Dead Drifters Society: A fly fishing podcast
Welcome to The Dead Drifters Society podcast, the ultimate destination for fly fishing addicts like us! I'm Andrew Barany, your host from beautiful Vancouver Island, BC, Canada. Join me as we bring together members of the fly fishing community to share stories, tips, tricks, and inspiration both on and off the water. Fly fishing is a lifelong learning experience that both elevates and humbles us. Let's dive into conversations about how this incredible passion has blessed our lives. Tight lines, my friends! Live on and fish on! For more information, email me at deaddrifterssociety@gmail.com
Incredible artwork by Riverwlkr: https://instagram.com/riverwlkr?igshid=MWI4MTIyMDE=
Dead Drifters Society: A fly fishing podcast
Backcountry Skinz: Revolutionizing the Art of Wet Wading
What if there was a better alternative to bulky waders for those warm summer fishing days? Kelly from Backcountry Skinz joins us to share how two brothers transformed their frustration with traditional fishing gear into a revolutionary wet wading solution that's changing how anglers approach the water.
Born during the pandemic when outdoor adventures became essential escapes, Backcountry Skinz started with a simple concept: create neoprene leggings specifically designed for fishing that provide warmth and protection without the bulk and discomfort of waders. Four years later, they've developed a full range of specialized wet wading gear, including their game-changing "Liquid Lock Socks" that create a waterproof seal around your leg.
We dive deep into the world of alpine lake fishing adventures, exploring the unique challenges of backcountry angling and how proper gear can make or break your experience. Kelly shares invaluable tips for backpacking into remote fishing destinations, from essential survival gear to the perfect flies for pressured alpine trout.
Beyond product talk, this conversation captures the pure passion behind fishing innovation. Kelly explains how his love for exploration drives product development, creating gear that allows anglers to travel lighter, fish longer, and access more remote waters. His stories of testing products in extreme conditions - from glacier-fed rivers to high mountain lakes - reveal the authentic field testing behind every product they make.
Whether you're a dedicated alpine lake explorer or simply someone who hates sweating in waders on hot summer days, this episode offers fresh perspectives on fishing comfort and accessibility. Listen now to discover how the right specialized gear might transform your approach to wet wading and open up new fishing possibilities you never considered before.
https://www.instagram.com/backcountryskinz?igsh=N21ta3RqOHRyYWIy
um, and guys are just eating them up, even in the states. For like, small creeks and shit, like a lot, of, a lot of guys in like the eastern states are doing like that small trope crossing like, or, uh, fishing like dry fly, like brookies and like you know, like, uh, like carolina and all those places, but they're eating these socks up because they can just get away without wearing waders. Um, do you know what I mean? So, but for you, like getting in and out of a boat, like I wear them in Alpine Lakes if I don't want to get wet or get cold, but I'll wear the liquid lock socks, you know, with not getting wet. But I have like a rubber seal on the inside of the sock too and it seals against your leg. And then you put the legging over top and like I've literally almost gone in, almost to like my pelvis, like in and out real quick out of the water, and I never get wet. But if you're prolonged, just feet planted, and it goes over the sock line, a little bit of water goes in. You know what I mean.
Speaker 1:Welcome to Dead Dirt. Drefters.
Speaker 2:Drefters Society welcome back dead drifter. On this episode we are sitting down with backcountry skins. That is a canadian-based company that has been making products for wet wading. You know, if you're kind of overwearing waders throughout the winter or you don't even get a fish winters and you don't really need waders for your summer months or your spring months, whatever the situation may be, they have products that suit you. So I got them. Well, they sent me some 3mm neoprene leggings and then you just throw shorts over top of them and I tested them out and I quite like them. Great for if you're standing in cold, cold water and you don't want to be completely freezing. They also got a lot of uv products shirts, leggings and whatnot. So if you're doing flats fishing and you want to protect yourself from the sun, then you got a product that will help with that. So I talked with kelly about how the company came to be and where he's kind of heading, and then we of course talk about our fishing adventures and how much we love fly fishing.
Speaker 2:So before we get into the episode, I just wanted to chat a little bit about how aloof I've been. Nothing negative, all positive. For me, social media can be a lot, and when I was pumping out four episodes a month. You could only imagine how many hours I really had to put into this to make it happen. The whole goal of me doing this podcast was to get into guiding and to kind of get into the industry. And well, I've been successful at that. So I am now full-time guiding. This is the first year that I've done so. I definitely got a little tight with money at certain points, but every year for the last three years I've been guiding more days on the water and absolutely loving it. So I'm getting ready to head out to Cranbrook interior, bc, to do my dry fly season and I will be out there for a longer period of time this year as well, which just means I have a little less time on my hands to be doing podcasting and I've been focusing a little bit more on just being present in my life for my family and for myself.
Speaker 2:But the dream of my podcast has not disappeared, has not disappeared. I still enjoy doing episodes, I still enjoy hosting and all that good stuff. I just don't know how it exactly sits in my life currently. So, yeah, I really hope that no one's worrying, it's all good and still loving life. So, yeah, hope you enjoy this episode. And still loving life. So, yeah, hope you enjoy this episode. Welcome to the podcast, kelly. How's it going, man?
Speaker 1:Good man, Thanks for putting me on.
Speaker 2:Yeah no worries, man, I'm not going to lie. I don't know a ton about you, so why don't you fill me in where you're located exactly and what you enjoy doing with your time?
Speaker 1:And we'll start it off there. Yeah're just. Uh. I'm located here in calgary and I spend most of my time, uh, um with my daughter and my wife, and then, when I'm not spending time with them, I'm usually uh trying to either build products for the fishing game or, um fishing myself, um out in the backcountry, basically like within the reaches of you know, calgary, like banff, and uh, you know, in interior bc and whatnot. I'm spending time out there, uh, fishing, making content and uh, basically just uh building my brand um backcountry skins, basically because that mostly takes up all of my time. Yep, basically. So, yeah, that's, that's about it cool man.
Speaker 2:Well, let's uh, let's start with backcountry skins because, um, you know, I've seen it around on instagram for a while and how did that all start? And what's the whole dream there?
Speaker 1:and yeah, yeah yeah, basically we're just two brothers, um, and then, uh, we basically just have been obviously fishing kind of in the backcountry for a long time, like, uh, you know like hiking into alpine lakes and hat crafting and whatnot, but uh, just a lot of like for waders and stuff like that. You can't really it's not really feasible for the backcountry, like you know, like it's bulky or they're leaky or you're not, you're not as mobile. And then a lot of the wet wading gear, or, yeah, like wet wading gear at the time, traditional wet wading gear, um, it's kind of just like flimsy and, like you know, the bugs get through it and you can get cold if the weather changes. So we basically, just during COVID, took it upon ourselves to build kind of like a, you know, become like a little specialty brand and just build like a unique product that's never been done before for wet wading, which kind of like bridges the gap in between, you know, waders and then traditional like wet wading gear. So it's kind of like a wader alternative in a sense, like neoprene pants, like compression pants, um, that we wear, um that keep your legs warm and regulated and protected, and uh, oh yeah, we're also like expanding into like lots of other things.
Speaker 1:We have waterproof socks and shirts, hats like we spilled stuff for the flats as well, like uv gear, leggings and stuff like that, so, um, just kind of like a well-rounded, you know like technical waiting gear. Um, that's a unique like lots of guys in new zealand have wore them like leggings for a long time with board shorts, um, and we just basically made it a fishing brand so that guys were in their gym clothes with like better, better materials. You know, like we perfected materials better suited towards fishing, with fishing logos and designs, and it's been doing pretty good. It's been keeping us super busy and we keep growing. I think we're going into year four now four. So so, yeah, just keep innovating and building products and and getting after it. Yeah, oh yeah man.
Speaker 2:So that's uh well, that was a mouthful. You did that seamlessly.
Speaker 1:Obviously you've talked about it before yeah, I've been on a, I've had to be ready for a couple like. I've been on a couple, uh, whatever, like and and obviously like at shows and stuff. Right, you gotta have a down path. Yes, what you're, what you're trying to sell, sending a couple times you got it for sure.
Speaker 2:But but yeah, man, yeah oh yeah, that's uh, that's really sweet. I mean there's it's, you know, there's ideas, and then there's things that we actually act upon. So, yeah, shout out to you, for you and your bro, for, uh, for actually going ahead and figuring all that out, because that's, I'm sure that was not easy, like a lot of your hurdles were probably just sourcing, I would, I'm imagining I don't know, yeah, it's a lot, man, it actually takes a lot of time to uh to build a brand because, uh, you gotta think of the product and a lot of risk as well.
Speaker 1:It's a lot of risk and, like you never really know. Like we literally just took my brother's like wedding fund and we just like we're like let's just do this. We're like bored sitting uh at home during covid and then we just ordered some samples which we thought, you know, like neoprene leggings, why wouldn't they work? You know, guys wear the neoprene uh, booties, socks, right like wet waiting, like why not make a whole, you know kind of a wagon for it? So, uh, we just basically um went for it and just designed it and then came I learned how to like do video editing, um, and like kind of learned like the logistics side of it, of like shopify and like shipping, receiving, um all those type of things, and I took over like the marketing aspect of it and it's been uh, yeah, we just kind of both go at it. We started in our garages, but now we're expanding finally like looking for, uh better places to store gear and stuff like that and ship from. So, um, it's growing slowly but surely, so a lot of people. It's helping a lot of people. It's bridging, like I said, the gap. You know you can go. It's growing slowly but surely. So a lot of people. It's helping a lot of people. It's bridging, like I said, the gap, you know you can go.
Speaker 1:It's kind of like I, I market kind of like to, uh, like active anglers, you know, like back country guys, a lot of guys actually out where you are. We've had some guys like you know steelheaders and stuff, like to wear them in the summer too, or wear them under their waders like steel headers, um, because their legs are planted in the water for a prolonged period of time so they can last longer in the water, having that extra like thickness, you know, neoprene underneath their waders, that's a great base layer as well. But uh, but yeah, it's kind of like a very versatile product. It's mostly marketing to active anglers, um, and and guys who want to be on a budget, if they're just getting into the game you know what I mean like they don't want to go spend 700 out of gonia waders. They can just go get a pair of skins if they're only fishing, you know, for three, three months out of the year, you know. So it's uh, it's versatile, has a place in the uh, in the industry, I think for sure. Um so, so so far.
Speaker 2:So yeah, I think it's, I think it's helping people out there, so I'll have to send yourself yeah, dude, I uh, I like look into things so lightly, like I'm it's so funny, I run a podcast and I look like nobody, when I actually like I'm like, oh yeah, you come on, let's do this, you just you just raw dog today, dude every time man.
Speaker 2:Every time I think it's kind of the beauty of my, of what I do, cause I just like I throw myself in and that is super sweet, cause now I'm just thinking like, fuck, that totally does like you know there's definitely that weird time where you know I would like to have more than just shorts on and socks. Yeah, especially when I go to Cranbrook and guide. Out there it's like 30 degrees every day and I'm just in shorts. My knees look like cherry tomatoes. They're just red as shit. That's crazy.
Speaker 1:If you go to Cranbrook that's where we kind of came up with the whole concept we're mostly in golden and revelstoke and, like I said, like it's, the water even in the summer is like so cold, right, but you, but you're still hot and weight or sweating exactly when you have that extra warmth and like protection, like that's the whole thing.
