The following posts have something to do with Fly Fishing in general and include trips I’ve taken to different parts of the world seeking that next great experience. Included are all the local trips as well. These posts are not specific to location.
“The great charm of fly-fishing is that we are always learning.” – Theodore Gordon
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…
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 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…
April 15, 2025. It’s been almost a month since I last fished the home waters, and apparently, the lake took it personally. Everything’s different now—water’s way up, temps are lounging in the mid-60s like they’re on spring break, and algae is smothering everything like a bad cologne. The wind has officially become sentient and moody,…
April 2-7 2025. First off, credit where credit is due—this whole trip happened because my amazing wife Gina won the TDIC raffle. While most folks win golf bags or a new office chair, Gina managed to hit the jackpot: a full week, all-inclusive stay at Portofino Beach Resort in San Pedro, Ambergris Caye. That’s right—white…
March 28-31 2025. With a month to go, I was getting all giddy inside—like Kimmie the Fishig Dog that just heard the word “walk”—knowing that the 2027 trout season was just around the corner. Henderson Springs in March is basically Disneyland for fly fishermen, minus the churros and long lines. Mark Henderson even sent me…
Dodging the Storms and Chasing Stripers Saturday March 15, 2025 – It’s been raining for three days straight, and tomorrow promises more of the same. But today? Today was one of those freakishly perfect days—sandwiched between storms—when the wind disappears, the sun comes out, and everything feels just right. I wasn’t the only one who…
March 5, 2025 – Somewhere in the Wild Bureaucratic Hellscape of California Another bout of rain looms on the horizon, but the real storm already passed—an eight-day exile at the hands of California Parks and Recreation. Banished. Quarantined. A punishment so absurd it could only have been conceived by a government agency with no clear…
Wednesday, February 26, 2025 -California’s water managers have come up with yet another genius plan to save us all: stop boats from moving between O’Neill Forebay and San Luis Reservoir for eight days. Why? Because of the newly discovered Chinese golden mussel, an invasive species that’s now calling O’Neill Forebay home. Never mind that O’Neill…
Monday February 24, 2025 – February striper fishing these days is a roller coaster—a transitional circus of nature gone mad. The rains have come down like a curse, swelling both Forebay and Lake to surreal levels. Water turbidity is off the charts, with murk reducing visibility to a mere 1–4 feet, and a bitter cold…
January 24, 2025 -Fishing on the Forebay today turned out surprisingly well, despite there being no current flowing through from Check 12, the dam, or the powerhouse. I would have thought that by now water would be rushing south to Los Angeles, but there wasn’t enough current anywhere to swing my Clousers for stripers. Instead…
January 19, 2025 – Fishing the Forebay in January is usually slow. Cold weather, chilly water, heavy rains, and muddy conditions are the norm, but today was anything but typical. Maybe it’s because there’s something in the air—a feeling of renewal, like a rebirth of a nation. Or perhaps it’s special for a more personal…
Wednesday December 4, 2024 The mission for the day was simple in theory: catch one keeper for dinner. But in reality? A gamble, a twisted roll of the dice. December fishing is a schizophrenic beast—either the jackpot of blitzing action or a cruel exercise in futility. Vaughn and his merry band of misfits had taken…
Sunday November 24, 2024 – The first major atmospheric river of the year swept through the Bay Area this week, and as in past years, I made an effort to hit the Forebay after the first big rain. Fortunately, today’s weather cooperated—flat water and sunny skies made for an ideal day on the water, even…
It’s really frustrating that rebanding is no longer allowed, especially now that they’re inspecting boats as they leave. If the goal is to prevent mussel contamination in other bodies of water like the Forebay and the lake, inspecting boats on the way out doesn’t make much sense if. your not rebanding. I timed my inspection…