I'm not sure who decided flannel was a good idea, but it was probably Jacob, those Scottish genes. I can remember haphazardly putting together my original line up of rod bags. Near the top of the list was Flannel Lined Bags. It was the first or second order I received. It's still the most popular bag.
Read moreToday is Day 764 of Our Two-Week Quarantine
Today is day 764 of our two-week Covid-19 quarantine. I'm currently experiencing a dull ache behind the eyes and a feeling of listlessness. It's been quite a while since I last went fishing or hiking or snowshoeing or anything exciting. My consumption of random trail mixes has also increased. It's not a great combination.
To say that we are living in strange times is probably the understatement of the century.
The Great Kokanee Search
Kokanee Salmon. It's official, I've got a new obsession. I learned a few months ago that Kokanee's inhabit a river just twenty minutes from my house. A few local newspaper articles, several hours of "googling," and way too much time staring into my phone watching YouTube videos and I have become determined to catch one of these boogers.
I'll admit, I am captivated by some of the oddities in the fishing world. Tiny little trout? Check. Slimy, stinky carp? Check (although I've yet to catch one). Whiskery catfish? Check. And now, those prehistoric-looking kokanee. What can I say, they've captured my heart from afar.
Read moreWriter's Block - A Journey
I've just sat down at my local library to write about some of our recent fishing trips and I encountered a problem I've had all year, writer's block. I've tried exercises varying from free writing to forcing myself into 1000 words to switching up where I write. Needless to say, not much of it has worked. They say (who are they anyway?) that this condition can last a few weeks to a few years. I'd like to think I'm still in a curable stage and can recover without too much treatment. I put a bit of effort into some technical 'how-to' writing, but what can I teach you that you don't already know? I'm stuck with the metaphorical gibberish.
Read moreFinding Your Endurance
I've figured out that there's an endurance sport for almost every 'outdoorsy' person, mountain, desert or water, there's certainly one for you. But here's the thing, fly-fishing is most certainly not on that list, or so I thought.
A while back, Jacob and I went out into the high country, possibly a bit earlier than we should have. See, there was plenty of snow this past year and it took the rivers a little while to go down. As much as we both thought we knew what 'high water' meant, alas, we did not. It was much like coming to grips with the fact that east coast mountains are not the same as actual mountains. Swallow pride, move on.
Read moreA Little Piece of History
A little while back, I received an email about an old Winston rod bag and a hopeful update. I immediately felt a surge of excitement, followed closely by panic. What if the original bag was so old manipulating it would damage it beyond repair? What if I ripped the label, this piece of history? There's no fixing a satin label. I agreed to take on the project, hoping that everything was well preserved and malleable.
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