Hunt Monkey is expanding its hunting glove lineup with the Ridge Runner Pro Lightweight Waterproof Glove for Fall/Winter 2026. The three-layer glove features waterproof, breathable construction with a microfleece lining, designed for waterfowl hunting, mild-climate wet hunts, and archery while maintaining dexterity and grip control.

Whitewater Fishing has restocked its Great Lakes Pro Insulated Jacket and Bib, featuring windproof and waterproof 30K/13K lamination with thermal-mapped PrimaLoft® Silver insulation. Designed for cold-weather anglers, these technical garments prioritize mobility and warmth with articulated construction, multiple pockets, and reinforced knee overlays.

Women for Gun Rights presented its inaugural annual awards at the 2026 National Summit Gala, honoring Susan Myers (Volunteer of the Year), Patriot Mobile (2A Business of the Year), Congresswoman Kat Cammack (2A Legislator of the Year), and Mary Forgues (Shirley Waltral Memorial Survivor Award).

Oregon State Police SWAT won the 2026 Staccato National SWAT Championship, presented by Trijicon, held Sept. 25–27 at Staccato Ranch Vegas in Nevada. Nearly 40 elite law enforcement teams from over a dozen U.S. states, Canada, and Puerto Rico competed for $150,000 in prizes, with Washoe County Sheriff's Office placing second and Lubbock PD third.

The Second Amendment Foundation and partners including the National Shooting Sports Foundation and National Rifle Association filed a lawsuit challenging New Mexico's House Bill 129 waiting period for firearms purchases. The suit seeks to expand a previous Tenth Circuit ruling declaring the law unconstitutional to cover all SAF members, as New Mexico continues enforcing it despite the court decision.

The NSSF filed a lawsuit against New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez challenging the state's seven-day firearm waiting period, which federal courts have twice ruled unconstitutional. Despite rulings in Ortega v. Grisham, Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham and Attorney General Torrez continue enforcing the law against law-abiding citizens.

Safe LivinG, in collaboration with the Army & Air Force Exchange Service (AAFES), will bring its firearms safety and suicide prevention experience to Fort Bliss Main Exchange on October 23–24. The event features a mobile range with FATS by InVeris simulators, demonstrations from SABRE and Streamlight, and family-friendly firearm safety education.

Idaho Fish and Game faces uncertainty about fall steelhead stocking on the Boise River due to one of the lowest steelhead returns on record. Surplus fish from Oxbow Hatchery won't be known until after mid-November, with stocking decisions expected around November 20. Anglers should anticipate potential limited availability this year.

Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks' Future Fisheries Citizen Review Panel is seeking a current high school student for a two-year volunteer position. The 14-member panel reviews proposals for the Future Fisheries Improvement Program, which grants approximately $1 million annually for Montana wild fish habitat restoration projects. Contact Bailey Duxbury at 406-565-6995 or FWPFFIP@mt.gov for more information.

Idaho Fish and Game closed steelhead harvest in the Clearwater River basin effective October 21, 2026, due to historically low returns and the lowest steelhead counts at Bonneville Dam since 1938. Anglers may continue catch-and-release fishing for steelhead.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) is holding public workshops in October to gather input on updating oyster harvest regulations in Dixie, Levy, and Citrus counties. Proposed changes include adjusting undersized tolerance limits, establishing regional endorsement requirements, implementing seasonal bag limits, and requiring harvest reporting.

A fishing closure on the upper Big Hole River between Saginaw Bridge and the North Fork confluence has been lifted due to improved flows. The closure, implemented Aug. 12 under the Big Hole River Drought Management Plan, is no longer necessary.

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources and The Nature Conservancy are conducting an acoustic telemetry study on lake whitefish in the Muskegon River to determine if rivers can serve as alternative spawning areas. Anglers are asked to release tagged whitefish and report catches to Scott Heintzelman or Matt Herbert to support conservation efforts for this declining species.

Benjamin Smith of Thatcher, Idaho caught a new Idaho catch-and-release state record brown trout from the Bear River on Aug. 28, beating Caroline Langdale's record set just three months earlier by 0.5 inches. Idaho Fish and Game's Catch-and-Release Record Program recognizes anglers who catch and release qualifying fish.

Josh Delong of Idaho set a new catch-and-release state record with a 17-inch bullhead catfish at Lake Cascade on September 5, surpassing Chris Webber's previous record of 16.25 inches. Idaho Fish and Game's Catch-and-Release Record Program recognizes anglers who catch and release qualifying fish alive.

