Sugar Magnolia, Steelhead Jumping

Jerry Garcia with a big brown trout and a Grateful Dead backstage pass

Since returning from Alaska and taking a semi-deep unguided dive into the world of fly fishing, I’ve had a lot of trout- and tarpon-centric material show up in my feed. Eventually I started to realize that a surprising percentage of it overlapped with Grateful Dead. While I still can’t quite figure out the connection, I decided to compile much of it here for those of you who are Deadheads, fly freaks, or both.

It turns out that Flylords Magazine beat me to it. In 2021 they ran a contest looking for reader art that they could use for a future apparel collaboration. Here are some of the top-faring entries:

Flylords reader art Grateful Dead winning submissions

Richard Blanco of SlackerTide is a one-man band who produces lots of popular culture fishing crossover gear, including plenty of Dead-themed apparel and decals.

Richard Blanco Slackertide Grateful Dead themed items

If you don’t like the ones currently available on his site, plenty of Blanco’s Dead artwork is alternatively available at Fly Slaps.

Fly Slaps Richard Blanco Grateful Dead

In the cool little town of Wimberley, Texas, there’s a Grateful Angler fly shop and guide service.

Grateful Angler fly shop and guide service Wimberley Texas

They shouldn’t be confused with the Grateful Diver, which was co-founded by the Dead’s drummer Bill Kreutzmann. They also have some Grateful Angler shirts.

Grateful Diver Shirts Bill Kreutzmann

Abel Reels, which produces tons of gorgeous and highly-coveted fly reels, has produced Grateful Dead themed reels as well as drag knobs. Other music-themed reels celebrated AC/DC and Johnny Cash.

Abel fly reels Grateful Dead reels and drag knob

TCO Fly shop in Pennsyvlania, has an entire Grateful Dead collection of apparel and ephemera.

TCO Fly Shop Pennsylvania Grateful Dead collection

Dead Drift in Wyoming obviously has “Dead” in their name, and they celebrate Jerry and company with some of their gear.

Dead Drift Wyoming The West is Calling Skeleton t-shirt and decal

Moving east to Massachusetts, they like the Dead on the Cape, too.

Capefish clothing Steal Your Face sunshirt and hoodie

Swinging back down to Georgia, the Cohutta Fishing Company in Blue Ridge is all-in, too.

Cohutta Fishing Company Blue Ridge Georgia Grateful Dead apparel

And up in the land of Favre, Tight Lines Fly Fishing Company celebrates the fly rod on the big lakes

Tightlines Fly Fishing Company Steal Your Lakes sunshirt, t-shirt and baseball hat

Finally, artist Tim Phelps introduces us to Salmo jerrygarcia.

Tim Phelps artist salmo jerrygarcia
 
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