Southern Saltwater
Fly Fishing Magazine Edition 2 June 2017
CLOSE LOOK South Carolina Lowcountry
www.southernsaltwaterflyfishing.com
764 Miami Circle, Atlanta, Georgia 30324| Phone: (404) 237-3473
www.thefishhawk.com
JOURNEYS OF SGI St. George Island, Florida 40 E 3rd Street, St. George Island (850)927-3259 www.sgislandjourneys.com info@sgislandjourneys.com
From the Editor
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ith our first edition of Southern Saltwater Fly Fishing, we hit the proverbial deck running. Now with the release of our second issue we are getting our sea legs firmly planted on that deck. The following pages offer some tips on new gear, but as always, our focus is on destinations for great fly fishing. This quarter we are taking a close look at the South Carolina Lowcountry with particular emphasis on the historic town of Beaufort. Join us as John Gribb takes us wading the high-tide grass flats in search of redfish, we explore a local outfitters shop, check out a historic hostel and meet a local fly tier. Also in this edition we cover the sport of targeting baby tarpon in Campeche Bay on the Mexican coast, stalk pompano in the skinny water of St. Lucie Inlet on the southeast shores of Florida and venture across the Mississippi Sound in pursuit of seatrout in the Gulf Islands National Seashore at Cat Island. June 2017
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Editor
As you get to the back of the
Jimmy Jacobs magazine, the End of the Line closjimmyjacobs@mindspring.com ing article introduces marine artPublisher Don Kirk ist and fly tier Tim Borski of IslamDon@Southerntrout.com orada, Florida. Tim developed the
Assoc. Publisher Jerry Davis JD@Southerntrout.com Digital Media Specialist Claude Preston, III Claude@southerntrout.com
Borski Bonefish Slider pattern that has been a killer for skittish bones in the Florida Keys for two decades and has taken its share of redfish on Florida Bay as well. Here’s hoping the stories get your blood racing in anticipation of hitting these waters for exciting fishing of your own.
Managing Editor Leah Kirk Leah@Southerntrout.com
Assoc. Managing Editor Loryn Latham Loryn@Southerntrout.com Editorial Consultant
Jimmy Jacobs Editor
Olive K. Nynne ON THE COVER
Jay Fleming www.jayflemingphotography.com
Contributors Jill Zima Borski Polly Dean Capt. John Gribb Claude Preston III Robert Sloan
Southern Saltwater Fly Fishing is a publication of Southern Unlimited, LLC. It is produced in conjunction with Southern Trout Magazine and Southerntrout. com. Copyright 2017 Southern Unlimited, LLC All rights reserved.
www.sosaltflyfishing.com
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39 South Public Square Cartersville, GA 30120 770.606.1100 CohuttaFishingCo.com
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This Issue Editor’s Letter Campeche’s Silver Princes
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Catch-A-Lure 18 Cat Island’s Shallow Seatrout 20 T ‘n T is Back!!
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Pompano on the Flats
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Wading for Beaufort Redfish 54 The Rhett House 63 Featured Fly Shop Bay Street Outfitters
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John Holbrook: Beaufort, SC 76 Semper Fi on the Fly
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Featured Guide 88 Captain Tuck Scott Sage X Fly Rod
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Rheos Anhinger Polarized Floating Sunglasses
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End of the Line The Artistry of Tim Borski
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Campeche’s Princes
Ordinarily, tarpo sporty little guys to take the thron
Story and photos by Robert Sloan
Fly casting the calm waters of Campeche Bay for baby tarpon.
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s Silver I
t was a tight situation with a back drop of mangroves and tall palm trees. A single tarpon came around the corner of the creek in about 12 feet of water. I could clearly see it moving just under the surface. I put the fly in the air and it came down about three feet from the nose of the hungry tarpon. It charged the No. 1 orange Bunny. At the hook set this fish ripped a hole in the water. Suddenly the line went limp. I couldn’t believe my luck.
on are called silver kings. But these s more properly are princes waiting ne!
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“Look! Look!” hissed our guide and outfitter Miguel Encalada. “It just went under the boat. Cast your fly about 15 feet towards the creek mouth.” I did and it didn’t take more than a split second for the greedy tarpon to inhale the furry offering. This time the hook took a solid bite in the maw of the tarpon and the battle was on. Loops of line zipped off the deck and over my head. Then the line ripped through my finger tips and across the water. I narrowly escaped total calamity. I’ve caught tarpon in the 185-pound class, but this little jewel was like a stick of TNT. And when it shot out of the water, about 10 feet in front of my face, I suddenly realized why baby tarpon are such a big draw for traveling fly fishers. My prized catch weighed just over 16 pounds. On this south-of-the-border adventure we fished three days, and were rarely out of the tarpon. That’s about as good as tarpon fishing gets. From about March through October catching a Campeche Bay tarpon is almost guaranteed. The only catch is that we’re talking about baby tarpon weighing up to about 25 pounds. But on a fly rod they can be a wild challenge. Getting to Campeche is simple, and a quick hit for a tarpon fix. It’s directly across the peninsula from Cancun. There are daily flights to Merida. Once you clear customs in Merida the drive to Campeche Bay is less than two hours.
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Campeche was founded in 1540 by Spanish conquistadores. Today it’s got a population of about 230,000. It’s an old colonial city with a totally restored downtown area. That’s where you can find all sorts of restaurants offering fantastic gourmet seafood dishes and some of the best Mexican food you’ll ever eat. Encalada had made reservations for us at a five-star hotel in the historic area, and each evening he was our tour guide in the scenic town of Campeche. Each morning around 5 a.m. we had breakfast at the hotel. Next, we headed to the dock a few miles from the hotel. Within an hour of running the flats we were making casts to tailing tarpon at first light. I’ve been fly fishing for silver kings for decades from Nicaragua to Florida. The most fun I’ve ever had chasing tarpon is on Campeche Bay. What‘s so strange about Campeche Bay is that it’s crystal clear, and averages about 2 to 4 feet deep. There is an ample supply of aquatic vegetation, along with white sand flats. There are numerous islands and creeks. That combined with the miles and miles of flats attract and hold lots of tarpon. The morning drill is usually the most productive. That’s when you can see schools of tarpon working baitfish a few hundred yards offshore. As the sun gets up some of the best action will be closer to the bank under the shade of the palms.
Mangrove islands teem with tropical bird life. Photo by Jimmy Jacobs.
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“These tarpon are not easy to catch,” Encalada said. “They have keen eyesight and will spook at the drop of a feather. When we have cruisers along the bank, you need a sharp eye, good glasses topped with a fast and accurate cast to seal the deal.” Spotting tarpon on the flats is easy. Simply look for their tails and signature dorsal fins knifing through the water. We used both 8- and 9-weight fly rods. The go-to stick in most situations was a 9-foot, 9-weight Temple Fork. On the open flats a 9-foot, 8-weight was a good option.
Bunny Flies in a variety of garish colors are the “go-to” offering for Campeche tarpon. Photo by Robert Sloan.
