UKSaltwaterflyfishing

Pollack on the Fly Part 2

2008-05-13T04:08:00.000-07:00

After a enjoyable day alone I invited Steve a friend and Co worker at uksaltwaterflies to come out on the boat. Steve had not fly fished for 20 years. His casting was pretty good considering the lack of practice. High density lines while standing on a moving platform represent a reasonable challenge. It was a steamy boiling Hot day . Not best for the fishing , the larger Pollack were hiding and unwilling to play ball.

Steve managed to catch a Bass. His first on fly. It was a fun morning.

Please excuse Steve swearing when he hooks a Bass !!

Heres a link to the Video

2008-05-11T13:57:00.002-07:00

Pollack Fly fishing trip May 11 Th. 2008

It’s still a week or 2 early for Bass here, the second set of springs will no doubt bring a tidal wave of giant Bass! Lets hope not as if that were ever to happen a greed y commercial fisherman would be more than happy to scoop them up with no regard for the future of his own fishery. Ok politics aside.

So in the absence of Bass I have turned my attention towards catching Pollack from Reefs and Pinnacles. Usually I regard Pollack as a by catch, such is my favouritism towards Bass fishing. This style of fishing is very basic in terms of technical fly fishing. Boat handling becomes the critical skill rather than fly casting. I did ponder too myself a couple of times. Is this saltwater fly fishing as I drifted over pinnacles watching the fish on my Fish finder and lining up my drift. Regardless of the ethics it’s still a very enjoyable way to fish, you certainly do hook into larger fish than you tend to when fishing my local Rocky shore marks. I think I will start to do more of this fishing this summer and see if I cant get a Double figure Pollack on the fly.
Method
Once you located the correct starting point and have set up your drift you cast the fly either ahead of the boat or at 90 Degrees to the boat. With a stiff Northerly today wind I fished with the stern facing the wind. Depths ranged from 20 - 60 feet. As the fly swings around the bites tend to start. You can let the fly swing fully astern and then jig and retrieve the fly. Sometimes retrieving a few meters and then paying the line out again. This certainly breaks the gentlemen’s rules but when handling a boat in chop on your own while fishing the fly it is useful.

Lines and flies
I have been fishing with 8 # and 10 # Rods both with Rio Outbound Di 8 Sinkers. 30 lb Seguar Fluorocarbon leaders and a variety of flies. With regard to flies I have now started to fish 1/0 Deep eels and other Long Mobile flies. If you fish small flies you will be plagued by Small Pollack. If you fish a large Saltwater fly they tend to tail nip the fly ,rather than swallow it, its rather like bait fishing . As you drift you can feel endless tugs and pulls from small fish nipping while you await a thump from the larger specimens . The 6 lb Fish today fell to a bright red Zonker on the Second cast .

So today I had well over 20 Fish , with several 4 pounders a Five pounder and one just under 6 lb. The little guys don’t really pull your string but the better fish really do stick a bend in the rod. as they dive for cover .

It may not be pure fly fishing but as a pre Bass fishing season distraction it was pure fun !

2008-05-11T13:57:00.001-07:00

Aprill Fools or brave souls?

2008-04-11T00:30:00.000-07:00

I was joined by Clive on Thursay April 11 th. So two brave souls headed out into the rain for an early season saltwater fly fishing session. The initial plan was to hit the same mark that provided me with a couple of Bass in Febuary. As soon as I managed to position the boat correctly and set up the right drift we were into fish, fishing in 25 foot of water with fast sinking lines on 8 and 9 # rods. The fly of choice was a size 2 Olive over Polar DNA frosty fish Fibre Clouser ( By way of a change !) We managed to land over 40 Pollack and coalfish, no bass were landed today . But it was still great fun to see a bend in the rod.

AG http://www.uksaltwaterflies.com/

First uksaltwaterflyfishing session in Cornwall 2008

2008-02-18T15:27:00.002-08:00

Its not exactly monsters from the deep , but I managed to sneak out on Sunday 10 th of Febuary. The sun was out but the easterly wind still made me feel brave.

This was my first ''uk based '' saltwater fly fishing session of 2008. After the stunning weather on Saturday the change of wind direction to easterly and the drop in temperature came as rather a disappointment. Fearless and well wrapped up I hid behind the rather small consul on the Boston Whaler to keep warm. It was great to be out in the fresh air at last after what has been a hectic month work wise. I fished several of my favourite locations within the Estuary and drew a blank. Marks that always produce a fish 'In season' were lifeless, not a Tug and not a fish on the Fish finder. A change of location followed by a change of fly finally paid off. The Orange and Black clouser was switched for the well tested Frosty Fish Fibre 2 # clouser with red eyes. The first cast with new fly produced a Bass, Not a Monster, but regardless it was a Bass! It was a cold February afternoon, not the conditions associated with UK saltwater fly fishing. This fish suffered the indignity of the traditional kiss on the lips for the first Bass of the year before being released.

The second slightly larger fish fell to the same fly on the next drift across the edge of the reef the depth was around 17 feet. The flies were fished on the swing at depth with a slow double handed retrieve. The takes were gentle perhaps that indicates that the fish have slowed down with the drop in water temperature.

2007-12-19T16:47:00.001-08:00

My Three ' Go To'' Flies for 2007

Hi

I thought I would post a picture of my favourite saltwater flies for 2007 . These have been the three flies I have Fished with almost exclusively this season , when fishing cold Atlantic saltwater that is.

The Tooty Fruity Bucktail Deciever with posh eyes has plenty of triggers, I love Chateruse and also I like pink. Im a fan of grey and im keen on Olive and white, so to hell . I use them all in one fly. This has fished well when the fish slow down and start to refuse the fly. Also dawn and dusk.

Hook Gamakatsu SC15 Size 1/0 - 2/0 Various bucktails as above. Holo Chromosome flash or Crystal flash etc Pearl
-----------------------

The Deep Eel is a classic for Stripers but I have also found the fly useful for boatfishing deeper water on bright days this season,

Hook Tiemco 811s or Daiichi 2546 or Mustad S71 sss size 1 -1/0 Unique hair= Gold Over White or Olive over White. , Some Flash.
-----------------------------

Number 3 the Sparse DNA frosty Fish Fibre has been the killer this season . I take guys fishing and push them toward useing this fly. They catch a load of fish and then naturally want to use one of thier own creations, Sometime's that pays off but I dont know how many times this season they went back to the FFF Clouser and started catching again. Ive had 6 species in one day twice this season and both days they all fell to the same fly. Its getting boring fishing the same fly everyday.
Its great for Bright days. It has no flash to startle fish it shimmers rather than shines, if that makes any sense. It also is a very stable fly that wont hang up.

