Fishing Trips

Welcome to my many visitors and friends. I certainly appreciate the time you spend here at "Fishing With Dad". I must say that I am super impressed with the wide variety of locations my visitors come from. See for yourself. It's great having you all join me in my journey through life and my quest for smallmouth bass. Keep returning and checking in on dear ole' dad!

Can you find yourself in the listing?

Fishing With Dad - Last 100 Visitors
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Over the past two summers, I have only FF once or twice... none last year! I began having serious issues with arthritis in my hand, wrist and elbow from years of sports and genetics and it prevented me from doing many things. I had to give up rowing my kayak and FF, two things I loved doing.

This past February and later in June (2009), I had two surgeries with 6 different procedures to help these issues. I am still feeling it at times in my hand and elbow. The wrist is doing much better overall.

I am hoping to return to fly fishing this upcoming season. I'll be out in the backyard practicing my casting. I may start by casting my 5/6 wt. and then gradually work my way back to my 8 wt.

I requested on several fishing boards I frequent for anyone who had similar surgical procedures on their hand, wrist, or elbow due to arthritis to let me know how you went about recovering and getting back to FF.

I'm extending that request here on "Fishing With Dad." Has anyone here ever gone through any hand, wrist, or elbow surgery and rebound to FF once again.

I do cast spinning and casting reels. In fact, I did so during my healing and therapy process. It really helped. But as we know, casting a fly line is a lot different.

dad

As you probably have guessed, I like tying flies. I don't spend all of my free time tying, but I do sit down every once and a while a tie.
Since I'm in a freshwater mood, I decided to tie some stuff that might appeal to bluegill and other panfish. I tied jigs on 1/124-ounce heads and a couple of difference colors of scuds. I think both will work just fine. Scuds imitate the tiny freshwater shrimp that live in Florida lakes and streams.

The jig is simple to tie. The design is by a friend of mine, Capt. Pete Greenan of the Gypsy Guide Service in Sarasota.

Capt. Pete's Simple One

Hook: 1/124-ounce jig head
Thread: Fine mono
Tail: Chartreuse marabou
Body: Micro Ice Chenille (pearl)

The scuds aren't too difficult, either.

Gibby's Bluegill Scud

Hook: No. 14 scud hook
Thread: 6/30
Body: Dubbed rabbit
Shellback: Scud back
Ribbing: Fine wire

Can't wait to try them out!

The weather is warming and the fishing is improving.
After some unusually cold weather, I finally was able to get out. I did well.
Spotted seatrout and redfish are the main targets. Remember, snook season is closed at least until Sept. 1. Scientists estimate that nearly 10 percent of the snook along Florida's west coast were killed during the record cold. You can catch-and-release snook, but you cannot keep them.
That's OK! We're catch-and-release anyway.
I'm not sure how beach snook fishing will be affected. Last spring and summer, we had a wonderful time sight-fishing snook in the surf. It was a record year for us. I caught snook to 39 inches (nearly 20 pounds) and had a number of fish of more than 28 inches. In addition, I caught spotted seatrout, ladyfish, jack crevalle, mangrove snapper and flounder.
My best day was spectacular and certainly "once in a lifetime." On that August outing, I caught and released 15 snook to 39 inches, including six of more than 28. I landed three redfish to 32 inches. And I "jumped" three tarpon, all of which went more than 100 pounds.
My best morning was 41 snook on fly.
Beach snook fishing is all sight-fishing. We don't make a cast until we see the fish. I've been doing this for more than 20 years and I know where the fish are at any particular time. We use 6- to 9-weight rods, floating or sinktip lines and 20-pound leaders with 25-pound fluorocarbon shock tippets.
Our fly of choice is my D.T. Special (variation), the best beach snook fly I've ever used.
Back to the present ...
I've been getting into some large spotted seatrout. On an outing to Palma Sola Bay, I caught and released 25 trout to 6 pounds. I had many trout in the 18-inch range.
I fished Al Ewert and his daughter, Annie. Al manages a BMW store in Connecticut while Annie is a senior at UConn. Both are accomplished anglers.
They caught about 15 trout to 4 pounds in Sarasota Bay off Stephens Point. All fish came on D.O.A. CAL Jigs with shad tails. Fishing was tough, but their persistency was the difference in trying conditions.
On Wed., Jan. 27, I spoked at Economy Tackle/Dolphin Dive in Sarasota. To my surprise, a standing-room-only crowd showed up. And the audience was enthusiastic, attentive and asked a lot of question. I talked about cold weather kayak fishing.
I am scheduled to conduct seminars and tie flies Feb. 26 and Feb. 27 at the Grand Opening of Flint Creek Outfitters in Riverview.
I will serve as the Master of Ceremonies at the Lakewood Ranch Anglers Club's annaul Kids Fishing Tournament on Feb. 27.
On March 18, I will speak at the Suncoast Fly Fishers in St. Petersburg.
Fishing is improving. We're keeping our fingers crossed that the sun shines and the wind is calm.

My winter boat maintenance is now done and the G3 is back safe and sound in my garage. I took my boat to Lakeside Marine in Harrisburg, Pa. on January 4, 2010 and told JC Nuss to take his time on the work. I was in no big hurry to get on the water after spending six days in the hospital. I picked it up yesterday, January 27, 2010.

The following work was completed:
1. Oil changed in the 4-Stroke 115/80 Yamaha
2. Filter in water separator changed
3. The trolling motor was repaired under warranty - armature replaced
4. The auto-bilge was not functioning. There was a wire corroded and needed replaced.
5. Rod straps were placed on my front deck.
6. My steering and throttle cables were checked and adjusted
7. Plug cover for one outlet was replaced.
8. Replaced tell tale water hose (water stream) that was damaged.
9. Routine trailer check with replaced wheel bearing, both seals, and packed.
10. Adjusted trolling motor steering cables.
11. Necessary lubes used.

Cost ran around $345 which is great for the amount of labor and supplies needed to get the job done. Now I'm prepared to tackle yet another season of hard smallie fishing!

A big thank you to my buddy, JC Nuss, and Lakeside Marine for the work they did in prepping my rig for this coming season!

dad

One of my most favorite people in the world died this week after a long battle with mini-strokes, diabetes, and dementia. He was one of my Judo instructors as far back as the 1970's. His name is Charlie Cavrich. Charlie was a Master Examiner for the USJA (United States Judo Association) and had promoted me to both dans (Nidan) I earned in the years I spent in Judo.

http://obits.pennlive.com/obituaries/pennlive/obituary.aspx?pid=138984525

Charlie is a Marine in Ammo Company that served in the Korean Conflict. He was always into fitness and trained hard. The pictures of his younger years in the military was a testimony to his work ethic.

