A beard gives your face a purpose.

A little Pogonology for you.



In middle school I knew a guy. He could grow a mustache. It was awesome. One fine day I realized I could also grow wisdom and virility out of my face, and never looked back.

Some Greek Guy said,
"There are two kinds of people in this world that go around beardless — boys and women — and I am neither one."
He probably rocked some kick ass beardage.

Full beards, goatees, van dykes, extended goatees, chin strips, soul patchs, mutton chops, balbos and chin curtains…. There are many ways to sport your awesome. There are 3 things that define what style is right for you:

Ability: It is sad to say, but some men just don’t have it in the genes. Myself, to a degree, fall into this category. My moustache is sound, as well as my goatee, but I have a problem growing connectors. It is sad, I know, and has been a sensitive subject in the past but I have come to terms with it. And I have groomed myself accordingly. If you can’t pull a style off, give it up.

The shape of your mug: Face it; just because you can, doesn’t mean you should. There are few people that can successfully pull off mutton chops or a chin curtain. When you style your whiskers, you have to be able to look yourself in the eye and be truthful when you say it looks good.

Your life: I know it blows, but if you want to get a job serving at that elegant steakhouse up the street, you might have to trim your face. (Getting a job in the kitchen is a different story…. just look at Kyle.) Or if you make a living underwater welding, a big-ol-balbo might interfere with the waterproofness of your face. If you have any other job, you pretty much have no excuse.

The most ass-kickin' man in the universe can’t be wrong.


(By the way, if you spell Chuck Norris in scrabble you win. Forever.)

So take a vacation, go fishing, and leave your razor at home.

-Alex who fights for the rights of hairy faces everywhere. Except on women.

Friday Bacon; Instant Bacon

or Bacon Martyr?


The picture says it all, you decide.

Saturday Quest

Clarks Creek north of Harisburg Pennsylvania is the tailwater of the Harrisburg water supply's reservoir. The pic. below shows said creek in all of the summer time glory it can muster.
It runs cold, it runs small and it runs fishy.

Good luck boys!

Fishing Jones: Sign, Save Redfish, Get Gear



Pete McDonald over at Fishing Jones is giving away an extremely sweet Redington Titanium CDL Reel for 7/8 Wt line. It only takes two simple steps to get your name in the running for this primo item of fly fishing gear.

First take a moment and sign our pal Captain Gordon Churchill's Petition to stop unattended gill net practices in North Carolina.

Second, once you've signed the petition, slide over to the Fishing Jones website and leave a comment on his Help Redfish and Get a Reel post using your name and typing the word "Signed" in the body. A commenter will be picked at random and get this great fly reel.

The completed petition is going to be presented to the Governor of North Carolina as a way to protect the state saltwater fish. Unattended gill nets are taking a major toll on Redfish stocks on Carolina inshore waters. Guys like Captain Gordon Churchill, Pete McDonald and others are doing this to make a real difference for both anglers and fish populations.

I don't think I like this guy

So the name Tred Barta is new to me, Maybe i should have heard of him long ago due to the fact that he is some kind of Pro Fly Fisherman. After watching the VS. channel I now know why I haven't heard of him.

Turn the Volume up.



Is Fly Fishing a joke? Hell no, i love this sport and everything it comes with, well i could do without the empty wallet. Tell me what you think of this video. Right now i think this guy is a joke. Maybe i could be wrong.

Bug of the Month: Chocklett's Tungsten Gummy Black Stonefly




Blane Chocklett tapped the knowledge and ingenuity of his friend and former Virginia Tech professor, Harry Steeves, to create his famous Gummy Minnow. The new partners in fly fishing decided they needed to develop a new non-traditional synthetic material that would make fish go crazy! The gamble worked and Sili Skin was born. Today, the Gummy Minnow is taking both anglers and bass by storm!

Chocklett’s Tungsten Gummy Stonefly - Black Stonefly (Giant Salmonfly) is not a streamer pattern used to catch striped bass, but it incorporates the very same Sili Skin that has made the Gummy Minnow so effective. The Gummy Stonefly also uses the added weight of tungsten to help keep the fly low in the water column – where it should be. This fly pattern is extremely realistic, and the perfect answer to fishing those prolific early season giant salmonfly hatches in fast water!