With these flies being synthetic you do need to carry a small comb and give them a groom from time to time.

Hook - Gamakatsu SC15 sz 1 -2 or TMC 811s sz 2 -4. FFF Olive over Polar or FFF Tan over Polar

Cheers and Happy Christmas

Austen Goldsmith

2007-12-15T12:47:00.001-08:00

Recent Seychelles Trip

I have recently returned from what I would regard as a trip of a lifetime. People have been asking me ‘how was the trip’ My answer has been ‘Remarkable’ The 10 day Journey by Catamaran the seascapes and the marine life we encountered were unforgettable. I swam with whalesharks before we had even left the waters of Mahe the Main Island. That was a lifetime ambition achieved The fishing exceeded my expectations ,in terms the number of species and quantity of fish landed . The worst thing about a trip to the Seychelles is the number of Species that you will encounter and the number Rods and reels you may wish to pack. In hindsight you could make the Journey with two rods , a Nine weight for the Bones and Permit and the occasional fishing with sink lines over the reefs. The other would be a Twelve weight rod. This will handle the Yellow fin Tuna and GT and not break you balls in the process. Poppers were by far the most productive weapons. Streamers would often go un noticed. Just the splash of a 6/0 Popper landing on the surface would pull a few thugs out and up from the deep. We opted to fish for the big fellas rather than cast at bonefish all day everyday. The Bones were very user friendly . The 2 week trip with 10 days at sea costs between £ 1750 and £3500 depending on your willingness to share a cabin .For me that’s still a lot of money to some that’s small change. Im booked to go back next year!! Anyone interested in sharing the cost should get in touch asap I have several people very interested..

The species that fell to the fly were as follows GT - Yellowfin Tuna - Bonito - Job fish - Blufin Trevally - Bonefish ,various reef fish and Wahoo, a Sailfish swung across the stern to eat my fly but turned away so perhaps that will be next year?

The DNA/Marabou Baitfish By Peter Varring Jensen

2007-12-15T12:41:00.001-08:00

The DNA/Marabou Baitfish By Peter Varring Jensen

Hook: TMC 811 s- Mustad 34007- Mustad S71 SSS-Daihici 2546
Size:4 # - 2 #
Thread: Dyneema
Eyes: Prismati Silver 2 .5 mm
Wing -White Marabou
Tail materials: DNA Frosty Fish Fibre Polar and DNA Frosty Fish Fibre Dark Olive
Other Items - 5 Min Epoxy

	The DNA/Marabou Baitfish While DNA is an excellent material used on it`s own, there´s no reason why you can`t add other materials, both synthetic and natural, to add other qualities to your flies. This pattern uses marabou to give a bit of exxtra movement. 1. Tie in the thread just behind the hookeye. Cut off excess thread, and wind the thread down to just before the start of the hookbend. 3. Tie in a 5-6" lenght of silver tinsel, and, covering the tinsel, wind the thread back to just behind the hookeye. 4. Wind the tinsel to just behind the hookeye, and secure it using a couple of tight turns of the thread. 5. Cut off any excess tinsel. 6. Wind the thread back towards the hookbend, about 1/7". 7. Tie in the "top end" of a marabou feather. Make sure that the marabou you`re using has stems pliable enough for winding around a hookshank. 8. Wind the marabou as you would any hackle. After each turn, stroke the fibres back towards the hookbend. 9. When your hackle is of a "suitable size", secure it with a couple of turns of the thread. "Suitable size" can be anything from a single turn of marabou, to something reminiscent of a small bird. It depends on your own preferences. On this fly I´ve used 3 turns. 10. Stroke all the fibres back towards the hookshank, and tie them down just enough for a "baitfish profile" to appear 11. Select a suitable amount of DNA Frosty Fibers(illustrated with the olive, start with the white) 12. Cut of the selected DNA 13. Pull the fibers in one end so that the tips DON`T line up 14. Fold the DNA over. 15 Cut at the "folding point" 16. You now have a bunch of tapered fibers, ready to tie on 17. Tie in the white DNA. After the first couple of turns, press on the top and bottom side of the tie-in point to make the fibres spread on the bottomside of the hookshank. Add a couple of tight turns, and cut off any excess material. 18. Turn the fly up-right in the vise, and tie in the olive DNA the same way you tied in the white. 19. Whipfinish, and cut off the thread. 20. Add a THIN coaing of 5-min epoxy. Hold the DNA and marabou in place while it dries. When almost dry, place a couple of stick-on eyes on each side of the head. 21. Add a second coating of epoxy to give the head an even surface(/good looks!) 22. Go SWFFing! Have fun tying, Peter Varring Jensen

Cape Cod Stripers 2007

2007-12-15T12:38:00.000-08:00

Cape Cod 2007

A Years a long time to wait to get back to the Cape. Once again we made the pilgrimage to Massachusetts to worship the Striped Bass, the Bluefish and of course the Clam Chowder. Colin and I had 17 Days of hard fishing ahead of us and were eager to get started.

Rhode Island
The first plan was to head south from Boston towards Rhode Island and visits a few special spots where the Stripers can be found feeding on Cinder Worms, this coincides with the new moon when Thousands of these strange creatures will hatch and spiral their way around helplessly. The Bass instinctively head to these locations in search of an easy meal. Saltwater fly fisherman also head toward these locations for obvious reasons. I had been led to believe that these worm hatches are equivalent of Duffers days when the fish drop their guard and will throw themselves at anything that came close to looking like a worm. Well it appears I was misled, we experienced that evening what many Trout fisherman must have to deal with from time to time where the fish are locked into a supply of food that you cant quite seem to match correctly , we were surrounded by fish boiling and sucking in worms from the surface. We managed to catch a few fish but on the whole the fishing was quite tough that night.

The following morning we fished a rather nice Channel that provided us with the first ’’Keeper’’ sized fish of the trip (That’s a fish over 28 ‘’ Long) we made the decision to head to the Cape that afternoon.

