Saltwater Flies of the Southeast and Gulf Coast

Saltwater Flies of the Southeast and Gulf Coast(Amato Publishing 2011)is the sequel to the highly acclaimed and popular Saltwater Flies of the Northeast. This latest project by author, Angelo Peluso covers the geography from the Carolinas to the Texas Gulf Coast. The focus of the book is fly patterns and their development throughout that entire region. The book will present approximately 360 of the best saltwater fly patterns, representing more than 100 fly tiers, captains, guides, club members, shops and outfitters. The list of contributors includes some of the most well known contemporary tiers as well as a number of exceptional amateur artisans. The work is being designed as a functional, comprehensive "bench" resource book of significant saltwater fly patterns developed and used in the Southeast and Gulf Coast for all primary game fish, flats, inshore and offshore. Images of the specific fly patterns have been achieved through high-end professional digital photography. Every effort has been made to portray the flies in a manner that will offer significant differentiation from those images that appear in other fly tying publications. A unique studio set was created to achieve these desired results. The book will also include the unique artwork of a very prominent and talented Florida fish artist. This unique art form has never before been paired with fly patterns. SWFSE&GC will also include a collectoin of informative vignettes and essays. No matter where you fish the flies in this book will help increase your angling effectiveness and efficiency. If you love to fly fish and are intrigued by flies, this volume is destined to be an essential part of your arsenal. Saltwater Flies of the Southeast and Gulf Coast is scheduled for publication mid to late 2011. To a reserve a first edition copy and to receive updates simply send an email to apdotcominfo@aol.com with SWFSE&GC in the subject line. Thank you. AP

Mid Summer Report

Well…this week’s fishing scene finally forced me to tie on a bite tippet. There are just too many bluefish around and not enough time to tie replacement flies for all the ones they destroy. The beaches of the Sound, the beaches of the south shore and all offshore locations on both sides of the island are packed with our favorite yellow-eyed devils. North-side bass seem to have temporarily abandoned the shallows in favor of deeper haunts but early morning and nighttime excursions have yielded some nice fish for fly and light tackle fans. Before the last blast of tropical heat many of the backwater areas off the Sound had reached temperatures of about 80 degrees. And it is only going to get hotter. That level of water warmth is more conducive to bonefish, snook and redfish, so the stripers as well as the bait sought cooler water. The south shore bass bite continued at a solid pace with massive hordes of bunker spread out from west of Fire Island Inlet out to Shinnecock Inlets. This past week big bluefish in the 12 to 14-pound range found the bunker and most often beat the bass to the bait. Light tackle angers have been enjoying that action. While bluefish and fluke continue to dominate the daytime programming inshore, bass have settled into their mid-summer feeding patterns. It’s been flies and plugs at first and last light and under the blanket of darkness. Mostly school-sized bass in close with a few teen-sized fish. Bait dominates right now on offshore structure. About this time in the season my thoughts begin to turn to the arrival of Atlantic bonito to the shore of Long Island. The bait and water temperatures are conducive to attracting these pelagics once again so keep your eyes peeled for these hydrodynamic rocket ships. They are one of the finest fly and light tackle game fish that visit our area. Stay tuned.

Montauk Tackle Company Fishing "T"

Two pieces of fishing apparel that I consider essential for rounding out my fishing arsenal are a lucky hat (aren’t all fisherman superstitious?) and a great long sleeve tee-shirt; a technical “T” as those anglers in the know refer to them. I have a clothing dresser full of those shirts. That all started with my days fishing in Alaska where my wife would comment that all the fish in the photos looked the same and I always had that same dumb (she meant lucky) hat on. All of my Long Island-based exploits were always met with the same reaction, so I needed to differentiate from among the fish in the photos. My solution to the dilemma: different fishing T-shirts. But now I have acquired a shirt by the folks from Montauk Tackle that is so good all I want to do is wear it on all my trips. You can well image the confusion that will once again create with my fish photos. I can hear it now, “How do I know that isn’t the same fish in all those photos. You are always wearing that same green tee-shirt.” Yes, I am guilty! Truth be told I’ve worn the Montauk Tackle “T”on fifteen consecutive fly-fishing trips this spring. That shirt, my lucky hat and some terrific sand eel flies did a number on early season stripers, and I simply refused break up the outfit. I was afraid not to wear the shirt for fear of also breaking the good spell that I was under. Actually, I was wearing the tee so much my wife had to remind me to… “take it off and wash it before it stands up on its own." She was right but so was I since the shirt even in its unwashed state was the most comfortable, durable and functional fishing tee I’ve worn. The Montauk Tackle “T” shirt wears well, does an excellent job of wicking away perspiration and washes nicely (I eventually gave in) with virtually no shrinkage or color fade. I will be inclined to wear it throughout the entire spring months, cool summer mornings and in the fall. All in all it is a very fine product, competitively priced, starting at $24.00. For further information you can check out the tee shirts and the entire line of outstanding Montauk Tackle products at MontaukTackle.com

Oh, one final thing, my solution to the inevitable, “That’s the same shirt in all the photos, so how do I know it isn’t the same fish?” is to buy one “T” in all the colors they offer. That should do it!

Productive Spring Stripers

This spring’s productive fly and light tackle fishing continues at a strong pace. Solid reports filtered in throughout the entire week with no signs of the action letting up. If anything, the way the bait is shaping up should signal even better fishing days ahead.
This week alone bass were found sipping sand eels, chasing spearing, chewing on bunker and herding massive schools of porgies to the surface. The porgie-fest occurred in the Sound and anglers lucky enough to be there when it came off were treated to hours of aggressive bass to twenty pounds smashing top water plugs. Now if that action doesn’t set the stage for some fast paced fly and light tackle fishing nothing will. Most of my time on the water this past week was around evening and early morning tides with some decent results with bass and blues. The highlight of those outings was during the weekend while I was roaming around a north shore beach during an early afternoon tide. With fly rod in hand I was picking away at bass on a sand eel pattern. On the way back to my truck I stopped at one last spot and tied on my hybrid ‘Creature Fly. My fly must have landed at precisely the right spot and at the right time since four fish ate it on four consecutive casts. Two of the bass were over 35-inches. On the Boga, one was 18 pounds, the other 16 1/2 pounds! The last of the four hit like a freight train and after more than fifteen minutes of tug-of-war, I got to see it. It was a bit more than the size one hook cold handle. The fish rolled on the leader and it was bye-bye. Best bass of the day! But at least I got the best of it. Sometimes it just pays to try one more spot! And I am definitely tying up a few more of that pattern! Stay tuned.

