the path of the Hayden Pass fire.
The Hayden Creek cutthroat have been successfully bred in hatcheries since then, and CPW has even stocked them in other streams within the Arkansas Basin to help restore this fish on the landscape.
The high point of this work so far was realized when biologists found young-of-the-year fish in Newlin Creek, one of the streams where Hayden Creek cutthroat have been planted in the wild. That means the Hayden Creek fish are naturally reproducing, and are capable of creating a self-sustaining population.
“Our surveys (in 2024) found ‘young-of-the-year’ fish swimming with older class fish from previous stocking,” said Paul Foutz, senior aquatic biologist for CPW’s Southeast Region. “Although this does not mean the HCC in Newlin are a self-sustaining population yet, it’s a huge step in the right direction.”
The goal now is to continue planting Hayden Creek cutthroat throughout rivers and streams in the Arkansas Basin to keep these fish persisting for years to come. To date, nearly 135,000 Hayden Creek fish have been planted in 25 miles of water and 18 ponds and lakes. Many of these fish are in places where recreational angling isn’t allowed, so Townsend is focused on creating a sport fishery for Hayden Creek cutthroat.
“I’m excited about expanding their populations, so people can go catch-and-release fish for them,” Townsend said.
Numerous sites have been selected as locations for planting these fish, including Hunt Basin, where CPW just completed a reclamation project that removed nonnative brook trout from the waters. CPW also has plans for reclamation projects in basins and lake systems on Monarch Pass, and Hayden Creek cutthroat should be planted there next year.
Virginia Lake, near Leadville, is another location where Hayden Creek fish have been stocked.
“They’re the closest thing we have to our unique native fish,” Townsend said. “The next big thing is a wild brood stock and move them out of the hatchery system.”
Conservation Efforts Save Rio Grande Cutthroat Trout from the Endangered Species List
Greenback Cutthroat Trout Spawn in Native Range for First Time in Decades
It’s not too often you come across artwork blending traditional taxidermy techniques with western textiles and geometric patterns, but that is exactly what Seth Patterson set out to do. An Oregon native, Seth has made a name for himself, blending replica fish mounts with Pendleton blankets in the form of modern taxidermy. Marketer turned maker; we sat down with Seth to learn about his artwork, career path, and love for fly fishing and the outdoors. Follow along in this Artist Spotlight as Seth Patterson shares his story with Flylords.
Patterson: I’ve always hunted and fished since I was really young. The first time I fly fished was around the age of 12 or so; my dad took me up to a small creek that flows off of Mount Jefferson. I had a Pflueger reel and an old Hardy rod that had been in the garage for a long time. I do remember hooking a few small trout, which I don’t even know if they were rainbows or cutties, but that was the first time I went fly fishing.
I got into it more in high school when I went to the Deschutes with my dad. Fishing Oregon’s premier fly fishery is something special. But college is where it all changed for me. I went to college in West Texas, and being from western Oregon, I quickly got tree sick, not having tall trees in sight like I’m used to. My roommate and I watched A River Runs Through It, and immediately after the movie, I said, “We’re moving to Montana this summer.” And so then we both got jobs on a dude ranch just outside of Jackson Hole—called the Gros Ventre River Ranch—and fly fished pretty much every day that summer.
Patterson: For me, my favorite aspect of fly fishing is the presence of being in the water. I don’t have a favorite water, a favorite fish, or a favorite fly. I’m 40 now, and I started my work career when everyone was starting to get iPhones, so technology has really changed everyone’s lifestyle a lot in the last 20 years. I just feel the more we are on our phones and the more we’re using technology, the more I want to be on a river or be in nature to get back to the root of how things are supposed to be. The presence of being in the water, away from technology, away from email, and away from my phone is really my favorite part of fly fishing.
Patterson: My dad introduced me to the outdoors at a very young age. I did a lot of mountaineering with him, fishing, and hunting, and then my mom exposed me to a lot of art while I was growing up. It was a lot more on the music side, but she was also the craft lady volunteer who came to my school for craft day, so I grew up making stuff and bringing the outdoors inside.
