9 Fly-Fishing Essentials

Gold Medal Nets Troutsta Fishing Net

Gold Medal Nets handcrafts its beauties in Colorado and customizes each with your choice of nine wood finishes, like purpleheart on the Trousta pictured here.

Montana Fly Company Artist Series Aluminum Box

For organizing your flies, Montana Fly Company’s Artist Series aluminum box has ample room (228 foam slots) to hold your collection and a brown-trout-skin exterior by Boise, Idaho, painter Josh Udesen.

Woolrich Cross Country shirt

You look goofy enough with all your gear on. Balance it out with Woolrich’s nylon Cross Country shirt.

Bauer Mackenzie CFX fly-fishing reel

Bauer’s impressive Mackenzie CFX has the classic look of its older reels but with a new sealed carbon-fiber drag system that will slow down any runner.

Glenlivet 18-Year-Old Scotch

It’s always good to end a day on the water with a nip of whisky. Glenlivet’s 18-year-old Scotch is smooth sipping.

Simms RiverTek Boa Boots

The lacing system on Simms’ RiverTek Boa boots eliminated shoelace tangles in the brambles along New Mexico’s San Juan River. Plus, the rubber Vibram soles are as grippy as felt but avoid its biggest drawback: spreading invasive species.

Fishpond Nimbus Guide Pack

Fishpond’s Nimbus Guide pack wasn’t too bulky, even with a water bottle and sandwich on an all-day fish-athon.

Redington Sonic-Pro Zip-Front Waders

Redington’s nylon Sonic-Pro zip-front waders have all the high-end features of similar waders—five-layer fabric for durability, hand-warmer pockets, and a waterproof zipper for easy on and off—at nearly half the price.

Sage One Series Fly-Fishing Rod

Three years in the making, Sage’s One series debuted last fall amid marketing hype unusual for the fishing world. But the rods deliver. The 9.5-foot four-weight pictured here is light but powerful, which made casting long distances with a weighted nymph rig a breeze. It was also deft enough to drop dries in front of a close-in riser.