Tail Fly Fishing Magazine Issue #56 - Nov/Dec 2021

CELEBRATING 9 YEARS AS THE VOICE OF SALTWATER FLY FISHING

FLY FISHING MAGAZINE

PATH OF THE PERMIT REDFISH APPOINTMENT FLY CASTING BY CHICO JEWEL OF THE CAROLINA COAST THE OTHER BACKCOUNTRY LITERARY FOOTSTEPS El PALOMETERO

56 NOV/DEC 2021

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2021 DISPLAY UNTIL DECEMBER 31

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Some bachelor parties turn out better than others. TFFM designers Scott Morrison and son, John, made a summer trek to the Yucatan in lieu of a traditional bachelor party before John’s September nuptial. The approaching outer bands of a hurricane can be seen on this page, but the storm didn’t spoil the fishing, as John’s permit and tarpon on the following pages show. The trip also included two additional permit, multiple tarpon, and a slam. John’s new wife, Maddie, is practising her casting for the next trip.

Here’s to the happy couple!

Photos by Scott Morrison

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Photo by Scott Morrison

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Photo by Scott Morrison

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Photo by Scott Morrison

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the next generation

T&T Ambassadors Jose and Parker Ucan spending time together in their home waters of the Yucatan Peninsula. Legendary guide Jose is patiently imparting his love of fishing to 8 year old son Parker who at such a young age has already landed a Permit on Fly. Handing down our knowledge and passion for the outdoors to the next generation is key to the survival and growth of flyfishing. At T&T we see a world of possibilities out there and believe the next generation should too.

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TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE 11

— from the editor AS WE SAY farewell to 2021, we’re bullish on 2022.

This is our last issue of the year, and here’s hoping next year will be better than the last. Nearly 20 months ago, who knew we would still be navigating a world of precautions and restrictions caused by an unusually efficient virus?

THERE’S MUCH TO LAMENT, but also much for which to be thankful, including the growth of hunter and angler numbers over the past two years and robust growth in the outdoors industry.

HUNTING AND FISHING license sales and participation have been trending downward for decades, leading to a loss of conservation funding for state fish and wildlife agencies, which rely largely on license sales to implement conservation programs and projects. But over the past two years, states across the country have experienced significant increases in license sales and participation, and most signs point to the pandemic as the likely catalyst.

THIS PARTICIPATION SURGE bodes well for our sport and way of life, giving us hope and optimism for the future. As more hunters and anglers join our ranks, their license purchases feed the coffers of state fish and wildlife agencies, allowing them to do the important work of conserving and protecting the habitats that support the species we pursue.

THESE NEW MEMBERS of the outdoor community also need equipment, and as they gear up for outdoor pursuits, they’re also investing in conservation and our industry’s livelihood. Manufacturers of everything from fly rods to skiffs to boat motors pay federal excise taxes on the equipment they make, and these funds generated by the federal Wildlife Restoration Act and Sportfish Restoration Act are then distributed to the states as another critical source of conservation capital. The manufacturers also benefit from the increased sales, which strengthens not only our industry, but also our nation’s economy.

BUT IT’S NOT JUST ABOUT finance and economics. With every new participant, we gain another conservation advocate. We’re passionate about our pursuits, and that translates to caring about the ecosystems that support fish and wildlife. There’s strength in numbers, and with every new adherent to the outdoor lifestyle, we’re building a conservation coalition that will bring attention to important issues and build consensus for needed action.

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THE GROWTH of the fly fishing industry over the past two years has put thousands of new ambassadors on the water—a topic we’ll be discussing in 2022—and we’re embracing this positive development with plans for expansion. You’ll see more and richer content in these pages, and with the easing of travel restrictions, Tail Fly Fishing Magazine will be hosting more travel opportunities next year. We also have several collaborations with manufacturers in the works, resulting in some exciting new products that we’ll soon reveal.

WE’RE EXCITED that so many others are finding their way to a sport that has enriched our lives. We welcome them into the fold and encourage them to join the TFFM family as we continue to give voice to our shared passion of saltwater fly fishing.

IN OUR LAST ISSUE OF 2021, you’ll find themes consistent with this message of looking optimistically toward the future while respectfully recognizing the past. We welcome the venerable writer T. Edward Nickens as a new contributor. His thoughtful piece in The Undertow explores his own epiphany about hopeful perspectives on unknown horizons. Meanwhile, we also look back with respect on those who’ve preceded us; James Spica guides us, fly rod in hand, along the literary footsteps of popular New England writers, and we pay homage to SoCal fly fishing pioneer Sam Nix. Chico Fernandez provides a treatise on fly casting, Carlos Cortez schools us on not being mind-tricked by permit, and Michael Smith, another new contributor, reminds us to make time to fish.

WE SINCERELY HOPE you’re making time to fish, and as we say with each issue, this one is better than the last. We hope you agree.

Happy New Year!

Joseph Ballarini Editor in Chief

TM

On the Cover:

GUIDE TESTED.

Keith Buchanan captures a rare moment, the legendary El Palometero in the water admiring his recent catch.

This might be the only photo in existence of the luchador legend in shallow-water action.

GUIDE TRUSTED.

Editor-In-Chief: Joseph Ballarini

Managing Editor: Trey Reid

Acquisitions Editor: George V. Roberts Jr.

Creative Director: Scott Morrison

Food Editor: Kelli Prescott

Travel Editor: Peter McLeod

West Coast Editor: Al Quattrocchi

Consulting Editor: Chico Fernandez 56 Contributing Editors: Andy Mill, Nicky Mill

Historians: Pete Barrett, Ed Mitchell

Editors-at-Large: Joe Doggett, Mark B. Hatter, Tom Keer, James P. Spica Jr.

Copy Editor: Leila Beasley

CELEBRATING 9 YEARS AS THE VOICE OF SALTWATER FLY FISHING

FLY FISHING MAGAZINE

PATH OF THE PERMIT REDFISH APPOINTMENT FLY CASTING BY CHICO JEWEL OF THE CAROLINA COAST THE OTHER BACKCOUNTRY LITERARY FOOTSTEPS El PALOMETERO

NOV/DEC 2021

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2021 DISPLAY UNTIL DECEMBER 31

Creative Contributors: Joseph Ballarini Pete Barrett Jim Brown Keith Buchanan Carlos Cortez Paul Doughty Chico Fernandez

John Mauser John Morrison Scott Morrison T. Edward Nickens Jon Olch Kelli Prescott

Al Quattrocchi Trey Reid George V. Roberts Jr. Mike Smith Ralph Smith Studio James P. Spica Jr.

About Tail Fly Fishing Magazine is the voice of saltwater fly fishing in a bimonthly print and digital publication. We focus on delivering high-quality content, the very best photography, destination travel, reputable commentary, and technical features from the saltwater fly fishing culture. Tail Fly Fishing Magazine began as a digital publication in 2012 and debuted as a print magazine in 2016. Combined, the digital and print versions reach readers in more than 45 countries.

In many places throughout the world, fly fishing has become important to both people and the environment. As a method of fishing imbued with values of stewardship and conservation, it connects people with the marine world in significant and positive ways. We, the anglers, are the last line of defense for our outdoor spaces.

Tail Fly Fishing Magazine supports the arts and creativity, conservation, and organizations that trumpet this message. We’re grateful for your support and we welcome photographic and written contributions.

TFFM is published six times annually, and your print subscription includes the digital version. Subscriptions are available through our website. International subscriptions are also available for most countries. Please contact our general mailbox, admin@tailflyfishing.com, with any advertising, subscription, or submission questions.

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CONTENTS 20 26

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INSIDE THE BOX - Joseph Ballarini Befitting our last issue of the year, a time when we’re looking optimistically toward the future, our editor in chief stuffs a fly box with selections representing the evolution of flies designed to run true and flatten the curve on angling success.

FISHING IN LITERARY FOOTSTEPS - James P. Spica Jr. From H.P. Lovecraft to Stephen King, New England’s literary figures often delve into the macabre, absurd, and horrific. James Spica examines their words through the lens of fishing and personal travels, fishing in the footsteps of famous authors and finding very real angling experiences in coastal New England’s otherworldly tableau.

JEWEL OF THE CAROLINA COAST - John Mauser North Carolina’s Crystal Coast, an 85-mile stretch of coastline between the Cape Lookout National Seashore and the New River, may not be as famous as the Outer Banks, but John Mauser of Mauser Fly Fishing says there’s no place he’d rather be than in his own backyard.

Photo by Scott Morrison

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THE PATH OF THE PERMIT - Carlos Cortez The permit commands the respect and admiration of fly anglers like few other fish. But maybe we’re looking at permit fishing the wrong way. Carlos Cortez discusses the fish of his dreams, techniques for enticing them, and offers a new philosophical mindset to help you bring permit to hand.

FLY TYING - Joseph Ballarini We build our angling success on past experience, and Joe Ballarini combines the best aspects of flies by our predecessors to create a hot new fly that represents the progression of flat-bodied crustaceans. We proudly introduce the Evolution Shrimp.

GEAR GUIDE - TFFM Staff If you’re trying to stay in touch, stay clean, or stay away from biting insects, this issue’s selections have you covered. You’ll also find gadgets for protecting your phone and preparing food, plus reviews and reveals of fly fishing and fly tying gear, including the first offering of our own Perfectionist leaders in fluorocarbon.

FLY CASTING TO FLY FISH - Chico Fernandez Contributing Editor Chico Fernandez is well known for his myriad innovations, including his many unique fly patterns that we’ve featured in the past. But Chico is also a proven fly casting instructor, and in this issue he takes us to casting school, stressing that practicing the cast should always emphasize actual fishing scenarios.

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REDFISH APPOINTMENT - Michael Smith Life gets in the way of fly fishing for all of us, but Michael Smith nudges us to make time for what’s important, and in his case, that meant making a date with marsh redfish.

He even has a new Google Calendar color devoted to fishing. We like the way he’s thinking.

ON THE PLATE - Kelli Prescott After a long day on the water, do you really need much more than a pile of peel ’n’ eat shrimp or a plate of tacos? These recipes are rich and tasty but also easy to execute, meaning more time to kick back and enjoy. We’re dishing up chile lime butter shrimp and the simple but profound taco, dressed with homemade jalapeño crema and fried onions.

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HOLIDAY CHEER - Trey Reid The season of holiday parties and family gatherings is upon us. Managing Editor Trey Reid helps us elevate our spirits game in this season of heightened revelry, providing a trio of festive cocktail recipes that screams holiday cheer.

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THE OTHER BACKCOUNTRY - Pete Barrett The Northeast probably isn’t the first place that comes to mind when we talk about backcountry fly fishing, but TFFM Historian Pete Barrett makes a strong case for areas from Maryland to Maine in this roadmap to the northern Atlantic coast’s abundant off-the-beaten-path opportunities.

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SAM NIX: HOMAGE TO A SAN DIEGO FLY FISHING PIONEER - Jim Brown Sam Nix was a colorful character often described by an array of conflicting adjectives—cranky, friendly, annoying, engaging. But his tinkering and do-it-yourself approach to improving the tools of fly fishing resulted in innovations that are still in use today, and his early explorations of Florida and Mexico’s Baja Peninsula paved the way for generations to come.

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THE UNDERTOW: THAT ALBACORE SEASON T. Edward Nickens Much has been written about the bond between fathers and sons, and Eddie Nickens graces us with a poignant and thoughtful contribution to the subject, reflecting on his own outlook toward the future as his son prepares to embark on life’s next chapter.

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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

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

COLORADO

ORVIS Atlanta Buckhead Square 3255 Peachtree Rd NE Atlanta, GA 30305 404-841-0093 Orvis.com

Front Range Anglers 2344 Pearl Street Boulder, CO 80302 303-494-1375 frontrangeanglers.com

The Fish Hawk 764 Miami Cir NE #126 Atlanta, GA 30305 404-237-3473 thefishhawk.com

CONNECTICUT

LOUISIANA

The Compleat Angler 541 Boston Post Road Darien, CT 06820 203-655-9400 compleatangleronline.com

Marsh & Bayou Outfitters 2600 Florida St Suite 3 Mandeville, LA 70448 985-869-7335 marshandbayououtfitters.com

FLORIDA

ORVIS Baton Rouge Perkins Rowe, Bldg. H 7601 Bluebonnet Blvd., Ste. 140 Baton Rouge LA 70810 225-757-7286 Orvis.com

239 Flies 3431 Bonita Beach Rd SW Unit #205 Bonita Springs, FL 34134 (239) 908-3513 239flies.com

MARYLAND

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

Mangrove Outfitters 4111 Tamiami Trail E Naples, FL 34112 239-793-3370 mangroveoutfitters.com

MASSACHUSETTS

Ole Florida Fly Shop 6353 N. Federal Hwy Boca Raton, FL 33487 561-995-1929 olefloridaflyshop.com

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

RHODE ISLAND

UTAH

The Saltwater Edge 1037 Aquidneck Ave Middletown, RI 02842 866-793-6733 saltwateredge.com

Fishwest 47 West 10600 South Sandy, UT 84070 fishwest.com 801-617-1225

SOUTH CAROLINA

WASHINGTON

Bay Street Outfitters 825 Bay Street Beaufort, SC 29902 843-524-5250 baystreetoutfitters.com

Peninsula Outfitters 19740 7th Ave NE, Suite 110 Poulsbo, WA 98370 360-394-1599 peninsulaoutfitters.com

ORVIS Charleston 535 King St. Charleston, SC 29403 (854) 999-4985 Orvis.com

The Avid Angler 17171 Bothell Way NE #A272 Lake Forest Park, WA 98155 206-362-4030 avidangler.com

Southern Drawl Outfitters 1533 Fording Island Rd Hilton Head Island, SC 29926 843-705-6010 southerndrawloutfitters.com

WYOMING

TEXAS Bayou City Angler 3641 Westheimer Rd Suite A Houston, TX 77027 832-831-3104 bayoucityangler.com Gordy & Sons Outfitters 22 Waugh Drive Houston, TX 77007 713-333-3474 gordyandsons.com ORVIS Austin 10000 Research Blvd - B04B Austin TX 78759 512-795-8004 Orvis.com ORVIS Houston 5727 Westheimer - Suite A Houston TX 77057 713-783-2111 Orvis.com ORVIS Plano Preston Towne Crossing 2412 Preston Road Suite 200 Plano, TX 75093 972-596-7529 Orvis.com

Lander Fly Shop 305 Main Street Lander, WY 82520 307-438-3439 landerflyshop.com Retail Chains: Barnes & Noble—630 retail locations in the USA Books-A-Million—260 stores in 32 states Bass Pro Shops—95 locations in the USA Dick’s Sporting Goods (select locations)—over 700 stores in the USA Field & Stream Stores—35 locations in the USA Indigo Books—over 200 stores under various banners BAHAMAS Blackfly Lodge Schooner Bay Abaco, Bahamas 904-997-2220 blackflylodge.com CANADA

ORVIS San Antonio 7427 San Pedro Ave. Suite 104 San Antonio, TX 78216 210-812-3017 Orvis.com

Drift Outfitters & Fly Shop 199 Queen St. East Toronto Ontario M5A-1S2 647-347-7370 Driftoutfitters.com

NEW YORK

Sportsman’s Finest 12434 Bee Cave Road Austin, TX 78738 512-263-1888 sportsmansfinest.com

Fish Tales Fly Shop Ltd. #626, 12100 Macleod Trail SE Calgary AB T2J 7G9 Canada 866-640-1273 fishtalesflyshop.com

ORVIS Sandestin 625 Grand Boulevard Ste 101 Sandestin, FL 32550 850-650-2174 Orvis.com

River Bay Outfitters 980 Church St Baldwin, NY 11510 516-415-7748 riverbayoutfitters.com

Swan Point Landing 1723 Cherry Street Suite 4 Rockport, TX 78382 361-729-7926 swanpointlandingflyshop.net

Seven Mile Fly Shop 1638 Overseas Highway Marathon, FL 33050 (305) 440-3406 sevenmileflyshop.com

NORTH CAROLINA

Tailwaters Fly Fishing Co. 1933 E. Levee St Dallas, TX 75207 888-824-5420 tailwatersflyfishing.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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MONTANA Frontier Anglers 680 N. Montana St Dillion, MT 59725 406-683-5276 frontieranglers.com

OBX on the Fly 107 Sir Walter Raleigh St Manteo, NC 27954 obxonthefly.com

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FLATTEN

by Joseph Ballarini

the Curve

Spear Bonefish Fly

Back in the early 1970s, Harry Spear

His Mother of Epoxy was among the

the Spear body was used on the

was working full time as a guide and

earliest of the epoxy flies (along with

Kwan, which is used to entice redfish,

likely was completely unaware of

the Ultra Shrimp and Surf Candy,

while the Baird body was modified

the influence his subtle observations

which appeared around the same

into a spoon, a staple for Gulf redfish

would have on saltwater fly fishing.

time). It had a flat head and no body,

from Texas to Florida.

so it’s also considered a flat-bodied fly.