Sensei Charlie cared about others. He gave us leadership in hard times and he served as a father figure for all who were students of judo.

I was proud to have known such a fine man in my life and he will be sorely missed.

We attended a Mass of Christian Burial today in Camp Hill. Charlie was a member of the Church of the Good Shepherd Roman Catholic Church. He was well-loved by his fellow parishioners.

May he find peace in the hands of the Lord.

dad

(Den Kelly of Sag Harbor, NY tagging Stripers on the Kennebec River 09/15/09)

Happy New Year Everyone!!!

As a way to kick off the New Year and New decade, We at Super Fly Charters would like to offer all our customers a $50.00 discount for any trip booked before April 1st, 2010. This our small way of saying thank you to everyone that has helped to make our business a great success.

I'm looking forward to having you all back aboard this season!!!

We'll once again be chasing Striped Bass, Bluefish, Bluefin Tuna and other species...dont Miss out on the action!!!

Capt. George Harris
207-691-0745
www.superfly-charters.com

I took my friend Thom Mattauch out to look for some kitties on the James. We launched from Deep Bottom and covered a lot of water. I haven't been skunked on catfish in a while, but some days.... it's just the way it goes. I didn't even get a hook up. Thom had two hook ups and lost both (one right by the boat). On the way back in we saw 4 or 5 bald eagles and several great blue herons.

Thom, sorry I couldn't get you on some fish. Maybe next time.

Welcome Back to Fishing With Dad!

This past Wednesday, I got an unexpected call from my good buddy, Mike Burton. Mike was an agriculture teacher in the same school district that I was a middle school counselor. We share a passion for fishing and both fished in a same bass club years back. In fact, Mike was the person who invited me to join the club.

Mike loves to make his own bass lures. He pours many different styles of jigs, spinnerbaits, and blade baits.

Mike called to invite me to his home to pour whatever jigheads I may need. I told him that I could really use some tubeheads and ballhead jigs in different weights on 3/0 and 4/0 hooks.

So, this morning after breakfast I headed to Mike's home to met up with him and pour jigheads.

Here's the process...

Mike owns all the necessary equipment. He has a melting pot that heats the lead to the desired melting temperature. He has a dipping ladle that is used to transfer the extremely hot melted lead into the heated mold.

Mike has a ton of different size hooks. Today, we concentrated on 1/16th, 1/8th and 1/4 oz. weights on our jigheads and tubeheads. These particular molds we used today are sized according to the size (length of shank) of the hook being used. We used two different molds for the 3/0 and 4/0 hooks. Each mold had three separate sized heads.

Once the mold is heated and the led is amply melted, we were ready to begin. I did the pouring today and Mike cleaned each jig head by trimming the mold sprues(excess lead).

Dad carefully pouring lead into the molds

Once complete, I used a pair of pliers to remove each jighead. Not only do I not need to touch the lead, but the pliers helped me not burn my finger tips.

We always do the best we can to not touch in excess the lead we are using throughout the day. We also have ample air circulating through the garage by cracking open the garage door and the back garage door. I was a bit nip in the garage, but by the pictures you will see that we dressed rather warmly for the 31 degrees this morning.

Mike removed the excess lead form each jighead.

Finished products... 376 jigheads! Tubeheads - (76) 1/4 oz and (160) 1/8t) oz. and Ballhead Jigs - (70) 1/16th oz and (70) 1/8th oz.

I really enjoyed spending the day with my old fishing buddy. We had a lot to catch up on since we last seen each other in the late fall. We ate lunch at his home that his lovely wide, Marie, prepared... Homemade Bean Soup and Grilled Ham and Cheese Sandwiches. I certainly did appreciate the hot coffee that Mike and Marie brewed for us as we sat in the cold garage!

Thanks Mike and Marie!

Dad

I hate cliches, but necessity really is the mother of invention.
Ugh.
Anyway, I needed a fly that would appeal to spotted seatrout, yet hold up to the toothy destruction of bluefish and Spanish mackerel.
When it comes to seatrout, it's difficult to beat a Clouser Deep Minnow. However, they don't fare well to sharp teeth. After you catch a couple of fish, all you have is a hook with some lead eyes and maybe 2 or 3 strands of bucktail. You can go through a dozen or more bucktail Clousers with the bite is on.
So, I set out to come up with a fly that not only trout like, but also would last when you tangle with toothy fish.
After thinking about it, I came up with the Big Eye Baitfish, a fly that appeals to a variety of fish and holds up very well.
It features a wing of Super Hair stacked on top of Fish Hair, a pair of tough synthetics. The body is coated with epoxy as is the head.
The fly works very well over deep grass flats. It's obviously patterned after the Clouser, but holds up a little better.

Gibby's Big Eye Baitfish

Hook: Mustad 34006 No. 1
Thread: Fine mono
Body: 1/8-inch silver Flexi-Cord
Wing: White Fish Hair topped with chartreuse Super Hair
Eyes: Large Orvis Dumbbell Eyes

Steps:

1. Attach mono thread about 1/8 inch behind hook eye.
2. Tie in large Orvis Dumbbel Eyes.
3. Attach Flexi-Chord and coat with Devcon 2-Ton Epoxy. Allow to dry (I have an electric fly turner).
4. After body dries, reattach thread and tie in a clump of white Fish Hair and top that with chartreuse Super Hair.
5. Build up head and whip finish.
6. Epoxy head and allow to dry.

The more I know about fishing, the less I know.
I do realize, however, the only thing I have figured out is that I don't have much figured out about fishing. It's a complex sport that is affected by a variety of variables.
On Monday, I launched my Native Watercraft Ultimate 14.5, the best fishing kayak going, at the foot of the Cortez Bridge. My plan was to paddle to Palma Sola Bay where I'd received a tip that there were redfish in the shallows.
I found the reds soon after arriving.
I fished them all day.
I caught none.
I had no hits.
I really didn't get a good shot at any.
I returned Tuesday because the lure of redfish was too much to resist. On the way to Palma Sola, I stopped at a large sand hole just northwest of Price's Key. I caught 10 spotted seatrout to 18 inches on my Big Eye Baitfish. I was casting a 6-weight rod and sinktip line.
It was good to feel the battle of feisty trout after three weeks of brutal cold and little fishing.
I headed through a cut and into Palma Sola. I stood and poled myself over the shallows, looking for redfish.
I saw a few, but not nearly as many as the day prior. I moved out a little and began a drift over a deeper portion of the flat. The east wind was perfect for drifting.
My path was taking me near some great looking sand holds. I knew that threre should be redfish and trout lurking in the holes since it was low tide.
I hooked a fish that I was sure was a red. It was heavy and strong. It took line easily. I was surprised when the fish came to the surface and wallowed like a trout. It was a large spotted seatrout ... one of the heaviest I've ever taken on flly. The fish was almost too heavy for the 6-weight rod, but not quite. The trout was 26 1/2 inches and fat.

