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Conservation / Locations — 2 Comments
03
Jan 11

Placencia, Belize… the bulldozers and dredgers are there now

So, it seems that over development isn’t just a problem in Ambergris and I guess it shouldn’t come as a surprise.  Placencia, a bit further south from Ambergris in Belize, is also going through the throws of major (and horribly ill-conceived) development. At least for once the US isn’t somehow to blame for the problem.  In this case, it is the Italians.

It is going on now… dredging, bull-dozing, leveling… basically screwing up what makes the place special and what makes the place prime permit habitat (with a mix of bones and poons in there as well).

“The Placencia” is one of the key offenders (although not the only douchebags working there by any stretch).  The website photo below has to be the most egregious use of a fly fishing photograph in recent history (not to mention the most egregious casting).  These guys are actually using fly fishing as a hook to get people interested in their development… the development which will (and is) destroy the habitat where the fish live, grow and feed.

I also like the “Eco-Visionaries” label.  How you could be “Eco” anything but Eco-Destroyer while you are bulldozing and dredging.  Of course, this is “green washing” and rather cleverly done at that.  Fly anglers have a reputation for conservation and you put “Eco” on anything and PRESTO, it must be a good thing… right?

The Placencia Citizens for Sustainable Development has some of the info on this particular project and none of it sounds awesome.

Not good.  Not good at all.

Conservation / Locations — No Comments
02
Jan 11

Buccaneers and Bones – Episode 1 – El Pescador, Belize

Well, I was happy to see Episode 1 of the Outdoor Channel’s series Buccaneers and Bones on the DVR for my (I’m trying to make it) daily stint on the new treadmill (the show also has a Facebook Page).

It was like a return home as the location for the premier episode was El Pescador Lodge on Ambergris Cay in Belize.  It is a joy to see this show back on the air after ESPN dumped all their fishing and outdoor shows this year.

On the show we get to see Zach Gilford catching bonefish with Lori-Ann Murphy out in the lagoon behind the lodge where my buddy Shane and I fished.  There are tarpon and snook caught as well by other members of the Buccaneers.

This show is aimed to support the Bonefish and Tarpon Trust, an organization I support and I urge you all to support too.  Really… if you aren’t a member and you like to fish for bonefish, tarpon or permit… well… you should be.  You can be a better person in 2011 by signing up now.

I really liked the show.  The only criticism I’d have was some outbound clicks put onto the soundtrack in a place where Michael Keaton had about 20 feet of line on the deck while landing a tarpon.  Still… beautiful scenery, some interesting anglers, some magnificent fish and all with a conservation message.

I’m a fan.

A nice place to be.

Gear — 3 Comments
01
Jan 11

Fly Fishing Reels: Drag Systems – MidCurrent

This is helpful… a lot of knowledge dropped about drag systems over at MidCurrent.

When manufacturers proclaim the virtues of their drag systems in advertisements and catalogs, they toss around terms such as “startup inertia,” and “cork to Rulon,” and “fully sealed,” often without fully explaining what these things are and why they are beneficial to anglers. If you stop to think about it, these terms raise a lot of questions about how reels are built and how they work. I set out to address these questions and more. What I learned may help you the next time you peer into that glass case at the fly shop — you’ll have a better grip on why objects with such a simple purpose vary so much in complexity … and price.

via Fly Fishing Reels: Drag Systems – MidCurrent.

Fish Tails / Gear / Locations — No Comments
29
Dec 10

Top Posts from 2010

I can’t actually tell you which pages were viewed most over the year, since I’ve only been able to really track viewership since March of 2010… but, I’d bet it is pretty accurate, since about three times as many people read this little project now as did back in March.

1. My review of the Helios reel by Okuma – I wouldn’t have guessed that one would rise to the surface… but it did.

2. Costa Del Mar review – Another gear review was the second most viewed individual post.

3. Interview with Kristen Mustad, Nautilus Reels – What can I say… the guy makes awesome reels.

4. Interview with Chris Goldmark from Puerto Rico – Not a place most folks think about in terms of bonefish, but Chris catches them there.

5. Interview with Joe Gonzalez – Joe was an interview I was tracking down for months.  Glad it finally happened.

6. My review of the TFO LA 375 – Ya love the gear reviews. This one had some fun in the comments section too.

7. News about Buccaneers and Bones – Just a new item I found from the San Pedro Sun.

8. Interview with Scott Heywood, Angling Destinations – One of the first phone interviews I did and a good conversation.

9. Interview with Bruce Chard – Saltwater guru and instructor at Andros South’s Bonefish School

10. Upper Sacramento – A post about my home river, my home water and one cool picture.

I love this picture… not because it is particularly beautiful, but because it shows some of the most important water in my life…. this is from #10.

Upper Sac... Prospect

Conservation — No Comments
26
Dec 10

Florida Fly Fishing Magazine Welcomes Dr. Aaron Adams

Hope everyone had a great Christmas.  Mine was lovely.  Here’s some lovely news about Dr. Adams doing some writing for Florida Fly Fishing Magazine.

Awesome.

Marine biologist Dr. Aaron Adams, Bonefish & Tarpon Trust Operations Director and Senior Scientist for Mote Marine Laboratory, joins Florida Fly Fishing Magazine with a focus on marine conservation and environmental issues.

via Florida Fly Fishing Magazine Welcomes Dr. Aaron Adams (this is the press release).

Florida Fly Fishing Magazine – this is the actual website.

