New Cheeca Sunglasses by Costa

I got a heads up yesterday from Costa Del Mar about a new style of shades called the Cheeca. Shades are a requirement for flats fishing and Costa makes arguably the best shades on the market. I am a big fan of Costa and I wouldn't be caught on the flats without mine.

Costa is the real deal when it comes to corporate responsibility, too. If you notice in the release below, Costa donates money back to Project Permit which is performing invaluable research on the Holy Grail of the flats.

Be sure to check out the release below on the new Cheeca's.

Costa Gets Cheeky with New Cheeca Sunglass Style

Daytona Beach, Fla. – Apr. 8, 2010 – Sophisticated performance meets aggressive sport style with Costa’s new Cheeca sunglasses. Available in retail outlets and Costa’s online store now, Cheeca features a large, classic wrap fit with a stylish mid temple mounting.

Named for Cheeca Lodge, one of the best places in the Florida Keys to fish for bonefish, tarpon and permit, Cheeca comes in tortoise and black frame colors, as well as new color combinations white/tortoise and black/coral. The nylon frames feature Costa’s new revolutionary anti-rocking hinge, the most advanced spring hinge available today. In addition to providing an even more comfortable fit, the anti-rocking hinge significantly increases durability and virtually eliminates movement between the frame front and temple.

The sunglasses are available in the Costa clear 580™ lens technology. Costa’s 580 lenses block yellow light, and are superior in cutting glare, enhancing vision and protecting against harmful UV rays, so outdoors and angling enthusiasts can see more clearly.

“Cheeca’s going to be the ‘go to’ sunglass this year,” said Chas MacDonald, president of Costa sunglasses. “It’s got the fit, the performance and the style all in one – it’s an essential piece of gear for serious adventurers.”

Each pair of Costa sunglasses are hand built in Costa’s home base in Florida, and come with a lifetime warranty against manufacturer’s defects. As part of Costa’s ongoing commitment to protecting the Earth’s fisheries, a portion of proceeds from sunglass sales this year will benefit the Bonefish Tarpon Trust’s Project Permit, an initiative to tag 6,000 permit this year in Florida and the Caribbean for research and scientific study.

Cheeca retails from $149 to $249 depending on lens selection, and is also available in an Rx option through one of Costa’s authorized optical labs. Visit Costa online for a retail outlet locator and the company’s online store.

About Costa®

As the leading manufacturer of the world’s clearest polarized performance sunglasses, Costa offers superior lens technology, unparalleled fit and durability, and a lifetime warranty against manufacturer’s defects on all of its products. Still handcrafted today in Florida, Costa creates what has been referred to as the highest quality, best performing sunglasses on the planet for outdoor enthusiasts.

For Costa, conservation is all about sustainable fishing. Many fisheries that should be vibrant and healthy are all but devoid of native fish because they have fallen victim to poor fishing practices, unregulated development, lack of watershed protection or all of the above. Costa works with partners around the world to help increase awareness and influence policy so that both the fish and fishermen of tomorrow will have healthy waters to enjoy. Costa encourages others to help in any way they can.

For more information, contact 1-800-447-3700 or visit the company’s Web site at www.costadelmar.com, or join in the conversation on Facebook at www.facebook.com/costadelmar.com or Twitter @CostaSunglasses.

Media contact

Liza Jones, 864.672.9615 (office), 864.270.0722 (cell)

liza@fullcirclepr.com

A Couple Thoughts on Guides

On a lot of blogs, you'll see write-ups from guides about what to expect from them. But what about what we expect? Remember, I'm writing from a perspective of someone who gets a couple trips each year here, so here is what I think.

The number one thing I expect is to put me on fish. They can't cast for me or make the fish eat my fly. But if they can show me fish, I know the rest is up to me. Fish won't eat a fly? That's just fishing for you. Fish spooks on a cast? That's just fishing.

I also expect guides to be courteous. If they get ticked at me for missing a shot, that's fine. I'm probably upset too. Just don't be irate like the stories you hear from the old crusty Florida guides of yesteryear. Granted, I think a lot of these guides are gone.

Here's a picture of me, my dad, and a great guide, Bully.

