| Monday: | Kalyn Hoggard |
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| Tuesday: | Paul Arden |
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| Wednesday: | Tracy&James |
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| Thursday: | Martyn White |
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| Friday: | Mika Lappalainen |
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| Saturday: | Rickard Gustafsson |
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| Sunday: | David Siskind |
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Until next time
Monday, 23 February 2026
I suppose this entire display would be easier if I just looked to the other end of the couch and told my wife these things face to face rather than pretend, she is my editor, write this to the other reader out there in the world, (Mom, I had fun) and give it to Paul to share online (Looper 4 life). But hey I get a kick out of it, and I hope you did too...
A Tornado is coming…
Tuesday, 24 February 2026
20 years ago, while driving across Texas, I met up with Andy Dear for the first time. We had already known each other for some years and Andy had shared his fascinating rod maker interviews which I republished on Sexyloops. I was on the way to meet Wild Bill Gammel and so Andy and I met up for a cast on the side of an interstate highway. This was not that unusual for me, since the US has some very long drives, that often take multiple days. And the best way to stay nimble is to regularly pull over and work on your fly casting. But this was my first time having company! If I remember rightly we cast distance and worked on the double haul. But it was much more about actually meeting each other in person.
Muddy
Wednesday, 18 February 2026
t's not long before James and I fly to Spain for our first fly casting competition of 2026. Today we've been practising for some of the events – mainly the ST27, which is my favourite event and the 'lake distance' one that is a special comp for the Spanish Meeting. This uses the same rod, but the fly line is a long head tournament line designed for us by our friend Steve from Celestial lines. It makes the ST27 line feel so light even though it's actually a #7. I'm finding there are subtle differences in how to cast the two different lines but using the same rod and my style of cast. With the longer line I need to flop my wrist more as I need a wider arc for a bigger carry and I have to shoot a small amount of line into my false cast. Whereas the the ST27 I pick up, hold the carry and do a hard stop with a little pull-back. Today has been purely a technique day as the wind was mild to nothing, however it was lovely to have a little sun in such cold conditions. There are forecasts of snow as the temperature drops over tonight.
Seaduction
Thursday, 19 February 2026
This week I think it’s time to revisit a true classic of the saltwater genre. The Homer Rhode hackle fly or as it’s commonly known nowadays the Seaducer. It’s an exercise in versatile simplicity that remains, to this day, hard to beat in many situations.
Couch potato
Friday, 20 February 2026
Days are getting truly longer fast now, daylight starts to be good after 7. 30 am already as sunrise 7.50 am. And it will last close to 5 pm as sunset is 4.45 pm. So daylight is now about 9 hours when during December is what about half that. So now when you start day it is daylight and when get back home it is just about to get dark.
Fly casting, skiing and your gaze
Saturday, 21 February 2026
This weekend I’m away skiing. I’m not a skiing nut but it is okay. And I think I’m an okay skier also. One painful thing is that many of the locations where you go skiing in Sweden is located near good or great fishing locations. From the cabin we are staying now I can see a river. Not the best river but it holds some grayling, trout and salmon. The salmon and trout is stocked as this river isn’t flowing freely.
And that I’ve brought a fly rod with me on each of the skiing trips I’ve made this year reminds me of the fishing nearby even more. This time I’ve gotten some casting in. A little bit of accuracy standing on the balcony. No one did see me so not any smart comments this time.
There are some things that skiing and fly casting have in common. If you look at the tree you will end up in the tree. Look at the ground and you will end up on the ground.
Acklins Redux
Sunday, 22 February 2026
I was standing on line with my new posse of 8 anglers, waiting to check into our flight to Acklins and observing that I’m older and at least a head shorter than all of these Europeans. All looking athletic and fit. I’m hoping I don’t slow anyone down on this trip. They’re all serious fishers and outdoorsmen. I think I’ve got mostly doctors and lawyers this time. Last year it was teachers and retired cops. Very congenial lot even so. In line I’m hearing discussions in Dutch, German and English about articulated flies for sea trout, winter fishing for pike, tiger fish in Africa, all things accessible from Europe and rarely considered for stateside anglers. It turns out that my roommate for this trip will be a cardiologist from Romania. I think that’s a good thing.
