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A Fishable Feast: Fly Fishing and Eating Your Way Around the World is more than a fly-fishing book. From crystal-clear trout streams to sunlit saltwater flats, untamed jungles and rushing mountain rivers, this beautifully crafted volume by acclaimed author Kirk Deeter and Matthew Supinski explores the cultures, cuisines, geography and history that make fly fishing such a rich and meaningful pursuit. Featuring a foreword by Tom Rosenbauer, the book blends storytelling, destination and culinary exploration into a global celebration of the angling life. As Kirk Deeter explains: A Fishable Feast serves up the sights, flavors and stories of the world’s most compelling fly-fishing destinations. It is a must-read for anglers with an appetite for travel and good food. The book’s release is imminent, and you can find it online at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Books-A-Million. Or, you can order your signed copy here:kirkdeeter.com The post A Fishable Feast: Fly Fishing and Eating Your Way Around the World appeared first on Fly Fusion. View the full article

By Kirk Deeter Excerpt from the winter issue: “A seasoned guide is used to saying things like ‘tip up’ and ‘let ‘em run’ over and over again. And in most cases, that’s really solid advice, in so much as the goal is to avoid having the fish make a run and break you off. But the truth is that a 9-foot fly rod is a lever that helps the fish as much as it helps the angler. The 9 feet are for casting, mending, and so forth. But if you play a large fish running around the maypole, you’re playing with fire. The real tension, and the real force happens through the line itself. So, dipping the rod tip low after the hookup, and being contrarian—fish runs left, you pull right, fish runs right, you force left—is the way to tire any species of hooked fish sooner, and that’s what will up your odds of landing it and getting the photograph you want. That’s most especially true with any saltwater fish. You want to pull on them with the line itself and tire them out, and you simply cannot depend on any rod to do that work for you.” Subscribe or pick up the back issue for the full article. Photo: Faceless Fly Fishing The post Kirk Deeter’s Lesson on Fighting Fish appeared first on Fly Fusion. View the full article

By Derek Bird There’s a scene in “The Equalizer” starring Denzel Washington where his character, Robert McCall, is sitting in a late-night diner and he’s reading Hemingway’s “The Old Man and the Sea.” A young lady looks over and sees McCall reading the novella and says, “He ever catch it? The fish.” McCall chuckles and says, “Yes.” She says, “Happy ending.” McCall replies, “Not exactly.” Then he explains that after he fights the fish, the old man ties it to the boat to bring it back to shore but sharks come and eat the giant marlin before he can get back to shore. The young lady replies, “What a waste…why didn’t he just let the fish go?” McCall responds, “The old man’s gotta be the old man. Fish gotta be the fish. Gotta be who you are in this world, right?” The Draw Wasn’t There This exchange happens in the first 15 minutes of the movie and acts as foreshadowing for McCall’s character. He initially appears to be a mild-mannered department store worker who shows up to work every day and does everything he can to make the lives of those around him better. As the plot progresses, he endeavors to be that person, but circumstances force him to be who he is at his core—an ordinary hero who can’t help but fight the wrong and the evil he sees around him. Gotta be who you are in this world, right? Watching this movie happened at an opportune time for me. Not because I’m an ordinary hero, but because I wasn’t fly fishing very much. I’d gone sporadically in the months prior, but I don’t fly fish sporadically. At first I attributed the blip to aging, but the thing is I’m not that old. I thought, maybe I just don’t enjoy it as much as I used to. The feeling of separation alarmed me a little. Even during the winter months, I get out at least once a week. Spring, summer and fall I’m out two or three times a week. But now, I was heading out once every two weeks or so. Worse yet, the draw wasn’t there. Losing Fish I’d felt the odd flicker of this before, but that always had to do with times in my life where I was experiencing exhaustion from stress and working too much. I easily diagnosed that, and the solution was always to work less and fly fish more. This time, however, I struggled to determine the root cause, but I knew it wasn’t that. A few weeks ago, I grabbed my gear from the garage and headed out to the river. I was driven by the need for fresh air more than the desire to fish. My mind wandered while I cast. When I hooked and landed trout, it felt more mechanical or ritualistic. Then on one drift, I hooked a summer-run steelhead. He jumped twice and I got a good look at all 5 pounds of his chrome