Lady Angler LifeStyles

LadyAnglerLife TRAVEL | ENVIRONMENT | TOURNAMENTS | GEAR | PHOTOGRAPHY

FISHING Ladies of the 2012 Herman Lucerne Memorial Fishing Championship.

TRAVEL Nothing beats combining your favorite activity with a little fun in the Bahamas.

FOOD Catching is only half the fun - here is how to turn your fish into a gourmet fillet. www.LadyAnglerLife.com

Editorial Crew Welcome to Lady Angler Life Mary Louise English Managing Editor MaryLouise@LadyAnglerLife.com Richard H. Stewart Editor in Chief Richard@LadyAnglerLife.com Kathryn Maroun Editor at Large Kathryn@LadyAnglerLife.com PJ Burgess Tammy Levent Cheryl Perotti Andrea DiRienzio Dr. Julie Ball Sharon Drenner Associate Editors Becky Campbell Jeannie Wallen Diane Michelin Carrie Cartright Jill Davis Bebe Roberts Mary Kindschy Merry Beth Ryan Claudia Espenscheid Kristilee Christensen Contributing Editors Richard H. Stewart Art Director Richard@LadyAnglerLife.com Sheila Greenfield Advertising Sales Director Sheila@LadyAnglerLife.com

LADY ANGLER Life Info@LadyAnglerLife.com.

No part of Lady Angler Life may be reproduced in any form without written permission of the publisher. Copyright 2012.

Hello and welcome to Lady Angler Life, your online destination for female-focused fishing. It’s time the women of the fishing world were recognized in their own publication.

The premier issue has been a long project. During the development phase we confirmed what we already knew – lots of women enjoy the outdoors and the water. They have a sense of style, appreciate good food and like to have a good time. Many are highly competitive. Women also like to read about other women and their accomplishments. It was clear the ladies of the fishing world were under-served in the media. So, Lady Angler Life was born.

We've gathered an expert team to share all kinds of fishing advice, style tips – both on and off the boat – exciting excursions and mouthwatering recipes, as well as tales of challenge and adventure. You'll find “fish tales” (all true, we promise!) from the Florida Keys in the Southeast U.S. to Alaska in the Northwest, and a host of your favorite adversaries – muskie, snook, salmon, tarpon. You'll meet women who are passionate about fishing. Some grew up with it, learning as children from their fathers (or in at least one case, her mother). Others reached adulthood without baiting a hook or casting a fly – and if truth be told, often without any desire to – until they were touched by the sport in some way, and were “hooked” for life.

Our editorial team was assembled largely through social media outlets, and friendships grew along the way. We thank all our contributors for hanging in with us and being patient as this publication evolved.

And to our readers, we welcome your feedback. Please tell us what you think, the type of stories you'd like to read, and the pictures and video you'd like to see. This is your magazine – of, by and for lady anglers – and all women who love the outdoors, or just want to learn about the sport. The more we hear from you, the better we can make this magazine.

So, sit back and meet our lady anglers. They're a fun bunch. We hope you enjoy what you see. Please share it with your friends.

Best fishes to everyone, Mary Louise English Managing Editor, Lady Angler Life

Lady Angler Life | 3

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Catch of the Day FEATURE

FEATURETTES

A Day to Remember

Powder Puff

By Kathryn Maroun........................................................11

By Mary Kindschy..........................................................21

DEPARTMENTS

Tarpon Fishing

By Becky Campbell.......................................................31

Food: A Bucket List of Meals

By P.J. Burgess..................................................................17

Shrimp Saganaki Recipe

By Tammy Levent...........................................................19

Tournaments: Carmen Perez-Padron Interview/Herman Lucerne Tournament

By Andrea DiRienzio ....................................................25

RIP My Friend

By Diane Michelin.........................................................47

Jigging for Golden Nuggets

By Merry Beth Ryan.....................................................57

Teenage Tournament Angler

Once Upon a Fly Line

By Heather Harkavy ................................................... 28

By Jeannie Wallen.........................................................74

Fun: The Marina @ Marina Shores

By Tammy Levent ........................................................ 34

Decor: No-Nonsense Environs Approach

By Cheryl Perotti............................................................43

Images: Nature Images on the Fly

By Jeannie Wallen .............................................. .........50

Travel: Sportfishing Cape Eleuthera

By Bebe Roberts............................................................60

Fishing: All About Seasickness

By Dr. Julie Ball...............................................................69

Art: The Art of Lures

Dry Fly Fishing for Salmon

By Jill Davis......................................................................83

Fashionable Attire

By Claudia Espenscheid..............................................91

Fish On!

By Kristilee Christensen..............................................93

My Key West Shark Adventure

By Deidra Bridger..........................................................95

By Shawn Davis..............................................................79

Fashion: A Passion for Fashion & Life

By Sharon Drenner........................................................87 New & Improved:..........................................97

Lady Angler Life | 5

Meet the Editors of Kathryn Maroun

Kathryn Maroun is one of a handful of Canadian women to be certified as an FFF casting instructor. She is the award-winning executive producer of What A Catch Productions. The 52-show series highlights Kathryn's fishing adventures around the world. She exposes never-talked-about hazards of the sport, discusses conservation and culture, and showcases exotic game fish in her series. Her show first aired in the U.S. before being internationally distributed.

Kathryn is featured in the collection of two prominent museums for her significant contributions to the sport of fly fishing. She is president and founder of Casting for Recovery Canada, past director of Trout Unlimited Canada and a past member of the Canadian World Fly Fishing team. Kathryn also created a line of clothing for women at work in the outdoors. She has fished around the world and has a number of worldrecord fish to her name. Today she dedicates her time to writing about her adventures and misadventures and enjoys telling her stories through keynote speaking opportunities as well. Kathryn is campaigning to create a more balanced playing field for women in the sport.

P.J. Burgess

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Lady Angler Life Tammy Levent

Tammy Levent brings the party with her wherever she goes, and as CEO of Elite Travel, she goes just about everywhere! She knows where the drinks are strong, the sun is shining, and the big fish are biting.

Tammy may have beginner’s luck when it comes to landing the catch of the day, but there’s no luck involved when she’s ready to party. Tammy’s always ready to rock the boat. Follow her travel tips, and you’ll have one wild fish story to tell back home.

When she isn’t wielding a fishing rod, Tammy and her Elite Travel agents plan exotic trips for luxury, corporate, and budget clients. Whether Lady Anglers are looking for a Gulf Coast or Caribbean vacation, or a more exotic place to cast their lines, Elite Travel can book the fishing trip of their lives anywhere in the world.

A sought-after keynote speaker for private events, Tammy Levent is the creator of the WHIPshop series of business strategy talks, is a regular speaker for the Tampa Bay Business Journal, hosts the WHIP IT OUT Show, and is the author of the best-selling book, Women Who Mean Business.

Julie Ball

Dr. Julie Ball of Virginia Beach is regarded as one of the top saltwater anglers in the world. She has earned world-record angler awards in Virginia, ranking as the third top female angler for 2007, the sixth top female fly fishing angler for 2008, and the third top female all-tackle release angler for 2011. She holds 16 IGFA world records, including the only Level 7 Master Angler title in Virginia, and is the first woman to earn Expert Angler and Top Angler titles from the state. In 2004, she caught a 22-pound, nine-ounce tautog, the largest specimen ever landed by a woman.

An active advocate for recreational sport fishing, Julie shares her passion in hopes of inspiring others to appreciate the sport. Her efforts have helped make great strides for women in sport fishing and male-dominated sports worldwide.

Julie has been featured in print media, television and radio projects, and hosts a popular fishing website. She also writes fishing columns and articles, blogs for the Outdoors Virginian Pilot, presents informative seminars nationwide, and volunteers for children's and women’s fishing events. She is an IGFA representative for Virginia Beach, and a member and record holder in the International Women’s Fishing Association.

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Cheryl Perotti

Cheryl Turner Perotti, author of the monthly feature “Environs,” is a graduate of the University of South Florida and resides with her family in Tampa.

Her company, The Melange Group, includes Fountainhead Design and a newly formed fashion design firm, Hot Orchids. She created and led the design department at the original Robb and Stucky Furniture of Tampa. Her column appears in Panache Vue, an upscale Tampa Bay community lifestyle magazine.

Sharon Drenner Sharon Drenner's artistic talent was evident from early childhood and has been a common thread throughout her multifaceted career and personal life.

She majored in Fine Art at the University of Kansas and the Kansas City Art Institute.

Her early career included study of fashion and design, modeling, and work as a lithography artist and touch-up artist.

Her next life role was as wife, homemaker and mother to three children. During those years she also started and ran an art consulting business from her home in Florida, where she lives today. That business success encouraged Sharon to launch a high-end retail art gallery that thrived in an upscale beach community for over 15 years.

In 2007 Sharon began representing top fashion designers with seasonal trunk shows.

She loved the experience so much that she and her business partner decided to create their own private collection, currently in pre-production. Since Sharon is also an avid angler, her line will include fashions for women of discerning taste for on – and off – the boat.

Andrea DiRienzio Coming from a 20-year luxury cosmetic/fragrance background, Andrea DiRienzio developed her passion for fishing after meeting her fiancé, Alan Williams.

Her motto has always been, “I will try anything. If I don’t like it, I don’t have to do it again.”

Needless to say, she loves to fish!

That is where it all started. Andrea has embraced backcountry flats fishing and has had the opportunity to fish some of the finest fishing destinations in South Florida. From Biscayne Bay, tarpon fishing in the Keys, to backcountry and flats fishing at Everglades National Park, she continually strives to become a better all-around angler in search of her favorite species – redfish, snook, trout and the glorious, all-mighty tarpon. Andrea spends most of her time these days planning and looking forward to her next fishing adventure.

She also has a very competitive spirit and is looking forward to fishing and covering the Herman Lucerne Memorial Fishing Tournament in late September. It will be her first endeavor into the world of competitive angling for Lady Angler Life.

Lady Angler Life | 8

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A Day to Remember

by Kathryn Maroun

E “Our great sport has left out most of the contributions by women in its rich and long history,” was our sad conclusion.

very once in a while, I have a day so special that it is truly a day to remember.

Beyond the toil of everyday chores and the day-to-day frustrations of trying to get my computer to work properly, something unexpectedly wonderful will happen. People do surprise me from time to time.

One such day to remember came early in 2012 when 50 other women and I were recognized for our significant contributions to the sport of fly fishing by the American Museum of Fly Fishing in Manchester, Vermont. The museum did something that had never been done before: It mounted a landmark exhibit, called A Graceful Rise: Women in Fly Fishing Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow. It was the first time I had been recognized for my work in the industry. I soon began to understand that the underreporting of women’s contributions to the sport is not unique to me. I discussed the oversight with my fellow inductees at the museum’s opening celebrations for the exhibit.

Lady Angler Life | 11

How did this happen?

I decided that I had better look deeper into the history of our sport to see if I could learn where we went off the rails. After all, women have been fishing alongside men since the beginning — but you would never know it from browsing any number of fishing libraries.

Our major contributions in the disciplines of tying, art, literature, equipment development, conservation, film, competition, science, angling tourism, promotions and star power have been greatly undervalued and underreported. Instead, the sexualization of the female form is used to promote the sport (or sell products). Our other strengths, like the formidable skills and abilities we possess, are frequently ignored. There are exceptions to the rule.

Here is a link for a great overview article on sport and gender: http://www.la84foundation.org/SportsLibrary/J SH/JSH1994/JSH2101/jsh2101b.pdf

It helped to build a timeline in my mind as a first step to discovering how we are trying to rewrite history to better reflect voices that would otherwise be silenced by historians and men’s angling groups.

Will this new history reflect kindly on organizations like the Anglers’ Club of New York?

I think not.

The Anglers’ Club is more than a hundred years old, and it’s where the who’s who in the fishing world come together regularly to tell fishing lies. But women leaders of our sport are notably excluded.

Perhaps in the beginning, the Club was meant to be a place to meet people who share similar values, beliefs and love of fishing. Today, it may be more noted for who isn’t part of the club than who is. The Club’s purpose is strictly social, and an invitation to join the ranks means you must have been deemed worthy — and/or that you don’t have a uterus. That is correct; even legends in our sport are not permitted membership based on their gender.

“Separate but equal” is a contradiction in terms and is contrary to modern-day sensibilities.