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You can use an assortment of tarpon-type flies on the Campeche flats. Encalada said the best is usually a No. 1 Bunny Fly in orange, purple or chartreuse. The larger 1/0 or 2/0 flies will work. The No. 1 Bunny Flies were user-friendly for making long casts. Another option is to use small No. 1 or 2 poppers in purple, white, red, orange or chartreuse. Streamers are good, too. But based on what I’ve seen the Bunny Flies are tough to beat on a daily basis. Campeche is not only one heck of a beautiful seaside city, but possibly the hottest place on earth to sight cast for baby tarpon. What you find in Campeche is that the fishing is great, the food is superb, the people are friendly, accommodations are fantastic and the historic sites are entertaining. It’s a great place to catch your first silver king on the fly. You usually get multiple shots on a daily basis. And it’s all about site casting to baby tarpon on gin clear flats.
For details go to campecheflyfishingtarponbay.com.mx
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About the Author Robert Sloan earned degrees in both journalism and photography, leading to an award-winning 30-year career of writing for magazines and newspapers, as well as professional light tackle and fly fishing guiding. He has fished from East Africa to South America. Headquartered in Port O’Conner, Texas, Sloan is credited with catching the heaviest fish ever taken in the Lone Star State on a fly rod – a 53.44-pound cobia.
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The tarpon are not giants, but they are plentiful and feisty!
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SweetWater Brewing Company • Georgia • SweetWaterBrew.com
product review
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Turn your Fly Ro
othing spoils the magic of fly fishing like getting hung up in the tangled limbs of a shoreline mangrove tree. Insult is added to injury when it results in the loss of a fly that you do not have a replacement for in your fly box. It happens to us all. And for most of us it happens too often and at the worst time. Enter, Catch-A-Lure to the rescue. Catch-A-Lure was invented by a lifelong fisherman from Eastern Pennsylvania. Like every other fly fisherman casting on Keystone State streams, he noticing wherever he fished in streams, rivers, or any body of water that there were always fishing lures hanging up in the tree branches, bushes and even on an occasional dock. His flies and lures, usually new and quite valuable, were also an eyesore to the aquatic’ environments.
The Catch-A-Lure is a nifty, compact device that enables fly fishermen to quickly recover otherwise lost flies, which can really take a bite out of your casting time. CatchA-Lure easily attaches and detaches from your rod tip. Catch-A-Lure uses the length of your fly rod to reach flies in trees, bushes or other situations. Placed against the obstruction holding your fly, all you
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have to do is pull downward to auto-cut vegetation to free your fly. It cuts away leaves and could not be more simple or easy to use. Catch-A-Lure is made out of a tough highgrade polymer plastic. Heavy-duty magnets attract steel hooks and bind them to the side. It stores easily in a fishing vest, as well as sticking to vest metal ring or lanyard for
product revew
od into
a Fly Retriever fast access. Catch-A-Lure also doubles as a fast cutting tippet tool. It is a new tool and a must-have for the avid fisherman, beginner to expert. Additionally, Catch-A-Lure r e d u c e s the litter in our fly-fishing environment.
www.catchalure.com June 2017
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Cat Island’s Sha
French explorers made an error when Coast, but there’s no mistaking the fly
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allow Seatrout
naming this island on the Mississippi y-fishing options around it! By Jimmy Jacobs
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lipping out of the Pass Christian Small Craft Harbor on the Magnolia State’s western coast, our boat turned south. The course took us roughly a dozen miles across the slick waters of the Mississippi Sound, toward the string of barrier islands that rested on the edge of the Gulf of Mexico. June 2017
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This string of jewels is part of the Gulf Islands National Seashore, and east to west consist of Petit Bois, Horn, East and West Ship Islands. However, our destination was the western end of the chain at Cat Island. Unlike its neighboring isles, Cat Island is shaped like a T laying on its side with the top facing the east. Its unusual shape is heavily influenced by being near the outflow of the Mississippi River and also being washed by currents moving westward. That unique shape resulted in a spine of uplands covered with pine trees running from east to west. But, the north-to-south axis across the top of the T is composed of white sand beaches built up by the water pushing ashore from the east. But none of those features were what drew us to the island. Rather it was saltwater marshes lining Smugglers Cove on the southern shore that issued the siren call. More specifically, the opportunity to toss flies to seatrout and redfish in the shallow grass-lined channels of Middle Spit that fronted the cove was our goal. Running the channel between Cat Island and West Ship Island to the east, the brick vestiges of Fort Massachusetts came into view on that latter isle. The masonry fortification dating from the Civil War period appeared in the process of being reclaimed by shifting sands, creeping vegetation and erosion by the waves. Rounding Goose Point to the west at the southern extreme of Cat Island, we arrived at our fishing destination. An expanse of green marsh grass created a vista to the north, backed by the hazy line of pines on the main body of the island. The island got its name when early French explorers mistook their sightings of the abundant raccoons to be cats. Though the isle had several periods of habitation, it now has no full-time residents – unless one counts the alligators in the freshwater bayous or the numerous reds and trout found along the shore! 22 l www.sosaltwaterflyfishing.com
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Beaching the boat, we bailed over the side to wade the hard sand bottom that fringed, and ran back into the maze of channels in the grass of the spit. Starting at the low tide and moving inland with the flow, virtually all of the spit was wadable. Although the area looked like it was made to hold redfish, on this day they proved elusive. Seeing no tailing action, I opted to tie on a gold spoon fly to strip down the middle of the shallow channels. After several casts, the spoon jerked to a halt halfway through the retrieve. But rather than an expected redfish bulldogging into the bottom, the fish immediately broke the surface, revealing itself to be a 16-inch seatrout. That proved to be just the first of a number of such hook ups back in the grass. But that was not the only option for some action. Later I moved out to the edge where the grass met the Gulf of Mexico. Here a shelf ran along the edge, dropping from just a few inches of water down to a 15- to 18-inch depth. Shuffling along on top of the ledge and working the fly in front of me down along the drop provided more hook ups with trout in the 14to 16-inch range. Fortunately, I did keep in mind a tip I’d gotten from my host on the trip and stayed up on the ledge. Shortly a commotion right at the drop-off caught my eye. As I followed the movement, I recognized the broad, flat, almost catfish-like head of a bull shark finning right along the drop and passing within feet of me. It made it very obvious why I had been advised to stay up on the grass ledge!
Fly casting the outer edge of the marsh on Middle Spit.
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Shaggy’s Harbor Bar & Grill After a day of fishing at Cat Island and the run back to Pass Christian Small Craft Harbor, you might want to stroll over to Shaggy’s Harbor Bar & Grill. This quaint, Key West style restaurant and watering hole overlooks the harbor and serves up burgers, sandwiches, salads and seafood, plus cold libations.
Founded by Ron Ladner in 2007, shortly after Hurricane Katrina, it is named after Shaggy’s Tavern that was a landmark in downtown Pass Christian in the 1940s. The Pass Christian restaurant was the first of what has expanded into a chain of four Shaggy’s stretching along the Gulf of Mexico from Biloxi to Pensacola. Whether you prefer to dine inside or out on the upper deck, Shaggy’s provides the perfect laid-back end to a day on the water. More information and menus can be found at shaggys.biz. June 2017
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The rest of the day provided more of the action for seatrout. Changing patterns, it became obvious the fish were here to feed and were not very picky about what they were eating. Getting out to Cat Island is the first obstacle to overcome, but either the small craft harbor at Pass Christian or the one at Long Beach, Mississippi are good jump offs. In fact, some angler even paddle kayaks on the 8-mile run out from Long Beach. Any small boat can make it during good weather. If you prefer to be guided, check out Shore Thing Fishing Charters and Capt. Sonny Schindler at shorethingcharters.com. They offer boat and wade fishing adventures. Also, their Cat Island Experience offers fishing and accommodations in their fully furnished house on the privately-owned portion of Cat Island.
