Our Editor has been a fisherman all his life but only became a fly fisher about 14 years ago after “some movie” prompted him to drag out his Father’s old Eagle Claw 5 weight fly rod and try to learn to cast.  Rumor has it that on his first fly fishing trip the fly line he was using was so old that chunks of the coating were flying off with every back cast.  He somehow managed to catch a small trout and has been hooked ever since. 

 BUZZ OFF Insect Repellent Clothing by Exofficio

On a recent excursion to try his hand at flats fishing, our Editor gave Exofficio’s Buzz Off line of insect repellent clothing an impromptu field test.  He was standing at the front of the skiff casting towards the mangroves and having a great time when he heard the guide and his wife complaining loudly of “being eaten up” by a swarm of No-see-um. Our Editor realized that he was the only one on the boat not being bitten and then remembered that he was wearing a Buzz Off shirt and hat.  He then felt their painful bites on his un Buzz Off protected legs.  Buzz Off by Exofficio won a spot in his warm weather fishing gear closet from that day forward. It is great for the fly fisher because, unlike DEET infused products, Buzz Off won’t melt expensive fly lines.   It is available via at retailers everywhere and at the Exofficio web site. 

Reel Pure 2006 Holiday Gift Pack   Retail: $45

Our Editor met Eric Rathbun, the Chief Executive Angler, of reel pure at this year’s Fly Fishing Retailer Show and was immediately impressed with the brand and more importantly the ideals it represented. “Imagine a state of mind for those serious about fly fishing -but tired of the serious fly fishing attitude.” Reel pure means stylish, high quality, shirts, hats and more all emblazoned with the simple but sophisticated “Solo Fly logo”. The gift pack contains:  a reel pure T-shirt, Solo Fly Glareproof Cap, and a fast drying microfiber towel all packaged in a PVC dry bag.  If that were not enough, reel pure participates in the 1% for the Planet program so you give back to the sport when you purchase from their company. Available at the Reel Pure web site and at Bass Pro Shops. 

If you meet an angler on the creek bank and he has on a reel pure hat or shirt always be sure to ask him what fly they are taking, because he will most likely know and won’t mind letting you in on it. 

La Gloria Cubana Wavell Cigars   Retail: 12.00 for a pack of Five

Our Editor, like all good editors, enjoys using phrases like, “Great Caesar’s Ghost!” and chomping down on the occasional cigar. One of his all around favorites for both flavor and price is the La Gloria Cubana. Like the dark haired beauty that graces this cigar’s band, the La Gloria Cubana is a full bodied cigar. The Editor gets his from J.R. Cigars because they have a massive humidor just a few miles from his desk.  You can also get them online at JRcigars.com where they are currently being offered for the excellent price of five for $12. 

C & F Designs Threader Fly Box       Retail: $49.95

This offering makes our Editor happy on two fronts.  The first being that he feels you can never have too many fly boxes. The second being that his eyes are not quite as good as they once were. Especially, when it comes to getting those size 22 midges onto his 7x tippet in low light.  A threader fly box allows you to easily get those flies on the tippet and back in the water where they can catch fish.  Anything that saves you this much time on the stream bank and keeps us from going cross eyed at the same time is bound to get a vote from us.

The C&F Designs is available from your local fly shop and also from L.L. Bean.