side before the fly popped out the second time he landed. Too bad, I thought. I’ll get him in the next day or two. I headed out two days later and found him again, but this time when his mouth appeared behind my skated fly I set too soon. Shoot. I missed him a second time. I went out again a couple of days later but he didn’t appear. A few days after that I drove to a different stream. I got a few nice cutthroat and then I hooked another summer-run steelhead. This time I promised myself I wasn’t going to lose it. Which I didn’t until he was about 5 feet from me. I raised my rod and reached for my net. He turned, the fly popped, and I stood there watching as he swam away. Driving home that evening, I told myself I’ve got to get this figured out. I’m losing fish now because I’m not fully engaged in what I’m doing. Why was the act of fly fishing feeling like an otiose activity, like something I do, rather than the passion and connectedness I normally felt? Could it be I was just getting old? Had I done it too many times? Had it worn out? The Fish of a Lifetime The second lost summer-run steelhead finally provided me with the epiphany I needed. This unfamiliar feeling all started around the middle of March, and around that time I had my very own “The Old Man and the Sea” moment. Only, I’m not that old, my fish wasn’t a marlin and I was fishing freshwater. Ok, so maybe it wasn’t all that similar. Last March I was out in my boat with a friend fishing creek mouths on a remote lake. After traveling a number of kilometers up the lake, we found a nice drop-off near a stream and started to cast. It wasn’t long before we found trout. A few small rainbows at first, but as the wind gently pushed us along the steep drop-off, we started to see trout cruising in about 15 feet of water. We began to consistently catch cutthroat, with a few in the 18-inch range. A couple hours into the day, I cast in front of a group of cruising trout, let my line sink for a few seconds and then took a few quick strips. The water clarity allowed me a view of my streamer, so I watched it until it disappeared momentarily. I felt a hesitant tug and then the fly reappeared. I stripped the streamer again, and again the fly disappeared. I set the hook and felt a weight on the other end like I’d never felt before while targeting cutthroat. The fish peeled line then stopped. I reeled. The tug-of-war happened four or five times before I managed to lead the trout within view of the boat. The last 15 feet were the most difficult. He simply sat a few feet off the side of the boat about 10 feet down and dared me to pull harder on him. He sat there like he knew if I applied any more pressure, he’d simply break off. Seeing him was most difficult. He was by far the largest cutthroat I’d ever encountered, though I kept telling myself the water simply magnified his size. He couldn’t possibly be that large. His pressure on my line assured me he was. We engaged in the stalemate a few minutes longer, and then he moved an inch or two toward the boat letting me know he was ready for this to be over. My friend dipped the net in the water and I led him in. He measured 27 inches. I released him and watched until his green back faded to match the darkness of the water column. He was the cutthroat of my lifetime to that point and likely to the point where I take my last cast. Gotta Be Who You Are I fish for lots of different species, but cutthroat are the species I choose to target the most, and without knowing it, I chased that cutthroat my entire life. Then I caught it. I wonder if it’s similar to a professional athlete working all their lives to get the big contract, and then when they get it, they temporarily lose the edge they played with. Who knew accomplishing a lifelong goal comes with its own set of challenges? Regardless, I’m not the first to feel this. Hemingway’s old man, Santiago, felt this in the middle of his success. After going through a period of 84 days without catching a fish, he hooks into the biggest fish of his life and while he’s fighting it, he says, “Perhaps I should not have been a fisherman…but that was the thing that I was born for.” Yes, you gotta be who you are in this world. Photo: Arian Stevens The post The Old Man and Me appeared first on Fly Fusion. View the full article

