Simms G4 Pro Stockingfoot Waders ($750)

Seams down the front and back of these ­durable waders enhance your range of ­motion. Streamlined stocking feet and a fleece-lined chest pocket add comfort.��

Patagonia Fitz Roy Trout Hat ($35)

With a bill made from recycled fishing nets and that iconic trout logo, this hat is for those who love to fish—­and want everyone to know.

Roka AT-1X Polarized Sunglasses ($170)

Perfectly placed rubber on the nose and temples keeps these glasses from slipping, and sturdy polarized lenses reduce glare.

Columbia Terminal Deflector Zero Mock Long Sleeve Shirt ($65)

A proprietary chemical compound embedded in this UPF 50 shirt wicks moisture and keeps you cool when you sweat.��

Farm to Feet Missoula Socks ($22)

These comfy merino-wool socks pair equally well with waders and Vans. The nerd-tastic trout pattern can be your little secret.

Filson Backpack Drybag ($295)

This nylon pack fits all the essentials: six-pack, rain jacket, camera, and lunch. Padded straps ease long hikes.

Orvis Pro Wading Boots ($229)

Orvis’s tough-as-hell cast polyurethane upper and molded insole keeps feet happy all day. A Michelin rubber outsole grips slick gravel and boulders.

Abel Vaya Reel ($495)

The drag system on this aluminum reel feels like it could stop a Chevy Colorado. It’s also fully sealed, so it won’t corrode in salt water.��

Orvis Pro Trout Line ($98)

Proprietary treatment makes for smoother casting and greater durability.��

Sage Trout LL Rod ($800)

This update to Sage’s Light Line rod from the 1980s retains its legendary feel and presentation, but has enough backbone to hurl double-dropper rigs at 50 feet.

The post The Best Men’s Fishing Gear of 2020 appeared first on ���ϳԹ��� Online.

About three weeks into testing fly rods for this summer’s Buyer’s Guide, I realized I had a problem: there were too many good rods. I could only pick one to go into the printed guide (the oh-so-smooth ), but there were three others that I loved to fish with. Part of this has to do with the state of the industry—you can walk into a fly shop, pick a rod at random, and walk out with a well-designed, effective one. But part of it has to do with several new offerings being suited to short, precise casts emphasizing presentation and feel. That describes 90 percent of the fishing done by myself and most other anglers I know. When was the last time you needed to make a 60-foot cast? More often��you sneak around the corner, spot a fish sipping BWOs off the seam of an eddy, and know that you’re gonna get one cast to catch him. When that happens, you want one of these rods in your hand.

Sage Dart ($700)

Sage’s Konnetic Technology debuted in 2011 with the introduction of the One rod. The material all but eliminated side-to-side movement of the rod during casting, focusing all the energy into the back-and-forth motion that enhances line speed, accuracy, and distance. The result was an ultrapowerful, ultra-accurate rod that had other companies scrambling to catch up. (Though most of them have��at this point.)

The company has refined the material over the years (it’s now been updated to KonneticHD), putting it in everything from ultrafast to medium-action rods. This year, Sage��finally put it into a small-water package. At seven feet six inches, ��is small enough to squeeze under the endless willows that swallow my favorite New Mexico streams. (There’s even a six-foot six-inch��three-weight, if you want to get into really tight quarters.) The KonneticHD material means that the little rod is still fast, allowing you to get tight loops under branches or whatever else may be overhead. And unlike the One, which needed a fair bit of line for the rod to flex, the Dart excels at the short cast.

Winston Pure ($850)

Winston makes rods with progressive action. What does that mean? It means they have enough power in the butt end to lay out a bunch of line��but enough flex in the tip to delicately present flies. It’s less like holding a bazooka, more like wielding a sniper rifle. For a while, the industry was so obsessed with fast action that everyone seemed to forget about Winston. Except, of course, everyone out there using one of its��famous green rods to, you know, actually catch fish instead of talking about how much line they could shoot.

