Jess McGlothlin Travels

Updates on travels, adventures and news from Jess McGlothlin Media.

Jess McGlothlin

Mornings in the Sky

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Aerial drone photograph of a boat ramp with drifts boats for fly fishing in Missoula, Montana, in the fall.Things are beginning to feel a little autumnal around Missoula. Mornings are cooler, the sun rises later and sets earlier (rather ominous for the long winter to come) and as I sit in my little apartment typing this, a drizzly rain has started to fall. Fog is rolling over the mountains, and it’s looking like dusk at 7PM.

Winter, as they say, is coming.

Aerial drone photograph of a boat ramp with drifts boats for fly fishing in Missoula, Montana, in the fall.

In strict defiance of the grey season to come, I woke early this morning and put the drone up in the air above one of my favorite local fishing access sites. Made a few new friends at the boat ramp as guide trips rolled in to put on the water, and was admittedly caught off guard by the amount of underbrush that’s already changing color.

I’m having fun learning the ins-and-outs of the drone system, and am excited to get it on the road in a few weeks on assignment in Australia (stay tuned—it’s going to be awesome).

Aerial drone photograph of fall foliage along a river in Missoula, Montana, in the fall.

“Wild Hokkaido” in American Angler Magazine

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Image of magazine article about fly fishing in Hokkaido, Japan by Jess McGlothlin in American Angler Magazine.

Nearly two years ago, I packed the bags and headed west—so far west, in fact, that I landed in the Far East. My journey to the northern island of Japan was for one specific fish: “golden” char—char that turn a unique golden color thanks to the unique environment of mighty Lake Akan. The trip was a success, despite missile tests from neighboring North Korea and an untimely typhoon (the underwater housing came in handy in unexpected ways while wandering through the small village in the middle of the storm!). Several golden char came to hand, as well as many healthy, wild, big rainbow trout.

Pick up the latest issue of American Angler Magazine and see what else I found in the Land of the Rising Sun.

Talking SUPs and Fishing with the Adventure Sports Network

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Article on Adventure Sports Network on fishing from stand-up paddleboard, or SUP.

From my latest feature on the Adventure Sports Network:

The standup paddleboard trend seems to have been taking over the outdoor space in recent years. It’s hard to venture to a lake, river, or shoreline without seeing the the hefty boards out and about, paddlers easily navigating the water with seemingly effortless strokes. SUPs present a solid workout opportunity, a fun floating option for sunset cocktail hour and a fresh way to tour waterways with friends.

But for a subset of SUP users, these floating boards have also changed up another beloved pastime: fishing.

Fishing from a SUP is a good idea at times and not at others; just as it’s a fit for some anglers and maybe not the best option for certain users. For both spin fishers and fly anglers, it presents a fresh way to explore waters you may have otherwise cruised right past in the boat. SUPs draft far shallower than the average raft, drift boat or bass boat – often as little as 5 inches with fins – allowing access to water that otherwise is unreachable.

I had a lot of fun writing this piece for the Adventure Sports Network, and am excited to see it “top fold” on the website! Give it a read, and let me know what you think about the idea of fishing from a stand-up paddleboard.

Morning Over Missoula

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Drone image over Fort Missoula Park, Missoula, Montana, at a summer sunrise.

Working to add a few new skill sets to my quiver; a task that’s finally led me into the drone photography world. After a period of studying and cramming that took me right back to my grade school days, I tested out for the FAA Part 107 needed to fly drones commercially and now am down to the fun part… beefing up the actual flying / filming skills.

I head out early tomorrow morning for a commercial shoot in California, but took advantage of early-morning broken clouds this morning and captured a few shots of mighty Missoula. We’ve been hot and “severe clear” lately; making for hazy, featureless skies and nothing terribly compelling in the sky. So when the alarm went off at 0500h to check conditions, I did the thing: make the coffee, don the fleece, grab the drone, and go.

And, as is usually the case, it was well worth the early morning alarm.

Stay tuned for some behind-the-scenes shots from next week’s shoot!

Story for Chi Wulff: An Odd Anniversary

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Girl riding white horse through a field in Montana at the Event at Rebecca Farm.

Sometimes we go back to the beginning.

And sometimes anniversaries sneak up on us. This July marked my tenth year as a working photographer, and I had to go back to where it all started. (Ironically, it wasn’t very far away.)

You can read the full story on Chi Wulff, but here’s an excerpt:

They say a lot changes in a decade. I guess they’re right.

This past weekend I passed a funny rite of passage: ten years behind the camera. A decade ago, my dad (Mark, here on Chi Wulff) and I drove from our respective lodgings in Bozeman to Missoula, months of hard-earned cash tucked carefully in my pocket, to buy my first DSLR camera. The target was a Canon 5D Mark II; one that now, ten years later, still travels with me on large shoots as a back-up camera. At that point in time, my grocery budget was a generous $50 / month; the rest of my funds going into a camera fund.

Rather ironically, I now live in Missoula, finding myself back in Montana after living around the U.S. and abroad. Life’s funny that way.

Fortunately, my grocery budget is somewhat increased.

In July of 2009, after parting ways with what seemed at the time an unspeakable amount of money, we piled back in the truck and headed to my childhood home, Montana’s Flathead Valley, to photograph the prestigious equestrian show The Event at Rebecca Farm. (The return made even more ironic that I rode in the event nine years prior.) I hiked across…

Read the full story on Chi Wulff.

Quiet Moments in Savannah

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Reflection of an old church in a boutique window in downtown Savanah, Georgia.This past week found me down in Savannah, Georgia, for a non-photography project. While most of the daily hours were spent in meetings, I snuck out a bit, camera in hand, to explore the city. You can watch a photo diary of Savannah in my saved Instagram stories; random moments walking and exploring the historic district of the city.

I’ve said before that the best way to explore a place is to just get out and walk. Take your time—don’t have an agenda—and just let your feet guide you where they may. Do a bit of homework first, of course… stay cognizant of where you’re walking and be smart. But don’t be afraid to get off the beaten path and just wander. If you can, wait for the quiet, low-light moments of the day: right after dawn and in the evenings when the light drops, when the light gets golden and pink and the shadows long. And just wander.

The Church of Saint John the Baptist, Savannah, Georgia.

Look at the details. See that palm frond reflection on the beaten stones of the sidewalk? What about that small bouquet of flowers sitting on a table, popping brightly through the glass of the old paneled window? Listen. Appreciate the local language or accent. Find a coffee shop where the locals go, get a good cup of the local brew and just listen. Don’t put your headphones in. Listen. Go get a meal by yourself and watch the people around you. Enjoy the nuances of local dishes. Just slow down for an hour and see what details pop up.

I think you’ll be surprised.

The Church of Saint John the Baptist, Savannah, Georgia, in pink sunset.

Blurred image of carriage horse in Savannah, Georgia.

Looking down at a shop sign and flowers in Savannah, Georgia, from third-story of Mirabelle Cafe.

Podcast: Backcountry Mini-Series with the Element

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I had so much fun chatting with K.C. Smith and Tyler Jones—the team behind The Element Podcast—a few weeks ago for this recording. I first ran into these two Texas hunters at a conservation event in Montana, and have since enjoyed following along with their adventures (give their Instagram a follow!). Listen on Spotify or Apple Podcasts.

In this podcast, we talked about travel, photography, gear, hunting and all kinds of outdoor goodness. From backcountry bivy camps to tales of escapes in the South Pacific, this was a fun one! Give it a listen, and let me know what tips were useful—and what you’d like to learn more about.