Long Island Striper Fishing Gets Hot

It didn’t take any magic, crystal balls or alchemy to predict that last week would yield a solid bounty of fish all around the Island for many fly and light tackle anglers. The presence of bunker, sand eels, spearing, grass shrimp and crabs, combined with the building new moon phase, cloud cover and low barometric pressure all worked to pop the lid on the local fly and light tackle scene. One of the seasonal guideposts I use to gauge saturation of fish in local waters is when good numbers of bass and bluefish reach central Sound areas…and that they did this past week in solid numbers and size. The low pressure phase of the week yielded the best results as evidenced by this week’s array of reports. Based upon my own personal sampling of the opportunities there are tons of small bass around in the 20 to 27-inch range and a solid core of keeper-sized fish that have been falling to flies and other artificial baits. Slim Deceivers, elongated Clousers and any variety of sand eel patterns have been getting it done. Keep the retrieves on the slow side and try a change-up or off speed retrieve every once in a while. You’d also be amazed at the number of bass taking flies that are being inched along right off the bottom. On the light tackle side of the equation, the hot bait of the week had to be light bucktails tipped with small soft plastic trailers and freshened with scent. Fish are both in backwater areas as well as inlets, harbors and off open beaches.

Captain Vinny Catalano of JoeyCCharters.blogspot.com logged in to let us know that it is happening big time for his charters. He advises that, “For the past week or so I’ve been waiting for the bite to bust wide open with the amount of sand eels and bunker around. It was only a matter of time this week coming up to the new moon; finally, the bass bite has been epic! According to Captain Vinny, many of his trips saw 20 to 30 fish days, “…with lots of big fish in the mix in the mid to upper teen range.” All fish were taken on both fly and light tackle spinning. Vinny has also been spotting some of the first signs of fish on the flats but that fishing has not yet materialized due to conditions made tough with wind and thunderstorms. Captain Vinny expects this coming week to bring more rolling bass in the mornings and increasing sight fishing opportunities on the flats for the rest of May and June.

I also heard from fellow flyrodder, Larry Winston who recently returned from fishing down in Bonito Springs, Florida. While Larry reported a severe winter snook kill in that part of Florida his welcome back to Long Island included a few very productive trips for spring stripers. Larry has been fishing some East End flats and been doing very well on bass. According to Larry, “I've managed two sight fishing trips on local flats since I returned and was only held back by poor sighting conditions and the two day ‘hurricane’ that just ended. The fish I have been seeing are big and hungry and also all covered with sea lice.” Larry’s two best fly rod fish so far have been a 37-inch, 19 ½ - pound bass he I got on a streamer fly of his own design, and a 32-inch, 11-pounder. He added that he has only caught three fish under 28-inches since he’s been fishing the flats.

Joe Cravata from J&H Fishing Outlet also touched base to let us know there were reports of bass and blues at Jones Inlet by the Coast Guard Station. According to Joe, those fish were taking Lefty’s Deceivers and sand eel patterns, olive over white. Joe added that there were also bass at Moriches Inlet and along the east jetty…“The east side flat have has also been producing. These fish were taking large bunker flies on sinking lines the flats by Sayville have also been producing.” Over on the North Shore Joe reports bass and blues in Northport Harbor, Sunken Meadow, the mouth of the Nissy, the Brickyard, and along the open beaches from short Beach and Long Beach to Porpoise Channel and Stony Brook Harbor. A variety of Deceiver and sand eel patterns are seeing the most action. Andrew from J&H reports that AJ Forzano has brought in a nice selection of saltwater flies to the shop and that they have also received a solid array of freshwater flies. Andrew would like readers to know that the shop’s fly rod selection is growing: St. Croix fly rods have been delivered, as well as a full selection of Cortland rods and reels; any G Loomis rod is available to be ordered. Call 631 244 0600 for further information and shop hours.

Captain Danny Reich of NYCFlyFishing,.com tells us that J-Bay was hot again this week. According to Captain Danny, “I'm happy to say I was right about the fishing getting better with the weather. This week has seen a new push of bass, crystal clear water, and great fishing.” Danny added that the best part of the fishing was that for the entire week he didn’t lip a fish under 24 or 25-inches. “Most of the fish caught were in the 26-inch range, with some in the low and mid 30s, and up to about 40-inches. All fish were eating the fly really well, and many times we could see 2 or 3 fish competing for the fly.” As far as bait goes Danny advises that there are immature spearing around as well as, adult bunker. He expects a solid push of sand eels in the next week or so.

Captain Paul Peluso of Momma Mia Charters emailed to let us know that he has been taking light tackle bass in the Moriches area on bucktails. Tuesday morning saw 6 bass come to the boat with 3 keepers. On Wednesday, he netted a couple more linesiders with one keeper. Captain Paul indicated that Wednesday’s outing also found him in the midst of a major league bluefish blitz.

Fishing should only get better from here!

Legacy of Respect

by Angelo Peluso

The opening scene in the movie adaptation of James Fennimore Cooper’s, “The Last of the Mohicans” is a revealing simile for those of us that share a love of the outdoors, especially fishing and hunting. The setting is the mid-1700s somewhere in the Hudson River Valley, a river that today gives life to many of the striped bass that northeast anglers are fortunate to catch. Back then majestic elk roamed the woods and were a valued source of food and clothing. As this scene unfolds Nathaniel Poe, better known as Hawkeye, sets his musket sights on an elk running through the thick woods. He fires the long rifle and Hawkeye remains true to his nickname - the elk crumbles. Poe and his two Native American companions rush to the side of their harvest. Upon seeing this great animal in death a somber reverence envelops the three hunters. Chingachgok pays homage, “We are sorry to kill you brother. We do honor to your courage and speed, your strength.”

