In this Week’s Video of the Week, we catch up with our good friends at Dorsal Outdoors and Ross Reels,Abel Reels,& Airflo in their second installment of “A Journey South”. In the second episode, Paige Jones & Mary Beth Meeks head down to the mountains of Alabama in search of Coosa Bass. However, this episode throws a curveball, as MB takes on a knee injury, leaving Paige fighting to find her first bass on the fly. She’s got a little help, as Ben from @dorsaloutdoors hikes, guides, and films the journey upriver for the beautiful, native, Coosa Redeye bass.
“Dorsal Outdoors is a channel devoted to seriously pursuing the best in fishing and hunting… while not taking ourselves too seriously.†Make sure to follow along with their adventures HERE.
“Some of us made the decision to go fishing, but upon reaching the river, we were surprised to find a significantly greater amount of ice than we had anticipated. We figured we would just break the ice in a couple of holes to open it up enough to fish. At first, I was just trying to ride the ice down the river for fun, but then realized I had a natural raft to fish from! I gave it a try it and it was super fun and actually worked alright for the one little stretch we were on. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to capitalize on the drift, but memories were made!”
An extensive and highly commendable endeavor is underway as the Salida lowhead dam, situated a few miles upstream from Salida, Colorado, is finally being removed. This dam has posed a persistent threat to river safety for a considerable period, and it has been disused for water diversion purposes for over two decades. With its removal, the river’s ecosystem will benefit significantly, as both fish and boaters will find it easier to navigate this particular section.
The ambitious project involves the extraction of a whopping 1,000 truckloads of sediment from the area above the dam, making it an impressive undertaking.
Special appreciation goes out to @coparkswildlife and @ahra_cpw, whose unwavering dedication has been the driving force behind the successful execution of this initiative!Â
HEST, the designer of premium sleep products built to bring the comfort of home to the outdoors, is excited to announce the launch of its newest product, the HEST Down Comforter. Designed to provide the comfort and warmth of your home comforter in a more packable, outdoor-ready design, the new Down Comforter pairs perfectly with HEST’s mattresses of all sizes or shines all on its own. Whether its road trips or car-camping along sandy coastlines or rocky mountainsides, theHEST Down Comforter and the expanded bedding products further compliment the growing HEST sleep fleet to keep you cozy and comfortable throughout the night.Â
The new Down Comforter comes in two sizes: single and double. It features premium insulation of hydrophobic down paired with outdoor-ready, non-slip premium fabric. Smart features like Cinch & Tuck Footbox, top sheet loops, a tote storage bag, and a compression sack make the comforter easy to store, pack, and clean.Â
Key features highlighting home comfort, built for adventure of the HEST Down Comforter include:
Hydrophobic Responsible Down – Made with hydrophobic duck down with 650 fill to provide maximum insulation and warmth. The down meets the Responsible Down Standard (RDS). Recommended for 40 degrees fahrenheit and above.Â
Premium Fabric – Not a sleeping bag and more than a blanket: the washable, soft fabric is chosen for its comfort features that are quiet to the touch and movement, while slightly textured to avoid slipping off you constantly throughout the night.
Cinch & Tuck Footbox – Simple toggle system to keep things tucked and tidy while providing draft protection and prevents one partner hogging too much as they shift positions throughout the night.Â
Outdoor Ready – The 40D Polyester fabric is coated with a PFC free finish, so it’s dirt & water resistant.Â
Single Specs: Open Dimensions – 58 x 88″ / Stuffed – 8 x 12†/ Weight: 2.6 lbs.
