I’d like to take this first day of the New Year and thank everyone for reading the blog. The blog consumes most of my “non-fishing” hours however I relish recapping my fishing and love knowing folks enjoy reading it.
I’d also like that thank the many of you who Christmas shopped on my Web Store! Though the store has been up a few years, sales finally took off. This in turn has encouraged me to paint up some new fish species and perhaps add a few new products during 2019.
When I was young, my eyes saw people in their 50’s as old and slowing down. Times must have changed because this has not been the case for me. I’m happy to say that 2018 will go down as one of my best years for fishing, travel and work. No doubt the key for me has been to stay in shape and keep challenging my brain with new fish and places.
My years always begin with few fishing days. But like all of us I must make a living. In 2018 I gave 47 presentations throughout the US and Canada. When I was home I painted. This included a few new fish species such as the yellow permit, spotted musky and last week, a sheepshead.
I fished approximately 125 days. Only 20 were spent trout fishing my home waters however I trout fished another 20 in other states and outside the US in Spain and South Africa. I fished warmwater (bass, pike, and carp) more than anything with more than 50 days ranging from my home carp waters to AZ, NH, NE, WY, MT, GA and WI. And I’m blessed to say I fly fished the saltwater 36 days traveling to MA, LA, Baja, St. Brandon’s Atoll, Costa Rica, Belize and French Polynesia.
The most amazing stat for 2018 was the wide range of species I caught. This includes 27 new ones which puts my life list over 400. No doubt the yellow permit from St. Brandon’s was tops! But overall I caught 85 species on fly this year. 24 came from freshwater ranging from brown trout to largemouth bass. The other 61 all came from the salt ranging from my first ever false albacore to my mega 10.5 pound bonefish.
My 2019 schedule is filling up. I’ll begin this month full on with the shows – starting in Denver this weekend. In February I return to South Africa for the World Masters Fly Fishing Championships.
I have two other very exciting trips as well. On February 27th I leave for Cameroon to fish Nile perch, tigerfish and yellowfish. Cameroon will be the 63rd country I’ll have fished in. The other 2019 monster trip is in December. I’ll be hosting the Yellow Dog Adventures saltwater trip of a lifetime to Providence Atoll in the Seychelles. This is a custom, extended time trip with epic tides. There are four spots still available. If you need info Contact Me ASAP.
That’s it for recapping life. Time to finish shoveling. Oh, and then meet Granny in the driveway to welcome in the New Year with a chocolate beer for me and a bloody Mary for her! Hope to see everyone soon!
Happy New Year Jeff! Look forward to catching up in Denver this weekend!