CELEBRATING 9 YEARS AS THE VOICE OF SALTWATER FLY FISHING
FLY FISHING MAGAZINE
PATH OF THE PERMIT REDFISH APPOINTMENT FLY CASTING BY CHICO JEWEL OF THE CAROLINA COAST THE OTHER BACKCOUNTRY LITERARY FOOTSTEPS El PALOMETERO
56 NOV/DEC 2021
NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2021 DISPLAY UNTIL DECEMBER 31
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Some bachelor parties turn out better than others. TFFM designers Scott Morrison and son, John, made a summer trek to the Yucatan in lieu of a traditional bachelor party before John’s September nuptial. The approaching outer bands of a hurricane can be seen on this page, but the storm didn’t spoil the fishing, as John’s permit and tarpon on the following pages show. The trip also included two additional permit, multiple tarpon, and a slam. John’s new wife, Maddie, is practising her casting for the next trip. Here’s to the happy couple! Photos by Scott Morrison
TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE 3
Photo by Scott Morrison
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Photo by Scott Morrison
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Photo by Scott Morrison
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the next generation
T&T Ambassadors Jose and Parker Ucan spending time together in their home waters of the Yucatan Peninsula. Legendary guide Jose is patiently imparting his love of fishing to 8 year old son Parker who at such a young age has already landed a Permit on Fly. Handing down our knowledge and passion for the outdoors to the next generation is key to the survival and growth of flyfishing. At T&T we see a world of possibilities out there and believe the next generation should too.
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TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE 11
— from the editor AS WE SAY farewell to 2021, we’re bullish on 2022. This is our last issue of the year, and here’s hoping next year will be better than the last. Nearly 20 months ago, who knew we would still be navigating a world of precautions and restrictions caused by an unusually efficient virus? THERE’S MUCH TO LAMENT, but also much for which to be thankful, including the growth of hunter and angler numbers over the past two years and robust growth in the outdoors industry. HUNTING AND FISHING license sales and participation have been trending downward for decades, leading to a loss of conservation funding for state fish and wildlife agencies, which rely largely on license sales to implement conservation programs and projects. But over the past two years, states across the country have experienced significant increases in license sales and participation, and most signs point to the pandemic as the likely catalyst. THIS PARTICIPATION SURGE bodes well for our sport and way of life, giving us hope and optimism for the future. As more hunters and anglers join our ranks, their license purchases feed the coffers of state fish and wildlife agencies, allowing them to do the important work of conserving and protecting the habitats that support the species we pursue. THESE NEW MEMBERS of the outdoor community also need equipment, and as they gear up for outdoor pursuits, they’re also investing in conservation and our industry’s livelihood. Manufacturers of everything from fly rods to skiffs to boat motors pay federal excise taxes on the equipment they make, and these funds generated by the federal Wildlife Restoration Act and Sportfish Restoration Act are then distributed to the states as another critical source of conservation capital. The manufacturers also benefit from the increased sales, which strengthens not only our industry, but also our nation’s economy. BUT IT’S NOT JUST ABOUT finance and economics. With every new participant, we gain another conservation advocate. We’re passionate about our pursuits, and that translates to caring about the ecosystems that support fish and wildlife. There’s strength in numbers, and with every new adherent to the outdoor lifestyle, we’re building a conservation coalition that will bring attention to important issues and build consensus for needed action.
12 TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE
THE GROWTH of the fly fishing industry over the past two years has put thousands of new ambassadors on the water—a topic we’ll be discussing in 2022—and we’re embracing this positive development with plans for expansion. You’ll see more and richer content in these pages, and with the easing of travel restrictions, Tail Fly Fishing Magazine will be hosting more travel opportunities next year. We also have several collaborations with manufacturers in the works, resulting in some exciting new products that we’ll soon reveal. WE’RE EXCITED that so many others are finding their way to a sport that has enriched our lives. We welcome them into the fold and encourage them to join the TFFM family as we continue to give voice to our shared passion of saltwater fly fishing. IN OUR LAST ISSUE OF 2021, you’ll find themes consistent with this message of looking optimistically toward the future while respectfully recognizing the past. We welcome the venerable writer T. Edward Nickens as a new contributor. His thoughtful piece in The Undertow explores his own epiphany about hopeful perspectives on unknown horizons. Meanwhile, we also look back with respect on those who’ve preceded us; James Spica guides us, fly rod in hand, along the literary footsteps of popular New England writers, and we pay homage to SoCal fly fishing pioneer Sam Nix. Chico Fernandez provides a treatise on fly casting, Carlos Cortez schools us on not being mind-tricked by permit, and Michael Smith, another new contributor, reminds us to make time to fish. WE SINCERELY HOPE you’re making time to fish, and as we say with each issue, this one is better than the last. We hope you agree. Happy New Year!
Joseph Ballarini Editor in Chief
TM
On the Cover:
GUIDE TESTED.
Keith Buchanan captures a rare moment, the legendary El Palometero in the water admiring his recent catch. This might be the only photo in existence of the luchador legend in shallow-water action.
GUIDE TRUSTED.
Editor-In-Chief: Joseph Ballarini Managing Editor: Trey Reid Acquisitions Editor: George V. Roberts Jr. Creative Director: Scott Morrison Food Editor: Kelli Prescott Travel Editor: Peter McLeod West Coast Editor: Al Quattrocchi Consulting Editor: Chico Fernandez 56 Contributing Editors: Andy Mill, Nicky Mill Historians: Pete Barrett, Ed Mitchell Editors-at-Large: Joe Doggett, Mark B. Hatter, Tom Keer, James P. Spica Jr. Copy Editor: Leila Beasley
CELEBRATING 9 YEARS AS THE VOICE OF SALTWATER FLY FISHING
FLY FISHING MAGAZINE
PATH OF THE PERMIT REDFISH APPOINTMENT FLY CASTING BY CHICO JEWEL OF THE CAROLINA COAST THE OTHER BACKCOUNTRY LITERARY FOOTSTEPS El PALOMETERO
NOV/DEC 2021
NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2021 DISPLAY UNTIL DECEMBER 31
Creative Contributors: Joseph Ballarini Pete Barrett Jim Brown Keith Buchanan Carlos Cortez Paul Doughty Chico Fernandez
John Mauser John Morrison Scott Morrison T. Edward Nickens Jon Olch Kelli Prescott
Al Quattrocchi Trey Reid George V. Roberts Jr. Mike Smith Ralph Smith Studio James P. Spica Jr.
About Tail Fly Fishing Magazine is the voice of saltwater fly fishing in a bimonthly print and digital publication. We focus on delivering high-quality content, the very best photography, destination travel, reputable commentary, and technical features from the saltwater fly fishing culture. Tail Fly Fishing Magazine began as a digital publication in 2012 and debuted as a print magazine in 2016. Combined, the digital and print versions reach readers in more than 45 countries. In many places throughout the world, 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. We, the anglers, are the last line of defense for our outdoor spaces. Tail Fly Fishing Magazine supports the arts and creativity, conservation, and organizations that trumpet this message. We’re grateful for your support and we welcome photographic and written contributions. TFFM is published six times annually, and your print subscription includes the digital version. Subscriptions are available through our website. International subscriptions are also available for most countries. Please contact our general mailbox, admin@tailflyfishing.com, with any advertising, subscription, or submission questions.
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TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE 15
CONTENTS 20 26
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INSIDE THE BOX - Joseph Ballarini Befitting our last issue of the year, a time when we’re looking optimistically toward the future, our editor in chief stuffs a fly box with selections representing the evolution of flies designed to run true and flatten the curve on angling success. FISHING IN LITERARY FOOTSTEPS - James P. Spica Jr. From H.P. Lovecraft to Stephen King, New England’s literary figures often delve into the macabre, absurd, and horrific. James Spica examines their words through the lens of fishing and personal travels, fishing in the footsteps of famous authors and finding very real angling experiences in coastal New England’s otherworldly tableau. JEWEL OF THE CAROLINA COAST - John Mauser North Carolina’s Crystal Coast, an 85-mile stretch of coastline between the Cape Lookout National Seashore and the New River, may not be as famous as the Outer Banks, but John Mauser of Mauser Fly Fishing says there’s no place he’d rather be than in his own backyard.
Photo by Scott Morrison
16 TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE
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THE PATH OF THE PERMIT - Carlos Cortez The permit commands the respect and admiration of fly anglers like few other fish. But maybe we’re looking at permit fishing the wrong way. Carlos Cortez discusses the fish of his dreams, techniques for enticing them, and offers a new philosophical mindset to help you bring permit to hand. FLY TYING - Joseph Ballarini We build our angling success on past experience, and Joe Ballarini combines the best aspects of flies by our predecessors to create a hot new fly that represents the progression of flat-bodied crustaceans. We proudly introduce the Evolution Shrimp. GEAR GUIDE - TFFM Staff If you’re trying to stay in touch, stay clean, or stay away from biting insects, this issue’s selections have you covered. You’ll also find gadgets for protecting your phone and preparing food, plus reviews and reveals of fly fishing and fly tying gear, including the first offering of our own Perfectionist leaders in fluorocarbon. FLY CASTING TO FLY FISH - Chico Fernandez Contributing Editor Chico Fernandez is well known for his myriad innovations, including his many unique fly patterns that we’ve featured in the past. But Chico is also a proven fly casting instructor, and in this issue he takes us to casting school, stressing that practicing the cast should always emphasize actual fishing scenarios.
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REDFISH APPOINTMENT - Michael Smith Life gets in the way of fly fishing for all of us, but Michael Smith nudges us to make time for what’s important, and in his case, that meant making a date with marsh redfish. He even has a new Google Calendar color devoted to fishing. We like the way he’s thinking. ON THE PLATE - Kelli Prescott After a long day on the water, do you really need much more than a pile of peel ’n’ eat shrimp or a plate of tacos? These recipes are rich and tasty but also easy to execute, meaning more time to kick back and enjoy. We’re dishing up chile lime butter shrimp and the simple but profound taco, dressed with homemade jalapeño crema and fried onions.
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HOLIDAY CHEER - Trey Reid The season of holiday parties and family gatherings is upon us. Managing Editor Trey Reid helps us elevate our spirits game in this season of heightened revelry, providing a trio of festive cocktail recipes that screams holiday cheer.
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THE OTHER BACKCOUNTRY - Pete Barrett The Northeast probably isn’t the first place that comes to mind when we talk about backcountry fly fishing, but TFFM Historian Pete Barrett makes a strong case for areas from Maryland to Maine in this roadmap to the northern Atlantic coast’s abundant off-the-beaten-path opportunities.
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SAM NIX: HOMAGE TO A SAN DIEGO FLY FISHING PIONEER - Jim Brown Sam Nix was a colorful character often described by an array of conflicting adjectives—cranky, friendly, annoying, engaging. But his tinkering and do-it-yourself approach to improving the tools of fly fishing resulted in innovations that are still in use today, and his early explorations of Florida and Mexico’s Baja Peninsula paved the way for generations to come.
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THE UNDERTOW: THAT ALBACORE SEASON T. Edward Nickens Much has been written about the bond between fathers and sons, and Eddie Nickens graces us with a poignant and thoughtful contribution to the subject, reflecting on his own outlook toward the future as his son prepares to embark on life’s next chapter.
TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE 17
R E T A I L E R S C A R R Y T A I L
ALASKA Mossy’s Fly Shop 750 W. Diamond Blvd, Suite 114 Anchorage, AK 99515 907-770-2666 mossysflyshop.com CALIFORNIA Bob Marriott’s Fly Fishing Store 2700 W. Orangethorpe Ave Fullerton, CA 92833 714-525-1827 bobmarriottsflyfishingstore. com
The Angling Company 333 Simonton St Key West, FL 33040 305-292-6306 anglingcompany.com The Tide 26 Grouper Hole Drive Boca Grande, FL 33921 941-964-2417 GEORGIA
COLORADO
ORVIS Atlanta Buckhead Square 3255 Peachtree Rd NE Atlanta, GA 30305 404-841-0093 Orvis.com
Front Range Anglers 2344 Pearl Street Boulder, CO 80302 303-494-1375 frontrangeanglers.com
The Fish Hawk 764 Miami Cir NE #126 Atlanta, GA 30305 404-237-3473 thefishhawk.com
CONNECTICUT
LOUISIANA
The Compleat Angler 541 Boston Post Road Darien, CT 06820 203-655-9400 compleatangleronline.com
Marsh & Bayou Outfitters 2600 Florida St Suite 3 Mandeville, LA 70448 985-869-7335 marshandbayououtfitters.com
FLORIDA
ORVIS Baton Rouge Perkins Rowe, Bldg. H 7601 Bluebonnet Blvd., Ste. 140 Baton Rouge LA 70810 225-757-7286 Orvis.com
239 Flies 3431 Bonita Beach Rd SW Unit #205 Bonita Springs, FL 34134 (239) 908-3513 239flies.com
MARYLAND
Florida Keys Outfitters 81219 Overseas Highway Islamorada, FL 33036 305-664-5432 floridakeysoutfitters.com
Alltackle 2062 Somerville Rd Annapolis, MD 21401 888-810-7283 alltackle.com
Mangrove Outfitters 4111 Tamiami Trail E Naples, FL 34112 239-793-3370 mangroveoutfitters.com
MASSACHUSETTS
Ole Florida Fly Shop 6353 N. Federal Hwy Boca Raton, FL 33487 561-995-1929 olefloridaflyshop.com
The Bear’s Den 34 Robert W. Boyden Rd Taunton, MA 02780 508-977-0700 bearsden.com Kismet Outfitters 204 UPPER MAIN STREET Edgartown, MA 02539 860-944-5225 kismetoutfitters.com
RHODE ISLAND
UTAH
The Saltwater Edge 1037 Aquidneck Ave Middletown, RI 02842 866-793-6733 saltwateredge.com
Fishwest 47 West 10600 South Sandy, UT 84070 fishwest.com 801-617-1225
SOUTH CAROLINA
WASHINGTON
Bay Street Outfitters 825 Bay Street Beaufort, SC 29902 843-524-5250 baystreetoutfitters.com
Peninsula Outfitters 19740 7th Ave NE, Suite 110 Poulsbo, WA 98370 360-394-1599 peninsulaoutfitters.com
ORVIS Charleston 535 King St. Charleston, SC 29403 (854) 999-4985 Orvis.com
The Avid Angler 17171 Bothell Way NE #A272 Lake Forest Park, WA 98155 206-362-4030 avidangler.com
Southern Drawl Outfitters 1533 Fording Island Rd Hilton Head Island, SC 29926 843-705-6010 southerndrawloutfitters.com
WYOMING
TEXAS Bayou City Angler 3641 Westheimer Rd Suite A Houston, TX 77027 832-831-3104 bayoucityangler.com Gordy & Sons Outfitters 22 Waugh Drive Houston, TX 77007 713-333-3474 gordyandsons.com ORVIS Austin 10000 Research Blvd - B04B Austin TX 78759 512-795-8004 Orvis.com ORVIS Houston 5727 Westheimer - Suite A Houston TX 77057 713-783-2111 Orvis.com ORVIS Plano Preston Towne Crossing 2412 Preston Road Suite 200 Plano, TX 75093 972-596-7529 Orvis.com
Lander Fly Shop 305 Main Street Lander, WY 82520 307-438-3439 landerflyshop.com Retail Chains: Barnes & Noble—630 retail locations in the USA Books-A-Million—260 stores in 32 states Bass Pro Shops—95 locations in the USA Dick’s Sporting Goods (select locations)—over 700 stores in the USA Field & Stream Stores—35 locations in the USA Indigo Books—over 200 stores under various banners BAHAMAS Blackfly Lodge Schooner Bay Abaco, Bahamas 904-997-2220 blackflylodge.com CANADA
ORVIS San Antonio 7427 San Pedro Ave. Suite 104 San Antonio, TX 78216 210-812-3017 Orvis.com
Drift Outfitters & Fly Shop 199 Queen St. East Toronto Ontario M5A-1S2 647-347-7370 Driftoutfitters.com
NEW YORK
Sportsman’s Finest 12434 Bee Cave Road Austin, TX 78738 512-263-1888 sportsmansfinest.com
Fish Tales Fly Shop Ltd. #626, 12100 Macleod Trail SE Calgary AB T2J 7G9 Canada 866-640-1273 fishtalesflyshop.com
ORVIS Sandestin 625 Grand Boulevard Ste 101 Sandestin, FL 32550 850-650-2174 Orvis.com
River Bay Outfitters 980 Church St Baldwin, NY 11510 516-415-7748 riverbayoutfitters.com
Swan Point Landing 1723 Cherry Street Suite 4 Rockport, TX 78382 361-729-7926 swanpointlandingflyshop.net
Seven Mile Fly Shop 1638 Overseas Highway Marathon, FL 33050 (305) 440-3406 sevenmileflyshop.com
NORTH CAROLINA
Tailwaters Fly Fishing Co. 1933 E. Levee St Dallas, TX 75207 888-824-5420 tailwatersflyfishing.com
Orlando Outfitters 2814 Corrine Dr Orlando, FL 32803 407-896-8220 orlandooutfitters.com ORVIS Ocean Reef 1 Fishing Village Drive Key Largo FL 33037 305-367-2227 Orvis.com
18 TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE
MONTANA Frontier Anglers 680 N. Montana St Dillion, MT 59725 406-683-5276 frontieranglers.com
OBX on the Fly 107 Sir Walter Raleigh St Manteo, NC 27954 obxonthefly.com
TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE 19
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FLATTEN by Joseph Ballarini
the Curve
Spear Bonefish Fly
Back in the early 1970s, Harry Spear
His Mother of Epoxy was among the
the Spear body was used on the
was working full time as a guide and
earliest of the epoxy flies (along with
Kwan, which is used to entice redfish,
likely was completely unaware of
the Ultra Shrimp and Surf Candy,
while the Baird body was modified
the influence his subtle observations
which appeared around the same
into a spoon, a staple for Gulf redfish
would have on saltwater fly fishing.
