Want to win a custom Flylords Benchmade Knife? Find out how below.
With Spring well underway and summer right around the corner, the perfect camping and fishing weather has officially begun. Whether you’re loading up for a weekend-long float trip, or just taking a walk to your favorite riverside tent spot, there’s nothing quite like enjoying a refreshing cocktail by the fire after a day spent on the water. Whether it’s an old-time classic, or one of your buddy’s signature “franken-tinis”: everyone’s most likely got a favorite, and we want to know yours.
So, to kick off the first coming of our favorite time of the year, we’re partnering with Benchmade Knives to give away 3 custom Flylords knives to 3 lucky anglers.
Here’s all you have to do to enter:
Go tag 2 friends and comment your favorite camp cocktail/ beverage in the comments of this post HERE. Each comment counts as 1 entry (limited to 3 entries per participant).
The morning started with a 4:30 am departure from Portland, Oregon to head west to fish for summer steelhead with Matt Mendes, a Native American Fly Fishing Guide located on the Deschutes River. The three-hour drive started with heavy rain in Portland and transitioned into a snowstorm along the Mount Hood corridor. As we reached the Warm Springs Reservation the air was warm, balmy, and no wind. It was late November, any sort of warmer air temperatures might mean that if there were steelhead around they would be more willing to take a swung fly.
The Deschutes River.
Fly fishing for summer steelhead in Oregon is not for the faint of heart, it typically means waking up before the sunrise, fishing hard all morning, taking a nap midday, and then fishing the afternoon until dark. The less time you spend on the water the less chance you have to catch a steelhead. The populations of steelhead in Oregon have been on the decline since the early 1900s when the dams were built on the Columbia River, there was the introduction of hatchery steelhead, and there was an onslaught of commercial harvest of these fish.
Tribal Guide Matt Mendes, prepared for another day of steelhead fishing on the Warm Springs Reservation.
Steelhead are a species of pursuit, it’s not at all a numbers game. Fly fishing for steelhead is a way to connect to the outdoors at a greater level. You can spend hours and hours, days upon days without catching one. You can learn more about yourself in this time spent on the water and connect with the environment around you at a whole different level. It is a very intimate experience, to say the least. And when you do finally come in contact with a fish, it is a memory you will cherish forever.
Beams of sunlight began radiating to the East as we pulled up to Matt’s house and I knew that the clock was ticking and we needed to get on the water. Matt was patiently waiting for us with the rods rigged on his gigantic F-250 Truck. He told us to grab our gear and get into the truck and we would wader up down at the river. The day would be spent wade fishing the Warm Springs Reservation side of the Deschutes River. We would be using Matt’s truck to move from spot to spot along the 4-wheel drive road. Matt has exclusive access to guide on 22 miles of the Deschutes River’s west bank, per an 1855 treaty with the United States government.
When I asked Matt about how he got into fishing and guiding he explained, “My grandfather Al Bagley got me into fly fishing when I was 12 years old. He was the first Indian guide on the Deschutes River and owner of Riverbend Guide Service. He started his company in 1997. I started shuttle driving at 12 years old and slowly started getting familiar with the guide business during that time.”
“By my Sophomore year in High school, I was guiding every summer and fall for both trout and steelhead until I graduated. I ended up working 11 years with his outfit. He retired in 2016 and I bought him out and started my own company Spin The Handle.” It became pretty clear through our conservations that Matt has devoted his life to fishing, specifically guiding fly fishing and protecting the native fish and habitat along the Deschutes River.
The road began to wind down the canyon, the mighty Deschutes River came into view. The defined oxbows of water pierced the rugged land and the steep cliffs glistened a red and gold color contrasting the dark blue reflection of the river below. For those who have never stepped foot near the Deschutes River, a picture doesn’t do it justice. The sheer power of the river is astonishing and the land around it looks like you might be walking on some faraway planet. It is a mysterious place, underneath the rugged landscape is a world teeming with life.
We turned onto a burley 4-wheel drive road, Matt put the truck into 4-wheel to climb through the deep mud. Wild horses grazed the hills, the bright sun warmed the cold desert ground.