Speaker 1:Like kind of like glacier waters, it's hot outside but like there's not really that in-between thing, like you're kind of still cold and just shorts. But, um, with waders, like you know, I personally I hate. Like I have a set, obviously, like I, anytime I I can avoid them, I like it. So this just kind of prolongs that. You know what I mean. And it savors them too. If you really think about it. It savors your waders if you're not wearing them as much for guys that are spending lots of money on them, like they ain't no cheap thing. You know what I mean. So, um, so, but yeah, like, if you're gonna, you already go for cranbrook, you just go for, uh, you go fishing for bulls there, or I personally go fishing for both bulls there.
Speaker 2:Yeah, um, right now it's a just a cutthroat fishery that I'm guiding and I really love streamers and the like boss is pretty like dry fly. Only that's what his clientele list wants. But now we're starting to get like. You know the occasional young guy who's like I'll throw an imps, like I don't care yeah, I just want to catch fish.
Speaker 1:I want to catch fish and I'm like catch fish. And I'm like, well, can you?
Speaker 2:streamer fish, Because cutties and streamers are two peas in a pod. You know Cutty fishing is amazing there.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah, cutty fishing, yeah.
Speaker 2:So I do the Elk, nice, I do the Elk, the St Mary's and the Bull River. I haven't explored a ton because the last three years I just have been trying to learn those rivers inside and out. There's like 10 runs or 10 different runs we could do, um, and I've only done like eight or nine of them. So you know, learning those inside and out, and then the one, the one run we don't really do, so it's not like a huge issue. But when I started it was like, all right, there's eight runs, you got four days to learn them. And then I was like, but the math doesn't check out there. And he's like, no, it does not, so you're going to have to just wing the other ones but learn, learn the cutties. It was also learning, uh, how to teach dry fly fishing, which I hadn't really done. So, yeah, it's yeah, but there is, there is room for what your product is, and that kind of blows my mind that you know, I don't see it more um, yeah, yeah, we're growing.
Speaker 1:I guess it's new right, it's new enough that like yeah, people don't know yeah yeah, like what you said.
Speaker 2:Um, I ripped the shit out of that man, they look like you know, they look like I live in mexico or something. They're just like bronze red balls.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, no, like it's. It's popularity, like you know, depending on the demographic of like. We're actually uh like it's growing. It's popularity, like you know, depending on the demographic of like we're actually uh, like it's growing in such like Colorado and like New Zealand's huge like Sweden, europe. Um, it's like we're growing it here in Canada. Pretty good, like, if you I'm sure you'll maybe see some guys like in the interior, like if you're in, you know, rebel stove.
Speaker 2:I know uh Alfonso, oh yeah, yeah, yeah, I know uh alfonso, oh yeah, yeah, yeah, he's on the island and he goes to the fly shop. So I've seen him wearing it and I was like I loves it. Yeah, yeah, he loves it.
Speaker 1:So oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, I know I don't really talk but he's definitely like.
Speaker 2:I've fished with him once and he's a cool guy. So, yeah, I've seen him and I think wherever bel believes or some shit. Fucking wrapping that, I was like yeah that was where I saw it and I was like, oh yeah, I should get him on.
Speaker 1:And then you know my other buddy, um, so mitch right yeah, I know, I know, mitch, he came down here, um, and now with jeremy swayman, uh, which is the ruins goalie, and then they all came down for kind of like the Calgary Stampede. And then, uh, we, we have a motor home, my brother and I, so we kind of packed them up in it and we just went on like this, like crazy, like bull trail, trip like deep into, like like Jasper and stuff like that, and we just had like a ride. There's like a crew of us and Mitchie was like you know, we all had a felt like kind of like a boy band, you know what.
Speaker 2:I mean. For bull, for bull trout kind of Be honest, you're a groupies for the bull trout. Yeah, we were.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah, so Mitch Mitch came down. He's a fishy dude, like I think we fished, uh, yeah, in Jasper and he was the one getting on the board. Uh, he was doing pretty good Like he was doing pretty good, like he was. Uh, you know, he did pretty good because we actually kind of missed the, the bull choke, the run. It was kind of like a hot early spring, um, so I think the bulls went up a little early. So, uh, we kind of, I think we, I think we missed them, so but there was still some resis in there that we sniffed out, but uh, but yeah, mitch was mitch was. Mitch is awesome dude, man he's awesome.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I've had him on the podcast quite a few times. He's, you know, an unofficial co-host, basically Like he pulled me out because, you know, like anything, even if the deadline's just in my mind, uh, you know, something's coming up and someone had to back out. I'm, I need someone and he's always been there for me. I got a few people like that, so shout out those people. Um, but yeah, mitch has been been a solid rock. Uh, gives good, good perspective. He's a fishy dude, oh yeah, so fishy like that guy he's in alaska man.
Speaker 1:Yeah, he's always sending me his uh adventures. I think we're planning another trip here, uh, this summer too. He's going to come down again. So I think uh, with all the guys, get the whole bull trail rodeo, uh, like swayman, all the guys uh um together to maybe do some film and some fishing again. We didn't do it last year, um, we're all so busy, but we're hoping to uh to do it this year again. But he was mentioning to me something you guys are going to Patagonia.
Speaker 2:Yeah, so we're going to Patagonia. We pushed it till 2026. Me and the company that I'm working with because just a short on time we did have a few people, but they were fine to roll over to 2026. It just gives everyone more time to, you know, sort out their affairs and uh, yeah, so it's going to be a pretty sweet trip. It's seven days. I honestly a lot of the names I would need to be like looking at them, to repeat them, just because I haven't actually I haven't actually been there.
Speaker 2:So for me it's like one of those things where I'm like I I names are hard enough, I need to, yeah, I need to process them like a river. I need to go fish it to truly know it. I mean, unless it's a super simple river that I see all the time it's going to escape my mind. So, yeah, seven day trip there's going to be rafting, there's going to be on foot hitting multiple different rivers. Uh, for seven to seven days out there, but there's going to be probably six days of fishing. Um, for the browns out there.
Speaker 1:And is it summer there right now? My friend, that's so funny, I think. I think it's yeah, like mickey said the words are hard to say, like Chernobyl or I don't know, but yeah.
Speaker 1:I'm not Spanish, I'm not yeah but he, my friend, randomly just called me, uh Derek yesterday. He's like, hey, I just booked a random trip to uh, to Patagonia tomorrow. I just got done like a shift to work and I'm like, oh really. He's like, yeah, do you know, like um, where to go or anything? I'm like, well, like I have never been but I can maybe like my one other friend last year from uh new york, he actually went there but he gave me all these pins and stuff. But uh, he was sending me the pictures. It looks freaking, that big brown trout they catch there. It looks beautiful. You know what I mean. Like that's a dream, right, you know?
Speaker 2:it is the dream man, you know. So I know the main spot that we're going is asset s ascend, ascend, I think it's pronounced ascend, um. It's kind of in the middle, and so the guides that we've been in, uh cahoots with, they have explained um, like the brown trout, trout fishing, and like what we're, what to expect, and I was just like drooling, thinking like, oh, my god, you know, in a year from now, basically, um, to be like casting at these fish and I'm going to bring my two-handed and my streamer rod. I'll do some dry fly, I'll have a reel for that, but I'm so you know, those tight line grabs, nothing like it yeah, you guys gonna go for some salmon too.
Speaker 2:I don't know if there is, uh, the season slightly overlap. I think that's going to be saved for another time. I plan on doing this every year hosted trip out there every year with this interesting yeah, um, so we were going I might have to hop in one time.
Speaker 1:Man, I always wanted to go there.
Speaker 2:Yeah, dude, yeah you have to send me the details, yeah, I will.
Speaker 2:I will, um, yeah, where you have a pdf with all that information. We're tweaking it a little bit. It's basically like a template for what the trip will look like, um, and then once we got all the six people um, well, six is the maximum, I guess, including me, so five all together, and the plan was, this first time around especially is to like really focus on, uh, photography and filming and stuff like that, and help promote it. And besides from that, though, it's going to be, yeah, everything's included the lodging, the travel to each place. It's going to be like we're not just staying in one spot, we're going adventuring, like we're going on a, on a journey. That's sweet. It'll be like start here, do do this river.
Speaker 1:That's so sweet.
Speaker 2:Next day drive out, go hit this river on foot, then stay there, get on a boat the next day, raft down kind of thing. But it could go as far, like, depending on the people that are coming, it could be helicopter, it could be on horseback. You know like there's endless options for it. You know like there's, there's endless options for it. Um, and his company also does uh, like, uh, ice climbing, ice kayaking, rock climbing, skiing, heli skiing, the whole shebang. So that's his background, is he used to do a lot of back country backpacking down there and stuff, um, and he worked for a company that he did a lot of filming as well. So he's probably that house, it's. It's going to be a thing. Um, when are you guys going? We're going 2026 in, probably february, the the like july, like July or June, sorry, yeah, june, july, july, no, sorry, whoa, I'm backed up. Let's take a moment. I'm excited.
Speaker 1:Breathe. We got to remember to breathe. I'm flustered. You just want to get there, man. I just want to get there.
Speaker 2:January, February, March is the season that we can go. I start my guiding season in March and I do some steelheading but I'll be able to book the time off. Steelhead, guiding, I'll be able to book the time off. So I'm thinking February is kind of that sweet spot. It's had time to, you know, change over.
Speaker 2:The weather's a little bit more consistent and predictable at that point. And yeah, the best part about brown trout too is, you know they don't care about weather. Well, they don't really. They like shitty weather. So if it were, it was in that way like windy or something. It's like get those streamers out, yeah yeah, yeah, they're, they're, they're smart man.
Speaker 1:It's brown charter. Uh, a whole beast of their own man. Um, there's lots of brown chart obviously fishing here, but I don't do too much of it because my patience is low sometimes. But uh, but uh. I like the big predatory elites, but I I just say that because I can't catch some, but yeah, well yeah, man brad showed her uh well, and the bow river is a beast in itself.
Speaker 2:The first time I went to go fish it you know, I just got off of doing dry fly season I thought I was hot shit. I'm like, yeah, I got this, I get out there. I caught one fish the first day and I had the second day booked with a guide that I've had on the podcast um, and he was awesome and we caught, like I don't know, at least at least 20 like solid rainbows on us, on streamers. All he does is streamers. He'll do a bit of dry flying if it's happening, but he's like a streamer guide, yeah he does he doesn't own nymphs, you know, yeah, like those are.
Speaker 1:Those are frowned upon, right, I guess. But I I've fished the bow quite a bit, like here and there, like, um, it is hard, it's a beast of its own because it's fished so much. You know what I mean. There's always a drift boat going but there's so many fish, um, but some of those guys, man like that, they live by the boat like they got, they're like jedi knights, man like they it it really is just you couldn't, I think a lot of it take more skill right, because it's just fish, so it's a lot of pressure. So I just think over time guys just even get better and better at it and like even swinging man, like they're just swinging for them now and covering more water and stuff, but uh, I swung there and caught my two personal best browns.
Speaker 2:Oh did you, I did. I swung there um at night with a couple of friends and it was just magical, was it yeah, yeah. Well, I only caught two, but I caught one and I was like holy shit, man, that's my personal best.
Speaker 1:And I caught a second one and I was like oh, this is my personal path, like let's just, he just did it twice let's see, yeah, yeah, like like 10, 10 steps from the last, uh, swinging at night fucking it was sweet and yeah, it looks like it's like raining at night, man, with all the rises. It's crazy like um, some of the spots on the bow, um, everyone's walking down there to to go get their dry fly fix. You know what I mean.