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The “business end” of a Mississippi spotted seatrout.
About the Author Jimmy Jacobs is the editor of Southern Saltwater Fly Fishing and has been fly casting in the brine for more than two decades. He is the author of Fly-Fishing the South Atlantic Coast, a guidebook to fly casting from North Carolina’s Outer Banks to Key West, Florida. The book is available from jimmyjacobsoutdoors.com. June 2017
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Where Affordability – Meets Superior Quality
skimmerskiff.com Info@SkimmerSkiff.com Skimmer Skiffs L.L.C., 2764 Navigator Ave., Bld 138-S, Sanford, FL 32773, P: (407) 402-8295
T ‘n T is Back...
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ith 200 years of history and tradition rare indeed are names that have become household names such as Hardy and Orvis. Fly fishermen regard these as benchmark rod makers. In recent months Thomas & Thomas’ Exocett line of fly rods has quietly crept into the hallowed hall of saltwater fly fishing royalty. Five casts with an Exocett 9-foot, 9 weight and we knew we were in the presence of a very princely fly fishing scepter.
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Thomas & Thomas has a story worth telling too. Established in 1969 by Thomas Dorsey and Thomas Maxwell, from the onset these makers produced the world’s highest quality hand-crafted fly rods. Adding to the royalty theme, Thomas & Thomas signature bamboo rods were gifted by President Reagan to Prince Charles and Lady Diana on their wedding day. But, the company had some ebbs and flows. In 2013 Neville Orsmond, a South African fly fisherman arrived at the Greenfield, Massachusetts facility to personally June 2017
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order some rods. What he found was an operation on the verge of bankruptcy. Today Orsmond runs a rejuvenated Thomas & Thomas that is making big waves in the fly fishing world. The company is aggressively adding to its dealer base. Next month at the International Fly Tackle Dealer portion of the ICAST Show in Orlando, Florida, Thomas & Thomas is the sponsor of more Demo Day activities than the rest of the herd combined. Suffice to say, The company is not only back, but they are clearly on a mission to re-establish supremacy in the fly fishing world. It’s a couple of hours drive from Boston to Greenfield, where the Thomas & Thomas operation sits amid the Miller’s, Deerfield, and Connecticut rivers; the heartland of trout fishing in the Northeast. Their Exocett Series of fly rods is a hoppedup casting machine that might have been conceived beside a gurgling trout stream, but has DNA that is briny to its core. The name “Exocett” comes from the scientific name for flying fish. “Whenever you see flying fish in the air it means there are big fish around,” says Orsmond, “so we thought it was the perfect name for the saltwater series.” The 9-foot rods are availJune 2017
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able in 6 weight and all the way up to 12 weight to fight big fish like tarpon. The Exocett Series is Thomas & Thomas’ fast-action saltwater flagship line. According to the rod maker, the Exocett was developed to meet the challenges of the most demanding saltwater sportfish and destinations. This state-of-the-art series of high-performance saltwater fly rods are infused with the exceptional strength and dampening characteristics of Thomas & Thomas’ proprietary StratoTherm Resin. These light-weight rods are defined by a powerful, fast-dampening action that lifts line off the water with ease, and a thin-diameter top section that slices through the wind for quick and accurate casts. The field-tested 9-foot, 9-weight Exocett lived up to that description. The sweet spot on the Exocett is one of the biggest we’ve ever experienced. If you have a passion for permit, this rod is ideal. Double hauls were virtually effortless, and its consistent accuracy could put a smile on your face. With just two false casts you can cast the entire fly line, plus 10 to 15 feet of backing. The Exocett was very light in hand and the aesthetics were pleasing.
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The Exocett comes in a 4-piece multi-modulus blank with stealth matte “Thomas & Thomas Blue” Low-Friction Finish. The rod comes with the buyer’s choice of ceramic titanium frame or RECoil stripping guides (select RG models), black RECoil snake guides, ultra-premium cork full wells grip, milled aluminum uplocking saltwater reel seat. At the 2016 ICAST show, during the Vagabond Fly IFTD Awards, in which the Exocett took Best of Show, the judges noted: “No debate here: the new Thomas & Thomas Exocett range of rods is simply incredible and without a doubt the most impressive single product we saw at 2016 IFTD. Smooth, immaculate finishes, powerful and tons of feel…we also saw some images of impressive fish-pulling from a Thomas & Thomas trip to Apalachicola chasing monster tarpon...” Speaking with Thomas & Thomas’ John Carpenter, he acknowledged that the company is making a hard run on the fly fishing market, and especially its saltwa-
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ter segment. This summer’s ICAST will see the unveiling of yet another saltwater model that will be offered as a limited issue. Based on our field test, the Thomas & Thomas Exocett rods get a solid 10 across the board. These rods live up to the company’s slogan, “The rod you will eventually own.
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Pompano on t
The scene is like something found deep i these flats in southeast Florida are home by Polly Dean Marcia Foosanar directing the author to a cruising fish. Photo by Jimmy Jacobs.
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the Flats
in the Caribbean bonefish country, but e to some outstanding pompano action!
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lowly we wade across the shallows, scouring the water for signs of fish. These sandy white flats dotted with shades of turquoise, aren't located off the coast of a tropical island. Instead, we stand somewhat protected from the wind on the lee side of a small mangrove island on Florida’s Treasure Coast. We are near the southern tip of the Indian River Lagoon, inside the St. Lucie Inlet. It is late winter and we hope to find pompano that have moved in with a visiting cold front. Unfortunately the cold front is accompanied by high winds. Pompano have long had their following with area anglers who prize them for their willingness to bite and especially with those who recognize the great table fare they provide. Targeting them with a fly is a different matter entirely and can be quite addicting once one has felt the tug of a “pomp� on the long rod. These members of the jack family are just as feisty as their larger jack crevalle cousins and will aggressively eat a fly and run. Pompano in this area range from a pound or 2 upward to 6 pounds. The big ones are not uncommon.
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We take our time motoring toward the flat as veteran fly fisher and former guide Marcia Foosaner thoroughly scans the water ahead – way ahead. She has the vision of a hawk and after spending a couple days with her, my vision on the water improved somewhat, but I still only saw a portion of what she did.
Normally, she poles the final hundred yards or so, but because of the wind she hops out and walks the 17-foot Ankona flats boat that is made nearby in Fort Pierce into the shallows. Marcia explains that even a trolling motor can send the fish scurrying. When we reach the flat, she carefully anchors in water
Marcia Foosanar hooked up to a pompano. Photo by Polly Dean.
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deep enough to keep the skiff afloat in the falling tide. We do our fishing on foot; the boat is a means of transportation. Meanwhile, Marcia explains what we are looking for. “Look for stingrays or eagle rays, because the pompano follow,� she said, adding that the fish also follow
sheepshead and schools of mullet that are up on the flats disturbing the bottom and dislodging forage.
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Marcia Foosanar with a pompano taken on the flats. Photo by Polly Dean.
