What makes redfish so perfect? First, anglers can sight cast to them, thereby getting in some technical fishing. Second, pound for pound, redfish are a hard-fighting species. And finally, they’re just absolutely beautiful. Fly anglers can pursue redfish all year, but a fall fishing trip is ideal: Beginning in September and October, when late-summer heat gives way to more moderate autumn weather, redfish sense the falling water temperatures and change their behavior dramatically. Instinctively recognizing that their forage is about to disappear, they begin to feed heavily at all times and in places where they usually would not. When this happens, fly anglers interested in exciting sight fishing will want to target redfish in three specific habitats: High tide flats, low tide flats, and small creeks. 

High tide flats fishing, possible in only a few places in the world, is plentiful in the Lowcountry in autumn. Around the full and new moons the tides are abnormally high; water floods up into the spartina grass surrounding the creeks, creating a field of flooded grass in which redfish may gorge on crabs. As the stronger-than-normal current comes into the marshes, redfish take the opportunity to go deep in the grasses to hide from predators and procure an easy meal. When they stop to slurp up crabs in the shallow flooded marsh, redfish often stick their tails straight up in the air, which indicates their position to the fly angler hoping to sight cast with a fly rod and weedless fly. Determine the direction the redfish is headed and place the fly just a few feet in front of it. Make short strips just as he gets to the fly. Redfish anglers generally don’t suffer for lack of feedback, because redfish either hammer a fly–in which case line will commence screaming out of your hands–or spook off, leaving only a wake and shaky knees behind them. 

A low tide flat is a large muddy area that holds at least a little bit of water even at the lowest of low tides; redfish love these low tide flats especially because their number-one predator, the bottlenose dolphin, hates them. Dolphins love a meal of redfish, but they’re careful to avoid very shallow water, especially at falling tide. Low tide flats also usually feature numerous oyster mounds that serve as “structure” for redfish. Growing schools of redfish will swim around and around from one oyster bed to another, feeding on anything in their path as temperatures continue to dip. 

Redfish make long blistering runs in these large muddy flats because they have nowhere to go but out and away from the skiff. From fall through winter, Lowcountry low tide flats fishing provides exceptional sight-casting opportunities because the water is so clear: When you enter a flat you can often see the redfish exploding on baitfish and shrimp in large schools from 50 yards away. A trip to the low tide flat is also great for newcomers to fly fishing: Larger schools of fish mean anglers can usually get a few good shots before the school is spooked–and even after that, there are still more schools remaining. 

Creek fishing is my personal favorite for many reasons, but especially because I enjoy the idea of catching a big fish in a small creek. When you set the hook on a 30-inch redfish in a 10-foot-wide creek, you’d better have brought your A game because there’s no telling where that fish will decide to go. It may head around the corner 60 yards in the creek to wrap you around grass. It may try to break you off on the nearest oyster bed. It may head straight for you under the boat and out of the creek. Redfish like the shallow creek for the same reason they like the flats: These habitats are difficult for predators–both human and dolphin–to access. 

Redfish will push far up into the shallowest part of the creeks at low tide to feed and to hide–and that is precisely when we like to target them with fly rods. Pole silently up a tiny creek on a crisp fall morning and spot schools of large 20- to 30-inch fish busting on baitfish, their backs and tails out of the water–and shaky knees and intense memories are all but guaranteed.

The sights, smells, and sounds of the marsh draw angling novices to South Carolina every year; the delights of the fishery ensure that even the most experienced fly anglers never want to leave. Hiding in plain sight, a short drive and a world away from the East Coast’s bustling cities, South Carolina’s Lowcountry redfish are the only excuse a fly angler needs to schedule a fall road trip. 

Photos by Paul Doughty

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Fly Fishing the Lowcountry – Part One

The Lowcountry: Part Two – Species, Seasons, Selections

Fly Fishing the Lowcountry – Part Three: Migratory Species of the Lowcountry

The post Redfish Road Trip: Saltwater fly fishing first appeared on Tail Fly Fishing Magazine.

The post Redfish Road Trip: Saltwater fly fishing appeared first on Tail Fly Fishing Magazine.

In the springtime, when we’ve had about enough of fishing the marshes for juvenile redfish, we’re excited for new targets to migrate our way. The first species I usually come across is bluefish. Bluefish are fun on fly rods because they’re aggressive and mean. If the redfish you were fishing for last winter were like Kenny G, then these bluefish are more like Ozzy Osbourne. They don’t care what you feed them as long as they have a chance to bite the head off of your fly and spit it onto the deck. Bluefish are fun to chase around nearshore reefs, but they can also be found in tidal rips. White birds are a sure sign that there are bluefish in the area. Some of the most entertaining fly fishing in springtime is running and gunning around the beaches, following the terns and gulls with hungry fish just below the surface. The bluefish in this area typically range between 1 and 5 pounds and can be taken on lighter tackle. My go-to is a 6- or 7-weight rod with a floating or intermediate line. Long-shank hooks are great in sizes 2 to 3/0. I tie my flies just above the bend and use the long exposed shank as a bite guard. I try to avoid hair and feathers because they only last a fish or two. Instead, I have better luck with white, red, and pink craft fur and EP, or SF fiber. When fishing for bluefish, flash and epoxy are your friends. Don’t forget to pack some poppers when the bite is hot!

Another high-intensity spring target is the Spanish mackerel. They, too, are vicious, blood-splattering, toothy critters that will readily take a fly. Spanish mackerel are a lot like bluefish and can often be found around the same rips, reefs, and beaches. Running and gunning the beaches for Spanish mackerel is a blast on 7- and 8-weight rods. The larger spawning mackerel weigh almost into the double digits and can easily get you into your backing. The bigger fish are not quite as reckless as the schoolies, so more realistic baitfish patterns are the norm. Chum will greatly increase your odds of hooking large mackerel on the fly. Targeting big Spanish mackerel without fresh chum is like a throwing a college party without beer. Your party will last only a few minutes before all the hot girls leave. Floating and intermediate lines do the trick in most cases. I also pack a reel with a 250- to 300-grain sinking line for when I am marking the fish on sonar but can’t seem to raise them. Baitfish patterns tied in green, white, pink, red, and most combinations thereof, will do the trick on 1/0 to 4/0 hooks. I like the more durable synthetic flies over hair for them as well. Since Spanish mackerel attack from all angles, I use a 6-inch section of stranded 30-pound wire as a bite guard. Avoid using small swivels or larger profile knots to attach the bite guard because mackerel like to eat knots when small baits are around. If the Spanish mackerel’s big brother, the king mackerel, shows up in the process, a reel with 200 yards of backing should buy you some time while your guide or buddy initiates the chase!

One of my favorite migratory fish, which shows up shortly after the bluefish and Spanish mackerel, is the cobia. Cobia look like a shark mixed with a catfish, and they’re known for being curious to a fault. These fish literally swim straight to the boat like kamikaze pilots. Inshore cobia have taken quite a hit from meat fishermen in the last decade, but we’re still seeing fish in the 10- to 40-pound-plus range daily during the spawn. Slick calm, slack tide, and sunshine are ideal for fly fishing for cobia. I typically ride in the tower of my Jones Brothers with my angler on the bow, fly rod in hand, in search of wakes and Vs on the surface. Once I find one, I’ll parallel the fish about 50 feet away and intercept the fish from a 90-degree angle with the fly. So long as you can drop the fly where it needs to be, a bite typically follows. Baitfish patterns like the EP Peanut Butter Baitfish, Whistlers, and zonker-strip flies make for good cobia food. Cobia have strange bottom lips that require sharp, wide-gap hooks. Hooks 5/0 and larger dressed with orange, white, red, green, or pink patterns will please old brownie. With such a wide size range of cobia, I stick with a 10-weight rod with weight-forward floating line. A 10-weight is not too heavy for the little guys and not too light for the big ones.

Often while I’m idling down tidelines in search of cobia I run across another favorite, the tripletail. Tripletail look a lot like something you’d catch in Miami while fishing for peacock bass. The dorsal, tail, and anal fin all sweep back to look as if the fish has three tails. Tripletail, or T3s as the guides call them, are not particularly easy to please, like cobia, but they’re very predictable. T3s often seek refuge under anything and everything. One of the best T3s I ever caught was hiding underneath an empty bottle of rubbing alcohol that was floating in a weed line. These targets look like a giant bluegill on their sides, bobbing in the current like a sunken paper bag. You know the fast-swimming, aggressive, apex predator types, right? Well, this isn’t one of them. I like to present a small 1/0 to 3/0 baitfish or shrimp pattern just right to get the bite. Just right, to me, is a fly passing slowly by the fish as if it doesn’t recognize the threat at all. Go to your local bait shop and watch shrimp crawl around in the tank. That’s how I like my fly to float by a tripletail. In the Lowcountry, tripletail can weigh anywhere from a couple of pounds to 30 pounds. So long as you have a 30-pound leader, even an 8-weight rod can get the job done.

