Zen Trout

Oh Well... Get Em Next Year

noreply@blogger.com (Trout Buddha) — Mon, 17 Oct 2011 04:00:00 +0000

Hola Amigos -

Well my Brew Crew has fallen 4-2 in the NLCS to the St. Louis Cardinals (aka the Darth Vader of the National League). Great season for the Brewers needed a bit more pitching and a few more timely hits down the stretch. I can now turn my attention to some Steelhead and Salmon fishing. Maybe a fall Musky. Once again I will be living at the corner of faith and hope. Never gets old.

Tight lines,
Trout Buddha

Yes!!!!!!!

noreply@blogger.com (Trout Buddha) — Sun, 25 Sep 2011 03:38:00 +0000

Faith shall be rewarded....

On to the post-season!

Magic Numbers, Fall Skies, and Musky Dreams

noreply@blogger.com (Trout Buddha) — Fri, 23 Sep 2011 14:03:00 +0000

Hola Amigos -

The autumnal equinox is upon us and my favorite baseball team sits with a magic number of 2! The Brew Crew is dangerously close to winning the the NL Central, securing close to 95 wins, and making the playoffs. A wonderful summer of excitement for a rapid fan like myself. I have waxed philosophical on these pages many times about the link between my baseball love and fly fishing. Both require enormous faith and hope. Both have a beautiful symmetry, require patience, and (in my mind) teach wonderful life lessons. Win or lose. Catch or get skunked. Use all your outs my friends and keep your fingers crossed for the Crew.

I dream of the following: spend an autumn day casting big flies for Musky and hustle home just in time to see the Brewers in the Fall Classic! Now that would be a dream come true! Win or lose.

Fear the Beer!
Watch your back cast and remember; it ain't over till its over!
Trout Buddha

Wisconsin River Fun

noreply@blogger.com (Trout Buddha) — Fri, 23 Sep 2011 13:52:00 +0000

Hola Amigos -
A new school year is upon us and the Buddha is BUSY! Some fish (including the always exotic gar fish my brother-in-law landed) from a recent late summer Wisconsin River outing. Nice to know that amble smallies are just down the street (25 minutes door to water). Float all day, work a sand bar, enjoy the eagles, laugh at the red bottomed skinny dippers (the only bird I can accurately ID!), and catch fish. What is not to love.

Watch your back cast!
Trout Buddha

Northwoods Vacation -vs- Fishing Trip

noreply@blogger.com (Trout Buddha) — Mon, 22 Aug 2011 14:16:00 +0000

Hola Amigos -

The Buddha recently enjoyed a great week in the northwoods with limited connectivity (not a bad thing) alas the fly rod was not particularly busy. Biking, paddling, hiking with the Mrs, and some slow fishing on our lake made for a lazy week. Yes I said "our" lake! paying rent one week a year makes it ours. Not a total fishless week, there was one beautiful 16" smallie that bent my 8/9 weight considerably! Always one fish to bring you back.

This was a vacation; a fishing trip is planned for the fall. Trust me, I plan to cast my arm off if needed chasing smallies, pike, and maybe the elusive MUSKY!

I will get you posted (both of my readers!)

TB

Trico and Hopper Time?

noreply@blogger.com (Trout Buddha) — Mon, 22 Aug 2011 14:11:00 +0000

Hmm - Warm days and cool evenings. Sounds like it is Trico and Hopper time in the Driftless area! Check out this report from the Driftless Angler. Looks like the Buddha needs another road trip before school starts!

Watch your back cast!
Trout Buddha

Even More Reasons to Drink

noreply@blogger.com (Trout Buddha) — Tue, 02 Aug 2011 14:53:00 +0000

Hola Amigos -

Obviously the heat, economy, and political disgust are enough to make us all reach for a cold one and try to forget. However, leave it to the Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. and the Western Rivers Conservancy to give a BETTER reason. Why not enjoy a cold Pale Ale and help some rivers in the process.

Saw this posted by Tom at the Trout Underground and thought I would pass it along to both of my readers.

Praying for late summer days of tricos and hoppers!

