WFS 431 – Chota Outdoor Gear With Mark Brown and Caleb Luzader – Waders, Boots, Fly Fishing

Show Notes: wetflyswing.com/431 

Presented by: Daiichi, Chota Outdoor Gear

Sponsors: wetflyswing.com/sponsors   

Mark Brown and Caleb Luzader are here to break down the Chota Outdoor Gear story and some of the unique products they have in their line.

Mark takes us into the history of Chota products. We find out how the waders and hippies came to be and what they are all about. We also get the lowdown on who the mastermind was behind Chota way back in the day.

Chota Outdoor Gear Show Notes with Mark Brown and Caleb Luzader

2:46 – Mark tells about how he got into fly fishing and how came into Chota Outdoor Gear.

4:18 – He shares a bit about the history of the company and who the mastermind was behind Chota.

6:35 – Caleb also shares how he got into fly fishing and how he started working in the company.

7:20 – Caleb takes us to that time when he got a scholarship for competitive bass fishing in college.

10:42 – I mention our Euro Nymphing School with Pete Erickson.

11:26 – Mark tells more about Frank Bryant, the man behind Chota, and the development of their boots through the years.

15:38 – He also tells about their hippies and the do’s and don’ts in storing and taking care of your Chota wading boots.

19:36 – He shares what they think about when working on a new product. They prioritize durability and comfort.

20:25 – Their bestselling footwear is the HYRB-800.

22:54 – Caleb talks about what he does in the company and his focus for this year.

24:40 – He tells the advantages of wearing their waders and hippies while fly fishing. Their goal is to create an affordable but really good wader.

28:50 – Mark breaks down the features of their waders and how to wear them.

33:00 – He talks about how to take care of your waders and the warranty that comes with buying a pair.

36:30 – He tells the material they use for their waders.

39:21 – Caleb shares what size of waders he gets and how he wears them as someone who is taller than the average.

42:35 – Mark tells a bit about the next big things they’ll be doing in Chota.

43:34 – He shares the story of how they came up with their cloak wading shoe cover.

50:00 – Caleb talks about their line of products for women which are being carried by their sister company called Miss Mayfly.

52:50 – Caleb shares his observation on the industry in terms of the consumers most of the similar companies cater to.

55:10 – I ask them about the safety while using their products.

56:37 – Caleb shares an idea on waders for kids.

58:28 – Mark talks about the importance of helping the next generations to get into fly fishing to grow and continue the sport.

1:00:21 – We do the two-minute drill. I ask them about their go-to fly, favorite species to fish, bucket list trips, and recommended conservation groups for people to check out.

Show Notes: wetflyswing.com/431