Southern Saltwater
Fly Fishing Magazine Edition 8 November 2018
Close Look: Belize
www.southernsaltwaterflyfishing.com
From the Editor Editor Jimmy Jacobs jimmyjacobs@mindspring.com Publisher Don Kirk don@southerntrout.com Associate Publisher Claude Preston, III claude@southerntrout.com Managing Editor Leah Kirk leah@southerntrout.com
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n the September/October edition of Southern Saltwater Fly Fishing Magazine, we successfully Assoc. Managing Editor Loryn Lathem transitioned from being a quarter loryn@southerntrout.com ly publication to now publishing bi-monthly, as well as expanding from four destination articles to Field Editor six in each issue. Apparently, from Polly Dean the following reader comment, we pollydean22@gmail.com must be getting it right! Contributors Great issue, cover to covBill AuCoin Ed Mashburn er! As a student at the Gulf Coast Research Lab in Ocean Springs Andy L. Dear Paul MacInnis in 1968 I finally caught my first Polly Dean saltwater fish on the fly on Horn Island and three of us called ourSouthern Saltwater Fly Fishing is a publication of Southern selves the Ocean Springs SaltUnlimited, LLC. It is produced in conjunction with Southern water Flyfishing Club. Interrupted Trout Magazine and Southerntrout.com. Copyright 2018 Southern Unlimited, LLC All rights reserved.
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As always, we value and appreciate comments from readers and encourage all of you to let us know what you think of SSFF each edition. On a sad note, our hearts go out to the residents of the Florida Panhandle that suffered through Hurricane Mi-
chael in September. In fact, the SSFF crew was scheduled to visit Mexico Beach beginning on October 21 to sample the fly fishing with the folks from Hobie Kayaks. Needless to say, being ground zero for land fall, that trip did not take place and the community is months or even years away from full recovery. We can but wish them the best. As for this edition of SSFF, we take our Close Look section to Belize, with a visit to Turneffe Flats resort. Field Editor Polly Dean details the winter angling for redfish at Shellman Bluff on the Georgia coast, and Ed Mashburn takes us fly fishing for red snapper off the shores of Alabama. We also continue to introduce new voices to SSFF in this edition. Bill AuCoin of the Suncoast Fly Fishers club describes the action for redfish around Tampa Bay, while Andy Dear covers the fly action on Laguna Madre in Texas. Rounding out November 2018
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the coverage is baby tarpon angling on Florida’s Space Coast with Paul McInnis. We hope you enjoy the stories and let us hear from you. Jimmy Jacobs Editor
JOURNEYS OF SGI St. George Island, Florida
by military service I began again and my work as a marine biologist gave me the opportunity to fish the entire southeast shores from North Carolina around to Louisiana routinely and in New Zealand and Australia from the mid-1970s to the 2000s for many years. Effective Fly patterns are universal and interchangeable. What you are achieving in your magazine is remarkable, useful and informative for a worldwide audience which, heretofore, have been accustomed to the same old read. Keep up the great work. Thomas Herrington Ocean Springs, Mississippi
40 E 3rd Street, St. George Island (850)927-3259 www.sgislandjourneys.com info@sgislandjourneys.com
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This Issue Editor's Letter
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Solarez 6 Georgia's Cold Weather Reds 8
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Laguna Gold 16 Fall and Winter Fly Fishing in Tampa Bay
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Space Coast Backcountry Tarpon
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Fly Rodding for Red Snapper 42 CLOSE LOOK: Belize
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Offshore Bonefish in Belize
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Featured Guide John Gongora
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Featured Fly Profile Tying for the Atoll
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Featured Fly Shop 86 Tres Pescados Fly Shop A Jewel in the Rough Featured Artist 94 Sight Line Provisions Working in Leather and Metal Featured Resort 104 Turnfette Flats A Green Paradise Winston Air Salt 890-4 Review 116 End of the Line Hunters Cafe
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On September 30, 2018, Solarez, in partnership with Southern Trout and Southern Saltwater Fly Fishing Magazines, Dr. Slick Fly Tying Tools and FlyTyer Magazine launched The Solarez UV Revolution World Tour. Rock Concerts? NO. Instead, an awareness program exploring all of the different types of flies that can be tied with Solarez UV Resins. So, just what is this Solarez UV Revolution World Tour? It is a contest and social media tour directed at the fly tying and fly fishing world that will generate awareness and the unique application value of using Solarez in constructing flies. This program is running from September 30, 2018, through April 1, 2019, and will create an opportunity for fly ters from all over the world to showcase their fly tying abilities. REQUIREMENTS: Tyers will be required to post a photo of their fly with an accompanying Solarez UV Product and pattern ingredients for the fly on one of the four Solarez Facebook pages: North America, Europe, Australia or New Zealand. Entrants should select the Facebook page that geographically represents them. Posts that do not include the Solarez product with fly and pattern will be deleted immediately. Only those posts meeting the requirements will remain.
So, what happens next?
The top 5 contributors with the most Facebook ‘likes’ at the end of each month will receive a t-shirt and an additional 5 t-shirts will be awarded via a random drawing from those who posted likes. Drawings will be held on last day of each month and winners will be announced
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SOLA
UV Rev World Tou
AREZ
volution ur Contest
during the first week of the following month. (All t-shirts will be size XL to manage inventory) On October 1, the first drawing wasfrom individuals who “likeed” the Solarez Page from September 19 - September 30. This contest will be announced “softly” via Solarez Facebook pages, shares, Pro Team Members, and partner posts. For the final drawing in April, we will start the whole process over again. October will set the stage for November, December, January, February, and the last on in March, for a total of 7 months in each geographical area. TWO (2) GRAND PRIZES, will be randomly drawn from tyers who have submitted flies for the World Tour and all those who have provided likes. Votes will only be collected for flies posted on Solarez Facebook pages. Contributor flies will be shared with Partner Facebook pages. Partners will also be encouraged to offer monthly prizes from random drawings from monthly ‘likers’ of their own individual Facebook pages. Winners will be shared/posted on all Solarez Facebook pages. Southern Trout and Southern Saltwater Fly Fishing magazines will be featuring some Pro Team and consumer flies in each issue over the next 6 months. Of course, they will be respective of either trout or saltwater patterns. Dr. Slick will provide fly-tying tools monthly. Flytyer Magazine will be supporting this tour program by highlighting flies.
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“Y
ou need to come back in the winter.” I've heard this repeated by fishing guides on the Georgia coast numerous times. “The water is clear and sight fishing is at its best.” For years, I vowed to do just that. Cold weather and holiday obligations took over, and before I knew it, I was looking ahead toward warm spring days when I could go fish in saltwater. Earlier this year, January to be exact, I decided not to wait. I packed my cold-weather gear and headed to McIntosh County, Georgia. McIntosh County is home to the waterfront town of Darien at the mouth of the Altamaha River and the picturesque, peaceful village of Shellman Bluff. Like most southern states, Georgia's winter weather can vary from one extreme to the other. We can usually count on a few days here and there where we get a break from the cold, and temperatures get quite pleasant, even balmy. On the other hand, when temperatures dip into the 40s or even 50s, there isn't much colder than that damp, frigid air of the coast. The bottom line is, the fish don't mind the cold. Just bundle up. Why are the winter months a good time to target inshore reds? “The water is clear, because the algae has died off with the cooler temperatures,” says Captain Scott Dykes of Georgia Light Tackle Guide Service in Shellman Bluff. “There is less bait around, so the fish seem to be hungrier.”
