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Fish Tails / Locations — 9 Comments
06
Apr 11

More on that Androsian Cuda

Bonefish are really fantastic.  I love the stalking, I love the precision, I love the speed of the fish.

Sometimes, though, you want violence and big, pointy teeth.

Enter the Cuda.

While down at Andros South I got a tiny bit fixated on catching a barracuda. I went out every day after we got back from fishing in the hopes of finding and catching one.  I largely succeeded on the first part of that (the finding) and utterly failed in the second (a few flies attacked, but nothing even hooked).

After a few days it was starting to get to me.

I kept after it and I kept mentioning to the guides that I was hoping to catch a cuda.  I had the 10 wt. rigged with 45 lbs. wire leader and either a gurgler or needle fish fly ready for action.  The opportunities just didn’t come or, one day when I had a good shot I put the fly right on the fish’s head and spooked it.

The last day Kyle Perkins and I were teamed up with guide Freddie.  Freddie is the biggest guide at Andros South and has the smallest boat.  He likes getting in the skinnier water.  He also likes to sing and laugh and overall he was a fantastic guide to fish with both in terms of his knowledge of the water, but also his mentality that put a smile on your face even after you blew the cast.

Freddie = fun

That last day we ended up having some prop trouble deep into Deep Creek and when it was clear we weren’t going to get up on plane for the ride home, Freddie told me I might as well break out the cuda rod. This was very, very welcome news for me.  It meant an extra HOUR of fishing.  Awesome.

Now, there are probably people that say trolling isn’t really fly fishing and that this was cheating and that it doesn’t count.  I… don’t… care.

Fishing with a fly, even if you don't call it fly fishing

I took all the fly line off so I had half a wrap of fly line left and we started the slow troll back to the dock.  It wasn’t long before I got a first grab.  Then I got a second.  The third stayed on for four good jumps and a couple nice runs and then it came unbuttoned.  The fifth strike didn’t stick and I missed the sixth.

“Foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds” goes the saying.  I reeled up, saw that the tail end of the fly was destroyed and decided to cut the fly in half.  It was a long, bright yellow superhair fly with no trailing hook.  The fish were obviously biting the tail and nothing pointy.  With half this fly left I threw it back out.  About 10 minutes later I connected and the fish stayed on.

It jumped in anger.  It made vicious runs.  The rod throbbed from the power of the fish.  This is not bonefishing, but this was pretty much distilled awesomeness.

"Why don't you come home and meet the wife."

The fish got invited home to meet Freddie’s wife.  Androsians will eat a Cuda so long as it isn’t caught off a reef.

Blissed Out

I got a cuda tooth pulled from the fish to give to my daughter, who at four years old has a passion for dangerous and deadly creatures (I love that girl something fierce).

Note to self… next time use more glue… lots and lots of glue.

Glue! I need glue!

 

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Fish Tails / Locations — No Comments
04
Apr 11

Moldy Chum and Norman, the South Andros Guide

A post from Eric of Moldy Chum about Andros South Guide Norman.  I fished with Norman one of the days I was there… he’s good at what he does.

If I were to guess, Norman is probably in his mid-thirties. It’s hard to tell though, as most guides on the island are in pretty g’damn good shape. When he’s not hunting Walter on the Westside, he owns and operates a nightclub just south of Congotown.

via Fly Fishing | Blog | Photos | Podcasts | Travel | Gear | and More – Moldy Chum – Bonefish, 7 o’clock – 20 feet.

 

Norman picking out a fly. Photo - Shadow River Media, Cameron Miller

Photo – Shadow River Media, Cameron Miller

 

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All the other stuff — 12 Comments
02
Apr 11

FIBFest Closes (sadly)

It has been a great, great week here in South Andros.  Today is the departure day… as you read this I am either in an airport or on a plane.

Here are a few things I learned this week…

– My casting is better than I give myself credit for… someone even said there is a “grace” about my casting.  That was a surprise.

– Given the right combination of factors, I can still trout set like a mo-fo.

– I really like fishing for cudas… even if that means trolling.

– A head lamp is a MUST HAVE on my next trip.

– My core belief that “modern gear is all pretty good” is being a little shaken.

– I may have a good business idea.

– Night fishing is full of danger and possibility.

– My flies worked.

– I need to find some sun gloves that I actually want to wear.

– The guides who were supposed to be “tough” weren’t.  They were honest and it didn’t bother me in the slightest.

– A guide who sings and laughs may be the most fun to fish with.

– I really, really want to come back here.

