Bleeding Purple and Gold: Mixing My Love of College Football and Fly Fishing

Bleeding Purple and Gold

Call me a homer, a die-hard, a lifelong loyalist—but I bleed purple and gold for the University of Washington Huskies. And During the college football season I especially go big, and rep the DAWGS on the water with fly fishing and EDC gear I've collected that shows off my allegiance to the "Purple and Gold."

A Classic Loop Fly Reel from their Colours of the Wild collection, in purple. — Catching fish in Alaska with my "Husky" purple Loop fly reel. | Photo provided by Ken Baldwin

A Purple Fly Reel for the University of Washington Huskies

I’ve wanted a purple fly reel for a long time. So when Loop added colors to their Classic Fly Reel lineup—and one of them was purple—I swooped in. Loop is calling the new line-up the “Colours of the Wild Collection,” and the purple is officially “Twilight Violet.” But I know Husky purple when I see it. Even their “Verdant Green” looks suspiciously like Oregon Ducks green.

A purple Loop Classic fly reel with three other rods and reels resting on a boat, ready to be used. — The Loop Classic in purple screams University of Washington Huskies. I fish it all year, but when the college football season starts, it takes on extra meaning. | Photo by Ken Baldwin

Fishing the Loop in Alaska

I took the Loop reel to Alaska and fished the heck out of it. No doubt it's a good-looking fly reel, but I wanted to make sure it was built as good as it looks. I used it for salmon, wild rainbow trout, and Arctic char. This is an excellent reel: from the classic design, the S-handle, a beefy drag knob, and that satisfying incoming-outgoing clicker that’s getting harder to find these days. Add the color purple, and you’ve got a reel worthy of “The Greatest Setting in College Football.”

Adding an EDC Knife to my Husky Collection

I think Instagram’s algorithm knows I’m partial to purple, because right after the Loop reel showed up, a purple folding knife from Civivi popped into my feed. Knives sit in the same wheelhouse for me as reels, watches, and camera gear.

The CIVIVI Crabby Thumb Stud Knife in purple. Opened to full extension and resting on a black truck bed. — The CIVIVI Crabby Thumb Stud Knife. Fits comfortably in the hand, a solid build, flips open with one hand, and you have to love that purple. | Photo by Ken Baldwin

A Ken Onion Jr. Knife

It turns out the knife was designed by Ken Onion Jr.—son of the legendary Ken Onion Sr.—and, between that knife-making lineage and the purple, it was added to my "Husky" collection.

A Rare Find in Color and Quality

It’s a compact utility folder with a 14C28N stainless steel sheepsfoot blade, G10 purple handle, and smooth one-handed operation. I’ve always been a fan of the elder Onion’s knives, and clearly, the apple didn’t fall far from the tree.

A close-up photo of a purple Civivi knife resting on top of a purple Loop Classic fly reel. — The Civivi knife and Loops classic fly reel, a match made for the DAWG fan. | Photo by Ken Baldwin

An Exceptionally Fair Price for a Knife This Good

It’s not an expensive knife, but it feels solid in the hand. There’s a little heft to it. I hold it with a three-finger grip, and it feels comfortable and balanced. It flicks open with one hand, the blade has stayed sharp, and that purple fits right in with the rest of my Husky gear. Add a gold W on the side, and it’d be a perfect ten.

A YETI Coffee Mug Rocking the Purple

Coffee is part of fly fishing. When the bite’s off or the weather turns, sometimes a good cup of coffee is the highlight of the day. So when I saw YETI released a purple mug, it was just another way for me to rep the DAWGS.

"Moon Dust?" How About "Husky" Purple.

YETI calls the color “Moon Dust,” probably so they don’t offend the overly sensitive Oregon Duck fans, but let’s be honest—this is Husky purple through and through.

A purple YETI Rambler stackable mug resting atop my portable Lone Bison Fly Tying table. — The YETI Rambler stackable mug resting atop my portable Lone Bison Fly Tying table. | Photo by Ken Baldwin

YETI Does Not Disappoint

Like all YETI gear, you can feel how solid and tough the build is when you pick it up. It holds 14 ounces, and the exterior is coated in a proprietary DuraCoat finish — permanently fused to the metal and textured with a gritty, sandpaper-like surface. That sandpaper texture has a great feel to it. Even with cold fingers coated in fish slime, it ain't slippin through your hands.

Almost Perfect

I would suggest one improvement though. A big gold W on the side. YETI take note.

The Start of My “Purple Reign” Collection

The item that started this whole idea about repping the Huskies in my fly fishing is a fly that Jeff Rowley tied for me. It's a Jellybean Zonker with purple bunny fur and the W logo on the body. Jeff knocked it out of the park with this tie, and that’s when I realized I could mix two passions—fly fishing and Husky pride.

A streamer tied by fly tyer Jeff Rowley in Husky purple with a big W on the side. — The fly that started my U of W fly fishing collection. | Photo by Ken Baldwin

Bill Dance Did It, I'm Just Joining an Ever Expanding Club

Bill Dance made sporting a Tennessee Vols hat while fishing popular. Poncho Shirts has a collection that they call their “Gameday Collection.” Carhartt’s doing duck-cloth caps with college logos. Repping your college team's colors on the water is nothing new, and I've just begun.

A Purple and Gold Fly Rod Needed

Sage, C.F. Burkheimer—you’re both located in the state of Washington. Make a purple fly rod with gold wraps and call it The DAWG Stick. I’ll fish it proudly with my purple Loop reel and a big W on my hat.

Mighty are the men who wear the purple and gold. – KB. Connect with me and follow my Fly Fishing On SI's Facebook page

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The gear reviewed in this article was provided to me at no cost for the purpose of evaluation.The views and assessments presented are my own.