Excluding any group because its members are “different” is hurtful and backward. It’s funny

The Anglers’ Club is a big reason why women are not recognized in our sport. because I thought the only thing women couldn’t do today was vote.... Oh yeah, we righted that wrong back in the time of my great-great-grandparents.

Who are these male anglers who question the “clubbability” of highly accomplished women fly fishers? How do they explain away the harm that is done by singling out one group of people and denying them access to the same opportunities that they enjoy via membership in the Anglers’ Club? What do these members tell their daughters when they are left behind and their younger brothers are accepted instead?

Perhaps it isn’t just one group of people they are discriminating against. The 600 members of the Anglers’ Club are from around the world, and the list of names is kept secret, so I can’t cite demographics. Although I don’t have access to

Apparently, books at the Angler’s Club (a few uteri sneaked in). http://manhattanusual.com/the-female-angle-andthe-anglers-club/

the list, I do know for a fact that they have invited lesser sports to join their ranks.

It was my hope that the Club would recognize a certain female fly-fishing megastar by awarding her an honorary membership to the Club before she passes away. Many clubs do this sort of thing.

She shouldered so much discrimination over the course of her career. I thought this would be one way to take the poison out of the wound. I was taken aback when she told me about a painful example of this issue. A particular fishing magazine would not publish her articles unless her husband’s name accompanied her own.

Many of her peers have been honored at the Club, and that is why I wanted her to take her rightful place alongside them. I started a petition to bring awareness to the issue, and within 24 hours it had 140 signatures of support. Because of politics, I couldn’t name names and therefore changed the original petition and updated it, and have included it here for your consideration. Even so, it was online long enough to serve its purpose.

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gender discrimination. Just as upsetting is how so many of my peers ran for the hills rather than acting as a united front to bring about the change that is so desperately needed at this time.

This is obviously very disappointing to me, on a number of levels, the least of which is that these people, who in my opinion are weak of character, will benefit most from a new open-door policy.

More and more today, it seems that people are very quick to turn away when they see someone in need.

“Fish and I have a lot in common,” as I like to say. “We can’t keep our mouths shut.”

Sport Angling Community: Let's start talking about the issue - Sign the Petition! http://www.change.org/petitions/sport-anglingcommunity-let-s-start-talking-about-the-issue# A gentleman member of the Anglers’ Club announced that he would put the woman’s name forward for membership. So August 1, 2012, is a day I will remember. People do surprise me from time to time.

If the bid goes through, it will go a long way toward fixing the Anglers’ Club’s image problem as well as bring the club into the modern age. I also believe that this action would go a long way toward fixing the unfortunate reality of inequality in the sport."

As for my image ... well, this need to stop what I see as the schoolyard bully has made me a target for unwanted attacks, and makes me vulnerable to even more oppressive acts of

If I see a problem, I can’t turn my back on it — it’s against my nature. What I interpret as discrimination in this case has a little to do with fishing, but a lot more to do with how we treat each other. We shouldn’t just accept things as they are and keep quiet. That’s one problem with the world today: Not enough people go out of their own way to make things a little better for others. Technologies provide a vehicle for each of us to have a voice like never before. We are obligated to use this gift to bring about change and leave the world a little better than we found it.

Trying to do my part in some way, I started a support group called “Is anyone good enough for the Anglers’ Club?” We gained more than 604 members in 24 hours – remarkable since that is a larger membership than the Anglers’ Club itself.

Very telling. This new group comprises members of like-minded people from around the world who share good energy and new ideas through powerful social media.

Join us here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/38678371472 2076/.

People will react in the same way they are treated, so it’s not surprising to see the groundswell against the status quo of the “old boys club.” People don’t want to break the rules,

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but they do want to see a revision of outdated philosophies as they apply to the Anglers’ Club practice of exclusion based on gender. I’m sure the members of the Club can feel that people are hurting by being excluded this way. I don’t blame the members for going along with a bad practice.

After all, some people can only understand what they’ve seen before, and if their ears are not open to hearing what we are trying to tell them, change can’t happen.

Perhaps a number of you can identify with my story. I have an older brother and a younger brother; my dad would take them fishing but not me because I'm a girl. Can you tell that being excluded because of my gender still hurts my feelings, even today? I didn’t view myself as different; I simply saw myself as the middle child.

Why do so many mothers give away their daughters’ pride by allowing these false lessons of power and status to be taught? It is like breaking an elephant with chains. Horrible thing to watch and do nothing.

Here is what I posted on Facebook in reaction to how the issue made me feel.

“PLEASE JOIN THE NEW group called ‘Is anyone here good enough for the Anglers’ Club?’ support group. https://www.facebook.com/groups/38678371472 2076/

My name is Kathryn and I'm not good enough for the Anglers’ Club. I have all the skills to make me look like an angler, and I even talk like an angler, but at the end of the day I'm not ‘ clubbable’ because of my uterus, vagina and breasts. No clubbability unless I have a sex change. I don't belong to any women's clubs, and I don't belong to any men’s clubs. I just fish.

So join me here and share fishing and friendship.”

Friends of mine who saw this post thought that perhaps my Facebook account had been hacked. This type of post is not in keeping with my character. It’s a little lowbrow. Its purpose was to shock by breaking this issue down into the most basic of terms. Sex. That’s what we are really talking about here, isn’t it? What is it about the mere mention of the words uterus, vagina and breasts that makes people uncomfortable? These are only words that name anatomical features of

the female body. Nothing inappropriate about them. The Vagina Monologues was popular and well attended.

People have a natural drive to feel connected to one another and to be included. I guess I’m still looking for that, since I’m not included based on gender. It won’t be fixed by landing a world-record blue cat, which I did. It will only be fixed by creating awareness of the problem through efforts like this. Change is a healthy part of life and inevitable. I do find some solace in this, however: “To go fishing is the chance to wash one's soul with pure air, with the rush of the brook, or with the shimmer of sun on blue water. It brings meekness and inspiration from the decency of nature, charity toward tackle-makers, patience toward fish, a mockery of profits and egos, a quieting of hate, a rejoicing that you do not have to decide a darned thing until next week. And it is discipline in the equality of men — for all men are equal before fish."

— Herbert Hoover Ninety-eight percent of the feedback I’m getting from anglers on this issue is positive and at times quite funny. Bill said, “I suspect the Anglers’ Club (never been there) is mostly a group of stuffy, self-congratulatory, old white guys (OWGs) who take themselves far too seriously, and seriously overlook women's contributions to their sport and their lives.” One woman said to me that she burned her bra long ago and we are OK today. This when I had the barbecue lighter in hand, but I used it to burn this guy’s post: Randy said, “I guarantee you can fish a heckuvalot better than me but I do run well with the pack!”

Don’t put your lighter away yet, ladies. More disturbing to me than the last post is knowing that so many women gave up their power/voice years ago and have simply lost hope. Deb said, ”They won’t change ... at least not until our parents’ generation is all dead.

Laynie said: “[Women] can give birth to these men ... but not be allowed to fish alongside them … they can raise their offspring ... yet not sit beside them at a club event . . . if these men did not have women

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doing the things for them to keep their homes and lives running they would not have time for such idle pursuits as spending time in anglers’ clubs....”

I believe the message to young girls who want to participate in this sport is that they can do anything they want to do, but when some people reach out a hand to them, it is only to slap them on the way past. I for one am tired of being red-faced.

It’s time to elevate our rich fly-fishing history and make it even richer by remembering that we are all equal in the eyes of fish and children. # # #

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IqdtzJvliMk Tight lines and quick releases! Thank you to all the people who invite me to fish with them.

It means the world to me.

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Note: One of the members of the Anglers’ Club was quoted in a New York neighborhood paper as saying that he is “drawn to fly fishing’s peace and naturalism.”

Well, I guess he is talking about Father Nature. They want to take credit for that, too. ~ kathryn@whatacatch.net

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Food | By P.J. Burgess, the Sundress Chef

A T

Lady Angler Life | 17

Lady Angler Life | 18

Shrimp Saganaki

By Tammy Levent Serves 4. Approximate cook time is 30-45 minutes.

1 lb. cleaned, large to jumbo shrimp ¼ cup olive oil ¼ cup fresh chopped garlic ¼ cup fresh chopped onion 2 tablespoon finely chopped fresh parsley ¼ fresh ground pepper 2 cups crumbled feta cheese 1 16oz. can drained, diced tomatoes Pinch of salt Pinch of cayenne pepper

Peel and wash shrimp, and let stand in colander to drain well. In a large skillet (cook on low to med heat) sauté onion, garlic and parsley in hot oil until soft. Add drained tomatoes, and seasonings.

Cover and simmer on low – med for 15 minutes. Increase heat, add in Shrimp and cook until slightly pink and shrimp are not cooked all the way. (Do not overcook shrimp).

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place shrimp with sauce in 10 inch baking dish, spread evenly and cover entirely with crumbled feta.

Bake in oven at 375 degrees for 15 – 20 minutes or until feta is partially melted. Serve over rice pilaf. Makes 4 servings

Tammy@TammyLevent.com

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Annual Lady Angler Life EcoTournament

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Powder Puff Reflections of the Outdoor Angel

by Mary Kindschy

here are some people you will jump through hoops for to make things happen. Captain Pat Kalmerton of Wolf Pack Adventures is one of those guys. When I had a message from him on Monday asking if I’d like to join him in a powder puff tournament, my first thought was, Why does he have enough makeup tools to enter a tournament? I started gathering my own collection of makeup with dreams of winning. I should because I have my own mini drug store of products! To me, a powder puff is used to apply powder to one’s face. I would learn that for Captain Pat, it’s an all-women fishing derby. After putting my makeup supplies away, I changed to fishing mode.

The logistics needed to be worked out before I could commit. I am in Crystal Lake, Illinois and the tournament was in Sheboygan, Wisconsin, approximately three hours away. Gas prices had just gone up another ten cents the day before. What would our team colors be?

Did the other women have special fish rings to guarantee our Lady Angler Life | 21

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success? I have a crystal koi ring I wear every time I fish, and every time I fish I catch the big ones! As important as the catching is how I am dressed while doing it. Captain Pat laughed and said to wear whatever I wanted. I just thought we’d have some team camaraderie. What do men know about fashion?

I knew I would go, but I just couldn’t give Pat an emphatic yes. Money was the reason holding me back, but you only live once. Besides, I’d been hand-picked for Pat’s team! How flattering is that?

Tuesday morning I was out for a walk when it hit me that the tournament was tomorrow, not the next week as I’d been assuming. Now that really changed things –– I hadn’t had time to set up my lemonade stand to raise funds! I verified with Pat that we were on for the next day and got busy picking my day’s attire. Shorts – check, tank top – check, fish ring – priceless! At 11:30 p.m., I figured I’d better try and get some sleep. I had to be at the dock in Sheboygan at 5 in the morning, meaning I needed to leave my house by 2 a.m. and get up at 1:15 to prepare. At 12:20 a.m. I was still staring at the clock. It’s always the anticipation of a) the big fish I’ll catch and b) the fun Captain Pat ensures.

Leaving my house, I debated taking a jacket along and decided against it. I’d fished the week earlier and ditched the jacket within a half-hour of the sun coming up. It had been a lot hotter this week and I didn’t want to look out of place and silly. Well, that’s exactly what happened. When I left my house at 2 a.m. it was already 80 degrees.

But unknown to me, a thunderstorm had moved

through the Sheboygan area and significantly cooled things down. Needless to say, I did look silly in my carefully selected shorts and tank top.

Fortunately one of my teammates said she had a sweatshirt in her car that I could use. Team spirit right off the bat! Now I knew we were going to win!

Not only did the storm cool things off –– it left two-to-four-foot waves to contend with. I was glad we were on a mini cruise ship compared to some of the tiny vessels I saw leaving the harbor. I didn’t want this to turn into a Gilligan’s Island reenactment, but if it did I think I’d be Ginger. I still remember her long gold dress and high heels.

That’s how I’d dress on a deserted island and people who know me would agree! The fun started immediately when the refrigerator door flew open and emptied its contents on the floor.

My teammate Lindsay started putting things back in but they came right back out. I made my way over to help but we were being tossed left and right. I was stationed under a counter and my other teammate, Erika, was making sure I didn’t get a concussion hitting the underside of the counter. Mission accomplished, and I made sure the latch was on the door. Trying to get back to my seat was like something out of The Three Stooges.

