Tail Fly Fishing Magazine - Issue 40 - March/April 2019

M/A 18 $10.99 CDN $9.99 U.S.

MARCH/APRIL 2019 $9.99 US / $10.99 CDN

03

7

9

experience counts for everything Some of the most dedicated anglers we know are women, and T&T Ambassador Abbie Schuster is at the forefront of her generation of pro guides. Whether hosting trips, crushing albies on the Vineyard, or at the oars on a New England tailwater, her experience and insight helps us to approach rod design with a unique perspective.

Abbie’s knowledge, expertise, and understanding are passed to our craftsmen, who strive for perfection and uncompromising performance in every rod we make.

To us, Abbie and her fellow professionals are our unsung heroes. We salute you.

introducing the new award winning zone series, 3 through 10 weight, uncompromising quality. legendary performance.

est

19 6 9

TH E RO D YO U WI LL E VENTUALLY OWN

www.thomasandthomas.com HANDMADE IN AMERICA

Just like a human baby, these precious little silver princes deserve gentle treatment while you appreciate their perfect, unblemished body armor. You are not a king yet, young prince, but you will be. Photo: Zane Taylor

Perhaps you’ve experienced a flat being fished from more than one direction. Sometimes you find a place to roam and if feels as if you are the only person on the island.

This photo depicts the latter. Photo: Thomas Blackerby

Extensive roaming on the endless flats of South Caicos is often darkened by an overhead cloud, but sometimes the darkness appears in the water as a school of large bonefish headed in your direction. Photo: Mark Hatter

TM

Proven. Performance.

Proven. Performance.

Cover Image: Is there any doubt as to Editor-in-Chief: Joseph Ballarini why they are called ghosts?

Creative Director: Michael Rea Thomas —Jeffrey Marshall

Managing Editor: George Roberts

Associate Editor: Tyler Justice Allen

Acquisitions Editor: Shawn Abernathy Historians: Pete Barrett

Ed Mitchell

Food Editor: Kelli Prescott

Editors-at-Large: Joseph Albanese

Joe Doggett Scott Sommerlatte

Creative Contributors: Shawn Abernathy Joseph Albanese Joseph Ballarini Pete Barrett Brian J. Davis Dale Grove Michael Larkin Jeffrey Marshall Ed Mitchell Kelli Prescott

George Roberts David Paul Williams Roberto Zagni Photographic Contributors: Thomas Backerby Steven Banks Clyde Butcher Patrick Cahill Clay Corbin Scott Gibney

Mark Hatter International Game Fish Association Arthur Lux Jeffrey Marshall Andrew McDougall Ed Mitchell Michael Rothfarb Robert Stegman Zane Taylor David Paul Williams

About Tail Fly Fishing Magazine is the voice of saltwater fly fishing culture in a bimonthly print and digital publication. We focus on delivering high-quality content, the very best photography, local and global destination travel, reputable commentary, and technical features from the saltwater fly fishing lifestyle. Tail Fly Fishing Magazine began as a digital publication that debuted in 2012 and has been in print since 2016.

In many places, fly fishing has become important to both people and the environment throughout the world. 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.

To the thousands of anglers who put their trust in our reels, and our reels in their hands [ day after day and year after year ], WE THANK YOU!

www.3-TAND.com 203.345.7000

Tail Fly Fishing Magazine supports the arts and creativity, conservation causes, and organizations that trumpet this message. We are grateful for your support and we welcome photographic and written contributions.

Tail Fly Fishing Magazine is published six times annually, and your print subscription includes the digital version. Subscriptions are available on our website and by mail.

International subscriptions are also available for most countries. Please contact our general mailbox, admin@tailflyfishing.com, with any advertising, subscription, or submission questions.

Tail Fly Fishing Magazine 2300 Alton Road Miami Beach FL 33140 305-763-8285 tailflyfishing.com

in l ovin g m e m o ry o f j o h n c . me l f i

info@3-TAND.com

To the thousands of anglers who put their trust in our reels, and our reels in their hands [ day after day and year after year ], WE THANK YOU!

www.3-TAND.com 203.345.7000

info@3-TAND.com

TM

C O N T E N T S

16 18 21 29 34 42 45

E d i t o r ’ s N o te Ins i de t h e B o x The big-and-ugly bonefish collection that took bonefish from 6 to 14 pounds throughout the Caribbean. By Dale Grove

59

12

70

G ear G u i de Get your bone on.… Wait—let’s rephrase that! Bonefish rods and reels over $500 and under $500. By TFFM Editorial Staff T he S c i en c e o f Tarp o n Visio n Ever wonder how the eyes of the silver king perceive a fly…? See what tarpon see in the first part of an ongoing series by a former Bonefish & Tarpon Trust scientist.

By Michael Larkin, PhD.

75 78

P rett y i n P i nk Visit the Pacific Northwest for a special kind of salmon fishery. Yes, we said salmon, but don’t worry—it’s in the salt. By David Paul Williams Y o u K n o w W h ere I ’ l l B e

83

A poem by Brian J. Davis W h o Ca u g h t t h e F i rst B o ne f i s h o n a F l y ?

Every wonder who intentionally cast to, and caught, the first bonefish? We have the answer and a photo from the IGFA to share.

By Pete Barrett

49

69

C h r i stmas Is l and ’ s G i f ts Most stories of Kiritimati describe epic excursions of Disney-like perfection. This account is a bit more realistic, but it does not trivialize the gifts of Kiritimati. By Jeffrey Marshall

TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE

A flight of brews that caught our attention this issue. By Shawn Abernathy Arctic Fox Gotcha Give a man a Gotcha and he’ll fish for a day.

Teach a man to dye natural materials and tie the Arctic Fox Gotcha and he’ll fish for life. By George Roberts On t h e P l ate Charcuterie boards have taken the spotlight in recent years, and with good reason—no cooking, no prep, and no stress. By Kelli Prescott G ett i ng P u s h ed A r o u nd Ever wonder what it takes to push a 600-pound boat with a really long stick…?

This feature explains the mechanics of poling and includes some tips for the beginning to intermediate polesman. By Joseph Ballarini The Flats at the End of My Street The flats at the end of the author’s street have everything, including condos, boat traffic, and a Super Walmart. They also have redfish—if you can catch them. By Ed Mitchell

91

A L B I E S F R O M T H E B E A CH

98

A n A ng l er Op i nes

F i rst T i me o n t h e F l ats Getting ready for your first flats trip? If you’re fishing for bonefish, then you’ll appreciate this checklist of veteran tips. By George Roberts

T apped

Fly fishing is a sport filled with talented and intelligent people. Some of them find fish when fish cannot be seen. Some of them also farm oysters to help clean our waters.

By Joseph Albanese

Is the art of fly tying in jeopardy, or are there just fewer innovators out there…? Heed the call of one of our readers who is making a plea for creativity. By Roberto Zagni

NEW

70% slicker and

eight times more durable The Orvis PRO Line Series is the most technologically advanced fly line we’ve ever built with new compound tapers, industry-best AST Plus coating, and two-stage texturing for improved tip floatation and shooting capability. Combined with reformulated tips, distance marking color strategy, enhanced welded loops, and permanent line ID, this is the ultimate combination of superior on-water performance and handling convenience.

New and Advanced Double Textured PRO Lines. [ ALSO AVAILABLE IN SMOOTH ]

AST Plus

The proven slickness additive AST Plus is built into the line jacket, incorporates completely, continuously migrates out for effectiveness over the life of the line, and is 70% slicker and eight times more durable than any other slickness additive available.

ALASKA Mossy’s Fly Shop 750 W. Diamond Blvd, Suite 114 Anchorage, AK 99515 907-770-2666 mossysflyshop.com COLORADO Front Range Anglers 2344 Pearl Street Boulder, CO 80302 303-494-1375 frontrangeanglers.com CONNECTICUT The Compleat Angler 541 Boston Post Road Darien, CT 06820 203-655-9400 compleatangleronline.com FLORIDA Apalach Outfitters 32 Ave D Apalachicola, FL 32320 850-653-3474 apalachoutfitters.com Black Fly Outfitters 11702 Beach Blvd, #109 Jacksonville, FL 32246 904-997-2220 blackflyoutfitters.com Bill Jackson’s Shop for Adventure 9501 US 19 N Pinellas Park, FL 33782 727-576-4169 billjacksons.com

GET TAIL AT THESE RETAILERS

Forgotten Coast Fly Company 123 Commerce Street Apalachicola, FL 32320 850-653-1024 forgottencoastflycompany.com

14

Florida Keys Outfitters 81219 Overseas Highway Islamorada, FL 33036 305-664-5432 floridakeysoutfitters.com Flounder Creek Outfitters 515 Garden Street Titusville, FL 32796 321-567-2931 facebook.com/ floundercreekoutfitters/ Harry Goode’s Outdoor Shop 1231 E. New Haven Ave Melbourne, FL 32901 321-723-4751 harrygoodes.com Ole Florida Fly Shop 6353 N. Federal Hwy Boca Raton, FL 33487 561-995-1929 olefloridaflyshop.com

TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE

NEW YORK

UTAH

Orlando Outfitters 2814 Corrine Dr Orlando, FL 32803 407-896-8220 orlandooutfitters.com

Urban Angler 381 Fifth Ave, 2nd Floor New York, NY 10016 212-689-6400 urbanangler.com

Fishwest 47 West 10600 South Sandy, UT 84070 fishwest.com 801-617-1225

The Angling Company 333 Simonton St Key West, FL 33040 305-292-6306 anglingcompany.com

RHODE ISLAND

TENNESSEE

The Saltwater Edge 1037 Aquidneck Ave Middletown, RI 02842 866-793-6733 saltwateredge.com

Fly South Fly Shop 115 19th Ave South Nashville, TN 37203 615-341-0420 flysouth.net

SOUTH CAROLINA

WASHINGTON

Bay Street Outfitters 825 Bay Street Beaufort, SC 29902 843-524-5250 baystreetoutfitters.com

Emerald Water Anglers 4502 42nd Ave SW Seattle, WA 98116 206-708-7250 emeraldwateranglers.com

Charleston Angler—Two Locations 654 Saint Andrews Blvd Charleston, SC 29407 843-571-3899

The Avid Angler 17171 Bothell Way NE #A272 Lake Forest Park, WA 98155 206-362-4030 avidangler.com

West Wall Outfitters 787 Tamiami Trail Port Charlotte, FL 33953 941-875-9630 westwallflyshop.com GEORGIA Cohutta Fishing Company 39 S. Public Square Cartersville, GA 30120 770-606-1100 cohuttafishingco.com The Fish Hawk 764 Miami Cir NE #126 Atlanta, GA 30305 404-237-3473 thefishhawk.com IDAHO Jimmy’s All Season Angler 275 A Street Idaho Falls, ID 83402 208-524-7160 jimmysflyshop.com MARYLAND Alltackle 2062 Somerville Rd Annapolis, MD 21401 888-810-7283 alltackle.com MASSACHUSETTS The Bear’s Den 34 Robert W. Boyden Rd Taunton, MA 02780 508-977-0700 bearsden.com MONTANA Frontier Anglers 680 N. Montana St Dillion, MT 59725 406-683-5276 frontieranglers.com NORTH CAROLINA Madison River Fly Fishing Outfitters 20910 Torrence Chapel Rd D5 Cornelius, NC 28031 704-8963660 carolinaflyfishing.com

1113 Market Center Blvd Mt Pleasant, SC 29464 843-884-2095 thecharlestonangler.com Lowcountry Fly Shop 626 Coleman Blvd Mt Pleasant, SC 29464 843-388-5337 lowcountryflyshop.com 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 Sportsman’s Finest 12434 Bee Cave Road Austin, TX 78738 512-263-1888 sportsmansfinest.com Swan Point Landing 1723 Cherry Street Suite 4 Rockport, TX 78382 361-729-7926 swanpointlandingflyshop.net Tailwaters Fly Fishing Co. 1933 E. Levee St Dallas, TX 75207 (888) 824-5420 tailwatersflyfishing.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 CANADA Fish Tales Fly Shop Ltd. #626, 12100 Macleod Trail SE Calgary AB T2J 7G9 Canada 866-640-1273 fishtalesflyshop.com Retail Chains: Indigo Books—over 200 stores under various banners

PHOTO BY FLY FISHING NATION

HATCHOUTDOORS.COM

editor’s note

Junkie It’s common knowledge, but for those who do not know, I am a board-certified emergency doctor by training and a publisher out of passion. I’ve come to realize that I am a junkie. A saltwater fly fishing junkie, but more relevant to this letter, a publishing junkie.

I frequent Barnes & Noble and hoard magazines in the cafe—usually offbeat, niche publications that catch my eye for one reason or another, and I methodically page through them. I comb the internet for information about publishing and new titles or new releases.

There are magazines about laundry, the future of food, and one completely unnecessary publication titled Girls and Corpses, which really just shouldn’t exist. (Don’t even ask how I found that one.)

I stare at the mastheads, contributor lists, and other necessary but uninteresting pages, studying their construction and organization—all in the name of improvement. I have to do this because I have no training or experience other than the six years I’ve been making Tail Fly Fishing Magazine. TFFM is the only saltwater fly fishing magazine, so I can’t sneak a peak at the competition: It doesn’t exist. Even if it did, I wouldn’t read it. I won’t even look at the other fly fishing magazines, because I fear that I might subconsciously copy some aspect of them—which I would never want to do. Why should I look at them anyway…? There are so many other magazines out there that are not fishing-related. I feel that inspiration should come from outside sources if we are to stay fresh and innovative.