Speaker 2:But hoppers and and whatnot but you're, you're, you're really liking the alpine stuff, like heading up, yeah, yeah, more of it yeah, I'm more of obsessed with like the uh, the adventure part of it, right like um yeah just diving to the bow isn't much of a for me. It's exciting because I'm fucking yeah, cross country. Now I'm like holy shit, but for you it's like there it is, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 1:So like I like the uh, the adventure, like you know, like dropping a pin finding a lake looking you know like dropping a pin finding a lake, looking at you know, maybe some books where there might be some like big cutties or bulls, um, and like you know, you'll be the only one out there. You know like just sitting out there, maybe with one other friend backpacking and maybe spending the night, um, beside an Alpine lake. You know, just spending the night doing some night fishing even there, but just kind of like more of like a tranquility of that aspect of it. Um, and like a lot of the pack rafting and stuff now that they're coming out with which just gets me so amped I can literally pack like a pack raft in my bag, my like you know what I mean my osprey bag with the tent, everything with some food, and like I like just even talking about it right now just makes you can't wait for this summer. Yeah, yeah, I got so much now.
Speaker 1:It's happening, though it's happening yeah, man, I don't know if, uh, you know I think a lot of guys are venturing out like it, you know, like people want to catch fish and and uh, and I'm all about the that for sure. Just walking down from the truck to like once in a while it's fun. But if you can, if you have the time right, like some of the stuff I do takes, like you're, you're gone from the family, like you know two nights or something like that, but you know, but, but it's definitely I, that's what I like about it, and then A lot of the time sometimes you get a massive trophy like lake trout or bull trout. Some of these places I know in like the parks are like Golden and Revelstoke or Interior BC. There's so much to explore, man, you know what I mean Like out there, especially with all the maps now that you can use like satellites and stuff.
Speaker 2:So it's cool.
Speaker 1:I don't even know how a lot of these fish get into these places, but it's freaking badass. You know they're just.
Speaker 2:It is. Yeah, so I've done one Alpine Lake, nice and I'll share my story and you'll probably have something for me afterward. But yeah, the first time I went to Alberta I met up with two I guess only one of them I had on the podcast, but her and her friend and we went to an Alpine Lake, hiked in, and I slept in my truck that night on the side of the highway because I was like trying not to spend a ton of money and I was like, uh, hotel no.
Speaker 1:Walmart parking lot and I went to a.
Speaker 2:Walmart parking lot and I was like this is lame, so I went like off the highway on some dirt road, parked it slept, woke up and just drove Um it was such a fun adventure. But we, we hiked up into the lake and no one was fishing. There was hikers around. We're casting in this giant like bowl of mountains, crystal clear water, seeing no fish, and casting and casting and finally I like no fish and casting and casting and finally I like we started seeing fish like chase our flies and I was like oh my god, they're in here yeah, they're in there and they're big and they were freaking, being pesky as shit.
Speaker 2:I uh, at one point I was like, well, we might as well make a little video of like me casting or someone you know, our us casting. So like I started and I'm going for my cast and like hit a bush and it just like stops me in midair and I just like look back, I'm like you know, I just start spazzing and they like caught it on film.
Speaker 2:It was funny it's always when you pull the camera out hold the camera out like casting beautifully, and then pull the camera out, try and just fumble hard. Yeah, your rod breaks, you get snagged in the water.
Speaker 1:I always love the like midair where you're like and oh no, it just stops, stops, yeah, so yeah, those fish were like coming up.
Speaker 2:They were, you know, close to 20 inches from a distance looking I don't know. But, like you know, I got a couple close in and they were, like you know, 16 to 20 like large fish. Good, yeah, healthy cutthroat, but they just would not take yeah, really they would, I would feel like grabs and I'd be like, oh, oh my god, and then go.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I would be like what the heck is this?
Speaker 2:Hindsight. Now I'm like, okay, I probably my one buddy told me a little trick and he's like you probably should have went with indicators and like balanced leech.
Speaker 1:Yeah, balanced leech, yeah, yeah, that's the go-to, of course, of course.
Speaker 2:Of course, of course, of, of course, of course, something I wouldn't do, because I'm like so wanting him on the streamer with like action but it was so fun and walking out, we like were walking and the girls were like, oh my god, and I like look over and there's a fucking moose right there. In the past, cool dude no way, just like I was.
Speaker 1:Like holy shit, man, that's the first moose I ever saw.
Speaker 2:And so I just like, took I started making loud noise, took my bottle and started smashing it on a tree and like it just walks off into this like dense-ish forest, but with this massive fucking rack whatever you call those things. Yeah yeah, that's sweet dude. And then it just walks off and the girls are like you've never encountered a moose and they're like that thing could have killed us. I was like oh, yeah, I kind of forget. I'm so used to black bears that it's like, hey, I'm here, I'm big don't mess with me.
Speaker 2:And they walk off. I would go back 100%. I can definitely see the incline to wanting to do that. Having that pack out that you're talking about, I can definitely see the the incline to to wanting to do that. So you, you would have that pack out that you're talking about.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah. Would have been the thing, you know you would go back right, like you would go back for more, as it was a good experience, even though the fishing wasn't lights out.
Speaker 2:Oh, I got the pens. Oh, no, this is game on for me, this oh no, this is game on for me.
Speaker 1:This is like oh, you didn't want my shit, now Watch me, come back. I'm coming back and I'm uppercutting all of you with this leech. Yeah, we've got to have a little. You know I like catching them on streamers too. I call it a little fly box. You know a little last resort of some good leeches and nymphs. You know, we've got to get the indicators out. I guess you know. Yeah, you know what I mean.
Speaker 2:But like it's over time, someone's gotta score a goal. You know what I mean, but but I, like you know I was. I tried drives, I tried poppers, I tried the whole shebang. I didn't bring an insane amount of flies but I brought enough variety that I was like okay and the things that, funny enough, the things that were working were like some old steelhead flies that were like at the bottom of my bag yeah, some weird shit they probably had never seen seen you know hobo flies or hobo spay flies and things like that, and yeah.
Speaker 2:So it was just so magical like I took photos. I didn't post any of it cause I don't want to you know, keep it for myself, but I showed my wife and she was just like Holy shit, I was like this doesn't look real.
Speaker 2:Yeah, you know for me it's at least 18 hours or something to get to one of these places, but when I was in Alberta it was just a hop skip, oh yeah. So that was, that was my only introduction to alpine lakes and I like I said I got the pins. Um, I thought even like, oh, if I hiked my water master?
Speaker 2:but water master is like 85 pounds or something that's where you what you were saying about the um, you know the pack out there. I I definitely have seen those and thought the exact same thing like that would just be because you want to bring some stuff, you want to bring some water, you want to bring some food, you got your fly gear. You know, if we we didn't wear our waders, we just wet waited. Mind you, we didn't wear our waders, we just wet waded. Mind you, we didn't actually go in the water really at all.
Speaker 2:We didn't need to. But yeah, I mean seeing the crystal clear water. You could see like I don't know the bank, you know sloped in. And it was like you saw the debris down there.
Speaker 1:You were sight fishing Once they started coming in close.
Speaker 2:It was almost like they were like now attracted, but they just weren't. Yeah, committing so crazy.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah, so it had been time of day or two or something, but what's, yeah, what is the season for you?
Speaker 1:alpine, like because I know she said she went a few times too early, or something like that, or yeah well, yeah, I think the ice comes off um pretty late, like dude, like honestly like june, and like the ice doesn't come off, so like I'm gonna say like middle of june, june, um. So usually that's when the alpine season kind of starts, and then now with the pack graphs like packing in, like I said, you can actually get so much more, uh, now that you can navigate so much better right like around the whole lake rather than just the banks. And then obviously the skins come a huge part and you can either roll them up in your bag so if it gets rainy or something, or you do get in the water. You're like I, I sleep in them sometimes if I want to warm through, whatever, but uh, but that's usually when the season kind of packing in starts is uh, I'd say like june, just um june.
Speaker 1:Yeah, so a lot of the parks open up, um, like some places you can go, I think park the parks open up in july 1st some of them, so you even gotta wait till then, but usually they're always always the the only one up there, you know, I mean most of the time um, like you'll see hikers and stuff like that. But I mean when it comes to fishing, usually probably like you.
Speaker 2:Were you guys the only ones up there there eventually came like one other guy with his wife, oh yeah, um, and he putzed around a bit and they same thing, nothing, nothing grabbed. But we were kind of in that spot where, like we got there, first we found fish, um, you know, surfacing. We couldn't see if they were large or not, and then we started casting for a while and finally we all, we all had some kind of action out of all three of us and uh, yeah, and then they're like, okay, let's leave. And I'm like, yeah, casting. I'm like, yeah, yeah, let's go.
Speaker 1:And they're like walking away and I'm like freaking casting, you still want to keep going.
Speaker 2:And then I like get to the next kind of opening and I'm like well, I got it, I'm here now. You know, for me it was like they could just scribe there for me, it was like today's my day.
Speaker 1:Yeah, what if, by that log, there's a trophy in here and I'm gonna get it before I leave this back to the island? Right, yeah, I? Um, that's cool.
Speaker 2:You've experienced it, though man a lot of, not a lot.
Speaker 1:There's a trophy in here and I'm going to get it before I leave this back to the island. Right, yeah, that's cool. You've experienced it, though, man, a lot of not a lot of people, do you know? When I talked to some other people, they're like oh, I've never tried that yet.
Speaker 2:I've always wanted to, or whatever, but you've got a kind of a little taste of it, right, so it's a mission, most predominant and productive. Um, for trout is the cowagin river and it has steelhead salmon and everything, so a lot of that. That's where I go a lot of the time, also with the family, you know, if it's just a day trip, yeah, accessible going, yeah, driving to fish two hours to drive another four hours home doesn't make sense at all.
Speaker 2:Um, and then obviously, weather camping might not be the funnest, yeah not a fair weather fisherman, but I'm a fair weather sleeper, yeah you know, I have that sleep in like super cold weather and I'm like I would have to have some kind of nice setup for that. Yeah, um, and I don't want to bring my trailer out. You just, yeah, just to sleep for you know, a few nights.
Speaker 1:Yeah, up island, shit's expensive it is man, everything is man, everything. Now, man like I, I the island, especially, man like, but uh, everything's expensive, even like if you just, you know, go to the fly store and get flies or hide flies, or you know waiters, or you know, or like, yeah, anything, gas, gas, gas, like camping gear, even if you want the good stuff right, like when you're out there, you'll I always think it's funny like you try and cheap out, but when you're out there and you're cold, like you will pay that $700 for that Gore-Tex jacket when you're out there freezing your ass off. You know what I mean Sometimes. So you got to, sometimes have you got to spend the money right in order to make it fun, yeah, with some quality stuff, some quality stuff like packer house or whatever, but but yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2:So what's like your ideal, like when you go out to an alpine lake, even if it's something you've already experienced, gone there before. Um, what are you bringing? Like what's all your gear? You were saying pack rat or pack raft, pack rat. You gotta pack your rat, yeah, pack your rat.
Speaker 1:You know your fish rat, up your fish rats.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, your fish right from the front of the raft, yeah yeah um, and then? Your skin how thick are they? Do you have multiple thicknesses? Is that something?
