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When Trade Winds Shift
On a typical day in May, there are the normal trade winds from the southeast. These blow, usually between five and 15 knots and help keep the climate bearable as the temperature rises. One grows accustomed to this pattern, particularly if you are inclined to be on the water. For a backcountry fisherman, this means…
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Be Prepared
The tides were right, wind and weather too. I was on the kayak heading out to catch the afternoon incoming. I was thinking about tarpon, but in my mind I knew the the grass flats near the tarpon ground might hold redfish, even though I had not seen them on the times I fished that…
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Yet another reason to love fishing…
So I’ve been away from the salt for a little while. Since the last time I wrote I’ve been on the kayak, scared some small tarpon, hooked four of them, landed three. The cost was one smart phone (on a side note, the life proof works… I watched the screen sink into the darkness a….…
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Do It Yourself Bonefishing, a review
Rod Hamilton is an interesting guy. A former professional something or other, but that is not important, what is important is what he does now. Rod is living the dream, for the past several years he’s spends three to four months traveling around the Caribbean chasing bonefish. I don’t know if he calls it research…
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Summer Tarpon, story continues
When tarpon roll, there is subtle disturbance, not a great ripple like following a barracuda strikes at a school of baitfish. The tarpon slips out of the water, takes in a breath of air and slides back into the water there is little more than a distinctive gulping sound and a small ripple left as…
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Keys Summer Tarpon
The tarpon is one of the greatest fish that swims past the Florida Keys. Annually thousands swim past, around and through the warm, tranquil waters in one of nature’s great animal migrations. These creatures have made this journey since the oceans receded and exposed the Keys. Since the 1800s anglers from around the world travel…
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Another reason to love the Keys
As if you needed more. Another lousy day in paradise. Out on the kayak in the afternoon and chased down this fellow. Not to bad for a Lower Keys Redfish. He fell for my not so well placed but enticingly stripped Merkin. Once I spotted him and moved the kayak into position, I threw the…
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Stories from Big Pine Key; Going to Church
I went to Church this morning. Perhaps it was the nun from high school English who compelled me to go. In this case, however, my church is the one that Tom Brokaw talks about. “If fishing is a religion, Fly Fishing is high church”. And so it was today. I got up and headed to…
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Thomas McGuane and Bonefish from Sports Illustrated, 1972
Here is a story by Thomas McGuane from 1972. It’s an oldie but a goodie. This one is for bonefish what the Longest Silence is for Permit. He really captures bonefishing in the Keys. I like his thoughts on the mind of the fisherman who takes to the flats after bonefish, the impact of the…
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Cigars and bones, early morning fishing at the entrance to Pearl Harbor.
When I think of some of my best times on the flats, more than just snap shots of fish and places come to mind. In particular, it’s more a movie, or series of events all running in front of the backdrop of fantastic locations, sights and sounds. Add the smoke of a good cigar carried…
Bonefish Zen 