By Skip Morris The Attractor-Fly Angle On the first count, that flies must always resemble the natural feed of fish, innocent elemental logic (so, teenage logic) was at work. That logic does add up: Want a fish to eat your fly? Make your fly look like what that fish eats. What I didn’t yet understand is that fish have little regard for logic or for fly fishers’ adamant beliefs; consequently, attractor flies really do work. Under the right circumstances (which I can only ever determine by trying one) attractor flies can far out-fish imitative flies, can be simply deadly. These right circumstances are, in my experience, fairly common. And one such deadly attractor is the elegant Alexandra. —Excerpted from the Summer 2025 issue of Fly Fusion. Morris makes the case clearly: sometimes suggestion, motion, and presence outperform strict imitation. When trout refuse the dead drift but continue to show, a swung wet can change everything. Here are six classic patterns, from bold attractors to quiet naturals, that deserve a place in your swing rotation. Alexandra Hook: Heavy wire, standard length (1X long preferred), sizes 14–8Thread: Black 6/0 or 8/0Body: Flat silver tinselWing: Peacock swordHackle: Black (or wine) hen-neck Why Fish It: A true attractor. Flash, contrast, and movement combine to provoke trout in a curious or aggressive mood. Cowdung Hook: Heavy wire, standard length (1X long preferred), sizes 16–10Thread: Black, brown, or oliveBody: Green or olive flossHackle: Brown hen-neckWings: Mottled oak turkey primary Why Fish It: Subtle and natural. Suggests green-bodied mayflies and works beautifully during olive activity. Hare’s Ear Wet Hook: Heavy wire, standard length (1X long preferred), sizes 16–10Rib: Oval gold tinselBody: Hare’s maskWings: Natural-gray duck-primary sections Why Fish It: Versatile and impressionistic. Covers a broad range of emerging mayflies and caddis. Leadwing Coachman Hook: Heavy wire, standard length (1X long preferred), sizes 16–8Body: Peacock herlHackle: Brown hen-neckWings: Natural-gray duck-primary sections Why Fish It: Dark and proven. Excellent during heavier mayfly or caddis emergences. Light Cahill Wet Hook: Heavy wire, standard length (1X long preferred), sizes 16–10Body: Cream fox or rabbit furHackle: Ginger hen-neckWing: Wood-duck fibers Why Fish It: A pale-winged swimmer that shines during PMD and Light Cahill hatches. Muddler Daddy (Davy Wotton) Hook: 2X long sizes 12–10 or 1X long size 10Body: Hare’s maskLegs: Knotted pheasant-tail fibersCollar/Head: Deer hair Why Fish It: A lively point fly with motion and presence. Particularly effective when swung at the tail of a team. The post Six Wet Flies to Swing with Confidence appeared first on Fly Fusion. View the full article

SITKA officially stepped into the world of fly fishing this month with the launch of SITKA Fish. Known for building system-driven hunting apparel, the well-known Bozeman-based brand is applying that same technical discipline to the water. The new gear launch centers on a focused lineup built around quality and the realities of fishing hard across a full season. The Crosscurrent Wading System anchors the collection. Constructed with four-layer GORE-TEX PRO construction, the waders deliver complete weather protection, next-level durability, and an ultra-dialed design for anglers. Available in both zip and non-zip configurations, they are built for those who spend serious time in moving water. The build specifically targets durability through repeated wet and dry cycles, one of the most common failure points in modern wader construction. The wading boots continue that systems approach. Interchangeable traction options allow anglers to adapt to varying river bottoms, while quick-drying construction addresses the issue of heavy, saturated footwear between sessions. The emphasis throughout the system is long-term performance in real-world conditions. SITKA’s long-anticipated entry into the fishing industry is centered on technical execution, with gear designed for anglers who prioritize quality, durability, and time on the water. sitkagear.com/fish The post SITKA Launches Fish Collection appeared first on Fly Fusion. View the full article

Abel Reels has released their first all-new reel since 2021’s Rove, and it marks their biggest push yet into high-capacity, large-arbor performance for fresh and saltwater. The SDX is their largest, fastest, and most advanced reel, designed for anglers chasing permit, tarpon, GT, steelhead, salmon, and bluewater species like tuna and marlin. It is not a casual upgrade. It is a purpose-built tool for moments when everything is on the line. The oversized arbor delivers the fastest retrieve in the Abel lineup, picking up an impressive 15.5 to 17.5 inches per turn. A newly designed larger handle improves grip and control during sustained fights, while the alternating stacked carbon and stainless-steel drag system provides smooth, locked-down stopping power. The sealed drag system and caged frame are engineered for extreme saltwater conditions, yet the reel maintains a lightweight feel thanks to its open-frame structure. It is available in either a ported or solid frame configuration. Another standout feature is customization. On the new Abel website, you can mix and match frame and spool finishes at no additional cost. Choose from Gloss Black, Deep Blue, Deep Green, or Platinum to build a reel that fits your style. The reel is offered in two sizes, 9/11 and 12/14. abelreels.com Photo: William Woodward The post Abel’s Most Advanced Reel Yet appeared first on Fly Fusion. View the full article