We approached the first run, Matt stopped the truck and muttered some swear words under his breath, he began banging on the roof of the truck. The noise echoed through the canyon and a flock of geese took flight from the river. Matt mentioned the geese can spook the fish from taking a swung fly. These geese were sitting right on the tailout of the run we were planning to fish. He also mentioned it was probably just his superstition and we should still fish the run. Steelhead anglers are notorious for being superstitious.
Emily waded out to the top of the run, she was accompanied by Matt who helped her find rhythm with her spey cast. She began the two-step spey routine, cast, swing, take two steps downstream and repeat the process. It was the most efficient way to cover water to search out a steelhead that may be lurking below. I followed behind thinking that she had maybe perked up a fish that may take the second fly it had seen. I was wrong this time around.
Airflo spey lines are the best two-hand specific fly lines on the market. They have been developed by passionate two-hand anglers, have a supple feel, last forever, and have welded loops that never fail.
Matt expressed he likes to normally fish “dry lines” for summer steelhead, but the water temperatures were a little too cold to fish the full floating setup. From September through early November is when Matt will typically run a full floating line setup. The steelhead will rise from where they are holding to take the fly on the surface. But with water temperatures below 50 degrees Fahrenheit our chances of getting a fish on floating setup were not as good as using a sink tip like the T-10 Flo Tip.
Emily was fishing the new Aiflo Skagit Driver. A spey line designed by Tom Larimer a retired Deschutes fly fishing guide and line designer. The Driver is an all-purpose Skagit style spey head that can throw heavy tips and flies while still cast lighter-weight setups with accuracy. It is a great all-around spey line for two-handed anglers, especially anglers who might be new to spey casting.
I was fishing the Airflo Rage Compact Float. This specific line is considered a “Scandi Compact” line. Scandi is the style of spey fishing with light lines and light flies. Sort of like the dry fly fishing of spey fishing. The Rage Compact is ultimately a hybrid between a Scandi and Skagit making it perform better in high wind and with a lightweight tip and fly. It is another all-around spey line and commonly used amongst the spey anglers on the Deschutes River. It is a blast to cast as you can accurately control your cast and fly.
We finished fishing the first run, hopped back into the truck to head to the next run. The air temperature was rising and so was the sun. Accessing the water on the Warm Springs Reservation is a very intimate experience, there are no other vehicles, people, or industrial disturbance. The land feels wild and unchanged. Unlike many other public access points along the river.
Matt discussed being a Tribal fly fishing guide as “a very unique opportunity, being able to fish so much sacred trout and steelhead water that our people have utilized for substantial necessities for many years.As guides, we try to persevere the water and land as best we can to keep it as pristine as it has been for hundreds of years.”
“The water along the reservation is very crucial for the life cycle of returning salmon, steelhead, and all aquatic life as a safe sanctuary with limited pressure from anglers. The fish that make it up this far are very special after all they have gone through to get here.”
The river along the reservation is a sanctuary for life. There isn’t pressure from the outside world to disturb the natural being of it. As the morning went on, we began picking up our pace and covering a lot of water. This was in hope of searching out a steelhead. Matt made it pretty clear that the more time you have your flies in the water the better chance you have to catch a steelhead.
At each and every run Matt gave us the confidence that there should be a fish and we were going to catch it. A trait that only true steelhead guides have. It keeps your mental state from getting in the way and keeps you focused on grinding away to find that elusive fish.
I started fishing a run that Matt called the “Pitchers Mound,” where the normal cast, swing, two-step routine was impossible due to deep water, trees, and other obstacles. Instead, I was standing on a tiny rock and trying to control my swing by letting out more line with each cast.
I made an awkward upstream snake roll cast off my right shoulder, and my fly landed 30 feet directly across from me. I didn’t mend the line as the river current was slow. The line straightened out and the fly began to pick up speed as it crossed the current. Near the end of the swing, I felt a small tug. I waited for a second and then lifted my tip out of instinct. “F**k” I yelled as I knew that a steelhead had just grabbed my fly and I had pulled it out of its mouth. You only get so many chances when a steelhead decides to take your fly and I trout set. Bummer….I kept fishing in hopes that fish would still be there and willing to take my fly again, but I was wrong.
We kept fishing and covering a lot of water. Matt demonstrated various spey casts, making the casting looking effortless. He explained, “If I had to give any advice to an angler wanting to swing for steelhead it is to take your time with your casting, relax, and of course be very patient. Your moment will come when your fly swims in front of a fish’s face. Keep stepping and casting with confidence!!” This resonated as you can easily lose confidence when swinging flies.
