Unusual Easterlies

Last week was my annual fishing trip to Lake of the Woods in Canada. For the second consecutive year, the weather tested our mettle and led to post-trip discussions about how much longer old men can boat into the backcountry and sleep in tents pitched on granite...

Forest for the Trees

What am I to think when a piece of writing that was once easy to read now becomes difficult? Either my well-honed mind is picking up nuances that I missed in earlier readings or my worn out brain is showing signs of age. I have very little doubt as to which of these...

The FG Knot

About five years ago I switched from monofilament line on my fishing poles to fluorocarbon. I really don’t know the difference in terms of chemical makeup, but fluorocarbon is less stiff than monofilament, and it comes off the reel with less resistance. Fluorocarbon,...

Set for the Summer

Thirty years ago, when my cousin Tom bought a mom-and-pop resort in northern Wisconsin, I helped him run the place during his first two summer seasons. I tended bar, worked as groundskeeper and, as much as my limited skills allowed, served as handyman. The resort came...
Steven Simpson