Fly Fusion’s Editors’ Choice Awards celebrate the year’s most trusted, fish-ready gear, products that don’t just look good on the rack, but prove themselves day after day on the water. From smart storage to quick-access functionality, the best equipment is the kind that helps you fish more efficiently and keeps essentials right where you need them. This year’s Best Pack winner does exactly that, blending adaptability, thoughtful organization, and convenience into one streamlined carry system: the Patagonia Stealth Switch Pack. A creature of habit, I’ve been fishing with the same Patagonia sling pack for several years. Like its predecessor, the 9-liter Stealth Switch Pack is built for left- or right-shoulder wear and easily slides into an on-the-water fly-change station. The new one, however, also converts to a hip pack. Among the features are a net sleeve and embedded magnets on the pack front and shoulder strap that temporarily hold flies and nippers for quick fly changes. For pockets, the pack has one exterior-front zippered pocket, one zippered pocket on the shoulder strap, and four large stretch compartments in the pack interior. The Stealth Switch Pack also features a water bottle sleeve, corrosion-resistant zips, and numerous gear attachments and lash points. Patagonia.com © Photo Andrew Burr The post Editors’ Choice Awards – Best Pack appeared first on Fly Fusion. View the full article

By Bob Reece As the winter snows of the Rocky Mountains begin to thaw, a change is set in motion. The landscape breaks loose and emerges from a crisp exoskeleton of winter. For many fly anglers, the pinnacle of this yearly change is the transformation of Pteronarcys californica – the stonefly known as the salmonfly – into its adult form. Most fly fishers have some familiarity with spring salmonfly hatches that proclaim the beginning of the new season on many of western North America’s freestone rivers and streams. While the salmonfly hatch is one of fly fishing’s most compelling events, success during this time is not guaranteed and often depends on the design of your flies. When creating the Beefcake Stone, I spent extensive time observing the naturals from both above and below the water. This provided me with an accurate picture of the insect’s visual and behavioural traits. The exoskeletons of adult salmon flies display a subtle sheen, so I selected a tying material that was capable of producing the same effect in my imitations. With a combination of buoyancy and reflectivity, Wapsi’s Loco Foam is the perfect material. In addition to its gloss, its laminated coating reduces flexibility. This allows for more realistic body segmentation. While the body of the fly itself is rigid, its appendages move easily. The Sexi-floss antennae and tail fibers, along with round rubber legs, provide the fly with actively twitching limbs. Tantalizing action is paired with realism by knotting all of the legs. This nicely mimics the prominent leg joints in adult Pteronarcys. Aesthetic appeal is crucial, but without durability, it is meaningless. Zap-A-Gap is essential when working with the foam elements of this pattern. It should be applied any time two foam surfaces are placed in contact. At the core of the pattern is the sturdy Tiemco 200R hook. This hook is strong enough to turn even the heaviest fish in high spring flows without straightening out. The elk and deer hair wings used in many adult salmon fly patterns have been replaced by Thin Skin. This is often used in the construction of nymphs and streamers, yet with its sheen, flexibility and extreme durability, it is an ideal wing material. The bottom of this pattern is viewed by fish and thus should be given special attention. To ensure the longevity of the Loco Foam in this area, I coat the bottom surface of the fly with a thin layer of UV Clear Cure Goo. This greatly increases the visual and functional durability of the underside. When fishing the Beefcake Stone, tippet size is dependent on water clarity. On freestone rivers, the water is often high and murky during the salmonfly hatch. In these situations, I use 2X fluorocarbon tippet. As water clarity improves, I move to 3X or 4X. Fish in crystal-clear water will happily take a salmon-fly pattern properly presented on 4X fluorocarbon tippet. On its own, the Beefcake Stone is more than capable of producing plenty of fish. I sometimes double down and fish a dual dry setup with two Beefcakes. I attach the second fly with two feet of fluorocarbon tippet from the eye of the front fly to the eye of the rear fly. I use a non-slip mono loop knot for all connections. These knots allow the flies to move freely and are stronger than clinch knots. I also fish a large but lightly weighted stonefly nymph on a dropper two feet beneath a single Beefcake Stone. With this rig, I target the shallow pockets and margins of the river. This technique can be deadly during the early stages of the hatch because of the large number of nymphs that congregate in these areas before their exodus from the water. Triumph in fly fishing is often signified by a successful meeting of fly and fish. The expectation of this is never greater than when you’re standing in the midst of a salmonfly hatch. Don’t leave triumph to chance. Try a Beefcake Stone and find success in the midst of chaotic beauty. The post Reece’s Beefcake Stone appeared first on Fly Fusion. View the full article