time). It had a flat head and no body,
from Texas to Florida.
so it’s also considered a flat-bodied fly. Harry is the creator of two flies that
The flat body of the Spear bonefish
have influenced tying methods and fly
The reason for the flat head was to
fly in the Florida Keys would be the
patterns for more than 50 years. The
ensure that the fly would not spin
template for Del Brown’s Merkin and
Spear bonefish fly was the first flats
when stripped. This concept was also
countless other crab patterns like the
pattern to utilize a flat body. It was a
recognized by tiers outside of Florida.
the Raghead Crab, the EP Three Tone
simple fly with a marabou tail and a
Terry Baird used it for his Hula
Crab, the Kung Fu Crab, and more.
series of body segments tied in a row
Shrimp and Hula Crab patterns, and
to make a wide, flat body. It marked
his design became the basis for the
Gary Merriman used Spear’s flat body
the first time that this type of fly was
spoon fly and other lure-like flies. In
to create the Tarpon Toad, the fly
seen in salt water.
the marshes of the Gulf Coast states,
that gave Andy Mill his five Gold Cup
TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE 21
EP Crab
Merkin
M.O.E.
wins and sealed his place in the fly
tying feature, I’ve used this flat body
Baird’s Hula Shrimp that are used for
fishing record books.
concept for my Evolution shrimp,
tuna and other offshore species.
which is a combination of the highly
When tying or buying, consider the
The Branham epoxy fly is a derivative
successful Peterson’s spawning
fly’s motion; it remains the only thing
of the M.O.E, and most recently,
shrimp pattern and the M.O.E
between you and a successful hookup
Skok’s Merkin Shrimp is also anchored
(Branham version).
in that two-second window to entice
on the same original Spear body.
the bite. When I’m tying something Our featured box is a collection
for the flats, something I’d actually
There must be something to this
of flats flies that can be used for
throw during those opportune
concept if it keeps showing up in
bonefish, permit, or redfish just
moments, what runs through my
variations for over half a century.
about anywhere. Variations in
head is, “How can I flatten it?”
If anglers keep breaking records,
color and size would extend these
winning tournaments, and just
patterns, allowing for usage in
It’s a good place to start when
having great success with them,
California (Cronin’s Surfin’ Merkin,
planning new flies.
they will continue to influence future
for example), Hawaii, and the South
patterns. As you will read in the fly
Pacific. There are larger variations of
Branham Fly
22 TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE
Hula Shrimp
Hula Crab
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Fishing in Literary Footsteps by James P. Spica Jr.
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Out the window [of the bus to Innsmouth] I could see the blue water and the sandy line of Plum Island, and we presently drew very near the beach as our narrow road veered off from the main highway to Rowley and Ipswich…. Now and then we crossed crude wooden bridges over tidal creeks that wound far inland and promoted the general isolation of the region. At last we lost sight of Plum Island and saw the vast expanse of the open Atlantic on our left. Our narrow course began to climb steeply, and I felt a singular sense of disquiet in looking at the lonely crest ahead where the rutted roadway met the sky. It was as if the bus were about to keep on in its ascent, leaving the sane earth altogether and merging with the unknown arcana of upper air and cryptical sky. The smell of the sea took on ominous implications…. Then we reached the crest and beheld the outspread valley beyond, where the Manuxet [River] joins the sea just north of the long line of cliffs that culminate in Kingsport Head and veer off toward Cape Ann. On the far, misty horizon I could just make out the dizzy profile of the Head, topped by the queer ancient house of which so many legends are told….
Fishing for stripers in the fading light
River, and Wingaersheek Beach
Traveling and fishing in the footsteps
on Plum Island or driving between
on Ipswich Bay directly north of
of authors who frequented familiar
fishing spots around Ipswich and
Gloucester. Innsmouth might also be
areas of the country is a tangible
Essex became far more eerie and
around Great Neck to the northeast
connection between two of my
unquestionably more exciting when
or Manchester-by-the-Sea to the
obsessions: fishing all the hell over
I first read that passage from a
south. H.P. Lovecraft was detailed
the place by road, and the collection
horror novella called The Shadow
in his description but also cleverly
and consumption of books. In my
Over Innsmouth. I’ve driven those
circumspect.
native state of Michigan, we’ve got
roads. I know those vistas. I’ve felt
the Hemingway connection, a bit
that otherworldly miasma of marshy
“There was never a dearth of fish
of John Gierach, and, in the Upper
decay and coastal mystery.
around Innsmouth,” writes Lovecraft
Peninsula, John Voelker (you may
early in the novella. And later: “And
know him as Robert Traver) and
The town of Innsmouth doesn’t
far out at sea, despite a high tide, I
Jim Harrison. As place plays such a
really exist—nevertheless, its creator,
glimpsed a long, black line scarcely
vital part in literature, Hemingway’s
Howard Phillips Lovecraft, knew the
rising above the water yet carrying a
and Voelker’s voices and plots echo
area intimately. He clearly fastened
suggestion of odd latent malignancy.
the spirit of the Midwest: plain
upon and accentuated in writing
This, I knew, must be Devil Reef.”
and straightforward, humble and
the combination of old, legendary
Occasionally, when I’m casting into the
fascinating, homey and gritty.
things of human construction and
surf from Crane Beach and enjoying
the mysterious, slightly unnerving
that glut of fish, I think I can make
By contrast, New England’s canonical
element of tidal marsh and
out to the southeast the dark, thin
literary figures dabble—or dive
weatherbeaten coast. The area
line of Devil Reef. I assume it’s just
headfirst—into the macabre,
described as harboring the decaying
wishful dreaming, but one could make
influenced by centuries of layered
and disquieting town of Innsmouth
the argument that that’s one of the
culture, buried dead, and the
is most likely somewhere in the area
many benefits of reading fiction.
omniscient, uncaring, life-giving
between Crane Beach, the Annisquam
and life-taking nature of the ocean.
TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE 27
The Northeast has its pantheon of
towns, one sees the “clustered spires,
writers in the macabre, absurd, or
domes, and gambrel roofs” Lovecraft
horrific—and in many well-known
mentions in almost every story he’s
Headed south beyond the congestion
authors, all three.
written, whether he’s describing the
of Boston, traveling on Route 3 into
very real towns of old Providence and
a landscape given over to scrubby
Boston or the very fictional towns of
sea pines, grasses, and smaller rock
Driving through sleepy New England
28 TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE
Arkham and Dunwich.
eminences, I cross the Bourne Bridge
One of Gorey’s best-known books is
Continuing down the Cape, fishing
onto Cape Cod. As many another
The Gashlycrumb Tinies, an alphabet
Cape Cod Bay, and then spending
striper angler, depending on the tide
book of verse ascribing one letter
some time at busy but productive
stage, I usually direct the Tacoma
each to a child who dies in a grisly,
Race Point, I make my way into
toward the Brewster Flats. But not
if silly, way. Upon reading it for the
Provincetown for oysters and martinis
before a quick stop.
first time, I was delighted to discover
at Pepé’s Wharf, passing by the
that “J is for James who took lye by
privately owned and well-preserved
The Edward Gorey House in Yarmouth
mistake.” Not only was my own name
house that used to belong to Norman
is a kind of tame pilgrimage for me
chosen, but Gorey’s James died by
Mailer. Mailer lived in this P-town red
whenever I’m fishing the flats of
ingesting something he shouldn’t
brick house with, if the photos are any
Cape Cod Bay. Lovingly kept up and
have, which is almost certainly how
indication, a library that prompts both
open as a museum, complete with
I’ll go, knowing my perverse desire
jealousy and inspiration. He wrote
the occasional daily tour, it isn’t a
to eat and drink odd or disgusting
of the town through the eyes of the
large dwelling—so an eight-person
things. That said, “M is for Maud who
protagonist and narrator in Tough
tour feels very much like when the
was swept out to sea” is just as likely
Guys Don’t Dance:
host of a house party crams you
to be my fate; I’m known to linger too
and your friends into one room after
long on the flats waiting for a striper
another while you’re wishing for a
in front of which to drop a crab fly, as
refresh of your drink. That said, one
the water works in behind me in its
can wander at one’s leisure most
own creepy way.
of the time, taking in the distinctly Cape Cod vibe of the living quarters
Upon catching a bluefish, which
while simultaneously marveling
eyes me angrily and with malignant
at the extent of Gorey’s macabre
intent—Lou Tabory mentions the
weirdness. I love the kitchen—what a
bluefish’s unpleasant gift of strong
surprise—and imagine Gorey cooking
sight out of water—the couplet
some bluefish in the oven or making
from Gorey’s The Wuggly Ump runs
some oyster stew on the stove. It’s
repeatedly through my head:
a place of hero worship to pass the midday hours when the linesiders are relatively uninterested in eating. Then I return to the water with a tinge of the “jumblies” (Gorey’s
What nasty little willful eyes For anything of such a size! How uninviting are its claws! How even more so are its jaws!
partnership with Edward Lear in verse, wherein the benefits of sailing the sea in a sieve are extolled).
Yep, that’s a bluefish.
Perhaps this is why Provincetown is so beautiful. Conceived at night (for one would swear it was created in the course of one dark storm) its sand flats still glistened in the dawn with the moist primeval innocence of land exposing itself to the sun for the first time. Decade after decade, artists came to paint the light of Provincetown, and comparisons were made to the lagoons of Venice and the marshes of Holland, but then the summer ended and most of the painters left, and the long dingy undergarment of the gray New England winter, gray as the spirit of my mood, came
TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE 29
Terror can lurk on every hand; it brings me closer to the environment and indeed extracts a perverse chill from it.
down to visit. One remembered then that the land was only ten thousand years old, and one’s ghosts had no roots. I don’t know if Mailer dabbled in
beautiful spot, but the mist that
confronted with forbidden things,” as
obscures the vistas and moves in and
Lovecraft puts it. What New England
out but never really leaves could very
lacks in the mystery of frontierism
well harbor Stephen King’s tentacle
it makes up for in older mystery: the
monsters and things with claws that
shabby, crumbling layers of history
could easily scuttle up behind me.
and overgrowth that hide, but do not completely obscure, older things.
flats fishing, but he nailed, in one sharp paragraph of forgivably
Idolizing these literary giants comes
These are not the giant tides and
long sentences, what it is to drive
with some all-too-visible issues,
crisp cliffs of the West Coast; this is
around the Cape fishing the flats for
some pretty big shoggoths (look it
the mud of centuries exposing what’s
stripers. One imagines the winner
up) under the table—for example,
left of this ship, that dory, this shack,
of two Pulitzer Prizes had more
Lovecraft’s distinctly New England
that dock.
heady things to do than wander the
subspecies of casual racism common
beaches looking for the shadow of a
in the early 20th century, or perhaps
The pop culture of contemporary
submerged ghost, but I suppose all
Mailer’s staggering ego. Hemingway,
humanity is riddled with mummies:
great writers are looking for ghosts
another great writer and fisherman,
the dead preserved so well that they
of some kind.
unfortunately laid the groundwork
may not be quite dead but obscured
for a narrow view of masculinity and
by enough layers of cloth that one
Speaking of ghosts, no macabre
how that masculinity is associated
really cannot know for sure what’s
literary fishing pilgrimage would be
with the outdoors. So we cannot read
within and what power animates it
complete without some mention of
these works without a critical eye
(though when it hops up and starts
that master of contemporary horror
toward the writing and the writer.
terrifying Abbott and Costello, the
and resident of Maine, Stephen King.
But our sport of fishing has its own
uncertainty fades). So much is
King injects the New England terroir
contradictions, hypocrisies, and
mummified in New England. In an
directly into his writings: descriptions
troublesome flirtations with high
obvious way, cramped graveyards
of haunts, happenings, and frights
morals, so we ought to be able to
around many a corner in Boston or
that could only be the stuff of the
understand.