Our Native American cultures all shared a belief that none of us can ever really own the land or that which cohabitates the land with us - “We just borrow it briefly from our children.” Interestingly, there is no term in Native American language to describe owning anything within the natural world, including the earth’s natural resources and its fish. Having spent a considerable amount of time fly-fishing the waters of Alaska I have been influenced by those traditional values and relationships between the first inhabitants of North America and the fish and game they pursued for survival. With respect to fish, they continue to demonstrate a deep and abiding reverence for the salmon they harvest. Simply put, they honor the fish they catch and take only what is needed to survive. Theirs was a quest was for survival, while today we participate in fishing and hunting mainly for recreation and sport. But our actions as sportsmen should always embrace respect toward the quarry we pursue.

I’ve had cause to reflect upon those values recently while perusing the pages of several fishing magazines and various on-line fishing websites. In one instance I was deeply moved to witness what I can only describe as the ultimate “hero conquest” photographs of images depicting a disturbing and unfortunate trend. There before me on those pages were images of numerous, large striped bass. These were not mere twenty-pound specimens; the bass were exceptional examples of their species, collectively ranging in weight from forty to sixty pounds and all taken on the same fishing trip. While their proportions were impressive, the most remarkable thing about this photograph was the fact that all the fish were dead! In some images the fish were arranged and photographed in a manner that depicted pure carnage and slaughter. In the course of one week I counted more than one hundred such chest-pounding conquest images. Most seasoned anglers reading this know the type of bass they were; big breeders, the ones brought to the point of extreme depletion in the 1970s. The ones whose demise lead in part to the precipitous decline in striped bass stocks throughout the entire northeast. The ones whose magnificent genes will no longer flow among the critical biomass.

Those photographs and other similar images don’t convey the kind of reverence we should show a great sport fish, particularly one that gives so many much enjoyment. Beyond the simple images, the words used to describe these modern day conquests are equally as unappealing. While our Native American brothers used words like honor and respect and courage to express their sentiments toward the fish and game they harvested, captions that accompany these dead striped bass photograph typically include words like, hammered and slaughtered, drilled, bailed, pounded, slammed and massacred. I often wonder if you don’t respect the fish you catch how can you ever expect to protect and preserve them?

While I choose to practice catch and release I am not at all opposed to keeping one’s necessary limit of fish. But to kill large bass simply because the limit affords the opportunity seems a bit archaic. And above all else just how much fish can one eat! Unless some of these anglers are provisioning third world nations, my guess is that a lot of those big fish fillets eventually wind up in dumpsters! The neighbors or the pets simply can’t eat that much fish either!

Most, if not all, of the fishermen I know release the vast majority of their big bass. They enjoy the tastier meat of smaller fish, and there is less fat tissue in those fish to capture harmful pollutants and contaminants. I will admit, there was a time in my distant past when a measure of a successful fishing trip was a stringer of dead trout or largemouth bass, or a limit of bluefish. I suspect that if you are over the age of forty-five or so, the same can be said of your fishing experiences. As I look back on those days and the photographs in my albums, they are stark reminders of a time when we simply didn’t know any better. It is not that anyone tried willingly to do any harm to fish populations. That simply was simply the way it was.

Enlightened organizations like Trout Unlimited and BASS began to change that mindset by aggressively promoting catch and release fishing. The practice was quickly embraced by their membership and spread throughout the ranks of freshwater fishermen everywhere. It became an accepted approach to fishing. There was a realization that a live bass or trout was a much more viable and economically profitable commodity than a dead one. It even became the basis for what are now internationally recognized tournaments. Early on, saltwater organizations like Save Our Stripers also worked to spread the gospel of sound conservation. Unfortunately, the results of those efforts were overshadowed by the striper’s demise. With the changing times, we now have entities like Stripers Forever, the Coastal Conservation Association and the Fisherman’s Conservation Association that work to herald the need for forward thinking resource management practices. Yet, there still remains a lag between those developments and the willingness of some recreations angers to embrace sustained catch and release practices in saltwater for trophy fish.

I can vividly recall the garbage-can loads of bluefish during the height of their population numbers in the 1970’s and 80s at just about any major launch ramp along the northeast coast. Given the astronomical numbers of bluefish around at the time, most folks believed it a limitless resource. It didn’t take long for us to realize that was far from the case. While bluefish saved the day for inshore anglers during the bass drought, they themselves were in the same danger of having their numbers drastically depleted. Many had even wondered if their populations had reached the point of no return. Some have even suggested that those populations may once again be approaching the danger zone. And let us never forget that devastating decline of striped bass could happen again. We need awareness, sound conservation measures, better science and a more sporting perspective toward our game fish. We need more saltwater recreational anglers thinking like their freshwater counterparts…limit the kill for there is no need to always kill your limit.

While there are substantial numbers of striped bass in our coastal waters today, my synthesis of many of the current striped bass population statistics leads to an observation that the last three years has seen a more than 26% reduction in the biomass of spawning female bass with a corresponding approximate 17% reduction in the numbers of migrating coastal stripers. While no one has quantified the effects on the bass population of the harvesting truly large trophy bass over the forty to fifty-pound mark, I think those referenced photographs speak volumes.

Today we are a lucky lot to enjoy some of the most prolific stocks of sport fish ever to which we can cast our flies and lures. But with that privilege comes an enormous responsibility to ensure that future generations will continue to share in the bounty. Perhaps we should all think about that the next time a magnificent striped bass or other great game fish honors us by eating one of our baits. Experience the immense satisfaction of seeing that remarkable creature swim away for others to enjoy.