As I flip through the pages I notice so many things, but one recurring theme stands out: Notable contributors are often mentioned a little more deliberately than others. Perhaps their feature might start with their name to introduce it. This is something we haven’t done a lot of, but we probably should, because we have some big-name writers and anglers. Our contributor list has been growing, and it has been very

16

TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE

“Pro Bowl” of late. I’m proud that TFFM can boast contributors like Aaron Adams, Joseph Albanese, Ed Anderson, Bob Branham, Pete Barrett, Joe Doggett, Chico Fernandez, Mark Hatter, Peter McLeod, Jonathan Olch, Greg Thomas, and Ed Mitchell—to name just a few. (Sorry if you are notable and I missed you in this pass—it was unintentional.) Some readers have noticed that we have been quietly and steadily raising the bar, and I sincerely appreciate all the emails. It’s a slow process, as we only get to showcase our latest enhancements every other month. At the same time, publishing six magazines a year is no easy task.

We’ve been acquiring excellent and relevant content, we’ve reorganized features and modified the design of each issue in a very positive way. We even make sure to include photos with proper fish handling from our readers for the photo gallery at the opening of every issue. We do this because we want you, the readers of Tail Fly Fishing Magazine, to know that this publication is for you. We make it for you and we willingly include you as much as possible. That said, send your photos, write your stories, share your salty adventures and expertise with your fellow readers.

Share your feedback and tell us what you think. What do you want to see more—or less—of…? I promise your words won’t fall on deaf ears.

The March issue is really good, and as we say with every new issue, we think it’s better than the last.

We hope you will think so, too.

Enjoy,

Joseph Ballarini Editor-in-Chief

I recently subscribed to your magazine mainly because of the beautiful pictures and a newly found interest in fly fishing. I’ve been attracted to salt water fish for some time as I have been a scuba diver for over 35 years. Swimming with the fish is a peaceful endeavor and sometimes can be thrilling too. Since I live in Atlanta, GA I mainly fly fish for rainbow and brown trout. On a recent trip to the Gulf of Mexico near Pensacola, FL, I reached out to a guide who specialized in salt water fly fishing. I am new to the sport and I really wasn’t certain of what to expect while fishing in salt water so I kept my expectations low. My guide Baz Yelverton, has been fishing in the area for decades so I let him plan out the day. His

Hewes boat is made for the flats but since the Gulf was like glass that day he recommended we search for fish in the open water. It’s easy to see the fish jumping when there are no waves so we were on fish almost immediately. Suddenly a group of Jack Crevalles came speeding by us and I was able to land one after about a thirty minute fight. Never did I imagine that fly fishing could be so much fun – thrilling - especially in salt water. Tail magazine opened my eyes to salt water fly fishing and inspired me with my recent successful trip to the Gulf. Thanks.

— Michael Rothfarb, Atlanta, GA

TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE

17

Inside the box

18

TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE

TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE

19

Rod Action

RODS Most anglers will agree that an 8-weight is probably the optimal rod for bonefish.

Since this issue has a heavy focus on bonefish, our editors thought that a Gear Guide focused on 8-weight selection would be helpful for the spring.

It’s easy to tell you what we like, but rod selection is far too intimate to leave to someone else. We thought it would be most helpful to remind you of the characteristics of a quality rod and let you come to your own conclusions.

What action rod you’ll prefer depends on the type of caster you are and what feels better to you. For single-handed rods, rod action is derived from the top half of the rod, while the bottom half provides the power. To put things simply, fast-action rods have softer tip sections that transition to a stiffer lower blank, while medium-action rods follow a smoother curve throughout the entire blank. Fast-action rods are ideal for anglers with “punchier” casting strokes and those able to readily change their hand speed in different fishing situations. If you don’t fit into either one of those categories, a fast-action rod may provide more tailing loops than fun. For many anglers, a medium- to medium-fast-action rod is the best bet.

eights

Glass vs. Carbon Fiber

A few decades ago, fiberglass was the most prominent material for manufacturing fishing rods.

These rods, constructed with E-glass, were heavy by today’s standards and didn’t offer the recovery speeds provided by modern manufacturing techniques.

In the past few years, fiberglass rods have made a resurgence, albeit with a different type of glass. Today’s fiberglass rods are typically constructed with S-glass, which has a higher tensile strength and requires less material to achieve a desired stiffness. While still heavier and bulkier than their carbon-fiber counterparts, fiberglass rods have some very real benefits.

Glass fibers elongate more readily,

20

TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE

allowing rods to flex deep into the blank before breaking. This is the reason many seasoned shark and billfish anglers swear by fiberglass rods. From a pleasure standpoint, glass rods offer a more “soulful” fishing experience by virtue of their moderate actions, forcing the angler to slow down and take a breath from the often frenetic reality of standing on a casting platform for hours on end.

Carbon-fiber rods are always going to be lighter and more capable of lightning-fast shots to moving fish, but bonefishing doesn’t always require these characteristics.

For folks with shoulder issues or those who plan on fishing from sunup to sundown, carbon fiber’s lower overall weight can be helpful in reducing strain and fatigue. If you’re fortunate enough to own a quiver of rods, having both glass and carbon-fiber options at hand will ensure you’ll have the right tool at the right time.

Color Many rod companies manufacture their rods primarily in neutral gray, dark green, dark blue, or black. These are easy to match with a gunmetal or black reel, but they’re kind of boring. Fiberglass rods come in many colors and are some of the brighter rods on the flats. The reality is that color doesn’t really matter, and you should buy a rod based on how it casts and how it feels to you (although we would like to see more sky-colored rods like Echo’s Bad Ass Glass). This brings us to the most important point.…

eightares great

by TFFM Staff

TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE

21

Feel Buying a rod without casting it is like buying an expensive suit with out trying it on. One size does not fit all. If you place our team’s bonefish rods in a pile, there are many brands on the table, but even more opinions about them. That’s because each company makes different models, and they do not cast the same. One of our members did not like the Helios 2, but he won’t let go of his Helios 3. You have to try a rod before you buy it. If your fly shop offers this option, we recommend you get a loaner and actually fish with it before you decide.

These are some rods that we feel are good buys—six rods priced over $500 (this page) and six rods priced under $500 (following page). Most of us would gladly fish with any rod in this selection.

Rods over $500 G. Loomis Crosscurrent Orvis Helios 3 Sage Salt HD Scott Radian Thomas & Thomas Zone Winston Air Salt

22

TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE

ae g

eight s areeights are great

Rods under $500 Echo Boost Echo Bad Ass Glass (B.A.G) Orvis Clearwater Redington Crux Scott Tidal TFO Axiom

TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE

23

REELS Back in the late 1990s and early 2000s, fly reels as well as fly lines began to undergo serious reevaluation because of the rise in popularity of fishing for giant trevally (GT).

Reel bodies and drags were redesigned to withstand excessive abuse. Before GTs, tarpon was the last species that made us think about our reels.

reghts 24

TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE

While bonefish are an impressive species, the requirements of the reel does not exceed current manufacturing efficiency. A ghost will make an initial run with blazing speed, and then stop for a rest before running again. Some bonefish might make three—or even four—runs before posing for a picture. Most saltwater reels will suffice for bonefish, but there are some important things to consider before making your purchase.

Weight A difference in weight of 3 or 4 ounces between two reels may not seem like a huge amount, but if you’re going to spend days on end wading, this can make a difference.

The weight of a reel is most important as regards pairing it with a rod. They should balance, and when they do, the combination seems to defy gravity in your hand. If your reel is too heavy (as are many of the unported or solid-framed reels of the past), the outfit won’t balance.

Color

systems that allow the angler to easily disassemble the entire mechanism for easy servicing in the field. Time will tell whether they’’ll be able to withstand multiple seasons in the salt.

For bonefish, the only thing that matters is the sensitivity of the system and low startup inertia.

If a drag has only a few settings and it clamps down hard after a few clicks, you might pop a few fish off. Most of us use almost no drag while fishing (drag set to prevent back-reeling) and slowly add a bit of drag during or after the first run, or we apply all pressure by palm. It’s best to have a wide range of drag selection on the reel you choose, as this will give you the ability to finesse the drag and avoid pop-offs caused by trying to horse a fish in.

Made in the USA Although we’d all like to own and use products made in the USA (supporting our own economy), there’s no denying there are some quality reels made outside this country.

Drag

Some manufacturers claim that their products are made in the USA, but then they’ll use parts manufactured in other countries. There’s nothing wrong with imported parts, per se, but obtaining them for repairs or replacement can be difficult, and oftentimes the consistency of the product is an issue.

Most drag systems on reels marketed for salt water are sealed; it’s important that salt is kept at bay for the sake of the drag system’s longevity. There are some novel unsealed drag

Here we’ve listed a fine selection of bonefish reels—again, six over $500 and six under $500—that pair well with the rods we’ve showcased. There are no unvented (that is, solid-framed) reels in our

The color of a fly reel is essentially meaningless. Therefore, buy what you like. Some fly anglers complain that shiny reels reflect light and alert fish you your position, but this is unfounded.

selections simply because we don’t fish them regularly. As with a rod, it’s always best to fish with a reel first before you buy. If you can’t, any reel in either category is more than adequate for the novice or expert alike.

Reels over $500 Bauer RX5 Hatch Finatic Gen 2 Orvis Mirage 4 Ross Evolution R Salt Sage Spectrum Max Tibor Signature

TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE

25

aregr eight

Reels under $500 3-Tand V50 Orvis Hydro SL IV Lamson Speedster Nautilus X Series Redington Rise III Sage Spectrum LT

26

TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE

reat ts

This is the first article in a series that will reveal research results on tarpon. There are so many fascinating results that it’s difficult to decide where to begin. I’ve decided to start with tarpon vision because I’m confident this topic has sparked many conversations on the bows of flats skiffs.

28

TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE

TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE

29

20 200

20 200

20 100

20 70

20 40

20 30

Let’s begin with the first time tarpon were discussed in the scientific literature. The zoologist Achille Valenciennes first described tarpon in 1847. Achille noticed their large eyes, which inspired him to choose the scientific name Megalops atlanticus for this amazing gamefish. Megalops means large eye and atlanticus refers to the Atlantic Ocean they inhabit. These large eyes make tarpon effective visual predators both during the day as well as at night. During the daylight hours, the tarpon’s large eyes help it to see fine details. At night, the large eyes increase visual sensitivity.

These large eyes also have a layer of cells, called a tapetum, that act like reflective tape at the back of the eye. This is why the tarpon’s eyes glow at night when you shine a light on them. This “reflective tape” contains high densities of light-detecting cells and maximizes the capture of light. This gives tarpon a visual advantage when feeding at night or in other low-light conditions such as turbid water. This also explains why anglers often find tarpon in shadows under mangroves, docks, and bridges. Essentially, in low-light conditions tarpon can see their prey better than their prey can see them.

If I had a nickel for every time a guide yelled at me, “Put the fly in front of the fish!” I would be a rich man. Research has shown that this is not simply a form of ridicule; in fact, the

20 20

30

TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE

200 FT. 61 m

100 FT. 30.5 m

70 FT. 21.3 m

guides are correct. Research on the location of vision cells around a tarpon’s eye reveals that its eyesight is keenest in upward- and forward-looking regions. This makes sense, considering it has an upward-turned mouth. Keep the location of their vision cells in mind when you are casting to them, as the best placement for an offering is above and in front of a tarpon’s face. This also correlates with research on how tarpon feed. Some scientists refer to a tarpon’s feeding method as a suction strike. The tarpon will approach its prey from below with a closed mouth and closed gill covers. Then, when the tarpon is ready to strike, it lunges forward as the mouth opens and the gill covers flare out.

The flaring of the gill covers creates suction, allowing the tarpon to slurp down its prey. Thus, the tarpon’s upwardand forward-looking vision complements the suction-strike behavior.

The vision cells that determine what colors tarpon see are another matter. First you need some information on the biology of fish eyes, because they are very different from human eyes. Human color vision is fixed for life, so the colors you see as a child are the same colors you see as an adult. Fish eyes are different. Fish retinas contain stem cells that allow their eyes to change throughout their life.

Many species of fish occupy different habitats at different

50 FT. 15.2 m

40 FT. 12.2 m

30 FT. 9.14 m

25 FT. 7.82 m

TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE

31

life stages, and their eyes will change to adapt to these different habitats. For example, salmon start out life in a river and then move to the ocean. A fish’s vision may also change if its diet changes over time: If a fish’s diet shifts from crabs to fish, its vision can change to improve its ability to see fish.

The colors that tarpon can see change throughout their life. The colors that juvenile tarpon can see are somewhat different from the colors seen by adult tarpon. I define a juvenile tarpon as having a fork length of 40 inches or less (a fish roughly younger than eight years old). Juvenile tarpon primarily see dark blue and a range of green colors. This is because they inhabit turbid waters that are dominated by colors within those wavelengths, such as colors within the green spectrum. So if you’re targeting juvenile tarpon rolling by the mangroves or in the backcountry creeks, throw a green fly to increase the odds they’ll see it. When tarpon reach adulthood (greater than 40 inches fork length), their ability to see colors in the green spectrum decreases, and their vision in the wavelengths shorter than greens, such as purples and blues, increases.

Adult tarpon also develop cells to detect ultraviolet (UV) light.

Humans cannot see within the UV spectrum. For simplicity, think of UV light as a very

32

TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE

Tarpon vision is keenest in upwardand forward-looking regions. The best place to put a fly is above the tarpon and in front of its face.

Tarpon have a collection of “reflective tape” cells in their eyes to maximize the capture of light. This gives them a visual advantage when feeding at night or other low-light conditions, such as under mangroves, docks, bridges and in turbid waters.

These are the conditions in which tarpon can see their prey better than their prey can see them.

dark purple. Tarpon develop cells to see UV light, because when they become adults they spend more time in clear water, where shorter-wavelength and UV light are more abundant.

