We found ourselves a few hours from home, needing to kill some time while my wife was in a meeting. The local fly shop beckoned. “What’s that?” I asked. “Uh…I don’t know…pheasant tail?” “Nice, that’s right.” “Can we buy this one?” “Ah, not sure we can catch a trout with that.” “But I love, Read More
“Interested in fishing this afternoon?” asked Steven. Knowing from experience that Steven’s enthusiasm occasionally outpaces his judgment in these matters, I gave his question serious thought before answering. The idea had some obvious shortcomings…most notably that the thermometer read 9 degrees. On the other hand, the day was young, sunny and still. Standing there, Read More
Pea soup fog slowly gave way to a vast expanse of asphalt grey water. It felt more like the Outer Banks than the flats of Texas’s lower Laguna Madre, let alone the turquoise waters of the Bahamas that many compare it to. Squinting into the darkness an occasional tail pierced the surface. Working to, Read More
Stalking the seam is not a passive endeavor. Getting after it, while meeting the demands of work and family, requires intention and effort. Likewise, conserving the resources, perpetuating the values, and passing on the knowledge and lore that make our pursuits possible for future generations can feel like an uphill battle. Apathy and ignorance, Read More
“How are the fish doing?” a small voice piped up from the back seat. “Huh?” I replied. “You know…how are their homes doing?” “Oh…you mean where we helped on that project last summer?” “Uh huh” Seven months had passed, but it is remarkable what sticks in a five year old’s mind. My daughter and, Read More
“Boys, wait your turn!” says Ayden with the authority of a 5 year old vice-principal. “Pet that rainbow,” grunts Grady, disregarding his big sister, throwing a territorial elbow and leaning precariously over the gunwale. “Dada, Dada… I wanna… I wanna,” whines Everett, scrambling frantically over the oars and lunging into the fray. I doubt, Read More
A grey submarine breached in the middle of The Dean; a Cold War relic tethered to me by a thin strand of Dacron, showing itself only for a moment as it headed out to sea. It was late July and most of the Kings had already entered the system. Anglers crazy enough to target, Read More
Passing the frozen reservoir, on the way to our closest tailwater, my daughter asks if we can go ice fishing. My parents are from Minnesota, but despite midwestern roots I’m not much of an ice fisherman. Sure I went a few times as a kid, but since then it’s been all open water for, Read More
The Angling Bookstore must have 30 different nymphing technique books on the shelf, but when I asked the proprietor for a recommendation, he didn’t hesitate. “There’re lots of great books on the subject, but this guy’s the real deal,” said Ben as he handed me a copy of Dynamic Nymphing. He was right. George Daniel’s, Read More