Speaker 1:we actually did. We had two millimeter to start, um, and then, uh, a lot of people liked them because everyone runs at different temperatures, sure, um, but now we just do the 1.5 millimeter, which is kind of in between. But they have like a nylon inner layer, so they're not just your regular neoprene pants, because they actually wick away sweat and they have breathable capabilities as well. So they're like 1.5 millimeters, so it's kind of like, but I think I'm going to make thicker ones Again. Al is one of the ones actually that messaged me. He's like hey, man, like you're not making the thick ones anymore, because there's kind of confusing people you know what I mean mean getting so many questions and emails. So we just kind of made it simple all z series, the same path for right now.
Speaker 1:But, uh, I have like some some crazy stuff I got in the works right now where some of this I'm gonna get some waterproof socks. I almost go up to the thighs underneath the skins, and then you can wear them with your shorts and you'll almost be like waders as well, just not wet, waiting, um. So I have some of these like crazy ideas to see. You know, you can really push the weight, the wet weighting or the our skins in, like the the spring and the fall. But, uh, for for packing, yeah, we the skins really help that you can roll them up, put them in your bag. I like we have waterproof socks, so those are really nice to have too.
Speaker 1:Sure, if you have, like you're going to an alpine lake and there's like creek crossings and stuff, because I hate having a wet seat for that Then like just a pair of like we have wading socks too, like your regular gravel guard ones. I just pack those up in the bag. A good water filtration device, you know, like anyone, even the ones you can suck out of the lake. Or you can get those tablets. Jet boil is huge. Something to start a fire. You know like there's all sorts of fire starters out there. You can even get caught and put them on vaseline and put them in ziploc bags or whatever you want to do. Just something easy to start a fire, even if it's raining or something happens.
Speaker 2:Um, I've never heard of this cotton and vaseline, so just one one slow down break on that. Um, literally just cotton swabs and vaseline.
Speaker 1:Yeah man, I'll just start light it up, light it up, and it'll be in the winter. Yeah, dude, you just put a bunch in a ziploc bag, just rub it, or even just bring vaseline and like some cotton balls, and it will start, no matter what. Like you know, um, in the, in the water or the rain or whatever you can get wood chips, do like just with a knife and then put them in there and then just really you can start a fire, any anywhere.
Speaker 2:Man, those are some good that's like that guy on instagram, that's like no way, I mean like goes into his toolbox and grabs the shit and then he does it and he's like I've seen that that how do I not? Know about this, like how do I not know about that. That's like a survival easy tip, like I know a few that you know prepping some fire starter things, but that one's like the easiest.
Speaker 1:I got that shit right now yeah, like you got that shit and now it'll stick in your head too, and that's in my oh yeah yeah and the thing is is like when you get up there and like when we first started doing them we're trying to learn these things and you're trying to start a fire, like you're trying to do something, you're like fuck man, like what? Like I'm such a rookie, you know what I mean. So then I go home and I start youtube and crazy shit and all these adventure things and and these guys are doing all this stuff and I'm like and I'm like you know, like in like hyper focus on this. I'm like my wife's like, oh yeah, like what do you like? What is this show like? These guys are the cotton balls and wood chips with knives and stuff.
Speaker 1:And I'm like trying to find all these like survival shows inside survival and it's so cool because, like realistically, when you're out there, like stuff can go wrong and and even stuff like like certain things you can eat, like shrubs and stuff like plants too. Like that's a good one. There's like apps for it and I even literally like take a picture of it and I'll be like you can eat this or these mushrooms yeah, eat that one.
Speaker 2:That's psilocybin. You break your ankle, you make a fire.
Speaker 1:Eat your psilocybin so you're like, okay, tonight will be all right tonight, tonight's gonna be awesome, yeah, but uh, but yeah, so, like some fire, some of the start of fire, um, water filtration device can't go wrong with. Uh, um, what are those mountain house foods? You know what I mean? Um, some of the lakes, we like you're allowed to keep the fish, so you kind of like try and catch what you think I cook maybe you know what I mean. Like, maybe a little cutty here and there, maybe over the fire, you know, uh, we don't mind doing that, bring a little little lime for that, maybe a little pepper, but something like that, just to really get the whole feel. You know, the whole. Like, you know, depending where you are, like there's certain rules. You gotta obviously look up where you're going.
Speaker 1:But yeah, and then a good sleeping pad that rolls up, small, you know, like a good sleeping pad, there's some good ones on Amazon now and I just really focus on the weight and how small they are and a lot of the compression sacks you can get now you can really get them tight and small.
Speaker 1:And then, like a good, I have an osprey bag, I think 65 liters, fine for what I do, like I don't go more than some of my friends have 100 liter bags. Um, I have a 65 liter bag, um, that I use for a month. I'm a smaller guy but uh, but yeah, I can put my pack raft in there, all the things that I'm just mentioning right now, everything in there, uh, on the trip that we just did and uh, in alberta and bc in the last summer, like I literally fit everything in there, man. And then, like you know, like a good little knife to have a nice knife, you know, just for anything, a good, like you know, crewshawhaw knife or something yeah, or that alligator, crocodile, alligator guy with the this, that's not a knife, this is a knife yeah, this is a real knife.
Speaker 1:This is like 16 inches, like you must, that's.
Speaker 2:If it's not, if it's not past 14 inches, why bring it?
Speaker 1:yeah, yeah, like there's some real hardcore knife guys there. If I pulled out, maybe some of them.
Speaker 2:What is that? I'm like.
Speaker 1:This is called a tool I'm like, oh, I got some wood chips here, man works you know, but yeah, there's some guys that are like hard same with, yeah, like anything, but yeah, like a good knife, you know some food, some water. I like some sugar because if you're hiking and man, you know, you just like your caffeine. You know, I love having like a coffee, like on the jet boil or something like a lot of scene. It really helps me like. Or even those like gel. It's that like cyclers, where or whatever or not where eat when they're like cycling? Yeah, you know what I mean.
Speaker 1:Um, just some say some granola bars and stuff and what else. Yeah, like I have a little pump. You can get these little pumps now, um, you can just use the blow-up ones, um, for packrafts. But they have these little ones that I found um on amazon. They're like this tiny, they're electric and I can literally blow my back packraft up in like three seconds. But, uh, there's all sorts of cool little gadgets now for like blowing up your pack raft, um, and then just like a good I don't know water, cheap person, little packable tent. You know um, something that's. My friends are all like hardcore with the tent part of it. Like you said, like you basically said they they want to sleep and make sure they're dry. So I think they got some from hawaii. I'm looking right now. I'm in the market for upgrading so I might pull the trigger. The ones they bought are like 700 bucks off that hunting brand kawaii.
Speaker 2:I don't know how you say it, but yeah, that's kind of what this stuff was reminding me of. Like, I got a couple of buddies that do, uh, the goat hunt or the sheep hunting up in the mountains and I'm like they're talking weight, you know they're talking pack up small, they're going into this like crazy thing. So I mean you're, you're doing an adventure when you're going into these alpine lakes or checking out these rivers that connect stuff, and you know that's, that's really sweet. What, what ammunition do you bring? Rod wise, yeah.
Speaker 1:So I, they have some of those, a lot of brands actually now, but I use, uh, I work with a brand called rare gear that sells my gear online, but he has rods that are like six piece, like five way rods, like they're like six piece, so they're like they pack, like in the case, like this small right. So I I really like that, because having that long rod holder on your back really just kind of like in on trees and shit. So I like to keep it like and it comes like this man, like these little rare gear rods here's like five, seven weight. So I like have it's good to bring two rods so I've broken some and then you're like sitting there watching your friends, you know, just drinking beer instead or whatever.
Speaker 1:But but uh, but yeah, like I like to bring two rods and maybe like, if you can, uh, a sinking line, um, you know, a five-way rod, two five-way rods or like, and maybe even, if you want to really have fun, some of these fish, like a glass rod. If you're into that, like I like to have maybe like a glass rod, five-way and a five-way, you know, um, regular rod. So, um, I like to bring two rods, two reels, just in case anything happens, you break a rod. I like to have a little bit of sinking line because I really do find it really is more effective for stripping in balance leeches um getting that pull, you know underneath the water underneath the water really does help.
Speaker 1:Um, and then floating line like just regular, you know, floating line for for your dries or your nymphane basically. But I like that. I definitely like to bring balanced features around, like tungsten heads and the ones that have like the bead so effective for me that I've learned they kind of have like that rainbow or gasoline color. You know that's all the colors.
Speaker 2:Oh yeah, like what is Metallica. I don't know what it's called the colors. Oh yeah, like um, what is metallica I don't know what it's called. Yeah you know I'm talking. It looks like gasoline so they always have those lighters in the pocket knives that have that color on them.
Speaker 1:Color like that yellow and red, like that rainbow. Yeah, what is that? I don't know okay, it'll come back to us yeah, those I don't know what color it's called, but you know I'm talking about.
Speaker 2:But yeah, if you put those in the rainbow beads, because I've used them before, um, so I do know what you're talking about.
Speaker 1:I don't know, I don't know why. Well, like red, anodized ones will work really good as well, um, but for some reason, man, the ratio like catching fish and tying balanced leeches, um, like, uh, with that that color on the head I don't know if it catches their eye or whatever it is and then if you use like a black, with like a, like a, like some dubbing with like a, like a red tint dubbing with it, uh, I basically just use that. Or like an olive green, even with the rainbow head, olive green, orange tail, um, but those are the go-to man, like they really, they really actually, for my experience, um, a lot of these places like, like they don't have much pressure on them, so you just look like a good angler some days, even though you have no idea what you're doing, but what does, but, but, when they do the naked eye maybe.
Speaker 1:Maybe they just work because they haven't seen anything, but that's what it's been working for me, man, is those over the years I've been doing it. So if anyone wants any tips for me from my experience would be definitely some balanced leeches, yeah, like olive green, but always the rainbow head or red anodized. If you don't have any of those, whatever we call them, I feel like I have a pack of those, whatever we call them if you're getting.
Speaker 1:I have a pack of those rainbows sitting around. They kill it, man. They kill it, they just kill it.
Speaker 2:You said tungsten but like you know, for when I euro nymph or something, it's like a 5.5 mil tungsten bead are you doing it in multiple sizes and I'm assuming more like 4.5s down, yeah, yeah, like I like to have some big ones in there, um, above, like I like to have, yeah, like three, so yeah, a range of sizes.
Speaker 1:Right, I, you know I'm trying. I start small and then work my way up. You know, if you, if you say a couple and they're like I want to go for the big one, maybe the small ones won't go for this, you know, because a lot of small ones always get it before the big fish. So you kind of want to always have like a a little something bigger that he's really going to go for, and the little ones don't, you know, sometimes, cause, like you'll see the big one and then you'll be like, and then all the little ones always getting like, fuck, just get off my line.
Speaker 2:You know what I?
Speaker 2:mean, and then like but that big one fly, you know what I mean. They kind of get out of the way and then he goes at it. I've seen before too right. So, yeah, that's kind of like my strategy. That's kind of I noticed that too like I was getting, you know, I had small leeches, um, and you know those, uh, pickles or whatever they're called, like mini pickles, yeah. So it's just like a stonefly imitation or something, and I was tossing everything. I was tossed. I was ready to tie on my fly box and just cast that out.
Speaker 2:So you guys pick you know, but once I got, to like this bigger hobo spay that was maybe like three inches long. That's when I started getting the the real chases close in where like, and they would swipe at it and like go away and then come back last second and I was like, holy shit, this is so thrilling and I know, yeah, screw you for not actually committing, like what, what more could I do here?
Speaker 2:but that's yeah, I didn't have a red bead or, um, you know the rainbow bead, so obviously I messed there. But you don't know, you don't know like how many, how many fishing trips. You go on and you get skunked right.
