Sunset on White Mountains in winter. Photo: Gigi de Jong
CHAMPIONSHIP IMAGINATION – Creativity, imagination and an uncanny ability to put the puzzle pieces together on the water were attributes at the forefront of Aaron Marten’s bass fishing success. This was perhaps on display more than ever at the 2015 Bassmaster Elite Lake Havasu event, where he noticed a largemouth eating a baby blackbird and shifted gears to throwing a black frog deep in the tules to imitate the bird. Sure enough it worked, well enough to win the tournament.
The 35 x 23-inch rainbow caught at Conway Pond in 2013. Photo by Yvonne Gaines.
Lyle Lovett at The Mountain Winery Courtesy The Mountain Winery
Half Dome, Vernal Falls and Nevada Falls (Inga Aksamit)
Road Cycling in Round Valley near Bishop. Photo: Michael McDermott courtesy Bishop Visitor
Cottages and their ruins are common everywhere you pedal on a cycling tour through Ireland
Duck and shorebird
Santa Barbara harbor
Camera Phone Primer and Composing Better Pictures. Photo: John Poimiroo
Tiffany Vuong, Novato High School. 2022 Photography Winner
The author with an "average size" trout from Alpers' Pond in 2006. Photo by Bill Beecher.
Sunset over the Docks
Trash, like shotgun shells needs to be packed out -- leave the outback better than you found it.
Elliot McGucken
Fatbiking Sand Canyon, Bishop, CA
Onion Valley road. Considered one of the toughest rides in the country. Photo: Gigi de Jong
Morning fog at the boat landing at Baum Lake. Photo: Tom Martens
All rights Reserved- this image or derivative works, can not be used, reproduced, published, distributed or sold without written permission from the author.
The vehicle you use to begin overland fishing doesn't need much modification to get started. Photo: Damon Bungard
Helping inner city and minority youth/ young adults become interested in nature through the immersive experience of bird watching. John Robinson.
When the rain stops, it's a good time to go fishing with a fly rod. Photo: Tom Martens
THREE BIG SA80 BLUEFIN, 90-pounder for staffer Bob Semerau, left, with a hand displaying from extraordinary deckhand Chad Tyrolt, 125-pound bf for Jose Rios, and a 115-pounder for Robert Whitman, right.
Double-crested cormorants fighting for breakfast on the Lower American River in Sacramento.
Calm waters and dramatic colors can take your breath away
BLUEFIN & DORADO LIMITS for Andrew Ratzky of Calabasas. Andy was always pulling on fish using jigs and live bait.
PAIR OF SCULPIN displayed by Toronado deckhand, Fatima, for Army vets Carmen Estrada, left and Paul Hernandez, right.
Aspen, Hope Valley, 9/19/21, Philip Reedy
California Newt in Napa County. Photo Heather Bird
Young girl with wildflowers in the Eastern Sierra. Photo: Julie Faber
Male and female Northern Shoveler
RARIFIED AIR – Aaron Martens is all smiles after claiming the second of back-to-back WON BASS U.S. Open victories in 2005. He would later go on to win his third U.S. Open title in 2011, something only two other anglers — Mike Folkstead and Clifford Pirch — have ever accomplished.
The monster’s maw or mother nature’s art?
Short cut to ... nowhere?
Lake Chabot. Photo: Matt Johanson
Lone Buffalo on the Yellowstone Plateau
WON STAFFER BOB SEMERAU tossed out a sardinia pattern fly to fool a near 20-pound dodo on the 10-wt. fly rod.
Ducks swimminmg
Snow geese overhead
35-inch rainbow from Conway Pond, 2013. Photo by Yvonne Gaines.
THE MARTENS FAMILY celebrates Aaron’s taking the trophy for the 2015 Bassmaster Angler of the Year, the third time he earned that coveted title.
Mass Ascension. Photo: John Poimiroo. Winner EIC 2020.
Locating the perfect stream-side picnic spot requires diligence. We are experts.
All rights Reserved- this image or derivative works, can not be used, reproduced, published, distributed or sold without written permission from the author.
