The Virginia Tribute Video: Virginia is for Fly Fishers

Virginia is for Fly Fishers from My Leaky Waders on Vimeo.

Four years. 

Four years was all I had to fish the heck out of the great state of Virginia. From the mountains to the coast. I paddled, hiked, drove, waded, climbed, crawled, camped, froze and sweat for these fish. I made lifelong friends, ate way too much BBQ Exchange in Gordonsville and indulged in my fair share of Virginia ales. 

It may be true that Virginia is for Lovers… But you know what? It is also for hard core fly fishers with opportunities to scratch any fly fishing itch. 

I didn't' even come close to exploring all the Virginia fishery has to offer. Muskies, tarpon, carp, CCBT drum and winter stripers, bass, gar, shad and on, and on, and on... I guess I'll just have to make an annual pilgrimage. 

Here's to you, Virginia. 

Music: Josh Ritter "Getting Ready to Get Down"

Painting Through Prosek: Speckled Trout

Well, after a quick trip to fish harkers island, I thought it was time to look to Prosek's book Ocean Fishes for inspiration and tried my hand at the Speckled Trout, also known as weakfish or Sea Trout. This fish can look basically black and white at first glance, but with a closer look the iridescent blues, greens, and purples as well as the rose and buttercup yellows start to shine through. 

I'm not 100% satisfied with it, but that might be more a sign of my personal growth and desire to step outside the realm of the body design and start looking into fins and gill plates as opposed to the actual outcome. 

Regardless, I give you the Speckled Trout. 

New Video: The Bountiful Piankatank

The Bountiful Piankatank from My Leaky Waders on Vimeo.

My Saltwater Fly Fishing Journey began a little over two years ago on the Chesapeake Bay with Capt. Chris Newsome. Late September 2013, I rejoined Capt. Chris in search of Striped Bass, Speckled Trout, and Red Drum on the Piankatank River, a tributary of the Chesapeake. The River was generous and Murphy's Law held true with a dead camera battery prior to netting the last and biggest fish of the day. Still photos got the job done, however.

Music: Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros, "Om Nisha Me"

Filmed with iphone 4s and GoPro HD

http://myleakywaders.blogspot.com

http://bayflyfishing.com

http://sweeetandsalt.blogspot.com/

Spots and Stripes: A Day on the Piankatank River with Capt. Chris Newsome

For my birthday present, I got a day fishing the Chesapeake Bay with Capt. Chris Newsome of Bay Fly Fishing. My good friend Kevin of Sweet and Salt joined me for a day of fantastic fishing. Check out his more thorough recap here. 

Almost all the photos credit goes to Kevin on this one. Nice work bud. 

Capt. Chris finding us some Peanut Bunker (Menhaden)

Ridiculously gorgeous morning. 

Fish finders. 

A Healthy Striper. 

My fish of the trip.

Just a great fish. 

Look at that snaggletooth. 

Kevin found the only red of the day.

Nice work, Kevin. 

If you are looking to get on the water, now is a great time to do it. If you are looking for a guide, Capt. Chris is one of the best. I'm hoping to get the video up and rolling in the next week or so.  Until then. 

The Coastal Explorer is at it Again with a New Video

Specktacular Lynnhaven River from Coastal Explorer on Vimeo.

Fished in the Lynnhaven this morning in my kayak. I think there were puppy drum on the flats, but there's SO MUCH algae in there from the spring nutrient loading that every retrieve was a snag. I will have to tie some unweighted flies and add weed guards to fish those waters this summer.

Switched to outside the flat in the main stem of the river, still on the incoming tide. Caught two nice specks while the tide was still moving - the biggest one was 18+. Surprised to see them this early and this big! Should've had my tagging gear, but I was traveling light.

From the Coastal Explorer at http://sweeetandsalt.blogspot.com/

Good Fortune

Weather can surprise. Sun can shine.
Friends can call. Plans materialize.
Work postponed. Play prioritized.
Sandwiches and sardines. Celery sticks and seltzer.
Picnic on a boat with a motor that won't turn.
Anchored to a spot often overlooked.
Poorly tied flies and good fortune.
Eager fish to sun burnt hands,
cheeks,
and smiling eyes.

