It felt good to wake up here in Kamloops, British Columbia, Canada. I’m here for the World Masters Fly Fishing Championships that begins September 24th. I’m early with my teammates Pete Erickson, Bret Bishop, Mike Sexton and Loren Williams to practice. We have one thing in mind – defend the Championship Title we won last … Read more
Last night was my final Wisconsin 2023 summer evening on the porch with Granny. Once the sun set we had a nice dinner then I hopped in the Explorer and headed for the Duluth Airport. This morning I had the 5:04 AM Delta for Minneapolis. I dislike doing 3 AM drives. Instead I prefer to … Read more
Bob Butler is on a fishing crusade. He tried this morning for the musky that’s been riling him up this week – no luck – and for the first time in a few days he didn’t see him either. So rather than try again this afternoon he opted to leave his own lake and chase … Read more
I’m alive. Since I started the blog in October of 2009 I have never gone so far behind in my daily fishing stories. And even so, my routine is to pick up right where I left off once there’s time, which in this case would be an entry for July 12. And it will come. … Read more
We, Team USA woke up today in first place in the World Masters Fly Fishing Championships with room to spare. But we were determined to get out there in Session 4 and kick butt and grow a stronger lead. But we felt stress – I certainly did. And I know this team. We’re tight and … Read more
5 AM came quick. Currently its day three of the World Masters Fly Fishing Championships. I headed for the feared Noce River. While both sections of the Noce, the Upper and Lower have skunked more competitors than any of the three rivers, the Lower is by far the toughest. Its where Loren blanked yesterday. I … Read more
In 2003 I was on Team USA at one of the biggest World Championships. It was in Jaca, Spain. A rare thing happened for me. All five of my sessions went nearly flawless despite some of the most difficult conditions and wisest wild brown trout in the history of the event. Our Team finished 8th … Read more
The 5 AM alarm I set wasn’t a welcome sound to Pete and I went it blazed off. But each of us and the rest of Team USA had buses to catch at 6:15 AM to head for Session One in the World Masters Fly Fishing Championships here in Italy. It wasn’t only us that … Read more
Today was registration day and the start of the World Masters Fly Fishing Championships here at Madonna di Campiglio, Italy. Though Stefano offered to guide us fishing this morning, everyone opted to make today a rest day and a day to tidy up the tackle to be ready for the first session tomorrow. Pete, Stefano … Read more
It wouldn’t have hurt to have spent the final day of World Masters Fly Fishing practice organizing our stuff rather than fishing. At least Pete and I that is, being today was our eighth fishing day in a row. Quite frankly, we’re a little worn out. Our tippet, fly boxes, empty floatants and etc. could … Read more
The rest of our World Masters USA Fly Fishing Team (Brett Bishop, Mike Sexton and Loren Williams) landed in Milan, Italy this morning and began the four hour drive up to meet Pete, Jerry, Stefano and I. Jerry and Stefano drove to the lower Sarca River to meet them to immediately get them on the … Read more
During the World Masters Fly Fishing Championships next week there we will fish two sessions on Italy’s Sarca River. There will be an upper and a lower section. Both parts of this beautiful river run in an off blue glacial like color over shallow boulders and rocks. Pete and I fished the Sarca ourselves … Read more