Sunset Over the Mountain Forest
Photographer: Michele Dodge - Gray Fox Near Placerville F8.0, 1/1250, ISO 1250
Mount Diablo: Mount Diablo and other public lands provided relief for many after the pandemic arrived
Women, local to their towns, often for generations, are Irish hospitality professionals with high standards of service, cleanliness and authentic Irish cooking.
Old tram tracks at Pine Creek Mine. Photo: Gigi de Jong
Cocktails at Spring Conference in Siskiyou County. Photo: Gigi de Jong
Photo taken on the traditional territory of the Ohlone. Photo: Robin Agarwal
2021 Winner. Feature Image. "The Night is Young" Phil Reedy
Aaron Martens with the final bass of his well-lived life.
The Upper House (a.k.a. Moonviewing House) sits on the slope of the Moon Viewing Hill as a place of quiet retreat.
Cyclists stop along the Bog Road between Clifden and Carna to view the Twelve Bens.
Chris Tziu Aban, Novato High School
Leopard Rocks in Ansel Adams Wilderness (Inga Aksamit)
A fog cover bridge is nearly lost in the evening sky
No one makes a more realistic fly than Mr. Blackstone.
Red Lake Creek Cabin. Photo: John Poimiroo
Nature Ice Palace includes a small pond which visitors can raft across or even swim, if properly dressed and prepared.
Photographer: Wendy Sparks - American Badger Point Reyes National Seashore Canon 5D Mark IV, 800mm lens, 1/1600, f/9, ISO 3200
Big Bear Off-Roading Experience (Pictured: Greg Niemann, Betsy and Barry Senescu, Carrie Wilson and Vickie Gardner )
ASPEN ANGLER BILL FONTANA, right, with his first-ever dorado gaffed by Captain Ricky Perez, left, aboard the Sea Adventure 80.
General meeting and workshops were held in Sonora's historic Opera Hall.
A trip up or down this old wagon road took all day 150 years ago.
Snow Goose
Los Bagels are the best! The colorful decor is a bonus
Jamie Hsu, California Academy of Math and Science, 2022 Photography Winner
Photographer: Douglas Croft Images - Transient Orca "Louise" bending water on Monterey Bay Nikon D500, Tamron 18-400, 1/2500, ISO 500, f6
Marina at Twilight
OWAC members enjoying the Big Bear Off-Road Experience – Off-Road / Rock Crawling activity at our Spring 2015 conference
Witches Moon
Dawn, Virginia Lakes, 9/19/21, Clayton Peoples
Cycling towards the Cliffs of Moher, there is a sense something great lies ahead.
The 35 x 23-inch rainbow about to be released at Conway Pond, 2013. Photo by Yvonne Gaines.
20-YEAR MARINE VETERAN, Adrianne, enjoyed the fishing and sharing time with folks that shared his experience in military service while fishing the Toronado Veterans Fishing day.
Shootin' shenanigans. Laurie Morrison and Barry Senescu practice pointers from John Poimiroo.
SEA ADVENTURE 80 CREW, left-to-right, Chad, Gavin, Captain Rob, Conner, with the day’s catch off Santa Catalina Island.
Irish master craftsman Tomas O'Cadhain hammers silver jewelry at the entrance to a 5,000 year old mini Stonehenge
Siamese twin lambs born circa 1940 now on display at Laws Railroad Museum. Photo: @terdfergus0n
Ruins of old charcoal kilns near Lone Pine.
McCloud Fall, Shasta County, California
Saratoga Oaks Lodge
CAPTAIN RAY LAGMAY, right, worked the Cortes Bank for mossbacks like angler John JT Torres boated on WON-Toronado Charter
Show Them the Money: OWAC Excellence-in-Craft Winners Receive Cash Awards
Vermilion Grove, East Shore, Caples Lake, CA-88, 9/19/21, Philip Reedy
Black Tailed Jackrabbit. Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge. Photo: Larry Whiting
A night dive in the Red Sea near Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, caught this guy hiding in some Acropora coral
Shades of pink and red; and California live oaks turn a golden amber color mid-October to November
Who's that masked man? Osceola Refetoff.
