All leaders and tippet material will be 20% off this week.  Rio,Climax, Frog Hair all on sale. All you have to do mention that you saw it on the web to get your 20% off.  Time to stock up on Fluorocarbon  which has an unlimited shelf life.

This special can not be used with anyother discounts.

Sold Out   Will let everyone know the next time get few more for sale

The Salty Feather has a few Surfin' Wooly's in stock. This is the number #1 fly for reds in the surf and is very hard to come by unless you tie them yourself. These will not last. Hurry if you would like to get a couple.

Advanced Inshore Techniques

Mar. 1st and 2nd 2008

The who’s who of Northeast Florida’s inshore fishing. Over a hundred years of light tackle and fly fishing experience. Captain’s John Bottko, Larry Miniard, David Borries and Tony Bozzella have teamed up to present North Florida’s first inshore fishing school.  This two day school is limited to only 12 students so you will be up close seeing what’s in each of the Captains tackle bags and how they rig their boats.  Many of the classes will be broken down to even smaller groups with two captains teaching six students.

The school is going to be held at Deep Creek Lodge, which is located just south of Jacksonville on the ICW.  This pristine setting will allow both class room and on the water instruction. There will even be kayaks available for you to use after class if you would like to try out what you learned.

The first day is going to cover tackle and techniques. You will learn how to use all the tools from fly rods to trolling motors. This is where you will learn the secrets of what to use and why. There will be casting and retrieving lessons with both fly and spin.  And plenty of one on one time to get all your questions answered.

The second day is going to cover structure and reading the water. Northeast Florida is unique in that it has seasons and water temperatures that vary from high forty’s to the low ninety’s. It has tides that move from four to seven feet of water every 6 hours. And it has six area inlets that vary in clarity from tannic to clear.  With all these varying conditions, you will learn what to fish for and how to fish each and every month of the year.  We’ll even touch on cooking and cleaning what you catch. And of course there will be plenty of time to get all your questions answered.

Cost is $550.00. Lunch and munchies will be included. Class is limited to the first 12 paying students.

     Today's winds really challanged ones ability to find fish. With a 25 to 35 knot southwest wind, I larnched out of St. Augustine and headed north to Pine Island hoping to get behind the island and out of the wind. Today's multiple boat charter was challanging in more ways than one. Having the youngest crew in the fleet, age 7 and 9 , it seemed my work was cut out for me. Nothing could have been farther from the truth, you see my two little leaguers, Benjamin and Michael Holt, had some of the best eye-hand coordination that I have seen in kids that young. With their father David, the two young anglers met the challanges I put forth, and that was to get the jig and shrimp as close to the oysters as possible, keep there lines tight, and let the bait sit, and oh yeah, don't forget about the 35 knot wind gust. The day started with a red feeding down the bank.  The boys made a perfect cast and one hooked up immediately. The next fish was a black drum and then a 28'' red followed by a 26'' red and some more black drum. It seemed the boys could do no wrong. We were catching reds, drums, jacks, and trout. We even got a visit from a manatee and the boys were able to touch a creature they had only heard about up to now. For me the day couldn't get any better, but it did.  On a cast that was so close to the oyster bar I thought the young angler was going to get hung up but instead he pulled out a 23'' snook, the first of the year. It's days like these that really make me thankful for my job. Thanks, Benjamin, David, and Michael for a day I will always remember and I hope you will too.  Capt. David Borries

Space Coast Fishing Report from Capt. John Kumiski 5/8/08

For Sale-  2008 Mitzi 17, slightly and gently used. Hull only, $7000; hull and trailer, $8500, firm. You must pick up boat at the Mitzi warehouse in Jacksonville, FL. I love this boat for a variety of reasons but am upgrading to the new Mitzi 17 Guide model. Call me at 407.977.5207 for more information.

My friend Rick DePaiva http://www.saltwaterflyfishing.org/ has been hooking tarpon almost every day lately over in Pine Island Sound. I can’t wait to get over there.

Inconsistency has been the only consistent thing about Mosquito Lagoon fishing lately.

Last Friday, a little breezy but otherwise a lovely day,  I fished South Carolina fly caster and guide Tuck Scott and his brand new bride, Erin. Tuck had only three or four decent shots all morning, and we didn’t score a fish. Tough day.