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GEORGIA'S
COLD-WEATHER REDS
There is no need to spend the winter months anticipating the warmer days of spring before heading to the coast for some inshore fishing. Don't wait! The time is now for winter reds. By Polly Dean
A chilly sunrise at Shellman Bluff, while running across Sapelo Sound. Photo by Polly Dean. November 2018
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Finding Redfish
The captain looks for redfish to be up on the flats. With water temperatures dropping into the 50s, the shallow waters are the first to warm up on a clear sunny day, especially the dark-colored mud flats. Baitfish head to the slightly warmer water and redfish follow. Scott prefers water temperatures to be no cooler than mid to high 50s. “The low 50s is pushing the limit,” he notes. “In the shallows, redfish will seek a place where they feel safe at all stages of the tide. They will avoid a deep edge where they may be ambushed by a predator,” Scott says. “During mid-tide they look for oysters to get on and during the high tide they move up into grass.”
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As in all types of sight-casting, being able to see the fish, or signs that they are there, is key. Clear skies are always favorable, and there are plenty of these in the winter months. Combined with no or mild wind, conditions are favorable for seeing the fish. A calm surface is helpful for seeing “pushes,� or slight wakes created by cruising redfish. Schools of bait will also cause a wake or can be seen busting the surface when chased by a predator fish. These are all good signs that a redfish is close by. Very windy days will make spotting the fish more challenging. A chop on the water makes it much harder to see fish, or even their telltale signs that they are just under the surface.
Releasing a redfish after a scrappy fight. The colder weather does not slow these fish down. Photo by Polly Dean.
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Fly Selection
“Because the water is so clear, I go with something that is a more natural color,” the captain says. “I also go with something a little smaller. I'm not sure if it is because the water is clear that the fish are spookier – the smaller flies just seem to work better.” He recommends a tan or brown fly with a size 2 or 4 hook. “This time of year, we're imitating shrimp or small baitfish,” he says.
Georgia Light Tackle Guide Service
Captain Scott Dykes grew up in South Georgia, with frequent trips to the coast. He has spent the last dozen years as a full-time guide. He guides customers year-round, whether it is for redfish, flounder, tripletail or tarpon. These waters offer fly and light tackle inshore options for every angler. Capt. Scott Dykes can be reached at (912) 585-1593, or check out his website at georgialighttackle.com.
Targeting the mouths of feeder creeks surrounded by shell beds offers another redfish option. Photo by Jimmy Jacobs.
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Polly Dean is a Field Editor for Southern Saltwater Fly Fishing Magazine. She won Excellence in Craft Awards in 2018 from the Florida Outdoor Writers Association for both her articles and photographs in SSFF..
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KEEPING IT WARM
GSI Outdoors Microlite Thermos On those cold winter mornings when you are crossing the sound at the crack of dawn, a hot beverage is often called for to fortify you against the chill. The new Microlite thermos line from GSI Outdoors is just the ticket for making that venture a bit more comfortable. The Microlite 500 Flip provides a Glacier stainless, vacuum-insulated bottle that keeps beverages hot up to 10 hours (or cold 20 hours for summertime use). Holding 17 ounces of liquid, the bottle is incredible light. If you need even more fortifying, the Microlite 1000 fills the bill, with all the same features, but has a twist-off lid. This size holds 33 ounces and retains heat for 18 hours, or keeps beverages cold for 32 hours. Check out the full line of sizes, colors and lid options at gsioutdoors.com. 14 l www.sosaltwaterflyfishing.com
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“IʼVE NEVER MET A REILLY ROD I DIDNʼT HATE.” (Say all trophy fish) We upset a lot of fish. But we’ll win your heart. Whether you’re spending a relaxing day on the lake, exploring the saltwater backcountry, bushwacking a high mountain blueline or stalking the flats where we’re headed is where you’re going.
We take the passion and experience of seasoned anglers and put it all in your hand. Effortless castability Undeniable accuracy Forgiving feel
Lifetime warranty
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FLY RODS FROM EXPERIENCED HANDS AND AMERICAN HEART.™
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Laguna G
Fly Fishing the Upper Laguna Madre of South Texas by Andrew L. Dear
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ave you ever noticed that an angler will fall prey to a perfectly presented stimulus in almost the exact same exact way that his quarry will? You lay the right bait, at just the right spot at the most opportune time, and it’s almost certain that both species are going to posture up and commit. Just 48 hours earlier, Captain Freddy Lynch called me to discuss several recent encounters with multiple large schools of redfish in the southern end of the Upper Laguna Madre. By his account, some of these groups contained upwards of a hundred fish, with several pushing the mid-30-inch mark.
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Gold
Sunrise over Upper Laguna Madre.
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“Those fish are starting to gang up down south, and I think the wind is going to lay in the morning. Is there any way you can you free up a day to come down?” he asked. “Yeah, I can free up a day to come down.” What was I saying about a properly presented stimulus? Over dinner the evening before, we all agreed to leave much earlier than normal in order beat the hellish heat that plagues South Texas this time of year. With the skiff in the water long before daybreak, we ran the shoreline of Padre Island under cover of complete darkness. The eerie green glow of bioluminescent algae seemed to light the way to our destination 20 miles to the south.
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Battling a South Texas redfish on the Laguna.
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Passing Twin Palms Island, it became apparent to all of us that today had the potential to be very special. The normally malicious Baffin Bay was completely slicked off and dead calm. It was so calm in fact that the reflection of the full moon barely quivered off of the mirrored surface. As the locals down here will tell you, this is a very rare sight and a welcomed change from running the proverbial gauntlet that is the mouth of the Baffin. We negotiated the passage between the spoil islands back to the east into an area locally known as Yarborough. In addition to being a worldclass redfish haunt, Yarborough has also produced its fair share of mammoth speckled trout over the years. There have been
more than a few fly anglers who have had the pleasant surprise of being poled up on a long dark shape that turned out to be a 30inch spotted seatrout. A sliver of orange sunlight crested the dunes of Padre Island as we cut the big engine. Freddy took up the pole, and almost immediately the drama began to play out in textbook fashion. In the distance, flocks of gulls had already begun gorging themselves on white shrimp that were being corralled by a large school of redfish. Tails frantically and erratically punctured the surface against the faint sunrise. The water trembled and shook from the frenzy that was ensuing just below. My son Jackson stepped up on the deck and stripped out 50 feet of line as the November 2018
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school continued to plow and churn their way towards the skiff. When they came within reach, Freddy muttered in a low but excited tone, “Go ahead and try them, but lead them good because they’re really on the feed and moving fast.” Jackson made two false casts and dropped the crème-colored shrimp pattern about 3 feet in front of the large school. Out of the thick, humid air behind me, I heard Freddy say in a hushed voice ‘Oh yeah, it’s about to be on.” And it was. As the line came tight, Jackson hit the fish hard bowing the 8-weight rod hard and deep. Sensing the abrupt disturbance, the school immediately spooked and several hundred square feet of water erupted in chaos. The fly line ripped
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through the guides, and the drag began to scream as the large fish peeled rapidly into the backing. Fighting with all the valor and spirit of a gladiator, the fish made several long runs, testing the tippet to its limit. In spite of its best efforts, after almost 15 minutes the large redfish finally yielded to the angler, and we slid the 32-inch brute into the net. The Upper Laguna Madre is roughly 40 miles long and extends from the John F. Kennedy Memorial Causeway in Corpus Christi south to the man-made “ditch” known as the Land Cut (or East Cut.) The Laguna is bordered on one side by Padre Island and the privately-owned King Ranch and Kenedy Ranch on the mainland side. It is because of this unique protection on both sides that much of the Laguna Madre is accessible only by boat, and remains relatively untouched by human development. The southern end of the Upper Laguna lies right in the heart of the Codo Del Diablo (Devil's Elbow), where the Texas coast takes a crescent shaped
The reds in the Laguna’s schools often are of bruiser size.
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curve to the south. Due to the unpredictability of wind, wave, and current, the beach on the outside of this area of Padre Island is littered with numerous Spanish shipwrecks from the 1500s. It is rumored these wrecks still contain significant amounts of wealth buried under the wreckage. On this day, however, we were in search of a different kind of gold, and we found the motherlode. We ended up jumping 13 schools before 10 a.m., with a total of nine brought to hand, and several more lost in battle. The average size measured around 28 inches, with one fish pushing 32.
