FLORIDA FLY FISHING MAGAZINE
Only Florida - Only Fly Fishing 1
Vol 3 No. 1
INSIDE F3M
ED, WADING IN.......................................................................................................... 3 MEET THE EDITORIAL STAFF.................................................................................... 4 CAPT. RICK GRASSETT’S FLY FISHING FORECAST................................................... 8 FEBRUARY 2012 KEN MORROW: IT’S JUST FISHIN’..........................................................................11 SALTWATER FLIES FOR FISHING FLORIDA’S GULF COAST MORSELLI’S POV.....................................................................................................14 THEY’RE THERE. WAITING. ON THE LINE WITH DUSTY SPRAGUE....................................................................18 FLY LINE TAPERS – A REVIEW PRODUCT REVIEW...................................................................................................24 BONEFISH FLY PATTERNS GUIDE REPORT: CAPT. WILLY LE............................................................................28 A SPECIAL DAY FOR KENT JOHNSON AARON ADAMS: THE CONSERVATION ANGLER..................................................34 CRAB FLIES FOR BIG BONEFISH FLY TYING.................................................................................................................44 THE BIG UGLY FIND FLY FISHING GUIDES AND FLY SHOPS........................................................ 48 HOTLINKS TO TIDES, WEATHER AND WINDS......................................................10
Flies by Nikki Page http://www.fliesoffancy.com
FLORIDA FLY FISHING MAGAZINE
ED, WADING IN.... Wow, what a year 2012 has started off to be. A “glitch” in transferring the magazine between hosting servers became a runaway train of terror that took down and eventually destroyed Florida Fly Fishing Magazine’s database. Then a computer crash disabled us at the office level. All I can say is thank goodness for computer backups! Not to worry (much), we had already planned on converting the magazine into the page-flipping format you see now. We had been considering the new format for half a year and further discussions and not a little cajoling convinced us that the time had come. But not just now! But here we are, still some smoothing out to do. Get the kinks of of the line, a little oil on the spool bearings and maybe brush a little oxide off a line guide or two. We trust you will enjoy this new format. It’s the closest thing we have to a “bricks and mortar” paper magazine. The images are larger and there’s more room to have more stuff. And we can always use more stuff, can’t we? Have a great year. Watch out for stingrays and back up your computer files, you’ll be glad you did.
Only Florida - Only Fly Fishing
Florida Fly Fishing Magazine publishes articles about fly fishing in the Sunshine State. It is published on the shores of the Gulf of Mexico in Dunedin, Florida.
Editor & Publisher Edward C. Maurer Contributing Editors: Aaron Adams Joe Mahler Jeannie McGuire Ken Morrow Robert Morselli Dusty Sprague Contact: editor@flaflyfish.com (727) 798-2366 A publication of Edward Maurer Consulting, LLC. Copyright 2011 All rights reserved. Actions, activities, travel, techniques, etc. seen within are examples of what others do and participate in and should only be carried out by qualified individuals. The outcome of your activities remain your own responsibility. Properly wear and use all safety equipment. If you’re afraid of the water, stay away from it.
Ed Maurer, Publisher
On the cover: Kent Johnson releases his first redfish. Capt. Willy Le photo 3
MEET THE EDITORIAL STAFF Aaron Adams Aaron has long been an advocate of the philosophy that information is key to success. This is the primary motivation behind his effort to translate fish science into terms that anglers can use. You can benefit from this effort through his articles in this magazine as well as his books: Fisherman’s Coast and Fly Fisherman’s Guide to Saltwater Prey, and his chapters in Chico Fernadez’s book Fly Fishing for Bonefish. http:// fishermanscoast.com. Aaron also believes that anglers have a responsibility to be active stewards of their fisheries and habitats, so need to be involved in conservation. His friend Chico Fernandez said it best “The times when we could go fishing, have fun, and go home and forget about it until the next trip are gone. If we want to have fisheries in the future, we have to get involved in conservation.” Aaron promotes this philosophy through his work with Tribal Bonefish – a movement toward creating responsible anglers. http://tribalbonfish.com. Always one to walk the walk, as a researcher at Mote Marine Lab, Aaron studies gamefish and their habitats so resource managers have the information they need for fisheries conservation (http://fishermanscoast.com/research/FHE_summary. html). And as Director of Bonefish & Tarpon Trust since 2006, he oversees research and conservation programs on bonefish, tarpon, and permit that are essential to the long term health of these fisheries. http://www.tarbone.org. Joe Mahler A native of Indiana, Joe Mahler has spent his life fly fishing for “anything with a tug” and teaching others to do the same. Joe is an FFF Certified Fly Casting Instructor and President of the Sanibel FlyFishers. As an illustrator for the world of fishing, Joe’s work appears in magazines such as Salt Water Sportsman, FLW, and American Angler. He currently lives in Southwest Florida and on the TFO Southeast Region Pro Team. Some of Joe’s fine work can be seen here in Florida Fly Fishing Magazine
Jeannie McGuire Jeannie is a gypsy girl who likes to fish. A lot. Anywhere, anytime, fresh or salt, flats, inshore, offshore and even with, insert shudder and dread, bait. Alaska, to Canada, trout streams all over the US, bits of Europe, good chunks of the Caribbean and great spots in Central America, fly rod always in hand. Mostly she just fishes the flats of the Florida Keys from her little seaworthy vessel, the SS Salt Fly Girl. A pretty blue kayak that’s rigged and righteous. Jeannie probably wades way more than her mother likes and occasionally even casts feathers from the deck of a motorized vessel. A self confessed hack and total scrub, she professes near zero expertise. She just catches fish. Jeannie fishes for the zen, the beauty, the challenge, the occasional heart stopping adrenaline and for the pure joy of the sport and because … well…, it’s fun. “Sight casting for sport fish in salt water is to me ... the best of hunting ... the best of fly fishing... and the best of being on the water... all rolled into one...and the addiction of my life.” Jeannie, the Salt Fly Girl. Ken Morrow Ken Morrow is a Certified Adaptive Fly Fishing Practitioner and Texas Parks and Wildlife Department Angler Educator who serves as the President of the Adaptive Fly Fishing Institute, Inc. With over three decades of fly fishing and paddle sports experience, Ken specializes in fly fishing instruction and opportunities for people with a variety of disabilities. The adaptive sports philosophy of helping participants to achieve the highest level of independent function they can without compromising their safety drives Ken’s approach. He has been featured in award-winning films like “We All Live Downstream,” on TV and in print from ESPN’s Outside the Lines to Florida Sportsman Magazine, is a frequent conference and event presenter, and has held a number of staff writing and editorial positions as an outdoor journalist. Mr. Morrow is a member of the Freedom Hawk Kayaks pro staff and the Peak Pro Fly Tying Team. Before moving to Florida, he served as a member of the board of directors of the Gulf Coast Council of the Federation of Fly Fishers and founded both the Adaptive Fly Fishing Institute and the Heartland Region of Project Healing Waters. 5
