I am thrilled to announce that ‘PADDLEFISH’ is now available for purchase right here at flyfishchick.com and I would be more than happy to take your order.

Click here if you’d like to order a signed copy and/or need me to write something custom in the front such as “Happy Birthday” or “Hold the Mayo” or “To My #1 FFC Reader”. There’s a little box-form on my book blog page where you can fill in what you’d like it to say.

Click here if you’d rather skip my chicken scratch in the front of the book and just want to go ahead and order/checkout.

If you’d like to supersize it (ie, you want to buy books for your whole family tree to put in their stockings or give out to all your employees at your next team building meeting) then give me a shout at flyfishchick [at] live [dot] com to discuss shipping options.

If you need a little refresher or primer as to what the book is about, take a look at this video that my friend Tim Cole put together. Am also especially grateful to The Band of Heathens and Nathan Hamilton (Texas musicians!) who offered their TX tunes as the soundtrack. I insisted the music had to be 100% Texas homegrown and these local talents were kind enough to support the cause. More lovin’ on these bands in future posts. In the meantime, here’s the sizzle reel:

So there you have it. The FLY FISH CHICK Drive-Thru is open late nite to take your PADDLEFISH value meal deal orders, and this one-woman operation will ship it via good-old fashioned ASAP.

Your unwavering support throughout the race and the book-writing process has been humbling and much appreciated. Thank you again & again!

The Professor came home from his Montana guys trip last night to discover that I had just received an advance copy of my book PADDLEFISH! He and Little Chick were so excited that I’ve hardly had a chance to get my own paws on it.

The printer has shipped the books (we have real live tracking numbers) so check back here at flyfishchick.com next Wednesday to purchase your very own copy!

And because it’s not all about me me me, I do have some real grip and grins of the professor catching fish on the Missouri with his new best buddy, Headhunters guide Jarrod.

The guys managed to tear themselves away from fishing the Mo for a little bird hunting as well…

But now it’s back to reality for the Professor. The talk around the dining room table at this house is pretty much all volleyball, middle school math, rumored 6th grade romances, and Paddlefish the book.

I hope you will consider finding a spot on your bookshelf. It would be an honor!

I am feeling just a tinge sorry for myself because the Professor is on a guys’ trip in Montana hunting and (here comes the green-with-envy part) fishing as we speak. I think the Missouri is fishing pretty well right now so fingers crossed they will have some good dry fly action. Supposedly the hoppers and terrestrials have been terrific late in the day.

Before he left we enjoyed a very decadent Saturday together which kicked off at the famed Salt Lick. The weather was gorgeous so while waiting on our table we lounged outdoors at the Salt Lick Cellar where we tasted wines from the Salt Lick vineyard.

Then, it was time for the show. 

I am happy to report that after his debut visit to the Salt Lick, the Professor deemed that it “well exceeded all the hype.”

He flew away to the 406 yesterday but I decided to keep the Austin culinary adventure alive with a visit to the much ballyhooed Izzoz Taco trailer.

I am still heartbroken since my true love, Nueva Onda, closed its doors but I realize I need to try and find a new breakfast taco relationship in the hood. At Izzoz I abandoned my usual controlling, special order mentality and tried to be open to selecting something straight off the menu.

I almost pulled it off. I ordered the Fried Avocado taco (lightly tempura fried avocado was pretty damn good) and the Old School taco – but I had to exchange the cheddar for queso. I mean really. How could you not?

All in all it was a good date with Izzoz. But let’s be honest, it’s a rebound relationship, I’m not over Nueva Onda yet. I really like Izzoz — as a friend.

Then I had to try another relatively new neighborhood spot, La Patisserie, a little french coffee shop and bakery.

The french music was lovely, the pastry case fantastique…

I went with a classic pan au chocolat slightly warmed…

Which disappeared before my eyes.

Le fin.

To be clear, I am not saying we are old (quelle horreur!) but I believe it is a safe claim to say that all the chicks on my recent girls’ trip are enjoying a sense of rejuvenation after five days together on the New River in Virginia.

Yall may remember the inaugural Chicks Trip to Montana in 2009 where we fished and ate and danced the hours away in Big Sky Country. Well, for the 3rd annual adventure we decided to try something new and journeyed to a friend’s farm in Mouth of Wilson, Virginia. This spectacular home overlooks the New River which enjoys a particularly ironic name since it is geographically one of the oldest river’s in the world, second only to the Nile. Apparently early Atlantic explorers didn’t know about this river until they stumbled upon it and fell into the ole, “well, it’s new to me” frame of mind, hence it’s misleading name.

