reviews

The San Juan vertical chest pack can do it all. Many anglers burden themselves with an overloaded vest or backpack. I’ve been guiding out of one of these little packs for two years and won’t change anytime soon. Inside it holds two C&F leaf boxes, one large Morrell, and two small myrans, leaders, licenses, etc. On the outside, nylon loops and elastic cuffs secure tippet spools, nippers, dry shake, Gink and weighted putty. It can be worn in a number of ways, but in summer when flows are lower and days hotter, I wear it as a fanny pack. In higher flows it can be …

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The Simms Dry Creek Camera bag is the perfect answer for the angler who likes to pack light, but carry essentials. I rarely fish without a camera on my shoulder, but often find myself waist deep in the Gunpowder, Savage or North Branch of the Potomac River. This bag can allow anglers a chance to bring a camera, that they may otherwise worry about getting wet. It also holds a Patagonia Deep Wading Jacket quite nicely. Straps secure the bag onto a wading belt to keep it out of the way. Extra fly boxes, water, or even lunch can now be brought without a vest …

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The Cloudveil 8X wader is a great wader for anglers, especially those who tend to be smaller and prefer a tighter fit instead of a baggy wader. At a lean 5’7 I fit into the smalls and they are the perfect length, foot size and provide ample room for winter layering. They are durable– not one leak all spring, summer and fall, with many days of use each week. I like the drab color and also live out of the zipper pockets while guiding and fishing. They breathe very well and I rarely find that I am sweating, unless I hike into Falls road in …

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Patagonia’s Deep Wading Jacket is my summer fishing jacket, based on its lightweight and packable design. It can fit into vest pockets, Simms Dry camera bag, or even folded and rubberbanded into a ball and clipped to a wading belt with a carabiner. The sleeve cuffs can be sealed to keep water from running down your sleeve when you hold up that trophy for a picture. The color also blends in well with the dense foliage that grows on riverbanks in the summer. Jason du Pont

Eight and nine weight rods are great for many species in both fresh and saltwater. Why not have a line that is as versatile as the rod? The Airflo Striper Multi Tip system opens doors of opportunities for anglers making the jump to larger weight rods. The system incorporates an intermediate line with loop-to-loop connections to various shooting heads. One interchangeable system covers all columns of water easily. No need for spare spools with sinking lines, the system comes with a series of 20′ sections including an intermediate, a 3 inch, and a 7 inch per second sinking head. The heads come in a nice …

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I wear this shirt many months of the year under my layers when I fish and it keeps me warm and dry. It is great as the only layer under your wading jacket on a cool rainy days. The zip neck allows you to cool off after a long hike from the Masemore parking lot. Jason du Pont