Tail Fly Fishing Magazine - Issue 59 May/June 2022

CELEBRATING 9 YEARS AS THE VOICE OF SALTWATER FLY FISHING

FLY FISHING MAGAZINE

LA VIDA SEIS HOLIDAY IN HOLBOX

BEST FOOT FORWARD THE TWO-HANDED TANGO

HAROLD GIBBS: SALTWATER PIONEER

THEY CAN SEE YOU SKRIMP SHREDDER

THE CASTER I’VE

NEVER SEEN

59 MAY/JUNE 2022 MARCH/APRIL 2022 DISPLAY UNTIL JUNEL 30

TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE 1

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Powerful yet deft, predictable but erratic–the silver king’s mesmerizing allure is on full display in South Florida’s Biscayne Bay. Photo by Oliver Rogers

TAIL TAIL FLY FLYFISHING FISHING MAGAZINE MAGAZINE 3

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This jack crevalle finally tires after a pair of scorching runs in the Caribbean Sea off of Ambergris Caye, Belize.

Photo by Trey Reid

TAIL TAILFLY FLYFISHING FISHINGMAGAZINE MAGAZINE 5

An eruption of menhaden begs the question: What lies beneath?

Photo by Trey Reid

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Should we call this a “break in the action” or “beer time”?

Photo by Joseph Ballarini 8 TAIL TAIL TAILFLY FLY FLYFISHING FISHING FISHINGMAGAZINE MAGAZINE MAGAZINE

Photo by Scott Morrison

TAIL TAIL TAILFLY FLY FLYFISHING FISHING FISHINGMAGAZINE MAGAZINE MAGAZINE 9

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TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE 11

— from the editor

Gratitude and Support With hope, some years from now we will be able to remember 2022 as the year the pandemic ended, when we ushered in renewed freedoms and a return to normalcy—whatever that may look like in the postcovid era.

I will not forget the support we received from our readers and the small group of advertisers who enabled us to survive. This magazine was dangerously close to closing its doors, ending nearly a decade of being the voice of saltwater fly fishing and the only print magazine devoted to the sport. But if we had closed up shop, would anybody have noticed?

Judging by the recent response from many of you, I would say, unequivocally, yes. We are all connected through our love of saltwater fly fishing, and our emergence from the past two near-catastrophic years has been the result of all of you who renewed early, bought gift subscriptions, and helped empty our online store.

While Tail Fly Fishing Magazine continues to grow and evolve, the one thing that remains constant is our continued dedication to our readers—many of whom I now count as friends after meeting them solely as a result of publishing this magazine.

But while so many of our readers stayed with us and provided crucial support over the past two trying years, some of our advertisers went away during the pandemic—and some of them still haven’t returned.

This excludes a handful of amazing companies that were with us before the pandemic and are still with us today. These companies have stayed connected not just to TFFM but also to our wider community of saltwater fly anglers and our lifestyle by supporting our activities and the only publication dedicated exclusively to our sport.

We sincerely hope that you’ll support these companies and brands through your patronage and purchases, sending a message that their support of this magazine and the saltwater fly fishing

12 TAIL TAILFLY FLYFISHING FISHINGMAGAZINE MAGAZINE

community is noticed and appreciated. These are the brands that participate in our lifestyle, support conservation efforts, and listen to our feedback.

These companies clearly value our small but robust community of saltwater fly fishers; let’s throw our support behind them.

Because saltwater fly fishing is a smaller market compared to the general fly fishing industry, many of the brands, shops, and products in this arena are also smaller entities. And it’s these smaller but no less important industry participants who we had in mind when we recently added gallery advertising pages to TFFM. We’ve decided to deepen our connection to the community by enabling smaller brands to reach our dedicated and enthusiastic saltwater fly fishing audience through affordable ad space. We seek to offer a venue for smaller merchants such as fly tiers, fly shops, guides, and smaller manufacturers while remaining steadfast in our commitment to providing high-quality editorial content to our readers.

TFFM remains optimistic that past advertisers will return and that industry support eventually will grow. Support from our readers and the commercial side of the industry allows us to document the history of our sport, gaze into its future, educate both newcomers and veterans, highlight conservation efforts, and all the many other things that make TFFM the voice of saltwater fly fishing.

We’re grateful you’re joining us on this journey, and we hope you’ll send a message of gratitude to our advertisers—including the smaller companies that you’ll see in the new gallery ads—by using their services and buying their products.

Stay salty, and thank you again for your continued support.

Joseph Ballarini Editor in Chief

TM

GUIDE TESTED.

GUIDE TRUSTED.

On the Cover: Tarpon inspire awe and wonder with their fierce strength and aerial acrobatics, but the fine details and iridescent colors of this tarpon’s scales also incite our passions. Photo by Greg Poland.

Editor-In-Chief: Managing Editor: Acquisitions Editor: Creative Director: Food Editor: Travel Editor: West Coast Editor: Consulting Editor: Contributing Editors: Historians: 59 Editors-at-Large:

Copy Editor: Gear Editor:

CELEBRATING 9 YEARS AS THE VOICE OF SALTWATER FLY FISHING

FLY FISHING MAGAZINE

LA VIDA SEIS HOLIDAY IN HOLBOX

BEST FOOT FORWARD THE TWO-HANDED TANGO

HAROLD GIBBS: SALTWATER PIONEER

THEY CAN SEE YOU SKRIMP SHREDDER

THE CASTER I’VE

NEVER SEEN

MAY/JUNE 2022 MARCH/APRIL 2022 DISPLAY UNTIL JUNEL 30

Joseph Ballarini Trey Reid George V. Roberts Jr. Scott Morrison Jennifer Matsu Peter McLeod Al Quattrocchi Chico Fernandez Andy Mill, Nicky Mill Pete Barrett, Ed Mitchell Joe Doggett, Mark B. Hatter, Tom Keer, James P. Spica Jr. Leila Beasley Andrew Ebert

Creative Contributors: Joseph Ballarini Pete Barrett Alan Caolo Captain William Cochran Michael DeJarnette Patrick DeJarnette Joe Doggett

Andrew Ebert Chico Fernandez Henry Hughes Brian Lang Jennifer Matsu Andy Mill Ed Mitchell

Greg Poland Chase Reid Trey Reid George Roberts Oliver Rogers Rob Schumske

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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TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE 13

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CONTENTS 22 26

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THEY CAN SEE YOU - Brian Lang It only took a cell phone video for Brian Lang to become mesmerized by the dark shapes of tarpon oozing through the eerie green glow of the new underwater light on his father’s Florida boat dock. He became obsessed with catching one on a fly rod, learning valuable lessons about Megalops atlanticus while being evermore haunted by the dark shapes sliding beneath the dock light.

HOLIDAY IN HOLBOX - Michael DeJarnette It’s always a good thing when a family vacation can be tweaked to include fly fishing. This travelogue explores the fly fishing encountered during a family Christmas vacation to Mexico’s Isla Holbox, a laid-back island off the northern tip of the Yucatán where the waters of the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean intermingle to form a rich marine ecosystem. It’s also a place that’s still blessedly devoid of the traffic and overcrowding that have found their way to many once-sleepy Mexican fishing villages.

GEAR GUIDE - TFFM Staff From stuff you should be wearing to stuff you should be using, this issue’s Gear Guide provides a glimpse at the latest products and services that will up your game.

A jacket, a fly box, cutting tools, and much more—we promise you’ll find something in this collection to enhance your fishing and your life.

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INSIDE THE BOX: DIABLO CRAB - Alan Caolo We incite strikes from gamefish by making them believe our flies are live prey, usually by imparting motion through stripping, pausing, dropping, or drifting. Crabs, though, often avoid predation by staying motionless, which creates a challenge in both presentation and fly design. Alan Caolo solves that problem with the Diablo Crab, a simple design made with soft, natural materials that exude life—even when paused on the bottom. Developed for sight casting to stripers in shallow Northeast flats, this simple fly also has hooked permit, bonefish, sheepshead, and snapper.

THE TWO-HANDED TANGO - Andy Mill Convincing a tarpon to dance requires us to talk to it in a way that incites, and since they don’t speak and can’t understand human languages, that means we have to communicate to the fish by imparting motion and life to manmade objects. Tarpon guru Andy Mill investigates this delicate dance and explains how the development of the technique of two-hand stripping worm flies forever changed tarpon fishing in the Florida Keys.

ON THE PLATE: FRUTAS DEL MAR - Jennifer Matsu Inspired by travel to Mexico’s Ascension Bay, this issue’s menu features the fruits of the sea, including octopus ceviche and grilled lobster tacos with mango pico de gallo and a side of Mexican street corn. Fire up the grill, grab a cerveza, and pull up a chair to talk about those damned black-tailed devils over a feast from the sea.

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SWEET SIMPLICITY - Trey Reid To build a better bar, you can stock it with every distilled spirit known to man, or you can take our managing editor’s approach and expand your cocktail horizons with simple syrups, an inexpensive and easy way to add depth of flavor to your drinks. You’ll want to save the recipes for the Hibiscus Mojito, Grapefruit Margarita, and a mezcal concoction with rosemary simple syrup called El Santo.

LA VIDA SEIS - Chico Fernandez Chico Fernandez used to see the 6-weight rod as a plaything, but these days, the seis is the first rod he reaches for. Although often overlooked, the 6-weight with appropriate flies works well in most conditions for a number of frequently pursued species. The lighter tool also improves precision for quick, short casts and allows a more delicate presentation—while still providing distance when necessary. Our consulting editor explains the benefits and joys of life with a 6-weight.

FLY TYING: SKRIMP SHREDDER - Captain William Cochran This fly was inspired by the Tuscan Bunny and a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movie, and as unusual and unlikely as that might seem, the result is nothing to ignore. This versatile pattern uses mostly synthetic materials to create a bug that “shreds” the water and creates a disturbance that bull reds, juvenile tarpon, and many other species can’t ignore.

DEEP DIVE ON THE CLOUSER DEEP MINNOW - Pete Barrett The fly originally designed to catch Susquehanna smallmouth bass has become ubiquitous. It’s indispensable for species across the globe and has become a primary weapon in the salty fly fisher’s feathered arsenal. We, if you’ll pardon a pun, go deep on the fly that catches everything, examining its origins, construction, variations, presentations, and much more.

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HAROLD GIBBS: SALTWATER PIONEER - Ed Mitchell The origins of saltwater fly fishing remain shrouded in mystery. Much of what’s been written about the sport’s beginnings has focused on innovators in Florida, and with good reason. But pioneers in the Northeast also played an important role, and one of the most important was Rhode Island waterman Harold Gibbs, an ecologist, angler, and artist who was likely responsible for the Orvis Company’s development of the first saltwater fly rods in the 1940s.

82

SEARCHING OFFSHORE - Henry Hughes There’s magic in the water that has the power to transform and transfix, and the latest Henry Hughes poem lyrically describes the sea’s magic and mystery in this poem about a father and son in search of yellowfin tuna—and the discovery of our own magic and mystery.

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BEST FOOT FORWARD - Joe Doggett We often focus on fishing from skiffs and other vessels, but in doing so we may be overlooking the able-bodied angler’s secret weapons. Wading is a specialized tactic that may be employed in many situations, providing stealth, the mobility to take advantage of the best casting angles, and many other benefits. And you don’t have to share bow time with anybody. Most of all, though, wading puts us in intimate contact with the sea and its denizens—and heightens the experience in the process.

THE UNDERTOW: THE CASTER I’VE NEVER SEEN - George Roberts TFFM’s resident fly casting professional has taught hundreds of private fly casting lessons over nearly 30 years, and the number likely climbs into the thousands when you consider seminars and other hands-on instruction he has provided. George Roberts doesn’t throw out these numbers to impress you, but rather to impress upon you that he’s worked with a lot of casters, and there’s one particular type of caster he’s never seen. Intrigued yet? Our casting authority identifies this unicorn of fly casting and explains how it relates to his philosophy on becoming a better caster.

Photo: Trey Reid TAIL TAIL FLY FLY FISHING FISHING MAGAZINE MAGAZINE 1515

T&T Amassadors Justin Rea and Rob Kramarz in the Florida Keys.

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TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE 17

R E T A I L E R S C A R R Y T A I L

ALASKA Mossy’s Fly Shop 750 W. Diamond Blvd, Suite 114 Anchorage, AK 99515 907-770-2666 mossysflyshop.com CALIFORNIA Bob Marriott’s Fly Fishing Store 2700 W. Orangethorpe Ave Fullerton, CA 92833 714-525-1827 bobmarriottsflyfishingstore. com COLORADO Front Range Anglers 2344 Pearl Street Boulder, CO 80302 303-494-1375 frontrangeanglers.com Golden Fly Shop 710 Golden Ridge Rd #126 Golden, CO 80401 303-330-1291 goldenfly.shop CONNECTICUT The Compleat Angler 541 Boston Post Road Darien, CT 06820 203-655-9400 compleatangleronline.com FLORIDA 239 Flies 3431 Bonita Beach Rd SW Unit #205 Bonita Springs, FL 34134 (239) 908-3513 239flies.com

ORVIS Sandestin 625 Grand Boulevard Ste 101 Sandestin, FL 32550 850-650-2174 Orvis.com Seven Mile Fly Shop 1638 Overseas Highway Marathon, FL 33050 (305) 440-3406 sevenmileflyshop.com The Angling Company 333 Simonton St Key West, FL 33040 305-292-6306 anglingcompany.com The Tide 26 Grouper Hole Drive Boca Grande, FL 33921 941-964-2417 GEORGIA ORVIS Atlanta Buckhead Square 3255 Peachtree Rd NE Atlanta, GA 30305 404-841-0093 Orvis.com The Fish Hawk 764 Miami Cir NE #126 Atlanta, GA 30305 404-237-3473 thefishhawk.com LOUISIANA ORVIS Baton Rouge Perkins Rowe, Bldg. H 7601 Bluebonnet Blvd., Ste. 140 Baton Rouge LA 70810 225-757-7286 Orvis.com

NORTH CAROLINA OBX on the Fly 107 Sir Walter Raleigh St Manteo, NC 27954 obxonthefly.com RHODE ISLAND The Saltwater Edge 1037 Aquidneck Ave Middletown, RI 02842 866-793-6733 saltwateredge.com SOUTH CAROLINA Bay Street Outfitters 825 Bay Street Beaufort, SC 29902 843-524-5250 baystreetoutfitters.com ORVIS Charleston 535 King St. Charleston, SC 29403 (854) 999-4985 Orvis.com Southern Drawl Outfitters 1533 Fording Island Rd Hilton Head Island, SC 29926 843-705-6010 southerndrawloutfitters.com TEXAS Bayou City Angler 3641 Westheimer Rd Suite A Houston, TX 77027 832-831-3104 bayoucityangler.com