Roberet Morselli Robert is the research director for the television show How It’s Made (Discovery Channel), seen world-wide, in 180+ countries. The show is translated in over 20 languages and reaches an international audience of over one hundred-million viewers per week. He recently wrote two television documentaries featuring under-water robotics and forensic investigation technologies. Upcoming projects include a documentary on the logistics of creating and setting up a Cirque du Soleil show. As team lead (way back in the 90s), Robert created award-winning websites for General Foods, Lipton (soup) and Hummer vehicles. “My creative portfolio is diverse by intention, I insist on that because diversity is what drives me – and fly fishing is a foundation, in a sense. Not a day goes by that it doesn’t cross my mind in one form or another. People who are completely absorbed by fly fishing will know exactly what I’m talking about, and I try to convey that affection every chance I get – to fly fishers and non-fly fishers alike.” He is currently preparing a 16-part travel/documentary series on fly fishing around the globe and can be reached at: 3weight@gmail.com Dusty Sprague Dusty’s passion is teaching fly casting and shallow-water fly fishing. He began fly fishing in the late 1950’s; tying flies and teaching fly casting in the 1970’s; and guiding in the early 1980’s. He has fly fished for fresh or saltwater species in 24 states, Belize, Mexico, the Bahamas, and Canada, and has guided in Alaska. He is a senior instructor for Ascension Bay Bonefish Club in Mexico and has conducted saltwater fly fishing schools and hosted groups in pursuit of shallow-water species in the Bahamas, Mexico, and Belize. He is the former manager of two fly fishing shops and a fly fishing guide service at the Broadmoor, a five-star resort hotel in Colorado Springs. He has been a featured presenter of fly casting demonstrations at numerous fishing shows and has appeared on NBC’s Today Show and ESPN’s Fishing Across America. In 1992 the Federation of Fly Fishers began the Casting Instructor Certification Program for the purpose of enhancing the overall level of instruction in fly casting, including instructor knowledge, casting proficiency, and teaching ability. Two levels of certification exist – Certified Instructor and Master Certified Instructor. Today,
there are approximately 1,000 Certified Instructors in the world and 100 Master Certified Instructors. Policy for the program is established by a Board of Governors consisting of 30 of the world’s top fly casting instructors. Dusty is a member of the Board of Governors and is a Master Certified Instructor. He chairs the casting committee for the Florida Council of the FFF. He is a member of the Scientific Anglers Pro Staff. Ed Maurer, Publisher After retiring from the US Air Force Ed conceived the idea of publishing a magazine about fly fishing in his home state of Florida. It took a decade for computer technology to develop to the point where Ed could effectivly produce a magazine without the prohibitive cost of print publishing. It took a couple more years for both technology and Ed to advance to a nexis where an effective, attractive and hopefully stimulating Florida Fly Fishing Magazine could be published in the format you are reading it in now. “I owe a lot to the many folks like those on our editorial staff, past staff member Stuart Patterson, tech advisor and mentor Bernadetter McCarthy and the many other friends and contributors who have given of themselves to make this effort successful,” said Ed, “and much of the thanks goes to my wife, Deborah for her constant support, encouragment and eagle eye.”
Ken Morrow fishing at Honeymoon Island 7
CAPT. RICK GRASSETT’S FLY FISHING FORECAST FOR FEBRUARY 2012
You might find reds and trout on shallow grass flats on sunny afternoons this month. Also look for trout on deep grass flats along with pompano and blues. Flounder may be on the edges of bars, in potholes or on deep grass flats with a good mixture of grass and sand. You might also find flounder along with sheepshead and reds around deep docks. Catch and release night snook fishing around lighted docks and bridges in the ICW should be a good option unless water temperatures drop sharply. Spanish and king mackerel, cobia and tripletail may move into our area late in the month depending on conditions.
Snook season remains closed this month so any snook caught must be released. I use tackle that is heavy enough to land them quickly so that they can be released with minimal stress and handling. Small white flies, like my Grassett Snook Minnow, fished on an intermediate sink tip fly line will work well for snook around lighted docks and bridge fenders in the ICW at night. Cast across the current and swing flies across shadow lines as you strip them and fish peak tidal flows for the best action. As long as we don’t have a strong front and water temperatures remain in the 60’s, night snook fishing can be good in February. However, I avoid catching snook following strong fronts when water temperatures drop below 60 degrees. I like the ICW between Sarasota and Look for big trout in skinny water this mon Venice for snook around docks and bridges this Longboat Key, FL, caught and released this month. The ICW becomes narrow in this area February on a fly while wading a Sarasota B increasing the speed of the current. Rick Grassett. Capt. Rick Grassett file photo. Reds should be a good option this month. Look for them in potholes on negative low tides. Fly anglers should do well with
lightly weighted flies with weed guards fished on a floating line with a 12’ leader. I focus on seams where grass meets sand by casting only my fly and leader beyond the seams and coming back across them. You might find reds moving onto shallow grass flats to feed on sunny afternoons. They can be very spooky in clear shallow water, so be as quiet as possible and avoid false casting over them. I prefer to pole or sometimes wade with fly anglers to avoid spooking fish. Flats of north Sarasota Bay, lower Tampa Bay and Gasparilla Sound are good areas for reds this month. You might find sheepshead on clear shallow flats or around oyster bars this month where you may be able to sight fish them with flies, although they can be challenging. Little Sarasota Bay has lots of oyster bars and the water is usually clear there when it is cool. Trout should also be a good option in February. Look for big trout in skinny water in the same areas that you find reds. They may be concentrated in potholes when the tide is low or on shallow grass flats on sunny afternoons. You may also find trout on deep grass flats of Sarasota Bay along with pompano, bluefish, Spanish mackerel and flounder. I like to drift deep grass flats and cast ahead of my drift. Fly anglers should do well on deep grass flats with weighted flies fished on sink tip fly lines. Deep grass flats with a strong tidal flow and a good mixture of grass and sand, like Sarasota Bay’s Middleground, Radio Tower and Marina Jack flats, should be good areas for trout this month. Pompano may skip on the surface giving their p r e s e n c e a w a y. When this happens I will start a drift a hundred yards or so upwind and cast the same flies that I’m using for trout ahead of my drift. I like nth. Nick Reding, from chartreuse and pink s “gator” in a previous Ultra Hair Clouser Bay sandbar with Capt. flies with gold flash . for pompano. The sound of a fly popper may attract blues and Spanish mackerel. Adding a lightly 9
weighted fly about 30” behind the popper may up your odds of a strike. Fish a weighted fly slow and close to the bottom for flounder. If the water temperature in the coastal gulf is in the low 60’s or cooler, there may not be much happening. However, as water temperatures rise to the high 60’s, Spanish and king mackerel, cobia and tripletail may start to show up in our area, particularly towards the end of the month. Look for baitfish schools, diving birds or surface activity to find mackerel. Cobia and tripletail may be hanging around buoys, crab trap floats or channel markers. February can be one of the tougher months to fish due to cool water and frequent fronts. However, if you can choose when to fish your odds of being successful go way up. When fronts are approaching the barometer will be falling and fish should feed. Following fronts, afternoons may fish better for a few days. There are usually windows of stable weather for several days between fronts, which is a productive time to fish. When it is warm for a few days, check the coastal gulf for Spanish and king mackerel, cobia and tripletail. Whatever you choose to do, please limit your kill, don’t kill your limit! Tight Lines, Capt. Rick Grassett Snook Fin-Addict Guide Service, Inc. (941) 923-7799 E-mail snookfin@aol.com www.flyfishingflorida.net and www.snookfin-addict.com
HOTLINKS TO TIDES, WEATHER AND WINDS Florida Tide Charts
Florida Weather Radar SailFlow Winds
KEN MORROW: IT'S JUST FISHIN'
SALTWATER FLIES FOR FISHING FLORIDA’S GULF COAST
I’m just tossing up some photos of several examples of the more recent saltwater flies I’ve been tying for stalking the skinny water of the Florida winter’s negative low tides and backcountry creeks and canals in search of Snook, Sea Trout, and Redfish. If Mother Nature cooperates and sends me some fair seas, I may hit the Gulf to see if I can find some Little Tunny, Mackerel, or Jacks. So I have some holes to fill in the Cliff’s Bugger Beast that carries my Florida saltwater flies.
