There are numerous trout rivers to choose from here in Wisconsin. I know that’s a surprise to most. But its true. Only a short distance any direction from our new place in Hayward there are trout streams. I hardly know much about them and I’m sure many have mainly little brookies, but supposedly some of … Read more
My new home trout fishing waters of Wisconsin are 100% different from what I left behind in Idaho. But this is a good thing. These winding smaller streams have plenty of quality trout. The rocks are more slippery, the hatches are different and the trout less fished, making them more wild and spookier. This place … Read more
The north shore of Lake Michigan isn’t as wade fishing friendly as the east. Granny and I crossed the Mackinac Bridge into the Upper Peninsula of Michigan around 8 AM and began sniffing our way westward. At that time it was a beautiful day but the clouds were coming. We stopped at a lot of … Read more
After a year of moving chaos, I feel like Granny and I are getting our groove on. We’re camping from the new van and getting our fishing feet back on the ground. This little stopover along the eastern shores of Lake Michigan enroute back to Wisconsin has been a blast. Today Granny and I waded … Read more
One of the many great things about being in the fly fishing industry for nearly 40 years are my affiliations with the top anglers, guides and companies. As Granny and I made our way towards Lake Michigan yesterday, I rang my friend Joe Wolthuis at Scientific Anglers. SA is based in MI so I figured … Read more
We made good time zipping the Ruby Van from NH to the Midwest. Yesterday I drove us nearly 800 miles from Wolfeboro to Toledo, OH. We stopped around 10 PM. Today we got up at 4:30 AM and made a much shorter jaunt into Michigan. To the north east shores of Lake Michigan to be … Read more
It’s hard to believe Granny and I went three days here in Wolfeboro, NH without making a cast. Believe me, I thought about fishing, but the weather went south since our last outing. The temps dropped to the low 50°s and there’s been a bunch of cold rain. Toss in a family boat ride around … Read more
Granny and I had a couple hours to spare this afternoon on Lake Winnipesaukee. I took her to my favorite smallmouth bass waters. But we’re two weeks earlier than normal and it appears most the smallies are on the nest. Granny tossed poppers off ledges and my usual haunts but all that we could persuade … Read more
Nearly every day since arriving in NH I’ve been up before 5 AM. A few of these days I fished but when not, I got work done for my biz. Today I awoke in the back of my 1991 Explorer in friend Dan Swifts driveway at 4:30 (I love sleeping in my truck and it’s … Read more
You’ve met my friend Dan Swift (Danimal) before. We used to fish together around Cody, WY. Most recently was last year when we fished his cottage lake house waters over around Alton, NH. Dan and I go way back. He worked for me in the fly shop in the 90’s and went on in the … Read more
Not a moment in Wolfeboro, NH went by back in the day when my cousin Jon and I weren’t fishing Lake Winnipesaukee. We basically lived out of a 12 foot row boat with a Mercury 7.5. And when the motor was busted, which was often because two young teenage kids will run an engine hard, … Read more
We normally don’t come to Wolfeboro, NH until mid June. That’s when New England has warmed up and when the smallmouth leave their spawning beds and start feeding aggressively on poppers. But this year we’re early. Today was Mom’s 80th birthday! We celebrated well too. The day began restfully with coffee on the porch … Read more