It was a banner day on the Mother Lagoon with two of my favorite people.
Andy Dear is a freelance writer from Waring, Texas. He has been involved in the fishing industry since 1997, having been a shop owner, staff writer for Rod Maker Magazine and a founder of the Custom Rod Builders Guild. This is his first article in Southern Saltwater Fly Fishing Magazine. November 2018
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Capt. Freddie Lynch on the poling platform.
MEET THE CAPTAIN
Captain Fred Lynch is a 25-year veteran guide of the central Texas coast and Upper Laguna Madre. Capt. Lynch specializes in sight-fishing for trophy redfish and speckled trout with both fly and light tackle spinning and casting gear. He has guided anglers to numerous state records, including both the current adult and youth flycaught state record redfish. Additionally, he guided the angler who holds the current IGFA 8-pound tippet-class world record for redfish. Capt. Lynch is based out of Corpus Christi and can be reached via his website at flyfishcorpus. com. His telephone number is (361) 533-4227.
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DOGWOOD LODGE
HOPEDALE, LA
www.southernwaycharters.com
CALL (601) 466-0152 TO BOOK YOUR NEXT FISHING ADVENTURE SPORTSMANS LODGE VENICE, LA
FALL AND WINT IN TAMPA BAY By Bill AuCoin
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ampa Bay is fly-fisher friendly all year long, but fall and winter months bring cooler temperatures and very clear water. It’s a good time for sight-casting to snook, redfish and seatrout. For do-it-yourself fly fishers, there are numerous shoreline parks where you can put in your kayak or just wade in and quickly start fly-casting on grass flats. Fly fishers often talk about Picnic Island Park and Cypress Point Park on the Tampa side, and Weedon Island Preserve and Fort De Soto Park on the St. Pete side. The I-275 Sunshine Skyway Bridge over Tampa Bay has two rest areas with wade-in access to either side of the bay. Walt Durkin, president of the Tampa Bay Fly Fishers, is an avid sight-fisher. His favorite months are November through February when the water is crystal clear. He likes the full and new moon periods because that’s when low tides are very low. Plus, when winds blow from north to east, they push water out of the bay and lower the surface level even more. He’s really looking forward to the low, low tides of the first four days of the new year. He calls them the “golden days. Fish cruise the edge of the flat in deeper water. As the tide comes in and fish follow, you will be
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TER FLY FISHING well positioned.” Durkin often fishes Cypress Point Park, but encourages every fly fisher to “find a flat and make it your own.” You will see sting rays on sandy bottoms, but you do not want to surprise one. Stings are rare but painful, so waders are motivated to do the “sting ray shuffle” to give rays notice to move. Also, be aware that some areas of the flat have very mucky bottoms. You’ll get the hang of it.
Wade fishing at the southern end of the Sunshine Skyway Bridge over Tampa Bay.
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The best fall and winter fishing time is usually after the sun has been up and warmed the water. That gives game fish more energy to chase down shrimp, crabs and minnows - and your fly. But on skinny-water flats, fish are easily spooked. False casts and blind casting are both a no-no. When you sight-cast and catch a sizeable game fish, you’ll get to replay that movie over and over in your head for years. Durkin’s sight-fishing routine includes casting small crab and shrimp patterns on a 12-foot leader that he steps down to a 10-pound fluorocarbon bite tippet. He likes his little “Rat Fly,” but his fly box has Norm Zeigler’s Crystal Schminnows, Bendbacks, little Clousers, crab patterns and more on standby. After the tide flows in over the flat, Durkin scans for nervous water, usually indicating moving mullet. When he’s in the ideal position, wind and sun at his back, he watches and waits. When he sees a cruising game fish, he’ll land the fly about 5 feet in front and let it sink to the bottom. When the fish gets closer, he’ll make the fly jump off the bottom so the fish sees it. It is then game on sometimes. Or the fish follows the fly. He keeps it moving and retrieves the line wrinkle-free to help get a good hook-set. 26 l www.sosaltwaterflyfishing.com
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Walt Durkin with a snook he sight-casted on the bay.
Durkin likes to fish in and around mullet. Game fish swim with them because the mullet schools stir up grass shrimp, little crabs and baitfish. If you see tailing fish, those are probably reds. Go for them. Tailing fish are, as Durkin puts it, “happy and feeding. You can cast close to them.” Fly fishing from a boat gives you access to water too deep to wade or to wading water that is not accessible from the shoreline. Some fly fishers like to anchor their boats so they can make an easy sight-cast to fish crossing a sandy edge. They stand and watch, the sun at their backs, and cast when a fish cruises by. Municipalities surrounding Tampa Bay have miles of residential canals with seawalls and docks that hold fish. At night you can sight-cast to fish feeding under lighted docks. Fishing with a guide is best. Up on the poling platform the guide will see many more fish than you will. He’ll know the deeper migration channels that fish use to get up on the flat. He knows the deeper potholes where fish hide. He’ll know where the reds are tailing, know where they are likely to be and what they’re eating. He’ll know when and where the tidal currents are best at different times of the day. Flats boat guides also can motor you across deeper water to sandbars, to underwater spoil islands, and to warmer rivers and creeks. A guide can set you up to sight-cast to big fish on lighted docks. It’s not as easy as shooting fish in a barrel, but you get the idea. November 2018
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Bill AuCoin is a freelance writer and has been involved in the fly-fishing community for a number of years. He is the Newsletter Editor for the Suncoast Fly Fishers of St. Petersburg, a charter club of Fly Fishers International. This is his first article for Southern Saltwater Fly Fishing Magazine. 28 l www.sosaltwaterflyfishing.com
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A seatrout fell for Walt Durkin’s Rat Fly pattern.
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DO YOUR RESEARCH
For more information, explore the websites for Suncoast Fly Fishers of St Petersburg (suncoastflyfishers.com) and the Tampa Bay Fly Fishers Club (TBFFC.org). For tide information go to saltwatertides.com or tides4fishing.com. Also, open the Visitors Map at weedonislandpreserve.org. Wade fishers walk Lookout Point Trail down to the bay. The kayak launch is next to the pier on the bayou side of the preserve. HIRING A GUIDE? • Capt. Pat Damico (captpatdamico.com). “The key to finding snook is warm, shallow water. One of my favorite locations is a place where a freshwater creek empties into a protected canal. The sun warms the seawall and snook stack up there during the warmest part of the day.” • Capt. Ray Markham (captainraymarkham.com). “Fish move to the warmest locations, up rivers and creeks with dark, deep water bends, deep residential canals with seawalls that absorb heat, or to backcountry areas with dark bottoms and good depth, but with adjacent dark, shallow bottoms where they can move to on sunny days.”
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• Capt. Dave Dant (tampasaltwaterflyfishing.com). “Tampa Bay has so many different types of spots to fish redfish. We have large bayou systems and endless turtle grass flats, oyster bars, and residential docks, but my favorite is to fish them over the sand. It is very similar to bonefish fishing in the Keys.”
Dennis Marquis boated this redfish in the Weedon Island Preserve.
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Where
natural beauty is served daily.
In Mount Pleasant, it’s all about savoring the moment and letting the flavors of the Lowcountry do their thing. That’s why we serve up an array of restaurants and taverns suiting every taste and style. So grab a fork and come on over, y’all.
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For more information visit ExperienceMountPleasant.com
SPACE COAST
BACKCOUNTRY TARPON Article and photos by Paul MacInnis
D
ucking under branches, I eased along a creek barely wider than my kayak. I waved my 6-weight in front of me to bust any spider webs in the way. The creek opened up to a beautiful, mangrove-lined pond. Even more beautiful were hundreds of tarpon rolling in every direction. They were happy “poons,” eager to smack my fly. The type of fly didn’t matter. I think these fish would’ve pounced on a pinky-sized strip of T-shirt pinned to a hook. November 2018
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Mallory has landed hundreds of the baby tarpon while casting from the shore.
