Fishing with Rod Discussion Forum
Fishing in British Columbia => Fly Fishing Cafe => Topic started by: banx on January 10, 2013, 11:15:20 AM
-
hey guys. I've been trolling this site for a few years since moving to vancouver. It's helped me out, but I haven't had anytyhing important or relevant to post.
however, now i do.
so I'm goin to ambergis caye in belize and renting an apartment with the wife for 10 days end of april beginning of may....... I'm bringing my 8wt and 4wt fly rods. mine and the wifes small spin casting rods as well as my 8'6 hmx and abu 6500.
I have spoken to my host who also happens to be a guide, he says that I will need to work on my fly casting. Now heres the thing. I don't REALLY fly fish. I bring my rods out with me when i go use my gear and when the salmon stop biting I throw out a small fly and try for trout.
I can probably only cast 20 to 30 feet with fairly decent accuracy. He says I will need to cast 70 to 80 feet if I want to be consistently successful.
I know some of you will say well why don't you go practice.... and well I need more than intro advice. practicing doing this wrong for hours on end does not lead to progress..... I need a class. I see several shops offer courses. But i'm looking for a personal recommendation. I'm not a noob per se, but an intermediate class or something along those lines.
also has anyone here gone to belize?
I've spent a few hours researching online but it's all forums. and everyones an expert on the internet. I have enough gear and tackle, but no flies.
would there be someone willing to tie me a bunch of flies? (at a price of course)
Gotchas, Christmas Island Special, Small crabs, Brown and also Orange cockroach patterns with some EP fibers to spice things up
Rubber legged Gotcha’s and shrimp patterns. apparantly those are what I will need.
so, suggestions? advice? recommendations? concerns? warnings?
-
I know the guys at pacific Angler do warm water stuff.
good luck. sounds like an amazing trip to come. :)
-
Getting some sort of instruction is a great idea. M&Y would be a good shop to go to. Also make sure you get some instruction/practice in the wind as more than likely you will encounter all types of weather conditions. I'm not sure I would take the 4wt with me because even the smallest bonefish would require at least a 7wt.
The goalie that plays for my hockey team, regularily takes his family to Roatan in Honduras to go fly fishing. Yes, distance and accuracy can be very important but sometimes the fish are so close and plentiful that it doesn't matter too much.
-
Suggest you contact Cory up in Smithers at Webflyz.com . He made up a very good selection of flies for me for bonefishing trip to Kauai last May. He is very knowledgeable and helpful.
If you want flies "of the shelf" take a look at flyfishusa.com . Good selection ,info and service.
-
Warm water fishing you would need to be able to be a decent caster lots of wind to contend with and accuracy a must,need good equipment, cheap rods and reels will not cut it. Warm water species rip line off your reel into your backing in seconds ..also don't forget to dress properly or you can get some major sun burns. When I am fishing warm waters I am totally covered up even my hands
-
If you are trying for bonefish your guide friend is giving you good advice. Best thing is to get a fly rod set up with the line you will be using for the fishing trip, and to see if one of the fly shops in the lower mainland can give you some tips and pointers for you to work on before the trip. I imagine you will be fishing the flats, and you have to be able to lay out the line quickly and accurately from what I have heard to have any success with minimal false casting.
-
thanks for the information gentlemen. I'm on my way to the vedder this morning for some steelhead fun. but on my way back I will pay a visit to michael and young on broadway. just a few mins from my home..... see what their course schedule is like.
i will be leaving the 4 wt at home. and focusing on using my 8 wt properly.
thanks for the webflyz link as well.
anything else i should consider? I've had mother nature kick my butt in cancun once already, so i will be rocking spf 50 and a hat, shades and most likely a long sleeve t..... and yes mostly fishing the flats. we discussed tarpon fishing, but I'm more keen on the smaller fish at least to eat.
-
Are you gone yet ?
I have an assortment of Umpqua salt water caribeann type flies. No crabs , just peacocks and jungle herls, on professional saltwater grade hooks.
However these are quite big flies. I am not sure if your 8 wt can get them out .
Unless you use a very short 20 or heavier pound tippet with a clear water line.
Check with me before you go and we can hook you up with a few.
$ 4 each. If they do not work and you bring them back unused I will give you your money back assuming I can re sell them.