It was beginning to get late, the sunlight would be gone in about an hour. Emily was eager to find a fish, but her energy levels were fading as we had been up since 3:30 am. We split the next run in half, she took the bottom and I took the top. I fished long and hard, about 20 swings later, I stepped out and started walking back to the truck. Emily stayed put and covered more water, casting the Skagit Driver effortlessly with a nice fluid Snap T cast.
She bombed a 40-foot cast, threw a big mend upstream, and waited for the current to begin to swing the line. As the line came tight in the current, her fly began swinging across the water column. About halfway through the swing, the fly line began ripping out of the reel.
“Fish on!” Matt screamed as Emily held on for dear life. The steelhead ripped downstream with large bursts of reel peeling power. The fish just kept going, Matt instructed Emily to begin walking downstream to try to get control of the fish. As Emily cautiously navigated the riverbed, the water became deeper and Matt picked her up to carry her through the deep water to get closer to the fish.
At last, the fish seemed to have tired out. Emily reeled down and gained on it. She was able to get control of the fish and steered it in the direction of the net. She lifted the 13-foot spey rod, it flexed with the weight of the fish, and Matt scooped the fish into the large net. Success!!
The fish glistened its red, pink, and green scales in the fading sunlight, the large tail protruding from the net. It was a beautiful late-season hen (female) summer steelhead.
Emily was speechless and we could all feel a sense of accomplishment. It was a team effort.
We took a couple of photos, gave praise to the fish, and sent her back to where she came from. Being able to shake hands with a steelhead is always a humbling experience.
We felt fortunate to have been able to come in contact with such an elusive fish. A fish that is born in the desert, lived in the ocean and returned back to the desert where it will either die after spawning or go back to the ocean to only return again to keep the lifecycle going. A resilient fish, with the odds stacked against it.
Matt explained how “Life does not get any better than swinging a spey rod in a river somewhere and being in tune with Mother Earth.” I don’t think anyone could say he is wrong about that.
If you want to experience a day on the water with Matt Mendes, check out his website here and be sure to follow him on Instagram at @deschutesnative.Â
All photos are taken by Toby Nolan, for more of Toby’s work check him out online here or on Instagram at @t.nolan.imagery.Â
Rewa Rodeo is a film focused on the arapaima fishery of the Rewa Valley in Guayana. Arapaima are jungle fish capable of breathing air like tarpon and pack a punch when they suck down flies. These fish are capable of reaching lengths around 30 feet and are aggressive jungle carnivores. We had the chance to sit down with the filmmaker behind the project, Johann DuPreez, to learn more about the film and these incredible fish.
Flylords: Can you give us a little background about the Rewa Eco Lodge? When was it started and how it’s been built around the community of the Rewa valley?
Johann: Rewa initially was constructed as a birdwatching eco-lodge. They got funding from Conservation International in 2005, and the lodge was built. A couple of years down the line, the word got out that these massive jungle fish were in the ponds around the Rewa system. Oliver and Matt put a crew together and they went looking for these fish. Once they finally started to identify the potential as a fishery, that’s when Indifly got involved. They start working with the local Makushi community and it’s grown into a massive, beautiful operation. The revenue from the fishing is tenfold what they make with birding or wildlife photography. So, it’s been really good for the village, it’s been good for the people of Rewa. Almost 90% of the locals are employed directly or benefit directly from the lodge.
The village and the loge are very well integrated. They’re a hundred meters apart, just down the road from the lodge, you’ll walk into the village. There’s a village council and then you’ve got the lodge board of directors. Rovin, who’s the head of one of those, is the lodge manager and the head guide. He’s essentially the go-to guy in that village.Â
Flylords: Describe the Makushi people’s relationship with the arapaima.
Johann: It’s almost like in Bolivia where the Dorado also very spiritual animals. I think arapaima used to be a victim of the fact that they’re confined to the ponds and they’re easy to kill because they have to come up for air. So, a hunter could potentially sit in a tree with a bow, and wait for this arapaima to roll, and then just shoot it. The fish were very easy targets. So, the fish became victims and their numbers were reduced.Â
Then all of a sudden, I don’t know what it was, but something shifted and the locals realized that these fish are worth way more when they’re alive than dead, and they stopped killing them. They started protecting the fish and the numbers have risen and risen, and now the arapaima is a protected species.