When I think of migratory species, ones that can make an angler cry uncle, I think of jack crevalle. We’re not talking about the 5- to 10-pound jacks you caught on your last trip to Tampa. We’re talking about the vicious 30-pound ass-whoopers that sound to 50 feet and admire every clamshell on the bottom while your muscles tremble. Early June marks the beginning of giant jack season. Similar to cobia, calm conditions are necessary as we scan the sounds and beachfronts for large wakes or yellow sickle tails cutting the surface. More often than not, we’re fishing to large schools of jacks rather than solitary predators. This can work to our advantage with the element of competition, or it can work against us like a stampede of antelope evading a big cat. As with most close-quarter predators, the first cast is crucial. If the first presentation is botched, odds are our prized “yeller tails” are going to sound and come back up with a completely different attitude–a bad one. The ultimate jack fly is a big popper on a 5/0 or larger hook. Watching big jacks climb over each other to crush a popper never gets old. Considering the length of the fight and how hot it is here June through September, losing a fish after the first blistering run is no big deal. If you’re married to the idea of landing a giant jack on the fly, I’d suggest going with a 6-inch streamer in green and white to match the menhaden that jack crevalle follow into our waters. Deceivers, Whistlers, EP baitfish, and anything in between will get the bite so long as it acts right under the surface. Acting right is open to interpretation, of course, but I like short, fast strips. Long, slow strips do not create a sense of urgency. Urgency creates chaos, and both of these are great for fly fishing. Rods 10- through 12-weight do a great job of pulling on jack crevalle. Weight-forward floating and intermediate lines are great for presenting jack food. Don’t be afraid to throw your tarpon outfit at that giant jack. It may be the difference between catching one that morning or catching three.

If you’ve ever fished with me you know what I love most: tarpon! Why wouldn’t you love tarpon? They’re huge, shiny fish that eat flies and do flips! I could float around in a school of tarpon for hours without a bite, knowing that at any minute they could turn on. The Lowcountry is an interesting place to fly fish for tarpon. There is just something special about putting a hook in a Lowcountry tarpon, whether it’s a single fish in the salt marsh or a string of 50 in the Atlantic. 

Let me state for the record that I am not the authority when it comes to tarpon on the fly, but I sure have put in my time and have some good material for the highlight reel. Tarpon can be found swimming lazily around the marshes, feeding primarily on mullet, or on the beachside blasting through giant schools of menhaden. I prefer the latter because of the visuals. Whether or not I think I can connect with Mr. T, I find it very entertaining to watch these beasts breaching through baitfish pods like Free Willy. I like to throw heavier fly rods for tarpon. A 10-weight is a great choice when the water is 4-feet deep, but around here you can find yourself in 50 feet of water in no time. Not to mention, an average Lowcountry tarpon is 80-plus pounds. I prefer an 11-weight or 12-weight with an intermediate line and 300 yards of backing. If I fish a clear-tip line, I’ll go with a straight 60-pound fluorocarbon leader, about 8 feet or so. Otherwise, I like a 10-foot tapered leader with a 60-pound bite tippet. I don’t waste my time with the 20-pound class leaders because I like either to put the fish in the air or to land them quickly to fight another day. I prefer larger baitfish patters around these parts. I’m a big fan of black/purple and green/white flies on 3/0 or larger hooks.  If I’m fishing around baitfish schools, I like my fly to stand out in color or size. A fly as long, or longer, than a beer can should do it. Flies that are shaped like mullet or menhaden should work if the fly is in the right place at the right time.

by Captain Kai Williams

Bio: Captain Kai Williams has lived in Hilton Head for 28 years and has guided anglers for 16 years on kayaks, flats skiffs, and center-console boats. Visit his website at awesomeadventurecharters.com

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The Lowcountry: Part Two – Species, Seasons, Selections

Fly Fishing the Lowcountry – Part One

The post Fly Fishing the Lowcountry – Part Three: Migratory Species of the Lowcountry first appeared on Tail Fly Fishing Magazine.

The post Fly Fishing the Lowcountry – Part Three: Migratory Species of the Lowcountry appeared first on Tail Fly Fishing Magazine.

I’ve been guiding here in Hilton Head for well over 25 years and am very blessed to live in this beautiful place we call the Lowcountry. The best part about being a guide here is doing what I love while sharing this amazing fishery with visitors.

A frequent question I get is, “When’s the best time of the year to fly fish in Hilton Head?” My answer always is, “Every month has magical moments as long as the weather and tides come together.” Below is a synopsis of the seasons and species this part of the country has to offer, along with some commentary on equipment and terminal tackle.

Touching on gear, fish species, and time of year
by Captain Brain Vaughn

Winter (Redfish)

If you happen to visit during the winter months, considered the off-season for tourism in Hilton Head, you’re in for a treat. Some excellent opportunities exist to catch schooling redfish that can range anywhere from 1 to 12-plus pounds. Air temperatures average around 60 degrees but can dip well below that mark when a cold front pushes across the country. The colder weather causes the redfish to school up—and they do. Schools of hundreds of fish are usually found on the lower tides on mud flats, in front of creek mouths and oyster rakes. Sight fishing these schooling redfish is best on sunny days with light wind using a 7- or 8-weight rod with a weight-forward floating line or a floating line with an intermediate clear tip for deeper flats or for presenting to fish in crystal-clear water. Tapered leaders of 9 to 10 feet with 16- to 20-pound tippet are best, especially when fishing near oyster beds. As far as flies are concerned, many patterns work, but when I’m fishing clear water I prefer light-colored or flashy flies, as the client and I can easily track them while leading a fish. When the water is dark-colored or muddy and you’re casting to waking fish or mud puffs, larger patterns work best. When dressing, layer accordingly. A light waterproof shell jacket, a fleece, and a base layer should be all you need. Early mornings can be pretty chilly to start, but be ready to shed some layers as the sun warms throughout the day. You’re still in the South.

Spring (Redfish, Cobia, Tripletail)

During the spring months as the air and water temperatures rise into the 70s, baitfish schools, shrimp, and crabs start moving back inshore, getting redfish fired up bigtime. Baitfish patterns and topwater flies can be very effective on the flats and over oyster rake mounds on the middle of outgoing and incoming tides.

The species that comes to mind first when asked about my favorite fish on fly in the Lowcountry is the cobia. Cobia could possibly be the biggest of all the fish that migrate into our sounds and nearshore waters, but they also have the smallest window of opportunity, with only a month to six weeks of prime action per season. Late April through mid-June is prime time to sight fish cobia on the surface. The perfect setup is a 10- or 11-weight rod matched with a floating line and a 9-foot leader ending with a short piece of 40- to 50-pound bite tippet tied to a baitfish or eel pattern. Cobia can range anywhere from 10 to well over 50-plus pounds and are usually are spotted pushing a small V wake on the surface, especially on warm days with glass-calm conditions.

May is the month that cobia spawn in the sounds and rivers that surround Hilton Head and Beaufort. During the entire month of May, cobia are strictly catch-and-release. This was implemented by the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources (dnr.sc.gov/) two years ago to help their stocks return to normal. I’ve already seen a significant increase in their numbers over the last two years, and I expect this trend to continue throughout 2020 and beyond.

Tripletail are also a treat to encounter during the spring, but they can be very difficult to spot. They’re masters of camouflage and like to hang underneath floating debris such as driftwood and marsh grass. A 8- or 9-weight rod rigged with a small crab, shrimp, or baitfish pattern will work like a charm if you find one laid up on the surface or sitting below a piece of wood or grass. Tripletail range in size from a 1 to 15-plus pounds. My best is 16.8 pounds, taken on a red-and-white Lefty’s Deceiver, which set the IGFA 20-pound tippet record in 2010. The previous record stood for over 20 years.

Summer
(Redfish, Jack Crevalle, Spanish Mackerel, Bluefish, Ladyfish, Tripletail, Tarpon)

Summer is a melting pot of species to target on fly, but it’s hard to beat the summer flood-tide redfish fishery we have here in the Lowcountry. I’ve caught my share of redfish on fly over the years, but to this day my heart starts pounding when I see those fish, head-down in a foot or less of water, sucking up fiddler crabs, their spotted tails waving in the air like a flag. A 7- or 8-weight outfit matched with a floating line and a 9-foot tapered leader with 16- or 20-pound tippet is perfect for this fishery. Crab, shrimp, or baitfish patterns with weed guards are great for flood-tide reds.