Harry is the creator of two flies that

The flat body of the Spear bonefish

have influenced tying methods and fly

The reason for the flat head was to

fly in the Florida Keys would be the

patterns for more than 50 years. The

ensure that the fly would not spin

template for Del Brown’s Merkin and

Spear bonefish fly was the first flats

when stripped. This concept was also

countless other crab patterns like the

pattern to utilize a flat body. It was a

recognized by tiers outside of Florida.

the Raghead Crab, the EP Three Tone

simple fly with a marabou tail and a

Terry Baird used it for his Hula

Crab, the Kung Fu Crab, and more.

series of body segments tied in a row

Shrimp and Hula Crab patterns, and

to make a wide, flat body. It marked

his design became the basis for the

Gary Merriman used Spear’s flat body

the first time that this type of fly was

spoon fly and other lure-like flies. In

to create the Tarpon Toad, the fly

seen in salt water.

the marshes of the Gulf Coast states,

that gave Andy Mill his five Gold Cup

TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE 21

EP Crab

Merkin

M.O.E.

wins and sealed his place in the fly

tying feature, I’ve used this flat body

Baird’s Hula Shrimp that are used for

fishing record books.

concept for my Evolution shrimp,

tuna and other offshore species.

which is a combination of the highly

When tying or buying, consider the

The Branham epoxy fly is a derivative

successful Peterson’s spawning

fly’s motion; it remains the only thing

of the M.O.E, and most recently,

shrimp pattern and the M.O.E

between you and a successful hookup

Skok’s Merkin Shrimp is also anchored

(Branham version).

in that two-second window to entice

on the same original Spear body.

the bite. When I’m tying something Our featured box is a collection

for the flats, something I’d actually

There must be something to this

of flats flies that can be used for

throw during those opportune

concept if it keeps showing up in

bonefish, permit, or redfish just

moments, what runs through my

variations for over half a century.

about anywhere. Variations in

head is, “How can I flatten it?”

If anglers keep breaking records,

color and size would extend these

winning tournaments, and just

patterns, allowing for usage in

It’s a good place to start when

having great success with them,

California (Cronin’s Surfin’ Merkin,

planning new flies.

they will continue to influence future

for example), Hawaii, and the South

patterns. As you will read in the fly

Pacific. There are larger variations of

Branham Fly

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Hula Shrimp

Hula Crab

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Fishing in Literary Footsteps

by James P. Spica Jr.

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Out the window [of the bus to Innsmouth] I could see the blue water and the sandy line of Plum Island, and we presently drew very near the beach as our narrow road veered off from the main highway to Rowley and Ipswich…. Now and then we crossed crude wooden bridges over tidal creeks that wound far inland and promoted the general isolation of the region.

At last we lost sight of Plum Island and saw the vast expanse of the open Atlantic on our left. Our narrow course began to climb steeply, and I felt a singular sense of disquiet in looking at the lonely crest ahead where the rutted roadway met the sky. It was as if the bus were about to keep on in its ascent, leaving the sane earth altogether and merging with the unknown arcana of upper air and cryptical sky. The smell of the sea took on ominous implications….

Then we reached the crest and beheld the outspread valley beyond, where the Manuxet [River] joins the sea just north of the long line of cliffs that culminate in Kingsport Head and veer off toward Cape Ann. On the far, misty horizon I could just make out the dizzy profile of the Head, topped by the queer ancient house of which so many legends are told….

Fishing for stripers in the fading light

River, and Wingaersheek Beach

Traveling and fishing in the footsteps

on Plum Island or driving between

on Ipswich Bay directly north of

of authors who frequented familiar

fishing spots around Ipswich and

Gloucester. Innsmouth might also be

areas of the country is a tangible

Essex became far more eerie and

around Great Neck to the northeast

connection between two of my

unquestionably more exciting when

or Manchester-by-the-Sea to the

obsessions: fishing all the hell over

I first read that passage from a

south. H.P. Lovecraft was detailed

the place by road, and the collection

horror novella called The Shadow

in his description but also cleverly

and consumption of books. In my

Over Innsmouth. I’ve driven those

circumspect.

native state of Michigan, we’ve got

roads. I know those vistas. I’ve felt

the Hemingway connection, a bit

that otherworldly miasma of marshy

“There was never a dearth of fish

of John Gierach, and, in the Upper

decay and coastal mystery.

around Innsmouth,” writes Lovecraft

Peninsula, John Voelker (you may

early in the novella. And later: “And

know him as Robert Traver) and

The town of Innsmouth doesn’t

far out at sea, despite a high tide, I

Jim Harrison. As place plays such a

really exist—nevertheless, its creator,

glimpsed a long, black line scarcely

vital part in literature, Hemingway’s

Howard Phillips Lovecraft, knew the

rising above the water yet carrying a

and Voelker’s voices and plots echo

area intimately. He clearly fastened

suggestion of odd latent malignancy.

the spirit of the Midwest: plain

upon and accentuated in writing

This, I knew, must be Devil Reef.”

and straightforward, humble and

the combination of old, legendary

Occasionally, when I’m casting into the

fascinating, homey and gritty.

things of human construction and

surf from Crane Beach and enjoying

the mysterious, slightly unnerving

that glut of fish, I think I can make

By contrast, New England’s canonical

element of tidal marsh and

out to the southeast the dark, thin

literary figures dabble—or dive

weatherbeaten coast. The area

line of Devil Reef. I assume it’s just

headfirst—into the macabre,

described as harboring the decaying

wishful dreaming, but one could make

influenced by centuries of layered

and disquieting town of Innsmouth

the argument that that’s one of the

culture, buried dead, and the

is most likely somewhere in the area

many benefits of reading fiction.

omniscient, uncaring, life-giving

between Crane Beach, the Annisquam

and life-taking nature of the ocean.

TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE 27

The Northeast has its pantheon of

towns, one sees the “clustered spires,

writers in the macabre, absurd, or

domes, and gambrel roofs” Lovecraft

horrific—and in many well-known

mentions in almost every story he’s

Headed south beyond the congestion

authors, all three.

written, whether he’s describing the

of Boston, traveling on Route 3 into

very real towns of old Providence and

a landscape given over to scrubby

Boston or the very fictional towns of

sea pines, grasses, and smaller rock

Driving through sleepy New England

28 TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE

Arkham and Dunwich.

eminences, I cross the Bourne Bridge

One of Gorey’s best-known books is

Continuing down the Cape, fishing

onto Cape Cod. As many another

The Gashlycrumb Tinies, an alphabet

Cape Cod Bay, and then spending

striper angler, depending on the tide

book of verse ascribing one letter

some time at busy but productive

stage, I usually direct the Tacoma

each to a child who dies in a grisly,

Race Point, I make my way into

toward the Brewster Flats. But not

if silly, way. Upon reading it for the

Provincetown for oysters and martinis

before a quick stop.

first time, I was delighted to discover

at Pepé’s Wharf, passing by the

that “J is for James who took lye by

privately owned and well-preserved

The Edward Gorey House in Yarmouth

mistake.” Not only was my own name

house that used to belong to Norman

is a kind of tame pilgrimage for me

chosen, but Gorey’s James died by

Mailer. Mailer lived in this P-town red

whenever I’m fishing the flats of

ingesting something he shouldn’t

brick house with, if the photos are any

Cape Cod Bay. Lovingly kept up and

have, which is almost certainly how

indication, a library that prompts both

open as a museum, complete with

I’ll go, knowing my perverse desire

jealousy and inspiration. He wrote

the occasional daily tour, it isn’t a

to eat and drink odd or disgusting

of the town through the eyes of the

large dwelling—so an eight-person

things. That said, “M is for Maud who

protagonist and narrator in Tough

tour feels very much like when the

was swept out to sea” is just as likely

Guys Don’t Dance:

host of a house party crams you

to be my fate; I’m known to linger too

and your friends into one room after

long on the flats waiting for a striper

another while you’re wishing for a

in front of which to drop a crab fly, as

refresh of your drink. That said, one

the water works in behind me in its

can wander at one’s leisure most

own creepy way.

of the time, taking in the distinctly Cape Cod vibe of the living quarters

Upon catching a bluefish, which

while simultaneously marveling

eyes me angrily and with malignant

at the extent of Gorey’s macabre

intent—Lou Tabory mentions the

weirdness. I love the kitchen—what a

bluefish’s unpleasant gift of strong

surprise—and imagine Gorey cooking

sight out of water—the couplet

some bluefish in the oven or making

from Gorey’s The Wuggly Ump runs

some oyster stew on the stove. It’s

repeatedly through my head:

a place of hero worship to pass the midday hours when the linesiders are relatively uninterested in eating.

Then I return to the water with a tinge of the “jumblies” (Gorey’s

What nasty little willful eyes For anything of such a size!

How uninviting are its claws!

How even more so are its jaws!

partnership with Edward Lear in verse, wherein the benefits of sailing the sea in a sieve are extolled).

Yep, that’s a bluefish.

Perhaps this is why Provincetown is so beautiful.

Conceived at night (for one would swear it was created in the course of one dark storm) its sand flats still glistened in the dawn with the moist primeval innocence of land exposing itself to the sun for the first time. Decade after decade, artists came to paint the light of Provincetown, and comparisons were made to the lagoons of Venice and the marshes of Holland, but then the summer ended and most of the painters left, and the long dingy undergarment of the gray New England winter, gray as the spirit of my mood, came

TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE 29

Terror can lurk on every hand; it brings me closer to the environment and indeed extracts a perverse chill from it.

down to visit. One remembered then that the land was only ten thousand years old, and one’s ghosts had no roots.

I don’t know if Mailer dabbled in

beautiful spot, but the mist that

confronted with forbidden things,” as

obscures the vistas and moves in and

Lovecraft puts it. What New England

out but never really leaves could very

lacks in the mystery of frontierism

well harbor Stephen King’s tentacle

it makes up for in older mystery: the

monsters and things with claws that

shabby, crumbling layers of history

could easily scuttle up behind me.

and overgrowth that hide, but do not completely obscure, older things.

flats fishing, but he nailed, in one sharp paragraph of forgivably

Idolizing these literary giants comes

These are not the giant tides and

long sentences, what it is to drive

with some all-too-visible issues,

crisp cliffs of the West Coast; this is

around the Cape fishing the flats for

some pretty big shoggoths (look it

the mud of centuries exposing what’s

stripers. One imagines the winner

up) under the table—for example,

left of this ship, that dory, this shack,

of two Pulitzer Prizes had more

Lovecraft’s distinctly New England

that dock.

heady things to do than wander the

subspecies of casual racism common

beaches looking for the shadow of a

in the early 20th century, or perhaps

The pop culture of contemporary

submerged ghost, but I suppose all

Mailer’s staggering ego. Hemingway,

humanity is riddled with mummies:

great writers are looking for ghosts

another great writer and fisherman,

the dead preserved so well that they

of some kind.

unfortunately laid the groundwork

may not be quite dead but obscured

for a narrow view of masculinity and

by enough layers of cloth that one

Speaking of ghosts, no macabre

how that masculinity is associated

really cannot know for sure what’s

literary fishing pilgrimage would be

with the outdoors. So we cannot read

within and what power animates it

complete without some mention of

these works without a critical eye

(though when it hops up and starts

that master of contemporary horror

toward the writing and the writer.

terrifying Abbott and Costello, the

and resident of Maine, Stephen King.

But our sport of fishing has its own

uncertainty fades). So much is

King injects the New England terroir

contradictions, hypocrisies, and

mummified in New England. In an

directly into his writings: descriptions

troublesome flirtations with high

obvious way, cramped graveyards

of haunts, happenings, and frights

morals, so we ought to be able to

around many a corner in Boston or

that could only be the stuff of the

understand.

Salem are full of the interred of at least 300 years, sometimes more. But

Northeast. While King’s catalog is too expansive to even attempt to

It’s New England’s whole vibe that

every bit of decaying wood—posts,

cover here, I was recently met with

prompts such a deep sense of place

palates and prams—in tidal marshes

the close presence of eeriness so

in the literary figures whose writing

is mummified by sand.

intimately relied upon in one of his

is tinged with, dipped in, or downright

shorter works. I was driving around

submerged in darkness. Terror

Waiting by a boulder that draws in

Acadia National Park in the early

can lurk on every hand; it brings

stripers, one observes the barnacles

morning, fishing off the cliffs for

me closer to the environment and

crusting the eminence and wonders if

pollock on sparkle Clousers with a

indeed extracts a perverse chill from

there may just be a few symbols left

6-weight—a quiet and contemplative

it. When that mist is rolling in—or

by the Old Ones, before shambling,

pursuit contrasted with the violence

those emerging rocks form dubious

primitive man. There are too many

and unforgivingness of the swells

shapes in the dark, lit only by diffuse

layers of barnacles to really be

hitting the rock faces. Acadia is a

moonlight as the tide drops—I “feel

certain.

