There are so many variables in fishing. My first try catfishing was in shallow water with hot dogs as bait. My second try was in deep water, this time using fresh chunks of sunfish as bait. Although I caught bass both days, I am certain that neither effort elicited a catfish nibble. So, on my … Continue reading Fat Cats →

A cold fall day on the water today. The wind has been up so I left the fly rod at home and brought along the Whuppin' Stick, hoping to find some carp or catfish feeding in deeper waters. I must admit that I am a novice at baitfishing. I know that sounds odd - put … Continue reading The Lieutenant Colonel →

We took a mini vacation to Florida this week for some much needed beach time. We took one day to visit the Everglades, and on a hike we saw evidence of recent high waters - every slight depression in the trail held quickly evaporating puddles which teemed with tiny fishes and crustaceans: In the late … Continue reading Florida →

Tara's always been a good sport about my fishing habit, and she often joins me on the water to relax. Occasionally, I try to put a fly rod in her hands. It turns out that she's no slouch with a bass bug:

I almost stayed home today. Wind, rain and thunderstorms were in the forecast, but if there is one thing I've learned about fishing this year, especially fly fishing for carp, it's that persistence is key. So I went. It began to rain almost immediately and I soon gave up looking for carp and tied on … Continue reading Lightning, camera, action! →

The carp have seemed scarce ever since my return from Oregon this summer. I hated to consider the possibility that "carp season" had ended here. Besides, all the evidence pointed to the contrary, there should be lots of hungry carp around. The water is warm and shallow, resulting in more plant growth which is habitat … Continue reading U Boats →

Mike and I headed back to the Caney Fork this past week. I was eager to get back in the cool water and try out my new purchase, a pair of breathable Dan Bailey chest waders. When we arrived, the water was still a bit high, but we eventually made it out to Mike's favorite … Continue reading The Caney Fork Wildcat →

The water level has dropped in Percy Priest Lake, making one of my favorite spots perfect for wading. With the sun shining, the wind calm and the water warm, yesterday afternoon was a picture perfect carp fishing day... without the carp. I don't know where the fish have gone. There is ample food on the … Continue reading A day at the beach →

After losing my last Gartside Soft Hackle Wet Fly to a hungry brown trout on the Caney Fork, I sat down to tie some more. Naturally, after tying up a number of small nymphs and wets, I wanted to try them out, so the next day I headed down to a spot that I learned … Continue reading Popper of Plenty →

While fishing in Oregon, one must visit the cold clear rivers and do some trout fishing. One must also not get frustrated when two good sized rainbows manage to squirm free in the span of five minutes. And one must not swear so loudly as to scare the other fish when one realizes that he … Continue reading Oregon Fishing Part II →