Double Specs: Open Dimensions – 80 x 88″ / Stuffed – 9 x 14″ / Weight: 3.8 lbs.Â
“We’ve been working on this idea since we launched the original Sleep System in 2019, which offered new benefits to the outdoors with unparalleled temperature regulation, pressure point relief, and insulation from the ground. We knew we needed something better than a sleeping bag to complement and maximize our mattress’s benefits. The HEST Comforter was designed to do just that: provide unmatched comfort, warmth, and portability for a more comfortable sleep experience,†says HEST Founder & CEO, Aaron Ambuske.Â
While it was designed to further enhance entire sleep set-up solutions for the outdoors, the HEST Comforter has key, integral technologies that are based on the science of better sleep:Â
The HEST Comforter supports thermoregulation during the night by allowing glabrous skin (hands and feet) to be exposed to reduce temperatures – the body should reach the lowest temperature three hours before waking.Â
The Footbox helps keep the comforter in place during the night, especially with partners who typically hog the bedding.Â
The HEST Comforter enables HEST mattress benefits – stretch nylon conforms to foam to offer pressure point relief, body alignment and temperature regulation.Â
HEST announced its launch into bedding (fitted sheets and pillow cases) this spring to help make sleepeven more comfortable with its portable, adventure-ready fitted sheets and pillow cases. To furtherenhance this category, HEST is simultaneously introducing top sheets with the Comforter launch. Just likeall of HEST’s products, the HEST Top Sheet is crafted to withstand outdoor elements such as dirt,moisture, and temperature fluctuations, making them ideal for camping trips, beach outings, or simplyenjoying a peaceful afternoon nap in the backyard. The Top Sheet integrates with the Down Comforter and boasts a breathable soft stretch fabric that provides extra comfort and convenience to the HESTDown Comforter.Â
The HEST Down Comforter is now available for purchase in both sizes on HEST’s website: the single for $299 and the double for $399. The HEST Top Sheets are also now available: the single for $89 and the double for $109. For more information, visit www.hest.com.
About HEST:
HEST brings the comforts of home to the great outdoors by producing premium sleep products that build community around camping. HEST develops and delivers high-performance, low-maintenance solutions for camping and travel. HEST was founded in 2019 by outdoor industry product engineer Aaron Ambuske who was looking for a better night’s sleep when spending nights outdoors. Today, HEST is committed to building a line of products that takes all the best things from our beds at home into portable, adventure-ready forms. HEST revels in the idea of enabling more people to get outdoors and enjoy all that they have to offer, especially after a good night’s sleep.Â
Kyriacos Panayiotou, a resident of McCall, made headlines on October 6 when he landed a record-breaking wild steelhead in the renowned steelhead haven of the Clearwater River in Idaho.
Idaho Fish and Game confirmed this remarkable feat. Despite releasing the fish back into its natural habitat, Panayiotou couldn’t contain his excitement. He was employing a two-handed spey rod when the steelhead aggressively took hold of the fly.
“I was able to measure the fish with my flexible tape and proceeded to take a photo of the wild steelhead next to my spey rod for future memories… and released it back to the water to continue its journey,” recounted Panayiotou.
The record-breaking fish stretched to a length of 41 inches, surpassing the previous catch-and-release state record established in 2021 by Scott Turner, as confirmed by Idaho Fish and Game.October proved to be a month of exceptional angling on the Clearwater River, as just a week after Panayiotou’s feat, an 11.78-pound Coho Salmon was reeled in.
Joe DuPont, the Clearwater Fisheries Manager, explained, “In a typical year, the number of steelhead in the 40-inch range is less than 1% of the run.”
Take a look at the full story by clicking here. Header photo courtesy of Kyriacos Panayiotou & Idaho Fish and Game.Â
In May, court documents revealed that Jacob Runyan and Chase Comnisky, accused of cheating during the Lake Erie Walleye Trail fishing tournament September 2022, were sentenced to jail time as part of an agreement reached in March of 2023. They pleaded guilty to charges of cheating and unlawful ownership of wild animals, resulting in the dismissal of additional charges of attempted grand theft and possessing criminal tools.
Under the terms of their sentencing, both Runyan and Cominsky served 10 days in jail and  a six-month probation period. Additionally, they were required to forfeit their boat and trailer to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) Division of Wildlife. This punishment follows the discovery of lead weights and fish fillets inside their catch during the tournament, which raised suspicions of cheating.
Furthermore, both individuals were required to pay a $2,500 fine, with the court offering the possibility of suspending half of the amount if Runyan and Cominsky opt to make a $1,250 charitable contribution to a non-profit organization. In addition to the fines, the judge has also imposed a three-year suspension on their state fishing licenses.
Currently, in a complaint filed by the Pennsylvania Game Commission Northwest Office, a connection was established on November 25, 2022, after a person familiar with Cominsky reached out to the authorities in light of the international attention garnered by his walleye cheating scandal. Subsequent to an investigation conducted at his residence, Wardens unearthed a collection of five mounted bucks that had been tagged under someone else’s name and/or hunted during nighttime hours, out of season, or without the appropriate licenses. The confirmation of this wrongdoing stems from Cominsky’s prior game law violations, leading to the revocation of his hunting privileges in Pennsylvania in 2008.
As of Monday, October 23, 2023, Cominsky faced a range of charges, as detailed in court records filed with Mercer County. These include two counts of unlawful killing or taking of big game, three counts of unlawful taking or possession of game or wildlife, two counts of unlawful acts concerning licenses, and one count of violation in tagging and reporting big game kills.
