40 Rivers To Freedom

A new online fly fishing news service was born yesterday-

Hatches Magazine and FlyAddicts.com have partnered up to launch FlyAddicts News.

FlyAddicts News aims to bring Fly Anglers the most up to date fly fishing news and entertainment from around the world and the internet with the attitude that, “Fly Fishing is fun, Its News Should Be, Too.”

Readers can have FlyAddicts News delivered straight to their email inboxes, their RSS readers, or social networking mediums such as Facebook or Twitter by clicking their preferred subscription service below.

As one of the writers for this new service, I should also mention that this will mean big changes for 40 Rivers.  No, 40 Rivers isn’t going away, but it will be following the lead of fellow Hatches blogger, April Vokey, and moving from the Hatches Blog Network over to the FlyAddicts blog network.  There are just too many great things happening, or in the works, over there- and I want this blog to be a part of it.

The other change is that the content at 40 Rivers will become much more narrow, ie, more of a personal blog chronicling the stuff I do, the stuff I tie, the thoughts I have, etc.  This isn’t really a major change here, as I haven’t tried to stay on top of everything that is going on in the universe since I went back to school- but reaeders who continue to read 40 Rivers at its new home (I’ll let you know when it happens) will definitely notice a different feel.

There are still a few more hours to get your photos entered in FlyAddicts.com’s first photo contest.  CLICK HERE for more info.

FlyAddicts is proud to announce it’s first major photo contest.  The contest’s theme is “The Places We Fish.”  This isn’t hotspotting, this is about appreciating some of the most beautiful places on the planet.

The Prizes

1st Place

$100 Gift Certificate from The Fly Shop
$50 Gift Certificate from the Fly Addicts Shop
Shirt courtesy of BugSlinger Fly Gear

2nd Place

$50 Gift Certificate from the Fly Addicts Shop
Shirt courtesy of BugSlinger Fly Gear
1 Aluminum Fly Box courtesy of Midwest Custom Fly Rods
1 Waterproof Fly Box courtesy of Midwest Custom Fly Rods

3rd Place

$50 Gift Certificate from the Fly Addicts Shop
1 Aluminum Fly Box courtesy of Midwest Custom Fly Rods
1 Waterproof Fly Box courtesy of Midwest Custom Fly Rods

I drew the line off my fly rod and draped the loose coils in my left hand. I felt the 30 lb, wire leader between my fingers as I grasped the hook in my right. The eye of the fly looked at me as if to say “you better mean business this time.”

Check out the full story at FlyAddicts.com

I’m deeply saddened to report that Rusty Gates is no longer with us.

Once in a lifetime there is someone that touches your life in so many ways. Rusty Gates was one of those people. His spirit and tenacity had an affect on everyone involved in environmental causes, from hikers to hunters to the many of us who came here to cast a fly far and fine. He was a fighter and it was the good fight that he chose to engage; catch and release on the Holy Waters, National Guard noise pollution on the North Branch, oil wells on the South Branch, and toxic chemicals on the Big Water. Da Gator led the way. A tap on the shoulder, a glance from those blue/grey eyes, a short conversation; that was usually all it took. We set to our tasks with a brio, partly from the cause, partly not to let him down.

You can learn more at either his website, or at the Anglers of the Au Sable website.