What you see here in no way represents the complete arsenal of flies I carry for fly fishing saltwater in Florida. I’m simply sharing some snapshots of the fly patterns I’m tying to replenish stocks and to make some improvements. Then there are some seasonal favorites that change about twice a year. Of course, the Bugger Beast is well stocked with staples such as Clouser Deep Minnows Flashtail Whistler in various colors, a few crab patterns in rust and black/gray, a wide array of bait fish flies such as EP Minnows, bendback flies of various types, Lefty’s Deceivers in a variety of colors and sizes, Tarpon Toads (never forget the local residents), and a hodge podge of other fuzzy stuff on hooks. Winter is a good time to fish for Snook in the creeks, rivers, and canals of the backcountry in Florida. Often times, weather fronts will shut down fishing out on the bigger water of the Intercoastal Waterway, bays, and the Gulf, but the Gold Epoxy Spoon Fly 11
tighter confines of the creeks and canals will be sheltered from rising winds and waves. Fish seek this shelter as much as it provides functional and safe conditions for fishermen. And winter is the time of year that Snook are in the backcountry most of the time anyway. Fishing the creeks and canals after any amount of rain is usually a good idea if you’re looking for Snook, and white flies with some flash tend to ring their dinner bell. Grassy flats with a lot of sandy pot holes in them are where you
Ken’s Lucky Penny
UV Pink Gotcha
Ron Whiteley’s Estaz Marabou (Pink)
find the Sea Trout and Redfish on the rising tide. In many of the areas that I fish in Florida where this habitat is abundant, the spin tackle anglers who are “in the know” these days often cast a DOA Shrimp in a color called New Penny. I fooled around with some materials and a 3X long Gamakatsu saltwater hook until I got the color and profile right. I call this fly Ken’s Lucky Penny. It’s a very effective spot-casting or searching pattern for deep grass flats or fishing skinny water when casting into sandy potholes. On the deeper flats, I fish it on an intermediate line with a 7-8’ leader. In skinny water when I’m spot-casting it, I go to a 10’ leader and a floating line. I catch some of the biggest surprises on Gotcha flies along Florida’s Gulf Coast! I tie them in several different color combinations, but the wing is always plain white fur - the real thing. There are no substitutes. Take it very easy on the flash in the wing, too. You always want to carry a variety of bait fish and shrimp patterns, but I’ve got it narrowed
down to a few that always work, are fairly uncomplicated, and are plenty durable. I fish spots along a stretch of coastline that stretches for about 150 miles as the crow flies and transitions from one climate zone to the next from the northern end to the southern. So there is plenty of variety in both conditions and habitat to choose from, but the fish species and forage are the same. Winter is a great time of year to head to Florida for a fly fishing vacation. Escape the chill of winter, warm the bones, and Lefty’s Deceiver in Steelhead synthetic yak hair over UV white stretch a fly line in a beautiful sub-tropical setting. Catch a few fish you don’t have a shot at every day. Yet, it’s not the highlycharged, high cost, high-humidity and temperature experience that is chasing Permit and Tarpon in their prime seasons. I think winter fishing in Florida is the best of what Florida has to offer the fly angler. Don’t get me wrong! Hooking into a Silver-sided freight train that weighs more than most men and moves as fast as most cars is an experience of a lifetime. But it is just that: one of those things most folks want to do Rattle Shrimp once...maybe twice. Most of us can’t afford to do it without saving up for it for quite some time, either. But the in-shore fishing that is best in winter is an “every man’s game” sort of experience. Florida Fly Fishing Magazine supports the Adaptive Fly Fishing Institute, Operation Still Waters, Project Healing Waters, Casting for Recovery, Bonefish and Tarpon Trust, Coastal Conservation Association of Florida, Federation of Fly Fishers, The Snook Foundation, Ocean Conservancy, and many other fine efforts to enhance the lives of others and our environment. 13
MORSELLI’S POV
THEY’RE THERE. WAITING.
Sight-fishing – do it once, and it becomes a life-long obsession. The excitement of getting a fish to take a well chosen, properly cast fly is palpable, and if you want to crank up the excitement level a notch (or two), then sight-fishing for barracuda will easily fulfill that requirement. They’re there. Waiting. The takes are electric, landing one is a blast and each leap is both beautiful to watch as well as a stern warning that the fish is about to leave you empty-handed, bewildered. Barracuda come with their very own, built-in set of challenges: they’re nasty, at times fickle and often just plain incomprehensible. Sight fishing for ‘cuda means one thing above all else: stalking – and fortunately these fish are the perfect blend of cautious and confident, so you can wade in real close - if you have enough patience. The barracuda certainly do. I visited John U. Lloyd Beach State Park on a recent visit to South-East Florida, the park features a one-and-a-half-mile long, bayside canal, usually teeming with small sharks, spotted puffers, nervous baitfish, lazy rays and small-to-midsize barracuda. Mornings are a bit of a mystery in that ‘cuda behavior is erratic and inconsistent at best, leading you to wonder what you’re doing wrong. Wading pace too quick? Fly selection off base? Lining issues? In late afternoons, with optimal tide conditions, however, their curiosity seems almost heroic (dusk is the best time because their razor sharp vision puts them at a predatory advantage). During this all-too-brief period of the day, they patiently wait for you to wade way up close to get a good bearing on their position – right before darting off at 40MPH. Conclusion #1: wade slowly, prudently – and stop short just a little sooner than you think you ought to. The benefit of this cannot be overstated: you’ll keep the fish visible and as a result will have a perfect sense of where to place that fly. Mangroves are another issue to contend with. I’ve lost more fish than I care to admit due to disastrous mangrove tangles – let’s face it, when in shallow water, is there a better place for a fish to seek refuge than under thick mangrove cover? Conclusion #2: avoid mangroves. This is done by patiently coaxing the fish as far as possible from their preferred cover before finally laying the fly down for a potential strike: this normally requires 2 to 3 casts that are immediately stripped from the surface, 7 - 8 feet directly ahead of them normally does the trick. On the final cast, let the fly sink just below the surface, then retrieve. Don’t be afraid to get creative
when stripping line in – slow, fast, long, short, they all work, depending on what mood the fish are in. The goal here is to give yourself the best chance of playing the fish in open water – or at least as ‘open’ as waters generally get in narrow canals. I’ve read on numerous occasions that ‘you can’t strip in the fly fast enough’, which can be true, but not on all occasions. Conclusion #3: vary your retrieve if the current strategy isn’t a winner. While tides are good indicators, barracuda sometimes turn up when least expected, leading me to wonder if temperature readings outweigh tidal info when searching them out. As for the best temperature range, this is still very open to discussion (drop me an email if you think you’ve figured this one out). ‘Cuda-catching recipe: --25 to 50 foot casts are the rule (works out nicely if you’re a novice fly caster). --On the reel: because canals are relatively tight quarters, there’s no real need for tons of backing. 100 yards is sufficient. --Off the reel: 10-foot, 10lb. saltwater leader which has been trimmed down to a respectable 8’ ending with a size .022 tippet - this helps immensely with fly turnover. 8lb. leaders are great to use when using the shortest bite-guards and the smallest possible flies – for when you’re tracking smaller ‘cudas – which are just as fun to play as the big guys when using light gear (#6 rods). Over time, I’ve run into quite a few ‘cuda aficcionados, and one of the eternal questions when targeting these fish is: what size bite guard? Unless you’re a masochist, mono won’t do - period. Wire is the way to go: 4” to 6” is my usual starting point, then I wait for the day to progress before I size down one inch at a time – down to minimum of 3” – which may sound like gambling, but canals generally aren’t world-record ‘cuda territory (yes – I have lost some larger fish, but that number is negligible). To date, there’s no such thing as a barracuda fly line (RIO, Scientific Anglers et al, take a hint), however, I found that Scientific Anglers’ redfish taper doubles nicely for this purpose. The mid-weight head and aggressive front taper deliver every possible fly selection without strain – and unless there are wind issues, it’s not even necessary to overpower your cast. Regarding flies, a wide assortment is undoubtedly your best friend. Needlefish patterns are commonly cited, and they do work, but can be a pain to cast is you’re using light gear, say a #6. The good news is that ‘cudas are also happy to chomp on baitfish patterns (clousers, deceivers, etc), shrimp patterns (Borski & friends), 15
and I’ve been particularly successful with crab patterns as well. Just do as you normally would when fishing other species – let it sink to the bottom, then twitch the fly. Crab patterns are best cast in very shallow water, one to two-and-a-half feet deep, so that you can keep an eye on them - and the approaching fish. Finally, if the water surface is tame due to light or non-existing winds, and you’re looking or that extra ‘fun factor’ to complement your fishing day, tie on a popper and enjoy the ensuing fireworks (tip: be sure to let the fly sit still on the surface for a few seconds after casting). As for overall technique, I repeat: wade cautiously, wade slowly, shuffle – don’t stomp. This cannot be overstated. Every tip listed above means nothing if you’ve inadvertently scared off everything with fins. Final note regarding gear: you know about rods, lines and flies, just be sure not to forget those long-nose pliers. For obvious reasons, they come in extremely handy when extracting flies. You’re all set – grab your #6, #7 or #8 fly rod, get out there & prepare to have some serious fun.