The company could make ultrafast rods—the boron fibers it uses in its green rods are faster to snap back into place than graphite and could make one helluva fast rod—it’s just that it��didn’t want to. And thank God, because ��is one of the most fun rods I’ve fished with in a long time. When the hatch is on and fish are boiling to the surface, this rod excels. I once put a dry-dropper rig on, but this rod almost begs to fish single dries to rising fish. It’s made specifically for lighter lines—it’s��only offered in a five-weight and under—and comes in a range of lengths from six feet up to nine. Testing these rods is necessarily subjective, and I’m happy to admit my bias for fiberglass rods��(hence the selection of the Scott F Series.) But if fiberglass wasn’t experiencing a golden era, this would be my go-to rod.

Redington Butter Stick ($250)

Speaking of fiberglass, this is not the first time I’ve suggested the Redington Butter Stick. But it is the first time I’ve recommended . The original was bright yellow and cast like a noodle—and I mean that in the best way possible. I could feel every inch of the rod load with line, whether I was making a 15-foot cast or a 40-foot cast. Sure, it couldn’t handle a dry-dropper rig, streamers, or even the biggest of my salmonfly imitations. But it also made even a six-inch fish feel like it had some fight to it.

The new Butter Stick has a more Instagram-friendly finish��and is designed��with what Redington is calling T-Glass, which has made the updated version a bit stronger and more accurate. That doesn’t mean it has��messed with that beautiful soft action. It just means that it can throw those big hoppers or salmonflies without me feeling like I’m trying to throw a bucket on the end of a rope.

The post The Best Fly Rods for Small Water appeared first on ���ϳԹ��� Online.

Orvis Ultralight Convertible Waders ($298)

Even the best waders can feel stuffy, but these use four-layer nylon that’s thin and breathable enough for hiking. Fasteners lengthen the shoulder straps to drop the Ultralight to your waist, shedding more heat.

Buff DeYoung Trucker Hat ($28)

Derek DeYoung’s bright and flashy fish art is legendary. These hats make use of his iconic style while keeping the sun off your face.

Fishpond Switchback System ($100)

No two days on the water are the same, so flexibility is key. The Switchback has attachments for your net, rod, wading staff, and drink. Best of all, there’s a pack that slides around the belt for optimal placement.

Scott F Series Rod ($695)

The majority of fishing happens at close range, where presentation matters. Scott’s newest rod is made of an epoxy-fiberglass blend that ensures smooth, accurate casts—perfect for placing flies at the top of the pool.

Bauer SST Reel ($425)

There’s plenty of tech in Bauer’s latest reels—namely, a carbon-fiber drag mechanism that could stop a racehorse. But no need to dwell on that. The SST is balanced, light, and gets the job done. Enough said.

Scientific Anglers Amplitude Smooth Trout Line ($100)

A good line loads the rod and turns over the fly for clean, accurate presentation. This one has a coating to make it durable and slick, reducing friction.

Bitterroot Stream Net ($209)

Handcrafted in Washington from fine hard­woods and turquoise inlays, Bitterroot’s custom nets are pretty enough to hang.

Patagonia x Danner Foot Tractor Wading Boots ($499)

Patagonia supplied the grippy Vibram soles, and Danner designed the leather-nylon upper. The result: a boot you can walk in for miles, built to last a lifetime.

Columbia Force XII Zero Long-Sleeve Shirt ($100)

Columbia’s Omni-Freeze Zero technology puts sweat to work. Polymer rings on the fabric use evaporation to lower the shirt’s temperature when they touch moisture.

The post The Best Men’s Fly Fishing Gear of 2019 appeared first on ���ϳԹ��� Online.

After a winter of cold��streams��and fishing double-nymph rigs, it’s always nice to get back in the water in the spring—that’s if the weather doesn’t get in the way.��Near my home in Santa Fe,��it can go from sunny to snowing in minutes, or the temperature can drop 20 degrees, or it can start spitting rain and then drop 20 degrees.

