Flood Tide Redfish, Part 3
By Owen Plair
Now that you all have a good grasp on how this flood tide fishing works, it’s time to put it all to use!
In this article we are going to focus on finding the right flood tide flat and the characteristics that make it a good flat. The great thing about the Lowcountry is that there are hundreds and hundreds of these flats all the way from north Florida up to North Carolina, so finding one near where you live should be pretty darn easy. Keep in mind many of these flats are found by kayak, or simply from a car, so it’s not like you have to own a boat to hit the spartina flats for tailers.
The absolute number one tool I use to find high tide redfish flats is Google Earth. Google Earth is a godsend to fly anglers. It allows us to not only look at new bodies of water from our living room couch but creates a different perspective on any given flat, by looking from a bird’s eye view. The key to using Google Earth is knowing what short grass looks like from an aerial view, so that you can identify more good flats. Before you can do any of that you need to find a flat and learn some characteristics that will help you find even more on Google Earth.
Another necessary tool is a tide chart, tide log, or tide app. Without one of these you are just wasting your time. You have to have the right set of tides to even fish for flood tide fish, so your first mission is to figure out the best tides for your area. Here in Beaufort/Hilton Head I like a tide between 7.8ft-8.5ft for solid flood tide fishing. A good east wind will bring in more water and a good west wind will hold water out, so also keep your wind direction in mind while you’re scouting.
Wading boots or a poling skiff are key to scouting a flat because you want to be able to cover everything around you. I like to walk new flats before the tide gets high to make sure there is a good population of fiddler crabs. It also helps you know areas you can, or can’t wade during the tide.
When looking for a flood tide flat you want to look for short spartina grass. Tailing flats have shorter grass, 8-16 inches tall. The grass is short because
Read More »2015 G&G Fly Fishing Photography Contest Winners
We received hundreds of great fly fishing photos for this years competition.
Once again, I am so glad that I don’t have to be a judge but the cream has risen and we are proud to announce the winners of the 2015 Gink and Gasoline Fly Fishing Photography Contest.
Congratulations to all three winners and a hearty thanks to all who entered! Thanks to our judges for their time and expertise.
And a very special thank you to Sage, Redington, RIO and Fishpond for the generous prizes they donated and for their continuing support of the G&G community! Let’s give them a hand shall we?
It’s impossible to share all of the great photos we received but below are the runners-up in no particular order.
Sunday classic / It Only Takes One Good Day of Fly Fishing to Make A Trip
A WHILE BACK, I WROTE A POST ABOUT HOW IMPORTANT IT IS TO NOT PUT ALL YOUR EGGS IN ONE BASKET (FISHING ONLY ONE RIVER SYSTEM) DURING YOUR FLY FISHING TRAVELS.
What I didn’t mention in that post and should have, was how important it is to not give up when it seems like the entire universe is conspiring against you. My last trip to Wyoming with Louis was pretty awful. We had to overcome a car break down in the middle of no where, water levels so low we couldn’t float in the drift boat we rented for an entire week, and one of us was almost hospitalized by infection. We lost 2 1/2 days of fishing that trip and we were constantly at each others throats. Even the cold beer flowing over our lips wasn’t enough to raise our morale. I’ll leave it at that, because I’m sure Louis will be writing a very humorous piece down the road shortly, detailing the trip, and I don’t want to spoil it. Here’s the important point I’m I’m trying to get at. It only takes one good day of fishing to make a fishing trip meaningful.
Yeah, we’ve all had perfect fishing trips in the past. The problem with that is perfect fishing trips aren’t the norm, and we often find ourselves in the middle of a trip, complaining about the not so optimal fishing conditions, and then start passing judgment on the present trip by comparing it to our past epic trips. Wake up…., fishing all over the world is getting tougher each year, and we better prepare for it by resetting our fishing expectations accordingly, otherwise we’re going to be setting ourselves up for future disappointment. Again I’ll say, it only takes one good day of fishing to make a fishing trip meaningful. Live by this, and you’ll keep the confidence that’s needed to find success when everyone else fails.
Read More »Saturday Shoutout / 3 X Fly Fishing Tips
If you want to fish and cast better, these guys have you covered.
This week I’m sharing three fishing tip articles that caught my eye. Each has some solid advice that will have you fishing and casting like a pro. Who doesn’t want that?
First up our friend Tom Rosenbauer shares his secrets for catching more trout in the winter. This is solid intel from a guy who does not spend all winter tying flies.
TOM’S WINTER FISHING TIPS
Next up Whitney Gould gives you the low down on the lift. This article will open your eyes to how many Spey casts go wrong right from the start. Whitney will tune up you two handed casting in a hurry.
THE LIFT
Finally my good pal Kirk Deeter steals my story with Jerry Siem’s advice on matching your rod to your fly. That what I get for not putting my work off to the last minute! Read the story and you’ll see what I mean.
MATCH YOUR ROD TO YOUR FLY SIZE FOR BEST PERFORMANCE
Take a few minutes to read these great tips from three great experts and your fly fishing skills will improve over night!
Read More »Awesome new fly rods from Echo
Echo fly rods are where price meets performance.