Flies by Nikki Page http://www.fliesoffancy.com
17
ON THE LINE WITH DUSTY SPRAGUE
FLY LINE TAPERS – A REVIEW
The shape of the line can provide a significant advantage in casting and fishing With illustrations by Joe Mahler The shape of the line determines the line’s performance through the air, with the line’s taper affecting how energy is transferred and dissipated during the cast. Basic line tapers include weight forward, double taper, shooting tapers and level lines (actually no taper). In Florida we use weight forward tapers almost exclusively, whether they are floating, sinking, or sinking-tip lines. Weight forward lines offer the combined advantages of delicacy of fly delivery, distance, and accuracy. No other taper design provides all three attributes. A review of a standard weight forward taper provides insights to the effects of taper design on casting performance. The level tip permits tying new and replacement leaders to the line without shortening the front taper and affecting how the line casts.
The front taper serves to reduce the mass of the line’s heavy belly and provide a more delicate delivery of the leader and fly than would be possible from the heavy belly alone. As the front taper unrolls during the cast, decreasing in diameter and mass, it accelerates and air resistance increases geometrically, dissipating the line’s energy. The length and tip diameter determine how delicately or powerfully the leader and fly are delivered. Given the same tip diameters, lines with long front tapers have less mass in the front section of the line than lines with shorter front tapers. Longer front tapers dissipate casting energy rapidly resulting in less powerful, softer delivery of the fly, typical for delivering smaller flies in little or no wind. Shorter front tapers dissipate less energy, transferring more energy to the leader, for a stronger, more powerful turnover of the leader and more powerful delivery of the fly, typical for larger, heavier flies and delivering in wind. Front taper lengths and tip diameters are most often directly proportional to line weights. Heavier line weights, designed to deliver larger, air-resistant flies, generally require longer tapers to permit smooth casting.
Lines with longer and more delicate front tapers require good loop control to straighten the line and leader on the delivery. Open, air-resistant loops result in too much energy being dissipated and the loop will often collapse, not straightening the line or leader. Lines with shorter, more powerful tapers can provide more effective deliveries even with larger loops. While many lines have straight tapers that change diameter at the same rate beginning to end, some particular lines have specialty tapers to provide some unique advantage. Specialty tapers include concave-compound, convex-compound, and triangular taper designs. Concave-compound tapers are designed with a short front compound taper to provide a delicate delivery, useful for short range presentations with smaller flies, with little line extended beyond the rod tip. As the loop unrolls during the cast, when the back of the front taper is reached, the mass of the line begins to decrease rapidly, accelerating against increasing air resistance, dissipating energy quickly. When the front segment of the taper is reached, a more gradual decrease in mass occurs; energy is dissipated more slowly, similar to a long straight taper, resulting in a soft delivery of the fly. Examples include Scientific Angler’s Trout and XPS double taper lines.
Convex-compound tapers do the opposite of concave-compound tapers – deliver the fly in the wind at long distances. As the loop unrolls during the cast, when the taper is reached, the mass of the line decreases slowly, air resistance increases slowly and turnover is slowed, allowing a longer flight time of the line. When the second segment of the taper is reached, the segment nearest the tip, the mass of the line decreases rapidly, air resistance increases quickly, dissipating energy, permitting a softer presentation. Examples include RIO’s Big Game and Scientific Angler’s Steelhead line. Wulff Triangle Taper lines are a convex-compound taper throughout the entire ‘head’ of the line. We discuss the ‘head’ of the line below. Front tapers of well-designed lines deliver enough energy to straighten commonly used leaders. Casting without a leader results in too much un-dissipated energy at the end of the cast. The line tip most often ‘kicks’ downward. Line tips can be 19
shredded by casting without a leader. The line’s belly or body, with the greatest diameter and mass, carries most of the casting energy. The diameter of the line’s belly is determined by the line’s design, density and designated American Fishing Tackle Manufacturing Association (AFTMA) line weight, for example, WF-8-F or WF-10-S. The length and configuration of the belly of a weight forward line varies depending on the casting or fishing task it was designed to accomplish. To determine the optimum belly length, average fishing distances must be considered and we will address some examples near the end of this article. Some lines made today have compound bellies designed to distribute the belly mass toward the front or rear to achieve specific performance advantages. The rear taper’s length determines how smoothly the line will cast and contribute to the control and quickness of the line. Longer rear tapers transmit energy smoothly to the belly for increased distance and control. Shorter rear tapers put the running line in the guides more quickly for faster deliveries of the fly. The head, comprised of the front taper, belly, and rear taper, determine the effective casting and control range of the line. Short heads cast quickly, but can be difficult to control on long casts. Long heads provide long-range control but require more false casting to get the thinner running line into the rod guides for most effective line shooting and distance casting.
Short head – typically a short to medium front taper, short belly and short back taper, effective for short to medium ranges. Examples: Scientific Angler’s Mastery Red Fish (8wt – 30 foot head), RIO’s Tropical Outbound Short (8wt – 30 foot head), Cortland’s Tropic Plus Redfish (8wt - 27 foot head); and Wulff Saltwater Taper (8wt – 30 foot head)
Standard head – typically a medium-length front taper, medium-length belly and medium to longer back taper -- the most versatile head length for moderate delivery and distance for a variety of applications. Examples: Cortland’s Tropic Plus Bonefish (8wt - 41 foot head), Rio’s Bonefish (8wt – 49 foot head), or Scientific Angler’s Mastery Bonefish (8wt – 45 foot head)
Long head – typically a long front taper, very long belly and long back taper provides the longest casts with good control. Examples: RIO’s Steelhead & Atlantic Salmon (9wt – 66 foot head) and Scientific Angler’s Expert Distance (5wt – 72 foot head) The running line connects the belly of the line to the backing. Since we use weight forward lines to help achieve distance in casting, a running line that is light, small diameter, stiff, textured, and slippery will shoot line the best and can achieve the greatest distance. However, such a running may be difficult to handle, prone to tangle, have too much memory and may also blow around in the wind. Designing the optimum running line requires tradeoffs and manufacturers vary on their approach to these issues. While most offer lines that combine all these factors to perform well, some lean to better handling and less tangling while others favor offering the features that permit greatest distance. Many popular lines today offer a simple standard taper in a weight forward configuration and provide excellent performance. Some lines offer designs to provide certain advantages for specific casting and fishing applications. Examples of a few of these designs applicable to some of our most popular Florida fish are offered below.