By Kirk Deeter Excerpt from the current issue: “Contrary to all the dogma about specific colors and fly patterns and all that, what it usually (really) boils down to is shape and profile. And that’s true whether you’re spoon-feeding emergers to selective trout, trying to match baitfish roosterfish are chomping in Baja, or throwing shrimp or crab patterns at bonefish or permit somewhere on the flats. Do fish see colors? Absolutely. But at the end of the day, what a fish is really going to want to eat is a fly that looks very close in shape and size to what they’re foraging on. There’s a reason why the Parachute Adams dry fly has been a producing staple for many trout anglers for over 100 years. And there’s also a reason why a Chernobyl Ant produces on many rivers in the West and elsewhere during the terrestrial season. A Crazy Charlie or Squimp in the flats will work, nine times out of ten, if you stick it in a place where the fish sees it. It’s all about shape and profile.” Subscribe or pick up the issue at your local bookstore or fly shop for the full article. © Photo Faceless Fly Fishing The post Kirk Deeter’s Lesson on Picking Bugs appeared first on Fly Fusion. View the full article

Leader and tippet might not steal the spotlight, but they matter, especially when presentation gets technical, flies get smaller, or conditions get tough. For 2026, Scientific Anglers has expanded its leader and tippet offering with the introduction of the new Mastery series, providing high-quality, budget-friendly lines for freshwater and saltwater applications. Leader optionsThe Mastery leaders are available in lengths from 7.5 feet to 12 feet, with a variety of tapers designed for specific conditions and target species. Leaders are available individually or in three-packs, which is a practical option for anglers who like to keep a couple of fly rods ready. Tippet optionsThe Mastery tippet is available in both fluorocarbon and nylon in sizes 3X to 5X, and in spool sizes of 30 meters or 100 meters. For most anglers, that range covers general trout work, everyday nymph rigs and a wide range of light saltwater applications. Where it fitsThe addition of the Mastery series alongside Scientific Anglers’ award-winning Absolute series of premium leader and tippet provides one of the broadest leader and tippet offerings on the market, and ensures anglers have access to Scientific Anglers’ legendary quality and innovation across every price point. Learn more about the Mastery series here: scientificanglers.com/new-products The post New for 2026: SA Mastery leader and tippet appeared first on Fly Fusion. View the full article

By Derek Bird The logjam provided enough depth and structure to hold decent sized trout. I waded in just below it to about thigh deep and made a good cast up to where it looked like the large fish should be holding. My beetle pattern bobbed and drifted a foot or two from about the half-way-point of the jam where a few larger logs protruded into the river. I pulled quickly at the line to manage the slack as the current pushed the terrestrial toward me. Then just like I’d envisioned, a pair of lips inhaled the beetle—a very small pair of lips. I set and a six-inch fish skittered over the surface. My anticipation for a larger trout may have affected my overly forceful hook set. I say the trout was six-inches but it could have just as easily been four or five. Admittedly, I may miscalculate by an inch or two regardless the size of the fish. I don’t often actually measure my fish because I’m quite confident in my approximate benchmark measurements. A six-inch trout could be anything up to six inches. A 12-inch trout is usually anything between nine and 12. After that I get a little more precise: a 15-inch trout is anything an inch or so shy of that, and a 16-inch trout is actually 16…at least in my mind anyway. An 18-inch trout…well, anything that looks like 18 inches or above I usually do a quick measurement against my rod before I send it back. Oddly, a few of my 18-inch trout have actually measured 16 inches. I say all that to say the six-inch trout that grabbed my beetle was about half way between me and the logjam when I saw a dark shadow dart out and ambush the small trout. The battle immediately transitioned from a quick land-and-release scenario into an uncertain tug-o-war. I’d actually been in this type of situation before—the small fish takes the fly and then a large bull trout hijacks the poor little guy. Never have I ever actually landed the bull trout. He always spits his prey just a few feet from