The fish have come a long way and it’s been a 180-degree shift in ideals. You’ll see in the film when I speak to Winston, the head researcher. He speaks about it, he says he used to kill fish, and he used to like killing arapaima. However, now he’s the guy who cares for these fish more than anybody else.Â
Flylords: What is Winston’s research focused on?Â
Johann: It’s mainly data collection. The initial big chunk of information about arapaima’s survival was done by Andy Danylchuk. He’s an American guy, who’s also involved in the fly fishing industry. He worked closely with local researchers to try and figure out how to release the fish. Initially, you would just take arapaima and you let it go, he’ll swim away, but he won’t be strong enough to come up and breathe air, and then the fish would just drown. So, they attached accelerometers to the fish, and they started recording release data while giving them plenty of time to recover. Once they figured that out, they had a system. The big fish gets cradled, given time to take a number of breaths, maybe four depending on the size of the fish.Â
We’ve also begun embedding PIT tags in the fish to record recapture data. Essentially, each fish essentially gets a unique code, and if you recapture the fish, it tells you a few things, where it’s been or where it’s moved to, whether it stayed in the same pond, whether it moved to another pond, or how much it grew in the last season.Â
Flylords: What is this “Bobber Release Method” mentioned in the film?
Johann: Basically, it’s like two elastic bands that get loosely clipped together around the fish, and attached to that is a long tether line, and at the end, there’s a big wooden bobber.
When the fish is released, it will swim away and they can track the bobber seeing where the fish goes and how many breaths that that fish takes post-release. The research team will sit there and wait for the fish to come up taking the time between those breathes to see if the fish is healthy, if it needs help, or if needs intervention. If they see a black caiman come towards the fish, trying to eat it, and they’ll just paddle over, and whack the caiman to spook it off.
It’s cool, they’re literally protecting this fish until it’s strong enough. Usually, within 45 minutes, they’ll grab the bobber, it slides off the fish, freeing them to hunt baitfish in the murky waters once again.
Flylords: In the film, there are four or five different sound effects people make describing what it’s like fish when eats the fly. What is that sensation like when you’ve got the fly line in your hand?
Johann: It’s tense, to say the least. I absolutely love arapaima because of this. It’s not the most explosive fish. Okay, look, they erupt from the water, it’s like a Tarpon, but they’re no way as strong as a Tarpon, they’re not as aggressive as a GT. They’ve got a lot of shortcomings in where they fight. But what’s really amazing is when they eat the fly and how much fly line they’ll rip out of your hands.
The strip is extremely slow – long, slow strips. If a fish is eating while your hand’s off the line, it’ll just shoot out of your head and you’ll lose the fish. So, you literally have to strip and grip the line with your fingers as hard as you can on the cork, let go, and then strip. You have to be in contact with your fly the whole time.
Flylords: Describe the fight angler’s experience when hooked into an Arapaima.Â
Johann: It’s a short fight. You shouldn’t be fighting and arapaima for more than 10 minutes or you’re probably going to kill it. So, we put in everything we can. And you’ll hear in the film, “Strip, strip, strip. Hit him, hit him, hit him.” And that’s number one, if that fish eats, you got to set the hook as hard as you fucking can. I mean that hook’s got to go in somewhere. It’s like sitting at like a wooden or bony mouth, it’s so hard, you know? So, that’s step number one, just keeps setting the hook. Even if you think you’re going to pop a fly line or open a hook, it doesn’t matter. You set, set, set until the fish starts pulling off. It will shake the fly if you don’t do that.
