Saltybum

All good info and I really appreciate Bob bringing up the fact about NOT wading in dirty water.

\Anymore 98% of my fishing is wading, be it the beach or the Banana River Lagoon. In dirty water ( if I can't see my feet in 12" ) you can't see holes, sticks with barnacles that will slice you up, beer bottles, other sharp metal etc. along with sting rays and previously mentioned sharks, which are very rare in my area. Alligators we do have. Some quite big too. Why I also don't wade pre-dawn. Another story.

That being said...if I can't see my feet I won't wade. Plus I mainly sight fish for reds and trout in very shallow water anyway.

What Islander said...Eagle Claw Billy Pate hooks. I used up my 100 box of #4 and still working on the #2 & 1/0 boxes.

Very similar in profile to Mustad 3407 and usually pretty sharp right out of the box, but as Capt. Bob does I also keep a stone handy.

Since most salty fish are toothy and tend to shred flies ( seaducers, deceivers ) quickly I rarely strip a hook to re-tie unless it's a more pricey hook. Thereby making the economical hooks more practical in that scenario.

Personally I think a lot of hooks are over priced except for the extra strong ones used exclusively for big tarpon around bridges etc. In the open water you can play a fish more w/o the need to put full pressure on your tackle and or the fish to keep them out of structure.

Since the weather is currently crap outside ( and will be ) this thread is motivating me to hit the vice shortly.

FRN photo three...why I love summer.

Flats and islander...nice flies.

Been a while since I've tied anything. I know disgraceful. Recently acquired an old (1974) neglected Gheenoe and getting it ready for docks at night so I'll probably tie up some smallish white stuff pretty soon.

Zero homelessness, because they all come south for the winter. I know of several homeless camps. One I can only see from the water when wading. Oh, it's supposed to be about 78 today with 6kt NE breeze.

Come on down! What's a couple more snow birds.

Skies are crystal clear and I need to go test a couple flies. Wading w/o waders too!

Team work! Gotta love it!

Show us what you tie with it Flats.

X2

Well vicente I did a search and found several colors from a number of distributors BUT no white, which is what flats is seeking.

Maybe you can find the white pseudo.

If the water is clean the beach may hold a variety of fish like snook, trout, pompano. To the south may be good at the pass depending on tides. I've only been there in summer and don't have any advice for the winter.

Another nice one bimini!

Reminds me of our lizard fish down here in the salt.

Yep and Caitlyn finally castrated Bruce for it too.

That's some phine work as usual Peter. Thanks phor the SBS too.

This is one of those...get put in a round room and told to go sit in the corner things.

Do show us what eat's em Flats.

Your dad want to adopt another son?

Ditto.

My wife says I have no patience....until I get a fishing rod in my hands....then I have all the patience in the world.

Fishing for crappie videos? Or crappie fishing videos? Or....

Yes, ignorance is alive and well in this country.

By now I suspect Mike has settled into his new living quarters.

Interesting, the most deadly thing is tobacco and the easiest to get.

Great stuff here. I've lived in Florida since I was 15 months old ( now 63 ) and used catch snakes of all kinds except venomous and only killed one cottonmouth and two rattlesnakes, both of which got ate. Actually caught rat snakes and brought home and released in back yard to help control some rodents once.

A critter here that is overpopulating and being encroached upon by humans is gators. They are aggressive and will and do attack humans. I suspect we will hear more reports of attacks and hope hunting seasons will get longer and issue more permits.

I've personally been stalked while wading the Banana River flats near the Space Center and quickly headed to shore being followed and closed in on all the way to the bank at one point being just 20 feet away right before exiting. I no longer wade right at sun up or sun down.

R.I.P. brother.

Glad I don't have expensive furniture etc. or I probably would have been dead a loooong time a go.

I made several before getting tired of the cracking, splitting etc. etc. then bought a LInekurv. Best thing I ever did.

Preparing of the blowfish is the cleaning part...not cooking. Lizard fish are tasty BUT boney. Ugh!

My trash slam when looking for snook in surf or around Port Canaveral is a blue, jack and lady fish.

The "B" after the III means that it was sold as a blank to a custom builder. Not built by SAGE.