Shaeya Fishing Pics

Shaeya Kellenberger is 5 years old and my main fishin buddy. Here are a few pics of Shaeya doing what she does best!

Cyclone Mick update 3

Getting closer and windier.

Lefty is just fine

There was a shocking rumor that Lefty Kreh, the world's Mr. Fly Fishing, was seriously ill and in the ICU of Maryland Hospital.

And it was reported that his longtime wife died yesterday.

The rumor hit the Internet and spread like wildfire.

I'm happy to report that is was just that -- a rumor.

Lefty and his wife are doing just fine.

Thank goodness!

The bonefish fly box is getting well stocked

I tie a lot of flies.

I have to. I am a kayak fishing guide and I specialize in fly fishing and I supply the flies that my clients use.

My favorite times to tie flies are right before an outing and immediately after. Before a trip, I'm excited and want to have the right flies for the species I'm seeking. And after a trip, I'm usually full of ideas.

My wife, Kathy, and I fly out of Tampa at 2 p.m. on Christmas Eve and will land at Grand Cayman at 3:50 p.m. Then, it will be five days of bonefishing around the island. I also might give tarpon a try. And I hope to give tarpon a try.

I've been tying bonefish flies for the last couple of weeks. In addition to standard patterns such as Clouser Deep Minnows and Gotchas, I've created a number of shrimpy crabby patterns that I hope bonefish will like.

I tied a bonefish version of my First Cast Crab. It's called the First Cast Bonefish Crab. I tied it on a No. 4 hook. The fly got it's name because I caught a fish on it the first time I cast it.

Gibby's Mantis Shrimp is my impressionistic version of a mantis shrimp. Bonefish love mantis shrimp and it's a good pattern to have in your fly box.

Gibby's Bonefish Fly is just something I thought up while sitting at my tying table. It's a simple fly that I hope works.

I Google-earthed Grand Cayman and you can see every potential bonefish flat. Plus, I've talked with a number of fly anglers who have fished there.

Won't be long until I'll be casting to bonefish.

The Everglades are calling

The stars have aligned and it's time to head for The Everglades to fly fish for oscar (top and bottom photo), Mayan cichlid (middle), largemouth bass, bluegill, shellcracker and other freshwater species.

Action is best from December through April when the water level is down.

Once the rain season hits (June), the water rises and the fish spread out over millions of acres. It's much easier to find and catch fish when they're concentrated. In addition, it's hot during the rainy season, thunderstorms move through nearly every afternoon and mosquitoes are unbearable.

My Everglades trips are something else. My anglers average 150 fish per person -- or more! And over the last two years, it's been more oscar than anything else.

Oscar are my favorite. I call them the pugnacious bulldogs of Florida's fresh water. Their range is south Florida, in particular Broward and Miami-Dade counties. They are the strongest fish I've ever encountered for their size.

I use a 4-weight fly, floating line and 8-pound tippet. Go lighter and you'll never land an oscar. They are structure-oriented and their first move is a strong run back into the trees. You're job is to keep them out.

I begin the day with a No. 10 popping bug. Topwater fishing is exciting. If the topwater bite ends, I switch to my Mighty Myakka Minnow, one of the best flies I've ever used. Everglades fish really love the MMM.

I emailed famed peacock bass guide Alan Zaremba of Hollywood, Fla., last week and asked about fishing in The 'Glades. He emailed me back and wrote that the water level is down and the oscar are hungry.

I've never caught a peacock bass in the spots that I fish along Alligator Alley. But it I head another 25 miles east, I can get into them in the canals at Holiday Everglades Park.

If you've never experienced oscar fishing, give me a call. It will be a trip that you will always remember.

Update on cyclone Mick

The winds they are a blowin'. It is starting to feel a lot like Christmas. After all it is cyclone season and we should expect nothing less than a few of them to pass by. Unfortunately this one is passing right through.

