The Fishmeister Superstore™

The Four

2012-08-30T15:44:00.000-04:00

As day was breaking, and we could still hear the birds singing their morning songs, we loaded all our gear in the Morgan 39 (power boat), ready to leave the dock. As we pulled away the morning songs gave way to the hum of the diesel engine....ah what a wonderful smell of the hint of diesel and salt air intertwined to start a relaxing day of offshore fishing.

Cruising through the mangrove lined channel, we are heading for the bay that leads us past the last hint of civilization, as we exit the pass for a 40 mile trip to the azure blue waters of the Gulf of Mexico. It is there that we will begin true rejuvenation of body and spirit as we reel in large groupers and snappers, enjoy a few cold ones, and begin concocting our great fishing tales of the day.

Well, the cooler is full with the days catch, and it's time to head back to civilization. We have about a 2 1/2 hour trip back. Looks like a storm brewing about halfway between us and land. The weather report was very good for the day, as a good fisherman always checks the reports prior to venturing offshore. Storms are normal during the summer months in Southwest Florida, so with the favorable weather report, we are not overly concerned.

Wow....we are approaching the storm, by now very wide spread, and we see the water from the churning sea being blown sideways, maybe 40 to 50 knots! As we get closer we throttle back a little until we decide the direction of what looks to be a monster of a storm. To our good fortune the storm is headed out...and we are headed in, so not to much of a change in our heading. We are now in the thick of it, smashing into the giant waves, and then down hill to the next set! we are taking water over the bow down in between waves - four of us on board with plenty of skill to ride this one out.The waves seem to be 10 to 15 feet, and the wind is about 50 to 60 knots now!

The front hatch cover has just ripped off completely and is sitting between the hatch and cabin!! This is a miracle - 60 knot winds and the hatch hasn't moved from it's resting place! The big problem here is the boat diving down the waves and taking water over the bow with an open hatch! Springing into action Captain Morgan (yep you guessed it....he built the boat) told me to take the wheel, at which point he makes the dangerous journey to the bow to save the hatch cover. While he is holding on for dear life and putting the hatch cover back in place, I direct my father and brother-n-law down below to hold the hatch cover from inside.

Captain Morgan has made it back to safety, and now we can stay afloat while we continue to ride out the storm as we head for shore. After about another 45 minutes the seas finally begin to subside, and we see the pass about 5 miles ahead! It was truly one of those times when there is no time for worry or being scared. If it has ever happened to you in any type of situation, then you know the feeling I am speaking of. We are back now and the local news and coastguard are reporting on the freak storm that came from the Atlantic, crossed the state in South Florida onward into the Gulf of Mexico, with 20 foot seas in which 24 plus boats were capsized. We just said WOW -we were in that. Our fish tales for this trip were pale in comparison to the monster storm tales.

Author of this article,
Gary Vanderpool

Rare disorder leaves Tred Barta paralyzed

2011-10-19T02:17:00.000-04:00

On his way to Alaska to tape his TV show, Tred Barta recently suffered a rare occurrence called a spinal stroke. He is currently paralyzed from just below the chest down. Prognosis is way up in the air at the moment. His message to everyone is? "Don't take a single second of your life for granted." Send him best wishes at tred.barta@bartaiso.com.

Orca imitates outboard motor

2011-10-19T02:14:00.000-04:00

Amazing footage of the young orca has resurfaced online

Even though it was originally posted awhile ago, this amazing video has resurfaced recently in the web world. It shows a young orca doing its best imitation of the Johnson outboard it seems to have befriended. This particular whale is actually the star of, well, The Whale – a documentary that is now screening in select cities.

screensaver featuring the amazing photography of Fernando Almada, a charter captain in San Carlos, Mexico.

Tournament veterans win at Los Cabos Billfish Tournament with 543-pound blue

2011-10-19T02:10:00.000-04:00

2011 Los Cabos Billfish Tournament, Day 3 and Final Results

CABO SAN LUCAS, BCS — Angler Horace Barge of San Marcos, California, caught a 543-pound blue marlin on day one of three days of tournament fishing to earn his Team Chupacabra First-Place Team and a $47,500 cash prize at the 13^th annual Los Cabos Billfish Tournament held October 11 through 15 in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur.

Chupacabra’s blue marlin also won the team, including Capt. Jesse Scarbrough, mate Bobby Cline, and anglers Mike Mullen, Robert Cline, Timothy Donnelley, Horace Barge and Michael Thompson, tourney honors of Largest Blue Marlin, Days One through Three Daily Marlin Jackpots, and the Winner-Take-All Marlin Jackpot to bring Chupacabra’s total tournament prize money to $364,764.25. The team also holds a unique distinction of being one of few teams to fish every year of the Los Cabos Billfish Tournament.
Team Angelina I, which was captained by Job Villavicencio and comprised of mate Hernando Gonzales, Florida anglers Anthony and Kathy Sposato, and Eduardo Liero Ceseña and David Martinez of CSL took Second Place Team with its 408-pound black marlin winning $28,500. That black won the team Largest Black Marlin category and an additional $14,250, bringing their winnings to $42,750.

Third Place Team and $19,000 went to anglers from Madrid, Spain, fishing aboard Picante 45 with Capt. Daniel Carrera and mate Pedro Orates. The team — including, anglers Jose Antonio Sud Roman, Francisco Muñez Pavon, Carlos Muñez Pavon, Jorge Garcia, Pedro Nolasco Romero de la Cuesia, Pedro Orantes Lieras, NS Luis Alberto Orantes Lieras — released one blue marlin for Pedro Orantes Lieras, a Pacific sailfish release by Fracisco Muñez Pavon, and a blue marlin release by Jorge Garcia to earn 1,100 points total and First Place Billfish Release Points team earning them $9,500; total winnings $28,500.

The Second Place Billfish Release Points Team was Go Deeper with 1,000 release points, first from five sailfish and one blue marlin. Team Miss Behavin’ earned the Third Place Billfish Release Points Team with 1,000 points from four sailfish, one striped marlin and one blue marlin release.

In the gamefish jackpots, Team Karma 3 angler Bob Manroe weighed a 216-pound yellowfin tuna Wednesday, earning them the Day One Jackpot. Day Two Daily Tuna Jackpot went to Team Fisherman for its 240-pound yellowfin. And Team Zhao’s 135-pound yellowfin tuna took the Day Three Tuna Jackpot money.

Team Karma 3 weighed a 27-pound wahoo on Thursday to take home a double Daily Wahoo Jackpot, and Team Wildcatter brought a 39.3-pound wahoo to the scales on Friday to take the Day Three Wahoo Jackpot. Team Red Rum weighed the tournament’s only qualifying dorado at 28.5-pounds, taking triple Daily Dorado Jackpots.

The tournament awards banquet took place at the Playa Grande Resort & Grand Spa’s exquisite beachside terrace adjacent to the Brigantine Restaurant. Participants enjoyed a fine dinner of filet mignon and lobster, incredible door prizes and raffle items, and a slide show and multimedia production. The tournament honored the late Don Luis Bulnes Molleda and raised funds for the Solmar Foundation, thanks to the generosity of its participants.

