Not a Trevally but...

I did catch a couple of fish on the fly I tied yesterday.

"Frankenfly" caught a hawkfish (plump one at that) and a wrasse.

That was really satisfying - tying a fly and catching fish with it. Bonus points were flowing since this fly had recycled materials.

The chain eyes weren't heavy enough to sink the fly quickly. The rubber from the balloon didn't help in that regard either. The circle hook did make a difference - was able to release the fish quickly and they were happier (at least I assume they were, as opposed to being deep hooked in the throat). I don't think I'll use any other types of hooks for tying the small flies.

I did at least see a couple of Bluefin Trevally - but they saw me first and got spooked. There's always tomorrow...

Happy Birthday goes out to Steve-O "Spaceman" Sandusky - who caught a wrasse "that was bigger than my wrasse" with his Birthday gift.

It's in the Mail

I ordered one of these Fat Ass Quads directly from Uli.

I asked Jim (Weir) to put four D rings up front so I can use it for multiple purposes (fishing platform, trainer for the kids to get up on when catching a wave, snorkeling platform, etc). Also looking forward to using this on the Potomac through Great Falls this coming Summer.

I'll be on a trip to Oahu starting this coming week and the board already arrived at a friend's house (Mahalo Jimbo!!!). I'm still debating which 3 piece paddle to get to compliment the travel-a-bility of the FAQ - Quickblade or Werner...

6 days and I'll get to surf again after several months hiatus. The things I give up...

In a way it makes you appreciate the things you give up even more. In other ways it plain old SUCKS. Actually - besides not having the family with me, I have little to complain about - I'm not getting shot at and I'll never have it this good EVER AGAIN on the fishing front.

Oh well, no time to dwell on the negative - life is too short.

Awesome times ahead and I'm going to surf the crap out of this board. Stay tuned for the paddle mounted GoPro shots!!!!

Frankenfly

Part party balloon

Part Clouser

Part Gotcha

Tied on a No. 6 Gamakatsu Circle Hook

We'll see if this freak will catch something (my money is on a Bluefin Trevally)

Social Hermit Crab

Hermit Crabs have the perfect social setup.

If they want to socialize, out and about they are.

If they want their own space - they've got it on their back.

This guy wanted nothing to do with me, but I got the pictures anyways.

Sunday Morning Flying

The Trevally and Bonefish were not playing today - I was out for three hours and not a sign of them. The rematch will have to wait until after the full moon wains -

I did see a bunch of Unicornfish and some Titan Triggerfish, but as usual, they didn't go for the fly.

What I did catch were three of these Wrasses and two of these Two Barred Goatfish.

The goatfish seem to be nervous fish - the first one I catch went from pale pink (normal colored) to bright red while I was removing the hook. When I released it, it sank straight to the bottom and stayed there for two minutes either still in shock or playing dead. Then it returned to normal color and swam off like nothing happened. That happens pretty frequently when I catch these guys - maybe it's a mechanism to help it cope with getting eaten by a GT...

The Wrasses were a different story - defiant to the end. Another "poo" flinger...

Saturday Afternoon Trolling

Squid Skirt Lures RULE!!!

I was using a Mark White 7" Bullet in Cobalt Blue -

We did well today!

Trolling and Flyfishing are definitely polar opposites, but the one thing they have in common is "when it's good - it's good", "when it's bad, it is down right frustrating and hugely suckomungous.

Trolling today did not suck, not like losing three BFT after hook ups (this morning).

Iridescent Green OUCH!!!

This guy was in shallow water and in easy "stepping on" range.

Check out the green on the spines - way cool! Until you step on this guy -

Balancing...

Went flyfishing down south this morning.

The pictures are what I landed:
Three Darts (this one was pretty big - with all it's surface area, it was a great fighter)
Two Goatfish
One Bonefish (forearm sized)

I let all these guys go on their merry way.

What I don't have pictures of are the three medium sized Bluefin Trevally that took the fly, ran line out, fought a minute then spit the hook -

Not once

Not twice

But three times this happened to me.

After the first one spit, I contemplated using more force on the line during the fight. I figured I did not have enough tension on the line if they could spit the hook. But what I didn't want to do was break off at the tippet.

The small darts I let run, but the rod could easily overpower them (and flung the last one out of the water...).

On the other side of the scale were the three spitting BFTs.