Then, professionally, I started out as a marketer at Pendleton Woolen Mills. In 2013, I was their first-ever head of digital marketing, helping them tell their story online. Initially, it was a lot of analytics, so I rolled around in a lot of data and made a lot of recommendations and optimizations and all this and that, but I ultimately started to get really interested in product. I’d make a lot of product recommendations based on the data, the audience, and what people were searching for. I worked closely with the merchandising and product teams and had a lot of success launching new, novel products. What changed things for me was when I realized I could launch new products on my own without needing to go through layers of approvals.
I ended up starting my own company, 84 East, in 2016 while I was still working at Pendleton—totally separate from Pendleton. The name 84 East is the highway that follows the Columbia River east from Portland (where I grew up), where salmon migrate upstream. It’s always been a side hustle for me, but it’s been my playground where I create new products made with Pendleton wool and get to act as both maker and marketer. Under 84 East, I’ve designed and launched a handful of blankets that Pendleton made for me with it, plus done my artwork. My experience with Pendleton and my love for art and the outdoors is what got me to where I am today with the artwork.
Patterson: In 2016, I came across a trout design by Casey Underwood called the Gaucho Trout—it was a kind of geometric design on a trout body with a natural head, fins, and tail. When I saw that, I thought to myself, “I need to make that in real life.” I had been at Pendleton long enough to know their designs well and how Pendleton wool was being incorporated into interior design spaces by adding a little splash of color into a room. Like a blanket over a couch, an upholstered chair or pillow, or something on a wall. So, I thought it would look cool as a wall mount.
I didn’t know how but knew I needed to make that real life. And so then I became a fabric lady, and I acquired lots of fabric during my time at Pendleton. I ended up paying a taxidermist in Washington a day’s wage to teach me how to assemble and paint a reproduction fish, which is not a sufficient amount of time to properly learn how to do anything. But I got exposed to the process of working with reproduction blanks, using sculpting clay, making the eyes, and then the process of painting and piecing it all together.
I came home with a 44-inch chinook salmon that was painted, and all the different pieces were laid out. Over the next few months, I ended up putting over 40 hours into my first fish and upholstering the body with Pendleton fabric. I posted it on Instagram, and a friend bought it very quickly. It now hangs in a law firm in downtown Portland. That’s how I initially made something. I didn’t make it because I wanted to sell it. I made it just because I thought it was cool and I enjoyed working with my hands.
Then, I had a bull skull in my shop that my dad had given me years ago. It was a Texas Longhorn kind of thing. I upholstered that, which took a long time to figure out how to do properly. Eventually, I finished it, posted it, and somebody bought it. And so I was like, oh, maybe I’m onto something. It started in 2016, and I’m still doing it today.
Patterson: My main goal with my artwork is to bring the outdoors inside. I plan to only and always work with Pendleton fabric since I have such a deep personal connection with the brand. I would call it western-styled art, but it’s really a modern take on taxidermy. My main goal with all my pieces is to bring natural textures inside in a way that is fresh and compelling.
One of the things that I love doing most in my life is introducing people to the outdoors, taking them hunting or fishing for the first time, sitting in a duck blind, or floating my favorite rivers in a canoe or a drift boat in central Oregon. I love doing that. I think most fly anglers think about fishing a lot. It’s our favorite outdoor passion; we’re planning our calendar around it and tying flies when we’re not fishing—it’s all-consuming. So the question is, how can I bring that passion inside? What I’m trying to do is bring that feeling inside in a novel, surprising, and exciting way.
Patterson: The process is simple in terms of the components. First is the form that I’m using, whether it’s a fish reproduction blank, a replica elk euro mount, or a longhorn. For skulls with antlers/horns, I use resin-based replicas, which are incredibly realistic-looking. So there’s that main form, and then there’s the wool fabric and a good pair of scissors. I’ll find a wool fabric pattern that matches the fish or skull. The next step is adding sculpting clay to the form so it’s shaped in such a way that the fabric design flows properly and really pops. Then, I adhere the fabric to the form, which takes a long time and involves a lot of sitting and holding. I’ve painted some fish but I mostly have a taxidermist paint the head and fins these days.
