Author Archives: Capt JD

Capt JD

About Capt JD

In 1978 I was first introduced to stream fishing while backpacking in California's southern Sierra mountains. Can't say how inspiring it was to watch Rainbows making their way upstream, pool to pool, navigating book-like waterfalls etc. Crystal clear and cold water it was. I spent quite few years discovering the fisheries before being introduced to a fly-fishing rig. In 1982, I was introduced to an antique cane rod and click-pawl reel. The engineering of this reel and simple concept of throwing a weighted line to get a super-light artificial fly out into the middle of a stream made its lasting impression. I suppose it's my intrigue for activities and sports combining outdoor elements, strategy and a fair amount of physics that seemed to grip me. After quite a few years snow skiing, golfing, skeet shooting, yacht racing, and of course fly-fishing, I can now see how much physics plays a part in all of them. In my early years of fly-fishing, I discovered I could tie my own flies. If a fly needed more of one color than another, I could simply tie one to work more effectively. The endless number of materials and colors opened the door for design and creativity. The structuring and layering of materials added many more options. The combinations of size, texture, style, and functionality were endless. Needless to say, I was hooked. My experience with fly-fishing continued with discovering fisheries up and down the west coast, from California to Arctic Circle. In the early 1990s, I spent some time floating the Green and Teton rivers for Rainbows. In the mid 1990s, I was fortunate enough to fish Alaska, BC and NWT for Cutthroat, Rainbow and Lake Trout – the occasional Grayling was nice too. Moving to Hawaii in 2012 offered me a look at some sizable Bonefish and another amazing fishery. In 2014, I relocated to southern Florida and was knocked over by such an expansive fishery. Florida is truly the capital of sport fishing. Miles and miles of untapped fisheries are waiting for the next fly-fishing enthusiast...well, that and some really big fish. I hold a USCG Master Inland and Mate Near Coastal 50 Ton Captain's License with Assistance Towing and Auxiliary Sailing Endorsements. I also hold a NAUI Openwater 1 certification in SCUBA. Professionally, I have over 30 years in leading technical teams in project, program, and change management within IS, IT, Application Development, and high-tech construction. A majority of this experience was acquired within the aerospace, undersea, telecom, networking, engineering, and healthcare fields. I hold a Bachelor of Science degree in Engineering, Master of Science degree in Organizational Leadership, and professional certifications in project, service, and quality management. My fly-fishing journey has been amazing thus far - its discoveries are never ending and all inspiring to say the least. Let's keep it this way for all to come. Please take care of the fish you catch/ release and let's continue to work diligently minimizing our back-country footprint. - Capt JD.

Southern Boys Flies

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Pete Colding of Southern Boys Flies was advertising “flies made to order” just the other day. Not only did his line of flies show some creativity, but his pricing was the most competitive I’ve seen. In an effort to show some of this creativity with our readers, I requested he send us a few flies to share. Some examples include:

  • Nail Biter
  • Black Puff
  • Olive Drab Crab
  • Southern Toad
  • Bugger Buddy in Olive

Pete will tie just about any saltwater pattern possible. Popular sellers are crabs, Clousers, toads, Tarpon patterns, Shad, Crappie jigs, Teasers, etc.

Pricing

All Clousers are $1.50
Deceivers, Whistlers, Sea Ducers, Bunnies, and toads are $2.00
All crabs and Half’n Halfs are $2.50
EP fiber flies are $3.00

Other Details

Pete ties all of his saltwater flies with Mustad Stainless Steel hooks. He will ship any assortment needed. All orders over $20.00 are shipped in a foam box. All orders over $50.00 will be shipped Flat-Rate Priority mail FREE (typically 2-day delivery). Orders typically ship inside of one week. For specific questions, feel free to connect with Pete via Facebook or e-mail.

Pete’s Bio

Pete’s love for fly-fishing started in the early 1980s. For some time, Rhode Island ponds, back bays, and beaches were his stomping grounds for trout and Striped Bass. In fact, he fly-fished Rhode Island coastal waters for over 20 years. His quest for new species on fly yielded Bonito and False Albacore for a few years running. Pete later moved to North Carolina and fished the Roanoke for Shad and Striped Bass. Travels to Alaska have included fishing Montana Creek all the way to Homer, landing abundant Sockeye and Silver Salmon, Halibut, and Ling Cod. Pete spent some time fishing New River in Virginia for enormous volumes of Small Mouth Bass. His passion for fly-fishing and years of experience is evident in his fly-tying creativity.

