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

No trout set is remotely possible.

It’s all about learning.

1. Thunder travels at 1 mile every 5 seconds, not every one second. So… if you count 5 Mississippi, that wasn’t 5 miles away, it was one mile away. I should have known this, but wasn’t sure if it was 1:1 or some other ratio.
2. Not all bonefish eat like Bahamian bonefish. They really are different. The strip I have done for dozens of Bahamian bonefish does not work in the Keys.
3. The number one way to prevent trout-setting on a tarpon is to not have the rod in your hand. Brilliant.
4. Mats for line management are awesome, awesome things.
5. Mullet can mud. Just because you see fish mudding doesn’t mean they are bones.

There was more than that, of course… but this is a smattering of the take-aways from the trip. So much was learned… like how little sleep I can operate on over a period of days.

A lot of the above.

A little of the below.

Florida kicked my ass… and was amazing.

Florida is days away… just a few days. I’m pretty much mentally there already. Here are 5 things I find myself doing as Florida approaches…

1. I break out into imaginary double hauling all the time. At dinner, in the car, sitting her writing this. Trying “get the feeling” or “envision success” or something. I don’t even know why I do it, but I do.
2. Smiling a lot. I have an anticipatory smile I can’t get rid of.
3. Thinking about what I need to bring, without actually packing anything. I’ll need to start packing soon.
4. Scrambling to make sure I have the right flies. I almost certainly do, or something close, but I always feel a little nervous I haven’t prepared enough.
5. Telling myself to stay calm. If you say it enough, you might actually do it when you have to. It works with my daughter “Hey, let’s have a good morning tomorrow, OK?” It might work with me “Just think of the casting mechanics and strip set.”

Coming to see the #skinnywaterculture

I hear from Troutrageous that people love lists. Here’s a list of things my fishing partners should know about me when I storm into Florida next week.

Me fishing, after fishing, in Andros.

1. I can get a little intense. Not in an angry way, but in a talking-fast, animated kind of way. I was once described as “being like a little puppy,” all yippy and jumpy. There is some truth to that when I get near water. I just love this stuff so much.
2. I will let you have some of my flies. I will have 600 or so flies when I head to Florida. I can’t use that many in my whole life. I’m glad to share. I’ll also share leaders and tippet. I will likely share beer too… sometimes.
3. I can’t drink as much as I used to. The kid did that. I’m just out of practice and not too interested in getting back into that kind of shape. I’ll throw down some beers, but I’m not doing shots, so let’s just not go there, mkay?
4. But beer and fishing go together. You have to catch a fish (or jump a tarpon) before you can have a beer. Any fish will do. You can’t have a beer while you are skunked. That just won’t do. This rule is enforced until I want a beer and haven’t caught a fish, at which time it is no longer in effect.
5. I’ll squeeze in as much fishing as possible. Is there a place to fish when we get off the water for the day? If so, I’ll go there. Night fishing? Yup, count me in. Can you hand-line off the dock? I’ll do that. I’m not being anti-social. I just really love this stuff and since I live in California, and not in San Pedro or Islamorada, I have to soak up every minute I can.

Photo by Cameron Miller – Me fishing after fishing.

Now you know me a little bit better… let’s go fishing, eh? (The “eh” was for Adrienne, who is Canadian)

I’ve been listening to a lot of Carl Hiaasen as of late on my commutes and long drives (I love Audible). There is a very clear theme in his writing regarding the pillaging, diminishing, thievery and general douchebaggery involved in developing and over-developing Florida. He writes about the destruction of the Everglades without each book being about the destruction of the Everglades. It is really well done stuff.

I was struck today by how this over-development is pretty much the opposite thing happening where I grew up in Northern California. On my home river of the Upper Sacramento you will see abandoned homes and washed out bridge footings. You won’t see new development. There are no condos being built here… heck, there aren’t even any stoplights.

I think this sort  of reverse-development is happening in a lot of places as small towns empty and the migration to urban centers increases. While there certainly in development in sometimes sprawling suburbs, the places all those people came from shrink. There have been a couple big development booms connected with the rise of railroad travel and the rise of car travel, but those train stop or road stop towns are either gone or going.

I’m really curious to see how much wilderness is left there in Florida, how much has been bulldozed and paved over. I’m really hoping there is plenty of the wild left. If it is there, I’m hoping to see it.

I’ve certainly seen videos and photos of the beautiful side of Florida, and from a couple thousand miles away, it is easy to assume it is all like that. It is just as easy to read Hiaasen and assume it is all gone.