Well, i can finally sleep at night knowing that that once in a lifetime achievement is officially recorded and documented by the IGFA. These two flyfishing records officially got in last friday. What a crazy morning, May 14th, 2016 was. Seems like a dream in slow motion. Special thanks to my pal, Dr. John Whitaker for taking me to the promiseland…

Hope to see some of you all at the Saltwater Fly gathering at the Southbay Flyfishing club in Westchester tomorrow night at 7:30 pm. Its an informal meeting to share information so we can all be better at the game we love…I will hopefully kick it off with an IGFA film of Ted Williams fly fishing the keys… tight lines

-Al Q

Last weekend we got out to one of our local hot spots for a little morning action with our old friend Rick Olson of Olson Visual. Rick had just got back from a family road vacation to our National Parks with his family and he was ready for action. He needed a little fishing fix so when John Whitaker asked me if I knew anyone ready to play we got Rick into a few…it was a great morning on the water although it started off a little slow due to the slack low tide. Once the tide started to push and the current built, the fish started to chew. It was nice having a few bonus bonita boil around the boat willing to eat out flies. Most of the fish were feeding on small micro baits but the old standard #4 olive and white clouser minnows got chewed on pretty good. Thanks to John Whitaker for always being a gracious fishing host and by setting the new bar at 71 fish on his last outing on friday, we came up a little short but no one was complaining. The brook trout has been getting a work out! LOL

here are a few recap photos from the beach office…

playing a nice fish on light tippet. photo by Al Q

merkin face. photo by Al Q

Glen lands a beauty. photo by Al Q

bendo in beantown. photo by Al Q

Al Q nails a piggy. photo by Al Q

Junior getting ready to be released. photo by Al Q

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 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!