Watch your backcast,
Trout Buddha

And Its Oil...

noreply@blogger.com (Trout Buddha) — Sun, 03 Jul 2011 02:45:00 +0000

Just saw this on Twitter from NY Times - Exxon spill on the Yellowstone River from ruptured line. Looks like Steve Forbert will need to add another verse to "The Oil Song".

"..don't buy it at the station
you can get it now for free.
Just come on down to the shoreline
where the water used to be" ~Steve Forbert

Hope for the best amigos,
TB

Mix and Match

noreply@blogger.com (Trout Buddha) — Fri, 01 Jul 2011 02:44:00 +0000

A little of this and that from the Trout Buddha as I contemplate the heat warning on tap for tomorrow. Oh well...

A moving eulogy for The Big Man (see the post below) from the Boss. We should all have such friends in life - keep the faith.
Just stumbled upon the Recycled Fish site - very cool. The Buddha will take the pledge!
Thanks to Tom at Trout Underground I have been introduced to Trout Magee at The Catching Chronicles. A beautiful photo essay and blog post straight out of SW Wisconsin's Driftless area. The Buddha calls the Badger state home. Don't let these images fool you - the fishing stinks.
Zen Trout favorite artist Jeff Kennedy is at it again with a Best in Show prize during the recent Art on the Fox Festival. Always worth your time to check out Jeff's work.

Keep your tip up amigos!
Trout Buddha

Remembering the Big Man

noreply@blogger.com (Trout Buddha) — Mon, 20 Jun 2011 16:05:00 +0000

Hola Amigos -

A sad weekend as we learned news of the passing of E Street Sax player Clarence "The Big Man" Clemons. The Trout Buddha is a long time Springsteen and E Street fan. It is always sad to see someone go who has brought so much joy to so many. This photo is from the Fin Chaser Charters archive (May 2007). Got to love it.

I have always thought that fly fishing was steeped in faith, hope, and a sense of community. These are the very themes that permeate the songs of the E Street Band. Somewhere in heaven the Big Man has indeed "joined the band". Rest easy.

TB

The Buddha's Back (Again)

noreply@blogger.com (Trout Buddha) — Tue, 07 Jun 2011 02:41:00 +0000

Hola Amigos -

The Trout Buddha has survived the end of the semester, made it through an unexpected trip west to help with a family situation, and suffered (yes suffered) through an inordinate amount of craziness associated with the "day job" in the past couple of weeks. I hope to be posting with some regularity soon. Lots of fishing ahead, a hopeful MLB season rooting for the Brew Crew, and lots of days paddling on the water.

Some random thoughts, observations, and shout outs:

1) I have to give a shout out to the folks at This is Fly, their recent Best of Summer list is top notch.

2) Anyone out there fishing fiberglass? I have been thinking about fiberglass rods lately. They look great - lots of custom rod shops, a wide range of prices. Might need to give one a try soon. Cabela's has an interesting choice for around a C note. Lots of budget rods as well as many high end models like these from Gray Wolf. They say the soft action is a lot like bamboo. Might be fun on some small streams in the driftless area. Can you have enough rods? Hmm just add money and stir!

3) File this one under: I would rather they tie a parachute Adams. Saw this news story a few hours ago that the fashion industry is putting pressure on the sale of feathers normally used to tie flies. KARE 11 in Minneapolis report on the growing use of feathers tied in with hair extensions as part of a growing fashion trend. The famous Bob Mitchell Fly Shop is featured in the story. Hmm what will they think of next?

Tight lines amigos,
Trout Buddha

Random Observation

noreply@blogger.com (Trout Buddha) — Thu, 28 Apr 2011 03:54:00 +0000

Mild Trout Buddha Rant -

To the middle aged guy slowing down the line at my favorite coffee shop: The barista is NOT flirting with you - she is just being nice. Leave a good tip and move along so the rest of us can go to work.

Must be getting cranky, too many clouds, too much rain, and not enough time on the water!

Stay well amigos,
Trout Buddha

Just Because I Like Them...

noreply@blogger.com (Trout Buddha) — Thu, 21 Apr 2011 16:06:00 +0000

Hola Amigos -

My appreciation of Jeff Kennedy's work has appeared many times on my little corner of the blog-o-sphere. I doubt that will change anytime soon. Jeff gave me permission to use this image so... Who doesn't love a nice brook trout. This in my latest "favorite" of Jeff's work and the next best thing to having one (briefly) in my hand.