Fishing the Cinder worm Hatch under a New Moon

Onto The Cape
It was Thursday PM and we were the advance scouts and we had arranged to pick up four eager saltwatefly fishermen on Saturday Morning. The Friday morning we fished one of the better known marks on the Cape that had provided us with consistent sport last year and completely blanked. This was followed by an unmemorable PM session with a handful of small fish. On the Friday night we sat down together over a beer and wondered where the fish had gone! We agreed to split up the Following Dawn to cover as much water as possible. The Guys were now boarding the plane at Heathrow and we were yet to really get into the kind of fishing the Cape has to offer. I managed 7 fish to 28 ‘’ and Colin had 40 fish at a different location the Sun was shining and we had found some decent fishing at two different locations so were a little more relaxed. Four excited fishermen were picked up from Boston and taken to ‘’ The Lodge’’ to get rigged up and go fishing. We had a handful of fish on the first session; everyone had their first Striper with the exception of Dan. We had arranged to fish the Flats with our first shore guide Gary the next morning. We split into two groups of three. I fished with Dan and Philip and the Guide while Colin Chris and Alan went elsewhere.
We located a large number of fish on the flats and we were soon catching plenty that is with the exception of one of us! Dan was now starting to panic; he had blanked the night before , we now must have had 15 fish landed and not a sausage for him. He did not look too happy. I knew his duck would break sometime soon and his confidence along with his spirits would lift. I was soon right and check out the relieved smile on his face.

One broken Duck!

I think that everyone that joined us evolved and developed as fly fishermen that week and none more so than Dan. By the end of the week he was a Hardcore Specimen hunting Striper fisherman.
The following couple of days we fished various locations on the Cape and the fishing was good despite the very changeable weather.

My Story - Operation Desert Storm and the 40 ‘’
One highlight of the trip was the night fishing sessions I had arranged with our other Guide. Tony has been fishing for Striped Bass all of his life , Originally as a commercial rod and line fisherman and now as a recreational fishing guide specialising in the Wilder Ocean side of the Cape rather than the sheltered backwaters so often inhabited by fly fisherman. Tony was the holder of the Striped Bass world record with a Surf caught 73 lb Bass that took a Deceiver tied on as a dropper on his spinning outfit on November 3 rd 1981 . I had spoken to Tony several times on the phone prior to the trip and just had this gut feeling that something was going to come from meeting this man. The moment I shook his hand I knew that that night would be memorable, even had we blanked. Tony lives for the Surf Beaches and the Huge Bass that migrate into his world; he has a special attachment with these places and a burning passion that after many years and thousands of large Bass has not diminished.

Tony With a Cast Of ''Bertha ''

We all hoped into Tony’s faithful Chevy 4 Wd. This was as much a tackle box as a means of transport. The foot wells at the front were filled with plugs and flies and all manner of odds and ends. We were soon off road and heading out across the dunes into the rain with a heavy stormy sea alongside us for a view. The Surf spinning Rods and expensive Vaan Staal reels were all in the rack on the Bullbars ready for action.

We stopped at a little favourite spot of Tony’s and spread out and began to spin into surf. It was not long before I began to recognise the knocks as Stripers were bumping the large diving plug. Soon after the knock followed by a take resulted in a large surface explosion as my first of Seven that night made a mistake. This fish was 33 ‘’ and a fine start and proof that the larger fish are often patrolling the surf. Tony’s eyes lit up with excitement to see me land this fish, how lucky is this man to still be so excited after so many years.

A nice 33 '' Start to the session

Over the next couple of hours I had other smaller fish to 28 ‘’. As the tide progressed and dusk turned to night the action stopped. We hopped back in the truck and headed off to a special place with a great name, for some reason I can’t remember at this moment ! After a couple of knocks I hooked a fish in the darkness . Tony called out to me ‘’Any Size ?’’ My answer was ‘’ No , maybe six pounds’’ That confident was I of my highly tuned ability to weigh a fish without seeing or landing it. Then as I beached this tiddler it woke up or realised that something was wrong and the true fight began. I don’t know how long it took to land the fish . I remember laughing out loud every time the clutch screamed, it felt like a long fight. Eventually I managed to run the fish up the beach on the back of a wave. I turned on the head torch in the blackness and was overwhelmed to see a Cow of Bass glowing Silver below on the sand. In the excitement I managed to get into the worst tangle you could imagine with a windy night and braided line , we had to cut the lines to free my body from the mess and re rig later as the line was everywhere ! That was the last fish that night. She kicked and splashed my face as I returned her back into the darkness . It had been my night for sure , you get those times when you get it right you feel that something special will happen and it does.

Thanks Tony See you next year. They were right about you , you are ’’ A Legend’’ .

Holy Cow

Week 1 Pics

Dan and Phil ( Email me some pics please Phil thats a tiddler)

As you can see the weather had really turned on us during the early stages of week one, we were still catching fish but our choice of location was sometimes driven by the wind direction rather than the best fishing spot. The wind had been blowing Strong South Westerly for a few days and Bait had been blown into the South Facing Beaches. As soon as the wind eased of to a manageable strength we returned to those areas.

A great Evening session
We had decided to return and fish the channel. The mark had not been that productive earlier in the week but these Southerlies would change that . We had a great session that evening with Shoaling Bunker being blitzed in front of us. Large Bluefish were present along with plenty of Keeper sized Bass. You could see the way that the year class Bass stay together. One Shoal would enter the arena at 24 ‘’ - 26 ‘’ another at 28 ‘’ - 30 ‘’. I suffered endless Bite offs from Blues that week while the other guys were landing them. It’s odd the way things work out, a week later the roles would be reversed. The sun was setting and we had great fishing. It was too good to stand around with a camera but I did get this great Picture of Dan playing and landing a nice Striper.

We returned the following morning as a full group. All six of us in a row fishing the Rip. The fishing was good but not to the same standard as the night before. Chris had a nice Bass and a couple of huge Blues chomped their way into and out of his life. I remember Chris’s hands shaking as he held this fish for the camera.

Worth the flight Chris?

Week 2

All too soon for Dan Chris and Philip it was time to depart. Alan stayed for a second week and Kevin Joined us. As we dropped the guys off at the Airport and picked up Kevin the weather changed . The wind shifted to North West closely followed by North easterly. During week 2 we found several new locations to fish. Our choices were governed by the wind Direction and as with week 1 Fishing during ebbing Tides were proving to be the most successful . We fished literally from the Top of the Cape around Provincetown down to the far South West of the Cape. The names of the spots elude me! The number of fish for week two would be less than we had on week one subsequently the number of Keeper sized fish dropped down. When you fish for Stripers you are chasing Keepers, you become a specimen hunter pretty quickly. The Bluefish were far more prevalent than last year. We witnessed nightly blitzes at one of the locations. These fish fight like demons. Unfortunately they also bite off flies like demons. Having tied enough for the next decade I was shocked to be tying more of the Go to pattern two days prior to my return home. We fished wire at times but this did seem to spook the Bass so flies were sacrificed to the Piranhas. Alan won the prize for catching the most unusual fish of the trip. In the final hour of the holiday He managed to catch two Flounder in almost as many casts on size 3/0 H 20 Slinky Fibre Baitfish pattern ! The proper name for this particular breed of fish is Fluke. A rather menacing toothy version of our Flounder. An ironic name for a fish in those circumstances. I had a couple of Hickory Shad during the trip. These are very attractive and beautifully coloured creatures.