30 TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE

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TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE 31

Jewel of the Carolina Coast

by John Mauser The forked foot of my push pole

winds have changed to a northerly

the last few hours creeping across

finds purchase in the mud as we

breeze, and the humidity that you

the Spartina flats, looking for copper

glide across an acre of flooded

could cut with a knife has vanished

tails waving amongst the reeds.

Spartina grass. Like a field of wheat,

overnight. You can feel it in the air:

We’ve seen a dozen tails and poled

the grass is fading from bright

It’s fall on the Crystal Coast, my

within casting range of a few. I’m

green to golden yellow. Patches of

favorite time of year here.

not surprised to see fewer tails today

sea pickle are turning a vibrant red

compared to the last round of tailing

along the shoreline, while yellow

My buddy Perry and I have hit the

tides; the redfish have their minds on

sulphur butterflies dance above the

lottery today: We both have the day

something other than fiddler crabs.

water’s surface. The hot southerly

off from guiding, and we’re finally

Many of the reds have started to

able to chase some fish with a fly rod instead of a push pole. We’ve spent

32 TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE

school in the deeper channels and

At this point my mind is also on

Fifteen minutes later we are peering

pursue the large schools of baitfish

something other than the flooded

through the inlet and out into the

marching from the marsh toward

flat: I’m thinking of the chaos that

Atlantic. Gulls and terns are diving

the inlet. The mullet can feel the call

could possibly be occurring a couple

a few hundred yards ahead, feeding

of the changing winds and cooling

of miles away as hordes of baitfish

on schools of tiny anchovies that are

temperatures—it’s time to migrate.

pour out of the inlet on the falling

spending as much time above the

And the redfish know it’s time to

tide. Perry reels in his line and stows

water’s surface as they are below.

forgo the crabs and take advantage

the fly rod as I pole to the nearest

Seconds later, we see what has them

of the schools of baitfish so they can

creek. I lower the trim tabs and push

in a frenzy: Several dozen chrome

put on weight for the winter.

the throttle all the way forward as we

torpedoes emerge from the depths

head off looking for a new adventure.

and blow the baitfish out of the

TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE 33

water. Perry is immediately in the

Cape Lookout, Shackleford Banks, and

the islands, the sand-covered creek

fly box, digging through Clousers and

Bogue Banks may not be as well-

bottoms flow with clear water as

epoxy minnows looking for a close

known as the islands to the north,

the tide pours in from nearby inlets.

match. I can’t help but grin because

but I personally don’t think there’s

Further inland, the waters become

I know we are only a few casts away

another stretch of coastline that

stained with tannins, and the bottom

from welcoming back my favorite

can hold a candle to our charming

transitions from sand to the type of

fall visitor: the false albacore. I’ve

historic towns, pristine beaches, and

mud that will steal your shoes and

been fortunate enough to travel to

wild state and national parks.

keep them forever. Along the grass

some amazing fishing destinations,

edges, oysters build shell-covered

but right now there’s nowhere I’d

Just behind the windswept dunes

points that can extend for a hundred

rather be than right here in my own

and maritime forests of the barrier

yards or more.

backyard.

islands is a vast marsh and a maze of creeks and bays that would take half

All this habitat makes a home for

North Carolina’s Crystal Coast is an

a lifetime to explore. Miles of vibrant

many species of crabs, shrimp, and

85-mile stretch just south of its more

green Spartina grass are divided by

baitfish. And where there’s prey,

famous sibling, the Outer Banks.

a labyrinth of salty creeks. Behind

there are predators. Redfish, speckled

34 TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE

trout, and flounder are without a doubt the top targets of inshore anglers along the Crystal Coast.

Whereas most anglers pursue them with conventional methods along the docks and creek channels, I prefer to stalk them away from the hustle and bustle of bay boats and popping corks, where the water is ankle deep and fish present themselves for a fly cast.

While fishing the backcountry, you can often hear the ocean; waves crash just a short distance away, separated from the marsh by a line of cedars and live oaks. The emerald waters just beyond those crashing waves are just as much a playground for the fly angler as the marsh.

Beach houses and sunbathers may adorn the shoreline from Emerald Isle to Atlantic Beach, but the part of the Crystal Coast that I love is still wild and untamed. The Cape Lookout National Seashore—consisting of South Core Banks and Shackleford Banks—and Hammocks Beach State Park are protected from human development. There are so many elements to the Crystal Coast that only add to the amazing fishing experience. Wild horses roam the shores of Shackleford Banks, their home since they swam from sinking Spanish ships in the 1600s. The historic Cape Lookout Lighthouse, erected in the 1850s, has served as backdrop to many an epic battle of man versus fish. And without even knowing it, many anglers have drifted over the remains of the most famous pirate ship in history, sunk off Beaufort Inlet by Blackbeard himself in 1718.

Fall just might be the best time to pursue both backcountry and nearshore species on the fly. The

TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE 35

changes in weather are a signal to

between them and the fish. Lay a

season brings a change in species,

baitfish that it’s time to move and

cast into the foam and scales, and

locations, and techniques, and there

a signal to predators to devour the

you’ll probably be hooked up to a

is always something to pursue.

bait while it’s plentiful. Juvenile

freight train before your third strip

By December, most of the bait has

redfish feed heavily on shrimp and

of the line. “Albies” swim, eat, and

left, and it will be sparse pickings

mullet, while “old drum” wreak havoc

run from you at upwards of 40 miles

until the following April. Water

on schools of menhaden off the

per hour, and they’ll gladly bust your

temperatures drop into the 40s

beaches. Speckled trout migrate from

knuckles and show you most of your

and 50s, and as the algae die off,

the rivers to the inlets and beach

backing in the first minute of being

the water becomes extremely clear.

fronts where the tides deliver their

hooked up.

I hate cold weather, but I love our

meals. As you run the beaches in

wintertime fishery. With clear water,

October and November, the surf is

Although fall is an amazing time on

slowing metabolisms, and packs of

full of albacore, driving bait toward

the southern Outer Banks, it isn’t the

bottlenose dolphins on patrol, redfish

the beach as fast as they can. Gulls,

only time of year for a fly angler to

school up for safety in numbers.

terns, and pelicans bomb the water’s

take advantage of great fishing. We

Much of the marsh and surf seems

surface in numbers that make it

are blessed with a year-round fishery

lifeless, but when you come across a

difficult to shoot a loop of fly line

here on the Crystal Coast. Each

group of hungry redfish huddled up in

36 TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE

clear water, it becomes apparent why the wintertime fishery is so special.

I treat these fish as delicately as possible, because it doesn’t take much pressure to make a school of winter redfish vanish overnight.

We catch a few, thank them for the experience, and move on as the search continues.

Come April, the Crystal Coast begins to spring to life again. The chilly north winds change to warm and southerly breezes, and the marsh and ocean begin to wake up from a sleepy winter. The mullet return to the estuaries, blue crabs come out of hibernation, and lethargic redfish begin to break up from their winter haunts and spread throughout the marsh.

Along the oceanfront, silversides make their way inshore and gather over shipwrecks and hard-bottom ledges for safety. Small bluefish are usually the first to appear as they follow the tiny baitfish; schools of northbound migrating false albacore aren’t far behind. Not long after, Atlantic bonito arrive and are more than willing to charge a pink and white Clouser as they blitz on silversides at first light. The last of the spring fish to arrive are the Spanish mackerel, which mix in with the other predators and make short work of any baitfish that make a false move. The month of April is a bad time to be a silverside on the Crystal Coast.

As spring gives way to summer, the action in the backcountry really starts to heat up, and redfish are heavy on my mind. My favorite way to pursue redfish on the Crystal Coast is by poling the

TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE 37

flooded Spartina grass flats on the highest tides of the month from May through October. When the moon’s gravitational pull floods the uppermost reaches of the Spartina flats and inundates the homes of fiddler crabs, the redfish are eager to follow the tide to a feast.

Grasshoppers, periwinkles, and mud crabs climb the blades of grass to escape what lurks below. Redfish crawl through water so shallow that their eyes are sometimes exposed as they follow the tide in pursuit of crustaceans. We slowly push through the grass as we scan the flats for signs of these predators. Out of the corner of your eye, you’ll catch some movement along a nearby patch of grass; a few seconds later, a copper tail breaks the surface and waves to you, almost begging you to give chase. The good news is that the fish attached to that copper tail is there for one reason: to eat. The bad news is that he’s no dummy; he knows the dangers of being shallow and exposed, and to him an errant fly cast may as well be a diving osprey.

So make it quiet, and make it count.

I wish every day were a tailing tide, but often we are looking for bellycrawling fish among the mud and oysters. When the tide drops off the flats, the reds have a hard time hiding themselves. It’s not easy navigating the mud and oysters to get to these fish, and the hull of my skiff shows the battle scars of chasing low-tide reds. Even when the water is stained like root beer, the fish are still very aware of their surroundings when in inches of water; nevertheless, a stealthy approach and a clean cast are often rewarded.

38 TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE

Although redfish may be king on the Crystal Coast, they aren’t the only target on the fly. Flounder are numerous on the flats and in the creeks of our salt marshes. Gulf, summer, and southern flounder can be found in inches of water waiting for a school of unaware prey to swim overhead. It’s not uncommon to see flounder come completely out of the water when they explode on groups of mullet and killifish.

In the heat of the summer, inshore flats fishing isn’t the only game in town. Just across the forests and dunes of the barrier islands, the action is heating up in the nearshore waters too. Although the albacore and bonito have moved north, the bluefish and Spanish mackerel are roaming the blue-green waters behind the breakers, looking for baitfish to destroy. They need to watch their backs, though, because the shoals along the beaches are teaming with blacktip and spinner sharks that will make short work of a school of bluefish. Further off the beach, the hard-bottom ledges and artificial reefs have become the summer homes to king mackerel, amberjack, and cobia—all of which will readily eat a well-presented fly.

I’m unbelievably fortunate to call the Crystal Coast my home, and I look forward to each coming season and the experiences it will bring. But right now, Perry and I are focused on the pod of false albacore blitzing down the beach, devouring a school of anchovies. And the fly that Perry just tied on looks pretty darn close to what they are dining on. Throttle down: We’ve got some albies to catch.

TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE 39

40 TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE

THE PATH OF THE PERMIT

by Carlos Cortez

In Argentina, where we were

subtle equipment to fish through

and wondrous mysteries of nature

surprised by life and our passion

difficult, still waters with elusive or

enhance any angling experience.

for fly fishing, there’s a delicious

small fish. Large targets and larger

When the time comes that we feel

fishing menu, an enviable

waters require heavy equipment to

part of the chosen environment,

selection of some of the most

tempt and subdue larger gamefish.

that’s the day we truly feel the

sporting species that exist in

connection with the fish.

fresh water. There are a variety

It’s a joy to confront the myriad

of salmonids such as trout and

possibilities of fish, waters, tackle,

With this evolution of our

both landlocked and anadromous

and strategy, but we must choose

mindset, fishing takes on a

salmon. Then there’s the northern

our quarry and select the appropriate

new meaning. No longer is it a

slam, consisting of dorados,

tackle, realizing that each encounter

competition with others, the fish,

pacús, and pirá pitás. These

also requires different skills. The

or ourselves. Now our pursuit

marvelous gamefish thrive in a

complexities of preparation tend to

becomes a jubilant game. We

plethora of diverse environments,

narrowly focus an angler on the task

know that our quarry is not aware

creating many different ways

at hand. Nonetheless, the true joy of

of it, that it was not its choice.

and situations of fishing. Such

the angling experience arises when

Yet we begin to take satisfaction

diversity challenges us to learn

we adapt a broader perspective by

from its wisdom and strengths

new techniques and continuously

inviting the natural environment

and the difficulties they generate.

improve our skills. It takes light,

into our focal realm. The splendid

From that moment onward, the

TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE 41

word failure disappears from our

the water. By allowing every moment

favorite quarry. I just claim that the

dictionary, because in this game

to be magical, we achieve maximum

permit is different. It’s a fish that

there are no winners or losers, only

enjoyment.

inhabits the deep waters of the reefs

challenges and the satisfaction of learning.

and looks for shallow waters to feed After many years of walking the path

when conditions allow. Its sensory

of fly fishing, I almost accidentally

perception is second to none. The

In this way, the sensations we feel

discovered this outlook that enhances

permit possesses keen eyesight

lead us to concentrate on feeling,

the vision of our angling passion.

and sense of smell. It is spooky and

doing, and being part of, rather

My approach requires that we stop

finicky. As such, the permit-angling

than our self-actualization as

being anglers, and start to enjoy the

journey fits perfectly with the

anglers. Embracing such a title

process as if it were the result itself.

concept of enjoying the process,

carries responsibilities that result

Clearly, intent is the goal and capture

because it’s a game of learning, one

in unnecessary pressure. The

is a bonus.

in which catching these black-tailed

angler must fish, and to be a great

devils is both sporadic and fleeting.

fisherman, he also must achieve

The Fish of My Dreams

recognition. Instead, interacting with

Trachinotus falcatus is not better or

When we talk about conditions, we

nature during a game only requires

worse than any other piscine species.

refer to a sum of variables: water

us to be respectful of the ecosystem.

It’s the fish of my dreams, but that

temperature and transparency,

In this way, it’s up to each individual

description doesn’t mean that I am

amplitude and status of the tide,

to achieve his or her satisfaction on

attaching a value judgement on my

influence of climatic variables

42 TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE

(especially wind and atmospheric pressure), presence of food, time of year, and fishing pressure. The characteristics of the area will determine certain behavioral habits, which for us will mean different situations resulting from type of bottom, depth range, current, presence of predators, and type of food.

Chasing this fish resembles a hunt.

We must first find it, then approach it, before deciding the timing of the cast and executing it. We call this entire process the shot, chance, or encounter. It is the first quantifiable parameter by which we analyze and characterize our fishing day.

The Chances Being able to find permit depends, most of the time, on the knowledge and experience of the guide. In general, many guides know where they feed, but being there at the right time is not an easy task. We seek different signs, depending on place and conditions, that reveal its presence: nervous water, tails, fins, flashes, muds, or simply the silhouette of the fish. It takes a long time on the water, focused on observation, to begin to perceive each of these ways of detection.

In this part of the process we must be calm and concentrate to identify the fish as quickly as possible. It’s

not always as easy as it sounds. It’s the moment to review and make sure everything is fine to execute the shot—the tidy line in the skiff, the necessary feet outside, the fly in good condition—without losing sight of our objective.

The approach to the fish depends on the guide and whether we’re on a skiff or wading. The approach technique is complex. It depends on the swimming speed of the fish and its attitude, the direction and speed of the wind and the current, and the location of the sun.

