WORDS: Captain Justin Bachert
PHOTOS: Asher Koles
My approach towards fly fishing and guiding for tarpon, overall, is based off of an accumulation of my past experiences – as a mariner, waterman, and angler. Our ecosystem in south Florida, and in the Florida Keys is seemingly ever-changing and being able to adapt to those changes is what we all need to focus on.
Written by Dan Donovan, owner of Musky Fool
The Original Musky Fly Shop
As I sit down to write this in the midst of another musky season I pose to myself…how many muskies have been landed on Winston rods? How many big ones?!
As a gentleman who arrived at fly fishing in one of the most unlikely ways…via muskellunge…it’s a natural question I suppose. Winston rods, at least here in musky country are revered, yet not typically tools we consider for the job. With all the rigamarole, fish breaking rods in figure 8s, casting treble hooks and egg sinkers (can I even say those words here?!??!) it’s no wonder the musky fly anglers aren’t running towards the green tubes for their next green dragon adventure.
5/19/2023
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
The R.L. Winston Rod Company, located in Twin Bridges, Montana, is excited to introduce the Microspey AIR 2, utilizing our new, high-performance AIR 2 boron/graphite materials to provide anglers an unbelievably lightweight and responsive action that allows for ultimate trout spey presentation and faster line speeds to out-perform cast after cast. With an overall lighter weight, faster recovery, smoother connection, and sweeter feel, the Microspey Air 2 provides extraordinary feedback through the cast and swing.
The biggest lie in owning a boat is that it will result in more fishing. In my experience, it’s only led me to more time on the oars, vicariously fishing through the angler up front. Leaving me to chomp at the bit, some would say. Having a couple buddies that can row helps. On a drizzly day in March, I was lucky enough to find myself between the leg locks on the front of my drift boat looking forward to some spring fly fishing in Montana. Skwala stoneflies clumsily fluttered past us and crashed into the rushing water below. A silhouette appeared from under the bank and, quicker than the dark olive stonefly could recover, a sudden gulp took the insect back to the depths. Days like these are enough to spoil any angler, on or off the sticks.
Skwalas, like other stoneflies, can live for years clinging to stones and wood on the river bed before crawling to the shore to emerge as adults. What ensues is a miraculous display of fluttering stoneflies stumbling about or crashing into the riverbank. Shortly after, they return to the river’s surface to lay their eggs–– and trout take notice in a big way. (more…)
Where: Seadrift, Texas
Guests: 40
Site: www.bayflatslodge.com
The R.L. Winston Rod Company in Twin Bridges, Montana, leading manufacturer of the world’s finest fly rods, is extremely pleased to announce Bay Flats Lodge, located in Seadrift Texas, as the newest fly fishing lodge to be selected as a WINSTON PREFERRED LODGE®.
What began back in 1996 as simple weekend hunting or fishing trips to get to know the people they worked with better, Bay Flats Lodge owners Chris and Deb Martin have turned into the most desired outdoor sporting destination along the Texas coast. The business was officially named Bay Flats Lodge in 2001 as the Martins acquired a canal home in Seadrift that could house up to twelve guests each day. The lodge has since evolved into a gorgeous waterfront property situated on the shore of San Antonio Bay that can comfortably accommodate forty guests.