    (photo credit Tom Larimer)

    Conservation / Fish Tails / Locations — 3 Comments
    31
    Mar 11

    Sham Wowing the Experience – South Andros Fishing, Day 5

    I fished today with the infamous Michael Gracie.  I got back to the lodge and went fishing.  Then, I went night fishing for tarpon (seen, but not caught).

    I’m soaking it all up… I’m sham wowing the experience.

    For the big sliver of the fishing I was with MG and guide Ellie.  We went to Grassy Creek on the South End and, for the most part, we were out of the boat, on foot.  We fished for science today, collecting fin clips for the Bonefish and Tarpon Trust.

    The fishing was a little slow, but we had a good time.  Gracie is a fun fishing partner and he tried to calm my frustrations after I broke off a very nice fish on the last cast of the day.  That was 16 pound tippet… first fish I broke off all day.

    We had lots of sharks around today… all Lemons and some very interested in us.  After clipping one bonefish fin I wiped my hands on my pants and then a little three foot lemon showed up and began circling me.  Got to about 2 feet away and I was about to hit it on the nose the the butt of my fly rod, but it then noticed I wasn’t a bonefish and took off.

    The last shot of the day was back on the boat with Ellie on the platform.  He poled us up this little side channel and I wasn’t sure where he was going.  Then, on the right, appeared a nice little flat and on the flat a school of nice fish coming right towards us.  I made one, 50′ cast that was just about perfect.  The fish ate, but coming toward me, it was hard to set the hook.  I did, but found myself spread out and when the fish took off it just separated from the tippet.  Fish gone and day over.  Still… how Ellie knew just where to take us… that was a special moment… that was local knowledge.  That move impressed me a lot.  I should have landed that fish.  My guess is it was a nice fish… maybe 7, maybe 8, probably not 9, but it was a really nice fish and Ellie… he knew where they were going to be.  I love that.

    Back at the Lodge I grabbed my rod and went to the jetty in search of the cuda I’ve been stalking for the past few days.  He was there and the gurgler pulled him out of hiding and into the open, but he wouldn’t commit.  Another shot gone.

    When I got back to the lodge from my Cuda hunting I was informed there was a possibility of doing some night tarpon fishing.  I jumped at the chance. So, fellow guest Robert and I met guide Sparkles and headed off in the dark to try and find tarpon.  We found tarpon, but they wanted nothing to do with us.  I managed to catch a Jack and also managed to fall into a hole in the sharp limestone bank of Deep Creek.  Nice.

    Basically, I’m sucking up every moment of Andros and bonefishing that I can.  I am trying to go as hard as I can here because who knows when I’ll get back.  I’m pushing it… maybe breaking a little around the edges, but I’m going full tilt and I’m going to run this bad boy right up onto the beach.

    Now… the photos from the day…

    Guide Ellie pointing out a fish while Gracie tries to remove a hook from his shirt. Priceless!

    Gracie with a nice bonefish

    One of my bones from today.

    An MG bone

    Fishing... for SCIENCE! Fin Clips.

    Throwing a lot of line withe the Redington in search of Cudas.

    Night time fishing Jack. The flies outfished the chum!

    Fish Tails — 3 Comments
    30
    Mar 11

    Fishing with Tom, Fishing Andros, Day 4

    I fished with Tom Larimer today and Josie for a guide here in South Andros with Deneki Outdoors.  Tom is a steelhead guy, fishing the Deschutes (among other places).  We had a good time, even if the weather didn’t cooperate for most of the day.

    We started off on fire… four fish to hand fairly quickly.  The day was full of promise.

    Then… the wind came up, the clouds rolled in and the lights went out.

    We didn’t catch another fish and we only saw a few (although one was a pig).

    Still… a good time was had.

    Tom tied up this fly last night… he called it the “Bahamian Condom” because it is made mostly of rubber.  The first two fish to see it crushed it.

    After we got back I went out and tried again to catch a Cuda.  The second cast I had a nice, 3 footer smash the fly… but it didn’t bite the pointy part… so… I’ll try again tomorrow.

    Locations — 6 Comments
    28
    Mar 11

    South South Andros – Fishing Day 2

    Today… it was a tougher weather day, but still had two perfect moments.  I was paired up with guide Josie and Andros South (and Deneki Outdoors) owner, Andrew Bennett.  So, I knew I was going to have to reduce the number of botched jobs today.

    Andrew Bennet, hooked up.

    We went down south, which turns out is a very, very bumpy ride.  It is totally worth it though.

    When we got where Josie wanted to go we set up.  Andrew gave me the bow first and I stepped up.  Soon Josie called out “Bonefish, 11 O’Clock, 60 feet” and I got to work.  Oddly, I delivered on the very first cast of the day. 60′. Right in front of the fish.  It ate on the first strip.  I didn’t get a picture of that fish but it was a nice 2-3 pound fish or so.  Andrew was then up and so were the clouds.