Our nearshore artificial reefs and sandbars off the beaches here in the Lowcountry offer some incredible action for Spanish mackerel, bluefish, ladyfish, and small jack crevalle. On the right day, you can catch all of these species and even have a shot at a tripletail. It’s very possible to start or finish the day with a redfish, completing the ultimate nearshore Lowcountry slam.

When fishing the nearshore wrecks and sandbars, I recommend an 8- or 9-weight floating line and a 9-foot leader with a bite tippet of tough, flexible coated wire, which is ideal for toothy critters like bluefish and Spanish mackerel. Clouser Minnows or other baitfish patterns with some flash work great on all of these fish, but be sure to have a good stock of flies in your box, as those toothy fish will shred the fly like a food processor.

A summer fishery I really enjoy is the jack crevalle. Pound for pound, crevalle are the strongest fish that swims in our waters. They start to arrive in late June and stay through September. These big jacks can be found inshore in pods of a few fish to hundreds of fish. They average 20 pounds here but can exceed 30 pounds. Use a 10- or 11-weight fast-action rod with a large-arbor reel spooled with a couple hundred yards of backing, as you will for sure be getting well into your backing if you hook one of these big fellows. Use a 9-foot leader with a short piece of bite tippet of 40 to 50 pounds. A baitfish pattern or popping bug will do the trick, as big jacks are very aggressive in close. They’re an extremely fast, powerful fish, and you can expect a 30-plus-minute battle and sometimes it can take hours. On September 18, 2018, after a three-hour battle, I set the IGFA 8-pound tippet record by catching a 35-pound jack that broke the previous record of 31 pounds, held since 1983.

Tarpon run as well during the summer months, but the majority of the time they’re found in deep channels, where they’re caught off of the bottom using bait. However, there are days when you’ll find them rolling on the surface. When this opportunity presents itself, use an 11- or 12-weight outfit to present a large baitfish pattern. This sometimes entice them to eat.

Baby tarpon from 1 to 10 pounds are abundant in certain saltwater ponds and lagoon systems that get a fresh flow of salt water from flood tides. These baby tarpon are a blast to catch using a 7- or 8-weight rod. I prefer small white baitfish patterns and especially Clouser Minnows.

Fall (Redfish, Trout, and Offshore Redfish)

Fall is a great time of the year for redfish and sea trout inshore in the creeks and on the flats. Redfish can still be found tailing in the spartina grass flats until the water temperatures dip into the 60s, usually mid- to late November. Then the focus shifts more toward fishing at the time of low tide, as the redfish begin schooling up as they do during the winter months. You can also target speckled sea trout, as they’re very abundant in creeks and can be caught using a 7- or 8-weight rod using small white or chartreuse baitfish patterns or Clousers.

One of my favorite fall fisheries is the big bull redfish—25 to 30 pounds—found offshore in deep water. We use 10- or 11-weight rods rigged with fast-sinking lines and large baitfish patterns. These big reds can be found on artificial reefs or on ledges that hold baitfish. Dolphins and diving birds are usually a good sign you’re in the zone for a shot at one of these big fish. Of all the fisheries we have here in the low country, this one’s the most fickle and spotty. These fish are constantly moving, following the migrating schools of baitfish, and they can be there one day and gone the next. Finding a day with calm seas and light winds can be chancy in the fall and winter, so you have to be rigged and ready to go. Hope that the birds are doing their job to help you find the fish when do get the chance—because when it’s on, it’s on.

Bio: Captain Brian Vaughn is a Hilton Head native and has been guiding the area for more than 25 years. He’s an amateur photographer and has a wealth of information to share about fishing the Lowcountry. While you can sometimes find Brian at Southern Drawl Outfitters (southerndrawloutfitters.com), it’s probably best to email him at captainbrianvaughn@gmail.com or visit his website (offthehookcharters.com/ ).

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More saltwater fly fishing blog posts:

Amazing Autumn Fly Fishing

Eating the Lowcountry

Simple Redfish Fly

Fly Fishing the Lowcountry – Part One

The post The Lowcountry: Part Two – Species, Seasons, Selections first appeared on Tail Fly Fishing Magazine.

The post The Lowcountry: Part Two – Species, Seasons, Selections appeared first on Tail Fly Fishing Magazine.

I developed the Candy Corn Crawler primarily as a redfish pattern for Florida’s central coasts. Obviously its application doesn’t stop there. If tied smaller it can certainly entice some bonefish and even permit. Mixing up the colors on this fly can produce some very effective variants as well. I often tie it in Chartreuse/Olive as well as Purple/Yellow. This was the fly we fished the most during a recent trip to Louisiana last November.

Now that you have the down low on this pattern, here’s how to make them. Be sure to whip a few up and test them out in your local waters.

Candy Corn Crawler

Step 1: Stick an SC15 in the vise and lay down a solid thread base from the eye of the hook all the way past the hook bend.

Step 2: Use figure 8 wraps and underbelly wraps to secure the Double Pupil Eyes to the hook shank.

Step 3: Tie in a pinch of Orangutan Colored Pseudo Hair to the back end of the hook just past the bend.

Step 4: Tie in a pinch of Sand Colored Pseudo Hair directly on top of the first layer and secure it.

Step 5: Tie in 1.5” Sand Colored Foxy Brush right after the Pseudo Hair.

Step 6: Palmer the Foxy Brush around the hooks shank 3 times moving towards the eye of the hook and then tie it off.

Step 7: Cut the Foxy Brush and put a few thread wraps over the remaing tab.

Step 8: Select two Orange/Black Legs from the patch.

Step 9: Wrap the legs around the thread of the hook before tying them in.

Step 10: Tie the legs in right after the foxy brush.

Step 11: Trim the legs to desired length. I like them to be just a tad bit shorter than the length of the Pseudo Hair.

Step 12: Tie in Rust Colored 1.5” Foxy Brush.

Step 13: Palmer the Rust Colored Foxy Brush three times while moving towards the eye of the hook and then tie it off.

Step 14: Tie in Tan .5” Wooly Critter Brush right in front of the Foxy Brush.

Step 15: Palmer the Wooly Critter Brush forward and secure it up in font of the dumbell eyes.

Step 16: Trim off the Wooly Critter Brush and cover up the remaining tab.

Step 17: Select a short piece of 30 mono for the weed guard and crimp one end of it to help minimize bulk after it is tied in.

Step 18: Tie the weed guard in just in front of the dumbbell eyes.

Step 19: Whip finish the fly and cut the thread.

Step 20: Finish the fly by using Loon UV Thick to secure the thread wraps for a long lasting fly.

Jesse Males Bio: As a fly fisherman growing up on Florida’s Nature Coast, I had plenty of access to shallow flats to chase redfish, trout, snook, and tarpon as well as awesome river systems to fish for largemouth bass and bluegill. The more I fly fished, the more I saw the need to share my trips and info with other fly anglers. That led me to develop my main website www.backwaterflyfishing.com. This site serves as a blog as well as a hub for fly tying information and HD fly tying videos. I also run an online fly shop, www.backwaterflies.com, where fly anglers can purchase my favorite fly patterns, including the Candy Corn Crawler. 

Two and a half years ago I began an incredible journey by moving down to Costa Rica. Since then I have explored most of the country (aside from some very remote areas) and landed some amazing fish along the way. I currently run a guiding business here in Costa Rica with my good friends Micah Baly and Mark Evans. You can find info on all our guided trips at www.506outdoors.com. As for social media, be sure to catch up with me by following me on Facebook and Instagram at @backwaterflyfishing.

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The post Candy Corn Crawler first appeared on Tail Fly Fishing Magazine.

The post Candy Corn Crawler appeared first on Tail Fly Fishing Magazine.

(originally published in Tail #34 – March/April 2018)

If you are an angler on a budget and still trying to live the fly life, you are definitely not alone.

Peter Husted and Jesse Males make up the film group Broke and Fly. Their message is simple and one that resonates with a lot of anglers: get out there and fish, without breaking the bank. Tail got a chance to sit down with Broke and Fly and catch up on their most recent project along the coast of the Gulf of Mexico.

Tail: Tell us about Broke and Fly. How did you guys come up with the concept for it?

Peter Husted: Broke and Fly came together after Jesse and I spent a week in Guadeloupe. We hit it off and decided that we’d like to fill the gap in fly fishing film where you’ll get some sweet fish porn while being entertained and getting a good laugh. We came up with the concept because after doing the Guadeloupe film, we needed to have our own platform just for Broke And Fly. Jesse Males runs Backwater Fly Fishing and I have Water’s Edge Media, but we decided that we wanted to start a joint project and that’s how BAF came to life.

Jesse Males: I think for me it just made sense to create Broke and Fly Productions after the trip. I mean, since the fishing there was crap we pretty much had to rely on cheap Canadian whiskey to get us through the week. That obviously allowed us to hang out and shoot the shit and we got along really well. Instead of figuring out whose platform we were going to share the video and photos from, we just said screw it, and created BAF!

