Alaska Photos Round 1-Best Black and Whites

The long wait is over. This post is the beginning of the best images from my summer in Alaska. I started with the black and whites with the color images to follow very soon. Hope you enjoy.

The farewell handshake.

Ed Hepp being coached on fish holding techniques by Hickman 1.0

Hepp showing off his evening catch

You are never to old to rope fish on a mouse with a switch rod.

Bubble trail

Franken-king

Professor Chumley gives a posthumous yawn

Merlin Perkins presents..........

Guide.......Girlfriend/Daughter..........Father

The looks say it all

2.0 mines for gold

Elias and Drake

Elias and Drake(notice the look in the dog's eyes)

Andrew Grillos says stay tuned for color photos

Well Done in Weldon

A few shots from a very quick trip to fish the Roanoke River for Stripers. If you were there and you parked over our fish and were forced to see me wearing a thong, I am not sorry. Don't worry those pictures are not included in this blog.

Life Out On "The Branch"

Buckner Branch. If you know where it is then you know what it means to be livin' the life of luxury! Enjoy some shots from another day out on "The Branch"!

The Marlboro Man strikes again

The Lingcod of the South

Cory saves another walleye parentheses pike from the grease.

Legendary Perspective

The Tennessee Two

Reelfoot

Reelfoot Lake is an incredible natural lake in West, TN. Formed by the New Madrid Earthquake in 1812, Reelfoot is extremely shallow and very wide. Shallow is a bit of an understatement and considering the number of stumps I hit at full throttle with the lodge's boat I may be seeing a bill for the damages sometime in the near future. While the fishing wasn't gang busters I did catch one of the largest bass I have hooked in years and hanging out with my family is always a plus.

There's a reason for this sign. Fish there and you will find out why.

Gene Larew and Strike King make it happen again



A rain soaked heron making the most of our panfish leftovers.



Uncle Johnny putting another one on the stringer.



Uncle Mike with a nice bass that fell victim to a spinner bait.




The aftermath of an overly aggressive bowfin meeting up with my uncle Mike.



West Tennessee Sunset

South Holston Ho-Down

Dark Rise Fishing Legion members took a mid week trip to the famed South Holston River for a few hours of this and that. The South Holston is one of the best trout streams in the south but its future is marred by didymo which is an invasive algae that reminds one of a serious head cold. Help stop the spread of didymo by washing your boots in bleach and make sure your next pair is felt free!

Beauty and the Beast
A nice brown and lots of didymo!

Johnsky getting overly excited.



Your standard bow.



Glove off handoff!



A pinkish rainbow that sure looks like a "cutbow" to me.




The "trouser trout".



Brown Midge, Brown Trout





Yes, I think it's art. Yes, you should buy this print for your home.

Quick Float

There are days that are best left for activities other than fishing. The water is high, the temperature is cold, and the barometer is not in your favor. Somehow you end up not taking advantage of quality whitewater kayaking conditions and instead, end up going on an unproductive speed float down a swollen river. Insane landowners, painful lure failures, and a messy takeout are the highlights of your day. This was one of those days.

Out of the fish and into the hand

In the words of a very famous extraterrestrial..."Ouch!"



Hook Removal



More weathered hands



Landon on the sticks



Walker enjoying the crisp breeze



The "get out"



Cranking



The best part about being the photographer is that you get to watch others work



In case you ever wondered what happened to the cast of Miami Vice

Nothing Else To Do

When it snows in WNC, life stops. Mountain biking sucks, its too cold to want to paddle, and the skiing remains just as lame as it would have been without the additional snowfall. Often there is nothing to do but pick up your fly rod, a generous number of Blue Ribbons and totally kill an afternoon. Throw in harsh winter light, very bored fishing guides, and unacceptably dirty camera gear and what happens next is easy to predict........



Mr. Lipke

Walker and the hump trout


Landon Copeland errr....Theo Lipke


Mmmmmm.....



Boredom!

Look everyone, Landon hooked a fish

Skoal


Woodstock filming my stupidity


Laid back


Oh yes