Photo: Kyle Perkins

In case you missed it, I wrote a small guest piece for Deneki Outdoors South Andros Lodge the other day. Head on over and check out the rest of their posts from Alaska, to BC, to Andros.

All the Important Questions

You’re a month away from your first bonefishing experience, let alone your first salt fishing trip. While you grew up on small streams in the Rockies stalking pocket water for pigs as you slowly hike through brush or snow, you know this is going to be different – but how different, exactly?

The first thing you do before a trip to South Andros and Deneki Outdoors’ Andros South Lodge is talk to people who have been to flats in search of bonefish before. Luckily, a few close friends plan yearly trips, so you’re in good hands.

Key points of advice are to practice casting longer distances (with wind if possible) and remember to strip-set instead of the usual trout-set. After a few lessons, the results are something like, “Nope, you need to double-haul that cast”, or “Nope, too many false casts.” As you can imagine, anxiety rears its ugly head.

As time passes, your anxiety about failing increases. It seems the only thing you can do right is tie up Gotcha patterns. Finding a suitable way to create the salt flat experience in a high- altitude, snowy climate just isn’t working.

So the time comes to catch the first red-eye, then another flight in the morning, and finally a short hop over to the island of South Andros. Beautiful skies, sand filled beaches, and of course Kalik await. You hang out your first night at the Slack Tide, tie a few flies, and discuss the possible destinations for the next morning.

With a loud 6 am wake-up call, you jump out of bed and feel the lump in your throat almost growing by the minute – it’s time. After a great breakfast and full spread of lunch items (in which you only make peanut butter and bacon sandwiches, of course), you set off to the launching dock. You’re met by your first guide of the day, and the announcement that you’re heading to the West Side more than excites your comrade and boat buddy for the day.

The run is about 30 minutes, and then it’s time to grab a rod and get up on the bow. You wait, nervous, as your guide slowly poles a flat. Small lessons are already being learned: pull enough line off your reel, leave enough leader, and line off the end of your rod. Don’t forget to hold that fly loosely in your left hand. It’s silent, only wind and small waves making subtle sounds.

Then, it happens – you hear, “30 feet, 11 o’clock.” Your bare feet shuffle, you cast and just about pop that fish on the head with your fly. Nothing more to say other than that fish is long gone. You knew it, knew you were going to fail.

While searching more flats, your guide is very instructional in an almost comedic way, as your fishing mate sits back and laughs quietly at your attempts – almost assuming you’re getting skunked your first day.

On the bow again, your guide spots a large school of bonefish. While you can’t see a thing, you trust his instincts and just start launching flies into the area – “50 feet, 9 o’clock!” Strip, strip, strip, “fish on!” your guide yells. First thing you do is try to trout set.  Then you reach for the reel, “No, let him run, mon.” After about 20 minutes of your heart racing, the fish making runs, and all the while your buddy in the chair laughing, you have almost got the fish to the boat. Everything has seemed minimal before this – you’ve landed your first bonefish on your first day ever saltwater fishing.

Everyone is ecstatic, and you have your first bonefish in your hands. The camera flashes, but one question you forgot to ask was how to handle these fine fish…

Photo: Michael Gracie

]]> http://compleatthought.com/2012/03/09/all-the-important-questions/feed/ 0 http://compleatthought.com/2012/01/11/surface-film-part-deux/ http://compleatthought.com/2012/01/11/surface-film-part-deux/#comments Thu, 12 Jan 2012 01:40:20 +0000 kyleindenver http://compleatthought.com/?p=1919

Photo: Corey Kruitbosch

The Greenbacks of Trout Unlimited are excited to announce the 2nd Surface Film event showcasing top professional fly-fishing photography across the country at the Anthology Fine Art gallery (635 Santa Fe Drive Denver, CO 80204) on Thursday February 2nd, 2012. Similar to last year’s event, framed prints will be available through a silent auction to benefit Trout Unlimited.

This will be an exclusive preview event, and the gallery will be open to the public February 3rd and through the month of February.

New this year, the show attendees will vote for ‘best-in-show’ honors. The winning photographer will receive the National Trout Unlimited Professional Photo of the Year, a cash prize, and will be prominently featured in a future issue of Trout Magazine. In addition, a second place finisher will also receive a cash prize.

Please join us on February 2nd, 2012 from 7pm to 11pm to enjoy our industry’s best photography work, as well as live music and drinks. All ages welcome.