And then, what’s always cool is, you know, you’ll see sort of where the fish ate, where the bubbles come up, and then just see the line sort of slowly peeling off and rising to the surface. And as it comes up, the water will literally bulge up and then just this fucking giant head will come out. I think that’s when everybody, they realize like, “Whoa. Holy shit, what did I just plug myself into?” And that’s when arapaima fishing gets really awesome. Massive head shakes. And on the bigger fish, you’ll often see them spray baitfish. They’ll just regurgitate a whole bunch of baitfish.Â
And then once that’s done, a fish will jump maybe four or five times and you’ll get him into the boat, but that’s when the Rewa Rodeo begins. That’s when things get really exciting is when the guide gets into the water with the fish. Because you can’t lip it, you can’t land it like a Tarpon. You can’t just pick it up, or pull it onto the boat. It’s too big and it’s too aggressive. So, the guides will get in and try and wrestle this fish, grab a leader and try and sort of… They’ll put a hand across and try and grab the pec fins. They’ve got really hard, big fins, and try and grab onto that. But yeah, it’s actually bizarre, to watch these men jump in to fight a fish that’s twice their size. It’s awesome.
There is no greater pride a manufacturer in the outdoor industry can possess that is greater than being, truly, “American Made”. In the fast-paced industrial world of today, profit possesses priority in the eyes of many who produce their goods in the pursuit of monetary return. Cutting corners, pinching pennies, and outsourcing their jobs to unnamed factories across the world has somehow taken a new normal in the United States, and no one seems to really be asking why. However, this is not the case for all. There are still a few proud companies that dare to sacrifice dollars for quality. Those who, instead of building sweatshops, build communities; and who take inspiration from the work their own peers implement every day and use it to push the envelope to ask: “What’s Next?”.
It’s companies like SIMMS, whose factory and offices share one home in the heart of Bozeman, Montana, who embody what it means to be a truly American company. Because in the same place the individuals who make SIMMS’ gear practice their craft, they make their homes, raise their families, and fish the great waters around them. This is why, as will be noticed in the new Flyweight series, one can locate the remnants of inspiration bedded under every stitch, lined with every cut, and located behind every seam…
About SIMMS Flyweight:
The mission of the SIMMS Flyweight collection is to provide gear to anglers who, simply put, want to go further for longer. With the growing pressure our favorite waters are experiencing, the need to get craftier, and explore new fishing opportunities has never been greater. It’s this athlete-inspired mentality to push yourself to step outside the drift boat, and blaze a new trail, that is behind every part of the unique design of Flyweight.
“This is such a versatile line of products from head to toe. You can really use it however you like on a sliding scale of intensity. What benefits the angler that is willing to go the extra mile still translates down to the angler who just fishes locally or isn’t pushing the boundaries. It’s nice to see how well this kit of gear works across the whole breadth of angling types out there today”.
When we first heard rumors of the new Flyweight collection last Spring, we were eager to investigate. We wanted to dive into the creative process behind each design element of the waders and gear to see where the thought met the sewing machine. It was in searching for that that “Behind the Seams” was born. Not only were we heading to Montana to get a behind-the-scenes look at the wader manufacturing itself, but a look into what inspired the design.
To go behind the seams, literally, would take you to just that, the inspiration, AKA: the angler in the waders. See, the folks who stand in the waders, are also the folks whose feedback and demands constitute what the next line of products will often look like (this is true for most brands – or at least any worth mentioning). If there are holdbacks, technical malfunctions, or any performance issues whatsoever: they’re going to be discovered by an angler first. This is where we come back to why it’s so important to have the SIMMS factory IN Bozeman. Employees, such as the ones shown in the “Behind the Seams” video can actually take waders hot off the presses, and go field test them miles outside of the office. Not only do these people stand by the product they make, they literally stand in them.
“Behind the Seams” is capturing the adventure of 2 athletes, whose lifestyle and eagerness to explore don’t parallel their fly-fishing endeavors, but instead intersect with them. The same people who design, sell, and manage the SIMMS products are also aiding in contributing feedback based on THEIR needs as anglers. Call it a pat on the back for SIMMS creating a company culture of actively involved individuals, but by keeping an open ear to the FF community, they’re building and utilizing an internal team that can act as representatives of the fly-fishing world.
We really had such a blast having the privilege of watching Ben and Nick work in the field. It was amazing to see the full life cycle of the waders as they moved from the factory floor to the backcountry trout streams, all while never having to leave the state lines of Montana. In creating this film, we were reminded of the opportunities fishing lends when you really decide to push yourself to new heights. We were also reminded of just how important it is to remember (and this is a bit of a cliche at this point) that it’s not just about catching a big fish, but also having an adventure with the people you love.
