Weather in the Upper Midwest is very extreme. Temperatures can vary 120 degrees from the hot, humid summer months to the bone chilling winters. Fly fishermen in our region have the benefit of spring fed streams that allow for trout fishing even when temps dip below freezing. Sometimes however, temperatures get to the point where... Continue Reading →
A few weeks ago, Abigail and I had the opportunity to join the Twin Cities Trout Unlimited chapter down at Whitewater State Park for a weekend full of fly fishing, fly tying and meeting new friends. Almost 40 of us made the 100-mile trek south to one of the few places open for fly fishing... Continue Reading →
I remember about a year ago on a Friday evening around 7 PM, Micah and I were eating pizza on the couch and planning to lay low for the night, when Micah suddenly got a call from his fishing friend Drew. He hung up and gave me his best puppy dog eyes as he asked,... Continue Reading →
Most fly fishermen have an appreciation for art whether they realize it or not. They wear hats, shirts and other “merch” with their favorite brand’s artistic logos; drive around sticker-covered vehicles; piece together well-designed fly rods with matching reels; and tie on flies they meticulously crafted themselves. I am one of these people who loves... Continue Reading →
As we made our descent down the small mountain, we could see the curves of the creek cutting through the pasture below. Our pace quickened as we anxiously hiked down the gravel path into the valley. It was the last day of our trip out west and we were excited about the prospect of catching... Continue Reading →
“Hey! What kind of boat is that?” A stranger yells from his car window. This isn’t the first time this question has been asked of our group. “A drift boat,” I say, then try to explain its purpose and that we had just finished a 7-hour float down the Mississippi. “That’s awesome!” The stranger yells... Continue Reading →
Micah and I have a soft spot for American-made products that are high-quality, classic and conventional all at the same time, and Maine-based Finn Utility’s gear—specifically the streamer wallet—checks all of those boxes. When I opened the package, I was immediately impressed with the casual, yet classy look of the olive- green wallet and the... Continue Reading →
The sounds of an alarm disrupted the 4th hour of sleep we were in the middle of capturing. It was 3:20am and the alarm was not accidental. We were headed to the Mississippi to fish bass with one of my lifelong friends, Aaron. The goal was to meet at the landing at 5:30 and it... Continue Reading →
Time was fleeting and we had a hard stop. Airplanes don’t wait for anyone, I suppose… unless your someone… but we are just “anyone”. Our morning destination was 75 miles away and depending on Seattle traffic, could take anywhere from 1-2 hours, leaving us with an abbreviated fishing window. Having been up late the night... Continue Reading →
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