Sportsman’s Finest 12434 Bee Cave Road Austin, TX 78738 512-263-1888 sportsmansfinest.com Swan Point Landing 1723 Cherry Street Suite 4 Rockport, TX 78382 361-729-7926 swanpointlandingflyshop.net Tailwaters Fly Fishing Co. 1933 E. Levee St Dallas, TX 75207 888-824-5420 tailwatersflyfishing.com UTAH Fishwest 47 West 10600 South Sandy, UT 84070 fishwest.com 801-617-1225 WASHINGTON Peninsula Outfitters 19740 7th Ave NE, Suite 110 Poulsbo, WA 98370 360-394-1599 peninsulaoutfitters.com The Avid Angler 17171 Bothell Way NE #A272 Lake Forest Park, WA 98155 206-362-4030 avidangler.com WYOMING Lander Fly Shop 305 Main Street Lander, WY 82520 307-438-3439 landerflyshop.com

MARYLAND

Gordy & Sons Outfitters 22 Waugh Drive Houston, TX 77007 713-333-3474 gordyandsons.com

Florida Keys Outfitters 81219 Overseas Highway Islamorada, FL 33036 305-664-5432 floridakeysoutfitters.com

Alltackle 2062 Somerville Rd Annapolis, MD 21401 888-810-7283 alltackle.com

Grapevine Fly Fishing 122 N Main Street Grapevine, Texas 76051 720.453.6878 grapevineflyfishing.com

Forgotten Coast Fly Company 123 Commerce St Apalachicola, FL 32320 850-323-0266 forgottencoastflycompany. com

MASSACHUSETTS

Gruene Outfitters 1265 Industrial Drive Suite C New Braunfels, TX 78130 (830) 625-4440 grueneoutfitters.com

ORVIS Austin 10000 Research Blvd - B04B Austin TX 78759 512-795-8004 Orvis.com

Bass Pro Shops—95 locations in the USA

ORVIS Houston 5727 Westheimer - Suite A Houston TX 77057 713-783-2111 Orvis.com

BAHAMAS

Mangrove Outfitters 4111 Tamiami Trail E Naples, FL 34112 239-793-3370 mangroveoutfitters.com Ole Florida Fly Shop 6353 N. Federal Hwy Boca Raton, FL 33487 561-995-1929 olefloridaflyshop.com Orlando Outfitters 2814 Corrine Dr Orlando, FL 32803 407-896-8220 orlandooutfitters.com ORVIS Ocean Reef 1 Fishing Village Drive Key Largo FL 33037 305-367-2227 Orvis.com

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The Bear’s Den 34 Robert W. Boyden Rd Taunton, MA 02780 508-977-0700 bearsden.com Kismet Outfitters 204 UPPER MAIN STREET Edgartown, MA 02539 860-944-5225 kismetoutfitters.com MONTANA Frontier Anglers 680 N. Montana St Dillion, MT 59725 406-683-5276 frontieranglers.com NEW YORK River Bay Outfitters 980 Church St Baldwin, NY 11510 516-415-7748 riverbayoutfitters.com

ORVIS Plano Preston Towne Crossing 2412 Preston Road Suite 200 Plano, TX 75093 972-596-7529 Orvis.com ORVIS San Antonio 7427 San Pedro Ave. Suite 104 San Antonio, TX 78216 210-812-3017 Orvis.com

RETAIL CHAINS: Barnes & Noble—630 retail locations in the USA Books-A-Million—260 stores in 32 states

Dick’s Sporting Goods (select locations)—over 700 stores in the USA Field & Stream Stores—35 locations in the USA Indigo Books—over 200 stores under various banners

Blackfly Lodge Schooner Bay Abaco, Bahamas 904-997-2220 blackflylodge.com CANADA Drift Outfitters & Fly Shop 199 Queen St. East Toronto Ontario M5A-1S2 647-347-7370 Driftoutfitters.com Fish Tales Fly Shop Ltd. #626, 12100 Macleod Trail SE Calgary AB T2J 7G9 Canada 866-640-1273 fishtalesflyshop.com

Benny Blanco, renowned conservationist, guide, & Orvis ambassador, with his hands on the manual transmission of his client's destiny. Everglades National Park, FL.

HOW TO ECLIPSE THE SUN WITH A UPF RATING OF 50+ EVEN WHEN WET, PRO SUN SYSTEMS BLOCK 98% OF HARMFUL RAYS 100% OF THE TIME In real-world flats scenarios, you're just as likely to be in the water as you are standing on a poling platform well above it, so we've built the PRO Sun Systems with the industry's highest UPF 50+ rating to protect against constant sunburn even when wet.

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TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE 19

Correction...

This is a photo of the late Billy Knowles.

mistake: “I’m not Billy,” Norman said,

In issue 58 (March/April 2022), a

apologies to Norman, the family

photo of Norman Duncan ran in error

and friends of Billy Knowles, and to

in the article “Reflections from the

you, our readers. We also note here

Mill House Podcast.” It was placed

the recent announcement that the

above an excerpt from the podcast

Poor Boys Tarpon Fly Tournament

in which Andy Mill interviewed Billy

in Islamorada, Florida, henceforth

Knowles. Billy Knowles died Jan. 4;

will be known as the Billy Knowles

Norman Duncan is very much alive,

Memorial Poor Boys Tarpon Fly

as he emphatically reminded us

Tournament, a fitting and lasting

when he called after the unfortunate

tribute to Billy’s incredible legacy.

20 TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE

”and that picture of Billy looks an awful lot like me.” We extend sincere

TAIL TAIL FLY FLYFISHING FISHING MAGAZINE MAGAZINE 21

They Can See You

itself was slowly rotating around the light. After a few moments of the mesmerizing footage of the baitfish, the tarpon approached.

They oozed from the dark shadows at the periphery of the light, and slowly cruised toward the center like attack submarines. The closer they got to the light, the more defined their features

by Brian Lang

became. They swam in a slow circle

The first time I saw them was on a

their silver scales when they turned.

cell phone video that my dad recorded

When they came toward the surface

and sent me. I quickly watched it once,

in front of the light, the silhouette

but when I realized what it was, I sat

of the forked tail, dorsal fin, and the

down, brought my phone up close to

characteristic low-slung, upturned jaw

my face, and watched it three more

became crystal clear, as did their size.

times.

If the 5-foot long beasts that swam

like the baitfish, the light glinting off

along the beaches and in the passes The screen was filled with the eerie

were silver kings, then these fish were

green glow of the underwater dock

silver princes. At close to 3 feet long,

light he had installed. Tiny baitfish,

they were plenty of fish for

about an inch long, swam in circles

me when I finally laid

around the most intense glow of

eyes on the scene

the light in the center of their dark,

in person,

fluid universe. When they became very thick, it looked like the water

22 TAIL TAIL FLY FLYFISHING FISHING MAGAZINE MAGAZINE

standing in my shorts and flip flops

are many average-size homes, a lot

borders the Gulf of Mexico. Turtle

next to my dad’s pool, fresh off the

of houses are like miniature private

heads periscope up from the mostly

plane from Vermont.

marinas, with one or two power boats

calm water from time to time, and

on lifts above the water, a couple of

even manatees occasionally make an

In southern Florida, there’s a

Jet Skis, and a handful of kayaks. Hot

appearance.

seemingly endless maze of water

tubs are positioned out toward the

spreading across the landscape.

water, backed up by infinity pools

Other than some of the houses having

Instead of the natural twists and

surrounded by big screen TVs, and

rod holders bolted to the pilings of

turns of waterways in the Everglades,

that’s just in the screened lanai, many

their boat docks, there’s not much

my dad’s neighborhood features

of which are attached to

sign that anybody regularly fishes the

a complex watery grid—all

castle-like homes. Upon

area. Every now and then you’ll pass

straight lines and perfect

close inspection, each

a boat that’s stopped with anglers

90-degree corners

property is unique, but

making casts, but that’s mostly in the

with seawalls

you can still get lost in

larger main canal that’s closer to the

lining

the maze if you’re not

lock that leads to the Gulf.

paying close attention.

The tarpon show themselves early and Fish live here. Big ones.

We’ve landed a few, hooked and lost many more, and regularly

the whole system like a giant in-ground swimming

late in the day when they roll at the surface, but the real exciting times are the darkest hours around midnight.

lay eyes on some of the largest fish

That’s when I find myself standing

I have ever seen. Most of the regular

on the dock with my fly rod, staring

Florida customers prowl these waters.

into the green glow and looking for

Mullet constantly leap in the air and

the giant targets that had been

land with a belly-flop slapping sound.

haunting me for months. They

Predators such as snook, tarpon, jack

would approach the light, and

crevalle, and largemouth bass hunt

with quivering hands and

among the miles of structure in the

knees, I would gently

pool. Instead of impenetrable walls of

form of residential boat docks, with

roll cast the fly,

mangroves, the banks of this Venice-

some sections having overhanging

leader, and a

like suburbia are bordered by wall-to-

trees, and even a large stretch of

few feet of

wall houses and docks. While there

mangroves where the whole system

fly line

TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE 23

out in front of the fish. I would give

“Of course they can,” I thought. It was

a small black Deceiver, tied with the

short mini strips to animate the fly, or

so obvious that I was embarrassed,

hackle tail splayed to each side so

just gently draw the line through the

and secretly glad I wasn’t there in

they waved around and kicked like

water by slowly lifting the rod. I used

the shop myself asking the question.

frog legs when you stripped it. My fly

small baitfish imitations that looked

I could see the fish, standing almost

line draped softly over the edge of the

just like the tiny minnows patrolling

right above them in the clear, calm

dock as it entered the water. The line

the light. I tried larger patterns with

water, so it stood to reason that with

straightened as I stripped, and the

long, seductive hackles waving in the

those big eyes, and swimming near

fly swam with shorts spurts into the

water. I tried floating Gurgler-type

the surface, Megalops atlanticus

light—right in front of a big tarpon.

flies that I could leave hovering in the

could see everything I was doing and

strike zone. I tried white, black, and

simply ignored me—like a beautiful

I didn’t even have time to hold my

various shades and colors in between.

woman ignoring a dorky guy on the

breath and hope he would eat it. As

street. I stood on the dock because it

soon as I saw the sharp silhouette of

I didn’t get any strikes at all. Most

was my dad’s dock, but if I was anyone

the fly in the light, the fish charged

of the time, the tarpon completely

else, I would be in a boat, and back

the fly and ate it without hesitation.

ignored my offering. If I was lucky, one

away from the light, so I wouldn’t

The line came tight in my fingers,

of them would slowly turn and look

spook the fish.

then ripped away out through the

at the fly, and I’d hold my breath, but

guides as the fish charged into the

every time the tarpon would lazily

The next night, after returning from

darkness. The fish broke the surface,

turn and swim away. There were some

a typical Sunshine State touristy

and jumped just a few feet in front of

snook coming through the light as

adventure, I marched through the

me in the dark. The tarpon thrashed

well, and I was lucky enough to have

house, past the pool, and carefully

in the air, and I could hear the gills

one take a swipe at my fly in the strip

peered into the water. Giant shadows

rattling as it tried to spit out the fly.

of darkness between the light and the

drifted through the light, and I

dock at my feet. The large swirl in the

knew I was in business. I got my rod,

It all happened so fast. I likely lost

water was briefly punctuated by a tail

positioned my stripping guard on my

the battle just at it was beginning,

the size of a small broom breaking the

finger, and stalked carefully through

because I never gave a good solid

surface, but I never felt anything.

the grass. This time, I stayed off the

hook-set. Nor did I give any slack into

dock, standing about 30 feet back

the jump, and so the fly flew free of

I spent the next year thinking about

from it in the grass. The yard sloped

the fish as soon as it went airborne.

how to get one of those tarpon to eat

up and away from the water, so I

I stood in the dark, more excited and

my flies. When we finally got back

could still see over the lip of the dock

awestruck than disappointed just

to Florida the following spring, I was

and into the lit portion of the canal.

yet. The fish had eaten. Ben had been

immediately at it again. I spent late

It was even a little breezy that night,

there watching, and gave me a pat

nights gazing into the green, glowing

so small ripples spread across the

on the back. He knew how much I

water, watching the giant fish lazily

surface, which helped to mask my

had tried to make that happen and

swim around the light without fear,

movements—and my fly line.

understood the significance. I wound

at times gulping the tiny minnows

up my loose line and walked to the

near the surface with little slurping

I worked out some line in the dark,

water, looking into the light. All the

noises—like a noisy eater enjoying

being careful with my back cast since

fish were gone.

soup.

I was farther from the water now and closer to the houses and palm

I watched the water a while longer

When my father and my son Ben

trees. This was my longest cast yet

that night, hoping for a fish to return

made a trip to the bait shop to get

to these fish. I saw the tarpon in the

so I could try it again, but it was not

a bucket of shiners for Ben, they

light, and dropped my line down on

to be. Ever since, I watch that tarpon

explained my tarpon frustrations to

the water with little disturbance.

swim up and gulp that fly, hear those

the shop’s proprietor. His answer was

The fly landed perfectly just beyond

rattling gills, and see that eerie green

simple: “The fish can see you.”

the far side of the light. I was using

glow of the water in my dreams.

