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Ben_Moyer

No bites, but not a bad day

An important truth about the outdoors is that it accommodates a wide range of ability and invites diverse objectives. Paddling through rapids or presenting a fly to trout in low water, for example, take exacting skill, while other outings might indulge quirky impulse. This column explores the ...

If there is such thing as a paradox in fishing, bass are part of it. Last Saturday was the opening day of bass fishing season. Yet, unlike the trout season kickoff, which always follows a build-up of anticipation, there’s scarcely a ripple of excitement for bass.But, according to the U.S. ...

Trout season started out with a surprise, then a span of high water. But conditions have settled, crowds (which weren’t supposed to be crowds anyway) have thinned and, hopefully, readers have a few trout in the freezer.Trout have a way of staying there too long. Because their preparation ...

A pleasure of reaching retirement is morning coffee on the porch. Until recently, I sipped my morning brew in the pre-dawn dark in the truck on my way to the shop. That interlude was its own kind of private pleasure. But sunup coffee sessions now come with nature to observe, and I’m fortunate ...

Wandering waters

Rain has pelted the region continually in recent days, accompanied by outdoor implications. On the “up” side, a wet spell in spring causes morels to pop, and a lot of kayaks on cars have been heading for the mountains. High water has its dangers, but it also allows paddlers to navigate ...

Surprise of the season:

Trout season 2020 had an unconventional kickoff. The traditional opening had been set for yesterday, April 18, but the Fish and Boat Commission announced April 7 that it had opened the season as of 8:00 a.m. that morning. It was a hard but rational decision by the Fish and Boat board. The first ...