Whitetails Unlimited awarded a $20,000 grant to the Southeastern Association of Fish & Wildlife Agencies (SEAFWA) conference in New Orleans, supporting law enforcement collaboration among 16 southeastern states and anti-poaching efforts.

Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks' Future Fisheries Improvement Program is offering approximately $400,000 in grants with a November 15 deadline. The program funds projects that restore rivers, streams, and lakes to improve wild fish habitat on public or private property benefiting public fisheries.

Idaho Fish and Game reminds hunters to allow 10 business days for hunting tags ordered online to arrive before their trips. Licenses can be printed immediately or synced to the GoOutdoorsIdaho mobile app, and hunters can also purchase tags in person at Fish and Game offices or license vendors.

The Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department has published three online videos demonstrating proper deer processing techniques: Field Dressing a Deer, Skinning a Deer, and Butchering a Deer. Hunter Education Program Coordinator Nicole Meier emphasizes that correct processing significantly improves meat quality and ensures enjoyable meals for hunters and their families.

Utah's general pheasant and quail hunting seasons open November 7, 2026. The Utah Division of Wildlife Resources, led by Upland Game Coordinator Heather Talley, releases pen-reared pheasants on wildlife management areas and provides hunting tips for both species, while noting dry conditions have impacted populations.

Idaho Fish and Game is offering trapper and wolf trapper education courses in Salmon this November. The trapper education course is scheduled for November 14, and the wolf trapper education course for November 21, both at the Idaho Fish & Game Office with an $8 course fee. Preregistration is required.

Idaho Fish and Game and Winchester Lake State Park are offering limited waterfowl hunting at Winchester Lake with six designated locations. Hunters must register in advance, follow specific rules including a maximum of four hunters per location, and comply with all standard Idaho waterfowl regulations. Waterfowl hunting opens October 19.

GrabAGun Digital Holdings Inc. applauds the Texas federal court's decision in Silencer Shop Foundation v. ATF and the October 9, 2026 ATF guidance ending federal enforcement of NFA registration requirements for suppressors and other covered firearms. The company, a leading online firearms retailer, supports the legal work protecting Second Amendment rights and remains committed to defending these freedoms.

ZeroTech Optics USA and Infinite Outdoors announced a strategic partnership offering ZeroTech customers a 30-day free Infinite Outdoors membership trial and providing Infinite Outdoors members with an exclusive 25% discount on ZeroTech optics products.

Host Michael Waddell interviews 84-year-old Edwin Argroves, a legendary trapper and wildlife expert from Georgia, discussing his decades of experience in trapping, animal behavior, and old-time country wisdom. Argroves shares stories about his journey from childhood trapping to becoming a master of animal control, offering insights on nature and life lessons learned through years of outdoor observation.

A section of snowmobile Trail UP8 will close this winter due to compromised footings on the Agate Trestle. The Michigan Department of Natural Resources and Sno Valley Riders Snowmobile Club are providing a reroute using trails UP3, UP150, and UP107, with repairs expected in 2027.

FALCO Holsters announced four new hybrid holsters: the A915, A915 L, A916, and A916 L, combining Italian leather with U.S. Kydex for hip and appendix carry. The A915 models feature traditional hybrid construction for hip carry, while the A916 models introduce the TalonGuard platform for appendix carry, with both available in standard and light-bearing configurations.

Spartan Precision Equipment announces the Pent System Kit, a modular upgrade that converts Spartan Quad Sticks into a five-legged shooting platform. The carbon fiber fifth leg enhances stability, supports rifle weight, and reduces shooter fatigue, with a suggested retail price of $150.00.

Radians Heated Apparel extends outdoor adventures with rechargeable heated jackets, hoodies, and vests featuring three heating zones and up to 10 hours of warmth. The collection includes a heated puffer vest, Mossy Oak Bottomland Camo hoodie, and softshell jacket, all designed for fall and winter camping enthusiasts.

Gun Tote'n Mamas has launched its Rose Collection, featuring four lambskin concealed carry handbags designed for women prioritizing style and functionality. Each design accommodates a SIG Sauer P365 or similar firearm, with prices ranging from $115.95 to $179.95 available through the GTM online store.

MDT has expanded JAE-G5 chassis compatibility to the Remington 700 right-hand long action CIP, bringing magnum-length builds to the competition-focused platform. The chassis features adjustable length of pull, cheek height, and barricade stop position, with M-LOK forend and ARCA rail compatibility. Available in Black starting October 20, 2026.

Remington Gun Care introduced the Rechargeable Mini-Dehumidifier to protect firearms from moisture in gun safes and storage areas. The device features water crystal technology, a motion-activated light, wireless hygrometer and thermometer, and operates up to 60 days before recharging.