In all, the Cabo San Lucas 2011 tournament season started off with a an impressive showing, as the tourney fleet of 42 boats weighed a 543-pound blue marlin and 408-pound black marlin, and successfully presented video of 51 billfish caught and released — two black marlin, seven blue marlin, 16 striped marlin and 26 sailfish.

2011 Los Cabos Billfish Tournament Final Results

Los Cabos Team Division

Furuno First Place Team
Chupacabra with 543 points wins $47,500 and invitation to the 2012 IGFA Offshore World Championship
Captain Jesse Scarbrough, mate Bobby Cline, anglers Mike Mullen, Robert Cline, Michael Thompson, Horace Barge
Total Team Chupacabra winnings: $364,764.25

AMD Second Place Team
Angelina I with 408 points wins $28,500
Captain Job Villavicencio, mate Hernando Gonzales, anglers Anthony Sposato, Kathy Sposato, Eduardo Liero Ceseña, David Martinez
Total Team Angelina I winnings: $42,750

Rick Bogert Third Place Team
Picante 45 with 1,100 release points wins $19,000
Captain Daniel Carrera, mate Pedro Orates, anglers Jose Antonio Sud Roman, Francisco Muñez Pavon, Carlos Muñez Pavon, Jorge Garcia, Pedro Nolasco Romero de la Cuesia, Pedro Orantes Lieras, Luis Alberto Orantes Lieras
Total Team Picante 45 winnings: $28,500

Biggest Blue Marlin
Chupacabra angler Horace Barge 543 pounds wins $14,250
Captain Jesse Scarbrough, mate Bobby Cline

Biggest Black Marlin
Angelina I angler Job Villavicencio 408 pounds wins $14,250

Most Billfish Release Points — First Place Team
Picante 45 with 1,100 release points wins $9,500

Most Billfish Release Points — Second Place Team
Go Deeper with 1,000 release points wins $5,700
Captain Javier Allejandro Abarua Gallado, mate Francisco Artro, anglers Chris Vincent, Luis Abaroa Gallardo, Francisco Arturo Montelongo V., Tony Berkowitz, Bobbi Whitcomb
Total Team Go Deeper winnings: $12,382.50

Most Billfish Release Points — Third Place Team
Miss Behavin’ with 1,000 release points wins $3,800
Captain Jose Reyes, mate Jose Loria, anglers David Finkelstein, Ben White, Paulo Soto, Luis Reyes

Optional Jackpot Divisions

Baja Brewing Co. Daily Marlin Jackpot, Days 1-3, Levels 1-4
Chupacabra with 543 pounds wins $213,914.25

Fin-Nor Winner-Take-All Marlin Jackpot
Chupacabra with 543 pounds wins $89,100

King Sailfish Mounts Daily Billfish-Release Jackpot — Day 1
Auriga with 600 release points wins $6,682.50
Captain Lobo Martinez, mate Norberto Landas, anglers Kenneth Eberle, Jane Eberle, Alyson Eberle, Marco Ehrenberg

King Sailfish Mounts Daily Billfish-Release Jackpot — Day 2
Go Deeper with 700 release points wins $6,682.50

King Sailfish Mounts Daily Billfish-Release Jackpot — Day 3
Reel Quest with 600 release points wins $6,682.50
Captain Ty Valli, mate Antonio Botoguez, anglers Dick Landfield, Walker Evans, Chuck Oltman, Bill Savage, Michael Loffer, Vincente Botoguez

Transcabo Day 1 Tuna Jackpot
Karma 3 angler Bob Manroe 216 pounds wins $5,049
Captain Juan Jose Abaroa, mate Kyle Manroe
Total Team Karma 3 winnings: $15,147

Transcabo Day 2 Tuna Jackpot
Fisherman angler Hugo Pino Olachea 240 pounds wins $5,049
Captain Alfredo Periko Sanchez, mate Hector Hugo Pino Miranda

Transcabo Day 3 Tuna Jackpot
Zhao angler Donald Whitter 135 pounds wins $5,049
Captain Carlos Bertran, mate Eduardo Aripez Beltran

Transcabo Day 1 & 2 Wahoo Double-Daily Jackpot
Karma 3 angler Bob Manroe 27 pounds wins $10,098
Captain Juan Jose Abaroa, mate Kyle Manroe

Transcabo Day 3 Wahoo Jackpot
Wildcatter angler John Martin 39.3 pounds wins $5,049
Captain Angel Gilberto Kakogui, mate Juan Osuna Garcia

Transcabo Day 1-3 Dorado Triple-Daily Jackpot
Red Rum angler Randy Pruden 28.5 pounds wins $15,147
Captain Javier Ceseña, mate Jesus Ramero

Video: Swordfish taking mate overboard wins at film festival

2011-10-19T02:05:00.001-04:00

ISLAMORADA, Florida Keys -- Captain Nick Stanczyk's dramatic footage of his Bn'M charterboat's mate being thrown into the ocean while trying to boat a Florida Keys–caught swordfish garnered top honors Sunday at the inaugural Islamorada Fishing Film Festival.

Stanczyk won a Horizon VHF radio from Caribee Boat Sales, dinner for four at the Outback at the Hampton Inn in Islamorada and a signed copy of author Doug Kelly's recently released "Florida's Fishing Legends and Pioneers."

The film festival was a fundraiser for United Way of the Florida Keys.

Bomber Lures Gear Giveaway

2011-10-19T01:57:00.001-04:00

Win a Bomber Lure Package!
As featured in New Products, Sport Fishing, October 2011

Enter today for your chance to win one of 12 Bomber Lure Packages worth over $30 each. Hurry! You must enter below by 10/24/2011. Only one entry per household, please.

We will announce the winners in our Sport Fishing newsletter - so be sure to sign up below!

http://www.sportfishingmag.com/contests/2011/08/bomber-lures-gear-giveaway

SUPER CATCH... KINDA LIKE HOOKING INTO A SMALL FORIEGN CAR

2011-10-19T01:49:00.003-04:00

When angler Matt Snyder of Osprey, FL, USA dropped down a live grunt while bottom fishing in the Gulf of Mexico on September 16, 2011, he was hoping to bring up one of the many bottom fish found in this area of the world. However, Snyder was certainly not expecting this massive 47.63 kg (105 lb 0 oz) black grouper (Mycteroperca bonaci), that took him 12 minutes to pull from the bottom of the Gulf. If approved, Snyder’s giant black grouper will easily surpass the existing men’s 24 kg (50 lb) line class record, which stands at just 8.16 kg (18 lb 0 oz).

Left Behind...

2011-04-07T22:01:00.000-04:00

WHAT AN IDIOT!

Speedo Women's Race Lycra Blend Learn to Swim Solid Superpro Back One Piece Swimsuit, Black, 36

Roxy Stop And Glow Endless Summer Board Short - Women's Black, 11

Speedo Aquatic Xtra Life Lycra Conservative Ultraback Swimsuit Swimsuit, Black, 10

Women's Swimsuit Separate by Blue Sky Swimwear Solid white Sarong: Suit sold Separately

Women's Swimsuit Separate by Blue Sky Swimwear neon green; Sarong Cover-up: Swimsuit Sold Separately

Sexy Fishing Lures

2011-04-03T11:32:00.000-04:00

Submitted by: Adam G.

I am a huge collector of antique and unusual fishing lures. I have just about seen them all. There is something very special about these Lures.

