Come hang out.

I am fortunate enough to have a print hanging in the Surface Film III gallery this year, held in Denver to benefit the conservation group The Greenbacks.

This is not mine. Photo: Nate Luke

...

-Alex who thinks you should come hang out.

Another another preview of things to come...

Enough never is, and if I die under a smothering pile of too much I will die a happy man. This weekend I will be back in CO covering the Carp Slam, doing my damnedest to bring you the real story--the dirty brown filth that will inevitably have to be foul-hooked and dragged backwards and upside-down till close enough to be beaten into submission.

I know a large fish will sooner break a man than be turned into a trophy, and with cash and prizes and fame on the line, I cannot imagine and am excited to be able to witness first hand the last acts of these soon-to-be desperate men.

May carp have mercy on your souls.

-Alex who knows that this weekend, in some form of another, asses will get kicked on the Platte.

The white crayon was always useless.....

Those peeps over at The Fiberglass Manifesto and red dirt studio bring us a great new site dedicated to bringing the love and lessons of the outdoors and fly fishing to the younger generation.

"Fishy Kid was inspired by two fathers who enjoy the sport of fly fishing and want to do our part in passing along the virtues of the outdoors to our children as well as to families within the online angling community."

The first contest involves a coloring book which you can download here. It is a well known fact that grown men with crayons are not to be trusted, so this one is for the kiddies, folks. But don't fret all you old creepy guys, they tell me there will be an adult coloring contest in the future.

So bust out the crayolas and lick your colored pencils because it's on!

-Alex who thinks coloring within the lines is for conformists.

Another preview of things to come....

-Alex who is excited about learning how to fly fish.

"The Toast" Prints Now Available!

Ladies and gentlemen, girls and boys, children of all ages, it has arrived.

"The Toast" 20x30 print.

I know you have a lonely wall somewhere in your house; give it a friend.

Available in 10" x 15", 12" x 18", 16" x 24", 20" x 30" with various framing and mounting options.

Click here to get your own!

-Alex

OK water, it's pee your pants time.

Folks, a new era of ass kicking has just come to fruition. The Spey Avenger has arrived at FGFF and with him comes heaps of water-beating, beer drinking pandemonium.

He is trained in the ancient arts of Spey Kung Fu, and don't take no crap from the likes of anyone. His style of martial arts was the brain child of Sensei Barton at the Singlebarbed Dojo.

I am super serious folks, when it comes to kicking the holy crap out of H2O, there is no one better. Accept no substitutes, baby.

-Alex
(who may or may not be the secret idenity of the Spey Avenger, even though he doesn't actually own a spey rod. yet.)

Drawn While Drunk productions presents...

Most people have to pay for a badass drunken hand drawn image of themselves. Thanks to Aaron, we are not those people. Be sure to read the disclaimer.

Bow your head and raise your glass

I would like to propose a toast.

It has been a couple weeks since I have been to the water. I was starting to get a little stale. After reading a post on fishbeer, I was inspired to create "The Toast" seen above. You know that would look awesome on your wall.

According to Wikipedia, a fish is defined as any non-tetrapod chordate, (i.e., an animal with a backbone), that has gills throughout life and has limbs, if any, in the shape of fins. They are not cute or cuddly, and unlike some popular speculation they are not even close to intelligent. And please don't try to tell me that the last big brown that wrapped your leader around some unseen sunken object and broke you off had any idea what it was doing other than spasmatically freaking out. By the way, if fish could scream that would be terrifying. Just imagine after a hook-set, your fighting that big bow wen he jumps out of the water and AAHHHHHHHHHH!!!!! splash. I'm just sayin'. But anyways....

If only these slippery bug-eating creatures from watery dimensions could comprehend the power they held over some of us. Just for a second, just a taste of the heart-pounding, frenzied-eyed lunacy that drives us out into threatening landscapes, waterscapes and any other scapes that lead to pescatorial pursuit. Would they think us mad?

Herbert Hoover once said that "Fishing is a discipline in the equality of men - for all men are equal before fish." Throwing them right up there with the Law and God himself is a hefty burden to bear, but that added weight does not seem to bother our little shoulder-less friends. And monkeys can't breath under water.

So, all you heathens, bow your heads and raise your glasses. Make sacrifice your 12-pack and hotdog stuffed bratwurst to the lords of the liquid realm. Rejoice in the glory of the catch and hail your scaly master.

Or don't. After all, it's just a fucking fish.