Locations

Locations — No Comments
01
Oct 14

The Keys, day 1-ish

We are here, ensconced at Hawk’s Cay Resort in the Florida Keys, 3/4ths of us at any rate. The sky is remarkably sunny, the wind light, the temps high and the humidity likewise. A cool dip in the pool and a few cold beers and paradise feels like paradise.

There has been zero fishing, as of yet. The rods are still put away. The wading boots are dry. I’m trying to make this something my wife enjoys. She will not enjoy it if we get here and I take off, to be seen only as we are packing up to leave. That’s my natural inclination, so I’m fighting my nature a bit.

I did go down to see Captain Derek Rust at the docks when he got back from a charter. We sat there drinking a cold beer, watching nice tarpon swim lazily around in front of us, along with a school of mullet, some jacks, a couple nurse sharks, some mutton snapper and more, all next to signs telling you not to fish from the dock. We didn’t. We just sat in the heat, in the shade and had our beers and talked.

Dock tarpon

While I was looking at tarpon my son may have taken his first couple steps back in the room. A good reminder of what one can miss out on if one is not paying attention.

Tomorrow, I fish. I’m looking forward to it. Derek and Dan Dow and I are going fishing and the weather looks perfect. Can’t wait.

Locations — 1 Comment
29
Sep 14

Maybe, just maybe, it is coming into shape

Back in 2010 when I landed in San Pedro it was pouring. It rained, hard, for most of the trip.

My last trip to Hawaii was mostly me getting rained on and not seeing any fish to cast to and just generally getting my ass handed to me.

Last year in Florida it rained every day of the trip, chasing us off the water and soaking us to the bone.

Typical

This year I read one facebook update from a friend who had just cancelled his planned Florida trip because it was set to rain every day. I was beginning to think we might get fairly rained out on our Florida trip next week, but a quick glance at the forecast and it looks like we might just have some awesome weather.

That would be nice.

My wife has never been to the Keys… in fact, she’s never been to Florida. So, I’m hoping the Sunshine State can dish up a little sunshine, maybe hold the thunderstorms to a minimum, and give us a few days to relax and enjoy what the Keys has to offer.

Hoping it holds.

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24
Sep 14

The Florida Blog

If there is a blog that represents Florida, it has to be Skinny Water Culture. They are Florida. There clothing is Florida. The people are Florida. They fish Florida. Florida. Florida. Florida.

I’m not Florida. I’m California (the mountain part, not the beach part), but I have a little Florida crush. As a kid I wanted to be Mel Fisher. I’m not Mel Fisher.

I’m looking forward to a return trip, next week. Luckily, with SWC, I can head there any time I want.

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08
Sep 14

Fishing with Martin

I got to fish with Martin Carranza last year in Biscayne Bay and I enjoyed it very much. We fished in the pouring rain, but still enjoyed the time on the water.

[vimeo clip_id=”104195959″]

Here is another angler enjoying their time with Martin just as much.

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05
Sep 14

The Challenge

I may be facing my greatest challenge yet.

At the end of the month my wife leaves one job and will soon start another. In-between there is a week of down time and that week will largely be spent in the Keys.

The Keys = Beautiful

The point of the get-away is to give my wife some down time between gigs (she’s a pediatric pulmonologist). She works hard, really hard, and she deserves the break.

So, how do I do a trip to the Keys and not have it devolve into a fishing trip, while still managing to do a little fishing?

Failure would be me sneaking off to fish and leaving her with the baby. Failure would also be me not getting any casts in. I am incapable of being near water and not fishing. It is just not an ability I poses.

The balance… weighted towards relaxing vacation for the wife.

Yes… that’s the challenge.

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(Comments are still broken. Trying to get a fix.)

Locations — No Comments
02
Sep 14

The Other Girl Smacks Some Trout in Montana

After my 7 year old squeezed 20 trout out of a Montana creek it seemed like a great idea to take my wife out to that very same creek to get her some fish as well.

Turns out it was a good idea.