Salem are full of the interred of at least 300 years, sometimes more. But
Northeast. While King’s catalog is too expansive to even attempt to
It’s New England’s whole vibe that
every bit of decaying wood—posts,
cover here, I was recently met with
prompts such a deep sense of place
palates and prams—in tidal marshes
the close presence of eeriness so
in the literary figures whose writing
is mummified by sand.
intimately relied upon in one of his
is tinged with, dipped in, or downright
shorter works. I was driving around
submerged in darkness. Terror
Waiting by a boulder that draws in
Acadia National Park in the early
can lurk on every hand; it brings
stripers, one observes the barnacles
morning, fishing off the cliffs for
me closer to the environment and
crusting the eminence and wonders if
pollock on sparkle Clousers with a
indeed extracts a perverse chill from
there may just be a few symbols left
6-weight—a quiet and contemplative
it. When that mist is rolling in—or
by the Old Ones, before shambling,
pursuit contrasted with the violence
those emerging rocks form dubious
primitive man. There are too many
and unforgivingness of the swells
shapes in the dark, lit only by diffuse
layers of barnacles to really be
hitting the rock faces. Acadia is a
moonlight as the tide drops—I “feel
certain.
30 TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE
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TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE 31
Jewel of the Carolina Coast by John Mauser The forked foot of my push pole
winds have changed to a northerly
the last few hours creeping across
finds purchase in the mud as we
breeze, and the humidity that you
the Spartina flats, looking for copper
glide across an acre of flooded
could cut with a knife has vanished
tails waving amongst the reeds.
Spartina grass. Like a field of wheat,
overnight. You can feel it in the air:
We’ve seen a dozen tails and poled
the grass is fading from bright
It’s fall on the Crystal Coast, my
within casting range of a few. I’m
green to golden yellow. Patches of
favorite time of year here.
not surprised to see fewer tails today
sea pickle are turning a vibrant red
compared to the last round of tailing
along the shoreline, while yellow
My buddy Perry and I have hit the
tides; the redfish have their minds on
sulphur butterflies dance above the
lottery today: We both have the day
something other than fiddler crabs.
water’s surface. The hot southerly
off from guiding, and we’re finally
Many of the reds have started to
able to chase some fish with a fly rod instead of a push pole. We’ve spent
32 TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE
school in the deeper channels and
At this point my mind is also on
Fifteen minutes later we are peering
pursue the large schools of baitfish
something other than the flooded
through the inlet and out into the
marching from the marsh toward
flat: I’m thinking of the chaos that
Atlantic. Gulls and terns are diving
the inlet. The mullet can feel the call
could possibly be occurring a couple
a few hundred yards ahead, feeding
of the changing winds and cooling
of miles away as hordes of baitfish
on schools of tiny anchovies that are
temperatures—it’s time to migrate.
pour out of the inlet on the falling
spending as much time above the
And the redfish know it’s time to
tide. Perry reels in his line and stows
water’s surface as they are below.
forgo the crabs and take advantage
the fly rod as I pole to the nearest
Seconds later, we see what has them
of the schools of baitfish so they can
creek. I lower the trim tabs and push
in a frenzy: Several dozen chrome
put on weight for the winter.
the throttle all the way forward as we
torpedoes emerge from the depths
head off looking for a new adventure.
and blow the baitfish out of the
TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE 33
water. Perry is immediately in the
Cape Lookout, Shackleford Banks, and
the islands, the sand-covered creek
fly box, digging through Clousers and
Bogue Banks may not be as well-
bottoms flow with clear water as
epoxy minnows looking for a close
known as the islands to the north,
the tide pours in from nearby inlets.
match. I can’t help but grin because
but I personally don’t think there’s
Further inland, the waters become
I know we are only a few casts away
another stretch of coastline that
stained with tannins, and the bottom
from welcoming back my favorite
can hold a candle to our charming
transitions from sand to the type of
fall visitor: the false albacore. I’ve
historic towns, pristine beaches, and
mud that will steal your shoes and
been fortunate enough to travel to
wild state and national parks.
keep them forever. Along the grass
some amazing fishing destinations,
edges, oysters build shell-covered
but right now there’s nowhere I’d
Just behind the windswept dunes
points that can extend for a hundred
rather be than right here in my own
and maritime forests of the barrier
yards or more.
backyard.
islands is a vast marsh and a maze of creeks and bays that would take half
All this habitat makes a home for
North Carolina’s Crystal Coast is an
a lifetime to explore. Miles of vibrant
many species of crabs, shrimp, and
85-mile stretch just south of its more
green Spartina grass are divided by
baitfish. And where there’s prey,
famous sibling, the Outer Banks.
a labyrinth of salty creeks. Behind
there are predators. Redfish, speckled
34 TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE
trout, and flounder are without a doubt the top targets of inshore anglers along the Crystal Coast. Whereas most anglers pursue them with conventional methods along the docks and creek channels, I prefer to stalk them away from the hustle and bustle of bay boats and popping corks, where the water is ankle deep and fish present themselves for a fly cast. While fishing the backcountry, you can often hear the ocean; waves crash just a short distance away, separated from the marsh by a line of cedars and live oaks. The emerald waters just beyond those crashing waves are just as much a playground for the fly angler as the marsh. Beach houses and sunbathers may adorn the shoreline from Emerald Isle to Atlantic Beach, but the part of the Crystal Coast that I love is still wild and untamed. The Cape Lookout National Seashore—consisting of South Core Banks and Shackleford Banks—and Hammocks Beach State Park are protected from human development. There are so many elements to the Crystal Coast that only add to the amazing fishing experience. Wild horses roam the shores of Shackleford Banks, their home since they swam from sinking Spanish ships in the 1600s. The historic Cape Lookout Lighthouse, erected in the 1850s, has served as backdrop to many an epic battle of man versus fish. And without even knowing it, many anglers have drifted over the remains of the most famous pirate ship in history, sunk off Beaufort Inlet by Blackbeard himself in 1718. Fall just might be the best time to pursue both backcountry and nearshore species on the fly. The
TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE 35
changes in weather are a signal to
between them and the fish. Lay a
season brings a change in species,
baitfish that it’s time to move and
cast into the foam and scales, and
locations, and techniques, and there
a signal to predators to devour the
you’ll probably be hooked up to a
is always something to pursue.
bait while it’s plentiful. Juvenile
freight train before your third strip
By December, most of the bait has
redfish feed heavily on shrimp and
of the line. “Albies” swim, eat, and
left, and it will be sparse pickings
mullet, while “old drum” wreak havoc
run from you at upwards of 40 miles
until the following April. Water
on schools of menhaden off the
per hour, and they’ll gladly bust your
temperatures drop into the 40s
beaches. Speckled trout migrate from
knuckles and show you most of your
and 50s, and as the algae die off,
the rivers to the inlets and beach
backing in the first minute of being
the water becomes extremely clear.
fronts where the tides deliver their
hooked up.
I hate cold weather, but I love our
meals. As you run the beaches in
wintertime fishery. With clear water,
October and November, the surf is
Although fall is an amazing time on
slowing metabolisms, and packs of
full of albacore, driving bait toward
the southern Outer Banks, it isn’t the
bottlenose dolphins on patrol, redfish
the beach as fast as they can. Gulls,
only time of year for a fly angler to
school up for safety in numbers.
terns, and pelicans bomb the water’s
take advantage of great fishing. We
Much of the marsh and surf seems
surface in numbers that make it
are blessed with a year-round fishery
lifeless, but when you come across a
difficult to shoot a loop of fly line
here on the Crystal Coast. Each
group of hungry redfish huddled up in
36 TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE
clear water, it becomes apparent why the wintertime fishery is so special. I treat these fish as delicately as possible, because it doesn’t take much pressure to make a school of winter redfish vanish overnight. We catch a few, thank them for the experience, and move on as the search continues. Come April, the Crystal Coast begins to spring to life again. The chilly north winds change to warm and southerly breezes, and the marsh and ocean begin to wake up from a sleepy winter. The mullet return to the estuaries, blue crabs come out of hibernation, and lethargic redfish begin to break up from their winter haunts and spread throughout the marsh. Along the oceanfront, silversides make their way inshore and gather over shipwrecks and hard-bottom ledges for safety. Small bluefish are usually the first to appear as they follow the tiny baitfish; schools of northbound migrating false albacore aren’t far behind. Not long after, Atlantic bonito arrive and are more than willing to charge a pink and white Clouser as they blitz on silversides at first light. The last of the spring fish to arrive are the Spanish mackerel, which mix in with the other predators and make short work of any baitfish that make a false move. The month of April is a bad time to be a silverside on the Crystal Coast. As spring gives way to summer, the action in the backcountry really starts to heat up, and redfish are heavy on my mind. My favorite way to pursue redfish on the Crystal Coast is by poling the
TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE 37
flooded Spartina grass flats on the highest tides of the month from May through October. When the moon’s gravitational pull floods the uppermost reaches of the Spartina flats and inundates the homes of fiddler crabs, the redfish are eager to follow the tide to a feast. Grasshoppers, periwinkles, and mud crabs climb the blades of grass to escape what lurks below. Redfish crawl through water so shallow that their eyes are sometimes exposed as they follow the tide in pursuit of crustaceans. We slowly push through the grass as we scan the flats for signs of these predators. Out of the corner of your eye, you’ll catch some movement along a nearby patch of grass; a few seconds later, a copper tail breaks the surface and waves to you, almost begging you to give chase. The good news is that the fish attached to that copper tail is there for one reason: to eat. The bad news is that he’s no dummy; he knows the dangers of being shallow and exposed, and to him an errant fly cast may as well be a diving osprey. So make it quiet, and make it count. I wish every day were a tailing tide, but often we are looking for bellycrawling fish among the mud and oysters. When the tide drops off the flats, the reds have a hard time hiding themselves. It’s not easy navigating the mud and oysters to get to these fish, and the hull of my skiff shows the battle scars of chasing low-tide reds. Even when the water is stained like root beer, the fish are still very aware of their surroundings when in inches of water; nevertheless, a stealthy approach and a clean cast are often rewarded.
38 TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE
Although redfish may be king on the Crystal Coast, they aren’t the only target on the fly. Flounder are numerous on the flats and in the creeks of our salt marshes. Gulf, summer, and southern flounder can be found in inches of water waiting for a school of unaware prey to swim overhead. It’s not uncommon to see flounder come completely out of the water when they explode on groups of mullet and killifish. In the heat of the summer, inshore flats fishing isn’t the only game in town. Just across the forests and dunes of the barrier islands, the action is heating up in the nearshore waters too. Although the albacore and bonito have moved north, the bluefish and Spanish mackerel are roaming the blue-green waters behind the breakers, looking for baitfish to destroy. They need to watch their backs, though, because the shoals along the beaches are teaming with blacktip and spinner sharks that will make short work of a school of bluefish. Further off the beach, the hard-bottom ledges and artificial reefs have become the summer homes to king mackerel, amberjack, and cobia—all of which will readily eat a well-presented fly. I’m unbelievably fortunate to call the Crystal Coast my home, and I look forward to each coming season and the experiences it will bring. But right now, Perry and I are focused on the pod of false albacore blitzing down the beach, devouring a school of anchovies. And the fly that Perry just tied on looks pretty darn close to what they are dining on. Throttle down: We’ve got some albies to catch.
TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE 39
40 TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE
THE PATH OF THE PERMIT by Carlos Cortez
In Argentina, where we were
subtle equipment to fish through
and wondrous mysteries of nature
surprised by life and our passion
difficult, still waters with elusive or
enhance any angling experience.
for fly fishing, there’s a delicious
small fish. Large targets and larger
When the time comes that we feel
fishing menu, an enviable
waters require heavy equipment to
part of the chosen environment,
selection of some of the most
tempt and subdue larger gamefish.
that’s the day we truly feel the
sporting species that exist in
connection with the fish.
fresh water. There are a variety
It’s a joy to confront the myriad
of salmonids such as trout and
possibilities of fish, waters, tackle,
With this evolution of our
both landlocked and anadromous
and strategy, but we must choose
mindset, fishing takes on a
salmon. Then there’s the northern
our quarry and select the appropriate
new meaning. No longer is it a
slam, consisting of dorados,
tackle, realizing that each encounter
competition with others, the fish,
pacús, and pirá pitás. These
also requires different skills. The
or ourselves. Now our pursuit
marvelous gamefish thrive in a
complexities of preparation tend to
becomes a jubilant game. We
plethora of diverse environments,
narrowly focus an angler on the task
know that our quarry is not aware
creating many different ways
at hand. Nonetheless, the true joy of
of it, that it was not its choice.
and situations of fishing. Such
the angling experience arises when
Yet we begin to take satisfaction
diversity challenges us to learn
we adapt a broader perspective by
from its wisdom and strengths
new techniques and continuously
inviting the natural environment
and the difficulties they generate.
improve our skills. It takes light,
into our focal realm. The splendid
From that moment onward, the
TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE 41
word failure disappears from our
the water. By allowing every moment
favorite quarry. I just claim that the
dictionary, because in this game
to be magical, we achieve maximum
permit is different. It’s a fish that
there are no winners or losers, only
enjoyment.
inhabits the deep waters of the reefs
challenges and the satisfaction of learning.
and looks for shallow waters to feed After many years of walking the path
when conditions allow. Its sensory
of fly fishing, I almost accidentally
perception is second to none. The
In this way, the sensations we feel
discovered this outlook that enhances
permit possesses keen eyesight
lead us to concentrate on feeling,
the vision of our angling passion.
and sense of smell. It is spooky and
doing, and being part of, rather
My approach requires that we stop
finicky. As such, the permit-angling
than our self-actualization as
being anglers, and start to enjoy the
journey fits perfectly with the
anglers. Embracing such a title
process as if it were the result itself.
concept of enjoying the process,
carries responsibilities that result
Clearly, intent is the goal and capture
because it’s a game of learning, one
in unnecessary pressure. The
is a bonus.
in which catching these black-tailed
angler must fish, and to be a great
devils is both sporadic and fleeting.
fisherman, he also must achieve
The Fish of My Dreams
recognition. Instead, interacting with
Trachinotus falcatus is not better or
When we talk about conditions, we
nature during a game only requires
worse than any other piscine species.
refer to a sum of variables: water
us to be respectful of the ecosystem.
It’s the fish of my dreams, but that
temperature and transparency,
In this way, it’s up to each individual
description doesn’t mean that I am
amplitude and status of the tide,
to achieve his or her satisfaction on
attaching a value judgement on my
influence of climatic variables
42 TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE
(especially wind and atmospheric pressure), presence of food, time of year, and fishing pressure. The characteristics of the area will determine certain behavioral habits, which for us will mean different situations resulting from type of bottom, depth range, current, presence of predators, and type of food. Chasing this fish resembles a hunt. We must first find it, then approach it, before deciding the timing of the cast and executing it. We call this entire process the shot, chance, or encounter. It is the first quantifiable parameter by which we analyze and characterize our fishing day.
