I didn't make it to the Fly Fishing show in Edison this year because of the weather and Covid concerns. This is the first one I missed. Did anyone who attended see any interesting and noteworthy new products?

I just replaced the badly hook-gouged foam fly patch on my Simms vest with a C&F CFA-25/S fly protector. It features micro slit foam rows to hold flies while they dry, and more spaces than I'll ever use in a single day. The slits are placed horizontal. It also has a clear plastic top so I...

Landing net found on WB. If you lost one, PM me with a DETAILED description including the date and place lost. I don't spend much time at the computer and don't have time for games or BS. Only serious replies appreciated.

A fully loaded fishing vest holding a rain jacket, water bottle, lunch and whatever else, plus a landing net, can have a toll on how an angler's back feels during a long fishing day. Several manufacturers make back supports to help overcome this problem. Do you wear one? If so, what brand and...

Here's a question for you smart guys with metallurgy experience: I seem to have a hell of a time gripping hooks at the correct angle with my forceps for removal. I'm thinking that if I bend the tips at a right angle they'll grip the hook easier and better. I tried doing this by putting the...

I accidentally broke the tip section of my custom built 10-foot 3-weight rod built on a Loomis IMX blank. This was my favorite late season rod and was capable of fishing everything from tiny dries to streamers. Anyone know of someone who might still have some IMX blanks in stock for repairs, or...

Travelling east on the Quickway, about a mile or so past Roscoe, a section of the Willowemoc containing three large rocks is visible on the right. The rocks look out of place in respect to the surrounding geology. In the back of my mind I vaugely remember a stream improvement project by I...

I like to use long, light rods which often makes getting a fish close enough to land difficult. To assist in landing, I've gone to a long-handled landing net specifically the Brodin Frying Pan. I have a C&F and the black roundish Tight Lines magnetic releases which aren't strong enough to keep...

Anyone have any experience with the Simms bug repelling scarf? I hate using insect repellant because it seems to play hell with the finish of my fly line, landing net and the epoxy wrappings of my rod. And if I miss even a tiny spot, that's exactly where the mosquitos and black flies will land...

Every year the Catskill Fly Tyer's Guild holds a rendezvous at the Rockland House where members get together and tie flies. I always enjoy attending as it is a chance to renew old aquaintences and watch other's techniques. Sometimes I find uncommon items or materials for sale. I went to their...

The new Umpqua U002 hooks come 50 to a pack, are forged and chemically sharpened. They are made in Korea and have the same packaging as Tiemco hooks. Cabela's lists them as being TMC U002 hooks in their catalog but the Tiemco name doesn't appear on the hook packaging. I'm wondering if I...

I've been unsuccessfully searching for a website which lists the NPS registered guides ALONG WITH THEIR REGISTRATION NUMBER. I want to identify the stupid and inconsiderate guides who row or drift through my rising fish, instead of going behind me. The number on the arrowhead is the easiest...

I've always had the ambition to digest as much as possible about fishing. Consequently I've been collecting fishing books since the 1950s and have bought every title of interest since then. My library consists of several hundred books, many of which have been packed in boxes and I no longer...

I hate using paste type fly floatants like Dry Magic, Gink, etc. I also hate Frog's Fanny which turns the bodies of my flies white. I'm always on the lookout for something new and more user-friendly. Has anyone tried Fly Agra which I understand is a dip-type floatant?

A saw a unique hackle pliers at the Somerset show this year and am kicking myself for not buying them. I have terrible luck with hackles slipping out of the many pairs I now have and often try to prevent it by adding a little dubbing wax to the inside gripping surfaces. Hindsight tells me I...

I'm looking to purchase some straight eye dry fly hooks and am comparing the Tiemco 101 to the Daiichi 1110. I like the oversize eye of the 1110 but I notice it isn't forged like the 101. This might be compensated for by the tempering of the wire but I'm not sure. I have had many instances of...

Years back there was a Big Flat Brook regular named John Selazie who invented a little tool for tying Blood Knots. John was a machinist by trade and he has been deceased for many years. John's tool measures 3/4" X 3/4' X 1/4" and has two brass spring-loaded pins with heads on its top 1/4"...

My Brodin landing net can use refinishing this winter. Which would provide the best and most durable finish: spar varnish or polyurathane?

My fishing vest weighs 9 pounds combat loaded, and with landing net and rain parka. Everything I carry I consider essential to my convenience and success on the several rivers I fish. Everything is the lightest weight version of that product. This takes a toll on my back. Looked into the...

Each year I look forward to the Ramsey Outdoor Store Cabin Fever Day as it's a chance to view some interesting programs, watch other fly tyers, pick up a few items I need, and reunite with old friends. Not to mention the fact that they oftentimes hand out money-saving discount cupons at events...