For the Love of Fishing
Standing on a sun-drenched beach, barefoot, up to my knees in cool saltwater, I slowly draw back an 8-foot saltwater spinning rod high over my head. With a steady swing of my arms, I send a 3-ounce pyramid sinker and circle hook draped with some bits of shrimp I bought...
I was driving back from Sturg after a haircut appointment. My new barber, Desirée at Razor’s Edge, had done a pretty decent job, considering what she had to work with. On the way back to Baileys Harbor, I decided to drive up North Shore Drive past the old stone quarry...
Seems like I have spent the first portion of this winter season not ice fishing, but fishing for ice. Even as late as Christmas I was still launching my boat into open water rather than dragging my ice shelter onto a frozen lake. (See my Merry Fishmas post.) The mild...
Christmas Day was always a special time. There was typically a crispness in the air and a lightness in everyone’s heart. A sparkling blanket of snow covered the ground, quietly waiting to be disturbed by skis, sleds and shovels. Christmas also brought a break from my job teaching high school....
I must admit that I take a perverse pleasure and maybe even a bit of pride in doing things that other people think are crazy. I relish any person’s reaction as I relate my experience at the Jacksonport Polar Bear Plunge, describing myself wading through the ice strewn water and diving...
When you can. That’s it. You can stop reading now. That’s all you need to know about when to go fishing. Yea, I know that are lots of opinions and theories out there about when is the best time to catch fish. Some would say you should consult the solunar cycles,...
Door County is a narrow peninsula with world class fishing in every direction. Literally. Each day, as a recreational angler, I get to choose where I want to fish and what species to fish for. However, this choice is not unfettered. My freedom to fish is stifled, more often than...
I’ve been getting more exercise lately. I have been attending to chores around the house that I just didn’t seem to have time for most of the summer. Pam and I have spent a bit more quality time together. I finished reading a book. These seemingly positive changes in my...
What if all the fish in Door County stopped biting? That’s not hard to imagine for those of us who spend a lot of time on the water. The bite gets slow at times. However, I’m talking about the total collapse of the bite. No salmon and trout in the...