Gear — 19 Comments
21
Dec 10

The World of Bonefishing Reels

If you have, oh, $24,000 or $25,000 and some free time, I’d like you to spend a few months testing reels. Sound good?  Great.  Here’s what I’m looking for. The world of gear is… well… full… it is full of makers and brands and marketing hype and really, really short on objective comparisons.  If you were to take all the bonefish-ready reels out there right now, I count 69, the price-tag would come to $23,264 (before taxes).  There are reels under $50 and there are reels over $800 and the only thing you have to guide you in purchasing is name-recognition and brand reputation… which, in my mind comes down to marketing.  What kind of performance do you actually get from the $800 reel?  What kind of risk are you running with that $150 reel?

I wish Consumer Reports would pick this up and run with it, but I doubt that will happen.  I wish Fly Fishing in Salt Waters or Fly Fisherman would do this, but that’s equally unlikely.

Here are some tests to put these reels through…

Durability –

  • Drops – That 3 foot drop off a table would be good to see tested.
  • Sand – How does it work if you drop it in the sand, just for a second.
  • Salt – Well… there is a lot out there and it is generally bad for gear.
  • Big game pulls – If the thing breaks on a 10 pound bone… that would be good to know ahead of time.
  • Heat – Sitting in the sun… heating up… might be bad for some reels, I’d guess.

Performance –

  • Smoothness of the drag – speaks for itself, really.
  • start-up inertia – this gets talked about a lot… I’m not sure how that is measured though.

I want to see this done.  I do wonder if gear makers would actually want their gear tested in some kind of objective way.  What if the $200 reel and the $700 reel are identical in terms of performance and durability?  Maybe the gap is huge.  Maybe it would be really clear.  Maybe the winners would be clear and the cork vs. carbon fiber debate could be settled.  Of course, Middle East peace could break out too.

Field testing is just never going to do it.  A week or a month or a season with a reel doesn’t really tell you anything because you have no real comparison… what you did in that week or month or year didn’t happen to the other 68… you didn’t put them through the same things.

So… if you find an extra, oh, $25K sitting around… let me know.

Conservation / Fish Tails — No Comments
20
Dec 10

Bonefish Release by Aaron Adams

Aaron Adams… Director of Operations for BTT… yeah, the guy knows bonefish.  He put this together, which is just a joy to watch.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4_q1QSErsvo?fs=1&hl=en_US

Locations — 5 Comments
19
Dec 10

Vallarta – last day and a new species

Had a good three hours out there today before we take off tomorrow.  As is normal, I was the only one fishing the beach.  This is not a fly fishing hot-spot.  The beach is left to the tourists.  I hardly saw a local out there this year, although that may be partly due to the dramatic changes at the river-mouth this year.

Today I picked up some Jack Crevalles, as is normal, and several Pompano.  Usually I get a single pompano if I get any, but today I had 4 or 5.  I also picked up a new fish… likely a young Green Jack.

Green Jack... my first.

It was a good trip, despite a nice cold that sat in the noses of my wife and I for most of the trip.  We had a lot of pool time with the little girl (she wants to stay, forever… just wants me to bring the dog down). We actually got off the resort a tiny bit to get my daughter to see her first wild crocs… which was kind of cool.

Yes... they have crocs in Vallarta... Nuevo Vallarta.

We’ll be back… and next time… I really, really want to get out on the bay… probably with a 10 weight (11?).  I’d like to land a Mahi Mahi… 2011 could be the year.

Good times.

Conservation — No Comments
18
Dec 10

Bonefish and Tarpon Trust, Hell’s Bay Boat, Dec. 31

If you want to win a sweet skiff from Hell’s Bay and want to support THE biggest supporter of bonefish (and tarpon and permit) out there… well… your time is running out.  Dec. 31st is the deadline to enter the drawing.  Entering the drawing is the same thing as cutting a check to BTT, which, if you are reading this… you probably should do.  No… really… do it.  Do it because they are doing good work and think of the boat drawing as a possible bonus (cause, ya know… there’s only one and the odds aren’t with you).

Here are the details.

I want this... although I have no idea what I'd actually do with it.

Locations — 2 Comments
17
Dec 10

Sometimes it takes me a while

Three days of fishing the new little bay here in Nuevo Vallarta and all I had caught were a bunch of tiny, tiny Jacks.  The water just seemed too shallow.  The big boys weren’t going to come in this far.  I knew it… deep down.  I was wasting my time casting to these little guys in the hopes that a big one might be near.

The doorman said we should push to the weekend to try and head out and then he called this morning, wanting to go out.  Well… my wife has a cold (so do I) and I wasn’t anywhere near ready, so I passed up on that chance.  I paced a bit and then went and did pool time with my daughter.  When my wife offered an opportunity to head back to the little bay this afternoon, I took it.

“I’m going to do something different this time though…” I thought as I headed out there.

For starters, I left the camera with my wife.  I get a little superstitious sometimes.  I wanted things to line up for me, so I wasn’t taking any chances.

I started off as close to the river mouth as I could get… small fish.  I worked my way around the inside of the little bay… small fish.  Not enough current… too shallow.

Then I took a good look at the outside of the little bay.  I could see color change.  That is where I needed to fish.

First cast, first nice little Jack of the trip… 2 pounds or so.  Then came another and another and another.  Biggest was probably about 5 pounds, which ended up on the dinner plate, along with a nice 3 pounder.

Yummers.

Success.  I just needed to listen to myself a little bit.  I knew I needed deeper water.  I knew I needed more current.

I was happy to be able to switch over to my #2’s and #1/0’s from my #4 clousers.  It was a good day.

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