By Derek Bird
The logjam provided enough depth and structure to hold decent sized trout. I waded in just below it to about thigh deep and made a good cast up to where it looked like the large fish should be holding. My beetle pattern bobbed and drifted a foot or two from about the half-way-point of the jam where a few larger logs protruded into the river. I pulled quickly at the line to manage the slack as the current pushed the terrestrial toward me.
Leader and tippet might not steal the spotlight, but they matter, especially when presentation gets technical, flies get smaller, or conditions get tough. For 2026, Scientific Anglers has expanded its leader and tippet offering with the introduction of the new Mastery series, providing high-quality, budget-friendly lines for freshwater and saltwater applications.
The International Fly Fishing Film Festival (IF4), a curated collection of world-class films and cinematic storytelling from independent fly-fishing filmmakers from around the globe, is honored to announce RA Beattie, founder of Beattie Outdoor Productions and co-founder of Off the Grid Studios, as the winner of Audience Choice Award — Best Film in the 2025 IF4 for his groundbreaking film “The Silent Spotter”. This year’s top honor was determined entirely by audience votes from viewers around the world, underscoring the film’s powerful connection with the global fly-fishing community.
The Scott Fly Rod Company announces that Shawn Combs will join the Scott team as vice president in January.
“Shawn is a lifelong angler with finely honed skills and a proven track record in fly-fishing product design,” says Jim Bartschi, president of Scott Fly Rods. “His passion for innovation, quality, and team building is a perfect fit to help carry on Scott’s fifty-year legacy of handcrafting high-performance fly rods. I’m thrilled to welcome Shawn to the Scott family and for the opportunity to work with him and the rest of the team on writing the next chapters of the Scott story.”
After earning his master’s degree in mechanical engineering, Combs spent a decade in engineering roles with industry leaders, including Exxon Mobil Corp. and Lockheed Martin. In 2011, he joined the Orvis Company in Vermont as a product developer for fly rods and reels, and he has served as their director of product design and development since 2014.
Combs says, “I am beyond excited to join the Scott Fly Rod Company to work alongside Jim and team. Having grown up fishing Scott rods, I am honored to contribute to the legacy of handcrafting rods that, in my view, embody innovation and soul like no other.”
As a proud media partner, Fly Fusion is excited to share the stoke as the official sizzle reel for the International Fly Fishing Film Festival (IF4) has just been released, offering a first look at one of the most anticipated fly-fishing film events on the planet.
Two decades ago, alerted by headlights shining on my parent’s front lawn, I slipped silently out the front door and threw my pack into the bed of an old forest service truck.
I was 14-years-old and heading to a high mountain lake filled with cutthroat. In the driver’s seat was a business partner of my father’s, a real estate investor whose love for the outdoors mirrored my own. Although he was 16 years my senior, John and I formed a fast friendship, spawned in large part by that first outing together. As we bumped our way up the dirt road toward the trailhead we talked fishing and hiking and what excitement the day would provide. Only now, with the benefit of hindsight, do I realize what having a mentor such as John has provided for my life.
For a limited time, we invite you to watch Familiar Flow, the first episode of season 4 of the Fly Fusion Series.
Every great journey begins with the familiar. And I love my home rivers in British Columbia so much that I rarely want to leave. But I know I have to travel so I can grow in my knowledge as a fly angler. There is something about new places and new faces that invite me to learn new techniques. So this season, I’m taking Fly Fusion magazine on the road where I’m going to learn from the best of the best in the heart of one of the West’s premiere fly-fishing destinations. But before I get on a plane, I have to take one more trip to the place that I never want to leave. Today, I’m fishing my very favorite stretch of my very favorite river.
Fly Fusion’s Drift Sessions bridge the distance between author and reader. On October 23, Field Editor Derek Olthuis went live on Zoom to explore Mousing for Trophy Trout and Fishing Lakes.
In this Drift Session, Derek Olthuis took us on a small-lake fishing adventure for brookies, cutthroats, and cutbows, highlighting both the thrill of the catch and the deeper experience of being on the water with friends. The session covered a range of techniques, including careful observation, nymphing near logs, and mousing for big trout along the surface. Derek reflected on the balance between chasing the fish and enjoying the camaraderie, emphasizing that fishing is as much about the people and shared experience as it is about the catch.
Did you miss registering for this call? Well now you can watch the full session on flyfusionstreaming.com!
And keep an eye out for the next session which will be announced very soon. Drift Sessions are free and available exclusively to Fly Fusion subscribers. These calls are open to the first 100 registrants so don’t wait!
Inside Access: Hear the stories behind the columns — what inspires them and the lessons learned.
Ask Anything: Bring your questions and get real-time answers.
Connect with Editors: Go beyond the pages and meet the minds shaping Fly Fusion.
Exclusive Experience: Drift Sessions happen only a few times a year. This is your front-row seat.
Throwback to the first season of the Fly Fusion Series with Al Ritt on the vise. Filmed on location at Island Lake Lodge, nestled in the heart of the Rockies in the Kootenay region of British Columbia.