I say this because when I'm fishing with a guide, I'm on vacation. Guides must go on vacation, too, and they wouldn't want to be yelled at on vacation, would they?

All of this being said, I've had great luck with every fly fishing guide I've fished with. There has been only one guy who was kind of a jerk. He didn't really get upset so much as he was just lazy and couldn't find fish. He didn't seem to look very hard, either.

Bonefish Travel Series: Clothes Make the Man

One key piece of gear that is a must have when flats fishing are long sleeve shirts and flats style pants. Yes, there are a lot of things marketed to us fly fishers that we really don't need. And yes, I'm just as guilty as the next gear hog, but the one thing that can really do some damage when you're fishing in the ocean, or on a river for that matter, is the sun.

I'm a big fan of shirts made by Columbia. My current favorite is the Skiff Guide II shirt, although they have the new Freezer II which is supposed to keep you cooler. I wore the skiff guide on my last trip to the Bahamas and bought another one for my upcoming trip. My guide was also wearing one.

The bottom line is that you need a shirt with at least an SPF 30 rating to make sure that you don't get burned. The Columbia shirt is really lightweight and very comfortable. Its great for fishing anywhere, really, where sun is an issue. It works in the kayak, on a boat fishing for rockfish or for redfish.

In terms of flats pants, they are equally as important. I'm not as picky with these but I have a pair made by Ex Officio that I like and I have a pair that were pretty inexpensive that I bought at Bass Pro Shops that work fine. You really just want flats pants to be light weight and to be able to zip off at the knee to become shorts

This feature will allow you you to wade and to become shorts if its just too hot. Another thing I do like on flats pants are cargo pockets so I can keep my camera handy.

Late Night Fly Tying Gotcha Style

Here's the scene Sunday morning after a late night of fly tying and NCAA basketball.

I began playing with a few versions of the Gotcha and decided to tie one as prescribed by Charlie's Fly Box which is a really great site if you're a fly tier. In fact, I think Charlie has the best all around site around in terms of how-to tie. Be sure to check out his site.

I tried my hand at tying his Gotcha and here is what I came up with.

I've been working to make the wings on my Gotcha thinner, or tied more sparsely. If you're tying the Gotcha in my video, be sure to make the wing a little thinner, too.

Here's another pic of the Gotcha. I was really happy with how it turned out.

New Fly Tying Page

As regular readers of The Bonefish Flat will know, I've posted several video's on how to tie bonefish flies. I've figured out how to create a page dedicated to these videos so I've posted them all here.

The new link is over on the top right of the site.

I hope you enjoy.

Bonefish Fly Tying Series: Hot Legs Gotcha

Here's a new bonefish fly for your weekend. It's called the Hot Legs Gotcha and is, surprise surprise, a variation on the Gotcha. The fly uses "bunny" instead of craft fur for a wing and it uses sili legs for a tail.

This is my favorite bonefish fly and it is my go to fly in the Bahamas.

I hope everyone has a great fish filled weekend and enjoys the video. 78 degrees on Andros Island tomorrow. Perfect bonefishing weather. Wish I was there!!

Roger Wilco

I'm running behind today, folks, but I do have a few things in the works.

Knock on wood I'll have a tying video up tomorrow. It's been shot, I just have to edit it.

I'm also working on adding a music section to the site with some of my favorite bands. Why? Becasue I love music and becasue on forums that I frequent, people seem to talk about music a fair amount.

Speaking of music, I had a chance to see my favorite band Wilco on Tuesday night (big part of the reason I'm running behind).

Wilco has evolved from an Alt-Country band from their debut album A.M. into a more standard rock band with an avant garde flavor. The latest album, Wilco The Album, is really a combination of all of their sounds.

If you're looking to have a listen, check out Yankee Hotel Foxtrot which was nominated for a Grammy. The band is based INS Chicago and the lead guitarist, Nels Cline, is consistently rated as one of the best guitar players in the world.

Nels put on an amazing performance on Tuesday night and the show was just incredible. They played a three hour set which in the middle they brought in a small trap set, went acoustic more or less, nd turned down the lights to play some of their more quiet songs. Here's a pretty bad pic from the show here.




I definitely urge you to check out Wilco. Chances are they are playing in my truck on the way to the water.