Check them out at Lusciouslure.com

Rapala Rattlin 05 Fishing Lures (Baby Bass, Size- 2)
6 Set L6I Injured Shad Custom Lures - Plugs Crankbaits Bass Fishing Set L5i
Decal For Bass Fishing Lures vintage Tackle Box NEW!
6 Topwater Poppers Crankbaits - Fishing Lures Set T6I
Rapala X-Rap Jerkbait XR10 Fishing Lure (Glass Ghost, Size 4)

One Of My Honeys...

2011-03-31T22:05:00.000-04:00

I stuffed them both ;-)

Copacabana Long Sleeve Embroidered Beach Tunic/Cover Up, L, Black

Sexy O-Ring One Piece Bathing Suit / Monokini (Small, White)

Carve Designs Women's Catalina Bathing Suit Tankini Top, Java, X-Large

Carve Designs Women's Rodeo Reversible Bathing Suit Bottom, Java, Medium

The instant bathing suit shape-up for women (Barnes & Noble books)

Booby Flies - How to Tie a Booby Fly - and Variants (Part 2)

2011-03-19T22:47:00.000-04:00

Top is a Rabbit Booby. Next a Mink Booby. The third from the top is a Sparkle Booby, good daytime fly and on moonlit nights. The Viva Variant Booby is good at night and during the day - yes I know the ‘rule’, dark flies for dark and bright flies for light - ‘rules are for the obedience of fools, merely guides for the wise’. The Little Black Number is good at night and in the day - read the rule above. The bottom fly, a Blob Booby works well at night and daytime too.

When tying the Booby fly it is important to look at the fly in profile to judge its appearance. It is equally important to think about what it looks like when wet, (the bottom fly in the photo).
booby fly wet and dry

The proportions of the flies in the photo are about right. Maximizing the “wriggle” of the tail is important. They can be tied on a range of hook sizes from around 12 up to 6 or 8. The key thing to remember is the fly's proportions when wet.

The Eyes:

Always tie the eyes on first. This has two advantages. It allows you to judge the body length and width much more easily, but more importantly it allows the head to sit down and around the hook shaft. This gives the lure a much more natural profile.

The usual method is to use polystyrene balls. These can be obtained from plastic suppliers as bean-bag fillers. Take a piece of panty-hose (preferably empty) or clear, pliable and thin plastic about 10 cm square - not Glad-Wrap or similar as it stretches too much. Place the two balls in the center and pull the ends in to tightly enclose the balls.

Tie down the collected ends of the plastic or panty hose to the shaft and trim, then bind down the balls by winding in a figure eight pattern between the balls, trim the excess panty hose and then take the thread to the rear of the hook shaft.

There is a better method of forming the eyes.

There are a number of problems associated with using styrene balls. Firstly they are not durable; one fish and the balls can often be crushed and torn. Secondly, I have yet to find a head cement or glue that does not dissolve the balls. Thirdly, panty hose and plastic tear easily and the balls pop out when casting.

If you can obtain some Ethafoam or Plastazote, (same product, different brand names,) grab it. You can also use Jandles (or thongs or flip-flops, depending on where you live). I found some sheets about one inch thick in yellow, white and black. A plug cutter made out of sharpened sections of an old car aerial forms one inch long cylinders of various diameters.

Easy Closed Cell Foam Test

Push a piece of the foam under water and squeeze it, and while still holding it underwater let the foam expand again. Lift the foam out of the water, and squeeze it again. If water comes out of it, it is not closed cell foam, but open cell foam just like a sponge used in the kitchen or bathroom.

It is very important that the foam used is ‘closed-cell foam’. That is foam where the ‘bubbles’ in the foam are not connected. If you use open-cell foam (like a sponge) the eyes will soon become waterlogged and sink.

Lay the cylinder of foam across the hook shaft and tie down by figure eight binding. I usually leave it at that but some go the drama of trimming around the ends of the cylinders to form a more rounded shape. I have found no difference in fish catching ability.

Dipping a round bodied toothpick, trimmed to the desired thickness, in black head cement and gently dropping a blob onto the ends of the cylinders forms eyes . If you want to be really clever, dab on wider blob of yellow paint, then dab on the black in the middle.

Or, and better than paint eyes, get some small dolls eyes and glue them on to the ends of the Ethafoam - these hollow eyes also provide extra buoyancy.

Tie in Tail and Body (in that order)

Wet Marabou

A good tip when handling marabou tufts is to wet the thumb and forefinger and roll the end of the marabou between them. This makes it much easier to tie in.

Take a good clump of marabou, and this is one case in fly tying, where more is better than less, and tie onto the shaft. The marabou should be at least a hook length and a half off the bend of the hook.

Tying in the excess marabou along the shaft of the hook will allow you to build an evenly thick body.

Tie in a bit of tail flash. A piece or two of pearlescent flashabou tied on top of the tail adds some extra attraction.

Form the Body

The body is formed with chenille using two methods.

When using standard chenille first tie in tinsel, then chenille. Wind on the chenille to form a body and tie off, and then wind on the tinsel to form the rib. Tie off.

Otherwise use a sparkle chenille and do not tie in a rib. In both cases it is better that the body is smaller than the diameter of the Booby eyes.

Night Boobies

Method one: Tie as above using black or dark olive marabou. Use aurora luminescent skirt, as the body.

Method two: Tie a Booby using black or dark olive marabou as a tail, black, red or olive chenille as a body. Then using luminescent paint dab eyes on the boobies.

Booby Variants

The list of variant ties for boobies could fill quite a few articles. The most common ones are as follows.

Viva Booby: Tie a Booby using black marabou tail. Then tie in and wind on two turns of chartreuse (fluorescent green) chenille, completing the body with a dubbing made of black marabou. Use a tuft of black marabou tied in behind the boobies to form a wing. Try this fly in bright sunlight. Yes I know about dark fly theories but this pattern works very well during the day.

Cat's Whisky Booby: Use a white marabou tail, lime green chenille, or chartreuse sparkle chenille body, and a tuft of white marabou tied in behind the head as a wing.

Booby Bugger: Tie a Booby as usual to the tail. But before starting tying in the body tie in a barred hackle by the tip at the tail. Form the body of chenille then wind the hackle forward to the head and tie off, in Woolly Bugger fashion.

Rabbit or Mink Booby: Tie a Booby head as usual, then wrap the hook down to the tail with with silver or gold tinsel. Tie in a rabbit or mink strip at the tail leaving at least a hook and a half of the strip as a tail, and enough to cover the hook shaft. Wet the fur above the shaft of the hook, then tie down the strip with about 4 or 5 turns of the thread. (Wetting the fur makes it easier to pull the fur apart to tie down through the fur to the skin.) Tie the fur down behind or in front of the Booby eyes according to your preference.

Booby Colours:

The list of colours available to the Booby tier is just about as wide as all the colours in the spectrum.

Probably the most popular and successful colour combination is a white tail, chartreuse chenille or sparkle chenille body. Darker colours using olive tails work well in coloured water or dusk and dark. But do not get hung up on the dark fly for the dark story, a Viva Booby works much better during the day than at night - maybe trout have not heard the dark fly rule?

All-white Boobies work well too, especially at night if there is a moon lurking around.