Quick Hits

- This fly pattern was developed by fly tyer and Virginia-based fly fishing guide Blane Chocklett

- Black stonefly (giant salmonfly) imitation in the mature nymph life stage

- Use as either an impressionistic searching fly or as a realistic imitation when matching the hatch

- Drift the fly through different water types; faster riffles and shallower water near the banks of a river with moderate to slow currents are the most productive water types for this fly

- Black stonefly nymphs are available to trout all year long in trout water throughout North America

- Hatches occur consistently and with long duration throughout the daylight hours

- Strikes on black stoneflies are often far from subtle because trout must often be prepared to rip these strong clingers from their rocky homes

- When approaching a shallow water environment with a stonefly nymph, be extremely careful not to spook happily feeding trout

- Added weight of tungsten will keep the fly low in the water column

- Sili Skin gives a unique, buggy appearance to this fly pattern



To read more about Chocklett's Tungsten Gummy Black Stonefly or to add a row of these badass bugs to your fly box, click here.

If you'd like to browse all of Leland's hand-selected trout flies, click here.

Listening to the Orvis Podcast


In this edition, Tom Rosenbauer gives tips that will up your odds of catching instead of just casting. Fishing multi-fly rigs. Via the Orvis Website.

Furled leaders, and a new get-up for warm juice.

A few new things at the FGFF base camp:

Dane over at DF Furled leaders sent me a couple to try out. So expect a report as soon as my lame ass can get out fishing again.


Pat from Recycled Waders was poking around the site and found some images of unprotected brews and decided to take it upon himself to help us protect our warm juice. These Koozies are made from the neoprene feet of old waders, sans toe jam, thankfully. FGFF and our now-protected beer thank you.

Check out their site for other recycled goodies.




FGFF Approved!


-Alex who is currently drinking Schlitz out of a foot.

Leland Gets Kudos

Midcurrent.com gives kudos to the Leland Upgrade Program. Check it Out!

Bill Lowe Spots Steelies

Bill Lowe snares the elusive steelhead on film:

Bill Lowe, guide on the American River in Sacramento shot this!!

Leland Fly TV

Check out Leland Fly TV

For the sweetest product and fishing videos you have ever seen!!

Leland Q&A With:

Come in Monday, March 2nd, and speak with company Representatives from Sage, Redington, and Rio. These folks are some of the best in the industry. Come in and throw some questions at them from 3:00pm to 6:00pm Monday.

Jamie Lyle, Product Rep for Sage, Rio, Redington, Umpqua, Outcast, Tibor, and C&F Design.

Karen Wilken of Redington

Zack Dalton of Rio

Paul Johnson of Sage

Wednesday Wally World Fly Tying Zen








Tonight I took a cue from our innovative, brownliner, fly tying friend over at Singlebarbed and took a detour to the local Wally World in search of fly tying paraphernalia.

The big score of the night had to be the $10 spool holder from the sewing aisle. It was a major bonus that it will almost fit the top of the fly tying desk perfectly.

I also managed to pick up:
  • Enough eyes for 40 flies (.97)
  • Four different color skeins (40 yards) of let's call it "hemp nymph body material" ($1.97)
  • Enough foam for a gazillion crease flies in every color imaginable ($4.97)
  • A massive package of large metallic plastic "lace" ribbing material that looks as if it would be great on big Czech nymphs or salt water flies alike (around $3.00).

Maine Shallow Water Striper Fishing With Capt. George Harris: What's Your Favorite Shallow Water Fish?

(A very happy fly angler with a beautiful shallow water Striped Bass)

What's your favorite shallow water fish to catch? I have many...Stripers of course but also speckled trout on the grass flats...gotta love throwin to a sand pothole and drawing a nice topwater strike, Snook cruising the first trough on the beach...need I say more!!!, Bones are okay but in my opinion just abit overrated except for the pure sight casting aspect...I haven't caught a big one yet so my opinion may change...Big Cudas are exciting and are not as dumb as many think. A 5wt flyrod and some small streamers make Ladyfish a blast...they're always willing to bite and make impressive and numerous leaps...what's not to like about that??? Redfish are another great shallow water species. Bluefish provide me with plenty of excitement anywhere...but when they're pushing and slashing through baitfish up on the shallow flats, now that's FUN!!!

These are some of my favorites...please tell me about yours.