Pics From week 2

Alans Fluked Fluke

Always time for one more

Kevin Plays the last Bass of the 2007 Trip

A Nice 33 Inch Bass on the fly

Hickory Shad

Accommodation

We were all very pleased with the accommodation it certainly met our needs and provided a perfect base for the group . The high Ceiling in the Living room provided us with a great feeling of space. The Drying area was really useful and the Showers were nice and Powerful. And the free Clams were divine. Thanks Guys !

See you next year

Austen

Base Camp

The Fly Tying Room

Tackle and flies

9 # Single Hander 350 Grain Lines - Intermediate Lines
Double Hander 500 - 600 Grain Lines
Tapered leaders 15 - 20 Lb Fluro Carbon Tippet

DNA Sparse Clouser or Bucktail Clouser 2 # Olive And White
Deep Eel 1/0 # Olive and White or Tan and White or Black
Decievers 2 - 2/0 Charteruse and White or All Black
Big Bunker Flies 4/0 + Olive White- Grey and White

You could take a load more gear but that’s what you will need 95 % of the time

A sandeels step ladder to heaven

The trip is booked for June 2008 want to join in ?

Email sales@uksaltwaterflies.com

2007-12-15T12:37:00.001-08:00

The DNA Clouser (SPARSE VERSION)

Hook: Mustad C70 SD
Size:4 #
Thread: Dyneema
Eyes: Real eyes 5/32 Yellow and Black
Tail materials: DNA Holofusion White and DNA Frosty Fish Fibre Dark Olive
Other Items - fulling mill super glue

This is a fly must have been my No 1 Fish catcher in 2006 I must have had over 150 Bass on this pattern tied in these colours. Not only is it effective but it is very easy to tie. Mackerel go crazy for this pattern as do Bass and Pollack. It is a very realistic sandeel pattern and also extremely hard wearing. This particular method of tying could easily be applied to bonefish flies also as the Hofusion doubles up as body and wing. How useful is that!

	Step 1 Tie in White or Polar Holofusion in at the shank in the same manner as a tail
	Step 2 Apply Fulling Mill Super Glue to the shank , then add a couple of twists to the Holofusion and wind back up the shank then secure down with a few wraps of Dyneema.
	Step 3 Now wind the thread back into position and tie in the eyes . This is a great way to tie in the eyes as the body provides a snugg base for the eyes hense they are unlikely to twist
	Step 4 Reverse the Holofusion back and add a couple of wraps to secure into position. Please note that when I tied this fly I used a very long length of material this was rather wasteful.
	Step 5 Add a sparce overwing of Dark Olive DNA Frosty Fish Fibres ,Trim ,whip finish. Add superglue or head cement. Trim the fly to size and Taperize useing Taperizing scissors or a decent pair of sharp scissors

	Here are a few straight out of the box . I had to remove the loop knots for the pictures!

Striped Bass Fishing Cape Cod

2007-12-15T12:35:00.000-08:00

You can only listen to the stories of blitzing shoals and fly fishing the flats for Striped Bass for so long before you have to see for yourself. After months of planning I was headed west towards Cape Cod in Massachusetts .I could hardly contain my excitement. Just a couple of guys who love to fish ,spouses left at home unadulterated fishing for ten days. Bass fishing from Dawn till dusk with just enough time at night for a clam chowder and a couple of cold Beers to follow ,it sounds great ! We also caught around 400 Bass in ten days .You soon lose count when the fishing is that good.

Fishing can be hard work at times!

Chatham and Cape Cod
After a two hour drive East from Boston airport and you will arrive at Chatham a picture postcard New England town with the most wonderful period timber houses. The beach front houses sell for Millions , so if you plan to relocate start saving .

The fishery
Cape Cod is a mecca for saltwater fly fishermen. An intelligent coastal fisheries policy has provided the East coast with a bounty both in the terms of quality fishing but also in terms of money spent by visiting foreign fishermen and locals alike. You will find a strong saltwater fly fishing scene and all accessible to the visitor. The migrating Stripers will arrive at the Cape From around mid may ,soon after the bluefish arrive. Blues are the hard fighting thugs , a fish with attitude and a set of teeth to match. These fish will hang around until the fall. As the season progresses the fish wise up and can be harder to catch. Early season is a great time , as the fish are hungry having recently spawned . Later in the year the false albacore arrive and provide great sport on the fly. The Cape has endless options for Flyfishermen. fishing the flats ,the rips, Oceanside surf beaches ,salt ponds and the creeks. We managed to fish a variety of environments and caught fish from every single one of them.


Creeks	Beaches

Flats	Afloat

The Fish
Striped Bass are prolific along the East coast They are very similar to our European bass although as with all things American they tend to be a great deal larger .they will migrate North with the warmer waters and head back down south as the sea temperatures drop. Bluefish are voracious predators . To watch a shoal of blues attack baitfish is amazing they will slash at anything that comes within their path .They also fight like demons when hooked .If you start losing flies then its time to rig a bite tippet .

Tackle And Fishing Files.
Take both a 7/8 wt and a 9/10 wt . The lighter set up would suit the creeks . You are far more likely to fish a 9/10 most of the time. You will need a full compliment of fly lines and expect to use fast sinking lines in the rips on a regular basis. Twenty pound fluorocarbon leaders were used . And remember to pack a decent bite proof tippet material for the bluefish. I used PRO LEADER and had no problems. Expect to hook big fish that will run hard and fast so invest in a decent reel with plenty of backing .

Flies
Size 4- 2 # Olive sparse DNA Clousers - On the flats and beaches
Size 2 Gurglers - In the creeks
Size 1 /0 Olive Super hair Clousers - In the fast Rips and drop offs

A day out with Fin Addiction
We had arranged to spend one day with Captain Jeff Smith from Fin Addiction Charters . Fortunately the clouds parted and the wind dropped in time for or our day afloat.

Jeff your pretty cool, but not that cool!

