Sea Run Fly Fishing Travel Cases

Adventurous anglers soon will be taking advantage of relaxed travel restrictions, and if you’re one of them, you’ll appreciate the Sea Run Fly Fishing Travel Case. Made in Italy by Negrini, a company with a 40-year history of manufacturing travel cases for fine shotguns and rifles, Sea Run cases are secure (TSA compliant), lightweight, and compact—perfect for itinerant anglers. We’re very impressed by the quality of construction and the thoughtful interior layout. The bottom of the case contains recessed, padded compartments for storing reels, spare spools, leaders, fly line, fly boxes, and other gear. A divider wall separates the top of the case, which has space for four to five fly rods plus additional storage. We haven’t been this excited about a new piece of fly fishing luggage in years. (searuncases.com)

$499-$569

VR Reels Salar Perfection

VR Reels are uber high-quality reels made in the Ukraine by designer, areospace engineer, and angler Vladamir Rachenko. The Salar (Spanish for “salt”) is one of the finest reels we’ve ever fished. In addition to its incredible functional capabilities, the Salar boasts an impressive aesthetic that cannot be ignored. With a diameter of 5 inches, it retrieves line well, and easily holds 260 yards of 30-pound backing, a 10-12 line, and room to spare—while weighing a mere 13.7 ounces, not much for a reel of this sizer and strength. The Salar is cut from premium-grade titanium, which is stronger than aluminum and other alloys. The sealed drag has almost no start-up inertia and is buttery smooth. It doesn’t creep when casting, and the handles and knobs are comfortable and easy to manipulate, even while fighting fish. It’s a stellar reel in every sense of the word and a highly recommended addition if it’s within your budget. (vr-reels.com)

$1,800

Umpqua LT Large Baitfish Foam

The large baitfish box is a new product for this year, but it’s actually a retread from years past. Umpqua brought it back into the lineup for 2021 because it’s an excellent baitfish box that easily holds 18 to 24 large flies, and people—including us—kept asking for it. We like it for tarpon flies, especially backwater and worm-style patterns that run 2 to 2.5 inches and take up a lot of room in boxes. The layout and cut of the foam keeps flies organized and accessible—and spaced the way you want them. The best part is that, unlike many well-made sturdy boxes on the market, this one isn’t heavy. It’s lightweight, has a clear top for instant identification, and packs a highly functional foam. What’s not to like? (umpqua.com)

$29.99

IceMule Classic

A good day on the water becomes a great day when there’s a cold beverage waiting at the end, and the IceMule Classic makes it easy to enjoy an icy drink without sacrificing the space and weight that come with a traditional hard-sided box cooler. The Classic is available in four sizes—9, 10, 15, and 20 liters—and they’re all easily slung over a shoulder or stowed in an out-of-the-way place in the boat. IceMule’s proprietary technology includes a layer of lightweight  insulation sandwiched between extremely durable outer and inner fabric layers. An air valve lets you create airspace between the layers for additional insulation, and when not in use, you can deflate the cooler and roll it into a tight bundle for storage—perfect for a far-flung fishing getaway where baggage space is a consideration. Its roll-top design functions like a dry bag and keeps the cold inside. We’ve put ours to the test in tropical conditions and can attest that the beer’s still cold after eight hours on the flats. (icemulecoolers.com)

$49.95-$79.95

Black Diamond Storm 400

The Storm 400 is built for all conditions, and even though it’s usually associated with hunting, camping, and climbing, there’s a place for this tool in fly fishing—like one of the nighttime striper fishing excursions featured in this issue. The Storm 400 has a robust waterproof and dustproof housing and casts 400 lumens of light. Its updated user interface includes a secondary switch for easy mode selection, allowing users to toggle between the bright light needed to navigate a darkened path to the shoreline and a dimmer setting for switching out flies and leaders. The device’s “PowerTap” technology provides access to maximum brightness by simply touching the side of the housing. Three low-light color settings—red, green, and blue—are available for those times you’d rather not attract attention. Updated optical efficiency provides brighter light and saves battery. We love the-LED battery meter on the side to keep tabs on battery life instead of guessing about the need to change the four AAA batteries.

blackdiamondequipment.com

$49.95

Sunray Competition Float Fly Line with Overhang Marker

We like the Sunray Competition Float with Overhang Marker for a number of reasons. First, the design combines the best aspects of both conventional weight-forward fly lines and integrated shooting heads. The Competition Float sports a 40-foot head backed by an ultra-thin shooting line, much thinner than conventional running line, which allows for longer shoots. Provided you can comfortably carry the entire head outside the rod tip, this line allows for your ultimate distance cast. To aid with this, the Competition Float features an Overhang Marker. Several feet of blue line at the end of the head section lets you know when the entire head is just outside the rod tip—no guessing at the sweet spot. Simply get the Marker outside the rod tip and let it fly. Perhaps most noticeable, Sunray coatings are made from special polymers—not PVC. Designer Tom Bell explains that these polymers lower the impedance of energy as it travels along the line. Analogous to a fly rod being fast, Sunray’s fly lines are fast. The head of the Competition Float is configured as a Spey taper; that is, the bulk of the weight is concentrated at the rear of the head, near the rod tip, for a smooth turnover of both large and small flies. The Competition Float will perform in fresh water or salt in temperatures from 14 degrees to 95 degrees Fahrenheit (-10 degrees to 35 degrees Celsius). The line is ivory in color and gray at the tip—very visible on the water. Welded loops at each end allow for quick attachment of leaders and backing. Available in weights from 5 to 9. (sunrayflyfish.com)

$90.70

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Fly Lines – A Fly Line Primer part 2

Fly Lines – A Fly Line Primer part 3

The post Saltwater Fly Fishing Gear: June 2021 first appeared on Tail Fly Fishing Magazine.

The post Saltwater Fly Fishing Gear: June 2021 appeared first on Tail Fly Fishing Magazine.

By George Roberts

Arguably the most confusing subject related to fly fishing gear is the topic of fly lines. Today we have a mind-boggling plethora of fly lines from which to choose. There are specialty lines for various fish species, specialty lines for various types of flies, specialty lines for styles of casting, specialty lines for water temperature, and on and on. With the literally thousands of fly lines on the market today, it’s difficult for experienced fly anglers to select the right fly line for their needs—to say nothing of the novice.