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Few people visiting the theme parks and tourism overload of Orlando realize there is a thriving tarpon fishery less than an hour’s drive to the east. We are not talking about monster adult tarpon that leave you with sore arms and backs, but juveniles that make up for their lack of size with sheer numbers, aggression and spirited battles. They seem to spend more time in the air than in the water. From 2006 through 2015, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and Mote Marine Laboratory conducted the Tarpon Genetic Recapture Study. The scientists learned what Space Coast anglers have long known, that Brevard County on central Florida’s east coast is a major nursery area for
A kayak or canoe opens up miles of backcountry water to anglers on the Space Coast.
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juvenile tarpon. They learned this through thousands of tarpon DNA samples that were collected by Space Coast anglers like local tarpon legend, Jon Mallory. Mallory alone collected more than 1,500 tarpon DNA samples. During his best year, 2012, he caught and sampled 975 tarpon, all caught on flies while fishing from shore. Launching rockets is dangerous business. If you look at a satellite image of Kennedy Space Center you’ll see it is surrounded by lots of water and wild, undeveloped lands. This is to provide an ample buffer to protect civilians should an errant rocket blow up during launch. There are four major bodies of water surrounding the Space Center; the Atlantic Ocean and the Mosquito, Indian River and the Banana River Lagoons. The buffer keeps the shores of those waters undeveloped. If that is not enough water, the lands surrounding the Space Center are loaded with creeks, canals, marshes, ponds and other backwaters, and this is exactly what
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draws juvenile tarpon. A tarpon’s swim bladder functions as a primitive lung allowing them to extract oxygen from air they gulp when they roll. Young tarpon use this to their advantage and seek out these backwaters where dissolved oxygen often drops to levels other fishy predators can’t tolerate. The three big lagoons surrounding Kennedy Space Center get plenty of attention from anglers seeking redfish and seatrout. This plethora of fishing opportunities means tarpon don’t get nearly the attention they deserve, which is great for those of us who love these fish. It is pretty common to have tarpon all to yourself, even on a beautiful Saturday morning. North Merritt Island, around Kennedy Space Center is fairly rural by Space Coast standards and has miles of paved and dirt roads that are bordered by canals. Most of those canals hold tarpon. This is Jon Mallory’s territory. Roads like Hall, Judson and Pine Island are bordered by canals that offer reliable shots at tarpon from April through November. Fishing these canals is a simple matter of slowly driving the road, while scanning the water for rolling and feeding tarpon. An aggregation of herons and egrets along the water’s edge is another good reason to pull over and grab your rod, because the birds are likely drawn there by predators below driving minnows to the surface. Being able to throw flies long distances is not necessary, as these canals are seldom more than 30 feet across. Success favors the good caster, who can fire off quick accurate casts to rolling tarpon, or who can punch tight loops under overhanging mangroves on the far bank. Just watch out for passing cars during your back cast! North of Kennedy Space Center is the 140,000-acre Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, with thousands of acres of marsh, creeks, canals and ponds. There are tons of places here to find juvenile tarpon, and I doubt you could fish them all in a year. Perhaps the most popular is Bio Lab Road. This 6-mile-long dirt road borders the southwest shore of Mosquito Lagoon. You have the lush, mullet-filled grass flats of Mosquito Lagoon on one side and tarpon filled canals and mangrove swamps on the other. On a good day you’ll have to decide between tailing redfish on your left and rolling tarpon on your right.
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The Bio Lab Road is one offering easy access to the tarpon.
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Things get really interesting if you drop a canoe or kayak in the water. Just a short paddle from the launch takes you to creeks and mangrove ponds that make you think you are lost deep in the Everglades. These spots see virtually zero angling pressure, where tarpon are numerous and cooperative. It can be easy to lose count of the number of tarpon you jump, and catch rates can be in the double digits. If you visit the Space Coast, you might find yourself at the glitz of Cocoa Beach or at the cruise ship mecca of Port Canaveral, but if you head a little north you could end up in wild, primitive areas that seem untouched by man. While you are lost among the mangroves, heron, osprey and tarpon, it is easy to forget you are just a short drive from massive rockets and world-class technology at America’s premier space port. When not working as a mechanical engineer at Kennedy Space Center, Paul MacInnis spends his time angling or freelance writing about fishing. He also is a member of the Florida Outdoor Writers Association. This is his first article for Southern Saltwater Fly Fishing.
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Jon Mallory with one of his tarpon from the Space Coast canals.
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Something totally different - and fun – in the Florida Panhandle! By Ed Mashburn
I
t’s like this. The water is that dark, clear blue of offshore in the Gulf of Mexico. There’s no breeze at all this morning, and the mild current is drifting our boat slowly. About 75 feet below us resting on the bare, sand bottom is an old sunken barge. And right above the barge is a cloud of big, hungry red snapper. But I don’t have the traditional pool-cue boat rod and winch of a reel in my hands. I don’t have a big chuck of cut mullet for a bait. I don’t have a quarter pound of lead weight to take my offering down to the fish.
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Red
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odding
The author’s red snapper put up a stout fight, since it didn’t want to come up the boat! Photo by Ed Mashburn. Nope, I am holding my old 12-weight warhorse of a fly rod, and I am watching my buddy ladle some vile looking and nasty smelling chum over the side of the boat. I watch the cloud of chum disperse as it sinks, and then way down there in the clear, clear water, I see the flash of a fish’s side, and then another, and then the whole school of red snapper - some of them are impressively big - rises to see where this delicious, totally tempting food source is coming from.
Snapper November 2018
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Weighted streamers tied on very stout hooks are the ticket for red snapper. Photo by Ed Mashburn.
This is not finesse fly fishing, my friends. My leader is 25-pound fluorocarbon, and my fly is a lead-eye weighted Clouser Minnow knockoff that I tied last winter. My intermediate sinking line is heavy in my hand, and my hands are safely inside some stout fishing gloves. When a big red snapper takes a fly and runs for safety in the bottom structure, bare hands suffer pain from line burns and reel handle impacts. Gloves help. 44 l www.sosaltwaterflyfishing.com
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So, I make my cast - it’s not graceful, and it’s not a long cast. Then I strip line and let the fly sink, and sink, and sink. I try to keep the fly sinking at the same rate as the drifting chum chunks. Just when I think that nothing is going to happen, something happens. In fact, a lot of somethings happen. My heavy fly line goes tight, my loose loops of line disappear, and the old fly rod bends way over. I point the rod tip down to relieve pressure from the tip and put the stress on the butt of the rod where it should be. Next, I hold on as the line rips off the reel. When the combined pressure of the reel’s drag and my gloved hand clamping down on the line as it crosses the cork upper fighting grip brings the strong fish below me to a stop, I can start the grunt work. I lift the rod tip - not too high - and then reel down fast. High-sticking a red snapper is a great way to break a fly rod tip, so I make sure to raise my rod only a little past horizontal as I pump and wind. November 2018
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You wouldn’t think it would take too long to lift a fish up from less than 70 feet of water, but this fish doesn’t want to come up. Now, there it is. Far below me I can see the red snapper as it bores down to escape the pressure from above. I lift and crank, and my rod bends and bends, and finally, the red snapper is at the surface. But unlike those poor red snapper hooked in super deep water on super-heavy tackle, this fish is not blown up from pressure change, with its eyes blown out. It’s in fine shape. It may be in better shape than I am after this fight.
Angler Ted Ent getting some serious “pull-down” from a hooked red snapper. Photo by Ed Mashburn.
