I’ve been down in Denver for the week; first for an AFFTA board meeting at Fishpond HQ, and now for the Fly Fishing Show, held at the Merchandise Mart north of town. These shows are always a unique representation of the area they are held in; I’ve done Somerset the past few years, and Denver definitely has a different flavor. Talked with a horde of guides, fishing guides, and industry folk, as well recreational anglers. The consumer show circuit is always refreshing; it’s nice to step outside the “industry” side of everything and interact with folks who still just fish for fun. Provides fresh perspectives.
Some products that have really caught my eye included Patagonia’s refresh of their women’s fishing line (the Sunshade hoody is a go-to for tropical fishing and shoots), the Simms saltwater Vaportread boot, and a prototype reel from Nautilus that looks lightweight and rather intriguing.
Kudos to the Simms team for showing their ongoing support of Casting for Recovery — the manufacturer presented CFR with a check at the show. I able to bump into photographer Russ Schnitzer (if you haven’t checked out his work, it’s well worth a look!) and so many other friends from this sport. That’s the funny thing about this industry; it’s small enough eventually you get to know folks and we all form some kind of weird, dysfunctional (yet fun) family. Shows like this end up being both business and an odd sort of family reunion.
So here’s the industry and the sport itself. For those of you I missed this weekend in Denver, hope to see you at Somerset!