Ideally, we seek a setup with the sun on our back, or in a position

TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE 43

that allows us to maintain visual

personal experience. The presentation

evaluating the shot according to the

contact with the fish. Having the

could be between 1 foot and 10 feet,

first reaction of the fish and not by

wind from behind, or on the shoulder

but most situations are resolved

the fly’s landing place or your critical

opposite the rod arm, is a great

between 1 foot and 4 feet.

evaluation that the cast might be

help for casting. But in the skiff, if

less than perfect. Many times, shots

the wind blows from our back and

The timing of the execution is

that seem perfect do not generate

is very intense, the guide will not

very important. Waiting for the

any reaction, demanding a quick

be able to manage the skiff as well

appropriate distance range allows us

recast, while others that we interpret

or stop it quickly enough. We rarely

to be accurate, have control of the

as bad open up the possibility of a

go directly to the fish. Rather, the

line, and see the fish clearly in order

strike.

guide imagines the optimal point

to understand its body language. The

to set up the encounter, taking into

casting-distance range to a permit

consideration all of these variables.

can vary, but most attempts with

The Choice of Fly and Stripping

Often the permit—or the wind—will

good chances are between 40 feet

Most of the preferred flies are shrimp

change direction, adding complexity

and 60 feet, with 50 feet being my

and crab imitations—although

to the challenge.

preferred range. At shorter distances,

bites or catches are achieved with

we can make an accurate cast, be in

imitations of small fish, generally by

The next step is the decision to make

visual contact with the fly, track it

accident—and in the environments

the shot. It includes two critical

after it lands in the water, and make

where permit live and feed, both are

aspects, where to present the fly and

an effective recast if needed. The

present. Perhaps it would help to

when. The target of where to place

goal is to interact with the permit, to

know how their diet is composed, such

the fly is often influenced by our

perceive the fish’s first reaction, and,

as the percentages and situations

fear of scaring away the permit. The

if it was positive, seeking to stimulate

they eat one or the other. But it is a

result of that ill-advised concern is

it to eat our fly.

collecting fish, and my experience tells

that the fly is usually presented too

me that it is very opportunistic.

far away and is never perceived by

In both scenarios we must lose the

the fish.

fear of scaring the fish. We must get

I think our priority goal is to place

both close enough to present the fly

our fly in their field of vision without

The variables that we should rely on

and close to the fish. We could lose

the fish spooking off, and keep it

include swimming speed and fish

the opportunity, but otherwise, we

there long enough to tempt them.

attitude, depth, current strength,

will never have it.

Our fly must resemble the permit’s

wind speed, quantity of fish, and type of fly. There is no substitute for

44 TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE

food reasonably well, with due It’s important to get used to

consideration of shape, size, and

color. The fly should be tied with

we stimulate with a fleeing prey.

In most other situations, setting the

the appropriate volume of materials

There are, however, situations where

hook must be done by visual cues

and weight for the conditions. We

retrieving the fly is the ticket for

and intuition. The permit approaches

have to put the fly in the fish’s

generating a strike from a permit. In

its prey, inhales a certain volume of

visual range, and it must “behave”

those dynamic instances where the

water to suck out the possible food,

naturally after the fish has seen it. It

current is strong, I usually use shrimp

and filters and breaks the shells

is very difficult, perhaps impossible,

flies, because many crabs tend to

lodged in the throat with its strong

to describe a successful or adequate

turn or drag when we strip fast.

crushers. Then it swallows, and finally

presentation and movement of the

it exhales the shell fragments. If the

fly, because the variables involved are

When fishing very close to the

fly were not attached to the leader,

many and interrelated. The answers

bottom or on the bottom, I use crabs

it would probably always end up in

are initially derived by listening to

that are quite heavy. I use lighter

the fish’s stomach, but the tension

the guide’s instructions and personal

crabs that sink slowly when I want

generated by the line prevents the fly

experience accumulated later.

the permit to find the fly as it goes

from being swallowed and expelled (if

down in shallow water or with rock,

we set the hook correctly). Everything

The most common mistakes are:

coral, or grass bottoms. Inexperienced

happens in a fraction of a second.

presenting the fly too far away, for

permit anglers should rely on the

fear of scaring the permit away;

guide’s knowledge or an angler with

When a permit inhales, it contorts

not allowing the fly to sink to the

more experience in a specific habitat

its body, allowing us to read the fish’s

feeding zone, instead moving it

or particular geographic location.

behavior. During the times the food

early; making sudden movements,

After we acquire our own experience,

is down in the water column, on or

which generate drag on the line and

we develop the conviction to explore

near the bottom, the permit lifts its

leader and may spook the permit;

our own ways.

tail. That’s a clear signal that tells us

and making long and fast stripping motions that take the fly out of the permit’s field of vision.

The Bite and Setting the Hook

to act. We must keep the rod in the direction of the fly. If we make a long and slow strip and feel tension, we

Situations that demand stripping, using

must continue the same movement

When fishing crabs, our priority is

shrimp, are those with the highest

with increasing pressure and release

to make the fish see the fly and

percentage of efficiency, because many

it only when the hooked fish is

leave it in the field of view as long

times we feel the tension of the bite

running and our sensitivity tells us

as possible. This is in opposition

and we react appropriately. In this

that the tension is too tight, risking

to what we do while fishing for an

scenario, the permit hooks itself in the

a break-off. When a permit swims

aggressive predatory species, which

same movement.

in front and towards us, sometimes

TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE 45

we can see that it opens its mouth, because we see the pink and white of its lips. That is the right moment to try setting the hook, as an open mouth is a sign the permit is inhaling the fly.

The Real Difficulty When we fish other species, there are days where those fish are nervous, or they are not eating, or they are not in the usual areas. But we cannot know what is really happening, because blind fishing is “imaginary.” We rely on intuition and knowledge to give us the answers. With sight fishing, we are facing the reality of our quarry

46 TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE

and it is facing us. The results can be a little more frustrating—or a little more rewarding. As we learn more about the permit, we begin to understand that it is far from being a fish that doesn’t eat or is very difficult to fool. I believe that many times permit are not caught for a number of otherwise unrelated reasons.

Besides some exceptional days or situations, an average day of fishing usually gives us between four and eights chances. Sometimes we find the fish in tough conditions where it is difficult to see them clearly, which doesn’t allow us to be accurate. Many times, the environmental conditions make it difficult for us to achieve the necessary precision to deliver the fly to the fish on a timely basis, adjust for the influence of the wind, or simply control our nerves. While we were graced with the right shots, we were wrong in our handling of the fly.

And there are other times when we get bites and we never know.

This is a synthetic description, but I hope it allows you to understand the characteristics of fly fishing for permit and the sensations it arouses. The mystique of this fish is fed by the pressure generated in us by that remarkably beautiful image that seems beyond our grasp.

When we finally remain calm enough to understand that it’s just one more fish, one that requires certain adjustments in technique and more significantly a change in our attitude, we begin to feel they are near our hands.

TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE 47

by Joseph Ballarini It was perhaps legendary Keys guide Harry Spear who originated the very effective style of fly that sports a flat body, allowing for linear movement without spinning.

Spear used his Tasty Toad to target the large, spooky bonefish off Islamorada. The Toad landed softly, sank quickly, and refused to spin even when stripped aggressively.

You’ll see this same concept manifest in a number of subsequent flats flies, including Del Brown’s Merkin, the Tarpon Toad (with which Andy Mill has won five Gold Cups), the Kwan Fly (for redfish), and most recently, Dave Skok’s Merkin Shrimp. This concept is also the basis for Bob Branham’s M. O. E. (Mother of Epoxy) Fly, which has proved itself deadly on permit.

One of my favorite pattens for bonefish and permit is Peterson’s Spawning Shrimp. However, this fly does spin if stripped aggressively, so I stopped using it in Biscayne Bay in favor of Branham’s M. O. E. 48 TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE

The Evolution Shrimp Eventually, I got the idea to combine the best aspects of Peterson’s Spawning Shrimp with the technical aspects of Branham’s fly—with a few personal touches.

I thought the Evolution was an appropriate name, since it’s best described as a mashup of two existing patterns.

The Evolution has superb action, is effective, and is relatively easy to tie. I’ve tested it everywhere I’ve fished, and it seldom fails to produce. In green, the Evolution is my go-to fly in Mexico and Belize. In Florida I prefer pink and ginger; in the Bahamas, pink and tan. But you can tie it in any color combination and with any head color. Frankly, I don’t think the colored head really matters much for fishing, but they sure do look nice in the box.

If you have any questions, you can email me at admin@tailflyfishing. com.

Materials Hook: Mustad S74SNP-DT

2XH/4XL size 6 long shank Thread:

Danville flat waxed nylon, 210 denier, pink

Tail: Orange fox and tan

Craft Fur (alternatively, I

use golden doodle fur

after our dog is

groomed), flanked at

each side with a thin

barred ginger hackle tied splayed Antennae: Black Krystal Flash (optional) Legs:

Tan barred silicone ( I color mine by hand with brown and black markers Borski-style, but the commercial versions work well also)

Eyes:

Small red shrimp eyes

Flash:

Tan Krystal Flash

Wing:

Barred tan rabbit fur

Weight:

I-Balz

Head:

5-minute epoxy tinted with fine orange glitter

Step 1: Tie in a base of thread on the hook shank above the point.

Tie in orange fox fur, leaving about 1/4 inch beyond the bend of the hook.

1

Step 2: Measure and trim the trailing portion of fur to bend back over the the bend of the hook and tie in creating a slight bulge for the legs and eyes in the upcoming steps.

5

Step 3: Tie in craft fur (or dog fur) that should be about twice the length of the fox fur.

2

Step 4: Tie in two small barred ginger hackles, splayed and extending to approximately the length of the Craft Fur. Step 5: Tie in black Krystal Flash so it extends slightly beyond the tan Craft Fur (optional, not shown). Tie in one of the silicone legs so that it extends the length of the Craft Fur (you can trim the legs later, if you wish).

6

Step 6: Tie in another silicone leg on the other side of the tail. Tie in one of the shrimp eyes to flank the tail.

3

Step 7: Tie in the the other eye.

The shrimp eyes should extend beyond the bend of the hook by about 1/8 inch.

7

Step 8: Tie in tan Krystal Flash on the underside of the tail.

Step 9: Tie in the weighted eyes.

I-Balz have a wider gap and result in a flatter head on the finished fly.

4

8

TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE 49

Step 10: Tie in the first section of barred rabbit for the wing on the underside of the shank.

9

Step 11: Tie in the second section of wing, just in front of the first and behind the weighted eyes.

13

Step 12: Wrap the thread to just behind the eye of the hook and whip finish.

Step 13: Mix the two parts of 5-minute epoxy along with the glitter.

10

Step 14: When the epoxy is mixed, place a small amount on the eyes.

You will need much less epoxy than you think. The big mistake here is adding too much epoxy and not leaving enough space for a flat, lightweight head.

14

Step 15: As the epoxy begins to firm, wet your fingers and shape the head using your thumb and index finger to flatten and smooth the epoxy. The key is wet fingers so the epoxy does not stick to your hands. Shape and smooth the head until it’s flat, smooth, and symmetrical.

11

15

12

50 TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE

When the fish of a lifetime presents herself, the difference in success or failure is measured in inches.

To the angler faced with a cast that will forever inspire or haunt them, it’s the eye of a needle.

At that moment, only one thing matters.

HELIOS 3—ERASE THE DOUBT

They become great fish because they survive. Intolerant of intrusion, they place themselves where food flows freely and predators pause. In hunting, accuracy is everything. The same can be said in the pursuit of a great fish. You may only get one shot.

MAKE IT COUNT

VISIT ORVIS.COM/H3

to get the most accurate rod in the industy.

TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE 51

AHEAD OF OUR TIME SINCE THE BEGINNING

GEAR Cobra MR HH600 Floating Marine Radio This handheld radio isn’t just for people with boats.

The HH600 is the upgraded version of the HH350 and includes GPS to pinpoint your location, built in Bluetooth®, and an LED flashlight and strobe. This is a great safety tool to take with you whenever and wherever you travel. It’s 100 percent waterproof, it floats, and we especially like that it’s white and easy to spot if it does end up in the water. It charges quickly, and a single charge lasts for a typical day on the water. Cobra is also offering a complimentary BoatUS one-year membership with any marine radio purchase. (cobra.com) $209

52 TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE

Hersh’s Natural Using sustainable resources from organic farmers, Hersh’s Natural has created something that traveling anglers can really appreciate. This family business, founded by an avid sportsman with roots in Pennsylvania, makes a shampoo bar that’s the perfect solution for traveling fly fishers who don’t want to use the lodge bar soap or body wash as shampoo. The shampoo bar is only 4 ounces, takes up very little space, and comes in eight varieties.

We really like the tea tree bar because it has antimicrobial properties and repels mosquitos. Be sure to include this in the packing list for your next trip; you’ll be glad you did. (hershsnatural.com) $10

GUIDE Treva Bug Repellant Fan This is another item you should consider packing for your traveling adventures. If you frequent a specific lodge, consider leaving one or two of them there. It’s basically a low-speed tabletop fan that keeps flies away from your food, and it works incredibly well.

We learned about this item at a barbecue in Austin, Texas, and then started seeing it used by restaurants and bakeries in Miami. We might have been a bit late to the party on this one, but better late than never. (trevahome.com) $12.99

Thermacell Patio Shield After contracting Dengue Fever from multiple mosquito bites in the Maldives and more recently developing cellulitis from a collection of bites on the lower legs, the search for portable insect protection began. This product isn’t new, but it’s so effective we had to share. The Thermacell uses a small DEET-free repellant pack to provide 15 feet of mosquito-free outdoor space. It’s a far superior alternative to the incense coils used in many tropical locales. The main unit is inexpensive, although the charges can add up. Thermacell also makes an entire-home system called LIV, which can shield up to 1,500 square feet of outdoors space. (thermacell.com) $19.99

TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE 53

GEAR Phoozy XP3 Thermal Capsule After destroying a phone by leaving it on the console of a skiff and overheating it, we began looking for an option that could protect electronics from not only heat but also cold. We came across the XP3, which seemed to be the answer. But would it work? Short answer, yes. The technology prevents freezing and overheating and acts like a phone Thermos, keeping its contents warm or cold. We don’t know how the science works, but no phones have been cooked since discovering this little gem. Phoozy also makes cases for tablets and laptops. They’re shock resistant, germ resistant, and climate resistant—and they float.

Hard to beat for the price. (phoozy.com) $50

54 TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE

Cubalaya Fair Chase 6-8 We talked about the Fair Chase last issue, when we used the big version (10-14) of this awesome new click-and-pawl reel for the salt. We brought up the possibility of a smaller version for bonefish, which Cubalaya already had in the works. They didn’t cut any corners and nailed it. It’s a clickand-pawl reel made for saltwater fishing that’s suitable for anything from a 6- to 8-weight; we’ve even been using it on a 9. All we can say is, “Thank you.” Smaller species are now even more fun. (cubalayaoutfitters.com) $875

GUIDE Meat Your Maker 10 Tray Dehydrator Our love for the outdoors comes with an appreciation of food. With two large mango trees at the TFFM home office, we were looking for a quality dehydrator for the few hundred mangoes the trees produce each season. But we found a whole lot more. The Meat Your Maker 10-tray dehydrator is super easy to set up and use. The controls are intuitive, and it can be programmed in about 10 seconds. The temperature was true when we tested it against two high-end commercial thermometers, and it consistently held heat. So far, we’ve dried fruit and made enough jerky for the next two seasons.