Taurus launches an 8-inch barrel Raging Hunter revolver chambered in 350 Legend, joining existing 10-inch and 14-inch models. The six-shot revolver features a non-fluted cylinder, cushioned grip, and Taurus Double Lock System, available in two-tone or black finishes.

C&H Precision, a family-owned maker of red dot optics and firearm accessories based in Richmond Hill, Georgia, will exhibit at the IACP 2026 Annual Conference and Exposition October 24-27 in Orlando, showcasing its product lineup and custom services to law enforcement leaders and first responders.

The Pope and Young Club, North America's leading bowhunting conservation organization, announced online registration is now open for their 35th Biennial Convention. The event will be held April 8-10, 2027, at the Statehouse Convention Center in Little Rock, AR, featuring seminars, vendor displays, auctions, and networking opportunities for bowhunters.

Idaho Fish and Game is accepting public comments through October 28 on proposed rules to expand electronic tagging for game birds and manage Chronic Wasting Disease zones by individual game management unit. The Idaho Fish and Game Commission will vote on the rules November 17-18.

Major League Fishing's Starlink Team Series Toyota Heritage Cup streams live on GAME & FISH TV from Manchester, Tennessee, October 18-23, 2026, featuring 12 two-man teams competing for $560,000 in prize money across four Cup events.

Shooting USA features JROTC teams competing at the George Anderson Shooting Center at Camp Perry, OH for national team and individual champions in Three Position Ten Meter Air Rifle, plus a Colt Pro Tip segment with Wyatt Gibson.

The Big Grass Fire, which started July 23, 2026, burned 578,637 acres across Idaho and Oregon, impacting mule deer and elk habitat across multiple ranges. Wildlife Biologist Rachel Curtis and Volunteer Services Coordinator Lexie Chamberlain provide guidance on alternative hunting areas and habitat recovery efforts in affected units.

The Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation urges drivers to exercise caution during autumn months when deer activity increases due to breeding season and reduced daylight hours. Micah Holmes advises reducing speed, increasing following distance, and scanning roadsides, while warning against swerving to avoid collisions with other vehicles or roadside hazards.

The Indiana Department of Natural Resources confirmed highly pathogenic avian influenza in geese in Hamilton County and blue-wing teal in Greene County through surveillance by the U.S. Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services. The public health risk is low, but residents should avoid contact with sick wildlife and report findings to authorities.

In 1992, Konrad Krauland was manufacturing line for stunt kites, not bass fishing. His company, Innovative Textiles Inc. (ITI), was using Spectra, an extraordinarily strong synthetic fiber, to produce smooth, consistent dual-line kite strings. Within five years, the technology would help produce PowerPro, a fishing line that was among the leaders in the braided line revolution.

Krauland's path into fishing tackle began with a background in textiles, not a passion for tournament fishing. After studying textile engineering at Philadelphia College of Textiles and Science, he moved to Grand Junction, Colorado, to work as industrial sales manager for Western Filament, a line and textile manufacturer. He eventually left to establish Innovative Textiles in 1992, intending to develop a variety of industrial textile products.

Fishing line had no part in the original plan. 

The connection came through stunt-kite line, where smoothness and manufacturing consistency were critical. Competing products often had uneven strength and rough surfaces that could interfere with performance. By concentrating on those shortcomings, ITI developed exceptionally smooth, strong lines. 

A California fishing-tackle distributor subsequently bought some of ITI's braided Spectra kite line and sold it to anglers. Capt. Russ Izor, founder of Izorline and a pioneer in high-performance fishing lines whom Krauland calls the “Father of Superlines,” also recognized the potential of advanced fibers such as Kevlar and Spectra. Izor became a trusted business partner and mentor.

Within a year, ITI had secured a substantial manufacturing contract, and all 150 of its braiding machines were producing 50-pound line. The company was buying more equipment to meet demand. A professional angler's victory in a 1993 bass tournament using 50-pound kite line provided another indication that the material could work in fishing. ITI grew from a two-person operation into a company with 100 employees and 650 braiding machines in just over a year.

The advantage of almost no stretch

Traditional nylon monofilament had long dominated recreational fishing, offering low visibility, flexibility, manageable handling and relatively low cost. 

Spectra offered a different combination of properties: extremely low stretch, high strength relative to diameter and resistance to many forms of abrasion. Krauland's textile-engineering background helped him recognize what those characteristics could mean on the water.

