Hey all,

Wanted to give a shout out to a great cause … Plaquemines Flyguides
http://www.plaqueminesflyguides.com

Alec Griffin of Louisiana Flywater has started a site dedicated to helping local guides offset the environmental & financial disaster that is the BP oil spill.

From site: “Plaquemines FlyGuides was created for the purpose of generating relief income in the wake of the recent oil spill in the Gulf for fly-fishing guides and their families, who work year-round, full time out of Lower Plaquemines Parish. We’re still out on the water as many days as possible but due to the recent oil spill in the Gulf, charter bookings simply aren’t coming in. This is why “Plaquemines FlyGuides” was created.  We’re starting with the sale of a great T-shirt and hope to add new items soon. We hope you’ll purchase one of these T-shirts and proudly wear it, showing your support for a great group of guides who are working hard to stay alive in the marshes of Southeast Louisiana. Thank you for your support and we look forward to fishing with you soon.”

Check it out – buy a shirt.

A couple of weeks ago Cameron Mortenson of The Fiberglass Manifesto and I tossed a couple emails back and forth about a contest for the T.F.M. readership.  The end result is a month long photo contest that begins today on the T.F.M. Facebook page.

There will be two ways to win this month.  First, we want to see your most hardcore fly fishing vehicles.  The tattered pickup truck with sleeping bags laid out in the bed, the trusty sedan with the back window covered with various decals (there may be extra points to the vehicle with both Bug Slinger and T.F.M. decals on it), or the SUV with fly rods and gear falling out all the hatches.  We want to see your hardcore ride!

The Bug Slinger Mothership

For the second part of this contest we will chose a random winner from all the photos that are posted so it’s worth tossing up a photograph of whatever vehicle takes you from the house to the water.  You can even upload that “Swagger Wagon” that sees more soccer fields than fly shops.

THE RULES:
1.  The T.F.M./Bug Slinger contest will run from June 1st through June 30th, 2010.
2.  Participants must be a Fan of both T.F.M. and Bug Slinger on Facebook.
3.  Upload a photo of your “Fishing Vehicle” up on the T.F.M. Facebook page.
3.  This contest will have two ways to win.  Rob and I will determine which vehicle posted is the “Most Hardcore” and then there will be a “Random Winner” as well.
5.  The winner of the “Most Hardcore” Fishing Vehicle will win a Bug Slinger Cross Sticks front plate and a 25% Discount Card for a purchase on the Bug Slinger website.  The Random Winner of the contest will win a Bug Slinger Cross Sticks front plate.
7. If you have any questions please feel free to email me at thefiberglassmanifesto@gmail.com.

Let’s have a good time with this and toss up your ride on T.F.M.’s Facebook page!

I was introduced to Clutch by a good buddy of mine in Chicago this past summer. It’s a band, that if I had sampled in iTunes, probably wouldn’t have stayed on my radar. After seeing them live I totally understand their appeal. In my humble opinion, they are the best heard live – the seed will be planted and the cult reverence can grow.

Each Clutch album is marked by a distinct and cohesive sound. The musical style of the band has migrated from heavy metal and hardcore punk to hard rock. The band has also integrated funk influences into their rock sound. Strong blues influences have also become prominent in the releases of the later years as vocalist/guitarist Neil Fallon notes: “We’ve been really conscious of the blues over the last couple of years, and you have to admit that the blues really is the source of all rock and roll. I think it’s important to go to the source to find that inspiration.”

Clutch discography

• Transnational Speedway League (1993)
• Clutch (1995)
• The Elephant Riders (1998)
• Jam Room (1999)
• Pure Rock Fury (2001)
• Blast Tyrant (2004)
• Robot Hive/Exodus (2005)
• From Beale Street to Oblivion (2007)
• Strange Cousins from the West (2009)

Please check out the full story on John’s blog: http://stuartflyfishing.blogspot.com/ – it’s well worth the read.
Photography © John Meskauskas
stuartflyfishing.com

From the Ska Brewing web site –

” It’s Old-Man bitter

A mix of citrus and pine that will remind you of the time you went on a vision quest with your native American cousin and woke up in a pine-grove full of grapefruit trees.

An American-style IPA with a deep golden-orange color. Bitter and hoppy, with a surprisingly smooth finish.”

– I couldn’t have said it better myself – really, I couldn’t, and I’m lazy. An amazing beer (and it comes in cans – even better are you kidding). My new favorite.

Believe me, I was on the hate-Oakley band wagon. Having lived through the “Thermo-Nuclear Protection” and “Test Factory Pilot” days, I looked high and low for any other eye wear company to support.

At the Fly Tackle Retailer show 2 years ago, I checked out Oakley’s “Rolling O Lab” and was shown some pretty convincing tests. I am a skeptical guy by nature, and this was no exception. Still not sold.

