Nbk65bo was gracious enough to take me fishing again, and let me start by saying there is not a better host anywhere.
Could not tell you where we started or where we fished but I do know it was a beautiful few flats we walked as we looked for fish. The water was coming in nicely but so was the wind. So much for the calm winds that were forecast!
I took my new 6wt and Loop reel in hopes of a tug to break it in.
Things were not looking good to find any tails poking out but we saw a glimer of something we thought was another crab until we noticed it was moving too uniformly and too far. Chris asked if I wanted the first shot and i declined so he positioned himself and made the cast. Fish on! Not a long fight and not a record breaking fish, but the skunk was off. I turned around and saw some nervous water coming my way. Made the cast with my hand tied merkin and the fish flipped up on it as Chris yelled he’s got it! I set the hook and she took off on a short little run. Hopefully he will post the picture.
Not much action after that but it was a great way to spend a couple of hours!!
Thanks again Chris for putting me on my first red on the fly!!
Congrats on your first otf!!!
1720 Key West Sportsman
115 Mercury 4 stroke
-or-
1997 Honda Civic 200k+
My Own 2 Feet
awesome man!.. where do you try to cast when casting to tailing reds? I went out yesterday and saw 5 tailers and got close and had perfect shots at like all of them they were tailin right in front of my face but everytime i casted they didnt even notice my fly (crab fly) and i eventually spooked all of them… do you just try to get it in their area and hope they see it or is there a certain spot in relation to the tailer that your trying to hit? also when using a crab fly you just twitch it right?
Good luck Bros
Thanks, and I will tell you like Chris told me. When that fish is face down he cannot see a lot so you need to get in about 9-10 in from his face. Some people say put it on a plate, but it is more like a desert plate or coffee saucer.
As we noticed yesterday while walking on the flat the crabs only run about 6-8 in and then put up their claws and wait, so when I threw my crab in his face I gave a little pull and waited and then the tail slapping started and I set the hook.
Last year when we were fishing the same flats I placed two great casts, I thought, but they were a few inches too far, and then Chris dropped it about 3 inches closer and both fish jumped all over the fly.
Good luck and I cannot wait until I can get out there and walk some flats again.
Far better it is to dare mighty things to win glorious triumphs even though checkered with failure, than to take ranks with those poor spirits who never enjoy much nor suffer much because they live in the grey twilight that knows not victory nor defeat.
Great job, nothing quite like it.
“There is a strange sense of pleasure being beat to hell by a storm when you’re on a boat that is not going to sink.” JB
Keith,
I enjoyed it. I will get you those pics on Sunday. I am getting ready to go to the stream in the morning.
chris.