Special Weather Bulletin Number SIX for Fiji ON TROPICAL CYCLONE MICK  ISSUED FROM RSMC NADI at 1:14am on Monday the 14th of December 2009  

TROPICAL  CYCLONE WARNING.  A TROPICAL CYCLONE GALE WARNING REMAINS IN FORCE FOR VANUA LEVU, TAVEUNI, VITI LEVU, YASAWA AND MAMANUCA, LOMAIVITI GROUP AND NEARBY SMALLER ISLANDS. A TROPICAL CYCLONE ALERT REMAINS IN FORCE FOR THE REST OF FIJI.  A STRONG WIND WARNING REMAINS IN FORCE FOR ROTUMA.  

TROPICAL CYCLONE MICK [995HPA] CENTRE CAT 1 WAS LOCATED NEAR 15 DECIMAL 5 SOUTH 176 DECIMAL 1 EAST OR ABOUT 290 KM NORTH-NORTHWEST OF NADI OR ABOUT 360 KM WEST-NORTHWEST OF LABASA AT 12 AM THIS MORNING. 

THE CYCLONE IS INTENSIFYING. CLOSE TO ITS CENTRE THE CYCLONE IS ESTIMATED TO HAVE AVERAGE WINDS UP TO 65 TO 75 KM/HR WITH MOMENTARY GUSTS TO 90 KM/HR. THE CYCLONE IS CURRENTLY MOVING SOUTH SOUTHEAST AT 20 KM/HR.  ON THIS FORECAST TRACK THE CYCLONE CENTRE IS EXPECTED TO LIE ABOUT 140 KM TO THE NORTH-NORTHWEST OF NADI OR ABOUT 260 KM WEST OF LABASA AT 12 PM TODAY AND ABOUT 40 KM TO THE NORTHEAST OF NADI OR ABOUT 205 KM WEST-SOUTHWEST OF LABASA AT  12AM TOMORROW.  

DESTRUCTIVE WINDS WILL BEGIN A FEW HOURS BEFORE THE CENTRE PASSES OVERHEAD OR NEARBY.   FOR VANUA LEVU, TAVEUNI, VITI LEVU, YASAWA AND MAMANUCA, LOMAIVITI GROUP AND NEARBY SMALLER ISLANDS:  STRONG WINDS INCREASING TO DAMAGING GALE FORCE WITH AVERAGE SPEEDS OF 65 TO 75 KM/HR WITH GUSTS  TO 90 KM/HR FROM TODAY.    

FOR THE REST OF FIJI: STRONG WINDS INCREASING TO DAMAGING GALE FORCE WITH AVERAGE SPEEDS OF 65 KM/HR WITH GUSTS  TO 85 KM/HR FROM TOMORROW NIGHT AND INTO TUESDAY.    FURTHER PERIODS OF HEAVY RAIN AND SQUALLY THUNDERSTORMS. FLOODING INCLUDING SEA FLOODING OF LOW LYING COASTAL AREAS.  

FOR ROTUMA: NORTHERLY WINDS 35 TO 55 KM/HR WITH GUSTS TO 80 KM/HR. FURTHER RAIN, HEAVY AT TIMES AND SQUALLY THUNDERSTORMS. 

ROUGH TO VERY ROUGH SEAS. HEAVY NORTHWEST SWELL.  The following information is provided especially for the mariners: EXPECT WINDS OF 35 TO 40 KNOTS WITHIN 150 MILES OF CENTRE. HIGH SEAS. DAMAGING HEAVY NORTHWEST SWELLS.   POOR VISIBILITY IN HEAVY RAIN AND SQUALLY THUNDERSTORMS.  

THE NEXT SPECIAL WEATHER BULLETIN FOR FIJI WILL BE ISSUED AROUND 5.30 AM  TODAY.

Cyclone Mick come to Fiji

As you can see by the image above, I will not be fishing anytime soon.

I just got back from a week in Australia and came home to this.

Fiji is right in the middle and the light grey swirly thing in cyclone Mick.

It is predicted to hit us in about 20 hours.

My house is battened down and only worrying about my boat. But we have a plan in place and are ready.

Tight lines and cyclone shutters