Category Archives: Gear

Gear Review: The Deck-Boss Boots from Grundéns

At ICAST/IFTD 2017, I was getting the tour of the new lineup of products from Grundéns and was stopped dead in my tracks with a product that ultimately made my best of show list at the end of the weekend. … Continue reading

Posted in Gear | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Gear Review: The Patagonia 850 Down Sleeping Bag

Patagonia is world-renowned for what it makes but is also known for what it doesn’t make. Shying away from tents, fanny packs, and shoes, Patagonia is known to keep a narrow focus. With that, it came as a surprise when … Continue reading

Posted in Gear | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Review: The Thomas & Thomas Exocett Surf for the Demands of Coastal Fly Fishing

Fly fishing the surf is no beach picnic. The elements alone — especially on the Pacific — can be demanding. Trekking through the cold water, navigating the occasional rogue wave (that has potential to kill you if you’re taken down … Continue reading

Posted in Gear, Saltwater | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Review: The Sage SALT HD Fly Rod for Saltwater Fly Fishing

As frequent visitors of The Venturing Angler know, I went bonkers over the Sage SALT rod when it came out several years ago. I actually did two reviews of the rod before then becoming the proud owner of Sage SALTs … Continue reading

Posted in Gear, Saltwater | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Gear Review: The YETI Panga Waterproof Duffel

For traveling anglers and other adventurers, very few pieces of gear are more important than a duffel bag, and for some, a good duffel is the foundational piece of gear that holds critical value. (After all, the duffel is what … Continue reading

Posted in Gear | Tagged | Leave a comment

Gear Review: The Patagonia Tough Puff Hoody

“The Patagonia Nano Puff is the greatest jacket ever made.” It would be impossible to even guess how many times I’ve repeated these words. In fact, it’s probably so frequent that it classifies as excessive. Like Uncle Rico talking about … Continue reading

Posted in Gear | Tagged | Leave a comment

The Dynamic Duo: Sage Switch Rods for Fly Fishing the Striper Surf

In my years of fly fishing in California, I’ve frequently heard anglers say that there isn’t really any fly fishing in the San Francisco Bay Area. Many anglers commit to trout or steelheading (generally 5+ hours away), and there are … Continue reading

Posted in Gear, Saltwater | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Review: The Patagonia Rio Gallegos Front Zip-Waders

From The Venturing Angler: The new Patagonia Rio Gallegos Waders are built for performance. Building upon existing technologies and innovation, Patagonia has made improvements to their Rio Gallegos line with benefits that deserve tremendous praise. I first got a glimpse … Continue reading

Posted in Freshwater, Gear | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Sage SALT review revisited

The Sage SALT has been with us for about a year now. A year ago, I had the privilege of demoing the rod at the casting club and putting together a review with George Revel of Lost Coast Outfitters. Normally … Continue reading

Posted in Gear, Saltwater | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Fly Fishing Gear Review: RIO Permit Line

From The Venturing Angler: “That line is going to hold you back,” I insisted last week to an angler who let me cast his permit rod. I am generally not one to criticize someone else’s gear, but in this case, … Continue reading

Posted in Gear, Saltwater | Tagged , , | Leave a comment