Outdoors

Daily fishing report

By ED WALKER
Published November 6, 2006

What's hot: Fly-fishing along the beaches has been outstanding. When the nearshore waters of the Gulf of Mexico cleared last week, huge schools of Spanish mackerel and bonito had the sea surface frothing as they assaulted schools of glass minnows and sardines. So many fish fed at once that they created a roar and foamed the water, gobbling up as many baitfish as they could. After an hour of catching mackerel nearly every cast, we directed our focus to the large bonito that were nearby but not usually intermingled with the mackerel.

Tactics: When the conditions are right, hooking mackerel with fly tackle does not get much easier. Presenting a small, shiny fly that resembles a minnow into one of the melees is all it takes. If the fish do not bite the fly as soon as it hits the water, strip it back as fast as possible to imitate a fleeing baitfish. If you get many follows without strikes, you are retrieving the fly too slowly. You simply cannot strip a fly too quickly in this situation.

Tips from a pro: When targeting fast-moving schools of bonito, you must have the fly amid a full-scale frenzy. Bonito in this situation do not stick around to pick up wounded stragglers after they smash a bait pod. If the bonito are not on top feeding, you won't catch them often. Bonito are always on the run and often frustrating to chase, but they are fun to fight on 8 or 9 weight fly tackle. Be sure to bring plenty of flies. So many bites are occurring in the mackerel schools that cutoffs often happen.

Ed Walker charters out of Tarpon Springs. Call 727 944-3474 or e-mail info@lighttacklecharters.com.

[Last modified November 6, 2006, 02:31:08]