Five years ago, my wife, Janeil, and I began dreaming about a retirement adventure. We each had been working since we were teens, and now that we are in our 60s and soon to retire, we wanted to mark that milestone in our lives with . . .
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Photos & Story: A Time-Sensitive Brown Trout
The weather forecast was clear: the end was nigh for our little spell of Indian summer. Highs on Friday and Saturday were in the high 60s, while Sunday wouldn’t even hit 50. Since my wife and I would be traveling to visit friends three states away on . . .
Read MoreBook Excerpt: A Fly-Fishing Expedition in Mongolia
When we reach the pool where, several years ago, a Mongolia River Outfitters guest landed a fifty-five-inch taimen, I beach the kayak on a gravel bar, rig a nine-weight rod, and tie on a streamer fly nearly as long as my forearm. Although the expedition . . .
Read MoreBook Excerpt: Lords of the Fly, the Hunt for the World-Record Tarpon
By 1978, all of the players were in place in Homosassa, in pursuit of their sport’s Holy Grail: the world record for the most glamorous and coveted fly rod species, the tarpon. The fever dream would last for five seasons or . . .
Read MoreIceland, Days Four and Five: Lakes and Birds
On the morning of Day Four, we said goodbye to the Highlands Lodge and drove an hour and a half southeast to the Hotel Grimsborgir, near Selfoss. We dropped our gear and headed out to two local lakes–the massive Þingvallavatn (Thingvallavatn) . . .
Read MoreIceland, Day Three: Here Comes the Sun . . . and the Fish
As I wrote yesterday, What a difference a day makes. After an appalling day of brutal weather and difficult fishing, we were greeted this morning by bright sunshine and very little wind. I headed out with guest Paul and Clint, guided by young . . .
Read MoreIceland, Day One: Volcanic Char
This week, I am lucky enough to serve as host for Orvis Week in Iceland with Fish Partner, and our first day was spent casting for arctic char and brown trout on some of the glorious river of the Central Highlands: the Tungnaá, the Kaldakvísl, and the . . .
Read MoreThe One That Got Away #3: Permit Pain
After learning the hard way why rental companies don’t allow small sedans on that road–water was coming in through the doors–we finally arrived, bug-bitten and damp, at the small village of Punta Allen. Despite our lack of reservations, I was able to . . .
Read MoreA Winter’s Hope: How to Hone Your Steelhead Skills in Times of Poor Returns
I enjoy fishing for steelhead more in winter than I do in summer, mostly because of the additional physical and mental challenges. Historically, there was perhaps no greater challenge in steelheading than catching a fish on a swung fly during . . .
Read MoreThe One That Got Away #2: Don’t Be a Slacker
I moved to southwestern Florida in 2008 with visions of massive tarpon competing for my perfectly presented fly. But despite many concerted efforts to make that happen–often spending days at a time anchored up waiting on fish to show–it would . . .
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