The low-stretch material offered a more direct transmission of force, allowing anglers to feel subtle strikes and maintain better control over hooksets. That proved particularly valuable when fishing jigs and plastic worms along the bottom, where a bite might register as little more than a tap. Braid also provides the leverage needed to drive large single hooks into fish or pull bass from thick vegetation when using heavy tackle and topwater frogs.

In saltwater, its strength-to-diameter advantage allows more line on a reel and helps anglers maintain contact with fish at depth. Reduced diameter also means less resistance in current, an important consideration when fishing deep structure or working vertically.

Early superlines, however, had their problems. Some were rough, difficult to handle and prone to casting troubles, particularly on spinning reels. Strength alone wasn't enough. A line that tangled or failed to leave the spool cleanly could frustrate anglers regardless of its other advantages.

ITI initially benefited from strong sales in 1993 and 1994, including manufacturing Spiderwire, now owned by PURE Fishing. Then, in 1996, the contract disappeared, wiping out approximately 90 percent of the company's business overnight.

In retrospect, Krauland regards the setback as an opportunity. With the manufacturing contract gone, he could concentrate on developing a proprietary fishing line rather than producing a product for someone else.

Two years of refinement

Krauland spent much of the summer of 1996 testing three or four prototypes each evening in a pond at his condominium complex in Grand Junction. He was looking for a braid that would overcome the handling problems of existing superlines.

The development process eventually produced PowerPro's Enhanced Body Technology, or EBT, designed to improve the line's body and handling characteristics. The company's benchmark was practical and demanding: 200 trouble-free casts with an 1/8-ounce weight on a size 500 spinning reel.

Light lures and small spinning reels expose line-handling weaknesses quickly. A braid might have enough strength to stop a trophy fish, but if it repeatedly tangled or failed to cast smoothly, it was unlikely to win widespread acceptance.

Other companies were also on the trail of “superlines” by this point. Berkley had already introduced FireLine in 1996 using thermally fused polyethylene microfibers rather than a conventional braid. PowerPro followed in 1997 with a braided Spectra line engineered to improve handling and casting, helping establish braided line as a fixture in modern fishing tackle.

PowerPro continued to refine its manufacturing methods, broaden its product range and build relationships with tackle retailers. 

In late 2008, Shimano American acquired Innovative Textiles. The manufacturing operation and staff remained in Grand Junction, while Krauland joined Shimano's management team as a vice president, coordinating production and new-product development. The acquisition gave PowerPro access to Shimano's international distribution network.

Thinner, smoother and more specialized

Braided line has continued to evolve since PowerPro's introduction. Today's products offer a wider range of diameters and constructions, with improvements in smoothness, durability and handling.

PowerPro's premium eight-carrier braids use more individual strands than traditional four-carrier constructions, producing a smoother, quieter line through rod guides. Resin treatments have also improved line flow, while more durable color systems help maintain recognizable colors through extended use.

Metered lines such as PowerPro's Depth-Hunter provide changing color patterns that help anglers estimate how much line is out, useful when trolling, fishing vertically or repeating a productive presentation.

One significant advance has been Spectra HT, a higher-tenacity fiber introduced by Honeywell in 2015. According to Krauland, the material offers approximately 30 percent greater tenacity than traditional Spectra fibers, allowing lines to be made up to 25 percent thinner while maintaining equivalent strength. PowerPro's Maxcuatro was among the first fishing lines to use the new fiber.

Thinner braid allows more line on a reel and reduces resistance in the water. It can also help with casting distance, although actual performance depends on the line construction, reel, rod, lure and conditions. The continuing engineering challenge is to balance smaller diameters with reliable strength, abrasion resistance and manageable handling, Krauland says.

What comes next?

Krauland sees considerable room for further improvement. 

Future advances may be increasingly specialized. A braid intended for frogging in thick vegetation has different requirements from one designed for finesse fishing on spinning tackle, deep-water jigging or offshore applications. Rather than trying to produce one line for every situation, manufacturers can tailor construction and treatment to particular techniques and species.

When PowerPro first appeared, Krauland recalls, many anglers regarded braided line as a curiosity. Today, braid is standard equipment for much of the fishing world, from spinning outfits used for light presentations to heavy baitcasting tackle and offshore reels. 

Braid It not only has the advantages of great strength, low stretch and remarkable castability, but also durability—many anglers fish the same line all summer long, where before with monofilament they might have had to change lines at least once a month under heavy use. So, while braid is more expensive than mono, it can be a more affordable option in the long run.

See details on the company’s current offerings here: https://fishshop.shimano.com/pages/powerpro.

– Frank Sargeant, Editor, The Water Wire