Don’t Keep Staring in One Place if You’re Seeing Nada
“IT’S VERY RARE THAT ANY TWO PEOPLE, MUCH LESS A GUIDE AND CLIENT, WILL SEE EYE TO EYE”
My recent trip to the Bahamas, fly fishing for bonefish at the wonderful Andros South Lodge, I got a chance to work out a bunch of kinks in my flats fishing. From the help of my buddies, the helpful staff on hand and the fantastic bahamian guides, I eventually got to the point where I could respectfully hold my own on the flats. Despite me being in paradise there were a few times during the trip when I found myself hanging my head.
The first problem I had was letting my mind get in the way of my fishing. That was to be expected though, since I’m most comfortable on the cold water streams and rivers, and it had been several years since I’d last chased the grey ghost on the flats. When I trout fish, I don’t have to think about my casts much these days and my confidence is through the roof. This is because I do it day in and day out. Take me to saltwater though, where I only make a few trips a year, and my confidence drops and the first couple days I find myself constantly battling my inner thoughts and nerves.
I’m sure many of you out there no where I’m coming from. Anytime you’re lacking confidence and dealing with nerves you’re going to fish at half your potential. And there’s no place this holds true more than standing on the bow of a skiff on the saltwater flats. Lesson learned, if you want to fish more effectively and maximize your success when fishing locations that aren’t your norm, you have to stay relaxed, keep your confidence no matter what, and learn to let the bad casts roll off your back.
My next problem I had during the trip, and the point for writing this post, was learning how to quickly spot the bonefish my guide was calling out to me. I missed countless shots during the week because
Read More »Give It A Chance To Fail
By Justin Pickett
ON A RECENT FLOAT TRIP, LOUIS AND I WERE EXCITED (A.K.A. DROOLING) ABOUT THE OPPORTUNITY TO THROW OUR FAIR SHARE OF STREAMERS ON A PIECE OF WATER THAT IS MORE ACCUSTOMED TO SEEING DRY/DROPPER AND INDICATOR RIGS.
This river is full of big fish that lurk among its banks, and, to me, the probability of catching a trophy-size brown trout on a larger streamer pattern was high. So I made sure to bring with me my “meat locker” as I call it… A Cliff Bugger Beast slap full of streamers of all sizes big.
I also brought along a stout 9ft 8wt, a big reel with an aggressive tapered floating line, and plenty of sink tips to adjust for different flows and depths. My leader is hand-tied by yours truly, tipped with 15lb fluorocarbon, and could turn over a wet dishrag. As I rigged my rod at the truck, our guide checks out my other rod and approves of the dry/dropper rig I have tied on for now.
“Are you fishing a streamer today?” he asks.
With a friendly smirk on my face I reply, “Yes I am.”
My guide picks up my case o’ carnivore candy and scans through all of the patterns. After only a few seconds or so he shuts the case and immediately reaches for one of his fly boxes, leaving me standing there thinking to myself, “well, there must not have been anything in there that he liked.” Interesting….
It’s interesting because my streamer box is slap freakin’ full of nothing but sexy, fish catching strips of deliciousness. (At least I think so anyways). If a pattern doesn’t produce, then it doesn’t take up space in my box. Period. How did he not find something that he thought would work???
So he whips out this “streamer” and hands it to me. I admit, I liked the color combo. A burnt orange dubbed body with an olive rabbit strip laid over the shank serving as the wing and tail. The deer hair head would likely push some water. So what was the problem with this fly? It was a size #8… It was smaller than half the stuff I had in my dry fly box.
Negative. No Bueno.
I kind of chuckled and held this fly up in front of Louis and said, “this is the one huh?”
Read More »Sunday Classic / Poonshine
It’s sunny and sixty-eight degrees. Just a little breeze. It’s mid-April. A perfect day for fishing in Bozeman, Montana.
The trouble is, we’re not in Bozeman. It’s actually ten degrees warmer in Bozeman. I know this because my buddy Rich is looking at the weather on his iPhone instead of fishing. And why not? When it’s sixty-eight degrees in the Florida Keys in mid-April you’re about as likely to see Santa Claus as a tarpon.
At least that’s how our first day had gone. Beautiful day for a boat ride. That’s how fishing in the Keys is, you book your days and take your chances. I’m used to it. I do a lot of off-season fishing with friends in Florida and I have had some phenomenal days but I’ve taken a lot of boat rides too. For Rich it’s a little tougher. When you fly all the way from Montana to the Keys in, what should be, peak tarpon season it fair to have some expectations but as all fishermen know, expectation is a tricky business.
It’s about nine-thirty on our second day. It should be pushing ninety and we should be hip deep in tarpon but the weather has screwed us. Rich is already stressed over some issues at work. A dozen emails on his phone and the bad weather aren’t helping. If we are lucky it’ll make it to seventy today. Lacking tarpon, we have chosen to be hip deep in beer. We were clearly all thinking the same thing this morning because we all brought beer and lots of it, even our guide. That should tell you something. In fact we were so focused on the beer that we forgot to bring lunch so we’re on a liquid diet since early in the morning. We may not see a fish but we’re going to have fun.