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Sunshine is almost a necessity for spotting, much less identifying what we're casting to. Calm conditions help a great deal, too. But today, we happily take the sunshine and cope with trying to see through water that is being churned up by the wind. I notice how slow and stealthy Marcia moves as she “stalks” the flat looking for pompano. We are not opposed to making casts at the occasional snook that makes its way by us. It takes me a bit to see the fish that she is pointing out to me. I am even more amazed at her ability to differentiate the species. In clear, flat water I can understand, but this water's surface is chopped by 20- to 25-mile-an-hour winds and casting all sorts of shadows. With the surface so choppy, I can barely tell what is moving and what is an immobile patch of grass or pothole. I find myself aiming my rod at a shadow to see if it is moving along the bottom or sitting still. I finally spot a couple of fish. “Don't cast. They're catfish,” Marcia cautions, then adds while pointing to another spot. “That one is a snook. You can tell by the tail.” We patiently watch a large shadow come towards us, hoping it's also a snook. Before I can barely make it out, she tells me it's a shark.
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A pompano that fell for a fly on the St. Lucie flats. Photo courtesy of Marcia Foosanar.
The flat is teeming with activity. Most of what we see are schools of mullet. Marcia watches the schools intently looking for pompano that travel in their midst. She looks for the telltale “flash” as the pomp dart around. She’s also scanning the school for any movement that is different from the mullet. “Pompano are faster than other fish,” she noted. Even if we don't pick out a pompano, she advised to make a cast or two into the school. If a pompano is present, there is a good chance it will leave the pack and follow your offering. Targeting stingrays is the same. Many times rays will make their locations known by large “muds” or cloudy areas in the water where they have been feeding along the bottom. If a pompano is traveling behind a ray, the flash can usually be seen as it flits around the ray. A cast or two in the ray's direction generally confirms whether a pompano is in the vicinity. Pompano often follow the fly before eventually eating. The flash of their sides can be seen as they dart back and forth in pursuit. Don't be too quick to pick up and cast again, unless you are certain your fly isn't being followed. I look up to see Marcia raise the rod and make a cast. By now I've learned that she doesn't cast unless a pompano is in her sights. I see the line tighten, the rod bend, and hear her squeal, “Fish on!” Small, 1- to 1 1/2-inch bonefish patterns such as Crazy Charlies and Bonefish Scampis work for pompano, as will any fly with pink and some flash to it. Spoon flies work, too.
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A 7- to 9-weight rod is ideal. We were having to throw in the wind, so went with the larger size. There is always a chance you may stumble upon a large snook or a redfish and it's best to not be under gunned. These southern stretches of the Indian River Lagoon and St. Lucie Inlet haven't always resembled the white flats of a Bahamian Island. In fact, only a few
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years ago this underwater terrain was covered in sea grasses. The grass that once harbored gator-sized seatrout and a multitude of other gamefish has all but died off. The blame mainly falls on high amounts of nutrient-loaded, fresh-water runoff from Lake Okeechobee. High amounts of rainfall, filtered through sugar cane fields, has not been kind to the area.
A selection of pompano flies. Photo by Polly Dean.
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The River Palm’s dock on the Indian River Lagoon. Photo by Polly Dean.
About the Author Polly Dean is from Athens, Georgia and is the associate editor of Fishing Tackle Retailer magazine. She also is an award-winning freelance writer and photographer, who has fly-fished throughout the U.S, as well as the Caribbean Islands. 50 l www.sosaltwaterflyfishing.com
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It is a bit surreal to fish over the area’s expansive white flats that run alongside deeper channels and pools bearing the turquoise hue we see in the Florida Keys. Even more extraordinary and reminiscent of an island in the Bahamas, are the highly visible queen conchs that are appearing on the inlet flats. Also, even bonefish are show up in warmer months! Like all ecosystems, there is a delicate balance that must be maintained and protected. Marcia points out the beginnings of new grass patches poking through the sand and we hope for a dry season to keep the water clear, allowing sunlight to encourage its growth. In the meantime, we’ll continue to target the pompano on these flats.
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River Palm Cottages & Fish Camp Unwind, relax and fish on the Indian River in the tradition of Old Florida. Located in Jensen Beach on the west bank of the Indian River Lagoon, River Palm Cottages and Fish Camp is a fisherman's and vacationer's dream. It’s also the perfect headquarters for fishing the pompano flats of the area. An avid angler and licensed guide himself, Captain Rufus Wakeman and his wife Melynda purchased the condemned property in 1998 and renovated the cottages and grounds to maintain the style of Old Florida that it represents today. A passion of the couple is nurturing the vast array of tropical vegetation that includes trees, fruits, and medicinal herbs. The 25 Key West-style guest quarters are scattered among the native fauna and flora of this lush 7-plus-acre property. Highlights of the fish camp include a lighted fishing pier and an authentic Seminole Indian chickee hut that can be rented for gatherings and special events. A sandy beach makes the perfect launching area for kayaks. For those seeking less adventure, a swimming pool is available and hammocks shaded by the palm trees dot the landscape.
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Anglers can also book a day on the water with Capt. Wakeman, a native of the area who has guided for more than two decades. With several world records under his belt on both fly and conventional tackle, he can accommodate most any angler’s interested in fishing the Jensen Beach area. Jensen Beach is located on the Treasure Coast approximately two hours north of Miami or 1 1/2 hours southeast of Orlando. To step back in time, call (800) 305-0511 or visit riverpalmcottages. com to book a stay at River Palm Cottages. The entrance to River Palm Cottages & Fish Camp. Photo by Polly Dean.
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Wading for Bea
Getting into the water on the grass flats is the secret to som Article and photos by Captain John Gribb
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here aren't many more beautiful or exciting sights in salt water fly fishing than wiggling tails glistening in the sunlight. Summer in South Carolina’s Lowcountry is when our redfish, with their flashing spotted tails, roam high-tide, hard-bottomed flats chasing fiddler crabs.
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Quick accurate casts are often the ticket to a hook up.
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RE los e Boat fishermen generally focus D D lo ES o on the lower portions of the tide, when TI k NA spottails congregate around low tide flats. That TI is because rising-tide redfish spread out and are O N harder to find in deeper water. But chasing them on foot in the shallow water of high-tide flats, a technique that boomed in popularity in the past few years, is effective. John Holbrook is a fly-casting and fly-tying instructor at Bay Street Outfitters in Beaufort and a wading expert. "Redfish move onto hard bottomed flats in greatest numbers during warm months when the rising tide floods enough water onto them,” he explained. Tide heights vary greatly throughout the Lowcountry and their forecast height is affected by inshore and offshore winds. Wading anglers can predict when there will be enough water on their local flat by referencing the Savannah River mouth tide chart. If that chart predicts a 7.5-foot height or more, you should have adequate wading depth. Finding good high-tide flats is easy if you know what to look for. Holbrook describes good wading flats as having a hard bottom, short spartina grass, two or more entry and exit spots, access to deeper water and the presence of lots of fiddler crabs. Though grubbing fiddler crabs is the main reason redfish show their tails and an important key to finding them, the fish also feed on minnows, shrimp and other creatures at high tide. Once you have identified a likely flat, John suggests arriving a couple hours before high tide to watch how the water comes onto that flat. As the water floods the intermediate weed line - that area of medium height spartina grass and soft “pluff” mud bordering the hard bottom flat - look for micro channels forming. These are the likely paths that fish will use entering and leaving the flat. These intermediate weed lines hold fish before they move onto the flat, but it is hard to get a fly near the fish. June 2017
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When redfish move onto the flats they do announce their presence, but not as obviously as some presume. Though tailing fish are the classic show, if you only look for tails, you miss most of the arriving reds. While tips of tails or dorsal fins are clear signs of fish, subtle signs like V-shaped wakes - called pushes - fleeing or popping bait, and nervous water are other signs of activity. "And don't forget to keep looking behind you for fish that sneak by," Holbrook cautioned. Once you spot fish the fun begins. When getting into range for a cast you can move quickly or slowly stalk them. When shuffling rapidly toward tailing fish, your steps create a wake that keeps moving ahead of you when you stop and it spooks the fish when it reaches them. With this technique you need a quick and accurate cast, because you probably only get one shot before they spook. On the other hand, when moving slowly and quietly, you make less wake so it's possible to get within range of feeding fish and make multiple casts. Unfortunately sometimes they stop feeding and disappear before you get within range. Each approach has its plusses and minuses, so try them both to see which works better for you. Once within range, cast well ahead of moving fish, but right in front of tailing reds. Holbrook often opts for his version of the LC Shrimp fly, but most crab and shrimp patterns work well. He often switches to spoon flies or baitfish imitations as the high water drains from the flat and the fish begin funneling back toward deeper water. All flies need to be weedless for high tide flats. 58 l www.sosaltwaterflyfishing.com
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Spotting the subtle signs of feeding redfish is the first step to success.
