Hard Lessons About EVs and Hybrids

Hard Lessons About EVs and Hybrids

“My advice to those who wonder:

The plug-in hybrid is the way to go, but you want to look for something that gets more than 20 miles range from a battery. Ninety percent of your driving will be battery powered as you buzz around town. That said, it’s good to have the option of starting a gas engine when you’re out in the middle of nowhere, and for outdoorsy folks, that makes the hybrid the smarter choice.

A purebred EV is a nice thought and might be perfectly suitable for people who want to drive it within a range of about 150 miles. But for long, cross-country trips, it’s a total nightmare. Yes, all this is improving and ranges are getting longer. I wouldn’t consider anything with less than 500 miles advertised range if I were planning regular long-haul trips. Look at an EV like you’re buying a really fancy, souped-up golf cart. That’s what our Tesla feels like…”

Read the entire article on Substack.

Conservation Organizations To Support

“There are more good causes than I can count, and I think it’s important to find those that you feel a personal connection with. If you are a veteran, or someone in your family is on active duty, or you just feel compelled to honor those who serve, Project Healing Waters is worthy in all regards. If you’re recovering from illness, or know someone who is, or you or loved ones are facing a health challenge, you might consider a group like Casting for Recovery, which provides healing retreats for women dealing with breast cancer. If you’re into mentoring youth and making a difference for young people, you might help The Mayfly Project and/or Cast Hope.”

Read the entire article on Substack.

Product Buzz

We review a bunch of gear in our recent Gear Roll-up: the Skwala Sol Tactical Hoody ($129), Rocky Talkie Mountain 2-watt Radio ($110) and a bunch of apparel from 3BIRD. “3BIRD is an upstart outdoor clothing brand from Wilson, WY with an ethos and sustainability model akin to Patagonia and Stio (also from Jackson Hole): stylish, functional outdoor wear that is supposed to make us care about how our clothing is sourced.” End of the year gear gift list from Deeter over at TU: The Skwala Sol Tropic Hoody ($99). “While the pangas we were fishing out of did not have ‘T-tops’ because we were fly fishing, pulling the hood up was a close second to being able to tuck under a roof. This shirt does exactly what it’s supposed to do–protect you from the sun. Maintaining an UPF rating of 40+, it’s 40% lighter than most synthetic sun shirts. That means it feels cooler and wicks moisture better.” From The Mission: Gear Gifting Guide 2025. “Over the past year, our inner circle of contributors have got to grips with a ton of great fly fishing-related gear, clothing, tackle, gadgets and goodies. For this guide, we asked them to name two of those things. Firstly, an item that they have actually used, believe in and would recommend to anyone else, and secondly, an item that they don’t yet possess, but that’s caught their eye…” From Field Mag: Garmin inReach Mini 3 Plus Introduces Voice, Photo & Text Messages. “Unplugging is one of the major benefits we enjoy while spending time in the backcountry. But even when the goal is disconnecting, having the ability to check in with loved ones and reach help in the case of an emergency is crucial. Garmin’s line of inReach devices offer this comfort and have been a must-carry for both thru-hikers and weekenders alike.” GearJunkie reviews the SITKA MicroDown Hooded Jacket ($300): Lightweight, but Durable. “Generally, the more lightweight something is, the less durable it tends to be. With the SITKA MicroDown, that doesn’t seem to be the case. The outside of this jacket feels much more stout than other puffy jackets I’ve tested. The 27D ripstop fabric seems to offer a great blend between durability and being lightweight. Of course, I wouldn’t go brush busting with this, or any puffy for that matter, but I also wouldn’t be worried about ripping the MicroDown.” Also from GearJunkie, the Abel x onWater Custom Reel review: “The Blue Line Project is a collaboration between Abel Reels and the onWater app. It blends a premium level of craftsmanship from Abel reels with digital innovation and conservation through onWater. Anglers have the opportunity to customize Abel’s limited-edition Blue Line TR reel with a laser-engraved map of their favorite river–built directly through the onWater app–turning the reel into a personal keepsake. Equally as important, the Blue Line initiative encourages exploration of lesser-known ‘blue line’ waters, helping to relieve pressure on popular fisheries.” But it doesn’t come cheaply–the reel clocks in at $600. It’s that time of year when every fly-fishing brand is putting gear on sale: Madison River Fishing Company is running an awesome Fly Line Sale, Fly Sale (by the dozen) and Fly Rod Sale (some cool Winstons). Epic Fly Rods has great Fly Rod & Reel Combos with awesome savings–we’ve been testing their new Ti Carbon Fiber Fly Rods on Low Country redfish (the 790Ti 7wt Fly Rod & Backcountry Reel Combo), and the rod is very impressive. Initial impressions from Deeter: “An honest, responsive action that lends itself to both distance and accuracy. Ranks right up with the best of the best in the 40-60-foot range.” We also love the new Scott GT Series fly rods: Find a new Scott GT @ Madison River Fishing Company.