24 TAIL TAIL FLY FLYFISHING FISHING MAGAZINE MAGAZINE

TAIL TAIL FLY FLYFISHING FISHING MAGAZINE MAGAZINE 25

Story by Michael DeJarnette Photos by Patrick DeJarnette

HOLIDAY IN HOLBOX Our flight arrived about an hour late

variant of Covid-19, causing flight

late when the journey winds through

in Cancun. It was the Sunday before

cancellations nationwide. Although 6

rural Quintana Roo in a drizzling rain

Christmas, and it had been snowing

p.m. doesn’t seem like a late arrival,

in the dark.

in Utah. Airports and airlines had

there was still a two-and-a-half-hour

been working through significant

shuttle ride followed by a half-hour

Our ultimate destination was

staffing issues related to the Omicron

ferry boat trip. It really starts to feel

Isla Holbox, an island just off the

26 TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE

northeastern tip of Mexico’s Yucatán Peninsula, where the waters of the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico intermingle to create a rich marine ecosystem. The island remains laid-back and car-free. There’s

enough tourism infrastructure to

getaway for our family—and for me

make it comfortable, but its relative

and my son, Patrick, it would afford

inaccessibility means it isn’t overrun

an opportunity to include fly fishing

with visitors like some popular beach

for baby tarpon in the family vacation

destinations along Mexico’s Caribbean

plans.

coast. It would be a welcome holiday

TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE 27

night. Yellow golf carts with lifted suspensions and balloon tires stood in a line, awaiting passengers in the muddy street. We loaded onto two of them, facing backward as we splashed from pothole to pothole through the town center toward the beach road and our hotel, where a long day was followed by a long sleep. *** With poor fishing conditions on the horizon, we waded through the mire to explore the town on Monday. Holbox is a small fishing village, not unlike many others that time had forgotten until an Instagram-fueled tourism boom washed over small beach towns in the Yucatán. Pictures in front of colorful signs with the names of towns—blue water and white sand in the background—have emboldened even the previously less adventurous to leave the traditional cruise ship ports like Cancun and Cozumel to crowd into sleepy towns like Playa del Carmen and Tulum and startle them awake. Holbox is blessedly still off the beaten path enough to retain its identity as a fishing village. We were reminded of this as we saw an American family walking through soupy, ankle-deep sand in the town But we weren’t there yet. Ivan was a

Our plans hadn’t taken into

center with their shoes in hand, the

great driver, although he drove a bit

consideration that the last ferry

mother walking as quickly as her

faster than what seemed humanly

between Chiquila and Isla Holbox

bare feet would take her while yelling

possible in the wet conditions. The

left at 9 p.m., so we were surprised

repeatedly that she was “over this!” I

aging Volkswagen van had seen better

by the fire drill that erupted as the

smiled.

days. A perpetual oily glaze streaked

Volkswagen bounced into the ferry

by the windshield wipers added even

station. “Five minutes, five minutes,

There are still street vendors and

more excitement to the drive. When

the last ferry!” We quickly grabbed our

markets where English isn’t spoken

Ivan learned our group was happy

bags, bought tickets, and loaded onto

and credit cards aren’t taken. Prices

to pony up the 175 pesos for the toll

the Holbox Express Fast Ferry.

are in pesos, and cervezas cost about

road, which would shave half an hour

40 or 50 of them. Culinary highlights

from the trek, there was genuine joy

On the other side of Laguna Yalahau,

include cochinita tacos at the stand

in his eyes.

the boat was unloaded without delay.

at the end of the mini mercado across

The port was lively for a rainy Sunday

from the air strip, the empanadas

28 TAIL TAIL FLY FLYFISHING FISHING MAGAZINE MAGAZINE

TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE 29

but after ongoing conversations with Vega on WhatsApp, the forecast finally became more favorable for fishing on Tuesday. This was set to be a father-son fishing trip like many before it. Patrick was on break from his first semester of college in Boise, and he seemed genuinely excited to be here. Vega was waiting for us at our hotel at 6:15 a.m. We loaded our equipment into his Can Am and drove to the brightly lit port on the south side of town. The ferries and fishing boats had already started their day.

Vega loaded us up, untied the Hells Bay, and pointed it into the darkness.

I doubt there’s ever a bad sunrise over the mangroves while going out to fish, but you know it’s exceptional when the guide pulls out his phone for a picture of it. Vega added a couple of images to his phone and then set a course for the mangroves.

We approached an opening in the mangroves at full speed and didn’t slow down, effortlessly winding through the trees before coming out into an opening.

Vega chose a red and white Seaducer from my fly box. We cast at the mangroves for some time and missed a beefy baby tarpon. That empty feeling of missing the trip’s first fish a few doors down, lobster pizza at

***

hung in the air for a few minutes. The breeze stiffened as the day progressed,

Roots, and the “meat in its own juice” I connected with Kevin Webb and

and we moved to a sheltered spot.

Darwin Vega Cruz on social media

We switched to a Clouser and waded

Holbox is a place where a beachgoer

prior to our trip. Having never been

barefoot in soft sand along the

can walk a couple of hundred yards

to Holbox, I sent messages to a few

mangroves and missed another baby

from the shore and still be in ankle-

guides who had pictures of gamefish

tarpon. Just as frustration started

deep water. The loudest sounds on

and fly rods on their feeds. Kevin

to creep in, we hooked and landed a

the island are the gas-powered golf

was the first one who replied, and

snook. But our luck was short-lived; the

carts. You can swim with whale

we eventually booked a few days to

wind continued to increase and was

sharks, explore mangroves by kayak,

chase tarpon and snook on the fly.

approaching a gale when we ruled the

at La Tapatia.

conditions impossible and called it a

and check out the area’s abundance of marine and bird life. You can also fish.

30 TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE

Wind and weather didn’t cooperate,

day.

We returned the next day, only this time, the sky was clear and the wind speed was in single digits. We were developing a good rapport with Vega and he insisted we call him “Darwito,” the name by which most of Holbox knows him. A lifelong resident of the island, Darwito opened up to us about his battle with grief after losing his wife to cancer four years ago. He said the first three years were dark, but a year ago he got sober and started focusing on the health of both his body and mind. He told us he works out everyday, which was obvious when he showed us the story in black ink on his left arm, an extensive tattoo telling an artful story of triumph and tragedy through images of fly rods, skiffs, and tarpon. *** We arrived at the mouth of a creek in the mangroves and saw the baby tarpon rolling. The mosquitos had started to bite, which seemed to excite Darwito. He told us that the mosquitos bring the tarpon. He was probably just trying to make us feel better, but we went along with it, and after a few overly excited casts, a yellow and white Clouser finally found its mark in a cut in the mangroves.

The tarpon ate, and the dance had begun. We call them baby tarpon, but they feel bigger than babies when they jump. The silver prince earned his bow before I brought him to the boat. Somehow my 9-weight snapped at a ferrule just as we landed the fish, but I considered it a small price to pay for the experience (and the rod has a good warranty), and it didn’t dampen the celebration.

We moved to a canal in the middle of

TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE 31

the mangroves and backed into the trees, making long casts across the channel as tarpon rolled by. We lost a few flies in the tricky back casts, but we were rewarded by a good-sized shiny silver specimen. The tarpon fought hard to get into the mangrove roots, but finally relented as a young sea turtle looked on.

We fished more and talked more, but once again the wind picked up and sent us to port. My wife and daughter thought this was a beach vacation and not a fishing trip, so there were family obligations. But any time a family vacation during the week before Christmas can be tweaked to include a few days of skiffs, tarpon, and fly rods, it’s a success. Holbox is a place where this can be done.

Hopefully, Holbox never paves the roads. It would be a shame for the traffic to get to the levels that are now seen in Tulum and other previously unknown beach destinations. For now, it’s still an escape for both the vacationer and the angler who prefers to be away from crowds and is willing to give up a bit of comfort to do so.

32 TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE

ELPALOMETERO.COM INFO@ELPALOMETERO.COM

TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE 33

GEAR GUIDE

FISHPOND TACKY PESCADOR XL FLY BOX The search for the perfect fly box never ends, but we think this one comes pretty damn close.

Fishpond’s design combines incredibly durable construction with optimal dimensions for carrying all sizes of flies for a day on the flats or a weeklong trip to your favorite destination. This box opens and closes without a clamp or latch to slow you down when reaching for a fly in a hurry.

Instead, it uses a perfectly fitted waterproof gasket; you can feel the quality of the seal that keeps your flies dry (and afloat) in all conditions.

Inside, flies are securely held in silicone slits that, so far, show no signs of wear or indentations

34 TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE

where even 3/0 hooks have been held for over a month. Flies can simply be pressed into a silicone groove, and a slight pop indicates the fly is secure.

Fishpond claims a total carrying capacity of 1,096 flies, but we found that loading a sensible array of flats flies with varying shapes and sizes puts this box’s practical capacity at approximately 800.

The optional leaf insert is hinged and also uses four magnets to prevent rattling and maintain organization while running in choppy waters or traveling across the globe. If all this isn’t enough, this box also has no needless and bulky outer handle and is perfectly sized to fit in our favorite rod travel case. $50 (fishpondusa.com)

ORVIS ULTRALIGHT WADING JACKET Orvis has a wide selection of outerwear, but we love this minimalist jacket’s solid protection in a small package. It’s a barrier against wind and rain that can be carried in a small daypack or boat bag, which goes to show that you don’t need something heavy to offer great waterproof and windproof protection. It keeps you dry and comfortable over a wide range of temperature ranges and activities. Two front storage pockets and side-zip pockets provide room where you need it.

The Dolphin Skin Cuff takes a little getting used to, but it does seem to keep your arms dry when reaching into the water to handle fish. Other features include tabs to secure tools, an adjustable hood with a laminated brim, and a rear yoke D-ring for a net. $249 (orvis.com)

TAIL TAIL FLY FLYFISHING FISHING MAGAZINE MAGAZINE 35

GEAR GUIDE SIGHT CAST FISHING FLY TYING MATERIALS Sight Cast Fly Fishing Company is Gulf Coast focused and dialed in. If you haven’t already seen their products in your local fly shop, you will soon. Their redfish and trout flies are fantastic.

While their website offers apparel and a whole slew of the aforementioned flies, it’s the fly tying materials that really got our attention. From super buggy redfish brushes to the single-sided chenille “crack wrap,” Sight Cast Fishing is the one-stop shop for the the best materials to tie flies that are proven producers. The site also has a how-to section that features step-by-step videos on fly construction, presentation techniques, and more. $5 and up (sightcastfishing.com)

FREE FLY BAMBOO LIGHTWEIGHT HOODY Free Fly has been an innovator in quality fly fishing apparel, and there’s a reason this is their bestselling top. This hoody is buttery soft and super comfortable, and the bamboo fabric breathes and dries reasonably well. With a well-fitting hood and thumb holes, the Bamboo Lightweight Hoody is designed to offer comprehensive sun protection while keeping you cool and comfortable. Its fit is a bit on the loose side, so if you prefer a slimmer fit, sizing down is the way to go. Available in more than ten colors. $70 (freefly.com) 36 TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE

ANOVA PRECISION COOKER We want the best when it comes to preparing our favorite fare, and while it’s easy to drop a small fortune on the latest pellet or ceramic grill, you can also ditch the hydrocarbons altogether and jump into sous vide cooking. Sous vide, which translates literally to “under vacuum,” is a traditional French method of water-immersion cooking that’s been in use for centuries. The technique offers unparalleled control over whatever you’re cooking— from steaks and chops to fish and lobster, or even large cuts like brisket and pork shoulder. Sous vide cooking removes the guesswork—no poking with thermometers, no cutting, no peeking, no jabbing with your finger—for perfect results every single time. $199 (anovaculinary.com)

DRAFT TOP There’s nothing quite as refreshing and enjoyable as a cold beer at the end of a day of fishing, and now you can enjoy it the way the brewer intended.

The skiff isn’t the ideal place to break out a chalice, stange, or pint glass, but the Draft Top makes glassware unnecessary. This nifty device safely and easily removes the top of most 8- and 12-ounce cans, leaving a smooth rim with no sharp edges. Remove the top from a Coke and add a shot of rum and a squeeze of lime for a quick Cuba Libre. Or crop the top of a crisp lager and make a michelada on the fly. Made in the USA. $25 (drafttop.com)

TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE 37

GEAR GUIDE

ORIGINAL SNIP LINE CUTTER Does it really make sense to spend $90 or more on one of the high-end line clippers from the big names we all know? The Boomerang Tool Company specializes in small retractable tools with outdoors enthusiasts in mind. The Original SNIP Line Cutter makes clean cuts through braid, mono, fluorocarbon, and even wire.

With the built-in carabiner, it clips easily to your belt loop or vest so it’s always handy and never lost. Snip the fishing line and let the tool go; the built-in tether retracts the SNIP back into place until you need it again. And at its everyday bargain price, the SNIP is an affordable gift your angling buddies will actually use. $14.99 (boomerangtool.com)

38 TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE

OPINEL NO. 08 STAINLESS STEEL FOLDING KNIFE - OUTDOOR Joseph Opinel began manufacturing pocket knives in 1890 in his family’s workshop in the French Alps. Originally distributed as knives for farmers and train conductors, they subsequently were recognized by the Victoria and Albert Museum as being among the best-designed items in the world, alongside the Porsche 911 and the Rolex watch. The classic Opinel features a beechwood handle and a rotating collar to lock the blade in the open position. Space-age materials have allowed Opinel to produce a heavy-duty survival knife. The 2.5 mm thick Sandvik 12C27 stainless steel blade features a serrated area and shackle key. The fiber-reinforced polymer handle resists extreme temperatures (-40 to 80 degrees Centigrade) and incorporates a 110 decibel survival whistle. A simple but effective addition to your fishing tackle—or your everyday carry—at a great price. $39.00 (opinel-usa.com)

TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE 39

B A R C O L B A I D

by Alan Caolo

Designing and developing new

situation that sparks my creativity

saltwater flies—I’m talking about

and drives me to develop new

creating unique patterns that

patterns. Occasionally, a new creation

Creating effective crab flies is

previously didn’t exist—is the

proves highly effective on a variety

particularly challenging. Nearly

quintessential fly tying challenge. For

of gamefish and fishing situations; if

all flies capture a fish’s interest

me, it’s usually a challenging angling

that new pattern is also easy to tie,

through their motion on or within

40 TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE

it’s a home run.

A Deadly Fly for All Crab-Eating Gamefish the water. We incite strikes entirely

no scent—to be eaten by a gamefish

avoid predation. They may crawl and

through presentation and retrieve—

they must believably appear as live

dart to distance themselves from

stripping, pausing, swinging, drifting,

prey that appeals to that fish.

predators, but they’re most often

dropping—to complete the deception

consumed while motionless on the

and convince the predator to take the

Crabs, however, are unique in that

bottom. Because of this, anglers

fly. Flies are not meat and they have

they often remain motionless to

must resist imparting too much

TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE 41

movement when presenting crab

with weighted, bottom-working crab

strand of chenille. Unlike stiff crab

patterns. Successful presentation

patterns that become believably alive

patterns sculpted with synthetic

requires careful, accurate casting to

with a straightforward strip retrieve.

materials, this soft crab continues

position the crab directly ahead of

Crawling crabs are a different story,

to pulse life even while motionless

the fish, enabling a skilled retrieve

however, and many of them appeal

on the bottom. The pattern is quick

that includes regular pauses that

to the popular gamefish we seek.

and simple to tie and easily adapted

leave the fly still on the bottom

to suit other gamefish preferences

to mimic the natural. Seducing

The Diablo Crab is a remarkable

with straightforward size or color

gamefish to take a crab imitation

pattern initially developed for sight

modifications.

is among the most exciting and

casting to striped bass in shallow

challenging chapters in outdoor

inshore flats where green crabs are

After its initial success with

sports.

abundant. Stripers are big-time

stripers, this potent little crab has

crab eaters, and they love green

demonstrated to be just as effective

Crabs may be classified as either

crabs. I strove to devise a crab

with virtually every crab-eating

crawlers or swimmers. Green crabs

that resembled the natural, but I

gamefish I’ve tossed it to, including

and rock crabs are crawling crabs,

wanted one that would exude life,

permit, sheepshead, bonefish, scup,

while blue and lady crabs are

even when paused on the bottom

tautog, gray snappers, and many

examples of swimmers. Swimmers

during retrieve. The Diablo Crab

more discerning flats feeders. The

are less difficult to imitate, as they

was the result—a unique and simple

key to its success is its inherent

routinely move about the bottom

crab design that’s constructed with

movement—the Diablo Crab

with remarkable agility. And their

soft, natural materials (two grizzly

continues to look alive while paused

natural response to danger is to

Schlappen feathers), some silicone

on the bottom, when most fish are

flee, so they’re readily mimicked

rubber legs, lead eyes, and a short

inclined to take a crab fly.

