January/February 2018
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J/F 18 $10.99 CDN $9.99 US
January/February 2018 $9.99 US / $10.99 CDN
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DEDICATED TO SALTWATER FLY FISHING AND OUTDOOR LIVING
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25274 88363
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experience counts for everything Capt. Joel Dickey, a no-nonsense veteran guide and one of the most knowledgable and experienced anglers on the water. He calls Georgia home but can normally be found in Big Pine Key Florida chasing tarpon, bonefish and permit. Hardcore professionals like Joel are testing our products to the limit every day and push us in our pursuit to build truly great rods. Their knowledge, expertise, and understanding are passed to our craftsmen, who strive for perfection and uncompromising performance in every rod we make. To us, Joel and his fellow professionals are our unsung heroes. We salute you.
Introducing the new T&T Avantt and Exocett Series. remarkably light. extraordinarily strong.
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
www.thomasandthomas.com HANDMADE IN AMERICA
Bone at sea level: I always loved incorporating the 'air and sea'. Two totally different worlds that are literally separated by millimeters. And it's at that very moment, when you are catching or releasing, that you get to be a part of both. Photograph by Andrew McDougall
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Paul Mills captures a rare moment on film, yellowtail kingfish tailing on the flats, the only photo of this species tailing we have ever seen. Photograph by Paul MIlls
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Brett Swartz shows that even in less than ideal conditions you can create a magical moment. Photograph by Shaun Wampach
Chico Fernandez, Chris Stinnet, Flip Pallot and Tony Peressini at Black Fly Lodge in September.
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Hey, there are a bunch of cows walking the beach behind you. Yeah right, cows on the beach, got it. Photograph by Phillip Griggs
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No rod has ever silenced all the variables. No engineer has ever found a way to transfer back-cast energy directly into forward accuracy. No angler has ever erased all the doubt from his or her mind. FIRST TIME FOR EVERYTHING.
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gladesdeclaration.org
Tens of thousands have signed. Add your name today and stand up for the future of Florida’s water.
Rick DePaiva ph
oto
TM
Editor-in-Chief Joseph Ballarini Creative Director Shawn Abernathy Consulting Editor Alex Lovett-Woodsum Managing Editors Rock Dawson, Arthur Lux Publishing Consultant Samir Husni, Ph.D.
Proven. Performance.
Senior Contributors On the Cover
Arek Kubale captures the moment of a lone angler returning from the surf feathered in sea spray.
ABOUT Tail Fly Fishing Magazine provides a voice for saltwater fly fishing culture in a bimonthly print publication. We focus on delivering the best photography, destination travel, reputable commentary and technical features from the saltwater fly fishing lifestyle. Tail began as a digital publication that debuted in September 2012 and has been in print since September 2016. In many places, fly fishing has become important to both people and the environment. As a method of fishing imbued with values of stewardship and conservation, it connects people with the marine world in significant and positive ways. Tail Fly Fishing Magazine supports creative expressions that heighten our appreciation of fly fishing and encourage us to look at it in new ways. The magazine strives to provide content that reflects our mutual fascination with all aspects of saltwater fly fishing. We are grateful for your support and we welcome photographic and written contributions. Tail Fly Fishing Magazine is published six times annually. Subscriptions are available for $48 per year. Prices vary for international subscriptions. Please contact us with any advertising, subscription or submission questions.
Bob Branham Pat Ford Mark Hatter Ruben Martin Peter McLeod Jonathan Olch George Roberts Greg Thomas
Creative Contributors Shawn Abernathy Jacob Braxton James Buice Gordon Churchill Bob Lewis Kellie Prescott Michael Roth George Roberts Dmitry Telyaritsky Rock Dawson
Photography James Buice Jacob Braxton Gordon Churchill Bob Lewis Andrew McDougall Paul MIlls Kellie Prescott George Roberts Michael Roth Nicky Runnels Dmitry Telyaritsky Shaun Wampach
2300 Alton Road Miami Beach, FL 33140 WWW.TAILFLYFISHING.COM 305-763-8285 I N LOV I N G M E M O RY O F J O HN C . MEL FI
To the thousands of anglers who put their trust in our reels, and our reels in their hands [ day after day and year after year ], WE THANK YOU!
www.3-TAND.com 203.345.7000
info@3-TAND.com
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CONTENT
ISSUE 33
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56 64 66
76 80 90 96
Gear Guide: New Year, New Rod Inside the Box Jacob Braxton Two Dollar Cigars by James Buice Less Effort, More Distance by George Roberts Chasing Albies Up and Down the East Coast by Robert Lewis South East Coast by Gordon Churchill Tapped: Beer Reviews Bou Knows: An Interview with Bou Bosso by Shawn Abernathy On the Plate by Kelli Prescott Seeing Spots by Michael Roth Fly Tying: Simple Shrimp by Dmitry Telyaritsky An Angler Opines by Rock Dawson
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ALASKA Mossy’s Fly Shop 750 W Diamond Blvd Suite 114 Anchorage AK 99515
G E T TA I L AT T H E S E R E TA I L E R S
COLORADO
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Crested Butte Angler 229 Elk Avenue Suite A Box 1777 Crested Butte CO 81224 Front Range Anglers 2344 Pearl Street Boulder CO 80302 CONNECTICUT The Compleat Angler 541 Boston Post Road Darien CT 06820 FLORIDA Black Fly Outfitters 11702 Beach Blvd #109 Jacksonville FL 32246
The Fish Hawk 764 Miami Cir NE #126 Atlanta GA 30305 ILLINOIS Coren’s Rod & Reel 6001 N Nina Ave Chicago IL 60631
TEXAS Bayou City Angler 3641 Westheimer Rd Suite A Houston TX 77027 Fishing Tackle Unlimited 8723 Katy Freeway Houston TX 77024
IDAHO Jimmy’s All Season Angler 275 A Street Idaho Falls ID 83402 LOUISIANA Old Towne Fly Shop & Outfitters 4009 Pontchartrain Drive Slidell LA 70458
Fishing Tackle Unlimited 13831 Southwest Freeway Sugarland TX 77478 Fishing Tackle Unlimited 12800 Gulf Freeway Houston TX 77034 Gordy & Sons 22 Waugh Drive Houston TX 77007
MASSACHUSETTS The Bear's Den 34 Robert W Boyden Rd Taunton MA 02780
Sportsman Finest 12434 Bee Cave Road Austin TX 78738
NORTH CAROLINA
Swan Point Landing 1723 Cherry Street Suite 4 Rockport TX 78382
Bill Jacksons’s Shop for Adventure 9501 US 19 N Pinellas Park FL 33782
Madison River Fly Fishing Outfitters 20910 Torrence Chapel Rd D5 Cornelius NC 28031
UTAH
Forgotten Coast Fly Company 123 Commerce Street Apalachicola FL 32320
NEW YORK
Fish Heads Fly Shop 32 S Main Street Heber City UT 84032
Florida Keys Outfitters 81219 Overseas Highway Islamorada FL 33036
Urban Angler 381 Fifth Ave, 2nd Floor New York NY 10016
Fishwest 47 West 10600 South Sandy UT 84070
OHIO TENNESSEE
Flounder Creek Outfitters 515 Garden Street Titusville FL 32796
Mad River Outfitters 813 Bethel Road Columbus OH 43214
Harry Goode’s Outdoor Sports 1231 E New Haven Ave Melbourne FL 32901
SOUTH CAROLINA
Ole Florida Fly Shop 6353 N Federal Hwy Boca Raton FL 33487 Orlando Outfitters 2814 Corrine Dr Orlando FL 32803 The Angling Company 333 Simonton St Key West FL 33040 West Wall Outfitters 787 Tamiami Trail Port Charlotte FL 33953 GEORGIA Blue Ridge Fly Fishing 490 E Main Street Blue Ridge GA 30513
Fly South Fly Shop 115 19th Ave South Nashville TN 37203 WASHINGTON
Bay Street Outfitters 825 Bay Street Beaufort SC 29902 Charleston Angler 654 Saint Andrews Blvd Charleston SC 29407 Charleston Angler 188 Meeting St Charleston SC 29401 Charleston Angler 1113 Market Center Blvd Mt Pleasant SC 29464 Lowcountry Fly Shop 626 Coleman Blvd Mt Pleasant SC 29464
Gig Harbor Fly Shop 3115 Harborview Drive Gig Harbor WA 98335 The Avid Angler 17171 Bothell Way NE Seattle WA 98155 Bass Pro Shops over 80 locations in the USA Field & Stream Stores over 25 locations in the USA
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letter from the
EDITOR
Ushering In A New Year As we begin a new year, it is often a time of reflection, or can be at least. It is a time to take inventory and reflect on the things we did right and also the things we maybe could have done differently. Oftentimes we regret not being able to do the things that make us whole because of work obligations, unforeseen events or just not making them enough of a priority. With each new year, many people make a resolution to give up a bad habit or pick up a good one, but most never see it through. Through the years I’ve watched people fail at smoking cessation, work out routines, diets, you name it. The reality is, these things are just not part of you or who you are. I’ll propose this suggestion and hope that readers take it to heart. Just be honest with yourself. If you are like me, and you probably are if you're reading this, you are always thinking about your next adventure. It doesn’t even have to be an African safari or an expensive trip to a remote place, it’s just about getting outside and finding your place in nature. Some of my best days were spent in the pouring rain on a kayak at Matheson Hammock waiting for the incoming tide and a shot at one of the fat bonefish that feed there. Whether it’s taking a stand up paddle board or kayak to my spot for bonefish, walking a canal for peacock bass, or fishing with one of the best guides in Florida, I’m out there. I’m doing my thing with nature and recharging my batteries for the next round. When I
am able do this and do it often, it makes me a better husband, a better father, a better co-worker and a more balanced person. This is how I replenish what the rigors of life take from me and surely many of you feel exactly the same way, but perhaps you haven’t identified it yet. When I said be honest with yourself, this is exactly what I meant. Identify what makes you happy and do it. Our spouses or significant others may view this as being selfish or not caring, but with some honest communication they will see that it is just as important as going to the gym or brushing your teeth. We must take care of ourselves physically, and more importantly emotionally. This is what allows us to be at our best and to carry the world on our shoulders when we need to. Take that weekend or week to fish, even if the weather is not cooperating. That time you spend will make you better, stronger and may create a memory that you will never forget. Thanks to my buddy Matt for helping me discover this some years back. He might be young, but he's wise beyond his years. My new years resolution is to spend as many days on the water as I spend working my day job. Hopefully you can set and keep a New Year's resolution that will make you a little happier this year.