With fish boiling around the boat a quick toss of the hand-tied sardinia pattern got hit and hit hard. The 17-pound forkie ran and tore off line heading for open sea.
Tux and other villages in Tyrol provide services to visitors.
Cyclists cross the River Cong, passing an ancient Irish monastery's fisherman's hut
A taste of what was to come
Wildlife surrounds you at Big Bear Lake.
Summer and fall means getting in the hunt offshore for tuna. Finding willing biters makes it well worth the effort.
Shelf roads in states like Colorado are perfect for 4x4 vehicles.
Red Lake Creek Cabin, Hope Valley, CA-88, 9/19/21, Philip Reedy
Big Bear Lake Conference Attendees
Austrian climbers have placed crosses atop the summits of many Alpen mountains.
Point Lobos along the Big Sur coast
Japanese Teahouse in Piedmont Park
Snow Geese
Lower Ottoway Lake (Inga Aksamit)
Mission Bay Park, San Diego. Photo: Gigi de Jong
Ever diligent, Risa Wyatt takes notes at Indigeny cidery.
Drew Paxman, Castro Valley High School, 2022 Photography Winner
Works of chocolate art are almost too beautiful to eat.
Get your tickets here!
VOLUNTEER GIOVANNI PEREZ spent his day helping, hooking, and handing, but managed to land a nice whitefish and a limit of sculpin.
Relax and enjoy the views.
Photographer: Cindy Croissant - Male Dielis Wasp Batiquitos Lagoon Canon EOS 5D Mark IV, EF100mm f/2.8L Macro IS USM f/6.3, 1/500 second, ISO 1250
Slim Princess at Laws Depot. Photo: Gigi de Jong
Buck Island. Photo: Bob Semerau
Unnatural cones dotted the streets of Mariposa
Ku Stevens led Minden siren opponents on a challenging eight-mile run.
Photography requires patience
Snow geese take flight Credit: Mike Nellor
Kampot fish market, Southern Cambodia: Candid images of people going about every-day life arouses emotional curiosity, prompting the viewer to mentally feel, smell, and absorb a given environment. Utilizing one of the icebreaker techniques helps put your subjects at ease.
Cyclists ride into the picturesque town of Doolin, a ferry stop on the way to the Aran Islands
Hitchin' a ride. On a sunrise hike at Lily Lake near South Lake Tahoe, I happened on this Common Merganser family unexpectedly. The female called to her ducklings and they all hopped on as she moved away. I only had a few seconds to try to capture a photo, and then they were gone.
Overland camping means having lots of "stuff." The author pulls a trailer on some adventures.
And the winner is....
Where beloved spirits run free for eternity.
Members of the Johanson family summited Mount Diablo together on a cloudy but happy day.
MAYFLY PROJECT MENTORS FOSTER KIDS with a holistic approach to fly fishing covering environment, conservation, and skills, to develop a broad appreciation for the outdoors.
Blue Heron
Burrowing Owl. Photo: Tammy Kokjohn. Winner California Watchable Wildlife Photo of the Year 2020.
Cyclists travel an ancient forest road that fairies and leprechauns have inhabited for centuries
This 25-year-old image is still current today
Author Matt Johanson and his dog, Sam.
TORONADO DECKHAND FATIMA lends a hand with a beauty sculpin boated by Army veteran Rueben Elias.
New York: Four California cyclists pedaled 52 days to cross the Brooklyn Bridge and reach the Atlantic Ocean.
Paintbrush and lakes were abundant on the descent from Red Peak Pass
Dasha: Dasa Yurkevich celebrates reaching New York and the end of a long journey.
So many choices. What to do?
Morro Bay
Extensive Zen gardens are designed to encourage you to embrace nature’s beauty in quietude.
We watched each other for twenty minutes before she got bored, stood up, and silently vanishing into the brush, as one would expect from a ghost cat. Image taken in Northern California
Serious 4x4 trails require modifications to stock vehicles
Mobius Arch frames Mt. Whitney. Photo: Gigi de Jong
