Lefty's Low Elbow Revisited

I'm determined to get this motion down pat. Very efficient. Keeps the path of the rod tip straight. Helps maintain tight loops, too.

A Look Back at a Familiar Face

Tony Petrella passes away. A good guy. He had a fly named the Commissioner. I got in touch with him about how to tie it. Very helpful, a rarity these days.

The sad news

BTT and the FWC

In less than a week, the FWC will vote on proposed catch-and-release regulations for tarpon. Here's a preview of a few of the issues from Bonefish and Tarpon Trust.
BTT and tarpon

French Open

 I get it. This is an outdoors blog, but the fishing's been lousy. Too much wind, too much rain and not enough good opportunities to be on the water throughout much of May and part of June.
The French Open has kept me entertained. Roger Federer is one my favorite athletes of all time. The 17-time Grand Slam champ has the best balance of anyone I've ever seen in any sport. Nevertheless, exceptional grace was not enough to topple Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, who won the quarterfinal 7-5, 6-3, 6-3.
There's still Wimbledon. I hope the FedExpress makes a longer run on grass.

Snapper Regs

Good story in the Tampa Bay Times. Can the Feds and the state get on the same page when it comes to what's best for anglers? Terry Tomalin weighs in.

The state of snapper

More yoga

The half-warrior pose. Great for the hip flexors and quads, which can tighten from too much time at the computer and not enough time on the water.  The hip flexors are important. One, they control, to some degree, how the foot lands. Two, if the hip flexors tighten, the hamstrings aren't far behind. The two balance each other.
The blocks help beginners maintain the pose correctly for longer periods of time. Thirty seconds is good for starters. A minute --- or longer --- is better.

Fitness for Waders

Normally you wouldn't think of fly fishing as a terribly taxing sport. That's probably true if you're younger than 40. When middle age beckons, the body just doesn't respond as it used to. Stay up too late and you're dog tired the next day. Jog a mile or two without stretching and you're sore. Recovery time and proper preparation is a must if you're even remotely active.
When I wade for a few hours, my plantar fasciitis rages. For a while, I simply avoided the issue. A few Aleve and I trudged on.
Now I have a solution. Yoga. I used to think yoga was for the Gumby's of the world, the ex-dancers with  exceptional flexibility. Now I realize the naturally stiff can benefit.
The pose is called Downward Dog, a stretch man's best friend uses after a long snooze. Here's a little instruction on how to stretch the hamstrings and calves.