Tag: Reel Time

A cool wind ruffled the waters of the Manatee River and clouds scudded overhead as we left the relative calm of Warner’s Bayou and the 59th Street boat ramp. These were less than ideal conditions for a fly caster but that didn’t dampen the spirits of 18-year-old Hunter Brasington.

Steve Traves, owner of AMI Outfitters on Anna Maria, introduced me to Brasington. Hunter had been frequenting the shop, and Traves had been impressed with his enthusiasm.

Besides being passionate about fly fishing he is also an avid fly tier and has experienced the excitement of catching a fish on one of his own creations. A senior in high school in Gainesville, he vacations on the Island with his family several months a year. When he’s at home in Gainesville, he fishes for redfish around Cedar Key in his Hell’s Bay Guide flats boat that he’s had since he was a freshman in high school.

Today we were fishing from Traves Beavertail flats boat. Besides the opportunity to get Brasington on the water, the trip was a chance for me to meet him and learn about an internship he was pursuing with Traves. Brasington’s senior project for his business major requires him to work in a trade for 40 hours. The idea is to experience a career interest. AMI Outfitters is a perfect location for him because he wants to work in and maybe eventually own a fly shop. Besides the 40 hours, he also is required to create a blog around his interest and give a presentation.

I was immediately struck with the enthusiasm he showed for whatever the day might bring and pleasantly surprised when I queried him and he related to me his passion for fly fishing. Like so many anglers, he had started out fishing with bait and artificial lures and had carefully explored the haunts of the snook, redfish, tarpon and trout that ply local waters. He also had made the switch to fly fishing relishing the challenge after becoming bored chasing tarpon with live crabs on conventional tackle.

What really impressed me was the fact that he had made the switch far earlier in his fishing career than most anglers. As it turns out, that’s becoming more common as younger anglers become interested in fly fishing, a big change from just a few years ago. His dad isn’t a fly fisherman but is an avid angler. It was a trip to the Everglades with a guide that really caused him to make the switch to fly fishing.

“I was pretty bad when I started out,” he said “but by the end of the day I was doing a lot better. After that trip I didn’t touch a spinning rod for two years. When I’ve been out a couple of times and haven’t caught anything I go to the Internet and watch a fishing video. That keeps me interested.”

The weather eventually improved, and we were able to do some sight fishing in Terra Ceia Bay. During the day, we took turns on the bow, and although we didn’t have much luck in the catching department, everyone enjoyed the opportunity to get some shots at snook and redfish. That’s the beauty of fly fishing, that you can have a great day on the water even though you don’t actually bring a fish to the boat. It was a pleasure getting to know Hunter and encouraging to see that someone so young is committed to fly fishing and protecting the resource. I’m sure if he stays on the same track, he’ll have a bright fly fishing future. He couldn’t have better mentor than Traves.

When I asked Capt. Jamie Allen to describe his profession, he didn’t hesitate.

“I truly believe I have the best job in the world. Not only does my office view change daily but it makes my anglers smile. My goal is to make sure they have fun while catching fish,” he said with a smile.

Allen fishes Charlotte Harbor and the surrounding waters, one of the most productive estuaries in Florida. His experience is based on a lifetime of fly fishing that began in Vermont when he was six years old. He moved to Florida in 2000 from Durango, Colo. and has been unlocking the secrets of the area ever since. While fly fishing is his specialty, he caters to all anglers and has an array of high-end spinning gear when the occasion calls. His fly anglers also benefit from the fact that he’s a Fly Fishers International (FFI) Certified Casting Instructor. This allows him to help his clients with any casting challenges they may have, including dealing with ubiquitous afternoon sea breezes.

Allen enjoys sight fishing whenever possible. On clear days it’s a big part of his day on the water.

“One of the best ways to learn about catching fish is watching them,” he says. “Seeing how they react to our presentations helps me find a fly or lure that will be effective.”

The best part of sight fishing according to Allen is being able to see their quarry eat the fly.

“It’s an unforgettable experience,” he says.

