Brian O'Keefe's best known for his iconic photography, which has taken him to most of the sweetest fly fishing spots on the planet. But Brian's an American trout bum at heart—following bugs and instincts through a Western season that runs from April baetis to August hoppers.
Since most people don't get the opportunity to sit down with Brian in person, we bring you The Life of Brian. For each episode, we record him spinning a yarn about a recent adventure and pair it with his photos.
Volume Five walks you through Brian's summer hatch-chasing schedule—crossing state lines to keep up with mayfly emergences, milking six full weeks out of stonefly season, finding a salmonfly hatch amid total solitude, and a massive alien-looking bug many anglers have never heard of.
The problem with chasing hatches, Brian will tell you, often has less to do with the bugs and more to do with what anglers expect when they show up. Expect glory and you'll usually find disappointment. Expect a good time and you’ll usually bump into just that.