'PK' the PornKing

Born in the Western Rockies, a young PK was introduced to fishing at a young age. Armed with a K-mart Zebco spinning rod and reel, a can of worms and a case of lures and hooks, PK would spend countless hours a day fishing the tributaries of the Blackfoot and Clark Fork rivers in the Bitterroot Valley of Missoula, Montana. Many trout were caught, and many lost and even more memories were made with friends down on Rattlesnake 'Crick'.

The young PK moved out of the heart of flyfishing country, before even touching a flyrod, due to family employment. The relocation was to the warm water fisheries of the Southeast. Here he was introduced to all of the major species - large and smallies, bluegill, pan fish, catfish, and the like.  After spending a decade in this area and not fishing as much as he should have, PK found himself older and wiser and heading to the great state of Michigan. This was to be the chapter in his life that would pump fishing, and for the first time, flyfishing, into his soul.

It was Cletus who invited PK up to the Great waters of the Pere Marquette watershed system for a Steelhead Camp, circa 2000 at the now torched Ivan's (right off M-37 next to the launch if you've been through there), in that little fishing village known as Baldwin, Michigan, or Greater Baldonia as it is know to the fishingporn.com crew. PK was hooked.  The passion for fishing had returned that he had as a young kid kicking the bed rocks with a worn out pair of sneakers wearing an old pair of cut off shorts and armed with that $20 rod and reel combo and a handful of garden hackle. The weaponry had been upgraded to a modest Rybak flyrod, a Harris Solitude reel and several boxes of flies...the hunt was on.

Dallas and PK joined forces in 2001 after finding they both had the flyfishing bug.  Dallas was a seasoned flyfisherman and a verteran of the Pere Marquette.  The Trifect of Dallas, Cletus and PK was now complete. Many trips to the PM and surrounding rivers were made and are made annually to stalk the coldwater species that haunted those waters.  PK, always armed with a camera, became the photographer on each trip earning him the title PornKing for capturing hundreds of photos of fishing porn, mayhem and downright insanity. This fine tradition continues with fishingporn.com.  The members of the Trifecta hope you enjoy trolling through fishingporn.com and hope to see you on the waters...in search of fishing porn.

Dallas 'The Mayor'

My fly-fishing experience started when I was working at a bar during a busy shift I was eavesdropping on a conversation with some regulars. These guys were the big shots of the bar. The 40 to 50 something guys that know how to tell stories. They were talking about browns, steelhead and salmon fishing. What flies they were using and how many fish they were catching.

The stories went on for hours as they drank their drinks. I was trying to figure out the whole fly thing. It didn’t make sense to me. They were using weird names I have never heard of.  I went home and got on the computer and started doing some research on what the hell a fly is.

I was amazed at what I found. I went to the local sporting goods store that had a fishing section. Nothing in the store for fly-fishing so I asked the guy behind the counter and he sent me to a little bigger place that had a small section of flies and had a fly tying kit. It was the Thompson tying kit and when I got home with a book and a kit I went at it hard for a few hours trying to ty a Wooley Bugger. Wow how far I have come.

It took about a week but I finally got the wooley buggers to look like the ones in the book. So I got into tying bugs before I even cast a rod. I made friends with the GM of the sporting goods store and made a nice trade out for a fly fishing package for some rum and cokes.

I became good friends with Tommy, one of the guys that were talking about fly-fishing. We did a lot of drinking and chasing women but I never thought of asking about fly-fishing. Then one day in late summer the group was back at the corner of the bar telling stories about salmon camp. I got up the nerve and asked, “ Hey, why don’t you guys bring me this year?” Tommy was the first one to say yes.

Now, that night he gave me some pointers and told me I should get up there and at least cast for some trout before you even think about salmon. I booked a trip and had a blast.

I have never look back since that first trip. As a matter of fact, that first trip in a drift boat, I let the guide know that if he ever wanted to sell his drift boat to call me first. He did and I bought it.

I could never thank Tommy enough for letting come on that trip and the pointers he gave me that night. Tommy past away a few years ago and past on to me more than just his thoughts about fly-fishing, he also gave me his gear in the last will and testimate.

The pointers he gave me that night in the bar:

1. Fish always live in beautiful places.
2. It’s about being there not catching the fish.
3. Buy the right equipment for the fish not for your budget.
4. Have fun with your fishing partners.
5. Get a guide often when your new or in a new area.
6. Tip your guide no matter how the fishing was.
7. Look like a fly fisherman.
8. "...and Dallas, never forget I like very little cranberry with my Sky Vodka. I don’t want too much blood in my alcohol system." 

Cletus 'The Chef'

I was in middle school and I saw my uncle whipping something around and he was pulling fish out one after another.  Little did I know that it was the start of a life long hobby.

I started on bluegills and eventually made it to Trout, Salmon and Steelhead and Tarpon. When I was in my early twenties I bought my first rig that was not a hand-me down from my grandpas attic.  It was a LL Bean guide series that would take me through my first season in Yellowstone and my first Steelhead in the St. Joe River.

It was Yellowstone National Park in 1994 that solidified my hobby into a lifestyle.  Scrubbing Toilets at the Old Faithful Inn supported my fishing habit with three meals a day, a place to sleep all for $8.00 per day plus some left over for Black Dog Ale.  Most nights I fished the Fire Hole, Gibbon, or the Snake Rivers and during our weekends we fished the backcountry for Cutts and Grayling.  I also got to know the flyshops of West Yellowstone. West is also the place where I got my first “Custom” Rod a 7 foot 4 weight that was perfect for the “Hole” and the “Meadows”  for a few of Michigan’s now extinct fish that a town is named after…  It was also on the banks o f the “Hole” where Walter, Daniel, Blue and Ray thought up the perfect rod a nine foot 3 weight.  Thanks to them, and Scott Rod Company, a STS nine foot 3 weight is my go to rod for most trips in northern Michigan.

P.S. It also works for steelhead…..

After two seasons in the park it was back to reality and back to college at Michigan State University and learning the waters of Michigan once again and turning a hobby into a career; a BS in Environmental Science and Natural Resource Policy Studies.  After MSU I learned that Steelhead and Salmon can swim a long way in Michigan too and sometimes very close to home.  Not the most pristine of environments but in a pinch it will do.

Enter the new millennium as well as PK and Dallas and the rest is history.  We have come a long way from our first trip to Ivans….Our trips all together are not as frequent now but they still happen and each one of them is treasured.

The latest experiment is Tarpon!  I have landed three so far on 12 weight rigs. I can’t wait for Spring….. Steelhead and Tarpon are dancing in my head…… 

Have fun and respect the resource where ever you go.