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When we net the fish - it’s not more than 8 or 9 pounds, not a big one at all - that magical brilliant red color shines in the sun. Afterward, we put the fish back in the water, and it jets back home to the barge and its friends below. Dan Green of Gulf Breeze, Florida fly fishes for red snapper often, and he provided some good advice for fly anglers who want to try catching some strong, aggressive and delicious red snapper.
“It’s very doable to catch red snapper on fly rod,” he assured “You have to put up with a lot of wisecracks from fellow anglers, but once they witness a hook-up, they generally quieten down.” According to Green, red snapper can be caught even inside Pensacola Bay, but for fastest results, reef structure from 3 to 5 miles offshore is best. This will provide water of at least 50-foot depths.
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A big Gulf red snapper that fell for a fly. Photo by Ed Mashburn.
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When asked how to best go about connecting with red snapper on fly gear, Dan had a ready answer. “The technique focuses on an unimpeded sink of the fly on an intermediate sinking line with a standard leader with generally a 25-pound bite tippet,” he described. “You lose quite a few, but you will enjoy far more takes, as the snapper tend to be a bit pickier the higher they are in the water column. We let the fly pretty much sink out of sight and then begin a vertical strip back to the top. We’ve landed up to 12-pound snapper on a fly.”
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Now, after recovering from my fly-rod battle with that “little” 8-pounder, I think I’m just about ready for a 12- or 15-pound red snapper on my fly rod. Maybe. Ed Mashburn is a freelance writer and frequent contributor to SSFF. He makes his home in Bay Minette, Alabama.
The author giving the fly plenty of time to sink down to the feeding snappers. Photo by Ed Mashburn.
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Reel in the memories. Sitting on the most biodiverse estuary in the Northern Hemisphere, Martin County is a fisherman’s paradise. Ocean, lake and river ecosystems are home to more than 800 species of fish, from the ever-popular sailfish and snook to largemouth bass and perch. Forget your gear? Visit one of Martin’s many bait and tackle shops or outdoor retailers. Inshore, offshore, saltwater or fresh, head out for an adventure and reel in the memories.
DiscoverMartin.com November 2018
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Nobody Does It Better
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Southern Saltwater Fly Fishing
CLOSE LOOK Belize
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OFFSHORE IN BELIZE
Covering Turneffe’s massive flats is easiest from a poled skiff, especially when looking for mudding bonefish. Photo by Jimmy Jacobs
Located 30 miles off the shore of Belize, Turne By Jimmy Jacobs
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BONEFISH
T
effe Atoll is a bonefish paradise.
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he waters around Turneffe Atoll in Belize have everything needed to satisfy any bonefisherman. Regardless of skill level, fly casters can find fishing to suit their needs amid this ring of islands. The “downtown� flats of Islamorada, Florida are where advanced anglers go to get their doctorate in bonefishing, as they chase some of the biggest, wariest and most pressured fish in the world. For the rest of us, who are at a lesser level of proficiency, Turneffe offers situations to both educate and challenge us.
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For the beginner, a guide can put them on a school of bonefish “mudding” on a deeper flat. These fish are basically in a feeding frenzy, stirring up mud on the bottom as they root around like redhorse suckers. They are likely to hit any fly that is retrieved through the mud. This affords the newcomer to the angling to hone his casting in the ever present wind on saltwater, learn the stripping techniques and how to fight a bonefish at the elementary level. Novice to intermediate level fly casters can head to the shallow flats to wade for their bones. These fish often are in herds of up to 50 to 100 fish and it’s possible to see the patches of “nervous” water moving in the shallows.
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Quite often, as well, the tails or backs of the bonefish are out of the water. Here it’s possible to pick up the proper wading and stalking techniques, along with how to present flies and fight fish in this shallow domain, while attaining a high school diploma of bonefishing. For the more advanced anglers, these same flat are likely to hold singles or small pods of larger bones. Fooling these fish is more difficult, requires precise casting and is the equivalent of an under graduate degree in the angling. Against that background a recent visit to Turneffe Flats Resort on the island of Blackbird Caye provided a full slate of options for bonefish. Mixed in with days of looking for permit and tarpon, our group checked out all the possibilities for bonefish.
SSFF Associate Publisher Claude Preston took this bone from a school of mudding fish. Photo by Jimmy Jacobs.
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The first morning our guide John Gongora obliged by starting us off on that slate of opportunities. The second spot we tried toward the northern end of the atoll produced a school of perhaps several hundred smaller bones milling about a depression near the beach and stirring up a telltale mud. Here it took only a few cast with Bonefish Bitters and Gotcha patterns into the murky area to result in hook ups with strong fish in the 2-pound range. That quickly completed our primary education and sent ups looking for more of a challenge.
The bigger bonefish often get up into barely inches of water on the flats. Photo by Jimmy Jacobs
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Over the ensuing day we targeted several flats that offered similar conditions for the shallow water action. At each of these the rising tide was beginning to flood over the coral reef that surrounds the atoll. As streams of water formed flowing through breaks in the reef, tails and dorsal fins of bonefish moving up from the lagoon side began to appear. These schools often numbered in the dozens of fish, ranging from a couple of pounds to some exceeding the 5-pound mark. Here we abandoned the boat, opting to wade into bare inches of water, as we jockeyed for the best casting angle. Dropping the fly in front of the moving school, we would wait for them to approach, then make the offering hop off the bottom like it was spooked and fleeing. When a fish took the fly, the area would erupt in scattering bonefish panicked by the rush of their hooked companion. Meanwhile the reel would sizzle as the hooked bone ran for deeper, open water. It was no time to get clumsy and let your hand get too close to the reel handle. That was a sure prescription for battered and bruised knuckles! Again, once we had caught a few, we graduated to a more difficult curriculum of targeting individual, larger bones. The fish would show up on these same flats, but avoided the schools. In fact, in some cases they would get into water so shallow their backs were visible, making tracking them quite easy. On the other hand, they were far more wary than their bunched up cousins and more unforgiving of sloppy casting. Getting one of these fish, which ran to the 8-pound mark was the toughest challenge of all.
Wading the flats of Turneffe Atoll offers a bit more technical fishing. Photo by Jimmy Jacobs.
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Regardless of which of the three bonefish options targeted, the surrounding scenery and wildlife could easily break your focus, if you were not careful. The crystal waters of the flats also were home to several species of cruising rays and sharks, while permit and tarpon might show themselves close by as well. Scurrying crabs darted about and, in one instance, we were joined amid the coral by an octopus. In the channels, pelicans dove, gulls patrolled and overhead dozens of frigate birds soared. But, above all, it was the hordes of bonefish that created most of the magic at Turneffe Atoll. Jimmy Jacobs is the editor of Southern Saltwater Fly Fishing Magazine.
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Large numbers of bonefish can be found tailing on the flat of the atoll. Photo by Cory Wheeler.
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THE TURNEFFE SLAM
Although the abundance and variety of the bonefish options at Turneffe can keep anglers busy, those are not the only fish that attract attention. The waters around the islands are famed as a great place to get a slam – a bonefish, permit and tarpon, all in a single day. One reason this is possible is the often close proximity of the three species to each other. When targeting bonefish on the shallow flats, it is not uncommon to spot the black scythe-shaped dorsal fin and tail of a permit jutting above the surface. When in a boat on deeper flats of 3 to 4 of water, pods of permit can be spotted cruising or feeding as well. These fish range from just a couple of pounds, up to monsters tipping the scales at 30-pluspounds. Those deeper flats also can hold tarpon that range from juveniles in of under 30 pounds to giants of more than 100. Particularly for boating anglers, it is wise to have several rods rigged and available. Seven- to 9-weights are good for the bonefish and small permit, while a 10-weight works better for the larger permit. When you encounter tarpon, having a 12-weight rig available is a good idea. 64 l www.sosaltwaterflyfishing.com
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Another Day in Paradise…
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Featured Gui
John Gong
J
ohn Gongora has been guiding at Turneffe Flats Resort in Belize for 8 years and at 33 is the youngest member of the staff. While none of that is particularly unusual, his route to becoming a bonefish, permit and tarpon guide on the flats of Turneffe Atoll was a rather circuitous one. It is a tale of desire for improvement and being in the right place at the right time.
