Interview by Mike Toth

When people were driven out of Acadia in Canada in the 1700s, they eventually landed in Louisiana. Acadians became Cajuns. They were a bunch of misfits run out of Nova Scotia. You go up there today and it looks the same as here. Same people, fishing for a living.

I was born in New Orleans. When I was 4 years old, Daddy moved us out to the country, and I’ve been here ever since. I’m a wannabe Cajun.

Back in the late ’70s, early ’80s, I had a sporting-goods store, little bait shop. People would come in and ask for guides, but there were no guides around. So I said, “I’ll take you out.” Next thing you know people were calling me from all over.

Back in those early days, I would rent trailers for fishermen who were coming down so they’d have a place to stay. I’d always rent the two best trailers, but the rest were ratty, and the fishermen would get charged $10 just to take a shower. So I said, “I’m going to get my own lodge.” I bought land and opened up in 2000.

[ Read Full Post ]

By Kirk Deeter

I spent the past week in a cabin in the woods of northern Michigan, and I feel comfortable claiming that I have more insect bites and bumps and plant-caused rashes and welts now than I did after 17 days in the jungle of Guyana. Granted, I was afraid of stepping on the wrong thing every second of every day when I was in South America, and I bathed in DEET without the slightest care that what hair I have left would turn orange or fall out altogether. [ Read Full Post ]

By Tim Romano

The boys over at Gink & Gasoline somehow convinced Bruce Chard, a Florida Keys guide, to show them how he ties his signature fly for "shallow water, tailing permit, in thick grass." [ Read Full Post ]

By Chad Love

When the fish you bring back to the dock is so heavy it breaks the scale at the marina, you know it's a big one. That's what happened with a group of California anglers who recently landed a 900 lb. mako in the waters off Marina Del Ray.

From this story on nbclosangeles.com:

A monster of the sea was killed and brought in to Marina del Rey – a shark so heavy that it damaged the brand-new scale at the dock. The 900-pound shark took some eight men to lift it out of the water Monday afternoon at Del Rey Landing, the marina's general manager said. "Our digital scale goes to 750, and it was bent before half of the shark was off the ground," said General Manager Craig Campbell, who was present when the giant shark was brought in.
[ Read Full Post ]

By Colin Kearns

A few summers ago I spent a weekend hunting muskies in Hayward, Wis., with guide Scott Kieper (715-216-0664). We cast jerkbaits for as long as we had daylight, then prepared the trolling spread for the night. I learned several tricks from Kieper, but one of my favorites came as I watched him rig the spread. By the time the baits were ready, night had fallen. It was pitch black. I wondered how he’d be able to set his planer boards at the proper distances because you couldn’t see a thing out there. Then I saw the light.
[ Read Full Post ]

The winner of last week's Catchbook Photo Contest for the month of June is Michael Jager, who submitted this photo of a yelloweye rockfish.

And this week's winner is Cody Mcintyre, who took the prize with this big steelhead. Michael and Cody will each each get a PFG Blood and Guts™ Ball Cap from Columbia. Click here to learn how you can enter this contest. Click here for the official rules. [ Read Full Post ]