Tarpon are his favorite target and he’s gained a plethora of knowledge on their behavior over the years. While he targets tarpon when he can, each day on the water provides the possibility of a mix of species including – to name a few – snook, redfish, seatrout, cobia, pompano, grouper and snapper. Factors including weather conditions and time of the year all factor into the fish he concentrates on.

I met Allen at the Waterfront Motel on Boca Grande on a challenging weather day. Although we wanted to sight fish, the conditions were mostly cloudy with 12- to 15-knot winds. We fished shorelines and the edge of grass flats in Turtle Bay on his customized Grand Slam 17. Allen knew that without light, we would have to work edges and holding areas where fish stage to ambush bait. In four hours of fishing, we managed to spook about a dozen redfish and a few snook, finally catching a nice red at the end of a mangrove island.

During the afternoon, we also caught and released a number of small trout and ladyfish. The red we caught fell for a fly Allen tied by stacking brown EP fiber to create a head that pushed water, alternately kicking from side to side in a swimming motion. Its head was shaped like a cigar, and the pattern was tied to imitate the small finger mullet and scaled sardines the predators target.

Eighty percent of Allen’s charters are fly fishermen whose favorite target is tarpon, which he has a reliable shot at 12 months of year, depending on weather conditions and water temperature. In the winter his most dependable action on tarpon centers around the juveniles he finds in tidal creeks.

His second love is chasing tailing redfish. While he still finds dependable action when targeting redfish, the number of fish and the size of schools he encounters are not what they were in past years. He is puzzled as to what is responsible for the decline, but thinks it might represent the loss of a few year classes to red tide. At one time it was common to catch numerous redfish on any given outing. Now he averages a handful each day.

Fortunately, fishing in general has remained strong and snook, trout, tarpon and seasonal visitors like cobia and little tunny fill the gap. Capt. Allen has an excellent website with videos he shoots on his charters. It will give you an appreciation of his skill at putting his clients on exciting action and get you fired up to experience the fun. To book a charter, visit the website or call him at 941-628-9031.

As he says on the website, “Let the fun begin.”

New Year’s resolutions are a part of the story of the holidays. In my experience, this tradition has spawned more jokes than resolutions that are followed through. Still, it’s a good time and practice to look back on the past year with its successes and challenges and at least reflect on what worked, what you might have done differently and what fresh adventures can be planned for the New Year. Anglers can glean some valuable information and insight that will lead to positive fishing experiences in 2018.

I’m not suggesting that we write down hard and fast resolutions that don’t give any wiggle room. Instead think back on even the small things that when done differently might have had a bigger impact than you ever imagined. An example might be remembering when you hooked a really nice fish only to lose it to a failed knot, that tell-tale squiggle on the end of your line where the hook used to be attached. This resolution might read “always remember to carefully tie my knots, inspecting and testing them before I start fishing.” If this scenario hasn’t happened to you, count your blessings and remember this suggestion. I’ll admit to experiencing that pesky pigtail on the end of my line at least once this past year. The same applies to sharpening hooks, checking the drag and inspecting line for nicks and abrasions. Ideas like this can be the start of a general review of all your rigging, the state of your tackle and lures, even the condition of the line you have on your reels. Maybe it’s time to consider changing out a line that’s seen a realistic amount of service.

Tackle and organization are certainly places to start, but extend that same thinking to other equipment like your boat and motor, waders, push pole, trolling motor and wading boots. As experience teaches us, it’s the little things that we overlook that come back to haunt us.

On the water consider thinking out of the proverbial box by altering your routine strategy. Many anglers go fishing with a plan and never deviate from it. They start at one spot and hit all the usual holes during the day. A different option? Try planning to fish only places you’ve never explored before. I’ve done this and been amazed at how many spots there are that have proved to be productive. Looking at the same place with new eyes can be revealing.

Also consider trying a new place altogether. There are lots of beautiful and productive destinations within a few hours’ drive from Anna Maria, both north and south. Drive two hours north and you can explore the Chassahowitzka National Wildlife Refuge and just north of there, Homosassa and Crystal rivers. Less than two hours south and you’re in Charlotte Harbor and adjacent to Pine Island Sound.

