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Aromas bring back childhood fishing memories
The James River was flowing cool and clear on a recent weekend morning when a handful of friends and I embarked on what would likely be our final smallmouth bass fishing float of the season before switching focus back to trout for the coming eight months or so. One buddy was in a kayak, two…
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The tonic of wildness
If you are active in the outdoors, it’s hard to beat living in the American West. That’s because all states west of the Great Plains have big swaths of public lands available for fishing and hunting. Except when big swaths of extraordinary wildfire shut them down. Right smack in the middle of Public Lands Month.…
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A boy becomes a man and it takes the outdoors to make it happen
Nature deprivation is a real thing, and I’m witnessing the impacts of both being exposed to the wild and willingly foregoing exposure in both of my kids. My daughter loves the outdoors. She’s working her third year in Grand Teton National Park, and not long ago, we exchanged photos and video via text of our…
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The altered definition of a river in one angler’s mind
For many within the ranks of TU, a river is not a river if no fish live in it. And until recently, I couldn’t have agreed more, but a recent trip to a very dry desert in southwestern Utah helped change my mind. As you’ve probably heard, the Southwestern U.S. is in a megadrought. We haven’t seen the likes…
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Mourning summer before it’s over
As Phoebe danced around the truck, anxious to start the walk up the familiar trail past a few bends in the creek, I donned my wading sandals for what would almost certainly be the last time this year. I was in a gloomy mood. Changing seasons, earlier sunsets and, of course, the inevitable prediction of…
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Tech helps trip-planning, but it’s not fool-proof
I recently had a video call with a Trout Unlimited volunteer in New York. I couldn’t help being distracted. Over his shoulder I could see a stream in the background. “What river is that?” I asked. “The West Branch of the Delaware,” he replied. “I actually was watching fish rise before this call started.” Oh,…
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Rainbows and unicorns
Have I mentioned the water is low? Dismally low, but maybe there's hope on the horizon. Agricultural producers saw their fields soak up every bit of moisture from last winter’s snow, and now with no monsoon season and hot, dry, windy conditions, things are looking bad. Leaves are starting the change early and the crunch of…
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