The day before, we had some how gotten on the subject of moonshine. Rich is a westerner and has preconceived notions about southerners. That’s fair, I guess but he had confided in us that he had always suspected that moonshine was a southern legend and didn’t really exist, at least not these days. That was as good as a dare. For all of its tropical flavor, the Keys are still very much the south and it had been a simple thing for our guide to produce a quart jar as evidence.
We’re staked out on an ocean-side flat having a grand time. The conversation is lively. It would be lunch time if we’d brought lunch. I was on the bow and seeing as we had no lunch, or fish, I didn’t see the point in waiting any longer to open that jar. The cold homemade liquor was sweet and smooth with a hint of apple and cinnamon. It warmed my body like Georgia sunshine.
“Hot Damn! That’s what I needed!” I took another drink and felt a tingling numbness along the back of my neck and down my spine. “That is definitely real,” I told Rich as I passed him the jar. The expression on his face told me he was prepared for the worst. Some kind of half turpentine devil’s fire water from an old radiator, not this sweet well- crafted spirt. The south was looking pretty good right about now.
Proud that he had provided such a quality sample on such short notice, our guide is busy telling us about the care that goes into making good moonshine when he pauses, lowers his stance a bit and, reaching blindly for his push pole, says, “oh my fucking God!”
I wheel around and
Read More »Saturday Shoutout / Videos Via Patagonia
Three great films with a focus on conservation.
There’s a renewed zeal among fly fishing film-makers for conservation. This interest in preserving our fisheries for future generations lines up perfectly with one of the largest players in the fly fishing industry. Patagonia puts it’s money where it’s mouth is on conservation issues and I respect that.
I was browsing the Patagonia blog the other day and found three videos that really struck home on some places I love. You’ll find these videos entertaining as well as educational.
Check them out and stop by the Patagonia fly fishing blog while you’re at it.
Read More »New Rods and Reels From Sage
If you like great casting fly rods that are made in America, chances are you own a Sage.
One of the most popular brands on the water Sage has a reputation for quality and innovation. In 2015 they are making sage more accessible for every angler. The new ACCEL is Sage’s entry in the mid priced rod category. Starting at $595, it’s not a budget rod but significantly more affordable. The new Salt, promises a more accessible action with plenty of power for the saltwater angler.
The new Domain reel was designed with Spey anglers in mind. It’s a full frame reel that will not catch thin mono running lines. It comes in a wide range of sizes and three colors. It a slick new piece of gear for two handed anglers.
IN THIS VIDEO KARA ARMONO TAKES US THRU ALL OF THE NEW GEAR FROM SAGE.
Read More »Don’t Bring a Knife to a Gun Fight!
By Justin Pickett
I often bring a 6-weight and an 8-weight with me when I plan on fishing with streamers.
I make the decision as to which rod I will use based on water conditions and what sinking tip and patterns I will be using that day. For fast flows that require me to throw heavier tips, or heavier patterns I’ll take the 8-weight. If the water is slow and low, allowing me to get away with lightweight patterns, then I’ll bring along the 6-weight. Sounds like a reasonable thing to do right? Well, not for everyone.
The 8-weight tends to get the raised brow, or the “WTF?” reaction.
Some people like to get stuck on the fact that I’m fishing with a “saltwater rod”, or a “bass rod”, for trout. That’s not what it’s about though. I’m not fishing with an 8-weight so I can hoss every fish in the river into my net in thirty seconds or less, or because I’m afraid of being under-gunned. The reason behind this is simple. It takes less effort for me to cast a heavier rig with an 8-weight, than it does a 6-weight. Over the course of an entire day, it makes a huge difference. At the end of the day my arm doesn’t feel like jello, and I’m less likely to make poor casts related to fatigue. Don’t bring a knife to a gun fight. Bring a damn cannon!
Try chucking a five or six inch articulated streamer with
What is more important, presentation or fly choice?
A few years ago, I was lucky enough to have the honor to participate in a podcast interview for askaboutflyfishing.com. It was an hour long conversation over the phone, with me spending most of that time talking about trout tactics on my home waters. Just as we were wrapping up the interview, the host Roger Maves, hit me with the mother of all fly fishing questions…..
What’s more important Kent, presentation or fly pattern choice?
I pondered for a few moments, before I gave a him a reply to the question that covered my butt. If I remember correctly, it was something along the lines of, “well, you have to get the fly to the fish no matter what to have a chance at catching fish, but there are many times, when I’ve seen fly pattern choice the true deciding factor in whether you find success on the water.”
Since that podcast, I’ve been asked that same question by clients more times than I can remember. It’s kind of a joke to me at this point, and that’s because I feel the question is really a loaded question. In my opinion, presentation and fly choice are equally important. And in total honesty, you need both to consistently catch fish regularly. That being said, there are times when one can be more important over the other, but that all depends on the day and where you happen to find yourself on the water fly fishing.
