By John Merwin

The fishing world has always valued craftsmanship. In the years after World War II there was perhaps no greater craftsman than reelmaker Stan Bogdan, who died last week at age 92. The photo is one I took of Bogdan in his Nashua, N.H. shop in the early 1980s, as he turned out fly-reel spools from some aluminum bar stack. Note that his old lathe is not computer-controlled, and that the micrometer he has nearby is not digital. And that was the whole point.

Stanley used to tell me that there were no blueprints or schematics for his complex and jewel-like salmon reels. The myriad dimensions were all in his head, he said. He and his son Stephen were not mass-producers. A hundred reels a year, maybe. Or a few more or a few less. No website. No advertising. And a long waiting list, if you were lucky enough to get on that list in the first place.
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By Chad Love

Spring is here, which means bloodsuckers and biters aren't far behind. But a new study conducted by the University of North Carolina suggests that pre-treated insect-repelling clothing is more effective at keeping bugs at bay than traditional bug sprays.

From this story (hat tip to T. Edward Nickens for the find) on Fibre2Fashion.com: 
A pilot study conducted by researchers at The University of North Carolina Gillings School of Global Public Health shows that a group of state water quality employees who wore clothing treated with a long-lasting insect repellent were bitten by ticks substantially less often than were their colleagues who used insect spray repellents and other preventive measures. The study, released March 11, in the peer-reviewed journal, Vector-Borne and Zoonotic Diseases, reported that the incidence of tick attachments was reduced by 93 percent among workers wearing Insect Shield Repellent Apparel, compared to workers in similar environments who used spray repellents or other tick bite prevention methods.
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By John Merwin

Rod-building has been mentioned by several readers here off and on, so let’s get into that just a bit. I guess I’ve built maybe a dozen rods over the years, by which I mean installing components on a rod blank and not making the blank itself.

Almost always I’ve done this not to just save money but to get a rod that I can’t get any other way. The surfcasting rods I’ve made, for example, have rod grips specifically detailed to my hand size and arm length, which makes casting a lot easier. My favorite, though, and what I’d call my secret weapon, is a 9-foot, fast-action ultralight spinning rod.

I wanted to be able to cast extremely light jigs and lures in larger rivers for trout, while at the same time having the extra reach of a longer rod to better control the drift. I found long, light-line steelhead rods, but the actions were too soft among the rods I looked at (remember “noodle” rods?).
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by Jay Cassell

     Best known for the classic green vacuum bottles that our fathers and grandfathers used to take on hunting and fishing trips (many still do!) Stanley recently introduced a new Adventure series of bottles, cups, food storage and cooking containers, and coffee mugs.

     Reasonably priced between $10 and $25, the containers retain the venerable green color, yet feature modern improvements.

     One unit that I found particularly useful is the carbonated 32-ounce drink bottle, with a dome construction that the company claims will keep beverages carbonated for up to 8 hours. I tested it by pouring a beer into the bottle; 8 hours later, at the end of the day, I opened it up, heard a gratifying fizz, and happily had a sip of cold beer.

     The insulated outer wrap keeps beverages cold for a little more than three hours, plus it’s dishwater safe. This unit is $20 and will be available in late June.

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By Kirk Deeter

Did you know that the "World's Foremost Outfitter" is rooted in the fly business? That's right. Cabela's, which now operates more than 30 retail locations throughout the United States and Canada, generates more than $2.7 billion a year, and employs over 14,000 people, actually started in 1961, when Dick Cabela placed ads in national sporting magazines that read: "Free introductory offer!!! 5 popular Grade A hand tied flies. Send 25 cents for postage and handling to..."

Filling orders from the kitchen table of their Nebraska home, Dick and his wife, Mary, took the money they made to buy and market more fishing gear. They invited Dick's younger brother, Jim, into the business...soon produced the company's first catalog...and the rest, as they say, is history. [ Read Full Post ]

By Kirk Deeter

You come up with the next extreme gear challenge, and you get the gear.

by Kirk Deeter

I'll go to any length to test gear to its limits...well, almost any length. Remember the motorcycle reel test? Well, my latest "mad scientist" folly will appear in the May issue of Field & Stream, and it involves me wearing popular fishing rain gear through a car wash to check it out. You'll have to read the issue for the results, but it was a pretty fair test. I wore a gray sweatsuit under the rain coats and pants, endured the jet rinse (that hurts, by the way) and any soaked spots underneath earned negative points.

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