Featured Products
May: Dan Bailey's Waders
Here we see intrepid adventure angler Karl Carstensen pursuing the wily Redsides and Browns of the upper Deschutes. Note the confident smile - borne of the fishing and freedom he now enjoys.
DAN BAILEYS EZ-ZIP YELLOWSTONE GUIDE WADERS – Frank Smethurst
Is there anyone amongst us that has not been bundled up in their waders when nature calls? I know that for myself, I have often been really in the zone fishing-wise and just got into the mode of putting off that inevitable natural urge until I was gritting my teeth. It is hard to fish very well when you gotta go!
That is one of the principal issues that a zippered wader addresses, though ease of entrance and exit, along with rolling them down when you are taking a breather are all some of the bonuses that I have also noticed. The reality is, once you have used a zip wader, particularly in cold or inclement weather, it is difficult to go back.
I have now put almost a year of pretty savage use on my Baileys zip waders, and not only do they not leak anywhere, but they are a real pleasure to own and use. In addition to these other obvious pluses, I took a little side excursion through what may have been the worlds largest blackberry patch whilst steelie fishing with Justin Miller on the Klamath last fall. I had just kept right on tiptoeing down this very fishy run, catching some half pounders, and hoping for a big guy, when I found myself at lands end, and a return from whence I came was just not possible. So I clambered up the bank, and there before me was a half mile hike through eight to ten foot tall blackberries.
I resignedly trudged through the thicket knowing in my heart that I was ruining my waders! I felt the little pinpricks of thorns through themas I made the hour long trek, and when I finally got to the road, it took another ten minutes to brush all of the thorns off of them.
"Where did you go? We thought you were absconded by a sasquatch!" Justin joked - knowing of my Bigfoot fixation. I just knew that they were going to be cheesecloth when I got into the next run, but this was steelheading and I didn’t want to be a pussy. So I just strode into the next run an hour later expecting the worst, and the fibers of the waders had just closed up and there wasn’t even a pinprick of water! I know that sounds like so much talk, but I speak the truth.
While I am telling the truth, Justin caught all of the adult steelies and we never saw a real Bigfoot.
— Frank
April: Brodin Ghost Net
Moose caught this great brown the other day while rowing the Gunnison, and you can see that not only is the fish sitting calmly, but you can actually photograph them pretty well in the net, thus reducing handling overall.
WHY EVERYONE SHOULD TRY A BRODIN GHOST NET – Frank Smethurst
First and foremost because all Brodins, with their multiple laminates of beautiful woods are the absolute benchmark for hand craftsmanship, lightness and strength, but there are some other reasons too.
The Ghost nets are really easy on the fish, the soft and clear rubber mesh prevents any removal of slime from even big trout, and the clarity of the mesh seems to panic the fish less. This minimizes the thrashing and struggling of the trout also. The proprietary Brodin fine mesh also prevents smaller fish from squirting through the holes, while also preventing your flies from snagging the net bag.
The number one reason why I like the Ghost is because it has consistently taken some of the drama out of netting a bigger fish. There is always that moment when you are about to net that wizened old monster and when you move that giant black bag of a conventional net towards them, they freak out, and this is when trophy fish are lost. This is something that all of us that have guided for a time recognize and have seen too often. With the Ghost, I have seen many times the fish just sit there calmly as the net slipped around them not even noticing the entire net! Their reaction is so different, that it is a tad eerie.
Try a Ghost sometime soon, they come in sizes perfect for Brookies to Cohos, and even Kings and Muskies, and let us know how you like them!
— Frank