Friend, Eric Peterson says ..."GT's wading on the flats, sight fishing hands down. Tarpon a close second, but nothing like the savage strike and speed. In shallow water they only have one place to run ....AWAY!"

Please post your comments...by signing on as a blog follower...And dont forget to place your favorite fish vote on my sidebar poll!!!

Tight Lines, Capt. George Harris

Maine Flats Fishing Striper Guide
Capt. George Harris
207-691-0745
www.superfly-charters.com

Events

Events at Leland Fly Fishing Outfitters:

Monsters of Jurassic Lake:
Day: Wednesday, Feb 25
Time: 4:00 pm to 6:00 pm


Come on in to the shop on Wednesday, Febuary 25, to enjoy Argentinian Wine and cheeses. Mike Nelson, owner of the Patagonia Fishing Company, started outfitting in Argentina in 1999, and has since grown to 5 great fly fishing operations covering most of Patagonia, including Tierra Del Fuego and Jurassic Lake. Please join us and Mike Nelson as he walks you through all of the fishing possibilities of Argentina moving north to south. With numerous great videos, some argentine wine, and snacks, hopefully you will enjoy some time hearing about the fishing possibilities within Argentina and Patagonia. We will cover everything from high end lodges to camping/float trips, Sea Run Browns to enormous Rainbows, technical dry fly opportunities to down-n-dirty streamer fishing, and just about every other scenario you can imagine for a fishing trip to Patagonia. We promise this to be fun, educational, and lots of fish footage.

Jurassic Lake is nothing short of a biological anomaly and must be the most prolific trophy rainbow fishery on the planet. The lake itself is a large desert sink measuring approximately 20 by 20 kilometers. It is located at about 3,000 feet elevation in the wide open, desolate expanse of the Patagonian steppe. And while the lake looks like a saltwater body of water with its wind-chop, blue water channels and shelves, it is teaming with small scuds and massive rainbows. Here the fish average over 10 pounds with countless fish in the mid-teens as well as good numbers of fish in the 20-30 pound class. These fish are freakishly stout, incredibly strong and wildly acrobatic.



Hear it from the Horse's Mouth!!

Well....Sage, RIO, and Redington's mouth any way. Monday, March 3, Paul Johnson of Sage, Zack Dalton of Rio, and Karen Wilken of Redington will be at Leland Fly Fishing Outfitters for a 3 hour Q&A. Jamie Lyle, pictured above, will also be answering questions on product and CA Fishing. Come on down and eat some free food, and talk Fish'n with us.
Day: Monday, March 2nd
Time: 3:00 pm- 6:00 pm

Maine Striper Fishing With Super Fly Charters



Let's go back in time for a recap of a guided Maine Striper fishing trip. (just to bring the excitement level up for the coming season!!!)

In the early morning darkness(O'Dark Thirty), I stand at the dock. The boat rigged & ready to go, fully loaded with all the gear, flies and other essentials. A shiny black SUV suddendly speeds into the empty parking lot and screeches to a stop, it's headlights temporarily blind me. Two sleepy Gore-Tex & fleece clad anglers stumble out with steaming cups of coffee in hand. After a short greeting, handshakes and obligatory safety discussion, we untie the 21' Parker and idle slowly away from the dock heading southeast into a dense but patchy fog, the sleep deprived anglers still grumbling to each other about the early hours that I keep . After idling roughly one hundred yards, I kill the engine and grab the pushpole, both anglers stare at me with that "what the heck are you up to" look. Without a word I simply point ahead at the scene unfolding on the glassy calm water....swirls, splashes, boils, wakes..."nervous water" all around us. Both anglers, now instantly awake grab the pair of 8 wt rods that I have stowed neatly in their under gunnel rod-tubes, frantically stripping line from their large arbor reels and both shouting where do we cast!!! I smile while casually replying...Anywhere!!! Long graceful loops of fly-line shoot outward towards the melee. The angler in the bow strips his fly twice and hangs a solid fish as the angler in the stern shouts I'M ON TOO!!! I quickly lip grab the first fish that comes to the boat and pop the clouser from its lip the second angler does the same with his fish, a quick photo and the fish are gently released into the fast ebbing tide. As we drift and pole along in 3 feet of water on the edge of this expansive flat we hook fish on almost every cast, the fish are so blitzed up feeding on juvie herring that they are oblivious to our presence.
In the distance I hear a familiar booming laugh, I look up & smile as I see fellow guide, Capt. Don Kleiner emerging from the fog, drifting along the same edge in his rugged red 20' Lund Alsakan...his angler on the bow struggling against a deep bend in his fly rod as he quickly brings the healthy sea bright Striper to the Boat for a quick photo & release.
And so it would go for the remainder of our half day trip...nearly every flat held numbers of feeding Stripers, never once did we repeat the same drift, I'm not one to leave fish to find fish...but on this morning, we were blessed....

