Rainbrown.

The metal cleats dig into the asphalt, grinding against it with a bright metallic sound that changes tone when I step on the painted white line of the road. River water still seeps from my boots with each step. Like when I was a kid at the pool, leaving wet footprints along the concrete deck, I’m now leaving boot prints along this road… so maybe I’m not entirely alone. Earlier upriver, I paused at a movement. Startled, I froze to gather more information before reacting. Somet

This past year I’ve noticed something… Of all the things to be aware of, I’ve noticed my attitude change—really. Small, subtle changes that at times have caught me off guard, and other times I’ve embraced as an epiphany or just taken in stride. Growth or regression? Don’t answer that. Let’s face it: the more you fish, the better you get—or should, I hope. Also, it's the thrill of the hunt, as opposed to getting off on beating up a pod of stockers that just got planted. Let’s

June was weird. Lots of rain and cool temps threw off the river. Flows were still very high, and from experience I knew it would be a pain in the ass to navigate my favorite spots—and even a little dangerous. So after talking with a friend who would be with me, we agreed to postpone and keep an eye on the flows. If we could get above all the tributaries, we’d be better off—but that was a big if . I came into the shitty little A-frame we stay at every year a day early. With fl

Funny to look back at the last several years and take note of where I’ve fished. Some places I’ve fished more than others, some have been blown off, while others have come back as mainstays. Just like the rivers I’ve gotten to know and witnessed through their subtle changes, I admit I’ve also watched myself change—or better yet, realized it in past tense. I did have to go up a size in boots this year… or last. I can’t remember exactly when. Was it due to age and feet having a

October—autumn—golden aspen reveal jagged spruce, willow, and cottonwood already showing their change. Dampness hangs in the air. The sun’s warmth seems not so everlasting and much more appreciated as the days are noticeably shorter, which gives me a sense of urgency. Urgency that the green grass at my feet will soon be covered in white. Above 9,000 ft, the peaks already show what’s to come. And with the white comes the dark. An anticipated time of predictions was lofting abo

March means the sanctioned trip to the Juan. A shake-down, really—full of nagging questions: Do I still know how to fish? Do I still...

This past summer, my wife and I met my folks in Truckee, California. They hadn’t seen my two-year-old son in a while, and the timing...

I was south of town and on private water. Summer was winding down and the lighting had already shifted. The cottonwoods were starting to...

A crazy low lying fog covered the exposed cobble and bank. The river was still slate blue and up above the post, storm clouds were moving...

There is a certain thrill to new water even if it’s the same water but on a different stretch or even one that is semi-private. That’s...

It was a rainy afternoon on my favorite river in mid September. The day started as a typical blue bird day, but after spending much time...

It was this time exactly last year when COVID hit, and was also the last weekend before the state shut down the river.....

Strangely enough, the east pond had predominantly more browns than bows, while the west pond had only bows that I knew of. I’ve worked...

One evening while coming home from dinner in town, we were greeted with a note on our cabin door. It stated that at "time X" the power...

I headed out at sunrise to an area I’ve known about but never experienced. A nice second cup of coffee in the travel mug and my utter...

It's early autumn and I had the urge to explore new water. The thought of going north was enticing, something like Wyoming or Idaho but...

I headed east out of town planning to meet up with my long time friend James at the usual spot, the fire house. It was just dawn and the...

It was a Thursday and I was heading to Durango on business and a little pleasure. It was going to be a quick turn around but I had a...

Since relocating to New Mexico, I have to travel for excellent water. Pros: experiencing different water with new situations and...

I'm in baby jail but it's not as bad as I first thought. I've been hitting my local acequia spots on a regular basis. Now the joggers and...