Fishing Megathread: Looking For Big Girls Who swallow

[BearSchlong 8,094]

When my son gets back from the sandbox and moves to Colorado Springs, he is going to learn fly fishing.

I'll need recommendations for guides and rivers somewhat close. Any ideas?

[troph 24,798]

7 hours ago, BearSchlong said:

When my son gets back from the sandbox and moves to Colorado Springs, he is going to learn fly fishing.

I'll need recommendations for guides and rivers somewhat close. Any ideas?

South Platte is what two hours away? I get up at 3am and drive 3+ hours and back same day, each way to fish a full day out of rockport.   Arkansas River is a bit far. There is probably closer spots but S Platte is a top trout river. I’m sure there are creeks all over.

Edited June 8 by troph

[BearSchlong 8,094]

Excellent. Know any guides?

Digging into my recently inherited fly rod cabinet. I'm not sure why dad loved Reddington so much but Ive got just about every model from 3-12 weight, about 20 of them. I plan on giving some to my boy.

[BearSchlong 8,094]

Memory lane. The kid as about to be an Army Captain. And I miss my guad guide, Scott Graham. Colorado here we come. Missing dad today. Go Spurs.

[Damor 1,236]

@BearSchlong I'm sure there will be things closer and more convenient to the Springs, but if he ever wants to fish the Arkansas, we've been out with ArkAnglers multiple times.  They have offices in Salida and Buena Vista, either of which is probably a little over 2hrs away.  My family and I went out for our first time with Stuart, who was a great teacher.

If you want to jump in feet first, they offer instructional classes as well as a half-day instruction wade followed by a full-day float the next day.  That would make for a great father/son weekend trip to Salida, stay at the Amigo Motor Lodge in one of their Airstreams.  Just sayin'.

Uggghh... I need to be standing in a cold mountain stream....

[troph 24,798]

2 hours ago, BearSchlong said:

Excellent. Know any guides?

Digging into my recently inherited fly rod cabinet. I'm not sure why dad loved Reddington so much but Ive got just about every model from 3-12 weight, about 20 of them. I plan on giving some to my boy.

The guide I used retired but they should be easy to find. 
 

ny first reel was a Reddington, second, third and fourth are Ross.  Reddington is a solid mid level reel. Definitely good enough for his first, I still fish mine (5 wt).

[MalibuSheriff 1,090]

On 6/8/2024 at 12:07 AM, BearSchlong said:

When my son gets back from the sandbox and moves to Colorado Springs, he is going to learn fly fishing.

I'll need recommendations for guides and rivers somewhat close. Any ideas?

Tailwater below Lake Pueblo is one of the best kept secrets in Colorado. 

Winter-time video of the area (this guy has a great YouTube channel for Colorado):

 

[Mac8111 2,107]

I was in a floater at mouth of Baffin one time and shit hit the dan with the weather.

Spun our cabin around and cleats almost came loose from dock, but at least we were floating. Guys next to us were on pier on solid ground and their boat got swamped.

[tx 3 putt 76,958]

4 hours ago, Mac8111 said:

I was in a floater at mouth of Baffin one time and shit hit the dan with the weather.

Spun our cabin around and cleats almost came loose from dock, but at least we were floating. Guys next to us were on pier on solid ground and their boat got swamped.

 

you hear many of these baffin bay stories

[Pescado_Rojo 19,416]

5 hours ago, Mac8111 said:

I was in a floater at mouth of Baffin one time and shit hit the dan with the weather.

Spun our cabin around and cleats almost came loose from dock, but at least we were floating. Guys next to us were on pier on solid ground and their boat got swamped.

Friend has access to a family cabin on two palm island. We were fishing down there one weekend and a storm like that came up. Rained like a mofo for two hours. Weather finally broke about 5:30, so we just ran over to the meadows so we could run back quickly if the weather came up again. Caught my PR trout (28.5”) on the first cast. 

[horn4life 3,760]

20 hours ago, Mac8111 said:

I was in a floater at mouth of Baffin one time and shit hit the fan with the weather.

