reviews

Simms G3 Wader, Vibram Guide Boot Review for the Holidays

Thanks to Mike for the glowing Simms product review. Christmas comes early in Virginia-or so I’ve heard. …Thanks much, Theaux. I appreciate it. On another front, I christened the waders and boots today. Wow…great gear. Re the waders, air temp was 36F, and I imagine water temp was about the same. I had a pair of mid-weight Simms long johns (probably the predecessor to the current RiverTeks) and lightweight wading pants on under the waders…and I was quite comfortable, even a bit warm at times. As you may recall from my e-mail to you after I tried them on, I said that they were certainly …

Read more

G.Loomis NRX Rods In Maryland

The new NRX Rods from G.Loomis have arrived in the shop, and are available in line weights for fresh and salt water fishing. Short of rehashing industry terminology, the NRX rods are extremely light, yet powerful. We took them to the lawn in four, five, eight and nine weights (all 9 feet long) to test them out. The four weight was definitely not as fast as I expected (power often equates to stiffness) and loaded quickly. Surprisingly the rod worked with little effort at twenty feet, yet never lost power at three times that distance. The four and five weight rods worked at distances we …

Read more

Gunpowder River Guide Trip Feedback

Thanks to Mark Noble for the nice stream report and photo from a guide trip with Backwater Angler guide Dave Smith. Theaux, I’m sorry I didn’t have a chance to stop by the shop when I was done fishing today. Although it’s not too surprising, I never can tear myself away from a river until it is absolutely necessary. I really enjoyed fishing with Dave today. We did catch quite a few fish, but even better than that was fishing with someone who really knows the river and can offer tips on what you’re doing right and how to improve. I feel much more confident …

Read more

Patagonia Stormfront Pack In Maryland

The Patatgonia Stormfront Pack pictured above is a fully waterproof back pack that has many uses for fly anglers. The obvious features are a fully waterproof zipper, and external strap for a rod tube. Included inside the bag is a removable gear divider perfect for reels, cameras or fly boxes. The back pack straps are also removable, and feature a mesh pocket for a hydration bladder. Inside the pack is a small zippered pocket perfect for preventing keys, sunglasses or other small items from getting lost inside. The pack has a number of D-rings for connecting items or securing the bag to a boat, roof …

Read more

Large Selection Of Caddis and Mayfly Patterns In Maryland

The shop has a wide selection of both caddis and mayfly nymph patterns to help fool those wary, wild brown trout. Large shipments of new patterns hand picked for our local hatches arrived in the shop the past week. I used many of these patterns successfully last season on the more heavily fished sections of the Gunpowder. Trout never grow tired of pheasant tails, hares ears, and other common nymphs, but these new patterns tend to trick those larger browns. In Maryland the rivers provide caddis hatches through the Spring, Summer and Fall, long after the bigger mayflies have hatched. It’s surprising how many anglers …

Read more

Custom Dry Fly Patterns and Accessories in Maryland

We have a wide assortment of dry flies in the shop tied by Mike Bachkosky to match our Maryland hatches. There are quill bodied parachute patterns great for spinners, which can even be used as cripple/dun patterns in flat water areas. In the photo above are snow shoe winged Unusuals for midges, PMDs, olives, light cahills, hendricksons and sulphurs. The mayfly hatches are just starting, and the muffin tins are loaded in preparation for the next months ahead. These patterns are not just generic flies found in most catalogs, but are tied in the sizes and colors we see in Maryland. Mike is always willing …

Read more