2016 - The Angling Year In Review

We're standing on the doorway of a new year and I always have a good time looking back and wading through all the fly fishing that was done.  It never feels like enough when you're living it but when I look back it does seem like quite a bit of time was spent on the water.  I was able to visit some really excellent places over the past year and spend time with friends, new and old.

A FEW DAYS WITH MONTANA TROUTAHOLIC OUTFITTERS
The year started with a few days with guide Joel Thompson of Montana Troutaholic Outfitters on several rivers around Missoula.  This trip got my friend Dave back on the water after a couple year ordeal healing from a bad ankle break and it was great as always to get out west.

RIVERS THAT BEGIN WITH THE LETTER "B"
SCENES FROM THE UPPER CLARK FORK RIVER

THREE STRIKES
Schedules all came together to jump in the raft with Jake Howard of Saluda Valley Guides for a half day float down the Saluda River where I ended up tangling with a bruiser striper to end the day.

NATIVE SONS
Sometimes the local haunts that you didn't even know about can blow your mind and Jeff Scoggin was gracious to show me a piece of water that I can't wait to get back to next spring.

ISLANDS AND EDGES - A DAY WITH CAROLINA BONEFISHING
Captain Paul Rose of Carolina Bonefishing and I have been meaning to get on the water for years and it finally happened this spring for a fun day of fly fishing for carp outside of Charlotte, North Carolina

NEVER ENOUGH TIME ON THE FAMILY POND
Though we were on the pond more than in years past, it was still not enough and as both Hadley and Finn get older, they enough being down there more.  Operation: Occupy Pond House is one of my most favorite posts of this year.  What a fun weekend doing everything we wanted to down on the family pond.

KIDS DON'T LISTEN TO THE WEATHERMAN
OPERATION: OCCUPY POND HOUSE
BOOKENDING THE DAYS
AN AFTERNOON QUICKIE

ALWAYS HAVE A BACKUP PLAN
Last minute plans fell into place to spend a laid back day floating the Savannah River with Guide Ben Moore of East Anglers.  We found a few and had a great time on the water.

THE BEAVER ISLAND CHRONICLES
I know I talk about Beaver Island a lot around here but this place is in my blood now.  Six years running and already have a full week set aside for late June.  I really do enjoy taking friends here year after year and the boys at Indigo Guide Service continue to have a great thing going here.

THE B.I. CHRONICLES - THIS YEAR'S CREW & THE FLIGHT OVER
THE B.I. CHRONICLES - THE FIRST SHOTS & A NINTH INNING DOUBLE
THE B.I. CHRONICLES - WEATHER DAY BLOODY MARYS
THE B.I. CHRONICLES - A BLANKET OF CLOUDS
THE B.I. CHRONICLES - AN AFTERNOON ON LAKE GENESERETH
THE B.I. CHRONICLES - A DAY WITH MR. SMILES
THE B.I. CHRONICLES - THE FIRST TIME IS GRAND
THE B.I. CHRONICLES - AUSTIN'S HANDS
THE B.I. CHRONICLES - THE 'MERICA MINNOW
THE B.I. CHRONICLES - WE ATE LIKE KINGS
THE B.I. CHRONICLES - GOODBYE UNTIL NEXT SUMMER
THE B.I. CHRONICLES - TAILGATE GEAR REVIEW

AN AFTERNOON FLOOD TIDE WITH JERMS
Photographer Jeremiah Clark of Billie Jo & Jeremy Photography (be sure to follow on Instagram too) invited me down for a flood tide quickie.  We found a few tails in the grass and it was fun zipping around in the Gheenoe.

PLACES WITH NO NAMES
I've wished and dreamed of spending a few days with the Fly Shop of the Bighorns and Rock Creek Anglers and it all came together at the end of this summer for a few memorable days that will forever be etched in my brain.

PLACES WITH NO NAMES - HIGH & DRY
PLACES WITH NO NAMES - A DAY IN HOPPER HEAVEN
PLACES WITH NO NAMES - SUMMER SCHOOL
PLACES WITH NO NAMES - ROLLING THE DICE
PLACES WITH NO NAMES - TAILGATE GEAR REVIEW

LAST MINUTE PLANS
I ran up to western North Carolina for a presentation to the local Trout Unlimited club and ended up making a day of it with a few friends floating the French Broad River for smallmouth.  We found enough to make the day interesting and it's never bad to be on the water on a work day.

A FEW DAYS AT BLUE HORIZON BELIZE
I am still working through writing the content from this trip but the days spent at Blue Horizon Belize with permit legend Lincoln Westby, Ransom Nunez, and Scott Thompson really capped off an already stellar year.  I'm already going over the calendar for 2017 to make sure I get back there for a few days.

BLUE HORIZON BELIZE - A FEW NOTES ON GETTING THERE
BLUE HORIZON BELIZE - ON THE FLATS WITH THE PERMIT MASTER
BLUE HORIZON BELIZE - RANSOM CALLING THE LAST SHOTS

BONY WATER
An afternoon quickie while waiting for the family to arrive to begin a camping weekend in western North Carolina.  There was hardly any water on the Davidson River but ended up finding one rainbow that darted over to suck in the small midge I was using.

HOW TO SHOW A FRIEND THE LOWCOUNTRY
Being ninety minutes away from Charleston is not a bad thing at all.  Even better to have a bunch of friends down there with boats.  Captain Scotty Davis of Lowcountry Fly Shop put me on my first redfish years ago and figured that he'd do the same for my buddy Mike who was visiting from Colorado.  He did and I showed him a few great places to get fed as well.

Well, not to shabby of a year, eh?  I am already looking forward to seeing what 2017 has in store.

I want to thank everyone that helped make these trips possible, you for taking the time to read my ramblings each day, and the sponsors and advertisers that make a lot of this happen as well.  I appreciate the support every day.