me, so I assumed the same would happen this time. But there was something vastly different about this situation unfolding in front of me—there were no char in this system. As I brought the two fish closer, something completely unpredictable happened. I’ve replayed the event multiple times, and I still have no idea how. Without a change in tension or direction, I watched as the small fish swam away. Very nonchalantly…like he’d had enough for one day. Somehow the little Houdini escaped the jaws of his captor and now the large trout alone was on the end of my line. At about four feet away, I reached for my net and pulled it from my backpack then promptly fumbled and dropped it just as the large fish took another run straight toward the lower end of the jam. I turned the rod to my right in order to guide him away from the submerged timber, but I was a little late. When I pulled on my rod, I didn’t feel the head shakes of a large trout, just the solid and consistent tension created by deadwood. At this point I faced a conundrum. Do I wade deeper toward the jam in order to see if a slightly different rod angle frees the line and possibly the fish if he was still on, or do I run downstream after my net, which was now getting dangerously close to a slightly submerged stump? I chose the latter because it appeared more attainable. I sprinted down the river and got to the end of my unspooled line then lunged for my net just moments before it became part of the unretrievable mess around the stump. I picked it up and put it under my left arm and reeled in my line while trekking back toward the snag. When I arrived near the bottom of the logjam, I was able to comfortably wade another two feet beyond my original position and then another couple uncomfortable feet beyond that all the while angling my rod upstream as far as I could. To my surprise, I felt the line release from the submerged log and immediately felt the headshakes from the large fish. He was still there! I reeled him up as I moved back toward my initial casting position. Then I took the retrieved net from under my left arm, raised the tip of my rod toward the slightly overcast sky and watched as the heavily spotted, yellow-bellied cutthroat slid over the side of the net. I’m really not sure how it happened, but the beetle was embedded in the corner of the jaw in the very same way as if he’d taken it himself. I removed the hook and slid my hand under the fish’s belly and lifted him toward my rod. This one, by my closest estimation needed to be measured. My mental yardstick placed him on the larger side of 18 inches. When I placed his tail at the butt of the rod, his nose stretched well beyond any logos or weight hashtags. This one’s got to run a solid 20 I thought as I slipped him back in the water and held him for a moment before he decided to splash with his tale and swim quickly toward the chaotic ball of trees and branches. The rest of the day I fished each of the deep pools with dries first and then made a second pass with streamers. I caught lots of fish on both but none rivaled that trout’s size. On the way home, I reminisced about the one…or more accurately the two. I’ve been fishing now for four solid decades, mostly for trout, and to that point I’d never had a cutthroat ambush a six-inch trout at the end of my line. The only explanation…maybe I overestimated the size of the trout that rose to the beetle. I guess he could have been four inches just as easily as he could have been six. That’s a possibility. Regardless, a trout eating another a third its size, then the beetle transferring from the smaller to the larger mouth, and then the trout running me into a jam and me getting the trout off the jam…he’s likely a trout I won’t soon forget. When I got home, I grabbed my gear from the vehicle and placed it in the garage. I rummaged about for a tape measure and then stretched it from the rod butt to where his nose reached. By precise calculations, the trout measured just shy of 18. Hmm. I overestimated by two inches—glad to see even in the mayhem of a moment, some things never change. Photo: Arian Stevens The post Just Shy of Eighteen appeared first on Fly Fusion. View the full article

The International Fly Fishing Film Festival (IF4), a curated collection of world-class films and cinematic storytelling from independent fly-fishing filmmakers from around the globe, is honored to announce RA Beattie, founder of Beattie Outdoor Productions and co-founder of Off the Grid Studios, as the winner of Audience Choice Award — Best Film in the 2025 IF4 for his groundbreaking film “The Silent Spotter”. This year’s top honor was determined entirely by audience votes from viewers around the world, underscoring the film’s powerful connection with the global fly-fishing community. The Silent Spotter introduces audiences to the extraordinary life of Tommy Batun, a deaf and mute fly-fishing guide from Xcalak, Mexico. With sharp eyes, unmatched intuition, and