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RE los The Kayak Option D e DE lo The thousands of ST ok kayaks in the Lowcountry IN AT mostly tote tourists through our IO beautiful estuaries viewing flora and N fauna, but they make pretty good fishing boats, too. You can fish from them directly on high tide flats, but moving water and wind push them around easily. Alternately, they make a wonderful tool that expands your range. Launching your kayak near a prime high tide flat and paddling into position, then anchoring the boat to get out and wade is another option. If your first flat proves barren that day, simply hop in and paddle to another area. That way you can cross deep creeks or broad expanses of tall spartina and mud that a walking angler cannot pass. Even though redfish use the hightide areas in the warmer months, they are found on low-tide, shallow-water flats all year. Those areas provide sanctuary from predators like the bottle-nosed dolphin. Knowing the location of those good low-tide spots gives good indications of where adjacent high-tide spots may be located. Many of the most popular of shallow, fish-holding spots are highlighted on the Top Spot map #N233 covering Hilton Head to St.Helena Sound. They are available from many local fishing stores, or online at offshoremapping.com. June 2017
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YOUR
ENRICH: NEXT MEMORY
Beaufort, S.C., is where you’ll discover new memories in one of the oldest towns in America. Full of legendary history, a variety of handson activities, one-of-a-kind restaurants and unique experiences along the shore, Beaufort is sure to be beloved by your whole family.
www.beaufortsc.org
Wading for tailing fish is a subtle “match the hatch” style fishing, where you move the fly very little when fish are near. When a fish hovers over your fly, any aggressive movement will spook him. The redfish strike in shallow water is an unmistakable swirl when the fish feels the jab of sharp steel, followed by escape panic. Keep your rod pointed at the fish and pull back hard with the line hand, creating a strip strike. Once firmly hooked, hold on and enjoy the close quarters fight with this powerhouse, which, hopefully ends with the fish at your feet. About the Author - John Gribb is a freelance writer and photographer from Beaufort, South Carolina. He also is a licensed USCG charter captain; fishing and hunting guide, specializing in fly fishing and wingshooting.
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ou’ll never experience a better stay than at the historic Rhett House Inn in Beaufort, South Carolina. Rated by many as the finest coastal inn on the continent, this antebellum structure is the defining essence of life for the elite in the Old South. Margaret Mitchell visited this area while writing “Gone with the Wind” and named her main character after the Rhett family of Beaufort and Charleston and the Butler family of Atlanta.
The Rhett House Inn
Beaufort, South Carolina by Claude Preston, III
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The Rhett House Inn is the ultimate lodging for a fly fishing trip to “The Queen of the Carolina Sea Islands,� as Beaufort was referred when founded in 1711. The inn is a favorite among many Hollywood celebrities that include Tom Hanks, Sandra Bullock and Robert Redford who have stayed at the Rhett House Inn while filming movies in Beaufort, like Forrest Gump and The Great Santini. Celebrity status aside, it is impossible to overstate the experience of a night’s stay even if you do not have an encounter with ghosts said to maintain residence in the inn that was built in 1820. The modern era for the Rhett House Inn dates from the 1980s, when, after successful careers in the New York fashion industry, Steve and Marianne started the inn, which then offered five rooms. In the 25 years that the Harrisons have owned the
Inn, its pre-Civil War elegance and stately charm has returned here with great bravado. When building his 6,000-square-foot Greek Revival mansion one block from the Beaufort River, Thomas Rhett spared no expense. Present today are the Adam-style decorative mantels and dentil mouldings that remain atop the four original fireplaces in the main house. The fireplaces in the parlor and dining room are wood-burning and used regularly during the winter. Two additional fireplaces are in upstairs guest rooms.
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I arrived at the Rhett House Inn the night before I had scheduled a redfish fly rod adventure with Martin Romeo of Mt. Pleasant, South Carolina. He is the owner of Deep Bend Rodworks and earlier had built for me a custom glass 3-weight for small streams back home. Despite the inn’s stunning elegance, immediately I was made to not only feel as welcomed
as though I was family, but to be informed of my options for breakfast the following morning. I had already heard about what would certainly be a memorable first meal of the day partaken of at this historic bed and breakfast. I knew that breakfast would be a delicious memory. My room reminded me of a scene from Gone With The Wind; far nicer than one expects
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Where the
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FE The next morning the weather was as perfect as one might hope for. Locating on the inn’s beautiful veranda I found myself savoring my first cup of coffee. The Rhett House Inn’s famous southern breakfast are the wizardry of Chef Beverly, who prepares your breakfast to order. The most difficult part of my stay was not how eggs would be prepared. It was narrowing my choices for sides that include southern grits, hash browns, bacon, country ham, sausage, biscuits, white or wheat toast, or English muffin. Of course, no breakfast at the Rhett House Inn is complete without fresh fruit and your choice of French toast or blueberry pancakes. I feel obligated to rave about Chef Beverly’s hash browns and country ham. There is no better way to start a redfish safari than the breakfast I enjoyed that morning.