Fundamentals of Fly-Fishing the Surf

If you are interested in exploring the exciting world of saltwater fly fishing you may want to consider joining Angelo Peluso for a unique fly-fishing class. Instruction will take place at selected beach locations where the fundamentals of fly-fishing will be taught in an informal and conversational setting. The basic program is geared toward the new or intermediate fly angler with customized sessions available for more experienced anglers. With almost forty years of fly-fishing experience under his wading belt, Angelo has a wealth of information to share with students attending his classes. Topics covered include: Rod and Reel Selection; Casting; Retrieves; Line Selection; Leaders/Knots; Fly Selection; Essential Gear; Reading Water; Tactical Wading; Elements of Structure; Tactics for local game fish and Beach Safety. Individual and group sessions (up to four participants) are available, and can be structured to meet any specific needs or interests. The full program runs three hours. Specialized hourly classes can also be arranged to meet specific needs, interests or time constraints. Individual instructions as well as small group (4) sessions are available. If you want to cut down the learning curve and quick start your fly-fishing game this may be just the ticket you need to get into ‘fish on the fly’ this season. Angelo’s popular and comprehensive guidebook, Fly Fishing Long Island, is also included as part of the class material. For further information and rates please contact Angelo directly at SaltyFlyLIF@aol.com or visit his website at http://www.angelopeluso.com/.

The Joys of Shad

One of the feistiest early season light tackle and fly game fish is the American Shad. While Long Island sees mostly visits of Hickory Shad, the Americans are well within striking distance of Long Island anglers who might like a late March or early April break from the winter hiatus. The Delaware and Connecticut Rivers both still enjoy returns of American Shad. Most of my fishing for shad has been in the lower portion of the Delaware River. That shad run is still a much-heralded fish happening in all the towns along the Delaware. The run has been celebrated for as long as this great nation of ours has been united republic. Once living close to the town of Lambertville, New Jersey I had numerous opportunities to witness the last remaining seine netting operation of shad on the river. The Fred Lewis family still nets shad as it has done since 1888 from an island bearing the family name. From those nettings, the well-known Lambertville Shad Festival is kept stocked with an inventory of fresh fish for visitors to sample, cooked in a variety of tasty ways. The seining process is quite a unique sight and even more of a tourist attraction. Seeing all those shad is enough to get any fisherman excited.

I have been fishing for shad on a fly rod and light tackle for about twenty-six years now. My indoctrination to the species came during a period when I lived along the lower reaches of the Delaware River in Hunterdon County, NJ.
Big roe American Shad can reach weights of eight or nine pounds. The buck shad are about half that size. They will be active in the Delaware River from late March in the lower portions of the river until late June in the upper reaches above the Water Gap where they spawn.. Shad prefer cooler water temperatures and will become active with water around the mid-fifty degree mark and into the low sixty-degree range. While they can still be found during summer months, the spring is by far the peak time.

Since catching those first shad I make it a point to target them in the early part of each season and I always have a wonderful time with a suitably sized fly rod or light spinning outfit. Most any small to moderately sized flies work well, and truth be told they offer much more sport than early-season stocked trout. They strike lures aggressively, and go airborne. When the choice is planted trout or fresh sea run shad the shad will always win out in my book. Shad belong to the same family of fish as herring and the same family as tarpon. While diminutive in size they have inherited many of the same sporting qualities and attributes of their very large cousins. They are a fun fish. And they will offer a ‘quantity’ experience as well.

When fly fishing for shad, the lighter the outfit the better. Any good trout rod in 6 or 7 weight is ideal; no need to go much larger than an 8 weight. Even if school-sized striped bass are in the neighborhood, the lighter rods will offer much more enjoyment. Since shad feed on a wide array of food sources from plankton to small crustacean and baitfish, a number of different flies will work quite well. Small versions of Deceivers and Clouser Minnows are ideal but I have found that tiny dart-sized flies used for Sockeye salmon work very well in all sorts of wild colors, chartreuse, orange, gold, yellow and red being some personal favorites. As far as lines go, preferences are toward high-density sink tip lines. A short, 6-foot leader is all that is required since shad are far from being line shy. Shad can also be fished effectively on light spinning gear with traditional darts, spinners and small tins.

Shad populations fluctuate so check on local state regulations before pursuing this spunky game fish.

Winter Happenings

Brrrrr! What’s up with global warming? It feels to me like we are heading into another Ice Age! Time to get those tip-ups ready. Actually, as my fly-fishing thoughts turned to the southeast I contacted a number of my guide friends in Georgia and Florida to check out the ‘warmer’ fishing scene but they have been experiencing a bit of an unusual winter freeze of their own. While they may not be as good as we are at driving in the snow, they are still catching fish. In Florida, despite 20-degree temperatures and snow flurries, redfish are being caught with a high degree of regularity. They are a hardy fish, within reasonable temperature limits, and the months of January and February can be especially good months for the traveling fly and light tackle angler to target reds. Stay tuned for future issues of The Fisherman where we will present some terrific winter destinations for redfish as well as other species.

There is a line from the classic Sinatra song, “My Way”, that is a most appropriate lament at his time of year for Long Island’s fishermen. It goes something like, “…and now the end is near and so I face the final curtain…”
While not nearly as dramatic an ending as implied in that song, the distressing reality is that the curtain has long fallen on the 2009-fishing season. But fear not for we have budding hopes of a new beginning that is just around the corner. Perhaps we can develop a method of fly-fishing for cod! Fortunately, spring is but a few months away and with each lengthening day comes the anticipation of even better fishing prospects.

Luckily there is also a “fishing season” of sorts that can occupy our time while waiting for the warmer weather to herald the return of the fish. It is the season of fishing shows. During the winter months a number of excellent outdoor shows can keep one’s thoughts on fishing and help hone angling skills. The local and tri-state area hosts a number of excellent venues.

Here are a few of the winter offerings that local fly and light anglers can take advantage of. All are informative, entertaining and will go a long way toward reducing the effects of cabin fever. Mark your calendar with one or all of the following and take along one of your fishing buddies. You’ll have a great time.