Joseph Ballarini Editor-in-Chief
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GEAR GUIDE
NEW YEAR, NEW ROD With the arrival of the new year, it is time to start thinking about a new rod. Whether you are going on the trip of a lifetime or just looking to upgrade your go-to stick, we have picked some of our favorite rods that will fit just about any budget and need.
ORVIS HELIOS 3 Having an accurate cast is everything when it comes to chasing fish on the flats (heck, even when banging buoys for tripletail). The Helios 3 gives anglers a serious edge in the accuracy department, which we all know is crucial when stalking fish on the flats. Plus, the new aesthetics are a welcome change from the norm. $898
THOMAS AND THOMAS EXOCETT These lightweight 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. Once hooked-up, Exocett rods support anglers with immense strength and reserve power to battle and land the baddest fish on the planet, from giant trevally to tarpon. $895
TFO BVK The BVK is designed by the legend Lefty Kreh, and it shows. This rod is light, crazy responsive and deadly accurate. This is an excellent rod for someone wanting to upgrade their current rod while being budget-minded. Plus they have an amazing no fault warranty. $279-$299
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ECHO EPR Crazy fast, but has enough on the backend to help cut through stiff winds and bring in some large fish. This rod will help you get those high line speeds to get where you neeed to be in almost any condition, because we all know those picture perfect days of slick calm don't really exist on the flats too often. $449
SCOTT MERIDIAN It is very lightweight, casts extremely well and has enough power to stand up to windy conditions and hard fighting fish. The Meridian is quickly developing an outstanding reputation among guides and anglers. Plus, the components and blue thread wraps just look plain sexy. Many of our team members fish this rod and you will usually see at least one or two on the skiffs at every outing. $865
SAGE MOTIVE Hands down one of the best rods available in this price range. This rod has a great backbone for fighting big fish and can really put out some accurate casts at distances up to 100 feet, just in case you get that hail mary cast at the tailing permit. This rod is a true gem that won't break the bank. $499
G LOOMIS NRX PRO-1 If you do almost all of your fishing locally, the NRX Pro-1 is a no brainer. Besides never having to mess with putting rods together again, you get a reduction in overall weight and you avoid breaking the rod at the ferrule points when putting some heat on a big fish. $725-$815
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INSIDE THE BOX
JACOB BRAXTON
This summer I got a phone call from a customer in British Columbia whose annual trip to Cuba had been put on hold. He figured a trip to the Gulf would suffice, and I was tasked with curating a fly box that would tide him and his three buddies over for a weeklong fishing trip. The colors I chose to cover in this box were black/ brown and purple, chartreuse, white and orange, represented in different fly profiles and sink rates to cover most of the water column. Here is my idea of the Ultimate Gulf Coast Redfish Box: 9 Deceiver flies in various colors 12 Tarpon toads in various colors 6 Coyote Deceivers in various colors 9 Foxy Lady flies in various colors 2 Mega Redfish Spoons 4 Ice Double Barrel Poppers 12 Schminnows
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TWO DOLLAR CIGARS
James Buice
The Azucar Lounge overlooks the Plaza Vieja, which lies if not the heart of Old Havana, somewhere within its cardiac sphere. We sip mojitos and speak broken Spanish to our waitress, who is the daughter of the proprietor and one of five siblings working at the cafe. Tourists shuffle over the cobblestone courtyard of the plaza, seemingly oblivious to the historic statues and Neoclassical architecture, cameras trained instead on a hot pink ’55 Buick convertible.
RISING
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Havana has become a city of entrenched cliché, a faux culture espousing nostalgia and credulous expectation. The golden era enjoyed by Hemingway and Meyer Lansky went the way of the Dodo a few decades ago, gangsters and zoot suits replaced by European tourists in capris and increasingly common American gringos donning newlypurchased fedoras, trying just a little too hard to fit in with the fray. The classic automobiles have been retrofitted with diesel engines, their fumes permeating much of the city, many of the once-magnificent buildings are in disrepair, and partner, you ain't buying a genuine Partagas for two dollars off some dude in the hotel lobby. In the grand scheme of things, Americans pretty much missed the
party. While the rest of the world “discovered” Cuba during the last half century, we were too busy playing political jockey on a horse that never left the stable. There were a savvy few who visited Cuba during the height of the embargo, flirting with that gray area of the law many of us like to call, “just having a good time.” One such proscriptive philanderer is a good friend of mine, Rob, who has since repented, for the most part, and settled down to run a very respectable fly shop. Prior to my trip, Rob and I met over drinks and he entertained me with tales of his adventures in Cuba. One in particular centered around a night in Havana when he and a few buddies, in a state of slight inebriation, decided they'd go knock on the door of Gregorio Fuentes to say hello and press flesh with a true legend. For the benighted, Fuentes
is believed to be the inspiration for Santiago in Hemingway’s The Old Man and the Sea. As Rob’s story goes, a few raps brought Fuentes to the door, and he promptly invited my friend and his compatriots inside for a drink. Once inside, Fuentes and the gringos drank good rum and talked into the early morning before parting ways. This was the Cuba cliché that I dreamed of. “This is Havana and in Havana we drink mojitos,” said my friend Rick, who’d promptly ordered another round upon his return from a clandestine meeting with his “cigar guy,” clutching his bounty in one hand, a half-lit cigar smoldering in the other. In truth, Rick had been my friend for a total of six days of our seven-day excursion, the first day spent deciding if we liked each
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The shallow water flats were equally unique and unspoiled, with abundant healthy turtle grass, plentiful mangroves and clear water.
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Outside of the city, I got a glimpse of the "real" Cuba through the window of a shuttle van. Small, dusty towns brimming with sunworn residents, roaming chickens and fruitladen trees. other. After that bridge was crossed, Rick insisted I refer to him as Ricky Ricardo (heavy trill on the “r”) for the remainder of our time in Cuba. I realized quickly that Rick, a veteran traveler to Cuba who had truly embraced the culture, was dialed in and had a “guy” for pretty much anything you could need in Havana. An aficionado of Cuba’s finest handrolled, he’d procured a few dozen stogies for his extended time in country. This was the first leg of a trip that would span the better part of a month, and good tobacco, to him, was as essential as clean water. Rick and I were part of a small
expedition exploring new water around a remote area of the Cuban coast. Spearheading the group was another newly minted friend, Aaron, who was now seated directly across the table from me, eyeing the square and the gawkers and the Buick with more than a little contempt. “Havana wasn’t always like this,” he began. “There used to be street vendors selling amazing art all over, significantly fewer tourists, and you didn’t have this circus going on,” he said, gesturing to the hordes mobbing the brightly-colored classic. “Of course,” Aaron continued,
“back then you always ran the risk of getting thrown in jail for being an American over here illegally.” He laughed, drained his cocktail, and reclined in a Hawaiian print shirt that had comprised the majority of his wardrobe for the better part of the past six days. Outside of the city, I got a glimpse of the “real” Cuba through the window of a shuttle van. Small, dusty towns brimming with sun-worn residents, roaming chickens and fruit-laden trees. Rolling agricultural fields bordering lush, unmolested mountainsides, horse drawn buggies, and ancient Russian tractors still running due to raw ingenuity along with, I suspect, liberal use of whatever they have that passes for Duct Tape and bailing twine. The shallow water flats were equally unique and unspoiled, with abundant healthy turtle grass, plentiful mangroves and
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Even with poverty rife among the
majority, the Cuban people are a kind, proud, often igneous folk making do with what they have until the time warp catches up with the rest of the modern world...
