Why Did We Change our Name from Big R to North 40 Outfitters? Over three years ago, the owners and the team at North 40 Outfitters revealed their new name to the Northwest. After 17 years doing business as Big R Stores, it was time to differentiate ourselves from other stores around the US that shared the Big R name. By changing our name to North 40 Outfitters, we were able to alleviate confusion and say with confidence to all of our loyal customers online and on the ground, "This is our brand. This is who we are. Expect the best customer service and the extensive farm and ranch selection you deserve." What Does North 40 Mean? The term "North 40" is a phrase that takes its root from agriculture and dates back to the Homestead Act. Language of the time differentiated the Homesteader's land by 40 acre parcels coincidin...

So, we got another live text report from Missouri river from Fred today. Makes me wonder if I should have taken a job at the shop instead of the office... Oh well, here's what Fred's got to say about the MO today. "Really glad to be swinging the MO right now. Water 40 plus degrees. Wind calm. 3550 cfs. Overcast. Did I say I'm really glad to be here?" "Kevin is crushing with a #14 fire bead soft hackle sow. I'm swinging a Predacious Fox. We and the fish are loving it." "A few more, and it will be time for IF4. Hope to see you there." Short, simple and makes me wish I was out on the water instead of in the office.

By Paul Beel, from Frankenfly.com I want to begin by saying that I am excited to be writing a column for North 40 Fly Shop! With my primary focus being fly tying, I have known for years what a great and knowledgeable staff they have and how they keep their fingers on the pulse of the fly tying world. New Materials Announcements for Streamer Junkies With that said, I thought I would mention a few materials and a fly that have been on fire in popularity lately. If you're a streamer junkie, this is a good time to be alive! Two new threads have recently been released, both in the size of 140 Denier: Danville 140 and Veevus Power Thread being the two offerings. I've tied with both and they are, indisputably, quality threads. Previously, I have consistently used UTC 140 and I was accustomed to the stretch it featured. Neither the Danville or V...

In the last couple years, gluten free and grain free diets have grown in popularity within the general public. These new diets originated for those with celiac disease, intolerance to glutens in general, or allergies to wheat. Somewhere down the line, it made its way into mainstream dieting and has remained popular. With this trend has come with a similar diet plan for man's best friend. Some might not be aware of it yet, but there is now grain free dog food available. Those who have seen the now available pet diet may ask themselves if it is right for their furry friend. Depending on the source, you may be inclined to believe that your dog should be on a grain free diet, perhaps mirroring your own choice to go grain or gluten free yourself. Just because you are on or need to be on a grain free diet doesn't mean your dog should be. Those...

March 1st is a date many Washington anglers circle on their calendar because it marks the start of fishing season on numerous lakes east of the Cascade Range. The first week of this season hasn’t disappointed with several good reports coming from our customers. Even I have been fortunate enough to get out with some friends and enjoy some early season success. If you’re a seasoned lake angler, you probably already know where to go. If not, grab your current fishing regs and look for those March 1st openers. Some personal favorites of mine include Amber, Medical, Lenice/Nunnally, and Lenore. Chironomids, damselfly nymphs, micro buggers, water boatmen, and streamers should be part of your arsenal this month. Don’t forget the dries either, because you never know when that first big hatch will come off. Water temps are hovering in the l...

Overview: The Clearwater River holds many of its spring spawning fish all winter long, making fishing opportunities available during good weather. Luckily, Lewiston, ID, is warmer that most of the rest of Idaho during the winter months. Warm winds blow out of the south west called Chinooks. These winds rip up through the Columbia Basin and push into Lewiston during the winter. During these times, even a slight raise in water temperature and flow move fish into new water. These are the key times to focus on fishing the Clearwater during the winter and early spring. If the weather remains cold, the fish tend to get a little stale resting in the same water for long periods of time. As winter turns into spring, there are a lot of fish that push up the snake and into the Clearwater. While these fish aren’t fresh from the ocean, they are sti...

At some point or another, you may have to place something in the back for your truck that, unfortunately, is longer that your truck bed. Usually, you try to strap it down and pray it doesn't fall off. While this can work, the person driving behind you might not be so confident in your tie down skills. Thankfully, there's a way to extend your truck bed for those awkward length items. And better yet, you can do it yourself. Make your Truck an Extended Bed w/ Erickson Big Bed Extender First off- my automotive skills are glaringly lacking, so when this project came down the pipeline, I said, "WHAAAAAAAAAATT. Vehicles?" Let's say if my life was a video game- my car skills are Level Zero. Here's a Father's Day project you might fight interesting... the Ranchero Rebuild. But that's doesn't even matter when it comes to the Erickson Big Bed Exten...

Having a brand goes beyond the name. A brand reflexes the values, the passions, the integrity, and more importantly, the people involved with the brand, from the owner to the consumer. A brand should be synonymous with what it stands for as much if not more so than the product or service that they provide. We ourselves went through a change of name, from Big R to North 40 Outfitters, and try our best to maintain and improve our brand. However, this article isn't about us; it's about at brand that we are proud to be associated with, even if we are only a small part of a bigger whole. Mountain Hardwear is more than what their name suggests, though they live up to that name pretty darn well. With a line of products that is designed to endure the craziest of adventures, that really isn't that surprising. But that is the point right there, I ...

While animal health companies are riddled with hundreds of stats about how much healthier, heavier, and better your cattle herds will be using their product... so we asked Zoetis to prove it, and to our surprise they took us up on it. Next step was to bring on Vic Anderson and get him to go all Zoetis in 2016 on his cattle ranch on the Smith River in Montana. No real science here... this is just a real life, cattle rancher's experiment doing what Zoetis recommends for cattle health and productivity. And so begins North 40 Outfitter's Anderson Experiment... Money Talks Trying to get a rancher to spend more money can be, well, difficult at times. You combine that with the fact that if a rancher has had success in the past using his current methods and you are in for an uphill battle come time to try and get him to try something new. "...