Fly-fishing News

Patagonia has rolled out a fairly in-your-face marketing campaign recently, reminding everyone about the dangers of ignoring climate change and science: “The science is clear: Earth needs our help. So it’s on us to call out reckless climate-change denial and create some propaganda for our home planet…” Hard to replicate the 2011 “Don’t Buy This Jacket” campaign, but at least the brand is still taking cuts at the plate: Don’t Buy This Jacket, Black Friday and the New York Times. Time to act on the new proposal from the EPA and Army Corps that would change the definition of “Waters of the United States” (WOTUS), and significantly impact the small streams, ephemeral waterways and wetlands that provide the lifeblood of healthy fisheries. Hunters stand a lot to lose as well–from BHA: “For hunters, wetlands, prairie potholes, and ephemeral streams provide essential habitat for waterfowl and other game species. These areas offer breeding grounds, feeding areas, and migratory stopovers for ducks, geese, and other birds that hunters pursue. Reducing protections for these waters threatens the habitats that sustain healthy populations and reliable hunting opportunities.” The public comment period is open now through January 5, 2026. Take action and sign the petition with BHA today. Wes Siler grades out 60 Minutes’ recent Public Lands Episode under the (newly installed) editorial leadership of Barry Weiss: editorially, some good, some bad, and also a fair amount of explicit bait-and-switch from Montana Representative Ryan Zinke, which was hard to consume. “Until the acquisition of CBS and the installation of Weiss, 60 Minutes stood as a bastion of impartial, long-form, investigative journalism being done at the highest possible level. This segment had the opportunity to break through Republican disinformation, ask tough questions, and highlight both who was responsible for the sell-off attempt, and the ways in which public lands are still experiencing unprecedented harm, even if the American public still owns them. Expressly because the public owns them, this was an important opportunity to get to the truth. But the show instead pitched softballs, and played into a very transparent attempt at spreading disinformation.” Tyler Austin Harper profiles iconic writer Thomas McGuane in The Atlantic: Thomas McGuane Is the Last of His Kind. “But as I drove by a celebrity-owned ranch, I was reminded that the war is coming for this place too, and is already being waged by profiteers, hobbyists, and speculators–‘house flippers, ranch flippers, and river flippers,’ as McGuane puts it in a story in A Wooded Shore. And when that war has reached a more advanced stage, when the wild is variously paved with hot asphalt or turned into Disneylands for the gawking rich, when few native trout are left in the freestone pools and the men who would throw dry flies at them are scarce, McGuane’s writing, if nothing else, will be left to remind us of what we’ve lost…” Cold weather travel ideas from Monte Burke: Three Fly-Fishing Trips To Add To Your Holiday Wishlist. “It is nearly impossible for me to stop fly-fishing altogether during the northern hemisphere’s cold months. So, I always try to do at least one trip in a southern spot. It’s amazing how much just having that trip–the anticipation and then the afterglow–helps me get through the winter. Perhaps you are like me? If so, I have three suggestions for fly-fishing trips this winter.”

Recent Press

“What can’t Flylab do? The all-star pub continues its great coverage of the wonderful characters in angling, this time with angler and artist Stu Tripney, of Stu’s Superior Flies. Stu’s madcap adventures and exceptional outlook are a good reminder that for all the seriousness folks bring to fishing, first and foremost it should be fun.” – Nick Parish, Current Flow

“Great article on Rusty Vorous. He passed away last week. He was a great friend! He taught me to fly fish in 1994, and I am as good as the boys…” – Denise, Flylab Fan

“I just read your bit by Kirk Deeter, fishing for reds in the Low Country tidal flats. That’s where I live, and I fish the tidal flats all the time. It’s always fun, and you get a chance to see the inshore ecosystems up close. Glad you enjoyed your fishing down here.” – Casey, Flylab Fan

We’re always looking for Flylab feedback–send any comments, thoughts, suggestions, and we’d love to hear from you.

RIP: Rusty Vorous

Guide and Montana fishing legend Rusty Vorous passed away last week. He was one of a kind. Read his profile from Castwork: “Pressing downstream, Rusty scans a series of wide, shallow runs with Quint-like conviction. Soon, his eyes are diverted and locked on an iron irrigation pipe, sucking gallons of river, then shooting the water over fields that will become a housing development and planned golf course. He does not try to hide his disgust. We ask what the new golf course will be called. ‘Another travesty,’ he grumbles…”

Read the entire profile on Substack.

Partner Spotlight

J. Stockard Fly Fishing

For over 20 years, J. Stockard Fly Fishing has been the go-to place for high-quality fly tying equipment, materials and supplies. Their collection includes over 15,000 materials, hooks, tools and more, including all the major brands. Located in Connecticut, J. Stockard serves tyers across the U.S., Canada, and the world. Despite being one of the largest retailers of fly tying materials and supplies, J. Stockard stays true to its roots as a family-run operation with a customer-first ethos: deep product knowledge, reliable service and an earnest respect for the craft of fly tying. @jsflyfishing

Flylab member discount: Weekly discounts on all fly-tying products.

If you’re a fly shop, outfitter, fishing lodge or outdoor brand and interested in becoming a new Flylab partner, learn more about our program here. Join the best partner network in fly fishing.

‍HOOKED: A short film from The Flyfish Journal about Jeff Forsee, a fly-fishing guide from Ohio now in New Zealand with his family. “An official selection of the 2025 Australia/New Zealand Fly Fishing Film Tour, the film explores the story of obsession and balance, set against the blue ribbon trout fisheries of New Zealand’s South Island where Forsee has made a life for himself…”