In this week’s episode of Video of the Week, we catch up with Fly Fish Hunter and his crazy launch to pursue winter steelhead on the Oregon coast. After rolling up to a zoo of a boat launch he decided to do something most of us wouldn’t dare attempt: a hard boat and an extremely primitive boat launch. A 3-drag system, a belay, and a hope-and-a-prayer gets these guys where most don’t go. Not only do they enjoy a section of river seldom seen but they also happen to catch an awesome chromer in the heavy rain. Sit down and enjoy the craziness!
Check out his YouTube page here for more rad videos: Fly Fish HunterÂ
Make sure to check out these awesome articles as well!
I first met Matt Zimmerman, a.k.a. Zimm, in the summer of 2018 when I moved to Massachusetts for a seasonal job. We spent the rest of that summer meeting up at a boat ramp at 4:30 AM to chase busting bass before work. One of these mornings, I got to witness something truly incredible, a boat side eat from a 45″ cow striper in the wash. Now I’ve never personally hooked into a true “cow” striper like that, but needless to say after witnessing that go down on the bow, I knew I needed to chat with Zimm before this Striped Bass season to attempt to glean some tips and tricks!
Flylords: What setups are you using when you’re targeting larger bass?
Flylords: Any tips for fishing off a boat for stripers in the open water?
Having confidence is the name of the game. Knowing how to identify “fishy waterâ€. Birds & bait are the #1 indicators, especially in moving water around the sub-surface structure. Sometimes you’ll even smell the bait before you see it. Spend time learning areas, fish are only going to be in certain areas during specific tides. Just because you don’t catch big fish in areas doesn’t mean they aren’t there.Â
Secondly, practice your double haul. It’s the difference-maker between casting, and “fishingâ€. Being in the zone, presenting your fly the right way. “Fewer casts†are better, no more than 2-3 backcasts, and let it fly.
Flylords: What is your most memorable trophy striper to date?
That’s a tough one, you never forget your first 40†on the fly. But I’d have to say my most memorable was w/ you Dan, a 45†tank that ate boatside in the rocks out of my 12’ “ Tin Whistleâ€. Since then, I have landed a few fish in the 48-49†range.Â
What tactics have you found most successful to get those large stripers to take a fly?
Being in the zone, tight to the rocks where most boats feel uncomfortable.Â
Large 8†flies to imitate the mackerel/bunker we have locally.
ALWAYS watching my fly, looking for any signs of a bass slowly following. They are lazy, 90% of my big fish come within feet of my boat.Â
Strip to the tip, and hit ’em hard!
Don’t palm the reel, let your drag/rod do what they are supposed to.
Where can people find and book your guided trips?
Currently, it’s all word of mouth through Instagram. My personal account is @mzimm03 or my charter page @backeddycharters – Located on the North Shore of Massachusetts.Â
The Trout Unlimited Costa 5 Rivers Program is a community of over 140 College conservation–focused angling clubs around the country that seeks to engage the next generation of outdoor enthusiasts through recreational fishing and advocacy for the fisheries that unite us. In this TU Costa 5 Rivers Angler Spotlight, we highlight Eeland Stribling.
Eeland is a wildlife biologist, comedian, and former club member of the fly-fishing club at Colorado State University (@csuflyfishing). Eeland is passionate about sharing his fly fishing and conservation knowledge with others through his work with @brownfolksfishing, @lincolnhillscares, and his career with @coparkswildlife.
He takes passion in teaching Colorado youth about the importance of proper wildlife stewardship and ethical fishing practices. Check out the video below to learn more about Eeland and his involvement in the fly fishing community.
Find out more about Eeland by following @blacksteveirwin! For more information or to start your own TU Costa 5 Rivers college angling community on your campus, visit www.tu.org/5rivers.
Costa Sunglasses overhauled two of its most trusted and well-loved frames this season, the Blackfin PRO and Fantail PRO – because the best can always get better. The new frames build on Costa’s commitment to be the best on the water with an entirely new set of features – six to be exact – that help keep your vision clear, and your frames locked in place so you can stay focused on finding fish.