—

T: That’s awesome that both of you met on a trip in Guadeloupe and decided to create films of your travels. Where are you guys from?

PH: I’m living in Denmark, but have family in Florida and Bahamas on my wife’s side.

JM: I am from Central Florida, but now currently spend most of my time in Costa Rica.

—

T: What inspired you guys to pick the Gulf Coast for your next outing?

PH: For me, it was the chance to make another project come to life, at a low cost. After all, we are Broke and Fly and do this out of our own limited funds. We both had a desire to fish the Gulf Coast and wanted to do a good ole road trip, so we took a look at a map and started planning. After presenting our idea to people we wanted to have aboard, they took to it and went all in helping us out. We had some logistical problems in Louisiana and stood without somebody to fish with just before before kick off, but Justin Albarado of Rougarou Lures came through and turned out to be a great guide and a good friend. I’ve heard about southern hospitality, and felt that all throughout the tour and from all of the people we came in contact with.

JM: Once we started doing a road trip for the next project, we knew it had to be low cost…since we are broke and all that. So we thought if we hit up some of our friends in the fly fishing scene, rented a car, and put the pedal to the metal, some cool things would happen. The Gulf Coast seemed to be the perfect place to land all the inshore species we would want: redfish, snook, tarpon, and more.

—

T: The gulf coast is known as a very productive fishery for redfish. What where some of the highlights of fishing all the way from Texas to Florida along the Gulf? Oh, and give us some “lowlights” of the trip too.

PH: I was really blown away by the Louisiana marsh. The days we spend there with Justin Albarado from Rougarou Outfitters were awesome. We had a lot of fish there and it seemed like Justin couldn’t get us into a place that didn’t have reds in it. The real surprise for me came when I got back and was looking through all the drone footage, and saw the actual amount of reds that were in the water, many that we didn’t see from the boat. We had some rough days in the start when we got up early, fished all day and drove the our next spot in the evening. That resulted in about 10 hours of sleep divided between the first three nights. On top of that, I had just landed from Europe when we started, so I was already jetlagged.

JM: Since we obviously had redfish on our mind during The Gulf Coast Tour, pursuing big bull redfish in LA was something were all looking forward to. We had already fished extensively in Florida, so we knew what to expect from that area. However, Texas and the LA marsh was new territory. Knowing that redfish behave differently between the east coast and west coast of florida, we could only imagine how they would behave in other states. To our surprise, the differences were insane. In Texas, they behave very similar to those in the Mosquito Lagoon and Indian Rivers systems. They are a little spooky, but still very fishable. When we landed in the LA marsh, we were surprised to see redfish that acted like they didn’t have a care in the world. They were happy to swim up to our boat and eat any flies, from poppers to baitfish and slider patterns. Overall, we were stoked to see that amount of diversity come out of one fish species. Lowlights included tons of driving and total exhaustion at times. We were literally fishing all day and driving all night for nine full days. It was insane.

—

T: Louisiana is an outstanding fishery and you captured some great footage from your trip there. The one thing about that section of the gulf coast is that each area has its own distinct culture and the fish sure behave differently in each area as well. Besides the fishing, what where some of your favorite parts of the trip?

PH: My favorite part was meeting new people along the way that turned into friends after a day on the water. Everyone took us in and did their best to make comfortable. I guess that’s what the whole southern hospitality is all about. Besides that, it was an excellent chance for Jesse and me to get face to face time, discussing our future plans for Broke And Fly over beers.

JM: After what we experienced in LA, it is difficult to stop thinking about the fishing. However, when I do stop thinking about big hungry redfish bellycrawling all over the marsh, I immediately think of the insane BBQ that Justin Albarado whipped up for us. No lie, I would have lived in a tent outside his house forever just to continually grub out at his place. Obviously the trip was centered around different fisheries, but the different people we ran into in each place made the trip the success that it was. From Texas to Florida, we were in solid company the entire time!

—

T: Sign me up for that too! You guys fished a lot of different fisheries on your recent trip. What were some of the major similarities and differences you found with fishing each one?

PH: I liked the different species we had the chance to target on this trip. We had excellent fishing for reds in Texas and Louisiana, in wide open spaces where we were surrounded by marsh for miles. A couple of days later, we were hooking up with everything from bluegills to baby tarpon in big lakes or backwater canals. We had everything but flats on this trip.

JM: The inshore fisheries from Texas to Florida were similar only in that they hold redfish. However, the fish themselves behaved extremely different everywhere we fished. The fish in Texas were skittish but fishable, the redfish in Louisiana were so bold they would often be just feet from the boat and still eat the fly after three crappy presentations (laughs). And the redfish in Florida were their typical stubborn selves. A great cast is important, but at the end of the day, they eat whenever they want. After catching redfish the entire trip, by the time we got to Florida we decided to mostly target snook and baby tarpon.

—

T: Have you guys thought about where you are going next?

PH: Yeah, we have had a few people contact us about doing stuff for lodges, and some seem like interesting opportunities, but we since we’re Broke And Fly, we can’t throw our money after that. After shooting countless of hours of film, we still need to sort through it when we get back, and that’s before we even start editing. Making film is a process that takes a lot of time, which I think people don’t realize or totally think about. The only thing we can promise is you’re probably gonna enjoy it.

JM: While our future after The Gulf Coast Tour is fairly open ended, we are weighing our options at the moment. We have had some different lodges reach out that offered to have us stop by for our next film project; however we are still waiting to see what else comes up. One of the main goals of Broke and Fly is to present an experience that any fly angler with just about any budget can make happen. Not all of us can drop five to eight thousands dollars on a fishing trip, or for gear for that matter. I know Peter and I can’t. So we are trying to figure out the best way to bring sponsorship into the mix without losing our initial take on the whole thing. Keeping these trips relatable and doable for the average dudes is super important.

—

T:  Saltwater fly fishing trips can become expensive very quickly, but it doesn’t always have to be that way. Do you guys have any tips for budget-minded anglers who want to experience the salt?

PH: I think that these days since you can do a lot of researching online, you’ve got a great start there already. First off, you gotta find out what it is that you want to catch. Target that specific species and get all the knowledge about the fish and area that you can. Use online groups and you’ll often find that people are willing to share their tips and tricks. I’ve done a lot of DIY which is the cheapest way to go fishing anywhere, but if you’re new to it, go the extra mile and get a guide. If you’re up front with the guide and say that you want to land a fish, but also wanna learn what your options are in the area, they almost always wanna share fly patterns and their extensive knowledge about the water and fish. But remember that they have honed their skills and worked hard to be the best they can with customers, so they’re probably not gonna show you their hotspot.

JM: I have spent years fly fishing all over the state of Florida and now have over two years under my belt exploring saltwater fisheries down in Costa Rica. If you are like me and trying to DIY and stay cheap, the best advice I can give you is to learn how to paddle. For the past 20 years I have fish almost exclusively out of kayaks or canoes. These are great tools for any angler trying to get into places without having to spend thousands of dollars on a skiff, gas, maintenance, etc. A canoe is the perfect tool for accessing baby tarpon hotspots or sneaking up on redfish on the flats. Also, since you don’t move fast, this slows down the mind and allows you to focus more on the area you are in at each moment. Talking with people in Facebook groups is a great way to get local info on a specific area, but nothing beats getting your boots on the ground for a little R&D!

:

The post Broke and Fly first appeared on Tail Fly Fishing Magazine.

The post Broke and Fly appeared first on Tail Fly Fishing Magazine.

Old-timers in North Carolina call them puppy drum or red drum. They’re spottail bass in South Carolina, a red bass in North Florida. Whatever you call them, when you fly fish for reds in southern low-country areas, the first thing to understand is that the water is not crystal clear like you see on the fishing shows. You won’t be able to see the bottom much of the time. Recognize too, if you just blindly throw along the banks the same way a tournament angler would with a spinning rod, you are going to be disappointed. You must fish where you can see them, which means understanding tides and what they do to the water where the reds live.

It’s All About Shallow Water

Let’s say you want to catch a redfish on a fly. The best way to do this is by hiring a guide. You call up the one you saw on a fishing show. That seems smart enough because he has lots of pictures on his website of people holding redfish. He must be good, right? He takes you out in his bay boat, blasting across the river to what must be his secret spot. He drops down his trolling motor and instructs you to cast to the bank. So you cast. And you cast. And you cast. You do not catch a redfish. You catch a small speckled trout and a flounder, which he says is a great day. 