OK, time to get something out of the way about fly colours for day and night -
Rule 1: Bish is always right.
Rule 2: If Bish is wrong refer to Rule 1.

Recently I have been using a peach tail and body to great effect. A yellow tail, yellow body and olive wing has caught plenty of fish. But as the photo shows the colour range is endless.

Hook size and shape:

Use a long shank down eye, or straight eye hook. The most common size is probably a size 6 hook but I regularly use size eight and ten hooks. Smaller hooks seem to perform better at night.

Barbs:

One of the first things you notice when using Booby flies is how often fish are very deeply (back of mouth and throat) hooked. If you release fish, it is a wise move to de-barb the hooks. Another tactic to avoid deep hooking is to tie the boobies on the underside of the hook, which makes the hook swim barb up - this seems to result in more lip and upper-mouth hook-ups.

The Complete Guide to Freshwater Fishing (The Freshwater Angler)
Silverlake Freshwater Flies and Streamers
Freshwater Fishing Tips and Techniques
What Fish Don't Want You to Know: An Insider's Guide to Freshwater Fishing
Bass Fish Patch Embroidered Largemouth Large Mouth Freshwater Fishing Iron-On Emblem

Booby Flies - Deadly in Lakes (Part 1)

2011-03-19T22:41:00.000-04:00

Booby flies are one of the strangest looking but most productive flies you can use in still or slow moving waters.

There are no prizes for guessing how the fly got its name, once you see the fly, and also no prizes for those who think that these flies are sometimes called ‘Dolly Parton’s.

The combination of its bobbing action as the foam beads of the head struggle to lift the fly, and the seductive wriggle of the marabou tail often proves irresistible to trout. But it is one of the most misunderstood flies being used in New Zealand (and elsewhere?) today.

First a bit of history.

The first references I can find about Booby flies is from English magazines published about 35 years ago. Back then they were called ‘Booby nymphs’, and you still see this fly called Booby nymph in today's UK magazines.

The name Booby nymph reveals the flies origins. English lake fishers observed that many emerging insects used a bubble of air to move from the lake bed and weeds to the surface. This bubble of air held the insect in the surface film while it changed from its nymph form into a flying insect. Nymphs with bubbles of foam attached to the head became a proven fish taker. These nymphs were used with a floating line.

Then someone added some marabou to the tail to simulate the waving legs and wings as the nymph emerged. This addition of life to the Booby nymph increased catch rates significantly. We have to suppose that the jump from fishing the Booby nymph on the surface to fishing it under the surface was as a result of observation.

Soon bigger Boobies were being tied, this time to imitate fish fry, and fished on fast sinking lines. The results were dramatic. Dramatic enough to persuade many lake owners in the UK to ban the fly. In some lakes this ban still applies.

I first came across Booby flies fishing alongside an Englishman on a beach at Taupo about 1988. His success rate was extraordinary. He gave me a couple of the flies which I promptly filed away in my fly box and forgot about. Forgot until I read about three months later an in-depth article on the Booby fly in a U.K. magazine.

I tried the Booby at a river mouth at Taupo and caught trout alongside the rip, when no one else using the traditional methods was getting a touch. There were a couple of guides on the rip that evening and they were quick to notice the efficacy of the Booby fly and they swooped on my fly box.

Suddenly the Booby began to pop up in Taupo, Rotorua and lakes further afield. A couple of articles in fishing magazines, one of them mine, and the Booby was suddenly flavour of the month - for a while.

My guess is that many anglers have tried the fly once or twice and then given it away. I still watch in some amazement groups of anglers standing in the rip swinging standard lures catching no fish. When in plain sight one or two anglers using Booby flies off to the side of the rip (where a stream or river enters a lake) are catching fish. My belief, based on observation and discussion, is that the anglers who give up on the Booby do so because they do not fish the fly correctly.

Today's Booby

Today's basic Booby flies are all built around the same principle - pair of eyes made of some kind of plastic foam at the head of the hook, some chenille wound round the shank of the hook to form a body, and a big tuft of marabou to form a tail. This basic fly has a myriad of derivations and colour combinations, each of which seems to work at some time or other.

The Booby fly looks very strange in the fly box. A pair of round boobies at the head, a big feather duster of a tail. It is the view of the fly when it is dry that seems to put people off. But wet the fly and look at it again. (See photo at top of this page) The overall shape is a great imitation of [smelt] (baitfish). Put it in the water, and the tail moves just like the sinewy movements of a fish. It is no wonder trout hit the thing so hard.

Basic fishing method

The basic method of fishing the Booby is very simple. Use a fast sinking line, I find a shooting head best, no more than 500 cm (24”) of leader to the Booby and cast it out. Give the line plenty of time to sink and pull the fly down to the bottom. Even in only 2 or 3 metres of water this can take 30 seconds or more. If there is any current at all it will take longer.

Once the fly has settled retrieve the fly in short, 10 to 20 cm (12”) tugs, pausing between each tug. The pause is important, the fly must be allowed to float back up, because tugging on the line pulls it down. That pretty much is that, except for the following advice.

If you are trying a Booby for the first time, and you take no notice of anything else in this article, follow this piece of advice...

Before you make your first cast with the Booby throw the fly out into the water where you can see it. Allow the line to pull it under, and then watch the movement of the fly as you tug, and release, the line. Only by watching the movement of the fly as you tug and release will you learn how to work the fly. Remember in still water you have to provide the movement to the fly to make it live. The subtleties of the movement you provide can add and enhance the life of the lure.

The basic Booby method works well in most situations but there are many variations that can be used.

In summer on still days, especially if there are fish working on the surface try using a very long leader, at least the depth of the water and then a bit. This method really requires that you can see the fly. Cast out and allow the line time to sink. Then tug on the line, you may need to pull about 20 cm, then pause. The Booby will sink under the surface then bob back to the surface and send out little ripples. The takes of trout when using this method resemble [kingfish] whacking poppers. Exciting stuff.

If there is some current where you are fishing, lengthen the leader, this will allow the fly to swing as well as bob. But remember that it is probably better for the leader to be too short than too long.

Booby Ethics:

Booby flies have copped some negative flack, especially about some anglers using the fly on a “heave and leave” basis. That is simply casting out the fly and leaving it until some fish comes along and gobbles it.

At Lake Otamangakau (central North Island, NZ) I once saw a guy cast out a Booby then walk back up the bank stripping line behind him till he reached a seat and sat down to wait. This made me angry. Then I reflected that this guy was no fly fisherman.

But to ban a fly that is effective for the many who fish it as fly fishermen, for the sake of the very few who fish it as bait fishermen seems to be a bit like using a sledge hammer to drive a tack. Besides I have observed some anglers using a couple of nymphs under a giant indicator on a heave and leave basis.

Any one who believes Booby flies should be banned because they float underwater will I trust never use weighted lines or weighted nymphs for the same fractured logic in reverse. To decry a fly because it is effective when fished as a fly seems to strike at the very core of the inventiveness that has characterised the fly-tier's art since it began.

One part of the art of catching trout on the fly is to select a fly that will induce a trout to bite it. The next and perhaps most important part is to place the fly where the fish are feeding. This is perhaps what makes the Booby so effective.

