So Fly

Ray July 2022

Going deep with crankbaits

by Ray Blades | July 12, 2023

In the age of finesse fishing, working big-lipped baits down deep by hand seems like a dying art form, taken over by drop-shotting, and more.

Adventuring in Finland

by Ray Blades | June 21, 2023

Editor Ray Blades visited Finland where he toured the historic port city, saw presentations on the new Sako rifles, and hunted.

Father's Day collage FEAT

Some superheroes drive minivans

by Ray Blades | June 14, 2023

Dad taught me the secret to being a great parent by freely giving his time and unconditional love. Sometimes, it’s just that simple.

rifle Ray

Changes have come slowly

by Ray Blades | May 15, 2023

Major changes have come slowly in the hunting rifle industry. But the refinements, they have been amazing.

reel gear

Praising old-school gear

by Ray Blades | May 2, 2023

Many anglers and hunters are still quite comfortable and happy using hand-me-down gear that’s been in the family for generations.

bait trap

Fixing new bait rules

by Ray Blades | March 16, 2023

In case you haven’t heard, the Ministry implemented a new Bait Management Strategy (BMS) at the start of 2022.

kids pulling ice fishing gear in a sled

Ice fishing as the great equalizer

by Ray Blades | February 6, 2023

What I’ve always loved about ice fishing — aside from being a great excuse to be outdoors — is that it is the most inclusive fishing option.

Leaded Reel

Handcrafted fly reels of Wayne Petrevan

by Ray Blades | November 15, 2017

I absolutely love handcrafted tackle, whether it’s bamboo fly rods, reels, hooks, leather fly wallets, or flies. But what draws me to craftsmanship is the ownership of what they do. These are makers that are producing parts of themselves…

New fly-fishing books for 2017

by Ray Blades | May 19, 2017

In the digital age, the written word still matters. As a big fan of print, I was happy to see several new books on varying subjects hit the shelves in 2017. Here are a few new titles worth a read.