Days, weeks, and months have passed. The first three months of the season, for me, means lots of streamer fishing with a little nymph action on the side. While nymph fishing bores me, I do enjoy swinging streamers, but the time does come when I look forward to fishing on top. I’ve had a few…

Finally, even if just occasionally, Spring-like weather has given us a sneak peek into what lies ahead.  Numerous Robins have returned to the yard, Cranes are standing in the surrounding fields.  The streams I fish are low and clear. The sun feels amazing but can make the fishing tough. The trout are skittish and scatter…

March, the stoke is real. With each day, hope grows for improving weather, improved fishing. The days grow longer. The temps, air, and water slowly climb. Sure, there will be setbacks, but things are looking up. My fishing intensifies, I’m a bit more wired. I expect the fish to increase their feeding, as a larger…

Wintertime fishing is always a challenge, but I really do enjoy it. When there’s snow on the ground but the temps aren’t brutal you can have your favorite runs pretty much to yourself. Also, you can actually see the footprints of anyone who  has been there before you and how long ago they were there.…

The first half of January provided decent day-to-day streamer fishing. It was nice to have the opportunity to return to so many favorite stretches of water. All areas provided action, some better than others. As usual, leech patterns in black and olive were the top producers. I was glad to see several year classes of…

Opening day. High noon. Cold but tolerable. There was little doubt I would be there, in this exact spot. A group of mallards appear, drifting with the currents towards me. Soon they notice me, shocked to see someone for the first time in months, they make a quick exit. I fish a scud pattern upstream…

My tackle has been cleaned and stored away for months. The fly tying vise is permanently in place, many flies tied. Holidays have floated downstream. The time will soon arrive, the start of a new season. It will be cold. I will fish, just about no matter what, at least for a while. Wind being…

PART THREE We would fish together often throughout that season long ago. Experimenting with different patterns sometimes amazed at what they were willing to take when presented properly. When no fish were visibly feeding he would show me sub surface patterns and techniques that were foreign to me. Tactics that I had never seen in…

PART TWO My first visit with Tom came in early May. I pulled in behind him, just before noon, on a sunny typical Spring day. He was standing at the back of his car returning his gear after a morning of fishing. Asking how he had done, he turned, smiled and asked if I had…

PART ONE I first met him in the mid 70s. I, a teenage, nightcrawler dunking, Mepps spinner tossing pursuer of trout. Him, a fly fisher, author and photographer. There he stood, in the middle of our local stream, casting effortlessly, cigarette hanging from his lips. We chatted briefly, he spoke, I was smart enough to…