I don’t know,anyone who knows more about fly casting than Tim Rajeff. It not surprising that the fly rods he designs for Echo cast amazingly well. What is a little surprising is how affordable they are. Every echo fly rod I’ve cast has been a real pleasure and this years new rods are no exception.
The Boost is a new fast action single hand rod with plenty of power. It feels great and delivers a laser tight loop. It’s available in fresh and saltwater models and looks as good as it casts. At $229 it’s a great deal no matter where you’re fishing.
The rods I’m really excited about are the new Echo Fiberglass Switch & Spey rods. These rods are amazing! Beautiful, powerful and so much fun to fish you’ll feel guilty. I’ve fished the 8wt Spey and it blew me away. If you like two handers and glass, get yourself one of these beauties. Starting at $279 it’s a choice you’ll never regret.
IN THIS VIDEO TIM SHOWS OFF THE NEW FLY RODS FROM ECHO.
Read More »The Errant Cast
Why do we do that?
While on our latest fishing trip I brought up a rather interesting subject that I just don’t get.It was windy. Like 20-30mph windy. And to add insult, the wind was blowing right into my casting shoulder. I had just made a shitty backcast and knew that it would only translate into a shitty cast, likely causing the fly to tag me along its way. Even with this thought working through the innards of my mind I still ripped a double hauled cast that Steve Rajeff would be proud of, sending the fly screaming into my back. Shit Damn Piss! Seriously?! The streamer was stuck in the back of my shirt, and as Louis removed it, I posed the question… Why do we do that? We know when we’ve made a crappy backcast, and we know that when we follow through on our forward stroke that it’s going to be a horrible cast, and possibly inflict pain. So why the hell do we still make the damn cast?!
IN MY ENTIRE CAREER, I CAN’T THINK OF ONE TIME I MADE A JACKED-UP BACKCAST AND THEN DECIDED TO ABORT IT BECAUSE I KNEW THE OUTCOME WOULD LIKELY BE LESS THAN DESIRABLE.
Instead I just keep on trucking and hope the “chuck n’ duck” will suffice.
I mean, I’ve been brought to my knees from these errant casts. One of the worst occurred on a windy day at a local pond. I was fishing a #2 Clouser Deep Minnow. You know… the one with large, lead eyes and a big stainless steel hook. The wind was blowing right into my right shoulder at a pretty good clip. I made my backcast… Nope, no bueno. As I completed this totally awesome cast, this Clouser proceeded to rip
6 Tips for Executing a Proper Figure-Eight Retrieve
For the first time, this year, I got to experience the thrill of watching a musky devour my bucktail streamer right at the boat during a figure-eight retrieve. I had dreamed of witnessing this first hand for years, and I have to say, it live up to all the hype. You get a huge adrenaline rush every time you lure a musky into following or eating your fly during a figure-eight retrieve. I think this one aspect of musky fishing alone, is why so many anglers fall in love with musky. Although I’ve heard of anglers catching trout, striper and other species with a figure-eight retrieve, musky by far, provide the highest success rate of all game fish for using it. Musky seem to spook far less than other game fish when they’re in hot pursuit after prey, and that’s the main reason this niche retrieve works so well for them. I totally screwed the pooch on my first couple opportunities to use the figure-eight retrieve for musky. This unorthodox retrieve takes a while to get used when you don’t regularly practice it. Done wrong, a figure-eight retrieve will fail to trigger eats. Luckily, during my trip, I had my good friend Charlie Murphy, a genuine musky bum, give me some pointers. Below are six tips to get you executing a figure-eight retrieve like a pro.
TIP 1: YOU HAVE TO CONSISTENTLY USE THE FIGURE-EIGHT RETRIEVE FOR IT TO WORK.
Charlie told me, point blank, “if you don’t follow up every cast with a figure-eight retrieve, you’re giving away opportunities to catch musky.” Many times, musky will be following your fly just out of sight, and your only chance for catching these fish, is to trigger a bite with a figure-eight retrieve. I watched Charlie musky fish for four straight days, and there wasn’t one time, where he didn’t finish up his retrieve with a figure-eight. It took me a while to follow his lead, but when it was all said and done, Charlie proved his point by getting the most follows and eats during the trip. The best thing you can do if you’re serious about catching musky, is get in the routine of consistently using a figure-eight at the end of every retrieve.
TIP 2: A PROPER FIGURE-EIGHT RETRIEVE STARTS WITH YOUR FLY AT THE CORRECT DISTANCE FROM YOUR ROD TIP.
I found out real quick, if your fly is too far away from your rod tip during a figure-eight retrieve, it’s impossible to execute it properly. Charlie explained to me, that ideally, all you want is
Read More »G&G Presents The Oskar Blues “Take a Pinner Fishing” Photo Contest
Don’t put those cameras away just yet, it’s time for The Oskar Blues “Take a Pinner Fishing” Photo Contest!
Even though we just finished up the G&G Fly Fishing Photography contest and haven’t even announced the winners, we are kicking off another awesome contest where you can put your creative eyeballs to work winning you some great gear. This one is sponsored by Oskar Blues, Americas greatest fishing beer, Cheeky Reels and TFO Rods and there’s a twist!
