The water levels were low, but fishing was still excellent — a mix of sunny afternoons, misty mornings, and plenty of action on the river.

Grindal Lodge is a cozy spot with great company, local food, and easy river access right outside the door. It’s the kind of place that captures what salmon fishing in Norway is all about — peaceful moments, sudden chaos, and good laughs in between.

Music: King Buffalo – “Acheron”

Location: Grindal Salmon Lodge

In July, we fished both Fossen and Øvre Høse, and the river treated us well. Fossen, in particular, delivered a few great fish, including a solid 10kg catch-and-release that put up an incredible fight. It was a battle to remember, and the thrill of watching that beauty swim off made it even better!

September brought a whole different experience. This time, we took my boat out, and the conditions couldn’t have been better. Blue skies, calm waters, and the perfect setup for another great day on the river. Øvre Høse delivered once again, making for an unforgettable season in Suldal.

Check out the full video of our adventure – it captures all the action, the stunning scenery, and of course, the excitement of the catch! Can’t wait to get back out there next season!

Video Highlights:

• Arrival and Setup: The video opens with our arrival at the Togiak River Lodge, featuring stunning views of the river and surrounding wilderness. 
• Fishing Challenges: High water levels made fishing spots limited, so much of the footage shows us casting from the boat. The video captures the determination and patience required to target the elusive King salmon, with early mornings and late afternoons being the most productive times.
• Hooking Kings and Chums: While hookups were fewer than expected, the moments we did land Kings were thrilling. The video highlights the raw power of these fish, along with some surprise catches of feisty Chum salmon that added variety to our adventure.
• Scenic Views: Between the fishing action, the video showcases sweeping shots of the Togiak River’s wide waters, framed by untouched wilderness. These scenes capture the serene and remote beauty of the location.

This video is not just about the fish but also about the experience of fishing in Alaska under challenging conditions. From the limited fishing spots to the rewarding moments of landing a King, the footage gives a glimpse of the unique thrill of fishing one of Alaska’s iconic rivers.

Music: King Buffalo – Hours

The springer salmon run on the River Spey is something that I have always wanted to experience, and this trip did not disappoint. The weather was mostly perfect, with sunny skies and mild temperatures, and the salmon were biting. Unfortunately, I lost one salmon, but I was also able to catch and release one beautiful springer salmon at the last day of the trip.

While I was in the area, I also took the opportunity to visit Cullen and Findlater castle. These stunning places, located along the coastal route to Aberdeen, were absolutely breathtaking and provided a welcome break from the fishing.

I filmed the entire trip with my iPhone, and was impressed with the quality of the footage. Despite not having my DSLR camera, I was able to capture some incredible moments on the river and at the castles.

Overall, my fishing trip to Scotland in April was a huge success. I caught and released one beautiful springer salmon, visited some amazing castles, and made some incredible memories. I can’t wait to go back and do it all again.

Once we arrived, we made our way upriver to the Alaska West camp, which is about 5km from the sea. This camp is known for its frequent visits by bears at night, so we had to be careful to keep our campsite clean and free of food.

Despite the presence of bears, we were excited to get out on the river and start fishing. The Kanektok is home to all five species of Pacific salmon, as well as char and rainbow trout. We focused mostly on catching King (Chinook) salmon, but we also caught a few chums and sockeye.

It was a truly amazing experience to be out on the Kanektok River, surrounded by the stunning Alaskan wilderness. The fishing was fantastic, and we were able to catch some beautiful salmon and trout. We can’t wait to go back and experience it all again.

Our first trip was in July, when we fished in Sandsfossen. The fishing in this area was fantastic, and we were able to catch several big salmon. The average weight of the fish we caught was around 10kg, which was truly impressive.

We mainly used spinning rods with weighted flies to allow the fly to sink fast and bounce near the bottom of the fast current. I was able to land one on my fly rod as well near the sea!

In September, we returned to Suldal for another fishing trip. This time, we fished above the waterfall at Øvre Høse. The fishing here was not as good, due to being late in the season. We saw many fish, but they would not go for the fly .

