Gear ReviewFly Rod Action Explained: Fast vs Medium vs Slow
What fly rod action actually means — where a rod bends, how fast it recovers, and which action (fast, medium, or slow) is right for your fishing and your casting.
Tested on the water — not in a catalog
Gear Reviews.
Gear I own. Gear I fish. Gear that's earned its place — or hasn't. No gifted product, no padded scores.
Latest from the river
What Is Tonkin Cane — and Why Every Bamboo Rod Depends on One Chinese River
Why nearly every bamboo fly rod is built from one species of bamboo grown in a single small region of China — and what makes Tonkin cane the only stuff that works.
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Gear ReviewBest Fly Rods for Blue Lines — Small-Stream Picks for 2026
The eight best small-stream fly rods for blue-line creeks in 2026 — glass and graphite, $30 to $825. Honest takes, verified specs, and the 3-weight I actually fish.
Gear ReviewPoncho Outdoors — The Fishing Shirt Brand I Keep Coming Back To
Four Poncho shirts in my rack and I keep reaching for them on hot tailwater days. An honest look at why Poncho Outdoors gets fishing apparel right.
Gear ReviewFly Tying Materials That Earn Space on My Bench
The materials I actually tie with — Semperfli thread, MFC beads, Hanak and Fulling Mill hooks, UTC wire, Fulling Mill CDC. What earns shelf space on my bench, and what gets cut.
Gear ReviewGetting Started in Fly Tying: A Realistic Beginner's Guide
How to actually start tying flies — the beginner bench (vise, bobbin, scissors, whip finisher), the first patterns that catch fish, and the learning curve.
Gear ReviewA Long Time at the Vise — What's Actually on My Bench
A personal tour of my fly tying bench — the Renzetti, the Renomed scissors, the full Stonfo lineup, and why each piece ended up there.
Gear ReviewBuilding a Fly Box for the South Platte — What's Actually in Mine
Most fly boxes are graveyards of flies that never get tied on. Here's what actually lives in mine — by section, by size, by why it earns the space.
Gear ReviewHardy Built a Reel Just for Streamer Fishing — the Averon
Hardy built the first fly reel made just for streamer fishing: the Averon Streamer, designed with Kelly Galloup. A first look at what a streamer reel needs.
Gear ReviewC&F Universal System Review: The Lanyard and Chest Box I Carry on Small Water
C&F Design's Universal System, reviewed for real: the lanyard with magnetic fly patch plus the 9.6-oz CFA-830 chest box — the carry I fish on small water.
Gear ReviewThe Truck Kit — What Lives in My Rig Year-Round
The pack is what you walk to the river with. The truck kit is what lets you leave at 4 AM without thinking — the knives, the jacket, the leaders, the cigar.
Gear ReviewThe Father's Day Gift Guide for the Fly Fisher in Your Life
What to actually buy the fly fisher in your life — a Father's Day gift guide by budget. Real gear I fish on the South Platte, real prices, two reader discounts.
Gear ReviewBuilding a Euro Nymphing Rig from Scratch
Step-by-step build of the euro nymphing rig I actually fish: Diamondback 10'7" 3wt, Maxima Chameleon mono, sighter, tippet ring, and the two flies that work.
Gear ReviewI Run a Riversmith — and I'm Eyeing a Switch to Trxstle's CRC Euro
I've carried my rods on a Riversmith River Quiver for a while now. Lately I'm highly considering switching to Trxstle's CRC Euro. Here's the honest why.
Gear ReviewFly Fishing Essentials for Beginners: The Honest Minimum
Most beginner gear lists are upsell guides. Here's the real minimum a new fly fisher actually needs — and what to skip until you've fished a few seasons.
Gear ReviewWhat I Bring to the River: An 80-Day-a-Year Angler's Day Pack
Real gear from 80-plus days a year on Colorado tailwaters. The pack, the rod, the fly boxes, the tools, the layers, and the small stuff that makes the day work.
Gear ReviewMy Fly Rod Quiver — Five Rods, Five Jobs on the South Platte
What I fish on the South Platte and why each rod earns its spot — plus the hand-built Sweetgrass cane I'm adding to the quiver this fall.
Gear ReviewUmpqua SWIFTLINK Review: Every Pack, Every LINK Accessory, Full Specs
The most complete Umpqua SWIFTLINK review online. All four packs, all eight LINK accessories, real dimensions, prices, and who should buy what.
Gear ReviewWhy First Lite Took Over Every Layer of My Wardrobe — and I'm a Fly Fisher
A Colorado fly fisher in a hunting brand head to toe. Why First Lite — Wick Merino, Navigator Hoody, the Rugged Wool — owns my wardrobe year-round.
Gear ReviewWinston Pure 2 Review: The Best Medium-Action Dry Fly Rod Made
Winston Pure 2 review: $995, medium action, NanoParticle graphite. Built in Twin Bridges, Montana for technical dry fly fishing where presentation matters.
Gear ReviewWading Boots for the South Platte — Brands, Soles, and What Actually Works
Cheesman granite and Deckers cobble demand the right wading boot. Four brands compared, felt vs. rubber per river section, and what Renato actually fishes.
Gear ReviewScott Centric 9'0" 5wt Review — The Best Tailwater Rod Made in Colorado
Two seasons on the Scott Centric 905/4 at Cheesman and Deckers. Fast action, Colorado-built, and the benchmark for South Platte nymph and dry-fly fishing.
Gear ReviewScott Centric vs Sage R8 Core — Which Tailwater Rod for the South Platte?
Scott Centric vs Sage R8 Core for South Platte tailwater fishing — action, nymph performance, dry-fly accuracy, and which to buy.
Gear ReviewSkwala RS Waders Review — Two Seasons, Every Season
Two seasons in Skwala RS waders on the South Platte. Proprietary 4-layer laminate, fourchette seams, buckle-free yoke — and excellent in cold winters.
Gear ReviewMontana Knife Company Westslope Review — The Trout Knife Worth $275
The MKC Westslope reviewed for fly fishing — MagnaCut steel, modified sheepsfoot blade, and G10 handle built for cleaning trout on the bank.
Gear ReviewYETI Hopper M30 Soft Cooler Review — Day Trips on the South Platte
Two seasons with the YETI Hopper M30 on South Platte and Arkansas day trips — ice retention, packability on the trail, and honest cons at $350.
Gear ReviewBest 4-Weight Fly Rods for Tailwater Fishing in 2026
The five best 4-weight fly rods for tailwater fishing in 2026 — Scott, Sage, Winston, Orvis, and a budget pick. Specs verified, honest takes.