clear water. Aaron surmised that the nearest ecological clone would be Florida Bay half a century prior. Exploratory angling is hit or miss, and while we may have ‘hit’ a little off center, fish were caught, including scores of bonefish and baby tarpon and a sizeable permit caught by none other than Ricky Ricardo. Sharing one of Ricky’s bootleg cigars on the balcony, I realized many of the stereotypes, including my own, about Havana and Cuba were changing. While the tourist dollar will never cease to be pandered to, the back streets of Havana, the rural farms, the pristine countryside, and shallow water flats surrounding the island country tell another story. Even with poverty rife among the majority, the Cuban people are a kind, proud, often igneous folk making do with what they have until the time warp catches up with the rest of the modern world, a process that is likely to continue at a languid pace barring some major occurrence. Despite popular tripe, the real Cuba rises far
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above the one-dimensional classic cars, street corner strumpets, and salsa dancing façade, and at that moment I was content with being wrong about being able to find a quality cigar for two dollars.
LESS EFFORT, MORE DISTANCE
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f you fly fish in salt water you understand the advantages of being able to make a long cast. First, a long cast allows you to cover more water. You show your fly to more fish, and this increases your chances of hooking up. And some gamefish species just aren't going to let you get that close to them—whether they're naturally spooky or they're just being shy. When I was learning to cast and I couldn’t reach the distances I wanted consistently, I was convinced I wasn't putting enough power into the stroke, or that I wasn't hauling hard enough or fast enough. I could lay out a fair amount of line, but I was working very hard to do it—and I believed I needed to work even harder. This is the predicament in which many experienced saltwater fly anglers find themselves. In deconstructing my cast—tearing it down completely and rebuilding it from the ground up—I learned the opposite to be true. It wasn’t a lack of power hindering my distance. Rather, it was an excess of power, and specifically my misuse of power, that was preventing me from making my long cast consistently.
by George Roberts
In the following article we're going to look at two aspects of your cast as well as two techniques that, if you refine them, will add distance to your delivery with no more effort from your rod arm. In fact, to refine these things you’ll be required to reduce the amount of power you’re almost certainly using now. Before we get into the specifics, let's first define what we mean by a long cast in an angling situation. Regardless of your casting ability, when you're wading up to your knees, or you're fishing from a sloping beach, 100-foot casts simply aren't practical. Nor are they necessary. (If you find you need to cast 100 feet I suggest you first try moving closer to the fish.) When I'm fishing from a beach or wading up to my knees, my working cast is about 70 feet. A 70-foot cast will allow you to cover a lot of water, is achievable even when wading, and with proper technique anyone of average physical ability can reach it all day long with very little effort.
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Maintain a Tight Loop The first thing you can do to add distance to your delivery with no more effort from your rod arm is to maintain a tight loop. A tight loop is the most efficient way to transfer all of the energy from the fly rod toward the target, because a tight loop focuses all the energy from the cast within a very narrow area. The tighter the loop you can form, the farther and faster your cast will travel. Imagine two casts that are identical in power, identical in every way, except that one of the casts forms an open loop, while the other one forms a tight loop. The tight loop travels farther and faster—not because the cast has more power, but simply because the tight loop focuses that power within a very narrow area. So how do you form a tight loop? There are two important things to keep in mind: First, the cast will assume any shape that your rod tip has travelled; and second, the path of your rod hand during the stroke determines the path of the rod tip. To form a tight loop you need to move the rod tip along a straightline path throughout the casting arc (Figure 1). In our ideal fly cast the rod unloads just beneath the path of following fly line, forming a tight loop (Figure 2). As we've said, the path of the rod tip is determined by the path of the rod hand during the casting stroke. If you move your rod hand in a straight path you form a tight loop. If you move your rod hand in a curved path you get a large loop. Your ability to move your rod hand, and hence the rod tip, along a straight line is so important to your making long casts effortlessly that you should think of what you're doing as straight-line fly casting.
A major problem with trying to add lots of power to the delivery is our tendency to pull off the straight line, opening the loop more, resulting in a less efficient transfer of energy. Backing off on the force you use during the delivery stroke and maintaining the integrity of the loop will give you a bigger bang for your buck in terms of distance. Simply tighten your loop and you'll add significant distance to your cast with no more effort from your rod arm. Stop the Rod More Abruptly The second way you can add distance to your cast while using less effort from your rod arm is to stop the rod more abruptly at the end of the stroke. Fly casting instructors talk a lot about the importance of loading or bending the rod, but ultimately it's the unloading of the rod—the abrupt stop at the end of the stroke—that determines how much power gets transferred from the loaded rod into the line. In our desire to cast to the backing, this fact tends to get overlooked. The problem with trying to add lots of speed and power to the delivery is that the faster you move your rod hand through the stroke, the more power you use and the more difficult it’s going to be to stop the rod abruptly. Use too much speed and power during the stroke and you're guaranteed to stop the rod over a greater distance. Regardless of how deeply you can load the rod during the stroke, by stopping the rod over a greater distance you're actually draining power from the cast—that is, much of the energy you put into the rod gets wasted. When using video analysis to compare my cast to those of my more advanced
students, two noteworthy things stand out. The first thing worth noting is that my casting stroke is significantly slower than any of my students’. The second thing of note is that the students are loading the rod as deeply as I am, but I’m able to stop the rod more abruptly than they are. In other words, the students are putting as much into the rod as I am, but I’m getting more out of the rod. An abrupt stop begins with a proper grip. I see a lot of different fly casting grips (and I've tried most of them myself ), but I'm convinced that there's a single grip that allows me to stop the rod most abruptly. It’s called the key grip, and when done properly it creates a very solid connection between your rod and your forearm and allows for minimal movement on the stop. To form the key grip (Figure 3) you hold the cork primarily between your index finger and thumb—the way you’d hold a key to turn it in a lock, or the way you’d hold a screwdriver to put torque on it. At the base of your palm there’s a knobby little bone (called the pisiform, actually part of your wrist, indicated by the yellow circle). The cork should be tucked beneath this bone. The butt of the rod is aligned with your ulna bone. When I’m gripping the rod properly and I look down on my thumbnail, most of the cork and butt of the rod are hidden by my forearm. It feels to me as if my hand is on top of the cork rather than wrapped around it. This grip makes the fly rod an extension of your forearm. During the final part of the forward stroke—what Joan Wulff calls the power snap and Lefty Kreh calls the speed-up-and-stop—you must push forward on the handle with your thumb while pulling back with your lower fingers (Figure 4). When done
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t was a huge revelation when I found I could add significant distance to my cast not by swinging harder or faster, but simply by stopping the rod more abruptly.
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properly, the structure of your wrist, which allows for a limited adductive movement, stops the rod abruptly (Figure 5). It was a huge revelation when I found I could add significant distance to my cast not by swinging harder or faster, but simply by stopping the rod more abruptly. If you find yourself working hard to make your long cast, it's almost certain that you're stopping the rod less abruptly than you could. Refining these first two aspects of your cast will give you your greatest gains toward effortless distance. Once these fundamentals are solid, the next two techniques will provide your long cast with its finishing touches. Hauling Makes All Casts … Easier Many experienced fly anglers, as well as most novices, mischaracterize the role of the double haul in fly casting—as did I for quite some time. When I was learning to cast and couldn't reach the distances I wanted consistently, I believed the problem had to do with my double haul. I thought I must not be hauling hard enough or fast enough to give my cast the power it needed. This belief resulted in my using the haul to force myself on the cast, compromising both the loop as well as the abrupt stop. In deconstructing my cast I discovered that I could cast an entire 90-foot fly line without hauling—provided my fundamentals were solid. This forced me to reconsider the role of the double haul in fly casting. A haul is simply a pull on the fly line during the casting stroke. The haul benefits your cast in a number of ways, but perhaps the greatest benefit of hauling, which many anglers overlook, is that hauling divides the
work of loading the rod between both of your arms. That is, the work of the rod arm gets reduced by half. The necessary stroke length is also reduced. It’s much easier for your rod hand to maintain a straight-line path over a shorter stroke than it is over a very long stroke, which helps preserve the integrity of your loop. In short, when you add the haul, all casts become easier to make. When practicing your double haul, forget about using the haul to make the rod load deeper or the line unroll faster. Instead, focus on balance and symmetry; that is, each hand should do precisely half the work. I suggest you begin with perhaps only 20 or so feet of fly line outside the rod tip. Hauling with a short line takes the focus off attaining distance and places it on developing proper form, timing, and efficiency, which are ultimately responsible for distance. Use the stoke and haul—perhaps only a couple of inches—to keep the fly line aloft with minimal effort. Needless to say, strive to maintain a tight loop and a crisp stop on each cast.
most fly anglers overlook and that you can use to make your long delivery with less effort. When false casting a fixed length of line, the fly line unrolls in an openended loop, but the head of the line itself is stationary relative to the rod. When you shoot a bit of line during the casting sequence you set the head of the fly line in motion. The head of the fly line takes on momentum. For our purposes, momentum translates to weight. If you shoot a few feet of fly line on your final back cast and then trap the fly line in your line hand just as the back cast straightens, you'll feel a very pronounced tug on the tip of the rod—that is, the rod will be pre-loaded for the forward stroke. Try this first without making a forward cast. Simply make a back cast, shoot a few feet of line through the fingers of your line hand, and then trap it. Feel for the weight of the fly line tugging against the rod tip— much more pronounced than if you shot no line.