A perennial favorite show for area fly fishermen is the Somerset NJ Fly Fishing Show. The show has once again returned to the Garden State Exhibition Center. It draws fishermen from the tri-state area as well as Pennsylvania and many mid-Atlantic and northeast states. It is a well-attended and popular show for both the beginner and advanced fly fisherman, and fly tier. It is also can be of interest to light tackle and traveling anglers. The big draw of this event tends to be the presence of many well-known names of the sport, in addition to a wide array of retailers, tackle manufacturers and destination outfitters. There are numerous casting and fly tying demonstrations and well as a comprehensive agenda of guest lecturers. The show has a reputation for being a great place to book a trip for the coming season; outfitters are on site at the show from Long Island to Alaska. The show runs from January 22 through January 24.

One show that is close to home is the annual New York Sportsmen’s Outdoor Expo at the Nassau Coliseum. The exhibitors at this show typically represent an eclectic array of interesting products and services for the outdoor enthusiast. As well, there will be a wealth of local information to be had from a series of daily educational seminars presented by some of Long Island’s best fishermen. The show runs January 29-Jan 31.

An interesting addition to the show slate is the Long Island Recreational Fishing
Expo at Queens College in the Fitzgerald Gymnasium. The show runs form February 5 thru February 7. The planned schedule includes free lectures and clinics.

Another good event in February is the New York Sportfishing Federation Show that has a schedule loaded with seminars by local experts. That show runs
From February 12 through Feb 14.

An annual favorite of area sportsmen is the Eastern Fishing & Outdoor Exposition. This show is one of the area’s oldest and largest sportsmen’s shows. It is held each winter at the Rockland County Community College Field House in Suffern, New York…a relatively short drive from Long Island. This show is a veritable treasure trove of outdoor “stuff”. There is aisle upon aisle of new products, outfitters, tackle dealers and numerous other equipment manufacturers. Various demonstrations and lectures round out the offerings and can enhance any angler’s skills. The show runs from March 4 through7.

The Saltwater Fishing Exposition is a terrific show for saltwater fishing enthusiasts. With over 300 planned exhibitors, there should be something of interest for every fisherman who drops a line into the briny deep. The show is expected to cater to all forms of saltwater angling, including offshore, light tackle and big-game fishing. Retailers, captains and trip planning services will be available to show attendees. Boats, motors and kayaks will also be on display, as will all other types of gear associated with the sport of saltwater fishing. Rounding out the offerings will be a series of expert seminars that will run throughout the course of the show. The show runs from March 19 through 21 at the Garden State Exhibit Center in Somerset New Jersey.

For those anglers shopping around for a new boat, the Suffolk County Boat and Sportfishing show will run from February 26 to 28 at the Suffolk Community College Sports and Exhibition Complex. A number of Long Island’s boat dealers will on hand with some of the current market favorites. This is also the show that the Fisherman magazine and the Long Island Outdoor Communicators Network award the prizes for the 2009 Youth Essay Writing Contest on February 27. This should shape up as a very nice event.

Many of the local Long Island tackle shops also host an interesting agenda of informative sessions during the winter months. Two of the more popular locations on the Island for in-shop seminars and lectures are the Orvis store in Greenvale and Campsite Sports Shops in Huntington Station. You can check directly with these shops for the dates of their winter programs. Local area clubs also offer interesting winter programs. Check out Eastern Flyrodders of Long Island, Salty Flyrodders of New York and the Long island Flyrodders

For further details and directions, simply “Google” the shows or clubs you are interested in. Enjoy!

Fly Tyer Profile: Bruce Marino BMAR Flies

I first met Bruce Marino a number of years back at the Somerset New Jersey Fly Fishing Show. Bruce was one of the show’s featured fly tyers. I was at first struck by both the artfulness and originality of his signature BMAR Wounded Baitfish flies. Equally impressive were throngs of onlookers watching to see how he tied his creations. Since that first meeting I have come to know that the Wounded Baitfish series is a very effective collection of flies for an ever-expanding range of game fish species. These flies have garnered international acclaim and are widely used by fly anglers and guides alike.

Bruce has been at the game of fly fishing and fly tying for over thirty-five years and has traveled to many destinations to fish for both freshwater and saltwater species. Along the path of his travels some of Bruce’s flies have become staples in the arsenals of the local area guides –many consider the Wounded Baitfish as a “go-to” pattern. A number of places have adopted Bruce’s flies including Cooper's Minipi Camps in Labrador where they employ the BMAR Norway Rat, Hex and Stonefly patterns. Guides at Crocodile Bay Lodge in Costa Rica use several of the BMAR Wounded Baitfish patterns as well, where they are used to catch both offshore and inshore species.

Bruce is also an accomplished guide on the crown jewel of Connecticut, the Farmington River, and as a shore guide along the Connecticut coastline. He shares his knowledge and expertise as a writer and in the capacity of fly tying editor for Fly Fishing New England and Fly Fishing the Mid Atlantic States magazines. Bruce is also a March Brown travel fly rods endorsed pro. Among some of the of the projects that he has recently completed is one where he ties flies on circle fly hooks for a study being conducted by Left Kreh along with many working captains in the Northeast. In the past, Bruce was on the research and development team for D.H. Thompson Cobra Vise and he is one of the lead designers for Pacific Fly Group; they have mass-produced many of Bruce’s innovative patterns that are sold worldwide. Bruce will tell you that guiding on the crown jewel of Connecticut, the Farmington River and shore guiding the coastline of Connecticut are now his passions. He is also currently promoting his DVD, "Fly Fishing for Mako Sharks" and completing a second DVD on "Fly Fishing the Farmington River". I was so impressed initially with the BMAR WoundedBaitfish that I included the entire series in my recently fly pattern book, Saltwater Flies of the Northeast. If you would like more information about Bruce’s flies or his guiding operation you can contact him at BMARflies@aol.com