It’s unknown why tarpon see UV light, but there are a couple of hypotheses. One hypothesis is that since some fish species reflect UV light for communication, tarpon may use their UV vision to detect the UV light reflected from prey. Another hypothesis, and the one that I believe, is that with UV light so abundant in the clear, shallow waters adult tarpon inhabit, the UV light creates a background against

which tarpon detect the silhouettes of prey that would otherwise be camouflaged.

This could explain why a 200-pound tarpon will hit a 2-inch fly: Their vision enables them to see the small fly highlighted against a UV background.

Tarpon have no vision in the longer wavelengths of light such as the reds. This is because red light is quickly absorbed in the marine environment, so red quickly turns to black the deeper you get in the water. Red flies and lures probably just look black to tarpon.

Visible light spectrum with the location of peak color vision for juvenile and adult tarpon.

Each red circle represents where tarpon have peak vision. The change from juvenile to adult is around 40 inches fork length.

What I find interesting is that the research on tarpon vision was published about 10 years ago; however, I have seen guides use purple, blue, and green flies for adult tarpon for the past 30 years. Over the years, the guides must have done their own trial-and-error experiments with tarpon flies of different colors to see what flies worked best. It’s very interesting to see the guides’ tarpon fly research results match the research done on tarpon vision. So if you learn nothing else from this article, remember to always listen to your guide.

Mike Larkin received his doctorate from the University of Miami’s Bonefish and Tarpon Conservation Program. Highlights of his research include the discovery that bonefish in Florida migrate to the Bahamas, bonefish live to 21 years, and the completion of the world’s first bonefish stock assessment. He currently works as a fisheries biologist in St. Petersburg, Florida.

TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE

33

It’s an odd-numbered year.

That means millions of pink salmon will swim into Washington’s Puget Sound, where fly fishers eagerly await.

Some are locals who hit the beach before or after work.

Others come from afar, having used vacation days and airline miles to intercept the run. All know pink salmon are the perfect fly rod fish.

I didn’t know much about the fish 20 years ago. I read somewhere that they ate pink flies. Armed with scant information, a few flies whipped up the night before, and my 5-weight trout rod, I headed out in search of adventure. A passel of parked cars revealed a likely spot. They say newbies can learn plenty by observing others—certainly those who

34

TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE

are catching fish. Watching is not part of my DNA. I waded thigh-deep and started flinging a Pink Squid fly toward the other side of Puget Sound.

Okay, so a sneaked peek revealed that’s what the other guys were doing.

Hearing a splash behind me, I spun around to see a sneaky salmon skittering along the beach, spray flying as it powered toward fresh water, it’s metallic blue-black back glistening in the afternoon sun.

Despite what my sister claims, Mama didn’t raise a complete dummy. I immediately realized the wisdom of fishing where the fish were swimming.

A silver-bright pink hit my first cast and we both were hooked—she on that Pink Squid, me on fly fishing for pink salmon.

A few days later found me bobbing in my float tube, having launched into Puget Sound from Kayak Point Park.

It’s a bit unsettling to be in a tube on the Sound when the wind and current are running quickly along in one direction and large marine mammals are searching for food between you and the shore. I’m willing to be a bit unsettled when catching fish—just made sure to quickly release each fish when it got close enough to attract a hungry mammal.

TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE

35

The Fish All salmon species have similar coloration in salt water.

Pinks are distinguished by large, oval spots dotting their entire tail. They have small, weak teeth, small scales, and bright silver sides and belly. As they blossom into spawning dress, identification gets easier. Their metallic blue-black back turns olive or brown, a bright red lateral stripe appears, and the males develop a Quasimodotype hump, earning them their nickname of humpback salmon.

The smallest of the five Pacific Coast salmon, pink males average 5 pounds, according to the research data, with females running a bit smaller.

Anecdotal evidence and my own experience indicate the fish are getting larger, with plenty of 7- and 8-pound fish showing up in catches. The Washington State freshwater record has been set and broken in recent runs. The current record is a huge, grotesque male scaled at 15.4 pounds—an astounding growth rate for a fish that weighed mere grams 18 months earlier.

36

TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE

Pinks complete their spawn

by October. Come spring the fry pop from the gravel and jet downstream, often reaching salt water in a few hours, traveling at night to avoid predation. They form schools and roam the estuaries for up to six months before making their way to the Gulf of Alaska.

After a year at sea, they head back south where commercial and sports fishermen await.

By the time the fish move into river mouths, they first hold in tidal areas, giving their bodies time to reverse the smoltification process. These fish are a bit cranky and tough to catch, but they resume the bite after adapting to their new environment.

An oddity of the species is that Washington and southern British Columbia pinks return on odd-numbered years, except for a small run on the Snohomish River. Alaska and northern Canadian fish are more evenly distributed between genetically different odd- and even-year fish.

Another oddity is that Washington released 85 million even-year juveniles over a 22-year period in an attempt to establish an even-year run.

The experiment was a total failure.

Run Size and Distribution The pink salmon run filters through the Strait of Juan de Fuca beginning mid-July, with more fish arriving through September. The bulk of the run will be in Puget Sound and near the rivers by late August. If you plan to come west to catch some pinks, pencil in your vacation plans for Labor Day. With so many salmon populations depressed or listed as endangered, pinks have been the bright spot.

These are like Ivory Soap— 99.9 percent pure, wild fish.

Some river systems return

so many pinks that anglers fishing for other species grumble that the pinks ruin the fishing.

Washington claims 12 spawning populations, with the bulk of the fish concentrated in seven Puget Sound rivers ranging from the Skagit south to the Nisqually. Something as yet unexplained or understood by biologists is the explosion of pinks in the Green River. For years, pink salmon were thought to be extinct in the Green. At one point, the river returned a total of 13 adults. That number jumped to 10,000 in 1999, then soared to 2.9 million before receding the last two runs. One explanation is that pink salmon tend to stray or colonize new rivers more than other Pacific salmon species.

Whatever the cause of this dramatic population shift, targeting pinks from pontoons in the Duwamish Waterway is a great way to get plenty

of action. The fish will not be evenly disbursed as they tend to move through in pods. It pays to move around until you locate fish and then stay with them for some arm-tiring action.

Saltwater Spots The freshest fish are in the salt water, and that’s were plenty of fly fishers target them. Using the DeLorme Atlas or Benchmark map, scan the shoreline from Tacoma’s Commencement Bay north, past Seattle and Everett, all the way to Skagit Bay. Let your eyes drift over to Whidbey Island. Take note of all the place names that include the key words Point, Spit, or Head.

Browse the internet—view Google Earth and the Parks Department website for Skagit, Island, Snohomish, King, and Pierce counties, as plenty of likely spots will reveal themselves.

Easily-accessed spots such as Seattle’s Lincoln Park and Tacoma’s Brown’s Point draw crowds, but there are places where it’s just you and the fish.

A small boat equipped with a kicker motor really opens up the possibilities. Do whatever fits your style.

Pink salmon are like icebergs—what you see is only the tip. When one fish broaches, know that the rest of the school is swimming out of sight. Like all saltwater fish, they are always on the move,

their movements chaotic, unpredictable to the human mind. In truth, there is little randomness in the saltwater world. The fish are looking for food, cruising with the current, and moving with the tide toward their freshwater destination.

Finding fish in the salt is like solving an algebra equation where the variables are water temperature, tide, current, bait, amount of light, wind, and predators.

Solving the equation means fish on the end of the line.

Experienced saltwater anglers keep a detailed journal of what worked and, equally important, what didn’t work on the days that turned into casting practice. Discernible patterns of both favorable conditions (such as strong tidal exchange) as well as unfavorable conditions (such as slack water) emerge. No matter the existing conditions, the best time to go fishing is when you can, but try to make it on an incoming tide.

A cautionary word: Puget Sound saltwater fishing regulations are complicated at best and unintelligible at worst. Read them carefully with a map in one hand and a calendar in the other.

Then check the Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife website (wdfw.wa.gov) for any emergency regulations that alter the printed word.

TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE

37

38

Gear

Flies

Gear selection is determined by fishing location. Slinging 15 feet of fast-sinking T14 fly line to reach the fish at Humpy Hollow requires a heftier rod than does casting a floating line off the beach.

As successive pink runs produced seemingly larger fish, my rod choice went from a 5-weight trout rod to a 7-weight saltwater rod. Nine feet is a standard length. The power and length allow the longer casts necessary when the pinks are avoiding the shore.

Double-handers reach even farther, but that additional length makes releasing a fish a challenge. Dragging a fish across the sand or rocky shore scrubs off both scales and slime, exposing the fish to injury and disease before it has a chance to spawn.

Backing is inexpensive, so my reels are filled with 150 yards—not because even a big male will pull all that, but in case a steehead, coho, or juvenile king salmon (blackmouth) decides to eat.

Pink, hot pink, cerise. Add chartreuse and purple for when the fish are tired of pink. Pink salmon teeth are not designed to catch and munch baitfish. Like other creatures with bad teeth, pinks eat slow-moving or soft foods. Forget the food pyramid.

Pink salmon food comes from two food groups—small pink crunchy crustaceans or larger pink soft mollusks. For those channeling their inner biologist, crustaceans include euphausiids, amphipods, shrimp, and crabs. Mollusks are squid and tunicates.

TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE

Within each food group, the variations of tying materials and applications are endless.

Fly crafters are inveterate tinkerers, though the best pay homage to “Less is more.”

Small, slender-bodied flies are better than big and bulky.

Size 4 through 10 will cover the bases.

Pinks will feed at and near the surface so a floating line

is the ticket. Crustaceans are slow-moving creatures, so the retrieve should match. Use short, slow strips with plenty of pauses. Squid imitations call for long, fairly fast pulls followed by pauses that can goad a fish into striking.

Pinks even offer something for the dry-fly purist. A spun deerhair pattern such as the Pink Polliwog (originally designed for coho salmon) can be downsized and fished over pods of pinks.

Saltwater Environment Salt water does nasty things to gear. If your bank account allows, buy an outfit designed for saltwater use.

The metal parts will be anodized or otherwise armored against saltwater corrosion. Choose flies tied on stainless-steel, nickelplated or Duratinned hooks, as these resist corrosion.

Leave the soft and supple trout leaders at home.

Saltwater leader material must

withstand barnacle-encrusted rocks, woody debris, oyster beds, and other hazards that slice through soft nylon.

Marine fish live in an eat-orbe-eaten world, and they are not leader-shy. Use an 8- to 12-pound fluorocarbon tippet with a total leader length of 6 to 10 feet.

Washing your gear with fresh water after use is key to maintaining it. Rinse and dry your rod. Soak your flies and let them air-dry. Remove the spool from the reel, strip the fly line off, then swish the reel, spool, and line in fresh water (do this even with anodized gear). Run the fly line through a soft cloth when putting it back on the reel.

It’s been two long years since pink salmon swarmed back from Alaska. Soon the drought will be over and fly fishers will again get their fill of pinks on the fly. Don’t get left out. See you on the water.

Puget Sound Fly Shops The Puget Sound area has excellent fly shops staffed with knowledgeable pink salmon experts who have their finger to the pulse of the pink salmon run. Visit a shop, spend a few bucks, and get the latest scoop. Here’s the list from north to south.

Pacific Fly Fishers (425) 742-2402 pacificflyfishers.com The Avid Angler (206) 742-2402 avidangler.com

David Paul Williams discovered pink salmon years ago and loves to share his knowledge of this salmon success story. Author of Fly Fishing for Western Smallmouth (Stackpole Books), David has written for numerous magazines, including Fly Fisherman and American Angler. He is also Editor-in-Chief of Flyfisher Magazine, the official publication of Fly Fishers International. To learn more, you can visit David’s personal website, thefishingwriter.com.

Patrick’s Fly Shop (206) 325-8988 patricksflyshop.com Orvis Bellevue (425) 452-9138 orvis.com/s/seattlewashington-orvis-retailstore/623 Puget Sound Fly Co. (253) 472-2420 pugetsoundflyco.com)

TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE

39

Instinct by design.

Days on the flats can be a wild ride of slow hunting punctuated by adrenaline pumping action unfolding at warp speed.

When the opportunity comes to intercept prehistoric poons, or to psychoanalyze neurotic permit, your instinct kicks in.

And that’s the moment you take your place on the bow and make the improbable possible.

Colorado, USA | 970-249-3180 | scottflyrod.com

We designed Meridian fly rods with a similar mindset. At the core of it all is the kind of fine tuned performance that comes with 45 years of innovation and experience. The result? Something akin to effortlessness, something intuitive.

Take a Meridian along on your next saltwater journey, and fire on instinct.

You Know Where I'll Be ______________________ Want to spend time with me when I'm gone?

Simply go where you know I'll be Just ensure you're there before the dawn Make plans to head south towards the sea Through Geneva or Vernon it's really no matter The day wants to burst through the trees Driver's side window, a buried sun swells fatter Making dew shimmer and dance on the leaves

When you arrive watch for clues of my presence The wondrous smell of salt hangs in the air The sun not quite up, the moon is still present Shiny slick boat ramp, come in if you dare

Once on the water, remember secret holes Push through steam rising off of cool water The climbing sun will keep you off of the shoals But eventually makes the day much hotter

Watch for ice dripping down the side of a bottle A feather slowly drifts by just out of reach If it gets too hot, simply hit the throttle

I'll be waiting for you at the closest beach The welcome first breeze for which you still long Once cooled down come back to your reason Could a day on the water ever be wrong?