For more than 38 years, Costa has built a reputation for being the best sunglasses on the water. The brand’s legacy continues into spring 2021, as it perfects its offering in core performance eyewear for anglers and anyone who spends long days on the water. The new frames feature:
Sweat channels and eyewire drains to help keep you cool and your vision clear
Improved Hydrolite® grips to keep your frames comfortably in place
Fully adjustable ventilated nose pads for a customizable fit and reduced fogging
Side shields and hooding to keep light from leaking in
Metal Keeper slots to “keep†your frames from going overboard
Lastly, and arguably one of the most important performance features, the new frames have Costa’s polarized, color-enhancing 580® Glass lens technology for PRO-level clarity. The scratch-resistant 580G lens cuts haze and blur and enhances key colors for superior clarity and definition.
Courtesy of Costa Sunglasses
“If you’re looking for the best pair of sunglasses for long days on the water, it doesn’t get better than the Blackfin and Fantail,†said TJ McMeniman, Vice President of Marketing at Costa. “When we originally launched the frames more than a decade ago they were instant best-sellers, making them an obvious choice to modernize with the latest PRO technology. Working closely with our pros and guides, we dialed in every detail for the best experience on the water.â€
The Blackfin PRO and Fantail PRO (a slimmed-down brother to the Blackfin) are now available at CostaDelMar.com, where you can also find additional information on Costa and it’s collection of best-selling sunglasses.
In this installment of “Behind the Brand”, we sat down with Sim Whately, founder of the popular hunting and fishing brand: Duck Camp Co. With the arrival of their new Spring Apparel Line, we wanted to catch up with Sim, and get a behind-the-scenes look into the trials and tribulations of starting a small business, and how this whole thing came to be. Having produced some of the most comfortable and practical outdoor apparel on the market, we’ve taken Duck Camps gear on our adventures far and near. It’s with that level of personal connection that we’re excited to take you, “Behind the Brand”.
Sim: I’m reading a book right now about the brand Patagonia. They describe their core customer as a “dirtbag†which I think is pretty awesome, and something that resonates a little for us. I think it’s important to remember that we aim to make products to a level of quality that our core customer sometimes might struggle to afford, but which they need, since they put our gear to the test the most. Our customer is the guy that wants to learn, wants to be better, isn’t going to let a day of being skunked ruin their mood, but usually doesn’t get skunked. A DIY guy that might go to the Bahamas and book a day with a guide, but will also spend the next 3 days getting after it with some friends. The guy that didn’t forget to pack some wire leader or a flask, but might have forgotten the sunscreen!
FL: Where’d the name come from (Besides the obvious answer)?
Sim: There are a number of emotions that are evoked from time spent at the Camp. It is a combination of anticipation, camaraderie, excitement, awe. It is filling for the soul, to get out of the city, to spend time with friends and family on the water, in the woods, pursuing those activities that bring us back to nature. We tried to capture some of that in the Brand. It is as much about the fish caught, limits bagged, tags punched, as it is about the time spent enjoying the whole experience. It all happens at the Camp!
FL: What inspired you to start Duck Camp Co.
Sim: I was inspired by a few things off the back of the expansion of technical clothing in the hunt space. The type of technical outdoor apparel more common in climbing/alpine sports was being applied to hunting and it made a ton of sense, but I felt like there wasn’t a brand speaking to our core customer. Most of the brands we saw were expedition-style hunt brands, and while we love to fish and hunt, it is the entire event that we want to be a part of, and to celebrate! Everything from practicing your cast at the park (to confused onlookers), to the food, the boats, the dogs, the flies, the shared drinks around the fire. Not just the grip and grins!
FL: What is your personal background? How did this affect the way the business was structured?
Sim: I grew up in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. My grandfather was a big outdoorsman; co-founder of the New Orleans Big Game Fishing Club in Venice, LA, Chairman of the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, conservationist awarded the Conservation Award by Ducks Unlimited twice, and generally a teller of tall tales. My father followed in some of his (more sensible) footsteps, but did a good job of introducing the outdoors to me. There was a strong sense of entrepreneurship and a love for the outdoors that has persisted in the family.
Following my time at LSU, I move to Dubai for almost 10 years, co-founding a business with a friend that we grew through that region. When I returned home in early 2014, I wanted nothing more than to spend some quality time in the marshes and woods that I missed while living overseas. I think that time getting back in those environments, as well as seeing some of the new things in the market, helped to germinate the idea of Duck Camp.
FL: What were you trying to accomplish with the brand? How does Duck Camp differ from other brands its competitors?
