AT News: A Fishable Feast, Public Lands, Winston AIR 2 5-piece Fly Rods
Industry updates for mid-September: fishing and food adventures, lots of news and gear buzz.
Check out this week’s buzz on the fly-fishing industry. September is here and we’re entering the fall streamer season–big flies and eats, so treat your fish with the utmost care.
A Fishable Feast
I just got the green light to let the Flylab faithful in on a little secret: I recently finished producing a book with Matt Supinski, and Tom Rosenbauer wrote the forward. At 384 pages long, it’s stuffed with great photos by my Flylab and Angling Trade partner Tim Romano, as well as other luminaries in the fly-fishing world, like Terry Gunn, Rodrigo Salles and others.
A Fishable Feast: Fly Fishing and Eating Your Way Around the World is coming out next spring, published by Rizzoli in New York. (Pre-order at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Books-A-Million.)
It’s a foodie book as well as a fishing adventure book, with many recipes that reflect twenty of the best fishing (and eating) destinations on the planet, from Alaska to Italy, Baja to English and French chalk streams, New Zealand to the Catskills, and much more.
Talk about a labor of love. The book combines two of the things I enjoy most–fishing and eating!
I’m encouraged to talk about it now, because some of the major booksellers already have it listed and are taking preorders. So, someone who might be surfing around to find some of the other books I’ve written, like The Little Red Book of Fly Fishing (with Charlie Meyers), The Little Black Book of Fly Fishing (with Chris Hunt), and Castwork or Tideline (with my Flylab partner Andrew Steketee), might just chance upon this other thing and wonder what the heck is going on. Well, that’s the deal.
I have a great partner in Supinski, who’s not only a guide and author, but he spent a “real-life” career in the food and restaurant business, earning accolades like Michelin stars in the process.
What I like most is that the book isn’t just about fishing or recipes–it’s about adventure, and culture, and geography and history. It’s an homage to places the adventurous angler may have been, but it’s also meant to be an inspiration for those who are only a few steps down the miles-long trail of fly fishing. It’s the book that’s been kicking around in my head for the past several years or more, and I’m very proud (and grateful for the team at Rizzoli) that it turned out better than I imagined it might.
The book’s title isn’t exactly a coincidence.
A Fishable Feast plays right off of A Moveable Feast by the great Ernest Hemingway–perhaps the first of the great modern-era storytellers who had a penchant for fly fishing.
He wrote: “If you are lucky enough to have lived in Paris as a young man, then wherever you go for the rest of your life, it stays with you, for Paris is a moveable feast.”
I certainly consider myself lucky to have experienced some of the greatest fly-fishing destinations around the world while writing stories for Field & Stream, Fly Fisherman, Fly Rod & Reel, The Drake, Garden & Gun, SaltWater Sportsman, the Flyfish Journal, MidCurrent, Tail, TROUT magazine and others. And indeed, all those adventures have stuck with me. But oddly enough, what I remember as much or more as the fish battles fought and lost or won, were the flavors that emanated from those places, as well as the people with whom I was fortunate enough to share the adventures. I know Matt feels the same way.
And if you’re not an epicurean expert, not to worry–we focused on “gourmet comfort food” that anyone, anywhere can cook up in their own kitchen to share the flavors of fly fishing with friends and family whenever they want.
So, there it is. I spilled the beans. Hang in there, we’ll have more to say in coming months for sure.
For the record, I see this as less of an endpoint, and more of a starter to get me going on more fishing and food adventures, including many that we didn’t squeeze into this book.
For starters, I’m thinking pretty hard about getting back on the “Hemingway/Moveable Feast trail” and either re-visiting, or exploring for the first time, destinations like Paris, Cuba, northern Michigan, Spain, Bimini, Key West, Idaho–to do some fishing, eating and drinking, and diving into some long-required writing.
Anyone want to come along?
(Feel free to hit me with a comment in the thread, or an email).
Thank you for your support. It means the world to me. – Kirk Deeter
Recent News
From Trout Unlimited: “45 million acres of national forest lands are at risk, and we need your help. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has published notice that it is beginning the process to repeal the 2001 Roadless Area Conservation Rule and open our roadless public lands up to harmful development, including road construction in backcountry areas that will compromise fish and wildlife habitat and increase wildfire risk. The notice starts a short 21-day comment period.” Take action today (it takes two minutes).
American Prairie is pleased to announce the “acquisition of the Anchor Ranch and two additional properties in Blaine County, Montana, marking a major milestone by growing the private and public land leases it manages to more than 600,000 acres.”
