This time of year I tend to reflect on the last 365-days with gratitude for enriching my life. Here's my top ten for 2009.
10. Making new friends from the board and sharing time on the water with them.
9. Sight fishing for reds in the Rockport, Texas gulf with Captain Knipling.
8. Experiencing good mat fishing for black bass in the delta.
7. Striper fishing in the SF Bay 15-min from home.
6. Trolling the delta shallows, spotting a monster striper and following it to a nice school of double digit stripers in clear shallow water.
5. Donating for the first time to 2009 Striperfest and seeing record breaking proceeds ear-marked for conservation efforts.
4. Catching a monster 25-lb striper with my NPD Diver and a 2-handed rod.
3. Returning to SE Alaska for the silver salmon run and successfully field testing new flies.
2. Being mentioned in the book Fly Fishing the California Delta (Costello & Sherman).
1. Helping put together SaveOurStripers.Org and seeing a broad-based community of concerned businesses, organizations and individuals join forces to protect the delta and its fishery.
Bonus: Finally getting my new tooth put in.
I hope everyone here has a banner 2010. Happy new year. [click here to display pictures] |