I landed the fish after a couple of minutes. I removed the fly and took a couple of quick photos. It's not the easiest task to photograph and fish when you're by yourself. I then returned the gator trout to water and watched it swim off.

I saw a couple of other kayakers fishing in deeper water. I poled out just to see what was going on. They were catching smaller trout. I made a few casts and caught a couple of trout that went 10 inches or less.

I found a grass line that was holding larger fish and caught 10 trout that ranged from 16 to 19 inches. In all, I landed 25 trout to 6 pounds.

Not a bad day, considering the weather we've had. Not a bad day at all.

My Aunt Ginnie sent this to me today...

A palindrome reads the same backwards as forward. This video reads the exact opposite backwards as forward. Not only does it read the opposite, the meaning is the exact opposite. This is only a 1 minute, 44 second video and it is brilliant. Make sure you read as well as listen.forward and backward.

This is a video that was submitted in a contest by a 20-year old. The contest was titled "u @ 50" by AARP. This video won second place. When they showed it, everyone in the room was awe-struck and broke into spontaneous applause. So simple and yet so brilliant. Take a minute and watch it.

Copy and Paste into Your Browser:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=42E2fAWM6rA

Hello Folks,

Please join me in wishing my lovely wife, Julie, in celebrating her birthday today, January 17, 2010!

We met in 1973 while students at Millersville State College (Millersville University, Pa.). She was a Junior and I was a sophomore... Cougar! LOL

We dated for four years before marrying on October 22, 1977.

It's hard to believe that we have been together for over 36 years. I tease her by saying, "I've known you longer now than I didn't know you!" Scary thought... :-)

We had three home-grown children. However, our first child and only daughter, Amanda Marie, died after only 15 days with us. It was devastating, but we were able to deal with the grief of her loss together and moved on. We adopted a beautiful baby boy from Costa Rica six months after my wife gave birth to our first son. Now, we had two babes in our home and it's never been quiet since!

Five years later, we were blessed with our youngest son.

My wife is a loving mother and a fantastic wife. She has always been a worker and has over 31 years in at the Kellogg Company of Lancaster, Pa. She definitely puts the "Snap, Crackle, and Pop!" in my mornings... :-)

She's an angel for putting up with me and all that dang fishing I do. Actually, she is an outdoor girl and loves to fish almost as much as me... almost! ;-)

Happy birthday, Honey!

Love,
dad

Hello Folks...

I've been pretty busy this past week. Our 9th grade basketball team had games on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday this past week. It felt like we were following the NBA schedule!

We have a catcher on our local Atlantic league (Independent) baseball team who is in remission from leukemia. His name is Jed Morris and his illness did slow him down for awhile and caused his early departure from the minor leagues.

Jed is now on the rebound from his ordeal from this horrible disease and was able to play catcher once again this past summer on the Lancaster (Pa.) Barnstormers team.

My wife and I volunteered to help at a benefit Bowl-a-Rama known as "You and Me on a Comeback". It was a "Fan-tastic" day of bowling at our local bowling alley.

There were several hundred folks bowling throughout the day. The entire event culminated in a bowling competition for this charity between 5 members of the York (Pa) Revolution and the Lancaster Barnstormers.

I took plenty of pics and would like to share them here with you.

My wife and Jed Morris at the sign-in table.

Barnstomers' mascot, Cylo, greets young boy.

The kids were dancing away with Lancaster Barnstormers' mascot, Cylo! Cylo is a big furry bovine-like character who adds a lot of fun and entertainment at each home baseball game was named this due to the fact that we are in the middle of the richest and fertile Susquehanna River basin.

The Competition - The York Revolution

Tommy Herr (St. Louis Cardinals -World Series Championship ring, Phillies, and Barnstormer's manager), 2nd Baseman, Jed Morris (#37), and Aaron Herr (3rd baseman for the Lancaster Barnstormer team).

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Jed Morris and dad prior to the day's event starting.

Bryan Sabetella played first base for the Lancaster Barnstormers, but moved back into another independent league (Level AAA) and played for Shreveport-Bossier in the 2009 season.

well- let's the 2010 fishin year begin...
Location: BARROW RIVER ROI
Date: JAN 2010
Target: PERCH
Results: LOTS OF FISH UP TO 25cm
Method: SPINNING
Lures: SMALL SHADS AND JELLY WORMS

Dick Pfaff, a kayak specialist at Economy Tackle/Dolphin Dive in Sarasota, called me the other day and wanted to know if I'd be interested in conducting a kayak fishing seminar?

I'm always interested.

So, we set Jan. 27 as the date. I'll talk about fishing in cold weather that evening at 6:30. Economy Tackle is located at 6018 S. Tamiami Trail. Check this out for exact location: http://www.floridakayak.com/.

Fishing in the cold is quite appropo, considering the winter we've been experiencing. Water temperature is about 47 degrees and we've had numerous fish kills. According to Capt. Rick Grassett of the Snook Fin-Addict, there have been reports of dead snook from Tampa Bay to Naples.

"I fished Charlotte Harbor on Tuesday and we didn't even get a bite," said Grassett. "And there were dead snook all over the place."

While it can be very tough to catch fish during periods of extreme cold, there are a few tips that will work when the weather starts to warm. Even though the water temperature may be in the high 40s or low 50s, fish have to eat.

I will talk about these techniques at the seminar and hope to see you there!

For information, call Economy Tackle at (941) 922-9671.

I don't eat a lot of native fish for a variety of reasons.

As I have written in other blogs, I don't agree with killing heavily regulated species as snook, spotted seatrout and redfish. And it's those species that I mainly target.

Additionally, my wife, Kathy, is a vegetarian. So, I don't want to kill a fish and have a portion go to waste.

But every once in a while, I'll keep a fish. I've been known to take a Spanish mackerel, flounder or pompano home.

While I don't keep fish very often, I do know how to cook them.

Still, I find a number of people who aren't hesitant to pronounce their disdain for fish.

"I don't like fish," they'll say.

Why not?

"Because they taste fishy."

That's understandable. I wouldn't want to eat a fish that tastes "fishy," either.

Fish that taste "fishy" usually come from grocery stores and fish markets.