As your stroke and haul develop and the line becomes easier to handle, you’ll eventually be able to carry the entire head (40 or so feet of fly line) comfortably as you haul. If your fundamentals are solid you should be able to deliver a fly 70 feet consistently without hauling. Use the haul, then, to make your 70-foot delivery with half the effort.
When you're confident you can feel the pronounced tug, try pulling into it with your forward stroke. This requires solid fundamentals and excellent timing, but if you can capture it, the momentum of the backward-shooting fly line will load the rod a bit deeper than it would ordinarily, adding a bit more power to your delivery with no more effort from your rod arm.
Shoot Line on Your Final Back Cast
Putting It All Together
Most fly anglers shoot a bit of line during the false casting sequence to lengthen the amount of line they have outside the rod tip. Once you have the entire head outside the rod tip you can make your delivery. Shooting line during the casting sequence has another very important benefit that
Refining each of these aspects or techniques will, individually, add some distance to your cast with no more effort from your rod arm. When you can incorporate all of them within your casting sequence, you'll be able to make your functional long cast consistently with minimal effort.
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6 7 8 9
10 11
(To watch an instructional video of this technique visit my website, the URL to which is listed in the byline.)
Begin with the head of the fly line just outside the rod tip. (I’ve used a shooting head to illustrate this more clearly. Where the blue line meets the orange is the end of the head section.) Plan on a casting sequence that contains three back casts. On the third back cast, after you've stopped the rod abruptly and completed the back cast haul (Figure 6), release the running line in your line hand and allow several feet to shoot through your fingers as the back cast unrolls. During this time, your line hand should move toward the reel just as it would if you were giving back line on a conventional double haul (Figure 7; the yellow rectangle indicates the increased overhang). As your line hand nears the reel, clamp down on the running line with your line hand. When you do this, you'll feel the weight of the fly line suddenly pull the rod tip into a bend (Figure
8). At this point the rod will be preloaded for the forward stroke. At the completion of the forward stroke and haul the rod will be loaded slightly deeper than it would have if you had shot no line (Figure 9), resulting in a more powerful delivery with no more effort from your rod arm (Figures 10 and 11). Although this is certainly a technique you can use to make your longest cast, perhaps more important, this technique will allow you to deliver your functional long cast—again, 70 feet—repeatedly over a full day of fishing with less effort than most anglers use to cast half that distance. In truth, I learned much more about distance casting not by flailing away trying to reach the backing (though I did a fair amount of that as well), but by learning to cast more modest distances with minimal effort. Once I learned—through proper mechanics honed by regular practice—how little effort it actually took to deliver a fly 70 feet, distances greater than 70 feet
were much easier to achieve. This minimalist approach to distance fly casting requires a shift in behavior that many will find difficult to adopt. However, when you eliminate superfluous effort and movement from your casting stroke you’ll be free to learn the true application of power, which is very different from what many imagine it to be, and all of your casts, long or short, will embody the grace and precision that epitomize the fly angler’s art. Bio: A fly casting instructor for nearly 25 years, George Roberts produced the first video fly casting program devoted exclusively to salt water: Saltwater Fly Casting: 10 Steps to Distance and Power. He’s also the author of Master the Cast: Fly Casting in Seven Lessons (McGraw-Hill, 2002). For more information on fly casting and fly angling you can visit George’s website: www.masterthecast.com
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CHASING
UP AND DOWN THE EAST COAST by Robert Lewis
I
n many ways, false albacore are the perfect target species on a fly rod. They provide amazing topwater exhibitions, with birds screeching, bait spraying and green backs slashing through the helpless prey. Albies are in the tuna family and are true speed demons. Once hooked, they typically take an initial run that peels hundreds of feet of backing from your reel in a matter of seconds. They are found in many places up and down the east coast and can be caught from shore, kayaks and small center consoles. I have a friend who caught over 40 of them this past fall from the beach in my hometown. They truly provide light tackle inshore fishing at its best.
my season. Down in West Palm, the sweet spot is the last two weeks of June into the first few weeks of July. Here on Cape Cod, September is when the most action occurs. Montauk also has great albie fishing in September, but I have always gone around Columbus Day weekend to get my October fix. In North Carolina, November is the best time to be there for big albies, referred to locally as “toads.” The fish at Cape Cod and Montauk average five to eight pounds, with double digit sized fish possible, but not very common. However, in North Carolina and West Palm, you can expect to catch 1220 pound false albacore on a regular basis.
I have been lucky to catch albies at Cape Cod, Montauk, Cape Lookout and West Palm Beach. Since the prime time in each locale is different, it allows me to significantly extend
I first heard about the West Palm fishery when I read Tom Gilmore’s book, False Albacore: A Comprehensive Guide to Fly Fishing’s Hottest Fish. Several years later I attended a
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presentation by Tom at our fly club and he discussed a recent trip with his 11-year-old nephew. He described how this young angler caught an albie on his first cast and went on to have the trip of a lifetime. At that time, I had a fly crazed nephew of similar age, and I decided that would be the perfect trip for the two of us. We enjoyed two days of screaming reels and fat alberts over 15 pounds. Thankfully, my nephew is still fly crazed, and we reunited down in West Palm this past summer with his older brother for another epic trip chasing
monster fish. There really is a completely different approach in Florida, with most false albacore raised by live-chumming pilchards. The advantage there is hungry fish busting boat-side and 15- to 20-pound speedsters in great supply. I have been back there several times and also enjoyed other opportunities for shots at tarpon, tuna, mahi and barracuda. One day I landed more than 20 small blackfin tuna on the fly and have also caught Spanish and king mackerel,
snook, jacks and rainbow runners. There is also a pretty famous spinner shark fishery in the February/March timeframe, which I hope to enjoy some day. I have caught my share of sharks over the years, with little enjoyment. However, with full aerial jumps including four to seven rotations to earn their name, fishing for spinners seems like an entertaining experience, especially on the fly. Cape Cod is the place I call home, and I am fortunate to drive by our south-facing beaches on the way
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I consider Montauk my experimental grounds, because when the point is going off, there are plenty of hungry fish to catch and I can try out all my latest fly creations.
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to work each day. By late August and early September, I am happy to see the arrival of the albies. Early season spots are from Waquoit Bay to Craigville Beach, and then schools settle all over the south side from the Elizabeth Islands to Monomoy Point. South of the Cape, there is some good fishing at Great Point on Nantucket over to the waters surrounding Martha’s Vineyard. Historically, September is the established month for the best fishing, but in 2017 we had a solid population of albies through most of October due to great weather and an abundance of bait. Montauk, also known as “the end,” is located at the easternmost tip of Long Island, New York. The locals claim it is the surf casting capital of the world, and many describe it as “a little drinking town with a BIG fishing problem.” There is no question it is a very fishy place. Montauk is also famous for the legendary bass blitzes, with acres of striped bass sipping rain bait on the surface. Each morning, a parade of boats exits the harbor and makes the five mile run down to the point. There is a large rip that forms directly off
Montauk Light in the direction of Block Island and there is an incredible amount of life, with birds everywhere. Surfcasters also line the shore, and it is an interesting dynamic when schools of breaking fish move in towards the beach. There is an unwritten rule that boat guys should not follow these schools in towards the beach to give the shore crowd a well-deserved shot. There are always a few boats that can’t resist the allure of crashing fish, only to find four-ounce bucktails whizzing at their heads from angry surf guys. I have traveled to Montauk every year since 2010, and this past October we had happy false albacore slashing on the surface for most of the day. I consider Montauk my experimental grounds, because when the point is going off, there are plenty of hungry fish to catch and I can try out all my latest fly creations. Cape Lookout is located at the southern part of the Outer Banks. The distinct lighthouse with a black diamond pattern was originally built to mark the treacherous shoals surrounding the area. To this day, there are wild horses roaming the beaches on nearby Shackleford Bank. Harkers Island is a well know base
camp for albie addicts, but the reality is that breaking fish can be all the way down west to the Bogue Inlet and many anglers launch from a great six ramp facility in Morehead City, inside the Beaufort Inlet. Most anglers are there to target breaking fish, and when the hook goes off, with albies busting as far as the eye can see, it is truly a spectacular sight. When the surface feed slows down, there is a great plan B. Shrimp trawlers work the area and attract albies as their bycatch is discarded off the boats. Many large fish can be caught on sinking lines cast behind the trawlers. In 2016, we had a group of anglers that traveled down to NC from Cape Cod and they caught many fish per day utilizing this method, with most fish in the 17- to 22- pound range. Some venture through the shoals to the east where some monster toads up to 25 pounds have been caught. Local guide Sarah Gardner is also well-known for her ability to land big redfish in this area. The Outer Banks are also known as the graveyard for 10-weights. Many visiting anglers show up with the wrong knife for the fight. Personally, I prefer an 11-weight when albies
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...the huge advantage with a fly rod is that during your retrieve, you can pick up 30' of fly line and place it somewhere else on breaking fish.
