FLY FISHING & PHOTOGRAPHYMAGAZINE

www.flymage.netISSUE #20 - SEPTEMBER 2013

the scottish DEEBy Miguel Aguilar

AN ENGLISHMAN IN BOCA GRANDEBy Paul Sharman

faroe islandsBy José H. Weigand

FLY TYING VIDEO: “GREEN LANTERN” By Mikel Elexpuru

DREAMING IN THE HIGH SUMMITSBy Nacho Puyal

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Mythical waters. Waters full of history. Where it all began. The Scottish River Dee is included in that select group of the world’s best rivers for Atlantic Salmon fishing. A river to be fished at least once in life.

The Scottish DeeHistory-filled waters

By Miguel Aguilar

The Scottish DeeHistory-filled waters

By Miguel Aguilar

On its banks and through the important figure of Arthur Wood with hundreds of hours of observation and notes, and collected by Jock Scott and collated in his work “Greased line fishing for salmon”, fishing for salmon with greased line was born, what we now know today as floating line. It was during the Victorian era when the river Dee experienced its best moments. During this time, a breakthrough in the design and manufacture of fishing gear led to using a fly line wrapped around a reel, the method we recognize today. In its latest golden history, was able to provide a catch of between 10000 and 12000 fresh run salmon annually. The dozens of cabins along its banks, many of them conserved in perfect condition, stand as silent witness to those glorious times.

The River Dee’s sources are at 1200 meters above sea level in the hills of Braeriach, traveling for about 130 miles to the Atlantic in Aberdeen. Its numerous beats and pools are distributed along three fishing areas: Upper, Middle and Lower Dee. Depending on the time of the year, one area could be more productive than another, although salmon run constantly throughout the season.

Despite being one of the great salmon rivers in Scotland, not all weeks are productive. Salmon are salmon in any destination.

The catch statistics of the Dee had dropped considerably by the late nineteen eighties, and at that time a voluntary action of catch and release for all fish was introduced which was welcomed by anglers. This system, along with excellent fishery management, has returned the Dee to really good catch returns according to current figures. At present the river Dee has the largest percentage of catch and release in the United Kingdom with 96%. The average salmon catch in the past 50 years is around 7000 fish per season.

It is a great river for fly fishing, one of the most productive in the UK. In fact, it is the most generous in the British Isles for its springers. The fishing season runs from February 1st to October 15th, and offers the angler a serious chance to catch salmon both on the snow covered banks with ice blocks flowing down the river, or with the river banks vegetation in full autumn hue. The Scottish Dee has always been characterized as an extraordinary river for its large spring salmon, something that gave it worldwide fame. And its summer salmon and grilse are of major importance in the warmer

This is Scotland. Fishing is breathed on the four cardinal points.

Upper Bridge, one of the most productive pools.Upper Bridge, one of the most productive pools.

Removing the hook of a salmon from the Upper Bridge.Removing the hook of a salmon from the Upper Bridge.

months. The last run is from late August to October with the arrival of autumn [blue backs] salmon. Thanks to this voluntary catch and release policy, in the months prior to spawning, the Scottish Dee pools are full of fish.

Of all pools of the Dee, the Lower Crathes and the West Durris pools, located in the lower part of the river are the ones that provide the best catch per angler/day statistics. There are sections that provide more salmon, but these are divided between a larger number of rods.

These pools are managed by the Icelandic company Lax-a. They cover 2.8 km on both banks, and a further 1.2 kilometers more on the right bank, where there are twelve pools, including the Birkenbaud, Balbridie, Mill Pool, Upper Bridge, Kelpie Pool, Greenbank... long and uniform runs, excellent for flies to work perfectly, and where hundreds of salmon stop to rest in their ascent up the river. Depending on the month, these are fished by up to three or four anglers. The Wisdom and kindness of the guides, known as grilles, will enhance your chances of success, and make your time spent on these mythical waters

Grilse, relatively abundant fish during the summer months.

a more pleasant experience. Salmon fishing here is without any doubt, quality fishing.