Interesting technique you are using. But it must be hard to cast from... 😉

[Damor 1,236]

This is way out of character for me as a psychotic vacation pre-planner, but I ended up with some time off and wanted to do something with my yahoo teenagers.  I've never been saltwater fly fishing, and have never been to the Keys.  Been perusing this thread and the site (BTW, fuck you KKL for making Key Largo search worthless), and looks like Islamorada might be our speed.

I saw the rec for Bud N' Marys, is that the go-to?  It looks like several of their skiff guides will take three fishermen, but I'm not sure how well that works with fly fishing.  Any thoughts on particular trips?  I guess it's probably too ambitious for n00bs (and impatient teenagers) to chase bonefish on the flats, although I'd be just as happy standing out there casting all day myself.

Any thoughts on places to stay, getting there, etc.?  Is this a reasonable last-minute idea (as in next week), or would it be better to push it to my time off in August (and then go psycho planning every detail)?

[texastough 1,129]

A much better bet would be to chase bones in the bahamas. I love the keys but it is p.h.d. level fly fishing. Islamorada is sort of a tarpon capitol, and nowhere in the keys are the bones plentiful enough for beginners. 

[Damor 1,236]

Yeah, that sounds like something I would rather do psycho-level planning on.  I probably didn't express well this is more like a day of fishing and a couple days bumming around, and not particularly chasing a target.  A quick getaway and decompress from working way too hard kind of thing.

[texastough 1,129]

You could look into a conventional fishing charter. Still a super fun day on the water while eliminating issues like the fly fishing learning curve and 3-on-the-boat 

[Pescado_Rojo 19,416]

2 hours ago, Damor said:

This is way out of character for me as a psychotic vacation pre-planner, but I ended up with some time off and wanted to do something with my yahoo teenagers.  I've never been saltwater fly fishing, and have never been to the Keys.  Been perusing this thread and the site (BTW, fuck you KKL for making Key Largo search worthless), and looks like Islamorada might be our speed.

I saw the rec for Bud N' Marys, is that the go-to?  It looks like several of their skiff guides will take three fishermen, but I'm not sure how well that works with fly fishing.  Any thoughts on particular trips?  I guess it's probably too ambitious for n00bs (and impatient teenagers) to chase bonefish on the flats, although I'd be just as happy standing out there casting all day myself.

Any thoughts on places to stay, getting there, etc.?  Is this a reasonable last-minute idea (as in next week), or would it be better to push it to my time off in August (and then go psycho planning every detail)?

4 is going to be a crowd on all but the largest skiffs. The majority of the guides out of B&M's are going to have 17' or 18' skiffs and probably won't want to take 3 guys on their skiff. If you're looking to fish one day and bum around a couple more, maybe run down to Padre Island and book a redfish guide in Port Isabel or Padre Island? The area mostly has a sand bottom, and you can find a guide that will get you guys out of the boat and wade to tailing reds. It's a good intro to saltwater fly fishing, and reds aren't that finicky when it comes to eating a fly in their general area. 

Also, August is a terrible month to fish the keys. Permit fishing can be good, but not many bonefish around and the tarpon have mostly migrated through and taken a lot of guides with them. Making your first saltwater fly fishing trip a permit fishing trip is like deciding you want to try golf and buying clubs a Dick's on the way to a US Open Qualifier. 

3 minutes ago, texastough said:

You could look into a conventional fishing charter. Still a super fun day on the water while eliminating issues like the fly fishing learning curve and 3-on-the-boat 

or do this

[Damor 1,236]

Appreciate it.  Sounds like that's a better trip for another time.  This is why I'm much better overplanning a year out than scattershooting.  I'll try to find something else for a spontaneous trip.

Any guide recs out of Padre or Port Isabel?  I could deal with that.
 

16 minutes ago, Pescado_Rojo said:

Making your first saltwater fly fishing trip a permit fishing trip is like deciding you want to try golf and buying clubs a Dick's on the way to a US Open Qualifier.

