Orlando s White River Fly Shop News January 2014

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1 Orlando s White River Fly Shop News January 2014 Welcome to the Orlando White River Fly Shop. We hope you re able to find everything you need, be it rods, reels, line, flies, a shoulder to cry on as you relate a story of a fish missed, or just someone to listen as you brag about the big one that didn t get away. Anyway, here s what s going on. New Products and Special Deals G.Loomis Duffle The G. Loomis Tackle Duffle Bag is designed for overnight fishing trips and getaways. Roomy with a fully lined main compartment, this Duffle sports wet/dry side pockets, a front zippered pocket, and an adjustable padded shoulder strap. Size: 22" x 11" x 12". Imported. Wet/dry side pockets Fully lined interior Padded shoulder strap Large 2-way zippers Front zippered compartment G.Loomis Rolling Cargo Bag Perfect for long or out-of-state fishing trips, the G. Loomis Cargo Roller Bag features a split zip bottom that holds rods or waders. Clothing and accessories go on top. Other features include wet/dry side compartments. Dimensions: 15" x 36" x 13". Imported. Split zip bottom Clothing and accessories go on top Wet/dry side compartments Double top handle for easy carrying Page 1

2 Clinics and Classes Our classes are provided as regularly as possible. The best thing to do is call in to determine whether or not the session is going to take place. Manpower requirements, special events, or weather may require cancelling a session and we apologize in advance if this causes any inconvenience. Please call the night before a casting clinic or the morning before tying class to find out if things are going according to plan. The phone number is (407) Fly Casting: We offer free casting clinics Saturday mornings at 10 AM and Sunday morning at 11 AM, for anyone who might need some help with their form or get the most distance and accuracy whether they ve been doing it a while or just getting started. Equipment is provided if necessary, but if you have a rod, it s best to learn and practice with what you will be using on the water. And for those of you thinking of taking the plunge, give us a few minutes to go over the basics, and then give it a try. The decision to purchase an outfit will be an easy one once you have experienced the thrill of laying out a line. We are also going to offer one-on-one instruction throughout the week on a limited basis when time and manpower allows. Just stop in and let us go through our work schedules to determine availability. Our class size is limited to 8 people and will require prior signup. Just call in to put your name on the list. Fly Tying: The next saltwater tying cycle will start on January 1, We re tying five saltwater flies in consecutive weeks and finish the course with a session on rigging, casting strategy, and the like. Classes are held at 7:00 pm on Wednesday evenings in the fly shop. We will have a sign in sheet available on the first class of each six week course for folks that plan to complete the sessions and receive a certificate. Newcomers are welcome to join the classes at any time but they won t be eligible for the certificate since they have not completed all six weeks of a specific course. Sorry guys. We will continue to alternate fresh and saltwater throughout the rest of the year so there will be other chances to get in on a complete six-week course. Fishing Forecasts Central Florida Saltwater There are quite a few things to look forward to this month so get ready to have a hard time choosing what you want to go after. A. Sight fishing for redfish and black drum in the No-motor Zone. Water clarity should be at its best right now and both reds and black drum should be available throughout the area. You can even sleep in a little bit since they won t become truly active until the water has a chance to warm up a bit. By mid afternoon they should have moved out of the sand holes and onto the flats in search of food. If you have a high sun and the wind hasn t increased too badly like it normally does this time of year, they should tail pretty well and finding them won t be a problem. Work slooooowwww and small. Don t forget that a black drum is a pretty patient feeder and won t work terribly hard for a meal. Use black or darkly colored flies for success. B. Spanish mackerel off Stuart: they should be just about anywhere around the inlet and it doesn t take a rocket scientist to catch them in good numbers. Flies like the one pictured to the right and Clouser minnows will work Page 2

3 pretty well as long as you can get them down in the water column with an intermediate or sinking line, and then get them moving as fast as you can. Tucking the rod under your arm and then stripping with both hands faster than you think possible. Believe me when I say you can t move the fly too fast. Don t be surprised if a spinner shark shows up at some point. Their favorite food is mackerel. C. Crystal River: Should be at its peak this month with just about anything being available. Snook, Bass, Snapper.. Just go. D. Redfish in Mosquito Lagoon. The fish will be potholing and all you have to do is find them. Look for flats with a good 50/50 mix of sand to grass and cast from a distance into any sand hole you find. The hole could be as small as a foot or two in diameter or as large as 30 or 40 feet across. Pick at the edges before casting to the center since there will be fish close to the grass as well as packed together in the middle. Work a fly slowly and let the fish see it. Competition should encourage the fish to race for the fly. Crab and shrimp patterns worked slowly are the way to go. Central Florida Freshwater Shad season should be here by now and it will only get better as the season progresses and the water levels drop (provided we don t get any unseasonable rains). I really look forward to this time of year as anyone will tell you and it s not just because of the number of fish you can catch. It s a beautiful time of year with pleasant temperatures, making it a wonderful time to explore the freshwater fishery we have available. Beyond the shad there are many different species likely to hit a fly while you are pursuing your primary species. Bass will smash just about anything in the water when a feeding frenzy takes place. One hint I can give you for success is pay attention to the shorelines and high banks after a boat passes. The turbulence caused by the wake will blast small baitfish and grass shrimp up against the hard ground momentarily stunning them. Bass and other predators will aggressively attack the disoriented baitfish with abandon, making it relatively easy to pinpoint areas of activity. I ve caught some very nice fish by targeting these instances of mayhem. Cast into the frenzy and hold on. Crappie will be readily available at the same time, which will make it tough to decide whether to chase shad or something tastier for the table. There ll likely be just as many folks out there trolling spider rigs as there are casting fly rods so be prepared to share the water especially if you are in a crappie hotspot known to the masses. You can catch them on the same flies and in the same locations but one big difference is that crappie will hold in the same spot as a school where as shad tend to shift and move around a lot. Crappie can be pulled in one after another once you pinpoint the location and depth. Bluegill, redbellies, and warmouth can be caught right alongside the others but you need to hug the bottom and slow down your presentation if you want to catch them in any numbers. One trick I use is to cast upstream in water depth between four and six feet deep right up along the bank. Retrieve line just fast enough to keep up with the current, maintaining a tight line. You should be able to feel each tick and pause Page 3