One particular fly line configuration that has seen a resurgence in popularity in the last few years is the shooting head or shooting taper. Although there was a time when I was fairly dismissive of shooting heads—I viewed them as a crutch for those hoping to achieve real distance—experience has forced me to reconsider their utility for fly anglers in fresh water as well as salt. In this article we’ll take a look at what a shooting head is, the types of angling situations it might be good for, and how you can best make it perform.

Construction

A shooting head is basically a radicalized version of a weight-forward fly line. In its simplest terms, it’s a fairly short, compact head backed by a very thin shooting line (called a running line on a conventional weight-forward fly line). Traditionally the shooting head and shooting line were two separate entities joined together via a loop-to-loop connection. A number of companies still manufacture detachable shooting heads, though a number of modern shooting heads (such as Cortland’s Compact series of lines or Airflo’s Beach series) are produced as a single integrated unit. In the two-part system, the shooting line can be a thin-diameter level fly line, braided nylon monofilament, or single-strand monofilament. The head can either be floating, intermediate, or sinking—or a combination thereof.

To give you an idea how shooting heads compare to conventional weight-forward tapers, the head of Royal Wulff’s 8-weight Triangle Taper fly line is 43 feet long, while their 8-weight Ambush (which is a radicalized version of the triangle taper, produced both as an integrated unit as well as a detachable shooting head) is a mere 20 feet. Despite its much shorter length, the weight of the Ambush head is 290 grains. This approximates the total weight package of the 8-weight Triangle Taper (that is, the tip of the fly line to the end of the rear taper). As more fly line manufacturers are beginning to list the weight (in grains) of their fly lines’ heads, you’ll do well to note the weight ranges that work well with your particular rod. Also be aware that some rod companies are now designing rods to better handle these compact shooting heads. For example, at this writing the Thomas & Thomas Exocett SS comes in two models—the 250 and 350, whose numbers designate the line weight (in grains) you should match to the rod. Keep in mind that these are suggestions. Any fly rod should perform well with a range of fly line weights, so if your fly line is a bit above or below the manufacturer’s recommendations, don’t worry about it.

Regardless of the length of the head or the AFTMA weight designation (which has very little meaning anymore), choose a fly line whose weight, in grains, complements the rod and performs as you desire on the water. The following chart, adapted from the Royal Wulff website, serves as a good general guideline when matching a shooting head to your saltwater rod.

The shooting line on an integrated shooting head tends to be thinner and lighter than the running line found on conventional weight-forward fly lines. The reduced weight and friction will allow you to shoot more line on any given cast for a longer delivery.

Pros, Cons, and Caveats

As with any specialized fly line, shooting heads have their advantages and disadvantages. Matching a fly line’s strengths to your needs will allow you to optimize your performance on the water.

Among its advantages, a shooting head will give you more distance with less effort. As a casting instructor, I hesitate to tell you that a piece of equipment will give you a longer cast, and I’m not suggesting that a shooting head is a replacement for refining your casting stroke. However, if your long cast with a conventional weight-forward taper is in the 40- to 50-foot range, you should notice a significant increase in distance with a shooting head. The increased weight package of the head coupled with a thinner, lighter shooting line will make all casts longer—to a point.

The more compact shooting head allows you to make your long cast with less line outside the rod tip. This is of particular value for the beginning to intermediate caster, who may have difficulty carrying a 40-plus-foot head as is typical of a conventional weight-forward line. To give an example, at a seminar I conducted last spring there was a female student whose casting stroke had a number of issues. She never would have been able to carry the 40-foot head of a conventional line. I handed her my 8-weight outfit, spooled with a 20-foot, 290-grain floating shooting head looped to a thin-diameter level shooting line. I instructed her to get the head section just outside the rod tip, make a couple of false casts, and then let it fly. I’d be lying if I said the cast was pretty, but it was eminently functional. She delivered the yarn fly 50 feet without a haul—a distance she could not have achieved with a conventional weight-forward fly line.

A shorter head makes for a quicker delivery—that is, fewer false casts. This could mean the difference between success and failure if you have to intercept a moving target. At the very least, fewer false casts translates to less time your fly is in the air and more time it’s in the water.

A shorter head requires less back cast space. This would be particularly useful if you were fishing from a steeply sloped bank or shoreline. When wading, the amount your back cast is able to drop during the forward stroke due to gravity gets reduced, increasing your chances of ticking the water. In such a situation a shorter head has a decided advantage.

The compact weight package of a shooting head can be useful for turning over larger flies and may help you to more successfully buck the wind.

Using a single shooting line with separate shooting heads in floating, intermediate, and sinking allows for a quick change and gives you a lot of versatility to address a variety of conditions. In short, it allows you to fish the entire water column without having to carry multiple reels or multiple spools or having to change out entire fly lines as conditions demand. Some companies market shooting head wallets that allow you to carry several heads and tips; these take up little space in your gear bag or on your person.

On the downside, the shorter head is less stable in flight than a longer taper. It’s easier to flub a cast—particularly if you overpower it. Also, the more compact head tends to make a less delicate presentation and is probably not the best choice when fishing for spooky game (e.g., tailing bonefish). You may find that the thinner shooting line tends to tangle more than the running line of a conventional weight-forward taper (though stretching your shooting line from time to time while on the water may help minimize this).

A final caveat: Because they were originally developed by tournament distance casters, shooting heads are often associated with ultimate deliveries in excess of 120 feet. Keep in mind that tournament shooting heads exceed 50 feet in length. Shooting heads intended for fishing—20 to 30-plus feet in length—are simply not designed for extreme distance. As soon as the head unrolls completely on the delivery, the shoot is over and the cast is finished. In terms of sheer distance, there’s no way a 20-foot head can compete with a 50-foot head—regardless of the caster’s ability. So rather than trying to cast into the backing, use the shooting head to make your functional long fishing cast—60 to 70 feet—with minimal effort.