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The fly fishing trip was a fantastic learning experience in that I under estimated the high degree of precision casting needed to entice a take from redfish tailing in the grassy tidal marsh. Tailing redfish are plentiful, but making a perfect cast is,challenging. On the other hand a stay at Rhett House Inn is ambrosia. For more information visit the following website: rhetthouseinn.com
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he Lowcountry’s 80 miles long coast stretches along the South Carolina shore from the Savannah River in Georgia north to Pawley's Island. Millions of people visit the Lowcountry to sample its legendary cuisine. Bay Street Outfitters is to South Carolina Lowcountry fly fishing what shrimp and grits are to the Lowcountry cuisine. “We opened Bay Street Outfitter 21 years ago when I retired and moved to Beaufort from Atlanta,” says Tony Royal. “Beaufort is the logical hub for fishing redfish in the Lowcountry. It is the top spot for sight casting to redfish in skinny water. We have about 200 square miles of perfect flats and can fish all year. The extensive Spartina grass flats produce food for crab, shrimp and bait fish. Over 25 percent of the salt marsh on the East Coast of the United States is in Beaufort County. June 2017
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AT c UR los Royal also E e l D oo pointed out Beaufort’s F k other attractive qualities. LY It is a bit out of the way; not SH
crowded; excellent motels and OP B&Bs; top restaurants; and its incredible history. Bay Street Outfitters is a full service, complete fly shop that is perched between Savannah and Charleston. Their lines include Orvis, Simms, Sage, G Loomis, Barbour, Ex Officio, Patagonia, Luggage, Sebago Boat shoes, Tilley Hats, Fishpond, Rio and many more. Locally tied fly patterns are available as well as special fly tying classes and one- on- one tying instruction. The shop has one tier on staff and two captains that tie “local patterns.” Additionally, Bay Street Outfitters strives to have the best outdoor and travel clothing on the planet for men and women. It is not only a fly shop, but is also a Lifestyle Shop “Key to the success of Bay Street Outfitters is our top shelf, well trained staff,” says Royal. “Additionally we have five in-house and some of the finest captains on the Lowcountry Coast. The driving force here is our belief in teaching. We believe that it is OK to have a cheap fly rod but not a cheap cast. This is critical as people are so much more focused on their time. A complete shop with captains, lessons, classes and tackle has to deliver.” June 2017
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AT c U lo Royal notes that interest in a fly fishing has grown steadily over R se ED lo the last two decades. Bay Street Outfitters fly fishing charters have o tripled and business traffic at the shop has doubled in the last decade. FL k Y He also noted that the shop is welcoming a growing number of couples and SH
more ladies seeking fly fishing information. World class casting for tailing redfish O P in the skinny water in the Lowcountry is no longer the guarded secret of local fly fishermen. The word is out. “We see novice anglers almost daily and they do ask questions,” says Royal. “When we make a good impression and offer solutions and advice, some of them come back later to pursue the sport. The shop is always staffed with a highly experienced team. We host 10 one-day classes yearly and 15 Orvis Fly Fishing Schools. The Sea Island Flyfishers, our local fly club, has meetings with attendance that often eceeds the number of regular members. “We are all conscious of the importance of our clean, Lowcountry water that is free of industrial pollution,” says Royal. “The Port Royal Sound Foundation has done a tremendous job of education and awareness of our beautiful estuary. Our commitment to catch-and-release is very strong. More people are interested in our Lowcountry history thanks to the new Santa Elena Foundation. The foundation has done a great job of making us all better aware of our early history that started in the 1560s with the first European settlement in North America by the Spanish.
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WWW.BAYSTREETOUTFITTERS.COM
John Holbrook Beaufort, South Car
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very dedicated fly tier has a story. John Holbrook’s story is the best we have ever heard, and by the way, if redfish are your passion, his insight into patterns and fishing for these bruisers is pretty darned impressive, too.
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Holbrook currently lives in Beaufort, South Carolina. He grew up in Manteca, California, and lived in there until graduating high school to attend the United States Naval Academy in 1988. Four years later Holbrook was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in the United States Marine Corps. “I grew up fishing for trout in the California mountains, but did not start fly fishing until I was 7 or 8,” Holbrook said. “I started fishing for trout in streams on my own when I was 5 years old. I was with my father at a small stream, Deadman Creek, in the Sonora Pass of California. My dad said “John, this stream is too small and you’re not going to catch any fish”. I told him to leave me alone. My dad walked off a little ways to watch me, and as soon as he left I caught a trout that was about 10 inches.” I was hooked on fishing from then on.” Holbrook made family trips from California to visit his grandfather in Leslie, Idaho. Reading his father’s Field & Stream magazines, he became interested in fly fishing. After finding a bamboo fly rod that belong to his father, Holbrook was determined to teach himself to fly fish on one of those trips to Idaho. “Once we got into Idaho I saw a stream that had a big sign that said, ‘Fly fishing only catch and release,’” Holbrook said. “The sign stated that the stream was donated in memory of Ernest Hemingway by his family. I bugged my dad incessantly until he finally stopped and let me fish for an hour or so, just to shut me up. I caught a couple of nice 10- to 12-inch trout and lost a few more in the grass of the stream, then a van pulled up in the parking area. “The van had the little dangly balls hanging down across the front inside of the windshield. An older gentleman got out in fly fishing attire. He was tickled to see me fly fishing in the stream. He was so glad to see me fishing that he gave me 3 or 4 grass-hopper flies and told me to cast them against the undercut bank on the other side of the river. That man was Jack 78 l www.sosaltwaterflyfishing.com
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AT cl o Hemingway, Ernest Hemingway’s son. UR se I didn’t realize the significance of this until ED loo FL k I was in my early teens,” Holbrook said. “I started thinking about tying flies when I Y T got interested in fly fishing when I was 7 or 8 years IE old. I did not have the money or anyone that I knew that tied flies, so I did not actually start tying flies until I was at the Naval Academy. Academics were tough, and I had a bad case of cabin fever. My grades were not good, so my liberty was restricted, which made the cabin fever as well as my grades worse. It was at this point that I bought an Orvis beginners fly tying kit and taught myself to tie flies. It actually helped my grades,” says Holbrook. Since settling into the Lowcounty of South Carolina, 80 percent of the flies Holbrook ties are for redfish, with the remaining 20 percent for sea trout, cobia, bonefish, and tarpon. Because he ties redfish flies and fishes often for this quarry, Holbrook has developed “go to” patterns that work great on coastal waters of the Lowcountry. “I always carry a crab pattern, a shrimp pattern, and a minnow pattern, as well as a couple of Clousers,” Holbrook said. “I always try to have some light colored flies if the water is clear, some medium colored flies if the water is starting to get cloud/stained or the wind is up, and some dark colored flies if the water is stained or for early and late when there is not much light.” “One fly that I recommend is my John’s LC (for Lowcountry) Shrimp, a pattern I first started tying in 2006 or 2007. It has been modified a couple of times and the pattern is as you see for the last 7 or 8 years. Another pattern that has performed well for me is my LC Fiddler. This is a fiddler crab pattern I developed to imitate the crabs I see on our high tide flats,” Holbrook said. When tying his LC Fiddler, he hand-blends brown, dark brown, black and purple Enrico Puglisi EP Fibers to make up the body and includes some June 2017