Watch your back cast!
Trout Buddha

Trout Buddha Found on Milk Carton?

noreply@blogger.com (Trout Buddha) — Wed, 20 Apr 2011 03:30:00 +0000

Hola Amigos -
Ok. The Trout Buddha has not been the most active blogger in the past month or two. It is nice to know that both of my loyal fans have been worried about my where abouts. Well... too much work, a little travel (work related), and then again there is the work. DAMN that is sad; particularly since we are in the middle of the early trout season. For the record I have been out twice to find beautiful conditions and a couple of nice browns.

So for my official "get your butt in gear and start posting again" post I want to touch base on a few items that have caught my eye recently:

From "The Oatmeal" (brought to my attention by Tom at Trout Underground) an age old question - How Long Could You Survive If You Kicked a Bear in the Balls? Important information. FYI the estimate for me was 40 seconds after taking the quiz.

The MLB season is upon us and my Brew Crew mojo is in full swing! I like the pitching, need to get over some injuries, I think they can score enough runs, I'm a bit worried about the back end of the bull pen, and well I'll stop its a long season. Go Crew!

Fly Talk's Kirk Deeter took the trouble to list the "12 Best States" for Fly Fishing. Wisconsin did not make the list - hey who needs miles of uncrowded spring creeks, world class small mouth fishing, musky and pike on the fly, and spring and fall runs of salmon and steelhead. Yeah no way the land of cheese is in the top 12 so just stay away. No really - stay away!

Saw this posting on the This Is Fly blog and came across some very cool art prints - arrupel? Naturally the Wisconsin print was my favorite.

Quote of the day thanks to Mike at Trout Headwaters: "Nature Bats Last" - Yogi Berra. So as we get pounded with ice and snow in - late April...

Shirt I am destined to purchase: The Nymph from This is Fly.

If you need some good Karma visit the folks at Project Healing Waters and make a donation. We owe these men and women everything - and that includes some fly fishing.

Enough semi-random thoughts. Tight lines amigos!
Trout Buddha

Early Season is Upon Us!

noreply@blogger.com (Trout Buddha) — Sun, 06 Mar 2011 20:38:00 +0000

Hola Friends -
The Buddha was cleaning gear, organizing fly boxes, and prepping for the early trout season here in Wisconsin. The sub-freezing temps may slow me down a bit at first but I'm hopeful for some early trout and spring run Steelies!

Official Information from DNR:Wisconsin early season trout fishing opener March 5, 2011
Trout fishing enthusiasts, the early catch-and-release trout season opens at 5 a.m. on March 5 and runs until midnight May 1.

Wisconsin's official list of classified trout streams contains 58 more identified trout streams since 2002. Find trout and salmon regulations and guide, stream maps, and more resources.

Check out the video from DNR stream ecologist Mike Miller (Official FOB - Friend of the Buddha!) on enhancing your early season experience.

"News" items from the early opener:
State Journal - Madison
Chicago Trout Bum
Wisconsin Outdoor News

Stay warm!
As always - watch your back cast,
Trout Buddha

PS- full disclosure - the photo is a winter fishing outing last year on the Gallatin (didn't have a handy local winter image!)

Faith, Hope, Football, and Fishing

noreply@blogger.com (Trout Buddha) — Tue, 08 Feb 2011 03:07:00 +0000

Hola Amigos -

Well the Green and Gold have done it - The Packers are Super Bowl Champs! A nice winter diversion for those of us waiting out the snow and ice anxious for the March 1 early season. I have waxed philosophic on these pages in the past about the intersection of faith, fishing, and rooting for the local team. I'm a bigger baseball fan than football fan - the former requiring infinitely more faith and patience - but the local franchise has provide great joy this winter. Teams are up and teams are down but as I have said before - rooting for a team is like putting some action on a big streamer in a deep hole - sometimes great things can happen.