stay tuned for fresh new reports!!!

A reminder as we move through February....Reservations have been coming in steadily. If you have an idea of when you'd like fish with me or if you would like to know which tides might be the best...please give us a call.

Maine Flats Fishing Striper Guide
Capt. George Harris
207-691-0745
www.superfly-charters.com
Let's go back in time for a recap of a guided Maine Striper fishing trip. (just to bring the excitement level up for the coming season!!!)

In the early morning darkness(O'Dark Thirty), I stand at the dock. The boat rigged & ready to go, fully loaded with all the gear, flies and other essentials. A shiny black SUV suddendly speeds into the empty parking lot and screeches to a stop, it's headlights temporarily blind me. Two sleepy Gore-Tex & fleece clad anglers stumble out with steaming cups of coffee in hand. After a short greeting, handshakes and obligatory safety discussion, we untie the 21' Parker and idle slowly away from the dock heading southeast into a dense but patchy fog, the sleep deprived anglers still grumbling to each other about the early hours that I keep . After idling roughly one hundred yards, I kill the engine and grab the pushpole, both anglers stare at me with that "what the heck are you up to" look. Without a word I simply point ahead at the scene unfolding on the glassy calm water....swirls, splashes, boils, wakes..."nervous water" all around us. Both anglers, now instantly awake grab the pair of 8 wt rods that I have stowed neatly in their under gunnel rod-tubes, frantically stripping line from their large arbor reels and both shouting where do we cast!!! I smile while casually replying...Anywhere!!! Long graceful loops of fly-line shoot outward towards the melee. The angler in the bow strips his fly twice and hangs a solid fish as the angler in the stern shouts I'M ON TOO!!! I quickly lip grab the first fish that comes to the boat and pop the clouser from its lip the second angler does the same with his fish, a quick photo and the fish are gently released into the fast ebbing tide. As we drift and pole along in 3 feet of water on the edge of this expansive flat we hook fish on almost every cast, the fish are so blitzed up feeding on juvie herring that they are oblivious to our presence.
In the distance I hear a familiar booming laugh, I look up & smile as I see a fellow guide emerging from the fog, drifting along the same edge in his rugged red 20' Lund Alsakan...his angler on the bow struggling against a deep bend in his fly rod as he quickly brings the healthy sea bright Striper to the Boat for a quick photo & release.
And so it would go for the remainder of our half day trip...nearly every flat held numbers of feeding Stripers, never once did we repeat the same drift, I'm not one to leave fish to find fish...but on this morning, we were blessed....

stay tuned for fresh new reports!!!

A reminder as we move through February....Reservations have been coming in steadily. If you have an idea when you'd like fish with me or if you would like to know which tides might be the best...please give us a call

Maine Flats Fishing Striper Guide
Capt. George Harris
207-691-0745
www.superfly-charters.com

Photos

Fishing Gore Creek Photo: Eddie Schoenbein Trinity Steelhead Photo: Dusty Revel
Spey on The American Photo: Ian McNemar

Spey on The American Photo: George Revel Spey on The American Photo: Ian McNemar

Leland Ranch Video

20% OFF ABEL REELS

Leland Fly Fishing Outfitters Presents:
20% OFF ABEL REELS FOR FOUR DAYS ONLY!!
Beginning Thursday (Feb. 26) and Ending Sunday (March 1st)







DON'T PASS UP THIS OPPORTUNITY!!!!!!
**If you order an Abel Reel on one of these days, we will give an automatic 10% Off the price. Abel will then issue you another 10% rebate check!!! Discount does not apply to discontinued reels (Super 5, Super 12, Big Game #2 and #0, and Anti-Reverse 3N)




