Ballast Point Amber Ale Calico beer. © 2012 photo by Al Q
My fishing buddy John Whitaker brought this new beer to my attention over the holidays and since we both share a fond appreciation for anything involving Calico Bass, I dig it. I think I need to drink a few cold ones prior to fly fishing so I can get my Calico Mojo werking.
I might even soak a few flies in it to bring me some good luck. LOL Thanks John!
jeff priest gives a big smile while his girlfriend Michelle snaps a iphone pic. photo by Al Q.
a nice winter barred surf perch caught on the fly. photo by Al Q.
winter time in Southern California is big perch time. This fish caught by my buddy Jeff was around 14 to 15 inches long. These fish are not uncommon this time of year as they begin to spawn.
fisheye (no pun intended) pic by Al Q.
I got this magnetic fisheye lens from photojo online. i had to do a little modification on the metal “O” ring that you need to attach to the phone so your lens can magnetically connect. I used my hand dremel to cut the ring so the flash would not be covered. I have a iphone 3G not a 4G. The supplied rings come with an adhesive back. I removed it and just used clear silicone to attach the ring to my phone. That seemed to do the trick. The lens cost around $20 and is a great and inexpensive way to add a fisheye to your iphone. They had some others as well including a wide angle and a telephoto.
the wonderful under water world of Charley Harper's illustrations
One of my favorite all time graphic illustrators!
Click here to learn more about Charley’s Story!
click for larger view!
Al Q casting in Santa Monica bay at sunrise. Photo by Bernard Yin. Click for larger view.
Sometimes after I return from a fishing session I can be totally rewarded by a great photo to remember that perfect moment. I often do not measure the success of a day on the water by how many fish I catch. It can just be about quality time with friends, a beautiful sunrise or sunset, or just time to yourself to collect your thoughts and become a whole person again. Fly fishing the surf does all these things for me and more. Every day on the water is a gift I never take for granted.
sculpin fly at the ready. 2012 © photo by Al Q
Winter Calicos tend to stay deep due to the cold water temps. They don’t like to move far from their comfort zones either, so putting the fly the right depth in the right zone can make the difference in a good day or a slow day. The takes are very slow. A tick, tick, maybe a small bump is all you will get. The fish will often nose the fly before committing to the buffet. But when they do and you set up on them it is game on. Holding these fish off their ambush zones is the key to landing them. Give them an inch and you are done. All my larger fish never landed on the reel, they are all caught by clamping down on the cork grip holding the fly line tight and maintaining full pressure to control their attempt at getting back to their rock, pipe or buoy line.
a sculpin's revenge. 2012 © photo by Al Q
the shimmy fly! © 2011 photo by Al Q
Here’s a nice step by step John Frazier, editor of Fly Fishing In Saltwaters just put together for the new Dec/Jan issue. I have been experimenting around with this fly for a few years now and I am happy with it’s popping on a single strip and movement underwater when stripped continuously. Click here for the video!
I just sent out a few of my Sili-Crabs to a good buddy back east to target permit on the flats. These crabs legs are hand crafted out of a artist woodcut block, sprayed with release and then poured with a fast cure silicon. I can color them silicone pigments or after they cure with water-proof markers. Once the legs are made the rest of the fly is pretty easy to finish. I will try to put up a tying sequence soon. My inspiration for these realistic crabs were the Hiromi crabs which set the bar for crab flies a few years back. Hiromi hand cut the legs for his crabs individually out of rubber gloves. My tend to be a little more production style. When I do the article on these I will show how these can be weighted in various ways.
flies, sand & surf 