A Building Fall Run

We are pretty well into it right now. Fish of all sizes seem to be spread out evenly all around the Island to the delight of many fly and light tackle anglers. Even the north shore got a nice jolt of bass this past week cruising the wash along the beaches. It almost had the feel of a legitimate fall run. While the western reaches of the Sound have been pretty hot as of late, the central Sound area only just heated up a notch. The area from about Cedar Beach in Mt Sinai out to Shoreham was especially productive with schoolies to mid-teens bass. I took a stroll on the beach slightly west of there Saturday morning and found some friendly fish. A group of local anglers was into them pretty solid. While most were small schoolies there were a few just-keeper bass in the mix. Fish in the wash, just a roll cast away, made for some nice in-tight fishing. The bass I saw taken were mostly caught on an assortment of plastics. Farther west the fishing remained consistent with the Triangle giving up a number of decent fish - both bass and blues – and Smithtown Bay is still showing signs of life. There were some solid reports as well coming in from the extreme western reaches of the Sound highlighting good bass, blue and ‘togs. The offshore shoals and deep water of the Sound also gave up some goods numbers of fish to diamond jigging. That is somewhat standard operating procedure for this time of year but the more that action builds the more the fish are staging for their retreat from the Sound, so the time to cash in is now. Albies are now more the exception than the rule with remaining pods taking up the rear of the run. Next stop, New Jersey and North Carolina. Moriches was hot this week as were many of the beaches to the east and west. The west-end had solid catches of fish and J-Bay is crankin’. Just a quick word on stripers. There is a report out on the state of the Chesapeake “young-of-the-year” striped bass. The report has been generated for that stock of fish for fifty years now, so there is a broad base of data that has validity. What it shows in summary for the period 2001 to 2008 is a dramatic reduction in the young-of-year stripers for the Chesapeake fishery, a resource that represents about 75% of the bass we see here on Long Island. As one renowned oceanographer put it, “the reduction is significant.” While we will report in more detail on those findings, as you fish the last innings of the 2009 season, try to keep only what you need and release the rest. I think some self-imposed limiting of the current take will go a long way toward ensuring the future health of the striped bass stock not only for us but also for our children. We don’t always need new laws to guide us to do the right thing. Thanks.

In like a lion, out like a lamb. While usually reserved for a description of spring’s arrival and departure, that phrase may have applicability to this year’s fishing season. The Long Island spring run was stellar but the formation of a complete fall run around the Island has been slow to start and even slower to form. It’s more of a jog than a run. Some believe we may have already seen the best of it but just like Mr. October’s home runs, the best may be saved for last. That said there have been some very consistent bright spots for fly and light tackle anglers. Despite tough conditions, a number of anglers are putting together a decent string of fall catches. The easy blitzes that have become a trademark of east-end fall action are few and far between so far this fall. One key to success is putting in the time and being persistent. Right now the skills at finding ones own fish are much more important than following the crowd.

The Sound has continued to deliver bass, blues and albies on both the New York and Connecticut sides. The CT shoreline has even maintained a continued run of Atlantic bonito around the Norwalk Islands, as have some areas to our east in Rhode Island, the Vineyard an the Cape. Some “bones” continue to be taken on the Long Island side of the Sound as well, but the vast majority of the pelagics in that body of water are albies. Leaving the fly rod in the truck and taking up a medium spinning outfit I bumped some small bass and blues along the beach and spied some albies a few casts out of range. Shinnecock continues as one of the strongest albie magnets this season, when the water is clean and the bait in strong concentrations. The fish are not only feeding on small rainbait but the masses of sand eels that are working their way down the south shore. Small butterfish are also on the menu.

Despite often challenging conditions, a number of anglers are putting together decent strings of fall catches. The easy blitzes that have become a trademark of east-end fall action are few and far between so far this fall. One key to success is putting in the time and being persistent. Right now the skills at finding ones own fish are much more important than following the crowd. I took my usual long fall walk and wade trips along the a few north shore beaches and was totally amazed at the lack of in-close surface activity but bass, blues and albies are still being caught. Much of the north shore action is sub-surface, with fish hanging near the bottom so it is better right now to fish proven structure-holding areas rather than just looking for typical topside fall activity. Some recent crab hatches have given a few top-water anglers a real treat. Moriches gave up some very nice bass this past week with a number of solid fish taken on Friday and Saturday along the beaches west of the inlet. Perennial fall favorite, Shinnecock, has also continued to produces as increasing numbers of fish begin to move west and south. Beach bass are also being caught at Moses and well into J-Bay. The western Sound is fishing much better than central areas. Orient has been on at times with large blues and mid-sized bass on top-water and bucktails. The Montauk rips have been seeing some bass into the 30s on bucktails and a few diligent fly casters have taken schoolie to teen-sized fish from the sand beaches west of the Point.

Hard Tails Are Back

They’re back! For those of you eagerly anticipating the arrival of false albacore, the long wait is over. While there have been some concentrations of fish around the Island for a few week, the albies seem to have engaged in an all out invasion this past week, on both shores of the Island and to the west and east. They are strong in Montauk, around Fishers, in the Sound and around Shinnecock. They are still active in the west end and J-Bay has a solid concentration of them. Some of the numbers of fish landed have been impressive. The “Alberts” are tending to run smaller than previous years, 6-8 pounds but they still are full of all the energy any light tackle or fly angler could ask for. I know two anglers whose catches last week would make an entire hard tail season for some. While the albies are gaining in strength, the bonito are the exception in local waters. There weren’t many reports of bones this past week. They still seem to be their strongest along the Rhode Island coastline. Big bluefish are still chomping they way through local bait. I hit upon some nice sized blues cruising right up along the edge of surf and beach. They had that early fall-run behavior about them and didn’t appreciate my flies intersecting their paths! My flies paid the price! In some quadrants of the Island bass are still responding well to flies and artificials and should only get better in the coming weeks. Montauk is just being Montauk and for those of you who throw flies, an entire season can be made out of the blitz days that are happening right now and will hopefully continue right through October.

