Brand New Build: Saltwater 8wt Graphite Fly Rod

Fresh off the bench...This is a really cool 8wt (more pics here). Can't wait to use it this spring. It will be an excellent stick for bonito and smaller albies, too!

Coq de Leon Albie Whore (revisited)

These feathers have translucence and fine speckling, and imitate smaller translucent bait quite well. Here is the chartreuse version (compare to pearly white, here).

Rainbow Albie Whore

Size 1, heavy stainless iron.   

Pink Albie Whore

Size 1/0, heavy wire hook.

Olive Peanut Albie Whore

Olive version, size 1.

Blue Peanut Albie Whore

Blue Peanut Albie Whore, size 1. Heavy wire new stainless iron...love this hook!

Tinker Mack Albie Whore

Tied on the size 2 hook, thin profile.

New Hook

I've just discovered an interesting heavy wire stainless hook. It would make a nice choice for land based albacore fishing we do here in the Northeast. Here it is compared to Daiichi 2546 Heavy Shank hook, same size 1 (new hook on left). 

Warm Fall

The year of Sarda sarda, 2024! Some are still around, if you care (dare) to try! Chunky albie/bonito whores tied on size 1/0 old stock Tiemco 800S in lavender/pearl/grizzly tones (and salmon/pearl/grizzly).

One More Trip?

Albie whore in Halloween colors.

Epic Bonito Day 2

Another epic day... Pods of bonito feeding on bay anchovies, exploding around the rocks. Many fish landed and some lost.

Bonito/Albie Whore

Translucent vs. opaque. Albie whore versions in rusty/burnt orange, barred ginger, tropical punch, lavender, tan, and red tones, size 2. Different type of feathers for different effect.

Epic Bonito Day

Non stop action, for the entire day. A day to remember, including the encounter with a large grey seal, who stole my hooked bonito. (Top and bottom/R pics courtesy of Jason Zimmer.)

Albies in 2024

It is Fall of 2024, and albacore aren't available from shore...yet! It is an extremely good bonito year, though, so I am tying some candies. The current NE blow will rearrange the arena, so we will see what happens after the next week.

Bonito Day Worth Remembering

Peanut Bunker Candy

Peanut Bunker Crease Slider

 Peanut bunker - crease slider fly.

Vintage Billy Pate Hooks

An old stash from the basement, bought 25 years ago. They worked nicely on bonito this season.

Fishing with Friends

 

Bonito Fever

Great shore bonito fishing yesterday, multiple hook ups!