IDAHO FALLS, IDAHO (June 27, 2018) – RIO’s brand promise is to help anglers “Make the Connection” and with the launch of RIO Flies, that couldn’t be truer. From backing to line, leader, tippet, and now flies, RIO Products helps anglers make the connection to more fish across the globe.

“RIO has been known for its numerous products anglers can count on when it matters, so adding high-quality, competitively priced flies is a natural fit,” said Larry Barrett, president and CEO of Far Bank Enterprises, parent company of RIO Products. “We’re committed to utilizing our resources to ensure high inventory availability, and we’re excited to offer our specialty dealer partners a new product category that integrates into our current pricing and shipping programs.”

RIO’s entry into the fly category continues the brand philosophy of a core group of experts working intimately with RIO’s greater team of passionate anglers, territory representatives, and RIO ambassadors to identify, design, and select key patterns. RIO Flies are hand-tied by tiers with an eye for quality, and combined with world-class product imagery, the most thoughtful and competitive pricing structure in the category, and Far Bank’s easy-to-use electronic order system (EOS) to create a compelling new opportunity for RIO dealers and anglers everywhere.

RIO Flies for freshwater, saltwater, steelhead, and salmon will be available for purchase by fly fishing specialty shops immediately with a large selection of core patterns in multiple colors and sizes. In addition, specialty patterns for a wide variety of species developed by its in-house team of experienced anglers and fly tiers will be available. RIO Flies brings anglers the right fly for every fish.

Rod repairs are no fun for anyone.  But the process can be made easier with modern technology, and Orvis has just introduced a new rod repair procedure that makes it seamless and quick for customers to return their rods for repair and track their progress. Visit Orvis online for details.

Oregon-based outdoor lifestyle companies Yakima Products and Poler Stuff have teamed up for the limited-edition SkyRise rooftop tent. The Yakima X Poler SkyRise is a new take on Yakima’s popular tent, featuring Poler’s signature fuzzy camo pattern.

Light, strong and easy to use, the SkyRise is perfect for weekend warriors, outdoor festivals and more. The rooftop tent sets up in just minutes and easily makes any terrain an overnight home – from rocky ground to a festival parking lot.

Thanks to the technologically-advanced materials and features, the SkyRise does more than just let people sleep off the ground: it also provides a premium camping experience, with a light tent body made of 210d nylon, a removable cover for an unparalleled view of the night sky, plus a cozy foam mattress.

“We’ve been waiting for the perfect opportunity to partner with Yakima, and the SkyRise blew us away. It’s our ideal for outdoor living: it’s fun, eye-catching and original, and it makes you want to get out there,” said Benji Wagner, Founder at Poler. “It was really cool to collaborate with them and find a way to add some Poler flare to the rooftop tent.”

The Yakima X Poler SkyRise is available starting this month at yakima.com and select specialty retailers, as well as polerstuff.com and the brand’s flagship stores in Portland, Ore. and Laguna, Calif.

To celebrate the launch, Yakima and Poler have teamed up with for a Spring Adventuremobile Giveaway, including the new Yakima X Poler SkyRise, a Yakima roof rack system, and some Poler favorites, including the Napsack and Rucksack. The contest runs through the end of May and can be found at yakima.com. Additionally, the brands will host a launch party on Friday, April 6 at Poler’s flagship store in Portland, Ore.

Today the fly-fishing community mourns the loss of Bernard Victor “Lefty” Kreh, who passed away at the age of 93 at his home in Cockeysville, Maryland. It’s unlikely fly fishing is ever going to see an individual who will contribute as much as Lefty. Because of his contributions he earned numerous achievement awards including the American Sportfishing Association “Lifetime Achievement Award” and the Fly Tackle Trade Association “Lifetime Contribution Award”. In addition to his awards he also served as a Senior Advisor to Trout Unlimited and Fly Fishers International. Members of the Fly Fusion staff had the opportunity to cross paths with Lefty and always enjoyed the time spent with him. Fly Fusion’s President, Chris Bird, said, “It is a sad day today as the fly-fishing community deals with this loss. Lefty is an irreplaceable legend and we are grateful for him. We have been given an opportunity to create a life within fly-fishing only because of his tremendous contributions to the sport. He is to fly fishing what Michael Jordan was for basketball,” said Bird. “We lost the best today.” The Bird family sends its thoughts and prayers to Lefty’s family and those close to him.

Cranbrook, BC (March 1, 2018)-Eggs and bacon, peanut butter and jam, the Pittsburg Penguins, and the Stanley Cup-some things are meant for each other just like Derek Olthuis and Fly Fusion Magazine.

Derek Olthuis of InTents Media recently joined the Fly Fusion team as the travel and destination field editor. Olthuis is a natural fit for the position. As a fly-fishing photographer, cinematographer, and writer who’s always seeking to inspire audiences with huge fish in untouched and remote landscapes, Olthuis brings a wealth of experience to the position. Traveling in itself is an inspiring thing to do, but mix it with an activity and you can grip many who want to escape through another world. It may not be a luxurious private jet trip with a warm bed in a fancy hotel afterward, but traveling in any capacity, as long as it is fun, will make so many want to do it themselves.

His travel column will make its inaugural appearance in Fly Fusion’s upcoming summer issue. Olthuis said, “Readers can look forward to coming along on some of my adventures and sharing moments that shaped the trip. The column will be photo-rich and portray victories and failures.”

“My goal is to relate the overall experience of the trip, including travel and cultural aspects. My desire…is to motivate anglers to find their own special places and experience moments that fuel their passion for fly fishing,” said Olthuis.

Founding editor, Derek Bird, said, “It’s such a natural fit. Our team has spent lots of time with Derek over the last number of years. As the magazine grows and matures, we’re always looking for different ways to create a finished product that not only drives fly-fishing culture but also reflects the culture. Adding Derek to the team fulfills both aspects of this goal. That, and he’s pretty much one of the coolest and most genuine fly anglers I’ve ever met.”

Cranbrook, BC (February 22, 2018)—As a general rule, an angler’s fly box is extremely personal. Like a woman’s purse, it’s not a place to simply rummage through uninvited. That is unless you’re a professional fly tier like Bob Reece.

Fly Fusion is excited to announce that its readers will have the opportunity to see what’s new in Reece’s fly box on a consistent basis because he’s now part of the distinguished list of field editors.

Reece brings a wealth of fly-tying experience to the Fly Fusion team. He’s an Umpqua Signature Fly Designer. He’s also a respected writer who contributes regularly to the pages of the magazine, and he runs Thin Air Angler at Horse Creek Ranch.

Reece’s new column will appear in the summer issue. Reece said, “”Fly tying provides endless creative opportunities.  I look forward to joining Fly Fusion readers in their lifelong journey as fly tiers.  We’ll be exploring the constantly expanding horizon of tying resources and their possible applications.”

“Additionally, we’ll be delving into the minds of fresh industry professionals and their newly created bugs that are driving the forward movement of fly pattern development.  All of this will be done with the aim of improving on-the-water success,” said Reece.

Fly Fusion’s founding editor Derek Bird said, “I’m super excited on a number of different levels that Bob has joined our team. On a selfish level, I love the fact I get to test out his new flies, and for our readers, especially for the ones who tie, I’m excited that they’re going get a look into the mind of an extremely innovative tier. Bringing Bob on board is a win-win scenario for everyone involved.”