Sim: While I think some of this question may be answered above, we are trying to provide a line of apparel/gear that performs in the elements (hot, humid, cold, wet), is comfortable, both in those elements but not necessarily in need of them, and that is centered around a brand that celebrates time spent chasing fish and critters in sometimes dangerous but always beautiful environments.
FL: What were some other brands/ people you drew inspiration from when developing duck camps brand ethos?
Sim: One can’t play in the outdoor space without looking up to YETI. They have taken story presentation and Brand ethos to another level. I personally love how iconic Patagonia has been for 50+ years and they make some amazing products with true authenticity within their sports. I’ve had the pleasure to work with and get to know Nick Kelley and Andy Anderson, who are such fantastic artists, and I’m constantly reminded about how small this industry is but it has been relatively welcoming so far.
FL: What did Duck Camp look like in the beginning? Were there some uncertainties?
Sim: Duck Camp has followed the traditional startup path. 1. Have an idea 2. Try to convince others that your idea is worth working on. 3. Try not to make too many mistakes while you prove your idea and before you run out of money.
Uncertainties arise daily, if not, hourly, sometimes in the middle of the night. It is the excitement of working on a new idea and the added challenge of playing in an industry that does not put up with inauthentic people that makes it even more rewarding.
FL: what was one of the largest obstacles Duck Camp has had to overcome to get the brand to where it is today?
Sim: Building quality products and finding trusted partners to do it with will always be a challenge. It takes a lot of research, testing, trust, and patience, for a business that is trying to move quickly and to some extent break the mold. Finding those partners, building credibility, and delivering on that promise is definitely our biggest obstacle, and we still have a long way to go.
FL: What would you say has been one of your greatest successes since the start of the brand?
Sim: I am just constantly amazed at the level of talent we are able to attract to the company. We have a really strong group of folks that are working extremely hard to build quality products. We are proud of the team we have created, the products we are building and the stories we are trying to tell.
FL: Specifically in the fly-fishing space, how has duck camp tailored their product to match the needs of the modern-day angler?
Sim: What I love about fly fishing is that it quite often has the elements of travel and beautiful scenery involved. Duck Camp was born out of the excitement of packing a bag for a long weekend off the grid at a camp or lodge and spending time with friends and family, and it shares that with fly fishing. We love to bring out the elements of exciting travel, hard fishing, celebrations, and tribulations. You’ll see that in the versatility of what we offer for Spring. Pieces that can be worn on the airplane, at the bar, and most importantly, on the bow of a boat.
FL: Personally, are you more of a hunter or fisherman?
Sim: Such a tough question. I have 4 kids now and my “hall passes†are getting harder and harder to acquire. I honestly equally love waterfowl, whitetail, and saltwater fly fishing, but these days I can usually negotiate a beach vacation with a couple of half-days fishing easier than I can convince my wife to go to Arkansas in January!
FL: What’s next for Duck Camp Co?
Sim: Duck Camp just wants to be along for the ride. Hopefully in your suitcase, but potentially in person, wherever you’re going that is badass. Please don’t hesitate to give us a call and invite us on that all-expenses-paid trip to COSMO or Alaska that you have an extra spot for!
In this week’s “How to Tie†video feature, Fly Fish Food gives us a great tutorial on how to tie the Creamsicle Jig.
Learn About This Fly:
Difficulty: Intermediate
The Creamsicle Jig, a streamer that gets its name, well….you guessed it, because of its color. Golden or cream colored streamers provide an added option to your fly box and are a great representation of bait fish found in our creeks and rivers. Due to the way this fly is tied, it will ride hook point up. A blessing in disguise if you know what I mean.
The beauty of the Creamsicle Jig is the fact that it can be fished like a normal streamer or dead-drifted on a nymphing rod. Often when the word “streamer” is mentioned, we automatically think it needs to be stripped to imitate an injured bait fish. That is not always the case. Dead-drifting streamers can often provide as much if not more success than stripping the fly.
One look at this fly and you may think to yourself, “oh its just a golden wooly bugger.” You’re not wrong, the Creamsicle Jig resembles a wooly bugger very closely and is fished basically the exact same way. The biggest advantage with this fly is the fact that it rides hook point up as mentioned previously. This is by far one of the easiest and arguably most effective streamers to tie for new and experienced fly fishermen and women.
