Orlando s White River Fly Shop News August 2014

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Roderick Butler
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Orlando s White River Fly Shop News August 2014 Welcome to the Orlando White River Fly Shop.

you brag about the big one that didn t get away. Anyway, here s what s going on.

casting, low memory and low tangling Optimized for temperate to tropical conditions Looped on both ends on 6-9 weights.

1 Orlando s White River Fly Shop News August 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 Textured Inshore Saltwater Line Taper designed to deliver a variety of flies delicatley into wind Texturing technology delivers improved casting, low memory and low tangling Optimized for temperate to tropical conditions Looped on both ends on 6-9 weights. Back loop only on weights Tropi-Core, high stiffness, strong delivery SA ID: SA MTX SWT WF X F where X denotes line weight Line Tip Front Taper Belly Rear Taper Running Line Head Length Weight WF 6 F WF 7 F WF 8 F WF 9 F WF 10 F WF 11 F WF 12 F pg. 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 starts on September 2, 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 ll 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 I hate to sound like a guy who can t put original thoughts together but, darn it s hot out there! The fishing can be hot too but you have to pick your battles and fish when the time is right. Nighttime is going to be just about perfect right now and the summer is the perfect time to get out there and hook some monsters whether its snook, jacks, seatrout, tarpon, or ladyfish. Tampa and points south on the west or Sebastian south on the east coast have a great number of canals or waterways (residential and commercial) that have docks and/or bridges with lights that prove to be an irresistible attractant for baitfish and shrimp as well as the things that prey upon them. All you have to do is get out there when the tide is flowing in one direction or the other and you ll find fish. Although finding them might be the easy part, getting them to eat might be a bit tougher. The trick to fishing docks is fishing the edges of the light circles instead of right into the middle of them. All of the above mentioned fish are fish of edges that feed by ambushing their prey from the cover. They ll be sitting back in the shadows waiting for unsuspecting tidbits to reveal themselves. Make your presentations to the borders of the light rings and expect the strike to quickly come from out of the dark. Throw small shrimp and baitfish imitations and keep your shock leaders as small as possible since the fish you re trying to catch are perfectly equipped to chase and catch small prey in near dark conditions and can see pg. 2

3 exceptionally well with limited light. Anything above 30 pound fluorocarbon will be too large to fool them so fish as light as you can while still staying attached to the fish. Be ready to slam on the brakes when a fish does strike or you ll be unwrapping your line from the pilings after you get broken off. Keep in mind the tide flow direction because that will determine which side to cast to. Predators will be facing into the current waiting for the food to come to them. Present your fly to the upstream side of their hiding place (generally inside the dark shadows ringing the light circle). The beaches are still a superb place to hook up with some fish so get to it while the rest of your loved ones are sitting around catching some sun. Of course it may be a bit earlier than they want to get out of bed, but first thing in the morning is my favorite time to hit the suds, followed by dusk. I just have to put up with a few bugs trying to bore through my legs. All the same fish are available along with a few others including sharks, mackerel, bluefish, whiting, and pompano. I would suggest trying a variety of flies and a variety of depths is you plan on blind casting your way up the beaches but picking your shots with mid water column flies can be more productive if you spot cast to a particular location such as a sandbar runout, or to a specific fish. It sure saves a lot of energy if you aren t casting every ten feet. I look for fish first, structure second and try to limit casting to what should be productive shots. You might get a bit more exercise with walking, but your arm will thank you. Hitting the flats will be productive throughout the remainder of summer as long as you find a spot with fish in it and other anglers will leave you alone long enough to make a presentation. Getting run over by other anglers is probably the biggest reason for most people s frustration and I don t blame them for getting upset. Take your time and work the fish while they re relaxed and feeding or cruising. Don t run around looking to hump the fish up. If you insist on fishing during the heat of the day, look for fish to be laid up in the grass or in depressions. They won t likely be doing too much when it s warm out and the sun is high in the sky. Flowing water is going to be a key to backcountry snook, tarpon, ladyfish, and seatrout so be on the lookout for flowing culverts, tide changes, and current rips. Small fish will be gathered and confused by the current and predators gather to take advantage. Hit the water right after downpours and look for flowing water of some type. Beaches will still be superb for the remainder of the summer and I surely intend to get there soon. Stuart has had some exceptional surf fishing at the inlet and north towards Ft. Pierce over the past couple years and if the small glass minnows make an appearance again this year, you can look for the same quality fishing to repeat itself. Small is a bit of an understatement. Keep those flies less than two inches long, sparse material, light leaders, and keep your casts within 20 feet of the dry sand. Central Florida Freshwater I got nothing for you other than to say the fish are still there but success can be fleeting because of thunderstorms and the high heat. Exotics down south are a possibility but the high water levels have allowed them to range further back into the sticks than you can explore without losing a gallon of blood to the mosquitos and dear flies (as we learned a few weeks ago). The peacocks were perfectly willing to strike a wide variety of flies from subsurface to top water but you had to find them in the first place. Check out weed lines, rippg. 3

rap, rock shelves, and boulder clusters in the middle of grass banks. All of these types of cover will attract fish while on the bedding mood or when just cruising on the hunt for food.

