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This is a great example of the complexity of conservation and how to build it from the grassroots up. What does this have to do with fly fishing? Well, take a look at around 5:45 on the timeline above to see how a commercial fisherman went from killing fish to filming fish to catch-and-release fishing with a fly rod.

Fly fishing can certainly have a negative impact on the environment and fish stocks, if not performed properly—knowledgeable release practices, etc—but it can have a huge role in replacing income for traditional fishermen.

This has been the case in Mexico’s Ascension Bay where our guides were all former commercial fishermen that used to net bonefish and permit, but now are the greatest advocates for the protection of these species from commercial harvest. Then now get paid to take anglers from around the world on tours of their home waters, tours that occasionally involve catching fish, but, since we’re talking about permit here, not very many fish, and not very often. It seems like the way forward to me.

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Barjack the AnglerBonefish BayIndian OceanMarch 27, 2011

Preface

No amount of alcohol can undo what happened today, but I’ll try….Cheers!

*

Day 30-odd (and counting):

So I’ll skip to the highlight: I’m fishing along and hook a little bluefin trevally and next thing I know two Volkswagen Beatles are storming the beach, at first I thought they were sharks (had two close encounters today). Nope: two monster GT’s! I clamp down on my reel and am pulling like hell to break this fish off—figures, the one time I tie a decent leader. Eventually I snap him off, switch rods and strip out line just in time to drop the popper out in front of one of these monsters. I start stripping and the lead fish turns and follows as fast as I can strip. He glides up behind it, follows till the leader hit my tip, and explodes in a turn…………without my fly!?!? Next second I’m standing there out of breath, heart racing, one rod hanging off my back with the line wrapped every-which-way around it and me watching the fish of a lifetime swimming away.

It would have been interesting if he would have eaten since the reef was only 150 yards from the beach. Something would have broken, and I’m betting it wouldn’t have been his will.

A few minutes earlier: two fish come screaming in trying to eat some kind of blue coral-muncher fish that were in a huge school. Giant Trevally! One pushes so shallow he’s swimming on his side with his peck fin in the air! Surreal… I think I have to take a nice little sit down in the shade.

Even earlier: PERMIT! How many casts does it take to catch a permit? I went zero for 200 this weekend! I thought I saw a lot of permit yesterday. HA! Today I saw schools of 10-30, one after another, and the best I could do was get two follows. I tried small crabs, large crabs, light crabs, heavy ones, shrimp flies, clousers…. I think I came up with some new combinations for cursing. And some of them were pushing no less than 20 pounds. I want to say bigger, but they look to be narrower across the shoulders than some of the Caribbean variety.

Back at the bungalow: I have come to the conclusion wading ocean-side is gonna pay off eventually, and yes, there will pictures and the glory.

For now I must fold laundry, shower, eat, and replay today in my head a thousand times and try to figure out the deal with those permit. I know the answer for GT’s: streamers. I’ll be ready tomorrow!

P.S. The bones are always the day saver. Got one 6ish and saw bigger but was happy with him.Also got plenty in the 4 to 5 range. It’s funny: if it would have been two weeks ago I would have cast to every school I saw, today I would just walk through schools of 2-3 pounders.

Wading through bonefish,
Barjack the Angler

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I’ve got a friend headed there, or thereabouts. Wish I could join but (aside from the lamentable fact that I’ve not technically been invited) I can barely afford to watch this video, much less purchase a ticket. I think we’re talking a couple grand just to get there, nevermind all the beer you’d have to drink to celebrate all the fish you’d catch. Anyways, enjoy some Queenie carnage.

(I especially love the last little bit where he’s running down the beach, casting and finally hooks up. Reminded me of Running Down the Man, which is always a good thing.)

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Well, this is a great story from the UK. It reveals a bit about the character of out friends across the sea as well being a tremendous testament to catch and release fishing.
This story comes from the BBC



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Jul 1st, 2011by WindKnot.

This is a great example of the complexity of conservation and how to build it from the grassroots up. What does this have to do with fly fishing? Well, take a look at around 5:45 on the timeline above to see how a commercial fisherman went from killing fish to filming fish to catch-and-release fishing with a fly rod.

Fly fishing can certainly have a negative impact on the environment and fish stocks, if not performed properly