Articles

With a side of adventure

Side channels are to be explored, not ignored

by Todd Tanner - Thursday, Mar 9th, 2017

Chris Hunt hooked up to a big brown trout on a side channel of the Collon Cura River (photo: Chad Shmukler).

Side channels rock.

I was 11 years old when Messrs. Page, Plant, Jones and Bonham - Led Zeppelin, for those of you who don’t know - released one of the great rock & roll anthems of all time. Stairway to Heaven was an instant classic, and it still blasts from car speakers and home stereos all over the world. I was actually listening to the song the other day when the lyrics, which I’ve probably heard a thousand times over the last 40 odd years, jumped the tracks and made a new connection in my brain.

Patagonia continues fight to protect Bears Ears with interactive film series

Patagonia continues its leadership on public lands

by Chad Shmukler - Tuesday, Mar 7th, 2017

Photo: Mark Toso/Patagonia

Patagonia has been one of the leaders not only in decrying the draconian stance Utah's leadership continues to hold towards public lands, but in taking action to put pressure on the state to put an end to their continuing efforts to privatize and undermine access to public lands and to reverse the designation of the newly-minted Bears Ears National Monument.

Savan sized

Standing slack-jawed on one of Kamchatka's fish factories

by Chad Shmukler - Thursday, Mar 2nd, 2017

Santos Madero releases a Savan sized rainbow (photo: Earl Harper).

I’m sitting with Jack Handey, who has deep thoughts and loves chocolate. We’re perched on the edge of our jet boat which we’ve pulled aground on a mid-stream sandbar of Kamchatka’s Savan River, finishing off our lunches as we marvel about the river’s rainbows. Thirteen days into a 14 day trip down the Savan, we’re still blathering on about its resident trout—not specifically about their size, strength, beauty or numbers, but more about their unique combination of all those qualities. It is the Savan’s rainbows that truly define the river.

Patagonia and friends release Finding Fontinalis film to aid conservation fundraising efforts

Film chases world record brook trout and more on the other side of the world

by Chad Shmukler - Monday, Feb 27th, 2017

Photo: Bryan Gregson

Fishing records are kind of lame. You know, IGFA length records, tippet class records and so on? What species of fish you were able to haul in on what strand strength of monofilament doesn't tell us anything about the experience. Or the fish. Or the place. It might tell us something about why you're out there but, if it does, it probably tells us stuff we'd rather not know. As a general rule, fishing records don't tell us anything of value at all, except maybe that a lot of people are missing the point. But, as is the case with any rule, there are exceptions.

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