The river is gorgeous. While we didn’t carve out time to fish on this trip, we did go kayaking which was heavenly. The water was clear, the scenery magnificent. At one point the seven of us linked kayaks, floated down the river aimlessly while I did a reading from my book. I read off a snippet from the manuscript I had printed out, folded and brought along in a ziploc. It was hilarious.

Yes, this mini portage gave me flashbacks to the Texas Water Safari.

The next day we scrambled to make egg salad, turkey wraps, guacamole and hummus as we prepared for an all day hike. I love this picture because it looks so farmlike. The truth is we bought these eggs at a grocery store in Winston-Salem and drove them up in a cooler. But just let me have my pastoral still life moment…

The views along the famed Appalachian Trail were stunning.

I was so excited to see the legendary white stripe that indicates you are on the Appalachian Trail. 

No this is not a negative of the previous photograph. (Film? Wait, what’s film?) But doesn’t it look like an inverse of the iconic AT white stripe? In actuality it’s the hoof of the pony trying to eat a Clif Bar out of my waist pack.

You see, we weren’t the only ones hoofin’ it on the AT. The trail is home to herds of wild miniature ponies. Which is redundant but I have to emphasize how short these funny little creatures were.

This pregnant pony was particularly keen to have her Olan Mills moment.

Since we are in the 3rd year of these magical outdoor adventure trips, it’s safe to say a patterned has emerged. Along with the al fresca river-based activities, we always seem to do some mighty fine cooking. Below is a crumpled copy of the best potato salad recipe I have ever consumed.

And of course in addition to cooking and eating, there was the dancing.

Thank you Wind Rush Farm for a spectacular time of renewal and much love to all my chicks. Where should we go next?

It’s as if I placed the fly right in the middle of the dining room table. Like setting a platter of fried chicken in front of a hungry family, blessing-said, napkins in laps, rarin’ to eat. I saw this redfish tailing, aimed for it, and quickly realized there were actually three fish bearing down on the fly. The frenzy generated enough buzz to make this guy pounce.

That’s one thing I love about saltwater fishing. I’ve seen it happen with redfish, and bonefish too. Sometimes, much to my delight, they will fall prey to competitive panic that the person on their left or right might get the crispiest, juiciest piece of fried chicken and so they start throwing bows to get their choice piece of bird. Or shrimp. Or fly-meant-to-imitate-a-shrimp.

We have been enjoying many wonderful family-style meals this week here in Mobile, with both in-town and out of town family and friends. Countless blessings and amidst a backdrop of shrimp and celery salad, crab soup, New Orleans-style roast beef poboys, smoked turkey, pimento cheese, shrimp gumbo, corn salad, red beans and rice. It’s a basic law of nature (not to mention basic law in the South) that when you need a dose of comfort, nothing does the trick like family and comfort food.

And stealing away to fish in the marsh for a few hours in the morning.

Just up river from the place where we love to fish on the Missouri River in Montana is the site of the 1949 Mann Gulch Fire. It’s near the Gates of the Mountain where Lewis Clark once came through in the Helena National Forrest. The fire claimed the lives of 13 firefighters, including 12 smokejumpers.

Wagner Dodge who was leading the team realized that when the blaze “blew up” they would not be able to outrun it, so he used a technique used by Native American Indians to survive grassfires. He started his own fire which uses up all the oxygen and creates a safe place where the wildfire can’t burn. Unfortunately most of the team thought he was nuts and wouldn’t participate, thus they perished. Families of the lost firefighters tried to sue the government for what they perceived as Dodge’s mismanagement of the fire. His “escape fire” technique was very controversial at the time. These days, it’s recognized as a necessary firefighting technique.

It’s hard to peel away from the epic dry fly fishing on the Missouri River but every so often I take time out from the drift boat and instead, travel on one of the Gates of the Mountain Boat Tours that takes you to see the site of the Mann Gulch Fire. I’ve done it four or five times. Every time as I am standing in line with all the tourists, about to board the novelty boat with the tour guide and his headset I am kicking myself that I’m not fishing instead. But the minute the tour starts, I am so grateful I chose to do it. Besides seeing bighorn sheep and Indian pictographs, the Mann Gulf Fire is always a moving experience.

Norman Maclean (yes, the same flyfishing literary juggernaut who brought us A River Runs through It) wrote a book about the Mann Gulch Fire called Young Men And Fire. In 1952 the adventure film Red Skies of Montana was released, a fictional adaption of the events of the Mann Gulch Fire.

