Tag Archives: Personal Best

The twists and turns of Newfoundland

June 23, 2016

Before I stepped on my flight to western coast of Newfoundland, I had but a vague idea of what I wanted to see and do. What ultimately unfolded was an uncanny turn of events that left me in awe. One thing simply led to another on this trip. Read more

Three weeks in Hawaii

February 20, 2016

This was a trip that tapped into multiple facets of beauty. There were of course the world-class mountain vistas and sunsets to admire, but the beauty of Hawaii ran much deeper. The culture of benevolence, the diversity of the reef fish, once-in-a-lifetime scuba diving, and the freshness and availability of the seafood all left their impression on me. Read more

What I owe to the tarpon

January 24, 2016

This began as a simple journey to claim a tarpon of my own. What it became was a solitary journey through Florida, Belize, and, finally, Guatemala. At the end of two weeks of travel, I found myself standing on an erupting volcano. Read more

Bumbling through Florida

December 31, 2015

Another winter, another road trip down to Florida. We knew we’d be spending Christmas down there, but we didn’t know we’d be spending it with alligators. The joys of tumbleweeding. Following the over-packing blunders of our previous road trip, we decided to pack as light as possible. Read more

A beautiful place to be

November 4, 2015

As I watched the view from the car window transition from narrow bustling city streets to the expansive basin of the tidal Saint Lawrence to the infinitely rolling hills of New Brunswick, I was left wondering if our day-long pilgrimage would be worth it in the end. Read more

A month with the salmon

October 1, 2015

Salmon fever was my affliction this year. While losing myself in a month-long frenzy of working, fishing, and sleeping, I rediscovered the charm of solitude. Amidst the sleepless nights, the jarring bites and crazy fights there was nothing as great as the charm of a quiet night, lonely and surrounded by endeavoring salmon. Read more

A taste of Mazatlan

April 26, 2015

As life twists and turns, sometimes I can’t help but to look back in a state of grateful awe. It wasn’t very long ago when a phone call from a mysterious stranger set Ken and I on the path to this life listing adventure in Mazatlan, Mexico. Read more

Florida, Trailer Park Boys, and Parrotfish

April 9, 2015

For some reason or other our annual winter Florida excursion did not happen this past holiday season, so we had to make up for it this spring. This time, Ken and I traveled in style via airplane rather than the usual Toyota Corolla. Read more

On the ice, in the dark

March 30, 2015

As dusk fell on Lake Simcoe’s icy expanse, the moon’s silvery glow began to take hold. The wind calmed and an absolute silence settled in its place only to be broken, yet again, by the roar of my Jiffy auger. The night was approaching and I was back, drilling another hole, in search of a fish that had captivated my late ice fishing endeavors. Read more

Some fall-time fishing

December 1, 2014

Aside from catching my first gizzard shad, I wanted to share some other highlights of my fall-time fishing. While most of my hours were spent in the kayak, I did spend a few sessions chasing steelhead in the open sections of Lake Ontario’s tributaries. Read more

River fishing for salmon with spinners and crankbaits

October 13, 2014

It is a longstanding debate here in Ontario whether tributary fishing for Chinook (King) salmon can be done legitimately, without employing snagging tactics such as lining. Many anglers doubt the willingness of a pre-spawn Chinook to hit a lure once they enter the river. Read more

Kingsanity

October 7, 2014

Over the past three years, fishing has meant quite a few different things to me. It has been a means to a multitude of ends. A means to adventure, exploration, solitude, and learning. A means to connect with something real in a world of invented entertainment. Read more

Catching Them All

Michael Verdirame's journey of fishing.