Fish Tales
The Year that Was
Here is a brief review of the first year of Madness and Magic in a video slideshow set to the tune of Upstream from the excellent album Fishing Music by Ben Winship and David Thompson. Read more…
Fish Tales
Anatomy of a Weekend
Cast of Characters ADAM, John Voelker’s quick-witted grandson TIM, the bumbling photographer and flailing fisherman BROOK TROUT, the foolish and unwary native Scene One: The Internet Prologue (Email exchange, day one.) ADAM Tim, I’m thinking Read more…
Fish Tales
Monsters in July
I can scarcely remember how I came to this place. When I was young the water flowed all around me. The swift current swept bugs and small minnows through predictable paths, and I ate recklessly. Read more…
Fish Tales
Rolling a Cast on Frenchman’s
All Hail the roll cast: all fishermen should be required to learn it at birth. I teach it by special appointment, but only on Leap Year Day. John Voelker Anatomy of a Fisherman I think Read more…
Fish Tales
Solitude Lost
The Middle Branch of the Escanaba River begins northwest of Humboldt, Michigan and flows south and east until it joins the East Branch just below the the town of Gwinn. Highly oxygenated riffles, pools the size Read more…
Fish Tales
An Ivy League Education
The main branch of the Escanaba River — or the Big Escanaba — begins at the confluence of its East and Middle Branches just south of the town of Gwinn and east of the small Read more…
Fish Tales
A Memorable Photograph
Life photographer Robert Kelley took over 1,400 photographs when he visited John Voelker in 1961. I have a reproduction of this one on the wall in my office: (From Life magazine.) The light. The fog. Read more…
Fish Tales
Photos: The Wait and the Reward
I have known many fishermen but never have I known one who could make trout feed when they don’t want to. As the child soon learns his ABCs so the wise fisherman swiftly learns the Read more…
Fish Tales
In Defense of Micropterus Dolomieu
I personally don’t happen to care a whoop for bass fishing or bass; in fact I loathe it and them; but I have no quarrel with the queer people who do, only a sort of Read more…
Fish Tales
Protectors of the Trout
Long before the time of Trout Unlimited, the Great Spirit appeared before an assembly of Michigan’s coldwater fish to warn of the Intrusion. The Intruders, the Spirit foresaw, would harvest the grand white pines, sully Read more…