The fabric upholstering has taken a lot of time to figure out since the fish and skull forms have all sorts of contours to work around. It took a lot of time to figure out how to do everything so that I could be really efficient. I mean, that first fish took close to 45 hours; I think the first longhorn I did took over 20 hours. Now, I’m pretty quick on stuff, but I don’t rush it. I enjoy the process of making stuff. There are definitely a lot of high-profile cuts that I make on every piece, and I only have one chance to cut the fabric perfectly, or it’ll ruin the whole piece. It’s taken a lot of reps to know the forms well, where to make the cuts, and how to work with the fabric. It’s a bit like turning chaos into an orchestra, as every piece is different, and there’s always something new to figure out.
The most important part of making a piece is choosing the right fabric. Pendleton wool fabrics are designed with a repeat. Essentially, it’s a measurement that corresponds to when the pattern repeats itself. A 9-inch repeat will repeat quicker than a 20-inch repeat. The smaller patterns that have a quicker repeat tend to work better on smaller pieces like a mule deer or an elk skull. Bigger repeats work on large pieces like a longhorn or a huge chinook. If I just slap any old fabric on one of these, it doesn’t look good. You have to pick a pattern that fits the form well but also matches the color of the fish. For example, I’ll make sure that there’s a good flow between the head of a steelhead, the body of the fish, its lateral line, and all that.
Patterson: For me, I don’t see fly fishing as a sport but more of an enjoyable pastime. I benefit from getting better at it over time but have never approached it with an athlete’s mindset of constantly improving. My skills have been more passively acquired, fishing with people who fly fish a lot rather than studying the game, so to speak.
To bring that back to the artwork, I do enjoy making stuff and honing my craft. One thing I’m trying to do now is find a river that these fish naturally live in after I make a piece and photograph them. That’s part of my job, blending my two passions, art and the outdoors.
I would say that in my artwork, I’m more intentional about becoming better. Each time, learning a new trick, and with fly fishing, it’s similar. I never force honing my craft; it just happens naturally over time in both my art and my fishing.
Patterson: My main goal with all my pieces is to bring the outside inside in a new and fresh way. I’ve recently started to work with a lot of Airbnbs. One of the travel trends I’m seeing is immersing yourself in the culture of an area, which has really started to gain popularity. I think my art can help create more immersive, shareable moments when people stay in a home or hotel. For example, imagine staying in a beautiful home on the Oregon Coast and having a big chinook salmon upholstered in Pendleton fabric on the wall above the fireplace. It’s eye candy with a local story. My artwork can sit in these spaces on the wall and inspire folks to get outdoors.
In marketing terms, I suppose my artwork is an acquisition play to get people outdoors. Many people did not grow up with parents who introduced them to the outdoors in a meaningful way. I like to think people are all the same. We’re all the same species. We all need to have a connection to the Earth. So, I hope my artwork can inspire people who did not grow up in the outdoors to appreciate and experience nature.
Everyone has a propensity to love the outdoors, which means they all have a propensity to spend money in the local markets of the places they visit. If they go hiking in Colorado or if they want to go on a fishing trip in Florida, they all have a propensity to help with conservation. But they need to have that first experience with the outdoors. This is a long-winded way of saying I want to inspire people to get outdoors, and the way I’m doing that is to bring the outdoors inside.
Patterson: One thing I want to do more of is use my art to highlight organizations or causes that I find meaningful. Every year, I donate a few pieces to organizations I find meaningful. For instance, this year, I donated a big steelhead to my friend, Bucky Buchstaber, at Fly Fishing Collaborative (FFC). FFC is a nonprofit that saves kids from trafficking around the world through the efforts of the fly fishing community. It’s an incredible and impactful organization.
This year, they are working on a project here in Oregon with the Warm Springs Indian Reservation, building an aquaponics farm to boost their local economy. Matt Mendes, a native guide on the reservation, and Bucky went steelhead fishing on the Deschutes this last fall with the steelhead piece I made for them. I asked Bucky to photograph it on the river, so he went fishing with Matt, and they caught a steelhead. They got a cool photo of the real fish next to the replica fish, which felt like a full-circle moment for me to see. In March, FFC is holding its annual banquet for the Warm Springs hydroponics farm build and will be auctioning off my piece to help raise money.
The best ways to contact me are through Instagram or my website, sethpatterson.com.