First, any water around here that’s deep enough to run a trolling motor is generally too deep to be fly fishing for redfish. If you can’t see the bottom, you can’t see the fish. If you can’t see the fish, you likely aren’t going to catch any either. That’s not to say you will never catch a redfish by blind casting with a fly rod because it happens. I’ve done it myself, but not often and not with any other idea than just doing something for a little while until the tide moves.

TIDES CREATE THE PERFECT WATER DEPTH 

To catch a redfish on a fly in the low country from North Carolina to North Florida, you must fish one of two tides, either a negative low or an extreme high. What’s a negative low? Find the week around the full moon for this month. Then look at the low tides. There should be a number next to the time. That number represents the amount of water there will be at the peak (high) or nadir (low) of that tide. A great smartphone app is Aye Tide, but there are plenty out there. Make sure it shows tide height as well as tide time.

If there is a negative sign next to the low tide, that is a negative low. When that occurs, the water will be so low that there are only a few places for the fish to hold. The water there will be so shallow that when the fish move around to feed, you’ll be able to see them. That of course presupposes there will be redfish in the place you look.

Remember, I also said an extreme high, which probably seems counterintuitive. But the high tide fishing presents a different set of fishing circumstances entirely, which has become legendary since it was pioneered in South Carolina. The extremely high water will allow the redfish access to the fiddler crab flats on top of the spartina marshes that exist on either side of a creek or river. This occurs from Beaufort, North Carolina, down to Jacksonville, Florida. If you look at the areas behind the creek banks, there will be very tall grass on the edge, with short grass behind it. It weaves together to create a firm bottom that the small, quarter-sized crabs can’t disappear into, and there are a lot of them. 

When the conditions are prime and the water gets deep enough, which happens about six to ten days per month from spring through early fall, the reds will belly up to this crab buffet. These are the famous “tailing redfish” that fly anglers talk about. Tails and backs will be exposed, allowing you to see the fish as they swim and feed. It is extremely visual, very addicting, and heart pounding, causing anglers to make plans months in advance. 

The Right Boat

You may have surmised by now that you can’t hunt redfish in just any kind of boat. A standard center console bay boat draws too much water to fish at low tide, while at high tide you are limited to wadeable areas near where you anchor the boat. Also, some flats aren’t hard but are covered with “puff mud,” soft layers of muck that are nearly impossible to wade. If you wade, watch out for gray, grassless spots and test questionable areas. It’s awful stuff too: ask my wife how my wading shoes smell.

A canoe or kayak draws the right amount of water, but you are limited to marshes near the access area where you launch. Your fishing window is short so you want to maximize your time. The best boat for this type of fishing is a poling skiff.

Notice I did not say a “flat-bottom” boat. The popular skiff of the Carolinas makes too much noise that spooks the fish the first time the water smacks off the gunwale. A well-designed poling skiff moves swiftly, surely, and almost silently when poled in the shallows. It allows you to creep within casting range, sometimes so close the fish are under your feet while you gape down at them.

Tackle For Redfish

An 8-weight fly rod is the best choice. It allows you to cast the buggy, leggy flies that redfish seem to like, and it also has the power to beat the wind on breezy summer evenings. A substantial reel with a sealed drag capable of holding around 100 yards of 30-pound dacron backing is necessary because a hooked red will zoom off, heading for deep water. A good drag helps slow down and then turn the fish. A floating line is an obvious choice for the very shallow water conditions and generally, a 9-foot tapered leader ending in 12-pound tippet will work. If the fish are spooky, you can go up to a 12-foot leader.

Any fly that looks like a shrimp or a crab will most likely get bitten if presented correctly. Make sure, however, that you take your conditions into account. If fishing the low tides, the water will be murky, making it hard for the fish to see your offering. Pink, orange, and bright green are good fly-color choices. To make the hook ride point up, I often use a bend back–style tie. Some guides like flies with lead eyes, which also turn the hookup. 

On the flats where the spartina sticks up six to 24 inches above the water, a weedless fly keeps it from hanging up on the retrieve. I have experimented a good deal and found that the double-post mono weed guard is the best choice. Lately, I have been tying on hooks normally used by freshwater bass anglers to fish plastic worms. They ride hook point up and the bend near the hook eye acts as a weed guard without deflecting strikes from fish. 

Finding Fishy Locations 

To locate flats and lots of spartina creeks, use online mapping and satellite photo apps or ask around. Those areas are where you will find the fish. Check tide charts to find the highest and lowest tides during the summer months. Determine areas that may be right for fly fishing by watching the water and studying the surroundings. Conversely, if you go out at low tide, you may be all alone in the same spot that is shared by three boats at high tide. Then you can see those fish busting shrimp in four inches of water that the bay boat guys never see.

Red fishing with a fly rod is generally not a numbers game. Yes, you may find a school penned up in a creek somewhere and catch a dozen or more. Mostly it’s a game of one here and another there. Lure anglers and bait guys won’t understand what you’re so excited about when you tell them about the “tailer” you saw on the grass flat that took a small shrimp fly. They’ll ask how many you caught and when you say that’s the only one, they will look at you funny. It’s all good. Fly fishing is about the how, not the how many.

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The post Fly Fishing the Southeast Coast first appeared on Tail Fly Fishing Magazine.

The post Fly Fishing the Southeast Coast appeared first on Tail Fly Fishing Magazine.

I was backing out of my driveway and onto the street in front of my house a few days ago and as I straightened out my truck to drive away I saw a familiar bike coming around the corner up ahead. It was my 13 year old son and he was pedaling hard. His buddy, about 30 yards behind him, was trying to keep up. As they got closer I could tell that my son had a tree branch in his hand and was smiling from ear to ear. His smile was that great big pure smile that exudes excitement, joy and just pure happiness in the moment. The kind of smile I remember having as a kid when I started going fishing on my own and catching fish.

“Mom told me we couldn’t take the
fly rod out of the house.”
I now examined the stick a bit closer
and could see that there was
twine wrapped around the stick,
a makeshift mono leader
tied to the twine and a fly tied on the end!
Now I started smiling.

My son, as it turns out, had earlier been forbidden by his mom to leave the house with his fly rod. My wife wasn’t sure where he and his friend were going and, just like any of us going fishing, planned fishing spots can quickly change if you don’t find any fish. My son and his friend had taken her decision in stride and left about five minutes later to “go ride their bikes.” Now my son was standing in front of me with his small digital camera, a stick, a huge grin and pictures of him and his buddy holding fish.
“Did your mom know you were going fishing?” I asked?

“No sir,” he responded with his grin getting larger, “Mom told me we couldn’t take the fly rod out of the house.” I now examined the stick a bit closer and could see that there was twine wrapped around the stick, a makeshift mono leader tied to the twine and a fly tied on the end! Now I started smiling, and my smile quickly turned to a laugh that my son and I shared for the next several minutes. He had successfully accomplished the task of doing exactly what he had set out to do, go fishing, and he’d done so without, at least by the letter of the law, disobeying his mom.
Come to find out, he heard what his mom had told him, replied “yes ma’am,” grabbed some twine, some mono, and three flies shoved them in his pocket and took off. When he and his friend got to their “secret hole,” he found an acceptable branch and they were fishin’! We looked at his pictures and smiled for a few more minutes before I told him that he’d better not let his mom see his makeshift rig.

As he and his buddy pedaled back to our house and I climbed back into my truck my mind was flooded with memories of growing up on the Texas Gulf Coast. My buddies and I mainly targeted redfish, and our secret spot was usually somewhere we weren’t supposed to be. We mainly roamed the back bays of Galveston, Matagorda, and Lavaca. We didn’t have a technical poling skiff, we didn’t have high-dollar fly rods or reels, we didn’t have any technical fishing clothing, we didn’t have cell phones to tell our parents we were ok (and once my mom did call the Coast Guard and the Matagorda sheriff looking for us), but we did have a desire to go fishing, limitations be damned!
Our rig consisted of a 16-foot aluminum jon boat that my brother and I mowed lawns all summer to buy, a trailer, and a 1950-something dinosaur of a Johnson motor we had bought from a neighbor by mowing his lawn. We had a smattering of fiberglass rods, none of which I really remember – except for my bright yellow and blue Eagle Claw, which was the only “real” fly rod any of us had at the time – and a couple of Pflueger Medalist fly reels, a tackle box full of whatever we could get our hands on, and an unbridled determination to find fish. I guarantee you that that boat and that gear have more hours of fishing than anything else I have ever owned or will ever own, and we caught a lot of fish (probably not as many as I remember but a lot nonetheless). At the time, we could go places that no one else could (or was willing to) go to, and we found redfish on back flats and in the salt marsh that even today’s poling skiffs couldn’t reach.  We knew that redfish could get to places where people couldn’t so we were going to be the ones who could! And the glory of it all? Coming back to the dock in our makeshift rig with our makeshift gear and hearing a guy in a nice decked-out boat say “Tough day today, how’d you guys do?” I know that our smiles were just as big as my son’s and his buddy’s.