Which is why I love the ��($130). It’s warm enough that I stay toasty, even if a front rolls in, thanks to the thick poly-spandex material throughout��the body of the jacket.��It has two big, warm pockets for me to shove my hands into if I need to thaw out. The stretchy synthetic��fabric��in both the shoulders��and the adjustable hood blocks the wind and, though it isn’t quite waterproof, keeps the water off me long enough so I can at least get under a pine tree for cover. Best of all, the Katafront has water-resistant cuffs, so when I’m releasing a fish or turning over rocks to look for bug life, my entire arm doesn’t get soaked. If that’s not enough, it comes in a black camo pattern so fish don’t see me. That was a joke; I’m not sure why Simms makes it in black camo. I’m just grateful the hoodie��also comes in blue so that my wife doesn’t make fun of me when I wear it.

The post Our Go-To Hoodie for Spring Fishing appeared first on ���ϳԹ��� Online.

If you’ve been on Twitter today, you may have noticed that is trending. Why? On Monday, the raccoon on a ledge in downtown St. Paul, Minnesota. The Minnesota Public Radio team was . (Hence the MPR in its name.)

Earlier today, a few maintenance workers tried to improvise a way for the animal��to climb down from the building, but instead, the raccoon fled to the nearby UBS tower and began climbing upward. That’s when people began to take notice. Soon, the creature had scaled nearly half the height of the building, making�� .

Near the 22nd floor, the raccoon took another break. It must be tired—it’s been without food and water for at least a day, .

After the nap, the raccoon continued its upward climb.

As of this writing, the��procyonid��was nearing the top of the building.

What will happen next? We wait with bated breath. (While watching ’s Twitter account—it really is the best spot for the latest.)

Update: Around 2:50 a.m. local time, the raccoon successfully of the building. Building workers had placed a live trap on the roof filled with wet cat food, and the raccoon was successfully captured and turned over to the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources.

https://twitter.com/ubs_plaza/status/1006876321346211840

The post Updated: Free-Soloing #mprraccoon Is Safe appeared first on ���ϳԹ��� Online.

Walk softly and carry the right stick.

Sage Salt HD ($950)

The splurge

Permit at 70 feet, 20 mph headwinds, guide screaming in your ear. What do you want in your hand? The Salt HD. Sage tweaked the composite of its already whippy Konnetic rod technology to transfer energy more efficiently, for faster casting. Sure it’s expensive. But do you really want to miss your shot?

Scott G ($845)

The multitool

Scott’s G series can do it all, and the company updated it in 2017 with new tapers and lighter materials. The rod is fast enough that you can lay out line when you need to, and it has enough feel that you can place a size 24 midge with nary a ripple.

Echo Gecko Kit ($169)

The gateway

Parents: Want to fish more? Bring the kids along. The Gecko, from staff favorite Echo, looks awesome and costs almost nothing. Don’t have kids? Get a Gecko for the back of the truck, so you always have a small-water spare.

Winston Nimbus ($650)

The bargain

Six bones is a bargain? It is for the Nimbus. This is essentially one of Winston’s famed $900 graphite and boron rods, but made exclusively from graphite. You won’t even notice the difference on the water.

Redington Butter Stick ($250)

The fun one

The Butter Stick isn’t new—it debuted a few years ago—but it’s responsible for more giggles than any rod in years. The slow-action fiberglass translates to perfect presentation (except in the wind) and makes eight-inch fish feel twice as big.

Orvis Helios 3D ($845)

The cast master

Forget Orvis’s image as a stodgy brand for traditionalists. The Helios 3D (the D stands for dis­tance) is as advanced as any rod out there. The proprietary blank reduces vibration and side-to-side movement, correcting your mistakes (trust us, you’re making a few) so the rod casts smoothly in a single direction. The only limit to its reach is your arm.

