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Morning stillness leads to picturesque moments

The alarm clock kicked into action the other day and my unconscious self’s first instinct was to ignore the signal. Ugh. Not yet. No way. Can’t do it. Leave me be. But then the truth of the day dawned on me: I was going fishing. Suddenly the annoyance on the nightstand was my call to action. Alarm clocks and fishing trips have been two of my essentials for a long time. Pausing now to think about the relationship of the clock and angling actually reveals the irony that on most of my fishing trips, the best action often has almost nothing to do with getting on the water just ...

Column: Coming full circle

It’s funny when things come full circle. I’m a second-generation Bronco fan. I followed in my dad’s footsteps. I’ve been a Broncos fan for 28 years. I am 28 years old. This is something that is ingrained in me. I love the Broncos more than some (and maybe most, depending on the season) actual family members. But it’s a familial connection that sparked that love to begin with. I became a Broncos fan, in a way, because of Randy Gradishar. I wrote about this upon his selection, so I won’t go too deep into this same story again. But long story short: my dad became a fan ...

Countless types of baits exist as tools for anglers

The quintessential picture of fishing is an angler sitting lakeside with a rod, reel and can of nightcrawlers. Anglers and earthworms date back to the earliest days of using poles and lines to harvest fish to feed families and villages. Ancient anglers learned tasty creatures tempted fish to bite their hooks, and earthworms were among the easiest baits to gather and keep handy. For thousands of years, in my simplified view of the early evolution of sustenance fishing, worms were the bait of choice. Convenient. Basic. Productive. Ah, but the human species always leans to ...

Fishing new waters a welcome experience

To borrow a popular claim, if you know, you know. Anglers get it. Fishing a new lake for the first time is one of the great adventures in fishingdom. If you are an avid angler, you know what I mean. Nearly 50 years have passed since I towed home my first boat and began exploring lakes and rivers on my own. Prior to that, I fished aboard Dad’s Starcraft and on foot wherever I could find a fishy-looking riverbank or causeway. I was always thrilled at the prospects of what I might discover as I headed out on new waters. I recall my first visit to Mosquito Lake, the tailrace below ...

Reading is a skill just as important as ever

As the years pile up and experience grows, many folks find opportunities to share tips and guidance for those who are coming up behind them. It’s the way of the world, of course, that adults take on roles as parents, teachers, coaches and more to young people who can jumpstart their own adventures in careers, hobbies and special interests. We take it for granted, but some kids lack mentors. All of us have something to pass along. I’m fortunate to have had opportunities to coach young people interested in fishing, even competing in events that pit their skills against the fish ...

Speed worming a proven bass fishing tactic

Swimming a plastic worm is one of the most simple fishing techniques, but also one of the most effective. Popularly known among bass anglers as speed worm fishing, swimming plastic wigglers produce great catches for anglers regardless of experience or how they approach their favorite waters. It is as simple as fishing can get. The angler simply lobs out a Texas-rigged plastic worm and reels it back with a steady retrieve that makes the lure appear to be swimming. The basic cast-and-reel approach works great in most situations, but the angler can experiment with weights and ...