Boca Grande, Fl 11 Aug. 09

Boca Grande, Fl.
11 Aug 2009

Our fishing this summer is very good. So many elusive species have been easily accessible now that the fishing pressure is light and the days are long and

warm. Although I have been away to Colorado for two weeks, I put in a few days here before writing to you all. Let's start with the Colorado trip.

I spent time at the Federation of Fly Fishers annual conclave in Loveland enjoying great company, learning more and better ways to teach fly casting and

getting a better understanding of what my dues is paying for. It was great. The casting board of governors did a marvelous job of bringing me up to

speed on all the newest techniques in teaching. I met with several long time friends from near and far. We ate well, drank well and laughed a lot. I fished

the Cache LaPoudre with Bill Gunn, Roger Maler and Al White taking just a few fish, but having a great time. I then went to visit Darrel Rolph at the

Platte Ranch in Fairplay. Darrel & Dee are wonderful hosts, and I was introduced to more new friends there. Darrel has property on the middle fork of

the South Platte, which produced about 80 browns and rainbows in two days. Most were caught on the Green Drake hatch with a dry fly. Super fun.

Last Monday, after an evening in Breakenridge, Dr. Fred Miller and I went all the way to the White River to fish for cutthroat trout. It was a beautiful

ride along the Colorado river. The fishing was so-so, but the company was terrific. If you ever get a chance to fish Colorado, do so by all means. I'm

sure you'll have a great time.

Boca Grande still has plenty of tarpon in the harbor and a lot of smaller 'poons in the deeper basins of the sounds. Early risers are doing well with snook

under the lights and just after dawn. A few redfish are beginning to shoal on the flats of Pine Island Sound. I saw what looked like 30 or so fish together

on a very shallow flat this week. Seatrout are plentiful and there are a lot of mangrove snapper along the edges of deep grass flats. On Monday, Dennis

Kowal and I took a limit of trout and several snapper on the Estaz Marabou pattern.

This is a great time to fish Boca Grande. Lots to catch and few people. Don't forget to go to www.floridaflyfishing.com to see the reduced pricing for the

summer.
Fish Hard,
Capt. pete

Capt. Pete, I enjoyed reading your report. Ironically, just last month we were in Fairplay. It was for a family reunion centered around our son's wedding near Denver, so the focus was not on fishing. I did, however, manage one hour on the South Platte a mile or so north of Fairplay, but didn't catch anything. (I enjoyed the name of the fly shop in Fairplay where I bought my license - Yer Fly's Open!)

On the Florida front, we have found the fishing very "hot" in the weather sense when fishing in Pine Island Sound and Matlacha Pass (our place down there is near St. James City, on Pine Island). Last Friday I caught several snapper, although I wasn't fishing for them - I was trying for reds and trout.

I enjoy your reports. Keep up the good work.

FlyFlinger
Winter Springs, FL