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15+ pounds are in the hood. You certainly can land these fish on 9- or 10-weights, but you simply don’t have the lifting power after the long runs. A swift battle is better for the fish and more likely to avoid opportunistic sharks looking for a quick snack. There are a couple of events worth attending if you happen to be in NC at the right time. The locals sure do embrace the arrival of late fall hardtails. The Cape Lookout Albacore and Redfish Festival is held around the third week of October, a threeday event that includes a light tackle tournament. In early November, the True Secret Order of False Albacorian Monks hosts a great banquet and BBQ on Harkers Island. Sometimes it’s better to not ask a lot of questions and just enjoy some good food and drink with your fellow albacorians! There is no question that fly anglers have a big advantage targeting false albacore. These fish have small mouths and often feed on tiny bait, such as bay anchovies, silversides and peanut
bunker. In most cases it is pretty easy to match the hatch with a fly. In addition to common lookalike baitfish patterns, a classic fly for fat alberts is the “tutti frutti,” which is a simple pink over chartreuse combo. There are many versions of this, with the most common one tied in a Clouser style. My favorite is a simple deceiver with lateral line flash down the side. Captain Warren Marshall, a guide lucky to fish his sports in the waters of Cape Cod, Cape Lookout and the Florida Keys, developed the best bay anchovy pattern I have ever seen, a great fly when small bait is on the menu. The fly features a silver belly and lifelike tail made from a hackle cut in the shape of a delta. Captain Scott Hamilton, a long time fly-only guide in West Palm, created the “eat me” fly, which is a great pilchard imitation. Scott also concocted a sensational foam baitfish replica which triggers some incredible topwater explosions. I have experimented with many patterns over the years and strongly agree that the wrong fly with a good presentation is much better than the right fly poorly
presented. You have to get the fly moving quickly. Several years ago, someone suggested I try crease flies on albies, and it turned out to be a game changer for me. It is like a new sport and provides pure entertainment to see greenbacks slashing in at 30+ mph and inhaling a surface offering. The past two years, I have also had success with smaller crease flies, about half the size of a normal crease fly, which are great for smaller and picky albies. Tan over white makes for a killer anchovy imitation, and I have also had some real success with a small tutti frutti crease pattern. Captain Dave Peros, a salty light tackle guide on Cape Cod, helped me catch my first albie on the fly back in 2010. He pointed out that the huge advantage with a fly rod is that during your retrieve, you can pick up 30’ of fly line and place it somewhere else on breaking fish. Anglers with spin rods need to retrieve the lure all the way back to the boat and then send out a new cast. It is very common to
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cast out to fish, start a retrieve and then spot a better school ten feet to the right or twenty feet to the left of your fly. You don’t need any false casts in this situation. Simply make one backcast, place your fly right in the middle of the commotion and get ready to come tight. There are times that albies can be picky. This past fall, I found tightlipped fish one morning at Montauk and tried about five different flies and presentations. Then I added an 11-pound tippet (down from 20) with my favorite tutti frutti fly and quickly went tight to a fish. Of course, the million dollar question is whether my changes made a difference or the feed just happened to turn on. I guess I will never know, but when the fish are not eating a properly presented fly, I believe you should always change
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something. Try a crease fly on a floating line, go to a smaller tippet, try a slower retrieve. Make alterations and eventually you will find the right ingredients to make your reel sing. There are many important aspects to catching albies. Presentation is everything: it makes a big difference to have your fly line unroll at the end of your cast and be ready to get that fly moving as soon as it hits the water, rather than a clump of line landing on a school of fish with lots of slack. Since you are targeting a fish that can swim 30 to 40 mph, try to determine their general direction and lead them by quite a bit. Due to their speed, if you try casting at the fish, rather than leading them, you will often see your fly land behind the fish, and they will never see it. A pod of fish can be at 10 o’clock off the bow of the boat and
then pop up behind the boat seconds later. Be ready to drop a back cast or re-direct a forward cast at a moment’s notice. Your ability to quickly place a fly at many different possible locations surrounding the boat, often with wind as a serious factor, will greatly increase your chances of catching. In many parts of the world, anglers must travel significant miles offshore on large boats to find this type of fishing experience. On the east coast of the U.S., there are chances to catch amazing pelagics from shore and areas close to shore, which is one of the reasons fishing for albies is such an amazing and accessible experience for fly anglers.
Healing bodies. Healing minds. Healing waters.
Project Healing Waters Fly Fishing, through the generosity of supporters like you, gives thousands of disabled active military service personnel and veterans meaningful activities to aid in their physical and emotional healing. Š Doug Buerlein Photography
Support our wounded servicemen and women. Learn more at www.projecthealingwaters.org.
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#82526
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by Gordon Churchill ld timers in North Carolina call them puppy drum or red drum. They’re spottail bass in South Carolina, a red bass in North Florida. Whatever you call them, when you fly fish for reds in southern low-country areas, the first thing to understand is that the water is not crystal clear like you see on the fishing shows. You won’t be able to see the bottom much of the time. Recognize, too, if you just blindly throw along the banks the same way a tournament angler would with a spinning rod, you are going to be disappointed. You must fish where you can see them, which means understanding tides and what they do to the water where the reds live.
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IT'S ALL ABOUT SHALLOW WATER Let’s say you want to catch a redfish on a fly. The best way to do this is by hiring a guide. You call up the one you saw on a fishing show. That seems smart enough because he has lots of pictures on his website of people holding redfish. He must be good, right? He takes you out in his bay boat, blasting across the river to what must be his secret spot. He drops down his trolling motor and instructs you to cast to the bank. So you cast. And you cast. And you cast. You do not catch a redfish. You catch a small speckled trout and a flounder, which he says is a great day. First, any water around here that’s deep enough to run a trolling motor is generally too deep to be fly fishing for
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redfish. If you can’t see the bottom, you can’t see the fish. If you can’t see the fish, you likely aren’t going to catch any either. That’s not to say you will never catch a redfish by blind casting with a fly rod, because it happens. I’ve done it myself, but not often and not with any other idea than just doing something for a little while until the tide moves. TIDES CREATE THE PERFECT WATER DEPTH To catch a redfish on a fly in the low country from North Carolina to North Florida, you must fish one of two tides, either a negative low or an extreme high. What’s a negative low? Find the week around the full moon for this month. Then look at the low tides. There should be a number next to the time. That number represents
the amount of water there will be at the peak (high) or nadir (low) of that tide. A great smartphone app is Aye Tide, but there are plenty out there. Make sure it shows tide height as well as tide time. If there is a negative sign next to the low tide, that is a negative low. When that occurs, the water will be so low that there are only a few places for the fish to hold. The water there will be so shallow that when the fish move around to feed, you’ll be able to see them. That of course presupposes there will be redfish in the place you look. Remember, I also said an extreme high, which probably seems counterintuitive. But the high tide fishing presents a different set of fishing circumstances entirely, which
To catch a redfish on a fly in the low country from North Carolina to North Florida, you must fish one of two tides, either a negative low or an extreme high.
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has become legendary since it was pioneered in South Carolina. The extreme high water will allow the redfish access to the fiddler crab flats on top of the spartina marshes that exist on either side of a creek or river. This occurs from Beaufort, North Carolina, down to Jacksonville, Florida. If you look at the areas behind the creek banks, there will be very tall grass on the edge, with short grass behind it. It weaves together to create a firm bottom that the small, quarter-sized crabs can’t disappear into, and there are a lot of them. When the conditions are prime and the water gets deep enough, which happens about six to ten days per month from spring through early fall, the reds will belly up to this crab buffet. These are the famous “tailing redfish” that fly anglers talk about. Tails and backs will be exposed, allowing you to see the fish as they
swim and feed. It is extremely visual, very addicting, and heart pounding, causing anglers to make plans months in advance.
you launch. Your fishing window is short so you want to maximize your time. The best boat for this type of fishing is a poling skiff.