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Gongora spent his formative years in Belize City and on a farm in the Sand Hill community. After graduating from an all-boys Jesuit high school, he entered a co-ed junior college. By his own admission, the girls and parties of that new environment soon ran his coffer dry. At that time a friend of his, who was a snorkeling guide, had three cruise ships dock simultaneously with 150 snorkelers, which required extra help. He asked John to handle the safety kayak for the trip. So many of the snorkelers mentioned John’s cheerful attitude to the tour owner that he was offered the chance to train as a guide. Next, during an election year, one candidate offered to finance any young people from his town, if they wanted to become tour guides. Again, Gongora jumped at the opportunity. Once certified, he got a job guiding tourists and when the service decided to add a scuba-diving option, the owner offered to pay for John’s training as a dive guide, if he would commit to remain with the company for two years.
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In 2010 the same friend who got him into snorkeling was working for Turneffe Flats’ dive operation. When that friend was injured, he recommended they get John as his replacement. That led to being offered a permanent dive guide job. The next step was getting a chance to train as a fishing guide, which led to him guiding anglers during the high season and dive trips during the slower months. Eventually he transitioned into guiding fishermen on a full-time basis at Turneffe Flats. Unlike some guides, Gongora has found that being patient and not berating anglers about their casting or missed fish is the key to making sure they have a good trip. As far as who he guides at Turneffe, he puts expert anglers at about 10 percent and experienced casters at 60. He rates another 30 as novice, and the final 10 at complete beginners. But regardless of their level of expertise most end up catching bonefish. He attributes that success to the atoll’s bonefish having specific areas they use on the varying tides within that range. Being territorial, those schools show up in the same places as long as the weather is good. The result is they can be easily located and when in schools are easier to catch. “The main thing new visitors coming fly-casting at Turneffe Flats need to concentrate on is having the right fly selection,” Gongora noted, with regard to the bonefish. “Size 8 and 10 with chain bead or plastic eyes work best on the shallow flats.” November 2018
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However, Gongora has found that most fly casters visiting the area want to target permit. That even includes many of the beginners. Of course, that is a tougher proposition. “Permit have a range, but roam all over it, not sticking to specific spots,” he pointed out. Usually found on deeper flats in 4 to 6 feet of water, permit call for bigger flies in sizes 4 to 6 with lead eyes to sink faster. Gongora prefers flies in green, olive and tan for these fish. “If the fish are on the shallow flats, however, you can use smaller flies,” he added. As for the final leg of a Turneffe slam, when it comes to tarpon, John prefers to find them on the same deeper flats where the permit hang out. That allows for sight-casting to fish of up to 100 pounds. The flies for this angling are larger, usually consisting of an Enrico Puglisi tarpon pattern or a Tarpon Toad. But, if the fish are not showing up in the shallows, you still can find them in the deeper channels with current flowing through. For that option sinking or intermediate lines are needed and it is mostly blind casting. One favorite set up Gongora likes for both the permit and tarpon is to find flats with floating patches of sargassum grass. That weed also may form a mat along windward shorelines as well. The grass holds lots of little crabs, shrimp and bait fish that attract the permit and tarpon. November 2018
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Whether on the poling platform or going over the side to lead you across the flats on foot, John Gongora continues to strive to be in the right place at the right time.
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TYING FOR T Flies for Turneffe’s most common fish.
T
he fish that are synonymous with fly casting at the Turneffe Atoll are bonefish, permit and tarpon. Having a fly box stocked with the right flies is the first step in catching those fish.
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THE ATOLL
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EP Tarpon SP Peanut Butter
This fly designed by Enrico Puglisi is a mainstay of the arsenal for tarpon anglers in the atoll. Tied on a size 2/0 hook, it is ideal for both smaller juvenile tarpon, but also attracts the 100-plus-pound silver kings. Several color patterns can work, but the most dependable is the black/purple scheme.
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Tarpon Toad
First developed in smaller sizes for bonefish in the Florida Keys, Atlanta fly shop owner and traveling angler Gary Merriman led the way in popularizing the pattern for tarpon in that same region in the 1980s. The fly is tied in larger sizes and with stronger hooks when stepping up to the tarpon game. Purple or chartreuse are most often fished colors.
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PERMIT FLIES Avalon Permit Fly
Although sometimes referred to as the Avalon Crab Fly, this pattern actually more resembles a shrimp. Purported to have been developed in Cuba by Italian angler Mauro Ginevri, regardless of what is looks like, it is a fast-sinking fly that works well on deeper flats around Turneffe Atoll.
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Del’s Merkin Crab Finding the Merkin Crab on the list is no surprise, since it is probably the most popular permit fly that exists. Originated by Del Brown, who is generally credited with having caught more permit than any angler, the Merkin slightly resembles a crab, but more importantly, when cast, it acts like a crab.
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BONEFISH FLIES Mantis Shrimp Fly
The Mantis Shrimp Fly’s most prominent feature are its three sets of rubber legs. While we ordinarily think of shrimp as hapless creatures at the bottom of the food chain and on the menu for every fish in the sea, that doesn’t apply to the mantis. These creatures are tiny members of the lobster family, are extremely fast and are predatory. Most important, they are a favorite food for bonefish.
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Bonefish Bitters
The Bonefish Bitters is a staple in the fly boxes of astute anglers chasing the gray ghosts of the flats in the Turneffe Atoll. The gift shop at Turneffe Flats offers the Pops Bonefish Bitters in a couple of colors. The fly was developed by Winston “Pops� Cabral, who has guided for the lodge since 1987. If you want to tie your own bitters, here is a simple prescription. Tie on a pair of bead chain eyes just behind the eye of the hook. Add three sets of rubber legs about midway back on the hook
Next tie in some stacked deer hair halfway between the chain eyes and the rubber legs, with a third of the hair on the tip ends toward the back and the other two-thirds of the butt ends angled forward. Trim the forward hairs off just to the level of the eyes, not sticking up over them. Now trim the legs off so they are about the length from the chain eyes to the back of the hook. Finish off with an epoxy head around the chain eyes. November 2018
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764 Miami Circle, Atlanta, Georgia 30324| Phone: (404) 237-3473
www.thefishhawk.com
GALVAN FLY REELS
Simple, rugged, and classically styled. www.galvanflyreels.com
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A Jewel in the Rough
O
ne lesson the traveling fly caster learns early is that many of the places that are home to great fishing don’t necessarily have all the conveniences of home. After all, often the reason the angling is so good is because the area is not overly developed or easily accessed. A common mantra heard by fly fishermen planning a trip, especially to exotic locations, is to “bring extra gear,” because there is none to be had on site. When heading to the fantastic fishing grounds of Ambergris Caye in northern Belize, anglers are pleasantly surprised to find a true diamond in the rough. Situated in the town of San Pedro, Tres Pescados Fly Shop is Belize’s original full-service fly shop and outfitter, having opened its doors for business in 2008.