Redfish and trout are always in season

So when it's all over, you know where I'll be And you'll be 'stuck' on this glorious bay Keep coming back to spend time with me And I'll be the big one that keeps getting away'

by Brian J. Davis

ni dnaS .X egroeG ot gnidroccA ,gnihsiF ylF retaW-tlaS koob sih thguac imaiM fo nellA semloH 4291 ni yfl eht no hsfienob a .ograL yeK ,dnuoS draC ni htiw gnidaw saw eh dias nellA 001 tuoba koons rof dneirf a siht…“ nehw erohs morf sdray ,erehwon fo tuo tohs hsfi yzarc ”!ffo koot dna yfl ym debbarg wonnim delppirc a saw yfl ehT etihw a htiw remaerts rehtaef no deit ,selkcah der dna daeh thguac nellA .kooh 2-ezis a .6291 ni hsfienob rehtona

44

TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE

tseilrae eht fo lla smees tI sehctac hsfienob yfl-eht-no tnedicca yb edam erew gnihsfi erew srelgna nehw ybab ro ,koons ,reppans rof -wol rieht fo esuaceB .noprat eht fo srehsfi yfl ,shtuom gnuls fo thguoht s0391 dna s0291 sredeef mottob sa hsfienob dnopser ylno dluow taht )eurt( on os dna ,)eurtnu( tiab ot yllacfiiceps dehsfi srelgna yfl 02 tuoba koot tI .hsfienob rof neek s’hsfienob eht rof sraey dna dezingocer eb ot thgiseye .detaicerppa

yfl dna ediug syeK adirolF htimS lliB reenoip gnihsfi htiw detiderc ylralupop si hsfienob tsrfi eht gnihctac a s’erehT .9391 ni yfl a no sessentiw dna hpargotohp eht uoy llet ll’I .ti evorp ot a ni hctac s’lliB fo y rots lluf ot deen ew tsrfi tub ,tnemom rehto lareves egdelwonkca yllatnedicca ohw srelgna yfl —hcnup eht ot lliB taeb t’nerew yeht esuaceb tub ,hsfienob gnitegrat yllacfiiceps sa yfilauq t’ndid sehctac rieht .onu oremun

Who Caught the First Bonefish on a Fly?

by Pete Barrett

Florida Keys guide and fly fishing pioneer Bill Smith is popularly credited with catching the first bonefish on a fly in 1939. There’s a photograph and witnesses to prove it. I’ll tell you the full story of Bill’s catch in a moment, but first we need to acknowledge several other fly anglers who accidentally beat Bill to the punch— but because they weren’t specifically targeting bonefish, their catches didn’t qualify as numero uno.

It seems all of the earliest on-the-fly bonefish catches were made by accident when anglers were fishing for snapper, snook, or baby tarpon. Because of the bonefish’s low-slung mouth, fly fishers of the 1920s and 1930s thought of bonefish as bottom feeders (true) that would only respond to bait (untrue), and so no fly anglers fished specifically for bonefish.

It took about 20 years for the bonefish’s keen eyesight to be recognized and appreciated.

According to George X. Sand in his book Salt-Water Fly Fishing, Holmes Allen of Miami caught a bonefish on the fly in 1924 in Card Sound, Key Largo.

Allen said he was wading with a friend for snook about 100 yards from shore when “…this crazy fish shot out of nowhere, grabbed my fly and took off!”

The fly was a crippled minnow feather streamer with a white head and red hackles, tied on a size-2 hook. Allen caught another bonefish in 1926.

TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE

45

George Reiger in The Bonefish, his wonderful historical tribute to the gray ghost, documents that in 1926, Colonel L.S. Thompson of Red Bank, New Jersey, caught bonefish while casting a Royal Coachman streamer for baby tarpon on the flats near the Long Key Fishing Club. Other club members apparently did, too, but always as an incidental catch.

Noted naturalist and South Florida fly fishing trailblazer Homer Rhode Jr. wrote to angling author J. Edson Leonard in 1949 that he had been catching bonefish for 15 years. That would put Rhode’s first fly-caught bonefish at about 1935. Rhode even created a special fly about which Lee Wulff would write, “The best fly I know for bonefish is the Homer Rhode Shrimp Fly.” It’s not known whether Rhode was sightcasting to bonefish or simply catching them by accident while he cast to other fish.

46

TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE

Let’s get back to Bill Smith’s bonefish and a humorous confrontation with George LaBranche, one of the premier anglers of the 1930s and a resident of Islamorada. In 1938, while guiding George Crawford, an accomplished fly angler from Alaska, Smith struck out on baby tarpon.

Feeling bad for his client, Smith asked a fellow guide, Leo Johnson, what he used to catch tarpon. Johnson’s “flies” were nothing more than a strip of pork rind wired to a hook, but this got Bill Smith to thinking. That night, in preparation for the next morning’s charter, Smith tied a simple white bucktail with a piece of wire attached to the hook to hold the pork strip. Hoping to catch a tarpon, George Crawford cast Smith’s fly, with a trace of pork added, and proceeded to catch two bonefish!

The elated men placed the bonefish in a gunny sack and weighed them at the local

Islamorada grocery store; the fish weighed 5 and 6 pounds. While the men were congratulating themselves, George LaBranche entered the store and asked about the fish in the sack. Smith proudly told him that they had caught a pair of bonefish on flies.

LaBranche inspected the fish and then asked to see the fly, which Smith promptly showed him. LaBranche looked incredulously at the pork rind fly and went into a tirade, thoroughly upbraiding Smith because it wasn’t a “real” fly of hair and feathers.

Several months went by. Smith, still stinging from LaBranche’s reprimand, proceeded to tie some flies and went out alone in his outboard skiff to a favorite spot known as Little Basin, behind Islamorada. He cast to several fish, hooked one, played and netted it just as another guide, Bert Pinder, was heading to a nearby dock. Anxious to have someone witness the catch, Smith quickly followed Pinder to the dock to have him inspect the still-breathing bonefish and the regulation fly as evidence. A photo was taken of Smith holding the 8-pound bonefish, along with the fly rod and single-action fly reel he had used. Days later the photo appeared in a Miami newspaper, and this fish became acknowledged as the first bonefish specifically caught on a fly—not by accident, but by casting directly to the fish.

Years later, in an interview with Bill Sargent, a noted Florida outdoor writer, Smith said he “…remembers that the fly had a yellow hackle, was tied on about a 1-0 hook.” He named it the fly Salt-Us after one of his regular clients, a Mr. Saltus. The tying recipe included white bucktail and brown squirrel tail for the wing and a palmered yellow saddle hackle secured with red thread. Smith’s tackle was an 8-1/2-foot Orvis Battenkill rod, a Shakespeare model 1891 Russell reel, and an Ashaway GAF tapered fly line.

Sand’s Salt-Water Fly Fishing relates another interesting fly-caught- bonefish story that took place in 1942, just after the attack on Pearl Harbor. Clarence “Barrel” Bowen, a good friend of Bill Smith, was about to be shipped overseas, and he asked Bonnie Smith, Bill’s wife, if she’d take him out to catch a bonefish on a fly, as Bill had. Bonnie had assumed her husband’s guiding duties while he was away supporting the war effort, and she took Bowen to a good bonefish spot. She later recalled, “We were back at the dock within two hours and Barrel Bowen had taken his first bonefish with a fly rod.”

During the war, Bonnie Smith guided another young soldier, Jimmie Albright, and made it possible for him, too, to catch his first bonefish. Bonnie introduced Jimmie to her sister, Frankee, whom he married. With Bill Smith’s help, Jimmie became a legendary Florida Keys guide, and it was Albright who guided Joe Brooks to what is believed to be the first fly-caught tailing bonefish. That was in 1949. The following year, while fishing with Frankee Albright, the great George LaBranche chalked up his first official fly-caught bonefish (with Joe Brooks in the skiff as a witness).

In 1950, Bonnie Smith guided Joe Brooks to his first permit on the fly.

Accidentally or on purpose, these early bonefish catches are all remarkable, and they helped to usher in the “bonefish age” of the Florida Keys. By 1950, new faces like Ted Williams, Stu Apte, George Hommel, and J. Lee Cuddy brought increasing fame to this astonishing gamefish, which continues to this day.

Bill Smith’s legendary catch proved that bonefish could be cast to and caught with the proper fly and retrieve—not simply by accident as was previously believed through the 1920s and ‘30s. Notice his fly, tackle, and boat—a far cry from what’s popular today. Thanks to Gail Morchower at the International Game Fish Association library for providing the photo.

Pete Barrett has been fly fishing in salt water since the 1960s. He was a charter boat skipper for 30 years, and he was on The Fisherman magazine’s editorial staff from 1973 until his retirement. Pete has published over 1100 magazine articles and is the author of five popular books on angling. Pete is a Florida representative for the International Game Fish Association, and he’s currently an active member of the Atlantic Salt Water Flyrodders and the West Palm Beach Fishing Club. Pete lives in Jupiter, Florida.

TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE

47

48

TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE

by George Roberts

As a child I pored over the writings of Joe Brooks and dreamed of the day when I, too, would hunt bonefish on tropical flats. It was 25 years until I got my chance— nearly that many years ago now—when I spent four days fishing with O’Donald McIntosh, a highly talented and respected bonefish guide out of Cooperstown,

Abaco. (O’Donald passed away in July of 2018 at age 76.)

Before my trip I read everything I could find on bonefishing, including Dick Brown’s Fly Fishing for Bonefish (now in its second edition). Upon my arrival in the Bahamas, my brain was swimming with informa-

tion on forage species, fly patterns, sink rates, leader design, and fish-fighting techniques—to name only a few subjects. Although much of this information was legitimate, I could have done without a lot of it my first time at the plate— especially since I had an excellent guide to fill me in on the essentials.

TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE

49

Flats Checklist Before you embark on your first flats trip, ask these questions of your guide or outfitter: What leaders are recommended? (lengths and tippet sizes) What fly patterns work in the area?

What sizes?

Will you be supplying flies?

Can I purchase flies in the area we’ll be fishing?

What rod weights do you recommend? Something lighter (a 6- or 7-weight) for calm days?

Do you supply tackle?

Are lunches and beverages provided, or should I bring my own?

Will we be wade fishing?

(If so, plan to bring flats booties and lightweight pants or shorts.)

50

TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE

Aided by the clarity of hindsight, and an additional 20 years of experience, I’ve assembled a package of information here that I think you’ll find helpful if you’re preparing for your first expedition. All the good advice in the world won’t guarantee you a bonefish your first time at the plate, but if you address the issues I’ve laid out in this article, I’m convinced you’ll stand a better-than-average shot at landing your first silver bullet.

Go Where the Fish Are This may sound absurdly obvious, but I’m amazed at how many anglers ignore this basic tenant when planning their first trip. Like any game, bonefishing runs the gamut from relatively easy to extremely difficult. Having done a bit of both, I suggest that for your first time out you opt for the former. That means getting lots of shots at lots of fish. My first cast in Abaco, less than five minutes after we arrived at

the first flat, put my fly in front of 20-plus bonefish, and they raced each other to get to it the moment it touched down.

This may not be the stuff of great angling literature, but it’s exactly the scenario you want to cut your teeth on the game.

To maximize your chances of hooking up your first time out, rule out difficult fisheries as well as non-fisheries. To give you an example, I once spent the winter on an island in the West Indies, and there were only a couple of flats there that held bonefish. All of my shots were at larger fish, singles and doubles—never three—and most of these were tailing fish. Even those fish that were not tailing were finicky. Very often, fish would move to well-presented flies and inexplicably turn off at the last moment. This is not even to mention the wind, which was always present, and strong enough on some days to put the fishing off entirely.

Each fish was a challenge and

As a rule of thumb, if where you plan to travel does not support a bonefish lodge, I strongly suggest you reconsider.

required me to be at the top of my game. I never took more than two in a day.

A young man from Texas contacted me through my website (I had mentioned on my site where I would be spending the winter). He said he would be taking a cruise and would be let off on the island for the day, and would I be willing to take him bonefishing? He had never been bonefishing before.

I replied, candidly, that I was fairly confident I could show him bonefish but not at all confident he would catch one.

Although I had some of the most memorable bonefishing of my life on that island, it was no place for beginners, and to describe the island as having a fishery would have been a gross overstatement. As a rule of thumb, if where you plan to travel does not support a bonefish lodge, I strongly suggest you reconsider.

Up Your Casting Game The most effective bonefish fly in the world is useless unless you can put it in front of a bonefish. The more consistently you can present your fly to the fish, the better your chances of hooking up. If you wish to become a better fly angler in all fisheries, the greatest single thing you can do is to improve your casting. The fastest way I know to do this is to take instruction with a competent fly casting coach and to practice regularly between lessons. Don’t wait until the day before your flight to take your lesson (this might sound silly, but I’ve worked with students who did). Book your lesson—better yet, several—as soon as you book your trip, and plan to practice regularly up until the time you leave. Practicing for four or five months before a bonefish trip is not unreasonable, and the best casters I know have taken up casting as a vocation apart from fishing.

Fishing by the Clock Particularly if you grew up with digital clocks, commit the clockface system to memory. That way, when the guide yells, “Bones at 9 o’clock!” you’ll know immediately to look to your left. Particularly in the beginning, it may be critical for you to be able to place your fly at specific points on the clock face as directed by your guide— “Give me your long cast at 10 o’clock”—as you might not even be able to see the fish.

TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE

51

Flats Footwear Anyone who’s walked a bonefish flat has probably done it, at one time or another, in an old pair of sneakers. However, a pair of flats shoes or booties will go a long way to increase your comfort by keeping sand, coral, and other debris away from your feet, and they’ll offer more protection against such killjoys as sea urchins. Where you’ll be wading— sand versus coral—will determine how substantial your footwear needs to be.