Designing and using a fly that floats just off the bottom is a tactic equally as valid as using a fly weighted to fish right on the bottom.

Trout Fishing in the Uk And Ireland: Techniques And Tactics

Bad Day to Go Fishing Poster Movie UK 11x17 Gary Piquer Jouko Ahola Antonella Costa C?sar Troncoso

T-Shirt Mens Black " Fishing MADE IN UK - E-UROPE " Sports Large

Berkley 50 lb. Digital Fish Scale

Humminbird 110 Fishin' Buddy 4-Inch Waterproof Fishfinder

No-tailed Gar

2011-03-09T16:07:00.000-05:00

Submitted by: Terry Smith

It was late June in the scorching sun of Northeast Alabama. A friend, Steve Latimer and myself, Terry Smith were fishing on the Coosa River for the elusive, mysterious and mystifying long nose gar during the sweltering heat of the midday sun. We had caught and released several praiseworthy fish before the oppressive heat started to take a toll on us. As I attempted to make one more cast I glanced at Steve, sweat was pouring from him like rain drops, his clothing was soaking wet, and he started laughing uncontrollably. I was not in much better condition than he, so under the circumstances I decided we should perhaps throw in the sweat drenched towel and call it a day, but not before one more cast.

Then it happened, (tap- tap,) another strike. I was unsure if I would be able to boat the fish in my horrid condition. I could barely see through the sweat that was pouring profusely from my brow, I could hardly hold my rod, and my mental capability had diminished greatly from all the extreme heat and sizzling sun.

After finally boating and examining the abnormal looking creature as best we could in our dreadful condition, both Steve and I thought that we had truly succumb to the intense heat, while on a gar fishing trip, during the month of June, on the Coosa River, in Northeast Alabama. However, pictures do not lie.

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The Long Ride In...

2010-12-31T21:59:00.000-05:00

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God, I love Fishing!

2010-12-31T21:56:00.000-05:00

Focus

2010-12-31T21:54:00.000-05:00

If you can tell me what kind of fish this is, then you are looking in the wrong place! ;-)

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Trolling With Live Bait

2010-12-31T21:49:00.000-05:00

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Fishermen Catch the Darndest Things

2010-12-01T22:34:00.000-05:00

Blake Robinson hauled in a keeper mackinaw trout and quickly gutted it, while ice fishing from the Flaming Gorge Reservoir. He was more than a little shocked to discover a human thumb in the fish's belly!!! Turns out the thumb belonged to Utah resident Robert Lindsay, who lost it in a boating accident the year before. Preserved in the near freezing water, Lindsay's thumb was most likely mistaken by the trout to be an oversized grub worm. Luckily, the thumb was retrieved before the fish's stomach acids could digest the unusual meal!

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Catch N' Release

2010-11-17T17:12:00.000-05:00

Submitted by: Tim R.

“I’ve heard of people like you, but I never thought I’d meet one!” the fish seemed to say as I retrieved the hook from its upper lip.

I love to fish. Oh, how I love to go fishing.

Ever since Uncle Ally took me to the Shark River inlet on the coast of New Jersey when I turned four years old, I have loved fishing. My catch that day, almost 60 years ago, consisted of a two-inch blowfish I pulled up with a crab net, and a similar-sized shrimp I acquired with my hook and bamboo pole. And Uncle Ally, he could spin a yarn - especially while fishing.

“How did the river get its name?” I asked.

“Some of the biggest, meanest sharks have been caught off this bridge,” he said through a moon-faced grin beneath his wide-brimmed straw hat. “Men with twelve-inch diameter reels and one-inch thick rods would haul in monster sharks off the bridge we are standing on this morning. Smelly dead chickens full of maggots for bait, impaled on six-inch hooks tied to wire line, worked every time.”

As I took the shrimp from my hook, I smiled thinking I’m glad no shark grabbed my sand warm this time. I’d never be able to pull in a shark!

Through the decades that passed (I am now 63) I’ve heard of Catch and Release. In the past, I’ve regarded C & R people as different. I would think to myself Hey, if you don’t like eating fish, give them to me, never realizing their deeper motivation...until lately.

Please understand that next to fishing, my Number 2 sport is eating - especially fish.

Well, a couple of summers ago I decided to try C & R, and did I get blessed.

I’m out on Lake Montrose in Montrose, Pennsylvania in a canoe casting with a weighted rubber worm, when something aggressive hits my hook. Up he comes through the water’s surface and shoots at least three feet into the air. The sun glistening off its dark wet back. Water drops splashing everywhere exhibiting rainbow colors of refracted sunlight.

After three displays of acrobatic high leaps and dives, I have him at the side of the canoe. Now, he is banging and thrashing like a bobcat caught in a cardboard box. I lean over the side of the canoe and whisper “Hello fish. Don’t you know I’m into catch and release?”

The 18-inch smallmouth bass stops thrashing and seems to be listening more intently than most people. One eye looks into mine with an expression that says "I’ve heard of guys like you, but I never thought I’d meet one."

I reached down into the water and grabbed that mighty fish by his lower jaw. After holding him up for a closer look, I removed the hook, smiled and lowered this worthy opponent to his arena - the cool lake.

He wiggled off to parts unknown, leaving us both content.

Catch and Release fishing adds a new dimension for both fish and fisherman.

Fish is happy to be free.

Fisherman is free to be happy with the Catch and joy to Release the fish.

I hope you don’t wait 60 years to try C & R … I guarantee a blessing if you try it today.

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Galveston woman dies from flesh-eating bacteria

2010-09-29T13:49:00.000-04:00

HOUSTON -- A Galveston woman died Tuesday after she was infected with a flesh-eating bacteria, officials told the Galveston County Daily News.

Ginger Ling’s family said she lived to cook and, sadly, cooking is what ultimately may have led to her death.

“We are going to miss her a lot, it was very fast a lot faster than we thought, we didn't know," said her daughter, Tammy Bage.

Last Sunday evening, Ling, a former Bolivar school cafeteria worker, was cleaning fish at home before a family dinner. She purchased the flounder and stony crabs from a fish market, and lobster from a grocery store.

"She's worked with fish all her life with all seafood," Bage said.

But this time, the mother of four and grandmother of seven, who suffered from arthritis, hit her arm on the kitchen faucet.

"It was more of a scratch up her arm,” Bage said.

Later that night, Ling complained of a burning sensation, and by Monday morning she was in the emergency room, her daughter said.

"It had swollen up just several times its normal size," Bage said.

Ling’s arm was black and purple from her knuckle to the top of her arm.

She died Tuesday from a flesh-eating bacteria. While it hasn't been confirmed, her condtition may have been caused by vibrio, a bacterium.

It can get into your body if contaminated seawater gets into a wound or if someone eats contaminated seafood. It's especially dangerous for those with auto-immune disorders.

“Her skin was so thin anyway from the rheumatoid arthritis and all the steroids, you know we could scratch ourselves and it would be no big deal, but it could be, it would be bad for her," Bage said.

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If Dolphins Could Talk (Documenting Efforts to Protect Dolphins Around the World From Varying Threats)

Sea Sickness Tips

2010-04-23T00:05:00.001-04:00

Everyone has had an experience with motion sickness at one time or another. Weather you are out 30 miles or just near shore. It’s a bummer to have to return to the docks do to a sick fishing buddy or worse a buddies sick girlfriend or wife. Not that I want to hog all the femininity but most girls don’t do well in 3 to 5 swells. There are a good few that can take it for the reward at the end.

