Shallowfish.com

As I noted in a previous post, I recently married the most fantastic woman on the planet. We just got back from a belated honeymoon of sorts in Key West, the spot of our first vacation together. (No, this post isn’t fishing related, but it’s my damn blog, so work with me). We flew across Florida Bay on a big jet boat (shaving hours off of what is normally a long drive) and arrived in town not long after noon. Read the rest of this entry »

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I took the day off this past Friday and snuck “down south” with MoJoe and his dad. I was half asleep by the time we made it to the ramp at around 6 a.m., but I was soon wide awake, hurtling across long bays into the heart of the Glades. Joe’s dad seldom gets out, so we were all hoping he’d have a great day. Things started off slowly. Read the rest of this entry »

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To efficiently work a shoreline from a kayak or skiff, establish a distance close enough that you can control the placement of the fly every time, but far enough that you can comfortably shoot line without feeling cramped. Try to maintain that same distance as you move along. You’ll use the same amount of line on each cast, which will limit loose line and tangles; you’ll develop a rhythm conducive to accurate presentations; and your casts will consistently fall within the strike zone. And don’t forget to work the water along the shoreline from a distance before moving in closer.

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I tend to avoid politically charged topics—emphasis here is on fishing—but when something affects my beloved Everglades, it gets my attention. The bad news first: Lowe’s is quietly trying to infringe upon the Glades UBD (Urban Development Boundary) to build a new store, and further south a group of developers wants to use protected land for a commercial park and thousands of new homes. Sadly, the greed of corrupt county commissioners makes both a distinct possibility. Some good news? Looks like the Everglades was just awarded $100 million in state allocation fees after an 11th hour change of heart. Here’s some additional info on the funding efforts behind Everglades restoration.

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The love of my life…about to be released by the new missus.

I owe my loyal readers an enormous apology. Though I’ve been pretty damn consistent in terms of posting on a regular basis, I fell off the face of the earth for the last month or so. But I have splendid excuses lined up, including a bout of sickness, a pressing workload and - oh, yes - I up and got hitched. She’s a keeper, and, lucky for me, she’s far-sighted and I wooed her in low lighting. I’m back in the saddle again, and I’ll be resuming my normal posting schedule. In fact, plan is to ramp things up and provide even more useful and entertaining content to my angling brethren (and sist…er…thren). Thanks for your patience in my absence - I hope you’ve been racking fish in Biblical proportions.

John

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In many coastal areas, game fish congregate under lights after dark, capitalizing on the congregations of bait fish that gather there. Along the Gulf coast, spin and (especially) fly anglers target snook, sea trout, redfish and juvenile tarpon in this manner, and — given that fish can sometimes be found in great numbers under residential dock lights, especially in the cooler months — it can be a highly productive affair. Most of the bait fish and shrimp that are found under such lights are on the small side, though, so “match the hatch” with small flies (hook size 2 to 6 or so). Work the edges of the light, and use weighted versions to get down to fish that are reluctant to rise to your offerings.

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