Rule No. 1: Never buy fish that's on sale. The reason that it's on sale is that it has been on ice for several days and it's not at its freshest.

Realize that commercial boats for out for two weeks or more at a time. The first fish caught are dumped into the cooler and they're the last fish out. I don't know about you, but I wouldn't go out, catch a fish, take it home and put it in my refrigerator for two weeks and then eat it.

Several years ago, I was offshore on a grouper outing. We had a good day and caught a number of hefty gag grouper. I kept one fish. When I got home, I was informed that we were having company for dinner. That meant I had to come up with more grouper.

I drove over to Publix and bought a couple more grouper fillets.

Back at home, I washed all of the fillets. That's when someone said, "What's that smell?"

It was the Publix grouper, obviously not the freshest fish.

I'm also not a fan of freezing fish. I know there are several freezing methods out there that supposedly work very well, I'm still not a fan. As soon as you freeze a fish, the cellular breakdown begins.

I kept a grouper one time and prepared only one fillet. I put the unused fillet in the refrigerator and planned to use it the next day. Well, something came along to change the plans and I forgot about it.

Several months later, I came home and dinner was ready: grouper, baked potatoes, green beans and salad.

What a surprise!

As we started eating, someone said, "What's wrong with this grouper?"

I asked where the grouper had come from? I was told that it was the fillet that I had put in the refrigerator. It had been wrapped and frozen.

Those who dislike fish probably have never had fresh fish. Freshly caught fish has no "fishy" odor. Also, some species are milder than others. Grouper and snapper are examples of mild fish.

Bluefish, on the other hand, are very oily and strong. I only keep bluefish to put in my smoker. Smoked blues and mullet make great smoked fish spread.

Cooking fish is an art in itself. Many people have no clue what to do.

I like to grill or saute most of my fish. I'll only resort to frying about once every 10 years.

I love pompano. I'll take fillets and marinate them in Zesty Italian Dressing for more than three hours (a full day is best). Then, I'll place the fillets skinside down on the grill and allow them to cook for five minutes per inch. Turn them once, cook for five minutes and your done. You don't have to turn them several times.

Ditto for kingfish, Spanish mackerel and other species.

When I'm out fishing and get the hankering for fresh fish, I'll make sure than we're going to be home that night or the next evening. Then, I'll only keep enough fish for one meal. If there are leftovers, they're usually great to snack on the next day.

The fishing industry is one of the least regulated industries in the country. In fact, a lot of folks have purchased grouper and toted home tilapia.

How do most people know what they're getting or eating? Most don't.

I ate at a Hops (restaurant) in Tampa a few years ago. I wasn't in the mood for steak, so I ordered catfish fillets. I love fresh catfish.

When the waiter brought the meal, he set the plate down in front of me. I looked at the fillets and it was obvious they weren't from a catfish. The fillets were not long like a catfish. They were about the size of a large bluegill or speckled perch.

I didn't think much about it because the fish was excellent.

Next day, however, I started thinking about it and decided to call the restaurant. I told the manager that I had ordered catfish and received another species.

"I can assure you it was catfish," he said, pompously.

We argued for a while and he then admitted, "OK, it was tilapia. We ran out of catfish. But there's nothing wrong with tilapia."

I told him that I hadn't called to complain about the taste of the fish. I had called to complain that I had ordered catfish and was served something else.

"Well," he said, "most people don't know the difference."

It was the old bait and switch. I had ordered the more expensive catfish and served the cheaper tilapia.

Snook have the reputation of being Florida's tastiest inshore fish. They may be, but that they're out of season six months and year and have a strict slot limit (28 to 32 inches) adds to the myth. And snook are a gamefish, so they cannot be commercially harvested or sold. Restaurants can't have them on their menus.

That didn't stop someone from importing Nile perch from Africa and marketing them as snook. At first, you'd just find snook on the menu. Then, when folks started complaining, they changed the name to Lake Victoria snook, which satisfied the requirements of the Food and Drug Administration.

I talked with FDA and was told that since snook were related to Nile Perch it was OK to market them as Lake Victoria snook.

Convoluted reasoning, I thought.

That would be the same as catching a bass and selling it as a speckled perch. Bass and specks are in the same family. And specks are much tastier. This is just an example, though, since those freshwater fish are illegal to commercially harvest and sell.

One of my favorite franchise restaurants is Outback Steakhouse. Redfish showed up on their menu a few years ago. I asked the waiter to get the manager. It is illegal in Florida to commercially harvest redfish or sell them.

The manager told me that their redfish were pond-raised in China, so it was OK. I told him Florida laws stated that possession of more than one redfish is illegal and that it's illegal to sell redfish.

The menu was changed the next day.

Food for thought:

Years ago, I caught a number of sheepshead, porgy and Key West grunt. I took them home and dredged the fillets in Italian bread crumbs. I then fried them in peanut oil. I took the leftovers to some friends who raved about my creation.

"Best fish I've ever eaten."

"Fresh grouper?"

When I told them they were eating sheepshead, porgy and Key West grunt, their jaws dropped.

It's amazing how good fresh fish is when it's prepared properly.

No fooling.

There's a good reason I haven't killed a snook in more than 25 years.
The species is so heavily regulated I just don't think it makes sense for me to kill them. The snook season is only open six months a year. And when it's open, anglers may keep one fish per day as long as it's between 28 and 32 inches here on the Gulf Coast.
Ditto for redfish and trout, two more heavily regulated species.
Although there are no closed seasons for redfish (like the one being released in the photo), there is a bag limit (one per day) and a slot limit (18 to 27 inches).

Spotted seatrout season is closed November and December. Bag limit when the season is open is four and the slot limit is 15 to 20 inches. For some reason, there's a trophy provision which allows anglers to have one trout of more than 20 inches among their limit.
From Dec. 15 to Jan. 1, Florida anglers on the West Coast legally can keep only one redfish. Trout and snook are out of season.
I haven't killed a redfish or trout in years, either. When I want to keep a fish to eat, I'll take home a pompano, Spanish mackerel, flounder or mangrove snapper. If I get to fish offshore, I don't mind keeping a snapper or kingfish. Those species appear to be in good shape.
I'll occasionally get a call from someone interested in a kayak charter who wants to keep fish.
"Got some folks coming in and we need enough fish for a fish fry," they'll say. "So, we'll probably need at least a limit of trout, pompano and Spanish mackerel.
"We wouldn't mind a snook or a redfish, either."
That's when I tell them that I'm not the guide they need. I thank them and then give them the number of another guide.
I'm proud that I've got a catch-and-release policy. The reason is because I don't feel that killing snook, reds and trout is a good idea. In addition, fish storage in a kayak is limited. Plus, there are no cleaning stations at most places with launch.
Most of my clients are very understanding. If someone just has to kill a fish, then they'll do it with another guide.

