Hell's Bay Whipray Classic

Good Friday to you fine folks here on the Bonefish Flat.  It's been a short week, but a busy one for me.  I'm glad we made it to the weekend.  So start your Friday off right with a video from the fine folks at Hell's Bay Boatworks featuring the legendary Flip Pallot.




If you ever wondered "is Flip the real deal," checkout how my man is throwing a total mean loop in this video.  Plus, check out the deck on this boat.  This is one sweet ride.  I've really gotten a kick out of watching Hell's Bay build this boat. They did a lot of updates on Facebook as to how they put it together and it was absolutely fascinating.

Speaking of boats (no I don't have one yet and it's a sore subject here at bonefish flat HQ), I have a sweet interview coming up next week from one of the premier skiff builders around.  Be sure to stay tuned for that.

Sign the Petition, Protect the Bonefish

The twitterverse and the www are a buzz with a new petition that is circulating to protect Hawaiian bonefish from the likes of these gill netters.  It's time to take action and sign the petition.

The Dude will not stand for this aggression man.  

You can sign here.

Great Deneki Video

I was working on some gear the other night and wanted to whip a loop into my fly line.  I have a 7 weight bass pro shop's rod that was my very first fly rod.  It is a three piece and has a medium action.  I keep it strung up in my garage for hitting the local ponds and I use it for smallmouth's, too.

I needed to add a new whipped loop onto both ends and so I googled whipped loop and came across this really great video from one of the best on the flats, Capt. Bruce Chard.  The video was added as part of Deneki's lineup of videos.

This is a great way to connect your fly line to your leader or to your backing.  Check it out.

Oh Lawd' I Got the Shakes

The Alabama Shakes, that is.  I scored their CD, Boys and Girls, this week and it's amazing.  Go get it if you don't already have it.  Britney Howard, the lead singer, absolutely just wails. I'm not going to compare it to anything because it's a blend of a lot of sounds I really like.




I found this video on the youtube and thus far it's my favorite song on the CD, although it's a solid album all the way through.

I hope everyone gets out on the water for the weekend.  I'm planning on hitting Lake X and catching the biggest bass you've ever seen.  I also have an interview in the works for next week that should be stellar.

Happy Memorial Day everyone and a big thank you to our troops who keep us safe and keep us free so we can go fishing.

Flats Boat vs. Technical Poling Skiff

I've really been reading up on boats a lot lately, and I came across this video from Maverick Boatworks that explains the difference between a flats boat and a technical poling skiff.

Maverick makes some really well respected boats.  It looks like they have just reworked their Web site so if you haven't checked it out in a while, like me, then head over and spend a few minutes. Take a look and enjoy.

This Just Ain't Right

Dr. Aaron Adams posted this picture on Facebook.  I was speechless when I saw it and saddened.  Bonefish are such a mighty fish that to see one like this is kind of humiliating to me.  It's how I feel when I see sharks or shark fins (now, really just in the papers, but I have seen fins before).

Photo courtesy of Capt. Terry Duffield.

Here is what Capt. Terry Duffield said about the situation:

Coach Duff and Captain Mike Hennessey have guided hundreds of anglers here in Hawaii, now help us stop seeing this in markets caught in gillnets. We want the bonefish to be made a "gamefish" at the very least in regulations. Go ahead, catch one on rod and reel and bring it home! Prepare it the way grandma did, fishcake or lomi style! We understand culture and traditions. But the druggie gillnetters, the vendors in Chinatown who buy anything you bring them legal or not need to be shut down. The damn things are protected everywhere but here. Hell, we have a Trout Unlimited chapter that raises money to plant Hatchery rat and completely invasive trout in Kauai rivers but looks the other way on protecting the world's biggest and truly native bonefish with simple "gamefish designation". This makes it illegal to sell bonefish commercially yet still allows the great people of Hawaii to catch, enjoy and harvest O'IO as traditions allow.

 

If you haven't already, it's time to join the Bonefish and Tarpon Trust.  If I read it right, the cost of that fish is $4.97.  When I go bonefishing, I probably spend close to $100 per fish I catch and then let it go.  Imagine the great fishery that could develop in Hawaii with a thoughtful preservation plan.

The Camera and the Weekend

One thing I learned from my last trip to the Bahamas is that I need to step up my game a bit when it comes to photography.  I'm not trying to become the next Brian O'Keefe, but I decided to get a new camera and have been spending time trying to learn how to use it.

For Mother's Day I spent the weekend on the water on the Chesapeake Bay and really didn't get to go fishing, but I did get to do a little sailing in the 10 foot dinghy and got to practice up on the picture taking.

Here's a few shots that I liked.

An osprey taking off.  The original fly fisherman.

Shucking oysters on the dock.

The boat on the far right is the sailing dinghy.  Lots of fun.