THE RIGHT BOAT
Notice I did not say a “flat-bottom” boat. The popular skiff of the Carolinas makes too much noise that spooks the fish the first time the water smacks off the gunwale. A welldesigned poling skiff moves swiftly, surely, and almost silently when poled in the shallows. It allows you to creep within casting range, sometimes so close the fish are under your feet while you gape down at them.
You may have surmised by now that you can’t hunt redfish in just any kind of boat. A standard center-console bay boat draws too much water to fish at low tide, while at high tide you are limited to wadeable areas near where you anchor the boat. Also, some flats aren’t hard but are covered with “puff mud,” soft layers of muck that are nearly impossible to wade. If you wade, watch out for gray, grassless spots and test questionable areas. It’s awful stuff, too: ask my wife how my wading shoes smell. A canoe or kayak draws the right amount of water, but you are limited to marshes near the access area where
TACKLE FOR REDFISH An 8-weight fly rod is the best choice. It allows you to cast the buggy, leggy flies that redfish seem to like, and it also has the power to beat the wind on breezy summer evenings. A substantial reel with a sealed drag
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Red fishing with a fly rod is generally not a numbers game. Yes, you may find a school penned up in a creek somewhere and catch a dozen or more. Mostly it’s a game of one here and another there.
capable of holding around 100 yards of 30-pound dacron backing is necessary because a hooked red will zoom off, heading for deep water. A good drag helps slow down and then turn the fish. A floating line is the obvious choice for the very shallow water conditions and generally, a 9-foot tapered leader ending in 12-pound tippet will work. If the fish are spooky, you can go up to a 12-foot leader. Any fly that looks like a shrimp or a crab will most likely get bitten if presented correctly. Make sure, however, that you take your conditions into account. If fishing the low tides, the water will be murky, making it hard for the fish to see your offering. Pink, orange, and chartreuse are good fly-color choices. To make the hook ride point up, I often use a bend back–style tie. Some guides like flies with lead eyes, which also turn
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the hook up. On the flats where the spartina sticks up 6 to 24 inches above the water, a weedless fly keeps it from hanging up on the retrieve. I have experimented a good deal and found that the doublepost mono weed guard is the best choice. Lately, I have been tying on hooks normally used by freshwater bass anglers to fish plastic worms. They ride hook point up and the bend near the hook eye acts as a weed guard without deflecting strikes from fish. FINDING FISHY LOCATIONS To locate flats and lots of spartina creeks, use online mapping and satellite photo apps or ask around. Those areas are where you will find the fish. Check tide charts to find the highest and lowest tides during summer months. Determine areas that may be right for fly fishing by
watching the water and studying the surroundings. Conversely, if you go out at low tide, you may be all alone in the same spot that is shared by three boats at high tide. Then you can see those fish busting shrimp in four inches of water that the bay boat guys never see. Red fishing with a fly rod is generally not a numbers game. Yes, you may find a school penned up in a creek somewhere and catch a dozen or more. Mostly it’s a game of one here and another there. Lure anglers and bait guys won’t understand what you’re so excited about when you tell them about the “tailer” you saw on the grass flat that took a small shrimp fly. They’ll ask how many you caught and when you say that’s the only one, they will look at you funny. It’s all good. Fly fishing is about the how, not the how many.
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BEER Brewery Name: Terrapin Beer Co. Website: terrapinbeer.com Location: Athens, Georgia Beer Type: American IPA Appearance: Deep golden amber with nice white head Aroma: Rich hop bitterness, earthy grains and malts Flavor: Bold hop bitterness, mild earthy grains and malts ABV: 7.3% Final Thoughts: Good refreshing American IPA, and as the name suggests, it has a nice hoppy flavor without being overwhelming. Pairs well with food and definitely a brew to enjoy after a day on the water and then again with a monster post-fishing meal.
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Brewery Name: Terrapin Beer Co. Website: terrapinbeer.com Location: Athens, Georgia Beer Type: Gose Appearance: Hazy straw yellow Aroma: Slightly tart, fruity, briney with a hint of citrus Flavor: Light bready maltiness, grapefruit tartness and light saltiness ABV: 4.5% Final Thoughts: This is an overall light, crisp and refreshing beer. Definitely good for a hot day after a brisk winter time activity. Cast some, drink some, repeat.
Hi-5 IPA
Good to Gose
Hopsecutioner IPA
Here at Tail, we are out to help you keep your whistle wet with an appealing array of brews. In this issue, we have selected some of our favorite beers that we have discovered in our hometowns as well as new discoveries from fishing trips. One of our favorite things to do at Tail is to always try the local beer when visiting a new destination, and we thought we'd share some of our current favorites.
Brewery Name: Terrapin Beer Co. Website: terrapinbeer.com Location: Athens, Georgia Beer Type: American “California” IPA Appearance: Orangish amber color with nice white head Aroma: Orange and tangerine citrus hops Flavor: Follows aroma, orange and tangerine citrus hops ABV: 5.9% Final Thoughts: A nice rendition of a west coast IPA with a fine citrus hops combination that won’t blow you away in either direction. Easy drinking with good carbonation and definitely an IPA that you don’t have to be in the shade to drink. Very refreshing.
Imaginary Friends IPA
Eschaton
Emergency Drinking Beer Brewery Name: Wild Heaven Beer Website: wildheavenbeer.com Location: Decatur, Georgia Beer Type: Pilsner Appearance: Pale straw yellow Aroma: Floral with orange peel, lemon and pepper Flavor: Mild malt, orange, lemongrass salty kick ABV: 4% Final Thoughts: This is a crisp, lively, well-balanced beer. Very drinkable and pleasant. Definitely a fine choice after a warm day on the water or after some good activity. The ABV also lends itself to having a few without feeling the effects.
Brewery Name: Wild Heaven Beer Website: wildheavenbeer.com Location: Decatur, Georgia Beer Type: Quadruple Ale Appearance: Dark mahogany color with tannish creamy head Aroma: Spicy dates and pitted fruits Flavor: Spicy or earthy dates, toasted caramel, brown sugar, vanilla and oak ABV: 10.5% Final Thoughts: Very nicely balanced sweet and late earthy flavor. Another good cold weather beer that’s appeal and fruity sweetness overcomes its alcohol content.
Brewery Name: Praire Artisian Ales Website: prairieales.com Location: Tulsa, Oklahoma Beer Type: American IPA Appearance: Hazy golden yellow Aroma: Citrus, cannibis and crazy floral Flavor: Pink grapefruit, dry mango, citrus and earthy hop ABV: 7% Final Thoughts: Super light and dry with good carbonation for a beer of this style. A great unfiltered ipa that doesn't have too much body. Perfect IPA for tying sessions.
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Get inside the brain of Bou Bosso, guide and co-creator of the tarpon fly fishing show Silver Kings. by Shawn Abernathy photography by Nicky Runnels
B
ou Bosso is a recognizable name in tarpon fishing in the Florida Keys. One of the co-creators of the TV show Silver Kings, alongside Nicky Runnels, Bou also stars as one of two featured guides on the show. Silver Kings does a masterful job of following and fishing the tarpon migration on fly. While the show has a strong focus on fishing the Florida Keys, the show has also branched out to include other areas where the migration takes place. With filming for the fourth season underway, Tail got a chance to speak with Bou about all things tarpon—and a few things that have nothing to do with tarpon.
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BOU KNOWS TARPON TAIL FLY FISHI NG M AGA ZI NE 6 7
Yes, these are still fish we are talking about, but they see many flies and even more painful presentations than any other fish in the world.
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Tail: You guys spend so much time on the water chasing tarpon and trying to learn every little detail about their habitats, feeding routines and their spawning cycle to become better anglers. What would you say is perhaps the most interesting thing you have learned about tarpon from your time on the water? Bou Bosso: Although I have learned a number of amazing facts about tarpon from my time on the water, I would have to say working with Dr. Jerry Ault and Dr. Jiangang Luo from the Tarpon and Bonefish Research Center has provided me with even more interesting facts that only science can bring to light. Learning through satellite tagging that our tarpon fishery here in Islamorada is shared with other states and countries blew my mind. Watching the vastness of the migration made me realize how important conservation is across multiple coastal states and countries. Protections that have been put in place here in Florida need to be placed in these other areas in order
to ensure a healthy tarpon population for our kids, their kids, and future generations. Tail: Is it really all about the fly or is it all in the presentation? Or both? BB: I would say a little of both. First things first, if you don’t have the proper presentation, it doesn’t matter what fly you are using. I always tell my clients that you have to imagine you are like a salesman, attempting to open a line of communication with someone you have never met. If you don’t know someone well, you respect their space and get a feel for what they are telling you with their body language. If you hammer a fish with the fly or whip them with the fly line, you just slammed the door in their face. Yes, these are still fish we are talking about, but they see many flies and even more painful presentations than any other fish in the world. Add the fact that these salesman (anglers) are throwing 12-weight rods, heavy leader material, and big flies and it’s a miracle anyone gets a bite around here!