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Don Barone : When Recession Bites You In The A$$


Ever since we read his first story over at ESPN we have been what amounts to fans of the work of outdoor journo Don Barone. DB has he is known in the fishing world, recently became a victim of the recession getting sliced from the mainstream media even though he was writing some of the most popular stories on the outdoor net. Don received a FlyfishMagazine.com award for having a "Job that probably did not suck" which appears to have been his undoing. Look out Joan, Brian, Lefty, and Jose. This could be the fishing equivalent of the SI cover curse.
So what does a media guy do when the media he gave his blood, sweat, and tears for tells him to take his jelly donuts and go home? He covers the sport he loves anyway, albeit doing so on his own dime, all the while writing his book "The Hula Girl Diaries" (also published online) and reaching out to his fans to help fund his adventures.
"It was suggested "in jest" by one of my several thousand bosses that. "How cool would it be for you to take a Greyhound bus to….and write about the adventure of getting there to cover the event." I passed.

I have a minivan. With a dashboard Hula Girl named, Leilani, Jill my GPS-speak "Recalculating" bitch-in-a-box and U.S. Government approved luggage: 6 white plastic United States Postal Service mail bins.
I'll be fine.
So far I'm a National Traveling Internet Columnist w/o A Travel Budget for $312.52 plus shipping (Leilani $12.99, GPS-Jill $299.53)."
I "borrowed" my luggage from Ron the mail guy. No db editorial budget line cost there.
So he hit the road and is financing his journey with the sale of dashboard hula girls doing the service of helping freshen the stinky passenger compartments of anglers all over the USA.
The prices:
$5.00 each for Hula Girls Signed by DB
$6.00 for unsigned Hula Girls
$264 for those who's name we dare not speak or it will screw up our content ads (Sea Kitten Lovers)
$9,999 for IRS Employees
Check out Don's website http://www.donbaroneoutdoors.com/ for all the details and help a brother out.
PS. Don's big into covering Bass fishing. It is OK. He does occasionally write about fly fishing. There is hope for him.

Gill Net Issue Update - Save the Reds


Captain Gordon sends an update on the cause to stop unattended gill nets on the Carolina coast. The face book group is now up over 600 members strong. Sign the petition and
Don't forget to sign the petition too http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/change-gill-net-rules-in-north-carolina and keep spreading the word. There is a new committee in the NC Assembly. It is called the Marine Resources Committee. Rep Bonner Stiller from the southern part of the state is cooperative. Send him your thoughts on the gill net issue. Bonner.Stiller@ncleg.net The more pressure we can bring the better.
Thanks for your help.
Gordon
PS Sign the petition! :-)

"Panda Food" is not for pigs

I left my house at 6am to do some bullshit in Castle Rock this morning. Lucky for me Michael Gracie wanted to go carp fishing.
So as I was driving around Denver looking for the park we were going to fish, I saw some old guy in one of those stupid pill cars "Smart Car" pick his nose and eat his booger! I was thinking of rolling my window down and yelling something at him, considering he had to be at least 65, but i just kept to myself and laughed on the inside.
Ok now to the fishing. I got to the spot around 10am and Michael was right behind me. I walked over to the bridge looked over and saw only trash, no fish. We were right near down town Denver so i am thinking what the hell is Michael thinking? He was here just a week ago and told me some pretty detailed stories, so I knew there were going to be fish in here.
For about the first hour we were looking and looking and saw nothing. The one carp rolled on the surface and that was the beginning. Suddenly carp are running up river right past us. Tom and his buddy came rolling down the hill where we came down threw the brush and trash that lined the river. Almost instantly Tom hooks into a great sized carp, I go to net it and it threw the hook. Tom really knows how to fish this area, he was using an 8foot #9 and he hooked into a big river tractor. This was a beastly carp. As the fish runs he is hitting his backing, watching him pull that fish in looked like he was hooked up to a dump truck. This fish was an easy 15 lbs. The third fish tom hooks into was a nice carp about 10 to 12lbs. (See below)
I finally got a hit but had a 2 second fight if that before it threw the hook. And now Tom hooks into another big carp again 10 to 12lbs.