From Wes Siler: Congress Just Voted To Break Public Lands. “Why Are Republicans Doing This? A lot of that uncertainty is likely the point. By breaking everything from oil and gas permits for existing extraction operations, grazing permits for livestock currently turned loose on public land, and halting any existing construction, this will all create immense outcry across diverse groups of industries and individuals who operate on the impacted public lands. And that level of chaos–again of the Republican’s own creation–opens the door to a sweeping fix...” Also, Wes is running for Montana State Senate (District 31).
Nate Silver on the Bluesky User Yard Sale: “The decline in Bluesky’s number of unique daily followers is even more substantial. They topped out at 3.1 million on Nov. 18 last year, but are now just under 400,000 per day: almost a tenfold decline. So while a dedicated troupe of Bluesky regulars are still skeeting up a storm, they’re gaining less and less traction, preaching only to the converted.” We tried it and concur, it’s mostly dead.
Smith Optics, owned by Italy-based Safilo Group S.p.A., has appointed Travis Owens as its Southeast regional sales director. Owens spent over 25 years at Costa Sunglasses in executive-level sales roles, and, in recent years, served as senior vice president of sales at Pure Fishing and Avid Sportswear. SMITH is also running a Friends and Family Sale: Up to 40% off.
Ed Stack, Dick’s Sporting Goods’ executive chairman, said he was most excited about the abundance of “newness” coming from the chain’s vendor partners. “Anything that’s new from a design standpoint and technology standpoint is doing extremely well. Things that have been around for a while are a little bit slower…” Interesting proxy for the fishing space.
BHA Calls For Reversal of Attack on Land and Water Conservation Fund. “For more than half a century, LWCF has conserved fish and wildlife habitat, safeguarded water resources and expanded public access for hunters, anglers and outdoor enthusiasts. With the passage of the Great American Outdoors Act in 2020, Congress permanently dedicated LWCF’s offshore energy revenues–not taxpayer dollars–to this purpose.”
Reshaping the Arkansas River into a Colorado success after a century of abuse. “If humans ruined the natural Upper and Lower Ark in Colorado, they also believe they are the ones to bring it back. It’s the paradox of engineering nature to get back to nature…”
Fly Fishers International (FFI), a global leader in fly fishing education, community and conservation, has announced FlyFest 2025, an in-person celebration of fly fishing, taking place September 26–27, 2025 at the Sheraton Airport Conference Center in Grand Rapids, Michigan. “We’re so excited to return to an in-person gathering of fly-fishing enthusiasts from across the U.S. and around the world,” said FFI Board Chair Tilda Evans.
Miles Nolte on the Marathon Sprinters of the Atlantic. “Albies are what scientists refer to as a ‘data-poor species.’ Up until recently, just about everything we knew came from anglers, and if there’s one thing we can all agree on, it’s that anglers can rarely agree about anything.”
The Mission Issue 53 is out. “Travelogues through time and space (Eastern Cape and Zambia), investigations into stuff as varied as comp fishing (why do people do it?) and why Hong Kong has redfish swimming in its waters, as well as plenty of people from rock stars (both musicians and geologists), guides and other beauts.”
Luxury Fly Fishing Is A Thing in Big Sky, Montana (duh). “My personal favorite spot we fished is called Taylor Fork, a tributary of the Gallatin, where two streams merge into one in the shadow of a vast pine covered mountain range. Here, I lay on the rocks and let the sun warm my face. I felt small and insignificant, in that way that grants you freedom to be big. I think that’s why they call it Big Sky.”
Gear Buzz
Winston AIR 2 5-piece fly rods are coming out for travelers. The rod line-up provides three 9-foot rods in a 4-weight, 5-weight and 6-weight. “The new AIR 2 5-piece rods bring our award-winning material platform into a travel-ready trout rod. Built with nano-particle graphite and resin, it’s light, strong, and delivers the iconic Winston action in a compact design that fits in packs, carry-ons, saddle bags, or any tight space.”
From Field Mag: 16 Outdoor Brands With Repair, Resell & Upcycled Gear Programs. “These major gear makers are using closed-loop cycles to keep equipment and apparel in use and out of landfills…”
From Big Sky Anglers: Trout Spey Lines Explained–Skagit, Scandi, Hybrids. “The two most common line types for Trout Spey with either Double-Handed or Single-Handed rods are 1) a Skagit line, which is best for presenting larger flies like streamers on faster sinking tips, and 2) a Scandi line, which is best for presenting smaller and lighter flies on lighter sinking and floating leaders.”