I'm going back down tomorrow to settle a score... and possibly find some balance.

Without Fail -

This is the third time I've been to this spot and it has delivered the goods without fail.

Within five minutes of getting set up, I hooked up with this small but feisty Bluefin Trevally. It was cruising through the reformed surf where I cast out in front of it, watched it change direction and WHACK! FISH ON! When I released it, it looked like it was ready for more -

Next I saw a school of Bonefish move in. I cast, got one to chase, wait for it, wait for it, wait for it - SET, TENSION ON, and WE'RE OFF TO THE RACES!!!! It was a big one - bolted at full speed to my backing - straight for the rocks near shore. I brought it back out a couple of times, but it was determined to get to the rocks. You don't get to be a big bonefish by being dumb... it broke me off after the third run. BUT WHAT A FIGHT!!!

I also hooked up a small pinfish. Nasty booger - I waited for it to stop thrashing around so I could get the hook off. By the time it did stop, there was fish poo everywhere - on the sand, all over itself, but thankfully none on me. Hook out, then off you go back to the sea.

Finally - the tide came up (medium tidal swing due to the waxing moon). The bones were not drifting past so I figured they moved in (because I did see a few big trevally patrolling the flats with the increased water depth). I walked back to the beach. I walked the shoreline looking for fish hanging out and I saw this guy - 18" of pure muscle rooting around in the sand between the waves lapping up on the beach...

I cast out dozens of times and it just ignored me. BUT on the last cast, it turned, I saw it take the fly into it's mouth and WHACK! It ran like a race horse and after a long battle, I had my second of three fish needed for making lumpia.

I hooked up to another bonefish while walking back - wrestled it to the beach and just as I got it up on shore, it spit the hook... I ran to grab it, but a wave beat me and the fish swam off (laughing at me I figure - good for it!)

Great fishing day!!!!

Happy New Years Trevally Day - Part 5

Even though Trevally was the catch of the day, I did get a Bonefish along the way. I hooked this one between the Bluefin and the Yellow Spot.

I saw a school moving towards me and waiting for them to get closer. I cast to the biggest one in the group, but this one came racing for the fly. I actually felt this one take the fly in it's mouth - not something I get to sense (I usually see them chase and when they stop, I assume they have the fly in their mouth and then I strip set, and see if I have tension on the line).

It was nice to close out 2011 with a Bonefish and then open up 2012 with another. Although nailing the big one I was aiming for would have been even better - next time!

Happy New Years Trevally Day - Part 4

This Thick Lipped Trevally had heavy tiger stripes (faded once I lifted it out of the water). Excellent fighter! It swam right off once I got it back in the water.

happy New Years Trevally Day - Part 3a

While I was fighting this Yellow Spot Trevally, the dang Bonefish showed up in droves - this is the second time they've done this to me (flyfishing catching the pinfish post a week back).

It's like they know when I'm preoccupied with managing another catch.

Telepathic fish...

Happy New Years Trevally Day - Part 3

The Yellow Spot Trevally I caught. This was the third time I've caught one of these down South. I'm not sure what they prefer to eat, but with a down turned mouth, it may be more crustacean based vice piscine.

Cool markings on these species.

This was the second of three different types of Trevally I caught on the fly. This one also exercised the "what the heck did I bite" look when it discovered it was hooked.

Happy New Years Trevally Day - Part 2

After trolling, I went down South to go flyfishing.

Within 5 minutes of arriving, I had hooked into this Bluefin Trevally!

It was hovering around a Green Sea Turtle that was foraging. I think the trevally was looking for something to dart out from where the turtle was working. I cast to it and stripped the fly with the pole - the Bluefin went ga-ga, blitzed the fly (a bonefish bitter) and then stopped - worked it's mouth like it was saying "what the heck did I just eat???"

This guy fought admirably and he as well as the others I caught down South today went on to fight another day (caught and released).

I'll explain as I go on, but the flyfishing trip was a Triple Crown!

Happy New Years Trevally Day - Part 1

Brand new year - what's the first thing I do?

Trolling!

Mike caught a barracuda that was being tailed by two others - one of which was really big.

After that we had a long lull. When we finally switched out to squid skirted lures, we had tons of hits! Trevally after trevally - the only thing that would have made it better would have been catching really big ones.

Great way to open up a new year!