I graduated with a degree in business marketing and am lucky to still have two very good friends from the marketing/communications department who now work for South Dakota and Minnesota Tourism. A few years ago we made a very fun fishing trip out to South Dakota, thanks to my friend there; but late last year,... Continue Reading →
A Trip to the Desert
Someone recently said that I am unable to take a vacation without incorporating fishing. I won’t name any names, but I had to prove to Abigail that indeed it is possible. So, this is me letting you know ahead of time that there is NO FISHING CONTENT in this post, but I’d like to think... Continue Reading →
Smallmouth Bass on Dry Flies
These past few weekends the fish were really keyed in on small dry flies. BWOs seemed to do the trick for us. As we carefully drifted them into a pocket of slack water, near a down tree, the fish would slowly rise and delicately sip the flies off the surface. It is cool when you... Continue Reading →
Hard-Water Pike Fishing
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 →
Twin Cities TU Winter Retreat
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 →
A Marathon Trip for Lake Michigan Coho
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 →
Ted Hansen – Fly Fishing Artist
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 →
Hiking for High Country Cutthroat
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 →
Mississippi Smallmouth in an Unidentified Floating Object
“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 →