Back to the Lake

 Friday  April 17, 2026 · San Luis Reservoir A scouting trip, a leaky boat, and possibly the greatest fishing partner ever… who never once left his couch. It had been months since I’d been out—November, to be exact—which is just long enough for a fisherman to forget two important things: where the fish are… and whether…

Amen Corner from the Couch

There’s a peculiar kind of intimacy that comes with returning to the same place — the same water, the same fairway, the same bend in the river you’ve fished a hundred times. Standing in that familiar current, you’re not just casting into water; you’re casting against every version of yourself who stood there before. It’s…

The Jazz Cruise of 2026

March 17 through April 3. –  There are trips you take… and then there are trips that take something out of you—in the best possible way. The kind where you come home a little sunburned, a few pounds heavier, slightly sleep-deprived, and completely convinced you’ve been doing life wrong the rest of the year. The…

The Art of War by Sun Tzu and fishing

Next week I’m joining a group of dear friends for one of our most cherished rituals of the year—time at Henderson Springs to rest, recharge, and reconnect. We all lead busy lives and rarely see each other, but once a year we gather there with rods in hand and the quiet understanding that the real…

Mayakoba Family Vacation Part Deux

Last year Gina and I embarked on what felt like a bold new chapter for us — a full-scale family invasion of Cancun with both families and the grandkids at the Fairmont Mayakoba. Honestly, we packed emotional body armor expecting tactical grandchild wrangling in a foreign country far from home. When Mark and Mia were…

The Greatest Football Game Ive ever Seen

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…

Remembering Howard McKinney

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…