Lures that tend to tumble or spin when cast or retrieved (jigs, softbaits, etc) can put a lot of unwanted twist in your line, which in turn leads to tangles, birds-nests, and lots of colorful language. Using a swivel (the smallest version possible for a stealthy profile) when attaching your leader line will minimize the problem. But if your line does end up all kinked and springy, here’s the cure: simply snip off the lure and feed line from your reel while your boat is underway. Feed out about 75 yards of line, let is unwind for a minute or so, then reel it back in. If you’re land-bound, try tying your line to a fixed object, feed line from the reel as you walk away, untie the line and “snap” the rod as you refill the spool to work out the kinks. Voila: straightened, smoother-casting line.

“For the supreme test of a fisherman is not how many fish he has caught, not even how he has caught them, but what he has caught when he has caught no fish.”

John H. Bradley

In winter months “down south”, cold weather, wind gusts and low tides can make shallow-water angling a real challenge. But, as with most things in life, you can find a silver lining if you look hard enough. In Florida specifically, redfish and especially snook will move inland as the thermometer drops, and they can often be found “sunning” in protected bays, especially those with dark mud bottoms that soak up and hold the sun’s heat. Move into such areas slowly, use a good set of glasses to look for moving or stationary fish and slow down the presentation of your lure or fly.

Little did these custom rods know what fate had in store for them.

My wife and I got hitched more than a year ago now, and to commemorate the death of my bachelorhood the blissful pairing, my good buddies Joe and Pete proffered up the best wedding gift I could imagine: two high end reels and two soon-to-be-delivered custom-made rods. Finding those shiny reels among the dinnerware and salad forks was one of the gleaming moments of my adult life, if only because they provided such a welcome respite from tuxedoes and flower arrangements. And knowing that Joe, a guy known locally for producing top-shelf custom rods, would soon deliver a pair of his coveted creations? I was a blissed-out groom. Read the rest of this entry »

That’s how a poster described our modest line of fishing tees today on this popular Jacksonville-based kayaking forum. He went on to describe our shirts thusly:

“They’re subtle, not too ostentatious, and comfortable – worth checking out as a Christmas present for the special angler in your life…”

Why, thankya kindly. We appreciate any input, positive or negative. And so you know, we’re working on an entirely new bundle of unique designs that we hope to have up by Christmas, if not before. Stay tuned.

“I imagine that no art has ever been learned from books. Fly-fishing is no exception.”

G.E.M. Skues

“Don’t you know that you are shooting star”? Ain’t we all.

‘Nuff said.