The best part is that this dehydrator is guaranteed for life. (meatyourmaker.com) $279.99

Umpqua LT Payload Boat Box It’s often difficult to find a box that’s big enough to house larger saltwater flies and suit our on-the-water needs while still making it fit into a day bag. Many traditional boat boxes have handles and angles that waste usable space inside the box, and the handles take up valuable space in the bag or when being stored. We tried the Payload this season for tarpon flies and found it to be the perfect choice for our needs. It’s a two-sided box with sturdy, clear lids that allow you to see the contents of both sides without opening it. It holds more than enough flies for a long trip. Ours is currently loaded with 14 dozen bonefish flies for the magazine’s hosted trip to Andros. (umpqua.com) $59.99

If you have a product you would like to let our audience know about in the TFFM Gear Guide, contact us at admin@tailflyfishing.com.

TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE 55

GEAR Perfectionist Fluorocarbon Leaders Many readers have been using our Perfectionist leaders over the years, and we were receiving so many requests for a fluorocarbon leader that we couldn’t ignore them anymore. We’ve been making a 12-foot tapered leader in fluorocarbon, but we haven’t offered it for sale—until now. Tail Fly Fishing Magazine presents the Perfectionist 12-foot fluorocarbon leader in 10-, 12-, 16-, and 20-pound tippet strengths (true strength, not an approximation). They’re made in Japan (solely because the Japanese are the world’s best at extruded polymers). Made from top-grade material under a meticulous manufacturing process, these leaders will satisfy the most serious anglers. Now you have a choice between monofilament and fluorocarbon in a leader you’ve grown to trust from TFFM. (tailflyshop.com) $15

56 TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE

Simms Open Water Box There aren’t any new design breakthroughs regarding general shape and size, but some additional attention to detail makes the functionality of this pack very handy. There are three main compartments that are created by modifiable separators. The large compartment in the standard configuration holds flat stackable boxes with ease.

But our favorite trait is ease of access. The fliptop lid uses Velcro instead of a zipper, so it can be opened and closed quickly, and comes with a built-in waterproof dry pocket for gear like phones and reading glasses. The Open Water also comes with a removable tube for drying large flies while packing out. The no-slip, no-scratch bottom can be easily cleaned with a water hose. Simms also makes a smaller waist-pack version that can be mounted to the Open Water box. It’s a step up in the progression of boat bags. (simmsfishing.com) $249.95

GUIDE Finch Knife Company Runtly The Finch Knife Company’s Runtly is a small workhorse of a utility knife. A modern “flipper,” the Runtly is designed for single-handed opening.

There’s a tab at the base of the blade that you stroke with your index finger. The heavy stonewash-andsatin-finish blade is 154CM stainless steel, which is tough, resistant to corrosion, and holds its edge longer than most other stainless steels, giving you the trifecta of enviable attributes for an EDC angling knife. Right out of the box, this knife is a razor, and is up to nearly any task you can throw at it: cutting cardboard or carpeting, bowlines or fly lines, preparing a charcuterie board, slicing fruit to garnish cocktails, or precision-cutting the cap off a Cuban. The handle is made from G10, a highpressure fiberglass laminate, and is available in a variety of color options, including Military Blue, Yellow Belly, and Red Head. And need we mention, knives make excellent gifts. (finchknifeco.com) $139

Renomed Fly Tying Scissors For the casual fly tier, just about any pair of scissors will suffice—including embroidery scissors you can purchase at your local craft store for a few dollars.

But if fly tying is your artistic medium, you’ll want cutting instruments commensurate with your talent.

Renomed is a relative newcomer to the fly tying market. Founded in Poland in 1981, the company’s mainstays have been the medical/surgical and cosmetic fields. But in 2018 Renomed expanded their line to enter the fly tying market. Each pair of Renomed scissors is hand-forged by only 10 artisans in their manufacturing facility in Poznań.

Renomed produces a number of models of fly tying scissors to help you fashion the smallest of bonefish flies to the largest of saltwater streamers and hairheaded flies, as well as a specialty pair of scissors designed specifically to cut braid. Mini Puff to Mega Mushy, Bonefish Bitter to Beast Fly—or your own Next Big Thing—Renomed helps you get it done. (renomedusa.com) $29-$85

TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE 57

FLY CASTING

TO FLY FISH

by Chico Fernandez

“PRACTICE VERY LITTLE; PRACTICE VERY OFTEN.” 58 TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE

Fly casting, in my opinion, is the quintessential skill in fly fishing.

You can learn to identify a fish in the water, manipulate the fly, strike and fight a fish very well, but none of that matters until you can make a decent presentation with a good degree of frequency.

To do this, talk yourself into practicing your casting skills and your accuracy several times a week, and soon you will start to catch more fish. As you continue to improve, you’ll also start to land bigger fish.

And when you finally catch that big tarpon or snook you’ve been dreaming about, you will experience an immense satisfaction that cannot be bought, but has to be earned.

Some of those catches you’ll remember all your life. My worldrecord redfish, the first white marlin taken on 12-pound tippet, a big snook I took in Cuba in the late 1950s—I remember every detail about those catches. So will you. And if you make one of those catches with your son, daughter, wife, or best friend, it doesn’t get any better.

As you improve, you also will gradually use less effort to cast, so you’ll find you are enjoying the practice more. This is nothing new: Every good fly fisherman I’ve known loves to cast. I’ve been fly fishing for more than 60 years, and I still love to fly cast. Always will.

And you can’t buy your way out.

You may be able to afford the best

“PRACTICE VERY LITTLE; PRACTICE VERY OFTEN.” TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE 59

“PRACTICE VERY LITTLE; PRACTICE VERY OFTEN.” tackle, the best fishing destinations, and the best guides, but when you are finally within casting range of a fish, no one can help. You are on your own. And to me, that’s part of

When you are fishing the flats

Remember to hold the fly by the

and you suddenly see a fish, it’s

bend of the hook so you don’t get

understandable that you get

hooked if the line gets tangled on a

excited. You start waving the rod

mangrove shoot or other structure as

frantically while rocking the boat a

the boat goes by.

the beauty of this sport.

bit. Meanwhile, the fish will probably notice the hand and rod waving, and

To start the cast, have the leader

The skills you need

easily feel the wakes coming from

and about a rod’s length of fly line

the rocking boat. In these situations,

beyond the rod tip. With a 10-foot

chances are he will move away, slowly

leader and 10 feet of fly line, that

or quickly depending on how scared

makes 20 feet. With one false cast,

he is about what he has witnessed.

you’ve made a 20-foot cast—great for

In the flats, especially if it’s calm,

a close cast to a snook or redfish. For

even subtle movements are easily

longer casts, you would continue to

detected. So it’s essential that you

false cast until you have the desired

are able to make the presentation

distance.

If you are a beginner, start by learning to make a good, consistent loop. A loop is very aerodynamic, and it’s the best way to get distance with your cast. Also, a good loop transfers its energy to the leader, which helps the fly turn over. And because a loop is very visual, it helps your aim, in turn helping accuracy.

You need to reach a point where you

with a minimum of motion, and no abrupt movements.

You’ll find that the first couple of false casts are difficult because you are

Start by stripping as much line as you

casting the leader and a few feet of

think you’ll need for the conditions.

the fly line’s front taper, which weigh

Take out more fly line on calm days

very little, so you hardly load the rod.

with good visibility, when it will be

But as you continue to false cast and

with wind.

harder to get close to fish and require

the amount of fly line outside of the

a longer cast, and less line in low

rod tip increases, you’ll start to feel

Some situations will be very easy,

visibility because of wind or murky

the weight of the line load the rod,

water, when you’ll be making shorter

and things will get easier.

can cast 40 or 50 feet to your right and to your left (9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on the clock method) with a good degree of accuracy—often while contending

with a fair amount of time to make the cast; others will be more difficult.

With practice, however, you’ll soon start to catch fish. This is why practice is of the essence.

We’ll go deeper into how to practice and improve casting skills in just a bit.

The fast draw Whether being poled on a skiff or wading, you are moving slowly across a flat in a “ready position” to cast to a fish. Because the procedure requires that you get the fly in front of the fish as soon as possible, I’ve always called the casting procedure “the fast draw” because it reminds me of a duel in an old western movie—you need to be fast and accurate.

60 TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE

casts. Having more fly line on the deck than you need invites tangles.

If the fish is close to the boat, keep

“PRACTICE VERY LITTLE; PRACTICE VERY OFTEN.” a low rod angle as you false cast to make movements less visible to the fish. For longer casts it’s best to go back to a more vertical position, where the rod is better aligned with your eye and therefore easier to be more accurate.

Tailing fish and laid-up fish A tailing or laid-up fish in shallow water seldom allows you to get close enough for a short cast. Count on a medium to long cast. The only advantage here is that you usually have more time to make the cast than you do in short-cast situations. move the fly away from the fish so as

into the slough as possible, without

Before we talk about the casting,

not to spook him, and then slowly lift

touching any of the branches.

keep in mind that you are more

the line for another cast.

accurate if you hold most of the

Another situation is when you face

line in the air and shoot very little

Cruising fish

to reach your target. Your accuracy

Presenting the fly to a moving fish

few feet above the water. Here you

suffers when you hold a small

takes practice, and you can’t do this

need to send a low, tight loop under

amount of line in the air and count

by yourself on the lawn. One thing

the branch to send the fly a few

on shooting lots of line.

I like to do while fishing, usually at

feet behind it. It’s very challenging,

lunch time or during slow times, is

great fun, and often frustrating. But

Start your false cast while you watch

that I practice my presentation by

the payoff could be a big snook or a

the fish. Depending on what it’s

casting to moving stingrays, sharks,

mangrove snapper; you never know.

doing, select the spot you want to

catfish, or anything that is moving—

On the other hand, casting on top

place the fly. The ideal spot will show

even floating grass or a leaf drifting

of or around sunken structures that

the fish your fly moving away from

with the wind. Just make sure your

are often in front of a shoreline are

him, as if trying to escape.

guide is okay with this. There is a

usually easier casts, and can produce

time to practice and there is a time

some big fish.

Now, when you are ready to make the presentation while false casting, take

a large branch lying horizontally a

to concentrate on fishing.

To improve your accuracy in these

your eyes off of the fish and look at

Shorelines

the spot where you want the fly to

There are primarily two casting

horizontal often helps you gain more

land. Still false casting, look at the fly

requirements when fly fishing a

accuracy because you can see the

in the air for guidance. If you can’t

shoreline. The first is accuracy. You

loop for a longer period of the cast.

see the fly well enough, then look at

are trying to place a fly as close to

And if you are seeing the loop against

the loop you are forming and use it

the shoreline as possible. The second

a darker mangrove background, it will

to aim at your target.

is loop control, which is needed when

also help your accuracy.

you face a long, narrow slough going

conditions, tilting the rod closer to

If the fly falls on target, let it settle

back a few yards, surrounded by

to the level you need and start your

all lengths of branches. Here, you

Basins, deep water, and beaches

retrieve. If not, strip some line in to

need to send a tight loop as far back

There are areas that are mostly

TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE 61

“PRACTICE VERY LITTLE; PRACTICE VERY OFTEN.” Difficult flies A fly that is very heavy or bulky can be difficult to cast, mainly because it is harder to build up speed in the cast. Casting the average tight loops with a heavy, bulky fly also produces a kick at the end of every false cast, which throws off your timing.

The heavier or bulkier the fly, the more you should open the loop as you false cast. The loop doesn’t have to be real big; just open the loop a bit until you feel your cast getting smoother.

Even casting a mid-size loop, maybe 4 feet, you should easily be able to make fished blind casting, covering as

basic casting style. I have seen good

much ground as possible, so this

casters, when faced with a stiff wind,

requires you to make repetitive long

change their casting stroke and style

Of course, another way to cast a

casts. And you want the fly in the

in ways that wouldn’t have worked

difficult fly is to go to a heavier

water as long as possible.

even on a calm day.

fly line. If you were casting with a

Now, you don’t have to be accurate

First, cast lower to the water. The

to blind cast, but you do have to send

lower you cast, the less the wind

the line in the right direction. With

affects you. The wind is stronger 10

the skiff drifting west, for example,

feet off of the water than it is 5 feet

Practice, practice, practice

do not cast west in the same direction

from the water. In windy conditions, I

The best way to learn to cast, or

you are drifting. With the skiff drifting

usually crouch while I cast to keep my

to improve your cast, is to hire a

toward the fly you just cast, you will

loops as low to the water as possible.

knowledgeable casting instructor who

a very long cast.

7-weight, going to a 9-weight can

have lots of slack, often more than

make a big difference.

can look at your casting and make

you can strip in, and the fly will not

Concentrate on making a tighter

corrections. Another way is to attend

cover much ground. Instead, cast

loop, which has a much better chance

a good fly fishing school that offers

mostly to the sides. Unless you are

of cutting through the wind. And do

individual casting instruction. But if

in deep water, don’t cast behind the

it while making a longer stroke; that

you can’t find either, then study a

skiff, which would be east in this

is, the tip of the rod traveling longer.

good fly casting video.

example, because you just went over

Your cast will be smoother, and you’ll

that area with the skiff.

reduce a lot of the slack you probably

I prefer a 7- to 9-weight rod for

have on your cast. Also, try to control

saltwater practice. Only use a tarpon-

the tendency to overpower the cast.

size rod if you are practicing for big

Wind woes A windy day can be frustrating,

tarpon, or other big fish that require

reducing your casting distance and

Besides, fish are generally not as

accuracy. But there are things you

spooky on windy days, and you

can do to still be able to make the

are able to get closer, requiring a

Beginners should use a leader about

presentation.

shorter cast. So windy days can be

the length of the rod; for more

an advantage; it’s the days with low

advanced anglers, 10 to 12 feet is

visibility that are a problem.

better.

First of all, relax. If you are already a fair caster, don’t change your

62 TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE

the heavier rods.

“PRACTICE VERY LITTLE; PRACTICE VERY OFTEN.” I prefer that beginners practice

Also, at least at the beginning, you

again, and keep marking it as you hold

without a fly, concentrating on

may want to bring a tape measure.

more line. This is what tournament

making good consistent loops. In

I find that most anglers have a

casters do, and it works.

time, move to a No. 2 fly with the

distorted idea of what 40 feet looks

bend of the hook cut off.

like. I can’t tell you how often I get

The reason for this is that the loop

a casting student who thinks he is

will only travel forward while it is

If you are an intermediate caster or

casting more than 60 feet when he

unrolling; after that, gravity claims

better, use a No. 1 or 1/0 hook with

can’t reach 50 feet. Know what 30

it and it drops to the water. So the

the bend cut off. These sizes weigh

feet, 40 feet, 50 feet, and 60 feet

longer amount of line you can shoot,

enough to make the casting more

look like. Then, when the person

the longer it will take the line to unroll,

realistic, so there will be little change

poling says to you, “Tarpon, 50 feet,

and the further the cast will go before

when fishing.

