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Episode 71: A River Runs Through Us
Episode 71: A River Runs Through Us
Mike, Caitlin, Poppy, and Robert recap a family weekend trout trip to the world-famous San Juan River in New Mexico—one of the best trout fisheries anywhere, and only a few hours from home. Robert proudly reports on the highlights: cold mornings, frozen rod guides, lots of action early, and “pretty big” trout, while the adults compare notes on what they caught (mostly beautiful wild brown trout), how they fished (worms under bobbers, plus a jerkbait-style minnow lure), and why Robert is now lobbying hard for a pair of waders.
The conversation dives into what makes the San Juan special: a cold, consistent tailwater below Navajo Dam that creates year-round trout habitat, an upper section with special regulations (single barbless hook), and the mix of stocked rainbows and wild browns—including the very real possibility of hooking a monster fish. Poppy shares some of his favorite moments from the trip: fishing by headlamp in 14-degree air, ducks and geese overhead, turkeys gobbling nearby, and that unbeatable feeling of being outside while the day wakes up.
From there, Mike and Poppy take a nostalgic detour back to Pennsylvania trout culture—opening day traditions, 5:00 a.m. starts, claiming “your hole,” Dinty Moore beef stew on a camp stove, the Yellow Breeches pilgrimage near the hatchery, and the old deer camp weekends where a whole crew of dads and kids turned trout season into a family reunion. Along the way, they talk about the underestimated skill of bait fishing, reading the seam, dialing in weight and drift, and why trout fishing—no matter the method—has a way of anchoring you in the moment while still connecting you to family, memory, and time.
The episode closes with a reflection on why trout fishing shows up so often in literature, capped by Mike reading the iconic A River Runs Through It passage about “the Arctic half-light” and how, eventually, “all things merge into one.” It’s equal parts trip report, family story, and love letter to rivers.
Website: outdoorruhls.com
Instagram: @outdoorruhls
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By Outdoor RuhlsEpisode 71: A River Runs Through Us
Mike, Caitlin, Poppy, and Robert recap a family weekend trout trip to the world-famous San Juan River in New Mexico—one of the best trout fisheries anywhere, and only a few hours from home. Robert proudly reports on the highlights: cold mornings, frozen rod guides, lots of action early, and “pretty big” trout, while the adults compare notes on what they caught (mostly beautiful wild brown trout), how they fished (worms under bobbers, plus a jerkbait-style minnow lure), and why Robert is now lobbying hard for a pair of waders.
The conversation dives into what makes the San Juan special: a cold, consistent tailwater below Navajo Dam that creates year-round trout habitat, an upper section with special regulations (single barbless hook), and the mix of stocked rainbows and wild browns—including the very real possibility of hooking a monster fish. Poppy shares some of his favorite moments from the trip: fishing by headlamp in 14-degree air, ducks and geese overhead, turkeys gobbling nearby, and that unbeatable feeling of being outside while the day wakes up.
From there, Mike and Poppy take a nostalgic detour back to Pennsylvania trout culture—opening day traditions, 5:00 a.m. starts, claiming “your hole,” Dinty Moore beef stew on a camp stove, the Yellow Breeches pilgrimage near the hatchery, and the old deer camp weekends where a whole crew of dads and kids turned trout season into a family reunion. Along the way, they talk about the underestimated skill of bait fishing, reading the seam, dialing in weight and drift, and why trout fishing—no matter the method—has a way of anchoring you in the moment while still connecting you to family, memory, and time.
The episode closes with a reflection on why trout fishing shows up so often in literature, capped by Mike reading the iconic A River Runs Through It passage about “the Arctic half-light” and how, eventually, “all things merge into one.” It’s equal parts trip report, family story, and love letter to rivers.
Website: outdoorruhls.com
Instagram: @outdoorruhls