THE VOICE OF SALTWATER FLY FISHING
10 YEARS
the VOICE OF SALTWATER FLY FISHING
2012 - 2022 FLY FISHING MAGAZINE
TEN-YEAR ANNIVERSARY ISSUE Special Double Edition
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SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2022
SEPT/OCTOBER 2022 DISPLAY UNTIL NOVEMBER 30
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This shot is called “The Athlete,” a title that really needs no explanation. Dreams and memories are made of scenes like this. Photo by Neal Rogers
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They don’t have to be big to be beautiful. Photo by Zane Taylor
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INSIDE THE BOX: TEN FLIES WE SHOULD ALWAYS HAVE - Joseph Ballarini To celebrate our tenth anniversary, our founder has compiled a list of ten flies that should always be in your fly box, using information collected from thousands of anglers, hundreds of guides, and dozens of lodge owners—as well as his own personal experience. Did your favorites make the cut? Let the debate begin.
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ADDICTION - Joseph Ballarini In the beginning, there was a burning passion for saltwater fly fishing, followed soon by a quest for knowledge, information, and experience. That’s how this magazine was born, and this feature, which appeared as the first article in Issue 1 (September/October 2012), explains how Editor-in-Chief Joseph Ballarini was hooked by his first bonefish, sparking an obsession with saltwater fly fishing and giving rise to the product you now hold in your hands.
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BARRACUDA BREAKDOWN - Chico Fernandez There are a lot of fish in the sea, and according to Chico Fernandez, one of the most underrated is the great barracuda. Its runs aren’t as long as some of the other species we pursue with fly rods in salt water, but the barracuda more than makes up for it by viciously attacking a fly and making a blazing initial run—often with impressive aerial acrobatics. Chico explains the allure of fly fishing for barracuda and how to find and catch this unsung hero of the flats. GEAR GUIDE - TFFM Staff We couldn’t publish an expanded issue without a similarly expanded Gear Guide, so this special installment of the regular reader favorite highlights even more cool stuff than usual—clothes, gear, and gadgets galore–with the editor’s choice awards for some of our favorites. WIDE OPEN - Gilbert Rowley The goal was recording video of fly anglers in search of tuna and dorado off the coast of Southern California, but Gilbert Rowley got even more than he bargained for when he hooked a yellowfin tuna for his first saltwater fish on a fly rod. Originally published in Issue 22 (March/ April 2016), this piece tells the story of a Western trout guy’s mind-boggling introduction to the salt.
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THE HEART OF THE KEYS: A MARATHON JOURNAL - Stephen Collector A photography assignment introduced Stephen Collector to the Florida Keys in the 1980s, and he was immediately enchanted with the place, especially after spending time with Jim Harrison, Russell Chatham, and Tom McGuane—the subjects of the magazine shoot. More than three decades later, Collector returned earlier this year for an extended stay, documenting his return in this journal and the accompanying black and white photographs, most of which were shot on film. THE MURDER CUCUMBERS OF BLEKINGE Ilias Karanzas The southern coast of Sweden is thousands of miles from the tropical Caribbean flats that more often fill this magazine’s pages. And braving February’s chill to fly fish for pike in the brackish waters near Blekinge is light years from the saltwater fly fishing norm. Ilias Karanzas and photographer Arek Kubale take us to another world of fly fishing in this piece that originally appeared in Issue 25 (September/October 2016). ON THE PLATE: SEAFOOD PAELLA - Jennifer Matsu Inspired by evening conversations about Cuban food with Chico Fernandez during El Palometero 2022 in Punta Allen, Mexico, our food editor returned home from her travels, dug out the special cookware, and came up with this tasty seafood paella. ¡Buen provecho! BAYOU VISTA RANCH WATER - TFFM Staff The Ranch Water cocktail has been all the rage in recent years—companies are even making canned versions to take advantage of the hard-seltzer craze—and now comes Tail Fly Fishing Magazine’s take on it, courtesy of Food Editor Jennifer Matsu. The Ranch Water keeps the tequila—or mezcal in this version—front and center, while the sparkling mineral water makes it light and refreshing. She has added a new ingredient, too. SEEING RED - Macala Elliott Sometimes, few words are necessary, and we think Mac Elliott’s redfish photos speak for themselves in this superb photographic essay. She captures the essence of these beautiful bruisers in Texas, Florida, and South Carolina, and if you’re not ready to head to the marsh after seeing these images, you need to check your pulse.
Photo courtesy of Aardvark McLeod
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FLY TYING: COOLA POP SHRIMP - Carl Harris It’s a shrimp, it’s a popper . . . it’s a popping shrimp. It’s the Coola Pop Shrimp by Carl Harris. Grab some foam and feathers and get to work with these step-by-step instructions. BASS ON TOP - George Roberts When fly fishing for striped bass, there’s nothing more exciting than taking them on surface flies. In this technical piece that originally appeared in Issue 37 (September/October 2018), Acquisitions Editor George Roberts reveals the flies to use, gear specs, and when and where to use surface flies—as well as the best ways to make your bugs gurgle and glug to call up hungry and curious stripers. CHASING THE WAVING TAIL: AN EVOLUTION IN PERMIT FISHING - Jonathan Olch Saltwater fly fishing is constantly changing and evolving with advances in both equipment and knowledge, and permit fishing is no exception. Jon Olch, the author of A Passion for Permit, weighs in with an evaluation of the changes—and constants—in permit fly fishing over the past decade. UNHAPPY HOOKERS - E. Donnall Thomas Jr. You see some “interesting” injuries in hospital emergency rooms, and when the hospital is in Soldotna, Alaska, situated on the Kenai River and home base for the river’s famous salmon runs, that includes lots of fish hooks embedded in body parts. Don Thomas, who practiced medicine in Soldotna for a number of years, shares some humorous stories about his experience. More important, though, he dispenses practical advice about what to do when an errant cast results in hooks in the wrong places. DECADE OF CONSERVATION - TFFM Staff Conservation of marine resources is the foundation of all we hold dear in the world of saltwater fly fishing. There have been success stories and disappointing setbacks over the past ten years, but this piece calls attention to some of the most notable conservation achievements during Tail Fly Fishing Magazine’s first decade as the voice of saltwater fly fishing. DORADO ON THE BANK - Carlos Cortez Golden dorado aren’t a saltwater species, but fly fishing for them requires many of the same tactics and techniques used for the salty species we often pursue. Carlos Cortez explores the golden dorado game on the sand banks of South America’s Alta Paraná River, drawing comparisons to his sometimes obsessive pursuit of permit.
