Instagrams @scssam
Cold weather = Sight fishing red fish in Tampa Bay, TFO BVK 8wt Fly rod test in the wind
12.7.2010
In Tampa Bay, usually in the summer time the water is filled with algae, there’s lots of grass and the water quality is pretty murky. With the exception of tailing reds and beach tarpon fishing, fishing in Tampa Bay during the hotter months is blind fishing.
It’s that time of year again that the bay waters starts to clear up and you can actually do some sight fishing on the flats. When it gets cold the algae dies off and the water starts to get clean and awesome for sight fishing.
Today I took along the 8wt TFO BVK and the 10wt GLoomis GLX to do some fly fishing for red fish. I took the 10wt in case it was windy as it was 10-15mph today and you never know if you need that little extra to get the fly there in the wind.
This was the first real life test in such nasty conditions for the BVK and I am happy to report the 8wt did awesome in the wind. I’m not going to sit here, give you all the scientific terms and act like I know all the physics that is involved cause I do not. All I’m saying it did not feel like a wet noodle in the wind like a few rods I have tried in similar conditions.
As you can see the darker colors prevailed today. I can only assume when it gets cold the bait fish disappears to deeper waters. This leaves crabs and other crustaceans for the reds to feed up on.
Tom and I finished the day with 5 redfish and 1 trout on the long rod. I thought we did good, then on the way home my buddy calls me up and said they caught 60 nice red fish and trout on spin down south of me.!@#$!^^@$#
Photos: I left the good camera at home as I actually wanted to fish today instead of taking photos all the time. This resulted me having to take photos on my droid today. These actually didn’t turn out too bad for a phone camera.
World Record Distance Fly Casting of 243 feet and the Big Gun Shoot out by Richard Traugott
11.25.2010
2010 Big Gun Shootout by Richard Traugott
Fly fishing event put together by the Tampa Fly Fishing Club
The big gun shootout is an event hosted by the Tampa Fly Anglers Club every year to test casting skills. It is comprised of 6 stations worth 100 points each, for a max score of 600 points. The nice part is each station is timed, but you can do the stations in any order that you wanted. I used 2 rods during the event, an older 9ft Pro1 8wt w/ Triangle Taper WF8F/S line. The second rod was an 8wt BVK with Rio Bonefish Taper. Everyone at the event was issues a 6ft leader and pink yarn.
Station 1 was the Hanson Cup. Personally I think this was the hardest station of all. It is a cup set in a wood box about 30ft away. Every time you put the fly in the cup it is worth 20 points. You have 30 seconds to put the fly in the cup 5 times. I got to practice it a couple times and put the fly in the cup, but when it came time to make it count… I got a ZERO. Not the best way to start out the competition at all.
Station 2 was called Under the Mangroves. It’s a PVC frame that is about 2ftx3ft, and 2ft deep. You had to put it in the hole, and about 2ft back for it to count. There were distance lines set up at 30,35,40,45, and 50ft. Each distance was 20 points and you had to complete one before moving to the next further distance. I think timing was 90 or 120 seconds. I was very optimistic about this because this is what I had been doing fishing for Snook on the dock lights with good success. I was able to get the 45ft cast but could not convert on the 50ft’er. 80 points for the station.
Station 3 was Accuracy over Distance. Basically it was the same set up as Under the Mangroves but it was a fish with a wooden “V” in front of it. The only thing was that you could only put your leader in the V, and not your fly line. It was a little difficult because the issued leader was only 6ft and a slight cross wind cast. The BVK with the Bonefish taper really helped out with this one. I was able to get the 45ft cast, but ran out of time on the 50ft’er. 80 points
Station 4 had to be my favorite. It was a hula hoop on a PVC frame about chest high. From a distance about 35ft you had to put a loop through the hoop, and you fly had to land at least 20ft from the base of the hoop. So it’s a 50ft cast through a hula hoop! If you fly only made it 10ft through the hoop they would keep running the timer until your cast totaled 20ft. I managed to do it in 14 seconds, not to shabby! That was until I heard that someone else did it in 8 seconds.
Station 5 was the standard Hula Hoops on the ground. There were 3 hula hoops between 30 and 50ft away. They were placed at 9, 12, and 3 O’clock so you had to make at least one cross wind cast. There was a Frisbee in the middle of the hula hoop. If you landed in the hula hoop it was worth 20 points, and the frisbee was worth 25 points. After you made the 3 hula hoops you had to make an off handed cast, or a back handed cast (over opposite shoulder) I was able to get 3 frisbee’s but I got caught on my cross wind cast. 95 points.
