Little Angler, Big Trout
He hasn't yet turned five years old, but already he loves going fishing with the big guys and his new fly rod. Note: This article originally appeared in the September/October 2014 issue of Sporting Classics. His name is Gabriel Matthew Altizer, and he has not yet...
Getting to Know Your Friendly Neighborhood Oyster
October is oyster season in the southeast, and there are a few things the United Oyster Ranchers and Rodeo Association of America doesn’t want you to know about the common oyster. “Secret, and self-contained, and solitary as an oyster.” – Charles Dickens “He was a...
Massachusetts Teens Catch 1,000+ Pound Tuna
A trio of Massachusetts teenagers reeled in a massive bluefin tuna weighing more than the three anglers combined and measuring more than 10 feet in length. In early October off the coast of Provincetown, Massachusetts, Captain Dan Smith and his crew Kyle Falle and Jim...
Sporting Classics Editor and Author, Jim Casada, Wins “Excellence in Craft” Award for SCD Article
Esteemed Sporting Classics Editor-At-Large and author, Jim Casada, recently won the Excellence in Craft award for his Sporting Classics Daily piece, "Sweet Soul of the Smokies." The Southeastern Outdoor Press Association (SEOPA) announced the winners of its annual...
Flo’s Place
He confided the happy little story that closed the 50 years between us as gently as nightfall closes day, that filled my eyes and made me smile. I’ve an idea it might foster a similar reminiscence for you. Little, whimsical outdoor gladdenings come along now and then...
Maryland New Triggerfish State Record
The Maryland Department of Natural Resources has recognized Logan Liddick of Carlisle, Pennsylvania as the new Maryland state record holder for the gray triggerfish (Balistes capriscus). The 34-year-old angler caught the 6.0-pound, 20-inch long fish on September 25,...
Montana River Wars
The decline of Montana’s rivers foretells a new battle brewing between businesses that depend on fishing tourism and the state’s ranchers. I’ll never forget the first time I met the Big Hole River. The relationship started on one of those crisp Montana autumn days,...
Swapping Roles with Your Guide
Sharing your fly rod, rifle or shotgun with a guide can be as rewarding as using them yourself. To this day I’ve never actually fired the old shotgun. It’s an ancient Winchester Model 12 with a plain, well-worn walnut stock and was in my hands on that cool spring...
Worshiping at the Freshwater Temple
I was worshiping at my favorite freshwater temple when my 8-year-old fishing disciple hooked an epiphany and landed one of the secrets to the Kingdom of Heaven. Well, sort of. Author’s Note: Just before sunrise on Monday, April 13, 2020, a historic, record-breaking...
The Tenth Time
There were pines in between the river and the rock cliff so I could not walk downstream to catch my salmon. I had to stay in one place, cast and drift. “Fish on!” Al yelled, and we scrambled down the path that led from Dam Camp to The Basin. Three of us hung over the...