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FLYING HIGH FOR TARPON - Joe Doggett Longtime Houston Chronicle outdoor writer Joe Doggett has made many contributions to this magazine over the years, but this story of fly fishing for tarpon in Costa Rica in the early 1980s is probably our favorite. This humorous tale of a day on the water in search of tarpon—and validation from a demanding young guide—initially appeared in Issue 39 (January/February 2019). DEEP GRAVY - Trey Reid Our managing editor shares the story of the best week of saltwater fly fishing of his life, but it’s more than an expository piece recounting his uncommon success. He probes unexpected feelings of sheepishness and disbelief that arose as the fishing just kept getting better. In the end, it’s all gravy. But how much gravy is enough? GT BEHAVIOR AND HANGOUTS Peter McLeod TFFM Travel Editor Peter McLeod has amassed a wealth of angling knowledge while traveling the globe in search of the next great fly fishing adventure. In this piece, which appeared in Issue 27 (January/February 2017), he provides summaries from his book, GT: A Fly Fisher’s Guide to Giant Trevally, that explain where to find these “gangsters of the ocean” and how to catch them. SALT MARSH SECRETS - Joseph Albanese When the stars align—mainly in the form of tides and water temperatures—the shallow waters of Northeast salt marshes explode with life, leading to a feeding frenzy of epic proportions and some of the best striped bass fishing to be found on the Atlantic Coast. Initially appearing in Issue 34 (March/April 2018), this technical piece reveals all you need to know about identifying the right conditions and taking advantage of them.
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A GUIDE’S LIFE - Scott Hamilton Captain Scott Hamilton says every day on the water is unique, but some are definitely more unusual than others. In this article from Issue 17 (May/June 2015), Hamilton shares several accounts from his life on the water. From the harrowing story of surviving an unexpected storm to humorous tales of busted tackle, these tales are sure to entertain.
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UNDERTOW: QUERENCIA - Aaron Wood Isolation and loneliness are two sides of a coin in Aaron Wood’s thoughtful essay about fly fishing on a remote beach guarded by crocodiles. Querencia is Spanish for “affection,” and in this case, the object of that affection is a place to oneself.
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R E T A I L E R S C A R R Y T A I L
ALASKA Mossy’s Fly Shop 750 W. Diamond Blvd, Suite 114 Anchorage, AK 99515 907-770-2666 mossysflyshop.com CALIFORNIA Bob Marriott’s Fly Fishing Store 2700 W. Orangethorpe Ave Fullerton, CA 92833 714-525-1827 bobmarriottsflyfishingstore. com COLORADO Front Range Anglers 2344 Pearl Street Boulder, CO 80302 303-494-1375 frontrangeanglers.com Golden Fly Shop 710 Golden Ridge Rd #126 Golden, CO 80401 303-330-1291 goldenfly.shop CONNECTICUT The Compleat Angler 541 Boston Post Road Darien, CT 06820 203-655-9400 compleatangleronline.com FLORIDA 239 Flies 3431 Bonita Beach Rd SW Unit #205 Bonita Springs, FL 34134 (239) 908-3513 239flies.com
ORVIS Sandestin 625 Grand Boulevard Ste 101 Sandestin, FL 32550 850-650-2174 Orvis.com Seven Mile Fly Shop 1638 Overseas Highway Marathon, FL 33050 (305) 440-3406 sevenmileflyshop.com The Angling Company 333 Simonton St Key West, FL 33040 305-292-6306 anglingcompany.com The Tide 26 Grouper Hole Drive Boca Grande, FL 33921 941-964-2417 GEORGIA ORVIS Atlanta Buckhead Square 3255 Peachtree Rd NE Atlanta, GA 30305 404-841-0093 Orvis.com The Fish Hawk 764 Miami Cir NE #126 Atlanta, GA 30305 404-237-3473 thefishhawk.com LOUISIANA ORVIS Baton Rouge Perkins Rowe, Bldg. H 7601 Bluebonnet Blvd., Ste. 140 Baton Rouge LA 70810 225-757-7286 Orvis.com
NORTH CAROLINA OBX on the Fly 107 Sir Walter Raleigh St Manteo, NC 27954 obxonthefly.com RHODE ISLAND The Saltwater Edge 1037 Aquidneck Ave Middletown, RI 02842 866-793-6733 saltwateredge.com SOUTH CAROLINA Bay Street Outfitters 825 Bay Street Beaufort, SC 29902 843-524-5250 baystreetoutfitters.com ORVIS Charleston 535 King St. Charleston, SC 29403 (854) 999-4985 Orvis.com Southern Drawl Outfitters 1533 Fording Island Rd Hilton Head Island, SC 29926 843-705-6010 southerndrawloutfitters.com TEXAS Bayou City Angler 3641 Westheimer Rd Suite A Houston, TX 77027 832-831-3104 bayoucityangler.com
Sportsman’s Finest 12434 Bee Cave Road Austin, TX 78738 512-263-1888 sportsmansfinest.com Swan Point Landing 1723 Cherry Street Suite 4 Rockport, TX 78382 361-729-7926 swanpointlandingflyshop.net Tailwaters Fly Fishing Co. 1933 E. Levee St Dallas, TX 75207 888-824-5420 tailwatersflyfishing.com UTAH Fishwest 47 West 10600 South Sandy, UT 84070 fishwest.com 801-617-1225 WASHINGTON Peninsula Outfitters 19740 7th Ave NE, Suite 110 Poulsbo, WA 98370 360-394-1599 peninsulaoutfitters.com The Avid Angler 17171 Bothell Way NE #A272 Lake Forest Park, WA 98155 206-362-4030 avidangler.com WYOMING Lander Fly Shop 305 Main Street Lander, WY 82520 307-438-3439 landerflyshop.com
MARYLAND
Gordy & Sons Outfitters 22 Waugh Drive Houston, TX 77007 713-333-3474 gordyandsons.com
Florida Keys Outfitters 81219 Overseas Highway Islamorada, FL 33036 305-664-5432 floridakeysoutfitters.com
Alltackle 2062 Somerville Rd Annapolis, MD 21401 888-810-7283 alltackle.com
Grapevine Fly Fishing 122 N Main Street Grapevine, Texas 76051 720.453.6878 grapevineflyfishing.com
Forgotten Coast Fly Company 123 Commerce St Apalachicola, FL 32320 850-323-0266 forgottencoastflycompany. com
MASSACHUSETTS
Gruene Outfitters 1265 Industrial Drive Suite C New Braunfels, TX 78130 (830) 625-4440 grueneoutfitters.com
Bass Pro Shops—95 locations in the USA
ORVIS Austin 10000 Research Blvd - B04B Austin TX 78759 512-795-8004 Orvis.com
Field & Stream Stores—35 locations in the USA
ORVIS Houston 5727 Westheimer - Suite A Houston TX 77057 713-783-2111 Orvis.com
BAHAMAS
Mangrove Outfitters 4111 Tamiami Trail E Naples, FL 34112 239-793-3370 mangroveoutfitters.com Ole Florida Fly Shop 6353 N. Federal Hwy Boca Raton, FL 33487 561-995-1929 olefloridaflyshop.com Orlando Outfitters 2814 Corrine Dr Orlando, FL 32803 407-896-8220 orlandooutfitters.com ORVIS Ocean Reef 1 Fishing Village Drive Key Largo FL 33037 305-367-2227 Orvis.com