42 TAIL TAIL FLY FLYFISHING FISHING MAGAZINE MAGAZINE

PHOTOGRAPHY: MATT HARRIS

“DROP IN ON MILL HOUSE PODCAST AND CATCH HISTORY IN THE MAKING.” - FLIP PALLOT -

WATCH LISTEN AND LEARN AT MILLHOUSEPODCAST.COM / @MILLHOUSEPODCAST TAIL TAIL FLY FLYFISHING FISHING MAGAZINE MAGAZINE 43

Two-Handed Tango How Stripping Worm Flies with Two Hands Changed Oceanside Tarpon Fishing in the Florida Keys

by Andy Mill

44 TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE

The magic of successfully feeding a

to understand the language they

is easily attainable. They’re lazy and

tarpon has a plethora of movements,

want to hear. A tarpon requires a

won’t chase anything down during

not unlike the first words spoken to

soft and gentle presentation at first,

daylight hours. A tarpon eating a

a beautiful woman who’s causing the

gravitating to one that’s teasing and

mullet in the middle of the day under

dopamine to blow out of your ears.

titillating. Then you try to make them

a high sun is laughable. That’s why

For most of us tarpon freaks, seeing a

do what you wish when you have them

a fly is the best bait to throw during

big fish slide down the pike or finding

hanging on a string.

daylight hours. It lands softly, almost

one sleeping in a quiet back bay imparts exactly the same effect.

undetectable until it’s close to the Often, that fish isn’t really interested

tarpon’s face.

in eating anything. We know that most To get either one to dance, you have

tarpon eat at night when their prey

Aside from the fly’s movements

TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE 45

imparted by the angler, it’s equally

There are not only the legs of

this elusive but attainable fish. Many

imperative to have a fly that’s tied

marabou that have life, but also

lives have been turned sideways,

with materials that breathe life into

rabbit strips and even the single

including mine. Tom Evans put it

its design. The best way to see that

strands of feathers. But marabou has

best on our Mill House Podcast:

life is to hold a quill of marabou and

been my favorite for years.

“We broke lines, we broke hooks, we

softly breathe air down its spine

broke rods, we broke our minds, we

toward the tail. The softer you do

When you understand the fly you’re

broke marriages, we broke the whole

this, the more you’ll understand the

using and how it naturally swims

thing. It was wild. And we learned; we

ability of these little legs to exude the

in the ocean, you then can apply

learned how to catch ‘em.”

life I’m talking about. Even with the

that to how you strip the fly. The

fly just lying in the water, these legs

biggest mistake people make is to

Very early in this sport, it didn’t take

will impart movement and life—even

start stripping without reading the

much coaxing to entice a bite, but

more so with current.

fish they’re throwing to, which may

over the years, with the increase in

be swimming much slower than the

anglers seeking to catch this great

Ponzoa says that when Light tied on his red worm fly, the fish destroyed themselves to eat it. One day he witnessed five fish racing after it. It was fish dope.

stripped fly. I remind anglers that feeding a fish is like the ultimate tease. You cast your fly ahead of a fish and slowly slide it to get the fish’s attention and stop. What you do next is based on what the fish does. If it turns and slides away, the game is over. Do its eyes focus on the bug?

Does the fish approach? If so, a small bump of your fly possibly will get the fish to slowly increase its speed. Oh, he likes it! How about another bump or two? Now the fish is on fire, its eyes are crossed, and it accelerates up

I didn’t understand that level of

to your fly and crushes it.

sophistication until I started to learn to feed laid up fish in clear

What if the fish holds its distance

water. I have fed countless tarpon by

from your fly but continues to follow?

throwing a fly well upcurrent of a laid

Then maybe you just slide the fly

up fish and just allowing the water to

without a bump and then stop it. Two

transport the fly to the fish. Without

quick little taps and the fish starts

even bumping or moving the fly, I’ve

to close the gap. Another quick tap

seen fish just suck it in. Sometimes

of the fly and the fish is now 2 inches

you’ll just see the gills flare open, or

under the bait. Another little bump,

you’ll see its body expand quickly like

still no bite … but he’s right there.

a quick breath. These are tell-tale

Take the fly away from him with a

signs that the fish just ate your bug.

quick 3-inch slide. Still there. Now three quick bumps, and he smashes it.

That kind of refined knowledge and understanding takes years of trial

This crazy game we play with tarpon

and error, and a willingness to think

is a massive pandora’s box filled with

outside the box and take risks with fly

a million whispered secrets, held

patterns.

closely with sealed lips by generations of those whose lives were changed by

46 TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE

animal, Megalops became educated.

the Keys with traditional tarpon flies

May and the new moon in June. The

In the very early years, many anglers

will continue, but the oceanside game

worm lives in sponges and coral. The

weren’t interested in catching

has changed with the insatiable desire

tail section of the worm (called the

these big, stupid fish, but then the

of tarpon eating palolo worms. For

epitoke, which bears reproductive

tarpon became cagey. The tables

years, guides and anglers fished the

cells) breaks off and swims to the

soon turned, and the fish demanded

worm “hatches” around major bridges

surface, where it releases eggs

more foreplay, and the intrigue grew

such as the famous action at Bahia

and sperm. During this tide tens

among anglers who at first were

Honda.

of thousands of epitokes cover the ocean’s surface and attract predatory

unimpressed.

The worm itself exhibits a unique

fish. The front section of the worm

And then, the music changed forever,

breeding behavior during its spawn,

remains in the substrate.

the result of flies and techniques

always at a particular phase of the

related to the palolo worm “hatch.”

moon, which is typically the low

Karl Wagner, a fireman and part-time

The fish caught on the Gulf side of

falling tide just after the full moon in

guide, first learned the two-handed

TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE 47

retrieve from Carl Anderson. Anderson was the first person who I know of who fished for tarpon this way. He was a creative guy and had invented a sought-after casting platform and stripping basket. He also fished with wire for his bite tippet. He was an eccentric guy, for sure, with wild eyes.

Double-hand stripping had been a staple in the Northeast for striped bass for decades, but it was a real eye opener for all of us in South Florida when we heard Anderson was fishing this way (and he was using traditional fly patterns).

I called it stupid. I had been winning a lot of tournaments at the time and couldn’t imagine trying to feed a fish by stripping with two hands. I was manipulating my flies and couldn’t foresee a better way to force-feed these fish. Anderson was determined with his methodology, and in 2002 won the prestigious Gold Cup. (He and Captain George Woods were disqualified from their win two years later due to an infraction during that tournament.)

But it was Karl Wagner who started to use this retrieve with clear-tip fly lines and worm flies, replicating the continuous swimming action of the worm, and the fish responded to it very well. Up to that point, everyone was using a one-handed strip with their worm imitations, and only fished it during the worm hatches. The cat wasn’t out of the bag for a few years.

Wagner tried to keep it under wraps, but the secret finally got out when a couple of his anglers fished with Scott Collins.

Neil Light fished for tarpon with many of the lower Keys’ iconic guides in the early 1980s. He fished the worm

48 TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE

had fire coming out of his ears. Collins’ phone rang. It was Wagner, asking what fly he was throwing. When Collins replied that it was a red one, Wagner read him the riot act.

Collins says the yelling was ferocious.

Collins was a fairly young guide who was soon to dominate the tournaments with anglers David Dalu and Greg Smith. (Collins eventually won eight tournaments, and in 2008 he and Dalu won all three majors, which had never been done before, and then Smith did the same thing shortly thereafter.) They fished the clear water on the ocean side of the Keys. This is where the most sophisticated, demanding fish swim, and around tournament time there are more fish on the ocean side than in the backcountry. They caught everything they threw at, and soon everyone knew they were hatches and eventually purchased his

yet to gravitate to the two-handed

two-hand stripping worm flies, which

own skiff to pursue these dinosaurs

strip, but Wagner was already well

eventually would come to be known

on his own. A passionate steelheader

versed in it, having been using it with

as “doodling.” These guys changed the

in California, Light took some material

what he called his mouse fly, which

course of successful oceanside tarpon

used for steelhead flies and tied a

was tied with a large amount of deer

fishing.

worm pattern with it. The fuchsia

hair. It was a good bug. “The uglier

color he used eventually messed up

the better,” he says. But it wasn’t

Neil Light found the color, Wagner

hundreds if not thousands of tarpon

nearly as good as this newfound gift

refined the technique, and Collins took

for a number of years.

from Ponzoa.

it to the bank. The Fuchsia fly had its day—similar to the Toad fly—but the

Light fished Albert Ponzoa, a long-

Then it happened. Wagner was

techniques of oceanside tarpon fishing

time guide who flew under most

booked, so he had a couple of his

took a new course when these guys

people’s radar, although he was known

other anglers fish with Collins, who

started two-hand stripping worm flies,

by insiders to be one of the fishiest

was open. Collins says fishing was a

which is now the standard method

guys anyone knew. Ponzoa says that

little slow that particular morning,

that most everyone uses. Some of my

when Light tied on his red worm fly,

when his customers pulled a fuchsia-

friends are still holding out, bumping

the fish destroyed themselves to eat

colored worm fly out of their bag.

and tweaking and sliding traditional

it. One day he witnessed five fish

Collins was fishing on an edge to the

feathered bugs.

racing after it. It was fish dope.

east above Wagner. Collins says he couldn’t get the fly back without it

I’m going back to old school this

Ponzoa, who was close to Wagner,

being stuck in a tarpon’s face. “It was

year—at least for a few days. I’ll try to

gave him the bug and told him his

unbelievable,” he says.

entice a tarpon to join me on the dance floor, which once again will cause the

experience with it. Wagner was immediately blown away. Ponzoa had

Watching the exploding fish, Wagner

dopamine to blow out of my ears.

TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE 49

ON THE

PLATE Text and recipes by Jennifer Matsu Photos by Rob Schumske

50 TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE

Frutas del Mar The fly gear is packed, and the journey starts to

excitement and hope as we leave for the flats.

the “Permit Capital of the World.”

Targeting permit is intense: at times we wait to catch a glimpse of what our guide sees at

I arrive in Cancun, quickly gather my bags, and

650 feet, all while trying to calm our breathing,

meet Manny, our driver, who will transport our

heart rate, and trembling legs. Other times, we

crew to Palometa Club. We climb into the van and

jump off the panga as quickly and quietly as

begin our journey down the Yucatán Peninsula. As

possible and run the flats to get the shot. My

we drive farther south, the highway becomes more

favorite words are, “Escuela! Get in the water!”

rural and the jungle more dense. We crack open the

But no matter how much I train, running in

beers and sprinkle Tajín on top of them, doing our

waist-deep water is always the hardest physical

best not to spill them when Manny slams on the

thing I’ve done. The pounding heart, though, is

brakes from freeway speeds to navigate a pothole

compounded by knowing there’s a permit in the

the size of a school bus.

midst.

The bumpy road to Punta Allen is its own

As the day goes on, I wonder how the other

migration—and not one for the faint of heart. But

boats are doing. When we arrive back at the

the decrepit state of the road keeps the town at

club, I hope to see a permit flag flying high

arm’s length against the masses of visitors. On a

on the flag pole to signify a permit has been

decent weather day, we travel by panga to shorten

brought to hand. The evening celebration

the van ride and reach town before sunset.

continues as do the heartbreaking stories, because, you know, permit.

Punta Allen has a timeless feel. Dogs carelessly cruise the dirt roads, and children and families walk

The guides are integral to the experience.

around with smiles on their faces. It’s apparent the

They carry generations of wisdom, experience,

people of this community know they live in a gem

and knowledge about the fishery. When the

of a place. It’s untouched in many ways, with most

guides joined us one evening for a celebratory

visitors being fly anglers in search of permit.

dinner at the club, it was fitting that we had a lobster barbecue because lobstering is an

Arriving at the club feels like returning home. After

important part of their culture and livelihood.

dinner, we start rigging gear in anticipation of the

We enjoyed ceviche de pulpo, grilled lobster,

first day on the water. The first night at the club

and many laughs and stories. We hope you

is always a cause for celebration. The outside bar

enjoy these recipes, which were inspired by my

becomes the hub for stories, which usually have

time at Palometa Club. Sitting in the warm

permit as their antagonists. There’s something

salt air and enjoying a delectable serving of

special about the groups that are brought together

fresh ceviche or grilled lobster is a welcome

by the pursuit of this particular fish.

way to enjoy the close of a day on the flats— or a welcome way to relive salty memories in

As dawn breaks and the coffee is poured, there’s

search of Mexican permit.

TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE 51

Grilled lobster tacos with serrano-mango pico de gallo and Mexican street corn Lobster tacos are a decadent yet simple way to savor the flavors of the sea. The sweetness of the mango paired with the heat of the peppers balances each bite. Mexican street corn rounds out the dish.

Mango Pico de Gallo

Grilled Lobster Tacos

1/3 cup cilantro leaves, minced

Ingredients

1 lb of lobster tails, split lengthwise 2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced 8 tbsp butter, melted 4 tsp lemon juice 1/2 tsp cumin 1/2 tsp ancho chile powder salt pepper 2-3 radishes, sliced thinly for garnish Mexican crema, for garnish

Ingredients

1 cup mango, peeled and diced 1 cup cherry or grape tomatoes, diced 1/2 cup shallots, minced 1 jalapeño, seeded and minced ¼ to ½ of a serrano pepper, seeded and minced 2 limes, juiced 2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced Salt Pepper

Directions

Add all ingredients to a medium sized bowl and gently stir to combine. Taste for salt and lime and adjust as desired.

Mexican Street Corn Ingredients

4 ears of corn, shucked

lime wedges, for garnish

1/2 cup cotija cheese, crumbled

Directions

1/4 cup mayonnaise

Whisk salt, pepper, lemon juice, ancho, cumin, and garlic

1/4 cup cilantro leaves, finely chopped (reserve 2 tbsp for

Heat grill and then melt butter in a small saucepan. into melted butter. Set aside. Prepare lobster tails. Using kitchen shears, cut down the center of the top shell lengthwise. Place lobster tails shell-side down on the hot grill and spoon melted butter mixture over lobster meat.

1/4 cup Mexican crema (or substitute regular sour cream) garnish) 1/2 tsp ancho chile powder, extra for garnish 2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced 1 lime, juiced

Grill 12-16 minutes, depending on size. Flip lobster tails

1 lime, sliced into wedges

for 1-2 minutes to achieve a very slight char. Remove the

Directions

lobster from the grill, remove the meat from the shell,

In a large bowl, combine cotija, mayonnaise, Mexican crema,

and chop lobster into bite-sized pieces. Scoop lobster onto

cilantro, and ancho chile powder. Set aside. Grill corn about

warmed tortillas, top with the mango pico, a drizzle of

8-12 minutes, rotating occasionally until there’s a nice char

Mexican crema, and sliced radish. Serve with a lime wedge

on all sides. Transfer corn to the bowl with cotija mixture

and avocado slices on the side, if desired. Serve with

and evenly coat. Plate corn with a sprinkling of cotija

Mexican street corn.

cheese, chili powder, and cilantro. Serve with lime wedges.

