Archives

All the other stuff / Fish Tails — 8 Comments
13
Apr 11

Home Waters – First Trout of 2011

It is April… APRIL and I just landed my first trout of the year.  There is something really weird about that, but there it is.  This was also the first time I’ve been trout fishing this year, so, at least I haven’t been skunked.

I’m up in Dunsmuir while my daughter is on Spring Break (from Pre-School).  I actually had to go and buy a 2011 Fishing License.  Yes… I didn’t even have a fishing license yet and it is APRIL.  Uff da.

I have to say… I’m pretty disappointed in Union Pacific.  The railroad that nearly killed off the whole river thanks to a train derailment (back in 1991) has decided to cut off the parking access that folks use to get up to Mossbrae Falls.  This is douchebaggery.

Note: My folks have lived in Dunsmuir for 42 years and they cannot recall anyone ever being injured by a train along the tracks to get to Mossbrae.  That has got to be tens of thousands of people that have made that short hike in those years.  I think that is a pretty good testament to common sense.  Union Pacific seems to think that we’ve run out of common sense to the point that we are now in danger of falling asleep on the tracks and suing them.  This is a good example of everything that is wrong with the mentality of “better safe than sorry.”  It kind of pisses me off.

Keep it classy, UP... keep it classy.

The river is beautiful.  It’s high, sure, but the color is good and the Upper Sac can be fished at very high flows so long as the color is good.  You just need a good supply of tin shot and, presto, you are fishing.

The gateway to awesomeness.

My batting average wasn’t too hot.  I hooked three very, very, very nice trout but was 0/3 before I got one fish to cooperate enough to actually come and shake hands.  Not a big fish, but, a wild, beautiful trout. That will do wonders for your mood.

Officially on the board for 2011 in the category of "Trout"

Ah… that’s nice.

 

– paid ad below –

 

Learn everything about boating safety at BoaterExam.com

Fish Tails / Locations — No Comments
12
Apr 11

Skinny Water Culture goes to Andros

So today was the day we tried to head to the west side again. We did make it, and it was a unique experience to say the least. There was an eire feeling that if something happened you would be lost forever. We started on a flat that was about 4′ deep and quickly dropped off to 10′ and more. It looked like prime big bone territory. It wasn’t long before I had a missile cruising at me out of the deep, it was big..and coming fast, I made a nearly perfect 50′ cast that landed about 6′ in front of him and about 2′ to his right. He saw it immediately, charged it, tipped down…..and ate.

via Skinny Water Culture: Andros is where the heart is….

The folks some Skinny Water Culture just had a trip out to Andros (oh Andros, I miss you so).  Goodness ensued.  Check out their report.

 

 

Conservation — 1 Comment
11
Apr 11

New Bonefish Regs for FL

At their April 6 meeting, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission voted unanimously to put in place new regulations that will make bonefish a catch and release species in Florida. The new regulations take effect July 1, 2011.

via Bonefish & Tarpon Trust.

Yeah, I didn’t miss this, but I didn’t really post about it either.  This is good news and the folks at the Bonefish & Tarpon Trust are the folks who you should thank.

Awesome.

Support BTT

 

– paid ad below –

 

Learn everything about boating safety at BoaterExam.com

Flies — 5 Comments
10
Apr 11

My top fly from Andros

A few folks have asked… so… I gave it some thought.  I think this patterns was the one I wish I had more of down there in Andros at FIBFest.

Reverse Gotcha... bunny tail... rubber legs... ya know... "stuff"

Maybe this has a name… I’d think it is just a bit too similar to other patterns to have it’s own.  It’s goodness.  I added some UV Cure whatever to the back of the fly, which is a move I really, really like.  Some folks said it would make the fly land too heavy… I didn’t see that, but it is possible that would be an issue in really skinny water.  This fly is a #2… so… not little, but after reading some of Aaron Adams’ thoughts on the matter, I think we should probably move up a size or two on most of the flies we throw.

Hope this helps.

Flies — No Comments
08
Apr 11

Blue Crab Fly by Capt. Matt Thomas

A nice fly from Capt. Matt Thomas who guides down in the Lower Keys for… well… things that eat Blue Crabs.

(hmmm… when I put this up last night the video displayed… not sure why it isn’t doing that now)

Nice video.

I’m going to have to get on the fly tying video thing here soon… I need to get a couple of the patterns I used down in South Andros up… I think they are good stuff.  Sounds like a project for the weeks ahead.

 

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!

 

– paid ad below –

 

Learn everything about boating safety at BoaterExam.com

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.

    ← Older Entries
    Newer Entries →