We met Jeff at Pamet harbour at Five AM And were soon blasting out at great speed past Province town and Race Point towards the fishing grounds. Jeff loves his work and it came across. I just knew we were going to have a great day out. We arrived at the first spot to the sight of a vast shoal of sandeel . Fast sinking lines on 9 Wt rods were rigged and size 4/0 DNA bush pigs were tied onto strong leaders. We were soon into what we regard as great fish and Jeff regards as little fellas. A few seven or eight pound bass wasn't’t too bad to start with . Jeff had other plans and wanted to get us into the Cows. We headed further South and were confronted by a unforgettable scene ,a colossal shoal of sandeel ,literally a few miles square in size dimpling the surface .Gulls and Terns were diving on mass . Humpback Whales were engulfing prey with huge mouths open as they broke the surface. Bass also were attacking the bait .You could possibly think that catching fish in these circumstances would be a formality but that wasn’t the case. Jeff had to work really hard to get us onto fish, as fast as the bass would hit the surface they would vanish to re appear elsewhere , we would move closer to the action or play the waiting game and then if lucky get one or two shots at the fish before they disappeared. Jeff was slightly frustrated but we were over the moon. My buddy Colin had a personal best fish at thirty five inches. I had a few double figure fish and a big smile on my face. Two very happy customers indeed.


A nice start to the day	Colin with a great fish (again!)

Someone to do the hard work	Our Home for the day

After several hours Oceanside we headed towards the sheltered waters of Provincetown Harbour to try a little sight fishing in the shallows. Clouds appeared from nowhere and visibility was lost, the next couple of hours were spend catching 3 lb class bass on intermediate lines and olive DNA clousers. Great sport and great fun watching twenty fish follow the fly from our elevated position on the boat. I am already looking forward to a day out with Jeff in the future.

A managed fishery , we can only dream.
In the late eighties the population of striped bass hit rock bottom ,over fishing by the commercial sector had taken its toll .Radical steps were required and quickly. The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission in conjunction with Federal government introduced a far sweeping range of laws to protect the species. And more importantly those laws were enforced rather than just passed.

In the UK Saltwater fly fishing is regarded as ‘’ the next big thing ‘’ .I watch fishing boats leaving the harbour laden with monofilament gill nets soon to return with juvenile fish that have not been given even a chance to spawn . If we had the same commitment and vision to change policy then perhaps we could achieve the same as the Americans . Recreational Sea fishing is now booming in the States. Saltwater fly fishing in the UK is great fun but a shadow of what could be.

If I have inspired one person to visit Cape Cod I hope I have inspired at least another to join BASS these guys have been fighting on our behalf with some success for years. Look at the Irish Drift nets. Recreational fishermen are standing up and being counted and it seems that common sense may finally be winning .The same could be achieved over here its all down to us.

Email sales@uksaltwaterflies.com

2007-12-15T12:33:00.001-08:00

Location Location Location
Flyfishing around our coastline is a daunting task for too many anglers. Photographs of muscular, silvery bass and bent fly rods inspire numbers to give it a go, but when they first arrive at the big pond they feel lost, experience failure and soon go back to the reservoir.
I remember a similar feeling on my first visit to Chew Valley, which was equally daunting and inevitably ended in a blank. It’s like that for most of us the first time, but we see others catch and go home determined to succeed next time. On the rocks there’s usually no one else around to inch a bit closer to.
To be honest, if you can persevere through the first few blank sessions you will soon start to crack the code. The sea can be easier than some large still waters once you know where to look. Lakes don’t often reveal their fish holding structures until there’s a drought. The sea shows you the lot at the bottom of the ebb! Buy a tide table, get your boots on, and start walking the shoreline at low tide.

This reef produced a few great Bass

Where

I remember the first time I stumbled on a hidden cove, a few years ago, while walking Cornwall’s coastal path. I wondered about the bass potential but on closer inspection passed it off as an unlikely spot. There was little water depth except at the top of a spring tide and the ground looked un-fishable, so I dismissed it. Two seasons later and it’s now one of my most reliable hotspots.
The mark has provided me with a fair number of good bass, but more importantly, most of my better fly caught bass have come from similar ground. Broken and shallow is the best way to describe it. Look for rock pools that leave small fish and marine life stranded until the next spring tide.

Low Tide

The same location during a flooding Tide. Bass will be in there hunting

Steve with a bass from similar ground

Some places have what look like the right structure, but life doesn’t seem to exist in them. Look for areas brimming with life. Where there’s life and strong tide and wave influence then death will also be a feature. Where there’s death, there’s food!
Common shore crabs favour this type of habitat and big bass love crabs. Bass really are in their element hunting over this shallow, broken ground. I have seen them feeding in heavy surf over the most harsh, sharp rocks imaginable.
During a memorable session with a guest last summer. The surf was pounding at our feet and bass followed our lures right to the waters edge, turning quickly and swimming through the next breaking wave. Observing this sort of feeding behaviour leaves you marvelling at their agility and timing.
Wind and Tide
A light breeze that blows inshore generating a good wave will generally bring the fish within range especially if combined with a flooding tide. Bass will arrive at spots with good food supplies as soon as they can. Once a foot of water breaks over a series of rock pools there can be three to five feet of water and you might never have guessed what was swimming around in there.
Bass will hunt very close in these areas, and there is no need to cast far. It needn’t be a daunting experience if you’ve done your homework.
Flies and Strikes
Surface lures and poppers are not only great fun, but they are very effective. To see a bass slash at the fly takes some beating. Try a Crease Fly if you’re stuck for choice or confronted by endless snags. The strike can vary from a subtle pluck to a ramming speed surface assault.
Leaders
Don’t be afraid to fish with heavy leaders in this situation and 17lb Fluorocarbon is perfect.
Technique
Try starting a session with the ‘dead in the water’ technique. This will allow you to keep still for longer so that you are less likely to spook a large solitary fish. Don’t retrieve the fly by pulling it but do stay in touch with it. Remember, a good fly should be ‘alive’ in the water with or without a retrieve. Let the fly do the work.
When to fish
Without doubt, dawn and dusk are the best time to catch fish, but there are no hard and fast rules. I like to be at the water’s edge casting a fly as the dawn breaks, or similarly at dusk, a magical time of day to be fishing. I like the dawn session most because releasing a decent bass before the rest of the world has woken sets me up for the rest of the day. So spend a few evenings pouring over an O.S map and start planning some trips this year.