Florida's cold spell is the worst the state has endured in years. And it's killing lots of saltwater fish.
Our fish aren't used to the cold. I'm not either, but I can retreat to my house or put on extra clothing when I have to go out.
Snook, in particular, are susceptible to cold. Arguably Florida's No. 1 inshore fish, snook are sub-tropical fish which can't tolerate water temperature much lower than 55.
It has been reported the water temperature in New Pass is 51 degrees. And it could drop even more.
"It's the worst we've had in years," said Capt. Jonnie Walker, who runs the Bay Walker out of New Pass Bait and Tackle.
Walker toured Sarasota Bay on Monday with a representative from Mote Marine Laboratory. He discovered dead and dying fish, including snook, pinfish, pompano, jack crevalle, mangrove snapper and other species. He reported most of the dead fish were found in canals along Longboat Key.
"It's not good," Walker said.
Walker also said he saw thousands of live mullet in the canals.
"I just hope the commercial netters don't find out about them," he said. "Most were alive, but I saw some spinning near the surface."
Reports have been filtering in from throughout Florida's West Coast. Kills have been reported from Hillsborough County south to Naples.
"It's the worst I've seen since 1977," said Capt. Scott Moore, who runs the Primadonna out of Gasparilla Marina. "This isn't good."
Snook kills aren't rare in the Sunshine State. They take place whenever there's an extended period of cold weather. This cold began after Christmas and has continued into the second full week on January. Most agree that this has been the coldest winter since 1989 when the last severe snook kill took place.
There is good news. The weather is supposed to warm, with temperatures in the 70s by weekend. That should help the fish that haven't perished.
Those who encounter dead snook should remember the species is out of season and it's illegal to possess them. The rule was implemented in the 1980s to protect stunned snook that appeared dead. That often happens and when the afternoon sun warms the water, stunned snook revive and swim off.

Those who live in the cold north often talk about the "shack nasties." Living in Florida for most of my life, I had no idea what they were talking about.
I now know.
Florida has been hit with cold weather that has stuck around for a couple of weeks. We've had ice on the windshields, arctic wind and fish kills. Our fish don't like cold, either.
I finally figured out the shack nasties. It's also known as cabin fever. It takes place in the winter when northerners can't get out of the house. Kind of like being stir crazy.

To combat the nasties, I've been tying flies. I've got D.T. Specials ready for beach snook season. I've tied plenty of Aunt Sara's Homely Daughters for bluegill. The ASHD is a bead-head nymph on a No. 10 or 12 hook. I've tied several FLY Nymphs and Wooly Buggers. I'm working on a few Gibby's First Cast Crabs.
I need to get out on the water. This weather is rare in the Sunshine State.
I've got two charters this week, one on Wednesday and the other on Saturday. Both are 6-hour outings. I hope I can get them in.
The weather is starting to warm up a little, so I'm hopeful.

The Smelt bite has been outstanding on the Great Salt Bay(GSB) of Maine's Damariscotta River...We've been fishing from one of our portable Shanties using jig rods equipped with spring bobbers and tiny ice jigs...the bait of choice has ranged from bloodworms to small pieces of shrimp.

A far cry from our beloved midcoast Maine Stripers...However...Every December, whole villages of smelt shanties spring up almost overnight...an official, if unnecessary, signal of winter’s arrival. Smelt fishing is a deep and dependable tradition on the state’s coast. As soon as the ice is thick enough, smelters drag their customized shanties onto the tidal rivers and sit inside them, stoking wood stoves and tending to baited lines that hang through holes in the ice.

"Ocean-going smelt enter our tidal waters as early as November and December. Anglers get serious about smelting in January and can fish for them into March. Fishing can be done from a pop-up ice shelter. This means taking an ice auger to get through the ice, as well as a stove to keep the chill off, bait, bucket, rods, hooks and other tackle. Everything has to be hauled out onto the ice because the ice is too unstable to drive a vehicle. The majority of smelt anglers like to rent a shack from a commercial smelt shack operation where most of the items are taken care of by the proprietors. Small mom-and-pop businesses emerge each year with as many as 50 smelt shacks for rent on the ice of tidal rivers. The cost to rent these shacks varies, with the range of price somewhere between $10 and $15 per person. Bait, hooks, lines, and sinkers are provided...we use our own specialzed jig rods. There is a wood stove in the shack to keep the occupants warm.

Cooking Smelt:
This species' meat is white, delicate and sweet flavored. Preparation for cooking often involves simply removing the head and entrails. Frying is an easy method for preparing smelt. Mix one cup of flour, corn meal or breadcrumbs and one teaspoon of your favorite seasoning in a plastic bag. Shake cleaned smelt in this mixture so that they are lightly dusted. Fry the fish in 1/8 inch of vegetable or olive oil in a heavy skillet over medium heat. Fry for about 3 minutes on the first side and 2 minutes on the other. Drain the fish on paper towels and eat while still warm. Fried smelt are finger food, to be enjoyed plain or dipped in tartar or seafood sauces.

Throughout this season we'll be organizing daytime & evening smelting trips...A great weekend getaway for those of you in southern New England or for those of you looking to spend some quality time with the kids in an outdoor environment...Please contact us if you'd like to join one of our groups.

Maine Striper Fishing Guide
Capt. George Harris
207-691-0745
www.superfly-charters.com

Freshwater Fish

When fishing in the pond or lake is shallow water for small fish such as tilapia, carp and small haruan is more efficient when using a lightweight rod set of 'spinning'.

Boom that can handle the weight of rod string 4 to 8 pounds, with kekili (reels) matching allows you to use gewang small size 3 to 7 g and a small bait. Therefore, bait (baits) or gewang be thrown far enough to the target. Action against the fish even more satisfying when we use a lightweight rod set.

When rope is used in fine, this will usually make more ferocious fish eat bait. Gewang will also move more mengiurkan! As a guide, the following equipment is commonly used for fishing or swimming mines for small to medium sized fish:

Daiwa Feeder boom, 12 feet, the rope 2 to 6 pounds
Joran Seahawk Ocean Tycoon, 7 feet, the rope 6 to 12 pounds
Kekili (reels) Daiwa BG 13, rope 4 pounds
Kekili (reels) Shimano Stradic 2000, bond 2.5 pounds
Kekili (reels) Shimano Sedona 4000, bond 6 pounds

Usually the equipment above it can land the most fish ponds including toman size up to 3 kg, 5 kg and Pacu kap grass up to 8.5 kg!

