Over the last week I’ve been fishing lots. John O’Hearn and I were invited to fish in the IGFA Permit Invitational tournament, a new-but-welcomed addition to the Key West tournament scene. While Wednesday through Friday were the tournament days, we elected to fish three days leading up to it. I was looking forward to fishing…

Yesterday I fished with John O’Hearn, leading up to the IGFA Permit Invitational next Wednesday. We are scheduled to fish starting Monday through the end of the week, with the tournament days ending on Friday. Probably due to the lack of any major tournaments in the fall months, not to mention the recent Corona-driven cancellations…

For the last month, I’ve been fishing lots. Our trip to Mexico with the normal crew was a smashing success, with fun and permit in great supply for everyone. Here at home, fishing has been good if never superlative. The days I’ve been able to get out have been rewarding in steady supply, and a…

Since the last post, I’ve been able to get out on the water a fair amount. Keeping my life as simple as I can has meant that when things slow down (and often when they don’t), I’m able to focus only on the fishing. When the summer stalls things in Key West, I’m inevitably happy…

A few weeks ago, during what would have been the 2020 Del Brown Tournament, I fished with John O’Hearn. We were scheduled to fish in the tournament as usual, and without it we were in a position to look at some new places and figure out some new things to do. Our decision to spend…

With these pages back on line and regularly updated, there’s much to report. I’ve been fishing a lot, and while the weather has been tough at times the fish have been occasionally complying with our repeated requests. I fished a day with Nick Labadie earlier in the week, and while we looked for some new…

Since the Gold Cup, I’ve had the occasion to get on the water lots. The Keys are re-opened, and have been for a little over a month, and while this means that the water is more crowded than we fast became accustomed to it also means that the guides are getting back to work, which…

Last month I finished fishing the Gold Cup with John O’Hearn. The most competitive of the tournaments in the Keys, this also marked the first tournament we fished since the Keys shut down at the end of March. As such we were excited to get back in to things, and hoped that the Gold Cup…

OK, let me start by saying that I know these reports have been slacking lately. I’m sure that this due in part to the fact that I’ve been fishing a lot more than normal, for reasons that are both apparent to all and not worth going in to here. Spring 2020 has so far proven…

Earlier this month I fished in the March Merkin with Ian Slater. This was our first tournament together, and I had a fantastic time. The weather was turning from nasty to nicer starting on the first day, and while we gave it our all on the prefish day we only found a single shot for…

As the readership of these pages (and pretty much anyone that knows me) is aware, I’ve been fishing for the 6 lb tippet tarpon record for a long time. In fact, it’s been over 9 years that I’ve been after this particular record. In that time, I’ve been in the company of great friends. I’ve…

Earlier in the week I fished for two days with Ian Slater, and on the first we were joined by our friend Josef Borski. The weather was turning around after a cold front, and we were hoping that this would be a day that things cracked open. We started early with the same goal we…

Four days after the Cuda Bowl, during the time I was slated to be in the Everglades with Steve and Chad that had been rescheduled due to weather, Ian and I went out for a day of fun fishing. It’s rare this time of year that he and I have coinciding days off, but we…

About a week after I came back from fishing with Steve and Chad I fished in the Cuda Bowl, now in its tenth year. What started as a casual tournament in 2010 to generate some interest in fishing for barracuda has become one of the largest and most competitive tournaments in the Keys, and this…

Last week I fished with Steve Huff, locked in sick pursuit of the six pound tarpon record as always. Chad, our designated gaff man and spirit-lifter, was along as usual to lend his skills to our hunt. We started early on Monday morning, after breakfast, and headed out to find a fight. Our first day…

2020 fishing started for me with a great opportunity: spend a few days on the water as Ryan Bergeron’s guest, for a day with Simon Becker and another with Doug Kilpatrick. Ryan is a great friend and angler, and in the last few months we’ve been planning this trip to coincide with his travel to…

A few weeks ago I returned from fishing in Mexico with my family–both mom and dad, Kat (of course) and our Ocala cousins Jeanie and Scott. We had great weather for the time of year, and while we had consistent fishing the permit were in less than compliant mood. In total we fished five days,…

After getting home from Cuba I had some time off from fishing, and with two days off last week decided to get some hours on my boat in hopeful maintenance of its power for the fast-approaching tarpon tournaments. Ian and I set out to catch a permit, and on the first day we were unable…

Earlier this month I returned from Cuba, a last-minute stowaway on a trip from a great group of four guys that had set up the trip a year ago through BTT. Arriving in Camaguay, we took a bus down to the departure point for the mothership and piled in for a day’s run to where…

Last week I returned from three days of fishing in the Everglades with Chad. Joining me was Kat Vallilee, my wife, who’s only relationship with the Everglades is through me when I return with stories of lost giants on six pound test, many after fights lasting more than 10 hours and ending in all sorts…