52 TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE

Ceviche de Pulpo (Octopus Ceviche) Ingredients

1 lb fresh octopus, cleaned and rinsed well 1 medium avocado, diced 1/3 cup shallots, minced 1/2 cup tomato, diced 6 limes, juiced 1/3 cup cilantro leaves, finely diced 1 serrano chile, seeded and minced 2 tbsp olive oil 5 lemons, halved Salt Pepper

Directions

Fill a large pot with water. Add enough salt to the water so that it tastes like sea water. Add the halved lemons to the pot. Bring to a boil. To get a nice curl of the tentacles, dip them three times in the boiling water. Gently place the octopus in the boiling water and boil for an hour. Turn the heat off, and leave the octopus in the water for 30-45 minutes, uncovered. Heat a grill. Remove octopus from pot, pat it dry, and place on the grill, periodically turning for 2-3 minutes so that all sides take on a slight char. Remove octopus from the grill, discard the head, and slice the tentacles into bite-sized pieces. Place the sliced octopus into a non-reactive bowl, add remaining ingredients, and gently fold to combine. Serve with corn tortilla chips.

TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE 53

Sweet Simplicity

by Trey Reid A well-stocked home bar opens

of cordials and liqueurs, it’s often

use long before they go bad in

a world of cocktail possibilities.

impractical, leading to nearly full

the fridge. Beyond cocktails, I use

Starting with a foundational pour

bottles being relegated to the dark

them as additions to marinades,

of whiskey, vodka, gin, rum, brandy,

recesses of our liquor cabinets

adding a sweet note to otherwise

or tequila, the home barkeep can

to collect dust. (There’s a bottle

savory dishes, or as a finishing

use other liqueurs and cordials to

of ginger liqueur in our cabinet

glaze on grilled or roasted meats.

broaden the prospects of mixing a

that’s been there since the last

They’re also great as dressings

drink that strikes his or her fancy

millennium.)

for desserts, pancakes, and fruit

or creating one that satisfies even

salads.

the most discerning guests. But

With water, sugar, and assorted

one of the best ways to expand a

flavorings, many of which are

The kids love it when I mix

home bar’s range and capabilities

kitchen staples that are nearly

mocktails in fancy glassware.

is also one of the easiest.

always available, home bartenders

Simple syrups are a great way to

can make an inexpensive simple

build layers of flavors in all sorts

Simple syrups, as the name

syrup that will enhance cocktails

of beverages; they’re fantastic

implies, are easy to make, but

without a trip to the package

additions to teas, lemonades, and

they add complexity and depth to

store. And even though the shelf

many other non-alcoholic drinks.

cocktails, turning a basic home bar

life of a homemade simple syrup

into something that’ll inspire the

is probably not more than two or

To make a simple syrup, mix equal

envy of your drinking companions.

three weeks in the refrigerator,

parts sugar and water, stirring to

you’ll have less than a dollar

dissolve the sugar while bringing

While it’s common to find a home

in ingredients and fewer than

the mixture to a boil. (Using a cup

bar with a few fairly standard

five minutes invested in its

each of sugar and water will nearly

liqueurs on hand—orange liqueur,

preparation, so you won’t shed any

fill a pint glass jar, but scaling up

coffee liqueur, and various

tears when you pour the unused

or down is easy with the 1:1 ratio.)

schnapps come to mind—few of

portion down the drain.

Granulated white sugar is usually

us are going to keep more than

best as a foundation for syrups

a handful in the well. Even if you

I’ve found, however, that I rarely

with added flavors (it boils down

have the wherewithal to fully

waste any of my homemade simple

to a clear liquid), while turbinado

stock the bar with a wide range

syrups because they’re put to good

or brown sugars have deeper flavor

54 TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE

El Santo This is a riff on a cocktail served at YeYo’s in Bentonville, Arkansas. Their original, the Palo Santo, includes tamarind syrup, and they smoke the glass by burning palo santo wood. My version, which carries the name of Santo, the great Mexican luchador and film star, substitutes rosemary simple syrup for the tamarind, and skips the palo Santo ritual (although it’s a nice touch if you want to take that step). Skip the mezcal, and you’ll have a still-delightful mocktail. To make the rosemary syrup, just add five or six sprigs of rosemary to the simple syrup and allow it to steep and cool for 15 to 20 minutes.

Ingredients

2 oz. mezcal joven 1 oz. lime juice 1 oz. pineapple juice 1 oz. rosemary simple syrup Ice Pineapple wedge, for garnish Rosemary sprig, for garnish

profiles and yield an amber- or

kitchen strainer to filter the

a good way to add a sweet burst

caramel-colored syrup.

solids while pouring the syrup

of subtle fruit flavor to cocktails.

into a jar or other container for

Whole spices like cinnamon,

storage.

vanilla bean, and allspice can add

Simple syrup flavors are limited only by imagination and the

mystery and excitement to simple

availability of ingredients. Fruits,

Possibilities are endless. Fresh

cocktails that will leave your

spices, and chiles are popular

herbs make great syrups (mint

guests wondering how you did it.

additions. Just add the flavoring

simple syrup makes quick work of

Experiment and mix flavors; it’s

agent to the boiling sugar water

multiple Mint Juleps if you have

hard to go wrong when making

and let it steep for 15 to 20

plans for a Kentucky Derby party

simple syrups, and you might come

minutes as the mixture cools and

this month). Fruit syrups such as

up with a flavoring agent you can’t

thickens. Then use a fine-mesh

pineapple, blueberry, and lime are

live without.

TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE 55

Sweet Simplicity Hibiscus Mojito There’s a bar called Batey in Tulum, Mexico, that makes multiple versions of the classic Mojito, replacing the lime juice with fruit juices such as Seville orange, watermelon, and passion fruit. Mexico is also known for its aguas frescas, which use various fruits and flavorings to make refreshing beverages that are ubiquitous in taquerias across both Mexico and the United States. One of my favorites is Jamaica (pronounced ha-MY-ka in Spanish), in which the dried flowers of an edible species of hibiscus are used. It has a sweet and tart flavor, almost like a cross between cranberry and grape juices. This version of the mojito uses a simple syrup made from hibiscus flowers. Just add 1/4 cup of dried flowers to the boiling sugar water and allow to cool. It yields a luscious, reddishpurple syrup that contributes to a cocktail that’s both tasty and visually striking.

Ingredients

3-4 mint leaves 1 oz. lime juice 1 oz. hibiscus simple syrup 2 oz. light rum Ice Club soda Mint sprig, for garnish

Directions

Muddle mint with lime juice in a highball or Collins glass.

Add hibiscus syrup, rum, and ice. Top with club soda to fill glass and garnish with a mint sprig (do not stir vigorously or the soda will lose its fizz; just a light jab with a spoon or stir stick will suffice).

56 TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE

Spicy Grapefruit Margarita This is a twist on a traditional margarita with a nod to another classic tequila cocktail, the Paloma. Ruby red grapefruit juice takes the place of a classic margarita’s lime juice, and habanero simple syrup ramps up the heat while also adding sweet notes to cut the grapefruit’s slight bitterness. The glass is rimmed with Tajín, a blend of chiles, salt, and citrus made in Jalisco, Mexico. Make the habanero simple syrup by slicing two or three ripe (orange, yellow, or red) habanero chiles and adding to the boiling sugar water until it cools. Habaneros are hot, but they also have a notable citrus flavor that imparts more than just heat to this syrup and any cocktail you make with it.

Ingredients

2 oz. tequila blanco 1 oz. orange liqueur (such as Cointreau or triple sec) 2 oz. Ruby red grapefruit juice 1 oz. habanero simple syrup Tajín seasoning Ice Lime wheel, for garnish

Directions

Add first four ingredients to ice in a cocktail shaker and shake vigorously. Rim a lowball glass with Tajín by running a lime wedge around the rim and then dipping the glass rim in the seasoning mix. Fill glass with fresh ice, strain liquid from shaker into glass, and garnish with a lime wheel.

Sweet Simplicity

TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE 57

La Vida Seis

by Chico Fernandez

When I came to Miami in 1959,

But times change, and fishing pressure

Despite the increasing pressure, I

bonefishing in Biscayne Bay was a

on the flats and other coastal areas

continued to use my 8-weight rod

dream. Big bonefish, many over 10

continued to increase. It is not unusual

in the flats for bonefish, snook, and

pounds, were plentiful and relatively

today for fish in shallow water to spook

redfish. I used a longer leader on calm

easy to approach, and a good cast

from the fly line in the air, or to be more

days, or I went down to a 7-weight. I

usually got you a hookup. Few anglers

sensitive to the splash of the fly line

still thought of my 6-weight as a fun

were fishing the flats with light

landing on the water. Today’s fish also

light rod for baby tarpon or smaller

casting tackle, and even fewer with

are more aware of terminal tackle—the

bonefish in the Bahamas, Belize,

a fly rod, so fishing pressure was

diameter of the tippet or bite tippet.

Yucatán, and such.

minimal. And it stayed that way for

And in areas where they see lots of flies,

years.

they have become more difficult to fool.

58 TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE

But little by little over the last few

years, that has changed. I started

habit forming. In fact, the 6 is now my

The only limitation to a 6-weight

to use my 6-weight for bonefish,

go-to rod on the flats.

is the size, weight, and bulk of the

redfish, and snook during very calm

fly. So if I want to fish large flies or

conditions. I found that I could cast

Even in windy conditions, I usually

poppers, I’ll use my 8-weight rod or

most of the flies I use for reds and

can still use my 6-weight because

heavier, if necessary.

snook with no problem. Without

I have the advantage of being able

realizing it, the 6 became the rod I

to approach closer to a fish. I just

One morning last year, my friend

used most in the flats. I would have

shorten the leader to about 9 feet to

Rob Muñoz called to tell me that

bet against that a few years back.

make the turnover easier.

he had been finding lots of tailing bonefish on some of the inside flats

Today, whether I’m on a bonefish flat

I also see a difference casting for cero

in Biscayne Bay. And if I could make

or in the Everglades, a 6-weight is

mackerel, small amberjack, or yellow

it, we could still catch the last of the

usually the first rod I use. Paired with

jacks on the reef. The light line with a

outgoing tide late that afternoon.

a 10- or 12-foot leader (depending

long fluorocarbon leader usually gets

Well, you know what happened.

on conditions), and using a light

more strikes. And what fantastic fun

30-pound fluorocarbon bite tippet

it is.

if needed, the combo is deadly. And

A few hours later we arrived at the flat, on a flat-calm, mid-outgoing

TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE 59

tide. Everything looked great, except

The next day we were back—this time

rods, but there is a way out of this. A

I had forgotten my 6-weight. Rather

with my 6-weight, a 12-foot leader,

fast-taper action with its softer tip

than get upset, I used my 8-weight

10-pound tippet, and a No. 4 tan

can provide enough feel while holding

with an extra-long 13-foot leader.

Spawning Shrimp. This time, when I

only a few feet of fly line in the air to

That would do it. We poled for an

made a cast to a tailing fish, I noticed

make the short cast. And its stiffer

hour without seeing a fish. We were

that the fly line, leader, and fly

bottom half still can hold lots of line

floating in less than a foot of water,

landed very softly. It hardly disturbed

in the air to make the long cast. It’s a

and still not a breath of air.

the surface. I started to retrieve, and

good compromise, and it works well.

the bonefish rushed over and took The first few tails appeared at a

the fly. What a difference a 6 makes!

distance, easy to see in the calm

I recommend a fast-action 6-weight, preferably 9 feet in length. If you can

water. As we got closer I could see

I guess I had to learn my lesson one

test the rod (or rods), use a 6-weight

they were feeding so hard that they

more time: Don’t leave home without

line, and make sure that you try to

seemed oblivious to the rest of the

the 6-weight.

make both long and short casts.

world. With newly gained confidence,

Don’t just see how far you can cast;

I tried the closest fish. The fly landed

THE ROD

a bit too far for a tailing fish, but

The essentials for a fly rod in the salt

still the fish exploded and headed for

flats are tough. While maintaining a

An added bonus is that a fast-tip rod,

deep water, spooking several other

good degree of accuracy, it needs to

with its stiffer bottom half, is a big

tailing and cruising fish on the way.

be able to make quick, short casts,

help when fighting large fish.

which requires a softer rod that loads

that doesn’t show you anything.

Subsequent casts brought similar

under the weight of just a few feet of

THE REEL

results. Either they’d spook hard, or

fly line. At the same time it needs to

I want my 6-weight reel to carry

they’d just moved away slowly. And

be able to make long casts while still

about 200 yards of backing and have

the couple of times that they did not

maintaining accuracy; that requires a

a smooth drag. But I also want a light

spook, they wouldn’t even follow the

stiff rod that can hold the weight of

reel. I want the 6-weight outfit to

fly. So after several attempts, I lost

lots of line in the air.

feel more like a 5-weight in my hand,

complete confidence, and we went home.

60 TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE

not like a 7-weight.

It seems like you need two different

A very heavy reel, no matter how

using with these lines are big enough

I may use one or two pieces,

well made, throws the outfit out of

that I can easily see them in the air

depending on the difference in

balance. The result is that you’ll be

while false casting.

diameter between the butt and

conscious of it while you’re casting,

tippet sections.

instead of concentrating on placing

THE LEADER

the fly on your target.

On any size fly rod, I always use

On my six weight, I use 10- or

about a 10-foot leader. In shallower

12-pound-test tippet when fishing for

THE FLY LINE

water or flat calm days, I go to a 12-

bonefish, snook, or redfish, depending

To fish the flats, you have the choice

foot leader, more or less. And on very

on conditions. Sometimes in areas

of using a fly line with a long taper

windy days, I go down to 9 feet or so,

with small bonefish, I may go to

or head, often called bonefish taper,

but seldom shorter.

8-pound tippet, but not often.

taper. The longer taper usually lands

The butt sections of all my leaders

Bite tippet is needed to overcome

more delicately, so it’s great for

are more than 50 percent of the full

the abrasion of snook, tarpon,

tailing fish and longer casts, while

length. In terms of formulas (butt/

ladyfish, and others. While I often

the short taper lines are better for

midsection/tippet), a 55/25/20 or the

use 40-pound bite tippet and even

short casts. But I find both lines will

classic 60/20/20 works well. After

50-pound on my 8-weight and

work in the flats if you know how to

the fly line has turned over, it’s the

heavier rods, on the 6-weight I mostly

cast.

butt section that finishes turning

use 30-pound fluorocarbon. I feel I

or a short taper, often called redfish

the rest of the leader and the fly. The

can usually get away with a lighter

I also use a clear floating line in the

butt section on my 6-weight lines are

bite tippet because I’m applying less

flats. This line is harder for the fish

mostly 30-pound test. I’ll occasionally

pressure with the 6-weight. The great

to see in the air, and often I’ll line

use a soft 40-pound-test mono with

advantage is that—in clear water, at

snook and reds in off-color water and

the heavier redfish tapers to help

least—I get more bites. The downside

not spook them, ending up in a take.

turn over bigger flies.

is that you are more likely to have

But it’s important that you see your

a big snook fray the 30-pound line.

fly line in the air to gain accuracy,

The midsection smoothes the

I’ve yet to lose a big snook on the

and the clear line is often impossible

transition between the fat butt

6-weight because of it, and I’ve taken

to see. So I make sure the flies I’m

section and the thin tippet. Here

snook of more than 15 pounds. But

TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE 61

and occasionally even size 1.