11 o’clock,” you’ll have a better idea

it drops. Shooting 30 feet of line will

where to look for that fish.

make it unroll fairly fast, and the cast

I recommend a bright-colored fly. I like

will not go far. But shooting 50 feet of

orange, so you can easily see it in the

Besides casting up wind, side wind,

line will take it longer to unroll, and the

air as you cast, turning over, and on

and down wind, vary the distance you

cast will travel much farther.

the grass.

As you advance, you’ll need to learn Use your polarized sun glasses

to cast from the opposite side

to help you see the loop and the

of your casting hand and how to

fly in the air and to protect your

perform a double haul, but we’ll get

eyes.

into that in another issue.

By practicing this way, you are

In terms of how much to practice,

very close to actual fishing

I’ve had a saying for years:

conditions, so the practice you’ve

“Practice very little; practice very

been doing will really help. Once

often.” It’s about consistency. If you

you can cast, practicing without

haven’t practiced all week, you can’t

a decent-sized fly is worthless.

make up for it by casting six hours are casting from around 20 feet to

on Saturday. A 20-minute session,

Ideally, you want to practice in a place

50 feet or more. And make sure the

four or five days a week, would be

where you can cast up wind, side wind,

fly is turning over. If it isn’t, you did

good. More would be great.

and down wind. If it’s not possible,

not make the cast.

practice on your lawn or a nearby

Enjoy the practice, and good luck

area. Do not practice in the street; it

Practice the “fast draw.” After all,

will ruin a $100 fly line in a short time.

when sight casting, this is how you

When you get to the point that

fishing.

are going to start most of your casts

Chico Fernandez has written Fly

to a fish.

Fishing for Bonefish, Fly Fishing for

you are practicing accuracy, make

Redfish and is presently writing his

it realistic. Do not bring an object

For the long cast, as mentioned

third book. He conducts fly fishing

and cast to it. Instead, bring a stick

before, it’s just a matter of holding

schools, hosts fly fishing trips

or anything about a yard long, and

lots of line in the air with a good loop,

abroad, and gives fly casting lessons

identify which side is the head and

before you shoot line. Simply see how

at his home in Miami, or at your

which is the tail. This way, you will

much line you can false cast with a

residence.

get used to aiming at the “area of

good, controlled loop. Mark where your

awareness” of the target’s head. There

line hand is holding the line. Then keep

is a big difference, because now you

practicing, and soon you’ll be able

are practicing a presentation.

to hold another foot or two. Mark it

TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE 63

64 TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE

t n e m t n i o p p A Redfish

by Michael Smith

Photos by Paul Doughty

On an ordinary late summer evening, shortly after a porch dinner of fish tacos and Modelo, my mind drifts to warm Gulf Coast water, marshes, and redfish. Almost instinctively, I pick up my phone and open my Google calendar. Each day this month is neatly filled in with different-colored rectangles. These organized little rectangles represent where I’ve committed my time, and by the looks of this month, I’m pretty much booked. Green squares show work days, blue represents school, and red encompasses anything else that requires a designated time slot in my calendar.

Interestingly, there’s no designated color for fishing.

TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE 65

I realize that no matter how many important, time-consuming goals I want to accomplish, I am still a fly fisherman, and prioritizing that facet of myself is necessary to lead a balanced and fulfilled life.

Regardless, I close my calendar and

These creeks, often no wider than my

It all makes perfect, logical sense:

open the weather app. The wind

canoe, make finding food so simple

short-term struggle—long-term

shows signs of weakening to a

for the redfish. Similarly, they put

benefit. At least that’s what I keep

manageable southeastern breeze

fly anglers in close proximity to their

telling myself. I find, however, that

in the coming days. Thunderstorms

quarry.

month after month, these persistent

threaten to show themselves in the

rectangles linger on my screen.

afternoons, but nothing too unusual

But what do I care? Each day this

They are always there, representing

for summertime on the Gulf Coast.

month is spoken for by something

something important—something

I close the weather app and open

other than chasing redfish. Those

I want to accomplish. Indefinitely

the tides app. Predictions indicate a

little rectangles on my screen are

illustrating the most logical

steep falling tide in the afternoons

stop signs that keep me out of the

allocation of time.

for the rest of the week. Given these

marsh. Don’t feel too bad for me,

tides paired with the water levels

though. I made calculated, conscious

Despite the Excel spreadsheets,

trending higher than normal, the

decisions that led me to this point:

budgets, and orderly progression of

redfish will likely slip out of the back

timelines I fill myself and my phone

lakes via narrow, winding creeks

• Sign up for summer classes to

with, I can’t seem to shake this

shortly after lunchtime. Of course,

graduate sooner.

inner existential struggle: If I am the

they’ll be lazily picking off the shrimp

• Work two jobs to stay out of debt.

sum of my actions, am I still a fly

and crabs being swept out by the tide

• Commit to time with friends and

fisherman? The recent months in my

as they saunter out to deeper water.

family.

Google calendar certainly wouldn’t

66 TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE

reflect that notion. They would show a student, a hard worker, a type-A planner—but not a fly fisherman.

But I want to be a fly fisherman. I want to wade sand flats and ease through shallow marshes in my canoe. I want to make a perfect cast to an eager redfish and watch him flash his gills as he eats my shrimp fly. Existentialism doesn’t care about wants, though. It cares about actions.

If I’ve learned anything over the past few months, it’s that I can’t do everything. While that sentiment feels dismal at times, I refuse to succumb to existential despair.

Instead, I choose to focus on the future decisions—the parts of the calendar left empty. That’s the beauty of existentialism, fly fishing, and Google calendars. It’s solely up to me to take those actions, block those dates, and head out to the marsh. I plug my phone in and call it a night.

I wake the next morning to my phone blaring. I look out the window to see that it’s barely light outside, and I’m wondering why the hell I set an alarm so early when class doesn’t start until 9 a.m. Rolling over, I see that it’s not my alarm that’s making noise; it’s a phone call from a friend and local guide. “Why are you still in bed?” he almost yells, foregoing

the more traditional “hello” or “good

present. As predicted, the tide begins

morning.” Without waiting on my

falling hard, forcing the shrimp—and

reply, he continues, “Look, whatever

the redfish—into the narrow creeks

you have planned for today, cancel

that lead to deeper water. I push

it. Yesterday was the best day I’ve

the canoe into the green marsh

had in months, and today should be

grass near the confluence of two

just as good. Get your canoe and get

creeks and wait as the flushing eats

out here.” I start to ask questions

of redfish grow closer. I sit at this

like where “here” is, but he’s gone

particular intersection for much of

as abruptly as he appeared. In my

the afternoon, catching and releasing

excitement, my calendar and school

fish until the last possible moment,

and everything else sits in the back

when I race the falling tide back out

of my mind like a distant memory

to deeper water to avoid getting

as I throw a 7-weight, a paddle, and

stuck.

a box of flies into my boat bag and head out the door.

As I rinse my gear that evening, I feel a balance in my life that has been

My canoe slides through glassy,

missing for too long. I realize that

emerald green water as I make

no matter how many important,

the final turn into the back lakes. I

time-consuming goals I want to

can’t remember the last time I saw

accomplish, I am still a fly fisherman,

the Texas marshes so clear. Doubt

and prioritizing that facet of myself

slips into my mind as I stand to look

is necessary to lead a balanced

for fish—as my confidence wanes

and fulfilled life. Orange is the new

after months of seldom fishing.

color in my Google calendar, and I’ve

That doubt evaporates in about

strictly reserved it for fishing.

five minutes, however, as I spot a redfish cruising the first shoreline I come across. A misplaced cast lands the fly no more than 6 inches from the fish’s face and I cringe, fully expecting to spook the fish and blow the shoreline.

Today is one of those days, though, where there is no bad news. The fish spins on a dime, flares his gills, and inhales my fly. Moments later the fish comes to hand, and I feel that I’ve found my place in the world as I release him to continue down the shoreline. I sit back in the canoe and breathe deeply, absorbing all the sights and sounds around me, if only for a moment. I might have sat there longer, but the distinct flush of a redfish eating shrimp in the next creek over brings me back to the

TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE 67

ON THE PLATE chile lime butter shrimp and tacos Text and recipes by Kelli Prescott Photos by Ralph Smith Studio and Kelli Prescott I think I speak for all of us when I say I have a soft spot for tacos. More than anything, it’s the ease of execution and ability to grab just about anything and turn it into a meal; there’s a constant comfort in that. Whenever food is satisfying and easy to make, it makes us happy.

These easily executed recipes are both satisfying and easy. They’ll heighten your cravings— succulent shrimp swimming in a rich, tangy sauce, plus the simple but profound taco, dressed with jalapeño crema and fried onions.

I’ve traveled a lot this summer, and at some point my to-do list at home got a little out of hand. I’m in the middle of too many projects—without enough time—and there’s been seemingly endless bad news. As if 2020 wasn’t filled with enough chaos for the decade, 2021 hasn’t been much different, with covid-related drama and more. Still, I’ve made the best of it—like we all continue to do.

But no matter how stressful or anxiety-ridden life can get, there’s always an escape in fly fishing and food. And for that, fly anglers ought to be some of the happiest people on Earth.

We have our bad days, but we know how to let it all go when we’re locked in on the bow.

Nothing else matters except what’s in front us. And after that good long day on the water, a bucket full of peel ’n’ eat shrimp and a pile of tacos is all we need.

So take this as a sign to relax. Put down your phone. Turn off the TV. Put away the to-do list.

Go fishing. Eat some tacos.

68 TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE

chile lime butter shrimp These juicy, perfectly boiled shrimp are elevated with a sauce that’s built on the foundation of a savory compound butter. Pile ‘em high, peel ’n’ eat, share ‘em, and bring extra napkins.

Ingredients

2 tsp onion powder

2 lbs jumbo or colossal shrimp, shell on

2 tsp paprika

1 lb unsalted butter (4 sticks) at room temperature

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tbsp garlic paste

1 tsp cracked pepper

1 tbsp lime zest

1 tsp chili powder

1 serrano chile, deseeded and finely diced

1/2 tsp cayenne

2 tsp kosher salt

1/2 tsp citric acid

Prepare the shrimp by using scissors to cut along the top of the back. Rinse the shrimp under cool water, removing the vein and using your thumb to loosen the shell from the sides of the shrimp. This loosens the shell and allows for easy peeling while retaining the flavor from the shell while boiling.

Place the shrimp in a bowl. Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and set aside in the refrigerator.

Mix softened butter with all spices until well combined. Set aside on the counter to keep the butter at room temperature.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Season the water liberally with salt. Add all shrimp to boiling water and stir.

Allow the shrimp to cook about a minute or until the middle of the shrimp just starts to look opaque.

Use a slotted spoon to transfer shrimp to a large bowl. Place the shrimp in the fridge or freezer for a couple of minutes to prevent them from overcooking. Once slightly cooled, but still warm, add a huge spoonful of the compound butter to the bowl of shrimp. Use the bowl to swirl the shrimp and butter together until butter is melted and shrimp are coated. The warm shrimp juices swirling with the butter create the sauce. Because the shrimp are slightly cooled, the butter emulsifies with the shrimp juices, creating a creamy homogenous sauce.

Transfer shrimp and all that melted chile-lime butter goodness to a big platter or serving dish, top with a dash of paprika, more chile-lime butter, cilantro, and lime wedges.

TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE 69

tacos Tacos are life. Most sane people can agree that tacos are a universal language for happiness and all things good. No plates or utensils necessary. Just tortillas, whatever protein you have on hand, and some fresh avocado. I’m highlighting two of my favorite tacos. Rather than recipes, these are more like blueprints for building tacos. My roasted jalapeño crema and fried onions are two simple additions that will elevate any taco to extraordinary.

Roasted jalapeno crema

fried onion strings

Ingredients 2 jalapeños 1 serrano 1 cup fresh cilantro 1/2 cup mayo 1/2 cup sour cream 2 tbsp heavy cream 1 tsp onion powder 1/2 tsp garlic powder 1/2 tsp cracked pepper 1/4 tsp kosher salt This green sauce comes together in about 10 minutes and keeps in the fridge for up to two weeks.

Place chiles under the broiler, turning them as they char. When charred on all sides, remove from the oven and let cool.

Remove seeds from cooled chiles, and place them in a bowl with the remaining ingredients. Blend using an immersion blender or standard blender.

70 TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE

Ingredients

2 yellow onions 2 cups all-purpose flour 1/2 tsp salt Vegetable oil, for frying Slice onions in 1/8-inch rings and separate each slice into individual rings. Place onion rings in a bowl with salt and allow to sit for at least 30 minutes and up to 2 hours. The salt not only works to season the onions, but also draws out additional moisture, allowing the onions to get nice and crisp while frying.

The onions should become limp, at which point they’re ready to be dusted in flour and fried. Place onions in the flour, pressing the flour onto them so it sticks. Shake off excess flour and fry onion strings in 350-degree vegetable oil until just golden and crisp.

Drain on paper towels.

fish tacos

Ingredients

Any fresh white, flaky fish, cooked in your preferred way

Avocado

Corn tortillas

Roasted jalapeño crema

Pico de gallo

Cilantro

I’m using landlocked striped bass from my home waters of Canyon Lake. I recommend using any white, flaky fish that’s sustainable. You can also use cod, sheepshead, snapper, or farm-raised red drum. Fresh fish is best, so if you can, go with a never-frozen option. I prefer panko breadcrumbs when breading fish for frying. You also can grill or blacken fish for this recipe.

Fresh avocado and pico de gallo are a must, and my roasted jalapeño crema absolutely sets these off.

For fish tacos, always use corn tortillas. You want a delicate vessel to match the fish, not something that will overpower it.

brisket tacos Ingredients Flour tortillas

Fried onion strings

Pico de gallo

Roasted jalapeño crema

Avocado

Cilantro

Shredded quesadilla cheese These tacos are my favorite. Leftover brisket, leftover steak, pulled pork—use what you’ve got. Since brisket is a heartier protein, we’ll use flour tortillas. I highly recommend Guerrero brand tortillas that come raw in the package. They take about 90 seconds per tortilla to cook and taste like the real deal.

For brisket tacos, I pile them high with all the same things as my fish tacos, plus fried onions and shredded cheese.

Mix and match toppings and make them your own. Tacos are limitless, and should be fun.

TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE 71

Holiday C h eer

by Trey Reid

’Tis the season for holiday parties

and family gatherings, and therefor e it’s also the season for drinking.

Booze usually infuses our function

s

and fetes with heightened revelry, but its role seems amplified during

the mad celebratory dash through

November and December. Starting

with Thanksgiving, the year’s pace

gains merrymaking momentum

through Christmas and Hanukkah before approaching the finish line in a blaze of New Year’s Eve glory.

Adult beverages serve many purp oses throughout the holiday season.

