Alans Articles
A Fair and Decent Return (an investment story)
I have fished for a long time. As with many of us, it began with outings with my dad and brother – pumpkinseeds were what we were after. This drill has been practiced for generations by countless dads, uncles, grandfathers, big brothers, and some special moms and aunts, too. That early introduction has led … Continue reading
Tide Basics
Understanding Tides and the Factors That Influence Them Will Make You a Sharp Saltwater Angler and Unquestionably Improve Your Success Tides are the pulse of the sea. Their infinite cycle generates oscillating currents and fluctuating water levels that have shaped the appearance, behavior, and life cycle of virtually every marine life form, including the game … Continue reading
The Shore Game – Pursuing Albacore on Foot
(This article previously appeared in the August/September 2018 issue of Fly Fisherman) The false albacore run is one of the most annually anticipated events along the Atlantic seaboard from Cape Cod to North Carolina’s Outer Banks. The albie season is somewhat predictable, but their exact arrival varies year to year, as does the duration of … Continue reading
Return to Guiding
After a long layoff I will resume guiding effective immediately. I had guided in the ‘90s and into the millennium and I enjoyed that work a lot. It was a rewarding element of my recreational fishing career. But “life” somehow found its way and it became no longer reasonable to my clients nor me … Continue reading
Florida Bonefish
Anyone who’s pursued bonefish in the Florida Keys long enough has great stories to tell of these extraordinary fish, famous for their size and the extreme challenge they present. All of these anecdotes are amazing and as exaggerated as some may seem (I was skeptical when I first heard them, anyway), after nearly 20 years … Continue reading
East Wind
There is an old saying among Fisherman: East brings the least, west is the best. Its wording may vary depending on the teller, but its meaning is always the same and most times it’s the truth – game fish activity and catch noticeably decline during an easterly breeze.
The Bendback
A Miracle Pattern for Fresh and Salt Water Fly-rodders have scads of choice when selecting flies – there are literally thousands of fly patterns for both fresh and saltwater fishing. Most of them, however, may be categorized into relatively few distinct pattern classes; by that I mean general classifications by design and intended use. … Continue reading
2013
AUTHOR’S NOTE: This piece originally appeared November 3, 2013 in the Stripersonline Fly Fishing Forum in response to a request for “theories” as to why Northeast striped bass and false albacore fishing had declined in the fall of 2013. My usual position when sorting out this kind of natural “puzzle” is that we tend … Continue reading
Big Fish
I began exploring the sport of sight-fishing for striped bass circa 1990, when that species staged its miraculous return. The early going was tough, but exhilarating – imagine deciphering their flats behavior and effective fishing techniques when we had nothing to go on, other than what had been written about bonefish and permit. We (me … Continue reading
Latest Story
Watch for my first article to be posted. I plan to present original and topically-diverse stories here. They will range from fly tying, to game fish behavior, to conservation issues, to travel logs that highlight recent adventures near or far . . . any fly fishing-related subject may appear. These articles will run 2000 words or less … Continue reading