Finding the Sweet Spot

Some fly anglers talk about the “sweet spot” in their fly line—that perfect amount of carry with which they can make a long and flawless delivery. Some talk about this as if it’s a mystical thing that happens only occasionally by chance. When you understand how a long cast works you’ll be able to find the sweet spot instantly on any fly line, including shooting heads, making your long casts much more consistent.

To make a long cast with any fly line you need to have the entire head, along with a couple to a few feet of shooting line or running line, outside the rod tip before you make your delivery. The amount of shooting line between the rod tip and the rear end of the shooting head is called overhang. If you try to overhang too much shooting line on your delivery your cast will fall apart, as you’re requiring a very thin shooting line to turn over a very thick shooting head. It’s simply an inefficient transfer of energy. Such collapse is more pronounced with shooting heads than it is with conventional weight-forward lines—but the same holds true for both. In most situations 2 or 3 feet of overhang should be ideal to make your long cast.

With a loop-to-loop shooting head system it’s obvious when the entire head is outside the rod tip. An integrated shooting head is not always so obvious. Some integrated shooting heads differentiate the head from the shooting line by using a different color. For example, the Wulff Ambush fly lines sport a bright green head and a blue shooting line. Simply get the green section a couple of feet outside your rod tip and you’ll be positioned to make your delivery. However, I’ve seen integrated shooting heads whose colors contrast poorly, making it difficult to differentiate the head from the running line. Still others are produced as a solid color.

If the manufacturer doesn’t clearly identify the head section you can mark it for yourself. Use a dial caliper to take diameter readings along the shooting line forward toward the head, and note the point at which the line becomes measurably thicker. Then use a Sharpie laundry marker to blacken the circumference of the shooting line for five or six inches back from this. To make your long cast, simply get this black bar just outside your rod tip before you make your delivery.

If you fish at night you can still find the sweet spot by equipping your integrated shooting head with a tactile mark. Simply locate the point at which you hold the running line when you’re positioned to make your long delivery (again, the entire head is two or three feet outside the rod tip). Use a small coffee stirrer or other tool to tie a nail knot around the circumference of the shooting line using 5 or 6-pound monofilament. Trim the ends of the knot close. This will allow you to locate the ideal amount of carry even in the dead of night, and the monofilament knot will shoot unimpeded through the guides.

You can use these marking systems to denote the head section on conventional weight-forward lines as well.

Casting Tips

Because of their more compact configuration, shooting heads can take a bit of getting used to. With practice, however, you’ll be making your long deliveries with less effort than you thought possible.

I suggest you get used to your shooting head by making your first several dozen casts without hauling. The shooting head’s compact weight package will make your rod feel significantly over-lined—clunky, even. Slow down your stroke and get connected to this extra weight as it pulls your rod into a bend on both the back cast and forward cast. As I mentioned previously, to make your long cast, get the shooting head just outside the rod tip before making your delivery. Again, the ideal amount of shooting line to overhang for any cast is two to three feet.

When you’re comfortable making long deliveries without hauling you can try adding the double haul. Once again, use your haul not to try to launch your cast into the next postal code; use it instead to deliver the cast with less effort.

No part of the taper should come inside the rod tip on your haul. Should you try to make your delivery with any part of the shooting head still inside the rod tip, this will impede your shoot or even kill the cast completely. With a loop-to-loop shooting head system you’ll feel it if you bring the loops inside the rod tip on the haul. For an integrated shooting head, use the built-in color change that denotes the shooting line, or use the mark you put in the line with a laundry marker, to keep the head outside the rod tip. Practice by making several false casts and hauls, and when you feel you have good command of the casting sequence, make your delivery. (To see an instructional video on casting shooting heads, visit my website, the URL to which is listed in the bio.)

Although it’s not a fly line for all occasions, depending on your needs and situation, a shooting head might fill a niche in your game and might be a tool worth adding to your fly fishing arsenal.

A fly casting instructor for 25 years, George Roberts produced the first video fly casting program devoted exclusively to salt water: Saltwater Fly Casting: 10 Steps to Distance and Power. He’s also the author of Master the Cast: Fly Casting in Seven Lessons (McGraw-Hill, 2002). For more information on fly casting and fly angling you can visit George’s website: masterthecast.com

The post Shoot the Moon: Shooting Heads in the Salt first appeared on Tail Fly Fishing Magazine.

The post Shoot the Moon: Shooting Heads in the Salt appeared first on Tail Fly Fishing Magazine.

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

I’ve been cooking these dishes for years and absolutely love them all. They are comforting crowd pleasers that you will come back to time and time again. Another awesome feature of these recipes is their destiny to be modified! If you don’t have an ingredient, sub it out. If you don’t have the particular protein on hand, make due with whatever is in the refrigerator. In each recipe I’ll give some tips and tricks to make dinner time easier, no matter what you have in the pantry.

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Skillet Seafood Paella

Ingredients:

1 medium yellow onion, halved and sliced thin

1 cup of cherry tomatoes, halved

1 cup frozen spinach, thawed, drained

2 lemons, sliced thin

1/2 cup parsley chopped finely

1 bunch green onions, cleaned, cut in half

1/2 lb chorizo crumbled, without casing (chopped bacon also works)

1 tsp saffron threads

3 cups short grain rice

6 cups shellfish stock (chicken or vegetable works)

1 lb large shrimp (9-12 count), whole

about 10-12 little neck clams (rinsed)

2 tbsp butter

2 tbsp olive oil

1.5 tbsp smoked paprika

garlic powder, to taste

salt, to taste

cracked pepper, to taste

Paella is an awesome Spanish dish featuring bright flavors and fresh shellfish. It only takes about 40 minutes from start to finish. You’ll need a saucepan on a back burner to heat the stock with the saffron, and one large skillet to cook the paella. Saffron really gives this dish a fragrant pop of flavor and color, but if you absolutely must, just use paprika, it will still be delicious!

Add the saffron threads and stock to a saucepan and bring to a simmer, cover and keep hot until ready to use.

