When the landscape is untouched, the flies have been refined, and the gear is in order, It’s these days that the romantic ideal of fly fishing is realized.
But these days require several factors to line up. This is where Riversmith enters, a fly rod roof racks company that started in 2018.
“It’s all about spending more time on the water,” said John Koza, Head of Business Development for Riversmith. “My rods are always rigged and ready to go, I don’t have to worry about assembling and breaking them down ever again. For anyone who is a fly fisher, I believe this product to be a necessity.”
You’ve most likely seen the long tubes mounted on top of a Tacoma outside McGuckin Hardware or the local fly shop.
“We looked at what was wrong with the current market…everything from being able to carry a wide variety of rods and reels to making the reelbox unbreakable…There wasn’t anything out there that was well done and reliable. And honestly, no other company that had any inventory on deck at the time.”
The result was the Riversmith River Quiver, a fly rod roof rack that can store rods and reels up to 12 weight with a bomber reel box that cannot be broken into. According to Koza, the side swing door on the River Quiver also makes it easier to operate from others on the market, which open from top to bottom.
"It has gone through Mil Spec Shake Table testing to ensure it can handle any terrain it is driven on and can withstand extreme temperature swings due to its polypropylene liner inside the aluminum. It is the most sleek, secure, and aerodynamic fly rod roof rack on the market by far.”
Koza says Riversmith’s business has been growing over the past year or so, reaching up to 130 retails nationwide. Locally they are carried at Front Range Anglers.
“They’ve carried us since we started. It’s been great working with them and being right down the street from us, they do not have to worry about shipping.” He says with a chuckle. “And we have a lot of locals that come in and check out what we’re doing. The fishing community in town has been great.”
Riversmith says they're “Engineering solutions for the avid fly fisherman…For those who expect the finest craftsmanship and performance out of their gear.”
Finding the untouched river, selecting the right fly, and getting all your gear in order all help the fly fisherman find those days so often discussed with heroic and reverent tones.
And if there is one thing we should remember, It’s all about spending more time on the water.