2011: Year of the Redfish

In the Chinese New Year, 2011 is the year of the rabbit.  But here at the Bonefish Flat it's officially the year of the Redfish.  If you follow the site, you know that I'm about all kinds of saltwater fly fishing and the redfish has thus far proven elusive for me.

I had a work trip scheduled to New Orleans last year (Who Dat!!), but my side trip to catch a NOLA red got cancelled due to some unforeseen circumstances so I couldn't get into the reds.  I did get a chance to see some of the city and am really looking forward to going back sometime.

Cafe Du Monde

Muddy Banks of the Mississippi 

French Quarter Fun  

Redfish run in the shallows from Virginia to Florida and through the Gulf Coast.  In Virginia, they can be a little harder to catch simply because there aren't as many of them and here they are known as puppy drum.   You can catch bull reds in the Chesapeake Bay in Maryland, but you need to troll for them as they swim deep and they make for next to impossible fly rod targets which is how we roll here on the flat.

I've been out several times in the Virginia Beach area for Reds, but haven't had any luck.  The fish there aren't that plentiful and like almost saltwater fishing, you've got to know your tides.

 My Kayak In Virginia Beach looking for Reds.  

Tom with his old tricked out yak taking a break from the Redfish Hunt.

So why is this the year of the Redfish, in addition to my annual trip somewhere bonefishy, I'm trying to plan a trip to Charleston, S.C. for a few days and use the kayaks to try and catch a Red.  So this year, we'll be writing more about kayaks and about planning a DIY trip to South Carolina (or somewhere nearby).  It's always an adventure when you try to DIY on these kind of trips and this one should be no different.  

If you have any tips, advice, or good places to get started, drop me a line at bonefishflat@gmail.com.  

Costa Employees Walking the Walk

It's always good to hear when companies that have great products also do things to give back in the community. Costa Del Mar is a great example of this.

I heard recently from Costa that their employees helped deploy oyster mats into the Atlantic Ocean in conjunction with the Marine Discovery Center in New Smyrna Beach, Fla. The oyster shells were collected from oysters eaten at the Halifax Oyster Festival held this past March in Daytona Beach.

Costa employees work alongside a local Eagle Scout troop and to deploy oyster mats off the coast of the Atlantic Ocean in Florida recently. Company representatives worked to string together empty oyster shells produced from the first annual Halifax Oyster Festival held in Daytona Beach in March. The oyster mats, once deployed, serve as the ocean’s natural filtration system to clean pollutants from the water.

What a GREAT way to recycle!!

Thanks folks!

So a big thank you to the good folks at Costa Del Mar. Not only do they make the world's best shades, but they step it up when it comes to corporate responsibility.

Christmas List 2010

I'm here at the keyboard and man it feels good to be back.  The new Bonefish Flat HQ is just about complete out in Ashburn, VA.  Moving is an all consuming process, but I'm in the home stretch now so hopefully i'll be moved in another month and half.

So what's been going on?  It's Christmas, and for the ladies that read the Flat and are looking to buy a great Christmas gift, I'm going to give you my top 8 list of things to give the numba one angla in your life.  And guys, if your lady friend throws a mean line, we don't discriminate here, so feel free to get her one of these gifts too.

Here we go:
1. Costa Del Mar 580s-You gotta see the fish to catch the fish, and Costa 580's are the cats meow of shades.  I honestly would wear nothing else on the flats.  Check out the Zanes in a 580, or the new 580p lens.  Amber or green mirror work best on the flats.

2. Scott S4S- You want to throw a mean loop on the flats, right?  Then you're gonna want a stiff rod (ha) to to get the job done.  The S4S is as good as it gets and Scott is the preferred rod of the Bonefish flat.

3. Simms Flats Pack- Anything from Simms rules, and these packs are a great gift.

4. Simms Wading Boots- Planning a trip to the Bahamas this Spring?  You're gonna need a pair of boots to wade.  While I confess I don't have these boots, I saw a pair today while doing some Christmas shopping and they are the real deal.

5. Tibor Everglades- The reel has it all.  Cork drag, which is highly endorsed here at the Flat, and it plays that sweet Tibor song to boot when that bonefish is screaming line off your reel.  Plus, they put your name on it which adds a bit of class to it.  To full out bonefish bling this thing up, add a bonefish engraving.

6. Hell's Bay Marquesa- This one is a longshot, but if you've been good this year, maybe you'll stumble out on one of these babies in your garage on Christmas morn.  My fingers are crossed, but I'm about as optimistic as a democrat on election day (OK, so I keep this non-political, but that's a fair analogy, right??)  Tell your wife that you've got to have a boat to catch fish, and if you buy this one you'll never need another boat.  If you're single, then just go buy it already.  

Stocking Stuffers:

7. Uptown Angler T-Shirt- This one is on my list.  It features a bad to the bone original drawing by world famous artist Tim Borski.  Buy this shirt and you're sure to look like you know what you're doing.  And, it can remind you of your summer in New Orleans.  Who Dat!!

8. Scott Digi Camo Hat- Don't have the coin for a new S4S?  That's OK, get a Scott camo hat and they won't see you coming anyway.  

So that's what I got for the Flat Fanatics today.  Hope you get some cool stuff for Christmas, but if you don't, that's OK, too.  Just remember the reason for the season. 

Merry Christmas!!

Sorry For the Lack of Posts

Hey folks, sorry that the posts have been so slow in coming. I have had a long 6 months with work being slammed and the wife and I buying a new house and trying to sell the old one. To be honest, about the only fishing I've been able to do consists of watching reruns of Pirates of the Flats on the DVR.

But fear not, as with all things in life things will settle down and the bonefish flat will see a rising tide very soon.

If anyone has any good stories or pictures to share, feel free to pass them along to me at bonefishflat@gmail.com.

I'm going to try and pick things up a bit so hang with me if you're a fan.

The New Drake

I finally got my new copy of the latest Drake Magazine. If you don't read the Drake, it really is the best fly fishing magazine out there. The writing is superb and it's the focus of the magazine rather than how to/where to magazines which are so popular today.


I have a ritual where I always get my copy from Borders on 17th Street in D.C. Why, I don't know?

What's your Drake ritual?

New Logo Design

Big shout out going to my man Roque for the new logo that you see on the site.  It's been a long time coming, but The Bonefish Flat is starting to come together.

I'm going to start working on some t-shirts and stickers so keep an eye out for those.  In the meantime, here's a bonefish pic to get you through Tuesday.

I'll have some pictures of t-shirts coming along in the coming weeks for folks who want to "stunt"in a bonefish flat t-shirt or a sticker for their ride.  

New stuff on the way

Here's a preview of the new logo for the bonefish flat. Sorry folks that new posts have been so slow. The day job has been a killer and this week's not looking much better.

But, look for new content to start flowing here in about a week when hopefully I can start focusing on the flat again.

I hope everyone else is fishing.