The history of introducing fish into American waterways is a story of interesting stories. Setting aside the ecological concerns of nonnative species for a moment, the paths taken by the ancestors of today’s trout and bass are remarkable. There are plenty of fantastical accounts of warming barrels of fry and derailed trail cars filled with …
As far as I can recall, I’ve only really pressed my luck once when it has come to fly fishing in blizzards. To be fair, I was fishing the Lake Erie tributaries. Not only are the lake effect weather patterns erratic, but combat fishing for steelhead* puts you in an unstable state of mind. After …
White Elephant. Yankee Swap. The super original “gift exchange.” Whatever you call it, it can be a lot of fun and a quick way to waste $20. So why not have fun with it? If you get invited to a TU or fly shop holiday party, you can bring something that brings the seasonal heat. …
There I was, looking at my dog curled up on an expensive human chair in my living room, saying: “Why not? Why shouldn’t I buy him a dog bed from Orvis?” So I did. But I feel like I have to explain myself. Dog beds were, for a time, one of the punch lines about …
Clothes make the man. But do clothes make the fly fisherman? True: fishing is more about reading the water, making the right cast, and matching the hatch. But you can’t do any of this unless you’re dressed for the occasion. (And in most locales, it is probably frowned upon to fish if you’re not dressed.) …
I am not a huge fain of April Fools’ Day. Primarily for the reason that I am already quite skeptical of anything and everything I read online. But I do enjoy the yearly gags that some companies routinely roll out. Orvis’ efforts, with all the marketing power at their disposal, are usually worth a smile. …
“Hey. There are flies on your shirt.” Sometimes it happens in my first meeting of the day. Sometimes it happens as I’m in the checkout line. It even occurs as I walk down the stairs in my own home. Apparently I look like a man who doesn’t know what he’s wearing. At the bare minimum, …
For many children of the past 75 years, there was a certain rhythm to the school year. Field days, D.A.R.E. presentations, and book fairs marked the passage of educational time. Another momentous milestone, loved by some and abhorred by most, was the Presidential Fitness Test. Although there were older iterations, JFK cranked this exercise in …
On a warm, overcast fall morning the fish were jumping all across the pond. With every stroke of the paddle, there was a flash under water or ripples on the surface. Baitfish skittered. Lazy insects disappeared in loud slurps. Fish shot out of the water, presumably for the joy only comprehendible to the simple mind …
The neighbor to one side of you still hasn’t removed all of the fake spiderwebs from her bushes, and the neighbor on the other side is staking illuminated reindeer down in his front yard. Thanksgiving (the superior holiday, mind you) is a turkey and pie speedbump that simply launches our culture headlong over Black Friday …
