Fish Pictures

[vicente 0]

First trout on a fly rod in a long time for me.

[FlatsRoamer 0]

Now that is surprising lol

[FlatsRoamer 0]

Good to shake off the rust! That's a beautiful rainbow !

[Swamp Fly 0]

Ah, that is why. What makes you think I'm keeping fish from urban canals? While I am not disagreeing that some canals and ponds are just nasty, not all of them are. The canals I like to visit most are way out in the Glades. I have yet to see a shopping cart or any other "urban water structure" out there. Now in all fairness The Glades also have mercury issues just like the Atlantic and any other water system these days. I can't really think of any body of water on the planet that is still truly pristine. As to micro organisms in the water, if you look at a drop of water from any healthy waterway you will see lots of bugs swimming around that is normal and good. I'm more worried about "dead" water that won't support life. Myans are all over the place not just Miami, I've seen them on both coasts from a line crossing the state at about the north side of Lake Okeechobee. Given a few more years without a hard freeze and they might make it to Orlando or even further north. I just about stepped on one in my backyard today while messing around with an UL spinning rod that I built a couple of weeks ago. I'm in southern Charlotte County way out in the sticks. Worst pollution I have to worry about is one of my cows pooping in the water next to me (they must really wonder why I wave a stick around in the swamp). While I never have, I wouldn't have a second thought about keeping a few fish for dinner from here. Honestly I don't keep many fish. Yes, I keep a bunch of Mayans and Oscars when the glades are dry in the Spring. Occasionally I'll keep the odd spanish mackerel, pompano, or tailor bluefish. Usually I just let everything go. It used to be purely for ethical reasons, now I think I'm just to lazy to clean bunch of fish.

[caloosa bug 0]

This was the result of an epic fly fishing outing with some experimental flies made with some of my kids iridescent grass from there easter basket. I culled probably 10-15 other bass.

[Bimini15 0]

It is official. There are two peacock bass in my neighborhood pond...

 

 

 

 

 

[FlatsRoamer 0]

Bimini, do you mind PMing me the recipe of that fly?

[Bimini15 0]

Bimini, do you mind PMing me the recipe of that fly?

Did not really follow a recipe, but I will tell you what I did. It was my first attempt to tie a baitfish pattern, so I kind of threw it together.

 

Eagle Claw circle hook from Walmart. Size 2, I think.

Monofilament thread

EP Game Change Fibers, olive and white

Tiny bit of red kinky fiber for the throat (missing in the one pictured below)

Prismatic dome eyes.

Black Sharpie for the barred effect.

 

[FlatsRoamer 0]

Awesome!

[retrocarp 0]

Another day on the St. Johns River ... catching sunfish and bass. If you don't want to watch the whole thing, the best fight was a good sized catfish in the last couple of minutes of the day.

 

Looks like you had a lot of fun Mike ..

[mikechell 0]

Thanks, Retro ... but I always do.

[JSzymczyk 0]

wow I hope I don't ever hear anyone bitch about fishing in Florida! I had some good times in the panhandle and Pensacola, and even a few times at Mayport, but nothing like you guys down in the south part.

[Bimini15 0]

Can't complain, really. Now imagine if we knew what we were doing...

[Swamp Fly 0]

Well sometimes my thumb gets sore from lipping too many bass or I get twitchy when I keep having tarpon crush a gurgler unexpectedly. Does that count? Bwahahaha!

 

Seriously, good fishing and catching to be had all over the county and the world. I love it here but I also really like doing things I can't do at "home".

[Piker20 0]

Small corkwing wrasse.