Tom was the only one to catch fish today, but I still had a great time. Michael got a great hook up but it was spit about 20 min. before we decided to leave. I caught the tree about 10 times, I am going to be a logger now.
So i am hearing all about how bamboo rod are the way to go, "bamboo is the best." I don't agree! If you want to fish spring creeks and catch 6-14 inch trout, then fine, fish bamboo. But I think there is a lot you can not do with bamboo. I know many people who will fish nothing but bamboo, I just cant see myself doing that. And yes I like to pull out mine every now and then, but it didn't cost me $1500. I am cheap, and broke.
I would rather catch big pigs that spool me almost every time. Lets just face it, unless you are some super guru of fly fishing Panda Food rods just aren't going to cut it.
Check out Michael's blog for details I forgot.

Road Trip Food


It actually was a darn good pie

Zingers FGFF style.

Made popular by our friends over at Fly Fishing Frenzy, here is the southwestern alcoholic twist to zingers. I ask again, are you man enough?



If you ain't going fishing, you might as well get drunk with your fishing buddy and consume some ridiculous shit.

Delicious. Awesome. Don't deny it.

-Alex who just filled the bedside hydration unit, and is glad he will not be in the woods when this nature calls.

-Aaron who would like to see some boobs... And seriously, who wouldn't?

[UPDATE 1:40am] - empty. Oh boy.

Maine Striper Fishing With Super Fly Charters

Check our short pictorial trailer



As a way to constantly raise the bar for myself, I am always looking for ways to improve the services that I provide for my guests...Therefore starting in 2009 I will be including a music video pictorial of your guided trip at no additional cost...providing you with a lasting memories of your Maine saltwater fishing experience.

stay tuned for fresh new reports!!!

A reminder as we move through February....Reservations have been coming in steadily. If you have an idea when you'd like fish with me or if you would like to know which tides might be the best...please give us a call

Maine Flats Fishing Striper Guide
Capt. George Harris
207-691-0745
www.superfly-charters.com

Maine Striper Fishing With Super Fly Charters: Budget Gear: Make a Leaf Bucket Stripping Basket

We've all seen the fancy stripping barrels/buckets...I've owned them and used them...Take the line tamer for example..they work OK for a stripping bucket but better for a garbage can, which is exactly what I use mine for now....one big big problem is that they're very expensive $100.00-$150.00...yeah right...for a stripping bucket/glorified garbage can...I don't think so!!! Check out this alternative thats way more affordable...more portable too.

Leaf Bucket Stripping Basket
by George Anderson

photos by George Anderson


Make an inexpensive but effective stripping basket for your skiff in a few short steps.


ANYTHING THAT MAKES saltwater fly fishing easier gets my attention, and when Keith Tennant, a tarpon guide from Venice Florida, showed me this deal three years ago, I could see the tremendous potential, and refined Keith's original idea a bit to come up with the “Ultimate Stripping Basket” for your boat.

Using a stripping basket might not appeal to everyone, and it certainly didn't to me in the beginning. Every one I saw, I hated, as it was such a pain to use. There are some commercial stripping baskets like the “Line Tamer” on the market, and I've tried this one but it has three faults — it is too high, too narrow, and it cannot be collapsed for storage.

Keith showed me his “Leaf bucket” and I asked him where he bought it, and his answer surprised me — Target! For twelve bucks!

This is designed to be used as a leaf collector for gardeners — a container to stuff leaves, plants or other trash into. The top of the leaf bucket is covered but has a slit in it, so that the leaves won't blow out, and straps or handles that allow you to haul it around. The tricky part about these leaf buckets, and what makes them so desirable for a boating angler, is that they are collapsible, using fiberglass wands to make them spring to life, much like one of the new small backpacking tents.

Look for your leaf bucket at Target or K-Mart. Both of these stores carry them. (Editor's note: Shortly after this article was written, Target and K-Mart stopped carrying collapsible leaf buckets. However you can still purchase them at garden supply stores or online at Web sites like Fiskars 9405 Kangaroo 30-Gallon Gardening Container.) The first thing you want to do is to get a sharp pocketknife or a single edge razor blade and CAREFULLY remove the top. This is just a matter of cutting all the stitching. Then cut off and remove all the handles, straps and other junk to make it totally clean of anything that might hang up your line and cost you a 100 lb. tarpon!

