Our good buddy Alex Ramirez was kind enough to bring down some new fly rods from Sage and Redington for everyone to field test and some shades to look through from Smith/Optics as well…
Bring some cash if you are interested in buying flies from our awesome fly tiers this year and there will be a special used fly gear table with some great deals for those looking for discounted used fly rods and misc. gear.
This is shaping up to be another great event!
photo by Al Q
The long-awaited Fleye Design by Bob Popovics and Jay Nichols has hit the streets. It’s been three years in the making and it was worth the wait…
Well there are many adjectives for the way Bob Popovics approaches fly tying; innovative, creative, intense attention to materials and details, user friendly and proveyer of deadly patterns. I have known Bob for over twenty years and since the day we met in San Mateo, he has always been bigger than life, a mentor, a friend and a kindred spirit. His approach to fly tying has literally changed my life. I have watched Bob’s journey over the years and have been fortunate to be by his side during some of the development of his now famous patterns. I have been tying his stuff since the first time we tied a surf candy together. Bob has always had a very practical approach to fly tying, he studies the baits, understands the way predators stalk and feed on them, then uses the best materials based on their movement or durability to represent his flies. He repurposes ordinary materials into masterpieces like “The Beast” entirely made of bucktail. If you are serious about fly fishing in saltwater, you need to have a copy of his new book entitled, Fleye Design: techniques, insights, patterns. It is beautifully laid out, with tons of great photos and step-by-steps. A great resource for beginners, and novice tiers including myself. Way to go BobPop, you hit it out of the park…..again. and if you don’t have a copy of Popfleyes, Bob’s first book, that is where is all began and is a must for every fly fisherman’s library…don’t walk, run to get them both.
All photos by Al Q
Jack Gartside would have turned 73 years old.
He was one of a kind. He fathered the gurgle and soft hackle streamer. Here’s a great tribute to the unconventional sage of flyfishing, Jack Gartside by Phil Monahan. Click Here!
photo courtesy of Temple Fork Outfitters
Two of the best casting instructors, Lefty Kreh and Ed Jaworowski, both good friends & mentors of mine, have teamed up over the last three years and put together this awesome casting tuturial/video for all fly casters to enjoy. There has been a buzz in the industry over this collaboration. No fly fishing library is complete without one…SHOP HERE! happy holidays!
Just got back from the Somerset Fly Fishing Show and got my copy signed, this is one video that will stay in the library…
© 2015 Al Quattrocchi Design
We know that there are many cool things to do in Southern California, but if you are free and passionate about fly fishing, please stop by the Double Hall Ball next year to freshen up your fly fishing skills, it’s FREE and a great way to make new fishing buddies…Save the Date!
Woke up at 4:30 am yesterday to a sky full of stars and warm Santa Ana breezes. As I rode along the beach from Vista del Mar toward Redondo, the airplanes were descending into the offshore wind from the ocean and landing quietly onto the LAX tarmac. It was going to be an awesome, bluebird, sunny day with temps near 81 degrees in LA, in November. I met my fishing bud, John Whitaker and we launched out of Redondo Harbor to flat calm seas, heading south towards the PV peninsula, dodging the multitude of lobster pots like inshore land mines as we ran. We have a little honey hole that needed some attention and our window of opportunity with the clear sunny skies looming over the horizon was going to be short, so we did 22 knots and closed the time gap. Needless to say, we found some fish up closer to the beach than usual. Probably due to the swirling winds that had us a little confused. It was blowing 15 knots then laid down after an hour. The birds always find the bait first, and it was tight to shore. They were picking away as the waves slapped the steep cliff strew shoreline, so we moved in. The wind was crazy, blowing in all directions, it kept changing on us, but we managed to figure it out and drifted from a sandy bottom to rocky bottom, often getting hammered once we hit the reef on each drift. It was a fun 45 minute productive window before it all shut down like someone hit the switch. Flies of choice were flash tail clousers in olive/white, tan/orange and my sea foam, minty mac (a white sea bass killa) I also got a nice bass on one of my custom, rabbit tail sculpins with a sculpin fish skull head and weed guard. Pretty decent bite although short, with a quality fish on a awesome fall day in Southern California. Always fun bending a rod, thanks JW!
the false dawn looming over the horizon. photo by Al Q
the beautiful cliffs of Palos Verde Peninsula. Photo by Al Q
Quality fish Photo by Al Q
JW getting it done. photo by Al Q
Even a bonita showed up to play Photo by Al Q
The Qs Minty Mac strikes again. Photo by John Whitaker
Great way to end the beginning of the day. Photo by Al Q
Natural bucktail clousers with flash tails in different colors, don’t leave home without em. Photo by Al Q
A beautiful morning on the beach at El Porto. Photo by Al Q
flies, sand & surf 