Take a large skillet and turn the burner on. Get it nice and hot! Cook the crumbled chorizo until crisp. Remove the chorizo and set aside, then add 1 tbsp butter and 1 tbsp olive oil into the pan with the chorizo fat.

Add your sliced onion, a sprinkle of garlic powder and the 1.5 tbsp of smoked paprika. It may seem like a lot of paprika at first, but remember, this is going to flavor the entire dish! Adding it now allows it to cook into the oil and infuse all of its delicious smokey flavor.

Once the onions become translucent, add spinach, tomatoes, and chorizo sprinkle with a good pinch of salt and cracked pepper. Cook about 1 minute, then add the rice. Continuously stir the rice mixture until the grains start to look opaque and a bit toasty, about 3-5 minutes. Add the stock. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat.

Let the rice simmer until it’s nice and tender. This will take about 15-18 minutes.

Next comes the fresh seafood and finishing touches.

This recipe also works nicely with 2 oz chunks of halibut or redfish. Mussels in place of clams will work as well. If you’re feeling adventurous, like I often am, you can even use octopus.

Feel free to use any kind of shellfish or seafood, don’t feel limited about the variety either. You can use one or two kinds of protein, or use them all!

Nestle the clams into the rice and cover for about 8-10 minutes or until most of them pop open. If any of them don’t open, you can toss them.

While your clams are popping open, take the remaining 1 tbsp butter and 1 tbsp oil and heat in a medium skillet. Once it’s sizzling hot, add your shrimp and green onions. Sprinkle with a good amount of salt, cracked pepper and garlic powder.

Don’t stir them!

You want nice color on the shrimp. Let the edges start to visibly build a sear before you give them a toss. After you toss the shrimp, take the lemon slices in your hand and give them a squeeze right over the pan. Drop the squeezed slices directly in the pan and add the parsley. (You can add one more pat of butter and ¼ cup of sherry wine to turn up the flavor even more, if you dare.)

The clams should be ready now. Take the lid off of the paella, then transfer the contents of your shrimp pan directly on top. Make sure you get every last drop of buttery lemon goodness that those big shrimp produced.

It should smells all kinds of good in the kitchen right about now! Grab a big spoon and dish up portions of the paella for dinner.

Garnish with lemon and a little more parsley if you care to. Enjoy.

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Asian Beef Street Noodles

Ingredients:

1 pack of vermicelli rice noodles (8-12 oz pack)

1 green bell pepper, sliced thin

1 red bell pepper, sliced thin

1 large medium yellow onion, halved and sliced thin

1.5 lbs chuck steak, sliced thin (1” thick, look for the most marbled cuts)

3 tbsp butter

3 tbsp sesame oil

1/3 cup lime juice

1/3 cup honey

3 tbsp sriracha

1 tbsp grated ginger

garlic powder, to taste

salt, to taste

1/4 cup toasted sesame seeds

1 bunch green onions, chopped

1 cup cilantro, chopped

Asian street noodles are always a hit at my house. They’re super craveable and make umami easy. In this recipe I call for chuck steak, a cheaper way to get the flavor of ribeye – but typically I use any leftover barbecue pork I have. Pulled pork or sliced rib meat off the bone work perfectly! Really, any protein in your refrigerator can be subbed in. The idea of street noodles is throwing together what you have and making it mouthwatering.

For instance, if you don’t have bell peppers on hand, don’t worry. If you’ve got carrots, snap peas, mushrooms, those all work too. Feel free to use those vegetables instead, or, in addition to the recipe I’ve provided.

First prepare the rice noodles according to the package. Get a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil and toss noodles in. Cook only a few minutes until al dente, then drain and rinse with cool water to stop the cooking. Set your noodles aside.

Now, take a large saucepan and get it hot! Medium heat works perfectly. Add 1 tbsp of sesame oil and 1 tbsp butter, then add onions and peppers. Cook a couple minutes. Add your slices of chuck steak, grated ginger and season with a good sprinkle of salt and garlic powder. Cook until beef starts to brown.

Add remaining butter, sesame oil, honey, sriracha, lime juice and sesame seeds. Stir until sauce combines.

Toss in your noodles and stir to coat.

Cook until noodles are hot, then finish with green onions and cilantro.

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Crispy Lemon Herb Fish and Green Bean Salad

Ingredients:

4 salmon portions (6-8 oz) (any thick fish fillets will work)

1.5 cups panko bread crumbs

1/2 cup parmesan, grated

1/4 cup parsley, chopped

2 lemons, juiced

2 tbsp olive oil

salt and cracked pepper, to taste

for salad:

3 cups green beans, whole, cleaned

2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved

1 red onion, halved, sliced thin

1/2 cup parsley chopped

1/2 lb bacon, chopped, cooked until crisp

for vinaigrette:

1/3 cup olive oil

2 tbsp whole grain mustard

2 tbsp honey

1/3 cup apple cider vinegar

garlic powder, to taste

salt, to taste

cracked pepper, to taste

This recipe is so easy and refreshing. It’s a perfect lighter meal option that’s flavorful and healthy.

Preheat your oven to 450 degrees.

While the oven is heating, take your salmon portions and place them in a bowl and add olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper.

In another small bowl, mix panko breadcrumbs, parmesan and parsley. If you don’t want to use another bowl, you can use a ziplock bag or just sprinkle each on top separately.

Put your green beans in a bowl with a damp paper towel and microwave six minutes. This will steam them just enough to get a head start on the cook time.

For easy clean up, line a sheet tray with parchment paper (foil also works). Parchment paper has a tendency to curl around the edges. Simply take a little cooking spray and hit the bottom of the sheet pan before lining it. Now it will stick!

Place the salmon portions on one side of sheet tray. Top each portion with the breadcrumb mixture and press down lightly so that it forms a nice layer. This will become a yummy crust once cooked.

On the other half of the sheet tray, place the green beans, season with salt and cracked pepper, and a drizzle of olive oil.

Pop the sheet tray in the oven and cook until fish is done. (About 12-15 minutes)

While the fish and green beans are cooking, you can prep the rest of the ingredients for the green bean salad.

