Life Rolls and A Little Brook Trout Watercolor To Relax

Small Brook Tout On Blue

My life has been so busy lately that when my wife asked when was the last time I had done a blog post I actually couldn't remember.  Of course that doesn't mean that I have been idle in the fishing or painting department.  Not only have I been wetting flies in search of lazy black bass but I have been working on a variety of painting projects including a collection of salt water species for a fund raising tournament in Tampa Bay.
  But for today I found a small amount of time to finish up a colorful Brook Trout on Blue watercolor.  As many know, the eastern bred brookie is one of my favorite fresh water species not only for its unbelievable colors but also for their aggressive takes and the remote hill streams in which they thrive.  Painting them is a way for me to remember their beauty and relax after a tough few days on the road for work.

Painted area 11x9in. - watercolor on paper

  This particular brook trout is modeled off a secluded native species I caught in the northern boarders of Greenville county in South Carolina.  The stream in which they live takes an effort to reach and I would bet sees not more that a few dedicated fisherman each year.  Choked by brush and countless ways to loose your flies, its native waters is the perfect habitat for the large amount of brook trout that call it home.  The fly I used all day was a simple black caddis in size 16 and for the brookies it was irresistible.
  This particular painting is available for purchase to the first art collector that contacts me.

  As for the other paintings that I have been working on, I will be posting the availability of these prints in the coming months on my www.hexfishing.com site.  The Spanish Mackerel, Permit, and Snook are staples of the saltwater fishing community and these prints represent three of the top prizes for the boat crews in the Annual Tampa Bay BCN Gators Inshore Tournament.  If you fish the salt, keep a weathered eye out in the future for these.
  For the top prize in the tournament I have created a one of kind piece.

  This large painting is only available to the one person who hauls in the biggest fish of the day.  No prints are available there is no other way to have this original watercolor on your walls than to enter the tournament on October 10th 2014.
  If you would like to enter then click over to the registration site HERE quickly and get in on the great day of fishing.  Besides the paintings, there will be a whole lot of other prizes and swag for the participants.  So far I am told over 40 boat crews have signed up and it is shaping up to be a memorable and worthy day on the water.

  Besides the vast amount of paintings I have been doing, I have also managed to squeeze in a bit of hunting between the work load of my day job.  So far the deer are all safe and I am sure they are all laughing at me from their beds.  With any luck I will yet gather a bit of meat for the winter the old fashion way but I am not holding my breath.
  Besides the hunting I have also been able to wet a few flies in search for the lazy bass that are around this time of year.  Luckily me skills as a fly fisherman are much better than my hunting skills so I have managed to land quite a few nice fish.  Maybe soon I will be able to make the journey back to my trout waters.

  And of course, before I even think about heading to satisfy me needs to get out in nature I spend as much time as I can with my family.  Sometimes they come with me to hunt fish and sometimes as the rain washes out gullies it is just best if we settle down with a bit of Robert Earl Keen on the speakers and a little game of chess to pass the time.