Cominsky is currently facing charges related to multiple instances of deer poaching that occurred between 2013 and 2021.
Focused on conservation and driven by its community-based ethos, Costa Sunglasses is announcing the Marlin Fly Project, the first recorded billfish research mission solely using fly tackle. In partnership with the locals of San Carlos, Mexico, The Billfish Foundation (TBF) and International Game Fish Association (IGFA), the Marlin Fly Project team successfully deployed 15 satellite tags in two days to better understand and protect this understudied billfish species.
The project, which took place in Southwestern Baja, Mexico, December 2022, stands as the ultimate culmination of community and conservation. Led by Costa, it brought together Costa Pros (professional anglers and fishing guides), leading billfish scientists, conservation organizations, and community partners to pursue this mission in tandem with local captains, guides and the San Carlos community.Â
“The epic fishing tales coming out of Magdalena “Mag†Bay alone attracted us to the region in 2021, but what we found there was an authentic community, rich with culture, built alongside an untamed ecosystem,†said Jed Larkin, Brand Director for Costa Sunglasses. “That trip sparked a trailblazing idea – what if we brought our global community of scientists, partners and pros together with the local community of San Carlos to research and protect this special resource? And that’s how Marlin Fly was born. Rooted in both community and conservation, this project is everything we stand for as a brand.â€Â
“There’s no place on earth with an ecosystem quite like Mag Bay. Every year anglers from around the world travel to this unique destination to experience one of the most incredible billfish fisheries on the planet,†said Dr. Bruce Pohlot, IGFA Conservation Director. “But the reality is, there has not been a lot of scientific research done on this population of Striped Marlin in the Eastern Pacific. That’s why the IGFA was happy to jump on board with our longtime partners at Costa when they started asking questions about what can be done to protect this magnificent resource.â€Â
Of the 15 short and long term satellite tags that were deployed during the project, Costa resourced three tags to support IGFA’s Great Marlin Race, and seven were donated by TBF. The tags will track post release survivability, migrational patterns, swimming depth, and water temperature. An additional 20 spaghetti tags were deployed, which will provide important ongoing recapture data. The discoveries from Costa’s Marlin Fly Project will help fill crucial data gaps and aid in global and local efforts to conserve this highly migratory species (HMS).Â
“Through this collaboration, Costa’s Marlin Fly Project is set to collect unparalleled data about Striped Marlin that will help play a pivotal role in supporting conservation and enhancing fisheries management efforts,â€Â said Peter Chaibongsai, Director of Conservation Programs at The Billfish Foundation. “We’re honored to be a part of such a unique project that puts community at the forefront. The strong bond forged with the locals not only enables them, but also fosters a sense of advocacy. This ensures that the project’s impact extends far beyond scientific research – it creates a network of passionate advocates dedicated to conserving this resource for years to come.â€
Costa has spent the past four decades carrying out its ‘higher calling’ to protect the waters we love, connect those who come to life on the water, and to conserve the life within. The Marlin Fly Project is an extension of that commitment. In addition to the history-making, field-science study, the project served the local community through the following initiatives.Â
Community-first nonprofit and original Costa-born project, Indifly, joined the mission to meet with the community of San Carlos and assess a potential social impact project. Inspired by both the people and operation, Indifly plans to collaborate with San Carlos, the Marlin Fly Project, and Los Locos to innovate ways for this vital community to write their own future.Â
Costa partnered with Los Locos Mag Bay, a unique fly-fishing operation that employs and works directly with the locals of San Carlos, Mexico to support this one-of-a-kind community through angling tourism.
Building on Costa’s One Coast initiative for emergency preparedness, partner Finns West outfitted the Los Locos operation and guide boats with safety equipment and medical training.Â
Costa partnered with Travel Creel, who hosted cooking classes in the community, and sourced produce, meats and seafood from local fisherman and farmers to prepare dinners each night to feed the crew.
The Marlin Fly team participated in organized clean ups along San Carlos’ coastline, and on the final night hosted local guide families for a celebration, in gratitude for their hospitality and guidance.