Bass hunt for Crabs in these locations

2007-12-15T12:28:00.001-08:00

The DNA Baitfish

Originator: ME!!
Hook: V Cut
Size:2 #
Thread: Dyneema
Eyes: 3D Mirror 3.5 mm
Tail materials: DNA Frosty Fish Fibres Colour Polar and Pink - DNA Holofusion Colour Polar
Other Items - Loon Hard Head Clear- pro marker pens - fulling mill super glue

This Is a fly looks even better in the water the DNA shimmers as the fly swims. It is also very easy to tie. The trick lies in the chenille ball. This greates the shape and taper it also provides a great base for the eyes to fix onto. You can blend the Holofusion with the Frosty Fibres if you want to create different effects.

	Step 1 Tie In DNA Frosty Fish fibres light colour. Keep the fibres on top of the shank of the hook
	Step 2 Repaeat step one and tie second colour DNA frosty Fish Fibres over the first .
	Step 3 Tie in your Chenille
	Step 4 Apply Fulling Mill superglue to the shank and make two wraps of the chenille to create a small ball.Trim waste and then trim the chenille
	Step 5 Tie in either a blend of white DNA Holofusion with White Fish Fibres or pure Holofusion .
	Step 6 Be sure to try to splay the Holofusion by pressing down hard this will spread the fibres over the ball.
	Step 7 Repeat step 5 and 6 to the underside of the fly. Perhaps with slightly more material than on top of the fly.
	Step 8 Grasp all the fibres and pull back tight and straight, then apply superglue to the chenille ball either side. Then stick on the 3.5 mm Mirror 3D eyes
	Step 9 Splay the material between your fingers and trim to shape. I use Anvil Taperising scissors although I have achieved reasonable results working slowly with regular fly tying scissors
	Step 10 and11 DNA rworks well with marker pens. I have stroked the back with black to create the darker back .Apply a couple of coats of Loon Hard Head to build the head . Thats it!!
	Step 12 Wet the fly and have a look , the fly will taper well and should be quite translucent.

The Lazy Crease Fly

2007-12-15T12:27:00.000-08:00

FLY TYING ARTICLES

The Lazy Crease Fly

Originator: Capt Joe Blandos(crease fly concept)
Hook: Tiemco 911 s Size 2/0
Size:2/0
Thread: Kevlar thread
Eyes: Prismatic stick on size 4.5
Tail materials: Buck tail - lazer lites
Body materials - Loco foam silver - pro marker pens - fulling mill super glue

This is an excellent top water fly . It has beaten fish the around the globe and is a great pattern for saltwater fly fishing for Bass in the UK. It is a relatively bulky fly so a decent casting technique is a bonus. The crease fly pushes a lot of water and is suited to those slightly heavier conditions. Try short hard tugs on the fly line for a highly visable''eat me'' signal, also try a double handed retrieve. If you see a fish behind the fly that can not make up its mind either speed up the retrieve or try to just let the fly stop and sit dead in the water. Fish off the top are hard to beat!

This fly is very easy to tie if you use loco foam and Pro marker pens.

This version has been finished with softex although a light thinned down epoxy coating can be used as well as'' loon hard head''

	STEP 1 Cut a template for the crease fly from either foam or cardboard and test it out against the shank of the hook for size and shape. When you are happy cut out the shape in the loco foam Note If you are clever then remember to colour the inside of the mouth of the crease fly red at this stage as it is awkward later.


	STEP 2 Wrap the shank with the thread and tie in the lazer lites to provide flash in the tail , then tie in the bucktail. Note that the bucktail can go all the way towards the eye as this will produce a bulky base for the super glue to fix onto later. You can see that on this one I have tied in a glass rattle to provide extra attraction. Tie off the thread.

	STEP 3 Apply a generous amount of super glue to the wrapped shank of the hook and also to the bottom inside edge of the crease fly. Then wrap the foam body over the shank, turn the fly upside down and hold the edges together. Fulling Mill superglue will dry very quickly.
	STEP 4 First apply a light colour to the flank of the fly then darker one a little higher and then a darker one across the backbone of the fly to create the fish like appearance. Wet your fingers and blur and blend the colours together. Apply the holographic eyes Coat the fly with softex or similar agent
	You can see that big mouth and why the fly creates a nice splash on the surface
Copper loco foam with black marker pen	Charteruse loco foam with brown marker pen

Saltwater Kayak Fly Fishing

2007-12-15T12:24:00.001-08:00

Saltwater Kayak Fly Fishing

The internet's a great resource for the fly fisherman! I had recently made contact with Simon Everett a Photo journalist and I offered to catch some Bass for the camera. Fools make promises to people with cameras but never the less the offer had been accepted so the pressure was on. . Simon was planning on staying with me in Porthleven for a couple of days so that allowed enough time to find a few willing fish. Hopefully.

Simon at sea

Simon Everett Is a professional Journalist a keen saltwater fly fisherman and a experienced Kayak fisherman and also the Secretary of Bass Sportsfish Society so I was in good company . Simon arrived a little late on the Monday unfortunately and we missed a great tide at one of my favorite marks. The swell was building too ,so it was probably a blessing in disguise. We went to the local pub instead and made are plans for the next couple of days. When you live this deep into Cornwall you have to be prepared to change locations quickly as the weather never seems to live up to the weatherman’s predictions. You plan a trip at dawn to a spot based on a south westerly force 4 and awake to a Northerly force 6.
The next Morning we decided to do a Kayak fishing session at a mark that can produce bigger fish .The ground is very heavy and the Bass will usually come in Mid tide in search of crabs and other inhabitants of the reefy areas and rock pools. As well as producing Big Bass the mark can also produce a big zero from time to time and alas on this morning it did just that. We had great light and a big swell ( too big for this mark) .And also too big to fish from the Kayak! So Simon concentrated on getting great photos while I concentrated on getting drenched! Gore Tex gear is not designed to take waves crashing down .

‘’ That’s it Austen Stand there excellent photo!’’ The photos were worth the drenching.

We returned back to base and after a cooked breakfast we decided with these big seas the best plan would be to hit one of the local estuary’s. The choice of location was made so we drove to a suitable launching spot. After the extreme kayak fishing session of the morning it was wonderful to be afloat in such a safe and picturesque environment. We launched and headed up the Estuary with the tide with the hope of finding Bass in the rips hitting shoals of fry.
First stop was at a gravel bar with a nice flow of tidal water squeezing its way through . We began casting and within a few casts I was into the first Bass of the day. The fish fought well in the tidal current but was soon ready to land when up against a 9# rod . The fish was small at about 1 ½ pounds in weight but a very welcome regardless. The fish fell to a size 6 Chartreuse and White Clouser Minnow fished on a floating line. No prizes for innovation there but what the hell . The classics work well for a reason. We had a couple more similar sized fish from the gravel bar and then as the tide slowed down over the bar the fish moved off or went of the feed. We split up and paddled off in different directions . I went further up the Estuary and found a huge shoal of mullet with a few bass hiding in amongst them. The Bass will often follow the mullet shoals around and co exist with them in peace. Many anglers believe the Bass are using the mullet as cover from which to grab un weary baitfish .