One of the first steps in dealing with any sickness is understanding what is wrong so that you can mentally deal with the problem. This is very important in dealing with sea sickness. Sea sickness starts with the inner ear, and gets worse from there.

Your head aches, you are sick to your stomach, your mouth waters and you basically feel the worst you have ever felt, you are not really sick, just out of balance. At times your skin is actually green. No question about it, you feel bad, but you must remember you have no disease, just a motion problem. You can do a lot to cure yourself, and very quickly.

Some things to remember: Fresh air is good but you want to stay low and to the stern of the boat. That is where you will encounter the least motion. The bow of the boat pounds through the waves, up and down the stern drags through the water. The ride is much smoother. The boat rocks from side to side. The higher you are the more movement you encounter.

Medications:

There are several good medications on the market. The best is probably the scopolamine patch by Transderm Scop. It is still a prescription medication but usually easy to obtain with a simple call to your doctor. Dry mouth is usually the only side effect, but that is true with most all sea sickness medications.

There are several over the counter medications but the one we like best is Bonine. Drowsiness is the side effect but less so with Bonine than with other brands. To be effective you should get this medication in your system 8 hours before you board the boat. If possible, sleep on it and take more when you board the boat and you tend to be less drowsy. That way, it’s in your system and working when .you wake up.

Smooth Sailing is a ginger drink that many people say works quite well especially to settle your stomach. Combining smooth Sailing and Bonine can work well also. Wristbands can work for some people but are not generally considered the best remedy.

Severe sea sickness can be treated by using a combination of both the scopolamine-patch and Bonine and almost never fails. But you should check with your doctor. The side effect is hunger and more drowsiness. (A nice tuna on the end of your rod is a good cure for drowsiness!)

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Sunscreen and Skin Cancer

2010-04-22T23:53:00.001-04:00

Sunscreen: The white goo you slather on before you go to the beach or out on the water. Sunscreen keeps you from getting fried to a crisp. It helps prevent your skin from getting that wrinkled, leathery look. And it protects you from the ultraviolet rays that causes skin cancer. Sunburn, caused by a type of ultraviolet (UV) light known as UVB, has served as a surrogate for more serious conditions like melanoma and basal and squamous cell carcinoma, three forms of skin cancer. If you prevent sunburn, you prevent skin cancer, right?

Not so it seems, Sunscreens do protect skin from sunburn, but a scientific debate simmers about the role of lower-energy ultraviolet light in skin damage and whether current sunscreens provide adequate protection.

In recent years, it has become apparent that a different form of ultraviolet light, called UVA, may be even more important in causing some skin disorders. Although experts still believe that UVB is responsible for much of the skin damage caused by sunlight — especially sunburn — UVA may be an important factor in photo aging and skin cancers. Most sunscreens do a good job blocking UVB, but fewer sunscreens filter out most of the UVA, so they do not help to prevent the beginnings of melanoma formation. So when you do that 2 minute shopping at the local store stop and do yourself a favor and actually read the sunscreen label. This may help in the future.

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Florida Mullet Fishing Tips

2010-04-22T23:42:00.000-04:00

by Teresa Roberts

I am 52 years of age. My father is a huge lover of fishing so I have been fishing since I was old enough to hold a pole. I remember the first fish I ever caught was a flounder. You know, those silly looking fish with their eyes on one side of their head. I was six years old and I remember it as if it were yesterday. I saw that mutant looking fish when I reeled it ashore and I screamed my lungs out, turned and ran. I was holding the pole over my shoulder and running like a wild child. When I looked back and saw that mutant looking thing chasing me I screamed even louder. I remember seeing my mother and father standing and watching, laughing so hard they couldn't save me. There I was running as fast as my little legs would pump and all I knew was that ugly fish was right behind me no matter where I went, and my own parents wouldn't save me. I laugh now as an adult but at the time it wasn't as funny to me as it was to them.

But on to my subject of mullet fishing. I've lived in Florida just about my entire life and have been fishing most of it. I recently experienced something I had never done before. Mullet fishing. I'll have to admit, it's different. It takes a lot of patient to be a mullet fisherman. If I'm totally honest, it's not for me.

Last Friday my parents and I and my Uncle and Aunt went mullet fishing. We found a spot along what is called The Mullet Hole and began to get everything ready for the action. After we were all prepared there I stood with a rod and reel in my hand. The line had 5 tiny hooks, each hook had a tiny piece of white rubber worm impaled on it. Above all these hooks was a bobber. Now here i stand with 5 foot of line protruding from my pole and wondering how the heck I was going to cast out into the water without catching something on shore with one of the hooks. Sad picture.

Well I finally figured it out and I cast my line. Now here I stand holding my pole and watching my bobber waiting for it to be pulled under the water. My father proceeds to walk over and "chum" the water. Chumming consists of throwing a mixture of wet oats and laying mash out into the water and hoping it lands near your bobber. This is suppose to attract the mullet.

We stood there for hours...watching bobbers and chumming. Never got the first nibble. Shoot we never even had one brush our lines much less nibble. I did however get to watch an alligator glide gently through the water. Was a nice sight but I remained ready to run in case he decided to come on land.

After those hours we gave up and went home. Now on this day just down the Mullet Hole aways there were people catching mullet quite quickly. They'd cast out their line...watch the bobber land and rest, pull it in with a big mullet on a hook. I don't know how many they actually caught but we decided we couldn't catch any because they weren't letting them come up stream to where we were. They weren't giving them a chance.

Well two days later (having the first event fresh on my mind) my father decides he wants to try again but wants to go earlier so we could get the "good spot." So reluctantly my mother and I decide to go with him. We get there early and get the "good spot." We get everything ready and begin to fish and chum. A couple of hours later we have gotten not a single nibble. By this time i am becoming very bored with the entire mullet fishing thing. We continue to fish a little while later and low and behold, someone a Little ways up from us begins to catch some mullet.

Once again we are hopeful. Then the lady sitting a couple of chairs away begins to catch some. However her husband who is using the same kind of pole, hook, bait, and fishing the exact same spot, isn't. And guess who else isn't, that's right, us.

After a little longer without ever getting a nibble I decided this was not my thing and gave up. I was totally and completely bored with watching my bobber continue to float calmly in the water, barely moving at all. I was so very thankful when my father gave up as well and we went home.

I may try it again someday but if I do, I will drive my own car and when I get ready to leave I will. I have heard people say a bad day fishing is better then a good day at work, well when it comes to mullet fishing I'm not so sure. Least at work you aren't usually bored to death.

If you decide to give this a try at some point in your life, I wish you luck. You will need one pole, either a rod and reel or a cane pole. You can put as many hooks as you wish to on the line but they should be small ones. And you will need one bobber for entertainment purposes. The mixture for chumming is one part oats to one part laying mash, moistened till it will stick when made into a ball.

If you try this, give it a fair shot. Don't take my word for how boring it is because i actually saw people out there enjoying themselves. If nothing else it's relaxing, gets you outside into fresh air and in most cases it's tranquil enough.