In a large bowl combine all of the ingredients for the vinaigrette – olive oil, honey, whole grain mustard and apple cider vinegar. Be sure to add a few pinches of salt, garlic powder, and cracked pepper as well. Whisk to combine.

Add the halved cherry tomatoes, cooked bacon pieces, red onion and parsley to the bowl with the vinaigrette.

When the salmon is ready, pull the sheet tray from the oven. Add the green beans to the bowl with the vinaigrette and toss to combine, taste for seasoning levels, then you’re good to go!

Serve up salmon portions right on top of the salad and enjoy.

Leftover green bean salad will become one of your new favorites! It’s awesome to eat room temperature or cooked in a skillet until tomatoes are tender.

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Southwest Chicken Pasta Salad

Ingredients:

1lb of dry orecchiette pasta (any type of shell or orzo works)

2 ears of yellow corn

3 poblanos, roasted, deseeded/peeled and diced

1 jalapeno, roasted, deseeded/peeled and diced (2 or 3 if you like it spicy)

2 red bell peppers, diced

1 bunch cilantro, chopped

1 bunch green onions, chopped

1.5 cup of mayo

1 cup of sour cream

1/3 cup lime juice

10 oz crumbled queso fresco (any fresh crumbly cheese, feta works)

3 cups shredded chicken (leftovers or rotisserie)

garlic powder, 2 tsp

cumin, 3 tsp

salt, to taste

cayenne, to taste

Pasta salad is one of my all time favorites – easy, delicious and always customizable. It’s great to eat the next day, room temperature or cold, and it’s awesome to take along on the boat for a hearty lunch.

Using rotisserie chicken makes this version extremely stress-free and quick to put together. Another great protein option is sautéed shrimp, but use whatever you have on hand, or feel free to make it with just the vegetables.

First of all, we need to get the oven hot to roast the peppers, so set it to 450 degrees.

While the oven is getting hot, bring a large salted pot of water to a rolling boil.

Cover a sheet tray with foil and place the poblanos and jalapenos on top, pop them in the oven to roast and remove when tender. Once the peppers cool off, you can slice them down the middle and scrape the seeds out. Then dice ‘em up and set aside!

Add your pasta to the boiling water, cook until al dente, then drain and let cool.

While the pasta is cooling, you can prep the rest of the veggies and shred the chicken.

Start by microwaving your corn in the husk. 3 minutes per ear. Then clean and slice it off the cob. Chop your red bell peppers, cilantro, and green onions.

In a large serving bowl add mayo, sour cream, and lime juice. Stir to combine.

Add all of the chopped veggies, corn, cilantro and peppers to the bowl. Add the chicken and pasta. Mix it all up so that the creamy dressing coats the noodles. Season with garlic powder, cumin, salt and cayenne.

Taste as you season to make sure the flavor is right where you want it.

Crumble the queso fresco right on top and gently stir once more to combine. That’s it!

Serve up portions in bowls and enjoy!

The post Skillet Paella and Four Other Easy-to-Make Meals first appeared on Tail Fly Fishing Magazine.

The post Skillet Paella and Four Other Easy-to-Make Meals appeared first on Tail Fly Fishing Magazine.

Surf fishing is nothing new. As long as there have been fish in the sea, people have been trying to catch them.

Many species can be effectively targeted from shore without need for a boat. Stripers, bluefish, corbina, roosters, snook, and even salmon come to find. Regardless of what zip code you find yourself in, there’s likely a game fish that will eat a fly cast into into the surf. Catching many of these fish requires casting into onshore winds or a stiff crossbreeze that requires high line speed to get the fly out to where the fish are. While a single hand fly rod can achieve this for some folks, a two hand rod allows more anglers to achieve greater casting distance and find those cruising cows.

Surf Rods

Two hand rods designed for surf fishing (‘surf rods’) are inherently different from spey rods. Their actions are more akin to single hand rods, where the top 1-2 sections of the rod load quickly (providing the action) and the bottom half provides fish-sticking power. Spey rods typically load deeper, flexing through three sections or better. Because surf rods are designed to be cast overhead and not with a spey cast, their line designations are the same as single hand rods – no conversion needed to figure out what size of rod is appropriate for the conditions you’ll be facing. While you can ‘cheat’ and use a spey rod for surf casting, they don’t cast nearly as well overhead as a dedicated surf rod. If you choose to go this route, find the grain window for your spey rod and step back by roughly 60 grains from the bottom end of the window. It’s important to remember that spey line size designations are different from single hand rods; a #6 spey is roughly equivalent in fishing handling/casting ability to a #8 single hander.

Surf rods allow the angler to use both arms to transfer power into the cast, affording more time on the water without fatigue and offering an alternative to anglers with shoulder problems. Once you’ve dialed in your two hand overhead cast, the amount of line speed able to be generated is enormous – no double-haul needed. Several rod manufacturers have released surf rods in past few years. ECHO and Beulah produce offerings in a variety of line weights and lengths for any surf fishing situation, and G.Loomis still has some of their surf rods hiding in shops around the country.

ECHO Boost Beach Rod

Beulah Opal Two Hander Rod

Surf Lines

Line manufacturers have followed suit with short headed lines that act as shooting heads for delivering flies into onshore winds. Most any integrated single hand line designed for turning over larger bugs will work, but the shorter heads and specialized colorways found on dedicated surf lines make a difference when it comes to bringing fish to hand. As with all lines, longer heads provide greater casting distance when winds are down, but are harder to aerialize and control when it starts to blow. For most anglers, a shorter head and aggressive taper will work best in surf casting situations.

Airflo Beach Line

Rio Coastal Quickshooter Line

Some anglers shy away from learning new casts, even if it could help them land more fish. Don’t be one of those people. The learning curve can be intimidating, but as with most things involved in fly fishing, it isn’t as difficult as people make it seem. Grab a surf rod, a stiff cup of coffee and hit the beach tomorrow morning – I’ll see you there.

Resources:

Two Hand Overhead Casting Basics with Tim Rajeff

Video: Two Hand Rooster Fishing with Beulah Fly Rods

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The post Two Hands Are Better Than One first appeared on Tail Fly Fishing Magazine.

The post Two Hands Are Better Than One appeared first on Tail Fly Fishing Magazine.

