Which Floatant Should You Actually Use?
Gel, liquid, powder, paste, desiccant — six products doing four different jobs. What each one is for, the one that ruins CDC, and what I carry now.
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27 posts tagged "gear".
27 posts
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Loon Outdoors on the Tying Bench: The Tools Worth Buying
An honest look at Loon Outdoors tying gear: UV Clear Fly Finish, the UV Bench Light, the Ergo whip finisher, Swax, the Core kit. Not sponsored, no commission.
Best Trout Streamer Rods for Colorado Tailwaters: Six Worth a Look
Six trout streamer rods for Colorado tailwaters, sorted by 6wt vs 7wt, sink-tips, South Park wind and swing weight, plus the upgrade I'd make from my Vice.
The Blue-Line Setup: Gear & Tactics for Small Colorado Creeks
The rod, reel, leader, flies, and on-water tactics I use to fish small Colorado blue-line creeks — short soft glass, dry-dropper rigs, and a stealth game built on moving slow.
Ross Coors Banquet Cimarron Creek Review: The Cimarron That Finally Got Me
I never liked the Cimarron. Then the Coors Banquet edition landed on my Madison and changed my mind. An honest review of Ross Reels' limited Colorado click-pawl collab.
Fly Lines Explained: Weights, Tapers, and the Thing That Actually Casts
Fly line weights, the AFFTA grain system, WF vs DT tapers, and the 'lines run heavy' reality — why the line you choose matters as much as the rod, explained simply.
Leaders and Tippet for Tailwater Trout: The Skinny End of the System
Leader anatomy, the X-rating system, fluoro vs nylon, and the long, light rigs that fool wary trout on Colorado tailwaters like the Dream Stream.
Are Expensive Fly Rods Worth It? The $300 vs $1,000 Question
An honest breakdown of what separates a $300 fly rod from a $1,000 one — modulus, swing weight, recovery, warranty — and where the money is real versus marketing.
The Best Click-and-Pawl Reels of 2026
Click-and-pawl fly reels still rule trout water — here are the best of 2026, from the $110 Redington Zero to the made-in-Montrose Ross Colorado.
I Fished the QuickDrift at Deckers — and Stopped Overthinking Fly Changes
A first-hand review of Flytime's QuickDrift quick-change rig system on technical South Platte tailwater — and why its real value is that you stop overthinking fly changes.
What Is Reel Startup Inertia (and Why It Matters on Light Tippet)?
Startup inertia is the fly-reel spec nobody explains — and the one that actually protects light tippet when a trout runs. What it is, the physics, and why it beats max drag.
Why Bamboo Fly Rods Are So Expensive
Why hand-built cane costs so much — 100+ hours of labor, single-source Tonkin, taper precision in thousandths, and the value-cane tier that changed the math.
Euro Rod vs Indicator-Nymph Rod: Why They're Not the Same Tool
Both fish nymphs and both run about ten feet — but a euro rod and an indicator rod are built for opposite jobs. How they differ, and when to fish each.
Why Your Flies Cost Twice What They Used To
Trout flies held near $2 for twenty-five years. Now they are $3–$4.50 and climbing. The actual reason — tariffs on hand-tied imports — and what it changes.
How Many Fly Rods Do You Really Need?
The honest 1-rod, 2-rod and 3-rod trout quiver logic, what each one adds, and then my six-rod pile as the cautionary tale.
Fly 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 is right for your fishing and your casting.
Building 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.
Hardy 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.
The 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.
The 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.
Wet Wading: Why I Leave the Waders at Home
Wet wading on the South Platte isn't for everyone. But once you understand when and how to do it right, you might ditch the waders more than you'd expect.
I 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.
Fly 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.
What I Bring to the River: The Day Pack That Survived the Edits
Gear that has survived seasons on Colorado tailwaters. The pack, the rod, the fly boxes, the tools, the layers, and the small stuff that makes the day work.
My Fly Rod Quiver — Five Rods, Five Jobs on the South Platte
The five rods I actually fish on the South Platte, what each one is for, which reel lives on it, and the honest case for owning fewer than I do.
Why 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.
The Best Fly Shops Near the South Platte
The fly shops worth stopping at before your South Platte trip — local intel, guided options, and who actually knows the river you're fishing.