Thrill Of The Strike

A brook trout thrashes frantically in the surface film after being hooked on a black and orange streamer.

This original oil painting represents a departure from my usual, more representative style. I wanted to convey the sense of tension and excitement a fly angler experiences immediately after a strike, which I felt a more tight, controlled brush stroke would mute.

This painting was commissioned by the Wisconsin State Council of Trout Unlimited for their 2007 banquet.