Nail Biter

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Recreate fly patterns at home! Materials used in making this fly have been included below. Always keep in mind your local fly-fishing store will most likely have the materials referenced, and typically for less. Materials can also be found at Amazon or any other major on-line resource.

Fly-Tying Materials

[list]
[list_item]Mustad 34007SS (#2)[/list_item]
[list_item]UTC Monofilament (.006), clear[/list_item]
[list_item]Chenille, fluorescent chartreuse (palmered underneath shell/ nail)[/list_item]
[list_item]Rooster Saddle, grizzly[/list_item]
[list_item]Krystal Flash, olive/ pearl[/list_item]
[list_item]Sili Legs, Chartreuse / Black Flake[/list_item]
[list_item]Acrylic False Nail, Metallic Silver[/list_item]
[/list]

Design Inspiration & Detail

This fly was designed in 1991 by Pete Colding of Southern Boys Flies. Pete spent a good portion of his youth in Southern Florida and holds a few secrets to effectively landing fish. He now ties from North Carolina and ships a good amount of product back to Florida. To learn more about Pete and his extensive inventory, see our post on Southern Boys Flies.

Target Species

This particular fly was designed to attract Snook – many other species will also take the fly.

2015 Monthly Fly Giveaway for February!

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Subscribe to our Newsletter and be eligible to win each month!


Monthly, we give away free flies to those currently subscribed to our Newsletter! A winner is chosen each month at random from our subscription base. Each winner is announced on or before the seventh (7th) day following each Promotion Period. Subscribing is easy – see right hand side of this post to sign up!

Win one free fly by being a current subscriber to our Newsletter! *

Win two free flies by also “liking” our Facebook page! *

Win three free flies by also being a current follower on Twitter! *

Participants must currently be meeting the above Eligibility Requirements at 11:59PM on the last day of each month (the “Promotion Period”) to be eligible to win.

Winner to be announced on or before MAR 7, 2015

* See official rules for details.

Eligible flies for this promotion include our Headdress Scampi, Sandy Scampi, and Flaming Shrimp – see below.

Bonefish Clouser: Pink & Beige

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Recreate fly patterns at home! Materials used in making this fly have been included below. Always keep in mind your local fly-fishing store will most likely have the materials referenced, and typically for less. Materials can also be found at Amazon or any other major on-line resource.

Fly-Tying Materials

[list]
[list_item]Mustad 34007SS (#2)[/list_item]
[list_item]UTC 210, tan[/list_item]
[list_item]Brass Eyes, medium, nickel[/list_item]
[list_item]Gliss’n Glow, salmon[/list_item]
[list_item]Gliss’n Glow, light purple[/list_item]
[list_item]Bucktail, natural beige[/list_item]
[list_item]Bucktail, white[/list_item]
[list_item]Bucktail, pink[/list_item]
[/list]

Design Inspiration & Detail

Having a sandy colored Clouser in the box is always a smart idea. Adding a hint of colored Gliss’n Glow, makes the pattern even better. Using olive, copper, orange, pink, red, purple, blue, black, and numerous others simply make the Clouser more attractive. Have fun experimenting!

Target Species

This particular fly was designed to attract Bonefish and Permit – many other species (jacks, Snook, etc.) will also take the fly.

Crystal Schminnow: Bright White

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Recreate fly patterns at home! Materials used in making this fly have been included below. Always keep in mind your local fly-fishing store will most likely have the materials referenced, and typically for less. Materials can also be found at Amazon or any other major on-line resource.