Learn more about this author, Teresa Roberts.

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VHF Radios : Your Offshore Lifesaver

2010-04-17T13:59:00.000-04:00

The VHF Radio can be a lifesaver for boaters (and offshore anglers)–– but only if you know how to use it properly.

Learn how to use VHF radio to make calls & assist others in an emergency.

Have you ever owned a piece of equipment on your boat that you knew was essential but never used it because you didn't know how, and you were embarrassed to ask?

Such a case became apparent to me one day when a 24-foot tunnel-drive boat was stuck high-and-dry on a river sandbar. I mean this fellow was frantically shuffling around his vessel in ankle-deep water, dismayed and not knowing what to do.

I attempted to come to his assistance but couldn't get too close out of fear of entering into the same predicament. After careful maneuvering, he managed to hand me a rope and I attempted to pull him off the sandbar, but to no avail.

Seeing the critical nature of the situation - not being very far off the main thoroughfare of the Mississippi River, which is heavily traveled by ships and crewboats - I asked if he had called and reported the situation to the Coast Guard. At that point he embarrassingly evaded the question. The irony of the matter was he had a VHF radio aboard, but hadn't bothered to radio for help despite being stranded there for over an hour.

To make a long story short, it only took a simple call to the Coast Guard using my VHF radio before he received assistance from a nearby crewboat.

Situations like this are needlessly repeated time and again because of boaters being unacquainted with certain safety equipment. Also, some find themselves in such a situation simply by thinking it will never happen to them.

The VHF radio is obviously the most important communication link you have aboard your vessel since it can prove to be a lifesaver. However, it can only be such if it is in good operating condition and if you know how to properly use it. Unequivocally, no boat owner should leave the dock without it.

When was the last time you either used your VHF radio or tested its ability to transmit and receive? Maybe you have been one of the unfortunate to find out the answer to that question when left stranded in no-man's land. The simple fact is some boaters have found that even with a VHF radio in seemingly good working order they still experience difficulty reaching other boats or the Marine Operator.

On the other hand, never conclude that your VHF radio must be in good working order simply because of a radio check. For example, it's to be noted that the Coast Guard can be reached with minimal wattage since they are equipped with special systems to do so. Therefore a radio check by means of them or other boats can be deceiving.

Making a VHF radio transmit and receive efficiently can be accomplished legally by only two means: (1) using a higher db gain antenna, and (2) increasing the height of the antenna.

Economically speaking, the latter is the best approach if your boat is long enough so that the antenna does not protrude past the transom too far once laid down. The simple fact is that when antenna height is increased, it yields better "line of sight," which is the key ingredient in transmitting and receiving a VHF radio signal. Thus, the addition of an antenna extension will substantially increase VHF radio performance at a minimal investment.

The placement of the antenna is also important, so choose an area that is above and clear of metal obstructions. Keep in mind that the addition of an antenna extension may also warrant the use of additional coaxial cable.

A higher db gain antenna will further achieve greater distances, especially when coupled with an extension. But higher db gain antennas can costly and are considerably longer than the norm to begin with. So, a proper base mount and support will be essential when making the transition in either case.

Another problem VHF radio owners have to contend with is water damage to their unit due to rain, saltwater spray or freshwater spray when washing the boat down. Some VHF radios are water-resistant, not waterproof. If you do happen to own one that is waterproof, the following tips won't be necessary because you will be able to mount your VHF radio anywhere that is convenient.

You can virtually eliminate the water spray problem by taking a piece of heavy gauge clear vinyl and cutting it out to form a cover for the front area of your VHF radio. You can use the radio mounting knobs to hold it in place if you make it wide enough so that it folds down along the sides. A paper punch or razor-knife will easily cut and make the needed size holes to accommodate the knob screws. Surprisingly, this clear vinyl cover, when used on VHF radios with front speakers, can actually improve speaker volume and clarity in many cases.

Once the VHF radio and cover are in position, place it in the mounting bracket which will retain both the cover and radio. This, of course, will not make your VHF radio submersible, but if properly done, it will easily be protected from hose or saltwater sprays.

As earlier illustrated, some boat owners who have VHF radios may not be familiar with the proper procedure to call someone. First of all, keep in mind that the FCC no longer requires users (recreational US users) to obtain a license for transmitting or receiving calls.

In any case, here's the procedure to call, for example, the Coast Guard. You might say: "This is motor vessel (your name), (your call sign {if license required}) to (unit name) Coast Guard." This is done on channel 16, which is the National Calling and Distress channel. After reply contact is made, you will be requested to move to Channel 22A (the US Coast Guard working channel) for further communication.

You will also use Channel 16 to establish contact with another pleasure boat or a commercial vessel, but once the contact is made you must switch to either Channel 68, 69 or 70 for pleasure boats or to one of the frequencies assigned to commercial vessel traffic to talk.

Before cellular telephones became popular and affordable, boaters could also use their VHF radios to make telephone calls from their boats. This was done by calling the marine operator on Channel 16 and then asking the operator to place the call. Once the operator made contact with the party you were calling, she would give you a "go ahead" and asked the receiving party to standby.

There are two things which make VHF radio calls awkward for beginners. The first is having to remember to say "over" when you finished your sentence, and the second is remembering to release the microphone button so that you can hear the other party. Of course nowadays personal calls can be more easily made with the use of a cellular phone, even though you can use your VHF radio to contact the marine operator to do the same.
Cellular phones also make a lot of boaters ask whether they even need to install a VHF radio on the vessel.

The answer is a short and simple, "Yes." While cellular phones are great for calling home or taking that occasional business call while fishing, it's not as dependable as VHF in emergencies.

The key here is the fact that not only does the U.S. Coast Guard monitor Channel 16 on a 24-hour basis, but all commercial vessels are required to have their VHF radios on Channel 16. So, if you are fishing in the marshes and your boat breaks down, someone will inevitably hear a call for help over a VHF radio and you don't have to worry about being in a "dead zone" like might occur with the use of your cellular phone.

Costa Rica... Chapter 8

2010-03-14T01:20:00.000-05:00

Costa Rica... Chapter 8

The Jungle People

It was Day 4 in Nicaragua. The previous days have not been easy. Physically, they have been fatiguing, as the lack of sleep combined with the heat and strenuous fishing had begun to take its toll upon my resources. Mentally I was exhausted. My mind had been stretched to its limits and then pulled far beyond them. The overload of information and stimuli had caused not only haunting dreams, hallucinations and jumbled thoughts, but had begun to effect me physically. My balance was off, my hands trembled. I could not think comprehensibly. I was however, still having the time of my life fishing. I began to think that perhaps I was a bit too sensitive.

Bertie and I rode with Jaime back to Fish Creek that morning. Two of the other boats from the Rain Goddess showed up while we were there. One held the two flyfishers and the other held two of the guys from the Eagle Claw gang fishing with spinning gear. I could sense their frustration as time after time they went up and down the creek, trying to find a place to catch a fish and each time they passed, my rod was doubled over with another nice fish on.

The day went on like that, with them catching nothing and Bertie and I hooked up almost all of the time. We stopped for a short lunch and then fished some more. Around mid afternoon we headed back in to the Rain Goddess. Peter and Dave had gone to Black Creek to fish and they would not return until almost dark.