To paraphrase Joan Wulff, to fly fish effectively anywhere in the world, you should be able to deliver a fly 50 feet under all conditions. This is sound advice that many 50-foot casters will misinterpret. If your best cast is 50 feet under ideal conditions, you’re not going to be able to deliver the fly 50 feet when facing a 12-knot wind. (Remember: 50 feet under all conditions.)

In particular, if you intend to spend any amount of time on a bonefish flat, you need to learn how to deal with the four quarters of wind. Any competent casting instructor will be able to help you with this.

Sight fishing for bonefish seldom requires very long casts. However, you’ll often have to deliver a fly 50 or 60 feet quickly to a moving target with fair accuracy—and almost always through a wind. Prior to bonefishing, most of my saltwater fishing had been for striped bass in the Northeast, blind casting at my leisure. I was ill-prepared to cast rapid-fire.

52

TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE

“Too many false casts!” I can still hear the disappointment in O’Donald’s voice. Missing a fish always hurts, but missing one that was easily within your casting range stings doubly. I soon took to carrying the entire belly of line (about 40 feet) outside the rod tip and holding the tip of my fly line in my line hand. I clasped the bend of the hook with the thumb and index finger of my line hand.

The running line was trapped under the middle finger of my rod hand to anchor it. When I got a shot at a fish, I’d tilt the rod over my opposite shoulder and accelerate forward as if making an off-shoulder roll cast aimed well above the water, letting the weight of the line’s head pull the fly line and fly from my fingers. This motion will get the entire taper airborne in front of you. From there you can haul on your backcast, come forward with a haul and deliver the fly to the fish. This quick-cast technique is one you can practice on your lawn. Mastering it will

Sight fishing for bonefish seldom requires very long casts. However, you’ll often have to deliver a fly 50 or 60 feet quickly to a moving target with fair accuracy—and almost always through a wind.

allow you to deliver a fly 60 or more feet in only a few seconds.

Learn to Tell Time Many bonefish guides will direct your casts according to a clock-face system, and it behooves you to learn this system before you set foot on their boat. Think of a boat as the face of a clock. The bow is at 12 o’clock and the stern is at 6 o’clock. These reference points are fixed, no matter what direction you face.

“You’re going to take every shot between 11 o’clock and 7 o’clock,” O’Donald instructed.

“Anything outside this we’re not going to bother with.”

The reasons for this are straightforward. To cast to a fish lying off the bow at 12 o’clock would put your backcast right where the guide is standing. And to have right-handed anglers cast at fish from 1 o’clock to 5

o’clock would mean they’d have to cast over the boat, which would be equally threatening to the guide and other anglers. Left-handed casters will be instructed to take every shot between 1 o’clock and 5 o’clock.

Bonefish are extremely difficult to see, especially for the beginner, even with good polarized sunglasses. Understanding the clock-face system and being able to lay the fly at various positions on the clock face were instrumental to my taking fish, because the first few fish I caught I never saw until after I made the cast.

Had I faltered when O’Donald instructed me to cast long at such-and-such o’clock, I would have missed fish. If you insist on seeing fish before you cast, as some anglers do, you may have a long wait for a hookup.

When you’re just starting out, I suggest you rely heavily on direction from the guide. Your ability to see fish will come with experience.

While learning to spot fish, it may help you to use your rod as a pointer. When the guide tells you there’s a fish coming in at 11 o’clock, point your rod tip at 11 and sight down the rod’s length. From there, the guide can direct you to move the rod tip left or right, up or down.

Before long, you may even spot a few fish before your guide does. When I saw a bonefish cruising our way at 2 o’clock and placed the fly in its path using my backcast, I feared a may have committed a faux pas, as I’d been told to ignore everything on the right side of the boat. But O’Donald said: “Not too many people can do what you just did. If you can deliver a fly with your backcast you can just about double the area you can fish.”

All fly anglers should learn to deliver a fly with their backcast, and they should learn to cast off-shoulder or backhand. These casts not only will

TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE

53

To maximize your chances of hooking up your first time out, rule out difficult fisheries and non-fisheries.

54

TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE

increase the number of shots you can take from a boat, but they’re also an effective way to deal with wind coming in from your rod-arm side.

Travel Light Even during a guided boat trip you’re likely to get out and do some wading. In fact, many anglers, myself included, would prefer to wade. Stalking bonefish afoot makes the game much more of a hunt, and any battle is more exciting when fought from the ground. During a morning of wading you might walk a couple of miles, so it’s important that you travel light. Carrying a minimum of gear not only increases your comfort; it forces you to concentrate on the angling rather than its trappings.

A good fishing shirt is much more than a fashion statement—it’s a valuable fishing tool. A good fishing shirt breathes well, is well-vented, and, perhaps most important, has two oversized front pockets with hook-and-loop closures that give you easy access to what’s inside. These two pockets will allow you to carry everything you need for several hours of fishing. In lieu of a fishing shirt, some anglers use a fanny pack to carry all of their accessories.

Here are my recommended bonefishing shirt-pocket-fannypack essentials:

Extra Leaders and Tippet Material You should always carry several extra leaders, along with a spool or two of tippet material, if you intend to travel any distance from the boat. A leader wallet is ideal, but you can also carry factory-made leaders in their paper or plastic packages. (Ask your guide beforehand what length and strength leaders you’ll need.)

Nippers or Scissors A good pair of nippers or scissors is essential for building and maintaining your leaders, which you may have to do while wading. Although nippers will trim your knots closer than will scissors, I still prefer the latter for their versatility. I place a sheath of heat-shrink tubing over the points, lest I inadvertently end up with a nipple piercing.

Hemostats A bonefish’s mouth is small compared with the mouths of other gamefish. If a bone takes a fly deep, releasing it unharmed can be tricky, especially if you leave the barb on the hook (I don’t). Hemostat pliers are a must for all types of fishing, but bonefishing especially. These will make it easier for you to release all fish, and you can use them to crush the barbs on your hooks.

I keep mine clamped to my shirt pocket for easy access.

Polarized Sunglasses Because bonefish are so difficult to see, a good pair of polarized sunglasses is arguably your most important piece of bonefishing equipment. Essentially, the polarizing process filters out the reflected light that causes glare on the water’s surface, allowing you to see down into the water. Polarization enhances contrast and improves visual acuity (perception of detail). It also reduces eye strain, fatigue, and discomfort. These are critical factors when hunting bones. Polarized sunglasses are available in a variety of tints from yellow to brown (some anglers carry several pairs). If you’re going to limit yourself to a single tint, it should be somewhere in the copper/bronze/brown spectrum. Using the lightest tint you can get away with for the conditions will ensure that your pupils remain constricted, heightening your depth-of-field vision. If you’re over 40 and your near vision has begun to weaken, you might consider a pair of polarized readers.

These are immensely helpful with tying knots and other tasks for which near vision is a must.

TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE

55

Small Fly Box Many anglers I know travel with a Roman orgy of fly patterns.

Most of the bonefish I’ve taken in my life I’ve taken with a single fly—an Arctic Fox Gotcha in tan or orange. No matter how many boxes of flies you take with you on your trip, make sure you include a box that’s small enough to fit comfortably in your shirt pocket or fanny pack, but is large enough to hold a couple dozen flies. Be sure to contact your guide (or outfitter, if you booked your trip through one) to find out the most productive patterns in the area you’ll be fishing.

I’ve known anglers who bring along a small file to sharpen and touch up hooks, but I consider this a drain on fishing time. I tie all of my flies on chemically sharpened hooks.

Right out of the box these hooks are as sharp as they’ll ever be. If I damage a hook point I’ll simply throw the fly away and tie on another. I’ve heard anglers grouse about the expense of these hooks.

Chemically sharpened hooks are expensive when compared with other saltwater hooks, but considering their quality and fish-hooking ability, and considering also that you’re talking about the trip of a lifetime, they’re well worth the investment.

The bonefish game is a precarious one—not to mention a substantial investment of money and time. When you finally get your first shot, you’ll want to make the most of it. Heed the advice in this article—dearly paid for—and you will.

George Roberts produced the first video fly casting program devoted exclusively to salt water: Saltwater Fly Casting: 10 Steps to Distance and Power. He’s also the author of Master the Cast: Fly Casting in Seven Lessons (McGraw-Hill, 2002). These days George serves as the managing editor of TFFM.

If you wish to become a better fly angler in all fisheries, the greatest single thing you can do is to improve your casting.

56

TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE

58

TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE

CHRISTMAS ISLAND’S GIFTS

By Jeffrey Marshall Unenthused by the prospect of standing shin-deep in warm water, sighting a cruising bonefish, having it inhale your fly and ripping off a 100-yard run, your reel singing? Then you may want to scratch Christmas Island off your bucket list.

But for those whose blood warms to this kind of flats fishing, Christmas Island (officially known as Kiritimati) is assuredly a place to be. It’s the world’s largest raised coral atoll and a renowned mecca for bonefish and trevallys, especially giant trevallys (GTs), toothy monsters that prowl the flats.

TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE

59

A special appeal of the island is its remoteness. A two-and-a-half-hour flight south of Honolulu, Christmas Island is a mere flyspeck in the vast blue Pacific. Its very isolation guarantees uncrowded fishing; in the six days that my party spent there, it was rare to see another angler on the same flat.

For the privilege of fishing there, you need to commit like a lover preparing a special valentine. Christmas Island is served by Fiji Air—to the tune of one flight per week. Once you’re there, you’re there. And unlike fabled Tahiti or Bora Bora far to the west, the island doesn’t boast swanky resorts, villas, or night life.

In short, there are no distractions for the casual angler.

You’re there for the invigorating purpose of wading the hard-sand flats and casting, casting, and casting again to visible fish, with the able assistance of local guides. You’re on the water during most of the daylight hours in a strong tropical sun (the island is 144 miles north of the equator), with steady trade winds up to 25 knots and afternoon temperatures climbing to the low 90s.

There’s solitude aplenty, and the kind of beauty that radiates in the tropics: the ever-changing play of light and shadow on the water, which ranges from turquoise to cobalt; puffy clouds and sea birds wheeling overhead; the sight of giant manta rays, flapping gently like giant bats, surfacing close to the boat on trips to and from the flats.

60

TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE

TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE

61

The fishing experience starts with the lodges, four larger ones especially, spread around the island. Ours, Crystal Beach Lodge, fit the “very rustic” label from our outfitter but was plenty adequate. True, there was no hot water, but a serviceable air conditioner made up for a lot of quibbles.

The setting on the beach was gorgeous, the staff friendly and welcoming, and the meals ample and plenty tasty (the nightly offering of sashimi was little short of decadent). Our core group—myself, my brother, Jed; his fishing buddy Tom Truesdell, and Bob Rohde and Gary Garrett, all from Washington State except me, and all retirees—were joined by a

62

TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE

younger group (most in their 30s) from Anchorage.

Coordinating the daily assignment of guides to fishermen fell to Bita Kairaoi, the head guide, and our young fly shop host, Caldwell Rohrbach, the final member of our party. Rohr was a dynamo, always ensuring that things went smoothly and we had all the necessary tackle. He also cataloged the trip with a bevy of great photos.

Each day unfolded roughly the same way. The guides would drive up after breakfast, not long after sunup, and load the rods in special racks on the open trucks. We’d clamber onto the bench seats at the back and hold on as the

trucks rumbled down toward the launching beach; there, the boats would be pulled in, and the guides and the clients sorted.

I assumed that most of the flats would be a short ride away in the lagoon girded by the outer island. Nope. The wooden outriggers cruised at perhaps 10 to 12 knots, but the flats are widely spaced, separated by deeper water.

Several times, we dropped an angler with a guide at one flat, then motored a half hour or more to another, only to find other anglers already there— and so we’d take off again.

All of the guides were local and spoke good English. When

Christmas Island bones are good-sized, averaging 2-4 pounds, and some get quite a bit heftier.

TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE

63

we found a spot they liked, we’d hop into the water and start the day. Wading slowly at your shoulder, the guide paused frequently to scan the shallow water and the uneven sandy bottom; if he saw nothing, we’d move slowly on.

When he spotted a bone, the guide would sometimes point, sometimes give a compass direction: “Twelve o’clock, 30 feet.” If the cast was a good one, he’d go into uber-guide mode, bending down and combining verbal and hand signals: “Wait ... wait ... strip ... strip ... fast, fast, fast!”

64

TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE

Our guides were polite, patient and loath to criticize any wayward casts. Obviously, they spotted fish we never saw, though these bones tended to appear singly or in twos or threes, never schooling.

The guides positioned us to cast downwind, or quartering, rarely asking us to throw into what was almost always a stiff breeze. Guiding there is considered something of an elite job; the native Polynesians work mostly at cottage industries, and, to the casual observer, they have a hardscrabble existence.

Christmas Island bones average 2 to 4 pounds, and some get quite a bit heftier.

Jed landed one on our last day that probably pushed 7 pounds, and several of the larger silvery torpedoes broke me off after long runs. I ended the trip with two dozen bones landed, perhaps half again as many hooked – but no GTs. I also landed a nice banded trevally, a couple of triggerfish, and a snapper, mostly small.

Ah, GTs. The apex predator on the flats. They’re solitary and elusive, normally cruising onto the shallows from deeper water, appearing as large, dark shapes some distance away.

The guides carried 12-weight rods with 60-pound leaders and huge streamers in case we encountered one. I never cast to one on the flats, but two of our group found and landed GTs, one weighing close to 25 pounds (I was told they can approach 100).

Among my favorite memories of the trip was my guide, Jonny, sprinting away from me with the heavy rod, sloshing noisily through the flat and yelling, “GT, GT!” He was as giddy as a kid chasing an ice cream truck.