The Marlin Fly Project will continue its mission to create advocates for the Striped Marlin fishery, both locally and globally, by fostering dynamic relationships and supporting this ecosystem and the people who depend on it.Â
In honor of its 40th Anniversary, Costa Sunglasses will release its Second Edition: Protect Purpose Report next month. Led by the success of the Marlin Fly Project, The Protect Report highlights Costa’s commitment to conservation, community and sustainability in 2021-2022.Â
For more information on Costa’s ongoing work to ‘protect what’s out there,’ as well as its complete collection of award-winning performance, optical and lifestyle frames, visit Costasunglasses.com. Header photo courtesy of Nick Price.Â
About Costa Sunglasses
As the first manufacturer of color-enhancing all-polarized glass sunglass lenses, Costa combines superior lens technology with unparalleled fit and durability. Costa has made the highest quality, best-performing sunglasses and prescription sunglasses (Rx) for outdoor enthusiasts since 1983, and now its product portfolio includes optical frames. Costa’s growing cult-brand status ties directly to its purpose to provide high-quality products with a focus on sustainability and conservation as the company works hard to protect the waters it calls home. From the use of sustainable and water-friendly materials to its Kick Plastic initiative, IndiFly Foundation, and meaningful partnerships with mission-aligned organizations, Costa encourages people to help protect the Earth’s natural resources in any way they can. Find out more on Costa’s website and join the conversation on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter at @CostaSunglasses.
In this week’s “How to Tie†video feature, Cheech with Fly Fish Food ties a fantastic streamer for this fall and winter season, the Articulated Hen Bugger.
Learn About This Fly:
Difficulty: Intermediate
Streamer season is officially in full swing and offers some of the best eats of the year. Cooler temperatures have hit everywhere in the country, with some areas being directly in winter and others in mid-fall. Regardless of what temperatures you are dealing with, fish will respond to a streamer if fished properly. One streamer that should be in every angler’s box is a very unique streamer tied with nearly one material, the Articulated Hen Bugger.
This pattern will be very difficult for beginners, but intermediate to expert tyers should have a relatively easy time on the vise. Dubbing loops and articulations are effective methods for adding profile and movement to your flies, although they may be frustrating if new to you. Practice makes perfect and even beginner fly tyers wanting to get better should give the Articulated Hen Bugger a try.
Depending on current and depth, this fly can be fished on floating or sinking lines. Most days using streamers produce quality over quantity, so if you want numbers, nymphing this time of year will be your best bet nearly everywhere. Do not be afraid of throwing streamers this fall and winter, and make sure to give the Articulated Hun Bugger a try when you do!
Logging is one of those old school “live off the land” industries that when done sustainably and responsibly can be both profitable and OK for ecosystems. Clear cut logging, like the project proposed in Southwest Alberta’s Kenanaskis Country, however, has a long list of potential harmful ecological impacts. A local volunteer group, Take a Stand for Kananaskis and the Upper Highwood, is sounding the alarm and providing Canadians an easy to use platform to advocate against this project.
With the many impacts of clear cutting, streams and rivers, and all the organisms inhabiting these waterbodies, face heightened risks. After clearcutting a timber stand, erosion can wreak havoc on river systems–oftentimes, fundamentally altering the region’s hydrology, ecosystems and fisheries.
This project is not small. It will log 1,100 hectares (nearly 2,500 football fields) and is adjacent to Alberta’s Highwood River, a tributary of the famed Bow River and well known for its premier fly fishing opportunities for bull trout and west slope cutthroat.
What makes this project unique–from the public’s perspective–is Albertans pay an annual $90 fee to recreate in this zone. And now, a logging company is gearing up to clear cut this public land!
The project is set to begin in a couple months, which is “during the winter closure of the Highwood Pass, a closure that is meant to protect the winter migration of wildlife in the area.”
“The Highwood River is one of Alberta’s headwaters and is essential and critical habitat to many species including Alberta’s prized and provincial fish, the Bull trout,” said Amber Toner of Take a Stand. “Bull trout populations have been in a steady decline due to climate change, industry involvement, human pressure, agriculture and more. The upper Highwood river and its tributaries in the proposed clear cut zone are critical spawning areas for bull trout and to have 1100 hectares of that forest removed ensures the total demise of that fish species. Not only that, but your displacing many other species at risk (like the grizzly bear) and also putting communities downstream at danger of future flooding due to soil and bank erosion with no standing trees to bear the brunt of the high water runoff. It’s a lose lose situation for everyone and everything.â€
Be sure to check out this LINK if you want to learn more or lend your voice to this effort.
In case you missed a local 2023 F3T film screening, the collection of films is now available to stream on Vimeo on Demand! You can rent the film for $5.99 or purchase it for $19.99 by clicking the link HEREÂ or below.
Strap in – the fishiest films of the year are now on demand. And be sure to tune in for “After You’ve Gone” a Flylords selection in the 2023 F3T. For more info and behind-the-scenes interviews check out our Behind the Lens series HERE.