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The Bear’s Den 34 Robert W. Boyden Rd Taunton, MA 02780 508-977-0700 bearsden.com Kismet Outfitters 204 UPPER MAIN STREET Edgartown, MA 02539 860-944-5225 kismetoutfitters.com MONTANA Frontier Anglers 680 N. Montana St Dillion, MT 59725 406-683-5276 frontieranglers.com NEW YORK River Bay Outfitters 980 Church St Baldwin, NY 11510 516-415-7748 riverbayoutfitters.com
ORVIS Plano Preston Towne Crossing 2412 Preston Road Suite 200 Plano, TX 75093 972-596-7529 Orvis.com ORVIS San Antonio 7427 San Pedro Ave. Suite 104 San Antonio, TX 78216 210-812-3017 Orvis.com
RETAIL CHAINS: Barnes & Noble—630 retail locations in the USA Books-A-Million—260 stores in 32 states
Dick’s Sporting Goods (select locations)—over 700 stores in the USA
Indigo Books—over 200 stores under various banners
Blackfly Lodge Schooner Bay Abaco, Bahamas 904-997-2220 blackflylodge.com CANADA Drift Outfitters & Fly Shop 199 Queen St. East Toronto Ontario M5A-1S2 647-347-7370 Driftoutfitters.com Fish Tales Fly Shop Ltd. #626, 12100 Macleod Trail SE Calgary AB T2J 7G9 Canada 866-640-1273 fishtalesflyshop.com
ON TODAY'S FISHING
MENU INSHORE NEARSHORE OFFSHORE TARPON REDFISH TROUT PERMIT SNOOK DRUM
TRIPLETAIL STRIPERS GROUPER ALBIES SHARKS SNAPPER
MAHI YELLOWFIN BLUEFIN AMBERJACK SAILFISH BLACKFIN
LET IT EAT EASTCAPEBOATS.COM
TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE 21
by Joseph Ballarini Tail Fly Fishing Magazine’s ten-year anniversary calls for something more extensive than a tutorial or pictures of destination boxes. So I’ve made a list of ten flies for ten years, and these selections should always be inside your fly box. I’ve fished a lot of flies over the years, and I’ve also gained insight from thousands of anglers, hundreds of guides, and dozens of lodge owners. Over the last decade of publishing this magazine, I’ve pooled that information into an extensive meta analysis of fly success. Is it absolute? No. It’s simply a salty fly guy sharing ten years of his observations—and the observations and experiences of others—to try to make everyone’s fishing better. I’m sure this list will generate debate and maybe a few arguments; I argued with myself while compiling it. I considered dozens of other flies. I didn’t include the EP Spawning Shrimp, Deceiver, Half and Half, Slider, M.O.E., Strong Arm Crab, or Aflexo. Nor did the Chernobyl Crab or Borski Slider make the cut—despite the fact Tim Borski was a major influence on my early fly tying. You’ll likely have strong opinions about your own favorite producers, and we’d like to hear about it. Send us an email or letter, or follow our Instagram and Facebook pages to weigh in on our digital platforms.
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WHITE EP PEANUT BUTTER If you aren’t familiar with Enrico Puglisi’s Peanut Butter, you either haven’t been fly fishing long or you’re not paying attention. It’s probably one of the most common baitfish patterns in use, sold by almost every fly shop, and has a profile that catches fish in both fresh and salt water. It’s lightweight and easy to cast, swims well, and can be tied in any color combination. I’ve used it to catch striped bass, peacock bass, bluefish, mahi-mahi, marlin, tarpon, redfish, and snook, as well as various shark and trevally species. Solid white is the most versatile, fished as is, or colored with Sharpies to mimic local prey. Other favorite colors are black and purple, and the white belly with blue, green, or tan on top.
VEVERKA’S MANTIS SHRIMP I interviewed the late Bob Veverka about nine years
POP’S BONEFISH BITTERS
ago and asked him about his most widely known fly; his answer kind of surprised me. I’m paraphrasing,
Pop’s Bitters is a time-tested and proven flats fly.
but he basically said that he didn’t like tying a bunch
It’s a little crabby and a little shrimpy, which is why
of shrimp variations and just wanted one that would
both bonefish and permit like it. It’s a great pattern
work everywhere. He also laughed and said it was
for Turneffe in Belize and is comparable to the crab
just luck. Anyone who has ever fished for bonefish
named after the atoll. They’re similar—both have a
has probably used his Mantis. It’s usually the first
small tuft of deer hair, a design element that usually
fly that a guide will select from your box. Permit eat
makes them land hook up—but one slight difference
it, too. I’ve taken bonefish on three continents with
gives the edge to the Bitters: The little bead of epoxy
it, and it’s usually the first fly that I’ll try on flats in
on the body/head gives the fly additional weight,
new destinations. I’ve caught fish with it in Indonesia,
more effectively getting it to the bottom. The Bitters
Maldives, and Australia—on unknown flats, without a
also lands slightly softer, and I like the way it wobbles
guide. Ververka’s shrimp is lightweight, lands softly,
as it makes little sand puffs with each bounce. You
and fish go crazy for the front-focused rubber legs.
can take permit, bones, and even redfish on it, and it’s
My favorite variation is the “ghost” version, a very
also great for triggerfish and sheepshead.
light tan with light barring.
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Addiction by Joseph Ballarini On my first cast to a bonefish, on Biscayne Bay near Miami in August 2008, I hooked up. We rolled out of Black Point Marina, into a skinny-water eel grass flat that was as smooth as melted glass. The sun was starting to surface in its awesome orange glow, illuminating
the grip on my cork handle started to
the horizon. We saw spiders the size
loosen. The cork was indented from
of birds high up in the mangroves in
the raw pressure of my grip, but it
the early morning light; there may
just didn’t seem tight enough, so I just
HUGE FISH AND A BAD KNOT
have been a bird caught in one of the
kept squeezing. My body felt heavier,
I pulled back on the line and set the
webs. What am I doing here?
and there was little I could do about it.
hook on a roughly 7-pound bonefish.
We traveled by canoe through a very
“Twelve o’clock, about 45 feet. See
bend—because I had never had a fish
small creek. It was shallow, muddy,
them?”
of that brawn on it before. With the
it! Set it! set it!”