The fish disappeared, but the guides were way more jazzed about GTs than they ever were about bones; I guess size matters.

TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE

65

A few words about gear. Most bonefish anglers use a 7- or 8-weight rod, with a floating line and at least 100 yards of 30-pound backing. Good sun hats and dark glasses are a must, as are a long-sleeve sun shirt and a strong sunscreen.

Most of us wore buffs as neck protection and used fingerless sun gloves. Waders aren’t needed – good nylon pants are fine – and premium flats boots are highly recommended. Popular bonefish flies there are Christmas Island Specials in orange and pink, Pearl Gotchas, and Clouser Minnows, in sizes ranging from 2 to 8.

Outfitters warn you that you may be rolling the dice in booking there: Flights can be canceled by weather or mechanical issues, meaning you can’t leave Honolulu for the island or you could be stuck on the island for another week.

Trip-interruption insurance—a very wise idea.

Indeed, we heard about one such episode a few weeks after we got back. An allfemale party was booked in the lodge shortly after we left, and we were told that their plane back to Honolulu never came. Stuck on the island: I’d love to hear the full story.

66

TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE

Jeffrey Marshall is a writer, novelist, and retired journalist from Scottsdale, Arizona. He was editor-inchief of two national business magazines and a freelancer to publications such as The New York Times. He has fished for more than 50 years in the Northeast and much of the West, mostly for trout, and he has recently developed a passion for saltwater flats fishing.

TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE

67

Yakima Valley Dry Hopped Cider Brewery: Tieton Cider Works Website: tietonciderworks.com Location: Yakima, Washington Beer Type: Cider Appearance: Light yellow with a thin head Aroma: Clean straw, slight apple, and some earthy hops Flavor: Clean and crisp with slight apple coming through and dryness from the hops—rieslinglike taste ABV: 6.9% Final Thoughts: A great cider that’s drier than most. Great with food as it has similar profile to a dry riesling.

68

TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE

Mission Gose Brewery: Evil Twin Brewing Website: eviltwin.dk Location: New York, NY Beer Type: Gose Appearance: Hazy light yellow, thin head Aroma: Tart lemon and citrus with a hint of eucalyptus Flavor: Strongly tart and citrusy with a touch of salt; herbal dry finish from the eucalyptus ABV: 4% Final Thoughts: Refreshing and perfect for mid-afternoon when sitting in the hot sun. The slight herbal flavor makes this stand out from other gose beers. A must-try.

Plum Gose Brewery: Two Roads Brewing Company Website: tworoadsbrewing.com Location: Stratford, CT Beer Type: Gose Appearance: Striking magentarose color with great carbonation and a good head Aroma: Great malt and sour tartness, faint juicy fruit Flavor: Citric tartness initially, giving way to juicy plum on the finish ABV: 4.5% Final Thoughts: A great fruit gose whose fruit flavors don’t overwhelm.

Blackbird Berried Cider Brewery: Aeppel Treow Winery & Distillery Website: aeppeltreow.com Location: Burlington, WI Beer Type: Berry Cider Appearance: Rich mulberry color Aroma: Blackcurrant, rich berries, and citrus Flavor: Sweet with berries, blackcurrants, and sticky fruits ABV: 5.5% Final Thoughts: A great sweet cider with good body and lots of juicy fruit and citrus. Perfect for after dinner or a sweet afternoon drink.

Raspberry Uber Cider Brewery: Nickel Brook Brewing Co. Website: nickelbrook.com Location: Ontario, Canada Beer Type: Berliner Weisse Appearance: Cherry red with good carbonation and a high head Aroma: Ripe, juicy red raspberries, red wine, and some tartness Flavor: Sour raspberries, high carbonation, and tart citric acid with a dry finish ABV: 4.0% Final Thoughts: True-to-style Berliner weisse with the added tartness of red raspberries makes this a must-try. Would be fantastic on the boat for a midday drink.

Wild Berry Brewery: Downeast Cider House Website: downeastcider.com Location: Boston, MA Beer Type: Unfiltered Cider Appearance: Beautiful cloudy magenta with faint carbonation Aroma: Sweet berries and tart citrus with faint apple Flavor: Big sweet wild berries and strong apple citrus tart ABV: 5.3% Final Thoughts: Big berry flavors more tart than sweet—think wild berries—makes this cider a winner all around.

tapped TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE

69

Arctic Fox Gotcha

By George Roberts Photos: Patrick Cahill

Before I went on my first bonefish trip to Abaco in the early 1990s, angling author Dick Brown gave me a few samples of the Gotcha he had tied himself. Suggestive of shrimp, the fly was originated by the late Jim McVay, who is said to have first tied it using yellow fibers he had cut from the carpet of a cab while en route to the Andros Island Bonefish Club (this could have been as far back as 1979). The original fly was so productive that McVay’s guide, club owner Rupert Leadon, cried, “Gotcha!” each time McVay hooked up—and so the name was born. McVay eventually substituted tan craft fur for the original carpet fibers.

To be frank, I’m not a big fan of synthetic tying materials overall, and I almost never use them to wing a fly. My main twist on the original Gotcha is to substitute Arctic fox for craft fur. Arctic fox has a lot of inherent action in the water, and it’s tough as nails. This fly was productive for me in Abaco, and it has taken bonefish wherever else I have fished it. On a 2007 trip to Venezuela, my friend Sheila Hassan used one of my

70

TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE

Arctic Fox Gotchas to establish the International Game Fish Association (IGFA) women’s 2-pound line-class world bonefish record.

Over the years there have been many variations of the basic Gotcha pattern developed, but I tie three variations based on water depth in two color variations (in addition to tan, at Dick Brown’s suggestion I also tie a version with an orange wing, which has also been productive). The pattern above I use for bonefish in water less than knee-deep.

For bonefish in water deeper than knee-deep, I tie a Gotcha with a small dumbbell eye and dress the fly with no body— just a wing with some flash.

For tailing bonefish I tie a blind bendback version of the fly with no body—again, just a wing and four strands of Krystal Flash. Commercial bendback hooks have too radical a bend for my liking. You can make your own using a small pair of needle-nose pliers.

Simply reach the nose of the pliers back along the shank a hook-eye’s length. Bend the

hook just until you can feel the shank start to give. This is all the bend you need to raise the wing slightly on the finished fly.

A blind Arctic Fox Gotcha with an orange wing is responsible for my most memorable bonefish to date, a 7 1/2-pound tailing fish that I took while wading alone on a small, little-known flat in the West Indies. The fish was grubbing around on the edge of the flat next to deep water. When he took, I expected him to bolt off the edge and head for the depths. Instead, he turned around and tore across the open flat in inches of water— a legitimate 100-yard run.

Hook: Daiichi XPoint, X452, sizes 2 through 6 (size 4 shown) Thread: Danville Flat Waxed Nylon, Gotcha pink.

Eyes: Silver bead chain, size dependent on hook size and desired sink rate (I use medium bead chain for a size-4 hook).

Tail: Four strands of pearl micro braid, unravelled and trimmed at an angle.

Body: Bill’s Bodi-Braid, pearl.

Wing: Arctic fox dyed tan.

STEP 2

Secure four lengths of micro braid just behind the bead chain and wrap the length of the shank to the point of the hook barb. (If you have no micro braid, simply tie in a tag end of Bodi-Braid.)

Next, work the thread back to just behind the bead chain eyes. Tie in a length of Bill’s Bodi-Braid just behind the bead chain eyes, then wrap the thread forward on the shank and let it sit in front of the bead chain.

STEP 1

Begin wrapping the thread just behind the eye of the hook and use cross-wraps to securely fasten a pair of medium bead chain eyes far enough behind the hook eye to be able to tie in the wing and form the head. Use cyanoacrylate glue (Super Glue) or head cement on the wrappings between the bead chain eyes to make the fly more durable.

Create a fairly large head on the fly, then whip finish the head and coat it with head cement. Unravel the micro-braid tail and trim it at an angle as shown in the photo.

STEP 5

Take a length of Krystal Flash and fold it in half. Fasten this in the middle at the head of the fly, on top, so the strands of flash lie along the top of the wing.

You’ll end up with a total of four strands of Krystal Flash. Trim the fibers of Krystal Flash so that they all are a slightly different length.

STEP 6

Rotate the vise (or, for non-rotary, turn the hook upside down in the vise) so that the hook is point-up.

Cut a length of Arctic fox, cull out the wild hairs, the very short hairs, and the fluff near the butts. Trim the butts to an angle and fasten the wing in front of the bead chain eyes, tightening on the upstroke to prevent it from rolling around the shank. For durability, touch the ends of the butts with head cement before wrapping over them.

STEP 4

STEP 3

Wrap the Bodi-Braid back to the tail, and then wrap it forward again. Use cross-wraps to go between the bead chain eyes, and then tie the Bodi-Braid off behind the hook eye and trim.

TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE

71

Nobody Does It Better

888.512.8812

www.tflats.com

reservations@tflats.com

Dyeing Natural Materials

By George Roberts

In the early 1990s, tan Arctic fox fur was virtually impossible to find. For whatever reason, the companies that were marketing fox fur overlooked what I considered to be the most important color for bonefish flies in general and the Gotcha in particular.

I had the good fortune, then, to be friends with the late Bill Catherwood. That name might not be familiar to many readers, but Bill Catherwood arguably did more than any other fly tier to block out the entirety of modern saltwater fly tying. Bill dyed all of his own materials—look at any of his original flies and you’ll notice a subtlety of colors not available in commercial materials—and he showed me a simple way to dye natural materials on the stovetop using powdered Rit dye, which you can find in many fabric stores or in the fabrics section of larger retailers.

I’ve never attempted to dye anything but Arctic fox, but Bill used Rit powder to dye all of his materials: saddle hackles, marabou, deer body hair, and Scottish blackface sheep.

Today, tan Arctic fox is readily available through a number of fly-tying retailers. However, what’s commercially available might not be to your liking— maybe the shade is too dark or too light for your taste. By adjusting the amount of dye you use in the bath and a bit of trial and error, you can get just the shade you desire. Rit powder comes in 20 colors, so you’re sure to find a color that strikes your fancy and is not available at your local shop.

(Plain old orange not to your liking? Try tangerine!)

Supplies: • • • • • • • •

Arctic fox tail, white Dishwashing liquid Rit powdered dye, tan 1 liter tap water 1 cup white vinegar Aluminum or ceramic pan Tongs Paper towels

I suggest you begin by dyeing a single section of fox tail to see what the results are. You can then adjust the amount of dye that you use, if necessary.

When you achieve your desired results you can dye numerous sections of fox tail at once.

1. P repare the fox tail by first washing it using dishwashing liquid and warm water.

This rids the tail of any excess oils and prepares the hair to accept the dye.

2. A dd the liter of water to the pan and bring it to a low boil. Next, add the vinegar, which acts as a fixative for the dye. Measure out a portion of the dye powder and add it to the water. I suggest you begin with 1/2 teaspoon of dye and see what your results are. You can decrease or increase the amount of dye, as needed, in subsequent baths.

3. K eep the water at a low boil and let the fox tail soak up the dye. Allow the tail to remain in the bath for at least five minutes.

4. F inally, use the tongs to remove the tail section, then rinse it under warm water and place it on a bed of paper towels to dry. Allow the tail to dry completely before attempting to tie flies with it.

TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE

73

74

TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE

by Kelli Prescott Photos: Clay Corbin

Charcuterie boards have taken the spotlight over the past several years, and with good reason.

There’s nothing more impressive than pairing the perfect salty cured salami with a bright, funky cheese and tangy cherry jam.

And who doesn’t love to impress, especially when there’s no cooking, no prep, and no stress…? I’m a huge fan of meat-and-cheese boards for light dinners, easy lunches, or to pack on the skiff.

And they make the perfect hors d’oeuvres to share with friends for get-togethers of any size.

the charcuterie’s best friend, and pairing them should be effortless.

Consider a variety of textures and flavors ranging from savory to sweet.

Charcuterie literally means meats.

Charcuterie is a variety of cooked and cured products—typically pork—ranging from hard salamis to thinly-sliced, melt-in-your-mouth hams and juicy smoked sausages. Cheeses and condiments are

Choose a variety of cheeses and meats—at least two of each.

Allow for 3 to 4 ounces, total, of cheese per person and as many ounces of meat per person as well. Add some crackers, along with something else that’s crunchy

I’ve designed this article so that you can become a master of pairing and understand what really makes a meat-and-cheese board shine for any occasion.

First, decide what the goal of your platter is. How many are you feeding, what is the setting, and how much money do you want to spend?

TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE

75

(tiny pickles, fresh olives, candied nuts, etc.). You can find virtually everything you’ll need to make the perfect platter in your grocer’s cheese section.

You’ll likely find a cheese expert nearby as well.

Like wine and beer, cheese and charcuterie vary in cost and quality. You can find delicious selections on a budget, but those choices likely have not been aged as long or have sourced the same ingredients.

Below I’ve listed a variety of items for your next meatand-cheese board, from least pricey to most. Everything I’ve listed is interchangeable and will pair well together. Just remember to choose a variety. If you have a hard cheese, make sure you have a soft cheese as well. The same goes for meats; if you have a delicate

76

TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE

prosciutto, then add a hearty sausage or salami to contrast.

Cheeses: Cow’s-milk cheeses are most common and are less expensive than other choices. Choose fresh or marinated mozzarellas, cheddars, goudas, blue cheeses, and bries. If you want to get fancy, look for sheep’s-milk or goat’s-milk cheeses, unique rinds, cheeses wrapped in bark, and other unpasteurized or raw cheese products.

Don’t be afraid to smell all the cheeses for funkiness, and gently squeeze them to feel for texture. Go with your gut and choose cheeses you’re drawn to. Believe me, good cheese will give you the warm-and-fuzzies.