However, if you are less experienced menanggani large fish with thin rope, please use the rope lenih gross size 6 to 8 pounds. If your skills are increased, you may buy the bond is more delicate. It should be noted that thin rope more easily damaged, so you should check regularly. If the rope became rough due to friction, and was immediately cut the ties. This is to avoid biting your fingers when competing with large-sized fish.

Hello Folks,

Over the past several years, I have befriended Al Winco from "Winco's Custom Lures" This past summer and fall, Al and I have been working closely together to bring you a short-armed 1/2 oz. and 3/8th oz. spinnerbait called the Bronze Bushwhacker. Al has already started to produce and sell some of these extraordinary spinnerbaits although they may not show on his website just yet. If you watch the pics on his home page, you'll see these spinnerbaits show in several pics with me during our testing period. The results are evident.

Another lure that Al has designed is the Cold Water Smallie Delight or CWSD. This is a lure that I had great success on in late fall on the Susquehanna River from The Juniata River confluence to Long Level (Lake Clarke). I added it to my arsenal about two seasons ago, but only gave it ample time this season.

DRY finds success also with the CWSD just below Sunbury, Pa. So, as you can see, the CWSD can be used on the entire main stem of the Susquehanna River with success.

I like the flutter head jig over the football head jig in the sections of the river I fish. The football head gets hung way too easy in the bottom structure that we fish.

"http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hZsqd89Mz18"

Here is a pic of a nice 19.25" that was caught in about 12' of water in late November, 2009 on the CW Smallie Delight.

This lure was also mentioned by Blaine in a recent Bassmaster Magazine article on fishing cold water.

If you are interested in Al's custom lures, please stop by and visit his website at:
http://www.wincoscustomlures.com/

dad

After spending 6 days this past week in the hospital and being tested negative for the H1N1 flu, my wife and I set up a time for us and our 20 yr. old son to attend one of the many Pa. Health Department's Free Clinics to receive our vaccinations.

We were scheduled with many others between 8:00 a.m. and 9:00 a.m. to meet at a pre-determined local site that could accommodate large crowds. This area was the old RCA Building in Lancaster, Pa. just off of New Holland Ave. which now houses the Intermediate Unit 13.

The three of us arrived about 7:50 a.m. and entered the building. We were greeted by a friendly staff of people assigned to help and direct the large groups of people expected throughout the day.

Our first task was to complete a consent form that had numerous health related questions on it. After completing the form, we carried it to a check point where a volunteer made sure we had all the signatures necessary... which we did.

We then moved into a line of folks waiting to enter the vaccination or nasal spray area. In less than 10 minutes, we were in another large room. We met with more volunteers who verbally reviewed our consent form answers. I had a US Army personnel assisting me.

Once finished with the review, another volunteer directed us to those who administered the vaccines. I had a burly fellow who was rather friendly. He explained the process of injecting the shot - location and care of site afterward. He then administered the shot... Ouch! It was high on the arm and it felt like a dart had pierced my skin. :-)

He gave me a band-aid and sent me on my way. No worse for the wear!

So, now the three of us are brewing the H1N1 vaccine in our bodies to counteract the Swine Flu. I feel safer already. ;-)

dad

I've been fly fishing for far longer than I'd like to admit. I've always been fascinated with the sport.
I began as a teenager. My first attempts (believe it or not) were done with a spinning rod. I'd tie a popping bug on and "whip" it out. I even caught a few fish that way.
I could cast a fly rod the first time I picked one up. I was talking to a classmate of mine and he said his dad had a couple of fly rods that we could cast that afternoon. After school, we went over to his house, got the rods out and started casting. I had never held a fly rod before, but I could cast 40 feet rather easily.
I moved to Florida in 1971 and began fly fishing for bluegill, bass and other species. I stuck to freshwater after I moved to Sarasota in 1975. I loved to drive over to Lake Okeechobee and cast for bluegill and bass. I'd fish Upper Myakka Lake, Lower Myakka Lake, the Myakka River, Lake Manatee and the Braden River around Sarasota.
I got bit by the saltwater bug in the 1980s. Several people were instrumental in this: the late Ad Gilbert, Capt. Pete Greenan and Ray Moss. They whetted my saltwater appetite.
In the earlier 1990s, I help Greenan start the Mangrove Coast Fly Fishers, a Sarasota-based club dedicated to saltwater fly fishing. Walt Jennings and Mike Lang were the other founding fathers.
Although I'm not purist by any means, I do fly fishing most of the time. If I can get the fish to hit a fly, then that's what I'll do. I've found that on many occasions, I catch as many fish or more than those using spinning tackle.
Why fly fish?
It's fun. If it weren't, I wouldn't do it.
Fly fishing is an effective way to take fish. It's the key to success when walking the beaches in the summer and looking for snook. Just last summer, I had the day of a lifetime. I caught and released 15 snook to 39 inches, three redfish to 32 inches and lost a trio of tarpon, each of which easily surpassed the century mark.
Fly fishing led to tying flies. I use some traditional patterns and I have designed a few of my own. My most famous fly is my Myakka Minnow, a creation that has caught species in both fresh and salt water. The pattern works terrifically any time fish are feeding on small minnows.
My Gibby's Bonefish Fly and Gibby's First Cast Crab, flies I designed in the last three months, have served me well. The First Cast Crab has produced a number of redfish. The Bonefish Fly did well for me on my recent trip to Grand Cayman.
I swore early on that I'd never tie flies. I didn't want to be hooked on the sport that badly. But I gave in one day after I bought a dozen flies and the bill was $53.35. I figured there wasns't $5 worth of matierial in all of those flies.
I discovered you can tie a fly for about 11 cents. To do so, you have to go out and buy $2,500 worth of material and tools.
Used to be, fly fishing was an eliteist sport. It still is when you think about it. And it has nothing to do with money. You're among the elite if you can do it well. If you can go out and catch a bonefish, permit or tarpon on fly rod, then you're among the elite.
I teach fly casting. You have to learn how to cast before you can even begin to think about fly fishing. And I've had a few students who I put my arm around their shoulders and asked, "Have you ever thought about taking up tennis?" They would never grasp the concent of fly casting.
It's really not that hard, but I think beginners want it to be. Or it is in their mind. It's simply an exercise of timing and rhythm.
There are several common problems that beginners have. One is the correct application of power on the back cast and forward cast. They want to power the fly rod throughout the entire stroke and they usually all slow down when they should be applying the power. The power application comes toward the end of each stroke.
Another common problem is improper rod path during the strokes. The path should be on one plane. But most beginners will have the rod on several planes, most likely a concave path. That creates a very large loop and often no loop at all.
What I try to do when teaching is to provide the student with a solid founation. I make sure he or she understands each concept and I give them practive routines.
My philosophy is simple: If a student can get the fly from Point A to Point B and it results in a hookup, then I've done a good job. We fly fish to catch fish. Don't let anyone fool you.
I heard an angler say, "I don't care if I catch fish. I just love being out on the water."
Translation: "I don't catch very many fish."
I tell all of my students that their success or lack thereof is directly proportional to the amount of time and effort they put into it.
A lady in her 60s took a lesson from me several years ago. We spent an hour on proper stance, how to hold the rod, the back cast, forward cast and other things. After the lesson, I advised her to practice at home.
About a year later, she showed up at a casting school I was conducting. She walked up to me and said, "Do you remember me? I took a lesson from you last year and I haven't touched a fly rod since then."
Go figure.
The sport really took off in the eary 1990s. Some attribute the rise in popularity to the moive A River Runs Through It. That flick may have sparked the interest, but I'm not sure. I am sure there was a surge in fly fishing interest.
My feeling is that it was a yuppie thing. It was trendy and had an elite feel. The yuppies jumped on the fly-fishing wagon all at once. Most jumped off quickly. Their money couldn't buy success. And their lack of success drove them to other interests.
Meanwhile, I'm still fly fishing. And I'm still catching fish.