Overall, our fishing trips to Suldal this summer were a huge success. The salmon in this area are truly massive, and we were able to catch some truly impressive specimens. We can’t wait to go back and do it all again next year.

As someone who works remotely at WooCommerce and Automattic, I get a lot of questions about the tools that we use to stay productive and connected. Recently, Beau wrote an extensive post about the tools we use for remote work, which does a great job of summarizing our setup.

In his post, Beau covers everything from the tools we use for communication and collaboration, to the tools we use for project management and tracking. He also discusses the importance of having a good workspace and the benefits active communication.

Paolo also wrote a great post about the difference between distributed and remote work. In his post, he explains that while the terms are often used interchangeably, there are some key differences between the two. Distributed work, for example, involves having a team that is spread out across multiple locations, while remote work typically involves individuals working from home or other remote locations.

Overall, both of these posts provide valuable insight into the tools and practices that we use at WooCommerce and Automattic to work remotely. If you’re interested in learning more about remote work, I would definitely recommend checking them out.

If you’re interested in learning more about this topic, I would definitely recommend giving these two books a read:

The Year Without Pants: WordPress.com and the Future of Work

I recommend the book “The Year Without Pants” by Scott Berkun, who worked for Automattic for a period of time and wrote a whole book about the experience. The book delves into the challenges and benefits of remote work, and offers insight into how we succeed despite its unconventional approach.

I can relate to many of the challenges and benefits discussed in the book. One of the biggest challenges of working remotely is the lack of face-to-face interaction with coworkers. This can make it difficult to build strong relationships and can also make it harder to collaborate on projects.

However, as the book discusses, there are also many benefits to working remotely. For me, one of the biggest benefits is the flexibility it offers. I was able to set my own schedule and work from anywhere, which allowed me to better balance my work and personal life. Additionally, working remotely can also lead to increased productivity, as it allows me to eliminate distractions and focus on the tasks at hand.

Remote: Office not Required

Whenever I give a talk on the subject, I always recommend “Remote: Office Not Required” by Jason Fried and David Heinemeier Hansson. This book offers a fascinating look at the concept of remote work and the benefits it can offer both businesses and individuals.

One of the key points that the authors make is that remote work is not just about allowing employees to work from home. It’s about giving people the freedom and flexibility to work from anywhere, at any time. This can be incredibly beneficial for both businesses and employees, as it allows for a better work-life balance and greater productivity.

The authors also discuss the benefits of remote work for businesses. These include lower overhead costs, access to a global talent pool, and the ability to attract and retain top talent. They also touch on the challenges that come with remote work, such as communication and collaboration, and offer practical solutions for overcoming these challenges.

Ten years ago today, WooThemes launched WooCommerce, a plugin that allows WordPress users to easily sell products on their websites. This was a significant development for WooThemes, as it allowed the company to expand beyond just selling premium themes and into the world of eCommerce.

In late 2010, the team at WooThemes set out a plan to add eCommerce functionality to their themes, in order to increase sales and expand their business. After months of hard work and development, WooCommerce was released to the public on September 27th, 2011.

Since its launch, WooCommerce has grown and evolved in many ways. It has become one of the most popular eCommerce platforms in the world, powering over 5 million websites. The plugin has also gained a reputation for being versatile and user-friendly, making it an attractive option for businesses of all sizes and types.

In his blog post, Paul provides a great recap of the time that has elapsed since the launch of WooCommerce. He discusses the growth and evolution of the plugin over the past decade, and highlights some of the key milestones and achievements along the way.

In addition to its popularity and versatility, one of the things that sets WooCommerce apart is the strong community that has formed around it. The plugin has a vibrant and active user community, with forums, meetups, and conferences dedicated to discussing and sharing best practices and tips for using WooCommerce.

The team at WooCommerce is also committed to supporting and fostering this community. They regularly engage with users and seek feedback on ways to improve the plugin and make it even more user-friendly and effective. This dedication to the community is a key part of what has made WooCommerce such a success over the past 10 years.

As we celebrate this milestone anniversary, it’s clear that WooCommerce has established itself as a leader in the world of eCommerce. The plugin has come a long way since its launch, and we can’t wait to see what the next 10 years will bring. 🚀