So as you look through all the gear that’s out there today and get depressed about the cost of this or the cost of that and are thinking to yourself that you can’t afford to go fly-fishing, stop! Some of the greatest adventures that you ever have will be when you just “Grab your *&^% and GO!”

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The post Grab It & Go first appeared on Tail Fly Fishing Magazine.

The post Grab It & Go appeared first on Tail Fly Fishing Magazine.

We pride ourselves on our high quality content and photographs.  In addition to the great stories told by our anglers and sometimes even our readers, we carefully chose content that is informative and could improve your game.  We strive to provide the highest quality content in any fly fishing magazine available.  The subscribers of Tail Fly Fishing Magazine are aware of the quality of our contributors and the magnitude of their presence in the fly fishing industry.  Just in case you didn’t know how talented they are, we thought we would share this blog with a few great books recently released by past and present Tail contributors.

CLICK ON THE IMAGES TO VISIT THE HOMEPAGE FOR EACH BOOK

Jon Olch
A Passion for Permit – Volume 1 & 2

Jonathan Olch has spent decades passionately chasing permit. He has figured out what makes the elusive species tick and how to catch them. And for afraction of the cost of a single day of guided fishing, you can learn from the vast experience of this world-class angler.

A Passion for Permit by Jonathan Olch is the latest in the “Masters on the Fly” series published by Wild River Press. Olch’s impressive two-volume book runs more than 1,100 pages.

Share in the collective knowledge of more than 20 global permit angling experts. Learn about the fascinating world of the permit—the most sought-after prize of the flats—and eight of its closely related cousin-species you may have never heard about before. Learn about the finicky nuances of the permit through its anatomy, biology, food sources and preferred habitats—highlighted by superb imagery. Indulge in the strategies, techniques, fully illustrated essential casting tips, closeup color photos of 100-plus fly patterns, detailed tying instructions for new innovative flies, and anecdotes of the author and his expert guests as you are escorted around the world’s global tropics in pursuit of permit.

In the tradition of Andy Mill’s famous A Passion for Tarpon and many other Wild River Press sporting titles, the author takes you inside the tackle rooms and aboard the skiffs of many legends of the sport. Sit in on compelling and colorful conversations you simply won’t find anywhere else with:

 

• Aaron Adams
• Bob Branham
• Dustin Huff
• Steve Huff
• Nathaniel Linville
• Chris McCreedy
• Winston Moore
• Peter Morse
• Lincoln Westby

A Passion for Permit is by far the most thoroughly researched and thoughtfully written book ever published on the subject. Even if success with permit is a goal still on your angling horizon, the tips and tactics you will learn within these informative pages about saltwater fishing will immediately make you a better bonefish and tarpon angler. This full and complete book is nothing less than a master class in flats fishing.

Peter McLeod
GT – A Fly Fishers Guide to Giant Trevally

Catching a giant trevally (or ‘GT’) on a fly rod is the pinnacle of flats fishing: highly challenging, requiring skill and preparation. This is the first comprehensive guide to giant trevally fishing on the fly.

The giant trevally is an apex predator, and the way it operates is nothing less than brutal. These ‘gangsters of the flats’ are like packs of hoodlums marauding across the atolls and shallow estuaries. Hunting for trevally in the harsh environment they inhabit needs a certain resolve. The flyfisher’s first encounter with a giant trevally will be an electrifying experience. A GT can destroy tackle and ego, leaving all in its wake.

But once you’ve caught one, GT flyfishing is an experience that any angler will want to repeat.

Gordon Churchill
Fly Fishing the Southeast Coast

Gordon Churchill has been an enthusiastic angler all of his life, ever since he was little and would go fishing with his father in the lakes of upstate New York. Churchill shares his tips, tricks, and passion for fishing in Fly Fishing the Southeast Coast. Learn that you don’t have to travel to the Bahamas or any other far exotic island to find the perfect catch. Many ideal places are right here in the United States, including Pamlico Sound, North Carolina, and St. Augustine, Florida.

In order to fly fish successfully, a fisherman must know what kind of species he or she wants, what rod and line combo works best, what flies to stock, and of course when and where to be.

For each chapter, Churchill gives advice on where to find specific species of fish, from the striped bass in the southeast region of the Roanoke River to mahimahi in the Gulf Stream, forty miles off of Morehead City, North Carolina, as well as specifics on the approach of catching each species, as they’re all quite different. While full of tips and advice, Churchill makes it clear that, if ever fishing on the coast, you must be involved in a conservation effort. The environment and fish are constantly in danger, so make sure to always be aware and put your planet first!

Drew Chicone
Top Saltwater Flies

Top Saltwater Flies is certain take your personal fly tying to a whole new level. Drew Chicone will have you tying like a master. Top Saltwater Flies comes in three extraordinary, handsome volumes:

• Bonefish: 296 pages
• Tarpon: 300 pages
• Permit: 260 pages
• 8.5 x 11 inches on quality coated stock
• Special laminated hardcovers for durability
• Patented Wire-O binding open flat on your tying desk
• Printed in the United States by American craftsmen

“Whether it’s camaraderie, creativity, art—or simply a device to catch more fish—people are passionate about tying flies for a lot of different reasons. For me, it’s all those reasons and more. Tying is an important part of my daily routine. And teaching others the art of fly tying is one of my favorite activities.”

~Drew Chicone

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The post Books by Tail Contributors first appeared on Tail Fly Fishing Magazine.

The post Books by Tail Contributors appeared first on Tail Fly Fishing Magazine.

Jesse and Peter are currently traveling through the southern United States hugging the gulf coast filming their newest project.  An upcoming feature in Tail will detail their kick ass voyage through the gulf states and the many people, flies and fish they meet along the way. Here’s a message from the guys currently in central Florida….

Hey everyone, Jesse and Peter here from Broke and Fly Productions.
Just giving you heads up on the fact that we are currently working on our new film project and would love to have you follow us via our social media outlets on Facebook and Instagram.This project has taken us through some amazing fisheries along the gulf coast of Texas, in the Louisiana marsh,  and Lake Seminole at the Florida/Georgia line.  We are now taking it slow, chilling in Central Florida enjoying some of the local sites and some great food, beer.
Filming for this video has lead us into long days on the water and even longer nights of driving from spot to spot. We have fished with some epic people along the way and can’t wait to share more of the trip with everyone in the near future, so stay tuned.

If you like tarpon, redfish, snook, bass, and bluegill on the fly, then you will want to take a peek at some some shots from our latest project and stay up to date with our travel log.  There’s a full length feature coming in Tail Fly Fishing Magazine this spring.
Tight lines!
Over and out.

About Broke and Fly

BROKE AND FLY is the brainchild of two idiots. Peter Husted and Jesse Males. We are all about proving that you don’t need a million dollars in equipment or some fancy location just to make sweet fly fishing related content.
Sometimes all it takes is a little adventure in order for two fly fishing junkies to come together and make something happen. Other times it takes 5 bottles of whiskey, 150 crappy french beers, the worst tequila you can imagine, and 7 days stuck on a french island in the caribbean.
This whole train wreck started after we decided to meet up on a joint film trip on the french island of Guadeloupe. Having never met one another before the trip, since Peter crashes in Denmark and I spend most of my time in Costa Rica, we knew this would be an interesting trip.
The last one pretty much sums up how Broke and Fly was born. ​
SO…WHERE IS BROKE AND FLY GOING FROM HERE?
We plan on continuing to work on film projects whenever possible and invite you guys to tag along via our social media links as well as our vimeo channel.   Judging by the way things went in Guadeloupe, I would say we have some pretty kickass adventures still to come!

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The post Fly fishing the gulf states – Broke and Fly first appeared on Tail Fly Fishing Magazine.

The post Fly fishing the gulf states – Broke and Fly appeared first on Tail Fly Fishing Magazine.

Tail Flyfishing Magazine: When What The Doctor Orders Is A Magazine, Sometimes The Proverb “Physician Heal Thyself” Hits Very Close To Home – The Mr. Magazine Interview With Dr. Joseph Ballarini, Founder, Tail Fly Fishing Magazine…

August 3, 2017

“The digital publication grew; we were in over 100 countries. And people were screaming for a printed version of the book. Everyone was asking us to print it. So, initially, we made a PDF site where they could download it and print it out. And that was big for our European audience. Ultimately, after a barrage of emails, and then I started getting phone calls, we decided to give the people what they wanted. And we had a big enough following, so we knew the launch wouldn’t be a shot in the dark; we were already popular and people liked it.” Joseph Ballarini (on why he added a print component to his digital platform)

When passion guides you, anything is possible. Even if you’re a busy emergency room doctor. Just ask Dr. Joseph Ballarini. An avid saltwater fly fisherman, Joe is also an ardent conservationist. When his love of fishing and his respect for the environment joined forces, after taking note of many undesirable things that were happening in and around some of his favorite fishing spots, Joe decided that he needed to write his own prescription for the problem. He already had the placebo in place that brought awareness to the issue, an online presence where he could get information out there, but eventually the prescription was filled with just the right medicine: a printed magazine.

