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
Category: columbia river
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
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
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
Oregon 2018 Part 2: Listing to Starboard
Ever since we started visiting the Columbia Gorge, Tara has wanted to paddle across the river from Oregon to Washington (visiting different states is a bit of an obsession for people from Hawaii). Last spring we packed up our Sea Eagle inflatable kayak and brought it to our cottage on the Columbia River. I was … Continue reading Oregon 2018 Part 2: Listing to Starboard
Oregon 2018 Part 1: Mount Hood Country
We are back to our regular lives in Honolulu. Back to our cat, our garden, our jobs, and back to the salt - the waves, the tides and trade winds, bonefish and papio. A month away is a long time. Significant things happen in a month, and mundane things too, like old water heaters and … Continue reading Oregon 2018 Part 1: Mount Hood Country
Pilgrimage
I have gone papio fishing a few times this Summer, but mostly I have been fly fishing. It's not that I prefer fly fishing, rather it is that I have an ulterior motive. This July will be our annual pilgrimage to the Columbia Gorge. I am hoping for some excellent carp fishing, but to … Continue reading Pilgrimage
Heading Down
Springtime found me back on the water with my spinning rod. Inspired by an old article in Sports Illustrated about spin-fishing for bonefish, I have been working on a more consistent method for flats fishing with light tackle here in Hawaii. The basic set-up is secret, having been taught to me by a … Continue reading Heading Down
Standing Ovation
One beautiful summer evening after a dinner of tacos and beer at the Trillium Cafe, Tara and I took a walk. We followed Hood River from downtown, stopping to eat a few fat blackberries before making our way onto The Spit, a narrow park extending into the Columbia River. Normally The Spit is an isthmus … Continue reading Standing Ovation
Carps and Yurts
We spent July in Oregon. I got my trout fishing fix for the year and was also able to sneak away to the Columbia Gorge for a few days of carp fishing. The weather has been hot and dry all year in the Pacific Northwest, resulting in low water levels. In the slow backwaters of … Continue reading Carps and Yurts