an unshakable love for the flats, Tommy has redefined what it means to be a guide, an innovator, and a hero in the world of saltwater fly fishing. Through stunning visuals and intimate storytelling, the film showcases Tommy’s remarkable ability to communicate, teach, and lead on the water, proving that passion and skill speak louder than words. “‘The Silent Spotter’ reflects Off the Grid Studio’s unique vision and remarkable talent for crafting memorable, meaningful stories,” said Chris Bird, founder and executive producer of IF4. “Beattie’s talent, curiosity and dedication to the craft have made him one of the most influential voices in fly-fishing cinema, and this film is yet another example of his remarkable contribution to our community.” “I’m honored that ‘The Silent Spotter’ has been recognized by IF4 Audiences as the top film in 2025 – especially with so many amazing and passionate films in the festival lineup,” said RA Beattie. “Tommy’s story is unlike any other. His skill, dedication, and spirit inspired every frame of this film, and we’re grateful to share his legacy with the global fly-fishing community.” With the 2025 festival tour now officially concluded, IF4 is already looking ahead. A new collection of world-class films for the 2026 season is complete, and the festival will debut the new lineup beginning in January, bringing fresh stories, new voices, and groundbreaking cinematography to anglers around the world. The full 2025 IF4 presentation is now available to watch at FlyFusionStreaming.com, offering audiences worldwide the opportunity to experience the complete lineup. “The Silent Spotter” is now available on the Off the Grid Studios website as a Limited Edition Mixtape (USB), plus digital download and other streaming options: offthegridstudios.com/pages/the-silent-spotter About IF4 IF4 is the ultimate celebration of fly-fishing culture, featuring a curated collection of world-class films and cinematic storytelling from independent filmmakers around the globe. Rooted in the soul of fly fishing, it brings together powerful stories that capture the heart and adventure of fly fishing. IF4 is a gathering place for the fly-fishing community and a celebration of friendship, stories and stoke. About Off the Grid Studios and RA Beattie Off the Grid Studios is an award-winning film and creative production company led by filmmaker RA Beattie. Known for cinematic, story-driven work rooted in adventure and conservation, the studio produces documentaries, broadcast content, and brand campaigns for partners around the world. Their films blend authenticity and craft to spotlight the people, places, and stories that shape our natural world. The post RA Beattie Named Winner of the International Fly Fishing Film Festival for “The Silent Spotter” appeared first on Fly Fusion. View the full article

The Scott Fly Rod Company announces that Shawn Combs will join the Scott team as vice president in January. “Shawn is a lifelong angler with finely honed skills and a proven track record in fly-fishing product design,” says Jim Bartschi, president of Scott Fly Rods. “His passion for innovation, quality, and team building is a perfect fit to help carry on Scott’s fifty-year legacy of handcrafting high-performance fly rods. I’m thrilled to welcome Shawn to the Scott family and for the opportunity to work with him and the rest of the team on writing the next chapters of the Scott story.” After earning his master’s degree in mechanical engineering, Combs spent a decade in engineering roles with industry leaders, including Exxon Mobil Corp. and Lockheed Martin. In 2011, he joined the Orvis Company in Vermont as a product developer for fly rods and reels, and he has served as their director of product design and development since 2014. Combs says, “I am beyond excited to join the Scott Fly Rod Company to work alongside Jim and team. Having grown up fishing Scott rods, I am honored to contribute to the legacy of handcrafting rods that, in my view, embody innovation and soul like no other.” The post Scott Fly Rod Company Welcomes Industry Veteran Shawn Combs appeared first on Fly Fusion. View the full article

 As a proud media partner, Fly Fusion is excited to share the stoke as the official sizzle reel for the International Fly Fishing Film Festival (IF4) has just been released, offering a first look at one of the most anticipated fly-fishing film events on the planet. IF4, presented by Orvis, Abel Reels and Trout Unlimited, is the ultimate celebration of fly-fishing culture, featuring a curated collection of world-class films and cinematic storytelling from independent filmmakers around the globe. Each year, IF4 captures the heart, soul and adventure of fly fishing, spotlighting the passion, lifestyle and culture that defines the sport. But IF4 is more than a film tour. It’s a worldwide gathering place for the fly-fishing community. A celebration of friendship and wild places. A platform for powerful stories. A night fueled by pure stoke. The sizzle reel is your first look into this year’s unforgettable experience, packed with stunning visuals, epic adventures and the energy that makes IF4 unlike anything else. Watch the sizzle reel. Feel the stoke. Join the global celebration of fly fishing. Tickets, trailers and schedule: flyfilmfest.com/schedule. The post The IF4 Stoke Begins Now: Get Your Tickets! appeared first on Fly Fusion. View the full article