4 rap, rock shelves, and boulder clusters in the middle of grass banks. All of these types of cover will attract fish while on the bedding mood or when just cruising on the hunt for food. Bluegill and crappie are available but most folks are picking them up as incidental catches rather than targeting them on purpose. Although I guess we sell a whole lot more flies for bream than we do many other fish so I guess I should change my focus. Guys that chase these fish with a passion are well in tune with their comings and goings so you might want to find a fishing buddy with a penchant for panfish. The local springs will fish well throughout the rest of summer but you might have to find the right depth to get the fish. Also, don t be afraid of casting right up against the tree roots since that s where the fish live not out in the middle of the flow. Carp have been on a lot of people s minds, probably because they re tired of chasing bass in the heat of the day with little success. I also imagine the carp are much more visible as they cruise around the lakes. Chumming for them can work once conditioned but so can casting grass, corn, and mulberry flies if that s the food your neighborhood carp favor. Find them, observe their feeding habits then try to develop an attack strategy rather than going off half-cocked. Flowing water is going to be a magnet in fresh water the same as it is in salt so regions like Lake Toho/Shingle Creek will be productive after rain showers because the food will be flushed out to the larger predators. I know we mention this all the time, but it s true and should be stressed when times are tough. Look for flow, cast upstream, maintain a tight line as the fly drifts down current, and set the hook when the drift pauses for even a second. Try this approach or swing streamers in the current, hoping that your swing passes within range of a fish looking for food. Special Guest Fly Tyer Saturday September 6, 2014 Andy Clapperton has been fishing for trout ever since he was a boy. Originally from Scotland Andy relocated to Ireland after service with the British Army. As a professional fly tyer Andy has developed numerous fly patterns for Trout, Salmon and game fish of the lakes, rivers and coastal waters of Ireland. He has published chapters in several angling books and has contributed to many angling publications including Angling Ireland, Trout and Salmon and Fly Fisher magazine. Never happier than with a rod in hand Andy fishes the lakes and rivers and has also been further afield to fish in New Zealand, Australia, USA, Argentina, Chile and Bhutan. A traditional tyer Andy dyes many of the materials he uses specifically for the flies he ties. Irish and Scottish flies are unlike any other and colour and shade are predominating features of many Irish patterns. The variations of Golden Olive and Claret shades are unique to Ireland although many flies of Irish origin are successful throughout the world. Irish Flies have a characteristic appearance both in colour and outline shape. Many patterns use blends of dubbing. They use the colour of the countryside particularly fiery browns, yellows, olives and reds. These flies somehow come to Life as they are drawn through the water. Andy can show you how to tie these flies and give you a better understanding of Bumbles, Dabblers and Gadgets. pg. 4

Ken Bruce Tippet of the Month Getting to the fish s level whether it s on top or ten feet below the surface is something we fight with every time we throw a fly rod, and a problem we have to overcome

5 Ken Bruce Tippet of the Month Getting to the fish s level whether it s on top or ten feet below the surface is something we fight with every time we throw a fly rod, and a problem we have to overcome in order to be successful in the end. We have so many options right now that it can be a little daunting if you don t take a step back and look at the fly design and the depth you re trying to reach. This past week taught me that lesson once again as we were pursuing peacocks down south. Some of the fish were up close to the surface while others were down towards the bottom in four to five feet of water. It became painfully obvious that the same fly wasn t going to work for every fish in every location. Simple solution.change flies. Not a problem since I ve already gone through the trouble of designing my flies with varying amounts of weight, even going so far as to have the same fly tied with multiple weighting options. Clouser minnows are a prime example of a fly that can be tied with numerous types of weighting. Start with plastic or mono eyes that have little or no weight to them at all. This fly will ride high in the water column sinking because of the hook s weight and that of the material. Beedchain eyes on the same fly will make it sink a bit quicker and enable you to work the mid water column without having to wait twenty minutes for the fly to get to the fish. Machined brass or aluminum eyes will drag the fly down even faster but you have to be careful to keep the eye size proportional to the rest of the fly. If you find yourself using larger eyes than what looks right, just to make the fly sink faster, then you should consider using lead eyes instead. They will drag the fly to the bottom in a hurry and create a jigging action when you strip and pause. Irresistible to some fish. Lead wire or tape can be added to the hook shanks when tying certain flies like bendbacks, deceivers, wooly buggers or other baitfish patterns. You just have to plan ahead and add the material under the body wraps or under a covering layer of thread. Using different colored thread to finish off the heads of my sinking flies allows me to differentiate them from otherwise identical, non-sinking, versions of the same fly, for example, sinkers get red thread and higher riding versions get black. pg. 5

