Full disclosure…this post will be part endorsement for a really cool piece of fishing gear and part introduction to my fishing philosophy. I was reading through the Summer issue of The Drake magazine (one of two that I read religiously) and came across an article written by Steven Camelio about handcrafted leather fishing lanyards made by Joe Goertzen in Missoula, Montana. The lanyard that was featured in the article was clearly well used with a waterlogged patina. Based on that article and some other research, I went ahead and pulled the trigger and ordered one of my own. After receiving it in the mail, I can tell you first hand that much thought went into the design and construction of these pieces. It has everything that other lanyards have but the leather construction is such that you have enhanced tactical access to the tools that you need most. Forceps and flies and can be easily accessed through their respective leather holsters. It was clear that a serious fisherman had designed it. My hope is that it will last my lifetime and will be handed down to my children or grandchildren for them to utilize on their fishing excursions.
This leads me to the second purpose of this piece. I miss the days of purchasing gear that lasts a lifetime. I can vividly recall as a child in the 80’s waiting on the Bass Pro Shops catalog to be delivered to my house so that I could document which tackle I would buy through the coming year. Many of the items that I purchased in those days I still have today. I would pick out the nicest piece of gear I could find, save my money, and order it. As with the Goertzen fly fishing lanyard, I go through the exact same process today. Whether it be my rods, reels, tackle boxes, boat, or kayak, all of my gear has lasted many years and still have many years left on them. The point I am making is that the tackle industry should be supporting the fishing industry and not the reverse. Fishing gear should be designed to help you catch more fish or bigger fish and help you fish more efficiently. Conversely, fishing gear should not be designed to make you seem more “fishy” on your Instagram page. To that end, go get yourself a lanyard from Goertzen Adventure Equipment. They can be ordered from goertzenae.com.
The Waterman Diaries 