Two decades ago, alerted by headlights shining on my parent’s front lawn, I slipped silently out the front door and threw my pack into the bed of an old forest service truck. I was 14-years-old and heading to a high mountain lake filled with cutthroat. In the driver’s seat was a business partner of my father’s, a real estate investor whose love for the outdoors mirrored my own. Although he was 16 years my senior, John and I formed a fast friendship, spawned in large part by that first outing together. As we bumped our way up the dirt road toward the trailhead we talked fishing and hiking and what excitement the day would provide. Only now, with the benefit of hindsight, do I realize what having a mentor such as John has provided for my life. I don’t know how many fish we caught that particular day but burned into my memory is another outing with John, when we pulled 78 trout out of Whale Lake, all on a dry fly. “Whale Lake” isn’t listed on any tourist brochure or forest service map. That was John and wife Judy’s moniker for one of their favourite haunts, declared as such after a friend took a swim with all his fishing gear on. “The fish must have thought a whale was after them with such a big splash,” Judy remarked, or so the story went, according to John. To a teenage angler spending a day free from responsibility or any outside pressure, the denomination was funny and fitting enough to stick. The incredible spruce moth hatch at Whale Lake probably helped, too. The fish were engorging themselves; anything that resembled a mottled cream morsel was getting demolished. I still recall vividly John’s old flannel shirt, his straw hat and the sight of hungry trout cruising the shoreline in search of an easy meal. Maybe it was our angling success that day which imprinted the memory of Whale Lake on my mind so enduringly, but my hunch is that is goes much deeper than hungry fish and a proliferation of bugs. I’d spent a few days on high mountain lakes before, but without a car it was usually difficult to figure a way to get to the trailhead, much less find someone who wanted to join. I didn’t realize how much I was pining for a friend to share the experience with until John asked me to fish with him. Years later, John and I have hiked and fished countless high mountain lakes. At the time, I thought we were just two buddies—albeit atypical ones—heading out for the day. Years later, as I look back and consider the value his friendship has added to my life, it is apparent those days spent hiking off of old Montana logging roads were about far more than the pan-sized cutties we were hooking. It’s easy to see the appeal of watching a trout rise through crystal clear water to eat a dry, but it’s much harder to convey the importance of a relationship built over time. Being willing to hike in to find fish is one thing, being willing to help someone who otherwise wouldn’t be able to get to the trailhead and help foster a connection with nature is another thing entirely. This past summer a few neighbourhood kids approached me with some questions about fly fishing. We talked tactics and gear before I was wise enough to see the opportunity in front of me. I clued in that it was my turn, and my privilege, to pay it forward. My friend John had taken a kid who was unable to drive and unsure of where to fish and given him the chance of both fishing and friendship. Now it was my turn. After getting the OK from their parents, the neighbourhood kids and I spent the day bouncing up a local river, mostly casting dries to small rainbows and cuts. This truly was life coming full circle. We were fishing a spot that, when I was their age, was one of my favourite places to fish. In this context, seeing 12-inch rainbows smash a dry was so much more fun as a spectator than it could ever have been had I been the one holding the rod. Their smiles were my smiles, their exuberance was my exuberance, all those years ago. Fly fishing has been the catalyst to many important moments in my life. It has been a vehicle for travel and exploration and served as the bridge to many lasting friendships. It’s clear to me now, however, that the real value I cherish comes in the form of sharing my passion with someone else. Perhaps one day, someone will look back at their life of fly fishing and reflect that it was my invitation that enabled them to find their own passion—just like John helped me all those years ago. The post Pay it Forward | Derek Olthuis appeared first on Fly Fusion. View the full article