All information related to the Dee and its fishing, can be found on www.fishdee.co.uk. This useful site is updated daily, you can access leftover licenses, pools contacts, descriptions, see real-time flow, daily catches, and more..

Selecting the fly with the assistance of the ghilies.

The best outcome for these magnificent fighters, release salmon to the water.

“Old” flies that still have some role in the Dee.

The chances of catching a fresh salmon are best from February to October.

Fresh fish run is constantly throughout the whole season.

Tea time? Let´s not forget that we are in the UK.

Sitting comfortably on a bench on the river bank, while deciding what fly to use.

Sitting comfortably on a bench on the river bank, while deciding what fly to use.

Fighting with one of the famous Dee springers at Kelpie Pool, Lower Crathes & West Durris.

The Feugh waterfalls, of one of the main tributaries of the Dee, swollen from rainy days.

Waiting its turn.Waiting its turn.

Remembering the casts of the day, Banchory lights in the background.

Not everything is fishing. Nature full of life on the banks of the Dee.

Miguel Aguilar

Born in León, a fly fisherman for 35 years and contributor to Spanish fishing magazines. Studious of the life cycle of salmonids, and an amateur outdoor and especially fly fishing photographer. He has won awards in various contests.

Co-author, with Carlos Garcia Bragado, and photographer of“Moscas para trucha y salmón. Cómo hacerlas y utilizarlas” (2010).

Author and photographer of “Asturias, tierra de salmones” (2008)

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“I don’t drink coffee, I drink tea my dear. I like my toast done on one side...” so sang Gordon Sumner, aka Sting in one of his famous ditties about an Englishman in New York.

Well this particular Englishman might well prefer iced tea actually and as for toast, as long as it comes on top of a breakfast skillet or a Denver scramble then I’ll be very happy thank you. Although I spent 8 years living in San Diego, CA back at the start of the millennium and became a confirmed Americaphile, I had never made it over to south west Florida and so I was eagerly anticipating this first visit.

An Englishman in Boca Grandeby Paul Sharman

Tarpon Town – USA

I quickly picked up the vibe that

Boca Grande is indeed tarpon

central if even the streets are

named after them!

Tarpon Town – USA

I quickly picked up the vibe that

Boca Grande is indeed tarpon

central if even the streets are

named after them!

The reason for visiting primarily was to cover the World’s Richest Tarpon Tournament held in the famous Boca Grande Pass at the end of Gasparilla Island, but the chance to explore a little was too good to miss. My research had shown that there were plenty of snook, spotted trout and redfish as well as tarpon in and around Charlotte Harbour and the Gulf islands that form a protective barrier against the ocean. My home base was in Englewood, just under a 2 hour drive south down the coast from Tampa and 10 minutes from the beaches of Manasota Key. At the south end of the key is Stump Pass State Park which quickly became a favourite hangout in my downtime. The famous golden beaches of south west Florida were peppered with cordoned-off turtle nest sites, and strewn with a myriad of sea shells and fossil sharks teeth which bring in many collectors daily looking for the next perfect specimen thrown up by the waves. Dolphins and manatees cruised the beach on

Battle of the titans.Word of the large average size of the Boca Grande tarpon has spread around the world.

Battle of the titans.Word of the large average size of the Boca Grande tarpon has spread around the world.

occasion reminding me rather rudely that I was obviously not near my native English Channel any more. My first two days in town saw me commuting half an hour south down the road to the idyllic village life of Boca Grande at the southern end of Gasparilla Island. Here I stepped on to my ride which was a beautiful 32’ Boston Whaler with triple Mercury outboards and all the trimmings. Perfect for cruising around the tarpon tournament as it took place over two afternoons watching all the action close up and personal. For those of you not familiar with Boca Grande Pass, it is the main channel between the Gulf Islands into Charlotte Harbour and a major staging area for big tarpon. Because of this it has become a very busy waterway when the tarpon are in town with dozens of boats crammed in to a relatively small area at any one time. Despite the number of boats the tarpon still roll amongst them and feed on crabs and other bait being washed through the Pass. Strong gear and

Azure waters.This is a sight that makes me go weak at the knees and it would you too if all you were used to was the murky waters of the English channel.