Jeff 778 772 8348
-
cohojoe, thanks I will contact you before I leave. which is apr 24th. I also have a friend tying me a few. But i have a feeling having flies available are like condoms. rather have em and not need them then need them and not have em.
that being said I've been out praticing casting with the 8 wt. much different feel than my 4wt thats for sure. I 'should' be attending the class at pacific angler at the end of the month. theres a few seats open.
getting pretty excited and have seen enough youtube videos on fishing the flats that I think i'm prepared. I'm looking forward to chucking some gear as well and have spent the time teaching my wife the art of casting a level wind without getting a rats nest.
i know this may sound like a silly question. but maybe the gents/ladies that have fished warm water can explain why these fish that are 'smaller' require such heavy gear? not trying to sound completely ignorant but it 'sounds' as if 'warm water' fish of a same weight to a salmonoid/trout/char are stronger? is it more running room? battling currents? the temp of the water allows them to be more explosive?
-
you know ladies and gentlemen, with 400 some odd views i'm sure there would be one of you willing to enlighten me.
or am i just going to have to watch all the repeats of "fishing the flats" i have on my pvr?
;D
-
you know ladies and gentlemen, with 400 some odd views i'm sure there would be one of you willing to enlighten me.
or am i just going to have to watch all the repeats of "fishing the flats" i have on my pvr?
;D
I'm sure everyone else is also interested in the answer. Would you like me to invent something (since I have never been)?
If someone had info I'm sure they would share.
-
well i was asking why the bigger gear for smaller fish.
I was under the impression that you might not need to have travelled somewhere similar to know why this is so. just seems to be a knowledgable group here, and my original questions were brilliantly answered. it's why I fired off the last set of questions.
not trying to be a dick.
-
i know this may sound like a silly question. but maybe the gents/ladies that have fished warm water can explain why these fish that are 'smaller' require such heavy gear? not trying to sound completely ignorant but it 'sounds' as if 'warm water' fish of a same weight to a salmonoid/trout/char are stronger? is it more running room? battling currents? the temp of the water allows them to be more explosive?
The short answer is these fish (bonefish, permit, mackerel, etc) are built for speed. It is evolution. As a shallow water fish they need to be fast to avoid predators, especially in the crystal clear waters it lives in. So it is also location. If you have ever hooked a coho or spring in shallow water on a beach, you will know the reel screaming runs it can let out are very different than those you get in deep water further off the coast. Without the ability to dive, the fish runs headlong away from the boat and you had better have the backbone to turn it back. And bonefish can grown to 20 pounds, so they are not always "smaller" although the average is in the 5 pound range.
-
If you're chuckin big flies you need a big rod.
-
thanks. thats the answer i was looking for. hope my 8wt will be up to the task as well as my 8' hmx baitcaster.
and yes i love the screaming runs of a spring or coho hooked in shallow water. almost gives me goose bumps. :)
-
Yo, Banx. We may cross paths.
I fly into Belize City and head right to Crooked tree for two nights, then I will be on Caye Caulker on the 30th of April and 1st of May, with three more nights that I haven't booked yet. Thinking about heading north to Ambergris, or south towards the Turneffe flats. Not sure yet. I will play it by ear after I spend a couple nights on Caulker. Might even just stay there if the island proves to be as cool as it seems to be.
I have given up on even attempting the flyfishing thing. Maybe next time. From what I hear, you might not get a ton of opporunities to hook up, and casting accuracy, distance and speed is crucial. I am still new to flyfishing, so dealing with the ever present wind combined with the distances needed and hitting a moving target with a weighted fly seems like a waste of time for me.
I am going a great distance to catch flats species, I already frustrate myself enough throwing my 5wt for trout, I don't need to bring that experience with me.
I have loaded up on the appropriate jigs, shrimp and crab DOAs and GULP stuff. I will even leverage natural baits when I am down there. I'm not taking chances, lol.
Anyways, best of luck out there. I will tip a Belikin for you and wish you a GRAND SLAM.
-
thanks. i've been getting out for practice but i also find this a losing proposition with a fly rod in my hand. hahaha
were there any speific 'gulp's' you suggest?
i have some ghost shrimp, storm chad jigs, and half dozen rappalas. was also planning on using real bait. apparantly conch is supposed to be great.
good luck to you to.
-
I got the Gulp mixed bucket thing that come with shrimp and peeler crabs. Permit and Bone delicacies, or so I read.
And yeah, real shrimp and conch pieces on a jig apparently do very very well for Bones.