As you can see, I’ve got fire on my mind. Here in Texas we are experiencing devastating fires across the state. When I flew into Austin yesterday morning you could see plumes of smoke and a bizarre orange-like haze blanketing the sky. Hundreds of families are homeless, a mother and her infant were trapped and burned in the nearby Bastrop. Yesterday we learned that two employees at Little Chick’s school lost their homes and everything so we are collecting donations for them.

It’s bad.

Texans are scrambling to get enough firefighters and equipment. Donation sites are popping up across the state to help those that are now homeless. Most retail stores and restaurants are collecting loose change at the checkout.

If you would like to help, please take a look at this Texas Wildlife Relief Fund created by the state Fireman and Fire Marshall’s Association. My hunch is, these donations will get straight to the frontline here in Texas faster than any other.

And since the other thing raging in Texas this morning is the debate about whether Gov Perry should attend tonight’s GOP debate in California or stay in Texas during this wildfire crisis, I suppose I will suspend my No Politics Policy on this site and weigh in. He needs to stay here. I don’t know if he is going to be the Republican nominee for president or not. But he’s not it right now. He is the Governor of Texas and we are experiencing a terrible natural disaster. He needs to do the job he has first and worry about the one he wants later.

And finally. To the moron who flicked his lit cigarette onto the ground on Barton Springs Road this morning, this is for you:

My friend Palmer is:

I’m about as current as leg warmers these days. I’m going about 1000 different directions (things like school supplies and science textbook covers) so mea culpa if this seems like old news to you, but I am very excited. I just got copies of the two biggest fly fishing books of 2011.

Departure Publishing (yes, coincidentally my very own publisher) has released two fantastic fly fishing books this year and I can’t wait to devour them cover to cover.

The first is KEEPER by Martin Donovan, a British streamkeeper. I’m told it’s a raucously funny take on storied English trout streams. I am already loving the “Foreigner’s Guide to the Queen’s English” included at the front. Bullocks, I need a quid to buy a pint and settle in with a good read….

The second book, THE BLITZ is by my friend over at Fishing Jones, Pete McDonald as well as Tosh Brown. Pete wrote the stories, Tosh took the photos. It’s a coffee table book about stripers and eastern seaboard saltwater fishing and will make you want to get on the water stat.

Congrats to my Departure Publishing brethren on two very exciting fishing books! Run, don’t walk, to get copies for your library.

And since we are talking about books…it seems fitting to tell you that as of yesterday afternoon we have a cover concept for my book. Which is convenient because it goes to the printer in two days.

Oh, I mean comments of course. You see, after 3 1/2 years I have redecorated the FLY FISH CHICK website. I am very excited, way overdue for this shot in the arm. What do you think?

It’s a work-in-progress so stick with me as I add features and navigate a few kinks in the process. Hope you enjoy the new digs!

PS – If you subscribe to this blog via email you need to click over to the site itself to see the new look.

As we speak, just about every fly-fishing professional and self-proclaimed troutnut on the planet is en route to New Orleans for the International Fly Tackle Dealer convection. I’m not much of a convention gal but I will admit I am feeling a bit envious considering I love New Orleans. And New Orleans loves me.

I could go on and on about oysters at Casamentos, burgers and bloodys at Port Of Call, beignets galore, pompano at Galatoire’s, gnocchi at Lilette, Lucky Dogs off the street, live music at the Mapleleaf, and the all-around hilarity of time I spent in the Quarter and the Marigny and uptown. But I will cut to the chase. Few spots have a hold on my heart like the Chart Room.

I have logged many a late night spinning tunes on the Chart Room jukebox. Ray Charles, Stevie Wonder, Patsy Cline, David Allan Coe, Frank Sinatra. In fact, over the past few years many of you have asked about the blonde photo of me that I whimsically chose as my FLY FISH CHICK avatar. Here’s the scoop…

That blonde wig photo was taken in the Chart Room on Halloween. For the record, I was dressed as an angel. There’s a halo that isn’t showing up clearly in the picture.

So to all my fishing friends who are hitting the ground in one of my all-time favorite cities, steal away from your laborious convention work and treat yourself to some time in the Chart Room. Play a tune on the jukebox for me.

PS. I love the New Orleans style bloody marys with the marinated green beans. The perfect antidote the day after a night at the Chart Room. Grab one at Port of Call with their signature burger piled high with grated cheddar cheese. Yum, Yum, Yumbo-ya-ya.