Three new species...on one fly!

I spent a few days on the west coast of Florida, and had a chance to fish with Captain Paul Hobby in the waters around Ft. Myers and Sanibel Island. Unfortunately the weather was not ideal for fishing, a cold front had moved in and the winds were, by my fly fishing standards anyway, howling.

But Paul worked hard to get me on some fish, and before long I started catching a wide variety. The funny thing is, I not only caught three species that I've never caught on the fly before, but I did it using the same actual fly!

The highlight of the day was a fish that quickly doubled over the 8-weight Temple Fork I was using, and took a bunch of fly line in a hurry. If I didn't know better I would have thought I had a Steelhead on the line! As I got it closer to the boat Paul identified it as a pretty good sized ladyfish. Sometimes called a 'poor man's tarpon,' this fish had sides like a mirror! Sadly, while I was trying to figure out a way to grab it so Paul could snap a photo, he shook the fly out of his mouth and got away. I don't know how much he weighed, they are pretty skinny, but it was at least 24" or so. Several more much smaller ladyfish kept the excitement going for a while though, like the one pictured above. They were a lot of fun.

Although I had caught speckled sea trout before, on my last trip to Florida, this trip I caught a few on the fly rod. They are neat looking fish, but truthfully they don't put up much of a fight. Kind of funny, actually, for about eight seconds your rod bends and you're thinking, 'Game On!' Then you see it just skimming across the water on its side while you're stripping it in. But hey, you don't get to see your backing every time.

Finally we found a few grouper. These were interesting also. They are shaped like a freshwater bass, but feel like a trout, smooth and slimy. Cool spots too.

So it was good to be out on a boat in a beautiful place and catching some fish. I might try to head back this summer and try for some tarpon. (And not the poor man's kind!)

Florida Wildlife

Well, not a lot of fishing got done this weekend, and no fish to report. But many photos were taken. So instead of a fishing report, here's a photo essay from the Sunshine State...

Why the long face? Pelicans on the pier at Flagler Beach. They didn't catch any fish either. At least not while I was there.

Royal Tern, same pier. I thought this guy looked like a candidate for hair plugs. If your bald spot meets your receding hairline, it's time to do something.

Is there a bigger dork in the animal kingdom than this guy? I think not.

We watched the sandpipers for hours...

...well, we weren't JUST watching sandpipers. That would be boring, now, wouldn't it. (Yes, I have been known to drink watery mass-produced American beer while at the beach. After all, you've got to stay hydrated!)

I had never driven on the beach before! But you can do it at Ormand Beach, north of Daytona, where I snapped this picture of my Fishing Transport Vehicle (note the license plate). It was pretty fun, a little like driving in the snow.

Also fun: This bar in Orlando where the bartenders danced on the bars and where I think there might have been some other band thing or something. Details fuzzy.

One more note about wildlife. We saw three bald eagles on this trip. Two in Florida -- one was actually eating carrion off the highway, I did not know they did that. The other we saw flying. We also saw one on the drive back, in Virginia, north of Richmond. I know they are making a huge comeback in the east, but it is ALWAYS a special occasion when you see one.

A Previous Life

Almost three years ago, I picked up a fly rod for the first time. My golf clubs have been gathering dust ever since. But Wednesday we're heading down to Florida for a few days to visit some family and get away from work and winter for a while. My father in law loves to golf and told me to bring the clubs, so I dug them out of the basement. Something else you should know about my father in law: his house is right on the Intracoastal Waterway. So I figured that golf bag has room for one extra club.

I'm bringing my 8 weight because the reel that goes with it has a non-corrosive finish that will be okay in saltwater. But I have no idea what kind of fish are in there, if they are catchable, or how to catch them. But it's definitely worth a try, so I'll bring some baitfish patterns and other streamers, and see what happens. What's the Florida state record for a manatee caught on a fly?

This is kind of funny and I hadn't thought about it until I hauled these clubs out for a photo. But it seems that even before I all but gave up the game for an even quieter sport, I must have had fishing on my mind...