Azure waters.This is a sight that makes me go weak at the knees and it would you too if all you were used to was the murky waters of the English channel.

Stunning sunsets.I’m not sure what it is about tropical sunsets but they always seem more glorious than their temperate counterparts. We get the occasional beauty back home but not as often as you do. I’m jealous! This was taken at Stump Pass on Manasota Key.

Stunning sunsets.I’m not sure what it is about tropical sunsets but they always seem more glorious than their temperate counterparts. We get the occasional beauty back home but not as often as you do. I’m jealous! This was taken at Stump Pass on Manasota Key.

backing down the boat when hooked up ensures fight times are kept short in the tournament and the fish are broken off at the side of the boat once witnessed to ensure they are as strong as possible once released – important as the tarpon schools are followed by huge bull sharks and hammerheads always looking for an opportunity for an easy lunch. The tournament is attracting growing international interest and the winners this year, Captain Steve Ahlers and team Spooked Again took home a winner’s cheque for $25,600. A few years ago this tournament had a purse of nearly $200,000 and with renewed interest and local backing it is welcoming anglers from around the world to enter and to experience the area and its fishing. My own fishing time saw me walking the local beaches with an 8# Greys travel fly rod in hand where with a mix of whistlers and clouser minnows I found some willing snook, spotted trout and an acrobatic ladyfish or two –

Have fly rod, will travel.

The chance to roam the beautiful beaches

with a fly rod was something I had

been looking forward too. A few snook, ladyfish and trout

came my way.

Waiting their tern.The wealth of wildlife to see in the Lee County area is fantastic. Not just the variety of birds but the manatees along the beach at Manasota Key and the dolphins in the harbour.

all great fun. Tarpon off the beach are also a possibility on occasion and I did see one sizeable fish almost beach itself chasing baitfish along the shore. My favourite spot was the nearby Stump Pass State Beach at the south end of Manasota Key – just a $3 day use fee buys you some space from the crowds that can sometimes line the beaches with free parking. A fringe benefit of the walk down these beaches is that they are world famous for the quality of their shell collecting and in my particular case it was the possibility of finding some fossil sharks teeth that had me interested which they are also known for. There were plenty of bent-over visitors demonstrating the ‘Sanibel stoop’ as it is known locally after the most famous shell collecting location along the beaches of Fort Myers and Sanibel just a little further south from where I was. The perfect location by the way to take the family and then slide away quietly down the beach to a quiet spot for a spot of fishing.

Patriotic pelican.This seemed to sum up the Memorial day

weekend in this beautiful part of the USA quite appropriately for me.

It’s all about the fish.Rolling tarpon in the Pass were showing themselves fairly regularly during the tournament, always an impressive sight.

It’s all about the fish.Rolling tarpon in the Pass were showing themselves fairly regularly during the tournament, always an impressive sight.

The waters of the bay beckoned every day as I drove around the area and so it was I found myself afloat with Captain Roger Grafton of Boca Grande Sportfishing and friend Mark Spurgeon for a mornings fishing in an area known as Placida Bay. A beautiful variety of beaches, mangroves, sand banks, flats and weedy areas mean the area is an absolute fish magnet with the big 4 species being tarpon, snook, redfish and spotted trout. The clear waters mean sight fishing is usually an option and so we set about searching for the perfect location which we found in a deep channel next to some mangroves where a school of big snook cruised back and forth. We managed to pick a couple off for the camera as well as a bonus redfish for Mark before they spooked and the morning was over all too quickly. We were using livebait on this trip but I can’t wait to get back out there with the fly rod for a serious fishing trip to sample more of this fantastic area.

Placida bay dreams.Mark Spurgeon (l) of Boca Grande Real Estate and Capt. Roger Crafton (r) of Boca Grande Sportfishing showed me their backyard and some of its inhabitants like this silvery redfish.