My rod bent like I had never seen it
smelled like sulfur, and there were
reel screaming, the mighty bone pulled
lots of bugs. What was I thinking this
I did. There were six or seven big
off about 150 feet of line in a blazing
morning?
bonefish right in front of me—tailing.
initial run that only took seconds.
I’d never seen them tail at such short The creek fed into a small cove named
range. This was my chance to catch
“You are the luckiest guy in the
Black Point about 10 miles south
my first bone on a fly. I was excited,
world,” my guide bellowed. “No one
of Miami Beach. As I was admiring
and I could taste success.
catches a bonefish on their first cast.”
the sunrise, just as we entered the
Technically, it was my second cast,
creek mouth onto the flats, the guide
I completely flubbed the first cast,
but it didn’t matter. As quick as the
whispered, “See them? There they are!”
throwing the fly about 20 feet short
fish was hooked, it was gone. My knot
and about 30 feet to the left of the
gave way, leaving a pig-tailed leader
I was nervous—very nervous. I had
school. I picked up my line with a
shooting back at the canoe. I quickly
just started fly fishing after being
water haul, which at that moment I
retrieved my line, and the guide
a bait chucker since age four, and
really didn’t know existed. Somehow,
grabbed it for a closer look.
frankly, my fly casting wasn’t good.
maybe with the adrenaline or just
“I’ll get you closer,” the guide said.
plain luck, I fired a 40-foot laser into
“You need to check your knots, man,”
“Get ready to cast.” My heart was
the center of the small school of
he said. “You just lost a huge fish
racing at about 120 beats per minute.
tailing bones. I saw a flash of silver
because of a knot.”
I felt my palms getting sweaty, and
and heard the guide scream, “He ate
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I had a pit in my stomach, and for the
the distance. There they were—six or
first time since I was four years old, I
seven bonefish tailing in about a foot
didn’t want to fish anymore. That was
of water on an eel grass flat. They
probably good, because there weren’t
were fat and happy. It almost looked
any more fish that morning. I felt like a
like the same school as that first
complete failure, but there was a part
connection, but the chance of that
of me that thought I could do it again.
was virtually nonexistent.
The optimism kept me coming back.
HERE WE GO AGAIN
Finally, near Matheson Hammock in
I pole with a rope looped around my
Miami, it happened again. It was the
wrist. The rope is tied to the anchor
same scenario, but I had been fishing
line, which allows me to loop the rope
without a guide for about a week. I launched my kayak from the public
around my push pole and gently drop it behind the kayak to drag behind my beach on a pebble shore which wasn’t
vessel, well out of the way. I pushed
far from a channel. It was overcast
hard one more time to get into a
and warm for the time of year, the
better position.
tides were very dramatic, and there was rain on the horizon. Only lightning
I looped my rope, dropped the pole,
would make me leave the flats,
picked up the fly rod, and attempted
especially after waking up at 4:30
to visualize my attack.
a.m. to get on the water by sunrise. But indeed, there was lightning amid
This time I was ready. Calmer, more
the rain on the distant horizon. I
experienced, and a much better
didn’t have much time. My favorite
caster, but still no bones to date,
8-weight was ready, handle at my feet
so the nervousness persisted to a
with the tip off the bow. This time I
significant degree. In this moment,
tied my own leader and checked my
you just accept the tachycardia and
knots twice. I even tied my own fly,
sweaty palms, knowing that the hunt
Peterson’s Spawning Shrimp, my go-to
is on.
bonefish fly at the time. I began my cast, very sloppy and too While poling my kayak over a deep
fast on the backcast, which seems to
boat channel, I saw something in
be the norm while casting when fish
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by Chico Fernandez Big barracudas have always been
hooked up, and schools of bonefish
short runs, 20 yards or so, and then
where racing all over the flats as far
made the most spectacular jump I
as I could see. It was fun to watch.
can ever remember out of a ‘cuda. It
one of my favorite fly rod fish—so
was a long jump that had to be more
much so that I’ve always made an
Then I saw a very large dark fish in
effort to have a fully rigged rod in
the distance. It was following one of
case I run into one while fishing for
the schools of bonefish. I couldn’t see
But a few minutes into the fight,
bonefish or permit. And if the area
it well enough, but it was either a
the ‘cuda decided to leave the flat
warrants it, I’ll fish exclusively for
shark or a large barracuda.
and headed for the deep dropoff at
them all day long.
than 20 feet. I’ll never forget it.
high speed. There was nothing I could I had a feeling it was a ‘cuda. So I
do about it except wade after the
To date, I’ve taken seven large
grabbed my 9-weight rod with an old
fish as fast as I could, which wasn’t
‘cudas that were close to 30 pounds
Seamaster Mark II and a ‘cuda fly
very fast, so I was quickly losing
or larger. I remember how many
with No. 4 wire. I had been looking all
line. Meanwhile, the ‘cuda got to the
because those catches are very
trip long for that big barracuda, and
edge of the dropoff, only a few feet
significant and exciting to me. Only
this could be my chance.
from the staked out panga, and kept
snook more than 20 pounds fall into
going. Several of the anglers and the
that category for me. Let me share
I got off the panga, and once on the
guides saw her go by. The next time
my most memorable ‘cuda catch.
hard sand, I had to wade a long time
it jumped, it was an estimated 150 yards away. The big fish was running infinitely faster than I could move by wading. I kept losing line, and by the time I got to the panga, I could see the bottom of the reel with only a few turns of backing left on it. It was a big effort to climb on the panga’s tall freeboard, but as soon as I did, the engine was running and we were chasing the ‘cuda.
before I got within casting range. In the winter of 1988, I hosted a
And then I could see it clearly; it was
trip of 12 anglers to Los Roques,
a big ‘cuda. My heart was pumping,
Venezuela. Fishing was fantastic in
my throat was dry, and I have to
those days. On the last day of the
admit that I was nervous.
trip, four of us rode a 24-foot panga to a large sandy flat that had a very
It wasn’t too windy, and I was up
sharp dropoff at one end. There were
wind of the fish anyway, so it was
schools of bonefish everywhere,
a fairly easy 60-foot cast. The fly
so my anglers got off and started
landed 8 or 10 feet from the fish.
wading after them right away. I
The ‘cuda was excited upon seeing
stayed on the panga, eating half a
the fly, but still, as usual, followed
sandwich while standing on the tip
the fly halfway to me before taking
end of the bow. Soon, everyone was
it. Once hooked, it made a couple of
Now I could start to gain line—very slowly since the reel’s arbor was about the size of a quarter. But eventually I was back in the fly line, and by then the fish had sounded, so now it was just a matter of time. Eventually, I was able to bring the fish to the boat and land it. It tipped the guide’s old scale to 34 pounds. And as I held it for a few quick photos, I knew I would never forget this fish. Not even if I ever caught a bigger one. Which I haven’t.
