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) . . .
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Iceland, 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 . . .
Read More5 Tips For Completing The Western Native Trout Challenge
Last summer, my friend Jim Stiglich left me a voicemail that said, simply, “Hope you’re out there fishing hard, because fishing’s fun.” I jotted down his profound, understated quote because somehow I knew that his sentiment would be important to . . .
Read MoreThe One that Got Away: Lost Gold
Back in 2012, some friends approached me with the opportunity to be a “test client” for a fly-fishing operation they were trying to establish deep in the Bolivian Amazon. Thrilled by the photos of big golden dorado they showed off, and tempted by the . . .
Read MoreStory & Photos: Bull Trout, Conservation, and the Value of Discretion
During the course of our #WesternTroutChallenge series, I’ve spent a lot of time in great fly shops across the West. While I do my best to make it a genuine give-and-take, I have to admit I generally walk away with a lot more than I can offer (generally only . . .
Read MoreTom Rosenbauer on His 45-Year Relationship with Leigh Perkins
There will be many fine tributes to Leigh H. Perkins written in the near future, as he had a larger-than-life influence on the worlds of fly fishing and habitat conservation. But I’d like to share more what he was like . . .
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