Well, yeah, but it's my Dad job to make them hate all the things I love.

[Pescado_Rojo 19,416]

Dale Friday and Eric Glass are both on the island. Eric Glass is maybe the longest serving saltwater fly guide in Texas. 

JT Van Zandt is out of Port A/Rockport area and fishes a 21' Chittum skiff. Might be tough to get on his book, though. (Yes, he's Townes' son)

Travis Glidden used to fish out of Arroyo City, but I think he's moved up to Rockport since he got married and had kids

Others might have better recommendations, I haven't fished with guides down there in years.

[fattyflattie 4,639]

3 minutes ago, Pescado_Rojo said:

JT Van Zandt is out of Port A/Rockport area and fishes a 21' Chittum skiff. Might be tough to get on his book, though. (Yes, he's Townes' son)

Like his style from a vid or two I’ve seen on him.  

[troph 24,798]

I can’t echo @Pescado_Rojo’s advice more. It’s spot on. I would add salt water fly fishing even for reds on the coast is a level up from trout fishing. I don’t recall your experience but it sounds like your boys are inexperienced. I took my sons to do it and it was boring to them. For teens that love fly fishing it won’t be boring but it’s like any skill based hobby going once isn’t going to produce much and if they aren’t prepared with basic casting techniques for salt water they will potentially sour quickly. but if you love fly fishing and love salt water fishing putting both together is a no brainer.

So if they have no experience consider a quick lesson or two. I’m about to start with Austin Orr to level up my casting game and he comes very highly recommended.

i had an in with JT from my old guide who also fished a chittum (holy shit what a nice boat) but decided I’d rather go with the guys I know. 

my trout and bass guide (centex rivers) is moving to reds out of port A and in the summer and fall and I’ll be following him. Hoping he can come with me next Friday to fish with Alvin.

He’s a great dude and a former middle school social studies teacher and he LOVES to teach. I will say though, learning from the bow in August will be a major fucking beat down for all involved. I think there will be a learning curve with this guide so he may not be your guy but I can give a rec. he has been fishing the coast himself and with buddies for several years now so he’s learning the spots.

So consider some wade fishing so everyone can cast and you can at least stay cool in the water. Lets you fish and the guide teach. Consider a 3/4 day too it will be so effing hot.

allwater guides is a decent place to go but YMMV on who they put you with. My last trip was ok, I had to tell the guide how to approach one shoreline to make the cast easier. He also put us in muddy water at times that made no sense - water was deep, couldn’t see any tails or wakes, just a bit formulaic with little adaptation to the situation. 

Edited June 11 by troph

[Spaulding Smails 1,552]

18 hours ago, Damor said:

This is way out of character for me as a psychotic vacation pre-planner, but I ended up with some time off and wanted to do something with my yahoo teenagers.  I've never been saltwater fly fishing, and have never been to the Keys.  Been perusing this thread and the site (BTW, fuck you KKL for making Key Largo search worthless), and looks like Islamorada might be our speed.

I saw the rec for Bud N' Marys, is that the go-to?  It looks like several of their skiff guides will take three fishermen, but I'm not sure how well that works with fly fishing.  Any thoughts on particular trips?  I guess it's probably too ambitious for n00bs (and impatient teenagers) to chase bonefish on the flats, although I'd be just as happy standing out there casting all day myself.

Any thoughts on places to stay, getting there, etc.?  Is this a reasonable last-minute idea (as in next week), or would it be better to push it to my time off in August (and then go psycho planning every detail)?

Thirding what @Pescado_Rojo and @troph said.  I'm not a fly fisherman, but we did a run down to the Keys a few years ago.  Fished conventional on a little skiff with a guide named Barry Hoffman.  Does mostly fly fishing.  He was fantastic.  I'd agree that the fishing in the Keys during the summer isn't ideal.  We went in late June.  Caught a mixed bag, but had to fish hard to have any luck and threw in the towel at 1 PM.  Super hot, not a breath of wind and the water temp was 90+.