Monday I fished Dr. Charlie and his 11 year old son, Harry. Again, the weather was pretty nice, and again it was a tough day. Only a couple small trout were boated to show for a day’s poling and casting. We tried a variety of lures, and saw reasonable numbers of fish, but couldn’t score a strike. Harry was very well behaved, especially considering how slow the fishing was. At the last stop, at the last minute, Harry got a 26 inch red that ate a chunk of mullet soaked on the bottom. One is so many more than none.

Tuesday California flycaster Sid Wales and his bride Heather joined me for a day on the lagoon. It took a couple of hours but we found a lot of redfish, and Sid ended up hooking five and boating four, all in the slot. The fly of choice was a #4 olive colored Borski Slider. Sid was one of the best fly casters I’ve had on the boat in a while, which certainly helped. The weather helped too, light winds and clear blue sky, perfect sight fishing conditions.

Yesterday Bud Frank and Ken Hare joined me on the lagoon. The plan was a ¾ day, tossing spinning lures. I was anticipating a good day, since I had found so many fish the previous day. They were all gone, moved to I couldn’t find where. We tried a variety of locations, habitats, and baits. We’d only see a few fish at each stop, and managed only two dink trout. Finally we soaked mullet for 15 minutes in one of my favorite mullet soaking holes. No bites. I poled through it as we were leaving and there were at least a half dozen reds in it. Very rare for a red not to suck up a nice juicy pork chop. That’s fishing, I guess.

Life is short- GO FISHING!!!

Life is great and I love my work!

Call me now to reserve your fishing adventure! 407.977.5207

John Kumiski

www.johnkumiski.com

www.spottedtail.com

Inshore/nearshore report Jacksonville area waters

The water has warmed to 70-72 degrees now and fishing has picked up.All we need is for the wind to give us a break. Lots of jacks have moved in so the blues,which are still here, finally have some competition for your expensive baits. Large ladyfish and spanish mackerel are fairly common catches, too. I'm catching smaller spanish trolling and the larger ones on live bait when targeting other species such as trout. All these fish are great fly rod fish.

 Speaking of trout, I've heard of an 11 and 10 pounder being caught recently, on lures and bait, respectively, They are hitting topwater and diving lures, as well as the always reliable live shrimp. Two to four pounders are common using the sliding float rig. If you catch a big one,which is most certainly a female, consider releasing it after a photo as your contribution to future fishing generations.

Redfish are around, though with all the tournaments and every day fishing pressure we have here in northeast Florida, it is sometimes difficult to find any. With the right bait you can usually hook a few at the jetty tips, weather permitting.

 Black drum are an occasional catch also, along with pompano and flounder. Keep your eyes open for triple tails, also. You just might stumble on to one hovering next to some floating object such as a crab trap float, etc.

May is migration time for the big rays and their escorts, the cobia. Recent reports have them south of Matansas, however, several days of south winds may have pushed them further north into our area. Its always wise to have a heavy spinning rig ready to cast a bait or lure to any sighted cobia. Try not to hook the ray!

Pogies  were abundant last week between St Augustine and Mayport. Hopefully, they will hang around for awhile as they are the "engine" that fuels much of our nearshore fishing.

Good fishing!

CAPT Bob Cosby

--
Captain Bob's Fishing Charters,Inc.
http://www.captainbobsfishingcharters.com

Been a very busy week, with Tarpon and Reds on the flats and what not...

Had Diego from the Forum ( Slowbone ) patronizing the fins in the local waters this week.

Our first trip yielded a small snook, some jacks on the 11WT, ( a few straightened hooks ), and a humongo 18+ pound triple tail that spanked us hard.

Although we did two half days on two separate days, the second was for tailing reds. Wind has been a constant factor for the pm bite, but with the flushing tides this week, the Reds would have it no other way; but to try and grub. Despite the evil winds, grub they did, with Diego having several shots at cruising reds as well as tailers; hooking up nicely with the # 4 MerKwan.

Capt. Rick De Paiva

www.saltwaterflyfishing.org

Im headed up to Missouri to do some work on the farm this summer, but I had a great weekend of fishing before I left. I fished Pumpkin Hill saturday in the wind, not much luck there, also not too conducive to the fly rod, so I decided to do a little freshwater on saturday, ended up hooking a real nice bass on my new 6wt, jumped him off, but it was an awesome take, the water was so clear I saw him come off the bottom and sip my fly just like a trout taking a dry, then on Sunday I headed back out to the creeks, ended up catching a rat red and a flounder, and had a lot of fun sight fishing for reds on my last trip for a while. I ended up getting a perfect shot at a slot red cruising the bank, dropped the fly right on his nose, watched him inspect it and turn away, guess he wasnt interested in what I was throwing, anyway, gonna do some midwest fishing this summer, maybe try to catch a big cat on the flyrod when the river gets down, let you know how it goes.

