Hunt Ducks Hook Fish
Fishing
Feathers. Fishing. And 75 lbs.
Damn. It’s been awhile. I took a hiatus from the blog to dedicate my time to losing weight. It’s ironic because writing and the outdoors motivated me to make serious changes in my life. Yet writing about the outdoors has fallen off my time-pressed list of things to do. Last September I drafted three simple … Continue reading
Outdoor Soundtrack
My sister played softball. My brother played football. I played the cello. Music has always been there. Longer than I can even remember hunting and fishing. Or maybe not. Maybe just as long as I can remember walking through the woods. And Kenny Rogers Greatest Hits. The Big Chill Soundtrack. Lionel Richie. White cassette tapes … Continue reading
First Ice of 2013
We left the morning after Christmas. Chased out of Detroit by the biggest snowstorm in years. The sparkling new King Ranch F-150 rumbled up I-75. I had never fished the Upper Peninsula before and the lure of fishable ice and walleyes the size of my arm were good reasons for a 6 hour truck ride. … Continue reading
Salmon Fever
My knees were knocking so bad I could hardly stand up. Some guys get “buck fever” and I’m not ashamed to admit it. But fur and antlers don’t rattle me like this. Not like my first salmon. I’ve tried for years to land one of these silver bullets. I’ve hooked them with spoons from piers. … Continue reading
Fish West 2012
I was fishing in Yellowstone just days ago. Searching for trout and grayling while Goldeneye and Rudy ducks fed within casting range of my fly rod. My feet ached from the cold water but I didn’t want to move. Stepping out of that lake meant the trip was over. The fishing rod cased. Wading shoes … Continue reading
Fish West 2012: Bozeman and the Gallatin
Even the airport feels like a fishing lodge. Heavy wood beams accented by black iron hardware. All framed the mountains staring through giant windows. I instantly felt at home. We were in the Gallatin River within a few hours. A swift, clear stretch just minutes from the bar where we fueled up on Kokanee and … Continue reading
Fish West 2012: The Snake River
“BEAR!” The river carried us closer to a pair of black ears hiding behind a bush. I scrambled for my video camera as the bear covered ground with two easy hops. He stopped and stared right at me. Like he was glaring into my skull. I didn’t need any more reminders about how dangerous The … Continue reading
Fish West 2012: Yellowstone
We hiked through scorched earth. Tall pines lying like skeletons bleached by the sun. A chosen few still standing. Trunks blackened and scarred. Survivors of a wildfire. Young trees took advantage. Soaking up the abundant sunlight in the absence of their fallen parents. Nature’s viciously beautiful cycles were racking my brain. Until Reeves pulled up … Continue reading
Just a Typical Weekend
Largemouths on plastics. Perch on beetle spins. Fish for lunch and ducks for dinner. Brake jobs at dusk and a chicken coop first thing in the morning. What a weekend. It was hot. Like sweating in a cold shower hot. I needed some air conditioning. Reeves needed a hand with a few projects so I … Continue reading
You Never Forget Your First
I’ve always tagged along with my big brother Pete in the outdoors. As kids, we caught frogs during humid summer nights. We rode our bikes to ponds where we spent hours fishing for bass and bluegill. As an adult, we’ve seen the wicked snow squalls of big water diver duck hunting. And the early December … Continue reading
OBN
