Pole,
Pack and Paddle 25th
Edition
Fly
Fishing, Backpacking, Canoes & Kayaks
Tues-Fri 11-7,
Thurs until
New Books in stock…”Campings
top secrets” by Jacobsen…a newly revised, excellent book of solid, practical info on camping, canoeing and
first aid; “Best in Tent Camping the Carolinas”…by
Molloy… scenic, serene campsites for tenting… an excellent resource; “AT
Thru-hike Planning”:…AT Conservancy… great reference whether contemplating
a thru-hike or just want a great source of backpacking tips and knowledge; “Backpacker’s Field Manual” by Curtis…revised
and updated… comprehensive guide to backpacking, backcountry skills and knowledge.
New fly fishing
titles: “Saltwater
Fly Patterns”…Kreh;
“Trout Bum”…signed 20th anniversary…Geirach; “Tarpon
on Fly” by Larmouth and Fordyce; “Tying Flies with Foam, Fur and Feathers”...Steeves; “Saltwater
Flies: 12 of the Best”…Meyer.
SALES…With all the winter gear that just arrived, our 50% off rack is chock full of good
deals. Here’s some NEW deals on NEW gear: MSR Hubba (solo)tent…20% off; brand new
Columbia fleece pull-over zip
neck…was $45…now only $28; Columbia
waterproof/breathable Thunderscout
jacket …was $85 now only $49; North Face Evolution Triclimate waterproof/breathable jacket with removable fleece liner…$229
now only $189…and MORE Sale ends 9pm Oct. 19th
Break out the Long Underwear… chilly mornings have some folks shopping for a new set
of “woolies.” Some things to keep in
mind: Todays’ top performing long
underwear is made of polyester (not
polypro) or wool, perhaps a blend of the two, and maybe some lycra for stretch…
costs about $25-35 for a top or a bottom and all the top manufacturers do this.
Premium wool (like Smartwool) is excellent but expensive. Claims
about moisture transport/quick dry, although supported by tests etc. may have some exaggeration to them. Experience shows products fall a little short
of the wonderful advertising. Military tests have shown loose fitting
underwear is usually warmer than tight…but tight fitting underwear may transport
moisture quicker. Layers and thickness
equals warmth. If you are a professional athlete, you may
like tight “compression” long underwear, but most are perhaps better served
with something else. And, to put things
in perspective, all the advertising about moisture transport and quick dry
began in the 70’s…nothing new there.
Ultralight Packs…We have a couple of Go-Lite packs at ½ price…the Jam and the Trek…a good deal for someone wanting
to jump into really ultralight backpacking.
Perhaps for most, the Kelty Shadow is a more attractive option. At 4500 cubic inches, the pack is easily
capable of weekend or multi-day trips…but only weighs 3 lbs 13 oz. It has many of the features of heavier
internal packs like sleeping bag compartment, external pockets etc. but at a
very reasonable weight.
Fall is Paddling Time…Some of the best paddling of the season is during
October. The river level in the New is
excellent; the water is very clear, and leaves are already starting to change
colors. October mornings can be a little
chilly so you may want to wait until late morning to launch. And even though the water temp is dropping,
it’s not so cold you can’t tolerate some wet feet. If you’re planning an outing, we have a free map of the
New Boots and shoes… We’ve recently added the very popular Vasque Breeze boot and low cut.
Both offer good support for hiking …but are light and break-in very
quickly. Both use Gore-tex XCR…the most
breathable version of the Gore-tex membrane.
Boots are $140 and low cuts are $125.
A case for ”uplining”…Some call it overlining…some call it fine-tuning rod performance … it boils down to going up one line weight
(maybe 2) over what is stamped on your rod…putting a 5 wt line on a 4 wt. rod. Generally, rods are rated to properly load
and unload the weight of 30-35 feet of line moving back and forth in the
air. To compensate
when you routinely have 10-20 of line out (i.e. less line weight than perhaps optimal)…use
a heavier line.
Cabin Rentals… fishing, hiking or biking around Mt. Rogers;
Ashe County, specifically the Helton Creek area; or the New River along
Ashe/Allegheny; or streams in VA like Big Wilson,,,On Helton… highmountaincabins.com and zydecomoon.com (being built…ready in mid Oct.); on the New… riversidecanoeing.com (camping and furnished cabins) ; on Big Wilson highlandhideaways.com.
Fishing Classes…. Please make
advance reservations for all classes…classes are cancelled 2 days
before the date, if signups are insufficient.
Intro to Fly Fishing…4 hour intro class…$30…Wed. eve. Oct 11 & Sat am…Oct 14
Intro
to Salt Water & False Albacore… Wed. Oct. 18 at
(Remember…advance reservations required on all
classes)
Intro
to Fly Tying Classes…resumes in
mid-late Oct…email if interested…
classes run 6-7
weeks…loaner equipment provided…cost about $65.
Steelhead Trip to Penn…Fish for steelhead with local guide Marty
Shaffner…Oct. 22 in
Thanks for
shopping locally.…we sincerely appreciate your
business!
Richard