6 Beads made of plastic, glass, brass, and tungsten will effectively add weight to the just about any fly you can fit them on and they have the added benefit of preventing you from crowding the hook eye with thread when you finish it off. And they come in just about any color of the rainbow, including rainbow. Nymphs especially benefit from the addition of a bead since they re so small and light that it s tough to get them down to the bottom when fighting current and the natural buoyancy of the material and the line/leader combination. Coneheads, fish skulls, sculpin heads, and other heavyweight options will get your fly to the bottom in a hurry if that s what you re looking for. Some of them (fish skulls) can even be added after the fact to otherwise unweighted patterns like deceivers, making them dive quickly. They even have recessed eye pockets where you can stick on domed eyes in any color you choose. Diving lips are also available and can be added as part of the construction recipe but the trick with them is that they don t really add enough weight to make the fly sink while at rest. They need to be stripped or have some current pushing against the diving lip to force the fly down in the water column. They do help impart a wiggling motion to the fly but how much is related to the speed and length of the stripping action. Adding epoxy (two part or U.V. cured) to the head of a fly will also help to get it down and it s a great way to work in some glitter or interesting color to the head of body. Mix fine glitter sand into the epoxy while stirring and it will suspend in the finished product creating a great effect while adding a bit of weight and some durability to the fly. The last thing I want to mention about getting the fly down in the water column and that s related to choice of material. Just switching from a very buoyant material like bucktail to a synthetic similar to unique hair or SF fiber will allow the fly to sink quickly rather than remain closer to the top. As you can see, there are many weighting or material options available to change the behavior of your fly in the water column. You just have to make a few decisions at the tying bench and then pick the right one on the water. Sure, adding splitshot on your leader will help get the fly down but that s somewhat impractical in saltwater and I have a tendency to throw off any shot I add to the line anyway, so building the weight into the fly is a much simpler and surefire method for me. You be the judge. pg. 6

Species of the Month Chinook Salmon, Oncorhynchus tshawytscha Identifying characteristics: (Non-Native Fish) Two dorsal fins including one adipose fin, inside the mouth and gums, black, small spots

7 Species of the Month Chinook Salmon, Oncorhynchus tshawytscha Identifying characteristics: (Non-Native Fish) Two dorsal fins including one adipose fin, inside the mouth and gums, black, small spots on upper back and tail, rays in anal fin. The salmon family, or Salmonidae, includes the salmon, trout, and whitefishes. All are characterized by adipose fin, and have a preference for cold water with a high oxygen content, making the Great Lakes an ideal habitat. The chinook is a fairly new variety of salmon introduced into the Great Lakes in the 1870s. Sometimes called "King Salmon", these fish did not reproduce successfully and eventually disappeared. In 1966, Great Lakes states Michigan, New York and Wisconsin, with the help of the province of Ontario reintroduced the Chinook. Great Lakes populations of Chinook are maintained by annual stream stocking programs Chinook live in Great Lakes shoals or near-shoal waters (less than 100 foot depth(s)) as a rule. In the fall they move into the southern reaches of each of the great lakes, traveling 5-15 miles offshore as they go. In the spring they retrace their route and by the following fall, they congregate at the stream they began their journey at and begin their spawning runs upriver. Chinook spawn in streams over beds of large gravel, near riffles. Within two weeks after spawning, adult chinook die. Chinook compete with other salmon and trout for scarce spawning grounds. The following spring the eggs hatch, and the young usually remain in the river for one year before they migrate down to the lake. Once in the lake, males tend to remain for 1-2 years and females for 3-4 years. The King Salmon average a weight of 30 to 40 pounds and 38 inches in length. Young chinook in rivers eat insects, insect larvae and crustaceans; adults in the lakes eat fish almost exclusively. In the Great Lakes, smelt and alewives make up their main diet. Predators include rainbow trout, coho salmon smolts and fish-eating birds. The young also compete with trout and other salmon for food. Anglers prize chinook partly because of their large size and the challenge they present for fishing, and partly because they make a delicious meal. While other pacific salmon species have red flesh, chinook meat is often white. Information gathered from: pg. 7

Success Stories Stephen is here with a giant Jack he caught off

It took over an hour to land Jonathan caught this sweet bass on a

And finally, Jeff with a nice Tamiami Bowfin (mudfish).

business and we hope to see you again soon.

8 Success Stories Stephen is here with a giant Jack he caught off Jacksonville. It took over an hour to land Jonathan caught this sweet bass on a recent trip to the Tamiami Canal. And finally, Jeff with a nice Tamiami Bowfin (mudfish). 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 pg. 8

Orlando s White River Fly Shop News January 2014

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