Meats: Always include homemade sausages, if available.

Pictured is my venison jager-

wurst, which eats like a bright and tangy summer sausage.

Any other sausage you like, as well as different varieties of pepperoni and salami, are readily available and inexpensive options. Hard aged salami is a bit more artisanal and offers a deeper flavor and chewier texture. Larger cured meats like prosciutto and bresaola should be sliced to order and served at room temperature. Cured meats have a long shelf life; stored properly, they can last up to one month in your refrigerator.

Condiments: Two words: spicy and sweet. Shop for condiments in your refrigerator first!

Honey, whole-grain mustard, assorted jams, fruits, olives, pickles…the list goes on.

Cheese loves them all! A few fancier picks of mine include

truffle honey and small-batch jams like the tart cherry preserve pictured from American Spoon.

Don’t overcomplicate condiment selection—just remember to use variety in both texture and flavor.

Presentation: Leave cheese blocks whole and maybe slice a few pieces to get your guests started. It’s nice to see the rind of each unique cheese, and it’s less work for you! I like to use a large cutting board or platter to display everything; a collection of small pocket knives adds a rustic feel. Fill blank spaces with sliced meat, fresh fruit, or woodsy herbs like rosemary and sage. Once you assemble your platter, cover it lightly with cheesecloth and let everything come to room temperature; this allows the flavors to come through and the texture of the cured meat to shine.

Charcuterie Pairing for the Skiff Skip trying to be fancy, and pair summer sausage and sopresseta with chunks of gouda and mild cheddar. Prep the slices of meat and chunks of cheese the night before and zip them

up in a storage bag. Pack fresh berries and crackers in separate snack bags.

Charcuterie Pairing for Two to Four Break out your favorite bottle of red wine (in my case, a nice Spanish Tempranillo) and use a cutting board as your serving platter. Try a firm cheddar or gouda along with a soft goat cheese drizzled with honey and black pepper.

Pair with prosciutto and hot smoked sausage.

Serve with crackers, candied pecans, and whole grain-mustard.

Charcuterie Pairing for a Crowd A little bit of this, a little bit of that! Stick to winning combinations: blue cheese and pecans, brie and jam, or cheddar with sausage and mustard. When buying, remember to allow for 3 to 4 ounces of meat and cheese per person. When plating, fill blank spaces with crackers, pickles, olives, and jam.

TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE

77

by ph Ball arini byJose Joseph Ballarini Viewing from the perspective of the cooler seat, you can’t fully appreciate the interplay of physics and finesse required to gracefully move a 500-pound boat though 8 inches of water.

Poling a boat is an acquired skill that is based in physics, but it requires time and practice to become proficient, even after one grasps the fundamental concepts.

Poling as we know it today was developed in South Florida. Back in the 1960s, Flip Pallot and Chico Fernandez balanced on top of an outboard cowling while using a fiberglass vaulting pole—a feat that by today’s standards is the equivalent of doing surgery with yard tools.

After a while, Chico and the late Bill Curtis persuaded Bob Hewes to include a poling platform on what is now considered the first modern flats skiff.

Flats fishing had just taken its first major leap forward.

78

TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE

Much has changed in the years since. Modern skiffs are now made of Kevlar and other materials, the same as those used in the construction of the space shuttles. Poles are also lightweight and quite strong. Technology has come far since the 1960s, but the one thing that hasn’t changed is how we use them.

Steering the boat with a pole can be tricky to say the least. One’s first visit to the platform usually has the boat going in circles, or swinging wildly left and then way to the right due to overcorrection.

Steering a skiff correctly is subtle, and true command comes with time, practice, and patience. For those of you reading this who have never poled, here are the four cardinal movements, accompanied by approximately 10,048 tiny variations: 1. To go straight, pole directly from the back of the boat.

2. To go left, pole to the left of the boat.

3. To go right, pole to the right of the boat.

4. To stop, pole forward either right or left, but keep in mind that the boat will turn in the direction of the pole.

In physics, mechanics is the study of the motion of objects and the forces that cause the motion to change. Poling a skiff is a variation of Newtonian mechanics that incorporates a lever arm, effort, a pivot, and a load. Using these principles, poling is a modified version of a seesaw or a wheelbarrow—but it’s not that simple. To move the boat easily and effectively, you must understand where to place, and how to apply, force. The rest usually takes care of itself.

Pushing 90 degrees from the left will move the platform to the right, but the bow of the skiff will turn to the left.

There are four quadrants that extend out about half the length of the push pole, with the poling platform being at the center. It’s paramount to understand how poling in each one of these quadrants affects the movement and positioning of the skiff.

The quadrants are labeled as follows: port bow, starboard bow, port aft, and starboard aft.

Where the pole makes contact with the bottom dictates the direction of the force, which in turn dictates the direction that the boat will move around the pivot point. To move the boat straight forward you need to place the pole directly behind the platform and push straight back. The boat will move forward in a straight line, but depending on whether the pole is on the left or the right of the motor, the boat will turn slightly in that same direction.

Assume there is no wind or current, so the boat is starting off stationary (not drifting). Push or apply pressure on the side of the boat that is the direction in which you wish to turn the bow.

For example, while motionless we decide that we would like to move forward while turning to the left. You would place the pole in the port aft quadrant and push, causing the boat to move forward and the bow to start turning to the left.

How dramatic the turn will be is determined by how far from the centerline of the skiff the pole is placed. Want to go forward and swing the bow to the right? Simply put the pole in the starboard aft quadrant and push. A push left will turn you left while a push right will turn you right.

Now let’s assume you are quickly moving forward and downwind. Suddenly, there are fish at 12 o’clock, and the boat needs to turn to give your right-handed caster a shot. It is not only important to turn the boat, but also important to slow or even stop the boat so that you don’t approach the fish too quickly.

TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE

79

1 To go straight, pole from the back of the boat.

This is when you should move the foot of the push pole forward into the starboard bow quadrant, making contact with the bottom. Apply pressure and hold rather than pushing off. This will stop the boat and swing the bow to the right. For correctness’ sake the stern of the boat will actually slide left but in either description, the fish are now at the 9 o’clock position and teed up for the angler on the casting platform.

2 To go left, pole to the left of the boat.

A principle to keep in mind is that closer to the the poling platform the pressure or push is applied, the less effect it will have. One exception would be if you were trying to make the skiff move forward in a strong headwind or current. In this situation, you must make a long push forward, and it’s best to start close to the platform. If the pole is too close to the transom it will be close to vertical. The closer to vertical the pole is, the more energy is wasted by pushing downward unless the boat is already moving. As a rule, try to keep the pole at as low an angle as possible. By keeping the pole low you will use less energy and are also less likely to be spotted by fish.

3 To go right, pole to the right of the boat.

A common question, and one that I had when I first began, is, Which side should you keep the pole on? Some say whichever side is more comfortable, but actually the pole should always be on the downwind or down-current side of the boat—whichever has the greatest influence on the movement. This is not intuitive, and took me several months to figure out.

To illustrate this point, if you are poling along in a crosswind, with the wind coming at you from the left, the pole should be on the right of your body. If you hold the pole there and push from directly astern (directly behind the platform in the starboard aft quadrant),

4 To stop, pole forward either right or left, but keep in mind that the boat will turn in the direction of the pole.

the bow will turn slightly to the left, giving you better control, and it will compensate slightly for the wind. This also applies when poling diagonally into wind or poling downwind.

every day. But more important, knowing how to pole allows me to fish on my boat with my guide friends and push them around for a change.

“Your other 10 o’clock, please!”

Experienced guides make it look easy. They use their hips or torso to adjust the force on the pole. Sometimes simply moving the pole away from the body allows the desired modification in direction. Again, there are four basic movements with an infinite number of variations. Becoming a proficient navigator with a stick takes practice, just as learning to cast takes practice. Learning to pole was a challenge, but it was essential for me as I couldn’t fish with a guide

Good times.

TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE

81

T

he

F

lats

at

the

E

nd

of

M

y

S

treet

by Ed Mitchell Five years ago, I migrated from New England to Florida, purchasing an inexpensive condo on the Gulf Coast, about 10 miles west of I-75.

It’s a decent little place, but believe me, there is nothing even remotely remote about my domicile. Forget about it. As far as the eye can see I’m surrounded by people, houses, and businesses—and for that matter, all the other essential cultural accoutrements of modern civilization. Yes, there’s a Super Walmart.

Does it mean there aren’t any fish nearby? Hardly. Fact is, there are flats at the end of my street.

That’s right, redfish live just down the road. How do you like them apples? A wee bit envious, are you? Well, truth is my flats aren’t the kind folks dream about: the ones loaded with huge, ravenous fish ready to rip the rubber legs off your crab fly. Nor are they the flats touted in travel catalogs: unmolested by Homo sapiens since the Bronze Age. No, the reds at the end of my street are welterweights at best, and the flats in need of a traffic light.

Now I’m not complaining, mind you. Truth is, I love these flats. They have taught me an enormous amount about flats fishing. And I’m still learning. Believe me, I’m forever grateful for it.

It’s here I undertook the perilous journey from being a card-carrying member of the striper surf to the exotic world of sight fishing. As any of the fly fishing cognoscenti will attest, bridging that gap is no easy matter. Sure, they both involve fly fishing, yet in terms of tackle and tactics they are about as related as moonlight and moonshine.

For one thing, prowling the New England coast for stripers is a very physical game. Yes, it is demanding work, vigorous and exhilarating.

You are taking things on by the horns. It is you against the North Atlantic. There are slippery jetties to climb, big flies to punch into the wind, waves to fight, and bone-chilling adventures into late autumn. All mandatory parts of the gig.

Moreover, a big chunk of it is done in the inky dinky dead of night. After all, it’s under the stars that the beast-sized stripers slide into shore and munch on your boots.

Sight fishing, on the other hand, is not physical at all. There’s no surf to contend with, no rocks to climb, no major wind, no night work, no freezing weather, no booming out long casts into a gale. None of that stuff. Far from it, sight fishing is cerebral. That doesn’t mean I think it’s easier. No, it’s difficult, but in different ways.

You have to slowly and silently sneak around in knee-deep water like an assassin, searching for a victim. And if the victim shows up you tiptoe

into position. And then make a pinpoint-accurate cast that must land with the resounding impact of a marshmallow dropped on grass.

Honestly, a tall order for a former double-hauling striper addict.

There are other differences of course, many on a basic level. For example, in Florida I had to abandon all my angling attire. You heard right— change clothes. Chest waders, foul-weather jacket, and wool caps are fashionable striper garb, but on the flats those duds will turn you into a sizzling Fajita. So, upon arrival I rustled up cool tropical threads including lightweight synthetic shirts and pants, both UV-rated, a straw sombrero, neoprene booties, a buff, and fishing gloves. Frankly, donning this garb and pulling up the buff made any visit to the mirror a humous experience. Was I going to knock off the local convenience store? Or try out for a part in a Poncho Villa documentary? There was no telling.

Along with the old wardrobe, I kissed my beloved 10-weight fly rod goodbye. Not easy, that.

After 30 years it was practically molded into my metacarpals. And with it went my stripping basket, and half-a-chicken-neck-size striper flies.

It was painful putting such trusted old friends in mothballs, but in the world of sight fishing none of that gear cut the mustard. Damn, I had to downsize. My new weapon of choice became a 6-weight rod with a 14-foot leader. What’s on the tiny tippet? Shrimp and crab flies so small that three will fit in your palm. Overall it resembles a freshwater trout outfit.

That left one more moat to cross. Up north I was strictly a shoreline soldier, fishing my way on long sandy strands. But down here I had to have some way of getting my butt out to the flats. The obvious choice was a flats boat— seemed the right medicine. They certainly look cool in the magazines. So I began asking questions, getting advice, reading Craigslist, and visiting boat dealers. All of this in search for deal on a used one. Had to keep the price down, you know.

TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE

85

That business came to a screeching halt, however, after a visit to a kayak shop. There on the floor was a yak the likes of which I had never seen before. Did a sit-on-top kayak and a stand-up paddle board have a love child? Smiling from ear to ear, the proud salesman strolled over and announced that I was looking at the perfect fly fishing flats machine. He knew my home waters and said this would quickly get me to the flats. The thing was three feet wide and stable enough to stand and cast, even with my 200-plus frame. I could sit and paddle or stand and paddle. Or stand and pole. All of this in a silent, sneaky, affordable craft. Really? Okay, out came the magic plastic card.

With that hybrid yak, new clothes, new tackle, and new flies, I began poling the flats at the end of my street. It felt really good.

The adventure was underway. But after a trip or two it became apparent I had a lot more to learn. There were fish, all right, but not a ton of them. More like one here, one there. And these natives were restless, living on pins and needles. Nearly every 86

TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE

time I showed my face on the flat, the little bastards scooted off in all directions. Holy Moly! Sometimes I saw them leave. Other times, wakes racing away announced their hasty departure. And there were subtle signs, too. A puff of smoke hanging over the bottom signaled where a redfish’s tail had kicked up the mud as it skedaddled away—as much as to say, “See you, dude.”

Exacerbating. Cruel, even.

What on earth was going on? Well, it was a bush league mistake on my part. I wasn’t being religious about keeping the sun at my back. Frankly, this was never an issue in my striper days. With the surf in front of me and the dunes at my back, I was a bug in the rug. The flats, on the other hand, make it hard to hide. Every time I poled down the flat into the sun, old Helios had my 6-footplus frame lit up like a pinball machine. And residents of the flat were seeing “tilt, tilt!”

No wonder they were hauling buns.

After that lesson I became a fanatic about keeping the sun at my back. It improved the odds greatly. You were pulling a switcheroo.