I guess that is why I stick with my teams through thick or thin; because I need all the hope I can get. I need to believe in the things I can't see - like that lunker deep in that hole. Soon the snow will melt and I will take my hope, my faith, and my patience from my living room out to the stream bank with my rod in hand in the hope that great things can happen. They always do.

Watch your back cast,
Trout Buddha

Very Cool! Jeff Kennedy T-Shirt

noreply@blogger.com (Trout Buddha) — Fri, 21 Jan 2011 15:26:00 +0000

Readers of Zen Trout (all three of you) know that Jeff Kennedy is a favorite of the Trout Buddha. Cool projects, great art work, and very thoughtful guy who has been very generous making his work accessible to he average fan. Just saw Jeff's new T-shirt design currently available from Patagonia. Jeff's Drawing Flies blog mentioned that this is his "first shirt" - I hope that means there are many more to come. Organic cotton, recycled fibers, environmentally friendly - sounds about right.

Very cool. Sitting back just waiting to see what Jeff will do next.

Watch your back cast,

Trout Buddha

No, Not THAT E Street

noreply@blogger.com (Trout Buddha) — Fri, 21 Jan 2011 14:57:00 +0000

Hola Amigos -

No this E Street can be found in Encinitas California. The main drag of HWY 101 in Encinitas smacks of California cool: it is anchored on one end by the historic theater and by the famous Swami's surf break on the other. In between is the land of coffee shops, cafes, board shops, and the requisite beautiful people that seems to walk straight out of central casting. As the next few posts will attest - the Buddha may be hiding in the coffee shop escaping sub-zero Midwest weather but I am not over my recent California vacation. As good as it gets for a trip with no fishing!

Tight lines - stay warm!

Trout Buddha

Jeff Kennedy and Jason Borger - DF52 Fish!

noreply@blogger.com (Trout Buddha) — Fri, 14 Jan 2011 04:05:00 +0000

Hola Amigos!

The Buddha is back from a nice trip to SoCal refreshed and ready for 2011. I can't wait to jump in to 2011. Looking ahead at a new calendar must take on different meaning for Jeff Kennedy. Jeff wowed us with his 365 Drawing Flies blog in 2008 and a variety of wonderful projects since then (including a lovely hard cover book of his work). In 2010 Jeff brought us the DF52 project. In this effort Jeff drew flies on a weekly basis while at the same time Jason Borger drew an interpretation of the same fly. Twice the wonderful art work for the fly fishing junkie. Set aside some time when you decide to start searching these two sites - it is easy to get sucked in!

For 2011 Jeff and Jason have undertaken another DF52 project and this time they will focus on drawings of fish. If the first two weeks are any indication this is going to be another great project. One of my favorite aspects of these projects has been the willingness of Jeff and Jason to sell originals and prints of their work. I'm thrilled to have a few signed prints from Jeff and a copy of is 365 book.

Check out this project - it will give you something to look forward to every week. Who doesn't need that?

Tight Lines Amigos!

Trout Buddha

image from Jeff Kennedy

Happy Holidays from Zen Trout

noreply@blogger.com (Trout Buddha) — Mon, 27 Dec 2010 03:05:00 +0000

Hola Amigos -

Happy holidays to all (both?) my readers! Winter plans? Tie some flies, dust off that rod building project, plan epic fly-fishing trips, clean and organize fly boxes, build some nets, sort and repair gear, read lots of Ted Leeson, Harry Middleton, and J0hn Geirach.... The list goes on and on. That should hold me.

Tight Lines

Trout Buddha

PS - I will most likely only get the reading done!

Any Club That Would Have Me For A Member...

noreply@blogger.com (Trout Buddha) — Fri, 17 Dec 2010 03:30:00 +0000

Hola Amigos,

This has been a good week for the Trout Buddha and my little blog. Zen Trout has joined the Outdoor Blogger Network. The OBN is a nice collection of outdoor blogs and includes a specific fly fishing community. In response to my shameless wishlist addendum Zen Trout has made the blogroll on the, dare I say, famous Trout Underground site.

Nice to be in good company. Now both it will be easier for both my readers to find me!

