Three New Items for Lake of the Woods
I have been to Canada a few times: Toronto, Ontario, on vacation with my parents; and when we fished with Spencer’s Angling Adventures and Fins and Grins Guide Service on Lake St. Clair. Back in high school, the orchestra (that’s right, I was a very well-rounded kid) traveled to Montreal to play with the Montreal Symphony Orchestra.
Next up we are going to Ontario to fish at Ballard’s Black Island Lodge for walleye, musky, northern pike, smallmouth and more. I’ve been packing for weeks and I have three new items I am bringing. Let me know what you think:
Sage Luggage Ballistic Rod Tube
Ballard’s Black Island Lodge fully equips you with rods, reels and bait, but Pete has drilled into my head the need to always have “your own equipment” if you’ll have a chance at catching a trophy fish.
Ok, fine, we can only have so much luggage, what do I need to make this happen?
He told me to purchase the Sage Luggage Ballistic Rod Tube for a 4-piece rod, and we’ll bring some of the many travel rods he’s obtained. It’s made of ballistic nylon that is thick and tough, like the flak jackets worn by WWII airmen.
The zipper seal will keep out moisture as long as it isn’t submerged in water and it’ll keep dirt out.
It has an adjustable shoulder strap if I wanted to carry it and use it as my personal item but there is no way -- I’m a girl, I have way too much stuff to bring on this five-day journey. Luckily, it will fit in our Snowbee XS Travel bag, and so will Pete’s, as it holds tubes up to 36.5” on the inside. The rod tube is 33in x 4in x 4in so it will be a perfect fit.
You can find this gem on Sage’s page or at Amazon, but I purchased it at Backcountry.com and used a 15% coupon for first time buyers. There is free shipping for orders over $50.
Swiftwick Pursuit Hiking Socks
Standing up in the boat all day long is hard on your feet. Not only do you need a great pair of shoes but comfortable socks are a huge part of the equation. I’m a bit of a sock freak. I love them. I have an entire dresser drawer devoted to socks. Ask Pete what I wear to bed at night, all year round, and he will say, “SOCKS!” However he told me that he’d get the marriage annulled if I wore 1970s style tube socks to bed on our wedding night.
I happen to have put these new sock on while I am writing this. One, it is cold in the basement, where all the magic is written, and two to make sure they are coming with me on the trip. The medium-weight pair I own are made of Merino Wool, which is moisture wicking and will keep your feet dry, which will also prevent blisters. The socks will prevent my heel rubbing on the back of the shoe as the height is good for both my low top and high-top fishing/hiking shoes.
Our trip is during the first part of September and the weather in Ontario could be in the low 40s in the morning and then get into the low 80’s in the afternoon. These socks will keep me warm when it’s chilly like winter (I HATE THE COLD) and cool when it gets hot like summer, just like I like it. No frostbite or sweaty stinky wet socks.
The socks fit up and around my calves and haven’t fallen down on my many trips up and down the stairs during my testing period. And the heel is a “perfect” tightness and doesn’t slip or get bunched up in my shoe.
The socks are made with an Olefin fiber, in combination with the Merino Wool to make them bacteria- and odor-resistant. I’m hoping this is true so I can wear these socks a couple of times during the trip, as there isn’t laundry service and there is only so much room in the luggage (even for socks).
The socks feel like they have a little bit of cushioning/padding. They are snug but not tight. They fit in my shoes nicely and they aren’t itchy like some wool socks I have worn.
I am a pack rat. It’s a family gene, not a good one to inherit. When I first moved in with Pete, I had a pair of overalls and he begged me to wear them. Perhaps he has a fetish I don’t know about. They weren’t in fashion any longer. I said no and that is also when I realized it was time to say goodbye to them and they ended up in the donation pile. Well hello 2022 and welcome back overalls and rompers!
I must look at AFTCO clothing a lot because their ads show up on the side of my Facebook page all the time. When I saw the girl, with her hands in her pockets, wearing blue overalls, I clicked on the link and purchased them. NO, I do not need any more fishing or everyday clothing but I had to have these.
The first thing I wondered is how I would go to the bathroom. This process is already difficult enough when out in the boat or the wilderness and then add all this material. The overalls are lightweight and have a little stretch to them (nylon/spandex material), which makes them easy to take off and put back on, even in tight spots. They have something called advanced DWR coating, which is a durable water repellent. It’s a coating that’s applied to the top of the fabric and basically the water just rolls off. This does not mean they are waterproof, but it will help on misty or dewy mornings.
The material is ripstop so it is more resistant to ripping and tearing, which is always a good thing with hooks flying around the boat. They have UPF 40 sun protection, with a stain resistance from the DWR coating. I’m hoping they’re resistant to blood, too (from the fish,not me). I love having a lot of pockets, and these have side front pockets, back zippered pockets, and a zippered chest pocket which I thought was for your phone, because you have to have it on you at all times. But NO, there is a dedicated cell phone pocket with block tapey, block shaped snaps (a Japanese version of Velcro). They thought of everything.
And just in case they are too long for you (I know I am not the only one that has this issue, Samantha Sukupcak) they have adjustable hems with a cord lock system. By the way, Pete loves them on me and I love them too.
Thankfully, I am only writing about three items and not everything I am taking or I might have had to publish a book. I am really excited for this trip and I expect that these items are going to be an integral part of my fishing and fashion success.
If you are dying to purchase these products and come with us, or just dying to come with us, there are still two spots available, due to unforeseen circumstances, so contact me.