I moved forward but was thrown sideways, moved sideways and fell back, etc. I was laughing so hard I couldn’t move. You would think we’d all been drinking, but honest, it was the waves!

Trolling lines set and I was ready to catch some fish. Apparently the fish had a different idea because they were not biting. It started off very

Lady Angler Life | 22

slow, but word came in from other boats and they had fared no better. No need to worry, I had my fish ring on! We’d decided that I’d go first, because I was the oldest. I was actually old enough to be Lindsay or Erika’s mother, so it was probably more a “respect your elders” thing. I saw Captain Pat jump and knew we had a fish. I had my “sissy” belt (I call it this, don’t know the real term) on and placed the rod in the holder and started doing what I know. Didn’t seem to take too long and we were netting the first fish. Granted it wasn’t all that big, only about six pounds, but we were warming up. The three of us took turns as our lines were hit. Some of the fish made it to the cooler; others stayed cool in the lake. Our team had a total of eight fish to be weighed. We would have had the maximum 15 if some hadn’t gotten away, but you win some, you lose some. I’m proud to say I didn’t lose any this time. I should win a prize for consistency at least!

I helped Captain Pat pull all the lines in because we had to be in the weigh-in line by noon. (Secretly I think Pat was “auditioning” me for a first mate position. Earlier in the day, he had me help with the lines and other mate duties. Next summer I feel I will be working the Wolf Pack Charters as first mate for Captain Pat. Don’t know if I’ve seen a female first mate, so maybe I’ll be the first female first mate. That’s a mouthful.) We got our cooler off the boat and headed to the end of the line. With a win on my mind, I was checking out the other ladies’ (doesn’t sound appropriate!) fish. Some were comparable but some were huge.

Now I wasn’t feeling so confident about our win.

The thing I did notice was the attire of some of the groups; matching T-shirts and color-coordinated straw hats, Mardi Gras- style beads with papier-mache fish. That’s why I’d asked what color we’d be wearing. But men don’t think of this type of thing!

We weighed in and headed over for a picture with our catch. Next up: the cleaning station. Now I’ve cleaned and filleted a fish or two, but they had experts on hand. It’s a good thing too, because one-two-three and they were done, whereas I’m more like 998-999-1,000. I’m a little slow but I haven’t had the experience and practice these professionals had.

With our fish cleaned, filleted and bagged, it was time to get them on ice. An ice-cold drink

sounded good, but I was driving back to Milwaukee and stuck with boring old water. Of course now that we were off the boat, the sun was shining and it was turning into a great day. Maybe I would get a little color after all.

We were all anxiously awaiting the results.

I figured we hadn’t won after seeing some of the fish being weighed. We only had eight when you were allotted 15, but some of ours were real porkers. Fat fish would go farther in the totals than their skinny friends. I was pleased that we took seventh out of 44. Not bad. I’d left room in my car to haul home a big trophy but I guess they don’t give awards for seventh place. They should as far as I’m concerned!

What started as a dreary, bumpy, slow day wound up as a gorgeous, sunny fish frenzy. It’s not all about what you catch (although catching the big ones is not bad!); to me it’s about the experience. And this experience was great. Powder Puff 2012 will go down in the memory books for me. I’m getting up there in age and better mark this stuff down so I can accurately tell my fish stories to my future grandchildren!

~ mlk62@msn.com

Lady Angler Life | 23

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Tournaments | By Andrea DiRienzio

An Interview With

Carmen Perez-Padron Herman Lucerne Tournaments 2010 & 2011 Female Unguided Grand Champion and General Unguided Division Grand Champion.

Editor's note: Carmen PerezPadron has won the Unguided Female Division and General Division of the Herman Lucerne Memorial Backcountry Tournament (HLMBT) for the past two years. She is a member of the IWFA and fishes four t ournaments per year. She also volunteers for the Redbone for Cystic Fibrosis Tournament in Islamorada, Florida.

T

he Herman Lucerne Memorial takes place annually in Islamorada in the Florida Keys for the benefit of Everglades National Park. Lady Angler Life is proud to be a media sponsor for the 2012 tournament, coming up September 21-23. With the event right around the corner, Lady Angler contributor Andrea Dirienzio recently caught up with Ms. Perez-Padron and talked with her about boats, dogs, sunglasses, seasickness – and, of course...fishing!

Lady Angler Life: Tell us about your boat. What type is it and how long have you owned it?

Carmen Perez-Padron: My husband, Nelson, and I own a 16'9" Ranger Ghost. We have owned it since 2007.

Why this particular craft?

At the time of purchase it was the boat that best suited our needs and budget.

Is this your dreamboat?

It is a great boat for what we do. However, we are getting more into the sight fishing and Lady Angler Life | 25

would like to get into skinnier water that our boat just can’t get into. We are looking into getting a new boat, hopefully a Hell's Bay, after the HLMBT in September.

Why boating and fishing?

How did you start and why?

Boating is so relaxing, whether you have a fishing rod in your hand or not. I prefer to always have a rod in my hands, but sometimes it’s nice to just

go out to the Islamorada sandbar and relax with a cold beverage.

Since I was a little girl I always liked to fish. I grew up in South Miami in a house that was on a canal, so I would sit in the back with my mother or brother and just throw out a line with a ball of bread in hopes of catching something. More often than not I would catch little bluegill or oscars.

My first significant catch came when I was around 10 years old. I was fishing off a pier in Sanibel Island, where my family and I would go each summer. I was using a rod with a small Zebco reel and felt a tug and the line take off. After fighting the fish the best I could, with assistance I’m sure (can’t remember all the details),

catch redfish, but must say that snook are a blast as well.

It’s the thrill of the catch! It’s going out and targeting a certain species and being able to find and catch them. Whether it be soaking a bait or sight fishing for the particular species, it’s the hunt for them that is fun. Just as fun is hitting up a couple mangroves and tossing out a shrimp to see what bites on the other end. It’s the tug on the line that gets the adrenaline going in hopes of that being the one fish you will be telling stories about, the one fish you will be bragging about until the next fishing trip.

What does fishing/boating mean to you and why?

Fishing means more time to spend with my husband doing

being away from our dogs – we love them! Our Rhodesian Ridgebacks are our four-legged children.

Your local boating/fishing spots?

More often than not we are fishing in Flamingo, which is in Everglades National Park. If not fishing there, we are in Islamorada looking for tarpon or bonefish or just hanging out with our local friends in our favorite watering hole or marina.

Your greatest nautical challenge?

The BONEFISH! I have yet to catch one. Even the permit – I have caught one in my lifetime and I believe it was a fluke since I caught it in Flamingo.

Your “must-have” items aboard?

My polarized Costa Del Mar sunglasses!! I cannot leave home without them!

I landed the fish. It was the first redfish I ever caught. Now it is one of my favorite species to target and catch, whether sight fished on the flats or in creeks or mangroves. I just love to

something that we both are passionate about. It's that quality time we spend together out of the house away from the TV, our responsibilities, technology and our dogs. Not that we like Lady Angler Life | 26

Advice to new lady anglers and boaters?

Enjoy yourself! Fishing is fun and it’s a great way to spend time with your significant other – that is, if he likes to fish as well. Learn everything you can about fishing and be the best you can be. Fish with a local guide and learn from them.

They are a good source of knowledge. After all, they do it every day.

Local minus factor in regards to boating and fishing?

Believe it or not, the open ocean. As much as I love to fish,

I get seasick. I would love nothing more than to be able to go out and catch big snapper, dolphin, grouper, etc. but as soon as I see the waves and smell that diesel fuel, my stomach starts turning and out comes lunch!

Local “wow” factor for you?

I am fortunate to live in Miami, Florida, even though I hope to one day live in Islamorada. We are spoiled here with all the water and wonderful fishery. Whether it is saltwater or freshwater, we have a vast array of opportunities to fish – albeit depending on the weather and an accurate weather forecast.

Tournaments fished/won and why?

My husband and I fish tournaments that are for charitable causes. Most of those tournaments we have been doing for over three years now, and those people that fish and coordinate the tournaments have become friends. The

tournaments are fun and a good way to meet people that share a common interest in fishing.

For the last two years (20102011) I have been fortunate enough to win the Unguided Female Division and General Division for the Herman Lucerne Memorial Backcountry Tournament. This tournament is for a great cause – all proceeds benefit Everglades National Park, our prime fishing destination.

Backbone Lures Fish ‘Til You Lose It One Jig Tournament is another tournament in which I won the Ladies Division in 2010 and the Unguided Grand Champion in 2012. This tournament is put together by Islamorada guide Capt. Paul Tejera and his family. All proceeds for this tournament benefit the Florida Keys Children’s Shelter.

We also fish the Don’s Bait and Tackle (our local bait shop) Back Country Blowout. I came close to winning this one back in 2011. I did however win the celebrity challenge for this Lady Angler Life | 27

tournament, which was to beat the total inches of that caught by the celebrity anglers, Flip Pallot and Capt. Rob Fordyce.

All proceeds for this tournament benefit St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital.

My husband and I also volunteer for the Redbone Celebrity Tournaments in the Florida Keys. The Redbone Tournaments are held throughout the country to raise funds and awareness for Cystic Fibrosis. Our role in these tournaments is that of assisting with the scorekeeping, setting up for silent auctions, receipt of pictures from all anglers to confirm sizes of all fish caught, and any other duties they ask of us. We are volunteers with this organization in anything that they need but it has become like a family to us, not just with the other volunteers but with the anglers that fish each year and the guides. More information about the Redbone can be found at www.redbone.org. continues on page 29

Heather Harkavy

Junior Herman Lucerne Tournament Angler The joke of the family is that I was practically born with a rod in my hand.

For as long as I can remember, fishing has been a huge part of my life. My dad, a conservationist and very involved member of the fishing community, raised me as his little fishergirl. He provided me with much of my fishing knowledge along with a lot of extraordinary fishing opportunities. Fishing became really serious for me at the age of 8 when I caught my first world record and decided that I wanted to catch 100 world records before reaching the age of 17.

Rather than fishing more tournaments, which I had some early success with and won some treasured trophies from (starting just before my fourth birthday), I have been pursuing world records for the past nine years. In June, I caught what could be my 100th IGFA world record (still waiting on approval for this fish, a 32-pound permit).

If approved, this will make me the tenth person and third woman in the world to ever catch 100 world records. This is a goal I have been working towards for more than half my life and it has been quite the journey getting here. Now that this dream is hopefully coming true, I plan on getting a lot more involved in tournament fishing.

My most memorable experience was the fish that got away. It was an 80-plus-pound roosterfish I hooked up to in Costa Rica at the age of 11. I was only using eight-pound line to fight this beast and the fish fight lasted nearly six hours. The fish would keep coming up behind the boat to flaunt its broad back and stare up at me. It would always stay just out of gaffing range. When the sun finally set, my hands were starting to cramp up and bloody blisters covered my palms. My dad ultimately took the rod from me and fought the roosterfish for more than an hour until, alas, the line snapped.

The largest fish I have landed was a 135-pound pacific sailfish caught in Panama. My greatest challenge would definitely have to be the balance between academics, sports, friends and fishing. My must-have items would have to be sunscreen and my Trading Post sub.

Remember the golden rule! Do unto others as you wish to have done unto you.

Keep your karma lined up right!

My biggest pet peeve would have to be the lack of interest my friends have in fishing. It’s frustrating that my peers are not able to relate to such a big part of my life.

The sport has so much more to it than catching fish. Being submerged in the middle of nature and meeting so many amazing people in the process is a highlight of fishing for me.

Closing thought: If I only had one bait to use, I wouldn’t use bait at all. I’d use a fly!

~ jsharkavy@gmail.com

Lady Angler Life | 28

continued from page 27

Organizations that you are part of and why?

Recently, I became a member of the International Women’s Fishing Association. I became a member in February of this year and can’t imagine a better organization to be part of. They are all women with one common passion, FISHING! The IWFA has a very interesting history with members all over the country that fish around the world. I have only met a few of the members so far, but the ones I have met or spoken to are amazing women with great fishing abilities. Every month you are competing against each

other by recording all your catches and submitting the affidavits by the end of the month. I have already surpassed 25 monthly awards during my five months of being a member.

These monthly “competitions” have made me broaden my scope of fishing.

Before, I would only fish when weather permitted on the boat.