The one big problem I could see that needed to be addressed was getting some weight in the base, so it didn't just blow off the deck of your skiff with the slightest breeze! Keith solved this by putting a plastic tube in the base filled with lead “egg” sinkers. Now, this did the job but as I found out, fishing with Keith that day, your running line could get jammed under the tube with the lead weights and this cost me a good shot at a nice tarpon when the last 20 feet of my line wouldn't shoot on a long cast!

I got thinking of how to solve the problem of putting some weight in the base, yet keeping the inside totally slick and clean, with nothing to hang up on, and then it hit me — plywood. I went down to Home Depot and picked up a half sheet of 3/4 inch pressure-treated plywood. Get AC plywood that is good and smooth on the one side you will have facing up that the line will lay on. This pressure treated plywood is much heaver than normal plywood, and is perfect for a saltwater application like this, and adds just the right amount of weight. I've fished many times now with the bucket on my casting deck in twenty to thirty mile an hour winds and it stays put.

Place the base of the leaf bucket down on the plywood; draw a circle around the base to give you the outside dimension. Then cut your plywood about an eight of an inch inside this line, all the way around, using a saber saw. After you make the cut, take some 80 or 100 grit sandpaper and smooth of the edges- actually round them a little in the process. This will take perhaps 15 minutes. Then all you have to do is to work the plywood down into the bucket, and you're done! This should be a tight fit, so that it won't come out. You'll never need to get it out! If you screw up, you'll still have enough plywood left over (with a half a 4 x 8 foot sheet) to make one more base.

The leaf bucket is just the perfect height for a stripping basket, coming to just below your knees. You can strip naturally, and when positioned correctly, your strips go right into the wide mouth bucket, no problem. I've found that if I can get my first strip or two started in the bucket, then the rest of my strips go right in without me having to look where I'm stripping. This is important since you need to be getting all your strips in the bucket especially when the wind is blowing like hell, or you are excited by that one hundred pound tarpon that is bearing down on you!

I've found that I use the bucket in a variety of ways and positions in the skiff. Obviously you want to use it up on the front casting deck and since I'm right handed, I normally position this to the left and a little behind my left foot. When the wind is blowing harder though, I often place it right between my two feet. It is important for you to move the bucket around in the direction you are casting. For example, if I'm in the bow, but casting off 90 degrees to the right, I'll pick the bucket up and position it on the right side, between my legs and slightly in front of me.

Here on the West Coast of Florida, where we are often using a bow mounted trolling motor, one angler can be up front, fishing and controlling the motor and another angler can fish very effectively out of the back of the boat at the same time. So I bring along TWO buckets! Fortunately these collapse and take up very little space in the bow compartment of my 17-foot Maverick Mirage flats skiff.

I've found that a great way to utilize the bucket when moving from one fishing spot to another is to just hook my fly in the stripping guide of my rod, then stow the rod in the boat rod rack, leaving all the stripped out line inside the bucket. I then collapse the bucket and stick it up in the bow compartment, line and all. The line will come out under the lid of my bow compartment, but this has never damaged the line in any way.

Another great way to use the bucket is when you are casting from the poling platform. Any of you that have tried this know what a problem you have with dealing with your shooting line back there. It wraps up around the prop, gets blown back and hooked around the steering wheel, or gets tangled around all the control cables to your motor. This can be a nightmare, especially when big fish are coming and you miss your first cast and have to restrip and make another cast in the wind.

With the bucket, I simply get my feet planted wide on the poling platform and stick the bucket between my feet. I try to position it slightly forward, as far as I can go without having it fall off the platform. This works perfectly. If you are fishing on your own and want to stake out, there is no better way to spot and fish to fish than by anchoring up or staking out from the bow to keep the boat pointed into the wind to reduce wave slap, and then get up and fish from the poling platform. Now you can see those fish approaching your stern a long way away, and make some seriously long launches from up there.

In late April this year I caught a 120 lb. tarpon while fishing off the poling platform while being guided by Boca Grande guide Austin Lowder. My other buddy Gerry was up front, casting from the bow. Needless to say, you don't want to try this if you are bouncing around in big waves or if your balance isn't good. Otherwise you could be taking an early bath!

George Anderson is a well-known fly fishing author and teacher. He owns The Yellowstone Angler fly shop in Livingston, Montana.

Maine Flats Fishing Striper Guide
Capt. George Harris
207-691-0745
www.superfly-charters.com