Carry the Zero

Mic check....1, 2...1, 2.

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Here's a few early spring troutin' photos from a local spring creek....

Dawn Patrol

Somewhere in Alaska

There Will Be Bones - Yucatan DIY Flats 2014

Mexican mullet, a sergeant major and a damselfish cavorting among the rocks

I needed to get away.  Away from the last throes of winter, away from the cabin fever and, most of all, away from the constant 'pinging' of my godforsaken iPhone.

I needed to swim in the ocean.

It was that time of year again.  Time for our post-winter escape to the Mayan Riviera.

 

I got out again on my favorite DIY flats south of Tulum.  'Twas a good day with a lot of nice fish - many bones and a few jacks.  Unfortunately, no permit.

You've got to love a place that affords walk and wade access to great bonefish flats.  All you've got to do is endure Tulum's speed bumps, eco-chic tourists and a pretty lousy jungle road and you're there.

Mexican Bonefish vs. Merkin

Mexican Bonefish vs. Gotcha

The fishing was great and, although I did not get any shots at permit, I was determined to return for another chance.

Alas, I came back 48 hours later and was promptly escorted out of the water by a boatload of federales. 

"Senor, necesitas regresar ahora mismo.  No puedes pescar aqui sin una panga.  Este lugar es muy peligroso.  Hay gran crocodilios aqui."

"Damn," I thought. "The rules have changed and my DIY flats fishing option has gone down the tubes."  I knew there were crocs here, but I always avoid the green water and make it a point to be back on land long before dusk.  

Nonetheless, the man ain't having it here anymore.  Whether it's due to a legitimate safety concern or a desire to make sure gringos hire local guides, these flats are off limits without a boat.

That's it for the fishing report, but - if you're interested - you can read on to find out about the rest of the trip and my attempts to help instill a love for the ocean in my son and nephew.

Sam (4) and Hans (8) tried snorkeling, attended Xcaret's "Shark and Stingray Encounter," explored a cenote' and checked out a baby sea turtle nursery.  Here are some highlights:

I've Got This

I got out yesterday with Chris for some local fishing.  It felt great to be out on the river.

Rocket from the Crick

Chris the Fishin' Machine with a Nice Bow

Here's to a healthy and happy 2014.

Still Life: A Suburban Canal in Miami

Tens of thousands of motorists drive past this suburban Miami canal every day.  Busy people with busy lives never give this water a second glance.

They don't see anything of value - just weeds, water and trash.

When I was a kid, this canal was my saving grace.  It was a place where my friends and I encountered wild creatures and explored the natural world.  Some days we experienced the worst aspects of city life - like the time we found two bundled corpses in the weeds during Miami's drug war era - but most days we caught fish and created great memories.

I fished my old neighborhood canal again today for the first time in decades.  It felt great to see my childhood haunt still harbors a remarkable underwater world - a far more interesting place than the surrounding sanitized suburbs.

Kicking Summer Out On Its Treacherous Ass

I haven't been fishing much as of late.  I've got much bigger issues to contend with right now.
 
I reckon the month of September deserves at least one post, however, 'cause it brings some good things each year:

First, September ushers thousands of cars with Utah plates south again for at least six months.  The impact of this can not be overstated.

Now that our brutally hot summer is over, I am certainly enjoying the elbow room. 

September also turns those damn bluebird skies into dark, brooding cloudscapes.  When the big man upstairs drapes a chilly gray sky over gold and red leaves, it's 'go time.' 

Thus, I decided to put an end to the dry spell and got out on the Henry's Fork Sunday afternoon.  Despite the brutal wind gusts (30 m.p.h.+), I managed to land some decent fish without impaling myself.

Good Fish, Lousy GoPro Photo

Summer is a bummer. 

Thank you, September.

“Then fall comes, kicking summer out on its treacherous ass as it always does one day sometime after the midpoint of September, it stays awhile like an old friend that you have missed. It settles in the way an old friend will settle into your favorite chair and take out his pipe and light it and then fill the afternoon with stories of places he has been and things he has done since last he saw you.”
― Stephen King - Salem's Lot

Super Unison

Like red-cloaked pilgrims, our local kokanee salmon have begun their great journey once again.

Their mission is extraordinary:

Stay tuned for more...