Well, folks, I had my follow-up visit today with the PCP. After exchanging holiday war stories of poor health and hospitalizations, we got down to business.

I told him I was not pleased that the local ER only had a PA visit with me and not the attending ER physician, especially since I am a diabetic with liver disease. I explained that my wife and I attempted several times to have the PA introduce an IV for fluids since I felt I was dehydrating and not supporting food well for two days. The PA blocked us at every turn and told us I was "tolerating" just fine. I found that in poor professional decision-making which eventually proved out with my admittance for 6 days.

The PCP suggested I write to the "Head of the ER Department" and the hospital explaining our dissatisfaction with the care given. I've done this before about five years ago and it got us absolutely nowhere. Big business, health care, and the general public doesn't always see eye-to-eye on health-care management practices.

I will stay the course in my own care until I've taken all medications, including the steroid treatment. The steroids are what helped reduce the inflammation in my throat and should remain with me for a few weeks. If the inflammation returns, I will need to contact my physicians immediately.

The good news, if you want to call it that, is that I had plateaued on my weight loss at around 206 lbs... down from 230 lbs two years ago. 206 lbs is a nice weight for me, but I knew I could lose more and feel much better. Well, I lost more alright. I lost a whopping 20+ lbs since December 28, 2009. Twenty pounds in 10 days!! I would not recommend my diet plans to anyone, no way, no how!

Our home scale read at 185 lbs this morning and the scale read 190 lbs with my clothes on at the doctor's appointment.

What I did reestablish in the hospital was an 1800 calorie, diabetic diet. My intentions are to keep a very close watch on my food intake to see if I can continue a more healthy weight loss over the next few weeks. Not only will this help my diabetes, but also help my liver functioning.

I'll be keeping my fingers crossed and hoping for the best. The adventure continues!

dad

We finally got the 2001 G3 up to Lakeside Marine in Harrisburg, Pa. today. My original plans were to deliver it there a few weeks ago and then we had 2+ feet of snow... Nope!

My second plan well laid plan was to deliver it sometime between Christmas and the New Year. My hospital stay prevented that one... Nope!

When I awoke to the snow covering and reports of fender-benders throughout the county this morning, my hopes were almost completely dashed. However, the weatherman explained that the temperature would rise above freezing and the roads should clear by late morning. A ray of hope finally came over me once again.

Before we headed to Harrisburg this morning, I had to meet with an Otolaryngologist (Ear, Nose and Throat Doctor) this morning. Everything went well and he doesn't believe that I have any major injuries to my throat or larynx due to this illness. My voice should return as the slow healing continues. His diagnosis was that I had a severe viral infection and I should continue on the treatment plan set forth by the hospital physicians. He was a bit hesitant to say that everything was totally fine yet since he didn't see me at my worst moment. So the extent of the swelling and what it may have effected will not be known for some time. If I do regress, I need to see him immediately.

Tomorrow, I have a follow-up appointment with my PCP.

The roads were a bit slippery when we went to the doctor's office at 9:00 a.m. But the road conditions improved throughout the morning and by the time we hooked the boat up to trailer, they were only wet. The highway run to Harrisburg, Pa. was completely dry.

We arrived at the shop around 11:30 a.m. and met with JC Nuss to review what items needed to be done:
Routine winter maintenance - Oil Change for the 4-Stroke, replace water separator filter, check the trailer for stress cracks (Right, Josh!?), wheel bearings/packed, auto-bilge float needs fixed, two front deck rod holders need mounted, and the MK101 trolling motor needs repaired once again.

JC believes it's the armature... again (2nd time)! Thank God I have an extended warranty until 2011. Couple of spare keys cut.

Just like a car, a boat and motor needs constant care. I consider it a responsibility no only to myself, but also to my friends and others on the water, to keep my boat in tip-top shape. Just like a car, poor maintenance of a boat could be a matter of life and death. Call me dramatic, but I believe that there is almost as much chance on the water for injury due to poor maintenance as there is in a car with poor maintenance.

Ahhhhhh... The Joy Of Boat Ownership!

dad

Outdoor Editor, Ad Crable, and Outdoor Writer, P.J. Reilly, both wrote similar yet different approaches to the YoY report and the problems facing our smallmouth population on the Susquehanna River.

I want to thank these outdoor writers for keeping this issue in front of the general public in Lancaster County.

http://articles.lancasteronline.com/local/4/246922

http://articles.lancasteronline.com/local/4/247082

I've had several email correspondence with Ad since the YoY reports were posted by DRY. He is a very talented writer and very interested in all aspects of this issue. He is also highly aware of special interest groups on this topic and attempts to balance his articles with fair and concise information.

Ad has been very supportive of our past youth education efforts on the Susquehanna River and bass angling. And for that, I appreciate him greatly.

I'm not acquainted with P.J. Reilly.

dad

(Den Kelly of Sag Harbor, NY tagging Stripers on the Kennebec River 09/15/09)

Happy New Year Everyone!!!

As a way to kick off the New Year and New decade, We at Super Fly Charters would like to offer all our customers a $50.00 discount for any trip booked before April 1st, 2010. This our small way of saying thank you to everyone that has helped to make our business a great success.

