New Year New Gear

January turns even the most practical anglers into gear heads. While winter grips the rivers, we lose ourselves in technical specifications and catalog pages, comparing rod actions we've never cast and reels we've only seen in photos. Gift cards from the holidays provide convenient excuses, but let's be honest—this is about placating obsession through retail therapy. We tell ourselves that this new rod—the one with that perfectly progressive taper—will unlock our inner Steve Rajeff. That this reel's sealed drag system will finally give us the edge when that monster brown turns on the turbos for a tippet-popping run. Last year's gear would probably serve just fine, but where's the fun in that? Besides, someone needs to keep the local fly shop's lights on through the cold months. Consider it a community service.

In this week’s edition:

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Image by Dan Favato

IN THE RIFFLES

MIDCURRENT CLASSICS

It took a couple minutes, but a fish he probably wouldn’t have landed if the river temps had been a little warmer finally came to hand, and Kian reached down, stuck his fingers in the ice-water and touched her side. We both marveled at twenty inches of gorgeous wild rainbow, just as fat as you could ever imagine, and solid, and sculpted from pure, incandescent, unadulterated Missouri River magic.


He touched her, and I slid the tiny hook from her jaw with my forceps, and she disappeared back into the water without ever having left the river that gives her life. Then we waded back across to the bank, where my boy, my son, was no longer merely frozen, but frozen and joyful and incredibly alive.


There are days when an invisible light shines down and all you can do is lower your head and give thanks; when the blessings so far outnumber the burdens that you touch your hand to your heart and the whole world seems to smile…


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