I know that many of you have been going a bit crazy looking for the perfect gift for your favorite webmaster for Christmas, so I decided to help you out a bit. Here are the top 10 items I would like to see under my tree this year! (I guess this might also be used as a gift buying guide for others that enjoy fly fishing, too.)
#1. The 30 oz Rambler–Yes, I would love a new Yeti Roadie 20 with an Alabama Crimson Tide logo, but I will settle for the new $34.99 insulated Rambler. Someone in my family already has one–and she won’t share!
#2. New Sage 2000 Series Reel–I saw these at Backwoods (more on Backwoods in a minute) last week and they are sweet! I love the drag knob with numbers so that you know exactly where to set the drag on your fish. Not bad at $139.99 for a 5wt.
#3. Abel Nippers–These are too much for me to buy for myself. But, if I am spending your money, I will be happy to ask for them. These things are indestructible. If they ever dull, you can send in a couple of bucks for replacement jaws. I always say that you CAN get by on the cheap in fly fishing. Nippers can be purchased for MUCH less. But, you will be the envy of everyone on the water with these.
#4. GoPro–GoPro just introduced their new GoPro 4 line. The GoPro 3 line is still available and is a great value if you don’t need the newest thing. If you are just looking for a good waterproof camera, the Hero is placed at a really nice price point. From $129 for the HERO to $499 for the Black4.
#5. nucanoe Frontier 12–This thing is unreal. While your friends might be bragging about a Hobie Mirage drive, just set this guy up with a trolling motor or even a 2.5 hp gas motor and leave them in the dust. Starts at $1,200.
#6. Orvis Clearwater 10ft 4wt Rod–When researching the best nymphing rod for the money, I went to the guy I trust more than anyone else–George Daniel. He recommended this rod as a solid pick for the money. Who am I to argue with him? Currently, $198.
#7. Dynamic Nymphing by George Daniel–Speaking of Mr. Daniel, this is not the book I would recommend for the fly fisherman going through his first trout season. This is a high level concept book that will take several sessions to understand exactly what he is talking about. If the person on your list is a good fly fisher looking to take the next step, this could be the book for them.
#8. Shawn Bixel Artwork–Texas Trout–I could have picked any of his artwork that he is currently selling in his Etsy shop. He has everything from Christmas cards to drawings to stickers, but I love the huge pieces that he does out of wood. He has some items 25% off right now.
#9. A weekend at the Woodland Plantation–We spent three nights at the Woodland Plantation last Christmas break. I want to go back. It is about a 45 minute drive south of New Orleans. The accommodations are unique. The main plantation house is the one on the front of the Southern Comfort bottle. The owner, Foster Creppel, will treat you like family. And the food. Oh, the food. From the most delicious breakfast to a great box lunch on the water to a six course meal that is in my top 5 most memorable dinners, all I can say is “wow”! From $135/nt/room. $60/day/person for all three meals (and worth every penny).
For those of us that shop locally, Backwoods has sent out their yearly 25% off one item card. You can get the same savings on one item at http://www.backwoods.com/ (not good for fly rods and reels or YETI, but should be good for buying the Abel nippers!) Good until December 10th.
Oh, you thought I forgot about the last one…
#10 Pictures, trip reports, likes and shares on Facebook, a follow and like on Instagram…..I need help this year. In order to make this the best fly fishing club website in 2015, I need pictures of trout in Broken Bow and trip reports from the Nolan White Bass run. (Sending them to fortworthflyfishers@gmail.com is the BEST way). I need you to invite your friends to like us on Facebook. I need you to share stories that we post on Facebook. I also need you to comment on posts in the Forum! The website is only going to be as good as our member added content.
Hope you and your family have a Happy Holidays.
Mike Mendez