Station 6 was the Big Gun. It was a 100ft cast using the same rod as everyone else. A Sage 8wt with SA distance line. You were allowed to have a couple practice cast, but one you were ready you only had 3 chances. A 100ft cast qualifies you for “The Big Gun Shootout” where the top 8 casters go in for the longest cast. I got to practice with the BVK and was able to get it into the backing so I figured that I was a sure thing for the 100ft cast. I made my 3 cast and was only able to managed in the 80ft range. 100ft is a lot farther than you think it is! I would encourage everyone that says then can make a 100ft cast to go out and measure next time you try! Casting into the backing is not 100ft like I thought. Even if I did managed to qualify there was no way I was going to be able to hang with the top 8. Dave Olson won it with a 138ft cast. It was pure art to watch these guys casting and carrying 70+ft of line in the air!
Richard Traugott
Here is a small clip of all the stations.
SA mastery Distance Taper
Speaking of long distance fly casting, naturally I had to look up what the world record is.
Using special fly line and rod the World Record Stands at 243′ by Steve Rajeff, good lord.
I got this from the American Casting Association website.
1-Hand Fly Distance |
||
| Division | Caster(s) | |
| Men | 243 feet | Steve Rajeff |
| Senior Men | 180 feet | Ed Lanser, Zack Willson |
| Women | 125 feet | Pamela Peters |
| Intermediates | 151 feet | Dustin Revel |
Here is a video clip of Steve casting using regular fly line and rod indoors. I believe he got 120′+.
Reminders and Forgotten information people asked to put up and Events this weekend, FREE Saltyshores Stickers
10.20.2010
The last couple days I’ve been down in the Ft. Myers area shooting more Saltyshores Calendar stuff.
Cheeky Flyfishing reels I mentioned a couple days ago according to my feed back and the statistics has some good interest. The complaint was there isn’t enough photos of the reel. All the photos are on their Facebook page go check it out. Plenty of photos there, not quite as good as Saltyshores photos though. 
I also forgot to put up the link for the Croakies Arc sunglass holder. If you type Croakies Arc, Saltyshores.com was first the bring it up and the first on the Google search.. wooo hoo! Can I get a cookie or at least free Croakies ARC for the Saltyshores crew to “test” out? 
EVENTS reminders:
The Break Like A Fish guys will be there. Also will be there is Dale Snead who will be representing Operation Still Waters and Saltyshores. You can pick up FREE saltyshores stickers there just ask.
Soutshore, Ruskin, Apollobeach, Outdoor event is this weekend.
OCTOBER 23-24
TECO South Shore Community Events Center
302 Noonan Branch Road, Apollo Beach
Come see all of the fun outdoor activities
that can be found in Florida…especially
in South Hillsborough County!
Vendors include:
• Fishing & Camping
• Water & Team Sports
• Biking | Running | Walking
• Sports Apparel
• Outdoor and Wildlife Artists
• Food Vendors
• Activities area for kids AND adult
—————– More Events this weekend
http://www.orlandooutfitters.com
Simms Night at Orlando Outfitters
Thursday, Oct. 21st
as Simms’ Executive Staff and Florida Representative Dave Chouinard present the Spring 2011 product lineup. Sign up early for a free Simms/Orlando Outfitters T-shirt.
—————– In Kissimi/Orlando is the Fly Fishing Conclave Oct. 22 & 23, 2010
Also this weekend is the Fly Fishing Federation Conclave in Kissimi/Orlando Florida
I have no idea why it’s called a “conclave”. Maybe it’s just me but this make it sound so elitist and not open to the public. BTW: It IS open to the public.
It will be held at the Ramada Inn at Celebration. Here is the link: http://www.ramadaorlandocelebration.com/
There was no address that was easily found, so I’m doing my best to help you guys find the place. This must be like one of those “top secret” if I tell you, I’ll have to kill you kind of thing. Because they sure are doing a great job of keeping it quiet. The only people I have heard talking about this is the people that are representing a company.
I know many avid fly fisherman that visit fly shops weekly. When I make a phone call to see if they are going most was surprise to find it was even going on.
Here is a link to the google map.
6375 W. Irlo Bronson Memorial Highway, Kissimmee, FL (407) 390-5800
Here is the run down of all the seminars, fly tying lessons, vendors and speakers: http://fff-florida.org/expo_programs.html
More information at the official website: http://fff-florida.org/index.htm
—– New TFO BVK fly rod
Regardless, I will make it there for at least Friday. I want to see all the new goodies that are out there plus I really want to try the TFO BVK, this is new fly rod that just came out a few weeks ago and according to the rep is has sold out. If the stats they are telling me right it’s easy to understand why.
It suppose to be lighter than my G.Loomis GLX and as light as the super light weight Orvis Helios (which sells for $800.00), Sage XI series like action with a retail price of $249.00 and 4 piece at that!
Hell at that price, if it’s 80% of what they say I’ll buy one just for a back up.
On a Final Note:
ps. Brad Pitt, please come back and make A River Runs Through it 2.
Instagrams
