Bad Ass! I wish this was around when I went to school at UCSB. I had lots of the beaches around campus to myself. There weren’t many people out there that fly fished and the patterns I was using then weren’t the best options but were all I had to go with. Those surf perch were awesome and every once in a while the halibut would cooperate. The Corbina constantly kicked my butt. Some day I will get back out there and give them hell. Keep up the good work.
Greetings,
Wonderful site. I do like to fish the surf and I often take my 6WT., and head down to the shore here is White Rock, B.C.,. So learning about differednt patterns is so important.
I have had the occasion to Fly Fish San Diego with Jeff Stock and really enjoyed myself. We are hoping to fly down for a few days this Spring or next Winter.
I am interested in your patterns for Bonefish in Hawaii. As I add more to my Fly box for the beaches of Maui. I just got back early Monday morning and I did spend a lot of time on rocks and sand with fly rod in hand.
I actually caught a nice number of Bones and Popio’s this time. Maui is a “BITCH”, to fish but they are there and it is hard on Fly lines and lost flies.
Your Thin Lizzie, Salty Sculpin work as do Deceiver’s as well as Bone fish pattern’s for Christmas Island.
How can I get those patterns from the “Syndicate”??????
Thanks for the great flies. The Thin Lizzie link seems to direct you to the Minty Mac link. Thought you would want to know about the link mix up. I enjoy your information. Thanks, the surf is calling. Tight lines!
Al,
I saw you at Marriott’s a couple months ago when you were tying bonefish patterns for Hawaii. One fly was the Thin Lizzie and the other was a “Mickey Mantis”. Do you have the material list and tying instructions for the Mickey??
Great blog with a lot of usefull information!!
Thanks Tim, I don’t know anyone who sells them, and I am trying to keep up with tying flies for myself these days. Maybe I can get Umpqua to carry it in the future?
This is EXACTLY what I was looking! Excellent resource for socal fly fishing newbies like me. Thanks!
I noticed some of the fly tying links send me to Saltwater magazine instead of the PDF instructions like the others. I would really like to see those instructions. Thanks again for putting this site together!
Nice webpage! A lot of useful information on it. I’m going to try surf fishing for the first time in April when the family and I are out visiting in-laws, any chance I could get some of those flies? Or tell me where I could purchase some good salt flies? There are no fly shops I’m McCall Idaho where I’m from
Billy:
Where are you planning on fishing and for what species? That will determine what type of flies you might need. I can definitely make some suggestions for you. I do not commercially tie these days but Umpqua Feather Merchants carry some of my patterns, your fly shop can order them for you.
Hello Al. Really enjoyed, and learned a lot at your presentation at The Spot. Checking out your blog, and when I click on a fly pattern, a travel ad pops up instead of tying instructions. Am I doing something wrong on my computer? David H.
David, the magazine that originally published my ghost whisper pattern has gone out of business, so that link is broken. I am working on updating my blog soon and will hopefully have all my patterns online! Sorry for that inconvenience!
flies, sand & surf 
Bad Ass! I wish this was around when I went to school at UCSB. I had lots of the beaches around campus to myself. There weren’t many people out there that fly fished and the patterns I was using then weren’t the best options but were all I had to go with. Those surf perch were awesome and every once in a while the halibut would cooperate. The Corbina constantly kicked my butt. Some day I will get back out there and give them hell. Keep up the good work.
thanks Justin! hope to see ya on the beach someday!
Greetings,
Wonderful site. I do like to fish the surf and I often take my 6WT., and head down to the shore here is White Rock, B.C.,. So learning about differednt patterns is so important.
I have had the occasion to Fly Fish San Diego with Jeff Stock and really enjoyed myself. We are hoping to fly down for a few days this Spring or next Winter.
I am interested in your patterns for Bonefish in Hawaii. As I add more to my Fly box for the beaches of Maui. I just got back early Monday morning and I did spend a lot of time on rocks and sand with fly rod in hand.
I actually caught a nice number of Bones and Popio’s this time. Maui is a “BITCH”, to fish but they are there and it is hard on Fly lines and lost flies.
Your Thin Lizzie, Salty Sculpin work as do Deceiver’s as well as Bone fish pattern’s for Christmas Island.
How can I get those patterns from the “Syndicate”??????
Regards,
Andy R.
Thanks for the great flies. The Thin Lizzie link seems to direct you to the Minty Mac link. Thought you would want to know about the link mix up. I enjoy your information. Thanks, the surf is calling. Tight lines!
thanks for you reply, and kind words, charles, i will try and fix that asap.
Al,
I saw you at Marriott’s a couple months ago when you were tying bonefish patterns for Hawaii. One fly was the Thin Lizzie and the other was a “Mickey Mantis”. Do you have the material list and tying instructions for the Mickey??
Great blog with a lot of usefull information!!
Thanks,
Steve
Hello Al, I really like your sand crab pattern. Do you sell them ? If so were can I find them ?
Thanks
Tim
Thanks Tim, I don’t know anyone who sells them, and I am trying to keep up with tying flies for myself these days. Maybe I can get Umpqua to carry it in the future?
Al,
This is EXACTLY what I was looking! Excellent resource for socal fly fishing newbies like me. Thanks!
I noticed some of the fly tying links send me to Saltwater magazine instead of the PDF instructions like the others. I would really like to see those instructions. Thanks again for putting this site together!
Jeff
Great stuff!if you would send some info on the Mackie And smelt flys!
Michael:
I am in the process of updating the website blog, I will hopefully get step by steps going on the next round…
Thanks for visiting…
-Al
Nice webpage! A lot of useful information on it. I’m going to try surf fishing for the first time in April when the family and I are out visiting in-laws, any chance I could get some of those flies? Or tell me where I could purchase some good salt flies? There are no fly shops I’m McCall Idaho where I’m from
Billy:
Where are you planning on fishing and for what species? That will determine what type of flies you might need. I can definitely make some suggestions for you. I do not commercially tie these days but Umpqua Feather Merchants carry some of my patterns, your fly shop can order them for you.
-Al
Hello Al. Really enjoyed, and learned a lot at your presentation at The Spot. Checking out your blog, and when I click on a fly pattern, a travel ad pops up instead of tying instructions. Am I doing something wrong on my computer? David H.
David, the magazine that originally published my ghost whisper pattern has gone out of business, so that link is broken. I am working on updating my blog soon and will hopefully have all my patterns online! Sorry for that inconvenience!
Whats your go to sand crab fly for corbina? I need to get some just started fishing the beaches again.
Jeff:’
You can’t go wrong with a surfin merkin or a holy moley crab, both are in the book.
-A