The Evening Hatch - New Patagonia Gear, State Record Catfish, And A Wildfire Started by a Falling Fish

"The Evening Hatch" is a daily dose of anything fly fishing, human interest, and sometimes from left field. It will be short, informative, and entertaining. Enjoy it as an easy way to end the day.

Just before the net floated downstream. | photo by Jasper Taback

In this edition of The Evening Hatch:

- Patagonia announces new wading pants, boots, and shirts. Patagonia Launches New Fly Fishing Gear for 2026

- A bowfisherman recently landed Michigan's largest flathead catfish ever recorded. Michigan Man Arrows State Record Flathead Catfish

- Truth is stranger than fiction. Fish Dropped by Osprey Sparks Wildfire in Canada

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Patagonia Launches New Fly Fishing Gear for 2026

by Rick Mikesell - Midcurrent

"Following a strong 2025 season that saw the release of the updated Swiftcurrent wader line and a well-received overhaul of the Stealth pack collection, Patagonia has announced several new products for 2026. The updates expand their technical wading and sun protection offerings while adding fresh options for anglers targeting both saltwater and freshwater..." Cont.

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Michigan Man Arrows State Record Flathead Catfish

by Sage Marshall - MeatEater

"A bowfisherman just landed the biggest flathead catfish ever recorded in Michigan. According to a Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR) press release, Codie Carlson of Newport, Michigan, was fishing from shore on Plum Creek at dawn on Sunday, June 29, when the epic catch went down. Carlson, who calls himself a "true fishoholic," was specifically targeting catfish, which are legal to bowfish for in The Mitten State, though there are stricter regulations for catfish compared to other bowfishing quarry such as carp and gar. That said, Carlson wasn’t expecting to run into such a big mud cat. "I thought I was about to shoot a channel catfish for dinner,” Carlson said. “Turns out, I guess we do have flathead catfish in these waters..." Cont.

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Fish Dropped by Osprey Sparks Wildfire in Canada

by Katie Hill - Field & Stream

"Residents of Ashcroft, British Columbia received a surprise on July 30 when they suddenly lost power in the middle of the day. The culprit was a small brush fire burning near a power line on the east side of Highway 1, south of town. But what started the fire was all the more surprising: a falling fish. More specifically, an osprey dropped a fish onto the power lines, causing them to spark into the grass below and ignite the small blaze, according to a Facebook post written by Ashcroft Fire Rescue. By the time members of Ashcroft Fire Rescue, BC Hydro, Dawson Road Maintenance, and local ranchers put the fire out, it had burned almost an acre of land. Responders used approximately 4,800 gallons of water on an area that measured 60 by 90 meters, which equates to about 1.3 acres..." Cont.

Thanks for ending your day here. Tight lines. JT