A Great Website

When I lived in Gainesville, I used to scour the web for fly fishing info and fishing info in general. One of my go-to sources was Jaxkayakfishing.com. Great site. Good people. Well moderated. It's one of the few sites that keeps the egos in check. Folks are actually helpful to one another without egos and one-upmanship running amok. Rich Santos runs the fly fishing message board. Here's the link. Enjoy.
http://www.jaxkayakfishing.com/phpBB/fly-fishing.html

Water Levels a Concern in the Everglades

Too much water in the Glades. The FWC steps in. Nice story by Sue Cocking in the Miami Herald.

After above-normal rainfall in June and July, water levels in the Everglades are the highest on record for this time of year, with the historical peak of hurricane season still ahead.
That’s got Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation commissioner Ron Bergeron of Weston extremely worried. Bergeron, the commission’s point man for Everglades restoration, has been tooling around the ’Glades on his airboat this past month, watching with growing alarm as the water rises around tree islands and levees, forcing the local denizens — deer, panther, marsh rabbit, bobcat, bear and even some wading birds — to cluster together on high ground. With nowhere to run, they can quickly run out of food and shelter.
If the waters keep rising for much longer, the commissioner fears, the region will see a repeat of what he calls the “massacre” of the mid-1990s, when months of high water wiped out 90 percent of the deer herd and other animals.
Bergeron is calling for emergency action by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, working with other federal and state agencies, to begin lowering water levels in the 700,000-acre conservation area between Alligator Alley and Tamiami Trail.

Read more here: http://www.miamiherald.com/2013/08/04/3541362/concerns-rise-with-the-water.html#storylink=cpy

Bluegrass and Trout in Colorado

Good column in The Drake.

 

Because fishing and fiddling go well together.

The browns had started to rise just as Sam Bush was taking center stage. Twenty yards of dimpled St. Vrain trout water was all that separated me from Planet Bluegrass amphitheater and a full night of music in Lyons, Colorado. The urge to tube my rod prematurely and forgo my well-designed plan was tempting, but I knew the river had something left to give. A final fish slashed at a wildly swung caddis and made a couple runs before coming in. With my gear stashed I made my way through the crowd to my tarp. I stood for some time in my wading boots, wiggling my toes to better feel the parts of the river I’d taken with me. I looked out across the crowd, beyond the stage, and back to the canyon water. Then Sam began to play...

Mishawaka Bellvue, Colorado

Mishawaka amphitheater, discovered and constructed by motorcycling homesteader Walter Thompson in 1916, sits close enough to the Poudre River that it would no longer be legal if it weren’t grandfathered in nearly 100 years ago. It’s an intimate space for the seven hundred or so lucky enough to get a ticket.

The FWC and PTTS

The territorial dispute over water and tarpon fishing in Boca Grande likely will reach a conclusion next month when the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission votes on gear restrictions in the coveted area.
The FWC will consider implementing its draft rule that eliminates jigging in the Pass during its Sept. 4-6 meeting in Pensacola.
From Save The Tarpon

Another Redfish Fly (sigh)

The Borski slider. It's a classic. Definitely a fly I need to learn how to tie.
http://blog.bonefishtarpontrust.org/?p=1624

Tides vs. Time of Day

I've got a predicament. It's August, which means the strong morning low tides are a few weeks away. For a strong low tide, I now have to fish in the evening. Problem is, the sea breeze typically yields rain and wind almost every afternoon. It's part of the summer pattern.
Do I fish the better tide and risk the weather, or do I fish the lesser tide in the morning with better weather? It's a tough call.
My gut feeling suggest that I should fish the a.m. tides for a few more weeks. Worst-case scenario: I get in the habit of getting up early and fishing. Having the routine down pat is key, particularly if you're up at 4:30, 5 a.m. We'll see.

Morning Glory

It's always good to wake up to a stress-free day at the beach. Nothing like a cup of coffee and a morning breeze to calm the nerves. The ocean was flat, which would have made for a perfect day to search for tarpon, but they're probably a month or so away from making an appearance at Crescent Beach.