A_Lying_Fisherman: Charlie has me going Crazy

With the change of seasons the cooler water begins seeping into the bays, and it's time to think about small bait fish and shrimp. The nights have been getting cooler and the days have been cloudy so the Gulf waters are cooling down. This is the time of year when getting on the water early, and using binoculars or bird watching will make all the difference in hook-ups or missed opportunities. The birds will signal a bait ball is present, and is being crashed upon by all manner of predator from above and below. The key is casting to the outside of the ball, as long as your able to get to it. Binoculars come in handy when scouring the flats for tell-tale signs of fish nosing the sandt. Their tails may break the surface for an instant or they may be doing head stands and you can sneak right up on them. Baring in mind that you are stomping, crashing, wading, noise-making human that is in water.

Paying attention to current, drift, sun location, and bottom color, these are just some of the factors that come into play when early morning fishing around Tampa Bay and its estuaries. Knowing that the surface may be moving one direction according to the wind, and the sand around your feet may be affected by a water born current is vital knowledge. Just like in stalking trout, keep your silhouette minimized and your presentation precise. Saltwater fish are used to being stalked from all directions, including the sky. So any flashy movement, or shadow, or stompy wave, will surely send the fish darting for cover. This is when being able to cast a considerable distance, accurately comes into play.

Casting some 90 feet with a fly line is no small feet. It requires precise timing, coordinated movements, and a fly that is not to heavy,as it may foul the process. Human error is generally the mechanism that fouls the presentation but having to heavy or too wind resistant of a fly can be a huge detriment to distance casting. This is where Crazy Charlie type flies come in handy. Their abilities are limitless and are only hampered by the tier. With the varieties of materials used in their construction, they can represent just about any small prey species. I have created a few new models for this season because I now have more than enough paraphernalia to try ideas that I hadn't conceived of last year. Some of the materials I now have are much better than the synthetics I had last year. It seems redundant and odd to say there is something more natural about the natural materials, but it is the honest truth. The natural materials seem to impart a more natural feel to the flies.

Beaver Dubbed, large bead eyes w/ Elk Hair