FIGHTING A FISH If you choose to use very light tackle for saltwater gamefish, you should know how to fight fish efficiently.

Long fights often tire a fish to the point that it may die during the fight. Fighting a fish a long time on hot summer days drastically increases the chances that it will die—or that when released it will be too tired to get away from a predator such as a shark or barracuda. It happens all the time.

I feel that it’s the responsibility of all of us who love fishing light tackle to learn to fight fish efficiently.

Basically, you fight him from the butt of the rod and don’t “high stick” the rod. One way to learn to fight fish in a short time is to hire a guide to go shark fishing on the flats with your fly rod. Chances are you’ll hook lots of sharks and get the practice necessary in a day or two. Besides, it’s lots of fun. I still love it.

LIFE WITH A 6-WEIGHT I don’t want to leave you with the impression that I’m only carrying 6-weight rods. I usually carry four rods. There is always an 8-weight or I know it could happen on the next

bite tippet under a foot often gets

even a 9-weight with me when I’m

cast. It’s a compromise, and I’m

you more strikes. A 2-foot bite tippet

fishing the backcountry, and they

happy with my choice.

is also much harder to cast, and

are usually rigged with bigger flies.

many fish will refuse to take the fly.

When I’m fishing a bonefish flat, my

I like to stay IGFA. The International

8-weight may have a larger, heavier

Game Fish Association, of which I’ve

THE FLIES

been a lifetime member for over half

A well-balanced saltwater 6-weight

deeper flats, often while targeting

a century, keeps the world records

outfit, with a long butt section on

mudding fish. My 9-weight and/or

and the rules for fly fishing. I am

the leader, can turn over a pretty

10-weight will have my permit and

very familiar with these rules, and I

decent-sized fly, even flies weighted

barracuda flies, and my 10-weight

believe these are the rules to follow.

with bead chain or small lead eyes,

also doubles as my tarpon rod. In the

So my tippets are over 15 inches long

as well as smaller to midsize poppers

Everglades my 8-weight is usually

and my bite tippets are less than 12

and other surface flies. I often use

rigged with a large 4-inch Marabou

inches. And I’ve found that using a

flies tied on hooks as large as size 2

Madness fly, and my 10-weight

62 TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE

bonefish fly to get it down faster on

usually has my tarpon fly. These rods are in addition to one or two 6-weights.

But if you’re already a fair caster, you’ll find that fishing with a 6-weight is wonderful. Casting is more enjoyable, and a lot less effort than casting an 8-weight all day. The fly lands with a minimum of disturbance, which is deadly in shallow water or against a shoreline.

And you’ll find that even small fish can be lots of fun, while a big fish will give you quite a thrill—and yet you’ll still have a very good chance to land it.

I just love life with a 6-weight, or as we say in Spanish, La Vida Seis.

TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE 63

64 TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE

TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE 65

The Skrimp Shredder

by Captain William Cochran

The Skrimp Shredder came to mind in late 2017 after seeing Drew Chicone’s Tuscan Bunny at ICAST, and then pondering about the design over a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movie (if any fans are wondering, it was The Secret of the Ooze). I liked the idea of it resembling, and acting similar to, stacked deer hair without actually having to go through all of the ridiculousness associated with that process. (Respect to the peeps willing to put themselves through that hot mess.)

The Skrimp Shredder is a very versatile fly that can be tied in a number of sizes. I chose to incorporate mostly synthetic

66 TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE

materials to allow the water to pass around the materials, and focused on the foam for a full “shredding” effect. My first thoughts on species were those mutant Louisiana bull reds, but then I realized it would also work really well on those toxic juvie tarpon ditches of South Florida.

I’ve also found that, when it’s water-logged and stripped rapidly, it even works as a subsurface variant that could be used for a host of other species.

I look forward to seeing what geographical areas it ends up contaminating, as well as all of the species that fall for it in the coming years.

Materials Hook: Gamakatsu SL12S, size 1 Thread: 210 denier, orange

1

Tail: Steve Farrar Blend, brown Butt: Estaz Chenille, Orange Grande Eyes: Commercial crustacean eyes, such as EP Crab/Shrimp Eyes Head: Arctic fox, tan Underbody: EP Wooly Critter Brush, brown or tan Shell: Hareline’s Fettuccine Foam, brown and tan

2

Step 1: Secure a hook in the vise and wrap a thread base from the eye of the hook to the bend.

Step 2: Cut a 3-inch piece of Steve Farrar Blend and attach at the hook bend.

Step 3: Attach Estaz where the Steve Farrar Blend is tied in and take a single wrap to cover the thread.

Step 4: Next, tie in a pair of commercial crustacean eyes. I recommend wrapping your thread up the monofilament stem of the eyes, and then locking in the position by anchoring the thread where you originally tied in the eyes. This will provide more durability out of the preferred position. On the same wraps, tie in an inch of tan fox on top of where you locked in the eyes, and another inch on the underside of the fly.

3

4

Step 5: Tie in a length of EP Wooly Critter Brush, attaching it where the fox is tied in.

5

TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE 67

6

Step 6: Put together 6 strips of Hareline’s Fettuccine Foam, 3 of each color, and tie them in where you attached the Wooly Critter Brush, extending your initial length back to the end of the crustacean eyes, and then fold it back and lock it in with the thread as if you were stacking deer hair. After your first segment of foam is locked down, take the Wooly Critter Brush and make one wrap in front of where you attached the foam.

Step 7: Continue alternating the two materials in the same fashion until you reach the eye of the hook. Ultimately, you’ll end up creating about 3 sections of Fettuccine Foam.

7

8

68 TAIL TAIL FLY FLYFISHING FISHING MAGAZINE MAGAZINE

9

Step 8: I always recommend a weed guard, because I have that kind of luck, but it’s not completely necessary. If you attach a weed guard, it would be ideal to leave about a 3-millimeter gap between the foam and the eye of the hook. Reinforce your thread wraps with an adhesive. I prefer Raidzap UV Resins.

I run a base layer of their Flex, cure it, and then add a layer of Thin for extra protection.

Step 9: Last but not least, trim the Fettuccine Foam. I approach this just as if shaping deer hair using scissors. My first cut is initiated from the eye of the hook, projecting the tip of the scissors at an angle, to the highest point of the first clump of foam we tied in. This will create a gradual taper. I apply this same technique to each side of the fly and then smooth out any edges after I get a general shrimp shape.

Captain William Cochran is a commercial fly tier and fly designer, as well as an Orvis-endorsed guide out of Amelia Island, Florida.

You can reach him through his website: cochsflies.com.

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TAIL TAIL FLY FLYFISHING FISHING MAGAZINE MAGAZINE 69

DEEP DIVE ON THE

CLOUSER DEEP MINNOW

by Pete Barrett

I recently asked my friend Captain

world,” says Captain Brian Horsley of

flies to run deeper—Schmuecker for

Robby Barradale of the Bayshore

Outer Banks Fly Fishing. “This fly is

big trout, Clouser for his beloved

Saltwater Flyrodders what he

simple to tie and is the first fly that

smallmouth bass. Schmuecker

thought about the Clouser Deep

most saltwater fly anglers learn to

started with bead chain for eyes but

Minnow. His short reply speaks

tie. It is easy to adjust colors and

found them to be too light, so he

volumes: “It’s a must-have fly

sizes so the angler can target a wide

added lead to the hollow beads. He

because it catches fish so well.”

variety of fish. In the saltwater world,

realized that was too time consuming

fish from croakers to roosterfish, and

and eventually developed a mold to

Originally designed to fool

everything in between, have all fallen

cast lead dumbbell-shape eyes that

Susquehanna River smallmouth bass,

to Bob’s fly.”

could be lashed to a hook shank.

at home in salt water—surf, inshore,

The Clouser Deep Minnow’s

Meanwhile, Clouser had been

offshore, and the backcountry. Simply

story starts in the mid 1980s.

experimenting with small lead split-

put, the Clouser has caught virtually

Tom Schmuecker of the Wapsi

shot weights but found them hard to

every gamefish that swims.

Fly Company and Bob Clouser, a

keep tied to the hook. When Clouser

Susquehanna River guide and tackle

saw Schmuecker’s lead eyes, he knew

“Bob Clouser’s Deep Minnow opened

shop owner, were traveling on parallel

they were the answer he was looking

new worlds for fly anglers all over the

courses, trying to get streamer

for, and after some further tinkering

over time it has proved to be equally

70 TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE

potential snags,” he says.

and experimentation, the Clouser

It would be a tough job to find a fly

Deep Minnow was born. It’s become

tier, salt or fresh water, who doesn’t

a must-have fly all around the world

know how to tie a basic Deep Minnow,

Most professional tiers and the best

and is popularly known simply as The

but surprisingly many don’t tie the

guides and captains prefer tying the

Clouser.

Clouser correctly. Professional fly tier

Clouser very sparse, and a thinly tied

Brad Buzzi of BuzzFly Products offers

Deep Minnow is a go-to fly for many

The Deep Minnow is a great pattern

this advice: “The eyes should be set

albie addicts. As Buzzi says, “Less is

for spring striped bass. Peter Jenkins

at one-third of the hook length, about

more,” and tens of thousands of false

of The Saltwater Edge in Rhode Island

midway between the eye and hook

albacore fly rodders from Jupiter to

starts off the spring and early-

point. It’s a key part of Bob Clouser’s

Cape Fear to Cape Cod would agree,

summer window for striped bass with

design, and it helps the fly run flatter.

and so do many fly rodders who ply

a standard chartreuse Clouser tied in a

It’s also important to correctly make

the surf.

thin sand eel profile. He fishes it close

the ‘sled’ on the underside of the

to a sandy bottom. “It’s a great flats

fly, which helps it bounce over rough

Perhaps more than any other fly, Bob

fly,” Jenkins says. “I bounce the sandy

bottom and also remain relatively

Clouser’s ubiquitous fly pattern has

bottom for a very realistic retrieve

weedless.”

been tweaked, tuned, and “improved” by a legion of both freshwater

appearance that imitates the natural “When you attach your top and

and saltwater fly fishers; several

bottom bucktail in front of the

modifications can be employed to

I can’t disagree with any of them. I

dumbbell eyes, your thread should

tune a Clouser to specific fishing

believe the Deep Minnow is one of the

only be tied on from halfway between

situations. In cloudy back-bay waters

most versatile flies for backcountry

the hook eye and the front of the

of spring and early summer, I like to

fishing in mid-Atlantic marshes,

dumbbell eye. This forces you to form

tie a much fuller top wing because

creeks, and bays, and down south

a gap that looks somewhat like what

the added bulk offers greater

in Florida’s mangroves and grass

I call the sled. It also keeps the head

visibility and pushes more water.

flats. I have a fly box on my skiff

space small and tapered.”

movement of a live sand eel.”

Although I tie most of my Clousers

dedicated just to Clousers in many combinations of colors, eye (weight)

For durability, Buzzi suggests that the

with the eye positioned about

sizes, and tied both full and sparse.

front thread wraps and the bottom

midway between the hook point and

One of my favorites is the Electric

of the fly (including the open space

the hook eye, as Bob designed it, I

Chicken with a pink tail, chartreuse-

created by the sled) be coated with

also like to move the eye position

over-white wing, and a few strands of

epoxy or UV glue like Solarez. “This will

to get different actions. A more

Flashabou to light it up.

add durability to your fly and will help

pronounced diving action is created

the front of the fly bounce over any

with the dumbbell eye as close to

TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE 71

72 TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE

the hook eye as possible, leaving just

scientific reasoning behind this, but

it forward and lash it to the head of

enough space to lash the bucktail

it works.”

the fly. “Tying smaller Clousers on

and make a neat head shape. This

size-2 hooks, the beads not only add

alters the swimming motion to

Harold Eckett of NJ Saltwater Flies

weight, but the fly has some extra

create a more enhanced up-and-down

ties Clousers with different-size eyes

flash, and on the retrieve when the

diving and jigging action that works

to vary the weight (the lightest being

fly stops at the end of each line strip,

great around docks and bridges, and

bead chain eyes for small bonefish,

the beads collide together making a

along a channel edge. I prefer the

shad and panfish flies, and the

clicking sound, just like live shrimp,”

standard hook position for shallow

heaviest being the lead, tungsten, or

Eckett says. “The mono loop also

areas and grass flats.

brass eyes in various diameters and

helps the fly bounce off underwater

weights. Eckett also has been using

obstructions.”

Robby Barradale uses a unique

a method he picked up from Theo

modification when he’s fishing the

Bakelaar, an acclaimed tier from the

He began using the bead-clicking

quick currents found in the Navesink

Netherlands. Bakelaar demonstrated

Clousers in the surf at Sandy Hook

and Shrewsbury rivers for fluke,

his Clouser variation, tying skills, and

as a way to go deeper and get in

striped bass, and weakfish. He ties a

fly designs while visiting the US for

the strike zone. “On a few occasions

Clouser in tan-and-brown over white

the Atlantic Saltwater Flyrodders Fall

fishing the back of Barnegat Bay,” he

on a 2 to 1/0 hook, and adds a wrap

Classic at New Jersey’s Island Beach

says, “I tie up Clousers in olive-over-

or two of root beer chenille in front

State Park.

white on Mustad 34007 1/0 hooks

of the eyes. “The overall fly is short,

with blood red beads, and this has

only about 2 to 3 inches,” he says.

Eckett ties in a piece of mono along

stirred up a lot of action.” The color

“I think it resembles a weird crab or

the hook shank facing aft and

of the beads can be varied to gold,

shrimp, and the chenille head pushes

continues to tie the Clouser tail and

silver, or any other color to enhance

water, sending out vibrations to

wings as usual. His final step is to add

the visual appeal of the fly.

draw fish in. I’m not sure if there’s

beads to the mono and then bend

TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE 73

Like most any fly, the Deep Minnow can be retrieved in a limitless dance of steady or wildly erratic styles— whatever it takes to get a bite is what works. Bob Clouser’s original retrieve method is based on a snappy little tweak at the end of the strip that he calls the Susquehanna Strip.

In his book Clouser’s Flies (Stackpole Books) he writes: “This technique accelerates and pauses the fly during the retrieve so that when stripped back, it darts like a fleeing baitfish.