Speaker 1:That's how we, that's how you figure it out, man, A lot Like I've gone. You know 10, 15 K and got completely skunked multiple times and uh, you know like there might even be stuff other guys are using out there that that works for, but for us for us it's always been. You know some good solid. You know leeches, balanced strips, stripping them in. You know little ticks, you know stripping them in um and stuff like that yeah, those the skins.
Speaker 2:They keep coming back in my head. I'm thinking like march, when you know it's waiters are done, it's 26,. You know anywhere from 18 to 26 degrees, um, so it's like warm out, but then the water is still quite cold, so you don't want to get in, but you know I I'm on a raft a lot of the time, so there's best way yeah yeah, I can wear shorts in my waders, but I'm still over warmth.
Speaker 2:You know, I'll usually put my waders down and they're just clunky and I'm rowing and sometimes the pockets get stuck you know, and I'm like ah shit you know and yeah, so there's, there is uh, my brain is just firing at all all cylinders and like that's, that's where I want that um because you're right there isn't.
Speaker 2:And I've looked, I've even thought of the pants waders, but then and I'm just as hot and and if not hotter, because they like, go around your belt and, yeah, eat in, yeah because we, we I've seen some videos of guys wearing ours for the sea runs out there.
Speaker 1:The sea run, um, like uh, floating around for them out there, um, and and on their kayaks to some of them there's some still kayakers out there that that, uh, they do like the halibut and all that shit in our skins, man, like they're ripping them um, like in Lincoln and all that wing con and all that. But uh, but yeah, I think uh, yeah, like they're, they would, definitely they would help you out, I think for for doing that.
Speaker 2:How do you do the sizing? Because, like I guess they're kind of tight?
Speaker 1:let's say yeah, yeah someone's ordering online.
Speaker 2:I'm thinking for myself now, um, but I'll pretend like I'm talking for my friend. My friend wants to order some online. Yeah, and you know he's got thick, thick legs, but he's not necessarily the tallest. Like what? What do you kind of how? How would I go about that?
Speaker 1:It's a great question. Yeah, that's a great question, man. We get it so often.
Speaker 2:It's so hard, um scary to shop online, I mean, you can always return things, but it's like a lot of you know if I order something and it doesn't fit. There's a chance it just never gets returned.
Speaker 1:I'm like.
Speaker 2:I eat that. That's a loss on me All good.
Speaker 1:Yeah, you're right, no one just even wants to go through the hassle of like sending it back, right, people are so busy. But yeah, that's a great question, man, we get it so often. We really try to like make our. You know, I need to get like that virtual sizing or something like that. I think I see a lot of uh, some brands like the higher end, really high-end brands that we're working obviously towards to be as well but, but, uh, the virtual sizing to get lots of questions. But they're pretty forgiving.
Speaker 1:Leggings are pretty forgiving and they're pretty stretchy. I do have size charts on there so, like, a lot of people are in between like a large and xl. Within it comes like with the inseam and stuff. But, uh, I'm really good, we're really good at, you know, answering these questions and I already know by someone's like weight and size, just from answering so many questions, what size they are. So I can really give good feedback if you know, tell me your waist, tell me how tall you are, and like you know around your weight and I'm helping people out. But like, and we're really good with returns too like we just automatically sometimes we'll just send them the pants right and just be like, don't worry about it or something if we screwed up, or something like that, but they're really forgiving.
Speaker 1:And we also have, um, this new sock called the liquid lock sock and it's actually a neoprene sock that goes almost up to your knee, um, and I got, like I wear them underneath my skins and, uh, if you're just exiting the water in and out real quick, the seal from the skins being over, like my leggings over top of the liquid locks neoprene sock that's waterproof. Um, it actually like, if you're doing picking your access points, or if you're getting in and out of a kayak or raft, um, you're basically staying dry, but you just have compression gear on. Do you know what I mean? Rather than waders like you're not getting wet.
Speaker 2:You're not getting wet.
Speaker 1:You're not like these socks these socks I came up with.
Speaker 1:No one has them, not even sims or anything yet.
Speaker 1:Um, and guys are just eating them up, even in the States, for like small creeks and shit, like a lot of the guys in like the Eastern States are doing like that small trope crossing, like fishing, like dry fly, like Brookies and like you know, like Carolina and all those places, but they're eating these socks up because they can just get away without wearing waders.
Speaker 1:Do you know what I mean? So, but for you, like getting in and out of a boat, like I wear them in alpine lakes if I don't want to get wet or get cold, but I'll wear the liquid lock socks, you know, with not getting wet. But I have like a rubber seal on the inside of the sock too and it seals against your leg and then you put the legging over top and like I've literally almost gone in, almost to like my pelvis, like in and out real quick out of the water and I never get wet. But if you're prolonged, just feet planted and it goes over the sock line, a little bit of water goes in, you know what I mean, but it's not the same.
Speaker 2:So my my big issue I had this my first season, um and my second thing is boot dryers for people that I put my boots and my um waiting socks on the boot dryer every night because my first, you know, maybe a couple hours in the morning I'm not getting my feet wet and so my neoprene socks stay dry. But once I get my feet into the water now I got hot feet in the boat constant all throughout the day. I had like I don't know what swamp foot is exactly, but like my feet would just get really hot and kind of grubby and like I had to always wash them every night.
Speaker 2:Make sure that I like, use soap you know like go in on these things. But one of my nails on my toe got soft where I could like scrape it and it would like scrape like fucking cheese. I was scared, and so that at that point I started wearing my waders even though it was so hot at because I was like no, I need to keep my feet dry right now.
Speaker 1:Like one of my nails, like it was not doing good, man was not doing good, yeah, man, it was not doing good yeah.
Speaker 2:But like that would be such, so clutch to have. For that reason that's huge because, like I usually like jump out, go to the bank, yeah, and then I'm standing on the bank with the net waiting. Client gets the fish in, I walk in, net it, we take a photo, move on, or no photo, move on. So yeah, there's a lot of portions of my day where my feet don't actually they're not submerged. You know, I'm not standing in the river swinging, I'm just like in and out. You know. Go to the washroom.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:Yeah, you got it, man, that's that's, that's crazy.
Speaker 1:That's exactly it, man Like I, that's what I like well. Well, pack grafting is kind of the same thing. You're getting in and out and some of the times you just kind of want to stay dry but you don't want to wear your waders, and like it's for me, like some of those times when those white caps hit on my pack graph, like I don't want to really be in waders too, like I was sitting on a floating man, like I'd rather be in skins where I know I'm going to live and I'm going to swim across and I'm not gonna get high serum, you die or whatever. Like if I'm stranded out in the alpine or whatever. But same kind of thing. Like just it's nice just to get in and out, not have your waders on. Um, it's just another great alternative. And guys are eating it up, man, they're trying to wear them backcountry skins man congratulations because that's a real.
Speaker 2:That was a real in the middle problem.
Speaker 1:Yeah that everyone's brand, everyone, all the big problem that everyone's brand.
Speaker 2:Everyone, all the big companies, overlooked, everyone's overlooking that, um you know there was some things similar but not actually functional in that sense. Um, I honestly like when I would see them on Instagram and didn't look into them, because I'm like that um most guys are? I assume they were just like they were just like cover uv protection which I wear like the uv shirts yeah, yeah, we had those two yeah and, and I was like kind of wanting some, but I wasn't really like in looking into the market, but after a few seasons in cranbrook I was like okay I need to be perfect.
Speaker 2:I started just wearing pants from walmart because I was like, okay, like I need something, that something to cover your legs something to cover these legs, but there weren't. They're not uncomfortable pants, they're just not really they're. And they're breaking down super easy because they're in the water and drying and sun and all that so like that kind of skins man, that's I'm. I'm hitting up that website fast thanks, man.
Speaker 1:Thanks, yeah, I appreciate it man, just anything like uh, you know, just getting the word out there, because we're not. We're kind of just up here in canada like doing our own little thing. You know, we're not really in the big in the like states or industry. We're just trying to get our name out there as much as possible, like I run ads and stuff like that.
Speaker 2:But um, where the mouth is way better like this oh, yeah, changed my life I'm. I'm a different man now. I have knowledge under my belt. You know what I mean and like for patagonia yeah, yeah, yeah, that's not care like I already have to bring my boots, um, you know, on a trip like that, but bringing my waiters is probably still going to happen, but not needing to wear my waiters would be way nicer of a yeah, man, you know, as they're wearing right now, it's summer there.
Speaker 1:So, uh, you know, guys are buying them and then going to Patagonia or New Zealand we have a dealer in New Zealand as well Um, they're huge because there's summers there right now. So we kind of keep it going that way, like wet wading and target markets that are, you know, still still ripping wet wading more. Um, obviously, like right now it's full winter here, so you gotta wear waders, but guys do wear them. We got the waterproof socks for leaky waders and, like the skins underneath, they work pretty good to keep keep things flowing for us. But I'm gonna rep the shit out of that. Plus they're sweet, they're like super sick design.
Speaker 2:I've looked at the. I didn't really. That's the thing is. I look at labels, you know, or I don't really look at labels. I look at the product and yeah, and assume I know what it is. There's my fault, I'll work on that, but it's hard.
Speaker 1:It's hard to sell it really because they're yeah, thanks, man, it's, and it's not sorry to cut you off one more time, but there it's hard to sell it really because they're.
Speaker 2:Yeah, thanks, man, it's, and it's not. Sorry to cut you off one more time, but there it's not. Um, you know like everyone wearing sims looks the exact same. Yeah, yeah yeah everyone wearing patagonia looks the exact same same thing. Man, it's it's the same thing, and there's such a variety of things that you have different colors, patterns, all sorts. That's, yeah, makes you unique, which is unique.
Speaker 1:Yeah, the concept's unique. It fills a bit of a gap in the industry. You can really push it and like we're trying to sell, like some guys I see online like oh, leggings for fishing, it's like. But like man, you just throw a pair of board shorts on and like it's just like you're wearing shorts but skins, like with your regular skin.
Speaker 2:I do that at home all the time with my gym.
Speaker 1:You know what I mean I feel, like leggings for, because a lot of these guys like, oh, I'm a hard for outdoors and well, but I just like what works. You know what I mean. So, um, having having these is just like and the look we try to like get the bots and like just a whole cool, like adventure. That's the thing. This is a fashions.
Speaker 2:This is a fashionable thing and I think fly fishing in the last especially last 10 years, but let's say last 20 years becoming more popular with our generation, the younger generation, yeah, um, and we're always crying for like kind of, we don't necessarily want to look the same, but you look at fly anglers, they always look the same and like the skins yeah, you see the stuff out in um, you know the salt flats and they're all wearing these like cool skins and they just look different.
Speaker 2:These three buddies standing together don't look all the same from the back. Yeah, um, you know. So anytime one of my friends whips out like a new piece of gear and it's you know they bought it somewhere else, where they don't, we don't have it in our stores I'm like, damn. Or I see a jacket, a sims jacket, that's not sold around here. I'm like, oh man, I do want that, but not for 800 bucks, you know.
Speaker 1:Uh, it's retarded, it's insane passion just for, like, just for being a little bit different, because you know, at the end of the day, like we're taking photos of ourselves showing it to our friends. Yeah, like look at the trip I took, you know what I mean it's a part of it.
