Full disclosure: today is a day that comes around every year, and my family makes a big deal out of it. Consequently, I’m sharing some content from the Casting Across back catalog.

But these are three great articles.

They’re great because they touch on some of the most important parts of life and fly fishing. They’re great, if you read Casting Across, because they truly give you the context and the framework for understanding the rest of my writing. They’re great because they’re about as heartfelt as they come.

Click on the images or titles below for the full articles:

All Things Bright & Beautiful

As a little boy I spent a lot of time with grandma and grandpa on the farm.

Bottle feeding lambs. Counting puppies as they are born. Climbing into the hayloft to see baby doves. Hearing coyotes yap in the distance. Finding raccoon tracks. Dodging ornery bulls.  Creeping around the barn to catch a glimpse of owls. Naming dozens of cats. Flushing pheasants.

There was not a fish anywhere to be found on those hundreds of acres in central Illinois. But I was surrounded by creation.

Not Quite on the First Cast

For months I had been reading about fly fishing. I had been watching different Saturday morning outdoor programs, focusing on different pages in Cabela’s catalogs, and day dreaming about different fish. Teenage me had developed a one-track trout mind. I still loved bass fishing. While I was preparing for my big inaugural fly fishing trip I continued to go to local ponds every other day. My big Plano tackle box went where I went, and I employed each lure with the knowledge gleaned from Bassmaster tournament coverage. As time went on, I didn’t love bass fishing less. I just began to love fly fishing for trout more.

Why Fly Fishing Means Something

Fly fishing means a lot to me. I genuinely, truly enjoy being outdoors chasing fish with a fly rod. Make no mistake about that. And I am so appreciative of the experiences and opportunities that fly fishing has afforded me. Most recently, with Casting Across. But over the past 25 years I have met remarkable people, created memorable moments, and come to be in possession of some spectacular things due to my involvement in this community.

But truth be told, fly fishing is not in the top tiers of my priorities.