Over the last few weeks Ian Slater and I have been in preparation mode for the upcoming Golden Fly tournament that starts on Monday. We’ve had our ups and downs, next-tos and nearlys, though we have been able to get consistent with our catching. We had been contending with some frustrating weather which seems to…

I know well that these reports have been lacking, and that’s a product largely of being busier than normal in the shop and at home. I’ve been diligently getting out there, though it seems with the pandemic pushing more and more people out of doors and into boats I’ve been far from the only one.…

While I have been fishing a fair amount, the weather has been tough and I’ve been struggling to get into the groove. Last week I fished with Ryan Bergeron, who invited me along for a day with Simon Becker. We found some tarpon early and then later looked for permit, and while we had a…

After the Merkin, I’ve started to fish. It seems odd not to write a Merkin Results + Our Fishing report, which has become a habit over the last 10 years or so, but a brief synopsis seems appropriate here: Kat and Doug finished in second, leading the rest of the field at the end of…

Earlier in the week I had a chance to get out for a day with Brandon Cyr. I haven’t had much fishing scheduled prior to the Merkin, but a day on the water was welcome in the middle of the dry spell. Our weather was far from perfect, and while the day prior Brandon reported…

Since Kat and I welcomed our baby, I’ve been able to get out a few days with some new people. As part of a writing project Monte Burke (of Lords of the Fly fame) came down to fish with John and me. We were talking more than usual, but this didn’t stop us from throwing…

In the middle of the draft of this report, which I had intended to finish last Monday, Kat and I welcomed our baby girl, Violet Vallilee Linville. She’s running us a little ragged at the moment, which will mean that these pages are on the back burner for a bit, but I’ll be back on…

Before the recent trip to Homestead to fish with Lincoln Rodriguez, David Mangum came into town for a few days of permit fishing with the usual cast of characters. We were only missing Ian Slater this time around, who’s schedule didn’t line up for our days this year. Before I started fishing, Kat and David…

Last week I traveled to the Everglades again, this time with Kat to celebrate her birthday, to fish with Steve Huff. As readership of these pages know, I spent a fair amount of time up there over the years fishing with Steve and a rotating cast of hopeful abettors for the six. In the end…

Last week Wes Smith came to town. For those of you familiar with these reports, that’s not surprising: he’s been committed to the fishing down here for some time, and in addition to being one of the best roommates Kat and I have ever had he’s also becoming a fisherman that’s fun to watch, both…