I did more thinking and talking about fly fishing than actual fly fishing in 2016. Since my three boys are not really "fly fish ready" we spent most of the time bait fishing or light tackle trolling for stripers nearby. I did have a few memorable trips.
Shenandoah River - had the best 1 hour of fly fishing without actually catching anything ever on the river while Musky fishing. Hooked two separate fish a few moments apart and had two other follows all around the noon hour but ended up losing both hookups near the boat. I am guessing the saltwater hookset was just not quite enough. The clear water made the experience even better. No action at all before or after that one hour stretch. Made me a believer in the Moonrise/set theory. Just can't remember which one it was that day.
Keys - spent a couple of weeks on Big Pine Key in August with the family. I took my skiff hoping for some solitary time in the mornings. It was challenging at first running the channels in the dark and dodging the ever present thunderstorms but I did manage to catch some fish (no permit or bones, although i spooked a few). Plenty of action with juvenile barracuda, mangrove snappers, and baby tarpon. Also, the sunrises were just epic. The one picture shows the fading moonlight on the right (Gulf) and the sunrise on the left (Atlantic).
Potomac - I missed out on much of the local saltwater scene this year while saving up vacation time for the keys trip. I finally got out on the Potomac in late October during that hot weather stretch we had and wondered if I could find a red (puppy drum) nearby. I figured with the dry weather that some of them may be quite far upstream by now. So, on Oct 19 i set out from Leesylvania SP in search of a redfish. The day actually turned out to be a great day for schoolie stripers. I ended up with 37 all caught on one actual fly (never changed it)--a high-tied clouser. Towards the end of the day I felt a tug that was different and actually stronger than the stripers. Ended up being a 15-inch red! Never before was I that stoked to catch a juvenile red. Just thought it was cool to leave a freshwater ramp and find a red. I realize that in 2012-13, they made it all the way up to the Woodrow Wilson bridge, but since then they have been largely absent until this past summer when they showed up in pretty good numbers. Now to be honest, i traveled about 24 miles by boat south of Leesylvania for that fish but still well above the 301 bridge.
Here are a few pics. Hope everyone has a great 2017
http://www.tpfr.org
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