As the other anglers from Fish Creek returned to the Rain Goddess, they would ask a million questions. They would complain about their guides. I would set them straight and tell them there was nobody to blame but themselves. The fish were there, the guide had taken them there, it was up to them to catch them. I tried to explain to them the methods that I used, in casting a nymph out, letting it sink and then slowly stripping it in, in 5 or 6 inch strips with a few seconds to allow it to sink again in between. They told me I was crazy.

I tried to explain to them about the way the mojarra sit underneath a popper for up to a full minute at times studying it before they take it. I tried to explain to them that the proper way to set the hook in them was with a snap of the wrist to the side, and not a trout hookset. They told me I knew not what I spoke of. I told them I had caught well over 30 fish that day and asked them how many they had caught. That would shut them up. I could tell they did not like being told anything by someone half their age. I shut up as well. I wanted to keep the peace that the afternoon was bringing me.

Lunch was served on the Rain Goddess, a gourmet meal for sure. It was a far cry from the meals that I had been eating at the hotel, where I had so far dined upon rat and iguana and wild peccary soup. It was rich and sat on my stomach. We went back to the bottom deck to await the arrival and adventures of Peter and Dave. They had not done too well in Black Creek. I went with them back to the hotel and we had dinner. From there it was back to the Rain Goddess to bid Bertie farewell. He was to return the next morning to his home in Ft. Walton Beach, FL. We sat and we drank and Garry joined us and the five us sat there late into the night, with Big John, the 15 foot long crocodile that lives in the lagoon where the Goddess was anchored, watching on. We shared adventures and stories and fishing tales from all around the world and drank. Finally we said our good byes and went back to the hotel for some sleep. I would get some, but not much. My dreams that night were worse than any had been so far.

Once again I found myself down on the dock as the sun rose. Peter and Dave and their boat boy Omar came down just after dawn, and after a quick breakfast we were off again to Fish Creek. Another day passed of Mojarra and Guapote and Machaca and Viejitos. Omar was young, but learning quickly about how to manage a boat containing flyfishers. Peter and Dave and I stood side by side in the boat and all made casts together. It is not easy to cast with three people on a boat. Luckily the three of us were experienced enough to do so. Dave is a short caster, and Peter and I had to adjust our casting to make casts from short distances. It is not easy for me to do, but I can do it if I must.

I hooked into a huge guapote. I was using a 30 lb tippet, but after just a few short seconds, it had broken me off. I tried to turn the fish in every direction that I could but it did not do any good. It finally took off for a log and that was the end of the story. Peter and Dave stood there dumbfounded. I put away the 5 wt and picked up a 9 wt rod and tied a clouser onto the tippet. It was time to see if I could hook into one of the many tarpon that kept rolling all around us. While Peter and Dave continued to catch many fish, I failed to hook a single tarpon, though I did have one bump my fly once. It was just not to be, perhaps it was too late in the day. The bite had begun to turn off for my companions as well.

We left Fish Creek in time to see the black clouds rolling in. We raced the storm to the hotel and made it just in time to unload the boat before the downpour began. While they both went for a nap, I stood outside in the rain and felt it upon my face. It had been a long time since I could stand in the rain and not freeze. It had been a long time since I had heard real thunder. I prayed for lightning, lightning like I had known at home in FL, but my prayers were not answered. I realized how long it had been since I had seen lightning and how much I missed it. My thoughts turned to home. Perhaps it was time.

We did not fish that evening. We were to leave the following day, but things happened and we could not get out until the next, so we all retired early and each of us slept right through until the morning. I awoke disoriented, wondering why I had managed to sleep the whole night through without a single nightmare. I did not question it. Instead I finished packing my things and carrying them to the boat. We would be following the Coronel, the transport boat from the Rain Goddess out. The rivers had dropped even more since we had made our way in, and it would make for a dangerous ride for both of the boats had they had to do it alone. Together there was safety.

We made our way back down the rivers. One solitary huge crocodile was all that I saw. A bright blue kingfisher flew alongside of us for a long ways. I wondered about the kingfisher, and thought of how much alike we really were. I thought back upon the people of the jungle, and realized many things about my own life. I realized how good I had it. I have lived out of a suitcase for many months now and have little in the way of material goods with me and yet, I can not recall being happier. These people have it hard, and yet, they do not realize they do. They have nothing with which to compare it. This life is all that they know. A trip to the supermarket means a 12 mile paddle up and then back down a river to a place where they sell fruits and vegetables. Their meat is hunted or caught on small handlines that I see them fishing with regularly. Their laundry is done in the river. Their food is cooked in a coal pot. I wondered if I would ever again complain about things like that.

We rode on, the Coronel always within our sights, save for one scary moment when we ran aground. The sand got into the motor, the alarms went off and the scramble for a heavy piece of mono to run through the ports began. Finally we were back in business and somehow managed to catch up with the other boat again. We stopped at one house along the river and were greeted by a man and a woman and about 15 children. Each was about 10 or 11 months older than the next and they were all brown children, save for one little boy, whose skin was as white as paper, freckled and he had a headful of red hair. His eyes were the brown of his family. I watched genetics at work as all of the other children hung back. I watched as this boy and this boy alone came to the boat and looked and wondered and watched as we purchased a load of freshwater shrimp, which many would consider small lobsters. I saw how he was ostracized by the rest of the family and saw too that he did not seem to care. He was the most independent child I had ever seen. It was interesting to see.

Back through the checkpoints we went, and I was greeted by my touchy feely friend again, only this time with so many people around with the load of folks returning to Puerto Viejo from the Goddess aboard the Coronel he did not try much. Only the Doc and I got off of the boats, carrying all of the passports for our respective boats. The Doc speaks Spanish. He told me that the guard had told them that I was an amazingly tall woman and that I would make good breeding stock. I was glad to be getting out of there. As we were leaving, I managed to take one too many steps into the water and sank to my waist in horrid sulfuric water. I wondered how the people drank this water and bathed in it. Within minutes it began to burn.

We had picked up three passengers at the guard station and would be taking them to Puerto Viejo with us. It was a man and woman and their little girl. They simply turned their heads as I changed my clothes right there on the boat. I did not care. The water stung my skin. Onwards we went, and I could feel the apprehension and mystery of the jungle behind me getting further and further away. I reflected on all that I had learned, had experienced, had felt, had wondered. As I looked back, I began to look forward as well. Home sounds good. I long for a cold shower and a meal that does not consist of beans and rice. I miss my family, my friends, and I miss wading in the waters of the lagoon. I wondered how much longer I would survive in paradise. I knew right then and there, on the river coming home from Nicaragua, that I would soon be leaving this place and heading back to the waters I knew and loved the most. Soon, I will be going home.

For now, home is still the house on the hill overlooking the city of San Jose, where my hammock swings out front under the skies and in the breezes off of the mountains. It was good enough just to be back to that. I unloaded the truck, unpacked my things and headed for the shower. I reveled in the small amount of hot water that we have here and as I got out of the shower to dry off, I looked into a mirror for the first time in a week. I barely knew the woman staring back at me. She looked old. Her eyes were those of someone three times my age, and her posture was that of someone who had just walked across the plains of Hell and survived. I wondered who she was, and how well I would get along with her. I am still finding out.