Ken Baldwin

Joined: Nov 6, 2024

Ken Baldwin is a Writer/Editor for Fishing On SI, where he writes stories about fly fishing and the lifestyle that surrounds it. His writing and photography have appeared in Men's Journal, Catch Magazine, Fish Alaska, and the American Angler. He also created and hosted the TV show Season on the Edge, which aired on NBC Sports and in seven countries, showcasing travel, adventure, and culture through the lens of fishing. For twenty years, Ken worked as a fly fishing guide in Alaska, which gave him opportunities to hang out with and photograph the Alaskan brown bear. His experience photographing the brown bear helped him land a job with the Netflix documentary Our Planet 2, narrated by David Attenborough. If you dig deep enough in Ken's resume, you will see that he played the terrorist "Mulkey" in the film Die Hard 2 before fly fishing took over his life. Ken is a graduate of the University of Washington.

The SKWALA merino wool hoody breathes and helps me stay cool, keeping me comfortable when I’m sweating. It can’t do much about the reason I’m sweating.

Destinations

If I were limited to fish only one season a year, it would be autumn, and you can’t do fall much better than the Catskills. The historic trout waters are reason enough to go, and the small towns, good food, and fall colors make it more than a fishing trip

Bass Fishing

The Coike urchin bait trend proves what fly anglers have known for years: subtle movement beats exact imitation. Here are some updated tying tips for Woolly Buggers and Pat’s Rubber Legs, plus presentations that deliver more bass on the fly.

A Pacific sailfish alongside the boat after being landed on an 11-weight fly rod off Panama's Pacific coast.

Destinations

I came to Tropic Star Lodge in Panama thinking of roosterfish. Less than two hours after arriving, I was casting a fly rod to a lit-up sailfish.

All muscle and energy. This tuna put a butt-whooping on me like no other fish ever has.

Destinations

Panama's Pacific coast has some of the most exciting fly fishing in the world. For me, it delivered two fish of a lifetime in less than a day.

My Van Staal VR75. The more I beat it up, the better it looks. Earned scars.

Gear Reviews

High-end Father’s Day gifts for the dad who deserves the best, with premium fishing, outdoor, survival, and adventure gear worth going all out for.

The common ground of "fishing" is sometimes where the best connections happen between fathers and sons.

Gear Reviews

Skip the predictable Father's Day gifts this year. Every item in this guide is gear I've tested and continue to use. Some are inexpensive, others cost more, but all have earned a place in my fly-fishing and outdoor system.

Guide Jacob Thomason with a barely hooked smallmouth bass from Lake Ontario.

Fly Fishing

The smallmouth bass bite is entering one of its best windows of the year. Rivers are warming, fish are active, and fly anglers from the Midwest to the Northeast have their hands full with one of the hardest-fighting fish in freshwater.

Utah guide Sammy Elam taking the scenic route to the river.

Destinations

When anglers think fly fishing destinations, ski resorts rarely make the list. But a fall stay at Montage Deer Valley in Utah revealed great trout water, a walkable mountain town, and enough outdoor adventure to make off-season ski towns a great choice.

Fly angler and West Virginia guide Chase McCoy, throwing a tight loop while balanced on his kayak.

Fly Fishing

Learning to fly cast isn’t about more fishing—it’s about better practice. Here's a simple program to follow that will have positive long-term results.

Fly Fishing

Fly fishing is hard to explain. The Madison shows why it matters.

An older male lion with fiercely intense eyes.

Destinations

Chasing tigerfish in the Okavango Delta turns into something more when the focus moves from the river to the animals on the plain.

Anglers working the riverbank for African tigerfish.

Destinations

On the Okavango River in Africa, I search for tigerfish, navigating hippos, bird-filled channels, and the kind of strikes that can yank your fly rod out of your hands.

Ken Baldwin

Joined: Nov 6, 2024

I Put the SKWALA Thermo 350 Hoody Through Some Hard Days

How and Where You Can Catch Big Catfish on a Fly Rod

Hawks Cay Resort: My Base for World-Class Florida Keys Fly Fishing

What It Was Like to Be Charged by an Alaskan Brown Bear—and What I Learned

Destinations

Experience Fly Fishing History, Wild Trout, and a Classic Catskills Autumn

Bass Fishing

Coike Bass Lure: How the 2026 Urchin Bait Trend Can Work for Fly Fishing

Destinations

Fishing Panama With a Fly Rod is a Trip I'll Remember for the Rest of my Life

Destinations

Two Fish of a Lifetime in 24 Hours: Panama Fly Fishing at Its Best

Gear Reviews

High-end Father’s Day Gifts for the Fly Angler Who Deserves the Best

Gear Reviews

Fly Fisherman’s 2026 Father’s Day Gift Guide: Gear He’ll Actually Use

Fly Fishing

Why So Many Fly Anglers Become Obsessed With Smallmouth Bass

Destinations

Can a Luxury Ski Resort in Utah Also Be a Great Summer Fly Fishing Destination?

What’s the Best Way to Improve Your Fly Cast?

Thank You, Taylor Sheridan—My Wife Finally Understands Why I Fly Fish After Watching 'The Madison'

A Fly Fishing Trip to Africa Took an Unexpected Turn on Safari

A Fly Angler's Trip to the Okavango River in Africa