My catch of the day. What? Oysters are alive.

Action shot.

Look at all those spots.

Specks in Hand

A day off spent on the water. 


The speckled trout will be leaving us soon making way for the striped bass. 

One thing that made yesterday unique was the company. I fished with a buddy from the local fly fishers club. He works in conservation and participates in the Virginia's fish tagging program. We made sure to measure, record, and tag several specks including one nice 16.5" fish at the end. 

I practiced a bit more with the camera experimenting with release shots. Fortunately, the fish cooperated as there were plenty of specks in hand. 

Music is by The Flaming Lips, "Fight Test."

Enjoy the music. Enjoy the fish. Happy Friday. 

Eastern Shore

When plans change and schedules suddenly open, there is potential. A gift of time and opportunity. Maybe you clean, catch up on paperwork or sleep, get outside or meet up with friends. 

I've found, when I come across one of these unexpected free days, I simply hope I can look back when the sun has set and feel satisfied with the outcome. 

I enjoy the feeling of surprised satisfaction. It is like knowing the cookie jar is empty, but looking anyway out of habit, and, after tilting the jar, one last chocolate chip cookie slides out of the ceramic bear's toes. You now have a second chance at enjoying the cookie. Savor or devour it, that is your choice. When all is said and done, you just hope the cookie was as rich and delicious as you anticipated. 

Last weekend, I found an extra cookie. An unexpected day off. As it turned out, that cookie turned out to be one of the best I've had in a while. Why? Let me recap the events for you.

Friday Night

I leave work Friday night after a long shift and even longer week expecting to return at 5am the next morning. At 8pm, I get a phone call saying I don't have to come in on Saturday. "Take the day off," they say.  Being that I have the night shift on Sunday, I won't have to return two work for another 45 hours. 

This is looking like one delicious cookie. 

All of a sudden, Sara and I have a weekend together. We can do whatever we want. This was already all I could hope for, and then I remember a conversation with my fishing buddy, Brad, from the previous week. "I've got vacation all next week," Brad said. "Just let me know if you get a day off and maybe we can get some fishing in."

Potential.

I make the call. As it turns out, Brad and his wife, Sue, are heading up to their families place on the Eastern Shore. Invitation extended. Invitation accepted. The plan is to kayak, fish, eat, drink, and play cornhole... That's what we Midwesterners call Bean-Bag Toss. Personally, calling it "cornhole" makes me a little uncomfortable. It just sounds... well, it sounds like butt hole. No thank you, very much. So we will just say the plan was to play some bean-bag toss which is a fun game. But I digress...

This cookie just got some chocholate chips. 

Saturday

We were there by lunch. Get the tour. Check. Eat the sandwiches. Check. Ready the boats. Check. Rig up the rods. Check. Push off.

And there is it, a big glass of cold milk next to that gooey, chocolaty, puts-Martha-Stewart-to-shame cookie.

Into the boats.

We paddled through the channels of the marsh. 

Fiddler crabs scurrying over muddy banks and oyster beds.  

Brad, Sara, and Sue.

When we paddled far enough, we walked to the fish. 

Sara and Sue.

The march ecosystem can look desolate and teeming with life all at the same time. 

Brad switches to a spinning rod to find a flounder.

The fish were on. Spec after spec. 

They couldn't resist the slow retrieve of a self-tied clouser.

Brad landing my catch of the day. 19" Spec.

Even a perfectly placed drop of water on the camera lens won't taint the memory of that day.

Heading home.

Sunday

Sunday saw me back at work. Rejuvenated. Refreshed. Revitalized. Thankful and well fed. That was one spectacular cookie.

video: exploration to culmination

I dedicated a 7 hour day to searching my local shores for my first speckled trout. 

It took all 7 hours, but my efforts were rewarded. 

It's funny, the fish seem so much bigger in my memory. Maybe it would be better to leave the camera at home. The video keeps my stories too honest.