There’s a particular kind of exhaustion that comes from being a fan of teams that don’t just lose at the end of the year—but unravel. I know this because I willingly, enthusiastically, and repeatedly give my heart to the Oregon Ducks and the San Francisco 49ers, two organizations that have perfected the art of the…
December 28, 2025. 49ers vs Bears Tailgates, Parlays, and a Half-Point Miracle I’ve watched a lifetime of football. From frozen bleachers at Soldier’s Field, to packed bars in Europe and on cruise ships at 3AM , living rooms full of noise, decades of Sundays. I thought I’d seen every version of a great game. Then last…
Twas the night before Fishmas, when all through the lodge, Not a creature was stirring, not even a sculpin or dodge. The waders were hung by the woodstove with care, In hopes that big rainbows soon would be there. The anglers were nestled all snug in their beds, While visions of 10-pounders danced…
November 11 -15 2025 – Wildhorse Reservoir, an hour north of Elko at 6,200 feet, sits quietly in the high desert, but this unassuming 3,000-acre lake grows some of the fattest, most powerful trout in Nevada. The Nevada Department of Wildlife stocks it aggressively with rainbows, cutbows, tigers, and browns, and the lake’s thriving yellow…
Yesterday I decided to give the Forebay another shot after hearing some promising reports from Lee Haskins and Vaughn. Sure, most of the chatter was about the “fun-sized” fish, but sprinkled in were those dangerous rumors of the occasional big one. Last week Wayman pulled an 8-pounder, and Lee stuck a couple of 28-inchers on…
Halloween Fishing and Fall Nostalgia at Bidwell Coming off an incredible week of tarpon fishing, I came home to a mountain of catch-up chores at both the office and house. I kept trying to sneak in a Forebay day, but every time I checked the forecast, the wind looked like something out of The Perfect…
I’ve known of Lee Haskins since my Millpond days—back when dinosaurs roamed, fly shops smelled like mothballs and head cement, and if you owned a vise you were halfway to being famous. Somehow, though, we’d never actually fished together or even had a proper conversation. The guy’s a legend in the foam-fly world and still…
Millpond Fly Shop – 1972-1989 Remembering Howard McKinney I got a text from my cousin Wayne today with some tough news — our good friend and fellow Millpond Fly Shop alum Howard McKinney passed away after a long fight with cancer. Most people in the fly-fishing world know Howard as the co-founder of Fishabout, the…
Sunday September 21, 2025 Switching Gears: From Spey to Tarpon Prep With Coho season behind me, I finally put the Spey rods away and turned my attention to fly tying for tarpon — just three weeks away now. The reports coming in from Alaska sound all too familiar: big flows, low numbers, tough weather. Mike…
If there’s one thing I’ve learned after years of making the pilgrimage to the Sapsuk, it’s this: don’t ever expect smooth sailing — literally or figuratively. Alaska weather has a twisted sense of humor. The forecasts change faster than a TikTok trend — sunny one minute, sideways rain the next — and my weather apps…
This year it feels like I’m sneaking fewer chances to fish the local water, so every good day feels like stolen treasure. August is a roll of the dice—if the heat doesn’t roast you, the wind will try to fling you into Fresno. To top it off, I actually got kicked off the dam today…
August 9, 2025 – Steph texted me some Facebook clips this week of striper blitzes in the Forebay. Blitzes. In August. I’ve never seen them this time of year, so my first thought was they had to be small fish but Steph said they’d caught a pile of 17–18 inchers. That sealed it—I had to…
August 6, 2025 Lean Green and Mean Today had all the makings of a banner day on the water—perfect wind, cool temps, and high hopes—but the fishing didn’t quite live up to the forecast. It’s been a couple weeks since I last hit the lake, and things have definitely changed. The water’s way down, and…
I honestly have never been anywhere near Destin Florida unitl this last week when we decided to do a last minute Vacation with Mia’s Florida Family. We spent the week with Mia, Ryan and River, Wayne and Carol (the other grandparents). Ross and Kaitlyn (mias brother in law and girlfriend), and Aunt Beth (Carol’s Sister). …
What a day. I was chasing a repeat of last week’s fishing magic, but the forecast said, “Hold my beer.” Still, I spotted a small window of opportunity and figured I could squeeze in a half-day trip before packing for Destin, Florida. A last hurrah before beach fun with my grandson River and some serious…
Sunday – July 13, 2025 I’ve been glued to Windfinder like a teenage boy on TikTok since getting back from Montana, waiting for any sign of a calm day on San Luis. Today, finally, the stars aligned—well, sort of. Windfinder optimistically forecasted a “light breeze” of 5 to 8 mph from 9 AM to 3…
July 2-8, 2025 I thought my fly fishing schedule had already hit full capacity long before Jerry invited me to fish the Missouri River in July. He floated the idea while we were chasing roosterfish in La Ventana back in May—because, of course, that’s when rational decisions are made. Plus both our wives were getting…
July 1, 2025 I remember that crisp January morning in 2020 like it was yesterday—the first fishing day of a new decade, and the day I met Don. I was at the Basalt launch at San Luis Reservoir, getting my boat ready, when I noticed I wasn’t alone. An older man—80 years old, as I’d…
June 27, 2025 Before It’s Too Late There’s a quiet honor in fishing with the ones who first showed us how to cast a line. Maybe it was your dad, an uncle, a neighbor—the weathered hands that tied your first fly, the patient voice that said, “Let it drift.” They’re the reason we fell in…
Santa Clara County Fire – Weed Abatement. They inspect and enforce removal of fire-risk vegetation. To report hazards, call (408) 282‑3145 or email weedabatement@sccgov.org June 23, 2025 : Today at 2:30 p.m., our backyard nearly achieved full flambé status when a fire broke out in Cathedral Park — just over the hill from our house, where the…
June 3 -18, 2025 Smooth Jazz, Squiggly Roads, and Surreal Landscapes: Our 6th Voyage with Captain Koz It’s been a couple of years since our last Dave Koz Jazz Cruise—not that we were ghosting the man, but the world had other plans. One year, it was Covid (because who doesn’t love a global pandemic?), and…
June 15, 2025 – I always envisioned my retirement as a grand adventure, filled with travel to every continent alongside my lovely wife, Gina. My master plan? To cast my line into pristine waters across the globe while she indulges in her love for museums and hiking. Thank goodness Gina understands my obsession—she graciously accommodates…
May 17-22 2005 – Let me start by saying: eight trips in one year is not for the faint of heart—or the slightly aging. This summer, Gina and I have been on what I can only describe as a whirlwind world tour sponsored by spontaneity, postponed plans, and adult children who now invite us places…
May 4-12, 2025 La Ventana – Chapter One : Jacks and Skippies on Flies The Rooster -Chapter Two : My Personal Best Rooster on a Fly Bad Ass Glass and Roosters – Chapter Three Rooster Madness – Chapter Four : The last two hours of the trip. Yoni Thowing the Net – Chapter FIve –…
April 28-31, 2025. After years of returning to Henderson Springs—often multiple times a year—I’m still struck by how no two trips are ever the same. The five lakes on the property haven’t changed on the map, but each visit offers something new, something surprising. Every lake here has a distinct personality. Some favor midges, others…