With this technique, strikes increase tenfold over a steady stripping retrieve. Cast, and when the fly hits the water, drop the rod tip down to 6 inches from the water and make a long strip of 3 to 4 feet. As you start the strip, bring your arm back along your side. When your hand reaches

74 TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE

your leg, quickly turn your thumb

make a long pull the instant the

all-white as his basic color, followed

rearward to accelerate the strip.

fly hits the water, then pause and

by olive-over-white for sand eels, and

Ending the strip with a speed-up-and-

let it sink a bit, and then begin a

gray-over-white for spearing.

stop portrays the erratic escaping

traditional strip-and-pause retrieve.

movements of a scared baitfish.”

The initial quick pull often gets

No discussion of the Clouser Deep

the attention of a nearby fish and

Minnow would be complete without

“It’s important to remember that

creates a flash or disturbance the

a mention of the Half and Half,

even when the strip action stops,

fish can home in on before striking.

a partnership of materials and

the fly doesn’t,” Bob continues. “The

design qualities that marries Lefty’s

weight of the eyes causes the fly to

Speaking of flash, Bob Clouser’s

Deceiver and the Deep Minnow. It’s

dive downward. The strike usually

original tying recipe calls for a few

a dependable fly all along the coast,

comes at the end of the dive just

strands of flash beneath the bucktail

especially to represent bigger baits.

as the next strip begins.” Many fly

of the top wing. Robby Barradale goes

“In bigger water I use a bigger and

rodders believe the hopping, diving

a step further and ties some Clousers

heavier Half and Half version of the

action is what makes the Clouser

with Steve Farrar’s Flashbend

Clouser and tie the hackles splayed

such an effective fish catcher.

material, and this virtually lights up

like a Keys tarpon fly,” says Peter

the fly. There are many other flashy

Jenkins. “This enhances the profile

Many fly anglers use either a two-

materials to choose from, although

and movement. In June I use a rusty

hand rapid strip or a long and quick

traditional bucktail is always in style.

tan color to imitate squid, otherwise

single-hand pull. For albies, a short

big chartreuse on a 3/0 hook for

pull of about a foot works like a

While the Deep Minnow can be tied

charm, but there are times and

in color and length combinations to

chuck-and-duck casting in the rips.”

places where minimal fly action

imitate a wide field of baits, its ability

Versatility, proven reputation, and

is required. At Montauk and Palm

to represent a sand eel is essential

simple to tie—it’s no wonder Bob

Beach, scant fly action will get plenty

to many fly fishers. Barradale likes

Clouser’s Deep Minnow is so popular.

of bites without the angler adding much action at all to the fly. The most important thing is to get it into the surface-crashing bass or albies, or into the chum slick. If your fly lands in the mass of fish, they’ll hit it and you don’t need a lot of retrieve action.

When fishing a Clouser tight to structure, a short-twitch retrieve of only 4 inches or so on every pull may be best because it keeps the fly in the visual feeding zone of the fish for a longer time as compared with rapid long pulls that quickly dart the fly out of sight of the fish. This works great around docks and bridges at night for Florida snook and for Northeast striped bass.

When working a mangrove or marsh grass shoreline, it can pay off to

TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE 75

76 TAIL TAIL FLY FLYFISHING FISHING MAGAZINE MAGAZINE

HAROLD GIBBS: SALTWATER PIONEER

by Ed Mitchell

Saltwater fly fishing is a wonderfully

casting a fly into the brine happened

highly accomplished waterman with

complex and varied sport with more

in many places along the Atlantic,

extensive knowledge of the marine

than its share of thrills. Its origins in

even if some of the more northern

environment.

the United States go back at least

pioneers are less well known.

to 1850—and probably well beyond—

Exactly when Gibbs first chucked a

although much of the sport’s early

In New England, the most fascinating

feather at striped bass is a bit of a

history is sketchy, with many names,

of these pioneers was a Rhode Island

mystery, but we can narrow down

dates, and events hidden by the

angler named Harold Gibbs. Born in

the date. By the late 1930s, Gibbs’

passage of time.

1886, Gibbs lived the majority of his

reputation as a master outdoorsman

life in Barrington, Rhode Island. He

had spread far and wide. Based on

The most documented portion of

spent his youth in the great outdoors,

that reputation, in 1939 the governor

those early days comes to us from

and those nascent years instilled in

of Rhode Island, William Vanderbilt,

the warm waters of Florida, where

him a deep love of nature, one he

picked Gibbs to be his Administrator

the accomplishments of anglers

would carry with him throughout

of Fish and Game, a position Gibbs

like A.W. Dimock, George LaBranche,

his life. He was a hunter and an

would hold until 1946. In his official

and Joe Brooks are fairly well

angler; some say he was also the

capacity, Gibbs wrote the leading

documented. But one should not

best mink trapper in New England.

outdoor writers of his time about

assume that Florida was the only

Gibbs would also become a leading

hunting and fishing, including his

place where saltwater fly fishing got

authority on birds in his home state,

own saltwater fly fishing adventures.

its start; the novel excitement of

particularly waterfowl, as well as a

TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE 77

In a 1943 letter to well-known

they began to reappear around

gifted at carving, so much so that

angling author Ollie Rodman, Gibbs

1935. At that time Gibbs was on the

his miniatures are prized and highly

exclaimed: “This taking striped

water daily tending oyster beds, and

sought after even today.) Gibbs sold

bass on a fly rod and with streamer

no doubt would have seen these

his waterfowl carvings in several

flies is really grand sport and more

striped bass and become interested

quarters, including to The Orvis

fishermen should know about it.” He

in catching them. So if we pull all of

Company. But rather than ship

went on to report that he had caught

this together, it seems reasonable to

orders to Vermont, he preferred to

300 stripers on the fly that summer.

surmise that Gibbs began catching

deliver them in person. On one of

With that level of effectiveness, we

stripers on a fly sometime between

these journeys, Gibbs came to know

can safely assume that 1943 wasn’t

1935 and 1940.

D. C. “Duckie” Corkran, who was the

Gibbs’ first fly season in the salt.

president of Orvis at the time. At

More likely he already had, at the

There were no saltwater fly rods

some point, Gibbs asked Corkran

very least, a couple of years under his

on the market in the late 1930s,

to develop a fly rod specifically for

wader belt.

but evidence suggests that Gibbs’

striped bass. Corkran turned over

personal efforts in the early 1940s

the idea to his head rod builder, Wes

At the end of the 19th century,

led to the creation of the first one.

Jordan, who was one of the finest

striped bass vanished from the

It’s a fascinating story, and it’s rooted

cane rod builders.

Atlantic coast, and by 1900 they were

in Gibbs’ love of birds. Gibbs had

rare in New England. As a result, it’s

taken up carving wood miniatures

Jordan crafted a rod for Gibbs, and

unlikely Gibbs would have picked up

of waterfowl. (Like everything else

it would become, as best I can tell,

the long rod to pursue them until

he tackled in life, he proved to be

the very first saltwater fly rod ever

78 TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE

built. Gibbs nicknamed it his “Original

broke his first Orvis rod. While that

living in a house that bordered the

Striper Rod.” I believe it was a three-

may seem an unfortunate mishap, in

Palmer River in Barrington, Rhode

piece, 9-foot rod made to throw

retrospect it proves to be a valuable

Island. Less than a mile away was

a GAF line (a 9-weight by today’s

moment for shining a light on Gibbs’

another estuary, the Barrington

standards). Gibbs had Orvis build him

pursuit of stripers on the fly. When

River, and the two streams met at

a second striper rod as well, which I

sending the rod to Orvis for repair,

Tyler Point, a short distance south

believe was an 8 1/2-foot, three-piece

Gibbs wrote an accompanying letter:

of his property, to form the Warren

rod for an 8-weight line. By the early

“I believe your records show that

River. These rivers were Gibbs’ home

1940s Jordan was experimenting with

this is the first rod you made for

waters and his primary striped

a process to impregnate rods with

the taking of Striped Bass in salt

bass fishing grounds. The Palmer

Bakelite, one of the earliest plastics

water, and it has had tremendous

was literally in his backyard—so

made from synthetic components,

use. Our season starts the first of

close, in fact, that Gibbs was able

and it’s likely both of Gibbs’ rods

April, and the last bass is taken

to walk across his property and fish

were of this type. These two striper

along the last of October, and I plan

whenever he felt like it. And as we

rods would ultimately lead Orvis to

to fish morning and night whenever

learn from his letter to Orvis, he was

develop a complete line of saltwater

possible. I doubt if you realize what a

fishing those waters incessantly for

bamboo fly rods and advertise them

‘workout’ these rods get every time

seven months out of the year, mostly

in its catalog. These are also the rods

we fish—continual casting for two or

in low light.

that Joe Brooks would later applaud

three hours at a time, and I average

in his groundbreaking 1950 book, Salt

five nights a week and quite a lot of

The Palmer and Barrington rivers, like

Water Fly Fishing.

mornings.”

small tidal estuaries throughout New England, are more often home to

During the summer of 1946, Gibbs

When Gibbs wrote that letter, he was

school-sized striped bass rather than

TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE 79

weren’t available in Gibbs’ time.

Ever inventive, Gibbs must have realized that a silverside’s stripe would be reflecting the surrounding underwater light, usually making it bluish in color. And so he tied in a strip of blue swan feather on both sides of the fly to imitate the stripe.

Gibbs revised his creation with help from his fishing buddy Al Brewster, a commercial fly tier. Although the fly’s name identifies bucktail as the principal ingredient, Gibbs originally constructed the wing out of white goat hair. But goat hair was not a common material, and the blue swan feather proved less than durable, so a tackle-busting monsters. Yet in that

during the cast, the finish quickly

same 1946 letter to Orvis, we also

wore down, and the lines would

discover that Gibbs was tangling with

absorb water, stop floating, and

some bigger bass as well.

become difficult to cast (especially since stripping baskets were not yet

“Two nights ago, using my second

in use). And catgut wasn’t exactly a

Orvis rod, I landed a Striped Bass that

bargain either.

weighed (the following morning) 15 pounds, 2 ounces; 34 inches long,

In 1946, fly gear was as scarce as

19½ girth,” Gibbs wrote. “To my

hen’s teeth, and so were saltwater

knowledge that is the best fish taken

fly patterns for striped bass. But

on a fly rod and streamer around

for a keen observer of marine life,

here.”

that was hardly an issue; Gibbs simply invented his own. He realized

Landing a 15-pound striper with a

that the most prevalent bait in

cane rod certainly required some

his home waters, and one of the

angling skill, but the rod wasn’t

striper’s favorite foods, was the

the only piece of Gibbs’ equipment

Atlantic silverside. So he designed a

that would seem like a handicap by

fly to imitate it—and today we know

today’s standards. Modern fly lines

that fly as his famous Gibbs Striper

and monofilament leader material

Bucktail.

weren’t on the scene until sometime after World War II, so Gibbs may have

The silverside, as its name implies,

been using an oil-dressed silk fly line

has a mirror-like silver stripe on its

and a catgut leader. Silk fly lines

flank. Today, fly tiers are fortunate

obviously were not intended for salt

to have a wide range of synthetic

water. But regardless of where you

flash materials with which to mimic

used them, they had their problems.

that stripe, but reflective materials

As the line worked over the tip-top

that wouldn’t tarnish in salt water

80 TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE

more practical dressing was needed.

evolved. There’s reason to suspect

gifted renaissance man. His early

The remedy was to remake both

that Gibbs initially built the fly on

saltwater fly fishing adventures

the wing and the blue stripe out of

the strongest hook he had on hand—

encouraged other anglers to pick

bucktail in the same white-blue-white

an Atlantic salmon hook with an

up the long rod, popularizing our

color scheme. A variation of the fly

upturned eye that was treated with

sport and blazing a trail of future

was produced in the 1960s—likely

black Japan (a varnish used to treat

possibilities for which all fly saltwater

at Brewster’s urging—in which the

metals). By the 1950s he had gone

fly anglers owe him a debt of

upper white wing was eliminated to

to a “tinned” short-shank egg hook,

gratitude.

produce a blue-over-white colored fly.

which supplied the size and strength

This variation was meant to match

Gibbs required and was noncorrosive.

Editor’s note: The author extends

juvenile menhaden and juvenile

Much later, he was able to convince

his appreciation for the help

alewives, and that classic color

Mustad to produce a hook with the

and hospitality he received from

combination is still popular with

specific characteristics he wanted

Charlotte and Martin Sornborger of

saltwater fly tiers today.

for the fly; it was sold for a time as

Rhode Island (Charlotte is Harold

the Mustad 3908 ST Kendal round

Gibbs’ granddaughter) and the late Al

bend in size 2/0.

Brewster.

Gibbs liked his fly to ride a 1/0 to 3/0 hook, but as with the fly’s dressing, Gibbs’ choice of hook styles also

Harold Gibbs was an extremely

TAIL TAIL FLY FLYFISHING FISHING MAGAZINE MAGAZINE 81

SEARCHING

OFFSHORE

by Henry Hughes

Nothing, we say, sun-struck and engine-numbed over blue hours.

Sonar, radar, radio, binoculars, the old numbers and hunches.

My teenage son games on his phone, wants to know when we’re heading home— Distant dolphin blow, terns hovering, a splash, a fin—the frothy roil of feeding fish. Golden scimitars slice the sea—yellowfin tuna blasting a baitball in scale-spraying leaps.

One cast and the boy’s on—wild power that wakes a drowsy prince, fast to the run and dive, circling up slowly into the muscled glow of something.

82 TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE

Tail Fly Fishing Magazine congratulates our friend and contributor Jesse Males of Backwater Fly Fishing for winning Movie of the Year at the 15th Annual Drake Fly Fishing Video Awards on March 30 in Salt Lake City. Jesse’s film, The Legend of Casa Mar, follows a group of anglers as they rediscover an incredible Costa Rican tarpon fishery and uncover secrets that the tropical jungle had been hiding for decades. The film also received nominations for Best Cinematography and Best Saltwater Film. It can be seen on the remaining dates of the 2022 Fly Fishing Film Tour or through the F3T’s streaming option.

FLY FISHING MAGAZINE TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE 83

Best Foot Forward

by Joe Doggett Each able-bodied angler has a matched pair of secret weapons. Mine are ample Size 12s.

Stepping from the boat or bank is a great way to enhance any shallow-water experience. And, under proper circumstances, this basic act of putting your best foot forward is effective.

Much is made about fishing from flats skiffs, but the elemental act of wading often gets overlooked. Serious wading is a specialized drill that can apply in many venues, and one that more anglers should be prepared to utilize.

84 TAIL FLY FISHING MAGAZINE

I have been an avid wader for more than 60 years. This soggy stance is the result of a core culture along the bays and barrier islands of Texas.

It evolved during the postWorld War II era as light-tackle anglers refined wading with casting rods and direct-drive reels and artificial lures for speckled trout and redfish.

These purists were called “pluggers.”

And, with cross pollination to fly rods, this remains my school of fishing.

Aesthetics aside, wading maximizes fishing time. You are not sharing a skiff. As enjoyable as spending a day

with a good friend might be, the fly fishing hours in a boat are divided.

The wader is on point the entire session. You are not sitting on the console bench and repeatedly checking your watch, wondering why the minute hand during your buddy’s 30-minute shift seems to go in reverse.

