Matthew Dickerson
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Matthew Dickerson: The summer of the mosquito
My wife recently pointed out to me that there are 45 known species of mosquitos in Vermont. This summer I think I have interacted with all of them.
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Matthew Dickerson: Visiting angler finds trout and clear water
River after river, stream after stream was running high and muddy. Unfishably muddy.
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Matthew Dickerson: Vermont’s Habitat Stamp has significant impact
Thanks in large part to the public’s purchases of Vermont Habitat Stamps, the Blake Higgins Dam on Vermont’s Saxtons River — a tributary of the Connecticut River in…
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Matthew Dickerson: Dappled light on dappled fish
On such a hot day, my daughter-in-law McKenna and I figured that if we wanted both to enjoy the fishing and to catch fish, we’d need to get…
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Matthew Dickerson: Of salmon, sturgeon and glimmers of hope
Late on a Wednesday afternoon, four huge Atlantic salmon finned in the current at the tail end of a long, deep pool on a small Maine river.
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Matthew Dickerson: One more trout in the Upper Dam Pool
An hour or so earlier, a hefty trout had chased my imitation stonefly nymph up from the deep water in front me to within a foot of the…
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Matthew Dickerson: Green River State Park is a find
The haunting and beautiful duet of a pair of loons cut through the thin fabric sides of our tent. So did the chill evening air.
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Matthew Dickerson: Quiet evening. But a loud splash.
The reaction was instant. At the sound of the splash, my heart began to race. I could feel the rush of adrenaline as my head whipped around toward…
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Matthew Dickerson: Whitewater rafting in New River Gorge National Park
The first rapids we hit is known as Surprise. “Because,” as our raft guide Linc told us, “when you come into it, it catches you by surprise.”
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Matthew Dickerson: A new national park and two trout-fishing firsts
The morning began with a rainy drive of a little less than an hour along the western edge of New River Gorge National Park in West Virginia.
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Matthew Dickerson: Of bluebonnets and butterflies
I confess that walking around a wildflower preserve does not jump to the forefront of my mind when I ponder outdoor activities.
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Clippings: Loss of pet is loss of strong bond
I have often thought that humans have an innate desire for communion and communication with other creatures.
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Matthew Dickerson: Skiing at Rikert in March can excel
I’m standing on the snow at Rikert next to my wife Deborah, clicking my cross-country ski boots into my bindings.
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Matthew Dickerson: Of long skating rinks and big snakes
The same climate change that is dramatically shortening the season for outdoor skating across the north — including places like the Rideau Canal Skateway — is also opening…
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Matthew Dickerson: Wendell Berry, the Bagginses, and more on walking
As soon as I hit “send” on last week’s column, I began pondering various works of literature that illustrated the virtues of walking and which have inspired me…
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Matthew Dickerson: A meditation on walking
My wife Deborah and I like to go walking. We are not interested in walking the Appalachian Trail. Nor even the Long Trail. Although we both find longer walks…