Blue green water, a little high, but lower than last week. It looked fishy. With a couple hours of light left it felt like we might have hit it perfectly. Walking back to the truck to gear up my buddy hollered. “Sounds like air is coming out of a tire.” Sure enough, there was, Read More
Bad luck, lack of skill, karma, it’s hard to say. What seems certain is that I’ve far exceeded my quota of broken rods for the year. Maybe it’s because I went several years without breaking one. But five, and it is still September, that seems excessive. Other than the end result there doesn’t seem, Read More
First we want to catch a fish. Next we want a lot of fish. Then we want to land the fish.
First we want to catch a fish. Next we want a lot of fish. Then we want to land the fish.
Extended backcountry trips are part of the fabric of my DNA. My wife is no different. When we had kids there were no intentions of throwing that part of our lives away. Admittedly, we were rocked as much as anyone with the birth of our daughter and it wasn’t until she was two that we decided to head, Read More
I can’t explain how – call it fishy ESP– but clearly fish can sense when one’s focus is trained, heart and soul, on a drift, and as importantly when it’s not.
I’m not a very good fisherman. At least not by the standards of the company I keep. Numbered among my friends are more elegant casters, craftier fly tyers, smarter fly selectors, more intuitive water readers, and more graceful presenters than I ever dream of being. Heck, on any given day, those superior abilities are, Read More
A slight wind blows from the east. Just enough to put a steady chop on the lake. In the west, the sun creeps toward the horizon making a sharp glare. Squinting into the water, visibility is next to nothing. Standing on the bow, the drift boat became a skiff. Tamarisks became mangroves. A reservation reservoir, Read More
Whether mark Twain said it first or not, truer words have rarely been said. Across the drought stricken West they’re more appropriate now than ever, despite this year’s unseasonably wet summer. If you’ve spent much time outside this year, it’s hard not to recognize that something strange is going on. In the last three months, Read More
Almost imperceptible streaks of water seep through jacket cuffs, working their way up my arms. With every sweep it creeps just a tad farther. Squinting through drops of rain on my sunglasses I aim another cast to where tree line meets a cloudy mist. The fly hits the water and I strive to maintain focus. Confidence is key, but, Read More