Silver Lining

I usually try not to repeat information, videos, etc, that has made the rounds on other blogs or Web sites.  I just can't help myself on this one, though.  

Capt. Will Benson and his crew at World Angling have a new video out called Silver Lining.  The film looks at tarpon fishing and what's at stake as the cruise ship industry looks to dredge Key West harbor to allow bigger ships to port.  The impact this would have could be devastating to the tarpon fishery around Key West.



I've followed Capt. Benson's career and I can tell you he is a much sought-after guide in the Keys.  His movies are stellar and some of the best "homegrown" flicks out there.  In fact, they are my favorite because of they focus on saltwater fly fishing.

I watched Silver Lining this morning with my five year old son and he noticed that the picture featured on the cover of this film is the same one (or very similar) included as a pull-out poster in The Drake magazine a few issues back.  I took the poster and hung it in my home office.  Pretty neat to watch a five year old who lives in D.C. suburb pick up on the habits of tarpon.  It's amazing how much kids really do pay attention to things.    

Speaking of tarpon, I'm really starting to get the itch again.  Lot's of the Saturday and Sunday morning fishing shows have featured tarpon and I expect in another two or three weeks I'll have a pretty good case of outright tarpon fever.  

Jon Makim Flies

I came across a fly tyer from Australia who really ties up some sweet, salty flies.  Jon Makim ties flies that ship all over the world and I bet you could find on any bonefish flat.  According his Web site, he has fly fished since his early twenties and was able to parlay that into a full time profession and now ties flies full time.
He has some really great crab patterns and shrimp patterns on his site that look really well tied.

Take a look and browse through his Web site.  He has some real eye candy on here for the flats and saltwater fly fisherman.

Here is a flats assortment of Jon's flies.  They can be purchased here.

Mad River Outfitters

I haven't done much with the tab "Department of Commerce" over on the right hand side of the page.  I  had wanted to highlight some of my favorite fly shops here.

When I lived closer to Washington, it was pretty easy to hit up a local fly shop.  Now that I live out in pure suburbia, it's a little trickier.  I have some specific flies I want to tie and I need some key ingredients.  New hooks being foremost among them (more on that later).

I looked at several of my favorite fly shops online, but they seemed to have half of what I needed but were missing one or two things.

That's when I came across Mad River Outfitters.  I don't know a whole lot about them, but I got my order quickly and they had everything and then some in terms of key fly ingredients.

They also have free shipping on orders over 25 bucks and no sales tax unless you live in Ohio.

Be sure to check them out if you're looking to buy something on the Web.  I'll be back to their Web site.

First Flies

For my last post I put up some pictures of my new tying desk.  I spent a lot of time working on that thing and the kids  seemed to think I did a pretty good job, so of course they wanted, and continue to want, to tie some flies on it.
My daughter stepped up and tied her first fly, and the the first fly on my new bench.  Appropriately, she tied a pink clouser minnow which should catch a fish just about anywhere.

My little girl at the bench.

The boy decided he would tie a clouser, too, but decided for the more traditional chartreuse.  

New Tying Desk

It has been cold here and I'm really getting tired of it.  The upside is that there is time to catch up on tying some flies and getting ready for the new season.  My problem tying flies is that I never felt like I had a good spot to tie flies.  I needed something I can plop in front of the television and something that I could easily put away.

I looked around the net for some ideas for a portable tying desk and came across some really neat ideas.  The best were these custom tying desks on a Web site called Creek Nuts.  I really got to studying these benches and thought I could make something similar.

I set down and drew up some plans and really got into this.  I'm fairly handy with tools.  The problem is, I don't have everything I need in terms of tools (mostly in terms of a saw).  I found out that this can be overcome, but it does take a little longer.

I made a trip to Home Depot, bought some wood, screws, and stain, and here it is.  Complete with a little fish bling.

First draft.

Added some shelves.  The notebook and tape measure make it look like I know what I'm doing.

Shelves finished.

Now its a cherry tying desk.

Finished and added some fish for a little bling.

Finished

It didn't stay clean long.

I left the right back shelf side empty for now.  I'm still trying to figure out what I want to put up there.

Gripes

I'm not usually one to gripe about a whole lot. At least I don't think I am anyway. But get ready, because I'm getting ready to complain about something that is really bothering me. The weather. Tomorrow's high here in the nation's Capital is forecast for 23 degrees. That's nine degrees below freezing. That is honking cold. What's worse, the forecast doesn't call for a day in the 30's until Saturday. That's just plain wrong.

Some of my friends and readers in the north are probably reading this and saying quit yer bitchin'. But this is a blog about saltwater flats fishing. So guess what fellas to the north, too bad. I'm entitled to complain about cold weather.

Here's a picture from the summer in the keys. Much warmer there, I'll tell you.

And I bet there a few people in Florida reading this laughing at me too. And to you, my good friends, I say, it ain't funny. People weren't made to live in 20 degree weather. If we were, God would have given us fur.

Tomorrow's high in Key West? 73 degrees. It just isn't fair.

 

 

Creek Nuts Fly Tying Bench

I've been looking around at some different portable fly tying benches in hopes that I could find a design I liked, copy it, and make my own.  By no means am I good at wood working, but it's fun to tinker and I thought it would be a good, low cost way to make a new tying bench.

I'm looking for something small, light weight, and extremely portable so that I can tie in front of the television and then put my stuff away easily.  So far I just raised a block on a small piece of plywood so I can stick my vise on it.

And then, I noticed a new site on twitter called Creek Nuts and I saw this.

Stick a bonefish on anything and I'm a sucker.  Throw a tarpon and a permit on it and its nearly a must have.  Take a look at some of the other offerings on Creek Nuts.  Everything is handmade and fully customizable.  Some of the tables allow you to add your name and your favorite game fish.  

This is really cool stuff.  Be sure to check out the site.