The Chances Being able to find permit depends, most of the time, on the knowledge and experience of the guide. In general, many guides know where they feed, but being there at the right time is not an easy task. We seek different signs, depending on place and conditions, that reveal its presence: nervous water, tails, fins, flashes, muds, or simply the silhouette of the fish. It takes a long time on the water, focused on observation, to begin to perceive each of these ways of detection. In this part of the process we must be calm and concentrate to identify the fish as quickly as possible. It’s
not always as easy as it sounds. It’s the moment to review and make sure everything is fine to execute the shot—the tidy line in the skiff, the necessary feet outside, the fly in good condition—without losing sight of our objective. The approach to the fish depends on the guide and whether we’re on a skiff or wading. The approach technique is complex. It depends on the swimming speed of the fish and its attitude, the direction and speed of the wind and the current, and the location of the sun. Ideally, we seek a setup with the sun on our back, or in a position
TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE 43
that allows us to maintain visual
personal experience. The presentation
evaluating the shot according to the
contact with the fish. Having the
could be between 1 foot and 10 feet,
first reaction of the fish and not by
wind from behind, or on the shoulder
but most situations are resolved
the fly’s landing place or your critical
opposite the rod arm, is a great
between 1 foot and 4 feet.
evaluation that the cast might be
help for casting. But in the skiff, if
less than perfect. Many times, shots
the wind blows from our back and
The timing of the execution is
that seem perfect do not generate
is very intense, the guide will not
very important. Waiting for the
any reaction, demanding a quick
be able to manage the skiff as well
appropriate distance range allows us
recast, while others that we interpret
or stop it quickly enough. We rarely
to be accurate, have control of the
as bad open up the possibility of a
go directly to the fish. Rather, the
line, and see the fish clearly in order
strike.
guide imagines the optimal point
to understand its body language. The
to set up the encounter, taking into
casting-distance range to a permit
consideration all of these variables.
can vary, but most attempts with
The Choice of Fly and Stripping
Often the permit—or the wind—will
good chances are between 40 feet
Most of the preferred flies are shrimp
change direction, adding complexity
and 60 feet, with 50 feet being my
and crab imitations—although
to the challenge.
preferred range. At shorter distances,
bites or catches are achieved with
we can make an accurate cast, be in
imitations of small fish, generally by
The next step is the decision to make
visual contact with the fly, track it
accident—and in the environments
the shot. It includes two critical
after it lands in the water, and make
where permit live and feed, both are
aspects, where to present the fly and
an effective recast if needed. The
present. Perhaps it would help to
when. The target of where to place
goal is to interact with the permit, to
know how their diet is composed, such
the fly is often influenced by our
perceive the fish’s first reaction, and,
as the percentages and situations
fear of scaring away the permit. The
if it was positive, seeking to stimulate
they eat one or the other. But it is a
result of that ill-advised concern is
it to eat our fly.
collecting fish, and my experience tells
that the fly is usually presented too
me that it is very opportunistic.
far away and is never perceived by
In both scenarios we must lose the
the fish.
fear of scaring the fish. We must get
I think our priority goal is to place
both close enough to present the fly
our fly in their field of vision without
The variables that we should rely on
and close to the fish. We could lose
the fish spooking off, and keep it
include swimming speed and fish
the opportunity, but otherwise, we
there long enough to tempt them.
attitude, depth, current strength,
will never have it.
Our fly must resemble the permit’s
wind speed, quantity of fish, and type of fly. There is no substitute for
44 TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE
food reasonably well, with due It’s important to get used to
consideration of shape, size, and
color. The fly should be tied with
we stimulate with a fleeing prey.
In most other situations, setting the
the appropriate volume of materials
There are, however, situations where
hook must be done by visual cues
and weight for the conditions. We
retrieving the fly is the ticket for
and intuition. The permit approaches
have to put the fly in the fish’s
generating a strike from a permit. In
its prey, inhales a certain volume of
visual range, and it must “behave”
those dynamic instances where the
water to suck out the possible food,
naturally after the fish has seen it. It
current is strong, I usually use shrimp
and filters and breaks the shells
is very difficult, perhaps impossible,
flies, because many crabs tend to
lodged in the throat with its strong
to describe a successful or adequate
turn or drag when we strip fast.
crushers. Then it swallows, and finally
presentation and movement of the
it exhales the shell fragments. If the
fly, because the variables involved are
When fishing very close to the
fly were not attached to the leader,
many and interrelated. The answers
bottom or on the bottom, I use crabs
it would probably always end up in
are initially derived by listening to
that are quite heavy. I use lighter
the fish’s stomach, but the tension
the guide’s instructions and personal
crabs that sink slowly when I want
generated by the line prevents the fly
experience accumulated later.
the permit to find the fly as it goes
from being swallowed and expelled (if
down in shallow water or with rock,
we set the hook correctly). Everything
The most common mistakes are:
coral, or grass bottoms. Inexperienced
happens in a fraction of a second.
presenting the fly too far away, for
permit anglers should rely on the
fear of scaring the permit away;
guide’s knowledge or an angler with
When a permit inhales, it contorts
not allowing the fly to sink to the
more experience in a specific habitat
its body, allowing us to read the fish’s
feeding zone, instead moving it
or particular geographic location.
behavior. During the times the food
early; making sudden movements,
After we acquire our own experience,
is down in the water column, on or
which generate drag on the line and
we develop the conviction to explore
near the bottom, the permit lifts its
leader and may spook the permit;
our own ways.
tail. That’s a clear signal that tells us
and making long and fast stripping motions that take the fly out of the permit’s field of vision.
The Bite and Setting the Hook
to act. We must keep the rod in the direction of the fly. If we make a long and slow strip and feel tension, we
Situations that demand stripping, using
must continue the same movement
When fishing crabs, our priority is
shrimp, are those with the highest
with increasing pressure and release
to make the fish see the fly and
percentage of efficiency, because many
it only when the hooked fish is
leave it in the field of view as long
times we feel the tension of the bite
running and our sensitivity tells us
as possible. This is in opposition
and we react appropriately. In this
that the tension is too tight, risking
to what we do while fishing for an
scenario, the permit hooks itself in the
a break-off. When a permit swims
aggressive predatory species, which
same movement.
in front and towards us, sometimes
TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE 45
we can see that it opens its mouth, because we see the pink and white of its lips. That is the right moment to try setting the hook, as an open mouth is a sign the permit is inhaling the fly.
The Real Difficulty When we fish other species, there are days where those fish are nervous, or they are not eating, or they are not in the usual areas. But we cannot know what is really happening, because blind fishing is “imaginary.” We rely on intuition and knowledge to give us the answers. With sight fishing, we are facing the reality of our quarry
46 TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE
and it is facing us. The results can be a little more frustrating—or a little more rewarding. As we learn more about the permit, we begin to understand that it is far from being a fish that doesn’t eat or is very difficult to fool. I believe that many times permit are not caught for a number of otherwise unrelated reasons. Besides some exceptional days or situations, an average day of fishing usually gives us between four and eights chances. Sometimes we find the fish in tough conditions where it is difficult to see them clearly, which doesn’t allow us to be accurate. Many times, the environmental conditions make it difficult for us to achieve the necessary precision to deliver the fly to the fish on a timely basis, adjust for the influence of the wind, or simply control our nerves. While we were graced with the right shots, we were wrong in our handling of the fly. And there are other times when we get bites and we never know. This is a synthetic description, but I hope it allows you to understand the characteristics of fly fishing for permit and the sensations it arouses. The mystique of this fish is fed by the pressure generated in us by that remarkably beautiful image that seems beyond our grasp. When we finally remain calm enough to understand that it’s just one more fish, one that requires certain adjustments in technique and more significantly a change in our attitude, we begin to feel they are near our hands.
TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE 47
by Joseph Ballarini It was perhaps legendary Keys guide Harry Spear who originated the very effective style of fly that sports a flat body, allowing for linear movement without spinning. Spear used his Tasty Toad to target the large, spooky bonefish off Islamorada. The Toad landed softly, sank quickly, and refused to spin even when stripped aggressively. You’ll see this same concept manifest in a number of subsequent flats flies, including Del Brown’s Merkin, the Tarpon Toad (with which Andy Mill has won five Gold Cups), the Kwan Fly (for redfish), and most recently, Dave Skok’s Merkin Shrimp. This concept is also the basis for Bob Branham’s M. O. E. (Mother of Epoxy) Fly, which has proved itself deadly on permit. One of my favorite pattens for bonefish and permit is Peterson’s Spawning Shrimp. However, this fly does spin if stripped aggressively, so I stopped using it in Biscayne Bay in favor of Branham’s M. O. E. 48 TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE
The Evolution Shrimp Eventually, I got the idea to combine the best aspects of Peterson’s Spawning Shrimp with the technical aspects of Branham’s fly—with a few personal touches. I thought the Evolution was an appropriate name, since it’s best described as a mashup of two existing patterns. The Evolution has superb action, is effective, and is relatively easy to tie. I’ve tested it everywhere I’ve fished, and it seldom fails to produce. In green, the Evolution is my go-to fly in Mexico and Belize. In Florida I prefer pink and ginger; in the Bahamas, pink and tan. But you can tie it in any color combination and with any head color. Frankly, I don’t think the colored head really matters much for fishing, but they sure do look nice in the box. If you have any questions, you can email me at admin@tailflyfishing. com.
Materials Hook: Mustad S74SNP-DT 2XH/4XL size 6 long shank Thread:
Danville flat waxed nylon, 210 denier, pink
Tail: Orange fox and tan Craft Fur (alternatively, I use golden doodle fur after our dog is groomed), flanked at each side with a thin barred ginger hackle tied splayed Antennae: Black Krystal Flash (optional) Legs:
Tan barred silicone ( I color mine by hand with brown and black markers Borski-style, but the commercial versions work well also)
Eyes:
Small red shrimp eyes
Flash:
Tan Krystal Flash
Wing:
Barred tan rabbit fur
Weight:
I-Balz
Head:
5-minute epoxy tinted with fine orange glitter
Step 1: Tie in a base of thread on the hook shank above the point. Tie in orange fox fur, leaving about 1/4 inch beyond the bend of the hook.
1
Step 2: Measure and trim the trailing portion of fur to bend back over the the bend of the hook and tie in creating a slight bulge for the legs and eyes in the upcoming steps.
5
Step 3: Tie in craft fur (or dog fur) that should be about twice the length of the fox fur.
2
Step 4: Tie in two small barred ginger hackles, splayed and extending to approximately the length of the Craft Fur. Step 5: Tie in black Krystal Flash so it extends slightly beyond the tan Craft Fur (optional, not shown). Tie in one of the silicone legs so that it extends the length of the Craft Fur (you can trim the legs later, if you wish).
6
Step 6: Tie in another silicone leg on the other side of the tail. Tie in one of the shrimp eyes to flank the tail.
3
Step 7: Tie in the the other eye. The shrimp eyes should extend beyond the bend of the hook by about 1/8 inch.
7
Step 8: Tie in tan Krystal Flash on the underside of the tail. Step 9: Tie in the weighted eyes. I-Balz have a wider gap and result in a flatter head on the finished fly.
4
8
TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE 49
Step 10: Tie in the first section of barred rabbit for the wing on the underside of the shank.
9
Step 11: Tie in the second section of wing, just in front of the first and behind the weighted eyes.
13
Step 12: Wrap the thread to just behind the eye of the hook and whip finish. Step 13: Mix the two parts of 5-minute epoxy along with the glitter.
10
Step 14: When the epoxy is mixed, place a small amount on the eyes. You will need much less epoxy than you think. The big mistake here is adding too much epoxy and not leaving enough space for a flat, lightweight head.
14
Step 15: As the epoxy begins to firm, wet your fingers and shape the head using your thumb and index finger to flatten and smooth the epoxy. The key is wet fingers so the epoxy does not stick to your hands. Shape and smooth the head until it’s flat, smooth, and symmetrical.
11
15
12
50 TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE
When the fish of a lifetime presents herself, the difference in success or failure is measured in inches. To the angler faced with a cast that will forever inspire or haunt them, it’s the eye of a needle. At that moment, only one thing matters.
HELIOS 3—ERASE THE DOUBT
They become great fish because they survive. Intolerant of intrusion, they place themselves where food flows freely and predators pause. In hunting, accuracy is everything. The same can be said in the pursuit of a great fish. You may only get one shot.
MAKE IT COUNT
VISIT ORVIS.COM/H3
to get the most accurate rod in the industy. TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE 51
AHEAD OF OUR TIME SINCE THE BEGINNING
GEAR Cobra MR HH600 Floating Marine Radio This handheld radio isn’t just for people with boats. The HH600 is the upgraded version of the HH350 and includes GPS to pinpoint your location, built in Bluetooth®, and an LED flashlight and strobe. This is a great safety tool to take with you whenever and wherever you travel. It’s 100 percent waterproof, it floats, and we especially like that it’s white and easy to spot if it does end up in the water. It charges quickly, and a single charge lasts for a typical day on the water. Cobra is also offering a complimentary BoatUS one-year membership with any marine radio purchase. (cobra.com) $209
52 TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE
Hersh’s Natural Using sustainable resources from organic farmers, Hersh’s Natural has created something that traveling anglers can really appreciate. This family business, founded by an avid sportsman with roots in Pennsylvania, makes a shampoo bar that’s the perfect solution for traveling fly fishers who don’t want to use the lodge bar soap or body wash as shampoo. The shampoo bar is only 4 ounces, takes up very little space, and comes in eight varieties. We really like the tea tree bar because it has antimicrobial properties and repels mosquitos. Be sure to include this in the packing list for your next trip; you’ll be glad you did. (hershsnatural.com) $10
GUIDE Treva Bug Repellant Fan This is another item you should consider packing for your traveling adventures. If you frequent a specific lodge, consider leaving one or two of them there. It’s basically a low-speed tabletop fan that keeps flies away from your food, and it works incredibly well. We learned about this item at a barbecue in Austin, Texas, and then started seeing it used by restaurants and bakeries in Miami. We might have been a bit late to the party on this one, but better late than never. (trevahome.com) $12.99
Thermacell Patio Shield After contracting Dengue Fever from multiple mosquito bites in the Maldives and more recently developing cellulitis from a collection of bites on the lower legs, the search for portable insect protection began. This product isn’t new, but it’s so effective we had to share. The Thermacell uses a small DEET-free repellant pack to provide 15 feet of mosquito-free outdoor space. It’s a far superior alternative to the incense coils used in many tropical locales. The main unit is inexpensive, although the charges can add up. Thermacell also makes an entire-home system called LIV, which can shield up to 1,500 square feet of outdoors space. (thermacell.com) $19.99
TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE 53
GEAR Phoozy XP3 Thermal Capsule After destroying a phone by leaving it on the console of a skiff and overheating it, we began looking for an option that could protect electronics from not only heat but also cold. We came across the XP3, which seemed to be the answer. But would it work? Short answer, yes. The technology prevents freezing and overheating and acts like a phone Thermos, keeping its contents warm or cold. We don’t know how the science works, but no phones have been cooked since discovering this little gem. Phoozy also makes cases for tablets and laptops. They’re shock resistant, germ resistant, and climate resistant—and they float. Hard to beat for the price. (phoozy.com) $50
54 TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE
Cubalaya Fair Chase 6-8 We talked about the Fair Chase last issue, when we used the big version (10-14) of this awesome new click-and-pawl reel for the salt. We brought up the possibility of a smaller version for bonefish, which Cubalaya already had in the works. They didn’t cut any corners and nailed it. It’s a clickand-pawl reel made for saltwater fishing that’s suitable for anything from a 6- to 8-weight; we’ve even been using it on a 9. All we can say is, “Thank you.” Smaller species are now even more fun. (cubalayaoutfitters.com) $875
GUIDE Meat Your Maker 10 Tray Dehydrator Our love for the outdoors comes with an appreciation of food. With two large mango trees at the TFFM home office, we were looking for a quality dehydrator for the few hundred mangoes the trees produce each season. But we found a whole lot more. The Meat Your Maker 10-tray dehydrator is super easy to set up and use. The controls are intuitive, and it can be programmed in about 10 seconds. The temperature was true when we tested it against two high-end commercial thermometers, and it consistently held heat. So far, we’ve dried fruit and made enough jerky for the next two seasons. The best part is that this dehydrator is guaranteed for life. (meatyourmaker.com) $279.99
Umpqua LT Payload Boat Box It’s often difficult to find a box that’s big enough to house larger saltwater flies and suit our on-the-water needs while still making it fit into a day bag. Many traditional boat boxes have handles and angles that waste usable space inside the box, and the handles take up valuable space in the bag or when being stored. We tried the Payload this season for tarpon flies and found it to be the perfect choice for our needs. It’s a two-sided box with sturdy, clear lids that allow you to see the contents of both sides without opening it. It holds more than enough flies for a long trip. Ours is currently loaded with 14 dozen bonefish flies for the magazine’s hosted trip to Andros. (umpqua.com) $59.99
If you have a product you would like to let our audience know about in the TFFM Gear Guide, contact us at admin@tailflyfishing.com.
TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE 55
GEAR Perfectionist Fluorocarbon Leaders Many readers have been using our Perfectionist leaders over the years, and we were receiving so many requests for a fluorocarbon leader that we couldn’t ignore them anymore. We’ve been making a 12-foot tapered leader in fluorocarbon, but we haven’t offered it for sale—until now. Tail Fly Fishing Magazine presents the Perfectionist 12-foot fluorocarbon leader in 10-, 12-, 16-, and 20-pound tippet strengths (true strength, not an approximation). They’re made in Japan (solely because the Japanese are the world’s best at extruded polymers). Made from top-grade material under a meticulous manufacturing process, these leaders will satisfy the most serious anglers. Now you have a choice between monofilament and fluorocarbon in a leader you’ve grown to trust from TFFM. (tailflyshop.com) $15
56 TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE
Simms Open Water Box There aren’t any new design breakthroughs regarding general shape and size, but some additional attention to detail makes the functionality of this pack very handy. There are three main compartments that are created by modifiable separators. The large compartment in the standard configuration holds flat stackable boxes with ease. But our favorite trait is ease of access. The fliptop lid uses Velcro instead of a zipper, so it can be opened and closed quickly, and comes with a built-in waterproof dry pocket for gear like phones and reading glasses. The Open Water also comes with a removable tube for drying large flies while packing out. The no-slip, no-scratch bottom can be easily cleaned with a water hose. Simms also makes a smaller waist-pack version that can be mounted to the Open Water box. It’s a step up in the progression of boat bags. (simmsfishing.com) $249.95
GUIDE Finch Knife Company Runtly The Finch Knife Company’s Runtly is a small workhorse of a utility knife. A modern “flipper,” the Runtly is designed for single-handed opening. There’s a tab at the base of the blade that you stroke with your index finger. The heavy stonewash-andsatin-finish blade is 154CM stainless steel, which is tough, resistant to corrosion, and holds its edge longer than most other stainless steels, giving you the trifecta of enviable attributes for an EDC angling knife. Right out of the box, this knife is a razor, and is up to nearly any task you can throw at it: cutting cardboard or carpeting, bowlines or fly lines, preparing a charcuterie board, slicing fruit to garnish cocktails, or precision-cutting the cap off a Cuban. The handle is made from G10, a highpressure fiberglass laminate, and is available in a variety of color options, including Military Blue, Yellow Belly, and Red Head. And need we mention, knives make excellent gifts. (finchknifeco.com) $139
Renomed Fly Tying Scissors For the casual fly tier, just about any pair of scissors will suffice—including embroidery scissors you can purchase at your local craft store for a few dollars. But if fly tying is your artistic medium, you’ll want cutting instruments commensurate with your talent. Renomed is a relative newcomer to the fly tying market. Founded in Poland in 1981, the company’s mainstays have been the medical/surgical and cosmetic fields. But in 2018 Renomed expanded their line to enter the fly tying market. Each pair of Renomed scissors is hand-forged by only 10 artisans in their manufacturing facility in Poznań. Renomed produces a number of models of fly tying scissors to help you fashion the smallest of bonefish flies to the largest of saltwater streamers and hairheaded flies, as well as a specialty pair of scissors designed specifically to cut braid. Mini Puff to Mega Mushy, Bonefish Bitter to Beast Fly—or your own Next Big Thing—Renomed helps you get it done. (renomedusa.com) $29-$85
TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE 57
FLY CASTING
TO FLY FISH by Chico Fernandez
“PRACTICE VERY LITTLE; PRACTICE VERY OFTEN.” 58 TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE
Fly casting, in my opinion, is the quintessential skill in fly fishing. You can learn to identify a fish in the water, manipulate the fly, strike and fight a fish very well, but none of that matters until you can make a decent presentation with a good degree of frequency. To do this, talk yourself into practicing your casting skills and your accuracy several times a week, and soon you will start to catch more fish. As you continue to improve, you’ll also start to land bigger fish. And when you finally catch that big tarpon or snook you’ve been dreaming about, you will experience an immense satisfaction that cannot be bought, but has to be earned. Some of those catches you’ll remember all your life. My worldrecord redfish, the first white marlin taken on 12-pound tippet, a big snook I took in Cuba in the late 1950s—I remember every detail about those catches. So will you. And if you make one of those catches with your son, daughter, wife, or best friend, it doesn’t get any better. As you improve, you also will gradually use less effort to cast, so you’ll find you are enjoying the practice more. This is nothing new: Every good fly fisherman I’ve known loves to cast. I’ve been fly fishing for more than 60 years, and I still love to fly cast. Always will. And you can’t buy your way out. You may be able to afford the best
“PRACTICE VERY LITTLE; PRACTICE VERY OFTEN.” TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE 59
“PRACTICE VERY LITTLE; PRACTICE VERY OFTEN.” tackle, the best fishing destinations, and the best guides, but when you are finally within casting range of a fish, no one can help. You are on your own. And to me, that’s part of
When you are fishing the flats
Remember to hold the fly by the
and you suddenly see a fish, it’s
bend of the hook so you don’t get
understandable that you get
hooked if the line gets tangled on a
excited. You start waving the rod
mangrove shoot or other structure as
frantically while rocking the boat a
the boat goes by.
the beauty of this sport.
bit. Meanwhile, the fish will probably notice the hand and rod waving, and
To start the cast, have the leader
The skills you need
easily feel the wakes coming from
and about a rod’s length of fly line
the rocking boat. In these situations,
beyond the rod tip. With a 10-foot
chances are he will move away, slowly
leader and 10 feet of fly line, that
or quickly depending on how scared
makes 20 feet. With one false cast,
he is about what he has witnessed.
you’ve made a 20-foot cast—great for
In the flats, especially if it’s calm,
a close cast to a snook or redfish. For
even subtle movements are easily
longer casts, you would continue to
detected. So it’s essential that you
false cast until you have the desired
are able to make the presentation
distance.
If you are a beginner, start by learning to make a good, consistent loop. A loop is very aerodynamic, and it’s the best way to get distance with your cast. Also, a good loop transfers its energy to the leader, which helps the fly turn over. And because a loop is very visual, it helps your aim, in turn helping accuracy. You need to reach a point where you
with a minimum of motion, and no abrupt movements.
You’ll find that the first couple of false casts are difficult because you are
Start by stripping as much line as you
casting the leader and a few feet of
think you’ll need for the conditions.
the fly line’s front taper, which weigh
Take out more fly line on calm days
very little, so you hardly load the rod.
with good visibility, when it will be
But as you continue to false cast and
with wind.
harder to get close to fish and require
the amount of fly line outside of the
a longer cast, and less line in low
rod tip increases, you’ll start to feel
Some situations will be very easy,
visibility because of wind or murky
the weight of the line load the rod,
water, when you’ll be making shorter
and things will get easier.
can cast 40 or 50 feet to your right and to your left (9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on the clock method) with a good degree of accuracy—often while contending
with a fair amount of time to make the cast; others will be more difficult. With practice, however, you’ll soon start to catch fish. This is why practice is of the essence. We’ll go deeper into how to practice and improve casting skills in just a bit.
The fast draw Whether being poled on a skiff or wading, you are moving slowly across a flat in a “ready position” to cast to a fish. Because the procedure requires that you get the fly in front of the fish as soon as possible, I’ve always called the casting procedure “the fast draw” because it reminds me of a duel in an old western movie—you need to be fast and accurate.
60 TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE
casts. Having more fly line on the deck than you need invites tangles.
If the fish is close to the boat, keep
“PRACTICE VERY LITTLE; PRACTICE VERY OFTEN.” a low rod angle as you false cast to make movements less visible to the fish. For longer casts it’s best to go back to a more vertical position, where the rod is better aligned with your eye and therefore easier to be more accurate.
Tailing fish and laid-up fish A tailing or laid-up fish in shallow water seldom allows you to get close enough for a short cast. Count on a medium to long cast. The only advantage here is that you usually have more time to make the cast than you do in short-cast situations. move the fly away from the fish so as
into the slough as possible, without
Before we talk about the casting,
not to spook him, and then slowly lift
touching any of the branches.
keep in mind that you are more
the line for another cast.
accurate if you hold most of the
Another situation is when you face
line in the air and shoot very little
Cruising fish
to reach your target. Your accuracy
Presenting the fly to a moving fish
few feet above the water. Here you
suffers when you hold a small
takes practice, and you can’t do this
need to send a low, tight loop under
amount of line in the air and count
by yourself on the lawn. One thing
the branch to send the fly a few
on shooting lots of line.
I like to do while fishing, usually at
feet behind it. It’s very challenging,
lunch time or during slow times, is
great fun, and often frustrating. But
Start your false cast while you watch
that I practice my presentation by
the payoff could be a big snook or a
the fish. Depending on what it’s
casting to moving stingrays, sharks,
mangrove snapper; you never know.
doing, select the spot you want to
catfish, or anything that is moving—
On the other hand, casting on top
place the fly. The ideal spot will show
even floating grass or a leaf drifting
of or around sunken structures that
the fish your fly moving away from
with the wind. Just make sure your
are often in front of a shoreline are
him, as if trying to escape.
guide is okay with this. There is a
usually easier casts, and can produce
time to practice and there is a time
some big fish.
Now, when you are ready to make the presentation while false casting, take
a large branch lying horizontally a
to concentrate on fishing. To improve your accuracy in these
your eyes off of the fish and look at
Shorelines
the spot where you want the fly to
There are primarily two casting
horizontal often helps you gain more
land. Still false casting, look at the fly
requirements when fly fishing a
accuracy because you can see the
in the air for guidance. If you can’t
shoreline. The first is accuracy. You
loop for a longer period of the cast.
see the fly well enough, then look at
are trying to place a fly as close to
And if you are seeing the loop against
the loop you are forming and use it
the shoreline as possible. The second
a darker mangrove background, it will
to aim at your target.
is loop control, which is needed when
also help your accuracy.
you face a long, narrow slough going
conditions, tilting the rod closer to
If the fly falls on target, let it settle
back a few yards, surrounded by
to the level you need and start your
all lengths of branches. Here, you
Basins, deep water, and beaches
retrieve. If not, strip some line in to
need to send a tight loop as far back
There are areas that are mostly
TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE 61
“PRACTICE VERY LITTLE; PRACTICE VERY OFTEN.” Difficult flies A fly that is very heavy or bulky can be difficult to cast, mainly because it is harder to build up speed in the cast. Casting the average tight loops with a heavy, bulky fly also produces a kick at the end of every false cast, which throws off your timing. The heavier or bulkier the fly, the more you should open the loop as you false cast. The loop doesn’t have to be real big; just open the loop a bit until you feel your cast getting smoother. Even casting a mid-size loop, maybe 4 feet, you should easily be able to make fished blind casting, covering as
basic casting style. I have seen good
much ground as possible, so this
casters, when faced with a stiff wind,
requires you to make repetitive long
change their casting stroke and style
Of course, another way to cast a
casts. And you want the fly in the
in ways that wouldn’t have worked
difficult fly is to go to a heavier
water as long as possible.
even on a calm day.
fly line. If you were casting with a
Now, you don’t have to be accurate
First, cast lower to the water. The
to blind cast, but you do have to send
lower you cast, the less the wind
the line in the right direction. With
affects you. The wind is stronger 10
the skiff drifting west, for example,
feet off of the water than it is 5 feet
Practice, practice, practice
do not cast west in the same direction
from the water. In windy conditions, I
The best way to learn to cast, or
you are drifting. With the skiff drifting
usually crouch while I cast to keep my
to improve your cast, is to hire a
toward the fly you just cast, you will
loops as low to the water as possible.
knowledgeable casting instructor who
a very long cast.
7-weight, going to a 9-weight can
have lots of slack, often more than
make a big difference.
can look at your casting and make
you can strip in, and the fly will not
Concentrate on making a tighter
corrections. Another way is to attend
cover much ground. Instead, cast
loop, which has a much better chance
a good fly fishing school that offers
mostly to the sides. Unless you are
of cutting through the wind. And do
individual casting instruction. But if
in deep water, don’t cast behind the
it while making a longer stroke; that
you can’t find either, then study a
skiff, which would be east in this
is, the tip of the rod traveling longer.
good fly casting video.
example, because you just went over
Your cast will be smoother, and you’ll
that area with the skiff.
reduce a lot of the slack you probably
I prefer a 7- to 9-weight rod for
have on your cast. Also, try to control
saltwater practice. Only use a tarpon-
the tendency to overpower the cast.
size rod if you are practicing for big
Wind woes A windy day can be frustrating,
tarpon, or other big fish that require
reducing your casting distance and
Besides, fish are generally not as
accuracy. But there are things you
spooky on windy days, and you
can do to still be able to make the
are able to get closer, requiring a
Beginners should use a leader about
presentation.
shorter cast. So windy days can be
the length of the rod; for more
an advantage; it’s the days with low
advanced anglers, 10 to 12 feet is
visibility that are a problem.
better.
First of all, relax. If you are already a fair caster, don’t change your
62 TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE
the heavier rods.
