Tarpon, the epitome of fly fishing success

Forty feet must have seemed like a hundred for Bob. But the fly rolled over and landed like a flower petal on a pond. “Strip, strip, strip,” I whispered. Bobs’ stripping hand mimicked the tempo. The log came to life at the passing of the fly. Twenty feet away we saw a bright flash and the water gushed. The line came tight. Loose coils sprang from the deck. A moment later the reels’ spool was a blur. Somewhere in between, Bob and I remembered to breathe. Two hundred feet out, one hundred pounds of silver mayhem broke the surface for the first of a series of wild acrobatics. Bob dropped the rod tip with every jump to relieve the pressure with slack.

Selecting the correct fly tackle can be a daunting task for novices but is essential for success.

It’s Saturday afternoon and you’re laid out on the couch channel surfing. Briefly, your thumb stops as your eye catches Flip Pallot slip a MOE (Mother of Epoxy) fly to a tailing bonefish somewhere in the Bahamas. Or perhaps it’s Jose Wejebe, down in the Marquesas feeding yellow bunny flies to giant tarpon. “Hmm”, you slowly lower your brewski to the coffee table and lean a bit more towards the tube. Though you may be a “meat” fisherman at heart, you’re in awe of those long, perfectly executed casts. For years you’ve pondered the thought of giving fly fishing a try. You think to yourself, “maybe now’s the time”.

Most avid fly anglers would agree that flies with flashy colors and intricate designs sell the fisherman and not the fish. Often, the most realistic patterns are left to rust in the box. Well this fly definitely hooked me. With a cool color combination that looks like a prize fighter’s eye and not to mention the tough synthetic fibers, this fly goes the full twelve rounds. So tie on “One Mean Minnow” and go sore mouth some snook or knock out some tarpon. This will be one fly you’ll want in your corner.

Anglers searching for fly action, look no further!

Microcosm: n. A small representative system having analogies to a larger system in constitution, configuration or development.

There you have it… the text book definition of microcosm. And as text book definitions go, Sarasota Bay is as good as it gets. Sarasota Bay offers fly fishermen of all interests the best of all worlds, much like Estero Bay combines the incredible shoreline sight fishing opportunities of the Everglades with the excellent flats fishing of Pine Island Sound.

Tips for locating warm water – Tricks for beating the breeze

Techniques to keep you tight!

For a myriad of reasons, in recent years redfish have become one of, if not the most, popular saltwater target for fly-rodders. Usually hungry and cooperative, juveniles to adults will rarely hesitate inhaling a well presented fly. This cooperative behavior, coupled with their tenacity and dogged fighting ability, make redfish the perfect inshore gamefish. However, there’s one characteristic that really solidifies their reputation as the perfect shallow water mark; their tolerance of cold water.

No matter where you fish, your fly lines and leader systems comprise the most important connection between you and the fish…

Whether you spend two days or two hundred days a year seeking snook in the mangroves, bonefish on the flats or billfish in the blue water, matching wills with demanding saltwater species using fly gear requires a clear understanding of how to maximize the fish fighting capabilities of your equipment.