Vol. 14 No. 18

FLY FISHING CUBA (part 2)

After months of reading, dreaming, getting together the gear, a quick plane trip, 5 hours of bus and 4 hours of boat transit, me and my buds arrived at the Tortuga in the Queen’s Gardens off the South coast of Cuba.

The Tortuga is permanently moored in a cove in the middle of the archipelago. From there, Avalon uses skiffs to get around. We had 2 skiffs and Guides for the three of us. There were also 2 other anglers that week, each in a single skiff.

AMERICA’S WOUNDED WARRIORS - Healing through Fly Fishing

The proud history of the American Military started with the American Revolution and has continued to this day. We have honored those that have made the ultimate sacrifice for their country. We remember and honor the outstanding hero’s, as we should. For those wounded warriors that return there are medals, medical treatment and then some are unfortunately forgotten.

FELT OR NO FELT

If you currently use felt-soled waders or wading boots it’s likely that you will need to replace them sooner rather than later. Currently the State of Alaska has banned the use of felt-soled wading gear in all fresh water streams. Several other states currently are considering a similar ban. [My research indicates that, in addition to Alaska, Vermont and Maryland have banned felt-soled wading gear, and Oregon and Montana have similar proposals in the legislative hopper]

THIS WEEK

If you are reading this you most likely are still able to sign on and find Fly Anglers OnLine.
While we’ve been ‘online’ for fourteen plus years now, every once and again something goes south and the web site you have come to expect to be online isn’t. I think you know what I mean.

NEW FLY DAY

It has stayed dry and I can take the canoe into one of my favorite ponds. I have not been there for a long time. This is one of the most fertile ponds I fish. It has incredible numbers of fish in it. I have had a scuba diver go down in this pond looking for something that was lost. He was amazed by the number of fish that he saw.

A PASSION FOR TARPON

Early last fall the Lady Fisher gave me this book and asked me to read and review it for FAOL, and since that time I have read this volume twice. After the first reading, my first impression was—WOW. With the second reading, I filled the margins with notes and many of the pages are highlighted, bolding the many passages which contained critically important information on chasing the Silver Kings.

MY SECRET RIVER

Every other year I take a major fly fishing trip to some exotic part of the country to fish the ‘great rivers’ of America. The only thing preventing me from spending my entire life time from becoming a professional trout bum is time and money. Please excuse an old cliché, but there are ‘so many rivers and so little time’.

THE SPARROW (modified)

Some years ago I discovered a fly called the Sparrow which was created by Jack Gartside. I tied some and had success with them. As time went by the sparrow was forgotten until I saw a fly called the Birds Nest. It kindled my memories of the Sparrow so I looked into the achieves of FAOL's Fly of the Week for the pattern.. The Sparrow was not included. I believe it is well worth including in your fly box. Here is my version of the sparrow.