Now if it’s too windy or calling for rain, well, we just hit up the local lakes and canals for bass, bluegill, peacock bass or anything we can find that will tug on the line. For more information on the IWFA, please go to www.iwfa.org Lady Angler Life | 29

Anything else you would like to add about future aspirations and expectations going forward?

I hope to be able to get the monkey off my back and catch a bonefish! And to become a more all-around angler by learning how to fly fish and be good at it. When I do things, I like to not just be good but I aspire to be the best that I can be. ~ a_dirienzio@bellsouth.net

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To Be Eligible – You must Join or Renew in 2012 – for complete rules visit www.tarbone.org Bonefish & Tarpon Trust is a non-profit science based conservation organization whose mission is to conserve and enhance global bonefish, tarpon and permit fisheries and their environments through stewardship, research, education and advocacy.

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Tarpon Fishing When I am not fishing for the big boys and girls, I fish for the juvenile tarpon

by Becky Campbell started tarpon fishing in the year 2000 with a friend of mine. Needless to say I had no idea I I would get hooked. My mother tells me I actually got started when I was 4 years old and she, while tarpon fishing, handed me her rod as she took off her jacket. A tarpon hit her bait and came flying out of the water as I hung on for dear life. No, she didn’t land it, and actually I emember very little of it. However, tarpon fishing has become a passion of mine that just doesn’t quit.

When I am not fishing for the big boys and girls, I fish for the juvenile tarpon. I love everything about it – the hunt, the hit, the fight and the jumps with that fabulous head shake. These machines just won’t give up, taking anywhere from 15 minutes to an hour and a half to land, sometimes spending more time in the air than in the water.

Wow, how spectacular this species is.

I started fishing the WPTTS (Women’s listen on the VHF radio as each captain calls in a Professional Tarpon Tournament Series) three hook-up. I think this is an adrenaline-pumped years ago. My team knows the love and drive I fast-action type of fishing as tarpon fishing gets have for tarpon fishing. The WPTTS is one day a week for four weeks with a playoff called the Silver your blood flowing on its own, much less fishing in a tournament.

King Classic. Weeks 1-4 we fish for three hours, Our team – Team ProRep/Outta Line Capt. John usually from 7 to 10 a.m. The teams that fish in the WPTTS not only have a love for fishing but for the McLay, Capt. Andrew Peduzzi, Capt. Becky Campbell, Debra Gell and Ginger Campbell – had tarpon themselves. We really do love these Big a very slow start in the morning. I think this was Silver Kings and do everything possible to be due to the rough water, but with other teams getconservation minded while fishing for them. ting hooked up and we weren’t, the pressure was The Silver King Classic consists of a five-hour fish-off tournament among the top 25 boats of the starting to set in. “Oh come on, what’s the problem? We’re competing with the top teams WPTTS. We had three- to five-foot waves in the and we aren’t getting any bites… We don’t have all pass that morning and it was very tough to fish, let day here… Come on, let’s go!” I kept telling myself. alone fight a big tarpon. The tournament started I decided to ignore the selection of baits I chose at 7 a.m. and continued until noon. A lot of due to water color, clouds, sunshine, etc. and went spectators were on the beach while others with my gut feelings. With that first drift, I finally watched from their boats. Spectators can also Lady Angler Life | 31

I

Hey La dies. .

Fo l l ow La dy A n gle r Life!

If you have something you would like to tell the Lady Angler community, contact APassionForFishing@LadyAnglerLife.com

got hooked up with a nice-size tarpon and passed the rod off to Debra, who moved quickly up in the chair, ready to take over. She fought the fish for a good amount of time, waves crashing over the bow, boat rocking from side to side. This was going to be tough, especially since this fish was headed into the waves. We watched her jump a couple of times, when all of a sudden the hook pulled. Oh my, back to the pack to try and get another hook-up.

Toward the end of the tournament I hooked into another fish, again with my “favorite” color tail (everybody has a favorite). While I was trying to pass off the rod to Debra, the tarpon jumped and threw the hook back at us, waving goodbye with her tail. With three lines in the water and only two hook-ups… not very good but we gave it our best. That was the end of the year for us, but you will see us again next year. We did, however, take second place with a 170# tarpon in week 2.

Good job, Team ProRep/Outta Line, with team members Capt. Andrew Peduzzi, mate Scott Ballou and anglers Capt. Becky Campbell, Debra Gill and Ginger Campbell.

Lady Angler Life | 32

Silver King Classic Congratulations to Team Sea Hunt/Odyssey, winner of the Silver King Classic with a 243# total weight of two tarpon. Way to go, Capt Brian Hart, mate William Burbach and anglers Brittany Burbach, Tiffany Drewes and Amanda Hart. This team was hot right from the start. Every time you turned around they had a hookup. In my opinion you usually only land about a third of the fish you hook up on. When fishing this tournament you are also limited to time, so to hook up on, say, six to eight fish and land two nice-sized tarpon in five hours is very good.

Team of the Year Team Patterson Companies is the winner of the Skeeters Team of the Year Race. This is an accumulation of points for the four-week series totaled from fish weighed in along with releases and DNAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s. Good job, Capt. Justin Cauffman, mate Bobby Tyson and anglers Angela Cauffman, Brandy Garren and Nicole Tyson. This was one of the top teams from the get-go. They worked very hard and never gave up any slack. Everyone will be watching them again next year; I know I will. ~ captainbecky709@aol.com.

Lady Angler Life | 33

Travel | By Tammy Levent

The Marina @

Marina Shores Finding good times is typically one part knowing where to look (or whom to ask for the locations of the best clam bakes), and two parts bringing the party yourself.

When a friend suggested I head out on a fishing excursion with one of her hot angler acquaintances, my only thought was, Ten bucks says this afternoon ends up with me taking off my top. I was not wrong.

Within an hour I was indeed topless, reeling in the catch of the day, a mixed drink never far from my polished fingertips. Before the day was over, despite my margarita bliss, one thought was clearer than the lake we were cruising: It was time to find the best hot spots for anglers and their friends. These fishing types

A Fishing Girlâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Go To Guide Lady Angler Life | 34

know how to have a wild time. So when a tip led me to the Marina at Marina Shores, a boater's paradise in Virginia Beach described as a "premier lifestyle marina," I was hooked. Pun very much intended, friends.

Classifying the Marina at Marina Shores as simply a "high-end marina" is like comparing Jaws to a guppy. The Marina at Marina Shores is a destination, worthy of both relocating your boat for a few days, or for the rest of her days at sea. In fact, since the marina is nestled on Long Creek just off the Lynnhaven Inlet and minutes from the boardwalk on Virginia Beach, even if youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re without a boat, you should point your sails this way.

The Awesome Is in the Details Many fisher-guys and fisher-gals come to the Marina at Marina Shores to dock their boats. As an annual or month-tomonth member, you can take a wet slip or a dry dock. Once off your boat, you're privy to what I like to call "angler-luxe" â&#x20AC;&#x201C; a sea of amenities unmatched Lady Angler Life | 35

Lady Angler Life | 36

by marinas you've docked at in the past: free parking, free Wi-Fi, discounts on fuel. Oh, what's that? A covered fish cleaning station with running water and electricity? And how about the free pump-out station? Plus renovated restrooms with showers, and pet-friendly areas so Milo and Otis will always be comfortable on the immaculately landscaped grounds.

welcome, and inspire me to explore the surrounding area. And all that discovery will leave me hungry. Mmmm.

Membership has even more benefits – like enjoying local retailers with a discount, just for being you. Places like Napa Auto Parts, La Pizzeria, O'Leary Bar and Grill, Studio Bamboo Yoga, Long Jewelers, Yo 'Tini Frozen Yogurt Bar and Virginia Beach Resort Hotel and Conference Center, to name just a few.

Discounts aren't vital, of course (not like the hot showers available), but they make me feel

fresh-caught sushi, well, unless you’re lucky).

Besides the Dock Shop, perfect for snacks and beer when you want to loaf about on deck, there are two restaurants: Surf Rider and 757 Crave.

Surf Rider is an American-style seafood steak house, which means two things: excellent drinks, and plenty of hilarity at the bar. Have you ever noticed that guys who like surf and turf are blessed with the ability to be charming as hell,

On-Site Restaurants (and Rum!) Satisfying hunger at the Marina at Marina Shores does not require a long departure. In fact, there are options right on-site (and I don’t mean

Lady Angler Life | 37

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surrounded with enjoyable human beings? It's true, and I bet the Surf Rider is no exception. Try their raved-about crab cakes (people shiver with pleasure when dining on these). For vegetarians, a decadent vegetable is not hard to find â&#x20AC;&#x201C; there's a Big Broccoli Tree with hollandaise. And of course there's a full bar, that perfect place to order a rum and diet Coke while flirting with the locals (or other tourists like yourself).

757 Crave dishes up hearty breakfast, brunch and lunch fare (for winding the party down or getting the party started, depending on your style of fun). I love the names: Hot Giggety Dawgs are bacon-wrapped hot dogs with crushed pineapple, the Hangover is a cheeseburger topped with bacon and fried eggs, and the Red Velvet Belgian Waffle really needs no explanation except "yes please." Dine al fresco, watching the boats float by and scoping out whom you'll talk to next.

Um, But I Don't Have a Boat All this talk of indulgent meals prepares you for the biggest reason why I cannot wait to hang out in the Marina at Marina Shores: the pool.

Relaxing is a must when you're in food heaven, and whether or not you have a boat, you can still join the Pool Club and recline by the water. Invite yourself onto the tanning deck, where drinking in rays of sunshine is required (but full covered clothing is not). All new patio furniture in coral, daffodil and sea blue brightens the area surrounding the large pool, which overlooks the marina. Watch people busy on their boats while you practice the art of doing nothing with your gal-pals, or make conversation with a good-looking pool-goer over a piece of literature you picked up from the on-site book-swap library.

When it's time to put the books down and get wet, the large pool offers several depths â&#x20AC;&#x201C; the deep water covers long enough stretches for lap swimming should you want to show off your breast stroke, and the shallow area encourages wearing a floppy sun hat and shades while cooling off with gossip.

Lady Angler Life | 38

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The Yacht Club Had Me at Hello Admittedly, I love any destination where I might peek in on a gorgeous wedding, and the Yacht Club does not disappoint. Boasting four unique locations for a ceremony or reception – including the Yacht Club Room, the Shoreline Room, and the Coastal Room, as well as outdoor space – each area touts waterfront views that inspire love all around while still maintaining their own personality.

The Yacht Club Room has Grecian columns around the circumference of the dark-wood dance floor, with heavy, elegant drapery. This space has a soft, romantic feel, while the Shoreline Room offers a more country-club style of poshness. Simple lines in the decor keep the room sleek and modern, and there's an outdoor deck where newlyweds can pose for pictures or simply sneak away for a private kiss.

Those two spots aren't begging for you to stop by and crash the amazing receptions held?

There's more.

The brand-spanking-new Coastal Room opened in May 2012, and brings to mind a plantation with wide shutters, sheer curtains and bamboo floors. I can't wait to see the belles of the ball who wed and party here. And then there are the poolside patios, decked out with pastel chaise lounges and picnic tables, if you love a good beach theme, or the more trendy outdoor deck which gazes upon docked boats and the marina. But of course, a destination isn't just about what looks gorgeous and imagining beautiful people. A destination is about you going and making your own memories.

See You There!

All in all, the Marina at Marina Shores is the sort of place I'd want to gather my girlfriends for a long weekend of sunsets on a handsome captain's boat with a bottle of wine, and endless afternoons on the pool deck with adult beverages on standby. Virginia Beach is known for resorts, which means tourists … which means partying 24/7. Can't say no to that, and really, who would want to?

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~ Tammy@TammyLevent.com Lady Angler Life | 41

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Decor | By Cheryl Perotti

W

elcome to Environs – a no-nonsense approach to interior and exterior surroundings. Why no nonsense? Because when you peel away the layers of glamour, cutting edge and gentry, you find the heart of good design.

So together we’ll explore some of the venues you inhabit in your everyday life as well as those you enjoy (or just

endure) when you travel.

Although most of us enjoy attractive surroundings, we are often unaware of the impact a well-planned space has on our general well-being. We can be stimulated, calmed or inspired by sights, sounds and scents but we might just as easily be agitated, depressed or hampered! The crux of a great design embraces selfLady Angler Life | 43

awareness and then lots of functionality with style.