Don’t want to go that far? Anyone with a boat can leave Anna Maria and be fishing in fresh water in about an hour. The Manatee River and the Braden River provide anglers with a variety of fish from tarpon to catfish, redfish to bass. Both rivers also have numerous launch sites for boats, kayaks and paddleboards.

It might even prove useful to review how you approach fishing. If you’re a fly caster, look at ways you might improve your casting and consider learning how to cast with your non-dominant hand. Anglers who use conventional tackle might want to try artificial lures instead of always relying on live bait. No matter how long you’ve been fishing or what your level of competency, there’s always room for improvement. A general review of tackle, technique and the opportunities available to you can only improve your enjoyment of fishing moving into 2018. Happy New Year!

In my life there have been a few people that have made a lasting impression. Some rise to the top, rich experiences, like cream on fresh milk. Bernard “Lefty” Kreh is just such a person. At 93 years young, Kreh is a fly fishing legend. He is a renowned outdoorsman, a skilled hunter, writer, photographer and fly-casting instructor.

Kreh was born in Frederick, Md. on Feb. 26, 1925. His father, who taught him to fish and hunt, died during the depression and Kreh used those skills to help feed his mother and three siblings. He began fly fishing in 1947 when he was introduced to the sport by fly fishing pioneer Joe Brooks.

Kreh guided Brooks in the Chesapeake Bay, where the two developed techniques and patterns that formed the foundation of saltwater fly fishing. Brooks encouraged Kreh to share his knowledge through writing, and over the years he has been a columnist for more than 15 newspapers, including the St Petersburg Times, the Baltimore Sun and the Miami Herald.

Kreh lived in south Florida from 1964 to 1972 where he ran The MET (Miami Metropolitan Fishing Tournament). During that time, he was influential in the development of saltwater fly fishing in the Florida Keys. In 1991, a fly pattern he developed with Brooks, the Lefty’s Deceiver, was featured on a U.S. postage stamp.

He has published articles and photographs in every fly fishing magazine in the world, has authored over 20 books, including LL Bean’s “Guide to Outdoor Photography” and books on knots, as well as numerous CDs and DVDs.

This is but a small part of Kreh’s many contributions. Despite all his fame and accomplishments, he is perhaps the most unpretentious man I have ever met. It’s his attention to people, affable nature, humor and teaching style that stand out.

I first met Kreh in the late 1980s, when I was invited to fish with Capt. Rick Grassett and Kreh when he was the speaker at a Mangrove Coast Fly Fishers banquet. The night before the banquet, we fished for snook around lights in the Venice area, and I was immediately captivated by the attention he paid to us.

That’s one of Kreh’s traits that I most admire. He takes a sincere interest in everyone he meets and treats everyone with a gracious warmth. It doesn’t matter if you’re a plumber or the CEO of a major corporation, everyone is treated the same. During the banquet, he signed and personalized six of his books I had brought to the event. He did the same for over 20 people that night.

Kreh also has an innate ability to create practical solutions. One example of this was when we were fishing and he took an interest in my camera case and suggested I attach strips of an old conveyor belt he had found to keep my hard case from sliding around the deck. Less than a week after our trip, strips of the belt showed up in the mail and have been a part of my equipment ever since.

Besides his vast store of knowledge and his willingness to share it, he is also one of the funniest men I’ve ever met. Whether he is in front of a large group or just fishing with a couple of fellow anglers his earthy humor is infectious.

Over the years I have taken every opportunity I could to visit with Kreh and have soaked up his freely given tips on writing, fly fishing and photography, and I’ve enjoyed making people laugh, repeating many of his jokes. I cherish the times I’ve spent with Kreh, the books he’s signed for me and the letters I’ve received.

One of his favorite quips speaks volumes to me, “It’s only common sense, only common sense ain’t so common.” Then there’s the way he closes every letter, a valediction I adopted with his permission, “All The Best.”