Fishing a desert oasis

About 10 years ago, I was sitting in my parents living room on a weekend morning and John Gillespie’s Waters Woods was on TV. This is pretty typical. For as long as I can remember, my dad’s morning routine on Saturday or Sunday involved watching John while enjoying his coffee and breakfast.

This particular episode was different, though. It was a rare instance when John ventured outside of Wisconsin. He was in Arizona catching, what appeared to be, comically large bluegills. These things were the size of dinner plates.

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My 2025 outdoor adventures, by the numbers

Another wonderful year of time in the outdoors has come and gone.

While I didn’t log as many hours as I wanted, I’m not sure I’ll ever find a number I am completely satisfied with. In a weird way, that’s part of the fun.

This year held plenty of highlights, including more time fishing with my son and the chance to lease hunting land with my dad for the first time.

My website also turned five years old this year. I cannot thank all of you enough for your continued support. I sincerely appreciate you taking time to read my thoughts, engage with my content, and hopefully gain a deeper appreciation for nature.

Here is a look at my 2025 outdoor adventures, by the numbers.

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Important reminders

Each year, dip netting season brings an important part of me back to life.

This tradition, that doesn’t seem quite as popular with other folks as I recall it being in my childhood, is one of the first true signs of spring. It means longer, warmer days are coming which, in turn, means more time fishing, hunting, birding, or simply being outdoors. Sure, I do all of those activities in the winter months, but it’s just not the same when you are consistently at odds with the elements.

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My 2024 outdoor adventures, by the numbers

Another year come and gone.

It’s time to get nerdy and put some numbers to my time in the outdoors in the past year.

I am sincerely delighted by how many of you check out this article each year. It makes me less conscious about my tedious number keeping.

For those of you who may be new to this tradition, I share this information to provide some context to the articles I post on this site each year. It is important to me that you know the depth of my experiences in the outdoors that my perspectives are rooted in.

Here is a look at how my 2024 shook out, by the numbers:

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BIGG Mouth Fishing Stick Bait Review

It’s no secret that stick baits are something of a cheat code in the bass fishing world. In fact, you’d be hard-pressed to find someone who has impacted bass fishing the way Gary Yamamoto did when he introduced us to the Senko in 1996.

In my experience, these plastics strike a balance of catching the volume and size of fish I’m after that few other options offer.

So It makes sense that loads of companies offer their take on the holy grail of stick baits. I’ve spent money with many of them.

But when I saw an Instagram post from Wisconsin-based company BIGG Mouth Fishing, I was immediately intrigued.

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Hunting for trout

“If you want something you have never had, you must do something you’ve never done.”

The fact that this quote is frequently misattributed to Thomas Jefferson shouldn’t take away its sentiment. It certainly doesn’t for me.

After I came up empty in my mission to land my first inland trout on a fly rod during the early season, my friend Brandon offered me an opportunity. His family owns a cabin in Langlade County and he discovered an abundance of quality trout fishing spots during some scouting trips last year. He told me I was welcomed to join him for an adventure that would likely get me off the schneid.

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