Flymen Blog

Most of us will not get the chance to chase bonefish on the flats of Belize, but with a little preparation we can still get the same rush a little closer to home.
As a staunch streamer junkie, there's nothing greater to me than having a big brown trout absolutely hammer a streamer.
But after fishing Gulf Shores, Alabama, I realized I've been missing out – the salt is a streamer junkie’s dream.
Saltwater fish hit a fly like they have had a lifelong vendetta against that poor little Clouser (seriously, I had a ladyfish almost take the fly rod out of my hand).

Fly recipe
Rear
- Hook: #2 Gamakatsu B10s
- Tail: Flashabou
- Tail 2: Senyo's Fusion Dub
- Body: Senyo's Fusion Dub
- Wing: Magnum Rabbit Strip
Front
- Hook: #1 Gamakatsu B10s
- Body: Senyo's Fusion Dub
- Body 2: EP Tarantula Brush
- Pectoral Fins: Deer Hair
- Wing: Magnum Rabbit Strip
- Head: Fish-Skull Sculpin Helmet

Bahamas Bonefishing on a Budget
My first trip to the Bahamas helped me realize how attainable it was, even though I had put it off for many years because I thought it was out of my price range.
Lesson learned.
We returned the following year and now the Bahamas has made it to the top of my list for DIY fishing vacations.
I’m learning more each time I visit, but I’d like to share a few thoughts with anyone who has considered scratching it off their bucket list.

“I guess I have to say a lot of fishing we do is a little promiscuous, which, as everyone knows can be a little dangerous but nonetheless has its charms.”
– John Gierach, Standing in a River Waving a Stick.
Although the reasons we fish are as numerous and diverse as our community of anglers, there are 2 distinct categories of anglers:
- Anglers who are happy and/or content with their home waters and fish them well.
- Anglers who have an insatiable urge to see what else is out there.
As someone who's moved homes and changed jobs at least 12 times since graduating high school, I fall into the latter category and it can be a real drag sometimes.
It must be pretty nice to NOT have a powerful lust for new water…
Or is it?
What follows is some insight into the world of us anglers with wanderlust – it’s either a cry for help or an attempt to rub it in the other camp’s face – I can’t decide.

How do we get new fly anglers introduced to the sport of fly fishing?
We hear this question over and over again.
The answer might be sitting in front of us and we don’t even see it. This magic bullet is also a hell of a lot of fun for the seasoned angler as well.
What is it, you ask?
It is Lepomis macrochirus, more commonly called a bluegill.
No matter where you live, there are probably some of these little gems swimming in a pond or lake near you.
Let’s face it, trout fishing can be hard and often a barrier to getting new fly anglers off to a good start.
There's nothing better than the humble bluegill to ensure a new fly angler has a great experience and gets put on the path to success.