These are the nine essential skills for tight line and euro nymphing. Things can get complicated pretty quickly, so let’s boil it down to the essentials. Check out this video, and the rest of the series, from Troutbitten to understand the the nine essential skills for tight line and euro nymphing.
“It was crazy. I had just went out for a walk behind my grandparents house with my dad and grandpa expecting nothing, and when we looked down we saw a school of 5-8 giant bonefish. It was even funnier because we were expecting our taxi to show up at any moment. We all came to an agreement that we had to make a cast at them, so I ran back to the house, set up my rod, and I was tight within 10 minutes.” – James
Angler Story of the Week from James, be sure to follow his Instagram at @Jamesbaltz !
Earlier this month, after decades of stalemate, an expansive group of Eel River stakeholders forged an agreement benefiting wild salmon and steelhead runs, people, and agricultural interests reliant on irrigation water. In recent history, the Eel River system, the third largest watershed in California, has seen its once-prolific salmon and steelhead runs dwindle to nearly nothing. In drought years, the Eel River functionally runs dry. The River is dying due in large part to the Potter Valley Project, a Pacific Gas and Electric Company hydropower and diversion project.
The kicker, however, is the project’s two dams haven’t produced meaningful power in years, are losing money, have no effective fish mitigation, may pose a major structural risk, and PG&E can’t get rid of the project. That was until this month’s agreement.
“This is a good deal for the Eel River as well as the Russian River and the people who depend on both,” explains Brian Johnson, Trout Unlimited’s senior policy advisor for western water and climate. “The agreement includes science-based, enforceable terms to provide crucial flows for the Eel’s salmon and steelhead populations. Under the agreement, all water rights will be held by the Round Valley Indian Tribes; water sales will fund the restoration of the Eel River, and water not meant for diversion will remain in the Eel. On behalf of Trout Unlimited and all the partners who worked to build this comprehensive plan, we thank the State of California for their commitment to the Eel River, its salmon and steelhead, and the communities who depend on its cold, clean water.”
PG&E operates two dams on the Eel River—the Cape Horn Dam and Scott Dam—both of which prevent migration and access to nearly 300 miles of high-quality riverine habitat. PG&E hopes to remove these dams in the coming years, but it needs approval from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. If the two dams are removed, the Eel River would become California’s longest free-flowing river.
“This MOU (Memorandum of Understanding) represents years of collaboration and tough negotiations,” said Curtis Knight, CalTrout Executive Director. “Our hope is that this agreement sets the standard on how to manage aging infrastructure and modernize water management while prioritizing the health of ecosystems and the communities that rely on them.”
So, while those details are sorted out, what does this agreement really accomplish? For one, it assures ample flows for both the Eel and Russian Rivers, no small feat and injects new life to the Eel. Two, it commits new funds to river restoration and diversion-pump station for the Russian River. Three, it builds real support and momentum toward removing the two dams and reconnecting the Eel River. It’s a win for water-users, river advocates, the state, the tribes, and salmon and steelhead.
For more, be sure to check out California Trout and Trout Unlimited.
When the mercury drops, many hang up their waders for spring in preference of tying flies, sorting through gear, and waiting for the first inclinations of mayfly hatches. Yet for the die-hard anglers, winter fishing offers empty rivers and chances at quality fish. Depending on where you live, winter may be the best time to fish. The PNW gets winter steelhead, the Northeast gets lake-run brown trout and rainbows, and the Rocky Mountain West sees epic midge hatches.
Regardless of where you are or what you fish for, winter fishing has its pros and cons. Wading rivers when it’s below freezing can be dangerous. Factor in that you may be the only one out there, and if you’re not prepared, things can go wrong fast. In an effort to get the most out of winter fishing while remaining safe, we put together a list of winter wading safety tips to keep you prepared.
These are the winter wading safety tips every angler should practice when temps drop below freezing.
If you’re fishing in the winter, chances are you’ve seen ice forming alongside the banks. When it gets cold enough to form bank ice, chances are it’s cold enough to form an ice dam. For those wondering, an ice dam is a natural occurrence in which ice sheets collect in pools, river bends, or shallow areas and act as a dam. These ice dams pool water behind them until enough pressure builds up or the river warms up enough to blow out the dam.