Where Art Thou Atlantic Bonito

There is slightly better news to report on the “bones” front for this week. Some of the bonito and Spanish mackerel that were tight along the near-New Jersey beaches are reported to have moved into Jamaica Bay. While the formerly steady Rhode Island fish have been an on-again, off-again proposition, and with some good catches one day and spotty action the next, a few pods of “bones” have been encountered in the extreme eastern reaches of Long Island Sound, and even fewer pods more further west. A friend of mine who fishes under the radar managed two fish this week out in areas of the eastern Sound. Reports of bonito in the western reaches of the south shore have been slim to non-existent. It will be interesting to see if those N.J. and J-Bay fish move east along the coast or up into the Sound. There’s plenty of bait around so the fish have options. There have also been bonito and abundant skipjack offshore traveling with the larger tuna so it remains to be seen if those fish choose to move inshore or stay out in blue water. Some of you also asked if I might suggest a rationale for this year’s pattern of local bonito behavior. The short answer is that fish do what fish do, not what we always expect based on prior seasons. A lot of variables affect fish species’ movements: water temperature, weather and winds, availability of preferred bait, water quality, spawning instincts and the element of serendipity…and do they ultimately take a left turn or a right turn in their wanderings. Many of the “bones” in our area seem to be traveling with their other tuna cousins and are mixed in with bluefin, yellowfin, skippies and ablies, all of whom have found good water. You can also find bonito mixed in with bluefish, usually hanging on the fringes, picking off the easy meals. Bonito are also affected by another key element, as are other fish, birds, mammals and anything else that migrates…angle and available amount of sunlight and length of day. That latter element has triggered mass migrations for millennia and presents a bit of a modern day dilemma for local bonito anglers. My best year for bones in the 33 that I have been fishing for them involved a great September run that ran into the first three weeks of October. But there were early fish around that year in August as well. That year also witnessed incredibly large schools of exceptionally large spearing, and from my personal experience and observation that is a preferred baitfish – big bonito love them. But as the days of this season shorten and fish begin to instinctively sense the pending migration, the big question involves timing and whether or not they will still head east only to then head back west. I’ve caught bonito well into November so the game in the central parts of Long Island is still a wide-open one. While all that remains to be seen, my humble guess is that we will still see a reasonable semblance of a run for both bonito and albies in those areas.

Fall in Alaska

Some of the best Alaska fly-fishing can be enjoyed during the early fall months. September and October can spectacular for silver salmon and rainbow trout. And in some locations the latter part of October can be magical with steelhead. The remote tidal creeks of the Alaska Peninsula and Kodiak Island can be teeming with late arriving cohos, some of the finest you will find in the state, and some of the best fly fishing you will ever experience. The Lost Coast anchored by the town of Cordova not only yields some of the largest silvers of the Northland but also has a wonderful steelhead fishery. If rainbows are your cup of tea the Iliamna region of Bristol Bay can be magnificent. Byt the Katmai region is a personal favorite.

Inshore "Bones"

It’s time to make your bones? Atlantic “bones” that is. For some savvy anglers this is time to give chase to pelagic speedsters that grace our inshore waters. The first of those species to arrive is Sarda sarda, the Atlantic bonito. As of this writing the bulk of those annual visitors are slightly to our north on the south shore of Rhode Island, on the Vineyard, and south of us along the New Jersey beaches. There are plenty of fish in those locations because there is also substantial bait. Some very in-the-know Long Island anglers have been fortunate to find the first few fish and have also been very closed-mouth about exact locations. But I can tell you from personal experience, they are not yet in all the “usual places”. The best advice that I can offer those willing to search and find bonito is to fill up your gas tank and be prepared to run it dry. Bonito are cruising deeper water in the Sound and off the south shore and have yet to cycle into their more predictable inshore haunts. Since my boat is high and dry at the moment I hitched a ride with a friend and we ran almost an hour before bumping some fish! They were in a place I haven’t found them in years. There are a lot of reasons for that change of behavior but we don’t have room to go into that in this report. I’ll save that for another time. If you’d like to chat about bonito feel free to send along an email.
I took a break from the brine to join my brother-in-law, Ed on a trip to one of Long Island’s hidden freshwater ponds. Despite sweltering heat we managed a number of feisty largemouth and pickerel, and we were treated to a dragonfly mating ritual that just turned the bass on!

The table is set as we await the arrival of some eagerly anticipated special houseguests. Peanut bunker, bay anchovies, rafts of sand eels as well as spearing are in the neighborhood. Now all we need is the first solid showing of inshore pelagics. But this year they just might be delayed just a bit. Reports of one or two fish popping up here or there do not a major run make, but with all this varied bait buffet, it is only a matter of time before the arrival of strange “bluefish” that can’t be caught. Those tough-to-catch- mini tunas will most likely be Atlantic bonito. They too have a preferred water temperature comfort zone and with this year’s cooler H2O my bet is that there will be about a two-week lag from previous years’ full swing run of the early hard tails. In all the years I have been fishing for Atlantic bonito – and that goes back 1975- fish have already hit the decks! So, we need to keep our fingers crossed that they will still make a solid showing. But if all goes according to nature’s grand plan in an odd season we should see some bones, Spanish macks, albies and perhaps even some skipjack move in the area to cash in on all the bait that is in our area. Some fish have already passed us by and are up in the Cape and the Vineyard; to those fish we bid a fond adieu and hope their cousins stop by the Island for a visit. Both sides of the Island receive their annual share of these most coveted of inshore gamesters. That said, there are already fish in the neighborhood so this is the time of year to start prospecting so get out those light spinning outfits and fly rods and hit the water. Small tins, plugs and thin plastics work well on pelagics as do slim Deceivers, Clousers, and any assortment of epoxy baitfish, hair flies, and marabou or rabbit strip flies.