Despite it being my true love in fly fishing, I try to venture back into fresh water as often as I can each year. It is a completely different game, and I appreciate it more now that I am away from it so often. It always takes me a bit to adjust back to the pace of trout fishing. I recently found myself on a perfect little spring creek in Montana and got a cruel reminder of how different trout fishing is. At first, I wasn’t stealthy enough and spooked a few fish that were happily feeding above me because I didn’t crouch low enough as I approached. I soon came to another bend and saw a large fish feeding, and instead of waiting and watching for a minute, I tried to quickly catch it, casting over another fish I hadn’t seen in the process and sending both fish fleeing in different directions. Several times I had fish rise to my fly, only to set too fast with more of a strip set, pulling the fly from their open mouths.

Frustrated, I reminded myself that these fish weren’t going anywhere. They weren’t consistently on the move like a permit typically is, and I didn’t need to get a fly in front of them with any urgency. They were happily feeding on the same line, opportunistically rising to any tasty-looking morsel that happened to float downstream. There is something very soothing and meditative about trout fishing, especially when you’re used to the fast-paced nature of saltwater. You can slow down, and observe, and change flies four or five or more times before you finally convince that big fish to slowly rise and eat your fly. You have time to read the water, to see what the fish are eating, to observe the bugs in the air and the eagle eyeing you from the tree above. And though I will likely spend far more of my future fishing days in the salt, I have come to cherish and appreciate my time fishing freshwater more than I ever did when it was right in my backyard.

The post Changing Gears first appeared on Tail Fly Fishing Magazine.

The post Changing Gears appeared first on Tail Fly Fishing Magazine.

WE’RE NOT GOING TO TELL YOU TO “LISTEN TO YOUR GUIDE.”
THIS IS BASIC, OVERDONE AND IF PLANS INCLUDE A
CHARTER IN CABO OR PUERTO RICO FOR MARLIN, CHANCES
ARE YOU HAVE FISHED WITH A GUIDE BEFORE. SOME ITEMS
THAT ARE OFTEN OVERLOOKED OR UNKNOWN IS OUR OFFERING HERE.
HOPEFULLY THESE MIGHT HELP YOU WITH SOME OF THE
OTHER STUFF YOU MIGHT HAVE OVERLOOKED.

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5. Use your muscle

Unlike the finesse required for flats fish,  sometimes you need to muscle a billfish, especially on the fly.  If you are using a typical 9 foot fly rod, you will struggle to lift the head of these powerful fish. When you can pull on him with gentle consistent pressure, gradually adding some drag and gain line in that manner.  When a fish is sounding, there is nothing you can do except try not to lose too much line.  When the fish is jumping, this is our opportunity to work aggressively and take as much line back as you can. The fight could take an hour or more at times so do anything you can to speed things along, take advantage. It’s better for the angler but especially better for the fish.

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The post Five Tips for Marlin on the Fly first appeared on Tail Fly Fishing Magazine.

The post Five Tips for Marlin on the Fly appeared first on Tail Fly Fishing Magazine.

The mythical Clouser minnow. It’s a unicorn when tied in white. This is a fly that is much more than the sum of its parts, a classic over/under fly designed by the living legend Bob Clouser himself.  They are beasts at catching fish. This fly design may be responsible for catching more fish than any other pattern in the world. Bob designed a fly that is easy to tie, tough and incredibly versatile. He designed a fly that could catch literally almost any fish that is reachable by a fly and is effective in both salt and fresh water. When the correct materials are applied in the right proportions to a hook they become something almost magical, a juggernaut amongst the legends. The Clouser dives down, jerking violently to the surface when stripped. It seduces fish into violently striking with its wounded bait fish action.

Quick think of a fish. The Clouser can catch it.

Recently on a trip to Mexico for a wedding, I was able to escape for half-a-day to explore some rumored flats right in the hotel district of Cancun. I strung up my 8wt., tied on a unicorn and headed out to the flat I had located with some internet research a few days before. With my white Clouser sailing away, I moved across the flat. Boom, my line goes tight, the first victim to the Clouser’s deadly allure is a blue runner. I want his big cousin to come to the fight. The Clouser gets a little beat up but looking good and is still in for another street fight. We push on.

Within a few minutes the second fish is on the hook. The unicorn displays its mythical powers over fish as a barracuda slams into the fly. My 20 lb. mono is surely no match for the teeth of this ferocious predator. Adult barracuda have a striking power greater than some sharks. The unicorn takes this in stride and lip hooks the toothy rocket. A short fight, some nice jumps and the barracuda comes to hand. Second species today

I continue to cast toward the flat’s edge; the tide has not risen enough to bring the fish up onto the super shallows. My Clouser is now significantly shorter as the deer hair didn’t fare well in the scrap with the cuda. I curse not using super hair. Bruised and beaten up, about 20 minutes later another predator grabs hold of the legendary Clouser. This time a yellow fin mojarra is hooked. I inspect it and pull my beat up fly out of its strange mouth. Lots of moving parts! A picture or two and it’s another smooth release.

At this point in the game you can hardly recognize the fly as a Clouser. I think about changing. I open my box… argh! Wrong box. All I have are Deceivers. Stubbornly, I continue with my beat up fighter. I still want to catch fish!  “Only a few more casts until I will head home,” I tell myself. I cast way past a few. No bites or action for a while and I start to think about my long bus ride home and why I didn’t bring more Clousers. I continue to fish. All of a sudden on a strip, my lines comes tight. The Clouser has done it again! As I fight the fish, I’m trying to guess what it is: horse eye jack, pompano, blue runner? Who knows what I will find on the end of my line. Attached to this worn out old Clouser comes a yellow fin jack, a small one no doubt but my best fight of the day. My fly is spent.

The legendary Clouser has taken its licks today seducing four species into striking. With her dance, she slips through the water teasing and aggravating fish. I will take the Clouser far. Plans are already in place for the next trip. I will travel to Scotland.  I am tracking down the 36/0 hooks and super hair in four foot lengths, my custom 26 wt. rods are being made as we speak. Once and for all I intend to prove the existence of the Loch Ness Monster. The Clouser can do it!