When an ice dam breaks, massive amounts of water, ice, and anything it picks up (trees, debris, etc.) are whisked downriver in a violent display of Mother Nature’s power. If you’re familiar with a flash flood, this phenomenon is very similar. Recently, Chase DeMeulenaere captured an ice dam breaking on a local river in Vail, and the power is extraordinary.
For those braving freezing temps in search of fish, be cautious of ice dams. Our best advice is to monitor the river ice levels and flows. If you notice your local waterbody has a lot of floating ice, it may be best to wait until things warm up and the ice disappears. Another good indicator to avoid ice dams is rapidly warming temperatures. For instance, temperatures may have been well below freezing for two weeks. During this time, ice dams may form, even though the river is still fishing well. Since temps remain well below freezing, the ice dams can still be intact, but as soon as warm weather comes through, the dam will break, unleashing massive amounts of water.
Packing extra clothes is one of the simplest ways to improve winter fishing safety. The old saying goes if you haven’t fallen in the river yet, wait because your time is coming. This is true for all anglers, no matter how experienced or coordinated they are. During the winter months, the consequences can be particularly dire.
Freezing temperatures and wet clothes make hypothermia a serious threat. The best thing to do when you are wet is to get out of wet clothes and into dry clothes as fast as possible. Keeping a spare set of clothes in your car or in your pack is a winter essential. Think warm—base layers, wading pants, and a puffy jacket will help warm you up as fast as possible. In addition, consider implementing as much wool gear as possible when fishing. Wool has unique properties that, even when wet, will continue to keep you warm until you can reach your dry clothes. It is also worth keeping an insulated sleeping bag in your car for added warmth or if you become stranded overnight.
Whether it is a lack of education or styling preferences, I’ve seen far too many anglers not wearing wading belts, even on boats. Wading belts, as useless as they may seem, actually serve an important purpose. You may have noticed most wading belts feature a stretchy fabric, ensuring a tight fit. This tight fit is designed to create an air pocket below your wading belt in the leg section. When you fall in, the wading belt allows your feet to float, rather than your waders filling with water if you are not wearing a wading belt. You can then swim or stand up and exit the river. With cold winter temperatures and a real threat of shock hitting you, wear your wading belt and make sure it is tight. For other wading gear, check out our picks HERE.
No matter when or where you are fishing, a first aid kit is essential. From little things like cuts to big things like a broken bone, a quality first aid/trauma kit will have the tools you need to get off the water and to help safely. In wintertime, a first aid kit is exceptionally valuable in terms of keeping you safe in an emergency. Make sure your kit has things like an emergency blanket and other essentials that will help you stay warm when things head south.
If you head far from the truck in search of unpressured fish, fire-starting equipment is the simplest and easiest way to get warm in case of an emergency. Now, this doesn’t mean starting fires whenever you feel like it; this should be used for emergencies only. A simple kit of waterproof matches, a lighter, and a DIY firestarter is all you need to start a fire at a moment’s notice. To make a DIY firestarter, fill an egg carton with drier lint and cover the whole thing with paraffin wax, then break the carton into individual sections. One section will burn for up to 30 minutes once lit.
Fishing in secluded areas can mean excellent fishing and little to no service. For those finding themselves far from civilization, a satellite phone is a must to stay in touch with loved ones or call for help in an emergency. Come winter, a surprise storm can be a real threat. Today’s satellite phones can send you weather updates so you know what’s coming. If you do become stranded, you can let people know where you are, your status, and if you need help. Generally, we try to avoid technology when fishing, but satellite phones are one thing we always take for our winter wading safety.
We have had some of our best days fishing in the winter, with not a soul in sight and eager fish. This guide to winter wading safety is not meant to scare you off the water but rather give you the tools needed to stay safe. Instead of hunkering down and tying flies all winter, make a plan and prep your gear in search of a winter trophy. We hope to see you out there!
Colorado Rivers Are Still On The Rise: Safety Should Be Your Priority
I never set out to be a fishing writer. I had my heart set on taking over the Utah Jazz beat for one of the local Salt Lake City news outlets. I even managed to work for the team as a feature writer, and later did stringer work for the Associated Press and Reuters. From college football and basketball, to Olympic qualifiers for skiing and snowboarding, I was convinced my professional life would be in the sports world.
