Ramblings & Readings, Creativity & Conservation, Happenings & Hope

My Fishy Friends,

Last weekend, I found myself in position to cast to multiple, repeatedly-rising trout. I could see several different kinds of bugs on the water, and even though I never witnessed a single bug getting eaten, I tried fishing relevant imitations of each and every one that I saw. I never did figure out what those fish were eating, nor did I figure out why they wouldn’t take what I casted. The experience was definitively inconclusive. What would you have done?

Cheers,
Jesse

Awareness & Recovery

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month and, like everyone, I know someone who has been personally affected. A good friend of mine in Colorado passed along this link, which offers a chance to win a fly fishing trip to Xflats in Xcalak, Mexico while at the same time supporting the non-profit Casting for Recovery (CfR). For over 25 years, CfR has offered free fly fishing wellness retreats for women in any stage of breast cancer treatment and recovery. Their focus is on empowering women, mental health and wellness, and conservation. Enter the sweepstakes, learn more, go fishing, and support the mission.

Angler, Artist, Writer & Naturalist

I first became aware of angler, artist, writer and naturalist James Prosek while in college. A fishing club buddy and I ventured off campus to see him give a presentation at Patagonia in Freeport, and there he wowed the crowd with his photos, paintings, and stories of trout from around the world. The presentation was a verbal recount of his travels which, at the time, had already spawned his book Fly-Fishing the 41st (which begins with, “One day, I left in a straight line from home… east along the 41st Parallel, following my passion for fish.”) and would also supply the first-hand accounts of his book of artwork, Trout of the World (which comes with a poster that we now have hung in our home). Explore his website and his work and you won’t be disappointed you did.

56 Years of Wild & Scenic

Fifty six years ago this week, the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System was signed into law by President Lyndon Johnson “to preserve certain rivers with outstanding natural, cultural, and recreational values in a free-flowing condition for the enjoyment of present and future generations.” I’m sure you’ve seen or been on at least one of these incredible waterways. Here’s a nice overview of the history of the program and that same website offers an interactive map to explore the rivers themselves. As of last year, the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System has protected 228 rivers and 13,466 miles of river in 41 states and in Puerto Rico.

The Cherished Fish

Much has been, and will be, written about steelhead, and rightfully so. May we never run out of words to talk about the fish that move us. The Seattle Times recently released a multi-media presentation - written words, photos, videos, maps, infographics, and more - about wild, Washington steelhead of Puget Sound and the Olympic Peninsula, and it is definitely worth exploring.

Bless His Heart

It’s been a long week, right? Sometimes we all need a little mindless humor to take the edge off, something we don’t have to think too hard about. If you’re feeling the same this Friday, I recommend some classic Bill Dance fishing bloopers. Most of these you just have to see to believe and Bill seems to have a different one-liner to go with each mishap. Bless ol’ Bill’s heart. Enjoy!

“Three in the Morning”

I do not think we talk enough about how everyone of us
Has shuffled around the house in the middle of the night
Worried about voices raised downstairs, or a light on that
Shouldn’t be, or someone crying softly. We walk around
Uncomfortably. We can’t stay in bed but we can’t fix the
Problem, for whatever reasons. Sometimes your partner is
Better at soothing. Sometimes the pain will exhaust itself
If you leave it alone down there. Sometimes there is zero
To be done except shuffle around wearily. We test a lock,
Make sure there’s coffee for tomorrow, check to see if an
Owl is sitting on the roof of the porch. Sometimes I draw
The moon if it’s a riveting silver. There’s no good reason
To ever be up at this time. Nothing good happens at three
In the morning, unless you are going fishing before dawn.
I suppose we are all going fishing if we are up at that hour.

~ Brian Doyle

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The Best Fly Fishing is Everywhere - 10.04.2024