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Fly-fishing News: Top Hunting Knives, G. Loomis Craftsmen and Muddy Creek’s Revival 

FlyLords takes a deep dive into the Benchmade Knife Company’s Water collection in the highly competitive outdoor knife category: “These knives are incredibly durable. Between using the blades as impromptu screwdrivers when the situations called for it (which, embarrassingly, it has multiple times) to being forgotten on waders/bibs and tossed around in mud and rain in the back of a truck bed, we have yet to find a circumstance unforgiving enough to bend or break one of these knives.”

GearJunkie reviews the Best Hunting Knives of 2024: “The knife should hold an edge or be easily field sharpened. It should fit well in the hand to protect the user from accidental injury. And a good hunting knife is usually stout enough to crack bone.”

The “Feel Connected” fly rod series from G. Loomis Rods. If you ever wondered how fly rods are painstakingly constructed and finished, this series looks at the people and hours behind the process: Episode 1, Episode 2, Episode 3.

Guide Logan Hurn from Wyoming’s North Platte River talks about the keys to hooking and landing big fish: 1. Use 8-pound fluorocarbon 2. Fish heavier rods (6-weights or bigger) to play fish quickly 3. “Don’t lead the fish up-river on the hook set,” which pulls the fly out of the fish’s mouth–anglers should always set the hook downstream.

Frying Pan River guide Beck Brooks talks about twitching dries for uber picky trout: “Make your flies skate or dance after a few dead-drift refusals…”

Muddy Creek water management: “Trout Unlimited and partners such as Wyoming Game and Fish, and the Bureau of Land Management, have been restoring vital habitat for Colorado River cutthroat trout in Muddy Creek, Wyoming. The basin is home to four native fish species…”

Partner News: New DTC Brand Zen Tenkara

Based in Colorado, Zen Tenkara is the oldest independently owned tenkara fly rod company in the U.S. They design, manufacture and sell a broad range of high quality tenkara rods, lines and accessories. The company has a reputation for modernizing this fixed-line method and creating a “fusion” of traditional fly fishing with tenkara to target not only small species, but also large, powerful fish not typically associated with the method. Zen Tenkara has set the standard for high quality, innovative products, as well as exemplary customer service.

Flylab discount: 35% off all regularly priced products, excluding gift certificates and lessons.

Zen Tenkara in the Louisiana marsh with Captain David Phelps, chasing redfish with a Zen Kyojin Tenkara fly rod.

50^th Anniversary Edition Fly Rods From Scott

The Scott Fly Rod Company, which has been handcrafting high-performance fly rods in Colorado for years, has announced the introduction of their new 50^th Anniversary Edition fly rods.

From the manufacturer: “In contemplating the most fitting tribute to the anglers who fish Scott rods, the rodsmiths that craft them and the rod designs of Harry Wilson, Larry Kenney and Jim Bartschi, we picked one rod from each decade that exemplifies Scott innovation and, in some way, changed the way we fish.

Rather than replicating the originals, we decided to build the blanks to spec with a resto-mod approach to finishing them. They will be instantly recognizable to Scott history buffs, but we’re introducing some new surprises by finishing them with today’s best-in-class components and construction techniques.”

Available 50^th Anniversary Edition Models:

1. The Fiberglass 703/4 multi-piece fiberglass fly rod–inspired by Harry Wilson, who founded Scott Fly Rods in 1974, for small stream work. ($995)
2. The G-Series 904/4 light line graphite fly rod–a  9-foot 4-weight fly rod to fish “long leaders and small flies on technical rivers like the Henry’s Fork, Hat Creek and Paradise Valley spring creeks.” ($1095)
3. The ARC 1287/3 two-handed fly rod–a swinging fly classic for salmon and steelhead: “The ARC series of salmon and steelhead rods were the first rods to deploy ultra-light weight unidirectional graphite laid up off the zero-degree axis.” ($1395)
4. The Saltwater STS 909/3 fly rod–the pioneer of Scott’s introduction to saltwater flats fly rods: “STS built on the success of ARC by using multi-directional lay ups and took materials alchemy a step further, utilizing the first multi-modulus blank designs.” ($1195)
5. The Radian 905/4 fly rod–a classic “do it all” fly rod for trout and smaller warm water species: “Through material and design innovations, Radian fly rods solved the dilemma of bringing together fast action with feel.” ($1095)

To learn more, visit an authorized Scott fly rod dealer, or visit The Scott Fly Rod Company. Read a little more about Scott’s origins and history.

Partner News: New Outfitter Black Earth Angling Co.

Black Earth Angling Co. has been providing one-of-a-kind fly-fishing trips in southwest Wisconsin for years. From the secret limestone spring creeks of the Driftless region, to the picturesque Lower Wisconsin State Riverway and famous Black Earth Creek, their trout and warm water (smallmouth) trips offer the perfect setting for unique fly-fishing experiences. Whether it’s single-day outings, multi-day fishing camps, or destination travel, the BEAC team has you covered.

Flylab discount: 15% off your first day trip for new customers, 10% off single-day trips for existing customers.

Check out Ten Fly Fishing Smallmouth Bass Tips from Black Earth founder and Flylab Pro Kyle Zempel. If you missed our summer newsletter about smallmouth bass fishing and Deeter’s essay on Why the Smallmouth Bass Should Be “America’s Fish,” don’t forget to have a look.

The Crash: Kyle Zempel and his fishing buddies discovered a natural feeding phenomenon where smallmouth bass work in packs to corral and eat bait fish.