Bass - Bass flies are commonly air resistant and can be quite large, especially surface flies. Fishing distance can be short to moderately long. Delivering the fly quickly is not often a requirement. A line designed for powerful delivery at short range is needed yet its distance capability can also be important. One good example that meets these requirements is the bass line designed by Scientific Anglers. The Scientific Anglers Bass Bug line provides a longer front taper with a larger tip diameter, permitting a more powerful delivery of the fly, while their line’s belly is relatively short, yet its rear taper is quite long to provide good control for longer casts. The head length of 42 feet (8 weight line) permits casting and control at moderately long range. 21
Redfish - A line for redfish needs to provide for quick casts at close range yet not deliver the fly too heavily and spook the fish. RIO’s Redfish line provides this capability with a standard straight moderate length front taper, a compound body with the mass located at the rear of the body and a moderate length back taper, adding up to a head length of 35.5 feet (8 weight), a relatively short head for quick and moderate delivery of the fly.
Bonefish - Fishing for bonefish typically requires longer casting, in wind. While some opportunities are fleeting, most do not require quickness as much as they require accuracy and delicate presentations. Effective lines offer longer head lengths permitting more controlled, longer line carry and longer distance casting coupled with front tapers that permit delicate fly delivery. Scientific Anglers Mastery Bonefish line provides a good example. This line features a longer, straight front taper for delicate delivery. The longer belly is tapered, thinner in back, thicker in front, providing for improved performance in wind. The rear taper is of moderate length contributing to line control. The head measures 45.5 feet (8 weight) and provides increased casting range.
Tarpon - Fishing for tarpon frequently benefits from longer presentations delivered quickly before the fish changes course presenting a bad casting angle, or moves out of range, or gets too close to the boat. However, fish sometimes show close to the boat, especially in darker water over darker bottoms. Better casters, able to control loops at greater distances, can benefit from the better loop control and accuracy offered in lines with somewhat longer head lengths, however, shorter head lengths permit delivering the fly with fewer false casts. One example of a
line designed for tarpon is the RIO Tarpon Extreme Core line, designed for extreme tropical conditions and illustrated below. This line is slightly heavier than the AFTMA standard to more quickly load rods for quicker casts. The front taper is convexcompound and moderate in length. The compound body shifts mass to the rear of the head essentially lengthening the effective front taper to permit delivery of larger flies at distance. The rear taper is quite long to provide control on longer casts. The head length of their 12 weight line is 39 feet 5 inches. Summary The line’s shape can provide significant advantages to casting and fishing, as we have seen from this review, although the first consideration in line selection should be line weight. Other important factors to consider are when, where, and how the line will be used. For example, will the line be used in freshwater or saltwater? Do you need a floating, sinking, or sinking tip line? Will the line be used in primarily hot or cooler air temperatures? Will you primarily fish from a boat or fish while wading. Are you a highly skilled caster or of more modest skills? Using a properly selected line can make fishing more fun and productive. Some lines cast better than others on a given rod. If at all possible, ‘test cast’ a line on the rod before making the purchase. Use a leader and fly typical for the intended fishing, testing the line at the distances anticipated for fishing and also consider the wind you might face. There can be significant differences in the performance based on the particular line, leader and fly combination on a given rod. You can choose a line quickly, with a taper best suited to your needs, by calling a knowledgeable expert at a reputable Florida fly shop, someone like David Olson, manager of the Fly Shop of Miami and Ft. Lauderdale (www.biscaynebayflyshop. com). Discuss your needs and you’ll get solid advice about which line(s) and tapers you need for your fishing. You can also visit the websites of line manufacturers, two of which provide line selection tools within their website. Scientific Anglers: http://buy.scientificanglers.com/lines/fly-lines.html RIO: http://www.rioproducts.com/buyersguide.php Authors note: Much of the information above comes from Bruce Richard’s book entitled Modern Fly Lines, published by Odysseus Editions, Inc., 1994, Birmingham, AL. Bruce designed fly lines for Scientific Anglers for 32 years, retiring in 2009. I am lucky to have him as a mentor. He is a cherished friend.
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PRODUCT REVIEW
BONEFISH FLY PATTERNS
Far more than just another fly tying book, it can benefit your fly tying and fishing because each topic applies to every aspect of fly fishing By Ed Maurer, Publisher When I first learned Dick Brown had released a revised version of his popular book, Bonefish Fly Patterns, I knew I had to have it, even though I already have a pretty extensive library, but what the hell, never too many fly fishing books, right? When it arrived and I started flipping through it I quickly found that this is more than just another pattern book, this a study on bonefish and the flies that emulate their food source. Okay, I know that sounds pretty routine but…. The revised and updated Bonefish Fly Patterns is more of an analytical treatise on not only bonefish flies, but the prey bonefish feed upon, and the types and features required of an effective fly and how and where to fish it. Brown goes into a full analysis of what bones eat broken down into the percentages of prey they eat in the Bahamas and Florida. It’s almost like a diet book in the way each food source is listed by type and percentage eaten, but also by what prey bonefish seem to prefer regardless of availability. It’s almost mind boggling, but much of what we do as fly anglers is, so this is right down our Patrick Dorsey’s Kwan alley. Like freshwater trout anglers who become amateur entomologists in their own right, Brown has become something of a “crustanologist” for the bonefishing community, even though much of a bonefish’s diet in the Bahamas consists of clams, of all things. (Would that make him a crustabivalologist? Whew) Yes, he depicts clam flies (Craig Mathew’s Clam Before the Storm is one) in the book. Clams? Who knew? Reading like a story comprised of 197 vignettes of related characters, Bonefish
Fly Patterns explains why bonefish eat Vic Gaspeny’s Threadhead what they do, where and when they eat it and how we should consider those habits when we select what flies to carry and try under certain conditions. Now, many already have the original edition of and wonder if this one’s worth the purchase. I’d say yes—absolutely— and here’s Brown’s comment why: “The new revised edition of Bonefish Fly Patterns contains 47 additional flies, an all-new chapter on fly design trends, and a new section on recent prey discoveries and new patterns to represent them. “Some of the new flies are recent patterns created by new flats anglers with fresh, inquisitive eyes—like Victor Trodella’s killer Ghost tailing fly and Omeko Glinton’s Meko Special. Others like Eric Peterson’s Spawning Why design a new fly? Shrimp, Vic Gaspeny’s Threadhead, Rick Simonsen’s Last year ’s flies (and Simram, and Patrick Dorsy’s Kwan and Bone Slappa are techniques) may not be creations of skilled flats veterans willing to pass along good enough…. Fish that the exact recipes of go-to favorites they’ve relied on for see our flies repeatedly winning tournaments. begin to recognize a threat “A few new creations, like the Toad and the Slinky for what it is. Each year, the Toad, were developed in response to the significant ante goes up; each season, findings of recent bonefish feeding studies that have angling techniques and fly established the importance of newly discovered prey patterns must keep getting forms in the diet of Florida and Bahamian bonefish— better. Pg 1, BFP especially the gulf toadfish. Four—the Bastard Crab, Big Ugly, Merkwan, and Bunny Crab—come from Bonefish & Tarpon Trust’s Aaron Adams, who is both a marine Aaron Adam’s Bastard Crab research scientist and an avid angler. And, several new entries, like the Skok/Boyle Reverend Laing fly, the Bevin’s Bully Special, and Trodella’s Ghost, were driven by new tying materials and new uses of existing materials, which have enabled tiers to find novel solutions to old bonefish challenges like flash intensity and splash impact. Finally, a few are well-known classics that I simply could not get into the original book for one reason or another—like the Horror and the Mini-Puff, which have produced on flats around the world for decades. I had them in my other book, Fly Fishing for Bonefish, but felt I had to get them into this definitive book. “In addition I virtually rewrote the sections on design trends to cover new skills like loop-dubbed inner-glow-bodies, trailing-leg & splayed-carapace designs, flats25
