Nostalgia and aesthetics aren’t the only reason you should buy fly fishing gear. But those two aspects do count for something. And in the history-rich, artistically inclined world of fly fishing nostalgia and aesthetics are often embraced willingly. Bamboo rods and waxed cotton packs are still made and used because they work. They are examples of equipment that tethers today to yesterday.
For anyone aware of fly fishing in the late 80s and the 90s, Costa Del Mar‘s reintroduced Grand Catalina sunglasses will immediately reel you back to yesterday. Their marketing is unashamedly capitalizing on that. And it works.
As a teenager hungry for all things fly fishing in the mid-90s, I tuned in with countless others across the nation to ESPN on Saturday mornings. Trout-centered shows were opportunities to take notes and improve on something the next time out. Bass tournaments scratched both competitive and infomercial itches. But Walker’s Cay Chronicles stood alone among programs. Flip Pallot’s exploration of Florida’s coastline was about as adventurous to a suburban teenager as summiting Everest. For thirty minutes, with commercial breaks, I was able to ride the ragged edge where the fish were big and wild.