Speaker 1:But we like are like yeah, I did that, oh yeah, yeah, yeah, you know, you put it in a nutshell, man. You got it down like, um, you know it's nice to have a brand, like it's been a long, it's been the same for such a long time and, uh, it's nice to. You know, we just want to throw a little couple or some spice. You know, like some like, you know like sporty look, um, you know, put some fishy designs on there, get you know, but not only that, make it really like affordable for the people.
Speaker 1:Man, like I've honestly rep skins. I know I'm a little biased, but like even before I started this brand, man, like I was ripping leggings from like basically like march, to like like doubling up, you know, like waiting socks, just so I didn't have to wear waders because I really dislike wearing them as much as possible, even though they are. You do need a set like I'm sure, if you're a winter angler, but but I will, I will push. I've had guys pushing skins like it's still snowing out and they're like ripping their like liquid locks with their like skins and, like you know, really pushing it or whatever.
Speaker 1:But, yeah, just giving a whole new like, uh, um, you know, I'll give it some, uh, some little spice something different. You know some. You know if someone's on the river, all skins, like you know, like I see al his cool pictures with all the buff for the new zealanders, all ripping man, you know I mean these guys look like they're, they're taking skins to, like the whole. I love it. It just gets you so jacked man, like you know what I mean.
Speaker 2:So but I um, I yeah like there's so many gizmo gadgets and things that come out and it's like you know, that's just a fancy net holder, or that's just a fancy clasp, or this is like you know and so and then, like you know, the able nippers for 100 or 200 bucks or whatever, and it's like well or more than I think they're like 400 or something you know, and it's like well, you, you just don't need that unless you're buying it for like kind of the aesthetic of it.
Speaker 2:So having a super functional is like layering. I do winter stuff, so obviously at that point, waders. But when it's like quite cold out, waders with like thermals and sweatpants on is still cold. So I'm curious to see what I'm throwing, throwing like you know, uh, thermal and then putting, or I don't know, I don't know what, what, uh, what, what, uh, series of clothing would go on first to make it. But I would try it out, just like you said, that extra neoprene. Neoprene's a good one, um, but going from likember into december it's not really that cold and wearing the waders I'm I'm pretty much not even going in the water and even if I'm not cooking I'm.
Speaker 2:You know it's not as comfortable, it's just simply waiters. I don't complain in the winter because they're keeping me dry ish without the leaks. Yeah, I have a pair. Yeah, yeah, like you still got that yeah, but you know, at 800 bucks, if I can make my waiters last twice as long, which you will, you know, and my waiters are more than that. But most people aren't needing the, you know, heavy usage ones. I go for the best of of the best, just because you're a fishy dude.
Speaker 2:I'm in them all the time. But yeah, that's huge. Like November, basically, from like December to January, is when I would want waders. The rest of the time I would way rather be in wet wading, but it's still a bit cold. Ah, huge, that's huge, man. So what you got?
Speaker 1:you got uv shirts, yeah we got uv shirts and then we're really getting really uh now getting into like the uv game for the solfax, like you mentioned. Um, in some cool designs out there that really match with like the. We got a couple pairs to work on some more designs like camo designs, um, but we got. And then we got waterproof socks like normal ones, like merino wool, like that. I wear them under waders are great. And then we have neoprene wading socks. We have some bags too. Now we got a like a full submersible triple shell bag. We're gonna add, um, we're thinking about right now to get the chest pack with it, the waterproof, submersible one as well. I'm like I'm gonna add a lot hold, yeah, punch it.
Speaker 2:Do a fanny pack, man. Yeah, like you do it, man, these days I'd wrap a fanny because I wear my fanny pack sometimes for my gear, like I only need, you know, a small fly box, some tippet and nippers and, honestly, a fanny pack. I want to do it all. Yeah, do it everything for sure, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 1:A little chest pack, a little it's like, yeah, this chest pack is sick man, it's fully submersible, and then it has a strap for the backs, for the net holder, like that goes in the back and then I'm gonna put which has never been done like a, like a rod holder on it too. So if you really want to put a rod tube for rent randomly on it, so you can really, because I like to pack for me, I'm like I like to pack, like a lot of guys don't, but I do. I just like to. Like you know, I know my flies. If I'm not going to catch anything, fuck it.
Speaker 2:Like you know, but yeah, is huge I like moving, I like going you know what I mean and I don't want to be necessarily restricted.
Speaker 2:I I used to be that guy that brought the leg from the truck down to the river. I would bring fucking everything. My shoulders would take the bond to that. I'd be casting, I'd be sore, I'd put my backpack down, walk down like 50 feet and be like I got to go back for my backpack. That's crazy man. Yeah, you're really. Yeah, you're really you're. You're fixing problems, you're solving problems. That's pain points.
Speaker 1:Pain points yeah, just trying to. You know I'm just an average angler that has a huge thing I, I think, for an adventure, but uh, but I've done it for a while now and, dude, like there's it's always the same man, everything's pretty bulky and most guys are, you know, going down from the truck, you know fishing or this or that, but I think it's gonna personally, with my vision. I don't know if I'm right or wrong, but I think more people are going to be with technology and how people can safely more get out of the backcountry. And then, and then just how saturated, like people on their phones and people, um, on their phones and just like it's so you're just gonna want to find to get out there. Do you know what I mean? I think more and more you know what I mean.
Speaker 1:So building gear for that, you know, is, uh, I think um, uh, priority for us. You know, for those people that want to start doing that more and, like you know, just helping them out doing that as well. But obviously our stuff does what? Guys in the jerk boats wear them too, like on the bow and shit, they love them. Like the fishtails got our stuff, some fishtails here in calgary and, like the owner dave, like he rips them, like I guess they're going on like big floats, like uh, like I don't, like I don't know what kind of group floats, or whatever. We we just had an article out talking about how he was just like the only one to still lend them an.
Speaker 1:F-R-1 is in waders and he's like the only one. He's like I'm wearing skins man, so it's pretty sweet. Yeah, it's awesome to see.
Speaker 2:That's. Yeah, I'm definitely going to browse it. What is that? Pretty much so. You got the socks, the like ceiling socks. You got neoprene wading socks, the pants, UV shirts, hats. You're coming out with bags, Bags. Man congratulations, if no one said it in the recent 10 minutes. Congratulations. Thanks, man.
Speaker 1:I really appreciate it. It means a lot, even you just having me on here, man, like anyone who really wants to even have a chat about it or whatever, because, like, like I said, we're just like two brothers doing this kind of by ourselves, but uh, but yeah, man, we just uh. It's a lot of sacrifice time, you know, but I love it, just like you. You probably, you know, love this. You know what I mean. Doing this, this is your passion, but when you love doing it, it doesn't really feel like work, so it's it's just. You know, sometimes I gotta get the wife to keep me in check. Kelly, you gotta come upstairs hang out with your daughter.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, remember you have another life, yeah, yeah. Yeah, man, I mean, from your perspective, I'm it's baffling because, like, how many people have an idea in their head and are like, dude, this would like solve this issue, and then that's, that's that, you know, it's over and done with. So the the footwork that you put in, um, you know, three, three years is usually that that hill of like. Get to there and you're somewhere sink or swim, sink or swim, and then to come through and and keep going with it is, yeah, I mean so it it all started from just that small seed, you know yeah, like there's wedding money.
Speaker 1:Yeah, his wife's like what the heck? This is your first time test married couple.
Speaker 1:You bastard are you sure? Like just trust me, we gotta go through. Imagine it didn't work, but but yeah, yeah, like I just think people just find it relatable. Like dude, I'm just a nomad, like like most anglers out there just looking for their zen man. And like people are finding that relatable like I'm just every like every other guy out there, like you know well, in a sense, like they're like dude I want to get behind this. You know what I mean. And guys are, and it's like it's. It's it's all because of really the people.
Speaker 1:That's like it just kind of like it gets a little emotional, but but yeah, it's uh, it's cool to see man you've probably pondered this or something, but like, um, I'll use movies as an example.
Speaker 2:There's like some movies out there uh, I'm a big nerd, so I'll use lord of the rings like the, the producer, the author, like everything that came to be was out of pure passion for that story and that you know, adventure there that the movie was done so well. So when Hollywood is like okay, boys, we need to write another movie. No one has passion for it. They're just like okay, another product. Let's boot this out, that's why, Hollywood movies sometimes just flunk.
Speaker 2:Yeah, so you're in your situation. You like had a problem, you solved it, you're super passionate about it. Yeah, that, and you're because you're solving a problem, people could easily, you know, get behind you. Yeah, you know, and in four years, from coming to nothing, solving a problem that nobody else like, yeah you, you climbed a mountain yourself, dude, that's yeah, thanks, man, yeah, yeah, thank you, um thanks, you know, and I.
Speaker 2:I'm in the situation where I was not really thinking I needed anything else. I had those pants, so I was like I'll make these work, but yeah, we'll get you now, now I'm thinking like save my feet. You know those, yeah, those, uh water, what do you call them? The, the, so?
Speaker 1:we got, yeah, the liquid locks and then we got with locks and then I have regular like. They're like regular everyday normal socks for waterproof. Basically they're like they can you eat their regular everyday normal socks, but they're merino wool and they have like a waterproof barrier. So I have normal ones too, but the near pre ones are for the warmth for sure, and I'm like you know I've doubled them up to even get more waterproofness sometimes. But yeah, the waterproof socks, they'll be clutch for you.
Speaker 2:Yeah, that. And then yeah, just like the neoprene pants too like early season, it is cold, it's glacier water. I got to stand in it and smile.
Speaker 1:You know I'm trying to smile for the camera.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, yeah, like, get me out of here when it's super hot, it's like, yeah, I want to dunk my body in there, but I don't want to stand in there for hours and that's yeah, that's huge. So you know, you've come out like, how many times has that the neoprene pants, leggings, um, evolved since you've started? You said you're doing two mil and then you're down to 1.5, like obviously your first pair wasn't the the perfect thing, or I'm assuming it wasn't yeah, I think it was too thick on the first one and, uh, just for the show, like this year, we're coming out with the first ever.
Speaker 1:You can get the first scoop on it. But, uh, we're coming out with the very first which never been done perforate, you know, those airplane socks. Um, we're doing a perforated shirt and horse. We're going to come up with a new line. So right now we have the Z series and I haven't really I'm have a brainstorming names for the new pant line, but it's going to be basically have air preen in certain spots of the pant. That's going to have more breathable where it's more hotter. Usually, you know, like the took us or whatever you know?
Speaker 2:okay, Well, I was. It's more hotter usually you know, like the tuchus or whatever you know okay. Well, I was going to say I was, I wanted to dip my balls, but then I resisted. So I guess it now has come to light what I wanted to dip in the water.
Speaker 1:Yeah, it's never been like altered on the pants, so we're gonna. It's not gonna be, obviously, as warm as the other pants, so that's the design of it. Yeah, yeah, but we're gonna do that and make them even more breathable in certain areas of the the pan. I haven't thought of the name yet, but yeah, but we're working on it right now, so we're super stoked um so it'd be like neoprene up to um, yeah, yeah, but it's still neoprene, but it's just perforated as like holes right Ventilation.
Speaker 2:Yeah, a little ventilation.
Speaker 1:You get a little more breathability on boys.
Speaker 2:You know what I mean. Because if you're getting in the water up to your hips, you are in a situation where you need to get in there. That wasn't necessarily by decision. Either you're a fly that you spent an hour tying, so, like you're, already know what you're in for if you're going that deep into water, but most like 90% of the time, I would say like if you're dry fly fishing on a bank and you got back cast room, you don't need to be in the water. If you're nymphing, you don't need to be in the water. If you're streamer fishing, you don't need to be in the water. Streamer fishing, you don't need to be in the water. If you're spay fishing, maybe like up to your, you know, somewhere on your feet, but then you're, you stay within your means there and your feet will stay dry, like you got it and you get the ventilation and the ventilation, yeah, like, yeah, like you get it's yeah, and it's going to drain out a little bit better, like I, the water kind of traps in there to keep the one through.