Ryan

Are you planning a trip to North Carolina or Georgia this spring to fish for trout? Then this 4 week class might be just for you.  You will not only learn how to tie the flies you’ll need but you will learn what, when and how to fish the flies you tie.  Your instructor Capt. John Bottko moved to Jacksonville from Ashville NC where he had the first fly shop in the mountains of North Carolina. He’s has spent many day’s fishing and learning the mountain streams of North Carolina, Tennessee and Georgia.

You will learn to tie dry flies, nymphs, streamers, and terrestrials.  The cost of this 4 week course is $150.00 and it will begin May 8^th 2008. If you like to sign up give the Salty Feather a Call at 904-645-8998 or email me at john@saltyfeather .

Advanced Inshore Fishing School

 Dec. 5th and 6th 2008

  Jan. 9th and 10th 2009

Feb. 7th and 8th 2009

Mar 7th and 8th 2009

The who’s who of Northeast Florida’s inshore fishing. Over a hundred years of light tackle and fly fishing experience. Captain’s John Bottko, Larry Miniard, David Borries and Tony Bozzella have teamed up to present North Florida’s first inshore fishing school.  This two day seminar is limited to only 12 students so you will be up close seeing what’s in each of the Captains tackle bags and how they rig their boats.  Many of the classes will be broken down to even smaller groups with two captains teaching six students.

The seminar is going to be held at Deep Creek Lodge, which is located just south of Jacksonville on the ICW.  This pristine setting will allow both class room and on the water instruction. There will even be kayaks available for you to use after class if you would like to try out what you learned.

The first day is going to cover tackle and techniques. You will learn how to use all the tools from fly rods to trolling motors. This is where you will learn the secrets of what to use and why. There will be casting and retrieving lessons with both fly and spin.  And plenty of one on one time to get all your questions answered.

The second day is going to cover structure and reading the water. Northeast Florida is unique in that it has seasons and water temperatures that vary from the high forty’s to the low ninety’s. It has tides that move from four to seven feet of water every 6 hours and six area inlets that vary in clarity from tannic to clear.  With all these varying conditions, you will learn what to fish for and how to fish twelve months of the year.  We’ll even touch on cooking and cleaning what you catch. And of course there will be plenty of time to get all your questions answered.

Cost is $600.00. Lunch and munchies will be included. Class is limited to the first 12 paying students.

Spend the day with Capt. John Bottko and learn his secrets from 25 years on the water fly fishing N. E. Florida. This seminar covers everything you need to know about fly-fishing the Jacksonville area.. Whether you are experienced, or a beginner, the course will help you to be a better fly fisher. Topics covered include tackle, knots, rigging, casting, fighting fish,  line management and fly selection. A special emphasis is placed on what species are available in N.E. Florida to the fly fisherman  and how to catch them. The class is taught by Capt. John Bottko. Lunch is included. Cost is$150.00. Call the store to reserve your space 904-645-8998. Class is limited to six students.

Next Class: Jun. 21

Have you been tying flies for awhile? Would like to take the next step?  In this class we teach fly design from the point of view of imitation.  You will learn baitfish, crab and shrimp patterns designed to fish the inshore waters of N.E. Florida. You will learn to tie the epoxy spoon and to work with epoxy to strengthen all your patterns. This class is for everyone that has a basic knowledge of fly tying. Capt. John Bottko will not only teach you tie his favorite patterns, he will teach you where and when to use them.  Cost of this four week class is $150.00.  All materials are included.

The art of fly tying is one of the most rewarding facets of our sport. Catching fish on a fly is one thing, but creating that fly takes the catch to a whole new level. This course will get you tying the flies you need for our local waters in just four weeks. The topics covered include tool selection, knots, and the use of all the different materials. The lessons do not stop there though, also included is a lot of discussion about how and where to catch fish on the flies that you tied. All materials and tools are included. If you already own a vise and tools you are encouraged to bring them. Cost: 150.00 Four consecutive Tuesdays or Thurdays, starting between 6:00pm and 6:30pm