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Feeding a tarpon is probably one of the most visual occasions in saltwater fly fishing.
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Tail: When presenting a fly to a high and happy oceanside tarpon, is it better to do little ticks or a smooth fluid motion like the underarm strip? BB: The debate of what strip to use has gone on for the past decade. We call the underarm strip the “DipsyDoodle.” Although the DipsyDoodle has been used forever by various different guides and anglers, Dr. David Dalu and Capt. Scott Collins made it famous by winning the Golden Fly, The Hawley, and the Gold Cup all in the same year using it! This is truly an amazing feat and I think answers the question as to what strip works better on the ocean. I do have to tell you that every strip has its place. There are anglers who are extremely good with a single-handed, tick-oriented strip such as Heidi Nute. Heidi doesn’t need the DipsyDoodle because she has become
extremely proficient with the littleticks and swimming the fly with great cadence. Just like most things in life, it’s all about preference. Tail: Is it all about the eat? Or the tarp-nastics that occur after the eat? BB: After watching a thousand fish jump around over my lifetime, I tend to lean toward “the eat” as being the most rewarding and entertaining part of tarpon fishing. Feeding a tarpon is probably one of the most visual occasions in saltwater fly fishing. Many times you watch the fish for over 100 feet before you ever place a cast. You wait patiently, reading the fish’s body language and communicating with the guy on the poling platform as to the best time to start moving the fly. Now the fish tracks the fly and you almost will her into opening that giant bucketmouth and inhaling your fly. The
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events that occur between now and clearing the line are my all-time favorite guide stories. A lot of jumps look the same but not one lineclearing execution is ever the same. These are by a landslide the best heartbreak, equipment failure, and mental breakdown stories a guide will ever experience. The fish is just too big with too much power. So many things can go wrong and it is always entertaining to watch.
Inevitably a fish will show up right when you dive into the cooler. Having some form of a granola bar or other quick snack that can keep your blood sugar where it needs to be and your head in the game is crucial. Jared is known for devouring multiple foot-long sandwiches in any given day. His clients know if they want to have a good day on the boat they should pack food for a three day weekend.
Tail: Speaking of eating, anyone who has fished for tarpon knows that there can be some serious lulls in the action. I know from experience that I am always thinking about my sandwich in the cooler when things start to get slow. What would you say are the keys to having a strong sandwich game?
Tail: Not everyone is as skilled as an angler as they would like to be. For someone who has never fished for tarpon (or has only done it a couple of times) and is getting ready for a trip, what wisdom would you bestow upon them before coming down?
BB: I’m more or less of a bird on the boat. Something about the heat and the constant stress of being on fish kills my appetite. I usually make sure I have plenty of snacks on board just to even out the acid in my stomach.
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BB: Tarpon fishing in the Florida Keys is NOT easy. Maybe you get lucky and the wind goes slick for your trip. Your guide takes you into the backcountry and fish are rolling everywhere. This is a wonderful thing because the difficulty level is at an all
time low. Ok…now let me take you back down to reality. It’s blowing 20 mph out of the east, there are regular foot-high waves that continue to knock you off balance, and your guide is constantly raising his voice because he can’t hear you and you can’t hear him over the wind. This is most likely what you will experience. In this situation, remember the leader MUST open every time you cast. The only buffer between the fly and the fly line is the leader. Tarpon do not like fly line. It’s plastic, rubbery, comes in crazy colors, and acts like a damn whip most of the time… so you have to use your leader as an intermediary between you and the fly. Practice getting as much line out as possible prior to the last cast. On your final cast, hold the fly line instead of shooting line. This will take all the momentum from your double haul and transfer it to the opening of your leader. This is a great trick for windy days. I don’t use it on calm days because the delivery of the fly is too
violent. However on a windy day, this technique can be the difference between a bite and a blown shot. Tail: Often when I am watching the show I can't help but think that it must be difficult to stay focused when a camera crew is following. How have you guys been able to work around having the camera boat so close?
any given day during tarpon season can be relatively high. Islamorada has an amazing fishery, but it’s not for the faint of heart fly fisherman. Combine that with knowing how much money goes into each day on the water with a film crew and you can’t help but treat every minute with urgency. There’s no time to wait around for the fish to swim. I need to be on the fish now.
BB: I’ll come right out and say it: Filming for the show on most days is not fun for me. Although we do have a good number of laughs and it’s all high-fives after a successful day, trying to capture a tarpon on fly for the purposes of filming is extremely challenging. Fishing, in and of itself, is supposed to be about solitude and peace in a beautiful place. It’s about sharing the boat with friends and escaping the worries of the world. Every day we film carries with it the stress and pressure of a tournament. If the fishing were easier it would be one thing. However, the caliber of fly fisherman it takes to be successful on
Thank God I have a great support team running the camera boat, the camera, editing the episodes, and the producer. Without these high-quality professionals working by my side, I would have abandoned this charade a long time ago. In a perfect world, the camera boat needs to be about 30 feet away from the fishing boat. Let’s add 20 mph winds to an already difficult equation and you tell me what tarpon is going to eat a fly in that situation. I honestly can’t say enough about the Silver Kings team. Without these guys, our show wouldn’t chalk up to anything. The average viewer isn’t able to truly
understand how much time, money, and energy goes into the filming and production of Silver Kings. The guy that deserves the most credit for all of this is the executive producer, Nicky Runnels. Every great business has behind it a great leader. Nicky’s dedication to the show and the people he works with is unrelenting. The older you get, the more you realize there are only a handful of close friends that you have. I consider myself blessed to have worked on this endeavor with Nicky and am so grateful to have him as a friend. Tail: There are so many amazing things that happen when you are on the water that never get documented on film. What has been your favorite moment from Silver Kings that you have been able to have captured on film? BB: This is one of the easiest questions for me to answer: the Cats and the Cradle episode with my father from season one. Being able to share a day
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with my dad on the bow and have it documented is the most special thing that has come out of Silver Kings for me. With the way the world is today, everyone is so caught up with their social media BS and technology, we forget how important the tangible and irreplaceable things in our lives really are. My dad is an unbelievable man and has sacrificed so much for our family and for me. The fact that I can show my children and they can show their children who this man was and what he enjoyed doing is so special to me. Tail: In episode ten of season three there was a large focus on conservation and making sure that the fishery is sustainable and around for future generations of anglers. As a guide, you are on the forefront of observing and being a steward of the fishery. What actions can we (anglers) take to make sure that it will be enjoyed for generations to come? BB: I think the most important thing
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anglers can do to preserve the tarpon fishery is not remove any part of the fish from the water. I know I have caught more tarpon for clients and myself than I can remember so I am biased, but removing the fish from the water is a death sentence. These prehistoric creatures were never meant to experience gravity in this way. Their internal organs get totally out of whack when you lift a fish vertically. I know everybody wants a great picture and I also understand how much time and money goes into landing your first tarpon. Sometimes the key to life is taking the less selfish route. Don’t make it about you. Make it about the fish. Get the best picture you can and enjoy the moment. So many people get caught up in wanting to hold the fish themselves. Let your guide handle the fish. If you are in shallow water, hop out of the boat if you have to get a hero shot. These fish are a precious resource not only to us in the Florida Keys, but all along the coastal states and adjoining countries. Tail: I know you guys are in the
middle of filming season four. Can you give us any teasers about what to expect for upcoming season? BB: There is no doubt in my mind that season four will be the best season we have put out to date. Every year the show gets better and better. Between Nicky Runnels, James Massey, and Marty Dashiell, the wheels are always turning and new ideas and vantage points are introduced to the show. We have a great new cast of characters this year that I think the viewers will really appreciate. Our goal every season is to make the fish the star of the show. I think the viewers will notice this more in season four than ever before.
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ON THE PLATE Grouper and Shrimp Chowder by Kelli Prescott 2 russet potatoes, peeled, cubed 2 lbs baby Yukon gold potatoes, cubed 1 large yellow onion, diced 2 12 oz jars roasted red peppers, diced 2 stalks celery, diced 3 ears of corn 1 pint heavy cream 1.5 quarts seafood stock 1.5 lbs shrimp, peeled and deveined 1.5 lbs grouper, cut into portions 3 tbsp butter 3 tbsp olive oil 1.5 tbsp Old Bay Seasoning garlic powder, to taste salt, to taste onion powder, to taste 1 bunch green onions, chopped 1/2 cup parsley, chopped 1 baguette, sliced
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here’s something about a big pot of soup that makes it a special winter food. Creamy potato broth, a few fresh ingredients, and seafood cooked to perfection make this recipe a certain favorite. It’s easy to make and easy to eat: in about an hour, you’ll have a chowder that tastes like it was cooking all day. This recipe yields enough to feed a crowd, so feel free to cut the ingredients in half. Or do as I like to do and feed friends, family, and eat it for lunch the next couple of days.