agnostic coloring, and application of bonefish-trigger traits and hot spots that today’s best tiers are using to make flies more productive.” Chapter 1 addresses the characteristics that make Looking Like Food a “…good bonefish fly good.” Here he writes about Bonefish eat just about anything such important issues such as the noise a fly should, they can safely run down and or should not, make when it enters the water—critical ingest without fear of attack…. for spooky fish in shallow water of areas where they’ve This is why bonefish are such become “educated”—sink rates, snag-proofing and perfect targets for “attractor” castability. Issues we all address are things like the patterns—flies that simply look importance of how much a successful fly looks like like they should be something food and how to judge whether it does by color, shape, edible, whether or not they size, sparkle and appendages. Sounds more and more portray any specific creature like trout fishing and hatch-matching all the time. that lives on the flats. Pg 5, BFP Following that initial study and coaching are profiles of 197 flies, including the 47 new ones for this edition. For each fly Brown has provided a beautiful color plate accompanied by Juan Roselione-Valdez’s Slutter introductory information about the fly, its ingredients with tying notes as well as remarks on where and how to most effectively present the fly. He also adds information about what dinner item the fly represents (including taxonomy in most cases, for those of us who recall our biology classes) along with anecdotes regarding the fly’s originator and other items of interest. To continue the schooling Brown follows the profiles with a chapter on selecting the right fly for different locations including Florida and Hawaii, the Bahamas, Central America and the Caribbean and farther-flung places like Christmas Island and the Seychelles with a list of the most effective for each. Here, too, the reader will fine high quality color Tim Borski’s Slider plates depicting the flies. Brown goes into depth regarding such esoterica as sink rates, the amount of noise a certain fly makes on the water and wind resistance of thin and thick profile flies. Of course, there’s more here that I can list in his discussion. You really need to see this book to believe it. And appreciate it. Of course, since he’s already on a roll in the first three chapters, Brown
covers tying instructions for select flies, Doc Hall’s Perfect Crab design alternatives, materials and even sources where one can find those materials. Again, I’ve got a pretty damn good library, but Bonefish Fly Patterns takes the cake. It’s more than just another fly tying book; it’s more like a grad course on bonefishing and the flies that make it work. For the angler who doesn’t (yet) bonefish, Bonefish Fly Patterns can benefit any of your fly tying and fishing simply because each topic also applies to every aspect of fly fishing whether it be for red fish, trout, permit or any other species we chase. Many of the critters a bonefish eats are enjoyed by them as well. For my money, and yours, if you were to buy only one fly tying book this year, it would be Bonefish Fly Patterns. I’ve got mine, and no, you can’t borrow it.
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CAPT. WILLY LE www.nativeflycharters.com
GUIDE REPORT: Photos by Capt. Le
A SPECIAL DAY FOR KENT JOHNSON
Kent Johnson from Montana spends his winters in warmer climates to get away from the frozen lakes and icy streams back at home. This year he is in Florida with his 5th wheel in tow and his wife by his side and they plan to travel the whole state staying in each region for two weeks then on to the next. While staying on the outskirts of East Orlando and called me up to target Redfish with a fly rod. Kent has traveled the world with his fly rod and has caught Bonefish, Salmon, Tarpon, Permit, Brown Tr o u t , R a i n b o w Tr o u t , e t c . b u t always had trouble with the Red Drum in Florida. After several attempts in the past years, he has failed to catch one until today, January 10, 2012, which was a very special day for him. On a sandy flat of 8-12�, we encountered laid up Sea Trout, laid up Redfish and large schools of Redfish. The water was crystal clear and not a lick of wind making the whole river sheet glass, which also made the fish very spooky. Kent had over 50 shots of both Trout and Reds but most of them blew off by seeing the fly line soaring through the air. The ones that didn’t spook off are the ones that either trailed the fly for a few yards before turning away, or ate the fly that imitated a small baitfish. After landing a few nice Sea Trout (which Kent can also check off his list now) I saw a pod of upper- to over slot Redfish approaching us. I quickly position the skiff for Kent to fire off a long cast next to the school which he did perfectly without spooking the fish. Once the pod of fish headed towards the fly, Kent makes 3 or 4 quick strips which gets a fishes attention which then turned on the fly and ate. Now
Kent’s first ever Redfish is hooked up on the end of his line and the battle begins. After about 20 minutes of tug-o-war with the fish, I give Kent a hand to land his first ever Redfish on fly that he’s been after for a long time. Kent cherishing the release of his first Redfish which measured 28.5”. It wasn’t too long after the release of his first Redfish when he made a perfect cast to his 2nd Redfish ever caught. After a bunch more shots and spooky fish, the wind picked up which made it tough to get the fly in the right spot so we called it a great day and headed back to ramp. Congrats Kent on your Redfish and I hope you enjoy the memories that these photographs will bring back to you!
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AARON ADAMS: THE CONSERVATION ANGLER
CRAB FLIES FOR BIG BONEFISH
I was recently asked, “What is your favorite pattern for casting to tailing bonefish?” Without hesitation, I said “A crab pattern.” I like crabs for two reasons: they have a high calorie content, and crabs are almost always present in shallow water. Bonefish are opportunistic feeders and are able to take advantage of the great diversity of prey they encounter on the flats. In a study in the Florida Keys, for example, more than 130 species of prey were recorded in the stomachs of 385 bonefish. But such a large list of prey isn’t very helpful to an angler trying to select the best flies for a fishing trip. Fortunately, although bonefish have a diverse diet, a few types of prey are consistently in the top five, making fly selection easier. Chief among the top types of prey are crabs. In my experience, crabs are almost always present in the shallowest water. As the tide turns to flood, hungry bonefish push into the skinniest flats in search of small crabs that are feeding in relative safety. In fact, I have watched bonefish slither across shallow flats, their bodies half exposed, to feed on small crabs. But crabs are present in all of the habitats used by bonefish, so every fly box should have a selection of crab patterns. There are far too many kinds of crabs to worry about imitating a particular species, the way a trout angler would. Instead, it makes sense to focus on the three main groups of crabs that are eaten by bonefish, and then use flies that mimic the general characteristics of these groups. Within each group, we can focus on the similarities among the species to minimize the number of flies we need to imitate them.