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The original owner Jim Oliver ran the operation until 2011, when Wil Flack took over ownership, management and the position of head guide at the shop. After growing up on the west coast of Canada, Wil found his calling in chasing permit all over the world. That passion eventually led him to Belize and Tres Pescados. He points to several reason for ending that odyssey in Belize. “One of the best saltwater fisheries for bonefish, permit and tarpon. It’s English speaking,” he said, and most importantly he added, “The best permit fishing in the world.” So, how does one run a successful fly shop in an area that sees very little local trade? For instance, early on they took a shot at the fly tying side of the business. “In the beginning we had a fly tying section at the shop,” Flack explained, “but it never took off. Very few people tie in Belize. We don’t offer fly tying anymore.” Obviously, that situation makes having a full-service shop available even more important to visiting fly casters. But that set back was just a minor bump in the road. With regard to fly fishing in general Flack said, “Belize is on the map! More and more anglers are traveling to Belize for their first saltwater experience. During the high season from December to June our shop is busy. From beginners to seasoned pros, the shop is a flurry of activity.” That influx of traveling anglers makes being a full service shop a must. “It’s key to being successful!” Flack emphasized. “We are Belize’s original fly shop catering to the needs of all visiting anglers. The market in Belize is small, but our reach is global.” Despite having a great crew of guides and employees, he points to another driving force of the business. “Our great clients influence a lot of our business decisions,” Wil said. “Their feedback is crucial.” 88 l www.sosaltwaterflyfishing.com
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It is such feedback that has led to the shop’s mission to, “offer the best bug selection and local knowledge anywhere.” Along that same line they carry gear from Scott fly rods, to Hatch, Airflo, Cortland and Costa merchandise. Additionally, they provide a complete selection of flies for the local waters and species. Another facet of the business that they don’t dabble in is destination fishing – after all, they are the destination! “More people are traveling than ever before – more anglers. We don’t offer destination angling,” Flack said. “I do all my hosted travel through Yellow Dog as a travel ambassador.” What they do offer is a staff of in-house guides, led by Flack, and more recently have opened their Belize Permit Club lodge. It’s a no-frills, but comfortable setting in the heart of remote, world-class permit waters. Wil Flack offered a couple of tips for anyone heading down to Belize to sample the fly angling. “Practice your cast, particularly the double-haul, and book a guide,” then added with tongue in cheek, “Don’t go permit fishing – it will ruin you!” As to what he sees.regarding the future of angling in Belize and fly fishing in general, he said, “More women are getting into the sport, which is great, and a lot of younger kids, as well. I’m seeing more parents taking their kids fishing. Well done, mom and dad!” For more information on Tres Pescados Fly Shop, visit their website at belizefly.com. Or, if you are in San Pedro, drop by the shop at 41 Barrier Reef Drive.
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SweetWater Brewing Company • Georgia • SweetWaterBrew.com
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I
f you are like most folks, the mention of marine art brings to mind paint on canvas, depicting anglers on the water or the denizens of the sea they pursue. For Sight Line Provisions’ founder Edgar Diaz, angling art took a rather different direction. His medium takes the form of using leather and metal to design symbols of our shared passion for nature and thrill of unexpected outdoor moments that speak directly to our souls. The resultant lines of bracelets, neckwear, key fobs and Yeti tumbler cuffs often feature the bonefish, jacks, permit, redfish, roosterfish, striped bass and tarpon that we target in saltwater.
Sight Lin
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Growing up outside Los Angeles, the ocean and mountains of southern California sparked a love of fishing, mountain biking and snowboarding in Diaz. That addiction to the outdoors spilled over into his creations. But surprisingly, his early years did not foretell his future in art. “Not really,” Diaz noted, “I was focused on playing basketball and school. Organized art classes were more of an elective item, instead of something I really wanted to do. I don’t think there was ever a time I discovered my creativity, as I have always been a creative person overall. I didn’t really consider myself a talented artist until my early 20s, when people started to pay me for my work.” There was, however, one influence in those early years that did steer him toward his eventual career. “I would definitely point towards my father, as he found different ways of creating two-dimensional framed artwork of painted silicone on canvas, alloy metal fabricating, sculpture or jewelry, and now he paints on feathers, rocks and other natural materials,” Diaz recounted. “I think that when I watched him create for the pure joy of making something, it definitely stuck and allowed me to explore different ways of making art and design.” 96 l www.sosaltwaterflyfishing.com
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Despite Edgar Diaz’s love of the outdoors, his art did not immediately reflect it. “Ironically, my favorite subject matter was cityscapes,” he admitted. “During the late 1990s till 2012, I had developed a way of using recycled aluminum cans for my low relief fictional cityscape art. Those were framed in shadow boxes and presented for wall hanging.” That type of art supported him until he found his muse in the outdoors. “From 2000 to 2016, I was exclusively making a living applying and attending art fairs and festivals all over the United States,” the artist explained. “In that time I was able to create a lot of art pieces and the ones that were received well were the ones that provided the client with something to hang on their wall: hearts, florals, female form and sailboat scenes. These were all stylized and made from thin stainless steel and framed in shadow boxes.” But, that now has changed. “Currently, I believe the Sight Line Provisions leather bracelets are my best received work to date.” That opinion is backed up by statistics. “Sight Line Provisions is producing thousands of bracelets and accessories every year to retailers and customers all over the world,” Diaz offered. “Although I have become more of a designer, I still make a good portion of our work, especially the Artist Editions.” November 2018
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Diaz’s creations for Sight Line Provisions earned the Best Fly Fishing Gift Award from Fly Fusion Magazine for 2017. “Of course, growing a brand and having thousands of customers buy our bracelets and accessories is a pretty awesome award in itself,” he added. “I would say that my current body of work has been fueled by one thing – the love of creating products for those that love the outdoors.” Even for a proven professional, art offers some challenges. In Edgar Diaz’s case, he knows exactly what it is. “Stopping,” he said. “If I make every idea that popped into my head, I would never get anything done. I feel that my art festival years were full of this, as I was always having to produce art pieces to sell and never got to enjoy them. “My advice to everyone – as everyone is an artist – is to make things because you love to make them. If they happened to make you some money, then accept that as a bonus,” Diaz concluded. To see more of Edgar Diaz art, visit sightlineprovisions.com. 100 l www.sosaltwaterflyfishing.com
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21997 Highway 23
504.656.9990 800.231.1514
West Point a La Hache LA 70083
woodlandplantation.com
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TURNEFFE FL A Green Paradise 104 l www.sosaltwaterflyfishing.com
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T LATS
o begin with, finding a fully-modern, firstrate resort on sparsely populated Blackbird Caye, more than 30 miles from the mainland of Belize is surprising enough. But, Turneffe Flats takes it to another level. The resort is about as close to being self-contained and self-sufficient as possible, while leaving virtually no foot print on the environment. Indeed, Turneffe Flats is the most highly-rated eco-friendly guest accommodation in Belize. November 2018
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Establishment of Turneffe Flats can be traced back to a fishing trip by Craig Hayes and Doug Moore to the atoll in the late 1970s. What they found was a virtually-untouched angling resource at a fish camp run by locals Angel “Juni” Marin and Joel “Blues” Westby. The latter was one of only a handful of bonefish guides in Belize at the time. Recognizing the potential of the area, Hayes and Moore soon worked out a deal to take over the government lease for the camp. Later they also managed to purchase the site, which eventually expanded to 160 acres. When Doug Moore started another venture, Turneffe Flats management fell to Craig, with the assistance of Karen Krietlow (who was destined to become Karen Hayes). The ensuing years have seen expansions, renovations after hurricanes and updating of facilities. Today the resort is manned by 35 employees, including a host of English-fluent fishing guides aboard custom-built Dolphin flats skiffs. Besides spin and fly-casting for bonefish, permit and tarpon, the resort also offers scuba-diving, snorkeling and eco-adventure vacation options. 106 l www.sosaltwaterflyfishing.com