Until next time, do yourself a favor and tie on a Clouser Minnow.

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MORE BLOGS ABOUT FLIES & FLY TYING:

Ten Flies You Should Never Be Without

Fly Tying Instructional – Craft Store Crab

Books by Tail Contributors

Characteristics of a Great Bonefish Fly

The post The Magical White Clouser first appeared on Tail Fly Fishing Magazine.

The post The Magical White Clouser appeared first on Tail Fly Fishing Magazine.

Zac Grossman

There are three very easily accessible species of tuna in south Florida and the Keys that just love flies. They are the black fin tuna, the skipjack tuna, and the bonito. The bonito (as they are called in Florida) are known by other names elsewhere. They are one and the same as the false albacore and little tunny.

They are the easiest to find, so I’ll discuss them first. They are here all year long; most commonly found in 60 to 200 feet of water and at times will follow and harass bait in water as shallow as 15 feet where many are even caught from piers.

From early summer until early fall they are often marauding bait pods on reefs and wrecks. For these reasons, they are targeted by half day head boats, called drift boats down here. Multiple bent rods are often the norm and this is without chumming!

For fly anglers to cash in on this you only need a boat, either yours or a charter (fly casting would not be allowed on a head boat). Drive out to the depth where all the head boats are fishing (from Spring until Winter), and start chumming with a block of frozen bunker in a chum bag. When you see the silver flashes in the slick, start casting.  You can use a sinking line with almost any baitfish imitation (you’re trying to mimic small fish feeding on the chum bits), a floating line with the same flies, or most enjoyably small poppers (white on the belly, blue or green on top, silver metal flake all over). The strike is electrifying and the fight incredible. Perhaps the best part is that these fish are so thick down here that losing one only means rigging up again and expecting to hook another in mere minutes.

Bonito are often teen sized and are ferocious fighters. In the north (New England through New Jersey) they are the most highly prized species of the awesome fall runs.  While the waters are being churned by huge bluefish and striped bass that are easy to target up there, fly anglers (and spin casters) race around chasing fast moving flocks of birds that indicate where the false albacore have pushed a school of bait to the surface.  While bonito can be found virtually everywhere (both Florida coasts and the Keys), the blackfin tuna is targeted in specific locations, being more of a pleasant surprise when caught elsewhere. This member of the tuna family is highly prized because of its size and its taste. Its fight is much like that of the bonito but they often weigh two or three times as much and that sure makes a difference. Skipjack tuna are often found among the blackfins but not really targeted specifically.

Of the locations associated with blackfins, I’ll discuss the “humps” off Islamorada and Marathon keys first. Fishing is done the same way at both of these spots where the dramatic rise from the bottom coupled with the strong currents create an upwelling that both attracts and disorients bait; the ideal feeding place for predators including blackfin tuna, skipjack tuna, bonito, dolphin, amberjack, wahoo, billfish, and sharks (which also like the taste of all the above and can become a nuisance).

The standard methods of fishing the humps are trolling and drifting. Drifting is obviously the way to fly fish and again chumming is the answer. The idea is to get the tuna on top and reckless as they compete with each other.

If you are going on a charter, expect the captain to stop and net pilchards. If in your own boat be prepared to do the same. The best chum is LIVE pilchards and this means a top notch live well system because the norm is to head out there with about 1,000 of them.  The boat is positioned to drift over the crown of the hump and live chum is tossed over the side, a dip net full at a time. You could blind cast with sinking lines as the baits will be trying to dive to supposed safety or you could wait until the steady stream of baits creates a trail for the tunas to follow as they head to the surface. Once they are there, tossing over baits is like feeding pigeons; every handful creates a frenzy of competition for the “crumbs”.

At this point all you need do is cast a fly into the melee to hook up. In actuality, once your fly hits the water all you have to do is wait for the hit as everything in the water that is either white or shiny at this point will be tasted before some other fish grabs it. If you set the hook before the scam is realized, then you will be tied to a member of the speediest species in the ocean.

Saltwater fly anglers have a hard time just standing there doing nothing and they also have a hard time just fishing a simple white streamer fly when there are hundreds of beautiful flies to choose from. If they tie their own, then it is downright impossible. In that case choose something that looks like a pilchard and strip away.

Courtesy Bill Delph – Delph FIshing

The duration of the fight, and it will be lengthy, depends on the size of the fish.

All three species are fast enough to test you and your tackle. Try to strip out only enough line to land your fly where the tunas are busting. The more line on the deck from either having pulled out more than you need or from having stripped the fly in, the more you have to concentrate

on getting that line through the guides without a hangup. A knot, a loop, anything that hangs up for even a fraction of a second means a snapped leader at the speeds these fish generate.

Tunas have small teeth, almost like large grit sandpaper so no wire is necessary.  The frenzy allows you to use a mono shock tippet if long battles are wearing through your actual tippet.

At the humps all three species are likely to appear in your chum. The most desired blackfins tend to hang back and appear much, much darker than the others and much fatter. Cast to the outer edge of the frenzy and hope for the best. Finally there is bycatch chumming. This works where commercial draggers operate. When they haul back and then cull the catch huge schools of tuna rise to the surface and gorge themselves. Fishing behind a dragger engaged in this can be very tricky and even dangerous so the best thing to do is simulate.

The schools of tuna and bonito know there is no percentage in swimming all over the place when all they have to do is hang out near the draggers, even when they are not dragging because once they do start, a smorgasbord is not too far into the future.

In the Keys, it is the shrimp boats that the tuna hang with.

They drag all night and the crews sleep during the day, at anchor. Charter captains know approximately where the fleet is, and if you plan to use your own boat you need to find out from local tackle shops, mates, or even captains, if you can convince them to share the information.  The fleet will be in the Gulf and usually about 50 miles out. Mind the weather, that’s a long way from home. What might be an hour ride out can seem like an eternity when coming back in a squall.

Getting chum for this kind of fishing means pulling up to a dragger and “buying” a few bushels of the bycatch they would normally just shovel overboard. When the weather is good, the draggers shovel less and put aside more knowing this will happen. I have seen the “price” vary from a couple of twenties to a few six packs of Dr. Pepper and a local newspaper.