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GEAR GUIDE TORNADO ANCHORS
Designed for river beds, this handmade anchor is also quite handy on the flats. While it was designed to adjust to the constantly changing bottom of stone river beds, we asked to try one in the salt. We didn’t think this style of anchor would hold a skiff in a strong current or high winds, but it surprised us. The Tornado will plane a bit if dragged. This adds resistance and allows for the shifting plates to grab and catch. It actually grabs in sand pretty well, even better on softer bottoms, and best on hard bottoms. It didn’t get caught up in underwater debris nearly as often as traditional anchors, but it did hang up once (all anchors do at some point). The best part is it’s easy to rinse and store and has far better aesthetics than other anchors. It you’re looking for a better anchor, check out the Tornado. The 24- to 45-pound models should be sufficient for most skiffs, and you can also add the “Anchor Nest,” which is a nice storage box to fit in your hatch, for an additional charge. $160-$250 (tornadoanchorsusa.com)
TERVIS TUMBLER
Tervis is a third-generation, American-owned-andoperated company known for durable drinkware with great insulation properties. The company’s 20-ounce and 30-ounce stainless tumblers are not unlike those offered by their competitors, who are perhaps more recognizable to the average consumer these days. But we think Tervis offers a great alternative at significant savings. They promise their tumbler’s double-walled design will keep beverages hot for up to 8 hours or cold for 24. We did our own overnight ice-water test with a big-name tumbler and found the melt rate basically identical. We especially love the look and feel of the tarpon, redfish, and mahi-mahi skin prints—reason enough to own a new Tervis Tumbler. $27.99 (tervis.com)
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VANNKRIGER SOLAR STEALTH PERFORMANCE SHIRT
In a virtual sea of apparel for anglers and outsiders in general, some are well done while many are . . . well, let’s just say some are well done. Vannkriger is a new entry in performance wear, and they got a lot of things right. The rolled double-stitched seams and sleeves are aesthetically appealing and very comfortable on sticky summer days. The “athletic” fit is accurate, so you’ll have to suck in that gut for your grip-and-grin. The sleeves are a little long, providing an extra bit of sun protection. It’s definitely not your standard tech shirt, and it’s a very good value. $45 (vannkriger.com)
SKULLCANDY CRUSHER EVO WIRELESS HEADPHONE
As fly anglers, we sometimes subject ourselves to long flights to get to the remote destinations required for bucket-list fish. A crying baby or overly talkative neighbor in the seat next to us can make a long day of travel even longer. The Skullcandy Crusher line is a noise-suppressing headphone that performs very well at a lower price point than some of the better-known brands in the highfidelity space. One of the more impressive features is the 40-hour battery life that’s coupled with rapid-charging technology. The expanded bass is great for the island music we like when traveling to the Caribbean, and the ear cups are very comfortable. One of my favorite additions to this product is the Tile finding technology, which is great if you’re like us and constantly losing things. Very nice headphones for the price. $199 (skullcandy.com)
FISH HIPPIE DRIFT PERFORMANCE SHORT
The Fish Hippie Drift Performance Short is lightweight and quick-drying, constructed from 93 percent nylon and 7 percent spandex. The shorts have a decent amount of stretch but still hold their shape well. The company has been very responsive to minor flaws we’ve encountered, and they stand behind their products. One pair had some loose stitching after months of hard wear, and Fish Hippie quickly replaced them. These shorts make great fishing or hiking shorts because of a high level of comfort and ability to dry quickly, but they can double as dressier shorts if necessary. $88 (fishhippie.com)
TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE 47
WIDE 48 TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE
OPEN by Gilbert Rowley
point that, pound for pound, it has
If you can’t tell already, I’m a trout
more power than possibly any other
guy from the West who’s slowly gain-
I never imagined my first saltwater
species in the ocean. I always pic-
ing experience in the salt. My percep-
fish on a fly would be a yellowfin
tured myself in a bonefish kiddie pool
tions are proving to be far from reality
tuna. Never would I have thought of
somewhere, casting to tailing fish
on many levels; I’m not even sure if
myself hooking up with a fish that
that also have great power but on a
there exists a place equivalent to a
has been genetically blessed to the
much smaller scale.
bonefish kiddie pool. But this article
TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE 49
54 TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE
TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE 55
The Murder Cucumbers of Blekinge Story by Ilias Karanzas Photos by Arek Kubale
My wife and I have spent the early hours of the morning heading north up to Oslo to pick up friends who have flown in from Poland. Now that the car is packed with people and gear, it’s time to drive south toward the brackish flats of the Blekinge area to fly fish for pike. My friends Arek, Wojtek, and Aga have never fished for pike in conditions like these, although my wife and I have often visited our friends at Sandhamn Marine for the type of fly fishing that you can only get there.
66 TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE
Arriving at Sandhamn Marine on
temperatures for the coming days,
water, and massive amounts of fish.
Monday afternoon, we were greeted
we started building our strategy.
If you visit in late February and have
by Ulf Johansson and his son Mattis,
Most people think that early February
days that are partly sunny and about
with news that the fishing had been
pike fishing is something that is not
6 degrees Celsius, you will have some
great. The guys threw our gear into
done, that pike in a prespawn mood
great fishing experiences. That’s
our cabins, and we immediately
are sluggish and will not grab a fly.
exactly what we had coming.
started out into the bay to begin
This is far from the truth, though,
fishing. But after casting throughout
especially in the Blekinge area.
The flies recommended for this area
the entire area without a single
The pelagic pike from the Baltic
tend to have natural brown and
nibble, our moods fell, and we called
Sea arrive in late October, moving
green tones, but we came to the
it a night.
onto the shallows of the Blekinge
conclusion that we needed something
archipelago to fatten up before the
more aggressive in color since colder
Sitting together in the evening
spawn. That’s what makes the fishing
conditions occasionally call for a
and discussing the weather and
here so fun: big flats, 2 to 3 feet of
fly that can trigger a strike rather
TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE 67
( (
Seeing RED by Macala Elliott
78 TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE
Mac Elliott’s Canon opens a window to the world of redfish, documenting these eager feeders and tenacious fighters in some of their most celebrated haunts—from Texas to Florida to South Carolina.
TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE 79
on top BASS by George Roberts
In general, you’ll catch most of your
generated by a popper or hair-head
The bodies of sliders tend to be
striped bass throughout the year—
attracts fish that you may have
slimmer than those of popping bugs,
and most of your larger fish—using
missed with a more subtle subsurface
and the face is often cut to a V. Sliders
streamers fished subsurface. But
offering. In short, when fishing for
are meant to move across the surface
taking bass on topwater flies is
striped bass, don’t hesitate to ring
quietly, creating a wake that the bass
arguably the most exciting way to
the dinner bell.
still feels. Sliders are particularly good
catch them. Nothing compares to the
in calm water and, unlike poppers,
explosion of water that accompanies
TOPWATER FLY DESIGNS
a surface strike. It’s the saltwater
Surface striper flies fall into two
especially when bass are picking off
equivalent of dry-fly fishing—but
broad categories: popping bugs/
small baitfish on the surface. Despite
with the volume cranked.
sliders and hair-headed streamers.
the slider’s subtlety, bass will hit them
Popping bugs and sliders typically
just as hard as they’ll hit a popping
Visual excitement aside, there are
are made of one of three types of
bug. Under the right circumstances,
other good reasons why you should
material: cork, balsa wood, or most
fishing a slider can be like pulling your
add surface flies—popping bugs,
commonly foam (such as the closed-
fly through a minefield.
sliders, and hair-heads—to your
cell foam from which lobster-pot
bag of tricks. First, nothing gets a
buoys are made). Most striped-bass
striper’s attention like a wounded
poppers range from about 1/2 inch to
baitfish, and there’s no better way
5/8 inch in diameter, and from 1 inch
to transmit distress signals than
to a 1 1/2 inches in length, minus the
they can be deadly after dark—
with a popping bug. While a streamer must pass through the fish’s field of vision to trigger a strike, poppers
When fishing shallow over structure like rocks, seaweed, or grass, there’s a chance you could hang up on something other than a fish, and tail. Poppers much larger than this
you’ll do well to use a fly that has
become difficult to cast.
some buoyancy. Streamers with heads made of spun or flared
The tails of most popping bugs
deer body hair work well in such
can summon fish from a distance. A
are made of either bucktail, saddle
situations. The late Bill Catherwood’s
striped bass’s lateral line is ever alert
hackles, or a combination of hackles
Giant Killer series of flies are the
to low-frequency waves such as those
and marabou. Saddle hackles allow
prototypical hair-heads, dressed in
generated by baitfish in trouble;
for a longer tail, but the commotion
a colorful melange of saddle hackle,
it gives the fish a sensory “radar”
produced by a popping bug creates
marabou, and clipped deer body hair
that extends out to around 50 feet.
the illusion of a prey item much larger
that striped bass find irresistible.
Therefore, the surface commotion
than the popper’s actual size.
A full-size Giant Killer runs 7 to 9
90 TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE
TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE 91
102 TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE
Unhappy Hookers When hooks wind up in fishermen instead of fish Story by E. Donnall Thomas Jr. Photos by Don and Lori Thomas
hooks and lures we removed from the
Back in 1980, before its famous king
of summer, our emergency room
salmon run crashed, the Kenai River
looked more like a sporting goods
was Alaska’s most heavily fished
store than a medical facility.
victims and posted them on a board running around the walls. By the end
“What brings you to the emergency room today, ma’am?” I asked sympathetically. “My goddamn husband hooked me!” she bellowed back, pointing
stream. At the time, I was living and
angrily behind her at a terrified
working near its banks in Soldotna,
man cowering against the wall. I’m
the small town at the fishery’s epicenter. When the run was near its summer peak, the river grew crowded with visiting anglers, which is why I almost always fished elsewhere at that time of year. As an internist, my primary hospital duties came in the intensive care unit, but in a small hospital with a limited medical staff, everyone had to take a turn in the emergency room. I had already learned that most visiting tourists arrived with an agenda to fulfill in Alaska, which usually included seeing a bear, watching the northern lights, and catching a salmon. Determination
During my tenure in Alaska, I removed hooks from almost every conceivable part of the human body, with anatomic details best left to the reader’s imagination. (Yes, even there.)
ashamed to admit that I already felt more sympathy for him than for the patient. “I gather the hook is still in you,” I replied. “Where exactly is it?” “In my boob!” Oh boy, I thought, as our capable nursing staff reassured the woman, led her to an exam table, and began to remove her shirt and bra, an operation that required snipping some clothes and elicited a wail of protest about her ruined shirt. And there it was, a magnum-sized Spin-n-Glo bobber riding a leader as
to accomplish the last of these goals
thick as an anchor line above the eye
seldom reflected competence as an
of a vicious-looking hook. Cursory
angler, which meant the guide boats
We were already off to a good start
examination revealed both good news
were full of inept clients hurling
one long day in late June when a
and bad. The good news was that it
large, barbed hooks buried in globs
large, loud woman with a thick Bronx
was a single hook and not a treble,
of salmon eggs across the powerful
accent arrived demanding immediate
which can be much more difficult
glacial current with more enthusiasm
attention. Sensing trouble, I began
to extract. The bad news was that
than accuracy—and predictable
the evaluation with my most
it had a barb, which was now firmly
results. The ER staff always saved the
charming bedside manner.
embedded adjacent to the nipple. TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE 103
DECADE OF CONSERVATION by TFFM Staff
witnessed an inspiring array of
We’re honored to have played a
conservation success stories as well
small role in keeping you informed
Being the voice of saltwater fly
as some disappointing setbacks.
about important conservation
fishing means many things. It
We’ve seen readers’ fervor sparked
issues for the past decade, and we
requires an examination of our past,
by concern for the future and have
hope you’ll continue to count on
the stories about the pioneers and
watched them heed calls to action,
Tail Fly Fishing Magazine to provide
predecessors who charted the path
lending their individual voices
important news and information
we now follow. It also entails an
to a conservation chorus that
about protecting and conserving
investigation of the present—the
policymakers can’t ignore.
the species and habitats we all hold
current state of saltwater fly fishing
dear.
and news of the latest techniques,
There’s always more work to be
destinations, and gear developments.
done, more causes to support, more
But perhaps most important, it
charitable donations to give. That’s
summary of notable conservation
demands that we look to the future,
the essence of natural resources
stories of the last ten years,
ensuring the marine resources that
conservation work and policy; it’s
realizing this list is by no means
form the foundation of our salty
ongoing and infinite, as we not
exhaustive. And if you know of an
passions remain healthy and vibrant
only repair damages from the past,
important conservation story that
for generations to come.
but also face new threats, both
needs to be told, please let us know
manmade and natural, and gird
about it.
Over the past decade of publishing
ourselves to meet challenges yet
Tail Fly Fishing Magazine, we’ve
unforeseen.