Last year while fishing for permit in deep water, our guide John Meskauskas casually pointed to, what he said, was a massive school of permit swimming about 15-20 feet below our boat. Nick, Nicole and I looked down and had the same look of “what f’n permit” on our faces. All of you guides out there know the frustration of the “virgin” eyes. Since this particular school of permit were comfortable in their surroundings they stayed around long enough for us to experiment. John finally said, “here try these” — Oakley Hijinx with VR28 lenses. Oh! Those permit! It wasn’t like the rest of us had on crappy polarization, but the difference was amazing. I was sold.

I will say, I do have another pair of their polarized shades and they don’t compare to the VR28s. Check em out at oakley.com

:: Rolling O Lab ::

The Black Keys are a modern blues style rock band that provides a gritty deliverance. The 2 man band from Akron OH, released their debut record “The Big Come Up” in 2002 and has achieved increasing critical acclaim and recognition.

If you are looking for some great road tunes add these guys to the mix!

The Black Keys discography — Studio Albums

• The Big Come Up (2002)
• Thickfreakness (2003)
• The Moan (2004)
• Rubber Factory (2004)
• Chulahoma (2006)
• Magic Potion (2006)
• Attack & Release (2008)

Here we will look at life through the eyes of fly anglers. Of course, there will be stories of beautiful places, colorful characters and fish. However, we all know there is more to it, the stuff that fills the gaps between trips: beer, music, gear, travel, books – you name it. We aren’t here to shamelessly promote Bug Slinger products (click here to shop) but to offer a view of the lifestyle that either we live or aspire to live.

Please feel free to comment and suggest. Thanks for checking us out.

peace. R

I started reading John Galligan’s books a few years ago at the recommendation of fly shop guru Jon Uhlenhop.
It was refreshing to find an incredibly talented writer which could blend contemporary murder mystery with local flavor and fly fishing. A flawed but cool main antihero – “the Dog” is driven by a pure passion for fly fishing and a curse for being in the wrong place at the wrong time.
I just saw that the fourth book in the series is planned to be available March 2011. I’m stoked. Thanks for continuing the adventures John!
To check out other books and find out more about John check his site: www.johngalligan.com/

Here are some insights into the series …

The Nail Knot

The first in the Fly Fishing mystery series.

The going has gotten tough, and Ned “Dog” Oglivie has gone fishing. Fly fishing. For trout. All across America. At least until his money runs out … the Dog is nearly at the end of his tether when he rolls into little Black Earth, Wisconsin, intending to fish the yellow sally stonefly hatch . . . and finds a body instead.

The Blood Knot

The second book in the Fly Fishing mystery series.

The last thing The Dog wanted was to find another body.
But there was Annie Adams—the barn lady—floating dead at his feet, her easel and paints set up on the bridge above his head. Standing defiantly beside them, a frightened and stubborn nine-year-old—The Avalanche Kid—shotgun in hand, dares the Dog, “You saw me hit her. Now go ahead and tell somebody.”

The Clinch Knot

The third book in the Fly Fishing mystery series.

The Dog is in Livingston, Montana, daydreaming about fishing the ‘Stone and, as usual, subsisting on Swisher Sweets, vodka-Tang, and the hope that pretending to forget will be enough.

He’s again finds himself intwined in a local drama between two young lovers and the possible set-up for murder.

If only the Dog could run from his life without ending up in the tangle and snarl of the lives of others. A man who wants to lose himself in the current must be careful of his backcast; it’ll always keep him tethered to a life he’s trying to forget.

The Wind Knot

The fourth (coming March 2011) book in the Fly Fishing mystery series.

After five years of self-imposed exile on the rivers of America, trout bum Ned “Dog” Oglivie has burned his waders and hat, given away his rod, and turned his Cruise Master RV away from the famous Hemingway water in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, bound for home and reconciliation with his past. But when in passing through Chicago Dog discovers the corpse of a famous fishing guide on board the Cruise Master, he makes the ruinous decision to return to the U.P. and off-load the body for local processing. What follows is a new kind of running game for the Dog. Abetted by the dazzling and quirky pilot of the local bookmobile, he flees into the hostile bush, wanted for murder, tracked by bear dogs, devoured by mosquitoes, and tormented by the prospect of love.

The Fly Fishing Film Tour is hitting the road again in 2010. The films are sick and the merchandise ain’t so bad either. We have teamed up with the Tour to design their merchandise (except the Buffs). You can purchase the goods at any of the “official” tour stops as well as online at www.flyfishingfilmtour.com.

Also new for this year will be the ability to use your tour ticket for discounts from select vendors (including Bug Slinger) and fly shops. Check the tour web site for more info.

The Fly Fishing Film Tour focuses on action adventure excitement humor and lifestyle. The films will take you on the journey to see what it takes to be truly committed, or insane, by those who are capturing the new revolution of fly fishing adventure on film. With 70 cities on the schedule, chances are the tour will make a stop near you.

On the list of official tour films is “Fly Nation” from Fly Max Films. Check our video section for a sneak peak.