“PRACTICE VERY LITTLE; PRACTICE VERY OFTEN.” I prefer that beginners practice
Also, at least at the beginning, you
again, and keep marking it as you hold
without a fly, concentrating on
may want to bring a tape measure.
more line. This is what tournament
making good consistent loops. In
I find that most anglers have a
casters do, and it works.
time, move to a No. 2 fly with the
distorted idea of what 40 feet looks
bend of the hook cut off.
like. I can’t tell you how often I get
The reason for this is that the loop
a casting student who thinks he is
will only travel forward while it is
If you are an intermediate caster or
casting more than 60 feet when he
unrolling; after that, gravity claims
better, use a No. 1 or 1/0 hook with
can’t reach 50 feet. Know what 30
it and it drops to the water. So the
the bend cut off. These sizes weigh
feet, 40 feet, 50 feet, and 60 feet
longer amount of line you can shoot,
enough to make the casting more
look like. Then, when the person
the longer it will take the line to unroll,
realistic, so there will be little change
poling says to you, “Tarpon, 50 feet,
and the further the cast will go before
when fishing.
11 o’clock,” you’ll have a better idea
it drops. Shooting 30 feet of line will
where to look for that fish.
make it unroll fairly fast, and the cast
I recommend a bright-colored fly. I like
will not go far. But shooting 50 feet of
orange, so you can easily see it in the
Besides casting up wind, side wind,
line will take it longer to unroll, and the
air as you cast, turning over, and on
and down wind, vary the distance you
cast will travel much farther.
the grass. As you advance, you’ll need to learn Use your polarized sun glasses
to cast from the opposite side
to help you see the loop and the
of your casting hand and how to
fly in the air and to protect your
perform a double haul, but we’ll get
eyes.
into that in another issue.
By practicing this way, you are
In terms of how much to practice,
very close to actual fishing
I’ve had a saying for years:
conditions, so the practice you’ve
“Practice very little; practice very
been doing will really help. Once
often.” It’s about consistency. If you
you can cast, practicing without
haven’t practiced all week, you can’t
a decent-sized fly is worthless.
make up for it by casting six hours are casting from around 20 feet to
on Saturday. A 20-minute session,
Ideally, you want to practice in a place
50 feet or more. And make sure the
four or five days a week, would be
where you can cast up wind, side wind,
fly is turning over. If it isn’t, you did
good. More would be great.
and down wind. If it’s not possible,
not make the cast.
practice on your lawn or a nearby
Enjoy the practice, and good luck
area. Do not practice in the street; it
Practice the “fast draw.” After all,
will ruin a $100 fly line in a short time.
when sight casting, this is how you
When you get to the point that
fishing.
are going to start most of your casts
Chico Fernandez has written Fly
to a fish.
Fishing for Bonefish, Fly Fishing for
you are practicing accuracy, make
Redfish and is presently writing his
it realistic. Do not bring an object
For the long cast, as mentioned
third book. He conducts fly fishing
and cast to it. Instead, bring a stick
before, it’s just a matter of holding
schools, hosts fly fishing trips
or anything about a yard long, and
lots of line in the air with a good loop,
abroad, and gives fly casting lessons
identify which side is the head and
before you shoot line. Simply see how
at his home in Miami, or at your
which is the tail. This way, you will
much line you can false cast with a
residence.
get used to aiming at the “area of
good, controlled loop. Mark where your
awareness” of the target’s head. There
line hand is holding the line. Then keep
is a big difference, because now you
practicing, and soon you’ll be able
are practicing a presentation.
to hold another foot or two. Mark it
TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE 63
64 TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE
t n e m t n i o p p A Redfish by Michael Smith
Photos by Paul Doughty
On an ordinary late summer evening, shortly after a porch dinner of fish tacos and Modelo, my mind drifts to warm Gulf Coast water, marshes, and redfish. Almost instinctively, I pick up my phone and open my Google calendar. Each day this month is neatly filled in with different-colored rectangles. These organized little rectangles represent where I’ve committed my time, and by the looks of this month, I’m pretty much booked. Green squares show work days, blue represents school, and red encompasses anything else that requires a designated time slot in my calendar. Interestingly, there’s no designated color for fishing.
TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE 65
I realize that no matter how many important, time-consuming goals I want to accomplish, I am still a fly fisherman, and prioritizing that facet of myself is necessary to lead a balanced and fulfilled life.
Regardless, I close my calendar and
These creeks, often no wider than my
It all makes perfect, logical sense:
open the weather app. The wind
canoe, make finding food so simple
short-term struggle—long-term
shows signs of weakening to a
for the redfish. Similarly, they put
benefit. At least that’s what I keep
manageable southeastern breeze
fly anglers in close proximity to their
telling myself. I find, however, that
in the coming days. Thunderstorms
quarry.
month after month, these persistent
threaten to show themselves in the
rectangles linger on my screen.
afternoons, but nothing too unusual
But what do I care? Each day this
They are always there, representing
for summertime on the Gulf Coast.
month is spoken for by something
something important—something
I close the weather app and open
other than chasing redfish. Those
I want to accomplish. Indefinitely
the tides app. Predictions indicate a
little rectangles on my screen are
illustrating the most logical
steep falling tide in the afternoons
stop signs that keep me out of the
allocation of time.
for the rest of the week. Given these
marsh. Don’t feel too bad for me,
tides paired with the water levels
though. I made calculated, conscious
Despite the Excel spreadsheets,
trending higher than normal, the
decisions that led me to this point:
budgets, and orderly progression of
redfish will likely slip out of the back
timelines I fill myself and my phone
lakes via narrow, winding creeks
• Sign up for summer classes to
with, I can’t seem to shake this
shortly after lunchtime. Of course,
graduate sooner.
inner existential struggle: If I am the
they’ll be lazily picking off the shrimp
• Work two jobs to stay out of debt.
sum of my actions, am I still a fly
and crabs being swept out by the tide
• Commit to time with friends and
fisherman? The recent months in my
as they saunter out to deeper water.
family.
Google calendar certainly wouldn’t
66 TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE
reflect that notion. They would show a student, a hard worker, a type-A planner—but not a fly fisherman. But I want to be a fly fisherman. I want to wade sand flats and ease through shallow marshes in my canoe. I want to make a perfect cast to an eager redfish and watch him flash his gills as he eats my shrimp fly. Existentialism doesn’t care about wants, though. It cares about actions. If I’ve learned anything over the past few months, it’s that I can’t do everything. While that sentiment feels dismal at times, I refuse to succumb to existential despair. Instead, I choose to focus on the future decisions—the parts of the calendar left empty. That’s the beauty of existentialism, fly fishing, and Google calendars. It’s solely up to me to take those actions, block those dates, and head out to the marsh. I plug my phone in and call it a night. I wake the next morning to my phone blaring. I look out the window to see that it’s barely light outside, and I’m wondering why the hell I set an alarm so early when class doesn’t start until 9 a.m. Rolling over, I see that it’s not my alarm that’s making noise; it’s a phone call from a friend and local guide. “Why are you still in bed?” he almost yells, foregoing
the more traditional “hello” or “good
present. As predicted, the tide begins
morning.” Without waiting on my
falling hard, forcing the shrimp—and
reply, he continues, “Look, whatever
the redfish—into the narrow creeks
you have planned for today, cancel
that lead to deeper water. I push
it. Yesterday was the best day I’ve
the canoe into the green marsh
had in months, and today should be
grass near the confluence of two
just as good. Get your canoe and get
creeks and wait as the flushing eats
out here.” I start to ask questions
of redfish grow closer. I sit at this
like where “here” is, but he’s gone
particular intersection for much of
as abruptly as he appeared. In my
the afternoon, catching and releasing
excitement, my calendar and school
fish until the last possible moment,
and everything else sits in the back
when I race the falling tide back out
of my mind like a distant memory
to deeper water to avoid getting
as I throw a 7-weight, a paddle, and
stuck.
a box of flies into my boat bag and head out the door.
As I rinse my gear that evening, I feel a balance in my life that has been
My canoe slides through glassy,
missing for too long. I realize that
emerald green water as I make
no matter how many important,
the final turn into the back lakes. I
time-consuming goals I want to
can’t remember the last time I saw
accomplish, I am still a fly fisherman,
the Texas marshes so clear. Doubt
and prioritizing that facet of myself
slips into my mind as I stand to look
is necessary to lead a balanced
for fish—as my confidence wanes
and fulfilled life. Orange is the new
after months of seldom fishing.
color in my Google calendar, and I’ve
That doubt evaporates in about
strictly reserved it for fishing.
five minutes, however, as I spot a redfish cruising the first shoreline I come across. A misplaced cast lands the fly no more than 6 inches from the fish’s face and I cringe, fully expecting to spook the fish and blow the shoreline. Today is one of those days, though, where there is no bad news. The fish spins on a dime, flares his gills, and inhales my fly. Moments later the fish comes to hand, and I feel that I’ve found my place in the world as I release him to continue down the shoreline. I sit back in the canoe and breathe deeply, absorbing all the sights and sounds around me, if only for a moment. I might have sat there longer, but the distinct flush of a redfish eating shrimp in the next creek over brings me back to the
TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE 67
ON THE PLATE chile lime butter shrimp and tacos Text and recipes by Kelli Prescott Photos by Ralph Smith Studio and Kelli Prescott I think I speak for all of us when I say I have a soft spot for tacos. More than anything, it’s the ease of execution and ability to grab just about anything and turn it into a meal; there’s a constant comfort in that. Whenever food is satisfying and easy to make, it makes us happy. These easily executed recipes are both satisfying and easy. They’ll heighten your cravings— succulent shrimp swimming in a rich, tangy sauce, plus the simple but profound taco, dressed with jalapeño crema and fried onions. I’ve traveled a lot this summer, and at some point my to-do list at home got a little out of hand. I’m in the middle of too many projects—without enough time—and there’s been seemingly endless bad news. As if 2020 wasn’t filled with enough chaos for the decade, 2021 hasn’t been much different, with covid-related drama and more. Still, I’ve made the best of it—like we all continue to do. But no matter how stressful or anxiety-ridden life can get, there’s always an escape in fly fishing and food. And for that, fly anglers ought to be some of the happiest people on Earth. We have our bad days, but we know how to let it all go when we’re locked in on the bow. Nothing else matters except what’s in front us. And after that good long day on the water, a bucket full of peel ’n’ eat shrimp and a pile of tacos is all we need. So take this as a sign to relax. Put down your phone. Turn off the TV. Put away the to-do list. Go fishing. Eat some tacos.
68 TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE
chile lime butter shrimp These juicy, perfectly boiled shrimp are elevated with a sauce that’s built on the foundation of a savory compound butter. Pile ‘em high, peel ’n’ eat, share ‘em, and bring extra napkins.
Ingredients
2 tsp onion powder
2 lbs jumbo or colossal shrimp, shell on
2 tsp paprika
1 lb unsalted butter (4 sticks) at room temperature
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tbsp garlic paste
1 tsp cracked pepper
1 tbsp lime zest
1 tsp chili powder
1 serrano chile, deseeded and finely diced
1/2 tsp cayenne
2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp citric acid
Prepare the shrimp by using scissors to cut along the top of the back. Rinse the shrimp under cool water, removing the vein and using your thumb to loosen the shell from the sides of the shrimp. This loosens the shell and allows for easy peeling while retaining the flavor from the shell while boiling. Place the shrimp in a bowl. Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and set aside in the refrigerator. Mix softened butter with all spices until well combined. Set aside on the counter to keep the butter at room temperature. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Season the water liberally with salt. Add all shrimp to boiling water and stir. Allow the shrimp to cook about a minute or until the middle of the shrimp just starts to look opaque. Use a slotted spoon to transfer shrimp to a large bowl. Place the shrimp in the fridge or freezer for a couple of minutes to prevent them from overcooking. Once slightly cooled, but still warm, add a huge spoonful of the compound butter to the bowl of shrimp. Use the bowl to swirl the shrimp and butter together until butter is melted and shrimp are coated. The warm shrimp juices swirling with the butter create the sauce. Because the shrimp are slightly cooled, the butter emulsifies with the shrimp juices, creating a creamy homogenous sauce. Transfer shrimp and all that melted chile-lime butter goodness to a big platter or serving dish, top with a dash of paprika, more chile-lime butter, cilantro, and lime wedges.
TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE 69
tacos Tacos are life. Most sane people can agree that tacos are a universal language for happiness and all things good. No plates or utensils necessary. Just tortillas, whatever protein you have on hand, and some fresh avocado. I’m highlighting two of my favorite tacos. Rather than recipes, these are more like blueprints for building tacos. My roasted jalapeño crema and fried onions are two simple additions that will elevate any taco to extraordinary.
Roasted jalapeno crema
fried onion strings
Ingredients 2 jalapeños 1 serrano 1 cup fresh cilantro 1/2 cup mayo 1/2 cup sour cream 2 tbsp heavy cream 1 tsp onion powder 1/2 tsp garlic powder 1/2 tsp cracked pepper 1/4 tsp kosher salt This green sauce comes together in about 10 minutes and keeps in the fridge for up to two weeks. Place chiles under the broiler, turning them as they char. When charred on all sides, remove from the oven and let cool. Remove seeds from cooled chiles, and place them in a bowl with the remaining ingredients. Blend using an immersion blender or standard blender.
70 TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE
Ingredients
2 yellow onions 2 cups all-purpose flour 1/2 tsp salt Vegetable oil, for frying Slice onions in 1/8-inch rings and separate each slice into individual rings. Place onion rings in a bowl with salt and allow to sit for at least 30 minutes and up to 2 hours. The salt not only works to season the onions, but also draws out additional moisture, allowing the onions to get nice and crisp while frying. The onions should become limp, at which point they’re ready to be dusted in flour and fried. Place onions in the flour, pressing the flour onto them so it sticks. Shake off excess flour and fry onion strings in 350-degree vegetable oil until just golden and crisp. Drain on paper towels.
fish tacos
Ingredients
Any fresh white, flaky fish, cooked in your preferred way
Avocado
Corn tortillas
Roasted jalapeño crema
Pico de gallo
Cilantro
I’m using landlocked striped bass from my home waters of Canyon Lake. I recommend using any white, flaky fish that’s sustainable. You can also use cod, sheepshead, snapper, or farm-raised red drum. Fresh fish is best, so if you can, go with a never-frozen option. I prefer panko breadcrumbs when breading fish for frying. You also can grill or blacken fish for this recipe. Fresh avocado and pico de gallo are a must, and my roasted jalapeño crema absolutely sets these off. For fish tacos, always use corn tortillas. You want a delicate vessel to match the fish, not something that will overpower it.
brisket tacos Ingredients Flour tortillas
Fried onion strings
Pico de gallo
Roasted jalapeño crema
Avocado
Cilantro
Shredded quesadilla cheese These tacos are my favorite. Leftover brisket, leftover steak, pulled pork—use what you’ve got. Since brisket is a heartier protein, we’ll use flour tortillas. I highly recommend Guerrero brand tortillas that come raw in the package. They take about 90 seconds per tortilla to cook and taste like the real deal. For brisket tacos, I pile them high with all the same things as my fish tacos, plus fried onions and shredded cheese. Mix and match toppings and make them your own. Tacos are limitless, and should be fun.
TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE 71
Holiday C h eer by Trey Reid
’Tis the season for holiday parties
and family gatherings, and therefor e it’s also the season for drinking. Booze usually infuses our function
s
and fetes with heightened revelry, but its role seems amplified during
the mad celebratory dash through
November and December. Starting
with Thanksgiving, the year’s pace
gains merrymaking momentum
through Christmas and Hanukkah before approaching the finish line in a blaze of New Year’s Eve glory. Adult beverages serve many purp oses throughout the holiday season. They enliven our social events,
underscoring the emphasis we
assign to gatherings in the name of holiday cheer—a festive cocktail
or seasonal craft beer in the hand is as much an accoutrement of the
season as an ugly sweater or cand
canes. And for some of us, alcohol
72 TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE
y is
also a requisite social lubricant that helps us navigate the sometimes
tempestuous waters of family
get-togethers and awkward holiday parties. Whatever your particular motivat
for bending an elbow, holiday
ion
imbibing should transcend normal
habits. While there’s nothing wron g with celebrating the holidays with a cold beer or a neat bourbon, this
high season of revelry calls for
something more, something beyo nd the ordinary. A holiday cocktail shou ld be rich and self-indulgent, uncomm on and comforting. It should match the occasion. Your spirits choices should be analogous to breaking out the good China and crystal for your holiday place-settings. Fully considering this ethos, we offe
a trio of cocktails that are sure to
elevate your holiday gatherings.
r
W h ite Russia n
There’s nothing fancy or complicate
d about this threeingredient classic, but it certainly checks the boxes for rich and self-indulgent. Although it’s bee n around since at least the 1960s, this cocktail has seen a resurgence in popularity since it had a starring role alongsid e Jeff Bridges in the 1998 Coen Brothers classic The Big Leb owski. It’s a perfect dessert drink after a holiday feast as well as a comforting nightcap— or really a cocktail for any time, acc ording to The Dude.
Ingredients
Ice
2 oz. vodka 2 oz. coffee liqueur 2 oz. heavy cream
Directions
Pour vodka and coffee liqueur ove r ice in a rocks glass. Top with heavy cream and serve.
Or a nge C r ea msic le Mimosa
ing and upgrade for the holidays. It’s refresh The ultimate brunch drink gets an you a an Orange Creamsicle—plus it’ll give creamy, and yes, it tastes a lot like u. It also pair with your holiday brunch men bubbly buzz. It’s an ideal drink to ly required” on Christmas morning. takes the edge off of “some assemb
Ingredients
eezed is best)
2 cups chilled orange juice (fresh squ 2 tbsp chilled heavy cream
2 tsp granulated sugar te wine Champagne or other sparkling whi Orange slices, for garnish (optional)
Directions
is juice, cream, and sugar until sugar In a pitcher, vigorously stir orange agne es, dividing equally. Top with champ dissolved. Pour into champagne flut wish) and serve immediately. (garnish with an orange slice if you TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE 73
Big Kids Hot Cocoa with Ru mC hata
Why let the kids have all the fun with hot chocolate? This is hot cocoa for the grownups, using RumChata to spice things up and elevate the octane. RumChata is a rum-based cream liqueur that’s basically an alcoholic version of the popular Latin American beverage horchata. (It’s also a culinary secret weapon for many desserts and sauces.) With its rich blend of chocolate, caramel, cinnamon, vanilla, and whipped cream, this riff on hot cocoa practically screams holiday cheer.
Ingredients
1/4 cup granulated sugar 2 tbsp cocoa powder 1 tsp vanilla extract 6 oz. chocolate chips 1/2 cup RumChata 1/3 cup warm caramel Whipped cream, for serving Cinnamon sugar, for garnish Cinnamon stick, for garnish
Directions
Bring milk to a simmer in a small saucepan or double boiler over mediu m heat. Whisk in sugar and cocoa and stir until smooth. Stir in chocolate chips and vanilla and cook, stirring frequently, until the chips are melted. Stir in RumChata and turn off heat. Pour caramel into a small dish and dip cups or mugs in it to coat the rim. Pour hot chocol ate into each cup, then top with whipped cream. Sprinkle cinnamon sugar and drizzle more caramel over cream, and garnish with a cinnamon stick.
74 TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE
TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE 75
THE OTHER by Pete Barrett
Maryland to Maine. There, acres of
Fly fishing the Northeast
emerald-green salt marshes, sod
backcountry has deep roots. Harold
Mention the word backcountry, and
banks, creeks, sandy shoals, rocky
Gibbs was catching striped bass in
most fly rodders think of South
islands, and eelgrass replace the
Rhode Island’s Barrington River in
Florida’s lush Everglades, brimming
mangroves. It’s the Northeast’s
the late 1930s. Fly fishing pioneers
with snook, tarpon, and trout eager
version of backcountry fly fishing,
like Al Brewster, Herb Chase, and
to snatch a fly while herons and
and it holds some remarkable
Harold Laws honed their skills in
egrets cheer from their mangrove
opportunities to catch striped bass,
Narragansett Bay’s fertile waters,
perches. Or perhaps the backcountry
bluefish, weakfish, and fluke. “It’s just
and its islands, coves, rivers, and
is the muddy redfish marshes
about heaven,” a buddy of mine once
creeks still offer excellent fly fishing
and oyster flats of Georgia and
said as we cast to the marsh-lined
today. Capt. Ray Stachelek of Cast
the Carolinas. But there’s another
channels of Connecticut’s Norwalk
A Fly Charters credits his boyhood
backcountry that stretches from
Islands.
experiences around Bullock’s Cove,
76 TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE
BACKCOUNTRY Barrington’s Brickyard Pond, and the
Bivalve are surrounded by state and
Another vast backcountry area
Warren River as his fly fishing roots.
federal park land that preserves
stretches from Cape May to Bay Head,
“Estuaries are not just about the
these ecological treasures and their
New Jersey. On the south end, below
fishing; it’s a state of mind,” says
great fly fishing opportunities. One
Great Bay, seemingly endless marshes
Stachelek. “And a quiet morning fly
morning years ago in the Maurice
and fishing opportunities are sewn
fishing Narragansett Bay’s coves and
River, a buddy and I caught more
together by the twisting threads of
islands is fascinating.”
than 30 striped bass apiece. They
numerous thoroughfares and salty
were all under 16 inches—and
creeks. Capt. Ray Szulczewski guides
Some Northeast backcountry
some were only 12—and we paid a
these beautiful backcountry waters,
places are huge, like South Jersey’s
bloody awful price in greenhead and
catching a mix of bluefish, striped
Cumberland County marshes
mosquito attacks, but the action on
bass, and weakfish—and sometimes
that border Delaware Bay. The old
6-weight fly rods and light spinning
a few fluke and sea-run herring—on
bay-men towns of Fortescue and
gear soothed the itching bites.
the fly. “It’s quiet, peaceful, and a
TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE 77
great area to catch striped bass on
writing the rules for establishing
deep-sink shooting head for probing
topwater flies,” says Szulczewski,
fly-caught world records. But in the
the bottom with a Clouser or a Half
who likes a special chartreuse Gurgler
1950s and 1960s, he was one of the
and Half. Crab patterns are also good.
he ties with a built-in rattle. He also
pioneers catching striped bass in the
“Think of bonefish patterns,” adds
fishes a lot of Clousers.
New Jersey backcountry.
Barradal, “but tied on a No. 2 hook.”
Just “up the creek” near Sea Isle City
As you continue north, some
At the entrance to New York’s
is the backcountry home of Capt. Joe
backcountry areas get smaller and
busy harbor lies Gateway National
Hughes of Jersey Cape Guide Service,
more urbanized—like the Manasquan
Recreation Area, with the old Fort
who splits his time between the Florida
River, a pint-sized estuary when
Hancock ruins of Sandy Hook on
Keys in winter and South Jersey in
compared to South Jersey’s vast
the New Jersey side, and the vast
summer. “There are resident schoolie-
marshes, but filled with some
marshes surrounding Kennedy
sized stripers here in our backyard all
amazing fly fishing opportunities
International Airport on the New York
year, although they are most active
around dock lights, bridges, small
side. The enormous potential of Great
from April through November,” he
marshes, and mussel beds. If you stay
South Bay and the flats and marshes
says. “I primarily use floating lines and
immersed in the fishing and casting
out east toward Shinnecock and
poppers that make a lot of commotion,
and concentrate on making good fly
Montauk are legendary.
and I spend time chasing them on
presentations, it’s easy to lose track
the flats in shallow water. Even in the
of civilization, especially at night
The nooks and rocky coves at Long
heat of the summer, there can be good
when wading or kayaking.
Island Sound’s West End offer some
action with stripers.”
exceptional backcountry fly fishing, Capt. Robbie Barradale of the
especially around the Norwalk
Above Long Beach Island lie the
Bayshore Saltwater Flyrodders has
Islands. Fly fishing guide Capt. Ian
wide-open grass flats of Barnegat
an easier time in Monmouth County.
Devlin, based in Connecticut, loves
Bay behind Island Beach State Park.
“Backcountry in my neck of the
these small places: “They open your
It was here that legendary fly rodder
woods is basically the Shrewsbury
mind and take you intimately into
Mark Sosin got his first salty fly
and Navesink Rivers,” he says, “and
the habitat where the fish live. You’re
fishing experiences just after World
because they’re semi-sheltered, a
literally in the fish’s own home,
War II under the capable guidance of
7-weight is perfect for fluke, smaller
and you can learn a lot about how
his dad, Irv Sosin. Years later, Sosin
blues, schoolie stripers, and the
to catch them.” Devlin enjoys the
would be instrumental in forming
occasional weakfish.” Barrardale
refreshing getaway to fish these
the Salty Flyrodders of America and
suggests an intermediate line or a
small hidden backcountry spots.
78 TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE
“Anyone can do a Google Maps search
holes that predictably hold enormous
as the water recedes, and the dinner
to find locations near where they live
quantities of bait and gamefish, and
table then moves to channel edges,
to get quiet, hidden access to some
especially striped bass. Sometimes
creek mouths, and deep holes.”
great fishing.”
there’s a freshwater spring or small creek leading into the salt pond,
While striped bass are numero uno
This is where a canoe, kayak, or light
which attracts herring—which in turn
for most backcountry fly rodders,
skiff powered with a 15-horsepower
attracts schoolie-sized to mid-sized
weakfish are on an upswing again,
motor and capable of floating on a
striped bass. When fishing salt ponds,
and these beautiful yellowfin
wet sponge can be an advantage. “The
it’s not unusual to be surprised with
tiderunners are welcome guests
canoe is the most successful boat
bass in the 20-pound class.
to the back-bay party. Barnegat
design ever and has been used for
Bay—from Cedar Creek down to the
thousands of years all over the world,”
Whether fly fishing a salt pond, creek,
marshes behind Long Beach Island—
Devlin reminds fly rodders. “Small
river, or back bay, it’s crucial to get
and the maze of islands and channels
craft are a great way to get maximum
dialed in to the tides. Every spot
inside Barnegat Inlet have also been
enjoyment out of urban backcountry
varies, so on-the-water experience is
pretty good the past several years
fly fishing where the action is more
the ultimate teacher. “The challenge
for weakies. A chum slick of grass
intimate and allows a light-tackle,
of figuring out the tides, the
shrimp and a well-placed shrimp fly
fly-rod approach for striped bass from
habitat, and the fish is what makes
will provide plenty of good fishing
20 inches to 20 pounds. Plus you have
Northeast backcountry fly fishing so
opportunities.
the chance to catch weakfish and
interesting,” Devlin says. “About the
sometimes bluefish.”
only time fishing may not be good
Rick Ferrin, a fly rodder from Long
is the brief resting period at slack
Island who fishes Great South Bay,
Salt ponds are another superb
tide, but every other minute of the
has had decent weakfish action in
backcountry opportunity for
six-hour tides offers opportunities.
May and June when he and his buddy
Northeast fly anglers. Unlike big
On the flood, the shallowest places
are usually looking for action with
rivers with jetties to control beach
are filled with water; crabs, shrimp,
striped bass. “Although I focus on
erosion and safe passage for boaters,
and baitfish swim along the edge of
striped bass in the early evenings
salt ponds are ever-changing salty
marshes, bars, shell beds, and creek
after work, each spring for the
lagoons where the tide enters and
mouths that could not be reached at
past several years I’ve been nicely
ebbs through a narrow opening.
dead low. As the tide begins to fall,
surprised with occasional weakfish
Inside, there’s usually a combination
striped bass, weakfish, blues, and
of 5 to 6 pounds,” Ferrin says. “A
of flats, sand bars, points, and deep
fluke will take up feeding stations
pink-and-white Clouser Deep Minnow
TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE 79
is usually a great fly, sometimes with
May and early June have seen some
good idea to have a 350- to 450-grain
an added wing of chartreuse over the
outrageous fly fishing: Catches of 4
integrated line rigged and ready to
pink.”
to 8 pounds are quite common, and
get down 5 to 10 feet.
the biggest fish take the BogaGrip While it’s tough to beat the incredible
to the 10-pound mark and beyond.
The most effective fly patterns
aerial acrobatics of Florida’s tarpon
Hughes has had fish to 18 pounds
will change as the weeks slide
in the mangrove backcountry, big
on the scale, and Barradale has had
from spring into summer and fall.
bluefish do a pretty fair amount
several “yellow-eyed demons” to 14
In April, it’s grass shrimp, small
of gill-rattling acrobatics. The big
pounds.
crabs, mummichogs (killies), and
bluefish invade the Northeast
bay anchovies, so patterns like the
backcountry and at times can be
Tackle choices for Northeast
Ultra-Shrimp, Clouser Deep Minnow,
mixed in with schoolie-sized striped
backcountry fly fishing include one
and EP Minnow, and sparse bucktails
bass, much to the astonishment of
rod rigged with a floating line and
like the Ray’s Fly and short Bucktail
those fly rodders tossing small flies
another with an intermediate or
Deceiver are perennial favorites.
on 7- and 8-weight outfits. They rip
deep-sink line so you can cover all
By late spring, the topwater action
off line with aggressive runs, tail-
depths top to bottom. Seven- to
improves dramatically with Gurglers,
walking, somersaults, and aerial head
8-weights are typical, but a 6-weight
poppers, and topwater sliders getting
shakes.
will dial up the fun-o-meter. Even
the nod for exciting visual action.
in shallow water, some Northeast
The abundance of sand eels varies
In summer, the shallow-water
backcountry spots will have extreme
depending on the area being fished,
bluefish may be diminutive, but
currents of 3 to 5 knots, so it’s a
but it’s always a good idea to have
80 TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE
TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE 81
some Avondolio’s Enticers, Popovics
Small patterns that imitate bay
Surf Candies (tied long), and New
anchovies and spearing are perfect
England-style epoxy sand eel patterns
for summer and early fall; the only
tied very skinny.
change is the addition of a marabou tail for more action. Black flies
In some areas herring will be prominent
do well in summer and fall, some
in spring, so big Deceivers and flies
tied with a few strands of sparkle
that push water like Lou Tabory’s Slab
and others with no flash at all.