Swimming crabs (family Portunidae), mud crabs (family Xanthidae), and spider crabs (family Majidae) are the most common small crabs eaten by bonefish. Crabs from all three families are well camouflaged in their surroundings—whether they’re green in areas of seagrass, mixed tan and green in areas where coral rubble is mixed with seagrass, or tan or brown on shallow mangrove flats. In addition, although the maximum sizes of these crabs vary among species, the sizes most often eaten by bonefish tend to be similar—typically the size of a quarter or smaller. The greatest differences among these families of crabs involve their behavior, which influences pattern and presentation. Species of swimming crabs are all similar in shape. They can be voracious predators and scavengers, and always seem to be on the move. Their color varies from the olive green of blue crabs, to tan with eyespots for some tropical species, to light tan on the sand flats. Swimming crabs use their paddle-like rearmost legs to swim through the water, and they will swim rapidly sideways to escape a pursuing bonefish. Their move of last resort is to dive to the bottom and either duck under cover, such as a rock, or bury in the sand. Because swimming crabs swim sideways, they tuck in their legs and claw on the leading side of their body, and let their legs dangle behind them on the trailing side of the body— this is the most hydrodynamically efficient orientation. The Legless Merkin (size 4) fly pattern is designed to mimic this orientation, with a generalized body trailed by a barred tail that mimics the trailing legs. This fly lands lightly, so you can cast it very near the fish. Once it’s on the water, allow the fly to drop to the bottom, and then move it with short, quick strips. Once a bonefish sees the fly, change your retrieve to a long, slow strip. Mud crabs and spider crabs are both walking species. They lack the rear, paddlelike leg that allows swimming crabs to move through the water. Therefore, mud and spider crabs maintain a close association with hiding places on the bottom. Mud crabs, when chased, hide at the bases of grass blades, burrow into the soft bottom, or scurry under a rock or shell. Spider crabs are especially abundant among rocks and shells in seagrass beds and sand flats, and on rubble flats. These species feed along the bottom and scurry for the underside of shells and rocks when chased. The sizes generally eaten by bonefish range from about 1/4 inch to 1-1/4 inch across, with most crabs measuring between 1/2 and 3/4 of an inch. These groups of crabs were the inspiration for Norman’s Crab (size 6), a small pattern that lands lightly on the water and is best fished by leaving it still on the bottom. The movement of the rabbit fur and 35
rubber legs implies a mud or spider crab busily foraging on the bottom, unaware of the approaching bonefish. If they run out of other options, all crabs will turn to face the approaching bonefish, in an attempt to ward it off by snapping with their claws, all the while moving their legs as they search for a hiding place. Similarly, swimming crabs diving for the bottom can be a blur of motion. The commotion of waving claws and rapidly moving legs was the inspiration for the marabou and rubber legs of the Bastard Crab (size 4). I’ve had great success when using this pattern for both cruising and feeding fish in knee-deep or deeper water. When you cast it close enough for them to see the fly drop, the fish will often east the fly as it drops to the bottom. If you feel like the fly needs some action, a quick strip followed by a freefall works well, with the fly typically eaten on the freefall. Orvis’ Adams Crab Selection 2 each pattern: 1 light, 1 dark Item #6P8T | $15.95 To order, call 1-800-548-9548
Jeff Harrell photo
YOU, TOO CAN BE PART OF FLORIDA FLY FISHING MAGAZINE, HERE’S HOW! WRITERS AND PHOTOGRAPHERS GUIDELINES
This is the preferred way of submitting copy [articles, etc.] and images [photos, etc.]. The easier it is for us to use them, the more likely it is we will! ALL submissions MUST be your original work or submitted with written permission of the creator. Old, historical works are very welcome but you need to inform us about their source. Upon submission you have, for all intents and purposes, certified that what you have sent is your intellectual property or of a historical nature. Copy: -12 point, Times New Roman, left-hand justified ONLY. No fancy formatting, etc. that I’ll just end up undoing anyway. -News pieces: 300 – 500 words -Articles: 500 or more words. Pieces that are more than 3,000 may be serialized—run in consecutive issues. Please tell me you’d like to consider that for your longer article. I’m very open to the prospect for worthwhile topics. -How-to, technique, fly tying articles: make these photo-heavy with explanations for each photo or diagram. -Travelogues: Include plenty of photos, etc. Consider including links to Google Maps. -If you have a particular placement for an image within the document, place its file name in brackets [redfish.jpg] where you’d like to have it placed. -By lines include your name and your town so we know where you’re from. Images: [ALL images—Includes photos, scans, diagrams, etc.] -100dpi, 1200 px wide minimum. Larger is better! I reserve the right (unless you specify otherwise) to edit images as needed. -Color preferred, but B&W, etc. are a welcome change when appropriate. -Large, crisp images are preferred to small ones. I limit image sizes in the publication, but large ones I can to reduce produce better quality. -Name each file, then provide important info and captions in a separate, clearly labeled document. If the images accompany an article, etc., list the info at the end of the document. For example: redfishing.jpg; photo by Joe Doe; woman in blue is Deborah, man in green is Ed Please email ALL inquiries and submissions to: editor@flaflyfish.com
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Like father, like son, Jeff Harrell’s 3-year-old son, Ethan is a dyed in the wool fly angler. Jeff (above) is the owner and creative force of Finatic Designs, whose work can be seen at http://finaticdesigns.bigcartel.com. Ethan (left) is proving to be a badass fly fisherman who will put us all to shame in a few years.
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Never too young to begin. 3-year-old Ethan shows off a feisty bluegill. Yeah, he caught it, and yeah, he caught it on his fly rod.
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Jeff Harrell casting at sunset
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FLY TYING
THE BIG UGLY
By Stuart Patterson I discovered this fly after attending a seminar by Dr. Aaron Adams at the Back Country Fly Fishing club in Melbourne, Fl. Dr. Adams is the Director of Operations and Research for Bonefish & Tarpon Unlimited and a noted author. After his presentation, I purchased his book, the Fly Fisherman’s Guide to Saltwater Prey. The book is a fantastic collection of saltwater bait fish, crabs, and shrimp and the flies that imitate them. It really is a must have if you are serious about fly tying. Thumbing through his book, in the section on Ghost and Mud Shrimp, I came across the Big Ugly. What immediately drew me to this fly was its unique design. Not only was I impressed with the originally, but it was also clearly a fly with fish-ability. After tying up a few and fishing them around Sebastian Inlet, this fly proved to be a quality shrimp pattern that any species that eats shrimp will devour. The history of the fly is as interesting as the fly itself. The Big Ugly was designed by Dr. Adams before a research trip to Andros Bahamas specifically to imitate mantis and ghost shrimp and has become his “go to” fly whenever he sees mantis shrimp holes and ghost shrimp mounds on the flats. Andros guide Phillip Rolle is credited with the name. While fishing Andros with Rolle, Rolle examined the fly and christened it the “Big Ugly.” Dr. Adams writes that “…by the time the week was done, Phillip was using the fly too.” (Adams, 2008) Just recently the fly was made famous by its mention on the ESPN show, Pirates of the Flats. Fished slowly for winter sea trout, or quickly in warm waters for bonefish, this fly catches many species and I think it will find a place in your fly box. Materials Hook: Mustad S71SZ-34007 in size 2 or 4 Thread: Pink Danville flat wax nylon Eyes: Yellow medium dumbbell Body: Estaz Gold standard 10mm Wing: Tan Polar Fiber. The recipe in Dr. Adams’ book calls for fly fur, or angora wool, but I use Polar Fiber • Tail: Tan, barred with marker, Polar Fiber or fly fur over an optional grizzly saddle hackle • Other: Brown or black Sharpie or Prismacolor marker. • • • • •
Tying Instructions 1. Attach thread 1/4� back from hook eye. Build up a small bump to lay the dumbbell eyes against.
2. Hold the eyes at the rear of the bump and attach them with a series of cross wraps. Circle wrap under the eyes to tighten the cross wraps.
3. Cut a clump of Polar Fiber one and a half times the length of the shank and pull out any short strands and fluff. Using a brown or black marker, add four or five bars to each side. I lay the fiber onto an index card to mark the bars.
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THE BIG UGLY, CONT’D
4. Spiral-wrap the thread to the back of the shank just above the point of the hook. Tie in the barred Polar Fiber onto the hook.
5. Optional - Select a thin grizzly hackle and cut it to the length of the Polar Fiber. Tie in the hackle on top of the barred fiber.
6. Tie in the gold Estaz. Spiral-wrap the thread up to the dumbbell eyes.
7. Palmer (wrap) the Estaz around the hook, moving it forward to just behind the lead eyes. Tie off and cut the Estaz.
8. Move the thread to the front of the eyes. Cut a clump of Polar Fiber the same size as the previous piece in step 3. Pull out any short strands and fluff. Do not add bars. Turn the fly over in the vise, and tie in the fiber just in front of the eyes. Whip finish and place head cement on the thread wraps.
