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| Doing what I love most. |
It began with a hook and an egg - a Pautzke Ball-O-Fire on the South Fork of the White River near Buford, Colorado. Doc put a fly rod in my hand and turned me loose. "Just set the hook if you see the line stop or feel something." It was the beginning of a lifelong passion. Annual trips to the White, and a quick graduation from salmon eggs to artificial flies planted a seed that didn't fully germinate until adulthood. I moved back to Colorado from the mean streets of Washington DC in 2007, and the realization that I had a first-class trout stream almost literally in my backyard turned my childhood hobby into a bona-fide adult obsession.
My home water is the Cache La Poudre River, one of Colorado's finest - especially if you're looking for public access. I'm closest to God when I'm knee-deep in the Poudre.
You'll see numerous references to "Doc" in my stories. Doc is my father, a retired Professor. Along with my mother, he's responsible for whatever is good about me, and he's blameless for everything that's not! He's the best fishing partner a guy could ask for.
If you look closely, you'll find some expert advice on this website - it won't come from me, but pay attention to some of the links on the sidebar. They include the writings of some like-minded fanatics, and they're chock full of wisdom, all of it for free. Like most things, fly fishing has become a "for-profit" enterprise dominated by exclusive private water enclaves, and overpriced, superfluous gear. I aim to be living proof that an average Joe can develop a reasonable proficiency in trout-stalking without taking out a second mortgage, simply by reading, studying, exploring, practicing, and making a moderate investment in the bare essentials - for me, a pair of waders, a net, and a decent rod and reel. And polarized sunglasses - they're essential. Go ahead and be a gear junkie if you must, but most of it is for show.
If you landed here, chances are you're a fellow fly fishing fanatic. I hope you enjoy what you read here. Throw a comment or two up, and if you have a blog of your own, make sure to let me know so I can follow along!
Happy trout stalking!
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