I don't think he's a fly fisherman, but if you go to South Padre, I've fished with Ernest Cisneros out of Port Isabel.  Great guide and definitely put us on the reds wade fishing.  I think he's semi-retired now, but his son is guiding.

I'll also throw this out there as well... had an awesome experience with a guide named Tommy Derringer out of St Augustine, FL.  Again, we fished conventional out of his big boat, but he runs a Maverick HPX 18 skiff for fly fishermen.  He's a great guide and an awesome photographer.  St Augustine is a bad ass little town with tons of history and solid night life.  

[BabaYaga 15,298]

Last summer's heat wave drained the largest stock tank that was full of mature, hybrid FL Bass.  The recent rains have refilled it after we cleaned it out.  Now I have to start over.  I have a place outside of Dublin (Arms Bait co.) that we used last time.  It's a process to start with the feeder fish, then add the "green trout" later.

I'll add as much "cover" as I can for the feeder fish.  Old cinder blocks work pretty well.  Any other suggestions?

[texastough 1,129]

tie some christmas trees to those cinder blocks and you'll be cooking with gas!

[davidg 4,038]

Yes, use those cinder blocks to anchor a bunch of cedar trees is about the best. We also take tires and drill 3 holes in the top and pour in half a bag of concrete. They will usually set upright when dropped out of a boat. I’ve got a buddy that bolts 3-5 tires together in a pyramid and drops those in his pond.

I’m a member of a FB Pond and Lake Management Group and see lots of posts of guys making pvc and pex spiders/trees in 5 gal buckets of concrete. Don’t loose many lures in the pvc vs a cedar tree.

 

Edited June 12 by davidg

[troph 24,798]

Can we not use tires or other things that could leech shitty chemicals into the water? Otherwise looks rad.

Edited June 12 by troph

[davidg 4,038]

Can we not use tires or other things that could leech shitty chemicals into the water? Otherwise looks rad.

You mean like the old truck batteries my uncle used to used to weigh down the cedar brush tops in the lake with?

[troph 24,798]

3 minutes ago, davidg said:

You mean like the old truck batteries my uncle used to used to weigh down the cedar brush tops in the lake with?

Oof.

[huge 3,793]

Just got back from 3 days offshore. Took the boat out of Freeport and headed 175 miles south to the Perdido rig area.

4/5 on blues
6 yellowfin in the 40-65# range
2 dorado
10 red snapper including one the size of a manhole cover

Good times were had by all.

Now I’m waiting on the go pro footage but the boat is back out already (and they have already caught 5 blues in 2 days at Hoover).

[justhookit 4,191]

20 hours ago, huge said:

Just got back from 3 days offshore. Took the boat out of Freeport and headed 175 miles south to the Perdido rig area.

4/5 on blues
6 yellowfin in the 40-65# range
2 dorado
10 red snapper including one the size of a manhole cover

Good times were had by all.

Now I’m waiting on the go pro footage but the boat is back out already (and they have already caught 5 blues in 2 days at Hoover).

DECARB?

[huge 3,793]

43 minutes ago, justhookit said:

DECARB?

I'm old friends with the owners.  

[Born to Run 6,569]

I'm old friends with the owners.  

Lucky!

[Born to Run 6,569]

Last minute trip to RMNP for some backpacking and high altitude fishing with my kiddo. Then touring CU on Tuesday.

[justhookit 4,191]

1 hour ago, huge said:

I'm old friends with the owners.  

Saw their report. I’ve forgotten what make/size boat that is. Y’all had a great trip.

[huge 3,793]

24 minutes ago, justhookit said:

Saw their report. I’ve forgotten what make/size boat that is. Y’all had a great trip.

Mid 50s Viking

Guys that went out Monday caught at least 5 blues.  Conditions were good and the captain is dialed in now.

[Pescado_Rojo 19,416]

47 minutes ago, Born to Run said:

Last minute trip to RMNP for some backpacking and high altitude fishing with my kiddo. Then touring CU on Tuesday.

going to do that tour later in the summer, and we're going to try to work some fishing in as well. You going to look at CSU at all? 