108 TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE
In that spirit, we offer a brief
Conservation Commission a sound scientific foundation for its February 2021 decision to impose a four-month, April-July fishing closure at Western Dry Rocks to protect spawning permit and other species when they’re most vulnerable. BTT tracked the spawning migrations of more than 150 permit in the lower Keys for five years and found that 71 percent of them spawned at Western Dry Rocks. BTT and collaborators also conducted two studies showing
EVERGLADES RESTORATION AND SOUTH FLORIDA WATER QUALITY Congress passed the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan in 2000, more than a decade before we published our first issue, but the plan long suffered from a lack of funding and political support. But thanks to groups like our friends at Captains for Clean Water, other conservation organizations, businesses, and concerned anglers and citizens, the tide has been turning in recent years. There’s new energy and political will to fund infrastructure and change ill-advised past plans that will send more fresh water south to the Everglades and Florida Bay, reducing harmful discharges from Lake Okeechobee into the Caloosahatchee and St. Lucie rivers, which have fouled both east and west coasts with toxic algae blooms, dying sea grass, and fish kills. Anglers and other recreational stakeholders had a seat at the table as the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers developed a new Lake Okeechobee System Operations Manual, a much
more nuanced and balanced plan that’s predicted to have significant positive impacts on estuaries and other marine resources. The momentum to repair past transgressions against Mother Nature in the Sunshine State was apparent earlier this year, when Captains for Clean Water spearheaded a media campaign to beat back a bad piece of water legislation in the Florida Statehouse. A bipartisan group of state senators introduced a bill that would’ve given Big Sugar an advantage in access to water flowing from the Big O. After receiving a petition with more than 40,000 signatures, more than 1,200 phone calls, and a veto threat from Gov. Ron DeSantis, senators added an amendment that removed most of the provisions that would’ve led to negative environmental impacts such as more red tides and fish kills.
PROTECTING PERMIT SPAWNING SITES IN THE FLORIDA KEYS Bonefish & Tarpon Trust led the charge to collect data to provide the Florida Fish and Wildlife
that more than a third of permit hooked at Western Dry Rocks were eaten by sharks prior to being landed. Last March, BTT committed another $600,000 to fund research at Western Dry Rocks and three other important spawning areas in the lower Florida Keys to help FWC monitor the effectiveness of spawning-season fishing closures.
ATLANTIC STRIPED BASS STOCKS Striped bass stocks along the United States’ East Coast fell to unprecedented low levels in the 1970s, leading to corrective measures in the 1980s and 1990s that led to a striper recovery
TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE 109
Flying High forTarpon
by Joe Doggett
“I know how to tie 50 knots, and
sharp jerk, and the tippet snapped.
these are no good,” stated Costa
With a shrug, he tossed the unworthy
Rican guide Guinder Edwin Velasquez-
ruin of monofilament into the olive-
I was impressed. This unseemly
Clark. The subject of his scorn was
brown flow of the Rio Colorado.
villager in his faded T-shirt and torn
quick jerk and the sections held.
the tarpon leader that I had manfully
shorts wrapped connections that
labored over during the noon siesta
looked as good as the ones illustrated
break at Archie Fields’ old Rio
in the sweat-stained and oft-cursed
Colorado Lodge.
bible of knots back in the cabin.
During the spring of 1982, my tarpon
“I have learned from the best. Chico
game had more hackles than the
Fernandez, Lefty Kreh, Stu Apte—
nearest streamer. The serious fly
they have all come here to fly fish for
fishing market was just starting to
tarpon.”
gain momentum around my home in Houston.
Many saltwater masters rate the tarpon as the king thrill. And, during
“How can you say that, Guinder,” I
those early years, I would never
protested, eying a lumpy spider hitch
have a better chance than amid the
and giving the 16-pound-class tippet
tarpon-rich tides of Costa Rica’s rain
a tentative twiggle. Unfortunately,
forest rivers.
tarpon do not twiggle. Guinder cranked the crusty outboard “No good, not snug, poor knot
“If you want to catch tarpon on a
and we ran several hundred yards
strength.” Guinder was young and
fly, nothing less than 90 percent will
from the dock. The motor abruptly
cocky, and it was understood up
do.” Guinder grabbed several spools
stopped and the skiff drifted.
front than the opinions of anybody
of mono and, using hands, knees,
with four names and a hyphen
toes, and teeth, whipped out a leader
would dominate the confines of a
system consisting of a perfection
16-foot aluminum skiff. He grabbed
loop, a Bimini twist, and an Albright
“We’re here; start fishing,” Guinder
the leader in both hands and gave a
special. He tested it with the same
announced.
120 TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE
Great, I thought, engine trouble.
“Here? The dock’s right back there!” “Well, señor, if you prefer we can run an hour to a spot I know upriver, but this hole is filled with big fish.” The river opened into the boil of the Caribbean and, back then, the main channel served as a funnel to draw schools of milling tarpon. As Guinder slipped the anchor, several fish surfaced in lazy rolls, intimidating brutes with thick backs stamped with heavy scales and poured from liquid aluminum. I was a long way from Houston’s Hermann Park duck pond. Scattered skiffs dotted the wide river. The nearest was a Casa Mar boat close enough to hail. It held a pair
TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE 121
Deep Gravy Permit guilt, creeping conflict, and fly fishing ecstasy in Belize by Trey Reid
Bracey had several good shots about 75 yards from the boat before the school made a hard right turn toward the rising sun—well above the horizon now but still low in the eastern sky. Their course was bringing them straight toward me and the anchored panga. I pulled my 9-weight from the rod holder and stripped line off the reel as I climbed out of the boat and scurried into casting position. The school was moving right to left about 50 feet in front of me, and it was massive. I laid a Raghead Crab
We idled out of the river channel
in front of the lead fish and slowly
We left the dock at 6:30 a.m., a
into the lagoon on the west side of
stripped it. Nothing. I sent another
relatively late departure by the
town, rounding the southern point
cast into the front-left portion of
standard we had set over the
of Turtle Island before heading
the school and made long, slow
previous four days of fishing around
north on the bay side of Ambergris.
strips. They were on it, turning hard
Ambergris Cay, Belize. By any
Ever vigilant, Marin scanned the
to track the fly straight toward me.
definition, the trip was already an
turquoise waters as we glided
My heart rate accelerated with every
unqualified success—so productive
across the surface. We slowed to an
inch of the gap they closed: 30 feet .
that it’s awkward even now to
idle upon reaching an area where
. . 25 feet . . . keep stripping, man . . .
recount it. I had landed four permit
we’d found permit the previous
20 feet . . . eat it, you bastards!
and recorded two Grand Slams—the
afternoon. But the fish weren’t
most productive saltwater fly fishing
there, so we continued northward
I imagined a watery demise, being
trip of my life—and my friend John
to another flat next to a small
overrun by a school of a hundred
Bracey, with whom I fished most of
island. Marin pointed out a school
feeding permit, flogged to death by
the week, had caught his first two
before the boat came off plane.
black tails, puffy lips sucking on the
permit, the first coming on the same
remnants of my floating corpse on
day as his first tarpon and closing
Nervous water sold out the school,
a Belizean flat—poetic retribution,
out a Grand Slam. Over a breakfast
which materialized fully in copious
perhaps, for the zeal with which I’ve
of San Pedro Jacks and fresh mango,
dark shapes and random silver
pursued their kin. But with just a
we agreed that we couldn’t complain
flashes. Tips of dorsal fins and
few feet of fly line outside the rod
if we didn’t catch a single fish on the
tails punctured the gently rippled
tip, the school slowly peeled to its
last day, a sentiment we shared with
surface less than a hundred yards
right and reversed direction.
our guide as we idled away from the
from the boat. Bracey scrambled
dock.
over the panga’s starboard side
“Let’s go find another school,” Marin
as the anchor found purchase on
said.
