Ramblings & Readings, Creativity & Conservation, Happenings & Hope

My Fishy Friends,

I have a fishing trip coming up quickly and I’ve been meaning to tie a few flies and get the rust off my Spey casts, but now time is running short and I’m not sure if either will happen before I leave. So what’s better — to rush through some preparations you should’ve made long ago, or be relaxed in and embrace your lack of preparation? I’ll let you know which I decide and what I learn.

Cheers,
Jesse

Banner photo: Where the river meets the sea and fresh and saltwater mingle.

Mark Engler, Angler & Durangler

Every so often, the Durango-based fly shop Duranglers posts a photo or two on their Instagram of their longtime guide Mark Engler. He doesn’t fit the stereotypical look of today’s fly fishing guides with sun hoody or guide shirt and trucker hat (to be fair, this is usually what I wear); he’s usually wearing some camouflage or other hunting garb. What the photos do depict are large fish, in unassuming places — like northern pike in Colorado reservoirs. I got to join Mark on such a pursuit years ago and wrote a piece about him; you can read it here. And for more on Mark and his lifetime of guiding, fishing, and hunting in Colorado, watch this film from the Talweg Creative crew. (Photo of Mark below by Ryan Heffernan.)

Fly Fishing & Writing Retreat

Recently announced was a fly fishing and writing retreat, offering guests the opportunity to work on both practices while also enjoying the Front Range of Colorado. In early-October of this year, five seasoned writers, editors, anglers, and educators will accompany up to 14 guests for two full days and two half-days of the good stuff — writing and fly fishing! Click here to learn more about the workshop and get in touch with the organizers to reserve your spot.

Oregon Spey Claves are Back!

When I first moved to the Pacific Northwest, come spring, there was always chatter about the “Clave.” Are you going to the Clave? See you at the Clave! It’s easily described — a bunch of Spey casters studying and practicing their casts — but the community element can only be experienced. After a multi-year hiatus, the Sandy River Spey Clave returns this May. Additionally, a Southern Oregon version, the Rogue Spey Clave is holding its inaugural event in August. Maybe I’ll see you at one or the other or both?!

Wild Salmon Connections 2025

Back in January, the UK-based NGO coalition Missing Salmon Alliance orchestrated a conference called Wild Salmon Connections, designed toward “aligning efforts behind a renewed global commitment to conserve, protect and restore wild salmon across both the Atlantic and Pacific.” Videos of the speeches and presentations from the three-day event are now posted online, along with data, infographics, policy asks, and more.

Ira Glass on Storytelling

Here’s an old video that I revisit every so often. It was passed on to me by an old writing friend and it features Ira Glass of NPR’s This American Life. In it, Glass speaks to the two basic building blocks of a story — an anecdote and a reflection — and how a good story plays with both. As a numbers guy, I appreciate formulaic explanations of creative processes, so this one hits home for me. If it resonates with you, Glass goes on in several other videos you can find on the same YouTube channel.

Always Memorable

I was never on a river I did not like. For certain, I had a better affinity for some than others, but I liked them all, and some I loved. When we go forth to fish, sometimes and mainly due to human nature, we gravitate to those places with the fondest memories. Those memories are inspired by success or an event, sometimes good and even bad, but always memorable. It is difficult for me to write of these places without identifying them but I intend to try…

~ From Chappie Chapman’s Dancing Rivers

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The Best Fly Fishing is Everywhere - 03.14.2025