Stuff We Like Inspired by our Travel
Fishing should be fun. Part of that is art and food and other things that don't put fish in the boat, but nevertheless make you enjoy the process more.
Sportyfish Shirts Deliver Style
Old Mark Zuckerberg apparently knows what he is doing, because one of my targeted ads last year hit me square between the temples and lured me in: Sportyfish shirts from Singapore. Their catalog reads like a “who’s who” of my bucket list fish – peacock bass, giant trevally, yellowfin tuna, sailfish and others.
Know the Rules, Wear the Rules
I’d never heard of Jessie Jessup Apparel company of Florida until I came across their peacock bass t-shirt. If I haven’t already made it clear, I’m obsessed with peacocks and can’t wait to head back to the Amazon – ideally this December, if the damn virus gets out of the way.
Little Red Rooster on the Prowl
I caught several roosterfish in Costa Rica’s Gulf of Papagayo in August of 1995, and haven’t had a chance to catch any more since then. That’s not to say that roosters haven’t been a part of my life since then – I married a chicken-obsessed redhead, so we have a kitchen full of rooster figurines, and somehow ended up naming our hyper Australian Shepherd “Rooster,” too.
No Slack
I don’t remember how I stumbled upon the shirts from online retailer Slackertide, but as an obsessive consumer of popular culture who also happens to fish, it was a godsend. Whether you want Willie Nelson, the Golden Girls, Jonah Hill, Rick James, Magnum PI or Cheech and Chong to accompany you on your next trip to the pond, they’ve gotcha covered.
Put a Little Tooth and Slime in Your Wardrobe
The musky dudes are a different breed. I say that out of respect and a bit of worry for their sanity. I’ve only chased those figure-eightable bastards a handful of times at Lake St. Clair, and have managed to get some of their slime on my clothing, but the whole experience left me questioning why grown men would devote their lives to chasing such evil fish – and that’s on a place where they actually catch ‘em. Woe be to him who spends countless hours on a musky fishery far less fertile.
One Love
I can find no photographic or documentary evidence that famed reggae singer Bob Marley liked to fish despite the fact that he was from a country surrounded by water. In 2012 an Arkansas biologist named a small Caribbean crustacean after him,that’s still not enough to make the connection. Nevertheless, if you’ve been waiting in vain to integrate a little Marley into your fishing game, you can certainly dress the part.
It’s a Long Way to the Top of Our Tee of the Week Rankings
This week’s favorite t-shirt comes from the East Rosebud Fly Shop in Montana, whose motto – for reasons that will soon become obvious – is “For those about to fish, we salute you.”
Suit Up With Sockeyes and Save Salmon
Subsequent to our most recent trip to Bear Trail Lodge, I’ve now fallen in love – or at least a very strong “like” -- with sockeye salmon. Due to the proposed Pebble Mine project, Bristol Bay’s annual sockeye run, the largest in the world, may be in peril. Even if you never go there (note: you should), there are ways that you can support the right side of the cause, there are ways you can support the cause or show your love of sockeyes while still looking good.
Flounder Finery
Flounder: I can’t believe I threw up in front of Dean Wormer
Boon: Face it, Kent, You threw up on Dean Wormer.
Dress Yourself in Donkeys, Pigs and Unicorns
We all have our names for big fish – footballs, tanks, donkeys, unicorns, pigs and hawgs (or the more dictionarily proper “hogs”), among others. But how do you represent those notions graphically? As far as I can tell, artist Nate Karnes, who sells his goods through Remedy Provisions, is killing it in that area.
Predator Ain't Got Time to Bleed
“Chucking big fluff at big slabs” – that’s how Predator Fly Gear describes their fishing preferences. There’s nothing wrong with a native brookie sipping a size 22 dry fly, or a sac au lait chewing your mini jig, but you’ve gotta respect a company that sells clothing and art dedicated to all manners of toothy critters and piscatorial ne’er do wells.
A Shirt That Supports Jugs
Jigalode – which, as their website points out, is definitely not “Gigoloed” – makes some serious clothing, like a performance hoodie whose sale benefits the Bonefish and Tarpon Trust. They’ve also teamed up with local Florida artists to produce gorgeous thematic shirts, like one called “Focus” and another called “Exotic Invasive,” both of which evoke distinct Florida experiences.