I’m a sucker for good marketing.

Before you judge, let me explain what I mean:

• I appreciate a well thought-out sales pitch.
• I gravitate towards people who are passionate about what they make and/or sell.
• I like good more than I like bad. Can you blame me?

While hype and reality don’t always line up, hype can be the result of something real. Fly fishing gear is no exception. Some things might be overpriced. Some things might overpromise. Some things might simply be what the cool kids are using. But some things are both good and represented well by those responsible for selling them.

This makes me happy. And so I write about it. Here are three examples. Click on the title or the image to view the whole article.

Fast Fly Rods: Should You or Shouldn’t You?

So, why should you consider a fast fly rod?

Aren’t they just stiff graphite sticks meant for pumping out 80-foot casts? Again, sometimes yes. Most traditional trout anglers won’t find much use for them. Furthermore, minimalist or beginner fly fishers could do better. But there are some people who fish in some situations that would truly benefit from a fast fly rod.

Here are three scenarios in which a fast fly rod excels, and three questions you should ask yourself before you consider purchasing one…

Yeti Knows What They’re Doing

I read the email. The new color isn’t orange. It is red (Harvest Red). A burgundy, really (it is quite nice). It is wine-themed. I’m all about wine, but I don’t think that I’m going to spend hundreds of dollars on a cooler that… well, the soft ones aren’t so expensive. And the tumblers are basically the price of a bottle of wine. It is a limited edition color, after all.

WAIT. I have coolers. I have Yeti coolers. All my cold stuff is cold and all my hot stuff is hot. Keep it together, man…

Fly Fishing, Inc.

From time to time, I’ll even promote something and try to steer business towards the company that sells or makes it. Why?

Short answer: I enjoy it. I suppose that could, and maybe even should, be a sufficient explanation. But I’ll elaborate.

Gear, gadgets, and “stuff” that is useful on the stream has always fascinated me. Also, I love marketing and branding – even outside of the fly fishing industry. Fully aware that my experience on the water is wholly compromised of what I make of it, I also appreciate the prompting or motivation from a well-crafted ad campaign.

Here is an example…