The Fly Fishing Show Atlanta 2023

Good morning, Folks!

   With The Fly Fishing Show having already kicked off in other locations this year, and the Atlanta show very quickly approaching, I wanted to get these pictures posted up from last year's show.  I intend to be there again this year, live posting from the show floor as usual, so if there's anything you'd like to see or any questions you have, I'll do my best to get it for you.

  Hope you're all doing well!

     Make it a great day!

        Tight lines,

            -Nick

The show is open, time to walk the floor!!

 

East Cape Boats is here in Atlanta debuting the prototype East Cape Drift! The new carbon and kevlar hull combines cutting edge tech, modern design and materials, 20 years of skiff building experience and the heart of trout fishermen to build a durable drift boat that weighs around 300lbs as displayed!!

Coming soon to a flyshop near you! RoxStar Fishing is taking some of the intimidation out of fly selection for new flyfishers. Their US hand-tied flies are packaged into selections by fly type, with an array of different variations to make sure you're stocked for any instance on the water.

 Dropped in on Jimmy Jacobs' talk on Georgia's Best High Country Trout Options. This will definitely inspire you to get off the beaten path!!

 Lots going on in the Alpharetta Outfitters booth today! They've got deals on gear and guides, a chance to win a Sage rod and $100 gift card, and a few seats left on each of their awesome curated fishing trips!!

Landon Mayer is in the seat at the Featured Fly Tier Booth giving up the secrets to Guide Flies: Easy To Tie Patterns For Tough Trout.

 Mark introducing a crowd to the benefits of The Original Ty-Rite! The best tool for handling small flies!

Checking out the Fly Caddy from Atollas Gear out of Charleston, SC. The foam patch has a rigid plastic baking with a clip, so it can be worn on a hat brim, shirt collar or even your truck visor! Included is a self-adhesive "docking station" so you can park your patch on a cooler, boat box, or almost anywhere! I think I want at least one of each size!

 I was able to catch the last few minutes of Capt. Michael Mauri's presentation Adventures Along The Treasure Coast and Indian River Lagoon. I hope he repeats the presentation again this weekend, because he certainly made it sound exciting!

 Celebrity Fly Tier Todd Arnold down on Tier's Row demonstrating his techniques for tying Gamechangers and Jerkchangers for the local striper population!

Jeff Currier is on the pond demonstrating casting techniques to improve your dryfly presentation! Need to know the difference between a Parachute Cast and a Pile Cast, this is the demo for you!

 Karin Miller of Zen Tenkara gave a very informative talk on fishing for big fish with a tenkara rod! The insightful tips she gave can easily be implemented in both tenkara and traditional fly fishing situations. Can you imagine catching tarpon and bonefish on a tenkara rod? I'd sure like to give it a try!

Day 2 of the 2023 The Fly Fishing Show Atlanta is well underway!

Always fun checking out the Seigler Reels booth! These reels evolve with time and it's always fascinating to learn about all the small improvements.

 Luong Tam of Tenkara Tanuki gave a great presentation on the Fundamentals of Tenkara Casting on Pond 1 this morning!

Tier's Row is about a mile long and I don't think there's a single empty seat! There's an awful lot of fly tying talent in this picture and all of these folks are eager to share their specialty with the crowd!

 One of the masters holding class on the casting pond to a very large crowd! Bob Clouser giving one of his great presentations on How To Cast Weighted Flies and Line!

Beautiful fishy art available in the M. B. Meeks Block Prints booth! There's a huge assortment of species available in these prints, and even some t-shirts!

I always enjoy walking through the Hardy booth! Did you know they celebrated their 150th anniversary last year? That kind of history and legacy is absolutely amazing!

TFO is here in Atlanta with a huge selection of rods for you to check out! Some are rigged and ready to try out on the casting pond!

 Cohutta Fishing Company of Blue Ridge is here with a good selection of gear, and always great advice for your next trip to the Trout Capital of Georgia!

The folks from Simms brought out lots of demo gear in their display booth, so showgoers can check it all out hands on!

Cristian Rodriguez of Fly Fishing The Run gave an excellent presentation on his fly fishing operations in Cuba! With two resort bases and a liveaboard yacht, they have plenty of lodging available, but through environmental partnerships and government assigned waters, they choose not to increase accommodations to preserve the state of the fishery!

Took in the Fly Fishing North Georgia and Beyond presentation with Andy Bowen of Cohutta Fishing Co. He gave examples of some the excellent fly fishing that North Georgia has to offer, then went into some of the travel packages through the fly shop to extend your fly fishing, literally, around the world!

