Few thrills beat hooking a big fish you can spot before the cast and follow during the fight in shallow, clear water. Florida has a lock on the best of this action. Whether it's the bonefishing out of Islamorada and the Florida Keys where the senior President Bush has his Cheeca Lodge tournament each year, or the action off Marco Island and the West Coast for tarpon, it's always a rush. On the East Coast of Florida such fishing extends all the way up to Amelia Island, a lovely upscale community with more than it's share of exclusive homes and lodgings in the Amelia Island Plantation and Ritz Hotel. Add 10 or so better than average B&Bs and, for the camping set, tenting or RV sties at historic Fort Clinch or down towards Talbot Island with it's rental canoes and much else,and you've an angler's destination that mixes bay, beach and flats fishing.
Last visit to cover the Concourse that celebrated, among other things, the100th Anniversary of Cadillac at the Amelia Island Ritz, we spent a morning on the water with Captain Russel Tharin, an Orvis-endorsed Flyfishing guide. Sight fishing for reds in the open, and on this day, extremely windy flats along Nassau Sound does present challenges. Even on a calm day it's a case of the right spot, right tide state, right season, right tackle, right fly or lure, and the right cast. On windy days you take your chances, and on cold windy days when the woolies and such are home in Idaho, you shiver a bit.
Otherwise, you steam.
Don't get me wrong this kind of trip is great even if you don't see fish, and we saw rather a lot of fish, more birds and even more muddy puffs in the shallows. Still, it's easy to see that Russel is the kind of guide who can offer hints here and there - he's an Orvis casting instructor - for those who may be more comfortable with lighter gear on trout flats.
Gearing up - it's supplied but I'm the odd type that cranks fly reels left handed - runs to nine foot long seven or eight weight rods, reels with at least a 100 yards of 20# test backing and appropriate flies. For reds, that's a Clouser minnow in various combinations of white, blue, green or red.
Spin fishermen and casters do well with medium weight rods and 15# test. All sorts of soft bodied jigs and most spoons work decently. Jigs are affordable enough so you can flip and fish them back into the shallows over oyster beds that eat lures.
