Landon Mayer has spent his guiding career on the tailwaters and spring creeks of Colorado's South Platte drainage, where clear water and educated trout demand precise presentations. His books "Sight Fishing for Trout" and "How to Catch the Biggest Trout of Your Life" focus on the visual approach: spotting fish before casting, reading their feeding lanes, and presenting flies with enough accuracy and delicacy to fool trout that have seen thousands of artificials. Mayer is also an accomplished photographer, and his images of large Colorado trout have appeared in Fly Fisherman Magazine, Fly Rod & Reel, and other publications. He teaches clinics on sight-fishing technique and has developed a following among anglers who fish technical, pressured water.
Bauer
Product description
Bauer fly reels are designed and assembled by hand in Twin Bridges, Montana, as a division of R.L. Winston Rod Company. The brand has used a sealed carbon fiber drag system since its 1995 founding, requiring no lubrication and consistent across temperature extremes. Current models include the RX (freshwater/light saltwater), RVR (river), and SLT (big game, rated to 21 lbs of drag).
Connection note
R.L. Winston
Product description
R.L. Winston Rod Company has built fly rods by hand in Twin Bridges, Montana since 1976, near the Beaverhead, Big Hole, and Jefferson rivers. Founded in 1929, the company was among the first to develop hollow-fluted bamboo construction and later pioneered boron/graphite composite blanks. Current graphite lines include the Air, Saltwater, and Boron series, all finished by hand in Twin Bridges.
Connection note
Know something Landon Mayer uses that's not listed?
Log in to submitLast updated March 12, 2026
Scientific Anglers
Product description
Scientific Anglers has produced fly lines since 1952, currently offering lines across the Amplitude (premium), Mastery (performance), Frequency (entry), and Sonar (sinking) series. The Amplitude series carries the AST Plus slickness additive; the Mastery series uses original AST across technique-specific tapers; the Frequency series provides welded loops at a lower price point. Sonar lines cover the full range of sink rates for subsurface fishing.
Connection note
Simms
Product description
Simms Fishing Products, based in Bozeman, Montana, produces stockingfoot and bootfoot chest waders from the entry-level Tributary (3-layer breathable polyester) through the G3 Guide (Gore-Tex upper, Gore-Tex Pro lower) to the G4 Pro (4-layer Gore-Tex Pro lower). All premium models are manufactured in the US. The Tributary uses neoprene stockingfeet with anti-microbial finish and is the lightest option at around 32 oz.
Connection note
Smith Optics
Product description
Smith Optics outdoor sunglasses built around ChromaPop lens technology, which filters two specific wavelengths at the blue-green and green-red crossover points to sharpen color definition and contrast. Lenses are available in polycarbonate and glass, both with 100% polarization and UV protection. Fishing-focused frames like the Guide's Choice and Spinner are available with ChromaPop Glass Polarized in tints suited for varying water and light conditions.
Connection note