So… let’s consider selfawareness. Is there a little gypsy in your soul? Do you embrace the next new adventure or experience? Your spaces may be artsy or have the latest look but could tend to be impractical or disorganized. Or are you the neatly focused

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entity who revels in her well-honed skills and familiar passions? Then everything may have a proper place and be organized. But take care that your sense of style is not overlooked or outdated because it’s in your old comfort zone.

Perhaps you find your personality split down the center… the organized explorer, usually embracing new possibilities but only when you feel somewhat in control of the results? You probably find yourself inspired by both extremes and must mediate the differences.

Regardless of your personal tendencies and preferences, there are inherent demands in a well-planned space – outdoor living and recreational spaces as an example. Whether urban, rural, seaside, lakeshore, mountain or desert, the extended lifestyle afforded by our exteriors can always be enhanced to maximize comfort, function and beauty!

What are the basics for outdoor comfort?

Climate control is the first challenge. We may have to conquer the cold with fire pits or hearths, propane heaters or wind breaks. And the heat … well thanks to the technology that gave us misters, fans and retractable awnings, plus the magic of well-placed shade trees, thoughtful architecture and offshore breezes, we can create spaces that are pleasant even for the narrowest of comfort zones (like mine!).

What else to consider for outdoor comfort?

Unfortunately there are those of us who also have to deal with bugs, the biting, sniping, kamikaze kind – like mosquitoes or those little gnats they call no-see-ums (because you feel the bites but may never spot the culprits). Beyond the screened enclosure, it is once again technology to the rescue, with auto spray systems using toxin-free spray, bug-attracting frequencies with zappers, and good oldfashioned citronella candles.

Addressing function in the great outdoors means using fabrics and materials designed to withstand the elements, plus outdoor rooms and gardens with low maintenance. If you have people and your people have people to keep all of this stuff well tended, then you can just skip to the next paragraph! But exterior furnishings need to be cleaned, most wood surfaces need to be kept painted or sealed, plants have to be watered and, well … you get my drift. Consider

Lady Angler Life | 44

automatic drip irrigation for your potted plants, landscaping that is low maintenance, and wood composites, sealed pavers, etc. as part of your structural materials.

”Another major issue in your functional exterior living space is storage. Cushions, pool toys, grill accessories, sunscreen, and bug spray – all of the stuff we employ to play, dine and relax out there needs a protected parking space of its own, not only to keep it clean and organized but to prevent the clutter from stealing the show.”

And last, but most important of all, is the beauty of our great (or small and intimate) outdoors. Are you the Chinese paper lantern type? Maybe candles and torches only, please?

Or is it custom-designed lighting with a lifetime guarantee? Do you favor the weathered shabby chic, the organics created from nature, rock, and wood, or furnishings so lovely you could bring them indoors? Is your design preference symmetrical and organized, free-form and radical or somewhere in between? Does old world, high tech, or island casual fuel your imagination? If using a water feature, would you be drawn to a formal fountain, a sculptural steel water and fire design, or to a natural rock waterfall?

Bottom line, know yourself! Then conquer your natural shortcomings and indulge your desires. That way, when you need to go to your happy place, you can just pause, eyes wide open, to appreciate your surroundings … because it’s beautiful, it’s functional, and it’s all yours.

~ perotti@tampbay.rr.com, Fountainhead Design

Casting For Cats started in 2001, a ladies, one-day backcountry fishing tournament to raise money to help feral cats here in the Upper Keys. What started out as a fun day of fishing has now become out major fund raiser to help so many needy animals.

We are a 501(c)(3) charity recognized by the State of Florida. The tournament is held the third weekend in October every year. This will be our 11th year, and as always, all proceeds go totally to the animals.

www.castingforcats.org

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Lady Angler Life | 45

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RIP My Friend The Exceptional, Creative Harry Lemire

by Diane Michelin y definition, an artist may be a person whose work through imagination or talent shows exceptional creative ability or skill. In that case, the fly fishing community is blessed with an abundance of artists, from writers and poets going back to Izaak Walton to painters of every medium. Let’s include the best of rod makers, film directors, elegant casters and fly tiers. Often these folk are active in conservation efforts and provide mentorship for the rest of us.

They are integral to our favorite pastime and when they leave, they are greatly celebrated and missed.

I recently heard of the passing of Harry Lemire. Harry and I were not from the same neighborhood or even the same country. We met by chance in a camp on the Kispiox River a few years ago. I was interested in the flies that Harry created and he seemed to enjoy my artworks. A fly fishing friendship developed. So when Harry asked that I paint a fly for him, I was delighted. The fly in the painting was a historic salmon fly that he had tied out of hand, sans vice, which brings us back to the artist in him. I wanted to give more to the painting than just the fly so added a pencil sketch of Harry resting on a rock by the Kispiox.

I’m not familiar with Harry’s many accomplishA story comes to mind. My husband Dennis ments.

Our mutual friends Garry, Rocky and Larry was taking Harry back to the river late one afternoon. Harry was meticulous in cleaning his line, could fill in the significant blanks. I simply enjoyed greasing his fly, leader, etc. Impatiently, Dennis the stories in camp while watching Harry playing turned to get him moving. At which point Harry, cribbage with his buddies by the river. So I’m raisincredulous and ever the purist, asked, “You’re not ing a nice glass of red in celebration. Maybe that’s going to feed them foam, are you?” I might add all this game is about anyway. Oh, and the fly? It’s that the river was just about out and Dennis was signed, nicely framed and hanging in my fly tying going down three feet, but that is for another day. room. Thanks pal!

Lady Angler Life | 47

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Lady Angler Life | 48

Jeannie

Wallen Portfolio

Nature Images on the Fly

Lady Angler Life | 53

Lady Angler Life | 55

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Jigging for Golden Nuggets

By Merry Beth Ryan

O

ften referred to as “golden nuggets,” pompano are a highly sought-after fish.

Pompano invade our inshore waters late fall and early winter. Once the water temperatures drop into the 70s, the pompano head inshore to feed on small crabs, shrimp and any other tidbits such as sand fleas they can find. Pompano are a very elusive fish to say the least.

As with many other species of fish, they are there one day and gone the next. Patience is a must while fishing for pompano.

You will have to do some running around while at the same time doing your homework on their patterns.

Just when you think you have them figured out, pompano throw you a curve ball and you’re back to playing hide and seek with them. The good news is once you do locate them, your rewards will be well worth your efforts. Pompano will skip right out of the water, which helps in locating them.

There is no need to put your engines into overdrive to find these fun-to-catch fish. Pound for pound, they are as hard

fighting as fish their size get.

A slow-moving boat keeping a steady pace will actually work to your advantage versus cruising through a school of pompano at a high rate of speed. If you are operating your boat too fast and happen to run through a school of pompano, you will quickly see just how fast they can disappear.

Keep your eyes peeled and when you spot a school of ladyfish, that usually is a good Lady Angler Life | 57

indicator that pompano are scattered in with them as well.

Another thing to watch for are schools of bat rays and stingrays. They too will attract pompano to follow in tandem with them, eating all the goodies they raise up from the sandy bottom.

Where you see one pompano skittering across the surface you are bound to see others close by. I can remember the first time I spotted a pompano skip out of

the water and it nearly landed in the boat.

Pompano have a shimmer like that of a silver king. What a sight to see as their iridescent bodies wiggle up and out of the water. Talk about excitement! These silvery slabs provide that and then some.

The most productive way to catch pompano is by using jigs. There are many jigs on the market designed for pompano. One of my favorites is Doc’s Goofy Jigs tipped with a piece of shrimp. Doc’s jig, made in the Tampa Bay area of Florida, is a hairless jig usually used as the trailer jig when using a double jig rig. When targeting pompano, using the jigging method is a sure way to attract the pompano to bite.

Anglers retrieve the jig by bouncing it along the bottom. You are looking for the jig to imitate a crab or other small crustacean scurrying out of the way of predator fish. Pompano like anything that is crunchy to eat. Bounce the jigs along the bottom, lifting the sand to attract the pompano’s attention. Make sure you feel your jig hit the bottom before starting to bounce it along.

Depending on the depth of the water you are in, tides as well as currents will help dictate how fast you should retrieve the jig. A faster retrieve will be needed when the tide is running fast. If the tide is running at a snail’s pace, use a slow retrieve. This will enhance your odds of hooking these delicious eating fish.

Tipping your jigs with a small piece of shrimp seems to work as well as anything. Sand fleas are also a very popular and effective bait of choice. You can bring your “snowbird shovels,” also known as sand rakes, to the beach and rake up some sand fleas for bait. Sand fleas freeze well and can be used again. I have found that live shrimp tend to stay on the hook a lot better than frozen shrimp. So given a choice, use live shrimp when available.

Pompano are a challenging fish to catch. It takes practice to master the technique, as with most fish you target. Pompano are often confused with their cousin, the permit. Although they are alike in many ways, there are things about the two fish that are very different. Both pompano and permit are highly sought game fish. Both are great eating fish as well. A permit’s tail is longer with darker edges than that of the pompano. A permit also has a longer dorsal fin Lady Angler Life | 58

with darker tips than the pompano. Permit have a deeper body and slightly blunted shaped head compared with the pompano. The pompano will have more yellow color from their head back under their belly than a permit has. Permit do have yellow on them as well but mostly located on their underside near the back of the fish.

The average size pompano caught on a regular basis usually ranges between one and three pounds. There have been much bigger pompano caught – some weighing over eight pounds – but they are not your everyday catch.

One thing is for sure: Pompano on the dinner table is a meal fit for kings. If you’re looking for a different fish to target, give pompano a try – you will not be sorry you did. When you hook into your first-ever pompano, you too will quickly have the golden nugget fever. The challenge of catching pompano will keep you coming back for more.

~ mbr1965@comcast.net

Lady Angler Life | 59

International Travel | By Bebe Roberts

SportďŹ shing in

Photography By Richard H. Stewart

the Bahamas

At The Cape Eleuthera Club & Marina

After a long semester with a room full of kindergarten children, an invitation to visit the Cape Eleuthera Resort and Yacht Club was hard to resist. Although I have been an angler for a few years I had never really had the opportunity to sport fish in the Bahamas.

Less than an hourâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s flight out of Fort Lauderdale, Gulf Stream Air had me in Rock Sound International Airport going through the immigrations routine. Another half hour tour-by-car of South Eleuthera and I was sitting pretty sipping a cool tropical cocktail.

The Club is situated on a corner of the cape surrounded by the ocean on two sides, with 18 miles of sandy beaches and 4500 acres of lush tropical gardens. World-class fishing is king here but they also offer scuba diving,

Lady Angler Life | 63

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eco-tours, snorkeling lagoons and a tubing/snorkeling tidal canal that will whisk you along just like a water theme park! For a unique experience, the staff will take you by boat to one of the five nearby, footprint-free islands for the day, packed for a picnic – seashell buckets and all!

The property is a combination of luxury resort rooms – marina and ocean front – and permanent condominium residence. Each of the gigantic townhomes have two bright bedrooms with full bath, flat screen entertainment center and a large, all stainless-steel kitchen. The marina facilities are all new with over 50 slips and 10 moorings.

An on-site dive shop offers gear rental, lessons (including PADI scuba courses) and dive excursions.

But I was anxious to fish! The geographical layout of Cape Eleuthera is a plus considering the often persistent easterly breezes during the prime fishing season here, and also an advantage when bottom fishing when the wind is coming from the northeast, east, or east/southeast – there is almost always a side you can run to for protection. This morning I was up at dawn as Captain “Doc” Bob – yes, this was his summer passion when not in

surgery in the hospital in Miami – and his first-mate Joyce were buzzing all over their Hatteras, stocked to the hilt with bait fish and beer –- and they were ready to rock and roll. As we pulled from the marina and headed out the cut, Joyce was busy preparing the rods. She was in charge of the deck so by the time we arrived our first spot – after a lot of literal rock and roll – there was nothing keeping me from climbing into the fighting chair and waiting for a hit.

This was my first time for open-water sportfishing – the big guns, rods and reels that dwarf inland fishing gear. I waited, and waited, wondering how in the world “Doc” knew where to chase – and then I noticed how he watched the seabirds swarm. It felt like forever but maybe 20 minutes into the troll, I got a hit! And OMG was it determined not to be reeled in!