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Zonker strips, a little flash, some bright orange and finishes it with orange thread. This fly has proven deadly for tailing redfish and has taken several in the 34- to 36-inch range. “I think that the key characteristics of a great redfish fly are more about color and displacement than any other factors,” Holbrook said. “In clear water with spooky fish, a light colored fly that is sparsely tied will more often than not do much better than a big bulky dark fly. In
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really stained water, or in low light conditions, I think a dark fly that is tied with more bulk is the ticket. The dark fly is easier for the fish to see in low light, and the bulkiness of the fly displaces more water making it easier for the fish to hone in on with its lateral line. In conditions that are in between I like to go with a fly that is in the middle. This is where my LC Shrimp excels. “Actively feeding redfish will hit just about any fly. The key is presen-
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tation, how you move the fly. In most cases I find short small strips to be my go-to movement; think about the quick darting movements of a crab or mud minnow in the grass. When the water is clear, lead the fish more. When it is stained you have to make sure that the fish sees/feels the fly and you may have to almost drop it on his head to do it.” Holbrook notes that in the winter and early spring, prior to the water warming up, the water can be pretty
clear. For clear water he likes to tie and fish lighter colored, smaller, and sparsely tied flies that will not spook a wary red. During the late spring and summer he throws his LC Fiddler pattern about 90 percent of the time, noting that no matter the season, if you check the contents of a redfish’s stomach you will find crabs. During the late summer and on into the fall Holbrook throws patterns that are a little more “shrimpy.” His LC Shrimp, and anything that is a good shrimp imitation
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AT cl UR os e work great. This corresponds to large numbers of ED lo FL ok shrimp in Lowcountry coastal waters. When asked what of new fly tying materials he Y T really likes, Holbrook said “I have really enjoyed using the IE different Enrico Puglisi fibers, the ready-made brushes are quick and easy to use. I also like Steve Farrar’s Flash Blend. Even with all of the new products available I find that all of my flies have some natural fibers in them, to include bucktail, Zonker strips, Actic fox tail, and marabou. “The material that I am currently having the hardest time getting is extra-large black bead chain eyes. I used to order them from Spirit River, but they are no longer in business. I use this size bead chain eye in both my LC Shrimp, and my LC White Shrimp pattern. They are the perfect weight and size to allow these flies to drop horizontally like an actual shrimp,” Holbrook said. Holbrook is available by appointment to teach fly tying or speak to groups. For fly tying he UNI PRODUCTS J.G. Cote Inc. 1004 Principale believes that it Ste-Melanie, QC. Canada JOK 3AO Tel: 450-889-8054 is important to Toll-Free: 1-877-889-8054 keep the group Fax: 450-889-5887 Email: info@uniproducts.com under six, with NEW FOR 2017 four being about the best if there is no experience in the group. With a more experienced tying group that UNI-GloFloss (Glow in the UNI-Thread 8/0 Fluorescent dark) Light Blue and Green Waxed or Unwaxed on number could Light Green spools of 50 or 200 yds increase somewhat. Holbrook UNI-Soft Wire Royal Blue, in can be contactsizes small, ed through Bay medium or large Street Outfitters in Beaufort Look to UNI for the best in spooled fly-tying materials! by calling (843) www. uniproducts .com 524-5250.
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CAPTAIN TUCK SCO TT
ne of the most inspiring discoveries of Southern Saltwater Fly Fishing Magazine’s recent sweep through the Lowcountry was the stratospheric level of the fly fishing guide services in the region. As much as anything, the knowledge and quality of the professional fly fishing guides willing to share the secrets of the Lowcountry has turned Beaufort into a virtual hub of long rod angling adventures. Captain Tuck Scott is one of those top shelf guides who is responsible for the current angler interest in these waters. An Orvis Endorsed Guide, Tuck, as he prefers to be called, has helped turn a largely ignored coastal fishery into a glittering, five-star destination. “Our mission is to provide our clients with an outdoor experience and education about the Lowcountry’s fishery, while providing the best fishing the Lowcountry has to offer,” Tuck said.
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AT clo Do you want to know what U se makes the coastal waters of South RE loo D k Carolina unique to other southern G coastal waters? It’s the Lowcountry’s UI DE large fluctuation in tides, along with more than 50 percent of U.S. East Coast marshlands, which makes for a very healthy, unique fishing environment. “I grew up fishing this area as a kid with my father and my grandfather,” Tuck said. “Everything I worked toward always ended with me wanting to be back on the water I grew up on, so I returned and became connected to Bay Street Outfitters and the head guide at the time, Captain Doug Gertis, who I was able to train under on my way to becoming a guide for the outfitter.” Tuck and company provide two different schools in Beaufort; the Redfish School and the Orvis School. These saltwater oriented schools are geared to make clients better casters and saltwater anglers. When there or when you book a fishing trip, they supply everything clients need to match the target species in the local waters. Tuck and his team of guides run high-end technical poling skiffs. These crafts allow access to super skinny water where local species can be targeted. These skiffs enable the best sight casting possible. “My clients want shots at fish and they want to do it with a fly rod,” Tuck said. “They also like being educated about our fishing and environment, and to have a fun day on the water.” According to Tuck, most of his clients want to fish a flood tide for tailing redfish from April through November. Many also schedule visits from late April through June to take advantage of sight casting to cobia inshore. Increasingly popular also is winter fly fishing for the big schools of redfish found on the mudflats at low tide. June 2017
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A day in the skiff with Tuck typically begins with meeting him at one of a number of different boat landings. Beaufort County has a cache of well-maintained boat landings that cover the area’s expansive watershed incredibly well. Trips include bottled water on ice on half and 3/4 days, and lunch on a full day. As noted, tackle and flies are provided. “To those new to fly fishing the Lowcountry, I strongly recommend practicing with an 8 wt. or larger before you head this way,” Tuck said. “Spend some time working on a double haul. You will find that mastery of this is helpful for enabling you to take advantage of shots at fish. 92 l www.sosaltwaterflyfishing.com
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“The other thing to practice is accuracy, but not for hitting stationary targets. When you come here, many of your opportunities will be at moving fish. Practice as if the target is moving so you will be able to lead fish with your cast.” “South Carolina’s Lowcountry fishery is a one of a kind resource,” says Tuck. “Unique shots at hard fighting saltwater fish is what the Lowcountry is all about. All of our guides strive to not only show you fish but to make sure they provide an education for each client to become a better angler.
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ast July while attending the ICAST/ IFTD Show in Orlando, we lined up for our opportunity to cast the new Sage X fly rods. We were dazed by these new fly rods. After the launch of Southern Saltwater Fly Fishing this year, we got a 9-foot, 8-weight Sage X, matched to a Sage reel and Rio line for field testing. That was when the game was really on. Unless a fly rod is a real dog or ridiculously over-priced for the performance, it’s tough to not talk in glowing terms about the positive attributes of a new fly rod, or to give a new fly rod at least some level of accolades. Reviewing the Sage X loaner put us in the uncomfortable position of finding the appropriate praise without resorting to clichés. The fact of the matter is, this Sage X is the best casting 9-foot, 8-weight I ever laid hands on. Trust, us that’s saying a lot. We challenge anyone to grab one up to prove to us otherwise. Lifting line from the water, our Sage X generated a lot of line speed, with little or no false casting. Collectively we were habitual false casters. Now we have seen the light. Additionally, the rod has a remarkable ability to cut through the wind, which is great when fly fishing flats where blaming the wind is our favorite alibi. By our estimates, the Sage X can improve your rating as casters by 5 to 8 percent.
