Contributing Writer Capt. Alex Moran
SpiritFly Fishing Charters
Hoooootttt DOG am I tired, I'm three days late for my deadline (Hey Jim!) but the last 12 days of charters have been awesome. We finally got one of my "Mad Brits" a killer snook, while we sought out some juvie tarpon. The big girls haven't been good to us at the time of me typing this but my British boys have had their shots. I'm going to get them one in the air for sure. After a nap though, them crazy cats come across the pond every year and run myself and Gregg McKee ragged for 10-12 days on their annual father son trip to sunburn town. If anybody gives good foot rubs let me know I've been on my feet chasing tarpon for the last two weeks. I'll bring ice and beer, I promise.
The crazy heat of summer is in full swing, as is the tarpon migration that brings anglers from all over the world (seriously) to the Boca Grande area in pursuit of the fish of a lifetime. Tarpon as a gamefish account for well over $100 million dollars of economic impact in our state during the course of a year, and after seeing a full sized one take to the air it's pretty easy to see why.
They're just special. As the summer presses on, the fish come through our estuary and stage for a day or two to rest and refuel before they head offshore to spawn during different moon phases. Which of these moon phases are the most important, I can't really tell. It seems like sometimes the quarter moon is key for the larger migratory fish, and two weeks later a new moon has them everywhere you look.
Damn things are magical and maddening. If I really knew the answer I promise I'd tell you, and then we'd go throw a bunch of chicken feathers at them like kindergarteners making their first Mardi Gras masks. I still haven't been able to get my thumb and forefinger unstuck but someday I'll get a couple of gold stars and graduate to first grade.
With all the glitter and chance at personal glory can come crowds of impatient, and sometimes overly inconsiderate anglers (both recreational and guides alike). Add in the heat, pressured unhappy fish, tough wind, intermittent showers, and you're likely to be scratching your head in frustration and bewilderment. FEAR NOT FRIENDS!!!! I have a solution.
Between the Peace, Mayaka, and Caloosahatchee Rivers lie a myriad of interwoven tidal creeks and bays not accessible to larger boats, and they are certainly not inviting to the faint of heart, which means more water for idiots such as myself to explore while donating to the FFIRC (Florida Flying Insect Red Cross… an acronym I just made up to let you know how creative and well loved our mosquitoes and no-seeums make me feel on a daily basis).
While the flats and sandbars provide their own challenges for the larger fish moving about the area during the summer months, these little finger lakes and feeder creeks offer an entirely different proverbial hill to climb when in search of the "silver prince".
Say what you want about targeting smaller fish instead of that 100+ lber but a 10lb fish in a twenty foot wide creek mouth jumping through the mangroves is total badassery. I once had one land upside down in the branches, stunned, it laid cradled trying to figure out its next move, he then looked the boat over and shook himself back into the water. We landed the fish and got a great story out of it so that was neat.
Afternoon and evening summer rains seem to get the ball rolling in the nooks and crannies where our future kings lie in wait. Unlike the larger fish closer to the passes and on the beaches, these little guys have to roll all damn day. The lower dissolved oxygen and hot water have them blooping all over the place when you find them.
A day after a long night of rain where two bodies of water meet can be electric, however. The added oxygen and slightly cooler surface temperatures fire up the kids like it's graduation day in a small Illinois town when the stop light at the only "four way" on the main drag is out of order. They're gonna go all "American Graffiti" on your ass (I'm old for my age.... I know).
The nice thing about the little guys is that they're just...dumb. Like all high schoolers, they need to eat to grow, and they want to show off for the crowd (that's you kid) so give em something appetizing and hang on.
Backwater fish are generally smaller (in the 2-10lb range) with a few surprises here and there so they make light tackle an absolute blast. Sometimes the really heavy rain and high water will also push these fish out onto the flats between the sandbars and mangroves where I usually target seasonal snook and trout. The fish towards the outside tend to be larger (15-40lbs) so I'll switch to a soft tipped 10wt rod for these areas, as occasionally you'll throw at a 40lber and an 80 you didn't see will grab the fly (life sucks sometimes right?).
The reason for a medium/medium fast rod in these situations is that during our rainy seasons, the tannic waters make it almost impossible to sight fish. Oftentimes fish will roll in all directions around the boat at a moments notice and it's typically much closer than you would think. Quick short shots are the order of the day and a slightly slower rod loads up with less fly line out so you can get the fly there faster. The Echo Prime rod has been a new addition to my quiver as of late and both myself and my clients are loving it. No they don't pay me.
For the deep backcountry fish I like to arm my clients with an 8wt rod and floating line. If I'm fishing solo or messing around with friends I'll toss a 6 or 7wt but I feel more comfortable having a little more backbone in the rod for people who haven't had to put the wood to a saltwater fish in tight quarters before. Leaders are super simple for these guys, I just use 7ft of 40lb mono, and 4ft of 30lb fluorocarbon. SMALL flies are the key, especially in near stagnant water.
I'll often switch over to my dock light fly stash for these little guys since they're used to eating micro baits all day long. Tiny schminnows (size 2 or so) ought to do the trick if nothing else worse.
The larger flats fish I use my standard 10 wt leader (7ft 50lb-20"25lb-18"50lb) <holy algebra looking S*%T... I haven't done that since high school. What's "order of operations" again?. I'll toss black and purple flies, usually in 1/0 at these critters. Just keep them high in the water column and hit the rollers right on the head because they usually have a buddy right behind em.
If you want to get into fly fishing in our area more check out the Pine Island Fly Fishers Club meetings. At the moment they're held every third Monday at "Street Eatz Burgers and Ale" located at Pine Island Center. It's just $3 to get in the door and a couple extra bucks gets you a 50/50 raffle ticket. Lot's of good times and knowledge are shared and "Street Eatz" has KILLER burgers (side note the kitchen is closed Monday it's a cash bar and fishing bullshitting day so go all the other days and get a bite).
Okay, I'm three days late, my soccer team is losing, dogs are snoring, and my beer is empty. Go explore some new waters, or book me so you don't have to think to hard, be safe out there, hydrate, eat your veggies, be kind and rewind (remember those days?).
See you guys next month!
Capt. Alex Moran
Spiritfly Fishing Charters
SW Florida