Speaker 1:So I think we were just kind of worried about, uh, water kind of traps in there to keep the one through longer. So I think we were just kind of worried about uh, you know it, taking away from maybe the other pan, but I think both of them have their own individual lanes, um, to benefit certain people of what they like. You know what I mean. If someone might run hotter, they're like dude, I'm going to get to this style, or that. They're like I need to be warmer, I want the Z series, you know what I mean, and then time of year as well.
Speaker 2:That would be huge. Yeah, yeah, time of year.
Speaker 1:Yeah, time of year too. Yeah, like I want these guys. You know, we're basically savoring their waders. They're not wearing them at all. You know what I mean. So, but that's just keep innovating man, Just coming up with new ideas, for sure, yeah.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I like that, because that just like fits into.
Speaker 1:It was a gap that I didn't even know was necessarily there. Yeah, but you were thinking about it when you were sitting in the wrap and you're like, oh, many of times I've been like well, why isn't there something that suits the situation better?
Speaker 2:um, you know, even like the few times where it would start raining and it was kind of hot out, but like then my pants are all getting wet and I'm cold from that, you know, until the sun pops back out and drives me. But that's like a yeah, that's a pretty good insurance to like that. It comes down to quality gear, like we were talking for your backpacking trips. You don't want to really be. You know, let's say, it's super hot and you have to bring your waiters because of what your situation is. Now that's taken off the map. Yeah, um, yeah, you're good.
Speaker 2:Waiters are awesome during the winter when it's cold. Yeah, but once you can wet wade and I've heard it so many times, um from either other podcasts or other things where people are like I hate waiters. I'm not not that against waders, but I don't want to have to wear them when I when it's hot and I got the winter kind of thicker waders, so like that comes earlier in the season yeah, yeah, yeah, you got it, man, you put it on.
Speaker 1:Yeah, like it's just that even the concept itself is really kind of hard to sell because it's so new and, like you know, like having this conversation helps so much when you actually have a conversation with someone, right. But when people just see it, you know you're either kind of just in or you're you're intrigued, or like some people don't even want to really read it all even though it's all on there. Like me, some people are just like, oh, I'm gonna buy this or I'm not, or I'm gonna read this or I'm not gonna read it all, it's gonna take too much of my time or whatever. So but I guess just word of mouth, you know, really helps people like yeah, man, I wrapped these, like you know, early spring to fall. I don't I.
Speaker 2:I feel like I just didn't even know what, what I was looking at yeah, and most people you know I was like I've seen. I've seen nice things before and like, if I'm not trying to spend money, clicking on it and reading more about it is probably going to make me want to buy it but yeah, it's bad.
Speaker 1:You know, that's when I was more thinking.
Speaker 2:It's just like a uv layer, um, so yeah, but I've seen it for a while and I've said, and like you kind of said, like it's growing, I've been seeing more and more people wearing time time, time, yeah, just time people and that it sells itself in a sense, once guys put them on, you know, um, they fall in love with them.
Speaker 1:You know most of them, and they find a place for them in their, in their gear for the time of year. Right, you're gonna be like, oh, this is when I'm wearing them. You know you're gonna be a hardcore guy. Feel like our slogans. Feel the wild, like, feel, because I actually like it. You know, like guys are all about ice baths and shit. Now, like you know, like. Like you know, feeling the wild, like getting in the water and feeling a little more like some people don't like getting wet at all, so like I'm not getting wet, like there's no way. Do you know what I mean? You don't know. Like, there's adventure guys. There's guys that just like the convenience. So it all depends on where it fits in for you as an individual. I guess.
Speaker 1:Right, but yeah I mean, I bet there's people that have bought them just for hiking purposes oh dude, yeah, guys have bought them, like, even like, just like some of the guys that do the shocking and stuff they bought just for that.
Speaker 2:You know, like, uh, what they're called, uh, environmentalists or whatever yeah, yeah, not hippies, but yeah, yeah, I don't know the researcher, researchers, or yeah, yeah, yeah, I know what you're talking about, nor do I know the name specific. Yeah, um, yeah, that's really cool. It's uh, like I've said now countless times, I'm impressed, I'm truly impressed, just because it's like when you can fill a gap in a market where it's saturated with these big names. Um, but, the big names, you know, they're just trying to sell stuff, and whether it's yeah, this is like you know, your mom and pop shop coming up and breaking breaking ice, ice, let's say yeah, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 1:You know, going for the, going for the hole in one. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Just, I think everything takes time, you know, um, like, so hopefully we can get to that point where you know we're rubbing. I try my best to, uh, you, you know, try and be unique. So when people see our stuff it's not the same as a lot of the other brands. Um, some you know what I mean as traditional. I some of it I do just cause you have to, but but I try to make it as unique as possible. So you know, people, not only that, just bringing the younger kids in too, right Like with with with some, you know, making it look cool and really cool at fishing, know it's gonna be really awesome, you know.
Speaker 2:So, yeah, doing that, yeah, I think it's, uh, it's been. You know we used to wear fly vests, yeah I did too, when I first started. I had to, because what would you see, you have to you saw it in a magazine that's like it's this is wearing it and river runs through it.
Speaker 2:I'm wearing it, man. Yeah, you got to. And then you know neoprene waders like the old school ones. That's what I showed up to the river the first time. And then did I like it? No, when I look at the first photo of, I guess, pink salmon I caught, I always laugh because I got like a Bass Pro Shop hat on. It's like been smushed a bunch. I got my fly vest. I'm wearing like a green shirt underneath and neoprene waders all tied up on my jumps and.
Speaker 2:I was like crazy, but that's how it starts, isn't it? That's how it starts, you know. And then I got the chest pack. I like the chest pack, but it was a little bulkier than than what I wanted, so then I got like the big backpack so I can carry everything, and then that was too heavy and so minimalistic. Uh, at this point with the fishing, as as yourself, um, yeah, I want to get out there and be super comfortable.
Speaker 1:So yeah, move, you know. Cover more water, find that extra, run, you know like, have the energy to do it and not if you're a guy and haven't wore leggings.
Speaker 2:You don't actually know what you're making fun of shit's comfortable.
Speaker 1:I need to make like some sort of yeah, it's comfortable man, just wear them with shorts. I'm not ballsy, I'm not gonna hang the ass.
Speaker 2:Yeah, we're not we're not telling you to walk out there with just leggings on. Throw on this sick hair like yeah, I got you know short, short you know, I like the look of that, like joggers and stuff. I'm always like, yeah, that looks slick. When I see like a cyclist, I'm honestly not impressed by their, their tights and stuff. But joggers, I'm like, okay, guys at the gym.
Speaker 1:I'm like I can do that and I started seeing it in fishing.
Speaker 2:I was looking for a pair of like UV leggings last year For the flats no, just for where I was out and in the Kootenays there because like once again my knees. So I ended up going pants because I couldn't really find what I was looking for. That's the product that I was looking for.
Speaker 1:I didn't even know it existed Just a couple hours over in the city of Calgary. Yeah, yeah, and I've been to Fishtails.
Speaker 2:I've been in there. I've talked to Dave. Dave's the owner, right, I think that's Dave and Nancy. They're a couple yeah. Actually, I'll let you know I I walked in there one day and tried to get a job as a guide because, uh, my season got cut short on the island, so I was going back to construction and I was like what if I could guide? Yeah, yeah, yeah, I went in there and he's like, who are you?
Speaker 1:he's like I don't know, I don't know if you could fish or not?
Speaker 2:which is fair like you're taking out clients you're like he doesn't know me. Um, I've always gotten jobs from word of mouth and that was like my, my like just show up and hope for the swing swing for the stars you never know until you try right yeah, but you know we chatted and then he was like well, we should go fishing together and that would be a good way of me learning who you are.
Speaker 2:And I was like sick and so yeah, um, I did mention the podcast, so I'm sure I'll eventually get him on because he's a fishy dude like he does those summer classes for how to fly fish guide yeah yeah yeah, shout out fish tails shout out fish tails 100%.
Speaker 1:Man, they're such a good store, you know they got so much in there, they're the only one that really took us on man out. Of the other ones I tried and they did one. Uh, in canmore, um nick, he took us on too, but only like two shout out nick canmore, yeah yeah, nick canmore as well showed out.
Speaker 1:Yeah everyone fled the streets, fled the streets yeah, wapiti or wapiti, yeah, yeah, so, but uh, yeah, they took, uh, yeah, they took us on man, they're they're. They're well-known in the community. Like you said, they're always do that. I think they're right now somewhere. I just saw them their Instagram. I think they're like in the Caribbean somewhere or whatever. So they're always doing cool trips and stuff too trips out of canada.
Speaker 2:Yeah, last year I went to uh, belize.
Speaker 1:Um, yeah, dude, it was sick dude. Um, we didn't have as much luck as we thought, but uh, it was hard. It's. Saltwater fishing is a whole different game for just a char pack rafting guy. You know what I mean. But but I learned a lot.
Speaker 1:And my friend, max, um, well, he actually owns, uh, a guiding thing in isla holbox, which is in mexico and ireland, a great destination. He actually does the housing as well. But I met him down there in belize and then we, yeah, we walked the flats diy style um, in ambergus k, and then there was like, yeah, man, like tons of permit, tons of tarpon. Um, it's just so cool, man, you just walk in the flags of like distant fins everywhere chasing them, the triggers wouldn't eat. Uh, we had a couple shots at a big permit. And then there's like you could do some like tarpon dock stuff if you want. I know it's cheating in a sense or whatever, but like I don't know, I'm gonna want at least and try and say I have. But but, uh, but for the most part is it was a grind, but it was fun though. Super good experience, man. But I don't know, have you done any saltwater stuff?
Speaker 2:um in Mexico I've casted at fish um, just like you know, at the resort go out to the water.
Speaker 1:Start casting, because I'm not supposed to fish there you know, casual shit.
Speaker 2:I went on a guided trip and it was shit. It was just like saltwater fishing um, you know gear and it was shit, the, the one fish we like got, the one tuna we got. I was like right next to the rod and it started going off and the guy's like okay, someone, and like I was about to. And then I looked over at this like nine, ten year old rod and it started going off and the guy's like okay, someone, and like I was about to. And then I looked over at this like nine, 10 year old kid and I was like you go, and his dad put like strong, armed him out of the way, grabbed the rod, started reeling and I was like oh, that guy's a joke. And so then the whole the rest of the trip I was just like mean mean staring at it the back of his head like who are you?
Speaker 2:you know it was crazy, man, take it from your son. Yeah and uh. And so when we got back on the dock I like set up my eight weight real quick and started casting was getting like fish chasing all sorts of like weird little things. I didn't care.
Speaker 1:I was like, yeah, and then someone was like you can't fish here and I was like what he's like private? And I was like, yeah, and then someone was like you can't fish here. And I was like what? And he's like private.
Speaker 2:And I was like I just paid you guys a bunch of money and he's like no, and I was like do you need more money?
Speaker 1:You know we're in Mexico here. Can I bribe you out? Can I bribe myself out of this?