They enliven our social events,

underscoring the emphasis we

assign to gatherings in the name of holiday cheer—a festive cocktail

or seasonal craft beer in the hand is as much an accoutrement of the

season as an ugly sweater or cand

canes. And for some of us, alcohol

72 TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE

y is

also a requisite social lubricant that helps us navigate the sometimes

tempestuous waters of family

get-togethers and awkward holiday parties.

Whatever your particular motivat

for bending an elbow, holiday

ion

imbibing should transcend normal

habits. While there’s nothing wron g with celebrating the holidays with a cold beer or a neat bourbon, this

high season of revelry calls for

something more, something beyo nd the ordinary. A holiday cocktail shou ld be rich and self-indulgent, uncomm on and comforting. It should match the occasion. Your spirits choices should be analogous to breaking out the good China and crystal for your holiday place-settings.

Fully considering this ethos, we offe

a trio of cocktails that are sure to

elevate your holiday gatherings.

r

W h ite Russia n

There’s nothing fancy or complicate

d about this threeingredient classic, but it certainly checks the boxes for rich and self-indulgent. Although it’s bee n around since at least the 1960s, this cocktail has seen a resurgence in popularity since it had a starring role alongsid e Jeff Bridges in the 1998 Coen Brothers classic The Big Leb owski. It’s a perfect dessert drink after a holiday feast as well as a comforting nightcap— or really a cocktail for any time, acc ording to The Dude.

Ingredients

Ice

2 oz. vodka 2 oz. coffee liqueur 2 oz. heavy cream

Directions

Pour vodka and coffee liqueur ove r ice in a rocks glass. Top with heavy cream and serve.

Or a nge C r ea msic le Mimosa

ing and upgrade for the holidays. It’s refresh The ultimate brunch drink gets an you a an Orange Creamsicle—plus it’ll give creamy, and yes, it tastes a lot like u. It also pair with your holiday brunch men bubbly buzz. It’s an ideal drink to ly required” on Christmas morning. takes the edge off of “some assemb

Ingredients

eezed is best)

2 cups chilled orange juice (fresh squ 2 tbsp chilled heavy cream

2 tsp granulated sugar te wine Champagne or other sparkling whi Orange slices, for garnish (optional)

Directions

is juice, cream, and sugar until sugar In a pitcher, vigorously stir orange agne es, dividing equally. Top with champ dissolved. Pour into champagne flut wish) and serve immediately. (garnish with an orange slice if you TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE 73

Big Kids Hot Cocoa with Ru mC hata

Why let the kids have all the fun with hot chocolate? This is hot cocoa for the grownups, using RumChata to spice things up and elevate the octane. RumChata is a rum-based cream liqueur that’s basically an alcoholic version of the popular Latin American beverage horchata. (It’s also a culinary secret weapon for many desserts and sauces.) With its rich blend of chocolate, caramel, cinnamon, vanilla, and whipped cream, this riff on hot cocoa practically screams holiday cheer.

Ingredients

1/4 cup granulated sugar 2 tbsp cocoa powder 1 tsp vanilla extract 6 oz. chocolate chips 1/2 cup RumChata 1/3 cup warm caramel Whipped cream, for serving Cinnamon sugar, for garnish Cinnamon stick, for garnish

Directions

Bring milk to a simmer in a small saucepan or double boiler over mediu m heat. Whisk in sugar and cocoa and stir until smooth. Stir in chocolate chips and vanilla and cook, stirring frequently, until the chips are melted. Stir in RumChata and turn off heat. Pour caramel into a small dish and dip cups or mugs in it to coat the rim. Pour hot chocol ate into each cup, then top with whipped cream. Sprinkle cinnamon sugar and drizzle more caramel over cream, and garnish with a cinnamon stick.

74 TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE

TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE 75

THE OTHER

by Pete Barrett

Maryland to Maine. There, acres of

Fly fishing the Northeast

emerald-green salt marshes, sod

backcountry has deep roots. Harold

Mention the word backcountry, and

banks, creeks, sandy shoals, rocky

Gibbs was catching striped bass in

most fly rodders think of South

islands, and eelgrass replace the

Rhode Island’s Barrington River in

Florida’s lush Everglades, brimming

mangroves. It’s the Northeast’s

the late 1930s. Fly fishing pioneers

with snook, tarpon, and trout eager

version of backcountry fly fishing,

like Al Brewster, Herb Chase, and

to snatch a fly while herons and

and it holds some remarkable

Harold Laws honed their skills in

egrets cheer from their mangrove

opportunities to catch striped bass,

Narragansett Bay’s fertile waters,

perches. Or perhaps the backcountry

bluefish, weakfish, and fluke. “It’s just

and its islands, coves, rivers, and

is the muddy redfish marshes

about heaven,” a buddy of mine once

creeks still offer excellent fly fishing

and oyster flats of Georgia and

said as we cast to the marsh-lined

today. Capt. Ray Stachelek of Cast

the Carolinas. But there’s another

channels of Connecticut’s Norwalk

A Fly Charters credits his boyhood

backcountry that stretches from

Islands.

experiences around Bullock’s Cove,

76 TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE

BACKCOUNTRY Barrington’s Brickyard Pond, and the

Bivalve are surrounded by state and

Another vast backcountry area

Warren River as his fly fishing roots.

federal park land that preserves

stretches from Cape May to Bay Head,

“Estuaries are not just about the

these ecological treasures and their

New Jersey. On the south end, below

fishing; it’s a state of mind,” says

great fly fishing opportunities. One

Great Bay, seemingly endless marshes

Stachelek. “And a quiet morning fly

morning years ago in the Maurice

and fishing opportunities are sewn

fishing Narragansett Bay’s coves and

River, a buddy and I caught more

together by the twisting threads of

islands is fascinating.”

than 30 striped bass apiece. They

numerous thoroughfares and salty

were all under 16 inches—and

creeks. Capt. Ray Szulczewski guides

Some Northeast backcountry

some were only 12—and we paid a

these beautiful backcountry waters,

places are huge, like South Jersey’s

bloody awful price in greenhead and

catching a mix of bluefish, striped

Cumberland County marshes

mosquito attacks, but the action on

bass, and weakfish—and sometimes

that border Delaware Bay. The old

6-weight fly rods and light spinning

a few fluke and sea-run herring—on

bay-men towns of Fortescue and

gear soothed the itching bites.

the fly. “It’s quiet, peaceful, and a

TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE 77

great area to catch striped bass on

writing the rules for establishing

deep-sink shooting head for probing

topwater flies,” says Szulczewski,

fly-caught world records. But in the

the bottom with a Clouser or a Half

who likes a special chartreuse Gurgler

1950s and 1960s, he was one of the

and Half. Crab patterns are also good.

he ties with a built-in rattle. He also

pioneers catching striped bass in the

“Think of bonefish patterns,” adds

fishes a lot of Clousers.

New Jersey backcountry.

Barradal, “but tied on a No. 2 hook.”

Just “up the creek” near Sea Isle City

As you continue north, some

At the entrance to New York’s

is the backcountry home of Capt. Joe

backcountry areas get smaller and

busy harbor lies Gateway National

Hughes of Jersey Cape Guide Service,

more urbanized—like the Manasquan

Recreation Area, with the old Fort

who splits his time between the Florida

River, a pint-sized estuary when

Hancock ruins of Sandy Hook on

Keys in winter and South Jersey in

compared to South Jersey’s vast

the New Jersey side, and the vast

summer. “There are resident schoolie-

marshes, but filled with some

marshes surrounding Kennedy

sized stripers here in our backyard all

amazing fly fishing opportunities

International Airport on the New York

year, although they are most active

around dock lights, bridges, small

side. The enormous potential of Great

from April through November,” he

marshes, and mussel beds. If you stay

South Bay and the flats and marshes

says. “I primarily use floating lines and

immersed in the fishing and casting

out east toward Shinnecock and

poppers that make a lot of commotion,

and concentrate on making good fly

Montauk are legendary.

and I spend time chasing them on

presentations, it’s easy to lose track

the flats in shallow water. Even in the

of civilization, especially at night

The nooks and rocky coves at Long

heat of the summer, there can be good

when wading or kayaking.

Island Sound’s West End offer some

action with stripers.”

exceptional backcountry fly fishing, Capt. Robbie Barradale of the

especially around the Norwalk

Above Long Beach Island lie the

Bayshore Saltwater Flyrodders has

Islands. Fly fishing guide Capt. Ian

wide-open grass flats of Barnegat

an easier time in Monmouth County.

Devlin, based in Connecticut, loves

Bay behind Island Beach State Park.

“Backcountry in my neck of the

these small places: “They open your

It was here that legendary fly rodder

woods is basically the Shrewsbury

mind and take you intimately into

Mark Sosin got his first salty fly

and Navesink Rivers,” he says, “and

the habitat where the fish live. You’re

fishing experiences just after World

because they’re semi-sheltered, a

literally in the fish’s own home,

War II under the capable guidance of

7-weight is perfect for fluke, smaller

and you can learn a lot about how

his dad, Irv Sosin. Years later, Sosin

blues, schoolie stripers, and the

to catch them.” Devlin enjoys the

would be instrumental in forming

occasional weakfish.” Barrardale

refreshing getaway to fish these

the Salty Flyrodders of America and

suggests an intermediate line or a

small hidden backcountry spots.

78 TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE

“Anyone can do a Google Maps search

holes that predictably hold enormous

as the water recedes, and the dinner

to find locations near where they live

quantities of bait and gamefish, and

table then moves to channel edges,

to get quiet, hidden access to some

especially striped bass. Sometimes

creek mouths, and deep holes.”

great fishing.”

there’s a freshwater spring or small creek leading into the salt pond,

While striped bass are numero uno

This is where a canoe, kayak, or light

which attracts herring—which in turn

for most backcountry fly rodders,

skiff powered with a 15-horsepower

attracts schoolie-sized to mid-sized

weakfish are on an upswing again,

motor and capable of floating on a

striped bass. When fishing salt ponds,

and these beautiful yellowfin

wet sponge can be an advantage. “The

it’s not unusual to be surprised with

tiderunners are welcome guests

canoe is the most successful boat

bass in the 20-pound class.

to the back-bay party. Barnegat

design ever and has been used for

Bay—from Cedar Creek down to the

thousands of years all over the world,”

Whether fly fishing a salt pond, creek,

marshes behind Long Beach Island—

Devlin reminds fly rodders. “Small

river, or back bay, it’s crucial to get

and the maze of islands and channels

craft are a great way to get maximum

dialed in to the tides. Every spot

inside Barnegat Inlet have also been

enjoyment out of urban backcountry

varies, so on-the-water experience is

pretty good the past several years

fly fishing where the action is more

the ultimate teacher. “The challenge

for weakies. A chum slick of grass

intimate and allows a light-tackle,

of figuring out the tides, the

shrimp and a well-placed shrimp fly

fly-rod approach for striped bass from

habitat, and the fish is what makes

will provide plenty of good fishing

20 inches to 20 pounds. Plus you have

Northeast backcountry fly fishing so

opportunities.

the chance to catch weakfish and

interesting,” Devlin says. “About the

sometimes bluefish.”

only time fishing may not be good

Rick Ferrin, a fly rodder from Long

is the brief resting period at slack

Island who fishes Great South Bay,

Salt ponds are another superb

tide, but every other minute of the

has had decent weakfish action in

backcountry opportunity for

six-hour tides offers opportunities.

May and June when he and his buddy

Northeast fly anglers. Unlike big

On the flood, the shallowest places

are usually looking for action with

rivers with jetties to control beach

are filled with water; crabs, shrimp,

striped bass. “Although I focus on

erosion and safe passage for boaters,

and baitfish swim along the edge of

striped bass in the early evenings

salt ponds are ever-changing salty

marshes, bars, shell beds, and creek

after work, each spring for the

lagoons where the tide enters and

mouths that could not be reached at

past several years I’ve been nicely

ebbs through a narrow opening.

dead low. As the tide begins to fall,

surprised with occasional weakfish

Inside, there’s usually a combination

striped bass, weakfish, blues, and

of 5 to 6 pounds,” Ferrin says. “A

of flats, sand bars, points, and deep

fluke will take up feeding stations

pink-and-white Clouser Deep Minnow

TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE 79

is usually a great fly, sometimes with

May and early June have seen some

good idea to have a 350- to 450-grain

an added wing of chartreuse over the

outrageous fly fishing: Catches of 4

integrated line rigged and ready to

pink.”

to 8 pounds are quite common, and

get down 5 to 10 feet.

the biggest fish take the BogaGrip While it’s tough to beat the incredible

to the 10-pound mark and beyond.

The most effective fly patterns

aerial acrobatics of Florida’s tarpon

Hughes has had fish to 18 pounds

will change as the weeks slide

in the mangrove backcountry, big

on the scale, and Barradale has had

from spring into summer and fall.

bluefish do a pretty fair amount

several “yellow-eyed demons” to 14

In April, it’s grass shrimp, small

of gill-rattling acrobatics. The big

pounds.

crabs, mummichogs (killies), and

bluefish invade the Northeast

bay anchovies, so patterns like the

backcountry and at times can be

Tackle choices for Northeast

Ultra-Shrimp, Clouser Deep Minnow,

mixed in with schoolie-sized striped

backcountry fly fishing include one

and EP Minnow, and sparse bucktails

bass, much to the astonishment of

rod rigged with a floating line and

like the Ray’s Fly and short Bucktail

those fly rodders tossing small flies

another with an intermediate or

Deceiver are perennial favorites.

on 7- and 8-weight outfits. They rip

deep-sink line so you can cover all

By late spring, the topwater action

off line with aggressive runs, tail-

depths top to bottom. Seven- to

improves dramatically with Gurglers,

walking, somersaults, and aerial head

8-weights are typical, but a 6-weight

poppers, and topwater sliders getting

shakes.

will dial up the fun-o-meter. Even

the nod for exciting visual action.

in shallow water, some Northeast

The abundance of sand eels varies

In summer, the shallow-water

backcountry spots will have extreme

depending on the area being fished,

bluefish may be diminutive, but

currents of 3 to 5 knots, so it’s a

but it’s always a good idea to have

80 TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE

TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE 81

some Avondolio’s Enticers, Popovics

Small patterns that imitate bay

Surf Candies (tied long), and New

anchovies and spearing are perfect

England-style epoxy sand eel patterns

for summer and early fall; the only

tied very skinny.

change is the addition of a marabou tail for more action. Black flies

In some areas herring will be prominent

do well in summer and fall, some

in spring, so big Deceivers and flies

tied with a few strands of sparkle

that push water like Lou Tabory’s Slab

and others with no flash at all.

Fly are good choices. At the end of

Another great general fly pattern

summer, as the mullet run gets into

for the Northeast backcountry is

gear, EP Mullet Minnows, Popovics

the Bendback, which can be used

Siliclones, and Bulkhead Deceivers are

all season. Because the hook point

proven patterns in colors that mimic

is partially protected by the wing

a natural mullet, such as brown-and-

(bucktail or synthetic), it’s less prone

olive, all-white, and chartreuse-and-

to collecting weeds and debris.

white for better visibility.