4 of the fly as it bounces along the bottom of the river. Set the hook when you feel resistance or weight on the other end of your line. You may not feel much of a take since the fish are just grabbing the fly as it bounces into their face. Talk about having the food come to you. Good Luck. Be sure not to waste time while moving from one area to another. Troll something behind the boat and slowly move between locations and maybe you ll find some fish hanging somewhere along the route. I ve caught bass, panfish, shad, and even catfish while relocating and I never pass up a change to fish while moving between spots. Make another pass across the spot and it s possible to pick up even more fish. Tippet of the Month The absolute biggest question I get when it comes to shad season is, Where do you fish for Shad? It s a pretty simple answer when you figure that we can pursue them just about anywhere along the St. Johns River from Lake Monroe at Sanford to Lake Hell-n-Blazes west of Cocoa Beach. That s a huge section of water and a great deal of variety. The river changes its face multiple times between these two points, ranging from wide and relatively shallow to pretty darn narrow and very deep. Where do you start? Well here are a few maps showing some hot spots from past years and the associated boat ramps in the area. Hotspots are marked with the Smiley Face (because I m happy to catch fish) and boat ramps are marked with stars. Map #1 Lake Jessup to Lemon Bluff Boat ramps (from west to east) located at: Cameron Wight Page 4

5 Mullet Lake Lemon Bluff Hotspots can be found in deep holes, sharp curves, and narrow channels close to steep shorelines. Map #2 Lake Harney to Puzzle Lake Boat Ramp: C.S. Lee (Jolly Gator Fish Camp) Hotspots include sandbars, deep holes, sharp curves, narrow channels, and the Little Econ River. Page 5

6 Map #3 Puzzle Lake to Hatbill Park Boat Ramp: Hatbill Park Hotspots include the same types of cover mentioned in the previous sections of river. The great thing about this section is that wade fishing is possible throughout the area and when water levels are low enough, it can actually reached from the boat ramp on foot. Watch for alligators in warm weather and always use a walking stick to locate deep holes. Sections of the river south of this point can also be spectacular and a couple of my favorite locations are well upriver from here but the distance between them makes creating this type of map unrealistic. South of Rt 50 can be quite good as can the section of river bordering the Tosohatchee WMA. You just have to be willing to travel a bit further and do some exploring to find productive water. Page 6

7 Species of the Month Text and Graphic From: Image Credit: Duane Raver Rainbow trout Scientific Name: Oncorhyncus mykiss Identification: The rainbow trout is named for the broad, lateral stripe on its sides, which ranges from pink to red. Its back is olive-green, and its belly is whitish with heavy black speckling on all fins and the entire body. Habitats and Habits: Rainbow trout are native to the Pacific drainages of western North America but have been introduced throughout mountain streams in North Carolina. As with other trout, rainbows inhabit streams, rivers, ponds and lakes with good water quality and temperatures that rarely exceed 70 F. They have a tendency to hang out in faster currents, such as riffles and swift runs, more so than brook or brown trout. Spawning occurs primarily in late winter. Young rainbow trout feed on small aquatic and terrestrial insects. Adults eat a wide variety of aquatic and terrestrial insects, as well as crustaceans, fish and other small vertebrates. Fishing Techniques: Fishing dry flies, streamers, and nymphs that imitate natural foods works well. This method is especially popular in North Carolina s many streams that support wild trout. Fishing baits, such as worms and corn, are highly effective for catching hatchery-reared rainbow trout. Spin casting small spinners, spoons and crankbaits can be productive as well. Be sure to check the current trout fishing regulations on the type of lures allowed as well as the size limit and creel limit for a particular trout water before fishing. Good Places to Fish: Check out the North Carolina Trout Maps ( to find trout fishing opportunities listed by counties. Other Information: NCARP Minimum Requirements: Hatchery raised: 2 lbs., 8 oz. or 18 inches. Wild trout: 12 ounces or 12 inches. State Record: 20 lbs., 3 oz., from Jackson County, January 28, 2006 World Record: 42 lbs., 2 oz., from Bell Island, Alaska, June 22, 1970* Page 7

8 Success Stories Here s our buddy Stephen with a gorgeous redfish he caught recently at low tide near some Jacksonville oyster bars. Hell of a fish there Stephen. Are you looking for a fishing partner? And here s John with a beautiful Georgia rainbow. Another wonderful fish by one of our regular visitors. I need more time off to go fishing! Conclusion In closing, we would like to thank you for your business and we hope to see you again soon. From all of us here at Bass Pro Shops Outdoor World Orlando, keep your dry flies dry, your wet flies wet, and may the wind always be in your favor. Sincerely, Brian Beastman Eastman Page 8