For example, if there’s a strong hatch in progress or for that matter just a specific food source the trout are keying in on, it can be critical you have the proper fly pattern tied on that will imitate it accurately. In this situation, even perfect presentations may yield no strikes if you’re fishing the wrong fly pattern. Yes, you may get lucky and catch a couple with the wrong fly pattern, but an experienced fly angler, that is competent in entomology, can come in right behind you with the correct fly for the situation and humble you quickly. On the contrary, find yourself on the saltwater flats fly fishing and even if you have the perfect fly pattern tied on, you can stand damn near a zero chance for success if you fail to make a well executed presentation to the fish you’re targeting. In this case, pattern choice can be completely thrown out the window.
A while back, I volunteered my time to guide a trout tournament. Fishing was extremely tough due to high and stained water from heavy rains the night before. The fishing was ugly, with many of the anglers finding themselves skunked, after the first four hour morning session. I can tell you that there were a crap load of worthy presentations during the morning session that should have ended with hook ups, but instead, failed to get the fish to eat. In the end, success was only found by
Read More »T&T’s Solar, The Power And The Glory
Thomas and Thomas’s Solar saltwater fly rod is the one I’ve been waiting for.
I’m on the bow of a flats boat in the Bahamas. Norman Rolle is so on the platform and my buddy Murphy Kane is standing by with the video camera. We are poling along the edge of some mangroves. When we approach a corner with a deep cut way back into the mangroves, Norman spots a fish. He’s a hundred feet or more back in the cut, surrounded by sparse mangrove shoots. I’m going to work for this one.
The fish turns and heads across the cut toward the mangroves on the far side. I’m losing my shot. I take two false casts and shoot the fly. My line finds its way between the mangrove shoots and cuts him off perfectly. He pounces on it. After a little negotiation, I bring the fish to hand and release him.
“That makes a guide feel good Louis,” Norman calls down from the platform. “You make a hundred foot cast and put the fly right where it needs to be.” He is beaming.
“You are pretty spectacular,” Murphy tells me taking the camera from his eye. I feel like an imposter. Like a cheater.
“Even a blind hog finds an acorn once in a while,” I tell them. I know that that cast was about 25% skill, 25% luck and 50% Thomas and Thomas.
New fly rods come off every year like the Mother’s Day hatch. Each year, rods claim to be game changers. We anglers are a wash in hot new rods, but every once in a great while a rod comes along that actually does change the game. For me, that rod is the Thomas and Thomas Solar.
If you’ve been reading for a while, you know I’m a big fan of Tom Dorsey’s rod designs. When I was learning to make bamboo rods, fifteen years ago, I studied Tom’s tapers. He was a giant of bamboo rod design and did crazy innovative things no one even dreamed of. Bamboo rod makers of that time were like silent film stars. Almost none of them made the transition to graphite. Tom not only made the transition, he became a pioneer again. Half a century later, with his hair and mustache white as snow, he is making the best rods of his career.
For fly fishing in saltwater you need a rod with
Read More »Sunday Classic / Don’t Fly Fish With One Arm If you Have Two
BETTER HIGH-STICKING TECHNIQUE
Now that I’ve got your attention, let’s talk about how important it is when high-sticking a fly rod to always utilize both of your arms during your drift. Perfect line management while high-sticking, often boils down to managing inches of fly line and leader. In many cases, it only takes a foot or less of fly line or leader on the water to catch current and destroy your drift. Many of my novice clients, and even some of my advanced clients, regularly high-stick with only one of their arms; choosing to keep their line hand and arm positioned down by their side during the drift. I don’t like high-sticking with only one arm for two reasons.
Reason #1 – High-Sticking with two arms promotes better line management
When high-sticking, you often need to micro-manage your fly line with small strips to keep 100% of your fly line and leader off the water during your drift. If you keep your non-rod arm straight down at your side, you’re not able to strip any additional line in during your drift. When high-sticking correctly, fly anglers should only have their strike indicator or dry fly on the water during their drift, keeping the rest of their leader and fly line off the waters surface. Done correctly, it will minimize the ability of conflicting water currents (currents flowing at different speeds) to have negative effect on your drift. If your nymphing, your flies will sink quicker and stay down in the strike zone longer, and if you’re dry fly fishing, your dry fly will stay drag-free and float the same speed as the current throughout your drift. With both fly fishing rigs, high-sticking correctly can consistently double your drift time in the prime trout water, and that means your flies will stay in front of the fish longer and hookups will increase. Utilizing both of your arms and hands when high-sticking will promote better line management and give your flies a more natural looking drift. Keep in mind that the closer you keep your stripping hand to your fly rod the more accurate and precise you can be with your strips and line management.
Reason #2 – High-Sticking with two arms puts
Read More »Saturday Shoutout / Hatch On Land Thieves
THIS IS A GREAT PIECE OF TRUE JOURNALISM.
I have friends in Europe who pay handsomely to fish just a few days a year on rivers which have been devastated by private land management. Their stories make my blood cold. If you ask them, we live in a fishing paradise but not for much longer.
If the current tide on political thievery goes unchecked our public lands, now the finest in the world, will no longer be ours to fish and hunt. Don’t believe me?
Read this great story in Hatch Magazine.
EXPOSING THE EFFORT TO SEIZE AMERICA’S PUBLIC LANDS
Read More »