Little did these custom rods know what fate had in store for them.

My wife and I got hitched more than a year ago now, and to commemorate the death of my bachelorhood the blissful pairing, my good buddies Joe and Pete proffered up the best wedding gift I could imagine: two high end reels and two soon-to-be-delivered custom-made rods. Finding those shiny reels among the dinnerware and salad forks was one of the gleaming moments of my adult life, if only because they provided such a welcome respite from tuxedoes and flower arrangements. And knowing that Joe, a guy known locally for producing top-shelf custom rods, would soon deliver a pair of his coveted creations? I was a blissed-out groom. (more…)

That’s how a poster described our modest line of fishing tees today on this popular Jacksonville-based kayaking forum. He went on to describe our shirts thusly:

“They’re subtle, not too ostentatious, and comfortable – worth checking out as a Christmas present for the special angler in your life…”

Why, thankya kindly. We appreciate any input, positive or negative. And so you know, we’re working on an entirely new bundle of unique designs that we hope to have up by Christmas, if not before. Stay tuned.

“I imagine that no art has ever been learned from books. Fly-fishing is no exception.”

G.E.M. Skues

“Don’t you know that you are shooting star”? Ain’t we all.

‘Nuff said.

At Shallowfish we tend to cater to anglers who fish artificial lures and flies, but we hold no deep bias against bait anglers. In fact, here’s a tip for that crowd: Be sure to wash your cast nets out with fresh water after each use. Yes, they’re made out of durable stuff, but saltwater is about as forgiving as a boarding school nun. Beyond a good rinse, drop it in a 5-gallon bucket in a mix of water and 1/4 cup or so of fabric softener. Let it soak for about an hour, then rinse it off and hang it with the leads just touching the ground (which will straighten any kinks but not put undue pressure on the mesh). This will make a brand new net supple enough for great “pancake” quality spreads, and can be repeated on and off throughout the life of the net.

Dan Sharley’s “The Chase” is a gorgeous, fluid print depicting a bass about to inhale a hapless sunfish. Sharley’s original paintings capture a wide variety of fresh and saltwater game fish. Dan’s colorful, striking style is making fans of anglers nationwide, and we are proud to represent this rising artist. To learn more about Sharley and to see more of his work, visit Shallowfish.com.