Right after Makani's visit we flew off on a two week vacation to Japan. Everyone I know who really loves to travel internationally has a special place in their heart for the first foreign country they ever visited. For Tara that was a volunteer trip to Tanzania, for my older brother it was a study … Continue reading Homecoming
Category: oregon
How to Winter
Today was one of those deceptively nice days that make you think crazy thoughts like "gee, maybe winter isn't so bad, after all." The fog blew off and the sun came out before lunch so I grabbed a rod and drove to one of my little winter carp lakes. The lake has an outlet to … Continue reading How to Winter
Catch and A Release
Looking back through my journal notes I think I am forced to admit that the carp fishing season on the Columbia River ended in September. I still saw a few carp in October, and even caught one on November 2, but September was the last time I saw decent numbers of feeding carp in the … Continue reading Catch and A Release
Just Now
My Boat finally arrived in November, just in time for the end of carp season! Shipping her from Florida and dealing with flaky freight companies and truck drivers was a bit stressful, but she made it in one piece. The whole package, boat, motor, gas, trailer, weighs in at less than 800 pounds, so she … Continue reading Just Now
The End of the Season?
Most sources agree that the carp fishing season on the Columbia River wraps up in October. Most of the spots on the main river channel have slowed down, but I have found hungry fish in the small lakes and backwaters. On mild days, with a bit of sun, or after some rain, the carp, especially … Continue reading The End of the Season?
October Caddis
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
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
Another May
Looking back I realized that I started this blog eleven years ago this month. . During that time, many of my favorite blogs have disappeared. Their authors have gotten busy or moved on to more current social media platforms, but about once a month I still sit down and post something. I don't use "hashtags" … Continue reading Another May
Oregon 2018 Part 3: How to Catch a Sturgeon on the Fly
The demise of our inflatable boat changed my fishing strategy. I had planned on using the boat to fish for carp on a number of backwaters and lakes connected to the Columbia River. Instead, I had to focus on places with shoreline access. Despite this turn of events, the fishing only got better and the fish … Continue reading Oregon 2018 Part 3: How to Catch a Sturgeon on the Fly
The Fishing Dojo 