Duncan’s Top 5 Purchases of 2023

Mucilin Fly Dressing - Red Label. I tried Mucilin Fly Dressing for the first time this season and was very impressed with the product. For foam flies it coats and sticks to the foam much better than dip or gel dressings. I also used it to dress my tippet and leader for dry fly fishing. This allowed me to skate and swing dry flies much more effectively. If you’re looking for a way to up your dry fly game I highly recommend Mucilin.

SA Amplitude Anadro Fly Line - Textured At the beginning of the season I got a new streamer rod setup. I tried the Anadro nymphing line on a co-worker's suggestion. It was a terrific choice. It is one and a half line weights heavy with a long forward taper. This allowed me to turn over any streamer I tried on it this season with ease, while also giving me the ability to mend the line extremely easily and accurately. I’ve never fished a textured line before, and wanted to give that aspect of it a try too. While I did notice it sticks in my guides less than a traditional smooth fly line, it also gave more grip to stripping streamers and strip setting on fish. I will definitely be getting this line again for my future streamer fishing.

Patagonia Great Divider 26L Boat Bag At the start of the season I got a drift boat. After hemming and hawing over different boat bags I eventually settled on the Great Divider by Patagonia. Easily adjustable inner compartments, multiple watertight dry sleeves, a very comfortable carrying handle, all in a waterproof durable exterior. This was a great purchase and has made fishing out of a boat much more convenient.

Patagonia Houdini Wind Breaker This was one of my favorite purchases of this season. I was highly skeptical about the Patagonia Houdini before purchasing due to how extremely lightweight and thin it is. However, once I tested it out on the river all doubts were gone. It cuts wind shear incredibly well, traps warmth, but also breathes allowing you to stay warm while not getting sweaty. With how lightweight it is it packs into my boat bag and takes up less space than a tennis ball. It is one of my favorite pieces of technical wear I own now.  

Lamson Cobalt 9 foot 7 weight Rod As I mentioned before I upgraded my streamer setup at the beginning of the season. After casting over a dozen different rods in different price categories I wound up getting the Lamson Cobalt in 9 foot 7 weight. With its powerful backbone and fast tip action I have been very impressed with its ability to cast and shoot line, as well as turn over big flies, and fight big fish. While I would love to upgrade into a high end Sage or Orvis rod someday, this rod has been the perfect mix of affordability and performance for me.