Fly are good choices. At the end of
Another great general fly pattern
summer, as the mullet run gets into
for the Northeast backcountry is
gear, EP Mullet Minnows, Popovics
the Bendback, which can be used
Siliclones, and Bulkhead Deceivers are
all season. Because the hook point
proven patterns in colors that mimic
is partially protected by the wing
a natural mullet, such as brown-and-
(bucktail or synthetic), it’s less prone
olive, all-white, and chartreuse-and-
to collecting weeds and debris.
white for better visibility. Every Northeast fly angler dreams of
82 TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE
Bluefish, of course, chew the heck out
tarpon, snook, and bonefish to get
of anything you throw their way, so
him through the chilly, sometimes
flies tied far back on the hook shank
nasty winter season, but spring
add some insurance against cut-offs,
through fall, you’ll find these
as does a short trace of titanium
hopefuls in the backcountry of their
wire like Cortland’s Bite Guard. The
home waters chasing striped bass
Popovics Banger popper is always
and bluefish and maybe weakfish
popular, and I recommend having a
and fluke. Although it’s a different
few on hand—with no fancy prism
world than the southern backcountry,
tape surrounding the body because
Yankee fly fishers still have unique
the blues don’t seem to miss the tape
opportunities in their own version of
one bit, and they just shred it anyhow.
backcountry fly fishing.
Photography: Capt. Bailey Short & Capt. Greg Moon
THE NEW ICONIC FLY REEL AMERICAN MADE EXCELLENCE HATCHOUTDOORS.COM TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE 83
Sam Nix:
Homage to a San Diego Fly-Fishing Pioneer by Jim Brown To say that Sam Nix was a character
I was walking to the ballfield in San
a core group of old timers who would
would be a felony understatement.
Diego’s Balboa Park, a 10-year-old
stick around to chat and compare
A myriad of adjectives, many of
middle infielder with big-league
notes. These men were tinkerers who
them conflicting, were regularly used
dreams and Little League skills. I
built their own rods, tied their own
to describe him: cranky, friendly,
paused with a couple of teammates
flies, and reworked fly lines to meet
annoying, engaging, eccentric, helpful,
to search for flat rocks that were
their needs.
standoffish, and so on. He was all of
soon skipping across the San Diego
those things at one time or another—
Casting Club’s practice pond. Almost
They took double-taper fly lines that
and fortunately for the rest of us, a
immediately, a tall, thin man began
were 90 feet long and cut them in half
whole lot more.
yelling that he would have to remove
to create two shooting heads. They
every one of those rocks. We hurried
made considerable efforts to get the
off to practice.
heads cut from standard sinking lines
Sam Nix was a pioneer in the pursuit of saltwater gamefish with a fly rod,
to sink faster, which was particularly
and for that we should all be thankful.
Later the same year, my father took
important for their journeys north
He blazed trails that made those
me to the pond to practice casting with
in search of steelhead and shad. I
paths more accessible for the rest of
a new spinning outfit I’d received as a
recall them combining graphite and
us, including routes to lesser known
Christmas present, and I recognized
what I believe was pine tar, rolling the
destinations and species for fly casters
the man who yelled at us as he
mixture between their hands to make
traveling to Mexico. But perhaps
chatted with a group of fly casters. It
it adhere to the business end of their
Nix’s longest lasting impacts involve
was Sam Nix.
fly lines. As the unofficial research-
angling gear, particularly fly line.
and-development arm of a major Fewer than 10 years after that, I drove
tackle company that was beginning
In 1973, long before many better-
to the pond myself to learn about fly
to create new lines in a big way, Nix
known anglers shared their
fishing and casting. By then, the San
maintained a sheaf of correspondence
knowledge in magazine articles and
Diego Casting Club had morphed
regarding their efforts. I suspect
books, Nix produced his Salt-Water
into the San Diego Fly Fishermen,
their work, including tedious testing
Fly-Fishing Handbook. But before
and I soon joined their ranks. The
and weighing of their experimental
addressing those 144 information-
club offered free casting lessons to
shooting heads, played a big role in
and opinion-packed pages, I digress
the public every Sunday (a practice
the evolution of modern fly lines and
with a personal story about my first
that continues today at Lake Murray).
the fly fishing revolution they helped
encounter with Nix in 1957.
When the public left and the casting
create.
rings were put away, Nix was one of
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TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE 85
systems found in modern fly reels. Sam’s first reel of choice was a Hardy St. John purchased in the 1930s. He preferred the “screamers” because, as he told me, “they let others know I was into yet another good fish.” His enjoyment from this revelation was particularly true in the social or combat fishing associated with steelhead or American shad on the rivers of northern California. Those fortunate enough to read a copy of his Salt-Water Fly-Fishing Handbook knew immediately that Sam was a pragmatist—and maybe a little frugal, based on the do-it-yourself approach he shared throughout the pages. The first page shows a photo and description of his favorite hooks for a variety of purposes. The second page is a glossy color plate showing an assortment of favorite flies, including a popper. With the DIY tone set early, similar pages and plates demonstrate everything from tying your own flies and rod building to casting and knot tying. I still remember the time he had me stand on a piece of outdoor carpet while he cut around my feet with a razor. He glued it to the soles of the high-top canvas Chuck Taylor shoes he told me to bring that day in preparation for my first steelhead trip. As you might expect from a how-to
routinely described as little more
“You can‘t safely wade the Klamath
book written nearly half a century
than a place for the storage of line,
without using these as your wading
ago—and that’s been out of print since
came in two distinct forms: “quiet”
shoes to grip those slimy rocks,” he
shortly after its publication in 1973—
reels like the Pflueger Medalist, which
said, “because wading that river is like
much of the information in Nix’s
had a minimally effective drag, and
trying to dance on greased bowling
Salt-Water Fly-Fishing Handbook is
“screamers” like the English Hardy,
balls.”
dated by contemporary standards.
which had a click drag. Drags on
Nix and his cronies preferred building
most reels of that era weren’t very
Nix’s pioneering efforts were not
one-piece, 9-foot rods rather than
effective and required palm or side-
limited to tackle and tinkering. His
rods with ferrules—hardly practical
plate pressure to slow big fish. Neither
thirst for fly fishing, along with a
for your next trip to Belize. Fly reels,
compared favorably to the drag
healthy dose of intellectual curiosity,
86 TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE
drove him hard. He read most of the major fishing publications in the 1950s, including articles about the growing popularity of saltwater fly fishing in Florida. He figured he could learn a few things by making the 6,000-mile round trip from San Diego and picking the minds of anglers engaged in the relatively new game. Although initially disappointed after a November trip in which he didn’t
Nix’s pioneering efforts were not limited to tackle and tinkering. His thirst for fly fishing, along with a healthy dose of intellectual curiosity, drove him hard.
encounter a single fly angler on either coast or along the entire length of the Keys, he eventually returned earlier in the year, his fortunes changing during an estimated 25,000 miles in
catch fish. He later joked that he could
West of Culiacán, exploration of the
subsequent trips.
now save a lot of money and had no
mouth of Rio San Lorenzo produced
further need for bucktails or marabou
a number of snook. His wanderings
Leaning heavily on that experience
because he had found a lifetime of
covered more than 300 miles of beach
but relishing a way to avoid the long
material covering his mattress.
and also produced corbina, ladyfish,
and tedious cross-country drives to
croaker, cabrilla, triggerfish, and jack
reach Florida’s tarpon, snook, and
As he plied the bays of Agiabampo,
crevalle. But another fish stood out as
bonefish, Nix turned his attention to
Topolobampo, and San Carlos, he
his favorite.
Mexico, its border less than 25 miles
never saw another fly fisherman.
from his Ocean Beach home in San Diego. He figured an exploratory trip down the eastern side of the Gulf of California would be his best bet—and a lot closer than Florida. In 1962, the minimalistic and pragmatic Nix loaded his Volkswagen camper with supplies and gear and took off with his wife and their small dog for the first of many trips to the beaches, bays, and estuaries of our southern neighbor. They found friendly and helpful people, road detours, and dicey dirt roads that led to the water. Once on the beaches, which were often deserted, they found an abundance of hungry fish that willingly took poppers and streamers. On one trip, Nix ran out of flies and fly-tying materials but still had plenty of bare hooks. He cut strips from an old sheet, ran the point of the hook through them, and proceeded to
TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE 87
“The sierra mackerel is the greatest
with what he described as a “refillable
fly fishing—days when skilled
fly rod fish I have encountered
coffee pot anchor” at his feet.
anglers broadened their horizons,
anywhere,” Nix wrote. “They hit
experimented without caution,
with express-train speed, are willing
Nix had an early and sizable impact
tinkered endlessly, and willingly
strikers, and make long surface runs.”
on fly fishing the “Left Coast,” and he
shared their discoveries.
Noting that sierra have razor-sharp
shared his research and development
teeth that shred leaders, Nix offered
of fly lines with representatives of 3M/
Anglers like Sam were undeniably
a solution for toothy fish: “I make no
Scientific Anglers, which provided
among our sport’s pioneers. Their
claims of being a Tommy Edison, but I
him with lines and stayed in close
mistakes, missteps, failures, and
think I invented an outstanding fly for
contact. He also shared his findings
unfruitful wild ideas were the
sharp-toothed fish. I take a 3 extra-
with others, exchanging letters with
necessary byproducts of their ultimate
long hook—a longer shank may be
fly anglers from around the country,
successes, and we continue to reap
even better—and tie in hair—nothing
including many, like Harry Kime, who
the benefits.
else—at the bend of the hook. I call it
became much better known.
the bare-shank fly.”
Jim Brown is the retired manager of Many of the things he researched and
the San Diego City Lakes Program
Closer to home, Nix favored yellowtail
developed have become standard,
and an outdoor writer whose stories
at the Coronado Islands or local kelp
and some of what he shared has been
have appeared over the past 50
beds, but complained that he did not
taught by more widely known anglers.
years in national, regional, and
have enough wealthy friends to take
You can sometimes find out-of-print
local publications, including regular
him out on their boats. Instead, he
copies of his book, with its many
contributions of features and columns
turned to bonito and was an early
idiosyncrasies such as the inclusion of
for the San Diego Tribune. In addition
and frequent visitor to Mission Bay’s
steelhead and shad. Most of us don’t
to the blog “Jim Brown‘s Sporting
Quivira Basin prior to the commercial
build our own rods, make our own
Life,” his more recent features have
development that limits access today.
wading shoes, or create our own lines,
appeared at SDFish.com. Among his
When the bonito were too far out
but if you were ever so inclined, Nix
favorite possessions are Sam Nix’s
to reach, Nix pursued them from a
has that covered for you. His Salt-
favorite rod and Hardy St. John reel,
float tube. A classic photo from his
Water Fly-Fishing Handbook is terrific
bequeathed to him by the Nix family
book features Nix inside an inflated
in other ways, providing perspective
donut, decked out in all his gear, and
on some of the early days of saltwater
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THE UNDERTOW by T. Edward Nickens
That Albacore Season Running out of the inlet, he said, “I
For three years he’d guided for trout
feel good about where I am, Dad. I
in Montana during the summers,
feel good about what I’m about to
rolling back east barely in time for
do.” We were headed toward Cape
the first day of classes. But that
Lookout and I knew he was talking
summer was different, in every
about fishing and I know he was
imaginable sense, for everyone and
talking about things other than
certainly for a rising college senior.
fishing, and he worked the boat
And one of the silver linings was this:
through the rough water where the
He’d spent the summer on our boat,
outgoing tide was piling up in tall
and on his friends’ boats, chasing
rollers and calm water lay ahead.
Spanish mackerel and bluefish and redfish, live-baiting for kings,
That albacore season with Jack,
practice-casting on the beach, and
everything seemed to be on hold, and
tying flies.
teetering, and it was a long Indian summer of warm days and he was
We’d been hard after the false
out of school during the pandemic,
albacore for two weeks, with
starting his senior college year with
intermittent success. During our best
online classes, and finally had time
chance we’d each landed a fish from
for something he’d never had time
a popcorn-blitzing school and he was
for before: Getting serious about
fighting his second, and in a moment
saltwater fish on the fly.
of selfish disregard I cast from the
90 TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE
console and sent a lead-wrapped size
It was an unhealthy approach, for
smiled. “You know Jack,” she said.
2 heavy-gauge hook through one side
both my head and my marriage, but
“He wanted everything perfect for
of his ear cartilage and out the other.
running out of the inlet with Jack I
you.” It was one of those times that
I cut the line and he landed his fish
suddenly realized just how different
under different circumstances might
with the heavy fly flapping against
my headspace was than my son’s.
not have snagged in my heart. Just
his ear lobe, and then we motored
a chummy gesture among pals.
away from the other anglers so I
In the inlet, I sensed constriction and
Instead, it will go down as one of
could work the fly out as he fought
constraint and the turbulent waters
my most favorite fishing memories,
nausea and fainting. I was a little on
of the far-off shoals. But for Jack, the
although there was no fishing in it,
edge, waiting for him to blow up—I
future was as boundless as the great
no zinging lines or thighs pressed
would have, and who wouldn’t?—
against the gunwale, only my son
but he was perfectly calm. “This is
who’d gone to the trouble of carefully
fishing, Dad,” he said. “This stuff
placing each element of that
happens. Give me a minute, okay?
backyard tableau together to let me
Let me catch my breath and see if I
know: So glad you’re here, Dad. So
can stand up and we’ll get back after
glad we can fish together.
them.” With the inlet behind and the smoky Then, clearing the inlet, we raced
scrim of Cape Lookout seven miles
towards the Hook, set on beating the
distant, Jack bore down on the
other boats to the fish, the rising
throttle, oblivious to my agitated
sun a golden scimitar on the horizon.
state of mind. And that’s when I
It was three days before Halloween
realized that I needed to recalibrate
and he was unshaven and grizzled,
my own perspectives on the days and
with Chaco tan lines striping the tops
years ahead. Open water lay before
of his feet. He even smelled like an
us both. We each were on a course
angler, shorts and shirt slimed with
toward horizons unseen. I’ve chased
fish scales and blood and sweat, and
the new and the unknown all my life,
why wear a clean set when more of
and all my life those pursuits have
the same is coming?
been a source of vigor and elation. That could only change if I let it.
I’m a brooder with a slight tendency to pout when I don’t like the way
curve of blue that heralded the ocean
The bow settled and I felt the bezel
the stars line up, and I’d found
ahead, as full of possibility as every
turning on my own inner compass.
more reasons than I should to
new day on the water.
Running towards the cape, I scanned
lament certain moments of the
the water for diving birds and
last few months. Jack’s last year
And just then I remembered a
breaking schools. We had a full
in college. His last autumn close to
moment from the day before. I’d
day of fishing ahead, my son and I,
home. Most likely our last chance
arrived in the late afternoon, and
and neither of us would rather be
at false albacore in what could be
Jack had the fire crackling in the fire
anywhere else in the world. Whatever
a longer stretch than I wanted to
pit, and an extra Manhattan waiting
grain of sand was to follow was less
contemplate. I’d started to count
on the picnic table beside the fly rods,
consequential than the moment at
the grains of sand slipping through
and he grinned as I walked through
hand.
the glass, and hoard each one as if
the gate. He handed me the drink
it was the best there would ever be.
as I sat by the fire and his girlfriend
TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE 91
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