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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April 25, 2026 0

Want to get into birding? Use technology to your advantage

I’ll be the first to admit, like many people, I spend way too much time on my phone.

Phones and nature typically don’t go hand-in-hand. So much of enjoying nature is being fully present and the doom devices in our pockets don’t really allow for that.

But, on a recent vacation, I was reminded of one of the rare exceptions.

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April 17, 2026 0

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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December 31, 2025 0

Kalin’s Pendu Jig Review

A few years back, the Kalin’s Pendu Jig hit the market.

As someone who frequently fishes with jig heads, I remember being immediately intrigued by the prospect of being able to add more action to my presentations.

Recently, I put these jigs to the test. Here’s what I learned:

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September 27, 2025 0

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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May 8, 2025 0

On fatherhood and fishing

I struggle to think of anything in my life that changed my priorities faster than having a child.

Not moving off to college or paying my bills for the first time. Even starting a new job or getting married pale in comparison to everything that comes with being responsible for a human life—the task of of shaping and building the very reality of another living thing.

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April 30, 2025 0

Is the dire wolf back?

You may have seen news in recent weeks about an American company, Colossal Biosciences, proclaiming to have brought dire wolves back from extinction.

The headlines garnered a lot of attention in early April, even gracing the cover of Time Magazine. The hype around this announcement is understandable. This was quite a claim.

But here’s the thing: that’s not what happened.

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April 24, 2025 1

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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December 30, 2024 0

Unpacking the feelings

There is no shortage of anecdotal and scientific evidence that being outdoors is good for your mental health.

The ol’ “getting some fresh air” trick has done wonders for countless people, myself included.

Disconnecting from the day-to-day and experiencing the beauty of the natural world, even for a brief period has a way of re-charging our proverbial batteries and leveling us out, often bringing about feelings of peace, calm, and relaxation.

But as you spend more time alone in nature, you’ll find these experiences can offer up more complex emotions. Some that, on the surface, may not necessarily seem positive.

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May 30, 2024 0

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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May 9, 2024 0