To start, you need two pots. One big pot for the soup, and a smaller one to cook the russet potatoes. Take the cubed russet potatoes and cover with water, salt liberally, and cook until tender. Russet potatoes have more starch content than any potato out there, which makes them perfect for thickening our chowder. While the potatoes are cooking, you can get started on the base for the chowder. Take 1 tbsp olive oil and 1 tbsp butter in the larger pot, and add the onion. Typically you want to get some color on your veggies, but for this chowder, we are going to let the onion sweat. Season with a hefty pinch of salt and cook nice and slow over medium low heat until translucent.
Once translucent, add seafood stock, heavy cream, 1.5 tbsp old bay seasoning, onion powder, and garlic powder to taste. When the russet potatoes are tender, drain, and add them as well. Blend until smooth. This is where my all time favorite kitchen gadget comes in handy: the immersion blender! Also known as a stick blender, this gadget works like a little boat motor. It allows you to blend directly in the pot, meaning fewer dirty dishes, and easier cleanup. You can pick one up at a nice grocery store, or any department store with a home/kitchen section. If you don't have one, just make due with a potato masher or regular blender. This is a hearty, no frills pot of chowder, so don’t overthink it!
Now we have a creamy base to our chowder. Give your creamy broth a taste, make sure the salt and seasoning levels are perfect for your liking. You can always add more if you desire. It’s time to add the rest of the potatoes. So much of the flavor from gold or red potatoes comes from the tender skin, so don't peel them! These will take about 20 minutes to get tender in your chowder. 1/2” cubes work perfectly. Cook them directly in the creamy broth over medium heat. While the potatoes cook, take your corn and pop them in the microwave, husk and all. Cook about three minutes per ear of corn. Preheat
the oven to 400 degrees. Now, start chopping your red peppers, celery, green onions, and parsley. Once you finish chopping the other vegetables, the corn will be done, and it’s ready to clean and cut off of the cob. Add corn, red peppers and celery to the chowder. Cook for 15 more minutes. While the chowder is finishing up, slice your baguette into thin crostini and bake in your 400 degree oven until they start to crisp and brown around the edges. In a super hot skillet, sear off your shrimp with 1 tbsp butter, 1 tbsp olive oil, salt and garlic powder to taste. Cook until 3/4 of the way done
and add directly into your chowder, butter and all. In the same skillet, add remaining 1 tbsp butter and 1 tbsp olive oil and cook your grouper the same way. Salt and garlic powder to taste, until about 3/4 of the way done. Flake the fish in the pan and add directly to your chowder. I like yellow edge grouper best, but any other flaky, mild white fish works perfectly! Serve up hearty portions of the chowder topped with green onions, parsley and a few crisp baguette slices for dunking. It’s best enjoyed after a long weekend in the cold outdoors.
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YOU LIVE FOR THIS MOMENT.
IT’S TIME TO PROTECT IT.
Conserving bonefish, tarpon, permit and their habitats. Visit btt.org/join to become a member today.
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Photo Essay:
SEEING SPOTS
Lousiana Redfish
by Michael H. Roth
Two years ago my son and I went down to Venice to sight fish bull reds on the fly. Due to torrential rains that preceded our visit, the water was too murky to see the fish, but we knew they were there. The captain handed us spinning rigs with popping corks. They worked great but I spent a lot of time wondering why fly anglers couldn't do the same thing. Historically in Louisiana, no one fly fishes in muddy or turbid water because blind casting a fly in such low visibility water produced sore shoulders and only a rare fish. I intentionally went to Venice recently to fish muddy water to test my popping cork rig set up on a ten weight. (The foam cylinder is available in most fly shops.) I drilled out the center to make room for the leader and drilled out a space alongside where I inserted a glass rattle containing two bb's. I then attached a bead above to help keep the cork in place and a bead below to prevent the barrel swivel from penetrating the cork. Three feet of fifty pound fluoro above the cork tied to the swivel and then two feet of fifty fluoro tied to a big chartreuse and white Clouser. It worked like a dream. With the amount of numbers this new setup allowed me to get, it gave me the opportunity to inspect and appreciate all of the unique tail markings that each red has. They each have there own identity or like a fingerprint, as no two spots are alike. With some drastically, but beautifully different.
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FLY TYING:
Simple Shrimp by Dmitry Telyaritsky
Suitable for use in estuaries and very effective for sea trout, bluefish, and sea run brown trout. When tied on a smaller hook without lead makes an excellent grass shrimp imitation but you might want to tie it with the hook up for bonefish.
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FLY TYING
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Simple Shrimp
MATERIALS UTC Ultra Thread 140 Cream Gamakatsu T10-6H #6 Lead wire Raccoon or Polar Fox fur Super Fine Dry Fly dubbing Crystal Flash dubbing Long, bristly hairs from Finnish Raccoon or Fox fur Coypu fur Deer hair Molded 60 or 40 lb. mono or commercially available shrimp eyes Thin Skin Markers (medium/light brown) Super Glue 1: Add weight to the hook by wrapping shank with lead wire and super glue (optional). 2: Smooth the contour and ends by wrapping with thread.
fashion 4: Tie down the Finnish Racoon, trim off front, leaving room for the head. Then, trim tail leaving a small amount towards the rear of the hook.
3: Secure the first of three sections of Raccoon fur coat, forming a distinctive sheath in the head area and increase the volume of the body in the same
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FLY TYING
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10 5: Repeat with the same technique as before, overlapping with darker color raccoon. 6: Using 60 lb.mono and a lighter make shrimp eyes and install (commercially purchased eyes may be used as well). 7: Apply Crystal Flash dubbing to the first head area.
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8: Secure long feelers and the Coypu fur in the front head area. 9: Attach a second portion of Krystal Flash dubbing. 10: Install the front legs then attach a third portion of Krystal Flash dubbing. Next add Super Fine Dry Fly dubbing.
FLY TYING
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15 11: Add the rear legs. 12: Whip finish and fasten with varnish or superglue.
15: Color the fly with markers if desired and add one drop of superglue on the head under the film for durability. Ok, you’re ready to fish!
13: Fix the mounting thread in the head area and add the strip of thin skin to the top. 14: Fasten film with spacious wraps creating the illusion of segmentation.
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Th e An Angler Win te r Opines D ol d r um s by Rock Dawson
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The holidays have come and gone, leaving the festive part of the cold season behind us. Much of the country is blanketed by true winter and spring is still months away. It’s not the time of year that most are thinking seriously about getting out on the water (unless they live in a year-round warm climate like South Florida), or if they are thinking about it, they’re just dreaming of warmer days. There are a few things you can do to make sure you’re ready for the impending spring, and there are also a few spots out there that will allow you shots at some pretty nice fish, conditions permitting.
Winter is when many passionate anglers spend much of their free time at the vise. If you haven’t yet tried fly tying, make this your season to learn. Short days and cold temperatures make this time of year perfect for stocking up your fly boxes, learning new patterns and perfecting old ones. Although many patterns are available commercially, many colors and combinations specific to your favorite spot are not, and there is a special joy in tying your own flies. The hours you can spend now preparing for the days to come will pay off tremendously when you don’t have to waste fishing days indoors in the warmer months. Winter is also a great time to practice your casting. The windier and nastier it is, the better (to a certain point, don’t go overboard). Get outside and practice casting into that north wind. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve seen spring fishing trips spoiled for anglers because of the difficulty of casting into, across and even with the wind. Even though it may be cold outside, the winter is one of the best times of year to practice your casting. You probably aren’t missing out on a fishing opportunity, so use that time to work on your accuracy in the wind at different angles and distances. Practicing fly casting is one of the most ignored “necessary evils” within our sport, and not doing so is one of the biggest reasons people fail to make an accurate cast when it counts the most. Learning to cast
in the wind without fish is difficult enough, but if you wait until you’re on the bow or wading a flat, you’re setting yourself up for failure. I also recommend you fish if you can. If the conditions are favorable, get bundled up and get out there and fish. Some parts of the country actually offer some very good saltwater fishing opportunities during the colder months. It’s certainly not the best time of year to try and plan a destination trip in much of the United States, but many of the southern states can heat up in the calm behind cold fronts, and can provide truly epic winter fishing. Fish that have been holding in deeper water will pop up on the flats to enjoy the relative warmth of the sun and take advantage of the feeding opportunities. The other added benefit is the lack of crowds. Areas that are fully loaded during the warmer months can be like ghost towns during the winter. Before you write off the winter months as time away from your fly fishing addiction, think again. If you spend your winter time wisely, you will be ready to plow your way through a very successful spring and summer with a full fly box, a better cast and maybe even a few fish stories you can share with your buddies over a cold beer.
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