I spoke with Joe recently and we talked about the bumps in the road that can make starting a magazine a bit of a rocky journey, especially for someone who has never been in the publishing industry before, such as himself. But beating within every true entrepreneur’s heart is that firm belief and passion for their ideas, and a determination that no one can tamp down. Joe’s heart was and is filled to overflow with those attributes. So much so, that a second publication is in the works.

So, I hope that you enjoy this doctor’s tale; one that follows him into unfamiliar territory, but also leads him down possibly his true path, that of a storyteller, the Mr. Magazine interview with Dr. Joseph Ballarini, founder, Tail Flyfishing Magazine.

But first, the sound-bites:

On why an emergency room doctor such as himself starts a magazine: I hate to admit this, but it really happened out of a little bit of anger. The blog and the digital magazine were meant to bring light to conservation efforts. As I would fish in the Florida Keys and in Southeast Florida, there was always trash and propeller scars destroying mangroves. And I saw this. I would go out fishing and come back in with my kayak loaded with garbage and debris that I had picked up floating around. And I think I launched the magazine to make people more aware of this. As a result, the full-blown publication grew out of it, and partly because of my passion for fishing and the outdoors.

On why he felt a magazine was the answer to the problem: Well, it actually wasn’t the answer right away. (Laughs) I’ve been fishing from the age of four, and I really didn’t know what to do. I started the blog, the website, and the magazine because I just wanted to put information out there. I wanted to create awareness. If you look at the early issues of Tail in the digital side, they’re not very good to be honest. (Laughs again) We did it all in-house; we didn’t have designers, and it kind of evolved over five years into what we believe is something really strong and great.

On why he decided to venture into print: The digital publication grew; we were in over 100 countries. And people were screaming for a printed version of the book. Everyone was asking us to print it. So, initially, we made a PDF site where they could download it and print it out. And that was big for our European audience. Ultimately, after a barrage of emails, and then I started getting phone calls, we decided to give the people what they wanted. And we had a big enough following, so we knew the launch wouldn’t be a shot in the dark; we were already popular and people liked it.

On the vastly different professions of being a doctor and a magazine founder and whether it causes any struggle between his left and right brain: There’s always a disconnect between my left and right brain. (Laughs) My background is a little odd. I went to University of the Arts, and actually started there when I was 13 years old. I went there for Industrial Design, and had a Piano minor when I was there. So, I’m very artistic to begin with. And then in my late 20s, I had a big shift and decided that I wanted to be a physician. And that’s when I made the jump.

On whether his magazine journey has been a walk in a rose garden or he’s had stumbling blocks along the way: It was a lot like a walk in a rose garden except that the garden was all thorns. (Laughs) When we launched the magazine, we were novices in the print industry. So, it was very difficult for all of us, especially Shawn Abernathy, who is the creative director. Shawn had to redesign the magazine entirely, because the digital format was not amenable to a print style. So, we had to essentially redesign the magazine, and there were so many mistakes we made along the way. We learned quickly, because we were very motivated, and we’re all hands-on. But it was a very arduous process to get to the point where we are now.

On what he would say is hindering the growth of the magazine today: There’s such a huge expense involved with printing, especially when you decide to go to print with a quality book such as we have. It’s 100 lb. cover stock with a soft touch finish. And the inside pages are 80 lbs., so this is not an inexpensive magazine that we make. One of the big stumbling blocks that we have is capital. As quick as it comes in, it goes right back out.

On how he came up with the name for the magazine: It’s funny, because it took about 14 months to actually come up with the name. And it’s based on sight fishing. When you fly fish in saltwater, a lot of it is done on shallow water flats, and what you look for is a tailing fish. And that’s a fish in shallow water that’s nosing in to catch the prey. So, you’ll see its tail sticking out of the water and it’s iconic for fly fishing in salt water. The name is actually an abbreviation for tailing fish.

On what letter grade he would give the magazine and himself as he approaches the first anniversary of the printed edition of Tail: As you know, you’re always your own worst critic. And I’m very hard on myself. So, at this stage I would say this, we have improved with every issue. And we’ve corrected some little, minor things. So, I think I would probably give myself and our team a B at this point. Maybe a B+. Moving forward, starting with September, we have gone out of our way to reach out to some of the most notable figures in fly fishing, and we’re making it a point to get into that A category.

On when he thinks he might give up medicine and become a full-time magazine publisher: That’s a difficult question to answer. I don’t dislike medicine; I don’t want to give that impression. I actually love helping people and love taking care of them. However, it would be really nice to be able to be at home more frequently and work less, and be with my family more. So, I would say after Tail becomes a little more established, maybe another year.

On the second magazine he plans to launch that will complement Tail:We are going to launch a complement to Tail, which is of course focused on saltwater, but we are going to launch a freshwater book as well. This will be a book that focuses on the other side of the fishing spectrum. And I think it’s necessary to complete our portfolio of fly fishing in general.

On a name for the new magazine: We have a couple, and we’re going to hold off on sharing them until we actually hone in on one and decide.

On a launch date for magazine number two: We’re looking at the preview copy being ready in late 2018, with a full launch in the spring of 2019.

On anything he’d like to add: The only thing that I would like to add is for the people who are reading this interview, we are very conservation-focused and if you page through our issues, you’ll see the Everglades Foundation and you’ll read the articles that are very concerned about our environment. And I would just ask people to support our cause and take the environment seriously, because we only have one planet and if we destroy it, it might not come back.

On what he would have tattooed upon his brain that would be there forever and no one could ever forget about him: That’s a tough question. (Laughs) Being that the magazine is a saltwater publication and I love saltwater fly fishing, I wouldn’t mind being remembered as a very “salty” guy, similar to the way the Tail title has multiple connotations. (Laughs again)

On what someone would find him doing if they showed up unexpectedly one evening at his home: That’s an easy one to answer. Tail is a startup, and we are grossly understaffed. So, if I’m not taking care of my child or spending time with my wife, I am at my computer working on the magazine or I am packing and shipping products for the magazine. I’m kind of a one-man-show at the actual facility with designers that work there and remotely as well.

On what keeps him up at night: What keeps me staring at the ceiling until 3:00 a.m. many nights is that launching a magazine, having never been in the publishing industry, and trying to learn an industry that isn’t that easy to learn and trying to wrap my head around how to make this magazine successful, can be hard. But it’s working and it’s exceeding expectations.

And now the lightly edited transcript of the Mr. Magazine interview with Dr. Joseph Ballarini , founder, Tail Flyfishing Magazine.

Samir Husni: You started a blog four years ago and then last year in September, you launched the first issue of Tail Flyfishing Magazine. And you are an M.D., an emergency room doctor. How did the magazine happen?

Joseph Ballarini: Actually, we did launch the magazine almost five years ago as a digital magazine, but we just made the jump into print last September. And I hate to admit this, but it really happened out of a little bit of anger. The blog and the digital magazine were meant to bring light to conservation efforts. As I would fish in the Florida Keys and in Southeast Florida, there was always trash and propeller scars destroying mangroves. And I saw this. I would go out fishing and come back in with my kayak loaded with garbage and debris that I had picked up floating around. And I think I launched the magazine to make people more aware of this. As a result, the full-blown publication grew out of it, and partly because of my passion for fishing and the outdoors.

Samir Husni: But why did you, a doctor, think the answer to this problem was a magazine?

Joseph Ballarini: Well, it actually wasn’t the answer right away. (Laughs) I’ve been fishing from the age of four, and I really didn’t know what to do. I started the blog, the website, and the magazine because I just wanted to put information out there. I wanted to create awareness. If you look at the early issues of Tail in the digital side, they’re not very good to be honest. (Laughs again) We did it all in-house; we didn’t have designers, and it kind of evolved over five years into what we believe is something really strong and great.

Samir Husni: And last September you decided to venture into print. Why?

Joseph Ballarini: The digital publication grew; we were in over 100 countries. And people were screaming for a printed version of the book. Everyone was asking us to print it. So, initially, we made a PDF site where they could download it and print it out. And that was big for our European audience. Ultimately, after a barrage of emails, and then I started getting phone calls, we decided to give the people what they wanted. And we had a big enough following, so we knew the launch wouldn’t be a shot in the dark; we were already popular and people liked it.