“Everything today is gravy,” said
brilliant white sand. Marin eased
Captain Gordy Marin, who had guided
into the water behind him, and they
We barely had time to plane out the
us all week and who was now steering
made a quick but cautious approach
panga before another big school
his boat, Silver Ghost, beneath the
to get ahead of the blithely feeding
appeared a few hundred yards north
Boca del Rio Bridge in San Pedro.
school.
of where we had just been refused.
126 TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE
TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE 127
GT Behavior
& Hangouts 134 TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE
by Peter McLeod
motivation for being in a particular locale is dictated by water
Catching a giant trevally on a fly
temperature, tide levels, available
rod is the pinnacle of flats fishing—
food sources, and seasons, an
highly challenging and requiring
understanding of the areas they
skill and preparation. In my book,
frequent is vital. There is no quick
GT: A Fly Fisher’s Guide to Giant
and easy fix. It is just a question
Trevally, I cover where to catch
of understanding what motivates
these gangsters of the ocean, their
them, covering the ground, and
behavior, equipment, tips, and
putting in the hours on the flats
techniques from expert guides all
and the other areas they hang
around the world. The summary
out. The more ground you cover
like baby tarpon, they feel safe from
here should get you started until
and the more of their environment
larger predators and in turn can
you can put your hands on a copy of
you can visit, the more chances
hunt other bait inhabiting the same
the book.
you have of getting a shot. When
areas. Once they attain a certain
that shot comes, you need to be
size, perhaps 20 to 40 centimeters,
So where do we find GTs? These
ready—the opportunity comes and
they will begin to group together
predators are some of the most
goes like a match lit in a wind. It
and move out to deeper water to
opportunistic feeders swimming
can be not only physically but also
find structures such as coral reefs,
in the ocean. To catch GTs on fly
mentally challenging to maintain
dropoffs, or channels. These locales
you will first need to enter their
that level of concentration for an
contain strong currents where
environment and then hunt them
extended period of time, often
schools of bait are buffeted, making
in it. There is nothing random about
while just trying to stay upright on
them easy targets for the fast
how GTs move. Their movements
coral or surf.
and powerful trevallies. As a rule
are dictated by their unique
of thumb on the flats, the larger
understanding of their environment
Because these bruisers are so
the group of GTs, the smaller the
and the availability of food. In a
adaptable, their hunting grounds
fish are. The really big fish tend to
similar way to humans, individual
range from offshore rock pinnacles
remain as singles. The exception to
fish have their own characteristics
to coral reef edges, channels, flats,
this is when a high concentration
and preferences.
and estuarine systems. Juveniles
of food draws large concentrations
tend to be more prevalent in
of trevally to an area, including the
estuaries and river systems where,
bigger fish.
Although their overriding
TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE 135
a guide’s life by Scott Hamilton
the best chance for success. But
hold fish. There was very little in
since this request was made on the
the way of such material, but we
“Time is a beast, devouring all, insatiable. . . .”
morning of the trip, during a time
continued our search.
was somewhat doubtful, I resigned
Finally, we saw a beautiful log,
That pretty much sums up a
myself to trying my best to pull
several meters long, covered in
captain’s life, but I wouldn’t
off this unlikely feat. After a quick
barnacles and surrounded by
trade my guiding experiences for
glance at his equipment, my client’s
weeds—the very picture of perfect
anything. You never know what’s
10-weight rod and reel combo
dolphin habitat. Quietly approaching
going to happen on any given
looked up to the task. In retrospect,
and scanning the area for
day out on the water; each day
a closer exam would have been wise,
movement, I saw nothing. My heart
truly is unique. Below are a few
and you’ll see why.
sank, because if this beautiful piece
of year when finding a large dolphin
of real estate wasn’t holding fish, it
entertaining nuggets from my decades on the water. Enjoy.
Chum bait was nonexistent that
was unlikely anything else would be.
day, so besides throwing hookless
IF IT CAN GO WRONG. . . .
teasers on a spinning rod, my
I readied the client, explaining that
I had a client who expressed a desire
only option was to cruise around
he needed to be prepared to cast
to catch a dolphin (aka mahi-mahi
searching for floating weeds and
at a moment’s notice as I started
and dorado), preferably a large one,
try to find fish hiding under them.
working the area around the log
on a fly. Normally, when a client
We made our way out several miles
with a teaser plug. Teaser plugs are
makes such a request, I counsel him
offshore and started the search for
great in place of chum bait. The fish
as to what time of year would offer
the debris and weeds that often
immediately comes in hot and ready
146 TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE
sections apart. The whole mess—
to eat, and it can generate some
dolphin crushed the fly at about
spectacular strikes. But alas, no fish
25 mph, felt the hook, and hit the
appeared after a couple casts. I took
afterburners, leaving straight away
a few steps over to the console to
at what seemed like 50 mph.
For several seconds, in utter silence,
would tell me that there were fish
As the client was desperately trying
visible as the dolphin towed it out
holding down deep. My client asked
to clear the slack, a perfect half-
if he could take a few casts. Not
hitch was formed around the reel,
expecting it to do any good, I told
with no chance of untangling it.
him to have at it and continued to
When the full weight and speed
scan the depth finder.
of the dolphin came to bear, the
look at the depth finder, hoping it
reel broke off from the reel foot, That’s when several things
and still tangled, came up against
happened in quick succession. The
the first stripping guide. In a
client dropped a cast about 50 feet
split second, that stripping guide
out and immediately exclaimed,
was ripped off the rod, and the
“Holy crap!” Out of the corner
reel came up against the second
of my eye, I saw a large shape
stripping guide with the same
streak out from directly under the
result. Now, the reel came up
boat, heading straight for the fly.
against the first snake guide on the
Faster than it can be told, what I
top section of the two-piece rod and
estimated to be at least a 50-pound
the forces at play pulled the two
reel, tangle, and ripped-off stripping guides, went sailing into the ocean. the compilation of gear was plainly of sight, jumping enthusiastically as it went. The client, standing there holding just the butt section of his ruined rod, turned to me and said, “That was GREAT!” Given that I had never experienced any kind of equipment malfunction close to this, I had to investigate the cause. Upon closer examination, the screws that had been holding the reel body to the reel foot were so corroded that I could turn them to powder between my fingers. And
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