One of the Women's Casting Clinics has moved out onto the lawn!! Gotta love seeing new flycasters learning the ropes!!!

Could it really even be The Fly Fishing Show Atlanta without Badger Creek Fly Tying stretched across the aisle?

Currently no line, no wait at the Douglas Outdoors booth! Swing by and grab a demo rod and hit the casting pond!!

 Author, columnist and small fly artist Ed Engle sharing his tips for effectively Tying Small Dry Flies in the Featured Fly Tier booth!

Jeff Currier gave a great presentation with pictures of jaw dropping fish from all over the world in Tips and Tactics for the World's Best Flats!

 I was able to catch one of my good friend Steve Hudson's presentations today on Bluelining in North Georgia! Always a very informative talk from the man that wrote the book on the subject! It's titled "Bluelining 101" and it's packed with information to get you started in the right direction.

Day 3!! The third and final day of The Fly Fishing Show Atlanta! More booths to see, more lectures to attend! Let's go!!

 I was able to catch Chris Scalley's presentation, 30 Years of Guiding And Advocating On The Chattahoochee River Tailwater, first thing this morning. It was great to catch up with him in the booth, and my good friend and fly tyer to the stars David Aviles! The 'Hooch knowledge flowing in this booth is overwhelming!

Made it by the On The Fly South booth to get my autographed copy of Jimmy Jacobs and Polly Dean's new book, The Angler's Guide To Georgia State Parks! I'm really looking forward to reading this one and will post a review on TheSuburbanAngler.com real soon!

 Just met Randall from AppSouth Fly Co. tying big, gorgeous Yard Sale flies in the Daiichi booth! Check out his flies on the AppSouth IG page and drop him a follow for more good things to come!

More from Sunday at the Fly Fishing Show Atlanta. Chattahoochee Riverkeepers had a busy booth all weekend educating folks on the river and what they do to protect the watershed.

It's my understanding that the Georgia Trout Unlimited booth had been manned the whole weekend by high school or collegiate members! Very cool!"

I'm pretty sure Sunday afternoon saw the very first lull in the booth of the Georgia Women Flyfishers! This is a great, supportive group to help encourage more women to get on the water."

 More from Sunday at the Fly Fishing Show Atlanta. Fly Fishers International Southeast Council had a busy booth at the show explaining what they do and projects they're involved in, as well as recruiting new members and operating an Intro to Fly Tying table.

More from Sunday at the Fly Fishing Show Atlanta. Due South Outfitters out of Boone, North Carolina was selling some gear and scheduling guide trips for the Watauga and South Holston rivers.

Bob Clouser tying up when of his namesake minnows at the Featured Fly Tier table, and, as always, keeping the audience laughing!

 Gourmet pork sausage, do I really need to say any more than that? The Pineapple Pepper Jack was awesome, and I really wish I could've tried more and brought a lot home! If you're in the Atlanta area, make sure to check them out, Real Cajun Market!

The Airflo and Abel booth stayed very busy throughout the show! You could even drop off your old flyline to be recycled!

The Norvise booth stayed busy all weekend, sometimes with three tiers, demonstrating their mesmerizing tying system!

EGO Kayak Fishing Nets -- Press Release 2 Jan 2024

 Good morning Folks,

  Here's a new press release I received from the folks at EGO introducing some new kayak-specific fishing nets.  Check it out and I'd love to know your thoughts.

   Hope you're all doing well, make it a great day!