Fly-Tying Materials

[list]
[list_item]Mustad 34007SS (#2)[/list_item]
[list_item]UTC 210, white[/list_item]
[list_item]Bead Chain Eyes, large, black[/list_item]
[list_item]Krystal Flash Chenille, medium, pearl[/list_item]
[list_item]Marabou, Stung, white[/list_item]
[/list]

Norm’s Version

[list]
[list_item]Mustad S71SZ-34007 (#2)[/list_item]
[list_item]Danville, Nylon, Flat Wax, white[/list_item]
[list_item]Mono Eyes, black[/list_item]
[list_item]Crystal Chenille, white or Estaz, 10mm, pearl [/list_item]
[list_item]Marabou, white[/list_item]
[/list]

Design Inspiration & Detail

Norm Zeigler’s popular Crystal Schminnow (part shrimp and part minnow) was originally tied in white with a trimmed tail. The tail in my version above is untrimmed. Norm’s original idea was to create a lightweight fly aimed at targeting Snook in the shallow waters along beaches in South Florida. A light fly was important to keep splashing to a minimum. The original Schminnow was first created 15 years ago. To this day, Norm indicates the Schminnow has landed 55 species of fish in salt and freshwater. If my facts are straight, he’s caught 34 of the species himself. Schminnows can be tied with dumbbell eyes to make them heavier. The deeper water version has been known to round up Seatrout, Pompano, Striped Bass, and more. Norm Zeigler’s Fly Shop is located on Sanibel Island, FL – stop in and share your Schminnow success stories. If you don’t have any now, you will! Here’s a map.

Target Species

This particular fly was designed to attract Snook – many other species will also take the fly.

Seaducer: Burnt Orange

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Recreate this fly at home! A list of materials used to make this fly are included below. Always keep in mind your local fly fishing store will most likely have the materials referenced, and typically for less. Materials can also be found at Amazon or any other major on-line resource.

Fly-Tying Materials

[list]
[list_item]Mustad 34007SS (#2)[/list_item]
[list_item]UTC 210, black[/list_item]
[list_item]Brass Eyes, medium, gold[/list_item]
[list_item]Krystal Flash, gold[/list_item]
[list_item]Marabou, Grizzly, burnt orange[/list_item]
[list_item]Rooster Neck, Prime, chinchilla[/list_item]
[/list]

Design Inspiration & Detail

Seaducers were most likely one of the original streaming flies. From their basic construction, it’s safe to assume many were tying this streamer mid century. For saltwater applications, sparsely made Seaducers simulate shrimp. Red and White Seaducers are very popular, however many other color combinations can be lethal. Ask your local fly-fishing shop for effective colors in your targeted fishery.

Target Species

This particular fly was designed to attract Redfish – many other species will also take the fly, all depending on how bushy the fly is tied. Larger/ fluffier versions will work well for landing Tarpon, Shark, Barracuda and other large predators.

Marco Magic: Deceiver In Pink & Purple

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Recreate fly patterns at home! Materials used in making this fly have been included below. Always keep in mind your local fly-fishing store will most likely have the materials referenced, and typically for less. Materials can also be found at Amazon or any other major on-line resource.

Fly-Tying Materials

[list]
[list_item]Mustad 34007SS (#4)[/list_item]
[list_item]UTC 210, white[/list_item]
[list_item]Brass Eyes, medium, nickel[/list_item]
[list_item]EP Fiber, pink[/list_item]
[list_item]EP Fiber, red[/list_item]
[list_item]Krystal Flash, UV purple[/list_item]
[list_item]Crystal Flash, mirror[/list_item]
[list_item]Sparkle Braid, pearl[/list_item]
[list_item]Berkley Vanish, Fluorocarbon, 30#, clear (weed guard)[/list_item]
[/list]

Design Inspiration & Detail

Just last week, I bumped into several folks walking the lagoon side of Tigertail Beach on Marco Island, FL. All seemed like locals who frequent the fishing spot. Each made a reference to using Deceivers, Charlies, and Clousers all having some sort of flash and shade of pink. No need to tell me twice – looking to get back out and get it wet.

Share your version of Marco Magic! Tell us what lands you more fish out on Marco Island…

Target Species

This particular fly was designed to attract Bonefish, Permit, and Snook – jacks and many other species will also take the fly.

Merkin Crab: Pink & Blue

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Recreate fly patterns at home! Materials used in making this fly have been included below. Always keep in mind your local fly-fishing store will most likely have the materials referenced, and typically for less. Materials can also be found at Amazon or any other major on-line resource.