The post The Best Fly-Fishing Rods of 2018 appeared first on ���ϳԹ��� Online.

Remember when a sock was just a sock? Gone are the days when your most pressing decisions were cotton or polyester, above the ankle or below. And if your dogs aren’t equipped with the latest in sock technology (it exists!), you won’t be at your PR-busting best, whether you’re running an ultra or banging out burpees in the gym.

Fits Light Hiker Mini Crew ($20)

Our favorite��has mastered the combination of durability and comfort. The Fits Light Hiker Mini Crew��is thick enough for hours of high-wattage abuse without any discomfort—which means it fares perfectly well when kicked up on the ottoman on rest days.

��

Feetures Elite Light Cushion Quarter ($16)

To wit: the Feetures Elite Light Cushion Quarter has a compression zone to stimulate blood flow in the most important areas and nixes the toe seam to boost comfort.

��

Bombas Marls ($12)

Meanwhile, the Bombas Marls uses a special honeycomb design to help support your arch.

��

Darn Tough Vertex Quarter Ultra Light ($18)

Others take a decidedly mini­malist approach, like the Darn Tough Vertex Quarter Ultra Light, which is the com­pany’s slightest option and feels practically like going bare­foot.

��

Smartwool PhD Run Ultra Light Micro ($16)

Then there’s the Smartwool PhD Run Ultra Light Micro, which is so thin that it’s basically a second skin.

��

The post The Best Socks of 2018 appeared first on ���ϳԹ��� Online.

On Thursday morning, Colorado College released its , which it has conducted since 2011. The survey asks voters in Arizona, Colorado, Idaho (added this year), Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, and Utah for their opinions on everything from energy development to national monuments,��water usage to recreation. It also asks��about��political affiliation, a question that, not surprisingly, tends to matter a lot. So what did voters say? We took a look at the numbers.

More People Identify as a Conservationist

In 2016, 63 percent of respondents said they’d call themselves one. This year, it was 76 percent.

Latinos Are a Growing Force in the Movement

The number who now identify as conservationists is 75 percent—an 18 percent increase since 2016.

74 Percent��of Westerners Recreate Outdoors

The most popular activities were hiking (63 percent), camping (57 percent), and bird and wildlife viewing (37 percent).

The Outdoor Economy Matters

Ninety-three percent said that it was important to the economic future of the West. Those numbers were identical whether respondents identified as Republicans, Independents, or Democrats.

Protection Is More Important Than Production

Nearly two-thirds (64 percent) said it was more important to protect public lands than to produce energy on them. (Wyoming was the only state where it was even close—39 percent people there said production was more important.) The lowest amount of support came from Republicans. Even then, 43 percent favored protection and only 37 favored production.

Most People Don’t Like the National Monument Reductions

Overall, two-thirds of respondents said it was a bad idea to reduce the size of Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante national monuments. A majority in every state thought it was a bad idea, except for Utah, where 49 percent said it was a bad idea and 46 percent said it was a good one.

And They’d Rather There Not Be More Reductions

Just under 70 percent said it was a bad idea to reduce the size of existing national monuments. Even in Utah, 56 percent were against it.

Westerners Really Dislike D.C. Politicians

Seventy-nine percent said their values were not shared by politicians in D.C. Local politicians fare a little better—only 49 percent say their state officials don’t share their values.

They’re Really Worried About Water and Fires

More than 80 percent said that low water conditions were a significant concern,��and 47 percent said the same about uncontrollable wildfires.

They’d Rather See Water Conservation than Diversion

Only 13 percent said more water should be diverted to cities to meet their needs, while 78 percent said they’d rather see more conservation and water recycling efforts.

Renewable Energy Is��Super Popular

More than two-thirds of those who responded said that either solar or wind was their first choice of energy development in their state. (Coal and oil were chosen by eight��percent.) The only state that didn’t pick renewables as the top two preferred sources of energy? Wyoming, which chose coal and natural gas.