     Tight lines,

         Nick

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE A Kayak Angler’s Best Friend Five EGO landing nets that make kayak fishing more fun and rewarding. Caldwell, ID (January 2, 2024) – Kayak fishing has grown over leaps and bounds over the past decade and a half with vessels growing from once simple, sit-inside boats to sit-on-top, miniaturized bass boats with all the bells and whistles of professional tournament rigs. And while it’s easy to get caught up in outfitting today’s ‘yaks with sophisticated electronics and accessories, it’s absolutely critical not to forget about the essentials…like a reachable and reliable landing net. Good thing for Idaho, USA-based fishing accessories designer and manufacturer, EGO Fishing, who’s been there listening to kayak anglers’ needs since the start of this on-the-water craze.  “The thing we identified early on talking with kayak anglers is our nets had to be lightweight, unobtrusive, and easy to handle in confined spaces. So that’s exactly what we came out with,” says EGO Fishing CEO/Founder, Grant Corbett. Corbett continues: “Space is limited fishing out of kayaks, so a net designed for this kind of fishing has to slip easily into either a built-in rod holder or one in a crate, which many kayak anglers use. Typically, it seems like a majority of kayak anglers like to store the net in a rod holder right behind the feet for easy access when catch a fish.”  EGO S2 Slider Compact PVC Net The #1 Selling Net With Kayak Anglers Corbett says his number #1 selling kayak net is the EGO S2 Slider Compact PVC Net (72013), which has extra reach, a common request from kayak anglers for landing fish farther from kayaks. “The net handle extends from 18” to 36” and its hoop size is 17” x 19” which means you can still land some pretty decent-sized fish from a good reach, but it’s not so bulky, cumbersome, or a nuisance in the kayak. It weighs under two pounds,” continues Corbett.  The EGO S2 Slider Compact PVC Net is comprised of PVC material for ease on fish and healthy releases. Plus, the woven fabric is tough for toothy fish to cut through, a consideration for kayak anglers fishing salty backwaters, off-shore areas, and northern latitude freshwater full of toothy critters.  EGO WADE Medium Black Rubber Net Other Popular Kayak Net Options Besides the top-selling EGO S2 Slider Compact PVC Net, EGO Fishing’s wade fishing nets were designed to do double-duty for kayak fishing, both in standard and blue camo Kryptek design, all with an 11-inch hexagonal-shaped handle for strength and easy-to-hold fish landings, an 11-inch elastic tether, and 17” x 19” net hoop.   The EGO WADE Medium Clear Rubber Net (71268) and EGO WADE Medium Black Rubber Net (71266) are both great options for any angler looking to invest in quality for just over $75. The EGO Kryptek WADE Medium Rubber Fishing Net (75268) in Clear Rubber and EGO Kryptek WADE Medium Rubber Fishing Net (75266) in Black Rubber are both favorites with kayak anglers around the globe.  A Serious Kayak Angler’s Testimonial Northeast, Florida-based pro tournament kayak angler and former guide, Rory Gregg, many Top 10s on the IFA Kayak Fishing Tour and is very critical about the gear he uses. “EGO Fishing started sponsoring the IFA Kayak Fishing Tour about 10 years ago, and that’s when I was first exposed to their kayak fishing nets,” says Gregg. “Since day one, it’s all I’ve used.” While Gregg has fished about every kayak and wade net EGO offers, his favorite is the EGO S2 Slider Compact PVC Net. “I like that the handle extends our super-far for solid fish grabs, as well as its hook-snag-free netting, the fact it floats, and the large hoop. It’s perfect for chasing the ‘Grand Slam’ down here of redfish, speckled trout, and flounder but works great in freshwater, too.” But Gregg also recommends the benefits of EGO Fishing WadeNets for other kayak angling use.  “If you’re a novice kayak angler or looking for a smaller net, EGO Wade nets are a great solution. They fit well in the hand, there’s a clip and lanyard you can attach to the kayak, and even if it falls out of the boat, they float so you can pull the the net right back in,” concludes Gregg.  EGO Fishing Kayak Net Construction When it comes to kayak net construction, EGO fishing utilizes aluminum, corrosion-resistant stainless steel parts, and polypropylene-injected molded parts, besides the obvious netting materials composed of clear and black rubber, PVC, nylon, and coated nylon. While all materials have their place, given the photo-catch-release nature of most kayak fishing tournaments, clear rubber mesh helps preserves fish slime coating for healthy release and resists hook snags for faster fishing. And some anglers like black rubber mesh, which is also very soft on the fish’s slime-like coating and fins, too—and will not knot up when being used.  Hassle-Free For Dealers & Distributors On the retailer and distributor side, this modular design makes shipping easy. The net head/hoop/netting ships in one box and the handle in another, eliminating the need for a giant box like what’s required when shipping fixed-handle fishing nets. Cardboard costs go down; shipping cost is reduced; and, box damage is almost non-existent, often a problem with large landing net boxes getting caught in conveyors. Then, once in the dealer or distributor space, the separate handle and hoop/netting boxes require less storage space than standard giant, one-piece net boxes. Note to Retailers EGO is committed to your store, offering FREE custom fit modular displays for an EGO landing net assortment. The display is proven to improve the net selection process, while bolstering sales through the instant availability of S2 Slider accessories and multiple hoop sizes.   View Online Version ABOUT EGO Fishing Fourteen years ago, we set out on a simple mission – to develop a better fishing landing net solution that addressed the many functional and performance problems that existed with the traditional products. What started out as a small landing net company has now grown into the innovation leader in the fishing net and accessories category of the sport fishing industry. EGO products are sold at most major sporting goods retail chains and are carried by a large network of distributors and independent dealers in the United States. Distribution has also grown internationally to include countries such as Canada, Russia, South Africa, South Korea and Japan.