A collection of art and stories inspired by fly fishing, upland hunting, and time afield with family and friends.
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#6: Up Sheep’s Ranch without a Bell
I met Thom that morning at the café, his North Carolina plates rolling into the parking lot with two Gordon Setters hanging their heads out the windows, noses high in the breeze. We exchanged a quick wave and I motioned for him to follow me. A few minutes later we pulled into the trailhead. Before… Continue reading
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#5 Mayflies: A life in a day!
May followed a fairly typical spring pattern, with variable conditions rather than any prolonged stretch of stable weather. Temperatures generally trended upward through the month but fluctuated frequently, with mild periods interrupted by cooler days, rather than an early shift into summer-like warmth. Precipitation was near normal overall, with regular passing systems bringing intermittent rain… Continue reading
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#4: I am a Child; I last a while.
April was a month of transition—cold, grey, and lingering winter. Daytime temperatures crept into the 5–10°C range while nights still dipped near freezing. For anglers, it felt like a suffering game: cold water keeping trout tight to soft seams, but rising flows and increasing daylight slowly waking them, providing a quiet but rewarding window for… Continue reading
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#3: What makes a “grouse” dog, anyways?
December sadly marks the end of our upland season. With my wife away for work and one of our cars breaking down mid-month, hunting was limited. But for the days we chose to brave the cold, it became about savoring the moment—silent, frosted trails and the companionship of a bird dog working against winter’s edge.… Continue reading
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# 2: Two Grouse and a Gentle Reminder
The 11th month brought colder temperatures and more grouse than I expected. Daytime highs hovered near 8°C, with most nights dipping into frost. Woodcock flights slipped south for warmer climes, leaving the odd straggler to probe half-frozen soil for one last Nova Scotian earthworm. Early in the month, we still searched for apple trees as… Continue reading
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#1: Where to begin…
October started off warm and dry, and I quickly learned how tough that can make things. We walked a lot of miles with not much to show for it — I wasn’t sure if it was me, the dog, or just the conditions. Probably a bit of all three. Things turned around in the second… Continue reading