What a thrill when I actually pulled my first big one in and quickly removed my hook for a fast picture and release.

That first catch was exciting, followed by a few beautiful bonita catches on the ride back to Cape Eleuthera Club. Needless to say, I was the one that was hooked on that trip! ~ bbyr56@yahoo.com

Lady Angler Life | 65

Lily Tail to Musky Tale The musky, or muskellunge, is the largest member of the pike family

by Carrie Cartright recently accompanied Fishbum Outfitters (fishbumoutfitters.com) on their first Dream Lodge Giveaway, held at Thaddeus Lake Lodge (thaddeuslakelodge.com) just outside of Dryden, Ontario. Thaddeus Lake is well known for walleye. However, the odd musky over 50 inches can be caught as well. I had fished for the toothy critters on and off all week, with only followups.

We could not get on the water on Thursday due to high winds, which is not so bad for the fish. Late into the evening I found myself surrounded by fishing tackle and listening intently to a man who has more musky knowledge than anyone I had ever met! I hung on every word. The gentleman gave me a special lure called a lily tale to use the next day, and told me if I caught a musky with it I could keep it.

The next morning my Prince Charming for the day – Nebraskan Tom Koziol, a guide at Thaddeus Lake Lodge – came down to the cabin and told me to “put some onion on it.” Which meant hurry up! When it comes to fishing I don’t need to be told twice. I hurried to the end of the dock, my chariot awaited and off we went.

Tom had been teasing me all week about getting a musky. So, I politely teased him back.

He then offered up the trolling motor to me.

I was quick about it and moved up on the motor before Tom could change his mind. I saw a break in the weed line and kept the boat within casting distance. On my second cast I had one on! I heard Tom say, “It’s a pretty fish.” It was a pretty fish …

I

pretty special to me. After Tom netted the fish, we took some quick pictures and put the musky back in the water. We celebrated with the “musky handshake.” ~ ponderosa@rogers.com

Lady Angler Life | 67

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Fishing | By Dr. Julie Ball

Sea of Green A

lthough I had been fishing since I could hold a rod, I had never been fishing on a boat. The family had chartered a private charter boat out of Orange Beach, Alabama, for a full day of red snapper fishing. I was 8 years old, just making the age cutoff, while my younger cousins and siblings stayed behind to participate in land-loving kiddie activities. Feeling pretty confident at my ripe old age, I was ready for an exciting day of hot snapper action with the grownups. Unfortunately I did not anticipate the sneaky, water-borne party-pooper called seasickness. I spent most of my maiden snapper voyage perched in the doorway of the cabin next to my doting, seasick-prone grandmother, nibbling Saltines.

As the years passed, I attempted several boating excursions, with similar disappointing results. I am not sure if it was my love for fishing or just sheer determination, but after one particularly queasy day on the water, I promised myself that I would never again allow seasickness to interfere with my fishing adventures. As I researched the particulars of this condition plaguing my angling outings, I managed to

The Anatomy of Seasickness

eradicate the issue from my life. Now after developing my sea legs, my friends liken my scrambling about the boat to that of a little squirrel. It just took a little effort!

What Is It? Very few anglers have been fortunate enough not to endure the wrath of this dreaded condition at least once among their seagoing experiences. When it hits you, you think you will die, and then you just wish you would.

Seasickness is a miserable form of motion sickness, responsible for ruining seagoing activities since the Lady Angler Life | 69

beginning of maritime history.

It is amazing that a condition that can be so severely incapacitating is not a sickness at all. Seasickness is merely a state of imbalance.

Simply put, when your inner ear (the area responsible for your balance) and your body do not perceive the same movements in relation to your environment, a confused mechanism contributing to motion sickness is set off. If this spatial misperception is not corrected immediately, a quick spiral into a devastating feeling not soon forgotten takes over.

Individuals often describe

seasickness as the worst feeling of their lives, and many will actually appear to have a green hue.

The only good news is that once you hit dry land, you will be instantly cured.

Symptoms Seasickness can present at different levels of intensity, depending on the circumstances and the individual. These levels can range from a marked uncomfortable sensation, to severe reactions that can be completely debilitating.

Usually, the first sign something is awry is a distinct feeling of queasiness, headache and maybe some mild sweating. The person may appear pale, and even green. If this initial indicator continues without intervention, it is likely that within minutes the feeling will set in, and worsen. Next, the symptoms will often evolve into an awful plague of severe nausea and vomiting – violent, projectile vomiting is not uncommon. Once this occurs, full-blown seasickness has locked in, and the unfortunate victim is out for the count, so don’t expect anything other than a useless, sick passenger for the duration of the trip.

Prevention Before You Go I have helped many grateful passengers overcome seasickness, so although the outlook may seem a little grim, all is not lost when you are planning a trip in questionable seas. Luckily, seasickness is often easily prevented with a little planning. If you wait until you are already on the water, it’s too late.

The two most contributing precursors to a day of unsolicited chumming over the side are, by far, dehydration and fatigue. When planning a trip offshore, I always concentrate on hydrating by drinking water the night prior, as well in the morning. Soda, alcohol and coffee are diuretics, so they are off limits until I am sure the day will be a calm one. If you anticipate a night of drinking it up with your pals, expect to reap the reward of a nasty case of seasickness once you embark your vessel in the morning. A good night’s sleep is the best approach to avoiding fatigue. Hitting the hay at a reasonable time will lessen your chances of becoming vulnerable to motion sickness due to weariness.

Many seasickness victims are oblivious to their proneness to this condition, and make the mistake of eating a large breakfast with greasy and heavy foods. If you do this once, you won’t do it again. Either don’t eat until you feel comfortable onboard for awhile, or eat very lightly.

Preventatives Antihistamine-Type Drugs There are many different products available for the prevention of motion sickness. The most well known are the over-thecounter meclizinecontaining compounds such as Bonine and Dramamine II, although they will probably make you drowsy. Take a dose before you go to bed, and then another dose when you wake up.

This will ensure the drug is already in your system, and will help you sleep soundly at the same time. Some prefer to take an antihistamine such as regular Dramamine, containing dimenhydrinate, or Benadryl, which contains diphenhydramine, or Sudafed with

Lady Angler Life | 70

pseudoephedrine. Make sure you read the directions, and the possible side effects and precautions on the package.

The Patch The scopolamine patch is a popular preventative which is a trans-dermal patch worn behind the ear. Many find the patch to be very effective for preventing a miserable day on the water.

I prefer the patches over other motion sickness preventatives because they don’t make me drowsy and they can last for up to two days.

The downside is the trans-dermal travel patches are on the pricey side. Your doctor can tell you if you are a good candidate for the patches, as well as write you a prescription.

Wrist Bands There are two different types of motion-sicknessprevention wristbands available. One exerts pressure on an acupuncture point on the underside of the wrist, while the other wristband releases an electrical pulse that is helpful for some people. I have tried the electric version, which runs about $80, and found it to be a helpful adjunct for the prevention of mild seasickness.

Natural Preventatives Herbal remedies containing various combinations of natural ingredients are available, although you may need to do a little searching to find them.

A few examples include “Sailor’s Secret,” which contains ginger, and “Motion Eaze,” which claims to prevent motion sickness by applying natural oils behind the ear. I am not familiar with the effectiveness of these products, but ginger, which may be eaten in the form of gingersnaps, is a favorite old-time preventative used by sailors and old salts for years.

Prevention Onboard If you take special care and precautions before your trip, you are already way ahead.

But sometimes seasickness will still take you by surprise, so a few general guidelines will help you fight that feeling as long as you act quickly.

If you are prone to seasickness, be sure to locate a cool spot on the boat towards the stern if possible, allowing you to breathe fresh air and see the horizon.

Avoid smokers, bait smells, and diesel and gas fumes. Never, and I mean never, take your eyes off the horizon for more than a few seconds until you are completely confident. This is the number one method for keeping your eyes and brain on the same page, avoiding the imbalance reaction leading to seasickness.

Never go down into the cabin for more than a minute, and avoid other small spaces such as enclosed heads.

Do not lie down, or take a nap. Do not concentrate on small tasks such as tying rigs, or rigging baits; do this before you leave the dock.

Stay hydrated with water, and snack on light foods such as crackers. Decline others’ offerings of jerky, potted meat and other heavy “boat” foods. Stay far away from other crew members already afflicted by seasickness.

The sight and smell of another person vomiting is usually enough to catch your sympathetic responses off-guard, and you will follow suit.

Lady Angler Life | 71

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“Very few anglers have been fortunate enough not to endure the wrath of this dreaded condition at least once among their seagoing experiences.”

I have actually seen this happen to three people on a single trip!

If you begin to feel queasy, stop what you are doing immediately, and get away from other crew members who can distract you. Sit in your special spot out of the sun, and find the horizon.

Concentrate on the horizon, and take deep breaths of fresh air. Sip on ginger ale, Sprite, or 7-Up, and do not lie down. Within a few minutes, you should regain your orientation, and feel better. Just be prepared as the day goes on to react quickly again if needed.

Treatment If you do succumb to the dreaded seasickness monster, and the above guidelines don’t work, you will feel miserable to say the least, but remember it won’t last forever. Find a place to sit or lie down with a direct path to the gunwales, so you have access to chum over the side if needed.

Try to take on clear fluids to avoid dehydration from vomiting, and nibble on light snacks if possible. On occasion, once vomiting occurs, the symptoms can subside. If you can manage, try to fight a fish or take the helm; sometimes a pleasant distraction will help alleviate the symptoms. If all else fails, maybe the captain will give you a break, and call it a day a little early.

Once you are back on land, you will feel tired, but you will no longer feel sick.

As with most things in everyday life, common sense prevails in the prevention of seasickness.

Experiment with the different remedies and prevention steps to find what works best for you.

In no time, you will develop confidence along with your sea legs, and seasickness will become a nominal concern in your boating and fishing adventures…until someone else on your trip falls victim to the green monster! ~ drjball@msn.com

Lady Angler Life | 73

Once Upon My Fly Line

By Jeannie Wallen

Our trip started out about midmorning by the time we loaded up our gear and headed down the road. My husband figured we would be on the Russian River in time to fish the last few hours of daylight. I had already tied the fly I wanted to use on the leader tippet before we left home.

I somehow knew it would be the lucky fly for me on that January day. Having fished all my life with conventional tackle and fly fishing for other types of fish, I was really looking forward to fly fishing for steelhead. I had plenty of confidence in myself and was taught fly casting by one of the best casting instructors and a longtime coastal steelheader, my husband Dan. Lady Angler Life | 70

The sun was shining much brighter the closer to Guerneville we drove. This was very encouraging considering how thick the tule fog was at our home in California's East Bay Area. The river looked a very deep emerald green and the current wasn't moving too fast. The conditions looked perfect for fly fishing. "Fly-water" is what we call it! As we drove along the river road we looked for other fishermen on the river. We

looked great but there was a strong westerly breeze blowing in from the nearby coast. There were five guys already fly fishing the upper end of the pool. I watched and studied the riffle as we changed into our waders and wading boots. My husband said, "Why don't you try fishing the upper part of the riffle since you are using a sink tip instead of a shooting head?" “Sounds good to me,” I said. He was going to fish up near the other

spotted only a few as we crossed over the bridge at Duncan Mills to enter Casini Ranch campground. Lush green meadows, rolling hills and the nearby coastal mountains covered with evergreens is the backdrop for fishing on the beautiful Russian River. Nice sand and gravel riverbank offer easy river access for fishing.

I was in awe at the picturesque beauty. Even the dormant trees without their foliage looked graceful along the meandering river.

We walked on the sandy beach across from Austin Creek to take a closer look at the river and read the water to determine the best place to start fly fishing for the elusive steelhead, also called "the fish of a thousand casts." The water

guys. Then he said, "Since this is your first time fly fishing for steelhead, I'm just going to turn you loose and let you do your own thing!"

Naturally I felt somewhat intimidated because I was the only woman on the river and I know how dedicated and serious the coastal steelhead fishermen are. They weren’t going to want some woman messing up their fishing hole! I almost felt defeated before I started, but I took a deep breath and told myself, "Go for it, you can do this!"

I grabbed my Sage SP 7 weight fly rod equipped with a Courtland Rocket Taper 10 ft.