For more information, please visit http://thegreenbacks.org or http://anthologyfineart.com

The Greenbacks seek to promote native fish and their habitat through the engagement and recruitment of the next generation of Trout Unlimited members.

Photos from last year’s Surface Film event:

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I got to meet up with my old friend Matt Schliske from Schliske Bamboo Fly Rods this past weekend to finally raise my first cane on the Poudre river in Fort Collins, Colorado. I met him and his family (thanks for the hospitality Marguerite) at their house and got a quick tour of the ‘shop’. After a quick mac & cheese lunch that mostly consisted of a conversation between his youngest daughter and her favorite color while she pushed a chair in my direction, as to scare me into a corner, we set out to fish a local spot with a few of his custom rods.

I’ll admit, my expectations were that of a sloppy noodle cast that was meant for only small creeks in tight spaces. Yeah, I was wrong. From the first time I picked up my favorite of the day – a 7952 7’9″ 5wt 2/1  Rio Grande – I was able to easily haul it for distance and accuracy. I never thought that bamboo had such a backbone to it. In fact, I was able to tie a few of my heavy streamers on it and cast with ease.

It had a blonde cane and spring green wraps tipped dark claret with a single dark claret intermediate wrap and triple tipping at the ferrules.  The ferrules were also over wrapped with spring green silk.  The reel seat was spalted maple with Struble nickle silver cap and ring.

While in awe of the pure craftsmanship and design of all the rods I fished that day, the fish just weren’t eating what I was throwing. A few hits, a few misses, but that was about it. That’s a December day in Colorado for you. Numb legs and the sun setting over the mountains after 4pm. Nevertheless, casting flies to fish that weren’t eating was better than sitting at home in front of the television watching my Broncos get beat.

Can’t wait to get one of these out on a late summer or fall day skating streamers to drifting dries. If you get a chance, take a look at the site. I’m completely sold on these custom bamboo rods and can’t wait to get one for myself.

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GreenFish has stepped out of the boundaries of clothing for conservation and into the world of technical gadgets for fishing. The new CPR Mount (Catch.Photo.Release) retails at $79.99, and about 5% percent of that cost goes directly to the conservation group of your choice. The CPR Mount’s patent pending Expansion Locking system secures the unit into most tube-style rod holders and rocket launchers. It also works with a Scotty Flush Mount. Now we just need one for wading, too.

Check it out here

While most of us experience nightmares every now and then, especially of a creepy nature, I’m wondering how many of you actually remember fishing nightmares.

It always seems to happen this time of year, but over the past several weeks, with fly-rods getting less attention and the vise more, I continue to have these ‘fishing nightmares’ just about every night. Nothing out of the world of horror, but more out of frustration for not being able to fish, or catch fish. Maybe this is normal – I don’t know.

A few examples of what I’ve experienced the past few weeks:

• I sat on the porch, waiting for my friends to get their shit together. “We’re gonna miss the sunlight, dude!” There seems to be a fast setting sun over the mountains, and as I see it, I get more upset with the fact that we may miss our opportunity. We finally set out, only to find ourselves in pitch black darkness – missed it. And for some reason we have no lights, no confidence, and no willingness to try to battle the full moon. I’m not sure why this one upsets me, as fishing can be great at night, but the dream leaves us in a state of despair, nothing to do but go home pissed.
• A luxury resort with a small swimming pool-like stream stretching and winding through large pillars. It’s always night time, but the lights from the pool show large fish gathering in certain sections. But I don’t have my fly-rod – only a net. I try to drift slowly through the pool in my bathing suit. They don’t spook, but every time I try to scoop one up, they scatter. No dice. Over and over again, I try – never even thinking I need a rod and fly. Frustration sets in and it fades.
• “There’s a great spot right down the road!” We set out racing over rough roads, so bad that I have to use the ‘oh shit’ bar just to stay in my seat. We stop – we can’t get there. “But it’s just right there!” It’s not going to happen – it will take too long to get there. As we keep driving, pain sets in as the road gets more rugged. We never make it – the drive is the last thing I remember.

So I wonder – am I the only one? Do you experience these desperate attempts to fish and always fail? Or, do you dream of wonderful adventures that lead you to dream fish? Comment below and let me know what fishing dreams you have. I’d like to know I’m not alone.