This fly has found a permanent place in my fly box. I fish it with short strips, followed by a pause. Dr. Adams suggests varying the weight of the eyes as needed for different water depths, as well as tying in shades of green for use in seagrass habitats. Fish this fly and I think you will agree it is a fantastic shrimp file. Works Cited Adams, Aaron Ph.D. “Fly Fisherman’s Guide to Saltwater Prey.” Mechanicsburg: Stackpole Books, 2008.
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FLY SHOPS
Stop, shop, and let them know you found them here! We have them all mapped out for you at http://g.co/maps/43vy4 BOCA GRANDE: Boca Grande Outfitters http://www.bocagrandeoutfitters.com/ 375 Park Ave., PO Box 1799, Boca Grande, Florida 33921
KEY WEST: Saltwater Angler http://www.saltwaterangler.com/ 243 Front Street, Key West, FL 33040-8371 (305) 294-3248
KEY WEST: The Angling Company http://anglingcompany.com 333 Simonton St. Key West, FL 33040 305.292.6306 Welcome to the Angling Company website. It is my pleasure to not only be a part of the Key West fly fishing community but also to supply the tools for any angler to enjoy a great day, both on and off the water. The Angling Company was created to fuel the passion of the local guides, their clients, and the local anglers who call this island home. I have worked hard to provide a store with everything any professional fisherman may need fused with the comfort and knowledge to get even the most novice fisherman hooked up. Fly fishing is a sport that I care about deeply. The store number and email address are there to serve you. Please feel free at any time to call or write me personally. I would love to answer any questions, arrange special orders or trips, or purely help out in any way I can to contribute to the love of what I think is the greatest sport on earth.
MIAMI: Fly Shop of Miami http://www.flyshopofmiami.com 8243 S. Dixie Highway, Miami, Fl 33143 (305) 669-5851 We offer you top name brands, excellent service and expert rigging of tackle for all saltwater fly fishing situations. Find a full range of saltwater & freshwater fly fishing equipment and clothing for Florida and worldwide destinations. Buy top name brands including: Sage, Loomis, Thomas and Thomas, Winston, Temple Fork Outfitters, Redington, St. Croix, Hardy, Tibor, Nautilus, Abel, Ross, Shimano, Scientific Anglers, RIO, Cortland, Fishpond, Simms, and Ex Officio.
NAPLES: Mangrove Outfitters http://www.mangroveoutfitters.com 4111 E.Tamiami Trail Naples, FL 34112 239-793-3370
NOKOMIS: Flying Fish Outfitters www. flyingfishflorida.com 820 Albee Road West #1, Nokomis, FL 34275 (941) 412-4512 Flying Fish Outfitters is more than a store—it is a full-service shop that helps you have an excellent day on the water. We carry a diverse selection for the fly and spin angler, and our specialty is providing our customers high quality products for any budget. Our ever-expanding selection of fly tying materials includes all the locally desired products but we are also happy to special order other items for you as well. In addition to supplying rods, reels, lines and etc., we are committed to education and offer a variety of programs most free of charge. Please visit us in person 7 - 7, 7 days a week
Orlando: Orlando Outfitters http://www.orlandooutfitters.com 2814 Corrine Dr., Orlando, FL 32803 ph: 407.896.8220 fax: 407.896.8244 tj@orlandooutfitters.com
Sanibel: Norm Zeigler’s Fly Shop http://normzeiglersflyshop.com 2242 Periwinkle Way, Unit 1, Sanibel Island, FL 33957 239-472-6868 We are a full-service fly shop offering the finest fly fishing equipment, apparel, flies, books, artwork, and accessories. We feature Sage, Redington, Rio, Seaguar, Umpqua, Temple Fork, and other top brands. Our flies are tied by local experts. We book guided charters for fly, spin, and conventional fishing. We offer fly casting instruction. We also carry a wide selection of spinning gear and bait. Our most important product is information. We will send you to the best spots and provide you with the best flies.
TAMPA: Tampa Bay On The Fly http://tampabayonthefly.com Located in South Tampa at 4203 El Prado Boulevard, Tampa 813-443-0660 Tampa Bay On The Fly is a one-stop, dedicated fly fishing shop committed to promoting and advancing the sport of fly fishing, both inshore and offshore, in salt and fresh water. Owned and operated by a local fly fisherman with more than 25 years of experience, Tampa Bay On The Fly offers experienced and novice fly fishermen the products, guidance and training they need to learn and enjoy the sport. With brands such as Sage, Redington, Scott Rods, Scientific Anglers, Rio, Air Flo, Tibor, Nautilus and more, Tampa Bay On The Fly offers the widest variety of fly fishing equipment, accessories and tying materials available on the Suncoast. Regular fly tying , casting clinics, and fishing excursions are also offered. Come touch, see, and feel the gear before you buy.
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VERO BEACH: The Back Country http://www.verobackcountry.com 1800 US HWY 1 Vero Beach, Florida (772) 567-6665 At the corner of 18th Street and US-1 tbackcoun@aol.com We are a locally owned and operated, fishing and outdoor store. Specializing in Fly, Spin & Light tackle equipment and supplies. We stock one of the best selections of flies, fly tying materials, lures, rods and reels in Southern Florida. THE BACK COUNTRY IS MORE THAN JUST A FISHING STORE - IT’S A UNIQUE PLACE TO SHOP!
FLY FISHING GUIDES
Find them on the map at http://g.co/maps/pw2ca AMELIA ISLAND: Capt Lawrence Piper http://theanglersmark.com (904) 557-1027 lwpiper@comcast.net
BOCA GRANDE: Boca on the Fly - Capt Al White http://bocaonthefly.com (941) 830-1375
COCOA BEACH: Cocoa Beach Fishing Charters - Capt. Doug Blanton 321-432-9470 captdoug@indianriver.cc
JUPITER: Capt Ron Doerr, F3M Pro Staff, Bite Me Charters http://captainronbiteme.com/index.html (561) 512-5560 fish@captainronbiteme.com Come fish for a variety of species on fly. We have the resources to catch up to 15 different species a day, to include Spanish Mackerel, Kingfish, False Albacore, Snook, Jacks, Sharks, Dolphin, Pompano, Black Fin Tuna, Cobia, Tarpon, Blues, Sail Fish, and more! I run two boats, a 32’ Twin Vee accommodating up to four flyrodders at a time and an 18 foot Egret for near shore and back waters. Let’s make some memories!
MIAMI: Capt. Carl Ball http://awolfishingguide.com Home: 954-565-2457 Boat: 954-383-0145 CaptBall@awolfishingguide.com
RUSKIN: Capt John Hand http://www.redfishlandingguideservice.com Phone : (239) 842-7778 Fax : (866) 592-1149 Email : tomatoesjh@yahoo.com
SARASOTA: Capt Rick Grassett, F3M Pro Staff http://www.flyfishingflorida.net Email snookfin@aol.com (941) 923-7799 Snook Fin-Addict Guide Service, Inc. is your one-stop shopping source for quality, shallow water light tackle and fly fishing adventures. Capt. Rick can provide guides and accommodations for any size group.
ST PETERSBURG: Capt. Pat Damico, F3M Pro Staff http://www.captpat.com Email: pat4jaws@hotmail.com 727-360-6466 My base of operation is the St. Pete Beach area of Tampa Bay and I can trailer my 17’ Maverick flats boat to other areas as needed. My boat is equipped with both spin and fly fishing gear should you choose not to bring your own.
TARPON SPRINGS: Capt Rodney Ristau http://fishtampabay.net (727) 838-3780 captainrodney@fishtampabay.net Port Tarpon Marina 531 Anclote Rd Tarpon Springs, FL 34689
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