She wanted to get five and she got five. Pretty much the perfect ending to the trip. For the beginning fly fisher, there are few places better than a creek… especially a creek with cutthroat.

Just beautiful (and full of willing fish)

Montana has a similar effect to the Bahamas. I feel very much at home there, even though my life is somewhere else, and I’m happy with my life.

It felt like a very Montana week. I shot some skeet and trap. I floated the Kootenai. I saw a bull moose a couple times and loads of deer. I scooted the girl around on the ATV for a bit. My daughter got 20 trout. A pretty excellent week.

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(Comments are still broken)

All the other stuff / Locations — 2 Comments
11
Aug 14

What makes the Bahamas Special

I recently came across an article about some resort developer talking about what makes the Bahamas special.

It just goes to show how far apart two people can get when looking to find value from the same object.

When I think about what makes the Bahamas awesome I do not thing about jet skis, dolphin encounters (except when you actually encounter a dolphin, like, out in the wild), golf or horseback riding.

Those might actually be things I find distasteful about the Bahamas. They are the sorts of things and places I actively avoid in the Bahamas.

Here are a few of the things I find awesome about the Bahamas.

This guy is fun to fish with.

1. The Vibe

The Bahamas, I’ve found, are very welcoming. They want you there. They want you to have a good time. They want you to get to know and love what they love, their home. I have not felt resentment or anger at being a tourist. I have only felt warmth. The smile seem genuine for the most part. The pace of life is a bit slower, but that is why you are likely there in the first place.

Perfect

2. The Ecosystem

From the massive mangrove nurseries of Andros to the the Marls, the Bahamas is, for the time being, still a very functional ecosystem. The predators are still there. The prey is still there. You see turtles and osprey and cudas and sharks and permit and tarpon and jacks and blue crabs and so on and so on and so on. It might not stay that way, but it is that way right now. It feels very in-tact.

3. The Food

Cracked Conch, Conch Fritters, Conch Salad and some lobster thrown into the mix. Yes please. Yes and yes and yes again. I love the local cuisine and the care and love with which it is served.

perfect

4. The guides and the fishing

Watching a Bahamian guide work the water is a thing of beauty. The deep knowledge they have in their bones, the eagle eyes, the flawless and effortless casting… it is an experience to be out with a good guide in the Bahamas and one I relish and look forward to every time. Even guideless, the fishing can be exceptional and you are almost certain to have your shots. You may not convert, but you’ll get shots and some days… some days are magical.

Dwayne, calling out a fish to Jason Bourne (photo from Aaron Vanderwall)

Those are a few reasons I love the Bahamas… not because of Atlantis or jet skiing.

Conservation / Locations — No Comments
10
Aug 14

A good, selfish reason to join or renew with the Bonefish & Tarpon Trust

Things I like… conservation, bonefish, tarpon, Bill Klyn and El Pescador in Belize. Compelling reasons to join or renew. Be entered in to win a trip to fish with Bill at El Pescador.

http://youtu.be/Wt0DB5oaA5w

Locations — No Comments
23
Jul 14

A little Long

A video from SWC featuring Long Island.

[vimeo clip_id=”101465267″]

Long is a pretty laid back and special place, unique due to the old salt flats and catering to the wade angler.

Go, if you haven’t already.

Locations — 1 Comment
15
Jul 14

To the Keys in October

Well, the wife starts a new job in October and has a week off in-between gigs. I convinced her (it wasn’t hard) that she needed a little R&R between one gig and the next and that we should go somewhere warm with sand and saltwater.

Going to head to the Keys, specifically Hawk’s Cay Resort, in the first week of October. I’m looking forward to the trip. Maybe I’ll bump into Derek Rust, who guides out of Hawk’s Cay for Saltwater Experience.

I’m sure there will be some fishing, but I also know that is the second reason for the trip, the first is to get my wife some down time.

Should be beautiful, so long as there isn’t a hurricane.

Bonefish on the Brain Bonefish and all that relates (maybe a bit about tarpon too).