Type 3 Sink Tip with a California Coastal leader

Lady Angler Life | 76

setup consisting of 24 inches of 20# test Maxima Ultragreen monofilament as a leader butt and a seven foot section of 10# Test Maxima Ultragreen.

My fly of choice was a variation of a "Russian River Flame Boss" pattern without the tinsel ribbing tied on a TMC 7999 size 8 Atlantic salmon hook. I walked down the bank of the river and stepped in to wade out towards the riffle. The wading was very easy, and as I stood about waist deep in the water I could barely see my wading boots. I let out some line through the rod guides and started to cast. There was a wicked wind coming in from the ocean trying to compete with my fly line, but I was bound and determined to endure. The current was moving river left towards the riffle.

I decided to cast slightly to my right to get a good drift and mend my line ever so gently to keep tension off of my fly. I could feel my "Flaming Boss" fly bumping the bottom as it made the swing on the edge of the riffle. It was then that I gained some confidence in what I was doing. About ten casts later I hooked myself in the arm with my fly and had a few choice words to say to the wind! "The guys are probably laughing and making jokes at me right about now!" I thought to myself. So I regained my composure and started casting again, each time making my casts a little longer and fighting to cut through wind to make a decent presentation with my fly. I started to enjoy the surroundings and really feeling the river current run through me as if I were a part of the river itself. I tried to imagine a steelhead taking my fly as it swung in the current. There had been several turkey vultures circling and flying gracefully overhead and then they disappeared into the expansive bright blue

sky. I was really caught up in the beauty of the scenic river and its surrounding flora and fauna.

My line was swinging into the best part of the drift and I decided to try stripping in a little line and teasing it to hopefully entice a steelie to my fly. "Hey, something grabbed my line!" I raised my rod tip to try and set the hook and my line went slack and nothing was on it. It was time to quit daydreaming and get serious!

I made three more casts in the same area and each time the same thing happened. I knew it wasn't just my fly grabbing the bottom of the river. There just had to be a fish down there showing some interest in my fly. My theory sounded good anyway! I made another cast in the exact same spot. My line swung just to my left and I felt a small tug and then another bigger one. I started to lift my rod tip and all of a sudden my line shot out so fast and I knew the fish was hooked good. I yelled out to the guys, "I've got a fish on!" My heart was pounding and my reel was screaming as the fish took a run upriver towards the other fishermen. And then with such graceful power, my fish leaped out of the water about two

Lady Angler Life | 77

feet high and did a complete flip in midair in front of the guys! One of them said, "It's a buck steelhead she's got on!" I went upriver fighting the fish, wanting to turn him back away from the other fishermen because I didn't want all the action to spook any fish that might be holding in the pool near them. My husband came over to coach me a little, then ran up to the truck to grab the camera. He hadn't seen the fish jump the first time but as he turned around, the fish took another big run and leaped into the air once more. My husband saw it jump that time! I was so excited after seeing that silver bright fish jump.

The feeling cannot be compared to anything else.

I now know the true meaning of â&#x20AC;&#x153;steelhead feverâ&#x20AC;?!

By this time there were several people on the bank of the river watching and cheering me on.

I heard a woman say, "Hey lady, you better land that fish or the guys will never let you live it down!" Wow, talk about added pressure! My

husband was busy taking pictures of me fighting the fish. My steelhead was starting to tire a little and I put gentle pressure on to slowly bring him in towards the river's edge. I was anticipating that as soon as the fish felt the sand on his belly, he would make another run. Sure enough he did, but I had the upper hand and brought him in for a beach landing. He was a beautiful, silver bright, fresh-in-from-the-Pacific Ocean, wild steelhead and weighed about six to seven pounds.

Everyone on the riverbank was clapping their hands, yelling and cheering for me. I was so proud of myself and thankful for the day... a moment in time of pure joy that will be cherished as long as I live. I wanted a picture taken with the steelhead so we hurried to get the fly out of his mouth. I held him gently in deep admiration and respect as my picture was taken with him.

I thanked the beautiful fish and released him back to the river wonderland he came from to finish the rest of his journey home. As he swam off, I thought to myself, What a beautiful fish, so powerful and full of life. I can only hope that he makes it upriver to spawn, and then goes back out to sea to start his journey once more.

I went back to my place in the river, my heart still pounding from the excitement, and fished a while longer. This time I felt more in tune with the river than ever. It was quiet and peaceful. The wind had calmed and the current slowed with the turning of the tide. The emerald green water glistened with the last rays of sunlight piercing through the evergreen treetops. I stood in the river and reflected upon the entire day as I made my final cast in the evening shadows.

While we were putting our gear away, one of the gentlemen that was fly fishing stopped by and said, "You did a great job fighting and landing your fish. You really showed us guys how it's done. Congratulations, well done!" I felt so proud. It meant so much to me. I had been accepted into the world of the coastal steelheaders! Then my husband said, "I hope you realize what you've done today â&#x20AC;&#x201C; it's quite an accomplishment. There are a lot of guys that go many a day on a river without ever hooking a steelhead, and you did it your first time!" I will never forget that special January day on the Russian River when I had a steelhead "once upon my fly line." ~ ladyorion2@gmail.com

The Art of Lures

~ ladyorion2@gmail.com

Fly Designs by Shawn Davis

Lady Angler Life | 80

Lady Angler Life | 81

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Lady Angler Life | 82

Dry Fly Fishing for Silver Salmon Tips for catching silvers on top water

by Jill Davis

here are certain conditions that are conducive to successfully catching silvers or coho salmon on top water. I have had the privilege of fishing all over the state of Alaska.

The places I have had the most success are typically on river systems off the coastal waters of Alaska. I have fished 32 miles up the Aniak River

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on a tributary off of the Kuskoquim River as well.

To successfully catch silvers on top water, no matter where you are fishing, certain water conditions must exist. Find areas that are typically estuaries. There are different kinds of estuaries, ranging from salt to fresh water. Estuaries near the mouths of coastal rivers have a big saltwater

Lady Angler Life | 83

and tidal influence. There are areas in Alaska that are like mini-lake systems, fresh and saltwater, no deeper than eight feet. If you find an estuary up a river, it is usually a slough off of a tributary. The key factors are: slow moving, clear water with a shallow holding area that is lake- or pond-like, but not very deep. The fish need an area big enough to school up. If you are fishing in a tidal lagoon, fishing the incoming tide is important, but you should still be able to catch fish that are already in the lagoon.

I do not suggest trying to fish with a dry fly in the confluence of a river. What you are looking for if you are fishing in a river system is a slough or back eddy where the water is shallow, slow moving and clear. If you are lucky enough to find a salt or fresh water shallow lake system, that is ideal, because the more fish that can school up the better your chances are of catching a lot of fish on top water.

I have two theories of why silvers attack dry flies: 1) Fish are territorial. The salmon are coming in to spawn and they will attack out of rivalry over

breeding grounds. Backing up this theory: The ratio of cohos caught on top water is about 75 percent male, or buck cohos, to 25 percent female.

2) Salmon are in a feeding frenzy; when salmon are all schooled up in river and lake systems, one of their natural foods on the Alaska coast is a species of frog called the Columbia spotted frog. They swim across the surface of the water.

When I was fishing on the coastal rivers of Alaska, I witnessed silvers inhaling these frogs scooting across the water. This is when it occurred to me to try a Bass Bug that was tied like a frog! Wham!! Fish on! There is a popular Alaskan dry fly called the Pollywog or Wog. It is usually pink. Larry Dahlberg also has a few dry flies he uses for pike, muskie and bass called Dahlberg Sliders and Divers. I tried the Wog and did not like the way it casted because the head is shaped like a hammerhead shark. It is wind resistant. A slider and diver is more tapered and streamlined. So what I did was take hot pink deer hair, the color of the Wog, the shape of the slider/diver, and tied my own version of a dry fly

Lady Angler Life | 84

and named it the Ice Cream Cone.

I have created many variations of this fly in different colors. My most popular flies are my pink/white/pink and chartreuse/white/chartreuse.

Hot pink and chartreuse are highly productive colors for fishing for silvers in Alaska. I tie the flies in solid colors as well. I use orange, purple and royal blue. I also tie them in natural colors like bucktail brown and white. I use different materials for the tails. I like rabbit strips because they have the action of a mouse tail. Sometimes I use a piece of hackle as the tail. I tie different versions of my fly with and without flashabou.

Sometimes I put a few rubber enhancer legs in the tail as well.

I believe in having an arsenal when I hit the fishing grounds because fish, especially salmon, are color oriented. For instance, I went dry fly fishing in a saltwater lagoon with some friends and let them use some of my chartreuse and white Ice Cream Cones. I tied on a hot pink Ice Cream Cone. I outfished them ten to one.

Sometimes silvers will shy of flash and sometimes they love it! Be prepared with some natural colors too, like brown and olive green. In Alaska we use black, blue and purple a lot in leaches.

I decided to tie deer hair flies in those colors, which work best when you are fishing areas where it is clear and sunny and the fish are spooked. I had a friend bring me some deer hair, and royal blue just happened to be in the bag.

I tied my fly out of fun, not really thinking that color would work. I was out fishing in an area I call Dry Fly Heaven. We could see schools of fish, but nothing was working, wet or dry flies, so I said, “What the heck” and tied on my solid blue Ice Cream Cone.… Wham, fish on!

Besides water conditions and color variations, there is a stripping technique required to effectively catch a silver on top water. First, walk up to the bank where you are fishing. Try not to wade out in the water and spook the school of fish. Cast your fly in the school. Hopefully you will be able to see fish tailing and schooling up. Rod tip down. Strip, strip, strip three times. Sort of fast strokes. You might see a fish start to follow. You want the fly to kind of pop across the surface.

Make sure you hold on to your flyline. Strip a few more times and if there is a big buck silver following your fly, your natural instinct will be to

pull the fly out of his mouth. That is OK! You may be able to strip a few more times and catch him or you might have to re-cast and try again.

Repeat the strip technique. There is nothing like watching a silver follow your dry fly and attack it like a shark! Sometimes the fish get all riled up and attack voraciously. Get ready for a battle and some acrobatics! When you are ready to land and release your fish, make sure you are gentle.

Hold the fish upright and point his beak toward the water. You may even have to caress his belly to get him ready to swim away. Now reel up and get ready to catch another!

After you have caught a few fish, you may have to change colors or move and wade out further to be able to cast to the school of fish. A big clue you are in a good area is that you can see the fish tailing, sort of like redfish. We have many areas around Alaska that are conducive to catching silvers on top water, but if these conditions remind you of some areas in your home waters, give my techniques a try. If you have any questions you can contact me directly and ask me questions; I would be happy to talk to you. There are some great areas in Alaska I can recommend for some awesome dry fly fishing. Bring your 7-9wt fly rod, floating line, and let’s go fishing! ~ jdlostcoast@gmail.com

Lady Angler Life | 85

Fashion | By Sharon Drenner

A Passion for Fashion and Life L

ike many women, I have several focused interests and more than just one job title. Although every direction I have taken in my career has common threads – art, design and creativity – I have followed quite different avenues of application and purpose.

My artistic talent was noticed and encouraged from a very young age, so it was no surprise when I majored in Fine Art at the University of Kansas and later, the Kansas City Art Institute. I also had a strong interest in fashion and design, so many of my courses involved fashion illustration, color theory and figure drawing. During this time I also did a bit of modeling locally, both in print and on the runway, which endeared me even more to fashion.

I married young, before obtaining my degree and began a brief career as a lithography artist for Hallmark Cards (something that is done by computer now!). When we moved, I worked for a photographer as a touch-up artist.

Two years later, children entered the equation at the rate of three in six years and my focus turned completely to family and supporting my husband’s career. I happily participated in corporate entertaining, community projects, children’s sports, PTA and the usual mother/wife responsibilities for the next ten years. During this time we moved again, from K.C. to the San Francisco Bay Area, for seven years before returning to the Midwest. There were three more family moves before we finally settled in Florida, where I remain.

During those years, I started my own art consulting business, operated from my home. This business grew quickly with the expansive corporate growth in Florida, and I soon opened a facility that manufactured custom framing of the artists’ work that I sold to my corporate buyers, and also served the interior designer trade.

Lady Angler Life | 87

When I faced the life-changing dynamic of divorce after many years of marriage, I took a leap of faith and opened a high-end retail art gallery with a partner in an upscale beach community.

