here are a few recap photos from the beach office…
Last Thursday was an insane day of offshore fly fishing with our friend and fish whisperer, Glenn Ueda aboard his 20 foot Edgewater. We targeted the island of Catalina with the main mission of getting our friend, Jim Solomon his first yellowtail on the fly. Well….Jimmy logged the first five yellowtail that morning in short order and was on fire all day long. It was a yellowtail, bonita bonanza! Even our buddy John Whitaker who launched from Redondo solo was slaying them. It was five hours of doubles, triples, sore arms and lots of laughs…Thanks Glenn for allowing me to burn some of these fond memories on digital film!
Yvon Chouinard of Patagonia is one of my heroes because he just doesn’t talk about stuff, he makes change by putting his foot and resources forward. Every individual is capable of making change in this world. We need a revolution of like-minded people for our planet to heal. Check out this twenty five minute film by director Chris Malloy (180 degrees South) to see what ordinary folks like you and me are capable of. Click Here!
photo courtesy of Rob Aaron Gordon/Garden&Gun magazine
From downhill skiing to tournament tarpon, Andy Mill has always been a winner and a great advocate/ambassador for saltwater flats flyfishing for tarpon. Always willing to share knowledge. I had to good fortune to interview Andy for an FFSW article I did years ago on the origin of the “Toad Fly”. I remember Andy was enthusiastic and passionate to share his talents as a great tarpon fisherman with me. Here’s a nice article from Garden & Gun magazine about his relationship to his middle son, Nicky and their tarpon fishing adventures in the keys. Click Here!
Nice healthy corbina, sight cast and landed on a pink/grey merkin this morning in skinny water by Jim Solomon. Photo courtesy of Jim Solomon. Sweet fish!
No dogs allowed in the Pasadena Casting Pond but Camel are cool. WTF? Photo courtesy of Matt Abrams
Nice Corbina landed by Paul Payan of the Pasadena Casting Club.
“I caught my first Corbina on a fly today and shortly afterwards I caught my second. It was on the Pasadena Casting Club trip to Santa Clause Lane Beach in Carpinteria. It felt like Christmas in July to me. I caught it on a Crabby Patty. Special thanks to Jim Solomon and Al Q for all of the surf instruction and your years of patience.” –Paul
the golden tarpon?
Read the entire story on the Bonefish & Tarpon Trust newsletter!
Kesley Gallagher with another fine corbina landed on 6# tippet. Photo by John Dietch.
Al Q with a sight cast bean in shallow water.
Ring of pink merkins tied by Al Q with heavy brass eyes.
Nice bean landed by my friend, Regan Kline this morning, I recognize that merkin, wink, wink. Photo by Regan Kline.
Photography by Al Q. Al Q pic by Jim Solomon
the minus low tide cycle that commonly falls around the fourth of july each year has started to produce some nice sight cast corbina in southern california. the water temps have lingered around 70 degrees and just recently hit the magic 72 degree temps that these fish prefer. watching these fish do head stands on crab beds is what we wait for each year and it is happening right now. dust off that fly rod and give it your best shot, all you need is a six weight rod and a sinking line (150 to 200 grains) use a nine foot leader with a tippet of ten pound test and you will be in the game. Use a sand crab imitation fly, (check Paul Cronin’s Surfin Merkin, google it) and you are good to go. get out there on the low incoming tide, to see where the crab beds are and try to time the water level so it is over those crab beds. that is when the corbina will actively feed. i have said this many times, “It is my favorite time of year and the corbina are one of the most challenging sport fish to land by sight casting off the beach, period!” This is not an easy task and you will take your lumps, especially if you are new to this game, but keep at it and you will be rewarded. tight lines.
-Al Q
flies, sand & surf 