A few photos from up the creek , its hard to believe this is saltwater fly fishing! A Magical environment sheltered and full of fish!

I managed to pluck a bass from amongst the mullet and decided to continue searching for new spots. I made my way up with the tide in much the same way as the fish we were pursuing that is by just sitting in neutral gear and drifting slowly as the water crept into the creeks and gullies. When you find yourself just floating in amongst the shoals of fish you are as close as you are ever likely to get to them or being a fish, all day long I witnessed large boils as I spooked fish a foot or so from the bow. Magical stuff!! I missed the back end of a couple of fry attacking blitzes at the mouth of a creek and judging by the speed of the shoal they were mackerel.

So I paddled against the tide to rejoin Simon close to the middle of the estuary ,near to where we had started. The soft mud that we had carried the kayaks over at low tide was now flooded and the water was warm from the afternoon sun ,Bass and Garfish were hunting in amongst the weed beds in about five to six feet of water . We had several Bass during the final hour . By this time I was exhausted, we had fished from 5 AM to 7 PM and I had spent 6 hours in the seat of a Kayak , my backside could take no more so I elected to paddle to shore. As I attempted to stand up straight on the shore Simon hooked into the last fish of the day , after a short while the fish was landed and a cry of joy was heard. Simon had only managed to land a Guilt head bream!! The Gilthead bream has eluded me so far and should be regarded as the Holy grail of UK saltwater fly fishing for it good looks and legendary fighting abilities. I’am sure my time will come and hopefully my Gilthead will be larger than 4 ounces! Sorry Simon it was only a tiddler!

Gilthead Bream.What a pretty fish

Safety afloat
You need to spend a little time familiarizing yourself with the kayak and I would thoroughly recommend lessons from a qualified Kayak instructor this will arm you with the confidence to get out there. Also a kayaking buoyancy aid is an essential item to purchase. Be sure to try one on rather than buy online as you need a decent fit . I would also recommend that you start out in the company of other kayaker’s they will pass on tips hopefully keep you safe.
Also its advisable to stick to safe sheltered locations to start with rather than fighting big waves, strong currents and wind. Its all common sense really just think safety at all times. Last of all remember to take water with you. I am terrible when it comes to re hydrating at the best of times and paddling will dry you out.
Tackle considerations
Keep it all to a minimum and don’t take your best rod out. I would not recommend taking your most expensive new fly rod out on the kayak if you have a cheaper rod that you can use. The rods and reels will take a battering on the kayak and there’s always the danger of losing a rod overboard. Or damaging it while launching or landing in the surf. I leave the expensive C&F fly boxes at home and use a cheaper alternative. I keep spare tippet materials in my pocket and forceps around my neck on a lanyard. Any other items like a camera go into a dry bag in the hold of the kayak. If fishing estuary’s then trout gear from 6 - 8 # will be fine . I tend to fish a floating line and attach sinking Hi D poly leaders If I need to get the fly down , rather than carry spare spools . If fishing the estuary then consider using smaller flies. These seem to spook the fish less in that environment than the big fat deceivers and crease flies that I tend to use in the sea in rougher conditions.

Choice of Kayak
Ocean Kayak seem to have the market well covered in the UK and the combination of good design, durability and affordability have paid dividends and given the brand a loyal following. I have purchased a Ocean Kayak 15 foot Scupper Pro. This kayak will travel long distances with less fatigue than shorter yaks and the slightly lower seating position provides a nice stable low center of gravity. The choice of colour ranges from dull green to bright yellow. I chose the dull green for estuary fishing. Is that what they mean by going commando!! Possibly not.!
Conservation considerations
Before you fish in estuary’s from afloat be sure to check on the local bylaws . Many are classed as bass conservation areas and many do not allow bass fishing from afloat. In these places you are better off finding spots to fish from the shore, use the kayak to access the remote gems. Also remember to release every bass you catch in the Nursery areas.

Kayak Fly Fishing

Finding features
Take it slowly and read the water, look for sand bars that will cause tidal rips and fish the creases. Try fishing both up tide and down tide of the features . Keep your eyes open at the junction of smaller creeks and once again look for the areas with the maximum water flow. If it looks limp and lifeless then it probably is. Try to work these spots thoroughly as the predators may not actually be willing to stray far from their prime lies. In these situations the Bass may well stay put for a while and let the food come to them. It is also worth noting that many of these marks will fish better on the Ebbing tide. Especially at the mouths of creeks or bottlenecks of areas that dry out at low tide. The Bass will leave the creeks before the baitfish and then nail them when they are forced to leave. Keep an eye open for diving birds and fry shoals being harassed from below.
Casting and drifting
If you are casting from the yak then don’t worry to much about super human distance casting you can sneak up on the fish and get right on top of them. You can use an anchor although this is a little advanced for the first sessions and I find the process fiddly afloat . A drogue will slow down the drift . Simon uses a fly fishing drogue and it works really well. You can strip the fly line into the Yak easily so you wont need a stripping basket..

Playing fish
Playing fish can be entertaining. I’ve had fish circle the boat and even a small fish can pull the Kayak along so just imagine what its like playing a Tarpon on one of these vessels . Some people use a landing net although if you fish barbless then you can release fish in the water with ease. Flyfishing in the brine should be kept simple. Barbless hooks should always be used when afloat for safety reasons. If they come off then it saves you the hassle of unhooking them.

Hand landing , saying Hello too and releasing a small Bass unharmed

That’s all for now hopefully this will inspire a few of you to get a kayak. They cost less than an expensive fly rod and will bring a whole new dimension to Saltwater Fly Fishing.

Austen Goldsmith
October 2005

Plugging for Bass in the UK

2007-12-15T12:18:00.000-08:00

Why an article?

I imagine there are people out there who have made their way into saltwater fly fishing from the Game angling scene who may wish to know a little about other ways of catching Bass beyond fly fishing or who may also be struggling on those big ugly days when the sea turns extra nasty.

