My wife (that’s right honey, I began the list with you). She’s brilliant, fun to be around, one heck of a mother, and pretty easy on the eyes. Even with two-year old triplets running wild around the house, she’s willing to give me a pass for fishing almost any time I like. On our wedding day, I said a prayer of thanks as I definitely got the better end of the deal.

My children (sorry kids, I have to start with Mommy). You guys are great, except when you’re beating up on each other, or me, or Mommy, or Grandma, or Grandpa, or the neighbor’s dog, or the squirrels living in the trees in our yard, or the tulips in the flowerbeds, or …

Brown trout (Salmo Trutta). Next to Salma Hayek (From Dusk till Dawn Salma not Frida Salma), brown trout are the most beautiful animals on the planet.

Fight Club. “On a large enough time line, the survival rate for everyone will drop to zero.”

Hickory smoked bacon. Bacon makes absolutely everything better. Steak. Better with bacon. Scallops. Better with bacon. Ice cream. Better with bacon. Sex. Yes, even sex is better with bacon, bacon-bits anyway. Just use your imagination.

The fur and feather bins at Blue Ribbon Flies in West Yellowstone. If you’ve been there, and you’re a fly tyer then you know what I mean. Those bins make me want to snuggle inside all that downy goodness, and take the kind of nap my children would when they were six-months old.

Hendricksons. Of the multitude of mayflies that spring from the river, the hendricksons are far and away my favorite. They’re the first major hatch of the year, and they often bring up some of the best fish in the river. It’s easy fishing the hendrickson hatch, and after a long winter that is exactly what is needed. Big fish. Easy fishing. God help me but it’s true. My waking thoughts are haunted by bugs.

And they should stop popping any time now.

Anticipation, Anticipation
Is making me late
Is keeping me waiting