Howie and I hooked and lost a couple honkers last week on Chequamegon Bay of Lake Superior. Mine was likely a gigantic smallmouth bass. We never saw it. Howie’s was for sure a big northern pike but it severed his bass leader in seconds. Today we left Washburn at sunrise with hopes of redemption. … Read more
Getting up before 5 AM to go fishing has been tough lately. It hasn’t been like a month ago when I popped from bed with pleasure. I’ve really been dragging. The only thing I want to do is flip over and keep sleeping. So when Bob called me last night and asked me to be … Read more
There were a few times today where I caught myself thinking “Is it really August? What happened to July? But I ask myself this every year. The fact is, once July 4th passes summer seems to go faster. Maybe it’s the shortening of the days. Or perhaps we slowdown which in turn speeds up time. … Read more
July 26 & 27, 2023 I like getting on the water early. I’m a fan because first light is excellent for smallmouth bass. We also beat the canoe crowds. But launching the Blue Bathtub yesterday was different. It was day one of our first overnight float trip since we moved to Wisconsin and we started … Read more
We’ve barely had temperatures above the mid 70°s for almost two weeks. There’s been a few solid thunderstorms and rain mixed in this timeframe too. Both the cool down and moisture were well needed because from about Memorial Day till the 4th of July it had been very warm and dry. My Hayward neighbor can’t … Read more
Yesterday I mentioned getting my moneys worth this summer – meaning I’m fishing like a madman. Today I’ll tell you I’m feeling it. I love every ache and pain and this kind of tired, but man, I woke up one minute before my alarm went off. That was 3:59 AM. And every inch of every … Read more
I’m getting my moneys worth this summer. It seems like it should be early September I’ve gotten out so much. But heck, its only mid-July. There are a ton more hot days and bass to catch. But today, despite a nice early start on a nearby lake, Granny and I could hardly buy a fish. … Read more
I’m often asked, “How did fly fishing become your way of life and how do I do it? There’s no quick answer. It’s been an adventure filled journey. Last week I sat down with Marvin Cash and we broke it all down for the Articulate Fly Podcast. You can listen here: A fly Fishing Life … Read more
Fishing has been ridiculously good for weeks now. Wednesday was one of my best days of the year. I was bound and due for a fishing reality check. Sure enough, today was the day. Bob Butler and I made it to the river at about sunrise. There wasn’t a ton of sun to … Read more
My first Northland College roommate back in 1983 was Donn Ambrose and he was a Wisconsin native. Donn spent most of his life growing up in a cabin with no electricity on the banks of a unique remote river here in the Northwoods. Many times he treated me to his home water and we took … Read more
Only minutes after getting home from a full day of fishing with Granny last night, friend Bob Butler called and simply said, “Have your raft ready. I’ll pick you up at 6. Muskies and smallies. Bye”. “Cool”, I thought out loud. Cool because today was a chance to break out our new Striker … Read more
Last summer Granny worked hard to get our fixer-upper house here in Hayward, Wisconsin completely finished. This meant missing out on lots of fishing. It’s been great to get her out on the water almost every week this season between her work days. She has been enjoying it so much that today it was her … Read more