Literary Outdoor Blog – StoryArc

Do you like reading well-written fishing stories? Enjoy "Gray’s Sporting Journal" but wish it came out more frequently so you could read some decent outdoorsy type poetry? Are you a closet writer? Have some great photos you’d like to share with a larger viewership? Then StoryArc is the place for you. David Motes, a published [...]

Deconstructing the Fly

It happens all the time, at least to me. I get a great idea for a fly, tie a few up and hit the river. The first opportunity I get to try the fly—as in, the second I hit the water, regardless of what is/isn’t coming off or what the fish are/aren’t rising to—I fling [...]

Portneuf Redux

My return to the Portneuf River (my first encounter is chronicled here) made a big splash on the locals. Actually, I think my splash missed Kevin, but it made a pretty big impact on him—he laughed his butt off for at least five minutes! Coach Kevin C (of Coach’s Caribou County Fly Fishing Journal [new [...]

Old School – Memories on the Fly

Keith Barton’s post, Old School Best Left to History, over at Singlebarbed.com was too funny! But it brought back some great memories too. In the mid-80′s I had a friend who was learning to fly fish. He asked me one day if I wanted to go fish with him. I told him I didn’t have [...]

Best Fishing Day In 18 Months!

This was the best day I have had fishing in at least 18 months! Both stalkerS were on the prowl today near the headwaters of West Fork of the Bear River. Within seconds of entering the water, I knew, no doubts at all, that I had finally reached the pinnacle of 18 months of effort. [...]

Cutts or Browns: Conservation and the Better Sport Fish

I tried writing this post last night, but it didn’t really jell for me until I got an email from Shane over at The Quiet Pool. Yesterday morning I fired up the motorcycle (I love this non-rainy weather!) about 8:00 AM and headed out. Generally I haven’t had a lot of success fishing the Blacksmith [...]

Hope and Faith of a Fly Fisher

There is something about fly fishing and religion that seem to go together. At least for those of us who are of a church-going-nature (I don’t dare speak for those who do not profess such an affinity). Of course, Norman Maclean spoke of that relationship in A River Runs Through It: “In our family, there was no clear line between religion and fly fishing.”

I can’t help but think of the role that faith plays in the two pursuits.

The Dugway

Scrambling the steep embankments of the canyon, fly rod in hand and a mixture of mud and leaves covering my pants, I make my way to the half mile of river 200 feet below. I cling precariously to clumps of castilleja pondering which loose rock should next support my weight and life.