We fished both rods side by side for more than a year and one thing became clear: the Pure 2 feels lighter, cleaner, and more stable, without losing the smooth presentation that made the original so loved.
“Most fly rods today are built to cast farther. Winston built these to make you fish slower.”
If you love dry fly fishing, this is a comparison worth reading.
Full review at the link in bio.
#winstonflyrods
Some people are the face of a company. Others are the backbone. For more than 16 years, Evan Muskopf has been both at Feather Craft.
If you’ve ever called the shop with a technical question, placed an order before a big trip, or wondered how your shipment showed up exactly when it needed to, there’s a good chance Evan had a hand in it.
The behind-the-scenes work at fly shops rarely gets noticed. Boxes packed by hand, last-minute problems solved before anyone ever hears about them, and quietly inspiring conversations that turn first-time customers into lifelong anglers. That’s the kind of work Evan’s built his reputation here on.
Beyond Feather Craft, Evan has spent years serving on the board of the Gateway Chapter of Trout Unlimited, helping protect the waters and fisheries that make this pursuit possible in the first place.
Steady hands. Quiet leadership. A lifetime invested in the people and places behind this tradition we all share called fly fishing.
We’re proud to have him at Feather Craft.
@evanmuskopf
This Mother’s Day, we’re grateful for the moms who first taught us to appreciate quiet mornings, wild places, and the traditions that stay with us for a lifetime. Thank you to all the mothers who helped foster a love for the outdoors and the memories made along the way.
Photograph by Bryan Hulse @bdhulse #angler2025
Fly fishing has always been rooted in clean water, wild places, and conservation. But now the industry faces a difficult question: can the gear designed to protect anglers from the elements also be contributing to long-term environmental contamination?
Read more at the link in our profile.
“The purpose of fly fishing isn’t to catch fish, it’s to go places where fish are caught.” - John Gierach
It’s a shift in perspective. Less about the result, more about the setting. The miles of river, the quiet stretches, the places you wouldn’t see any other way. The happiness of pursuit.
#feathercraftflyfishing
Annie Smith and her husband David are two of the finest ambassadors we know. Not just for Feather Craft, but for fly fishing as a sport.
They represent Feather Craft with class, professionalism, and a genuine warmth that’s hard to miss. The kind of people we’re proud to stand behind.
This year, Annie and David are hosting two weeks in Argentina targeting Golden Dorado at Don Joaquín River Lodge.
A remarkable fish, a world-class destination, and two hosts who do it right.
Fish markings aren’t random. They follow patterns you can almost think of as mathematical.
The spacing of spots on a brown trout. The vertical rhythm of parr marks. The irregular but repeating mottling on a smallmouth. Structured variation, the kind you see in nature again and again.
Those patterns serve a purpose. They break up the fish’s outline against specific environments. Spots over gravel. Bars in shallow current. Mottling along rock and shadow. Each pattern is tuned to where that fish is most likely to live.
And that’s where it becomes useful. If you understand the pattern, you understand the habitat. If you understand the habitat, you narrow your focus.
Less water to cover. Better decisions on where to fish.
#feathercraftflyfishing
Last year our Angler Photography Contest set a new standard. The submissions came in from every corner of the water, each frame capturing what makes this pursuit timeless. Light, motion, patience, and precision.
Among those who stood out was Lea Frye, @lea.f_images , a dedicated photographer whose work reflects a deep understanding of both craft and environment. We’re featuring two of Lea’s photos here as a reminder of what’s possible when skill meets vision.
This year's Angler Photography Contest is coming soon. Start framing the moment.
#Angler2026
The new Orvis Ratio isn’t just another saltwater reel chasing higher drag numbers. After putting it to work in Belize on bonefish, permit, and juvenile tarpon, one thing stood out immediately. No reel we’ve tested delivers more stopping power per incremental turn of the drag knob. Read our full write up in latest blog First Impressions: Orvis Ratio. Link in profile. #feathercraftflyfishing #orvisflyfishing
Some things aren’t improved by time. They’re proven by it. So we’re opening the archives.
In the weeks ahead, we’ll be sharing a series of original fly pattern sheets, each one hand-typed and illustrated by Ed Story. These aren’t reproductions or reinterpretations. They are the real documents. Ink on paper. The patterns as they were first passed down, refined, and fished.
This sheet, Pattern 788, is Ed’s “Baitfish” surface popper, a design he relied on in saltwater. Originally built from hand-shaped balsa, cut, slotted, and finished by hand, it reflects a time when necessity drove innovation. Even the body is punched from raw wood using brass tubing, a method shared and refined among tiers long before mass production.
Link to full-sized pattern sheet blog in profile.
#FeatherCraft #FlyTying #FlyFishing
Some shops sell gear. Others are built on standards of service. Jim Murphy @digitaljmurphy sets ours. As Feather Craft’s shop manager, he brings a patient expertise and genuine consideration to every conversation.
#feathercraftflyfishing
