Fly Fishing Beers



It's the end of a full day of fishing. Whether your luck was good or nonexistent, you're totally toasted and it's time for a cold one. Maybe you bend over to peer in the recesses of your fridge... or maybe you sift through the watery ice of a battle scarred cooler... or maybe you sidle up to a bar signaling your intentions with the tip of an index finger. Whichever route you choose, you are following a classic and time honored path. It's one of the great traditions of our sport to enjoy a cold beer at the end of a day of fishing. 
Beer located, you grip the bottle with your thumb pressed against the label. Your other fingers push lightly against the far side of the amber bottle. Your little finger is, of course, there with the others, but it performs no task. It's there as a backup and is only employed in an emergency. You take a quick slug then drop the bottle to your hip where it rests while you walk to join your friends. 
Nothing is better than the first cold beer at the end of a day! Many beer companies understand fly fishing's link to this ritual and have honored our sport with an appropriate name and label.
So I would like to start a discussion of fly fishing beers. I want to know your favorites! I'll start it off with these offerings from the Madison River Brewing Company. They are brewed in Montana so they honor all that is trout with a nymph pattern (Copper John Ale), a classic dry fly (Irresistible Amber Ale) and THE quintessential terrestrial pattern, (Hopper Pale Ale). These are good beers with great labels... I'll attest to that!
So if you know any beers with names that honor our sport (good beers preferably and especially regional saltwater brews!), send a photo and I'll post your suggestions. Fresh or saltwater, let's see what's out there.
Of course, if you feel like it, send me a 6-pack of your favorite beer instead of a photo. I'll do a taste test, take the photo (thus saving you the trouble... I'm all about being helpful!) and report my results. 
I promise not to enjoy it!