Exploring the home waters that Mike and Jake cut their teeth on is top of their list every Summer. Connecting with the same pockets, deep holding spots, boulders, runs, backwater eddies and wet-wading paradises brings a sense of joy and connection that can only come from that ever desirable combination of nostalgia and consistent action.
Smallmouth is the target, taking streamers and topwater flies the same way they did 30+ years ago; the familiarity of the quarry alongside knowing the water like that back of one’s hand is a well-earned position gained from fishing this place for so long.
It’s the same for drawing; Jake pulls from tried and true forms, colors, and compositions. Skulls, fish, leaves, water…these are all things pulled from memory and a lifetime of study. This reliance on the familiar connects past to present and brings a sense of joy that can help balance out the grind. Just like a banner day of smallie fishing can balance out those inevitable days of getting skunked, a solid drawing of a skull can wash away a handful of thrown-away sketches.
Chapter 3 – Joy.
Featuring | Jake Keeler | Jake Keeler Art
Cinematography | Mike Thienes | Rubinski Visual
Aerial Footage | Steve Fines | Fines Aerial
Graphic Design | Ken Nyberg | Lost Forty Design
Media | The Flyfish Journal
