The Columbia remains weedy and the water levels are very low. Carp fishing from the shore is a tall order, and with more saber-rattling at China over trade, I'll be surprised if my boat arrives in time for Christmas. Luckily for me, there are other fishing opportunities around. This week I decided to visit the … Continue reading October Caddis
Fishing Dojo Blog
The Fall Run
The chinook moved up the Columbia this month. For several weeks every river mouth was packed with boats from dawn to dusk. Launch ramps were crowded with trucks and trailers, and the filleted remains of salmon littered the shoreline. Now, the steelhead have started pushing up the tributaries and anglers are fishing shoulder to shoulder … Continue reading The Fall Run
Memory Weeds
I remember this fish. I spotted it from the road, rooting on the bottom in a small bay. I clambered as quickly and quietly as I could down the rocks and managed to hook it without getting my feet wet. I also remember that the hook pulled and I lost the fish. What had me … Continue reading Memory Weeds
Re-entry
It has been a bumpy return to the United States after finishing up our Peace Corps service. Here is the short version: The state of our home upon arrival 20 cubic yards of rubbish left by the squatters we had to evict The wildfire that almost burned down our house The new floor I had … Continue reading Re-entry
Bagga Blackfish
About five miles south of our village is a town called Barrouallie (pronounced "bara-lee"). Of course, if you try to catch a bus to Barrouallie you will never get there because you instead need to go to Bagga, which is the local nickname for Barrouallie. Almost every person (Habla, Starry, Big Cheese), every store (Saca, … Continue reading Bagga Blackfish
Sleepy Lake
For spring break we took a short trip to the East Coast. Two of our friends moved recently to Virginia, and their house was just a short walk from a neighborhood lake. The lake was actually a small reservoir, and the shoreline access was limited to the small embankment that served as a "dam" between … Continue reading Sleepy Lake
Caribbean Mountain Mullet
Spring in our bit of the Eastern Caribbean usually brings stiff sea breezes and an end to the wet season, but not this year. This year it has just kept on raining, and raining, and raining. I have been wanting to try some stream fishing, but heavy rains bring flash floods, and flash floods here … Continue reading Caribbean Mountain Mullet
She is Born
We bought a boat! She is being built in Florida and will be ready for pick-up just about the time we head back to the U.S. While it is the most exciting thing going on in my fishing world at the moment, I realize that not everyone will be as excited as I am. So … Continue reading She is Born
Last Fish, First Fish
Happy 2025 We walked to a nearby beach to watch the sunset on New Year's Eve. I did a bit of fishing and hooked some small jacks - my last fish of 2024. A few days later we returned for another sunset and I caught more of the same - my first fish of 2025. … Continue reading Last Fish, First Fish
A Series of Poor Decisions
"YOU KNOW I HATE THE BEACH!" This is not a post about fishing. It is a post about not fishing. Or maybe it's about future fishing. About 17 months ago I made a poor decision to join the Peace Corps. I joked with people that even if things were terrible I was confident that I … Continue reading A Series of Poor Decisions
The Fishing Dojo 