The Flyfish Journal

“While on a fishing trip to northern Michigan in 2023, we decided that if Dan Santoro landed a carp, we would recreate the image of Kintaro fighting the koi from Japanese mythology.”

See it in print in Dee Finkel’s interview with tattoo artist and angler Dan Santoro, published in Volume Sixteen, Issue Four. Carp smell better than instagram too.

Photos and caption: Danny Reed

“Howard Waldrop was a well-regarded science fiction writer and avid flyfisherman. He was a writer of alternate histories and stories so unique they’ve inspired their own adjective: Waldropian. Howard showed me how to fish during seven-plus years from 1995 to 2002, while he lived at the Oso General Store in Oso, WA, located on the North Fork of the Stillaguamish River.”

Author David E. Myers recounts his fishing adventures and long pen pal relationship he developed with Waldrop over the years in Whenever and Wherever, The Fishing and Fiction of Howard Waldrop.

Originally published in Volume Seventeen, Issue Two. Track down a copy and get your fix of science fiction from Howard’s bibliography. They’re out there and they smell better than instagram too. Get Waldropian.

Photos in order: David E. Myers(2), Jay Kay and Doris Klein used by permission of Special Collections & University Archives, University of California, Riverside.

Map: Howard’s hand drawn map of Austin’s Lady Bird Lake, courtesy David E. Myers

“I tell my students that making art is like getting in a fight. This is the story of one such fight. On one level, I won. I challenged myself to paint with a degree of realism, I learned some chemistry, and I made something that says something I feel is worth hearing. On another level, it’s not that I lost—it’s more that I now understand I’m locked into what seems to be a losing battle.”

Val Kropiwnicki’s opening paragraph from Excess Pharmaceuticals, his short piece on the heavyweight fight of big pharma vs. fish and seagrass and water quality and all of the things we love about flyfishing.

His artwork in this post ran alongside his words in Volume Sixteen, Issue Three. Track down a back issue, the art looks better in print and Val’s four round written bout is just as striking.

“Fat Pocket Cay.324.VKS”
36” x 48” oil on canvas

Chinese Calligraphy
Left: “Chemical Cash Cow”
Right: “Stop Pi***ng on the Faces of Fishes”

Artwork: Val Kropiwnicki

“The past few summers, when the weather and water warms up, I’ve been spending more time snorkeling with BC steelhead than casting flies at them. This particular stretch of river has many deep pools through an almost inaccessible canyon section, so the fish are mostly un-pressured. I’m not sure of the health of this run, but it’s always nice to find healthy, bright steelhead while exploring new water.”

From the Rises section of Volume Sixteen, Issue Four.

Photo and caption: Jeremy Koreski

“In New Hampshire, June usually means warm weather and happy fish. However, as young Gus Gaetano found out, sometimes Mother Nature has other ideas. But what would a fishing-and-camping trip be if everything went to plan? Cold weather and rain weren’t going to stop us. A DIY boat shelter, some extra waders and a cup of hot chocolate quickly set things straight.”

From the Rises section of Volume Seventeen, Issue Two. Back issues and more are available on our website.

Photo and caption: Dominic Lentini

Cheers to all of the hard working, fun hogging, strong willed mamas out there, Happy Mother’s Day! Keep on raising the youngsters right and kicking ass on the water or in the backyard.

Photo: Vojta Family Archives

Volume Seventeen, Issue Two is shipping to all of the wonderful subscribers, supporters, fine flyshops and retailers everywhere.

Head over to our fresh website for a sneak peek. And you might as well subscribe while you’re there because .

Featured inside: ’s confessions of a poacher, makes tidal calculations in the Keys, the fishing and fiction of sci-fi writer Howard Waldrop, bows to Nicaragua’s legendary tarpon, and a gallery of ever-present and connected ’s photography—and much more.

On the cover: Possibly the first ever whitefish cover photo. They’re much more than ‘day savers.’ Photo: Copi Vojta

We can’t do this without the amazing writers, photographers and artists whose hard work makes each issue so special. Thank you, we’re grateful for you. Go buy ‘em a treat, support their work or send them a nice note.

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