[Lat22 4,014]

On 6/12/2024 at 5:14 PM, huge said:

Just got back from 3 days offshore. Took the boat out of Freeport and headed 175 miles south to the Perdido rig area.

4/5 on blues
6 yellowfin in the 40-65# range
2 dorado
10 red snapper including one the size of a manhole cover

Good times were had by all.

Now I’m waiting on the go pro footage but the boat is back out already (and they have already caught 5 blues in 2 days at Hoover).

There’s a difference in living and living well. 

[Brisketexan 105,139]

At a conference in S Texas. Got up early this morning to toss a spoon in the surf for fun. Hooked a few ladyfish, bait really stared moving when I had to get out and head up.
As I was standing in that water at sunrise, relaxed and peaceful, a thought occurred to me: in my better than half a century of wade fishing the surf, I wonder how many gallons of piss I’ve deposited directly in the gulf? Probably a lot.

[huge 3,793]

1 hour ago, Lat22 said:

There’s a difference in living and living well. 

It's so choice.

If you have the means I highly suggest you pick one up.

[Frank Drebin 5,639]

1 hour ago, Brisketexan said:

At a conference in S Texas. Got up early this morning to toss a spoon in the surf for fun. Hooked a few ladyfish, bait really stared moving when I had to get out and head up.
As I was standing in that water at sunrise, relaxed and peaceful, a thought occurred to me: in my better than half a century of wade fishing the surf, I wonder how many gallons of piss I’ve deposited directly in the gulf? Probably a lot.

Something hits different about South Texas saltwater fishing to me.  I fish 4-5 days out of Port Mansfield every spring.  I love it despite often extremely windy conditions. You stay out and grind, you usually will get into some fish.  I love the LLM.  So many days you are out there and the nearest boat is miles away.

[Braff Zacklin 13,573]

5 hours ago, Brisketexan said:

As I was standing in that water at sunrise, relaxed and peaceful, a thought occurred to me: in my better than half a century of wade fishing the surf, I wonder how many gallons of piss I’ve deposited directly in the gulf? Probably a lot.

It's why the gulf is so warm.

[tequila 317]

My 12 year caught a nice Cobia on our second trip out on the new (to us) Freeman out of Port Aransas.

[Pescado_Rojo 19,416]

2 hours ago, tequila said:

My 12 year caught a nice Cobia on our second trip out on the new (to us) Freeman out of Port Aransas.

Pics of Freeman?

[MalibuSheriff 1,090]

My son and I are headed out to Wyoming this week on rambling trip fly fishing and camping in pursuit of the Wyoming Cutt-Slam:

Hopefully no grizzly bears in our future as both Snake River and Yellowstone cutt streams are in serious grizz country.

[fattyflattie 4,639]

1 hour ago, Pescado_Rojo said:

Pics of Freeman?

No shit. Need some of that on the boating thread. 

[tequila 317]

L

[justhookit 4,191]

Not great for the kind of fishing trips I do but if I ever had to run a center console that would be the one. Amazing boat man. Congrats.

[Braff Zacklin 13,573]

How much total horsepower is hanging off the transom of that beast?

[BearSchlong 8,094]

About $120K.

[Born to Run 6,569]

going to do that tour later in the summer, and we're going to try to work some fishing in as well. You going to look at CSU at all? 

He isn't looking at CSU for whatever teenage brain reason he has.

Water is still high as fuck and ripping here. Hiked up to Sandbeach lake and passed a gang of dudes with flyrods. Didn't talk to a single person that saw Any fish or had luck; I think the Brook trout moved in and they are starting over completely trying to get more green cutties going. Or the Cutties died. Super buggy and zero fish.

The entire Wild Basin área and even Boulder canyon looked like a fire hose or extreme WW kayaking porn, not a trout vid.

[Born to Run 6,569]

About $120K.

Plus maintenance. Motherfucker all the little things beat you down.