Stuff We Like Inspired by our Travel
Fishing should be fun. Part of that is art and food and other things that don't put fish in the boat, but nevertheless make you enjoy the process more.
Nailed It
Whether you’re trying to hammer some success at Casa Vieja Lodge, Anglers Inn, Sport Fish Panama Island Lodge or Bear Trail Lodge, it pays to dress the part. I like to get geared up for our adventures by painting my fingernails and toenails to reflect my quarry.
It’s Dad’s Big Day — Keep it Fish-Focused
Whether your father introduced you to fishing or you brought him into the sport, there’s no better way to celebrate than by hitting the water together. As Father’s Day approaches, we recommend time in the boat, but even if you’re not able to fish together, you can still show him how much you appreciate his influence with a fishing-themed gift.
Use Wood to Show Someone You Care
At this point in time, all of the pictures and fishy art may be what’s holding our house together. Between actual photographs, canvas prints, fiberglass fish reproductions and other knickknacks, our walls floweth over. Still, we keep having more great adventures that we want to memorialize.
Tattoo Tuesday — Sublime Sockeye
It took me until July, but I finally added a new species to the list of fish I’ve caught: sockeye salmon. The hardest part was getting to Bear Trail Lodge in Bristol Bay, but once we were there we were amidst a pretty good year of what is typically the largest run of sockeyes in the world. There were places where you could almost walk across their backs, and other places where you’d be wading and would feel them bump your legs as they swam upstream.
Suit Up With Sockeyes and Save Salmon
Subsequent to our most recent trip to Bear Trail Lodge, I’ve now fallen in love – or at least a very strong “like” -- with sockeye salmon. Due to the proposed Pebble Mine project, Bristol Bay’s annual sockeye run, the largest in the world, may be in peril. Even if you never go there (note: you should), there are ways that you can support the right side of the cause, there are ways you can support the cause or show your love of sockeyes while still looking good.
Drinking Our Way to Alaska
Right now, Alaska is effectively closed to travelers from outside the state – at least it is for us, since we don’t have time to quarantine once we arrive. We’ll be very disappointed if we don’t make it up there this year. I want to get back because I had such an epic trip last summer, and Hanna wants to go because it’s one of three states she’s never visited.
A Salmon Recipe for the Era of Social Distancing
A lot of our favorite fishing lodge meals are tough to recreate at home, not only because they’re complex, but also because they require ingredients you can’t find at your local grocery store. Hanna and I eat ridiculous amounts of chicken and vegetables, but lately we’ve been trying to integrate more fish into our diets so we reached out to Nanci Morris Lyon at Bear Trail Lodge to get the recipe for the salmon that I enjoyed there last summer.