Now to look in my direction a redfish had to stare directly into the ferocious Florida sun, rendering them as blind as a bat.

Got my fingers crossed those reds don’t buy sunglasses.

Slowly but surely, I was getting dialed in, but there was an issue out of my control: boat traffic. I would be scouting along, poling silently, sun at my back, spotting fish, when trouble reared its ugly head. Off in the distance, a boat aimed at me. Armed with a huge motor on a jack plate it roared past, Captain Six Pack and crew convinced that the only fish in the universe live 5 miles to the north. Damn, the fish went flying everywhere! Twenty minutes later the flat would finally settle back down, and I regained composure. Then another boatload of conquistadors would buzz by, this crew convinced that the fish are all 5 miles to the south. Really?

Weren’t there any speed traps in this one-horse town?

I became convinced that the size of the outboard hanging off the transom of a boat is inversely proportional to the captain’s IQ. Who could blame me? It was maddening, and it had me offering these high-flying buccaneers the one-finger salute. An especially egregious episode might even elicit a loud fond farewell laced with four-letter words. Yeah, I was hot. Tide by tide, however, it became painfully clear that neither tactic was having a positive effect. The drive-bys

persisted. Worse yet, getting pissed off had a downside. Besides giving me heartburn, it was ruining my ability to focus on the fishing. Not good. You can’t catch fish on the flats when you’re frazzled.

Clearly an attitude adjustment was in order. Anger management anyone? Rather than getting frosted over, I had to chill out or risk never hooking up. It was pretty much that simple. Flats fishing is similar to chess; it’s a game of concentration. Hence, even under the fiery Florida sun it’s essential to remain cool, calm, and collected. So, like whiskey on oak, I mellowed with time.

Not a bad thing, really. Worked for me. And it does wonders for bourbon.

Still, during the first few months of my flat’s education, fishless days were all too common. They had me staring so hard at the horizon it hurt. Was it whittling away at my confidence? Maybe, but it wasn’t enough to get this Roman to drop his shield. No

sense crying in your beer when the dung hits the fan. Instead, do something about it. It’s a little-known angling fact that attitude is everything. Yeah, fly fishing is mind over matter.

Accept the challenge to be a survivor. Have undying faith in yourself. Enter the water with a song in your heart: “Oh, baby, let the sun shine down on me.”

The passing months led to more discoveries. I saw the most fish during the lower stages of the tide—the last of the going and the first of the coming. And the reds seemed more aggressive at these times, too, especially on the first of the flood. Sweetening the deal, during low water there was far less boat traffic.

This made me concentrate my efforts on those parts of the tide. It was a solid move.

The skinner parts of the tide concentrated the fish.

The deeper sand holes and troughs; certain cuts in the sandbar; the deeper grass

the size of the outboard hanging off the transom of a boat is inversely proportional to the captain’s IQ. TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE

87

Ed Mitchell is a writer, photographer, and lecturer with extensive fly fishing experience in fresh and salt water. He has written for all of the major fly fishing magazines and is the author of four books on the subject. Ed lives in Punta Gorda, Florida. His website is edmitchelloutdoors.com.

beds; and creek mouths— these were all hot spots. I call them the erogenous zones. Naturally, I focused my efforts on these areas, often getting off the paddle board and waiting 20 minutes, as still as a blue heron, waiting for reds to appear. And if I elected to move around I did it like a turtle crossing the road: slowly. The still waters of a flat broadcast your every move.

It’s the kiss of death. One has to creep up, make absolutely zero noise. Feel like breaking wind? Best not; hold it in.

88

TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE

Eventually things started going my way. That’s right, I was hooking them up. And believe me, a big red on a 6-weight is a royal blast! Maybe God did love me. And with the passing of each season, my flats fishing skills are improving. But as you might imagine, there is still no free lunch. In fact, there are days when even a fly line traveling overhead can trigger a stampede. That’s just how it is. Flats fishing isn’t for the faint of heart. Regardless of how much I learn, there are bound to be more mysteries ahead to solve. And I suppose

that’s what keeps my angling affliction going. It’s the burning desire to see if every lock has a key. That’s what makes fly fishing addictive on the flats at the end of my street.

90

TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE

By Joseph Albanese The first time I met Craig Cantelmo was over 10 years ago. Though our encounter was brief, it stuck out in my memory when I ran into him again a decade later. At the time, I was conducting interviews for the Marine Recreational Fishery Statistics Survey, better known as MRFSS, for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Agency (NOAA).

As a field intercept interviewer, it was my duty to stop anglers as they were departing from whatever site I was assigned to that day—pier, beach, boat ramp—and ask them a series of questions and weigh and measure their catch, if they would permit me to.

TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE

91

I paid more attention to my rigging than the average Joe, but Craig’s attention to detail showed me that I really needed to be more meticulous.

Most times, this didn’t go over so well. Many anglers viewed my queries as government overreach, and they had some choice words for me when I attempted to get them to answer a few questions. Others believed that cooperating with the interview would lead to stricter regulations and tighten the limits on some of the more popular species. Party boat captains would curse me, and the occasional mate would make a passing threat. I’m built fairly sturdily, so it never went beyond that, but there were a few occasions where I thought it might.

My interaction with Craig was much more pleasant. I happened upon him just after he had retrieved his center console using the launch ramp in Montauk’s famed Westlake

92

TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE

Marina. I was preparing myself for a continuation of the day’s onslaught of verbal abuse when the captain greeted me politely and eagerly agreed to answer my questions. NOAA was primarily interested in quantifying the dollar amount spent by anglers pursuing saltwater fish, so most of the questions had to do with the distance traveled to fish and if any food and lodging was purchased for the trip. Of course, they also wanted to know how successful the trip was.

Craig was interested in how the catch data would be interpreted, and how it could be used to improve the health of the striped bass stocks. In the early 2000s, the East Coast was just starting to experience some fantastic striper fishing after the lows of the 1980s.

Like some of the more conservation-minded anglers, Craig was hoping we could keep the population growing. He was genuinely interested in the project, and he asked if there were any additional ways he could assist. I could tell that the health of the ocean and its denizens was a big concern for him.

I ran into Craig again when he was manning the Van Staal booth at the Fly Fishing Show in New Jersey. Though Craig no longer owns the company, he definitely steers the ship when it comes to product development, which includes interacting with the customers. If you’re not familiar, Van Staal manufactures spinning reels that have achieved cult status on the East Coast for their ability to operate flawlessly in the harshest conditions—even underwater. Rock hoppers and those who swim to their spots embraced the impervious reels, as did offshore anglers who used them to pop for tuna. In 2000, the company introduced a fly reel with an innovative convex shape, the C-Vex. They recently introduced a new model, and I managed to wrangle an invitation to go fishing as he was explaining the inner workings of the VF fly reel to show-goers.

Craig took me out on the pebble beaches of Long Island’s North Fork to chase false albacore at the tail end of last summer. In the process I learned a thing or two, and it became apparent that the few albies I had managed to catch from the beach before were happy accidents. I thought I paid more attention to my rigging than the average Joe, but Craig’s attention to detail showed me that I really needed to be more meticulous, especially when targeting the sharpeyed speedsters. He checked every knot twice, and he checked every leader compulsively every few casts. When you’re dealing with fish that can pull the way they do, even a tiny nick can spell disaster.

Unlike the stripers and bluefish I usually pursue, false albacore have large eyes, which give them eagle-like vision. I typically use a 6- to 9-foot leader when fishing the Northeast, but Craig doesn’t go shorter than 12 feet when targeting albies. Like many who chase the hardtails, he considers fluorocarbon to be standard equipment. To ensure the fly has proper motion in the water, Cantelmo uses Kreh’s loop knot. If it was good enough for Lefty, it’s good enough for

TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE

93

us mere mortals. Craig avoids any knot that pinches anywhere in his setup, choosing a Bimini twist to put a loop in his backing to attach his fly line. On the opposite end, a perfection loop allows him to attach his leader.

The way Craig retrieved was new to me as well. I’m familiar with using a two-handed retrieve to move flies rapidly, but he did so by using his index fingers as hooks instead of the hand-overhand grab I am accustomed to. By retrieving in this manner, Craig is able to lock the line in his fingers and back up to continue the retrieve to hook a fish if they happen to strike as both arms are pulled all the way back, which they always seem to be. This approach certainly seems to up the strike-to-hookup ratio, and will be in my bag of tricks from now on.

When it comes to looking for likely places to tangle with albies from the beach, Craig considers 4 feet to be the shallowest the thoroughbreds will tread, with 6 feet being most ideal. This runs contrary to conventional wisdom in the Northeast, which states that

94

TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE

the fast fish seek the comfort of deeper waters. I guess it shouldn’t be surprising that they don’t mind the shallows, as they can outrun damn near anything in the ocean if trouble arises.

Craig speculates that the narrow water column makes it easier to corral bait, and from what I saw that day it seems to be true.

The limited depth also makes it easier for those on shore to spot schools of sardines or other favored baits—a plus when scouting locations.

A lot of anglers do the Atlantic’s version of Running Down the Man, chasing after blitzing albies when they break the water’s surface, but Craig showed me that’s not necessary and can be counterproductive. The majority of the nine fish he hooked during that afternoon’s tide did not show themselves prior to his casting. The fish were hooked while blind casting, with Craig speculating that maximizing the time spent with a fly in the water would maximize his catch, and minimize the time he spent fruitlessly running along the rocky shoreline. Once again, the proof was in the pudding.

While it’s easy to tell that fishing is Craig’s favorite thing to do, conservation is as important to him today as it ever was; he advocates for healthy fish stocks so that our kids can enjoy the passions that started for us as a hobby. He spends most of his time ensuring that everything at Van Staal runs smoothly, but his pet project is an oyster farm started with the goal of improving water quality. Though the operation does produce a delicious crop, only a handful are sold to local restaurants. The rest are kept in the bay, where they continue to cleanse the water—water that Craig hopes will be home to healthy fish stocks for generations to come.

Joseph Albanese’s first career was in natural resources, which took him from New York City to the Alaskan bush, with experiences as varied as the terrain.

Now in the midst of a new career in written communications, his work has been featured in a variety of national publications.

To see more of his work, visit josephalbanese.com.

I removed the fly from her lip and released her back onto the flat. As I watched her kick her way back home, my smile began to hurt my cheeks. The feeling of satisfaction that swept over me was unsurpassed by all other experiences. This fish was special because it was the first I had taken on a fly that I had tied.

My fly was anything but perfect, but to me it was the Mona Lisa.

96

TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE

I had been fishing for many years and had dabbled in fly tying, but I was never serious about it, probably because I wasn’t very good at it. Videos and online instruction assume that the tier has basic skills.

Well, I didn’t. I had no skills, in fact; I didn’t even know how to get the thread to stay on the hook when starting a fly. I’m not lacking in intelligence—I simply never learned to tie

flies. And why would I when there are so many commercially available options?

As I became more passionate about fly fishing, my desire grew to catch a fish on a fly that I had tied. It almost became a quest. I finally did catch a bonefish with my own fly, but they’re not as fussy as permit and other species, depending on where you’re fishing.

When I asked other anglers and posted questions on internet forums, I was astonished at the feedback. For one reason or another, many “hard core anglers” don’t tie flies.

Some cited time constraints as the issue. Some said their near vision had deteriorated with age. Still others said it was simply easier to buy them.

I wonder what will happen to the art of fly tying as we know it if the trend of buying, rather than tying, continues? The art of fly tying is not in danger—at least I don’t think it is. I’m reassured by the fact that there are many fly anglers who still tie, but it’s unfortunate that I rarely see those who tie well.

Although I can’t tie it myself, I do know a good fly when I see it. This comes from years of angling and being observant.

Instagram and other social media venues host a lot of fly tiers, but most of them are like me—novices to intermediates. They can tie established patterns sufficiently, but most cannot originate new patterns.

98

TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE

I want to see new patterns, such as when Gary Merriman’s Tarpon Toad or Eric Peterson’s Spawning Shrimp were new and exciting. They had purpose. The toad was made to be lightweight and sit in the mid-column, which is the perfect place to entice a tarpon to eat. What happened to flies like that? More important, what happened to ideas like that? I know that I (and probably many like me) would really like to see come to an end the practice some fly tiers have of making a slight modification to a known, successful pattern and calling it their own. Please know that substituting synthetic fibers for marabou does not constitute a new fly pattern.

I’m calling for innovation, but it won’t be coming from me. I barely have the skills to tie established patterns. I appreciate the clubs and tying groups that keep the activity alive, but can we do anything to promote the craft? Is there something we can do to spur creativity and novelty? How do we draft talent for this?

One issue could be that even though fly anglers are pretty laid back in general, they are also hypercritical. Why is everyone so damned critical of each other when we’re just fishing and having fun? Maybe some fly tiers are just tired of being criticized, so they’re not showing us their best for fear of what others might say.

Maybe they’re keeping their patterns secret because they work so well. Who knows…?

Again, because I lack the skills, the innovation won’t come from me, but I’m willing to facilitate any good ideas about how to get it going, because I, for one, would welcome new and innovative patterns to my fly box.

Calling all fly tiers: Time to get busy. The next great fly pattern is waiting to be created.

Maybe Tail Fly Fishing Magazine could sponsor a contest…

Guys…?

WATER RESISTANT | SHOCK RESISTANT | ANTI-MAGNETIC

THIS WATCH WASN’T MADE FOR THE SOCK DRAWER. Automatic timepieces for any adventure. Discover yours at seaholmautomatic.com.

Seaholm watches are subject to a limited warranty. Please visit seaholmautomatic.com for more information.

PHOTO: DAVID MANGUM