    Clouds… I know we kind of need them, but I wish there were fewer of them around… really.  They turned the lights out on the flats for large periods of time today, which was kind of a bummer.

    We reeled in and headed off to find better fishing grounds.  After a short run we stopped to see if we could see any more fish.  A school happened to be about 100′ off the boat.  Now… this was not a little school of fish.  Josie estimated it was about 10,000 fish.  TEN THOUSAND BONEFISH!

    Yeah… I love this place.

    I got out and started wading with just my bare feet.  White sand bottom, 10K bones in front of me… this does not suck.  I caught up to the school and cast into it and quickly caught a little 2 pounder.  I managed to pull it out of the school so it didn’t spook the rest of the fish.

    I cast right back into that school and pulled out a nicer fish.  It had me in my backing a couple of times and was just beautiful.

    photo credit – Andrew Bennett

    The first fish and the big school… two perfect moments.

    I didn’t catch a lot today, but I experienced a really beautiful place and I got to fish with Andrew, something I’ve wanted to do for a while now.  A good, solid time was had by all and now… now I’m going to the Slack Tide… yeah… I know… I suck.

    I kind of love this place.

    PS – I have fished my new Rise 8 wt. for the past two days, with shark fishing taken over by the Redington 10 wt..  I am liking what I’m seeing from both.

    Locations — 6 Comments
    28
    Mar 11

    Andros… Fishing, Day 1

    OK… there was a lot of travel to get here, but today was go time… bizness time… bonefishing time.

    I was paired up with the Outdooress today and with Andros South guide Ellie.

    Fish were caught.  The guide was hooked.  A lemon shark was alllllmost caught.  A good time was had.  I kind of love this place.

    The crew, waiting to get on the water.

    Ellie, our guide for the day.

    waiting... looking...

    The skunk is off... first fish of the trip.

    The Outdooress and her first bonefish

    More will come, but now… Kalik is calling.

    Go to the Michale Gracie blog to see the best bonefish pic you will see this week, or month, or year.

    All the other stuff / Locations — 4 Comments
    27
    Mar 11

    The lights of Andros

    The pictorial report will be up in a while, but I wanted to share a little bit of magic I saw tonight here in Andros.

    I went out tonight after dinner to the little jetty at Andros South in search of ‘Cuda’s.  I didn’t fine them.  What I did find, however, where a couple hundred phosphorescent green flashbulbs going off in the water.

    I don’t know what they were.

    They weren’t there long.

    They were beautiful.

    Flash, flash, flash.  Green little lights that lit up and then faded away all over the water for a hundred feet.

    It just doesn’t get much better than that, bonefish or no bonefish.  This is a special place.

    Locations — 9 Comments
    25
    Mar 11

    A story about Andros South and I begin my own journey.

    Today I get on a plane to start my journey to Andros Island.  SFO to LAX then to Miami then to Nassau and then to Congo Town, South Andros.  The trip will span two days, but will be close to 16 or 18 hours from the time I leave SFO to the time I touch Androsian soil.

    A lot of time has been spent thinking about this trip, tying for this trip, writing about this trip… and here it is… finally. Departure Day.

    Recently, I saw this story about a trip the Troutfitter made to… ya, you guessed it…  Andros South (that’s where I’m going, if you haven’t been following long).

    From the story…

    “You’re down there fishing in sunny weather, wading in knee-deep water that’s 72 degrees. Meanwhile, there’s 2 to 3 feet of snow back home. You can’t do better than that,” he said.

    via Central New York anglers enjoy their Bahamian bonefishing adventure | syracuse.com.

     

     

    I’ll be trying to give updates daily.  They have the internets down there, I’m told.   I can’t wait to meet the other FIBFest folks, throw a Kalik or two back and then throw a fair bit of line.

    Is there anything better?

     

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    Locations — 2 Comments
    20
    Mar 11

    Andros… pics… goodness

    A little goodness from Deneki and Andros South.

    Dick Pitini is a great guy who loves fly fishing and loves taking pictures. He fishes with us at Andros South, and he’s kind enough to send us some images afterwards!

    via Flats Skiff | Fishing on Andros Island.

    Photos from Dick Pitini.

    I’ll be there this time next week.

     

     

    To draw a really clear distinction between where I’m at now, and where I’ll be in a week, I went to the San Jose Earthquakes home opener last night.  It was raining… hard.  It was cold.  It was kind of miserable.  To make it worse, they lost.

    I did think (often) about how nice it is going to be in Andros.  Yeah… I’m looking forward to it.

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