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To reach the resort, guests enjoy a 90-minute shuttle from Belize City to aboard 48-foot “Ms. Elle.� At the end of the ride, visitors are greeted by a vista of white sand beach and coconut palms, fronted by a coral reef. Nestled in this tropical setting, the resort consists of eight, beachfront cabanas, featuring two beds and a bath with walk-in showers, as well as the Garden and Reef Villas, which are large, three-bedroom accommodations. All are air-conditioned, with views of the reef and Caribbean Sea. Daily maid service is offered as well. For leisure moments, decks overlook the sea beside the swimming pool, and there is a sand beach area. Hostesses deliver beverages from the bar to these areas as well. The surrounding grounds are dotted with coconut palms and native flowering plants. November 2018
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The social center of Turneffe Flats is the air-conditioned Main Lodge, which contains the dining room, bar and communal lounge with a television. The lodge also provides Wi-Fi service. The bar is fully-stocked and manned in the afternoons, but is also on the honor system. Guests may serve themselves at any other times and simply note their drinks on the Tab Sheet. Each day begins with breakfast in the lodge, while anglers have the option of returning from a morning of fishing for a noon meal, or having a lunch prepared to take with them in the boat. In the evenings hors d’oeuvres are served in the bar area, followed by family-style dinners. Meals consist of a mixture of Belizean and international cuisine that includes fresh seafood, home-baked pastries, fresh fruits and fresh-squeezed juices. For details, rates and dates at Turneffe Flats, visit tflats.com. 110 l www.sosaltwaterflyfishing.com
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KEEPING THE CARIBBEAN GREEN
Turneffe Atoll Trust An atoll is defined by a central lagoon, surrounded by islands known as cayes that are separated by seaward channels called bogues. Belize’s Turneffe Atoll is the largest and most biologically-diverse atoll in the Caribbean Sea. It is composed of about 450 islands, most of which are uninhabited. The atoll is surrounded by of a healthy coral reef, vast seagrass flats and large mangrove stands. Such habitat supports large numbers of bonefish, permit and tarpon, along with an array of other marine life, wildlife and birds. Yet, in recent years that ecosystem has come under pressure from commercial fishing and lackadaisical development. To counter these destructive trends, the Turneffe Atoll Trust was formed. It is a not-for-profit company dedicated to the conservation of this unique environment. Turneffe Flats is a proud partner in the trust, becoming a member of 1% For The Planet, and thus committing one percent of their revenue to promoting conservation and sustainable habitats such as Turneffe Atoll. Additionally, the resort is Green Globe Certified. That organization monitors tourism businesses to ensure they meet rigorous and documented eco-friendly standards of operation. In line with those goals, Turneffe Flats is working toward converting to renewable energy, and does extensive recycling. In fact, the gray-water system at the facility utilizes closed, recycling technology that retains the water, even to the point of capturing condensation from air conditioners for reuse. Also, all non-recyclable glass is crushed to be mixed in cement for future construction projects. The resort uses a solar-powered hot water system, as well basins and showers using purified, safe-todrink rainwater captured in 200,000-gallons of cisterns. For more information on the Turneffe Atoll Trust visit turneffeatoll. org. 112 l www.sosaltwaterflyfishing.com
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Winston Air Salt 890-4 W
inston is back this year with a new rod series for 2019. The Winston Air Salt builds upon their popular Air series that debuted a couple of years ago. We were able to get our hands on the 890-4 model to test. Winston combined their proprietary SuperSilica lightweight resin system and Boron III to make some progressive modern tapers that excel in saltwater environments. The stated goal was to deliver a high performance rod with the “Winston feel� that we all have grown to love. It generates high line speeds, while delivering balanced fast graphite recovery rates.
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Claude Preston
The first thing I noticed is that classic “Winston Green� blank was back, but with a slight change adding in a matte finish. A perfect finish for saltwater stalking and reducing bothersome glare and flash while targeting species in skinny water. Adding to the stealth finish, Winston goes with the charcoal gray up-locking, anodized aluminum reel seat with double locking rings and a 1 1/2-inch fighting butt, engraved with the company signature logo. One of the hallmarks of the Air series was the incredible lightness of the rod. The Air Salt certainly delivers there, and is very light in the hand. November 2018
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This is where the Boron III technology comes in providing the increased fighting/lifting power and added energy into the butt of the rod that is needed to excel in the salt. Looking down the rod I notice something similar to what I have seen before - just not on a fly rod. It was smaller than average guides that hold the line closer to the shaft to give better control through the cast and presentation. This type of logic has been used in conventional rods for the last couple of years to increase presentation and sensitivity in the rod with great reward. It is a brilliant move by Winston. Casting this rod was great; I was very comfortable at all of my fishing ranges for saltwater action at 30, 60, and 85 feet. I personally feel this rod sings at the 60- to 70-foot range with little to no effort. The Air Salt had plenty of reserve power in the tank, if I needed to turn and make a 10 o’clock shot to a fish tailing at 85 feet. It is evident with the little to no swing weight that this is a rod that you can cast all day without fatigue.
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One of the things that I look for in a saltwater rod is, will it load in close in a situation like you run up against when fishing for redfish in Louisiana or wading around a large school of bonefish, where a 30-foot cast is too much? I tested the rod with the Airflo Tropical Punch and with the Rio DirectCore Flats Pro and both lines loaded the rod in close, a testament to the craftsmanship of the folks at Winston. Winston has once again delivered a great product that has staying power. It is an incredible addition to any quiver. Stop by your local dealer and give the Air Salt lineup a cast. Adding to the stealth finish, Winston goes with the charcoal gray up-locking, anodized aluminum reel seat with double locking rings and a 1 1/2-inch fighting butt, engraved with the company signature logo. The Air Salt is available in rod weights 6 through 12 and all models retail for $975. Visit www.winstonrods.com for more information.
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End of the Line
Hunters Cafe may be a diamon among local, off-the-beaten-pa
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nd in the rough, but there is no denying that it is a true gem ath watering holes. By Polly Dean
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ocated in a weathered bungalow on the waterfront of Shellman Bluff in McIntosh County, Georgia, Hunters Cafe is a welcome haven from the faster pace of the more populated coastal communities.
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End of the Line Known only as Hunters by the regulars, this is an establishment where its patrons know each other by name. The food is mouth-watering, whether partaking of one of their specialty seafood dishes, a burger, or a steak. Within its rustic confines, Hunters features a small dining area in the main house, and a fully stocked bar with weekend entertainment on the large screened-in porch.
Coming highly recommended by our fishing guide, Hunters was closed for their daily break between lunch and dinner when we got off the water. Making it a priority to return after 5:00 p.m. when it would reopen for the dinner crowd, we learned that the outof-the-way location was well worth the return trip. It didn't take long to see that this quirky, friendly little eating and drinking place was a “home-away-from-home� to its varied patrons. The clientele was eclectic. Not surprising were the locals, many who made a living on the water. The coastal town of Shellman Bluff does not have a beach. It is a community of fishermen. 122 l www.sosaltwaterflyfishing.com
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However, among the regulars are a smattering of folks who make a lucrative living, with their primary residences elsewhere in the state, but own vacation homes in this quiet, unpretentious fishing village. Apparently there is a draw to this area that does not involve the usual more-luxurious coastal amenities.
The fondness for the cafe itself is likely due to nostalgia. Army barracks during World War II in its first life, fishermen later utilized the buildings. In 1951, Mr. Hunter (no one seemed to recall is first
name) opened a counter, serving sodas, ice cream and coffee to the fishermen, and the story continues from there. November 2018
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One older gentlemen seated at the bar recounted how as a young boy, it was tradition for him and his father to stop by Hunters for a meal prior to their hunting excursions to nearby Sapelo Island. Whatever your walk in life, Hunters Cafe is the friendly eatery and watering hole, where nobody is a stranger. Don't rely on GPS to find it, and be careful not to pass by the worn and weathered building that serves up anything from a bountiful seafood platter to an ice cold beer. And, don't be surprised if you get invited to a local bonfire on the waterfront after closing hours. November 2018
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h a nd cr a f t ed t o pe rf ec t i o n
est
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T H E R O D YO U W I L L E V E N T UA L LY OW N Our craftsmen’s hands may not win any beauty contests but the rods they produce sure as hell should. Beautifully handcrafted, we strive for perfection and uncompromising performance in every rod we make.
www.thomasandthomas.com HANDMADE IN AMERICA