But I grew up in a small town in Utah, where the local economy was cattle ranching and fruit farming. My dad and grandfather are both fly fishermen, and my grandpa tied flies commercially back in the ‘80s and ‘90s. Fly fishing—and the greater outdoor world—had an equal foothold in my life alongside basketball and football.
The thread that joined both my sports and fly fishing lives together was writing. It gave me a chance to see basketball, in particular, up-close and personal, at the highest of levels. As part of the press scrum, I got to lob questions at LeBron James and Stephen Curry. I even argued with then-L.A. Clippers head coach Doc Rivers during a live press conference on TNT.
Covering the NBA was incredible, and I wouldn’t trade those days for anything. But I always left downtown Salt Lake City feeling overwhelmed, and never truly relaxed until I got back to my house in that tiny town where I grew up.
It was around this time that I first read Trout Bum. I realized there was a market for fly fishing stories, and made up my mind that was the sort of writing I wanted to do for the rest of my life.
When you’re young and arrogant (like I was) you assume you can make a living at anything, so I figured I’d turn into an overnight sensation. I’d take the fly fishing world by storm, write a few books, and retire early off the royalties.
I ended up living in my grandma’s basement, fishing over 250 days a year, and flat broke. I had a few half-baked columns in local papers, a mountain of rejection letters from the industry’s major magazines, and not much in the way of prospects. I felt like George Clooney at the end of O Brother, Where Art Thou?
Then, Chad Shmukler over at Hatch Magazine finally said yes to one of my pitches, and everything snowballed from there. I primarily wrote gear reviews for Hatch, but I also wrote some essays and stories. Eventually, I had bylines in Field & Stream, Gray’s Sporting Journal, and American Angler. I’m a gear junkie, and look forward to expanding my gear coverage here at Flylords.
I own too many fly rods (about 40 at last count) but I’m partial to my Winston sticks.
Right before the pandemic, I joined the team at MidCurrent, where I spent the last five years as the News Editor. For most of that time, my day job was teaching high school English here in Wyoming, where I live with my wife and two papillons. We have our first daughter on the way, set to arrive in June.
The vast majority of my fly fishing experience is chasing trout in the Rocky Mountains, although I do spend significant time in Alaska each year. My favorite way to fish is throwing dry-droppers at fish in freestone rivers, but I love my big tailwaters, too. The Green River below Flaming Gorge is my favorite fishery on the planet. I actually spent a season guiding the small streams and lakes around Flaming Gorge, which was one of the best learning experiences I’ve ever had as an angler.
Eventually, I want to make it out to Mongolia to chase taimen, the far north to catch big Arctic char, and I’d love a trip to Africa to catch tigerfish. But as much as I love to travel, I love living a half-hour from a small, second-rate trout stream that most folks overlook due to its proximity to Yellowstone National Park.
I’m excited to join the Flylords team, and can’t wait to share stories, gear, and tips with the audience here. I’ve long admired what Flylords has done, and I’m grateful to be part of it.
Performance fishing eyewear and technology get better every year. With new frames, new lens technologies, and new applications, keeping up with the latest and greatest can be a full-time job. Yet despite all these offerings, in the fishing world, the largest market share is directed at offshore and conventional anglers. Luckily for fly anglers, Costa—an industry leader—is setting out to change that. Costa just announced their newest addition to an already extensive lineup, the Fly Line. To save you some time and the hassle of deciphering all the sunglass lingo, we are bringing you this exclusive First Look into the Costa Fly Line, its technical specs, and its applications for fly anglers.
The Costa Fly Line is the newest offering from the brand giant. It sets to bridge a gap, bringing affordable and performance-driven sunglasses to the fly fishing world. Each sunglass is comprised of Costa’s proprietary injected bio-resin frames and paired with bio-polycarbonate or glass lenses. The bio part of the frames and lenses comes from plants. This means that Costa has found a way to take castor plant seed oil and produce a natural raw material known as bio-based plastic resin. This is part of Costa’s greater Kick Plastic Initiative, which is creating sustainable ways to manufacture sunglass frames and lenses.