-
excellent. I will start packing my suitcase this evening, half of it is fishing gear and the other half clothes. hahahaha.
are you using 4 piece rods? or do you have a large travel case going down with you?
-
I bought the Cabelas "Salt Striker" travel combo a couple years ago. It is a 7', 3 piece that came with a hard case that fits in my checked rolling luggage. This time, because I will packpacking, I have to carry the rod tube on the plane and mount it to my backpack when travelling around the country. I'm debating whether or not to bother with my 4 piece Reddington fly rod. It is only a 5wt, and I will be outgunned by pretty much anything that bites with that set up.
I have booked one guide session with Angler's Abroad on my first day on Caulker, learn some secrets then have a few goes at it DIY style using Kayaks and wading the island. If that fails, I will book another guided trip. Hoping to complete a slam, one way or the other!
-
excellent. I will start packing my suitcase this evening, half of it is fishing gear and the other half clothes. hahahaha.
are you using 4 piece rods? or do you have a large travel case going down with you?
I hear ya. Just started packing now, here is my arsenal;
Some gotchas, andros specials and crazy charlies, some top water popper bass plugs for snook, those long green tubes are MURDER on Cudas. Got my flats boots, 4 piece travel rods, a ton of jigs heads, tubes, curl tails and rapalas of varying size. Some pre rigged shrimp jigs and the tub of mixed shrimp and crab GULPs. Some fish grabbing, cut proof gloves...forcepts, and of course some polarized Ray Bans.
(http://i.imgur.com/DVoBkLh.jpg)
-
well, I'm back from san pedro belize, and I caught a lot of fish. though I didn't catch a bone fish on a fly.
Spent some money on a guide and I enjoyed myself, But I wasn't able to convince a bone to bite my fly. I had them chase the fly then turn away, chase and turn away, chase and turn away......depressing. However, I did get much much better at casting, the wind was difficult to cast in but after a few hours I got the hang of it. I met an english guy and we split a guide/trip... he caught 2. But he was also a much better caster than I was. I even got too excited and wrapped my fly around the steering wheel.... kind of embarassing :-[ but apparantly it happens very often. hahahah
I used 2 flies the entire time and found that a pink clouser worked and an olive shrimp pattern worked well for me.
I will be going there again for sure. It was an amazing experience. Wil from tres pescadors fly shop in san pedro was great (originally from campbell river in BC ;D ) highly highly reccomend his shop as well as the guides they use. (also booked a reef trip through him)
So, all of the 'gear' I brought with me wasn't used much either. I caught all of my fish on barbless size 0 hooks and I used conch that I bought at the grocery store. about 2 feet of leader and small slip weights....The power bait ghost shrimp was difficult to get a hook set and was put away quickly. I had no action on the 2 rappalas I tried.
But I did use a glow in the dark spin n glo and glow in the dark hoochie at night. Now that was insane. I had to cut my line as I got nearly spooled and I had my line cut twice by the impact of the bite.... some sharp teeth in the ocean.
I stopped counting how many bonefish I caught, but me and the wife had a blast with our 6 foot trout rods, spinning reels and 8lb test. cast, wait three seconds and bang... bone fish........... the bones would run up and down the 'cut' (or river) we fished and it was like a capilano coho on steroids. the hmx in the pics here was a bit of overkill but thats what I was using when I got spooled and bitten off.
and of course my wife caught the biggest bone on her first cast, on the first night I took her fishing. lucky lady haha. and lucky me. will post those pics up later. here are some pics of random fish.
the first is difficult to identify. I didn't see any like it when I went snorkelling and did not catch anything like it on the reef or even another one like it at night. My neighbour said it was a jack of some sort? I gave it to a local and he ate it...
any ideas on the species?
anyways, for your viewing pleasure.
(http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o4/banx14/jack.jpg) (http://s116.photobucket.com/user/banx14/media/jack.jpg.html)
(http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o4/banx14/bone.jpg) (http://s116.photobucket.com/user/banx14/media/bone.jpg.html)
(http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o4/banx14/puffer.jpg) (http://s116.photobucket.com/user/banx14/media/puffer.jpg.html)
-
Great report.Ambergris Quay and area are my favourite of all in Central America.We stayed at the second last resort north of San Pedro the first time I went there.Magnificent in a word.Am retiring this year and can not wait to return.Second time it was Placencia Peninsula.Fabulous spot,but a tough fish for low budget fishermen as the reef is an hour plus boat trip away from shore.Thanks for making the memories come flooding back.