Mel Krieger Tribute Event Thursday, September 24, 2009 MarketBar – One Ferry Building, San Francisco 6:00pm Reception, 7:30pm Dinner Ticket Price: $150 per person or $2,000 for a table of (8) Mel Krieger (1928-2008) Mel Krieger is considered to be one of the top fly fishing and fly casting instructors of the twentieth century. Mel [...]

In the last installment we looked at the Scientific Angler and Airflo brands and pointed to similarities of taper and how advertising didn’t always correspond to the line’s attributes. Without a standard we suggested every change to a fly line could be spun into a benefit, and how advertising artfully avoids using the same superlatives to describe features and capability. Admittedly [...]

With specialization in fly lines comes unwanted redundancy and a paucity of superlatives left to describe the latest offering. We examine fly line tapers to determine, “are all these disparate fly lines warranted, or are we being beguiled by a lethal mixture of engaging box art and plastic polymer rhetoric?”

Other than presentation, fly fishermen are rarely concerned with delicate and the “feed bag” should counter the lost time of the evening meal. Any dry fly fiend recognizes the awkwardness of dining while the hatch is ramping up, and Yum Brands has been listening – “multi-tasking professionals” are us – and for an extra half dollar, [...]

A tongue-in-cheek piece featuring Wayne Newton as the ficticious poster boy for a multistate government program designed to revitalize sagging fishing license sales.

Why is it that the cover angler always has hands bigger than his head? Is this the sign of the superior angler – and the rest of us not so blessed toil in mediocrity, never to catch the large fish? Then again, a fish eyed lense might be cause … but only Madison Ave types know for sure.

eBay is last vestige of unbridled bargain hunting, or so it seems … canny manufacturers are disposing of a great deal of merchandise to middlemen who use eBay to turn sale goods and cosmetic seconds into gold. Part 1 – we look at the issues on how reputable rod companies are foisting their excess inventory through jobbers – calling the tackle “cosmetic seconds.” The traditional distribution channel is ignored, leaving a lot of small undercapitalized fly shops holding last year’s models, and unable to partake in profits.

Was I to choose one of the 12 Lakemaids from the Lakemaid beer promotion, I would have to do so carefully. It’s likely they’ll inherit traits of the fish they represent, so the predatory and agressive flavors would have to be watched carefully. I think I’ll stick with the Lakemaid beer alone – too much risk involved with consumating the relationship.

I see this as a complete vindication for Tom Chandler and the Trout Underground. I’ve teased him unmercifully about “scantily clad strumpet” posts being his undoing, he counters with the “… new advertising paradigm you (expletive) Meathead…” I’m not surprised, he’s a talented writer known for elegant prose and sloppy hot dogs, I’m merely the [...]

On first blush I assumed it was more proof of a coming apocalypse, another dark day for anglers, as well muscled “male-like substance” took turns looking grim, stern, or virile, while adorned with technical fishing attire. New Clothing Brand Seeks Make-up Artist for Advertising Campaign Diem Angling, a new clothing company designing technical and fashion [...]