new Patagonia clothing at D&H

We finally finished unpacking the Patagonia shipment and everything is on the floor.  On Tuesday we looked at hats; today we will take a look at new clothing to arrive in the Hyde Park Square shop.

Men's Nano Puff Vest: fun color pop

Women's Nano Puff Jacket: new color

 click on "MORE" to see many other new Patagonia clothing items

new Patagonia hats at D&H

The D&H Crew has been busy unpacking many boxes of Patagonia over the last couple of days.  Today we will take a look at some of the ball caps that arrived.

 click "MORE" to see additional photos

Fly Reel Materials: why it matters!

When anglers come in the shop to look for a new fly reel, we spend time discussing many features of a fly reel.  One of the most important topics is what material is used in the construction of the reel.  I point out that if you are going to fish a farm pond or a stream in a meadow, the material does not matter that much since if you drop the reel it will probably hit grass or dirt and not get damaged.
Once you start thinking about crawling around mountain streams, such as in the Smoky Mountains, then you have a much greater chance of your fly reel coming into contact with rocks and boulders.  For most seasoned anglers, the value of a bar stock aluminum reel will be realized many times in their career.

While working the shop floor today I had the opportunity to see the most damaged fly reel I have ever witnessed in my life!

Our customer was getting his gear together for a saltwater trip that he is setting out on tomorrow and his wife drove over his fly reel with the family car.  The cast aluminum reel did not have a chance!

Click on "MORE" to see all of the gory details!

Backroom Sale Tweed Jacket

The Origin of Tweed

It is commonly thought that tweed emerged in Scotland and Ireland as a way for the farmers there to battle the chilly, damp climate that characterizes those parts. Tweed began as a hand woven fabric. The cloth was rough, thick, and felted and the colors were muted and earthy.  It was truly a working man's cloth. As far as the name goes, there are a couple of theories.

1. There is a River Tweed in Scotland and the cloth was made in the Tweed Valley, and some believe that is the origin of the word.
2. A more popular legend has it that the name tweed is a twist on the Scottish word for "tweel" or twill in our parlance, which is the signature weave of the fabric.  It is said that in 1826, a London clerk accidentally transcribed an order to "tweel" and wrote "tweed" instead, and from there the name came into use.

Whatever the origin, tweed is a rugged fabric, resistant to wind and water with excellent insulating properties.

Barbour Men's Gamefair Tweed Jacket The men's Barbour Tweed Gamefair Jacket is a part of the sporting collection.  Expertly crafted with an 100% wool tweed outer.  The classic British look. An abundance of features make it extra prepared for winter,including a storm-fly front,handwarmer pockets and a relaxed fit that allows for plenty of room for layering on frosty days. Regularly $499     ON SALE $349

The Annual February Backroom Sale No Returns - No Exchanges

 For the month of February

at least 30% off the Original Price 

we will have our normal business hours

Mon-Thurs 10-8     Fri-Sat 10-6     Sun 11-5

513-871-FISH 

Backroom Sale Winter Parkas

Barbour Winter Parkas

It is 9 degrees as I type this and there is fresh snow on the ground.  While it is true this has not been a super cold winter season, today will remind you that Cincinnati does get cold.  We have a number of great winter jackets that are not being carried forward to the autumn/winter 2016 season and they are included in our Backroom Sale.  Stop in the shop and have one of the D&H crew show you some options for the cold weather. 

Barbour Ladies Landry Parka A warm quilted winter coat from Barbour.    A longer, cinched-waist silhouette refines a beautifully crafted quilted jacket with a coxy-luxe feel of faux shearling lining the collar and hood. A faux-coyote-fur ruff crowns the cold-weather style.

Barbour Men's Northolt Parka The Northolt is a military-inspired waxed parka that's a formidable force against cold weather.  This has to be one of our favorite jackets for men from Barbour in many years and we hate to see it go.  The cut is slanted for a younger, fit customer.

The Annual February Backroom Sale No Returns - No Exchanges

 For the month of February

at least 30% off 

we will have our normal business hours

Mon-Thurs 10-8     Fri-Sat 10-6     Sun 11-5

513-871-FISH 

R.I.P. Rabbit Hash General Store

In its approximately 185 years in existence, the Rabbit Hash General Store in Boone County withstood all manner of threats to its existence - multiple floods, landslides and the Great Depression, to name a few. Through it all, the store and its recognizable front facade remained an unmistakable landmark in Northern Kentucky culture.

The fire that began inside the iconic general store late Saturday night was too much for the old, mostly-wooden structure, however. It burned throughout a nearly five-hour firefight in near-sub-zero temperatures and was destroyed.

The fire was reported about 9:15 p.m. and about 11:30 p.m. firefighters pulled down the picturesque facade of the store. Later, the front sign of the store was salvaged from the wreckage and stored in a nearby barn.

The store had been in continual operation since 1831, according to the Rabbit Hash Historical Society - a span in which 38 U.S. presidents took office.

The store at 10021 Lower River Road was on the National Register of Historic Places.

As the building burned late Saturday, residents gathered nearby, some crying and one group singing "Amazing Grace."

Through tears, Bobbi Kayser, member of the Rabbit Hash Historical Society Board of Directors, said there was a feeling of magic whenever she stepped inside the store.

"We call it the center of the universe, and that's because when you're here, you actually feel like you're in the center of the universe," said Kayser.

Multiple fire departments, including Belleview-McVille, Petersburg, Union, and Burlington, responded to the fire.

Firefighters were able to pull some merchandise from the store, but only a few larger pieces. Many of the pieces were charred or damaged by smoke.

article appeared in the Cincinnati Enquirer on 2-14-16

Hunting at Arrowhead Pheasants

       I've been wanting to try out some new hunt clubs lately, so I jumped on the chance to hunt with an old friend and his dog at Arrowhead near Wilmington, OH.  It doesn't really compare to Shags Run, but it is a nice place and a good alternative.

6 Nations Rugby Tournament 2016 - week one

The first weekend of 6 Nations action is over and here are the results:

France 23     Italy 21
France won, but not by much.  It was an exciting match and Italy played very well, but in the end France was the better team.  Hopefully France will bring their A game to compete with Ireland next Saturday.

England 15     Scotland 9
Not a ton of excitement.  The match and the players were quite slow.  I didn't feel like there was a lot of support.

Ireland 16     Wales 16
the pace of this match was night and day compared to the England-Scotland match.  The speed of play and the support shown by the Forwards was what really set this contest apart for me.  The aggressiveness of the Forwards once a tackle had been made was exciting to watch.

I had to stop watching and go to work, but not before Ireland pushed ahead for their first try instead of settling for an easy three.

Annual February Backroom Sale

  We just finished setting up our annual February Backroom sale. Almost everything in the backroom of the shop is discounted 30% or more. There are many discontinued Barbour pieces but also some great finds from Patagonia and others. We run this sale until the end of the month. Stop by and find a great deal while we still have good size runs. Here are a few of the items you'll find:

Patagonia Rio Azul waders were $299-Now $209

Ladie's Speedway Jacket.

Pictures from the Field

   The last few times I have been out didn't warrant full reports but thought you all would enjoy some of the pictures from those days. I feel grateful to hunt with many close friends and family. Rye has had a very successful season and is getting to be a hell of a dog which makes it all worth it.