I'm looking forward to having you all back aboard this season!!!

We'll once again be chasing Striped Bass, Bluefish, Bluefin Tuna and other species...dont Miss out on the action!!!

Capt. George Harris
207-691-0745
www.superfly-charters.com

If you are a kayak fishing enthusiast, you can learn a lot and have a lot of fun participating in Internet forums.

Here are a few I like:

http://www.paddle-fishing.com/

http://www.kayakanglermag.com/forum.html

http://s3.invisionfree.com/NOMAC_Forum/

http://forums.capmel.com/

http://www.kayakfishingstuff.com/community/

http://www.kayaksportfishing.com/phpBB2/index.php

http://www.yakfishing.com/board/viewforum.php?f=2

I've been contemplating a bonefish trip to the Florida Keys. I'm thinking this spring.
But I want to divert a little from normal. I want to put together a group of four anglers and take the kayaks to the Keys.
I'm thinking kayaks are the way to go. They're so stealthy, even wiley old bonefish wouldn't know you're there.
I've got some spots in the Keys which would work out great. I would envision me poling my kayak along, then spotting a bonefish tailing, stopping the kayak, picking up the fly rod, making a cast and hooking a fish. Of course, it's always easy in my dreams.
I've learned that it's often easier in low-light conditions. Mike Lang and I used to fish a Redbone media tournament out of Islamorada every year. We'd go down early and spend at least two days fishing prior to the event and another day after. We'd usually stay at Breezy Palms. It wasn't upscale by any means, but it was clean and a place to sleep. We didn't spend much time in the room.
We'd get out of the water prior to dawn and head for our first spot. That was usually Teatable Key, just a few hundred yards south of the motel. Once there, we'd pole along until we'd start seeing tails. Then, we'd stakeout or anchor. We'd usually see 20 to 50 tails within casting range. We took a number of bones this way.
By the way, Lang and I each won this event. In our first tournament, we were fishing with Islamorada guide Rusty Albury. Our first spot was a flat on the ocean side near Holiday Isle. Lang drew first chance and was on the bow. When he picked up his fly rod, Albury said, "Let me see you cast and work the fly like you would for a bonefish." Lang made a cast, let the fly sink and then began setting the hook. A big bonefish had inhaled the fly.
A few minutes later, he landed a nice 6-pounder.
Albury began laughing at the bewildered Lang.
"If I had told you I'd seen a bonefish there, you would have choked," Albury said.
About an hour later, we were in a cove and saw about 20 bones tailing around. I was on the deck and made a cast. No dice.
Lang was backing me up with a spinning rod and shrimp. He made a cast and hooked up quickly. His two bonefish were more than enough to win the tournament.
A couple of years later, we were with Albury again.
"I requested you two," he said. "But we're going to have to get our fish early. It has been so hot that if we don't have a fish by 10, we won't get one.
We not only didn't get a fish by 10, but we also didn't even see one. At 10:30, we left the bayside and headed toward the mouth of Tavernier Creek on the oceanside. Albury poled us onto a large flat and we began looking. It was almost as if we were going through the motions because it was so hot.
About 15 minutes after we arrived, we saw a school of six bonefish swim out of the channel on onto the flat. They were heading our way. I took a deep breath, made one false cast and sent the fly in front of the school. I let the fly sink, then began retrieving it.
Wham!
I was into a nice bone.
Albury landed the fish about five minutes later. After a quick photo, he released the 8-pounder.
It was now time to head back to Cheeca Lodge for the awards lunch.
Ed Marinaro, former pro football player and star in Hill Street Blues, was the emcee. He handed out the awards and then grabbed a print that was designated for the Grand Champion.
"What this fellow did,' he said, "is what keeps me coming back. I've never caught a bonefish on fly, but that's what I dream of."
He then called me up and handed me the print.
Ironically, it was the exact print that I had seen in the Redbone Galley the day prior.
"Mike, I'd love to have this print," I said.
Little did I realize I'd own it less than 24 hours later.
Another popular spot for us was a flat just south of Lignum Vitae Key. Mike and I hooked quite a few fish on this flat -- usually right before dark.
I was fishing this flat one day in the spring of 1999 with Branden Naeve, a guide from Nokomis, Fla. We were looking for bones when we noticed a couple of large tails out toward the edge of the flat in about three feet of water. Naeve was on the bow and I atop the poling platform. I took my time and poled him toward the slowly moving tail.
When he was about 75 feet away, he made a cast. Although Naeve put the fly right in the permit's window, the fish spooked.
We poled back onto the flat.
Thirty minutes later, we saw another couple of tails. This time, I was on the bow and Naeve was poling. He pushed the boat toward the tails. When we got to withing 80 feet, I started to cast.
"Hold on," Naeve said softly. "Let me push you just a little closer."
But when he pushed the pole into the shelly bottom, the soft crunch of shell and graphite sent those permit scurrying like scalded dogs.
There's a lot of bonefish water in the Keys. They're beckoning my kayaks. I've got four boats. Looking for three more anglers.
Remember, there's virtually no cleanup at the end of the day and we don't have to buy gas.
Let me know.

I created a new bonefish fly that paid off on my recent trip to Grand Cayman.

Actually, I borrowed a few ideas from Brad Befus. I used the Befus Carp Fly (right) with great success last summer while fly fishing for carp on Grand Traverse Bay near Traverse City, Mich.

I liked the fly. I liked how it cast. I liked how it looked in the water. And I especially liked how the carp and smallmouth bass loved it.

So, when I began tying flies for my bonefish trip, I tied the usual: Gotchas, Clousers and the like. Then, I remembered the Befus Carp Fly.

I changed it a little bit. I added mini-lead eyes so that the fly would ride hook up (that's important when fishing heavy turtle grass for bonefish). I added two tufts of rabbit fur toward the eye of the fly. In addition, I added a weed guard (imperative).

The fly worked well. It cast good. It looked good in the water. And the bonefish seemed to like it just fine.
I call it "Gibby's Bonefish Fly." My fly is shown at the bottom. Even though the pattern was inspired by the Befus Carp Fly, I feel that I changed it enough that I could call it what I want.
The late George Rose, who was one of my early fly-tying mentors, once told me, "Steve, there are no new flies. They're all variations on the same theme."
I agree.

Sunday, January 31, 2010

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Thursday, January 28, 2010

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Sunday, January 24, 2010

Friday, January 22, 2010

Thursday, January 21, 2010

Tuesday, January 19, 2010

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Sunday, January 17, 2010

Saturday, January 16, 2010

Friday, January 15, 2010

Wednesday, January 13, 2010

Tuesday, January 12, 2010

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