Fly-fishing News: Drake’s NOCTA Wear, Rocky Talkies and a Deschutes Steelhead Revival

Fly-fishing News: Drake’s NOCTA Wear, Rocky Talkies and a Deschutes Steelhead Revival

Abel Reels collaborates with Nike NOCTA and mega-rapper Drake: “Search your memory bank for the last time a fly fishing brand collaborated with a multi-billion dollar sneaker maker or a hip-hop artist with a list of platinum albums as long as your arm and you’re going to come up empty.” Nothing wrong with the media exposure for the sport, but $2,000 is a lot to spend for “collab inspired reel,” and NOCTA’s outdoor wear feels like bad golf clothing.

Flylords reviews the Rocky Talkie 5 Watt Radio: “This device is meticulously designed for outdoor enthusiasts who push boundaries and require a reliable way to communicate in the backcountry.”

From Outside: The Best Performance Flannels of the fall. Also, longtime columnist Sundog considers our propensity for gear hoarding: “Rafts are manufactured from a toxic cocktail of chemicals; it’s hard to justify purchasing one that is going to sit in a garage 50 weeks out of the year.”

Journeymen founder Joshua Cogan was in Montana, floating the Yellowstone River, supporting men with various mental health issues: “Why men don’t seek the support they need is complicated–shame, lack of resources, and fear of stigma are a few reasons. A collective called The Journeymen is trying to change all that, one adventurous trip at a time.”

The Lodge at 58° North: Kate and Justin Crump talk about their new, sustainable lodge on Alaska’s Naknek River. Kate writes, “I began guiding in Bristol Bay back in 2008, and I learned then how this place is like a mirror into the past, an image of what North America used to be. Up here, the inland riverbanks are more or less the same as they were 100 years ago…”

Deschutes River steelhead: Professional snowboarder and fishing guide Curtis Ciszek and the Nam Products crew swing flies on the lower Deschutes for a promising run of fish. In positive news for the fishery, the 2024 steelhead run is one of the brightest in decades.