This gallery thrived in a great economic climate for over 15 years; in recent years my art business morphed into an online presence only in response to the economic downturn.

When the opportunity to represent a well-known NYC fashion designer with seasonal trunk shows was presented to

me for the first time in 2007, I was thrilled by the prospect and challenge. Since that time, I have been involved in selling two top-notch designers by this method. I loved the experience so much that the idea of creating our own unique, private collection began to appeal to both me and my future business partner. We now eagerly await the launch of our first small collection, currently in pre-production. It will include fashions for women of discerning taste, both on and off the boat. Stay tuned for visuals and more information in Lady Angler soon!

Introduction to Fishing Of course, I wouldn't be writing for Lady Angler Magazine if fishing were not another experience I love. I remember well the excitement of being allowed to tag along on a fishing trip with my father and older brothers for the first time at the tender age of about 6 in Kansas. Being the only girl in a family with three brothers had some advantages, but it also exposed me to more teasing and practical jokes that you can imagine, and I was usually the perfect target!

I cried baiting the hook because I felt sorry for the poor creature being garroted, which led to merciless taunts from my brothers who were old hands already at anything to do with fishing.

With my sweet and patient daddyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s help, I somehow managed to redeem myself by catching the biggest fish of the day, a catfish, with my first cast! I grinned with smug pride when we arrived home and Mom snapped my photo holding that big fish up next to my kneeling dad with my brothers glowering in the background! That snapshot is in a family album we viewed during a visit last year with my 89-year-old mom. The photo and the memories are even more poignant and cherished now that my dad is gone and my ornery brothers are fine family men who are loving embodiments of him.

Fishing Highs and Lows About ten years ago I went fishing on a charter boat with a group of friends in Florida.

Most everyone was more experienced and accomplished in deep sea fishing than I was, but my expectations were to have fun and enjoy the sun on a perfect Florida day. Although I did not Lady Angler Life | 88

catch the biggest fish, I managed to be the most excited of anyone about catching my first fish that day, a puffer fish. I was so surprised when that fish began to blow up as I attempted to release it! Everyone but me knew what would happen, and got a big laugh out of my shocked reaction and antics. I was a little embarrassed at first, but being a good sport, I laughed along with my friends at my naïveté and turned it into a comedy routine.

Once again, I later redeemed myself by catching some really nice-sized red grouper that provided several truly fabulous meals. Catching the first one was probably the most exhilarating and fun for me, as it had some real fight and also because it validated me as a serious angler, not just the unintended comedy act of the day!

Related Diversions As an artist and fashion designer, I love colors from the entire spectrum. I am drawn to any of the colors that would be found in a flame.

(Stop to think about that one, because it includes, to varying degrees, every color depending on the temperature and other elements!) If pressed for a favorite color, I would go with one that looks best on me to wear, just the right shade of aqua blue.

My perfect meal is going to include a nice piece of fish since I do not eat red meat or pork, and only occasional poultry. I enjoy most any well-prepared fresh fish, but tend to prefer mild white fish such as sea bass, grouper, sole, snapper or tilapia. I am fussy about having balanced meals, so regardless of the style of preparation, I need to have a hearty dark green salad and fresh steamed or sautéed vegetables included as well as an interesting seasoned rice, orzo pasta, or maybe roasted red potatoes. And don’t forget something irresistible with luscious dark chocolate for dessert, served with an espresso or coffee! Oh, my!

Recipe: Flourless Chocolate Cake (Rich, Dense, and Yummy!)

I try to avoid consuming or using white flour as much as possible. I found this recipe for a flourless chocolate cake that I served with whipped cream and fresh berries to rave reviews recently. Try it!

Ingredients: 4 oz. fine bittersweet chocolate (not unsweetened) 1 stick unsalted butter (1/2 cup) ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder plus additional for sprinkling 3 large eggs ¾ cup sugar Preheat oven to 375 F. and butter an 8” round baking pan. Line bottom with a round of wax paper and butter the top side.

Chop chocolate into small pieces. In double boiler or metal bowl set over saucepan of simmering water, melt chocolate with butter, stirring until smooth. Remove from heat and whisk sugar into chocolate mixture. Add eggs and whisk well. Sift ½ cup cocoa powder over chocolate mixture and whisk until just combined.

Pour into pan and bake in middle of oven for 25 minutes or until top has formed a thin crust.

Cool in pan on a rack five minutes and invert onto a serving platter. Dust with additional cocoa powder and serve with whipped cream or ice cream and fruit. Cake will keep after cooling in an airtight container one week. ~ sharon@sharondrenner.com

Lady Angler Life | 89

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Fashionable Attire By and For Reel Woman

by Claudia Espenscheid

ishin’ Chix is a footwear and apparel brand, a national membership organization with thousands of members in over 30 states, and we host several annual charitable fishing tournaments throughout the United States.

I am the president and founder, and started the organization in 2006.

Fishin’ Chix began after the many hurricanes and tropical storms (Ivan, Arlene, Dennis, Katrina…) all devastated the Gulf Coast, and specifically my home and office (Ivan). I was suffering from post-traumatic stress, and somehow found myself turning to the water to heal. Other than throwing a cast net from my dock, I didn’t know anything about fishing, and had never considered it something I might want

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to do. Frankly, I thought it was rather redneck!

As the storms kept pounding away at us, and it wasn’t unusual to stand in line for ice, food and water…I suddenly had this primal urge to learn how to “feed my people.”

I stopped by the local bait and tackle and asked one of the young employees to get me what I might need to catch a fish. Some $200 later, I went home with a rod & reel, bait, artificial lures, a small tackle box and a bucket, and voila, I was ready to go. When I hooked a 20something-inch redfish on my first cast, it was almost like a sign from God, that my life was about to undergo a dramatic change.

One thing led to another, and I invited my friends from the devastated neighborhood to join

Lady Angler Life | 91

me in exploring my new-found fun and stress reliever. We hired licensed captains to be our “personal trainers” of fishing – and the fun truly began with a small group of 15 Chix!

The mission of Fishin’ Chix began as just a fun escape from our tense realities of mental and financial recovery from the hurricane disasters.

Since a woman always wants something functional and cute to wear for an occasion, we evolved to wanting “to inspire and fashionably attire adventuresome reel women.” The line of apparel and footwear was born.

Within months of organizing the first few local fishing trips, I decided that I wanted to do something unique, and on a larger scale, to incorporate my new fishing passion with my volunteer work as a board member of Covenant Hospice. What would it take to get a large number of women to participate in an in-shore fishing tournament to raise money for Covenant’s children’s programs? Our mantra became “No boat, no experience, no problem!”

If you have never fished, it can be rather intimidating to get started in what has historically been a man’s world. But fishing is so FUN, and I was determined to get women and girls of all ages to get out on the water and enjoy the sisterhood, the camaraderie and the excitement of landing a beautiful creature of the sea – and all for a good cause. The “Pink Rubber Boots Ladies Fishing Rodeos” (federally trademarked name) was a perfect, unique and therefore memorable name that tied in with our trademark boots and added more levity to the event.

The most rewarding part of having started this organization for women is when someone approaches me and says, “This is one of the most fun days I’ve ever had. I had never tried fishing before, and now I love it!” Once a woman in Orange Beach, Alabama, won our Fishin’ Chix tournament with the first fish she had ever landed! Again, you don’t have to be an experienced angler to fish our tournaments.

We hire professional captains to take our Chix out, and they have all of the knowledge, equipment, and bait necessary to win. All one needs to bring is a desire to have fun...and maybe a little bit of luck! ~ Claudia@FishinChix.com Lady Angler Life | 92

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Lady Angler Life | 93

FishyHumor

My Key West Shark Adventure

We had a monster on our hands and it became clear we would have to chase this fish

by Deidra Bridger

I

t was February 2011 when I took off for my first Key West fishinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; adventure. My boyfriend, Capt Bo Johnson, and I met up

Photo By:Capt. Bo Johnson, Tenacity Guide Service

Lady Angler Life | 95

with our good friend and local guide, Capt. Bryan (Bear) Holeman. After whackin’ the cobia and permit on a wreck west of the Marquesas Islands, we noticed multiple bull sharks chasing a school of permit.

Recognizing this would be the perfect opportunity to land a trophy fish of my own, we pulled off the wreck 50 yards and dropped the anchor. As the line came tight, the boat settled and my heart raced with anticipation. Capt. Bo cut a few pieces of chum and hung them over the side. I grabbed a Sewell custom conventional rod rigged with an EX-16 Canyon Reel spooled with 100 lb braid (main line) and terminal tackle comprised of a three-foot shot of 100 lb fluorocarbon tied to a swivel and about 18 inches of #8 single strand wire and a 9/0 Gamakatsu hook tied with a haywire twist. To finish off my rig, I used a six-inch steak cut out of a Jack Crevalle for bait.

The sharks began circling on the surface behind the boat just as I finished baiting the hook. I pitched the morsel 20 feet and we counted… 1 Mississippi… 2 Mississippi... 3 Mississippi… by the time we hit 11 Mississippi, the clicker went off! I fed him 10 – 15 yards of line before engaging the reel and set it to strike. As I watched, my main line peeled off at such an amazing speed that the water mist looked like

smoke!!

We had a monster on our hands and it became clear we would have to chase this fish. Capt. Bear pulled the anchor while Capt. Bo strapped a fighting belt around my waist, then fired up the motor. We got the 200+ yards of line back by chasing down the fish and Bo shut the motor off.

Then it was a game of one on one – D vs. bull shark. Who would win?!

After 30 minutes of grueling, down and dirty tug-o-war, we got our first glimpse of just how massive this fish was – est. 375 lbs, nine feet – definitely a trophy in anybody’s book! I worked him over to Capt. Bo alongside the gunwale. We decided it was an opportunity to get a pic of a lifetime so Capt. Bo tailed the shark and together with Capt. Bear, they pulled the mighty shark aboard for a photo op. Within minutes, the fish was released happy and unharmed.

What a day! With huge smiles of satisfaction on our faces, we made the return run back to Key West, arriving at the dock just as the sunshine fireball sank into the horizon.

First Mate Deidra Bridger Deidra first mates alongside Capt. Bo Johnson in southwest Florida & Key West - www.FishTenamity.com. Follow her adventures on Facebook @ Deidra Outdoors.

Lady Angler Life | 96

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NEWand GOT-CHA速 Lure 600 Series - Gold Plastic Body

Sea Striker has added a gold plastic body Got-cha速 lure to the already extensive line of original Got-cha Lures. The gold plastic body is available with a red or yellowhead, weighs one oz. and features #2 tail hook and #4 belly hook. Original Got-cha速 lures are excellent for bluefish, Spanish mackerel, trout and any fish that feed on small bait fish.

- www.seastriker.com.

Pro Fishing Compact Scale Tells you how heavy that fish is with your own two bare hands. It is that simple and small. The Pro Fishing Scale is the first all-waterproof scale of its kind, allows more than one way to hook the fish up and measure the weight of all sizes - up to 140 pounds. It is so tiny you can keep it in its special case or just put it in the bottom of your hundredyear-old tackle box. Also with essential buttons and functions, there is a freeze and save option, showing the weight and the time of the weighing. - www.basspro.com.

Lady Angler Life | 98

IMPROVED Freedom Hawk Freedom 14 Kayak

With its adjustable outriggers and stable platform, this kayak incorporates unprecedented innovation that specifically caters to the angler.

The 4-ft. outriggers quickly swing open from the stem to create a steady casting platform at a moment’s notice.

Just flip the levers while in a seated position and they’ll deploy quietly. By simply loosening two hand knobs, the outriggers are easily removed without the use of tools. This decreases the kayak’s length to a manageable 10’6" for easy transport and storage.

- www.billingtonseakayak.com The Little Explorer Has a Lens as a Lure Instead of a Hook The thing about fishing with children is that few have the technique or the luck to catch anything and they tend to be much more interested in the underwater world of their finned friends anyway. The Little Explorer fishing rod makes the experience of amateur angling more about observation and less about interference so that those scaly swimmers can be seen puttering around their natural environment undisturbed.

This kid-friendly contraption has no hooks or flies. It does however comprise a handle with a wind-up pulley and a pole with a dangling cord. At the end of the string, however, is a buoy with a video camera inside. - www.red-dot.sg Lady Angler Life | 99

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