Charter captains know which boats are where and what to bring; hard earned local knowledge.

If doing this on your own, with a cooler full of bycatch (baitfish, mantis shrimp, puffers, shellfish, and such) position your boat about a hundred feet off the stern of an anchored shrimper.

Looking down into the emerald green water you will see nothing moving. Throw a couple of handfuls of bycatch and that will quickly change. If you see a mantis shrimp that is not lying there limp, but seems alive, DO NOT reach for it – they can open up the whole length of a finger in a millisecond.  When a school rises to your chum, it will usually be both bonito and blackfins, about 10 to 1. There will be silver streaks crisscrossing in all directions and on the outskirts of the frenzy will be the darker,slower target you really want; the blackfin tuna.  Throw any white streamer and let it sit and a bonito will inhale it almost immediately. Even a cast directed at the black fins will suffer this fate 9 out of 10 times.

It’s not so terrible; fighting a huge bonito will test your reel’s drag, your knots, your knuckles (if they get in the way of a wildly spinning reel handle), and your rod’s backbone as the fish goes into its final ploy. Blackfins will however make all the above even harder.

There is one trick that will increase your odds of getting a blackfin under these conditions, if you have the reflexes. A fly that closely imitates a puffer (brown and orange mostly) is the answer. Bonito generally will wolf down anything you throw over but they usually spit the puffers out. The blackfins love them. When spin fishing it takes nerves of steel as a dead puffer on the hook might be inhaled and spit out by a dozen bonito before a blackfin grabs it. The angler has to restrain from setting the hook until sure it is in the right mouth.

For the fly angler it is setting the hook in time, but not on the “wrong” fish. Use a puffer fly cast to the outskirts but remember that a bonito might speed up and taste it out there too. They will spit it out, but not because it tastes like a puffer; because it is not real. So the fly angler has to both resist striking back and try to keep some slack in the line so the fish doesn’t hook itself. You have to see the take to know who took it!

When a blackfin grabs the fly you have to set the hook immediately because they will also realize it is a fake rather than a tasty puffer. Again, if you hook a blackfin the fight will be amazing, enhanced by its size. Pace yourself and enjoy the fight.

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The post Blackfin tuna on the fly first appeared on Tail Fly Fishing Magazine.

The post Blackfin tuna on the fly appeared first on Tail Fly Fishing Magazine.

by Shawn Abernathy

One  of the greatest misconceptions of art is where it belongs.

Millions travel to France to pay homage to the masters. Some things you don’t expect to see when you travel to France are stunningly abstract, yet anatomically correct ocean-going species in back alleys, abandoned storefronts and  street corners.

Teuthis is not your ordinary street artist. With a background in marine studies and graffiti, he creates beautiful drawings that he later pastes on unsuspecting buildings. He creates his work on large-scale pieces of paper and then uses a special paste to adhere them.

Art doesn’t always have to be in a museum to be called art. As saltwater anglers, we know that the ocean itself is perhaps the greatest masterpiece of all. Street art is something we have all seen at one time or another. While his work may not be accepted by everyone, there is no denying that his art is unique, creative and extremely well done. The majority of his work can be found in Normandy but he is known to have work  around France and other parts of Europe as well. Next time your travels take you to France or beyond,  be sure to keep an eye out.

You can follow Teuthis on Facebook and Instagram.

Originally published in Tail #22 – March 2016

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The post Teuthis – Fish Art first appeared on Tail Fly Fishing Magazine.

The post Teuthis – Fish Art appeared first on Tail Fly Fishing Magazine.

Winner Takes All Photo Contest 2017 Results

With so many great entries, selecting this year’s winner was not an easy task.  Photos came from all over the world for the 2017 Tail Fly Fishing Photo Contest.  There were almost 200 entries and a few great stories to go along.  Three winners emerged but there are so many quality photos and such a small margin of victory for all three winners.  We included two honorable mention photos as well, frankly, they deserve a shout out for almost placing in a very tight competition. 

This is how it was judged:

A panel of 6 Six judges were selected.   Each judge picked 10 photos and ranked them 1-10.  Based on the ranking receive points from 1-10 accordingly.  A photo ranked #1 received 10 points, #2 – 9 points, #3 – 8 points….#10 – 1 point. 

After all the selections were made and all the points were tallied, 3 photos emerged as #1, #2, #3.  So without further delay, here are the 2017 photo contest winners.

contact: Admin@tailflyfishing.com for any specific questions

 First Prize – 32 points – Greg Poland of Islamorada, Florida

His submission is a beautiful photo of a permit on a pristine flat on a perfect day.

Winner: $250 Cash, the Cover of Tail, and a VIP prize pack worth $250

Second Prize – 24 points – Arek Kubale of Lower Silesia, Poland

His photo embodies the spirit and grit of saltwater fly fishing capturing an angler coming in from the break. 

Winner: VIP prize pack

Third Prize – 19 points – Alex Waller of North Island, New Zealand

Yellowtail kingfish are the the new rage and Alex and his team of guides sent us a specimen photo of a tagged yellowtail king.

Winner: large boat box, shirt and hat

HONORABLE MENTIONS

Paul Mills of New Zealand (16 points)

Another amazing shot of yellowtail kings, this time they are tailing unimpeded by anglers.  A beautiful photo which still could make it to our cover list.

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Jose David Bravo Alvarez of Columbia  (14 points)

Jose sent in a few photos for us to consider and all were great, high quality, print worthy shots. 

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It’s not fair that so many great photos go unrecognized but we are going to make sure that does not happen.  Those who did not win the contest….it’s not over.  We will still make sure all of the photos appear in Tail Fly Fishing Magazine either in our intro photo montage or in a photo contest collage.  Some that did not win still have cover worthy art so please wait for us to get caught up and we will reach out to you regarding your photographic art.

The post PHOTO CONTEST RESULTS first appeared on Tail Fly Fishing Magazine.

The post PHOTO CONTEST RESULTS appeared first on Tail Fly Fishing Magazine.