InformationIf you are interested in fishing in next year’s World’s Richest Tarpon Tournament, contact the Boca Grande Chamber of Commerce at +1 941-964-0568 or email WRTarpon@gmail.com. Alternatively keep a watch out for details of the 2014 World's Richest Tarpon Tournament on their website at http://worldsrichesttarpon.com

If you like a slightly slower and more relaxed pace of life than the hustle and bustle of Orlando or Miami, then look no further than Lee County in south west Florida, home to the beautiful shell-laden sandy beaches of Fort Myers and Sanibel and the world class tarpon fishing and relaxed village life of Boca Grande. A great place for a family holiday.

Somewhere to Stay?Boca Grande Real Estate handle vacation rentals around the village and can find the perfect property for you just steps from the beach and the ocean.Gasparilla Inn & Club - if you really want to stay in style, this is the place to be in Boca Grande.Veranda Inn in Englewood - If you’d like to stay around a larger hub with a wider range of stores and easy access to the freeway and beaches but still only half an hour from Boca Grande then check out this very convenient inn just up the coast in the beachside town of Englewood.

Need a Guide?Boca Grande Sportfishing - Whether you are looking to catch tarpon, redfish/snook/trout or largemouth bass, l can personally recommend Capt. Roger Crafton.

Other Boca Grande fishing guides are listed on the Chamber of Commerce website.Fort Myers & Sanibel website outdoor activities and sports listings - For a longer list of alternatives in the area you can also search the choices here.

How to Get There?There are direct flights from the UK into Tampa via British Airways from where it is roughly an easy 2 hour drive south. Alternatively you can choose to fly to Southwest Florida International Airport which is located close to Fort Myers via a hub such as Charlotte in North Carolina.

Victory!Capt. Steve Ahlers of Spooked Again was a very happy man come Friday evening having scooped the honours with his team.

Meeting the locals

This is as close as I got to a tarpon on this visit (I bet you know where this is), but I can’t wait to get back and have my chance to go one to one with a Boca Grande giant! You can find out more about Paul’s freelance work on his website at www.paulsharmanoutdoors.com or get in touch at psoutdoors@gmail.com

Paul SharmanPaul Sharman

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FAROE ISLANDS When 13 brings good luck

By José H. WeigandAdditional Photos Christian Flinker

The trip did not start as I expected, it was the first direct flight from Spain to the Faroe Islands and we were only 13 passengers. I'm not superstitious, but perhaps almost...

By José H. WeigandAdditional Photos Christian Flinker

FAROE ISLANDS When 13 brings good luck

...Absurd fears, and irrational. Within 10 minutes of taking off I returned to my being; the plane was new, the stewardess very friendly and had plenty of free place to go comfortably where I please, while enjoying a flight that crosses the British Isles all in some more than three and a half bearable hours. The trip was underway and I was really curious to know this amazing country and discover its fishing.

For those who know Iceland I can say that the landscape of the Faroe keeps many similarities, both are volcanic islands with endless pastures carpeting sinuous hillsides and a stunning rugged coastline, which is bathed by an amazingly clear sea. Already during landing at the airport in Tórshavn you can see that the rivers are short, abrupt, forming some natural lakes that are mostly small. I had seen on Youtube some videos of fly fishing for trout in these lakes, and the idea appealed very much to me. That and the chance of sea trout fishing on the coast and with luck, an Atlantic salmon.

Freshwater fishing is in development. It is indeed a luxury that a country so close for Europeans and Americans, is in its infancy in terms of fishing opportunities for game fish, contrasting with the sea fishing, especially for cod and halibut, which already have a tradition. The Faroe Islands are under the sovereignty of Denmark, and Danish anglers are the main foreign fishermen visiting the islands. Today, now that most world fishing destinations are more or less developed, the Faroe Islands are an undiscovered gem, and as I found after a week, not only for its fishing.

With 18 islands there are many places to fish, but fishing is no different from one to the other. The very short rivers with "trouty" currents are ideal for dry flies, nymphs, and streamers, even though as I found the trout are not educated, they took dry flies quite confidently. They are a very nice browns (is there any ugly trout?) that don´t reach large sizes in general, but are extremely strong. The first one I got, I felt It should weigh about a kilo by how it fought, but was only about 300 grams. In the summer, hatches are abundant, especially at night, and there's 24 hours of light a day, one key advantage for fishermen. You can fish all day, until you drop, and we did, take advantage of those "night" hours because the wind was lower and the surface of the lake was like a mirror dotted with the rings of rises from browns and sea trout.