Hosted Alaska Fly Fishing Trips

Alaska is one of the finest fly-fishing destinations on earth. I took my first trip in 1989 and have been on many annual trips since, fishing for king salmon, silver salmon, chums, sockeye and pinks, as well an indigenous species - char, graying, dollies and magnificent rainbow trout. I have a unique opportunity to host a small groups of fly anglers at several remote lodges during the 2010 season. Good fishing in Alaska requires advance preparation to ensure prime weeks for the targeted species. You would be surprised at how many anglers make the mistake of selecting the wrong times for the species they would like to catch and end up verky disapponted. My experiences can help you avoid those costly mistakes that can ruin the trip of a lifetime. If you are interested please reposnd to me at apdotcominfo@aol.com for further details. Thank you. AP

Just One of Those Days

It was a fly-fisherman’s dream day. And what better way to enjoy it than being in the water, wading with feeding fish. While I thoroughly enjoy fishing from my boat or kakay, nothing quite beats catching fish in the surf with a fly rod while immersed in the fish’s element.
I thought about what exclamation might best describe my last few outings with the fly rod. I could simply just say, “WOW”! Or perhaps, “Extraordinary or even “Sensational.” But I think rather than one word the following sentence may do the fishing justice: “Two days of great bass fishing, out of what is some of the best spring striper fishing I have experienced in more than a decade.” And that might be an understatement!
Rewind to the other morning on the Sound. After playing around with some hickory shad and a few small bass I put on the hiking shoes and took a long walk – fly rod in hand. As I crested a high point of land all that came to mind was “Holy Striped bass, Batman!” As far as I could see east and west, bass were slapping on sand eels. Many of the fish were a fly rod cast away off the beach and my pace quickened to meet those rises. The first cast with my favorite sand eel pattern brought a hard strike after three short strips of line. I ended the ensuing tussle with the first of many bass - a solid 35-inch linesides. Time to get serious. I followed those fish up and down the beach for eight solid hours, and they were in a mood to play. I am not sure of the final tally, but it was a lot, including stripers up to 37-inches, and many fish 28-inches or better - all taken on flies. But the best part of the day was releasing them back to rejoin the fracas. The few times the bass got a bit finicky all it took to get them back on the bite was to downsize the pattern slightly and changeup the hackle color combinations. I just alternated between light and dark colors and flies of between three and five inches in length. It was a magic day. I can nly hope that I will be blessed with many more!

Weatherby's: A "Grand" Destination

I first visited Grand Lake Stream Maine in July 1988 and became as hooked on the region as were the fish I caught. My wife and I traveled to this destination as part of a summer road trip that included sightseeing and fishing. While the tourist part of the trip was most enjoyable, the fishing was nothing short of spectacular, especially for smallmouth bass. Our mid-summer adventure did not necessarily coincide with peak spring and fall smallmouth fishing, but you could have fooled me. No matter where we ventured, we caught bass, and lots of them. Most were fish in the 1-½ to 2-pound class but there were enough quality fish in the 3 and 4-pound range to keep me on my toes after each cast. We fished for five days and literally lost count of bass that certainly numbered in the hundreds. I have been back this region many times since and often refer to the area’s fishery as a smallmouth bass factory. And if the smallies aren’t enough to keep you occupied, Grand Lake Stream proper is home to some exciting fishing for landlocked salmon.One of my favorite bass fishing spots is the St. Croix River, bordered by Maine on one side of the river and Canada on the opposing bank. I would always begin and end my trips to this region with a float on the St Croix. Nothing quite beats the aesthetics of fishing the St Croix in a traditional Grand Laker canoe and enjoying a timeless Maine shore lunch. The upper reaches of the St Croix hold some very magical smallmouth waters and prolific populations of fish. Flies, small plugs and any assortment of plastic baits work wonders on those river bass. But the St. Croix is far from the only game in town. Grand Lake is a classic Down East smallmouth bass water, replete with boulders, shoreline structure, coves, creek inlets and deep water holding areas. For a taste of Maine “wilderness” fishing, Third Lake Machias can’t be beat. It is one of a chain of Machias Lakes that includes First Lake through Fifth Lake. All Machias lakes are wonderful and productive places to fish; Third Lake has yielded some of the best dragon fly-fishing for smallmouth bass I have ever experienced. During the course of my visits I have also been treated to day expeditions to other places like Pocomoonshine Lake, Big Lake, East Lake, West Lake and Long Lake. I have never been disappointed by the outcome on any of the area’s waters.The smallmouth season typically begins in late May as the air and water temperatures steadily increase and become more consistent. The pre-spawn and post-spawn bass fishing can be as good as it gets anywhere, with 50 to 100 fish days not that uncommon. The month of June offers high quality finest top water smallie fishing with popping bugs or topwater plugs. The fishing remains productive throughout the summer months with flies and a variety of artificial baits quite effective. The season runs through September, a month known for fast action and big fishThis region is one of four in Maine that have native populations landlocked salmon - cousin the mighty Atlantic salmon. One major difference between the landlocked salmon and its larger relative is that the landlocked salmon are actively feeding while in the Stream during the summer. The season for the salmon begins early May after the ice leaves our lakes and they follow the smelt, a favorite forage fish, into Grand Lake Stream. Not long after the white suckers move it to spawn another wave of salmon targeting the sucker eggs follows. Late May and June bring the May fly and caddis hatches, followed by alder flies, stoneflies and other terrestrials in July. Typically during mid-summer the salmon move to the deep pools or into the lakes to feed, only to return in late September and October to spawn. We fish until October 20 and experience tremendous fishing for large salmon in the spawning dress during this time.Your best choice for a base of operation for your Grand Lake Stream adventure is Weatherby’s, an outstanding historic lodge situated in the heart of town. Weatherby’s offers central access to some unique landlocked salmon fishing and is a hub location for spring boarding to the areas unsurpassed smallmouth bass fishing. The lodging, food and hospitality are second to none and Weatherby’s also boasts one of the most professional cadre of skilled guides available anywhere. The lodge is one of the oldest and most famous fishing destinations in North America. Many famous visitors have stayed and played outdoors using Weatherby’s as a their home base, including the “splendid splinter” himself, Ted Williams.Weatherby’s is also an excellent destination upland game hunting. The area is renowned for woodcock or “timberdoodle” shooting.
For further information about accomodations, seasons and rates visit the lodge's website at www.weatherbys.com .