The post Busting 11 Myths about Westerners and Conservation appeared first on ���ϳԹ��� Online.

Tom Morgan is . The famed rod builder purchased R.L. Winston Rod Co. in 1973, moved it to Twin Bridges, Montana��in the thick of some of the best trout fishing in the country, and over the next 20 years proceeded to produce some of the finest bamboo, fiberglass, and, eventually, graphite fly rods ever made. Shortly after he sold the company in 1991, Tom was diagnosed with MS and started Tom Morgan Rodsmiths to help pay the bills.��

Tom was confined to a wheelchair for years before he last summer, so his wife, Gerri Carlson, built all the rods based on his designs.��The rods they made together are something of a legend among dry fly aficionados. They were always expensive—TMR rods broke the $1,000 mark long before the G. Loomis Asquith did—but they were treasured. Those who owned them often owned two, three, even four. Such was their allure. Why? Tom Morgan rods are said to have a particular feel. While rod makers today are focused on building a rod that can shoot line 150 feet, Tom built rods made to present flies to trout that are, say, 30 feet away—you know, the way people actually fish.

The O'Dell��($1,850) is just . Designed by Tom and refined by TMR's new owners, Joel Doub and Matt Barber, it is named for a spring creek in Montana where Tom used to guide. Only 50 of them were made and each one comes with a print of Tom fishing. If you're feeling lucky, you can try to����through non-profit Casting for Recovery.

Full disclosure: I have not actually cast this rod. But I suspect it feels exactly the way I imagine a rod feeling anytime I'm stuck in a meeting or a long line at the grocery store and wishing I were on a river—smooth, firm, and able to put a size 20 Adams in slack water without even a ripple. I suspect that's exactly the way Tom imagined it, too.

The post Why I Love the Tom Morgan Rodsmith O’Dell Fly Rod appeared first on ���ϳԹ��� Online.

A ��by the Department of Interior shows that of employees have been harassed or discriminated against in the past year. The news affirms what has, at this point, become painfully clear:��the department has a culture of bad behavior that has gone unchecked for years.

The survey was initiated after reports emerged from the Grand Canyon in 2016 that women working for the National Park Service had routinely been harassed and, in some cases, assaulted while working on the river. Those complaints quickly spread throughout the NPS, prompting resignations and calls for further investigation. In October, the DOI released a survey of full-time NPS employees that found that 40 percent��had experienced some form of harassment or discrimination. Thursday’s��survey included other departments—from the Bureau of Indian Affairs to the U.S. Geological Survey—and included 28,203 respondents, representing 44 percent of all Interior employees.

The results are damning. The most common form of harassment was related to age, with 20.5 percent of respondents saying they’d experienced such an event.��More than 12 percent reported gender harassment, 10.1 percent reported sexual harassment, 9.3 percent said they’d been harassed or discriminated against due to their race or ethnicity. (Worryingly, more than 20 percent of those working in the Bureau of Indian Affairs reported harassment due to their race.) The number of employees who said they'd been sexually assaulted—0.74 percent—was much smaller, but still represents 208 employees, a number that would more than double if we assume the relatively large sample size is��representative of the entire workforce.

“From day one, I made it clear that I have zero tolerance for any type of workplace harassment,” Secretary Ryan Zinke said . “I have directed leadership across the entire Department��to move rapidly to improve accountability and transparency with regard to this absolutely intolerable behavior.”

At the same time that it released the survey results, the DOI announced initiatives aimed at correcting the issue, including dispersing its updated anti-harassment policy, establishing new guidelines for managers who hear about harassment, creating a guide to conducting harassment investigations, and more training for those who may��conduct such investigations.

These are all good steps, to be sure. But if the����is any indication, the more that DOI employees feel they are not alone in talking about harassment, the more people will speak out against it. In other words: the fallout is likely far from over.��

The post Report: Harassment and Discrimination Rampant at DOI appeared first on ���ϳԹ��� Online.