We’re looking for the coolest, most creative fishing photos you can take featuring a can of the new Oscar Blues Pinner Throwback IPA. This shouldn’t be difficult. Pinner is the perfect boat-beer and it can only help with the inspiration!
“How do you cram as much hop & malt flavor and aroma as possible into a beer but make it crushable too? That’s the challenge we answered with PINNER Throwback IPA. At 4.9% ABV and 35 IBUs, this drinkable IPA uses several varieties of hops to target the ever-evolving flavor. With tropical fruits, citrus juices, pineapple and spice berry up front in the aroma and flavor, the biscuit & toasted bread at the back balance out all the hops and make a great finish to go on to your next can of PINNER. It’s the perfect beer for a little sip, sip, give.”- Oskar Blues
There are 3 categories and some awesome prizes for each.
Best photo featuring a Trout or Bass wins a Cheeky Boost 350 Reel
Best photo featuring a Carp, Muskie, Pike or Saltwater species wins a Cheeky Boost 400 reel
Best Lifestyle shot (no fish in the photo) wins a Dales Pale Ale custom Logo TFO 5wt 8’9 finesse series rod
3 runners up get a Pinner hat.
HERE’S ALL YOU HAVE TO DO TO WIN!
Sunday Classic / Who’s Your Buddy?
What makes a good angler a great angler?
Fly fishing is a life long pursuit. That may be what I love the most about it. No matter how good you become, there is always a next level. Around every bend some new revelation. A lifetime of learning. For me, that’s the secret to happiness. Learn something new every day.
I always consider my fishing a work in progress. I never think of it in terms of what I have achieved, rather what’s next. This is in no way false modesty. Life has taught me that I have plenty to learn, whatever the subject. I clearly remember being, what I call, an adolescent angler. Knowing enough to be dangerous and too little to be content. Desperately seeking the next level. But how do you get there? I did it by getting lost.
I was excited about my new Toyota 4 Runner. It had been a while since I’d had four wheel drive and I knew it was going to open up some new water for me. On a crisp winter morning my wife and I hit the road to do some exploring. We followed one Forest Service road after another farther and farther into the North Georgia mountains, snow covering our tire tracks.
In my enthusiasm, I failed to keep up with a few of our turns and at some point had to stop and give the map a good study. Just as I was thinking it would have been smart to have brought food, a green pickup pulled up along side. A friendly fellow in a ball cap bearing the Fish Hawk logo asked if he could help. Dan Flynn would become one of my best friends and we fished together almost every week for years.
Dan is a fly fishing machine. His knowledge of Georgia and North Carolina trout water is endless. Especially the native brook trout streams. I learned more that first year crawling through mountain laurel with Dan than I’d learned in a lifetime of fishing on my own. It was with Dan I caught my first real trophy trout. Twenty-five inches. A great fish for a small Georgia stream. I remember him saying, “fish of a lifetime.”
I owe Dan a great many debts. Not only for what I learned from him and for his friendship but for so many great friends who would follow. It was through him that I met Kent, who continues to school me on a regular basis. And through Kent I met Joel Dickey and Bruce Chard, the guys that taught me the salt. And through Bruce I have met, well, just about everyone in the business. I wouldn’t be where I am without these guys.
So here’s my point. We spend a lot of time selecting our gear, choosing the water, tying the flies, setting up the boat. There’s endless talk about waders and boots and reels and lines. Don’t forget that the most important piece of the puzzle is
Read More »Saturday Shoutout / Surface Film 5
Surface Film Five is on!
I’m proud to be part of this great event. It’s the highlight of Fly-Art year for me. Get out and support the greenbacks. Here’s a quick rundown from Tim Romano of Fly Talk.
Five years ago, a small group of conservation-minded anglers I am part of called the Greenbacks sat down to discuss how to excite a new generation of young, passionate anglers. The thought was simple – let’s change how conservation is viewed by a younger audience and make it engaging by thinking outside the box.
One of our first events was hosting a gallery show of some of the best fishing photography in the world at another group member’s gallery called Anthology Fine Art. At the time I was photo editor of the highly acclaimed Fly Fish Journal and had connections to some of the industry’s best photographers and images around. Five years later it’s still going strong. Luckily I’ve kept many of those relationships and quite a few of those folks still donate their incredible images to our cause ever year.
With that in mind if you live in the Denver, Colorado area or know someone else that might appreciate this kind of thing (by sharing the info) please help us celebrate our five years of changing the world of conservation at the Anthology Fine Art gallery on Friday February 27th, 2015.
Prints will be available for purchase to benefit the Greenbacks work to conserve Colorado’s coldwater fisheries and recruit the next generation of Trout Unlimited Members.
We’ll also have an insane collection of raffle items from sponsors Scott Rods, Cheeky Fly Fishing, Scientific Anglers, and Costa Del Mar.
DRINKS | LIVE MUSIC | FINE ART FISHING PHOTOGRAPHY FOR SALE
This is open to the public until we reach capacity.
Date: February 27th, 2015 | 7:00 pm
Location: Anthology Fine Art
635 Santa Fe Drive
Denver, CO
More Info
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