The veteran wader avoids clutter and travels light. The temptation to add unnecessary accessories can become a literal drag.

Most important are well-fitting wading boots and no-nonsense socks. On an expedition to a

remote destination, a heel or toe blister during the first day is a potential trip killer.

Promptly halt to address the situation when a “hot spot” develops (perhaps from a bunched sock or a shell fragment or a neglected toenail). Packing a selection of waterproof bandages and tapes is a lesson worth underlining.

A specialized belt or fanny pack with a secure tackle pouch and a water-bottle holder is another asset. A wide belt serves as a lower back brace for those of us in the Geezer Division. Other flats trappings are standard issue. When it comes to drinking water, be sure to hydrate before bailing.

Wading is a stealth mission.

The low profile and soft shuffle allow an approach that no floating conveyance and its elevated image can match.

The craft itself radiates occasional vibrations from hull slap or bottom contact—not to mention abrupt clunks or clanks caused by careless footwork.

Another major advantage is that the wader can stand firm to effectively work under any gusts this side of a tropical name; in fact, riffles and chops help mask a cautious approach.

On a sighted fish the angler afoot has time to shuffle right or left, closing the distance and improving the angle. Under high-visibility conditions, when the cast

is imminent, there’s no law against easing to your knees.

While this sly maneuvering is going on, the seasoned wader is quietly pulling the trailing belly of shooting line close, reducing surface friction and ensuring that no twisting tangles or fouling weeds are waiting to compromise the encounter.

If wind is not a significant issue, the trailing belly can be eliminated by forming a series of loops pinched under the thumb of the rod hand.

Staggering the loops with a big double-pull followed by several shorter ones reduces the chances of a snarl.

Bottom line—regardless of how the effort is orchestrated, the wader usually has the

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time and mobility to increase the odds of an accurate presentation on that allimportant first shot.

Conversely, the angler in a bouncing wind-blown skiff often is forced to fire a frantic haul from an awkward angle: “Shoot, Luke, or drop your gun!”

Shuffle, shuffle, shuffle is the mantra. Sliding the feet reduces commotion while alerting bottom-hugging stingrays. Trust me: Based on one ill-timed step about a decade ago, the barbing from a “male flounder” is an excruciating ordeal. Shuffling is a solid technique to practice.

Clomping is the splashing signature of a rookie, and a fine invitation to the nearest emergency room.

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When covering an expanse of unproven water, moving at a decent pace is the smart call until you’ve marked some signs of life. In short, don’t waste time sneaking though frog water. Advance until you bump a fish or scatter some bait, then assume the predatory profile.

I like to work in a zigzag pattern, easing from deep to shallow then back out again.

Even if the weaving pattern fails to face much, at least you feel as if you’re doing something clever.

When sight casting, the close water commands serious attention. Focusing way out there is a fine way to walk up the back of a jumbo redfish grumping along at popgun range. If something significant occurs at long

The angler afoot does not have to deal with line racing under a hull or tangling in a lower unit.

But the wader does have two legs to consider. range—a pod of waggling tails or a major blowup—it will be plainly evident. Close fish are the ones that handcuff the wader.

While covering water, the crafty shuffler might turn occasionally and fire a blind cast down his roiling wake. That’s why opportunistic predators follow rays—to feed on crustaceans or minnows flushed by the

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fluttering disturbance. If you want to feel like a real chump after scanning fixedly through the prime 10-to-2 quadrant, try checking your 6 only to see an alarmed XXL bonefish staring up at you.

Maybe I’m showing my hackles, but when I’m briskly wading across an open expanse, not actively fishing but moving from Point A to reach Point B,

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I’ll sometimes point the low rod to the rear and trail a fly.

On a trip to Alphonse Island in the Seychelles, I caught a dandy 6-pound triggerfish and a 5-pound bonefish while wade-trolling across a 200-yard expanse of pancake flat.

A purist companion was aghast: “Well, Doggett, why don’t you just go ahead and put a piece of crab on your fly?”

I think he was a bit uptight; fishing is supposed to be fun.

And style police aside, a fish behind you represents an otherwise lost opportunity.

Regardless of how the fish was hooked, the end game is to bring it to hand. The closequarters wader is in good position to do this. The angler

afoot does not have to deal with line racing under a hull or tangling in a lower unit. But the wader does have two legs to consider. The savvy shuffler in knee- to waist-deep water pivots to reduce profile and leads with one leg. Better yet, he or she eliminates the gap by bringing the feet together.

Standing with legs spread to face the action invites a big fish to scoot between them.

Unless nearby help is available and not convulsing in laughter, there really is no great option when straddling a tight line.

The best way to avoid a onelegged pogo tumble, or worse, a snapped rod, is to try to handline the fish. Santiago, the eponymous protagonist from The Old Man and the Sea, did it, although it took him a while;

maybe you’ll get lucky.

Perhaps the easiest way to break a rod is to get greedy at close quarters and put too much heat on the bending tip.

Raring back with the high stick in a frantic effort to snub the action is an excellent way to do this. Instead, extend the rod hand straight to the rear, canting the rod tip forward to reduce stress. Allow the powerful midsection to take the stress as the beaten fish is drawn within reach. A lean forward cups the leader against curled fingers. If not, back off and try again.

Of course, wading has drawbacks. The primary one is soft bottom. In the tropics, marl comes to mind; along the Gulf Coast, mud or sediment is

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but a proper rod slap sends the audacious rascal on its way; I would be most respectful, however, of anything bigger than 5 or 6 feet finning across the shallows—especially the thick, dark profile of a bull shark. Give the big boy plenty of room, and go about your wade (maybe easing as shallow as possible). Same thing with a large barracuda; there’s no percentage in tempting fate.

an issue, especially in the back bays or lakes with little tidal movement.

Slogging several hundred yards across gooey muck is reserved for rash youth. Back when I was “mobile, agile, and hostile,” I was stoked to give it a go; now that I am on the dark side of 70 and increasingly “fragile, senile, and docile,” I am inclined to give it a pass. The laborious effort might be downright dangerous to anyone with a bad heart. So might an extended session, even over hard bottom.

If the pick-up spot is “right over there,” that sounds okay.

If it’s “way the hell over there,” respect your limitations. During a pre-covid trip to Christmas Island, I embarked with three hard-charging companions on a five-hour wade across the backcountry expanse known as Y Site. After about four hours of pushing water, I was struggling under equatorial

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sun. My friends were stick figures scattered across the white-sand horizon, and the waiting panga was a mere dot—and a Global Rescue helicopter was nowhere in sight. It was a grand vista of bonefish and trigger water— just too damn much of it.

Lack of mobility is another potential setback. If the chosen stretch is void of significant life, you’re screwed.

Better to be poling or drifting to hasten the clock to reach productive water. On an uncertain stretch, minimize the distance of the wade.

Small inshore sharks are abundant in many regions, but the threat of an attack on a wader is virtually nil.

They are prowling for fish, not feet. In fact, numerous shark and ray sightings suggest the flat is teeming with life, which isn’t a bad thing. A curious 3-foot blacktip or lemon might meander close,

Various species of jellyfish and sea lice can be annoying and potentially painful, leaving itching or burning welts. Throw in assorted melanomas, and long pants are a wise choice.

During the warm-water months along the Gulf Coast, a flesheating bacteria infects a few

waders and/or swimmers each year. It’s called Vibrio vulnificus. It contaminates through open wounds, often in stagnant water, and people with poor immune systems typically have worse outcomes after picking it up.

Vibrio is serious; it can cost a miserable hospital stay, even an arm or a leg—or a life. The symptoms occur within hours, and it spreads rapidly. But infections are extremely rare.

Tidal currents are the greatest risk. Free-running passes are dangerous, as the flow is constricted and accelerated.

And the dropoff edge is often abrupt. One step and you are styling across waist-deep sand; the next bold advance finds a

hat-floater channel.

Be wary of attempting to cross any dark green “gut” unless the bottom contours and tidal fluctuations are understood—waist deep might become neck deep within several hours. The serious angler is encumbered with heavy boots, maybe stingray/ gravel guards, a big belt, and at least several hundred dollars of awkward tackle.

We’re not talking about a casual swim in a lap pool. If a frantic toe-touch fails to find bottom, it’s easy to choke. And amid flailing arms and rising panic, if the depth is a foot overhead, you might as well be in the Mariana Trench.

Near any treacherous

channel (the gaping maw of San Luis Pass on the west end of Galveston Island, Texas, comes to mind), donning a personal flotation device is wise insurance.

But with good judgment, most saltwater wading is very safe.

They don’t call ‘em “flats” for nothing.

The reward of wading is the simplicity, the lack of high-tech support systems—the one-onone elemental contact. An echo of the swashbuckler remains in the go-it-alone wader, and the secret thrill is this: Wading makes the most of each encounter.

Even routine fish become larger than life. And so, too, does the day on—or in—the water.

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THE UNDERTOW

The Caster I’ve Never Seen

by George Roberts Conservatively, I’ve taught hundreds

After many years of teaching fly

cast and a troubled forward cast. Not

of private fly casting lessons

casting, I know to expect that

only has this person never arranged

over nearly 30 years. If you count

when experienced fly anglers book

for a lesson, but I’ve also never seen

seminars, the number of students

a casting lesson or sign up for a

this person at the casting pool at any

I’ve worked with might be in the

seminar, they invariably will have

of the fly fishing shows I’ve attended,

thousands. I say this not to impress

problems with their back cast and

nor have I run across this person

you, but rather to impress upon you

problems with their forward cast as

while fishing.

that I’ve seen a bunch of fly casters—

well. This is very predictable. I know

all ages, sexes, and levels of ability.

before we meet I’ll be seeing a flawed

In my teaching I’ve placed much

back cast and also a flawed forward

emphasis on the importance of

Teaching fly casting is not a one-

cast. The problems might vary a bit

the back cast to the entire casting

way street. The lesson is not simply

from angler to angler, but they will be

sequence—particularly in regards to

me spewing pearls of wisdom at

there—both in the back cast and also

distance casting. I did not adopt this

the student and punctuating each

in the forward cast.

attitude by chance. It was bought

with a resounding: “Thus spake

and paid for over a number of years

Zarathustra!” The students teach me

None of this should come as a

of countless hours spent on one field

as well. In fact, virtually everything I

surprise: Fly anglers take instruction

or another as I toiled to iron the kinks

know about teaching fly casting I’ve

specifically to work on problems in

out of my own cast.

learned from students, and every

their cast. However, there is one fly

student has probably taught me

angler who has never contacted me

The vast majority of fly anglers fail

something about fly casting. Among

for casting instruction, and his or her

to see that the back cast and the

the most important things I’ve

absence from my roster of students

forward cast are really two sides

learned from a student was taught

is noteworthy—sort of like the dog in

of the same coin. Any problems

to me by a student who didn’t show

the Sherlock Holmes story that does

that exist in the back cast will be

up for a lesson—ever.

nothing in the nighttime. The caster

somehow reflected in the forward

who has never shown up for a lesson

cast. Yet these anglers are fixated on

is the caster who has a solid back

trying to deliver a long line; that is,

This sounds cryptic, so let me explain.

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they give most of their attention to

later. As with every student I’ve ever

increment of their cast). In time, this

the forward cast.

met, there are issues with his back

student will have burned the muscle

cast. So that’s where the instruction

memory of a good back cast into his

In the late Mel Krieger’s instructional

is going to begin—and end. That is,

arm. He will be able to load the rod

video titled The Essence of Flycasting

we’re going to work only on his back

properly and unload it abruptly to

II, there’s a segment done with Steve

cast.

effortlessly unroll 40 feet of fly line

Rajeff. This is the best footage I’ve

straight behind him. On command,

seen of Steve Rajeff’s back cast,

The most important exercise I’ve

he’ll be able to unroll high back casts,

and this alone is worth the price

developed for distance casting

medium back casts, and low back

of the DVD (which is still available

entails making a single back cast

casts. And he’ll be able to do this

for purchase). Steve Rajeff is a

in the off-vertical plane from the

consistently—that is, his worst back

tournament caster, and I don’t

open stance with approximately 40

cast will get the job done.

pretend to know anything about

feet of line outside the rod tip. The

tournament casting, but I can tell

student makes a single back cast

When I’m convinced that this student

you that Steve Rajeff’s back cast

and observes it as it unrolls behind

can now make good back casts

is as close to perfect as any I’ve

him and falls to the ground. Within

standing on his head and in his sleep,

seen. In the video Rajeff talks about

this smallest possible increment

I’ll call an end to the experiment and

the amount of work he put in to

of the entire casting sequence we

ask to see the results. That is, I’ll

developing a good back cast. As I

can address all of the student’s

ask the student to show me his long

said, I don’t know anything about

major issues and work on all of the

cast. Remember that he hasn’t been

tournament casting, but I know

important fly casting principles.

allowed to practice his forward cast

enough to know that fly casting

at all. The only time he’s been allowed

tournaments are decided by the

The instruction will be conducted

to make a forward cast is when he’s

delivery. So for Rajeff to spend the

in a number of lessons over several

gone fishing (and I don’t know, or

entire interview talking about the

months, but when we meet, we’ll

care, how often that’s been).

importance of a good back cast is

work only on the back cast. This

something of which the rest of us

student is going to be expected to

So what do you think his long cast

should take note.

practice regularly between lessons,

will look like now compared with the

but his practice sessions will be

baseline video? Do you think his cast

For you fly casting geeks—in

limited exclusively to the back cast

will still be stuck at 65 feet? Also,

particular, for those of you who

as well—that is, he won’t be allowed

what will his overall cast look like?

enjoy spending your evenings on

to practice his forward cast—or

Will it be symmetrical, or will he

pretentious internet forums reading

anything else—at all. If he wants to

have a solid back cast and a troubled

posts about the physics of fly casting

make a forward cast, or a haul, or

forward cast? In other words, do

written by people who are not

anything else, he can do that when

you think the experiment will have

trained physicists—here’s a thought

he goes fishing. When he goes fishing

produced the fly caster I have never

experiment to ponder:

he can do whatever he wants, but

seen…?

whenever he’s practicing he’s allowed Imagine a casting student comes to

to work only on the back cast with 40

My point is this: I’ve never seen a

me for instruction—specifically, he

feet of line outside the rod tip.

great fly caster who did not have a

wants to add distance to his cast.

great back cast, and I’ve never seen a

He’s been working hard at it for a

With instruction and regular practice,

fly caster who had a great back cast

while, but his long cast is stuck at

this student’s back cast will improve.

and only a mediocre forward cast.

about 65 feet.

I know this because I’ve seen it in

They may exist, but of the thousands

the handful of students who were

of fly casters I’ve watched, I’ve yet to

I’m first going to video this guy’s long

willing to put in the work (frankly,

see them.

cast to get a baseline and to have

most fly anglers don’t have the

something we can use for comparison

attention span to focus on a single

Thus spake Zarathustra!

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