So, we figured out how to do it and decided to launch it last September. We spent about eight months planning to go to print. We had to change the format of the magazine and bring in professional designers. We just did it out of wanting to give our audience what they wanted. And I’m glad we did because it’s actually working.

Samir Husni: To me, publishing the magazine and giving the audience what they want, seems a little bit different than being an emergency room doctor, where you hope that the patient wants the doctor to give them what they need. (Laughs) So, it’s like a reverse of what you otherwise do every day. How do you wrap your brain around the idea that during your regular job you’re in control, you’re the one that’s helping people, but with the magazine the people are in control and you’re just giving them what they want? Does that cause any struggle between your left brain and right brain?

Joseph Ballarini: (Laughs) There’s always a disconnect between my left and right brain. (Laughs) My background is a little odd. I went to University of the Arts, and actually started there when I was 13 years old. I went there for Industrial Design, and had a Piano minor when I was there. So, I’m very artistic to begin with.

And then in my late 20s, I had a big shift and decided that I wanted to be a physician. And that’s when I made the jump. Fortunately, I’m blessed that I was able to make that jump and do both, but in reality, emergency medicine is taking care of people and it’s customer service, because they’re coming to you with their needs, at all hours, and it’s never scheduled and it’s never planned. It’s not unlike publishing a magazine, because you never know what’s coming at you and you have to think on your feet, and do what’s best. So, they’re very similar in an abstract way.

Samir Husni: You’re coming up on your first anniversary this September. Has it been a walk in a rose garden for you, or have you had some stumbling blocks along the way?

Joseph Ballarini: It was a lot like a walk in a rose garden except that the garden was all thorns. (Laughs)

Samir Husni: (Laughs too).

Joseph Ballarini: When we launched the magazine, we were novices in the print industry. So, it was very difficult for all of us, especially Shawn Abernathy, who is the creative director. Shawn had to redesign the magazine entirely, because the digital format was not amenable to a print style. So, we had to essentially redesign the magazine, and there were so many mistakes we made along the way. We learned quickly, because we were very motivated, and we’re all hands-on. But it was a very arduous process to get to the point where we are now.

I’m embarrassed to admit, but there were a few typos that slipped by us in the early print editions. And that was something that we nipped in the bud after about two issues. We had a couple of little faux pas’ on our part. But now it’s smooth sailing. I’d have to say that now it’s become pretty automated. And it’s much, much better, but there’s still room to grow and room to improve, which is what we try to do with each issue.

Samir Husni: And what would you say is hindering the growth of the magazine today?

Joseph Ballarini: There’s such a huge expense involved with printing, especially when you decide to go to print with a quality book such as we have. It’s 100 lb. cover stock with a soft touch finish. And the inside pages are 80 lbs., so this is not an inexpensive magazine that we make. One of the big stumbling blocks that we have is capital. As quick as it comes in, it goes right back out.

The other issue is distribution, since we are a new name and we are a new publisher, it’s very hard to get people to take a look at us, because there are so may established books and companies out there. I think the biggest difficulty has been having enough money and enough resources and enough contacts to get to the right places. We’ve employed a distribution company and a circulation company, so we have some really good professionals helping us out and getting us where we need to be.

Samir Husni: How did you come up with the name of the magazine? It’s such an obvious name, yet one would think it had been used before.

Joseph Ballarini: It’s funny, because it took about 14 months to actually come up with the name. And it’s based on sight fishing. When you fly fish in saltwater, a lot of it is done on shallow water flats, and what you look for is a tailing fish. And that’s a fish in shallow water that’s nosing in to catch the prey. So, you’ll see its tail sticking out of the water and it’s iconic for fly fishing in salt water. The name is actually an abbreviation for tailing fish.

Some people thought it was a bit risqué, because it kind of has some connotations. However, it seemed to work and people seemed to get it. One famous person, Lefty Kreh, and if you’re not familiar with him, he is probably the best of fly fishing and has been for at least 50 years; he’s a very nice man, who is probably in his late 80s.

He still fishes and still teaches children how to fish. He is at all of the conventions and shows, so he is still very active. But he was one who said that he didn’t get the name. And it’s funny; about a year and a half ago I was talking with him and he told me that he loved the magazine, but that he didn’t understand the name. And it was quite funny. After I explained it to him, he told me that it finally made sense. But he asked me why I didn’t just call it “Tailing?” (Laughs)

Samir Husni: As you approach your first anniversary of the print magazine, what letter grade would you give yourself? Do you feel you’re at an A+, an A, or maybe a B level right now?

Joseph Ballarini: As you know, you’re always your own worst critic. And I’m very hard on myself. So, at this stage I would say this, we have improved with every issue. And we’ve corrected some little, minor things. So, I think I would probably give myself and our team a B at this point. Maybe a B+. Moving forward, starting with September, we have gone out of our way to reach out to some of the most notable figures in fly fishing, and we’re making it a point to get into that A category.

If all goes well with our September issue, with our five year anniversary launch; I think that will be the first A magazine that I have put out. And I think it’s going to happen. Everything is in place and I’m keeping my fingers crossed that nothing goes wrong, because as you know many things can go wrong between the time you plan it and the time you print it.

Samir Husni: When do you think that you’ll quit practicing medicine and become a full-time magazine publisher?

Joseph Ballarini: That’s a difficult question to answer. I don’t dislike medicine; I don’t want to give that impression. I actually love helping people and love taking care of them. However, it would be really nice to be able to be at home more frequently and work less, and be with my family more. So, I would say after Tail becomes a little more established, maybe another year or two. We do have a second publication in the works, which will be a complement publication to Tail. So, I think when we get both of those launched and established, I’ll take a look at my medical career and make a decision at that point.

Samir Husni: Mr. Magazine can’t hear about a new launch without asking; can you tell me a little more about the second publication that’s in the works?

Joseph Ballarini: We are going to launch a complement to Tail, which is of course focused on saltwater, but we are going to launch a freshwater book as well. This will be a book that focuses on the other side of the fishing spectrum. And I think it’s necessary to complete our portfolio of fly fishing in general. We’ve recruited a couple of big names, a couple of established editors in the field, to go forward with this. And we’re also going to work with Rajat Sports and make their fishnique water initiative a priority to the magazine.

Samir Husni: Do we have a name for the new magazine yet?

Joseph Ballarini: We have a couple, and we’re going to hold off on sharing them until we actually hone in on one and decide.

Samir Husni: Do you have a target date for when the second magazine might be launched?

Joseph Ballarini: We’re looking at the preview copy being ready in late 2018, with a full launch in the spring of 2019.

Samir Husni: Is there anything else you’d like to add?

Joseph Ballarini: The only thing that I would like to add is for the people who are reading this interview, we are very conservation-focused and if you page through our issues, you’ll see the Everglades Foundation and you’ll read the articles that are very concerned about our environment. And I would just ask people to support our cause and take the environment seriously, because we only have one planet and if we destroy it, it might not come back. And a lot of fisheries have been destroyed by gill netting and pollution. On the freshwater side, dams are destroying a lot of fisheries, and I’d like to see a lot of these things change and improve.

Samir Husni: If you could have one thing tattooed upon your brain that no one would ever forget about you, what would it be?

Joseph Ballarini: That’s a tough question. (Laughs) Being that the magazine is a saltwater publication and I love saltwater fly fishing, I wouldn’t mind being remembered as a very “salty” guy, similar to the way the Tail title has multiple connotations. (Laughs again)

Samir Husni: If I showed up unexpectedly at your home one evening after work, after your emergency room duties are over, what would I find you doing? Having a glass of wine; reading a magazine; cooking; on your iPad; watching TV; or something else?

Joseph Ballarini: That’s an easy one to answer. Tail is a startup, and we are grossly understaffed. So, if I’m not taking care of my child or spending time with my wife, I am at my computer working on the magazine or I am packing and shipping products for the magazine. I’m kind of a one-man-show at the actual facility with designers that work there and remotely as well. So, you would probably find me working.

Samir Husni: My typical last question; what keeps you up at night?

Joseph Ballarini: The long list or the short list?

Samir Husni: (Laughs) Either one I can handle.

Joseph Ballarini: What keeps me staring at the ceiling until 3:00 a.m. many nights is that launching a magazine, having never been in the publishing industry, and trying to learn an industry that isn’t that easy to learn and trying to wrap my head around how to make this magazine successful, can be hard. But it’s working and it’s exceeding expectations. However, being a perfectionist, I really don’t know if I can make it better, and that does keep me up at night. I’m always second-guessing my decisions and my actions. And I’m always making sure that I try to do the right thing.

Samir Husni: Thank you.

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The post When What The Doctor Orders Is A Magazine first appeared on Tail Fly Fishing Magazine.

The post When What The Doctor Orders Is A Magazine appeared first on Tail Fly Fishing Magazine.