The sun peeks over the canyon rim, providing light for a few short hours. In the cold and dark hardly anyone visits. But the trout are still there.
Snagged on the second cast I break off my rig. A tailing loop catches my indicator, creating a rats nest I can’t undo. I clear ice from the guides for the tenth time. Coils in my running line catch on a rock. The trend continues all afternoon. On occasion I have a day where, Read More
She is dog-ugly, but I’ve dreamed of getting into her bed for months now. Who am I to judge if she lies right next to the highway, downstream of town and in the middle of an oilfield? So her banks are intermittently lined with junk cars and half-submerged industrial debris… let he who hath, 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
“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