Most all these rivers and lakes have no artificial obstacles on their way to the sea, allowing fish to run back upstream un-hindered to the spawning grounds. This makes fishing tremendously interesting if we consider that sea trout and salmon will complete the sport fishing on offer.

© Christian Flinker

© Christian Flinker

A country to discover

There were many activities during this press trip: deep fishing for cod and halibut, fly fishing, spinning from shore, spear fishing, photo tour, local gastronomy, etc, and dotted with stories of their Viking past drawing an interest that culminated in a visit to a shipbuilder who still builds following the Viking tradition, and it was none other than our Hvíthamar skipper, “Juan Pedro”.

Talking about fly fishing I would have liked to have seen more of the rivers and lakes, but it was impossible with such a busy schedule. I want to go back, and will do so next season.

© Christian Flinker

© Christian Flinker

People of the Faroes are absolutely hospitable and receive tourists with open arms, wanting to show them the real country, without artifice, where nature predominates.

I want to thank Kamilla Benzon and Oddmar Olsen for their efforts in organizing

and carrying out this great trip and also my “old danish friend” Preben Kaesler and danish journalists/anglers Christian Flinker and Benjamin H. Jakobsen.

Sites of interesthttp://www.greengate.fo/enhttp://www.atlantic.fo/enhttp://visitfaroeislands.com

www.urruzuno.com - Tel.: (34) 943 305011

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“GREEN LANTERN”By Mikel Elexpuru

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DREAMING IN THE HIGH SUMMITS

DREAMING IN THE HIGH SUMMITS

The wait is over, the time has passed slowly but the moment has finally arrived. Slowly, the sun will melt the eternal snows and give us permission to enter these small havens, isolated throughout the year and which hide in their waters the most cherished treasures.

By: Nacho PuyalBy: Nacho Puyal

Photo: Cristina Valdovinos

How small and insignificant we are in the immensity of the Pyrenees! Spectacular landscapes and plenty of possibilities to explore.

Here we are, thousands of emotions swirling through my mind. Will it be here, the trout of my dreams?Here we are, thousands of emotions swirling through my mind. Will it be here, the trout of my dreams?

A golden rule is to always be accompanied on the mountains and terrains when we got to so inaccessible places.

My biggest obsession is to stalk trout, and make them rise up to the surface to see them take my fly slowly, with confidence. Savour this moment of uncertainty before the battle, which will begin in milliseconds. This trout could not resist a subtly cast foam bug in a lake at 2,300 m altitude.

Many times the snow is present, further hampering things.

Often trout coloration varies considerably. This seems more like a sea trout or even a salmon.

If trout do not rise to the surface, then I must try under it.

If trout do not rise to the surface, then I must try under it.

At first cast with a small streamer.

When there is no movement, it’s best to find a high place, and take your time and observe.

We must intercept trout along its route while looking for food. Long casts, thin tippets and surface flies, fun is assured.

There are plenty of lakes in the Pyrenees, some with rivers and streams, a natural trout habitat.

Sometimes, we find trout eating nymphs along on the banks and shallows. It’s time to change tactics and give them what they want.

Nacho Puyal

Passionate about fly fishing for 20 years, Nacho is a versatile fisherman and likes different species, from trout, char, barbel and carp to pike, wels catfish or largemouth bass.

* This picture was chosen by popular vote among three options for our cover.

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Contributors in this issue

Miguel Aguilar - Paul Sharman - Nacho Puyal Mikel Elexpuru - Christian Flinker - Earl Hamilton

José H. Weigand

Fly fisherman, photographer and TV fishing editor at Caza y Pesca channel on Digital+ for 14 years. Avid traveller, have fished over 35 countries. Fly fishing guide.

Antonio Goñi

Fishing video producer, photographer and fly fisherman. Currently producing fly tying series “The Silk corner” at Caza y Pesca channel on Digital+.

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SPAIN 2013

Issue #21 from December 2013Issue #21 from December 2013