Fly-Tying Materials

[list]
[list_item]Mustad 34007SS (#2)[/list_item]
[list_item]UTC 210, fluorescent shell pink[/list_item]
[list_item]Brass Eyes, medium, gold[/list_item]
[list_item]EP Fiber, pale olive minnow[/list_item]
[list_item]EP Fiber, sky blue[/list_item]
[list_item]Krystal Flash, red/ pearl[/list_item]
[list_item]Krystal Flash, black/ pearl[/list_item]
[list_item]Rooster Neck, prime, chinchilla[/list_item]
[list_item]Berkley Vanish, Fluorocarbon, 40 lb, clear, melted (dipped in Sally Hansen’s Black nail polish)[/list_item]
[list_item]Berkley Vanish, Fluorocarbon, 40 lb, clear (weed guard)[/list_item]
[/list]

Design Inspiration & Detail

If you fish South Florida and the Keys, you can’t have too many pink/ blue Merkin crabs in the fly box. Blue Crabs are indigenous and plentiful along all coastlines. Any combination of a natural, pink, and blue in the shape of a crab will yield Bonefish and Permit. Have fun experimenting!

Target Species

This particular fly was designed to attract Bonefish and Permit – Redfish and other species will also take the fly.

Smoke & Mirrors: Bonefish Clouser

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Recreate fly patterns at home! Materials used in making this fly have been included below. Always keep in mind your local fly-fishing store will most likely have the materials referenced, and typically for less. Materials can also be found at Amazon or any other major on-line resource.

Fly-Tying Materials

[list]
[list_item]Mustad 34007SS (#4)[/list_item]
[list_item]UTC 210, tan[/list_item]
[list_item]UTC 210, fluorescent red[/list_item]
[list_item]Brass Eyes, medium, gold[/list_item]
[list_item]Crystal Flash, mirror (manufactured by Rumpf)[/list_item]
[list_item]Badger, small[/list_item]
[list_item]Arctic Fox Fur, white[/list_item]
[/list]

Design Inspiration & Detail

Having a sandy colored Clouser or shrimp fly in the box is always a smart idea. Adding colored crystal flash or banded fur makes the pattern even better. Using olive, copper, orange, pink, red, purple, blue, black, and numerous others simply give the fly amazing life. Have fun experimenting!

Target Species

This particular fly was designed to attract Bonefish and Permit – many other species will also take the fly.

Super-Light Weight Fly-Fishing in the Florida Keys

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Saltwater fly-fishing typically demands a heavier rig, specifically the elements, as they throw everything at you in a moment’s notice. Some say the size of the fish demand the heavy weight gear. This is true, only if you are aiming to pick up larger fish, targeting a specific area, using larger flies, etc.

On occasion, I will exercise my super-light fly rig and fish various shallows and shoals in the Keys. These locations are specifically chosen, as they offer smaller varieties of fish. Small Bonefish, Ladyfish, Snook, and a variety of Jacks frequent these shallows. What makes this so fun is the fact your super-light rig will make a three pound fish feel like a monster.

The other day, I slipped away to fish Bahia Honda (just South of Marathon, in the Keys). The morning was perfect, flat water, no wind, and a perfect temperature. Spent a few hours wading skinny water and picking up Jacks, namely Leather and Crevalle. Be careful of the Leather Jack spines – handle them carefully. They love to hang in the deeper channel and take advantage of baitfish sprinting for the shallows. I used various #8 naturally colored Gotchas and Bonefish Clousers, all of which are pictured below.

Obviously, fishing with a super-light weight rig can be difficult in this environment – when the wind stops blowing, it can be a lot of fun. I used my 3-weight rig:

[list]
[list_item]Rod: Sage ONE 382-4[/list_item]
[list_item]Reel: Galvan OB-1[/list_item]
[list_item]Line: SA Mastery GPX WF3F[/list_item]
[list_item]Leader: Berkley Vanish Fluorocarbon, 30lb, 20lb, and 12lb tippet[/list_item]
[/list]

Do yourself a favor though, take a variety of rod weights. The conditions change quickly. If the wind picks up, you will have what it takes to still get out and land some fish.