The Fly Line borrows many attributes from Costa’s top sellers—the Reefton and Brine—like the wrap-around design and wider temples to block ambient light but with a new aesthetic. This new look is a versatile option tailored towards fly anglers. In addition, the temple tips feature built-in lanyard loops to prevent your shades from falling off your face and into the water. As its name implies, a piece of fly line will make a great lanyard in a pinch.
Costa’s main goal with these sunglasses is to bring a budget-friendly option for consumers looking to invest in a quality pair of glasses. MSRP starts at $154, which is the perfect middle ground in today’s market. With the release of the Fly Line, anglers get the addition of a new lens color, rose. The rose base color has gained popularity in the gold mirror lenses, but this is the first time consumers get a full rose offering. The rose lenses have a 14% variable light transmission (VLT), are non-mirror, and benefit from the 580 color-enhanced technology. There are 13 possible frame and lens color combinations available.
| Category | Performance |
| Frames | 8-Base Frames |
| Fit | Large Fit |
| Frame Materials | Injected Bio-Resin Frame |
| Temple Construction | Double-Injected Hydrolite Temple |
| Nose Pads | Hydrolite Nose Pads |
| MSRP | Starting at $154 |
| Lens Types | 580G (Glass) and 580P (Bio-Polycarbonate) |
Over the years, the Flylords team has used just about every lens and sunglass frame configuration available. After receiving the Fly Line and understanding what makes a good pair of sunglasses, it was time to put them to the test. Our goal was to see how these perform for fly anglers and how they compare to premium glasses, considering their affordable price.
Upon unboxing the Fly Lines, you get the soft case and cleaning cloth that comes with every pair of Costas—a nice touch for a budget-friendly offering. The next thing we noticed was their weight or lack thereof. With the new bio-polycarbonate lenses, the Fly Lines are light. On the face, these glasses offer a great balance of lightweight feel without feeling cheap. If you have had issues in the past with eye/ear strain from sunglasses, we recommend going with the 580P. For anglers who prefer a slightly heavier pair of glasses, go with the 580G (glass) lenses.
The Fly Line model drew inspiration from the Reefton, an all-time favorite at Flylords, featuring similar wrap-around frames. Costa used an 8-frame design, which means the glasses curve around and hug your face to block out ambient light. Paired with wide temples, these glasses do an exceptional job of cutting glare and keeping you focused on the fish in front of you.
With this release, consumers also get a new lens color: rose. The rose lenses are designed as an all-around lens, similar to a green mirror or copper. From bright sun to cloudy mornings, these lenses cut glare and ease eye strain. The rose lenses also excel in various fisheries and locations. For flats anglers, these lenses make fish pop across light bottom. If spotting shadows from a distance is your calling, the rose lenses excel at picking up fish from a far. Take tarpon fishing, for instance. Seeing fish further out gives you more time to get into position and make quality casts for your best opportunity.
On our local mountain streams, the Fly Line also offers exceptional visibility. It is similar to an amber or copper base with its ability to cut glare, see through the water, and spot fish. The 14% VLT makes rose a versatile option when navigating streams and rivers. A true do-it-all lens, it performs great on open rivers with bright sun and shaded streams with overhanging trees. For trout anglers, having a single pair of glasses for every condition has its benefits.
With the Fly Line marketed as a budget-friendly option, we wanted to know how true that claim is. The starting MSRP is $154 for frames with 580P lenses and rises to $234 for 580G lenses. While by no means cheap, they do come in quite a bit lower than Costa’s other models and include similar styling and technology. As of now, the new rose-colored lenses are only available in 580G, meaning you’d have to spend more than the $154 entry-level price. This is the main downside, but as Costa continues to expand this line, we hope to see 580P in rose.
Costa’s new Fly Line sunglasses are designed to be an affordable, dependable option tailored to fly anglers. That begs the question, do they hold up to that claim? After our testing both here in Colorado and on the flats of Florida, we can say they do. For $154, you get a performance-driven pair of glasses with exceptional coverage and premium lenses. They are a great tool for finding fish and an even better investment for those looking to get a new pair of glasses. The 13 different frame and lens configurations offer an option for any angler, and for the first time, consumers get rose lenses as an option.