Tight Lines,

Trout Buddha

Wish List Addendum

noreply@blogger.com (Trout Buddha) — Wed, 15 Dec 2010 19:46:00 +0000

One last wish (well OK two) to add to the post below:

List No. 4:

To have a ZenTrout posting worthy of mention in the Short Casts section on the Trout Underground!
To have ZenTrout.com listed among the Fishing Blogs on said site - I can only dream.

A shameless grasp for readership! God Bless Us Everyone!

Tight Lines Amigos
Trout Buddha

The Trout Buddha's Wish List?

noreply@blogger.com (Trout Buddha) — Mon, 13 Dec 2010 19:20:00 +0000

Hola Amigos -

Black Friday, Cyber Monday, Drunken Thursday (OK I made that one up!); no shortage of ways for even the most slothful among us to be proded along into the holiday consumer frenzy. I've been thinking long and hard about just what I would "want" this holiday season. Below are some lists - with some very important qualifiers. I hope you enjoy.

List No. 1:
This is my "do something nice for the cause list". Just send a donation in my name to the following good folks:

River Alliance of Wisconsin Clean water advocates in my own backyard!
Trout Unlimited Conserving, protecting and restoring North Americas coldwater fisheries and watersheds - the tag line sums it up.
Driftless Area Land Conservancy - protecting land from development in the Driftless area.

List No. 2:
This is my "Holy Crap" I just came into some money and need to spend fast list:

Original Oil Painting by Russell Chatam - Naturally my favorites are listed as "rare" so likely will run more than the $7,000.00 average.
One week at the Paws Up Outfitters in Montana - a cool $4700 not counting transportation and tips on the south fork of the Flathead.
A very large shopping spree at the On The Creek Fly Shop in Cross Plains Wisconsin. Anything to help keep this shop in business because it is a special place. Located on the banks of Black Earth creek - a great place to shop, hangout, and learn something - don't forget the shopping part!

List No. 3:
This is my stuff I can't really afford but maybe if I save my pennies it will happen list:

A nice bamboo fly rod from Paul Julius in Cross Plains Wisconsin A local gem.
Funding to spend a week in Phelps Wisconsin at the Jacobsson Rod Company one week bamboo rod building class. Build my own gem?
Money for a nice fiberglass rod from the McFarland Rod Company - just to see what the fuss is all about.
A back country trip to the Bob Marshall Wilderness. Cuts everywhere!

Oh well, enough dreaming. Guess by the end of the list I was doing the shopping! Oh well feel free to step in an make any of the above purchases.
Stay warm amigos,
Trout Buddha

Climate Change Wisconsin / Driftless Area

noreply@blogger.com (Trout Buddha) — Sat, 11 Dec 2010 15:25:00 +0000

Hola Friends -

Once again Marshall at MidCurrent finds a nugget right in my own backyard. The difference? He works; I dabble. That notwithstanding the video and information on the Driftless area found on the Climate Wisconsin web site is very informative. Great information, nice videos, and good information about climate change and the impact here in the land of cheese. Worth a look. Much of this research comes from the UW-Madison. I should pay more attention (I do work there!). A tip of the hat to the gang at MidCurrent. Enjoy the video, support the hard working folks in the Dritless area, and help protect this Wisconsin resource.

Trout Buddha

Fly Fishing | Climate Wisconsin from ECB on Vimeo.

PS - Check out the Driftless Angler Fly Shop online.

Amber Heard / Rise Forms Ezine

noreply@blogger.com (Trout Buddha) — Thu, 09 Dec 2010 02:20:00 +0000

Hola Friends -

News from the "blogosphere" this week. Amber Heard lead actress from the movie (will this ever be released?) The River Why made news this week when she came out at a GLADD event. When will this stop being "news"? At one point the Buddha predicted the following:

Amber Heard who plays Eddy in the movie will send many a man to the stream looking for their own fly fishing goddess.

Oh well - beautiful is beautiful - good for her for living her life on her terms.

Another item that caught my eye was the debut of the Rise Forms Ezine. Outstanding! We can never have enough good writing about fly angling. That might actually get more guys to the stream then Amber Heard - well maybe.

Tight Lines Amigos!

Trout Buddha