Why go plugging for Bass?
As a keen Saltwater fly fisherman , when you land a big Bass on a plug or better a surface lure you may have to struggle with your conscience . I say don't. The two best bass I have landed so far have both fallen to plugs. Its not that I believe that big fish prefer the plug . I think its more to do with the fact that on those particular days big fish were there and had I not been plugging . I would have been fly fishing in a more sheltered location.
Many saltwater fly rodders shun the idea of plugging and even dare I say it look down on Pluggers as less competent , for not being able to present a fly in the neck of a howling wind. I will include myself amongst the snobs for the sake of political correctness. I do understand that anglers prefer them on the fly. I do myself ! Most of the marks I fish will fish as well if not better on the fly rod and I'm sure that sometimes a plug will spook the Bass rather than attract them.
But when you see Four Bass follow your lure in gin clear water only to turn away at the rod tip or see a huge bow wave followed by an explosive take on a surface lure then stuff the politics I’ve hooked a bass and my rod is bent double.

You can cover a lot of water quickly with a plugging rod, the fact is that you can cast three times as far with a plug and get many more retrieves per hour out of the session. So they are great tools for checking out new locations and locating holding areas.

Tackle
The rod that I use is a Berkley 10 foot titanium rated for lure in the 8 - 32 gram class. This rod is a joy to use as it is fast action but soft enough to let you feel like there's a fish on when hooked, actually you could liken the action and test curve to that of a 9-10 # fast action fly rod.
The reel is a fixed spool Shimano Bait runner , not that you need a bait runner for plugging. The reel is loaded with 50 lb Power Pro braid. This performs faultlessly and has a low diameter and casts light lures well. Recently I fished with a buddy , he was using 14 lb Berkley braid and an identical lure to me and I was able to cast as far if not further using the 50 lb Power Pro.

Choice of lure

Yo Zuri Crystal Minnow f(crystal minnow(note: small lipped version

My first choice will always be William The conqueror ! That’s the nickname I have given to an old beaten up' Yo Zuri F' that has outwitted countless Bass it has silver sides and a black back or at least it once upon a time. I will weep when I lose him. The lure swims at about an 18 inch depth and looking at the state of it I wonder if it looks like an injured or diseased fish when retrieved. This lure is exceptional retrieved very fast over sandy bottoms on bright sunny days. Or slowly at dawn or Dusk.

Duel Allie Magnet
Second choice would be the Duel Allie Magnet .This comes in two sizes and I prefer the smaller size with the sand eel paint job(Gold with a brown back). This is classed as a popper- slider , and guess what it does! This is a surface lure that represents an injured bait fish. It is first choice for fishing heavy tackle grave yard style marks. I have yet to hook a bass of the surface in water deeper than about 6 foot as it happens. This lure fishes best ,as with most Bass fishing, in choppy seas and dull light conditions. You cant beat the excitement of surface popping either on a plugging rod or a fly rod. Try a mixture of retrieves with this lure from a slow subtle splash , plop and pause to a fast scuppering across the surface style.

Bass Bullet
Third Choice is the Bob Cox Bass Bullit.This odd looking lure will cast sixty yards into the face of a force 8 wind .It is a sinking lure so forget fishing heavy broken ground unless you are a millionaire. I had an 11 lb Bass from an Irish Surf strand in 30 knots of wind in hellish sea conditions on one of these a couple of years ago ,any other lure would have literally flown back at me after casting into the wind that day. The lure has about the same action as a brick so I recommend a heavy knocking sink and draw style retrieve. It looks awful in the water so try pulling it all the way up until it splashes on the surface or even hops out of the water and then let it sink for a few seconds while reeling fast to remain in contact during a take. A naff looking lure that catches fish!

A few articles that may be of interest .

2007-12-15T12:15:00.000-08:00

DOUBLE HANDED RODS (FLY FISHING IN FOUR WHEEL DRIVE)

It was on my last visit to Ireland in the pursuit of bass that I made a discovery. The sea was throwing everything it had at the beaches and the prospect of a bass or any other saltwater quarry was no more than a hopeless dream. It had never occurred to me to fish for salmon in Ireland. I look back to just how blinkered I had been and must say that the capture of my first Salmon on a fly will stay with me to the grave, or at least until I catch a bigger one!

So all too soon the time comes to return home fresh with new thoughts of spey casting, salmon, sea trout and the joy of fishing in Ireland’s wonderful rivers. The only problem for me is that I am currently based in Cornwall! To live in Cornwall and spey cast is akin to living in Jamaica and desire to snow board, or at least almost. That is unless you diversify and take the long rod down to the beach and that’s what I did and made that big discovery.

A double hander in the salt is awesome! I read on a US web site a quote that roughly said that in the sea a single handed rod is equivalent to’’ taking a knife to a gunfight’’ and it is not until you leave the nine footer in the car on get out your big gun that you suddenly feel that you are no longer quite so intimidated by the large water. Or should I say ‘ready to fish in four wheel drive’.

The advantages I have found are as follows. Foremost they are fun ,lets be honest saltwater fly fishing can involve a lot of casting and to add snake rolls, double and single spey casts and most importantly the overhead cast to your armory will not only make the experience more fulfilling but improve you casting abilities with both the single and double hander. The Power and distance abilities of the double hander are formidable .The long rod is a casting tool capable of throwing large flies a very long way ,an overhead cast will suddenly send your flies out to where few single handers have been before. You also exert a lot less effort with these rods and hence can fish all day without fatigue.

In some situations you can say goodbye to that backcast! Suddenly the list of locations you can fish will increase as you no longer have to check that a likely fish holding area has thirty six feet plus of casting clearance behind it. Your control whenfly fishing in the brine will increase with a longer rod, when fishing the breakers, from the rocks, wading, or from the beach the long rod will enable you to mend the line especially when fishing a quartering style across the surf tables at 45 degrees. Or perhaps if you can find a strong tidal rip (the bass will!) then you can dead drift a fly or swing it across the current more effectively than before, this can be rewarding both in results and in simple angling pleasure. The first time I fished a regular rocky mark of mine with the long rod I realized that I was actually standing ten feet further back than normal. Hence you may not be so compelled to wade out quite so far when you can cast that extra distance with dry feet rather than entering into an ‘extreme wading’ situation where you risk life and limb to gain a few extra yards.

Hopefully those who have not considered either trying the long rod in the salt or salmon anglers who wish to diversify will be starting to understand the advantages. Fly fishing should be effortless not a tug of war with the elements so why not spread the load between two hands ,cut out all that double hauling and gain a bit of extra control and leverage, and obviously extra distance.

Austen Goldsmith
March 2005