Every Northeast fly angler dreams of

82 TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE

Bluefish, of course, chew the heck out

tarpon, snook, and bonefish to get

of anything you throw their way, so

him through the chilly, sometimes

flies tied far back on the hook shank

nasty winter season, but spring

add some insurance against cut-offs,

through fall, you’ll find these

as does a short trace of titanium

hopefuls in the backcountry of their

wire like Cortland’s Bite Guard. The

home waters chasing striped bass

Popovics Banger popper is always

and bluefish and maybe weakfish

popular, and I recommend having a

and fluke. Although it’s a different

few on hand—with no fancy prism

world than the southern backcountry,

tape surrounding the body because

Yankee fly fishers still have unique

the blues don’t seem to miss the tape

opportunities in their own version of

one bit, and they just shred it anyhow.

backcountry fly fishing.

Photography: Capt. Bailey Short & Capt. Greg Moon

THE NEW ICONIC FLY REEL AMERICAN MADE EXCELLENCE HATCHOUTDOORS.COM TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE 83

Sam Nix:

Homage to a San Diego Fly-Fishing Pioneer

by Jim Brown To say that Sam Nix was a character

I was walking to the ballfield in San

a core group of old timers who would

would be a felony understatement.

Diego’s Balboa Park, a 10-year-old

stick around to chat and compare

A myriad of adjectives, many of

middle infielder with big-league

notes. These men were tinkerers who

them conflicting, were regularly used

dreams and Little League skills. I

built their own rods, tied their own

to describe him: cranky, friendly,

paused with a couple of teammates

flies, and reworked fly lines to meet

annoying, engaging, eccentric, helpful,

to search for flat rocks that were

their needs.

standoffish, and so on. He was all of

soon skipping across the San Diego

those things at one time or another—

Casting Club’s practice pond. Almost

They took double-taper fly lines that

and fortunately for the rest of us, a

immediately, a tall, thin man began

were 90 feet long and cut them in half

whole lot more.

yelling that he would have to remove

to create two shooting heads. They

every one of those rocks. We hurried

made considerable efforts to get the

off to practice.

heads cut from standard sinking lines

Sam Nix was a pioneer in the pursuit of saltwater gamefish with a fly rod,

to sink faster, which was particularly

and for that we should all be thankful.

Later the same year, my father took

important for their journeys north

He blazed trails that made those

me to the pond to practice casting with

in search of steelhead and shad. I

paths more accessible for the rest of

a new spinning outfit I’d received as a

recall them combining graphite and

us, including routes to lesser known

Christmas present, and I recognized

what I believe was pine tar, rolling the

destinations and species for fly casters

the man who yelled at us as he

mixture between their hands to make

traveling to Mexico. But perhaps

chatted with a group of fly casters. It

it adhere to the business end of their

Nix’s longest lasting impacts involve

was Sam Nix.

fly lines. As the unofficial research-

angling gear, particularly fly line.

and-development arm of a major Fewer than 10 years after that, I drove

tackle company that was beginning

In 1973, long before many better-

to the pond myself to learn about fly

to create new lines in a big way, Nix

known anglers shared their

fishing and casting. By then, the San

maintained a sheaf of correspondence

knowledge in magazine articles and

Diego Casting Club had morphed

regarding their efforts. I suspect

books, Nix produced his Salt-Water

into the San Diego Fly Fishermen,

their work, including tedious testing

Fly-Fishing Handbook. But before

and I soon joined their ranks. The

and weighing of their experimental

addressing those 144 information-

club offered free casting lessons to

shooting heads, played a big role in

and opinion-packed pages, I digress

the public every Sunday (a practice

the evolution of modern fly lines and

with a personal story about my first

that continues today at Lake Murray).

the fly fishing revolution they helped

encounter with Nix in 1957.

When the public left and the casting

create.

rings were put away, Nix was one of

84 TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE

TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE 85

systems found in modern fly reels.

Sam’s first reel of choice was a Hardy St. John purchased in the 1930s. He preferred the “screamers” because, as he told me, “they let others know I was into yet another good fish.”

His enjoyment from this revelation was particularly true in the social or combat fishing associated with steelhead or American shad on the rivers of northern California.

Those fortunate enough to read a copy of his Salt-Water Fly-Fishing Handbook knew immediately that Sam was a pragmatist—and maybe a little frugal, based on the do-it-yourself approach he shared throughout the pages. The first page shows a photo and description of his favorite hooks for a variety of purposes. The second page is a glossy color plate showing an assortment of favorite flies, including a popper. With the DIY tone set early, similar pages and plates demonstrate everything from tying your own flies and rod building to casting and knot tying.

I still remember the time he had me stand on a piece of outdoor carpet while he cut around my feet with a razor. He glued it to the soles of the high-top canvas Chuck Taylor shoes he told me to bring that day in preparation for my first steelhead trip.

As you might expect from a how-to

routinely described as little more

“You can‘t safely wade the Klamath

book written nearly half a century

than a place for the storage of line,

without using these as your wading

ago—and that’s been out of print since

came in two distinct forms: “quiet”

shoes to grip those slimy rocks,” he

shortly after its publication in 1973—

reels like the Pflueger Medalist, which

said, “because wading that river is like

much of the information in Nix’s

had a minimally effective drag, and

trying to dance on greased bowling

Salt-Water Fly-Fishing Handbook is

“screamers” like the English Hardy,

balls.”

dated by contemporary standards.

which had a click drag. Drags on

Nix and his cronies preferred building

most reels of that era weren’t very

Nix’s pioneering efforts were not

one-piece, 9-foot rods rather than

effective and required palm or side-

limited to tackle and tinkering. His

rods with ferrules—hardly practical

plate pressure to slow big fish. Neither

thirst for fly fishing, along with a

for your next trip to Belize. Fly reels,

compared favorably to the drag

healthy dose of intellectual curiosity,

86 TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE

drove him hard. He read most of the major fishing publications in the 1950s, including articles about the growing popularity of saltwater fly fishing in Florida. He figured he could learn a few things by making the 6,000-mile round trip from San Diego and picking the minds of anglers engaged in the relatively new game.

Although initially disappointed after a November trip in which he didn’t

Nix’s pioneering efforts were not limited to tackle and tinkering.

His thirst for fly fishing, along with a healthy dose of intellectual curiosity, drove him hard.

encounter a single fly angler on either coast or along the entire length of the Keys, he eventually returned earlier in the year, his fortunes changing during an estimated 25,000 miles in

catch fish. He later joked that he could

West of Culiacán, exploration of the

subsequent trips.

now save a lot of money and had no

mouth of Rio San Lorenzo produced

further need for bucktails or marabou

a number of snook. His wanderings

Leaning heavily on that experience

because he had found a lifetime of

covered more than 300 miles of beach

but relishing a way to avoid the long

material covering his mattress.

and also produced corbina, ladyfish,

and tedious cross-country drives to

croaker, cabrilla, triggerfish, and jack

reach Florida’s tarpon, snook, and

As he plied the bays of Agiabampo,

crevalle. But another fish stood out as

bonefish, Nix turned his attention to

Topolobampo, and San Carlos, he

his favorite.

Mexico, its border less than 25 miles

never saw another fly fisherman.

from his Ocean Beach home in San Diego. He figured an exploratory trip down the eastern side of the Gulf of California would be his best bet—and a lot closer than Florida.

In 1962, the minimalistic and pragmatic Nix loaded his Volkswagen camper with supplies and gear and took off with his wife and their small dog for the first of many trips to the beaches, bays, and estuaries of our southern neighbor. They found friendly and helpful people, road detours, and dicey dirt roads that led to the water. Once on the beaches, which were often deserted, they found an abundance of hungry fish that willingly took poppers and streamers.

On one trip, Nix ran out of flies and fly-tying materials but still had plenty of bare hooks. He cut strips from an old sheet, ran the point of the hook through them, and proceeded to

TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE 87

“The sierra mackerel is the greatest

with what he described as a “refillable

fly fishing—days when skilled

fly rod fish I have encountered

coffee pot anchor” at his feet.

anglers broadened their horizons,

anywhere,” Nix wrote. “They hit

experimented without caution,

with express-train speed, are willing

Nix had an early and sizable impact

tinkered endlessly, and willingly

strikers, and make long surface runs.”

on fly fishing the “Left Coast,” and he

shared their discoveries.

Noting that sierra have razor-sharp

shared his research and development

teeth that shred leaders, Nix offered

of fly lines with representatives of 3M/

Anglers like Sam were undeniably

a solution for toothy fish: “I make no

Scientific Anglers, which provided

among our sport’s pioneers. Their

claims of being a Tommy Edison, but I

him with lines and stayed in close

mistakes, missteps, failures, and

think I invented an outstanding fly for

contact. He also shared his findings

unfruitful wild ideas were the

sharp-toothed fish. I take a 3 extra-

with others, exchanging letters with

necessary byproducts of their ultimate

long hook—a longer shank may be

fly anglers from around the country,

successes, and we continue to reap

even better—and tie in hair—nothing

including many, like Harry Kime, who

the benefits.

else—at the bend of the hook. I call it

became much better known.

the bare-shank fly.”

Jim Brown is the retired manager of Many of the things he researched and

the San Diego City Lakes Program

Closer to home, Nix favored yellowtail

developed have become standard,

and an outdoor writer whose stories

at the Coronado Islands or local kelp

and some of what he shared has been

have appeared over the past 50

beds, but complained that he did not

taught by more widely known anglers.

years in national, regional, and

have enough wealthy friends to take

You can sometimes find out-of-print

local publications, including regular

him out on their boats. Instead, he

copies of his book, with its many

contributions of features and columns

turned to bonito and was an early

idiosyncrasies such as the inclusion of

for the San Diego Tribune. In addition

and frequent visitor to Mission Bay’s

steelhead and shad. Most of us don’t

to the blog “Jim Brown‘s Sporting

Quivira Basin prior to the commercial

build our own rods, make our own

Life,” his more recent features have

development that limits access today.

wading shoes, or create our own lines,

appeared at SDFish.com. Among his

When the bonito were too far out

but if you were ever so inclined, Nix

favorite possessions are Sam Nix’s

to reach, Nix pursued them from a

has that covered for you. His Salt-

favorite rod and Hardy St. John reel,

float tube. A classic photo from his

Water Fly-Fishing Handbook is terrific

bequeathed to him by the Nix family

book features Nix inside an inflated

in other ways, providing perspective

donut, decked out in all his gear, and

on some of the early days of saltwater

88 TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE

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THE UNDERTOW

by T. Edward Nickens

That Albacore Season Running out of the inlet, he said, “I

For three years he’d guided for trout

feel good about where I am, Dad. I

in Montana during the summers,

feel good about what I’m about to

rolling back east barely in time for

do.” We were headed toward Cape

the first day of classes. But that

Lookout and I knew he was talking

summer was different, in every

about fishing and I know he was

imaginable sense, for everyone and

talking about things other than

certainly for a rising college senior.

fishing, and he worked the boat

And one of the silver linings was this:

through the rough water where the

He’d spent the summer on our boat,

outgoing tide was piling up in tall

and on his friends’ boats, chasing

rollers and calm water lay ahead.

Spanish mackerel and bluefish and redfish, live-baiting for kings,

That albacore season with Jack,

practice-casting on the beach, and

everything seemed to be on hold, and

tying flies.

teetering, and it was a long Indian summer of warm days and he was

We’d been hard after the false

out of school during the pandemic,

albacore for two weeks, with

starting his senior college year with

intermittent success. During our best

online classes, and finally had time

chance we’d each landed a fish from

for something he’d never had time

a popcorn-blitzing school and he was

for before: Getting serious about

fighting his second, and in a moment

saltwater fish on the fly.

of selfish disregard I cast from the

90 TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE

console and sent a lead-wrapped size

It was an unhealthy approach, for

smiled. “You know Jack,” she said.

2 heavy-gauge hook through one side

both my head and my marriage, but

“He wanted everything perfect for

of his ear cartilage and out the other.

running out of the inlet with Jack I

you.” It was one of those times that

I cut the line and he landed his fish

suddenly realized just how different

under different circumstances might

with the heavy fly flapping against

my headspace was than my son’s.

not have snagged in my heart. Just

his ear lobe, and then we motored

a chummy gesture among pals.

away from the other anglers so I

In the inlet, I sensed constriction and

Instead, it will go down as one of

could work the fly out as he fought

constraint and the turbulent waters

my most favorite fishing memories,

nausea and fainting. I was a little on

of the far-off shoals. But for Jack, the

although there was no fishing in it,

edge, waiting for him to blow up—I

future was as boundless as the great

no zinging lines or thighs pressed

would have, and who wouldn’t?—

against the gunwale, only my son

but he was perfectly calm. “This is

who’d gone to the trouble of carefully

fishing, Dad,” he said. “This stuff

placing each element of that

happens. Give me a minute, okay?

backyard tableau together to let me

Let me catch my breath and see if I

know: So glad you’re here, Dad. So

can stand up and we’ll get back after

glad we can fish together.

them.”

With the inlet behind and the smoky Then, clearing the inlet, we raced

scrim of Cape Lookout seven miles

towards the Hook, set on beating the

distant, Jack bore down on the

other boats to the fish, the rising

throttle, oblivious to my agitated

sun a golden scimitar on the horizon.

state of mind. And that’s when I

It was three days before Halloween

realized that I needed to recalibrate

and he was unshaven and grizzled,

my own perspectives on the days and

with Chaco tan lines striping the tops

years ahead. Open water lay before

of his feet. He even smelled like an

us both. We each were on a course

angler, shorts and shirt slimed with

toward horizons unseen. I’ve chased

fish scales and blood and sweat, and

the new and the unknown all my life,

why wear a clean set when more of

and all my life those pursuits have

the same is coming?

been a source of vigor and elation.

That could only change if I let it.

I’m a brooder with a slight tendency to pout when I don’t like the way

curve of blue that heralded the ocean

The bow settled and I felt the bezel

the stars line up, and I’d found

ahead, as full of possibility as every

turning on my own inner compass.

more reasons than I should to

new day on the water.

Running towards the cape, I scanned

lament certain moments of the

the water for diving birds and

last few months. Jack’s last year

And just then I remembered a

breaking schools. We had a full

in college. His last autumn close to

moment from the day before. I’d

day of fishing ahead, my son and I,

home. Most likely our last chance

arrived in the late afternoon, and

and neither of us would rather be

at false albacore in what could be

Jack had the fire crackling in the fire

anywhere else in the world. Whatever

a longer stretch than I wanted to

pit, and an extra Manhattan waiting

grain of sand was to follow was less

contemplate. I’d started to count

on the picnic table beside the fly rods,

consequential than the moment at

the grains of sand slipping through

and he grinned as I walked through

hand.

the glass, and hoard each one as if

the gate. He handed me the drink

it was the best there would ever be.

as I sat by the fire and his girlfriend

TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE 91

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