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Sage rods have a reputation of being high speed “casters’ fly rods,” requiring well-developed timing. The Sage X is speedy, but is remarkably forgiving of casting styles. We were enamored with the ability to throw long, parallel, picture perfect loops. In hand, the Sage X feels light and swings light, with a lot of spring in the butt section that transmits greater feel when cast. We liked the comfortable grips on our Sage X that are smaller and more contoured than the grips on other large Sage rod models in the past. We found that the grips definitely enhanced our casting precision. Sage X rods feature an all-new fast action taper built with the maker’s KonneticHD Technology that delivers greater blank recovery and a crisper tip stop. This is the secret to casters creating tighter, more efficient loops throughout all ranges. Sage’s fast action taper allows you to dig deeper into the rod and access the lower sections, shifting power closer to the angler. Decreased lateral and medial movement and vibrations in the blank result in a more accurate and efficient presentation, resulting in a performance driven, forgiving fast action blank that redefines synergy. The heart of the Sage X is the new proprietary KonneticHD graphite/resin composite that is the highest energy transferring material ever created by the company. Advanced high density fiber positioning, enhanced laminate characteristics, and optimized manufacturing techniques combine to increase composite modulus while maintaining durability. KonneticHD creates amplified strengthto-weight and stiffness-to-weight ratios as needed within the rod blank. Optimized fiber-tofiber energy transfer along the length of the blank minimizes both lateral and medial vibrations, delivering accuracy in an easy loading blank with quick recovery, a crisp tip stop, and enhanced line feel for complete loop control. June 2017
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According to Sage, the optimized hoop to axial fiber positioning reduces blank weight and enhances cross-sectional strength and performance. The result is superior tracking through minimized lateral and torsional movement. Focused energy transfer creates greater connectivity with less effort. In laymen jargon, this bantamweight casts like a dream and puts flies where you were hoping they might touchdown. The Sage X can also be described as seductive eye candy. A Black Spruce blank with dark green thread wraps with metallic grey trim wraps makes it uniquely stunning. Other great features on the Sage X include Fuji ceramic stripper guides with hard chromed snake guides and tip-top, and a laser etched line weight on slide band. As you might expect, the presentation is impeccable; black rod bag with titanium logo and Black Spruce model tag in an evergreen powder coated aluminum rod tube with Sage medallion. So what do we really think about the Sage X? We like it a lot, and have schemed far too much on how to avoid sending back our loaner.
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Rheos Anhinga Floating Sunglasses C
hoosing the right sunglasses when fly fishing the sunny waters of the Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico requires the same level of attention that anglers give their tackle and choice of fly pattern. In these harsh light conditions, UV protection is essential. The same is true of lenses that must have state-of-theart, premium polarization. Too often, overlooked is the need for a great frame design that has strength, a light weight and a fit that makes daylong casting an ease. An added bonus to such pairs of sunglasses is their ability to float should you accidently drop them overboard or into the water. Sunglasses that meet all these requirements often cost $150 to $250 each. One of the best solutions we at Southern Saltwater Fly Fishing have found for heading off sticker shock that many sunglasses carry with them are Rheos Anhinga Polarized Floating Sunglasses. Tagged $50 to $65, these sunglasses not only get the job done, by they also get it done with considerable flare.
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The Anhingas frame features high tech ultralight and durable TPX material designed to enhance the floating capacity of these sunglasses. Due to the Anhingas’ unique manufacturing process, these frames weigh approximately 30 percent less than the same component moulded in polycarbonate, and they maintain a hyper-durable structure to ensure comfort for long-term wear and give floating capability. TPX® requires no drying before molding and consequently suffers zero deterioration when in contact with 104 l www.sosaltwaterflyfishing.com
water which maintains its durability over extended periods of time. The 59 mm lens provides 100 percent UV 400 protection. The “ultra” violet, or “beyond” violet rays cannot be seen, but the harmful effects are quite clear. These rays can be twice as damaging when reflected off of surfaces such as water. Thus, sufficiently polarized lenses are important. Light reflected from saltwater is made up of waves travelling in different directions. Vertical light is useful to the human
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eye; it helps us see. Yet, when light strikes a flat surface like water, it changes to horizontal light and creates glare. Polarized sunglasses block horizontal light, so you don’t get the glare. Rheos Anhinga sunglasses eliminate the UV and glare, so fishing performance isn’t impaired by your vision. It’s just about that simple. The sunglasses’ namesake is one of the most versatile and fascinating coastal birds in the U. S. The “anhinga,” sometimes called a “snakebird,” stands
up against many enemies. For our sunglasses, this means they stand up against glare and UV with dual antiscratch and shatterproof technology. So, the consensus here is in, the Rheos Anhinga Polarized Floating Sunglasses are winners. Taking them out on the water means you’ll enjoy the adventure and actually make it home with your sunglasses intact.
rheosgear.com
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End of the Line
Whether at the easel or the tying vise, the results a By Jill Zima Borski
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T
im Borski is a trademarked fly tier and a wildlife artist, who makes his home in Islamorada, Florida. But having passed fly-tying and fly-fishing skills on to his oldest son, and painting mostly in acrylics now, he can’t hang up the tools and his crafts just yet. In the early 1990s, Tim Borski moved to South Florida from his native Wisconsin, primarily for the fishing and great weather. One day, Borski caught a bonefish that coughed up a couple of blennies or gobies of some sort as it was being released. He can’t recall what fly pattern he used, but being a “tinkerer,” he went home, ate some mac and cheese, fired up his new Renzetti vise and thought about the forage that was spit up by the fish. The next morning, he “borrowed” the Muddler Minnow design from one of his idols at the time, Don Gapen, Sr., who had generously given that pattern to the fishing world. Borski added painted lead eyes and a tail of craft fur that was barred with a brown Pantone marker. “The fly is not mine. It belongs to Mr. Don,” Tim modestly protests. “To me, at the time, it looked like the real deal.
The Borski Bonefish Slider. Photo by Tim Borski
are works of marine art.
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End of the Line
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The next opportunity he had to use it was 26 hours later on the same flat. Armed with his new fly, two big bonefish were heading his direction and were plainly visible. Borski tossed it out in front of them and let it sink. As they approached, he was about to move it when one fish shot off to the left. “I thought it had spooked, but then it stopped and pinned something to the bottom, and my line started racing off!” He happily caught that fish, but he realized the fish had recognized the fly as food as it was sitting still on the bottom. “I felt I was on to something,” he recalled. The original Bonefish Slider was tied on a No. 2 Mustad 34007, the hook Tim prefers to this day. He added a few strands of orange Krystal flash to the tail. “I was young and still felt I needed that stuff,” he mused. He quickly got over it when he realized the yellow and black eyes added enough flash. June 2017
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End of the Line
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Other modifications were eventually added to eliminate tying steps and add frugalities. The first was to erase the second clump of deer hair, as the creator deemed it unnecessary. That is unless a bulkier silhouette and slower sink rate were needed in a specific situation for tailing redfish. Also, Borski eliminated the palmered hackles placed behind the eyes. Tim still uses the fly often and, at times, will tie it in the original form with flash, two clumps of flaired deer hair and the palmered hackles, because he “feels he’s going retro.” All forms still work just fine, and to him, it’s a sign of a good design. He also feels that if the anglers do their job correctly, the fish will, too. The Slider is more than two decades old now and Borski receives photos of fish in the mail or on the website from as far away as India that show the same thing: solid fish brought to hand on his solid pattern. The Borski Bonefish Slider continues to be deadly for bonefish or redfish and is available for purchase on line at orvis.com or theflyfishers. com. www.sosaltwaterflyfishing.com
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End of the Line Tim Borski began painting in watercolors soon after relocating to the Keys and has branched out to oils and acrylics. His wildlife and marine subjects have been in great demand as prizes for fishing tournaments throughout the South. To view more of his paintings, visit timborskiart.com.
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About the Author Jill Zima Borski lives in Tavernier, Florida, where she is a freelance fishing and international travel writer, photographer and book author. She also is married to marine artist and fly tier, Tim Borski.
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