Speaker 2:And he was like no and, and so then I went down to a bridge it was in Cancun, um and I started fishing under the bridge and there wasn't really enough room to do like proper casting and stuff. So at one point I got it out as far out as I could, stripped off all the line and just started ripping the streamer in and I started getting a chase and my wife was like above the bridge, just like watching, and she's like stop, there's a fish chasing.
Speaker 2:I stopped and then it just turned away and left and I was like oh, you know like normally I would never have stopped, but she like yelled at that, and then of course I was like that was your fault, you know had.
Speaker 1:Blame it on them all mad.
Speaker 2:Yeah, blame it on her yeah, blame it for a bit then apologize for blaming her guys for getting mad, yeah, I'm doing there, yeah. And then, uh, yeah, that was the end of that. And then I went back one other time and casted and got a bent hook, a hook just like bent open. It was relatively strong hook.
Speaker 1:So I was like yeah, that fish must have been a hog. It owned me, probably a grouper or something no idea it happened so fast.
Speaker 2:Um drag was like not even set that high. I like started giving it palming the reel and then just went limp. Yeah, c'est la vie, but it makes you, you know you get into those ocean fish and you're like holy shit, like that's a whole, whole other beast like you're saying it's, yeah, man, it's.
Speaker 1:Uh, I would love to do it more. Like you know, maybe down the road, like it's so interesting to me, there's so much fish in there and they're so powerful, like, even if you just catch a bonefish I don't know for pound those things and just red man is like insane. Um, but, uh, it's, it's definitely. Uh, it's just the whole amazing part about fly fishing. Right, there's just, it just never ends.
Speaker 1:It never ends, man, you're only like you're out here, you know you, you got the, the bull show, you got the steelhead and the salt water. It's just endless.
Speaker 2:So it's just an amazing thing to to be into right fishing's amazing, yeah, yeah, and then breaking into the industry too, like you've done, is super cool. I mean, I got exposed to some cool things just being on this podcast and that's awesome. So many cool people appreciate it. Um, like yourselves that have, you know, done something and became a part of it, which is, you know, really cool. I mean, no matter what direction you go, you can always look back and be like, yeah, I started a company and like I tried a tough. You know it's a niche in a niche in a niche company. You know industry and then, yeah, it's awesome.
Speaker 1:Yeah, thanks, man, I really appreciate it. I like have another uh, you know, local, uh Canadian guy you know, have a chat.
Speaker 2:It was awesome yeah, man, you've never been out to the Vancouver Island.
Speaker 1:I've only gone, uh, just for a wedding. Yeah, we drove down there, but it's beautiful man, I look like my fishy senses were going crazy when I was there. I was like I went to tofino checked out, I tried surfing, got pummeled by waves like four times, but uh, I the whole time in my head I was like this is a fishy place, like the island man, like you know, like I was looking, I just had the maps out and all this stuff, um, you know so, um, but I know I see lots of pictures. It looks beautiful man. I would love to still maybe come adventure that way eventually, because it's a beautiful place you live, man, For sure man.
Speaker 2:Um, yeah, there is a lost shoe Creek which is between tofino and uculit and I hiked the whole damn thing um catching like I don't know eight inch trout.
Speaker 2:Was a good trout, but so aggressive their cuddies, super aggressive, hitting them on dry flies yeah, they were either sea runs or residential or what, but, um, you know, for certain areas of the island it's timing for fishing, so there wasn't much around at that moment and I was wearing my waders just drenched in sweat for like the whole day during the summer, you know, and and that's that. That, yeah, that's being being able to be comfortable when you're fishing is the the key to staying out long, and and while you're enjoying your day. So more energy, yeah more energy.
Speaker 2:You're not just like I didn't even have water because I was like rebel, I was like I don't drink that shit, I don't need that.
Speaker 1:Well, when you got that, fish when you got that fish chase on. I know what you mean, man. Nothing matters, right? You're just going to that next corner, right?
Speaker 2:So you'd be like gasping for air, but if the fish are biting, you're here You're fasting for like 72, 72 hours.
Speaker 1:It, you're fasting for like 72 hours and still have drums going 100%. I'm not even going to eat tonight.
Speaker 2:Nope, I got a pee like 6 hours ago, but I'm casting right now, so it's worth it. Yeah, I like it, man. I really appreciate you coming on. I'll definitely be checking all that out. I think this year is going to be the year where I'm extra comfortable, um, but yeah, we'll get you dialed up man.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I'll support the shit out of it.
Speaker 2:It'll be good shit because I I see so many clients and we're always talking gear and I talk gear on here all the time it's guides like you, man.
Speaker 1:Yeah, that, that do it, man.
Speaker 2:They're wearing it, they're talking about it once I wear it I almost I can't see none of the other guides that I work with, being like wait, what? Yeah, you got that. Yeah, where do you get that?
Speaker 1:I'll be like, yeah, where do you get it?
Speaker 2:I got a guy, yeah, yeah, yeah, you just, actually, just you know, over in the next province, over yeah yeah yeah, and then, uh, I come out, talk we should fish when I come out, um, I come out to the, to alberta, um, like the end of september okay, yeah, that's, that's.
Speaker 1:uh, the end of september is is. Yeah, it's great fishing man. The fall is amazing here, dude, so so hit me up, man, like you know, if you're coming out here, I would love to get out and get some fish going, man, and do some fishing and caddens like this. It'd be awesome. I'd love that. That'd be badass.
Speaker 2:Oh yeah, that's like ew look at this. Friendship is blossoming, it's beautiful to that.
Speaker 1:Hey, fish friends are the best. You don't have to have anything else in common, man, if you both fish if you both fish.
Speaker 2:That's all you need, man because you feel like you've known the guy for like you know, yeah, you show up to the river, you see this guy.
Speaker 1:You're like hey, let's go on next. You know you're like well, let's go hit this spot together.
Speaker 2:yeah, next, you know you're like that's how one of my best friends, um, he was like my uh, I didn't really pick a best man, but like they were all my best men, so I'll call him my best man for the for the thing. But you know, I met him on a river and watched him spake cast for the first time, thinking this was I've said this before on the podcast but I was like he looks like mickey mouse and fantasia waving a wand around and making magic happen. Casting would just be like tight loop across the river and I was like they're trying to trying to cast a dry line, um, with trees behind me, just like constantly. And by the end of the day I was like yo, what the heck is this called man? And he's like this is spade casting and I was like you're like what?
Speaker 1:What is this?
Speaker 2:this is voodoo magic right here man, what are?
Speaker 1:you doing yeah you're a sorcerer on the water here, yeah yeah yeah, that's sick but yeah, I bring my raft out too.
Speaker 2:Um, so we can go hit the bow. And yeah, I have go ahead although I'm I'm tempted to bring uh my water master as well, but I guess for back country stuff. We should, we should hit an Alpine that would be, I have.
Speaker 1:I have quite a few doubts. So you know, um for distance wise, or whatever you want to do, man, so um I wonder if I, yeah, I'll show you the pins.
Speaker 2:You you've probably been to the lake, that's why I'm not saying it out loud, yeah, yeah you've probably been to the lake.
Speaker 1:That's why I'm not saying it out loud, yeah, yeah send it to me after.
Speaker 2:Just text me after and then I'll get your yeah, your stuff.
Speaker 1:Then I can go do my redemption jedi night stuff, you know can't be on the podcast yeah, yeah, we don't want to be the only ones there. It's a touchy, touchy subject these days, man, with this like social media yeah, yeah, yeah, if you know, you know like I I do some filming, I'm sure some locals maybe, sometimes before, I guess, before we get off.
Speaker 2:What is this? Uh, kj studio or media?
Speaker 1:oh yeah, that's just kind of like I was. Uh I was gonna do, uh, maybe some media for like other brands and stuff like that, but um, skins kind of wasn't. But but it keeps me enough busy basically. But I do do a lot of film work, like I do YouTube and all that kind of stuff, mostly all just for skins right now because it keeps you busy enough. But uh, you know, I was going to do some other branding um videos if, if things got, you know, a little poorly or whatever. But it's been good so far. But but but I do have, but I do film, um, I try to keep it mixed and mixed footage and we should do some locals always. You know some locals always get. It's always going to be like that, but I always feel a lot of places if you know, they know where you are, and if they don't, they're not going to know.
Speaker 2:But you got to respect, yeah, you know, yeah, respect yeah, if, uh, if you were to come to patagonia, I'd feel a mini short movie oh dude, any film, anything I'm going on a trip is getting filmed, mostly there you go.
Speaker 1:If I mix into that one, I would definitely be bringing full gear.
Speaker 2:Backcountry skins dead. Drifting through Patagonia Dead drift. Come on, yeah, yeah, let's go.
Speaker 1:Yeah, dead drifting in our back rafts.
Speaker 2:Yeah, man, that would be crazy.
Speaker 1:That guy, yeah, dead, drifting in our back graphs. Yeah, that's what my brother, that guy, I was telling you about. He's bringing his background there, solo man he's just like a raw dog in it.
Speaker 2:Man, it's crazy. Yeah, the diy stuff is definitely um. By the way, I thought when you were talking uh diy, I was like imagine uh, your uh leggings with like a diy print, like diy.
Speaker 1:Oh, yeah, yeah, I don't know. You know what I mean. And then when you're? Diy and people will freaking, know, don't know what the heck you're up to yeah prior, they didn't know they were like he might be a local, I don't know, I'm unsure, but now that I can, read it on his legs I know this guy's legit, yeah, yeah, yeah, he's legit man.
Speaker 2:Yeah, that's funny yeah where do you source it from? Is it are you? Have you been? Yeah, just like I imagine that's a tough thing to really find where to like get it made quality materials.
Speaker 1:Well, there is no real factories in north america. Sure, yeah, 100. So it's overseas um, china and stuff like that. We just uh, we do our full real, you know, observation and like you know where we're buying from and stuff. It's really important to like know certain things, but uh, yeah, basically overseas, just like anything else, like any other big brand, I think, I don't know. I think some of the big brands, like sims, are from actually the states, like well, maybe the only ones left that are doing it in the states, making a monster though.
Speaker 2:But yeah, canada is a different freaking scenario when it comes to, yeah, materials and stuff, um, yeah, yeah, I mean it must have been like a real, a real feat to actually get a hold of all these people and then like how many samples you had to go through to figure out like, okay, that's just for a year you got to test them.
Speaker 1:You got to put them through rigorous things and then you got to like, try and think of like designs that people like, maybe like, like. And then there's like people that like bold stuff, that people are just like regular black or casual, and try and find the. It's a lot, man, but now we kind of got a fix on it, man.
Speaker 2:So and then that, like the guy I was talking to about carp, he was saying, like you know, as far as his clothing, he needs like light colored materials, um, so he can blend in so like maybe darker pants, but then lighter up yeah, you know so like yeah, yeah, when you're going to that level and you're trying to camouflage, to get fish, um, you know, and then being able, like he was, like I wet weighed, that's basically all I do, um, so now I'm going to message him yeah, did you even know.
Speaker 2:You didn't even know like everything that you just said.
Speaker 1:Man, he's like yeah, I got a guy.
Speaker 2:He's on my podcast, yeah, man yeah, yeah, I gotta go set you straight, yeah yeah, yeah, man, he's exactly what you're talking about. He's got so yeah, man, yeah, super sick, okay, man. Well, I appreciate it so much for, uh, sharing your time with us and, and once again, yeah, thank you for for going out of your way and making something like this. That's super cool. Yeah, thanks, andrew, for having me on the podcast man.
Speaker 1:I really appreciate it, Thank you.