Some of the many multi-species landed by Steve Horgan on Christmas Island using Al Q’s beach bug! Photos by Steve Horgan. From top left to right: Blacktail Snapper, Bluefin Trevally, Flag tail Rockcod, Juvenile Red Snapper, Honeycomb Grouper, Onespot Snapper, Paddletail Snapper & Peacock Rockcod.
Qs Beach Bug with palmered red chenille
I had the pleasure of running into Cincinatti’s own, Steve Horgan at the Honolulu Airport while waiting to board our Fiji Air flight to Christmas Island. We had never met before. Steve had been to CI this past May and was gracious enough to talk to some of our guys at the airport and brief them on the many exotic species we may encounter while fly fishing the reefs. He had identified many interesting reef species and had beautiful photos of many colorful species all caught of fly. Steve specializes in chasing multi-species on the fly and really enjoys fly fishing the inner and outer reefs. He has over one hundred and forty species to date. It was serendipitous to say Steve knew me by one of my fly patterns the Qs Beach Bug. He said he loved my fly and brought some to try out on his quest to add new species. Steve stayed at a different lodge so we didn’t see each other even though we were on the island at the same time. We exchanged emails and wished each other luck. When I returned I got an amazing email from him which I would like to share, it touched me deeply: He has since re entitled my fly the Beach Benz!
Hello Al,
I put your beach bug in my fly box for my recent trip to Christmas Island because it looks different than any other fly I fish. I’m glad I took it. I fished it for my first reef fishing episode which lasted about 2.5 hours. Did my reef fish friends like it? Does the sun shine at Christmas Island? Fish hit it on the first six casts I made as soon as it hit the water. They also liked it stripped slowly or rapidly. And it’s the only fly I have fished on reefs that fish ate on the dead drop! I caught about 75 fish in that first session. And all of them came on the fly I started with. Your beach bug held up very well. The only area that had wear were the eyes, which is understandable considering all the rocks I was fishing around. I have two thoughts about your bug. If I were taking someone reef fishing for the first time it would be the fly I would put on their line. And I have to wonder how a larger version would fish. I think the bigger boys would definitely eat it. As it turned out I caught eight different species on your beach bug. Four pictures are attached to this email and four will be sent with a subsequent email. I have sent a friend request to you on Facebook. I have an album posted called Memories of Christmas Island November 2014. If you click on the title of the album you can see the 34 pictures I put in it. Wishing you safe travels and safe fishing.
Happy Thanksgiving,
Steve Horgan
These are some of the other species Steve encountered in blue water on his offshore flies. Way to go Steve, you are an inspiration to all of us!
Wahoo, Mahi Mahi and Tuna all were happy to eat the fly. Photos courtesy of Steve Horgan.
flies, sand & surf 
Hey Al, VERY nice writing AND photos in the last two posts. Good job, buddy! I just took the top of my head off under the bathroom sink, putting in a new faucet. Why don’t I just hire a plumber?????? Good day, pal. Wardo
Sent from my iPad
Very nice agreed. I always wonder what are the chances in fishing reef fish in the Pacific that you might pick up a stonefish before you identify it and suffer the fatal consequences?
that is why you hire a guide, the guides there have seen it all and know which ones to handle. if you are on your own and you don’t know, take a pic and cut it off…
Al, This is so cool. Makes me long for Moorea. What an honor to have your fly take so many species by a stranger. Hope you had a blessed Thanksgiving! Timm Date: Tue, 25 Nov 2014 18:21:04 +0000 To: timmtews@msn.com
Hey Timm, I will be in Denver on December 28th, it would be great if we can hook up!
I will be there for a little over a week
hey al, great story. that fly is loaded with triggers (ie., a sweet suite of triggers?)! unexpected connections between strangers are always interesting!
Like commenter Timm Tews – never met him but remember that his “beach butterfly” surf fly was in the fli-box on http://www.fliflicker.com back as far back as 2002 (and still is there – just checked!)