Nautilus Reels announces the launch of the new GTR 8/9 fly reel, the latest addition to the cutting-edge GT series (built for powerful fish). “Designed for anglers who demand absolute performance from their saltwater and heavy freshwater gear, the GTR 8/9 delivers uncompromising strength, smoothness and dependability. Find one today.
Kyle Frost on Livestream Gear: “There’s an entirely new segment of online shopping that I’m willing to bet many of you are completely unfamiliar with unless you have Gen Z kids, and that’s ‘livestream’ shopping. Think QVC, but updated with TikTok energy and gamified dopamine hits.”
More from Kyle Frost on fishing e-commerce (from Livestream Gear) and the WhatNot app: “Most of the outdoor action on Whatnot isn’t ultralight packs or backcountry stoves. It’s fishing gear that dominates. Sellers showcase vintage reels, rare and lightly used lures, and specialty tackle. It makes sense, given the size and spending power of the fishing industry. The fishing world is full of passionate subcultures, deep brand loyalty, and a long history of gear nerdery. The segment is also extremely large, driving a massive percentage of the $1.2 trillion ‘outdoor recreation industry’. Sportfishing in the U.S. generated over $230.5 billion last year, according to a recent report.”
It’s that time of year when every fly-fishing brand is putting gear on sale: Simms fall stuff, Madison River Fishing Company has piles of gear on sale + the Airflo fly line sale, Epic Fly Rods have great Fly Rod & Reel Combos with awesome savings, BOTE SUP deals, Grundens End of Summer Sale, 3Bird Summer Sale, Stio Warehouse Sale.
Moonlit Lunar S2 fiberglass fly rod review. “Marketed as a lighter glass rod that recovers faster, I can attest to both. It is, indeed, quite light for a fiberglass implement, at just 5.6 ounces. And, yes, whatever sorcery that goes into the S2 fiberglass used to craft the rod does, indeed, help it recover after casting.”
The all new Ross Machinist Edition Reel. The product run is a “limited-edition reel designed as a tribute to the skilled hands and processes behind every Ross Reel.” Find one today.
BioLite Unveils Range Headlamps. “BioLite has released The Range HeadLamp Series, an ultrafast USB-C headlamp designed to keep up with outdoor adventure. Featuring rapid charging, IP67 waterproof rating and performance fit, the new series delivers rugged durability and reliable light with a small footprint and weight.”
Boats
Small Craft Sales is THE go-to marketplace for buying and selling small boats and other specialty watercraft. Looking to buy or sell a small boat? Check out the brand-new used boat marketplace: modern, searchable, community-driven platform built for anglers, paddlers, rowers, tinkerers, outboard junkies and anyone dreaming of their next waterborne adventure.
Best Fishing options this week:
We review the Crazy Creek Canoe Chair IV. “Although marketed as a canoe seat, the Crazy Creek Canoe Chair IV has proven to be an excellent addition to my rowing dory. I was initially unsure how well it would adapt outside of its intended use, but after several outings I’m thoroughly impressed.”
Retrospec June iSUP review. “The Retrospec June Fishing iSUP is everything anglers need to get on the water, without breaking the bank. It’s lightweight, making it easy to pack in your vehicle or hike to a secluded fishing hole. The six-point front and four-point rear bungee storage help keep your gear from sliding off, even in rough water. The 320-pound weight capacity means you can bring enough gear and your favorite beverages for a great day of fishing.”
Looking for the best 3HP small electric outboard? EMO Electric has put together a primer: “electric outboards for dinghies, sailboats, canyon rafts and ‘smallish’ fishing boats…” Emo Electric offers eco-friendly electric outboard boat motors, and custom-built electric boats.
From Oars to Outboard: A Guide to Motorizing Your Drift Boat. “For many drift boat owners, adding an outboard motor can enhance versatility, allowing for easier downstream navigation in windy conditions, pushing through that ‘froggy’ flatwater or enabling efficient and effective lake fishing. This guide explores the key factors and tradeoffs involved when equipping your drift boat with a motor, along with guidelines for installation and use.”
Last Week’s Survey Results
Although small data sets, the results still signify a clear trend: fishing quality has fallen off for the vast majority of anglers. It’s important to note that these online results do not preference any specific geographic regions or fish species.
The second question follow-up results are largely anecdotal, and “angler pressure” could be highly relative, but regardless, if a lot of anglers feel like their on-water experiences have been degraded (with regard to other anglers), it could be related to reduced land access, angler etiquette and mishandled and/or injured fish. Food for thought as we think about managing fisheries.
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