Before the runoff

I just returned from a trip to Big Timber, MT. The goals were to get some product testing (both Patagonia and competitor gear) in before the runoff and to work on some new design projects with a designer in Bozeman (more on that later). I couldn't have asked for better conditions. It was nice one minute and a full on snow accumulating blizzard the next (the two inset photos were taken 20 minutes apart). I should clarify that by "nice" I mean that the sun was partially out and the wind wasn't gusting too bad. The temps never really climbed above the mid 40's and it was high 30's on average. Mornings were below freezing and guides did ice up on occasion. Wool grid neoprene (wader booties and gloves), new wader designs, new jackets, new outsole ideas and a host of current gear all were put through the paces.....and the fishing was good too. My companions for the trip were new friends John Frankot and Alistair Stewart. We holed up at the Grand Hotel in Big Timber. We contracted the help of guide Lee Kinsey for a couple of days. He's a wealth of information having grown up in the area. I highly recommend a pre-runoff trip if any of you in the Way Upstream community have the desire. It's good for the soul. Don't forget your warm gear and a range of flies. Size 20 dry bugs and small emergers were just as important as stonefly nymphs and big stuff for exploring the carved out depths.
Photos by El Pescador
"Car Pool" photo by Alistair Stewart

Advertising

I've heard a lot of dialogue about advertising over the last few months. As is with most things, opinions vary. I don't have a marketing background but I'm starting to develop preferences. I began to wonder what the Way Upstream community thought about this topic. Here's a look at the latest Watermaster II ad soon to run (full page). Sorry about the low res image. The wader copy reads "Our proprietary fabric and barrier technology is the toughest, most puncture resistant on the market. The waders feature our innovative internal suspender system that allows for relief without removing jacket or vest and provides a measure of safety for unplanned swims." The ad image is a shot from the AEG Mongolian trip. There is a small block of copy (bottom left) that highlights this. It says "The AEG Fish Bums decompress after 16 hours of chasing taimen in Mongolia."

The product shot approach to ads is a bit of a new direction for Patagonia Team Fish. Let me know what you think. I'd be curious to hear any and all thoughts on effective advertising. Are there any memorable ads that stand out for you (any brand)? If there are any marketers out there, feel free to share thoughts on modern day marketing strategies/directions.

Photos by Tim Pask

Watermaster II Wader demo

I read a lot of comments on the wader posts about zippers. I also heard from some readers that they were a little unclear on the roll down feature of the Watermaster II wader. Here's a one minute video that demonstrates how the feature works (turn volume up). The demo does not show that you can relieve yourself without removing layers or a jacket but I think you can see that it is possible for men...for women it's tricky but I've heard tell that it's possible. Keep the wader conversation going. I'm still listening. Phone camera work by Rene Braun.
Way Upstream Productions, Copyright 2007